Rat Bastard DM reading list?

[XCorvis]

I'd really like to become a Rat Bastard DM. Can anyone recommend any rat bastardy threads, websites, story hours or forums to learn from? Any hot tips or good advice?

 

[Valkesh]

Well my initiation in rat bastard DMing was The book of Challenges that book has some nasty situations for your players.
Grimtooths Traps is good too, but the best way to be a complete bastard is to take note as to what it is your players enjoy the most in theyr characters and attack that ruthlessly. Remember: There is a bit list of things mutch worse than death for DnD players.
-End Post

 

[mac1504]

Draconomicon.

 

[The Amazing Dingo]

I've found the greatest aide that these boards can offer are the Story Hours. Go glancing and read, read, read. There are plenty of great stories there to enjoy and to learn some great RBing techniques from.

 

[Rel]

I like to think I'm a bit rat-bastardy in some of my better moments. But I don't hold a candle to Old One. Check out his Story Hour.

And I've gamed with him and felt the pointed end of his rat bastard stick. It is sharp and forceful. But in a fun way .

 

[Pbartender]

Read a history book. Any history book... Ancient Roman and European Renaissance politics are especially helpful, and are fairly well documented.

Read Sun Tzu's Art of War and Macchiavelli's The Prince.

 

[Dancer]

Read Gurps Middle Ages I. Pages 1-49 are mostly about British and French history during the middle ages and that is the stuff you want. You want to talk about rat bastardness. Those were some evil times and treachery, pain and death was everywhere.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Read Delta Green and Delta Green: Countdown. Then go and subscribe to the Delta Green Mailing List. Read the messages for a few months, and read as much of the archives as you dare (but don't violate posting etiquette, and if you do, don't complain that senior list members "are being mean to you", but apoligize and do better in the future. You reap what you sow, and if you don't understand that, you are better off not posting there.)

If this doesn't turn you into one of the meanest rat bastards of a GM to ever walk the Earth, I don't know what will. Just remember that this is not something for the faint-hearted...

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I agree - take a look at the story hours forums here - there's some great stuff. The rogues gallery has some interesting things: Blackdirges thread (and front page articles) are particularly interesting.

In the way of books, if you can find a copy I'd suggest The Munchkins Guide to Power Gaming by Steve Jackson... it's style is quite over the top, but has some sound advice hidden away in there. The focus is on curbing powergamers, but in doing so has some good ideas for challenging characters.

 

[shilsen]

Machavelli's The Prince And more recently, I've got to give another vote for reading the story hours. Also, just read the DMing-related threads on the General RPG Discussion board, and you'll have more than enough material to learn from. Welcome to the dark side!