How To Player

Let's All Play

Enough with tips on How To GM.
Today we explore tips on How To Player.

I ran a panel called Tabletop RPG 101: A Player's Primer at PAX East back in 2015 with a host of Gamer Assembly folks, from fellow "Been playing since the '80s" veterans to "I played my first RPG last year" newbies. I found my notes, and I based the list below on the topics covered at that panel. I changed and added some things to reflect continuous learning over the past decade.

Suffice to say this one bit of writing will in no way exhaust the topic. It's my perspective based on experience, complete with my own assumptions and blind spots, so keep that in mind as you crack your knuckles and sharpen your comments. I started thinking about this thanks to the Blogwagon Summons over on Prismatic Wasteland. Writing began on 11/4/26, so we'll see if I make the 11/7/26 deadline. (Spoiler: I did!)

Buckle up. Please keep all limbs and other appendages inside the cart while the ride is in motion. And we're off...

Fellport And Environs

So I've got a Fellport game to run tomorrow. Last game involved breaking some secrets wide open and connecting dots. They managed to luck out on a random summoned fey who knew the story of the fallen archfey known as Makara. Then they dosed the rich warlock who invited them to a party (because he wanted to recruit them) with truth-telling poison (and not a spell). He really wanted to tell them everything he knew, because he hoped they would turn into True Believers like him. And they learned enough and bailed before he finished spilling his guts.

Yeah. Many dots connected in one fell swoop. And I still haven't written up the notes from last session.

Bad GM. No Donut.

Working On Motewright

This, but more typing.

I've been brainstorming the mechanics for Motewright lately. It's been an interesting journey so far, and I've got a ways to go. If you want to read some thoughts on mechanics, read on.

The One Roll Engine (ORE)

I started looking at the One Roll Engine, the system behind Godlike. It involves rolling a variable-sized pool of d10s and counting your best set of matching results. I really like the idea of this system, where a single roll gives you two distinct bits of information: Width (how many dice in the set) and Height (the number showing on all dice in the set). You can use these in a variety of ways: Width is usually how effective your attempted action is. Height can handle initiative order within similar-Width sets, and it can control something specific about the action such as hit location for combat rolls.

So August Happened

An eruption feels close.

Once again, I feel daunted by an empty page. I've got some good things rolling, but August drained me of energy and focus. I feel like I've been spending so much time just maintaining and not moving forward. (This post gets more positive. We just need to wallow a little first.)

I know I get the same 168 hours per week that everyone gets. I try to remain positive and hopeful, but after almost 17 months of sending CVs out, it feels like I've run out of places to turn. Planning this week's meals takes time, and trying to get a straight story out of my mother gives me hives. Talking my emotions out of today's tree feels like a full-time job.

Appendix N Jam 2026: Submitted!

I'm proud of this cover.

Yes, it's that time of year again, and I've submitted my entry for the Appendix N Jam. This year I pulled the title "The Tomb Tappers", and once again, I went completely literal with two different definitions of the word "tapper". Now I'm downloading other entries and rating them.

Speaking of which, if you're also a part of the Jam, you can rate The Tomb Tappers and leave a comment, both of which I would greatly appreciate. If you're not a part of the Jam, go download a copy and challenge yourself to design a gonzo fantasy/sci fi adventure next year.

I had a brainwave when I started jotting ideas down: What if the tappers were aliens who could fold space? And what if there were a few tombs they wanted something out of? And what if I could use the format of the printed pamphlet to simulate that folding space?