#RPGaDay2024

There is a shortlist of games I recommend to people, even if they never intend on playing them. I believe reading these two games will make you better at playing and running an RPG.

Blades in the Dark by John Harper was the game that blew my mind when I came back to the hobby after a three-decade hiatus. The chapter “Running the Game” significantly impacted me as a GM. How it framed the role of a GM and the goals of running an RPG challenged how I look at the hobby. It is where I first came across the idea of not plotting out sessions or campaigns. It started my exploration of tearing up the script and trusting that the play would allow a story to emerge. The simple concept of offering opportunities and following the players’ lead seems familiar now, but it was new to this old grognard. The advice in the book is critical for getting the most out of Blades in the Dark. It is also applicable to every game and every system. GM Principles on page 193 is worth the price of the book.

The second game that will make you a better player and game runner is Mothership by Sean McCoy. The Warden’s Operation Manual may be one of the best collections of GM advice. Sean presents step-by-step guidance on how to prepare for your first session. How do you construct a starting scenario so your players have a launching point? His advice on finding the horror in the game requires reading for any GM running any horror game. It outlines how to teach the game (more books should do this). The section on Interpreting Failure is worth the price of the game.

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