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I appreciate the range of perspectives here, though I do think we’ve drifted a bit from the main thread—how LLMs are being used as game masters in practice. That said, I think it’s worth addressing some of the broader perceptions, since misconceptions can easily shape public opinion before...

And on that note... my copy arrived today! :D I'll be reading it over the weekend.

Just to add a bit of perspective on how LLMs actually work—not in the “AI is magic” sense, but in a plain, practical way. Yes, technically they’re predicting the next word (or token), but that process is built on patterns learned from a massive amount of text—how ideas connect, how people ask...

I'll try. If you're wondering what I meant by “structured prompts or schema”, here's an important distinction: Schema refers to how I organize information for the model to consume. Think: structured character blocks, rule templates, monster stat formats. These are designed primarily for the...

You're definitely on the right track. Honestly, if what you're doing is working for you now, then you're where you need to be. That said, I’ve taken it a few steps further by formatting information in a way that more closely resembles machine-readable structures—something like JSON. It’s not...

Thanks, Scott. I think we’re very much aligned on what the tools can do—though I’d caution you on one point. Summaries aren’t a solution to the memory problem. They’re a workaround—and only a partial one. Adding more detail to summaries doesn’t preserve more information. It just increases the...

I’ve been experimenting with using LLMs to run TTRPGs for a while now, and one of the most valuable lessons I had to learn—slowly, and sometimes painfully—is how these tools actually function. Not just how to use them, but what they are, and more importantly, what they aren’t. It’s easy to...

Jumping in late on the OSR vibe... Personally, I don’t think it’s useful to try and measure Daggerheart against the “OSR gold standard” of attrition-based, room-by-room exploration. I think most of us agree that DH just isn’t built for that. It doesn’t mean you can’t hack it to approximate that...

Over the years, I’ve explored a number of systems and settings, each offering something valuable but rarely aligning with everything I was looking for at once. I eventually moved beyond looking for a “perfect” system and focused more on adapting what was available to suit the kind of experience...

I used to push back hard against players who made choices purely for numerical advantage, especially when those choices ignored any narrative reflection. As a GM, I spent too much effort trying to “balance out” their behavior—usually by escalating threats, adjusting encounters, or trying to make...

An excellent question—and exactly the kind of discussion I hope to see more of. Thoughtful, objective, and genuinely curious. I appreciate that. To me, optimization simply means making choices that yield the most benefit relative to your goals. It's not about min-maxing or overpowering the...

I've said no such thing. Players (and I mean people who play, run, do anything with the game) do it without prompt, and then get accused of their behaviors on both sides when the rules or the system is the one actually instigating things. Does anyone ever question why one option allows six...

Not sure what this is about, but I have had thoughts on this for some time. I decided long ago that it is not worth my energy or effort to try and deal with these alleged culprits because, frankly, most of these games are designed with the expectation that players will (and should) optimise to...

So I ordered the Core Set. This is the first new RPG system I have purchased since completing my Star Wars RPG collection. I should receive it around July 5th. In the meantime, I have downloaded, printed, and read all the available materials so far (i.e. SRD, sheets, quickstart adventure, etc)...

Edit: This came off a little harsher than intended. I make no apologies for what I wrote, but for the way I worded it. I'll remove or change the snarkiest bits. Neither Daggerheart, nor any other game system before or since, needs to "dethrone" D&D to be successful, or relevant, or matter. This...

@lewpuls I really appreciate this article. Very thought provoking. I especially like the analogy of collecting "favorite" songs on your music player to the point where the word favorites loses its meaning and becomes more akin to likes. It's not unlike accumulating an unreasonable number of...

Obviously, different classes have abilities and powers that exert some kind of control, or does extra damage, etc. These aren't exclusive to one kind of class or another; they're just ones that do it better or more focused. Like Clerics are typically better healers, rogues are better damage...

Roles are expressed as ideas, interpretations of their expected behaviors and tactics. This is translated into game mechanics, which provides rules as identities and play patterns to reinforce the narrative. In other words, Defenders mark targets so enemies focus fire on them, Controllers move...

Thematically speaking? If psionics has a distinct place in the setting that adds to the narrative of the game world, and not just another niche to fill within the overused and crowded bucket of "magical" powers, then sure. But then it has to offer something unique, not just another "wizard"...

Interesting. Maybe you could throw in a little XCOM2-style pressure? The kingdom is preparing for an orc invasion and can only make so many improvements unless they can buy more time, find more resources or help, or upgrade their institutions to unlock better options and upgrades. Glad to see...