The GM's Library of Ancient Knowledge

[cailano]

Let's assemble a reading and learning list for game masters!

Rules:
 

1. You can recommend one book, video resource, or podcast.
2. Naming more than one resource costs you a point. No one wants to lose points!
3. Naming a resource someone else named will also cost you a point, BUT you're allowed to second someone else's nomination as long as you credit them for naming it first.
4. You must also explain WHY you are making your recommendation. Failing to do so allows someone else to claim credit for the nomination. Also... you lose a point.
5. No arguing with anyone else's recommendation. All knowledge is welcome in our library.

[cailano]

I'll go first. Since I'm an OSR GM, I'll recommend Matt Finch's A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming.

I think the primer is an essential read for GMs in any system, classic or modern, because it highlights two points I feel are critical for immersive games:

1. Exploration by interacting with the fiction
2. Unbalanced encounters

In my sometimes-less-than-humble opinion, all in-game exploration should be handled by players using their PC as an avatar to investigate the game world. Using perception checks or any similar mechanic is a poor substitute. An excellent example is the Primer in the Pit Trap section.

Similarly, I feel that adding unbalanced encounters to your game will improve it. By "unbalanced," I mean creatures or groups that your PCs either cannot handle in a fight or that will feel unsure they can handle. It can be anything. Don't be afraid to throw a dragon into a low-level game, or a frost giant, or a group of 30 orcs. Obviously, you don't want to force the PCs to fight these creatures. That's not the point. The point is keeping them on edge and forcing them to think around an obstacle. If they charge in anyway... well, now you'll have a wiser group of players. TPKs build character.

There you have it! Your first scroll for your Library of Ancient Knowledge.

Who's next?

[Penchant]

The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800's by Marc McCutcheon.

For someone who likes other genres, this one has been great for inspiration in my wild west games. It has such amazing details on myriad subjects of the era. I find it invaluable for adding depth and color to my games, not only in the period settings but other ones as well.

[macodelo]

On 4/19/2024 at 2:29 PM, cailano said:

I'll go first. Since I'm an OSR GM, I'll recommend Matt Finch's A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming.

I think the primer is an essential read for GMs in any system, classic or modern, because it highlights two points I feel are critical for immersive games:

1. Exploration by interacting with the fiction
2. Unbalanced encounters

In my sometimes-less-than-humble opinion, all in-game exploration should be handled by players using their PC as an avatar to investigate the game world. Using perception checks or any similar mechanic is a poor substitute. An excellent example is the Primer in the Pit Trap section.

Similarly, I feel that adding unbalanced encounters to your game will improve it. By "unbalanced," I mean creatures or groups that your PCs either cannot handle in a fight or that will feel unsure they can handle. It can be anything. Don't be afraid to throw a dragon into a low-level game, or a frost giant, or a group of 30 orcs. Obviously, you don't want to force the PCs to fight these creatures. That's not the point. The point is keeping them on edge and forcing them to think around an obstacle. If they charge in anyway... well, now you'll have a wiser group of players. TPKs build character.

There you have it! Your first scroll for your Library of Ancient Knowledge.

Who's next?

I just read this and ultimately I agree. Some others think that people will attempt to fight said monsters most of the time, which statistically may be true, and there are those "quick out" players who would die constantly and make new characters. However, I think the hardest thing for players is their attachments. And I do fall under that too, but I feel cautious anyways after playing a few campaigns, so I ultimately got better at it.

With that said, I feel that DMs need to plan out their stuff more since having a big CR encounter just of the bat means, to me at least, someone planned higher CRs at certain locations, but the party decided to go there right away despite the difficulty. That may be location based campaigns be prepped ahead of time.

[shawnhcorey]

I have two recommendations to think like a villain.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. This is an instruction book for new princes but will work for any would-be world conqueror. It gives practical, that is, ruthless advice on power; how to gain it and how to maintain it.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Loads of advice about war but they also can be applied to political power.

[Michael Silverbane]

15 minutes ago, shawnhcorey said:

I have two recommendations to think like a villain.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli. This is an instruction book for new princes but will work for any would-be world conqueror. It gives practical, that is, ruthless advice on power; how to gain it and how to maintain it.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Loads of advice about war but they also can be applied to political power.

Machiavelli also has an "The Art of War," which is less general than the Sun Tzu treatise of the same title. It is geared more toward the style of warfare being practised by the Italian City States of the early fifteen hundreds, which is pretty ideal for D&D style warfare.

[cailano]

It's interesting that these types of books are coming up so early. I figured we would see a lot of gaming-specific books before we got deeper into the reading list. I did not expect Machiavelli and Sun Tzu to appear in recommendation #3.

Also, @shawnhcorey loses a point! Only one recommendation allowed.

[Eagleheart]

I just watched a Youtube video that talked about "Save the Cat!" and its use as a character writing tool. While it's mostly meant for screenwriters making TV/movie characters, a lot of the same principles can apply to making RPG characters.

Edited April 25 by Eagleheart (see edit history)

[cailano]

Save the Cat is a must read book for anyone interested in story structure.

[Roughtrade]

Quag Keep

Not really Andre Norton's best writing, but the first novel with 'being sucked into an RPG' for setting and plot.

Aimed at tween readers, it is a bit simple and direct.

There are elements of the storyline which have been repeated by others, but this was the first and set up tropes which are still used. An insight to 'old school' D&D as well as a look at how an author handles RPG concepts.

[cailano]

7 hours ago, Roughtrade said:

Quag Keep

Not really Andre Norton's best writing, but the first novel with 'being sucked into an RPG' for setting and plot.

Aimed at tween readers, it is a bit simple and direct.

There are elements of the storyline which have been repeated by others, but this was the first and set up tropes which are still used. An insight to 'old school' D&D as well as a look at how an author handles RPG concepts.

I had heard of Quag Keep some time ago but I'd completely forgotten about it. Just ordered myself a copy for my extended Appendix N collection.

[Bobcloclimar]

I'm going to toss out this blogpost (first of a series, all of which are great) that was incredibly formative for me:
On romantic fantasy and OSR D&D

 

There are two reasons why it was impactful for me:

• Reading this was one of the first times I felt I really understood how OSR games differ from 3E and its successors. Not that it's necessarily better, but being able to identify the differences helped me understand why those differences exist in the first place, and the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. It also really opened my eyes to the utility of the reaction roll.
• It also changed how I view/interact with the fiction that I read, which in itself opened me up to many new avenues of storytelling that might not have otherwise interested me - which will only benefit my creativity (and therefore GMing) in the long run. At the very least, it gives me a touchstone to better engage with my wife on her favorite romance novels 😁.

Edited April 26 by Bobcloclimar (see edit history)

[Roughtrade]

And then there is this, from the old Chaosium Thieves' World game forward.

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This article by Poul Anderson

On Thud and Blunder

Very worth the read.

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It is part of my House Rules, suggested reading.