Tag: sessionreflection

  • Timing Tune Up

    Timing Tune Up

    My last Monster of the Week adventure was a two-parter. However, part one dragged and we didn’t reach the cliffhanger I had planned. I improvised a cliffhanger ending and turned the original ending into part two’s strong start. Let’s compare the two sessions and how I handled timing between them. My players seemed to like…

  • Star Trek Adventures in Action

    Star Trek Adventures in Action

    I normally play in a Star Trek Adventures game, but last session I was the GM! I ran a bottle episode that had the crew go on a first contact mission. They got into ethical dilemmas as planned and we had some great character moments. However, some parts of my prep didn’t go as planned…

  • Wanted: Better Monsters

    Wanted: Better Monsters

    My last Monster of the Week session ended anti-climatically. Our monster was tough on paper. Once the hunters figured out its secrets however, they dispatched it easily and with extreme prejudice. In this post I pick up the shattered remains of my monster and ask how to make the next monster better.

  • Monster of the Week: From One-Shot to Campaign

    Monster of the Week: From One-Shot to Campaign

    My Monster of the Week one-shot that grew to two sessions has become a campaign! What am I to do? In this post I plot the campaign arc, tie in character motivations, and discuss why a limited campaign is probably best for MotW.

  • MotW: Ghouls’ Night Out, Part One

    MotW: Ghouls’ Night Out, Part One

    My first session of Monster of the Week went well. Case in point, we’ve already set a date to come back for the macabre conclusion of our story. But wait, wasn’t it supposed to be a one-shot adventure? We ended up running long. But let’s make some lemonade and prepare an even better part two.…

  • Session Reflection: The Celestial Job

    Session Reflection: The Celestial Job

    Last weekend I sent the party on a planar adventure. I reflect on the session to identify what worked and what didn’t from my prep. My number one takeaway? We’re better off at the table with some note cards rather than having the full text of an adventure.

  • Session Reflection: D&D on a Backpacking Trip

    Session Reflection: D&D on a Backpacking Trip

    I brought D&D on a summer backpacking jaunt. My first try running a TTRPG on the trail didn’t go so well, but I think next time will be better.

  • Session Reflection: At the Monongahelas of Madness

    Session Reflection: At the Monongahelas of Madness

    What I learned from running the one-shot At the Monongahelas of Madness: Introduce characters through action. Unusual character options make for unexpected solutions. No scene is uncuttable. When simplifying mechanics, stay simple.