Tenkar's Tavern

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Kickstarter - A Good Book for Bad GMs and a Book of GM Inspiration

I've been a fan of Jim Pinto's work for years. Always creative, always intriguing. His latest Kickstarter, A Good Book for Bad GMs and a Book of GM Inspiration has sparked my interest, as it isn't game material or a new system, but advice. I may be an old dog and a decent GM, but I can still learn new tricks.

This is exactly what it sounds like: a comprehensive guide to gamemastering advice. The book walks the reader, step-by-step through all the roles the gamemaster takes on, all of the players they will encounter, and all the pitfalls that can trip up even the best gamemasters. Each section details advice on how to deal with disruptive players, shy people, slow adventures, boring plots, and bad habits that follow you from game to game. The book compiles over 40 years of gamemastering after attending over 100 game conventions with hundreds of strangers with some of the worst behavior you've ever seen, including other gamemasters who forced me to walk away from their tables. The book even talks about how to avoid those situations in the first place, and how to correct those behaviors if you yourself are one of those types of gamemasters.

To get both books in PDF is 19 bucks, and I really think that is the sweet point. I'll put these on my tablet for leisure reading and inspiration.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on YouTube - Tenkar

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Kickstarter - Original Adventures Reincarnated #7: Dark Tower

I must say, when Goodman Games puts together a Kickstarter, they go all out. Judging from the monies already raised in less than 48 hours - over $287k as I type this and still growing, the Original Adventures Reincarnated #7: Dark Tower Kickstarter is going to kick ass for the DCC RPG and 5e fans out there.

If you don't have a copy of the originals, this 3 volume set for $100 bucks is likely a bargain. Were I a DCC RPG player or D&D 5e gamer I'd likely be all in. I'm not sure I will personally pull the trigger on this as I have the originals, but it certainly is tempting.

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on YouTube - Tenkar

Monday, May 16, 2022

Dave Johnson's (Star Frontiers New Genesis/nuTSR Writer) Has a Website (apparently created by a third-party) Devoted to His Hateful & Bigoted Tweets

I was shown the below link late this afternoon. It took me a while to digest what I was seeing and to reconcile how any sane individual could share so much hateful and bigoted content.

I'm not going to share the content on The Tavern, but I will link to the site below, as well as Dave's Twitter account, which as I type this still has the tweets collected on the below website.

https://nohateingames.wixsite.com/home

https://twitter.com/DavefilmsUs

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

RPGNow