Run the Game. Forget the Noise.

There’s no shortage of advice for new Dungeon Masters. Most of it is fine. Some of it even works. But a lot of what actually matters never shows up in the books. These are the things I learned the hard way. The stuff that actually changed how I run games. 

Not every fight needs to end in death.
The best encounters I have run were not about dealing the most damage. They were about buying time. Breaking a ritual. Escaping the scene. Surviving. Fighting with a goal changes everything. Players start thinking creatively. They stop counting damage and start solving problems. A good objective turns a fight into a story.

Read weird things. Steal it all.
You do not get better by consuming more RPG content. You get better by pulling ideas from outside of it. Read pulp novels and folklore. Watch bad sci-fi and old horror films. Scroll through metal album covers and weird art blogs. Your brain needs off the hook fuel. The best sessions come from mixing strange ingredients and throwing them at your players to see what sticks.

Avoid the DM tool trap.
There is an entire market built around selling DMs stuff they do not need. It is the golf industry all over again. Selling expensive gear to people who think a better driver will fix their swing. It will not. Experience is the only thing that levels you up. Run games. Make mistakes.That is how you get good. Just like the characters in your world, you earn experience.

Learn from other DMs. Do not try to be them.
Watch how other DMs run their tables. Use their good ideas. Drop the rest. Never fall into the trap of thinking you have to run like they do. Their voice is not your voice. Their timing is not your timing. Your presentation will become the style your table remembers. Let it happen. Find your own rhythm.

You will get better. Not by buying. Not by waiting for it to feel perfect. You will get better by running the game.

Frazetta Armor

Heroes wore less when stories were bigger. 

On the covers of pulp paperbacks and the canvases of Frank Frazetta, warriors strode bare-chested through blood-soaked temples, cloaked in smoke, steel, and not much else. Their armor was always minimal, but their presence? Untouchable. 

I’ve been making Frazetta Armor jokes for years. The chainmail bikini. The enchanted loincloth. That ancient pulp rule that the less you wear, the harder you are to hit. But while prepping my Hyborian-themed Shadowdark campaign, I stopped laughing and started designing. Why not make it real?

This isn’t just a funny item. It’s narrative logic, baked into the bones of pulp fantasy. Frazetta’s heroes didn’t survive because of the gear they wore. They survived because they were the story’s center of gravity. The enchantment doesn’t protect your body, it protects your myth.

Mechanically, the armor keys off two things pulp heroes are known for: being hard to hit or too stubborn to die. You get to choose. DEX or CON, whichever suits your build. But either way, it’s powered by style. Always style.

Here’s the item as it’ll appear in my game:

Frazetta Armor
1 slot, does not count as armor

• This enchanted garment of fur, chain or hide offers no true defense, only undeniable presence.
• While wearing no armor, your AC becomes 10 + CHA modifier + DEX or CON modifier (your choice).
• You may use a shield.Wearing any armor suppresses the magic.
• After a full day, it leaves behind a perfect magical tan line in its exact shape.

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It hasn’t shown up yet in my campaign, but it will. Sooner or later, someone’s going to toss their armor aside, grab a torch, and step shirtless into the crypt like they were born for it. This item works just as well in D&D, or whatever hack you’re running. If the game speaks pulp, this armor listens. 

And when they do, they won’t just look unstoppable. They’ll be unstoppable.

Because in pulp fantasy, you don’t survive with AC. You survive because you look too cool to die.

Want to see the real deal? I visited the Frazetta Art Museum years ago, and the atmosphere is pure magic. Highly recommended if you ever want to feel like you’ve stepped into a painting.

When the Light Goes Out

There’s been a lot of noise lately about the one-hour torch timer in Shadowdark, and most of it comes from people who haven’t actually played the game. I keep pointing this out because once you do, it becomes immediately clear that the torch rule is not arbitrary. It is essential to how the game creates tension, risk, and atmosphere.

In Shadowdark, darkness is not just mood lighting. It is danger. When the torches go out, the game enters the Deadly condition. That is a defined mechanical state where the GM begins checking for random encounters every crawling round. You are no longer just exploring. You are in survival mode, and every moment counts. 

What makes this even more powerful is that no one in Shadowdark has darkvision. There is no fallback. No elf cutting through the dark. No wizard spamming a Light cantrip for free. The Light spell does exist, but like a torch, it only lasts one hour of real time and takes a spellcasting check. You carry a torch or a lantern, or you are blind. That is it. Darkness is not an inconvenience. It is a countdown to danger.

This is why the real-time torch timer matters. It is a shared, objective measure that every player can see. You have one hour of light. When it ends, the Deadly condition begins. If torch duration were left up to the GM’s judgment, it would feel inconsistent or punitive. You might get ten minutes one session and twenty the next, all depending on how the GM is feeling. That kind of uncertainty makes the danger feel unfair.

With a set timer, the pressure becomes part of the game. Players make real decisions. Do we press deeper or turn back now? Do we use our last torch or save it for the way out? Time becomes a resource just like hit points or spells, and the looming threat of darkness shapes the entire dungeon experience.

This mechanic is not a gimmick. It is not nostalgia for the sake of it. It is good design. The torch timer gives structure to the danger. It supports the core loop of risk and reward. It turns exploration into a timed challenge without needing any extra mechanics. And most importantly, it makes the dungeon feel alive, hostile, and real. 

If you have only read the rulebook but never played with the torch burning down in real time, then you have not truly experienced what makes Shadowdark different. Let the light fade. Let the dungeon go Deadly. Only then will you understand why the torch timer is not just a rule. It is the heartbeat of the game.

“Just House Rule It” Is a Lazy Answer

Critique a TTRPG mechanic, ask a design question, or point out a flaw in something like D&D, and you’ll see it pop up like clockwork.

“Just house rule it.”

“Fun is different for everyone.”

These responses might sound open-minded, but they rarely are. More often than not, they’re used to shut down conversations, not open them up. They don’t engage with the question. They dodge it.

When someone takes the time to examine how a rule impacts gameplay, how a mechanic drags or how a system unintentionally punishes certain playstyles, they’re inviting a conversation. Saying “just fix it at your table” might sound helpful, but it skips past the real work of understanding and improving the system.

Design isn’t sacred. Design is iterative. It thrives on feedback.

Fun might have personal flavor, but it isn’t unknowable. Most players come to the table for tension, drama, clever decisions, challenge, narrative payoff, or the thrill of pulling something off in the moment. These are recognizable patterns. There are tools and philosophies in game design that can foster those experiences reliably and intentionally. That’s what good design does.

Waving away critique with “fun is different for everyone” avoids responsibility. It puts the burden of fixing problems on the GM or the players instead of acknowledging where the system itself could be stronger.

And look, homebrew is great. House rules can be incredible. But they shouldn’t be used as excuses for why broken or inconsistent design doesn’t matter. If people are regularly tweaking or ignoring a rule, that’s not a defense. That’s a red flag.

When someone points out that a mechanic slows things down or causes friction, or that a spell always dominates play, or that a class feels weaker in practice, the honest response isn’t “well, everyone’s different.” The honest response is to dig in and talk about why it happens, what it means, and how it could be better.

Game design deserves that. Players deserve that. GMs deserve that.

“Fun is subjective” doesn’t mean “all design is valid.”
It means design needs to work for people.
And that only happens when we stop dodging and start engaging.

Strahd for Shadowdark

"I am the ancient. My beginnings are lost in the darkness of the past. I am not dead. Nor am I alive. I am undead, forever."

- Count Strahd von Zarovich

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Are you planning to run I6: Ravenloft with Shadowdark this Halloween? I have taken his classic stats from that module and mixed them with the vampire from Shadowdark. The entry below is directly from the module:

The entire adventure centers around the vampire. Always keep in mind the motives of the vampire, how he moves about, and what his cunning plot is. You must play Strahd in the same way the players play their characters. Study this NPC as carefully as the players study their characters.

I think that advice from 1983 still holds up today. The most fascinating thing about I6 was for the first time ever, the adventure was more about the villain than the dungeon. So keep that mind when using Strahd, as this is an NPC that extends beyond the four corners of a rulebook.

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Count Strahd Von Zarovich (The First Vampyr)

AC 18, HP 65, ATK 3 strike +8 (1d8 + energy drain) or 1 charm, MV near (climb), S +4, D +4, C +4, I +4, W +4, Ch +4, AL C, LV 15

Supreme Undead. Immune to morale checks. Only damaged by magical sources.

Energy Drain. Strahd heals 2d6 HP and target permanently loses 1d4 CON. At 0 CON, target dies and rises as vampire or vampire spawn (Strahd chooses).

Charm. One humanoid target who can see vampire within near, DC 18 CHA or under vampire's control for 1d4 days.

Shapechange. In place of attacks, Strahd can assume Gaseous Form at will or turn into a bat, wolf, or back into regular form.

Spellcaster. Strahd has learned his magic from studies over the centuries. His available spells are:

Tier 1. Hold Portal, Sleep

Tier 2. Invisibility, Mirror Image

Tier 3. Animate Dead, Dispel Magic

Tier 4. Passwall, Polymorph

Tier 5. Create Undead

Vampire. Must sleep in a coffin daily or loses 2d6 HP each day that can't be healed until resting in coffin. Takes 3d8 damage each round while in direct sunlight. Cannot be killed unless pierced through heart with a wooden stake while at 0 HP.

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Looking for more thematic material for Halloween or Ravenloft ? Use those links to find more of my older blog posts that may be helpful. 

Zine: Lead Beans & Bacon

Some time ago I purchased Frontier Scum by Den of Druids. It's a wonderful game about wanted outlaws making their mark on the lost frontier. It uses a slightly modified Mork Borg engine and is very rules light. I was so inspired by this game, being a western aficionado, I dipped my toes back into making zines. 

I present to you Lead Beans & Bacon Vol. 1

This independent production features eight rare firearms for your Frontier Scum to either find or purchase with their fistful of silver. It also contains alternate and specialty ammo that follows the same idea. Finally, look over chuckwagon meals your character can cook to become invigorated and the various drinks to throw back at the saloon or on the trail. 

FRONTIER SCUM is © Den of Druids.

Krampusnacht Curios

 

So what does Krampus leave inside the shoes or boots of good little boys and girls? Since the winter months are so harsh and unforgiving, he usually gifts them with minor enchanted items. These items have limited use before becoming mundane keepsakes. Often their magical ability is not even known by the owner and believed to just be good luck. Superstition and mystery surrounds the curios as many run to see what was left for them when the sun rises. These items, however, are not just for children and can be left for adults. Additionally, they can be used for any Krampus scenario you create as fun one shot treasures the players find. So dig out that much maligned d12 and see what was left in your shoe! 

1. Badalisc Trinket. This odd looking toy is wrapped in goat skin and has a visage which includes a big head, two horns, a toothy maw, and gold eyes. According to legend, if the actual Badalisc is captured, it reveals all a town’s gossip to prevent bad things from happening. This particular curio will make a one failed Charisma based check become a natural 20.  

2. Perchten Charm. A strange looking animal foot of no discernible origin which has been shrunken and dyed. The Perchten are the entourage of Perchta, an old god of the wild. These animal fetishes are known for their ability to help lost creatures. The charm will work as a compass to find any animal or beast one time before becoming mundane. 

3. Wassail Apple. Old Norse has a saying which goes ves heill or be in good health. These spicy red apples are enchanted so that one can be used to make an entire bowl of punch. It creates 1d4+4 servings of a magical liquid which will remove a single disease or make the imbiber immune to one disease exposure for up to a year’s time. The apple and subsequent unused punch will vanish after one week.

4. Joulupukki Figure. This small wooden toy resembles a goat with a long beard wearing a fur-trimmed red bag of gifts. Well-behaved children often receive this curio from Krampus and it’s not unusual for some to collect them. The curio allows the owner to wish for one minor item and it will appear nearby. Nothing of more than 1 sp in value can ever be summoned.  

5. Eight-Legged Horse. Modeled after Sleipnir from Norse mythology, this wooden toy is a rare gift to receive from Krampus. As a symbol of great speed, these curios are favored among those on hastened journeys. Legend holds that Sleipnir could travel through land, sea, or air and between worlds. The curio may be invoked just once to instantly travel up to one mile so long as the destination can be visualized.  

6. Pine Golem. A favorite of children, these dolls are crafted from pine cones and usually wear pretty dresses or faux armor. When placed under sunlight, the dolls will animate and walk around imitating anyone nearby. This, of course, creates all sorts of giggles and amusement, based on who is being shadowed. Pine golem antics last an hour before their enchantment diminishes completely.

7. Jól Wand. This piece of oak is decorated with sprigs of fir, holly, or yew and carved with various runes which ask for warmth and protection. It is well known these are gifted by Krampus when the winter will be particularly harsh. When receiving a Jól wand, it is best to be conservative when using it. 1d4 times it may be invoked to start a blazing fire with a simple touch, even with wet wood and kindling. 

8. Solstice Orb: The return of the light after the long bitter winter is something celebrated by many northern villages. This small piece of clear glass is roughly shaped like a ball and fits in the palm of the hand. If tossed against a hard object, it will shatter, illuminating a 40-foot area with soothing light. This radiance will even pierce magical darkness and last for one hour before expiring completely.

9. Hammer Pendant: These T-shaped charms are thought to be ancient depictions of the Norse Mjölnir. Krampus has been known to gift three different types, which vary in value of iron, silver, and gold. These are greatly prized by hunters for another reason, however. The pendant will guide one arrow to unerringly strike before becoming mundane. The ability to return home with food during the winter months is priceless.

10. Tomte Bowl: According to old stories, these wooden dishes were crafted by mischievous sprites. They appear to be the head of a bearded elderly man. A bright red cap serves as a lid to the bowl, and when removed warmth will issue forth. If butter is placed inside the bowl, it will immediately fill with nourishing hot porridge. This ability may be used 2d4 times before the bowl becomes completely mundane. 

11. Draugr Effigy: This wooden sculpture resembles a withered corpse bound in rope. During winter the undead and worse things are known to walk again. The effigy is activated as a ward if it senses undead nearby. This magical protection afforded to the owner lasts only one hour before permanently being diminished. During that time, weaker undead will be oblivious of their presence with stronger undead disinterested and intelligent undead cautiously indifferent. 

12. Holly Ringlet: This magic laurel is crafted with boughs of glossy green foliage and bright red berries. As legend goes, placing this enchanted ringlet over the mantle invites fairy folk into the home. This is not cause for concern as the fairies enjoy the warmth of the fire and the shelter from the cold. 1d4 fairies will be summoned, which equates to how many days the house will be under a Protection from Evil spell.  

 

 This article was originally featured in my 2015 zine, Tales from the Game Tavern