How to Manage Combat Like a True Game Master Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! In the second of two True Game Mastery lessons about resolving Combat, I spend half the lesson teaching you how to use what you already know better. And then I teach you something new.

Maybe You Just Don’t GET Attrition Q&A

Following the recording of the Maybe You Just Don’t GET Attrition Proofreadaloud, The Angry GM responded to questions and comments from those listening live.

Maybe You Just Don’t GET Attrition Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! It’s Random Bullshit time. Today, I’m bullshitting about challenge, difficulty, stupid game masters, and why attrition is the most brilliant mechanic ever invented.

Roll Initiative Supplemental Q&A

Following the recording of the Roll Initiative Proofreadaloud The Angry GM responded to questions and comments from those listening in.

Roll Initiative Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest article… out loud! In the first of two True Game Mastery lessons about resolving combat, I teach you nothing. Because I already taught you everything you need to know to start combat right. You just don’t know it yet.

Everyone Doing Everything All At Once Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! True Game Mastery requires balance. True Game Masters know they can’t impose strict and arbitrary turn-and-time-based limits on their characters actions, but neither can they allow totally temporal anarchy. How do they manage complex strings of actions from multiple characters then? I’ll show you.

Definitely Not the Last Word on Dice Swing Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! Ever since I dropped a side remark about how the swinginess of the d20 was a bullshit nonissue, I’ve heard from literally severals of people asking me to expand. So I expanded. Holy crap did I ever expand.

How to Run Encounters… NOT! Proofreadaloud

Listen as the Angry GM Proofreads his latest article… out loud! This is the start of a series of True Game Mastery lessons about running different kinds of Encounters. Except it’s not. Because Encounters aren’t what you think they are.

Dealing with Problematic Actions Proofreadaloud

Listen as the Angry GM Proofreads his latest article… out loud! Action adjudication is pretty straightforward. Except when it’s not. And when a tricky action comes along, Mere Game Executors are stuck executing the game’s pre-programmed code like robots while True Game Masters follow the Three Laws of Game Mastering NonRobotics.

The Tao of the Dice Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM Proofreads his latest article… out loud! It’s tough to know when to call for a die roll and when not to. And no matter what anyone’s told you — including me — there’s no substitute for good, mature, adult judgment. So throw away your checklists and simple rules and trust…

The Joy of Secrets Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! You know what players love? Discovering secrets. You know what GMs and game designers hate? Players discovering secrets. That’s kind of messed up; don’t you think?

The Declare-Determine-Describe Cycle Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM proofreads his latest feature… out loud! True Game Masters know that nothing breaks a roleplaying game’s flow quite as much as the game’s rules do. So they take a methodical approach to keeping the rules in their place.

Inviting the Principle Player to Act Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM records his latest feature: A True Game Master paces the game with smooth narration, flowing seamlessly from scene to scene and moment to moment. Unfortunately, a TTRPG is a dialogue, not a monologue, and eventually the players get to kill the pace by talking.

Better Narration Through Visualization Lifestyle Guide Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM records his latest feature: Narration: the art of telling your players what’s what and who’s where. If you find yourself muddling to provide good Scene-Setting Narration, maybe it’s not your skills that are the problem, maybe it’s your lifestyle. Seriously.

Game Mastering Makes No Sense Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM records his latest feature: True Game Masters take Ownership and Build investment. And those concepts are so vital to Game Mastering that I’m never going to mention them again. And what I do mention won’t make sense. Because GMing is nonsense.

What it Means to Master a Game Proofreadaloud

Listen as The Angry GM records his latest feature: I can’t teach you to be a True Game Master — yes, that’s my plan; I love doing the impossible — I can’t teach you to be a True Game Master without telling you what it means to master Game Mastering.

Why Run Games Anyway Supplemental Q&A

Following the live recording session of the proofreadaloud of Why Run Games Anyway I responded to questions and comments from those listening on Discord. And then I did it again better the next day because the first recording totally sucked. Check out Sersa Victory’s Cyclic Dungeon Generation

Why Run Games Anyway

Listen as the Angry GM Proofreads (Aloud) his latest feature article… The New Year is a good time for reflection. Searching the past for the clues that’ll help you find a better future. So, this New Year, Angry invites you to think about why you even do this whole game mastering thing. If you’d like…