Hi, everyone, thank you for your time.

There is a ton of info on how to run modules or steal ideas and encounters from them. However, I am looking for advice on the exact opposite and haven't had any luck.

The question in short:

How do I go about writing published adventures for other people to pick up and run? What info is necessary, what info is unnecessary, and what is just distracting?

Tangential background:

In my decade of GMing I have used a published adventure exactly once - it was an awful experience, nothing went to plan, and I felt much more prepared than I actually was. I have never done it since.

However, I am currently writing my own ttrpg system. It's going along great but before I even think about promoting an alpha release, I want to create a "Pick up and play" set - including basic, pre-created character archetypes and an adventure/mission, so you could jump in and try it out whenever.

I usually throw my players into a sandbox and plan every session individually to avoid burnout and to play my own little strategy game, if you will. That type of preparation just does not work when I'm trying to give someone else a prerendered package.

So I'm turning to the hive mind:

• What's the info you would be looking for when running published adventures(, module campaigns, what have you)?
• Which parts are often given but you almost always ignore anyways?
• Which parts are just distracting and make you feel like nothing is going to plan, or even cause your players to often go "off rails"?

I'm not looking to write a whole campaign - I'm aiming for a mission of around two sessions, just in case that's important to someone's advice.

As always, any nudge is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I'm curious about your opinions on this topic.

All scenarios I've run so far have had a minimum of discrimination. (Religious/racist prejudice only against those that were actually fanatic/inherently evil. 'Race' as in 'species', not colour of skin or whatevs.) But I've been wondering what can be done with it as a feature of a RPG world or factions within it. In which cases does discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion etc. make for 'good' story elements, so 'good' that it's worth to actually implement despite it being a horrible thing by design? Granted that all players agree beforehand.

The other thing are (especially historical) terror methods. Again the question: What would justify to use such elaborate cruelty in a fictional setting? This came up when I thought about using aspects of the 'Zersetzung' ('disruption'/'decomposition') in a game as part of the BBEG's tactics. ('Zersetzung' was a catalogue of terror methods applied on people that were deemed oppositional in the German Democratic Republic.) I dropped the idea when I spoke to my players about it and one of them expressed discomfort about potentially having this done to their PC.

Both questions could also be differentiated between entirely fictional settings and those that explicitly try to recreate the life in a stage of real-world history.

Thanks in advance for your input, please be respectful.

Edit: Another distinction that could be made: If used, should discrimination/terror always serve to emphasize someone's evil nature, or could it sometimes be 'rightfully' presented as morally ambiguous as well?

My D&De campaign wrapped up at level 20 after five years of regular play, and we are playing some one shots and stuff as a break before we decide what to do next. The D&D DM volunteered to GM again.

I think it's only fair that we players try to run some games to give the GM a break! I played in a FFG Edge of the Empire game for a few weeks many years ago with a different bunch, and had a great time. I bought the beginner box, which has four characters built, maps, an adventure, and the infernal dice. We will have five players, but one of our members played in my previous game so he can probably re-use his old char.

It's a fairly interactive system, requiring creativity from the players and GM to use the Advantages and Disadvantages in cinematic ways. I'm hopeful this bunch can do it. I didn't think any of them were particular Star Wars nerds, but I can keep Wookipedia open if I need background info on aliens or something.

Any tips for a new GM running through a beginner module, or on adapting this game for an extra player (might just NOT), or in running EotE in general?

Thanks in advance.

Hey there, I'm new to PF2E, but not to GMing. Played PF1, shadowrun, star wars, 40k etc. etc.

I've done a bit of Trouble Under Otari just to get used to the system and give the players a base to work out from.

The big campaign I'm running is Abomination Vaults. I got the module on foundry and have skimmed it and will run it.

I have a barbarian, bard, wizard, gunslinger and NPC rogue for the party.

Any suggestions or tips for what's ahead? As mentioned, I haven't run pathfinder before and I'm leaving it to the players to know their class and feats etc. but it'll be nice to know if anyone else who has run this module says what to look out for. My players are all adults and communicative so no hostile shennenigans are expected.

Edit: Any tips for actually running PF2E appreciated too!

Hey everyone! Let's try to get some more activity in here. I was wondering what kind of rulers you have all created. I realize most medieval settings will probably have a monarch rule the lands, but this does not have to be the case. So, what kind of governing systems have you created in your worlds?

I'll start off as I am making the post. My players are in an archipelago divided into five inhabited sections. One of them excersizes a system I have dubbed "Elected Sacrificial Monarchy." Bit of a mouthful, but the principle is simple. The people elect a mostly absolute ruler who will rule for five years. They can be granted two additional years in a re-election if they are popular enough. When their term, extended or not, ends, they are beheaded in public after a new leader has been chosen. There are clauses that can give exceptions in dire cases (defensive war or some other disaster), but they are rarely invoked.

The principle of this is that only those who wish to better their nation and are prepared to pay the ultimate price to do it will put themselves forward as a candidate to rule. It is by no means a perfect system, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. So, what about all of you? Did you have any unique governments in your settings? Tell us about it :)

I will be DMing a DnD 5e adventure going from levels 1-12 starting this week. I am finishing up the personal quests for each character to help tie them in more into the adventure and give them something to look forward to for themselves. Most of the characters were pretty easy to work with, but I am somewhat stuck on the Armorer Artificer.

They have stated that their character's dream is to create a legendary item. Whether it be an artefact or just some other powerful magic item, doesn't matter too much to them. Handing out a powerful magic item as the final reward for a personal quest is very classical anyways, so I'd love to go with it.

The problem is, I can't think of anything fun to give an Armorer Artificer. They have lots of stuff to work with on their own, so neither a weapon nor an armor is really going to be of interest to them.

Have any of you homebrewed some fun items just for Armorer Artificers or have any idea for existing (be it Wizards stuff or homebrew) stuff to hand out? It should be a considerable reward for someone around level 10.

You know that situation. You have a player or players doing something awesome. You give them an inspiration. And they say : I already have one.

It sucks because the system is made that you can only have one at a time. Sure it encourages them to use them, but not always. And if a player is awesome twice without a big die roll he just won't have the time to use it.

One time I was fed up and made this item on the fly : the bottled inspiration.

Its an item that you gain when you get an inspiration and already have one. Its weightless. It takes an action to "drink" it and regain an inspiration, so you cannot do it back to back. And there is no limit to how many you can carry. One of my players made it to 8 one time.

I never had the displeasure of not being able to recompense a player and its been over 2 years using them without drawbacks.

I highly suggest to think of this next time you hear that sad response of already having one.

Lately I've been using solo play tools more and more in my prep. For example instead of just pulling a town out of my imagination or from a bunch of tools. I've (mainly) used Ironsworn to solo play some episodes in that town. Creating details about it as I've gone along. Also used Artefact (more of a journaling game) with good effect to create legendary items. To get into the Glorantha setting, get into the "right" mindset, the solo choose-you-own-adventure I've found great.

But I'm always looking for new tools to, if nothing else, get new perspectives on things. My default Ironsworn is leaning kinda heavily into more perilous and grim episodes.

Happy for any and all recommendations!