People whose work should be read by DMs

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Eulalios

People whose work should be read by DMs

#1 Post by Eulalios »

Not proposing a list of people with whom DMs should agree. More like a list of people who have written things that DMs ought to consider.

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GreyWolfVT
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#2 Post by GreyWolfVT »

:shock: :? you callin me out bro? :P :lol: idc I need the feedback if you had me in mind on the list then shoot me a pm I am open to all suggestions ;)
“All men did have darkness. Some wore it in the form of horns. Some bore it invisibly as rot in their souls.”
― Paul S. Kemp, Shadowbred
"If good people won’t do the hard things, evil people will always win, because evil people will do anything."
― Paul S. Kemp, Twilight Falling

Algrim Tirion Dwarf - HarnMaser
Dalin Silverhand Dwarf Thief - Barrowmaze
Elwood 'Dug' The Bounty Hunter Dwarf Swashbuckler - Hedge's Adventures in the World of Golarion
Roan Gravelbeard Dwarf Fighter - Hedge's Greyhawk Adventures
Torvik Shadowhood Dwarf Fighter/Thief - Nocturne
DM - GreyWolf's Mystara Adventures - AD&D 2e

Eulalios

Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#3 Post by Eulalios »

No, not aiming this at anyone. Just curious what people think is helpful toward running a game.

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GreyWolfVT
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#4 Post by GreyWolfVT »

well for me being that I am both a DM and a player. I think maps for combat scenarios with updates every round is a good thing. I like em my players ask for em when I stopped using them so definitely something to consider. Visual aids sometimes a hilarious yet helpful I sometimes as a player get a bit carried away with using them to show my characters expression or actions. I love em when Gorgnadsw uses em in his DM posts for his games.

I also think when a DM updates the situations/scenarios the DM updates and or summaries of a battle or just the general updates for non combat is nice if organized with player names in bold in a list so that each play can get a good idea of what is what and who it pertains to makes it nice if it is in a organized list.

For players them posting actions and dialog with the characters name in bold perhaps even with at least their race, class and current HP helps everyone players and DM included.
“All men did have darkness. Some wore it in the form of horns. Some bore it invisibly as rot in their souls.”
― Paul S. Kemp, Shadowbred
"If good people won’t do the hard things, evil people will always win, because evil people will do anything."
― Paul S. Kemp, Twilight Falling

Algrim Tirion Dwarf - HarnMaser
Dalin Silverhand Dwarf Thief - Barrowmaze
Elwood 'Dug' The Bounty Hunter Dwarf Swashbuckler - Hedge's Adventures in the World of Golarion
Roan Gravelbeard Dwarf Fighter - Hedge's Greyhawk Adventures
Torvik Shadowhood Dwarf Fighter/Thief - Nocturne
DM - GreyWolf's Mystara Adventures - AD&D 2e

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dmw71
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#5 Post by dmw71 »

Aside from occasionally checking out message boards (e.g. Dragonsfoot.org), I don't really read too much about gaming online. I did look back through some old links I had bookmarked and here are a couple that, as a DM, I found helpful or interesting enough to save:

Delta's D&D Hotspot
http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/
* I remember bookmarking this one a long time ago because I found his discussions on handling encumbrance and using the silver standard for money in the game word particularly interesting.

The Alexandrian: Jaquaying the Dungeon
http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/130 ... he-dungeon
* I'm not sure I read more from this site, but this 'Jaquaying the Dungeon' was great.

I'm sure there's a ton of stuff out there, but I figured I'd throw these two sites out there to at least get some contributions rolling in.


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Alethan
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#6 Post by Alethan »

I tend to not frequent any RPG forums that are heavy on discussion. The "my way or the highway" crowd has really turned me off to them.

I follow just a few RPG-related blogs. Really, the only one that frequently provides me with usable information is Hack&Slash.

I am more influenced by what I read via Scifi/Fantasy literature. I like some of the old (Lovecraft, Leiber, Vance, Asimov, Tolkien, etc.) and some of the new (Cook, Martin, Hobb, and so on).

Reading some of the above is enough to get some of my own creative thoughts going, then I just start writing down ideas and let it take off from there.
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#7 Post by Grognardsw »

Having come back to playing a few years ago, I found it amazing how much commentary and content there is. Having limited time I don't read much of it - rather be posting and playing - but instead listen to podcasts like Save or Die and its sister shows. Those can be digested while driving or multi-tasking. I've always been a genre reader and use literature as inspiration. I occasionally peruse my old Dragons and White Dwarf magazines. There is one great "new" resource I use a lot, The Dungeon Dozen web site.

A cornerstone DM reading recommendation:
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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#8 Post by Paladin »

I enjoy these two blogs.

https://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/?m=1

https://boggswood.blogspot.com/?m=1

The ODD74 forum has answered a lot of my questions and given me tons of ideas for my games.

Tome of Adventure Design from Frog God Games is good. The book series by Gygax is pure gold.

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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#9 Post by Spartakos »

Patrick Stuart (falsemachine.blogspot.com) is someone I highly recommend reading, just for the crazy awesome ideas he spouts off.

I will second Delta as one of the best “crunch” based D&D bloggers. If you like to houserule, he has excellent work for you to consider.

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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#10 Post by Paladin »

This is viewing rather than reading, I suppose, but I've turned Jim Murphy's game prep and dungeon design youtube videos into a cliffs notes-style journal that I use as a reference during the game.

It got turned into reading material. Lol. Critters, encounters, magic items, traps, plug and play mini-dungeons, towns, villages, villains, etc.

He's a good example of the learn-by-doing school, scribbling as you go. But once you have your "manual" nailed down, it's so handy at the table.
Last edited by Paladin on Wed Sep 16, 2020 5:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: People whose work should be read by DMs

#11 Post by dmw71 »

Paladin wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 10:27 pm This is viewing rather than reading, I suppose, but I've turned Jim Murphy's game prep and dungeon design youtube videos into a cliffs notes-style journal that I use as a reference during the game.
Jim Murphy


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