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RPG Session prep, it has to be done when you’re the game master about to run your tabletop rpg of choice. There are different methods of preparing your session, personal to each GM – especially the method, whether you choose index cards, some type of digital tool, etc. Thorough prep is great, but it can lead to spending too much time on details you may present into the game. Not enough session prep and you risk being caught flat footed! Ask one hundred game masters about how to prep for your session and you will get one hundred different responses.
In this episode we invite Phil Vecchione, author Never Unprepared, and Jim Ingram join The Brain Trust to talk about prepping your tabeltop rpg session. We hope you enjoy the discussion.
Find more of Phil Vecchione:
- Twitter @dnaphil
- Never Unprepared: The Complete Game Master’s Guide to Session Prep (pdf | print)
- Misdirected Mark podcast
- Gnomestew rpg blog
- Encoded Designs rpg publisher
Find more of Jim Ingram:
- Twitter @SomeoneNamedJim
- Jim on BS Landia Discord
Episode related resources
- What’s Going on Document (Fear the Boot)
- Rick Steves (website)
- Google Earth
- Gardens of Ynn (pdf)
- Rangers of the Middenvale (pdf)
- Dogs in the Vinyard (print)
- Notion – video using it for prep
- OneNote
- Index Card RPG (pdf | print)
- Sly Flourish, Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master (pdf | print)
Links
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3 replies on “RPG Session Prep”
I really enjoyed this episode, both the tone and pace of it, as well as the content. I was very happy to hear how the participants recognized the areas of similarity and difference that comprise their approaches to preparation, and focused on making their discussion and suggestions postive and practical for clear purposes.
I enjoyed this episode a lot. The comment about needing to like the tools you use is spot on. I have tried some tools, in particular mapping programs, that I hate, and the thought of using them was such a bummer it stopped me from prepping a little bit. We have returned, at least for now, to Meat Space gaming, and it is sure nice to be back to pencil, paper, minis, dice, printouts, and erasable battle map!
Fantastically useful episode; as a newish/returning GM, I think it will significantly help me shape how I approach the game table and prep players for playing a game they enjoy.