Whether you’re just starting out with roleplaying, or looking to make a switch, picking the right TTRPG for you can be daunting. There are hundreds of amazing titles to choose from. What are the most important aspects to consider when selecting your next system?

Problem solving is at the heart of any great tabletop roleplaying game, both for GMs and players. Coming up with a smart solutions on the spot is challenging and rewarding. How can we foster more creativity at the table, and is it possible to be too... creative?

We really appreciate ridiculous humor in our TTRPG session. We also value the serious, and sometimes emotional, moments that come with character development. How do we balance those opposing styles of play, and what happens when one inhibits the other?

Sometimes we paint ourselves into corners. The randomness of dice rolls can permanently alter plot lines. Player decision can unintentionally break a GM's narrative plans. How can we get out of self-dug holes, and how can you avoid digging them in the first place?

We all have our own personality traits, quirks, and even biases. Whether we're aware of them or not, our past experiences play a role in how we, well, role play. In most cases they help us add richness to our TTRPGs, but in some instances they can hold us back, or worse.

Did your players one-shot your carefully constructed big bad? Did they find a creative, but maddeningly simple solution to an obstacle? Did they uncover a major plot twist at the beginning of a story, or even worse, step into a huge plot hole? What do you do now?

Unless you're playing a module with a fairly straight-lined path, some narrative threads are likely to get dropped in any TTRPG campaign. Does that damage the story? How can you pick up those threads again, and do you need to?

Many GMs feel they need to lead the table, manage the narrative, that the enjoyment of the players is on their shoulders. This GM-in-charge philosophy is not only a challenge to collaborative story telling, it’s discouraging to new GMs, and leads to anxiety.

Moving from a traditional RPG table to a truly collaborative role playing experience is a journey. How do you know you're on the right path? There are some mile markers that can help guide you, and some potholes to avoid.

The biggest time-vacuum for any GM is pre-game preparation. Getting ready for a session can take hours, but how much time is too much? Is it ever OK to come in cold and wing it? We'll talk to our two super experienced GMs to get some perspective.