PODCAST · leisure
Game Mastery
by Game Mastery
A world builder, a magician, a baker, and a moderator, plus guests and conversation for everyone of every level.Whether you play Dungeons & Dragons or any other rpg, we talk about issues that cross genres and systems. If you're new to game mastering, come in and get some valuable insight on how to run your games and manage players. If you're an old and grizzled veteran of many campaigns, get some inspiration and maybe a pointer or two that are new to you. If you're a player, come on in! Learn a little about what it takes for your GMs to give you the adventures you enjoy!
Episodes
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Episode 34: GM Tips and Stories - Part 5 of 5 - Vampires and LARPing
Favorite LARPing stories and how they promote inclusion. GMing tips and learning to let everyone have time int he spotlight. How to handle interpersonal conflict in-game and between players. Conflicts of personality, just between players liking each other, independent of anything egregious. There...
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Episode 34: About Jessica - Part 4 of 5 - Vampires and LARPing
We talk about how Jessica got into the world of Vampire.
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Episode 34: More about the game! - Part 3 of 5 - Vampires and LARPing
How often can you expect to have games available as a player? How much time does Jessica put in to administering the history, logs, characters, GMing and everything? GMs are responsible for more than just showing up each week and running a module. Vampire GMs might be more hands-on with the…
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Episode 34: Basics of Jessica's Vampire Organization - Part 2 of 5 - Vampires and LARPing
How does Jessica run her games? How many separate story groups are there in the organization? How are the groups broken up into stories (chronicles, in Vampire parlance), and characters? Which clan makes the best murder hobos? How do you interact with others in-game? How is the story collected…
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Episode 34: What is LARP? - Part 1 of 5 - Vampires and LARPing
The basics of LARPing, how conflicts are resolved, and what kind of organizations exist for organized play. How do these local and regional, national and international storylines work for organized play?
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Episode 34: Intro - Vampires and LARPing
We 're joined in a 5-part episode by Jessica, an experienced Vampire: The Masquerade GM. New year, new ideas, new formats! Thank you for your support this past year! ----- (transcript by Descript) Steve(n): On today's game mastery. We talked to Jessica and experienced vampire the masquerade GM…
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Episode 33: Review - Avatar RPG Quickstart
In a world... where cartoons are not cartoons, and Andrew is flummoxed by inappropriately managed emotion, we take a journey into a role playing game made for children... and talk (maybe too much) about why a certain gaming mechanic bugged us. Magpie Games is Kickstartering an rpg based on the…
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Episode 32: Selling Magic for Shoes
Steve(n) let's Mark help guide him on whether or not to sell his few remaining higher-dollar Magic cards. Car payment on one hand, Reserve List items on the other... If you've ever had to look at your collectables and make the hard decision about what to sell when you need cash, come on in and...
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Episode 31: GM Interview - The Serial Killer Campaign
Jorge and Austin meet up with us for the conclusion of out 3-part series on The Serial Killer Campaign. And what a ride! The results of our last episode blew us away, and we were completely surprised by the player reactions to the reveal. The insights in this episode were 180 degrees from where…
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Episode 30: Player Interview - The Serial Killer Campaign
The fiend is revealed! On this episode, we talk to Rosie, Corey, Jon, and Shylah about this amazing campaign. Was there drama? Should there have been drama? How many people do they think Lucius had a hand in killing? Did anyone suspect? And is everyone still friends... If you haven't listened to...
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Episode 29: GM Replay - Hooked on Hooks - 2 of 2 - Gameplay
Gameplay demo! Craig takes the GMs on an instructional session! We talk about integrating hooks, how to handle role-players vs dice-throwers, and how to keep an encounter moving with timer tricks. No cones were hurt during the recording of this episode.
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Episode 28: GM Replay - Hooked on Hooks - 1 of 2
We once again welcome Craig, our GM from below the equator, to help us refine our definition of the adventure hook. He makes distinctions between in-game and meta-gaming hooks, which starts another conversation about gameplay and interaction. And by the end, Craig agrees to take Mark, Andrew, and...
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Episode 27: Pro Tips - Creating NPCs
Get ideas on how to make better NPCs in your games.
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Episode 26: Lessons - Player Stories
Andrew, Tracy, and Steve(n) take a break from the usual and talk about player stories. What makes a session fun for the attendees, and what can a GM do to make the campaign enjoyable. Tracy would rather entertain than be right. Andrew wants balance. Steve(n) hates meta-gaming to the point of…
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Episode 25.5: Edition Wars - Session Zero - #%*! Cones
If you never had to try and make cones fit to graph paper without the benefit of a template, nor had to deal with the way cone effects used to be handled back in the day, you may not understand Mark's woes. Steve(n) understands, even if Tracy and Andrew go on a cone-knowledge-mocking-spree. And...
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Episode 25: Edition Wars - Session Zero
Dungeons & Dragons. What are the differences between versions? Is newer better? What's it like to play a character from AD&D to 5e? The GMs are going to find out! Welcome to Session Zero! In this episode, we talk the evolution of the world's most popular rpg, and what some differences are between...
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Episode 24: Tanked - How to ruin a campaign
What not to do when you want players to have a good time. If you're a GM who wants to keep your players interested, or a player who wants to make life easier for your group, come on down and take notes! References: How to ruin a campaign? ;)...
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Episode 23: World Building and Storytelling - Interview
This week we called in some cavalry. Autumn and Jesper from Am Writing Fantasy join us to talk about world building and storytelling! This isn't just for our listeners who GM, but also for those that write. We talk about how to structure your campaign settings, so your players don't feel like...
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Episode 22: Magic and History - Off the rails like a bat out of Hell
We take a sidestep into the history of magic in Dungeons & Dragons *and* the history of magic itself (both historically and philosophically). We talk about possible ways to change the flavor of magic in your campaigns, to better represent the kind of magic you want to see in your games. We touch…
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Episode 21: Building a Dungeon - First Steps
Andrew and Mark help Steve(n) actually map out the story and format of a dungeon encounter for his campaign. Using techniques covered in previous episodes, a well-thought-out and meaningful dungeon encounter is created on the fly. The methods used in this episode can help an struggling GM…
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Episode 20: About Dungeons
We talk about the basics of what a dungeon is, why dungeons are, and how you can use them to create story hooks, diversions, or random encounters. You can even use dungeons to limit your players so they can explore their characters in specific ways. Find out the technique Andrew uses to keep…
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Episode 19: Interview - The Serial Killer Campaign
We interview an in-game serial killer and the GM who let this character loose on his world. We've touched on uncomfortable situations at the gaming table before, and we were not prepared for where this conversation took us. We each had preconceptions about what kind of game this must be, what…
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Episode 18: GM Discussion - Gaming outside the home
We welcome Tracy back to talk about running games outside of your home, with an eye to the end of Pandemic Time! We had an idea for the episode, and it turned out a little different than we intended. RPG resources! Local libraries, D&D Beyond! There are interesting options for running games for...
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Episode 17: GM Report and Review - Newbie GM
Steve(n) recently ran his first bona fide adventure for his childhood friends. They tested the OVA rpg system from Clay Gardner at Wise Turtle, and it was more fun than a bucket of caffeinated otaku. But! How did he think it went, really? What criticisms, pitfalls, and re-dos will be revealed…
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Episode 16: GM Discussion - Does system matter?
We welcome GM and boardgame guru Jay to this week's episode. We talk about different game systems, whether or not you can get the same experience from the same story in different rulesets, what kind of system you should think about when taking small groups, large groups, and/or inexperienced…
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Episode 15: GM Pro Tips - Bag of Hooks - 2 of 2
We conclude our time with Craig today, and we discuss ways to move your players to a destination through false choices and interesting plot hooks.
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Episode 14: GM Pro Tips - Bag of Hooks - 1 of 2
This episode is a two-parter! We welcome American living in Australia, Craig (or Kregg to those Aussies and their sweet rounded vowels), as we talk about techniques and plot threads to keep your players interested in your story, and their characters. Craig, who contributes to the First Roll In...
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Episode 13: Building a Campaign - 2 of 2
Using the 5x5 system and 3-act play as a guide, Steve(n) goes off the rails after Building a Campaign part 1. He changes everything up on the established narrative for his new GM story idea. Instead of going with 5e, he'll use OVA (the Open Versatile Anime rpg) for a story that takes place in a...
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Episode 12: GM Discussion - Uncomfortable Situations
Jen and Tracy join us on this episode for a serious talk about everything from sexism and unsavory content, to unnecessary directions in the narrative, to gaming while grrl.. Plus, we spell out some best practices for making sure your games are considerate to all participants. Be forewarned, we...
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Episode 11: Building a Campaign - 1 of 2
How should Steve(n) work out how he failed at GM'ing his own campaign when he tried before? What advice do Andrew and Mark have for him, and what mistakes did Steve(n) make when he tried to GM? The GMs talk about guideposts, leading your players, and learning to adapt. If you have tips for…
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Episode 10: Fantasy Grounds and Christmahanukwanzaakah
We follow-up on last week's Fantasy Grounds episode with some info on costs, and what you need to know if you're gifting it to the aspiring GM in your life. We also give some recommendations for last-minute gift ideas for your table-top nerds (including miniatures and terrain). Plus, hear what we...
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Episode 9: GM report - Fantasy Grounds
This week we welcome Chris, who is using Fantasy Grounds to run 5e. Chris already knew Fantasy Grounds as a player, and dedicated a lot of prep to learning enough to run his sessions with confidence. We touch on this in the beginning, move on to handling situations when your players might be...
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Episode 8: Flashback - AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide
Steve(n) reads from the AD&D DM's guide, talks a little Gygax, and thanks his parents for letting him be a nerd.
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Episode 7: GM Pro Tips - Drama at the Table
Threats to a good time need to be addressed before they get out of hand. How do you get players to work together? How do you prevent one person from railroading the game? Returning guest Tracy helps us lay our plans for understanding and managing conflict in our gaming groups (and IRL). While you...
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Episode 6: Building an Adventure
From the 3-Act Structure to the concept of the 5-Room Encounter, we talk about processes to create and manage building upon encounters to create adventures. We cover it all! Join us for this next step in our quest to have Steve(n) create and run his own adventure using the knowledge Andrew, Mark,...
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Episode 5: Building an Encounter
Step 1 on the path to our upcoming real-time campaign creation episodes. Andrew and Mark talk about the mechanics of successful encounters, how to make sure participants enjoy themselves, and what pieces you can add to these basic parts of your adventure to keep players coming back for more. And...
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Episode 4: GM Prep - 101
This episode is, conceptually, where I'm starting in my journey to GM. The tips and ideas Andrew and Mark bring out in this conversation will help me in my own process, from insight on using published content to thinking about my own ideas critically. If you're a new GM or want to do better…
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Episode 3: Player Types
What starts as a discussion on player types takes a turn into why people play games... and what that tells us about the motivations of our players and their characters. Learn some stoic tips on keeping calm, and our guest Tracy adds valuable insight on being a good human.
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Episode 2: Traps + Puzzles = Truzzles!
Traps and puzzles! How to use them. When to use them. Should you use them? Andrew and Mark debate the final points of what makes both, and Steve wonders if they're needed in the first place...
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Episode 1: Role vs Roll
How often do you get caught up trying to decide if your players are rolling too many dice or getting trapped in too much banter? Mark and Andrew discuss the pitfalls of relying on one particular type of gameplay over the other, and Steve wonders why natural twenties are given the power they are…
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Episode 0: Introductions
Hello World! This is just a short explanation of who we are and what we plan to cover on this podcast. If you're into Game Mastering, whether you're new or seasoning, you're going to find content here to help you become better at what you do. We're building a community of people who love running...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A world builder, a magician, a baker, and a moderator, plus guests and conversation for everyone of every level.Whether you play Dungeons & Dragons or any other rpg, we talk about issues that cross genres and systems. If you're new to game mastering, come in and get some valuable insight on how to run your games and manage players. If you're an old and grizzled veteran of many campaigns, get some inspiration and maybe a pointer or two that are new to you. If you're a player, come on in! Learn a little about what it takes for your GMs to give you the adventures you enjoy!
HOSTED BY
Game Mastery
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Game Mastery have?
Game Mastery currently has 41 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Game Mastery about?
A world builder, a magician, a baker, and a moderator, plus guests and conversation for everyone of every level.Whether you play Dungeons & Dragons or any other rpg, we talk about issues that cross genres and systems. If you're new to game mastering, come in and get some valuable insight on how to...
How often does Game Mastery release new episodes?
Game Mastery has 41 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Game Mastery?
You can listen to Game Mastery on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Game Mastery?
Game Mastery is created and hosted by Game Mastery.
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