Game Master's Journey
325 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 77 ratingsGame Master’s Journey is a discussion podcast for GMs and players of Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop RPGs hosted by Lex Starwalker. The show explores strategies players and GMs can use to enhance the gaming experience for everyone at the table. Lex also discusses the creation of his homebrew D&D setting, Primordia, providing a valuable worldbuilding resource for DMs creating their own setting.
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Episodes
Game Master's Journey 98 - Designing Adventures & Campaigns for Dungeons & Dragons
March 21, 2016 22:15 - 1 hourWhat is a balanced encounter in an RPG? What does "balanced" even mean? Are balanced encounters a desirable goal? If so, is it achievable? If so, how do we do it? How do we increase our chances of finishing a published campaign? What are some effects of the xp-per-encounter method of PC advancement in D&D when it comes to designing adventures or campaigns? What are the traps we will encounter, and how do we overcome them? I tackle these questions and more on this episode of Game Master's Jou...
Game Master's Journey 97 - Return to Ravenloft
March 14, 2016 22:20 - 1 hourToday I discuss my return to a beloved campaign setting--Ravenloft. I wax nostalgic about my memories of Ravenloft, and I talk about my plans for my own Curse of Strahd campaign.
Game Master's Journey 96 - Plot Twists: GM Intrusions in D&D
March 07, 2016 23:30 - 1 hourOne of the great things about having so many RPGs to choose from these days is that you can take things you like from one game and apply them to another. My Plot Twist mechanic is inspired by Numenera’s GM Intrusion. You can easily do a similar mechanic for any game you’re running. Even if you don’t play D&D, I hope that this show how you can implement a beloved mechanic or idea from one game in another game.
Game Master's Journey 95 - The Social Contract with Christopher Ruthenbeck
March 01, 2016 09:00 - 1 hourChristopher from Shark Bone Podcast joins me on the show to discuss the social contract for your tabletop RPG. We explain what a social contract is, and how you can use it to avoid problems before they start. We share a host of ideas and thoughts to help you nail down the social contract that will work for you and your own group. One of the jobs of a GM is to manage the table and the players and create an environment where everyone can be comfortable to be creative. The social contract is an...
Game Master's Journey 94 - Worldbuilding 9: My Take on Alignment
February 23, 2016 09:00 - 1 hourThis week I discuss my philosophy when it comes to alignment in D&D. This philosophy has some mechanical effects on the game which result in consequences for my world of Primordia. Removing any mechanical effects of alignment from the game influences certain magic items as well as the deities and the outer planes. I explain how my exploration of alignment in fifth edition really helped me to arrive at some exciting new ideas for my world, and how those ideas then helped me nail down the mec...
Game Master's Journey 93 - Fixing D&D's Broken XP & Advancement System
February 16, 2016 19:41 - 1 hourAlthough I’m a fan of how Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition uses xp budgets to build encounters, the system for handing out experience for character advancement is unfortunately broken. I describe the problem and offer a solution. I also discuss handing out xp for roleplaying and traps.
Game Master's Journey 92 - Review of Star Wars RPGs by Fantasy Flight Games
February 09, 2016 22:33 - 58 minutesI've had many listeners ask my to do a review of the Star Wars RPGs by Fantasy Flight Games. Specifically, listeners want to know why I'm not running this game anymore. This week I discuss my opinions of the games and give as balanced a review of them as I can manage.
Game Master's Journey 91 - Primordia AP 13: Lessons Learned
February 04, 2016 09:00 - 1 hourThe PCs reenter the dungeon and finally reach the tomb of the Red Raven. They face their biggest challenge yet.
Game Master's Journey 90 - My Edge of the Empire Campaign Part 3
February 02, 2016 09:00 - 28 minutesI get a lot of questions from listeners about worldbuilding and adventure and campaign design. There’s also been quite a bit of interest in my new Star Wars campaign. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to conclude my discussion of my Edge of the Empire campaign.
Game Master's Journey 89 - Do It Your Way
January 26, 2016 18:55 - 1 hourThere are lots of GMs out there (including myself) who will tell you how you should run your game. Ultimately it's up to you to decide what works best for you and your game. Don't hesitate to blaze your own trail.
Game Master's Journey 88 - Swans of Black & The Fifth Edition OGL with Ryan Chaddock
January 19, 2016 21:49 - 48 minutesRyan Chaddock joins me on the show today to discuss his 5e Kickstarter, Swans of Black, and the new OGL for D&D.
Game Master's Journey 87 - Primordia AP 12: Mockery of the Undead
January 15, 2016 09:00 - 47 minutesIn this episode of the Primordia campaign actual play, we learn that sometimes the way to deal with undead is to insult and mock them. Things really start to go south, and then they go south some more.
Game Master's Journey 86 - Primordia AP 11: Pink Lightning Bolts
January 13, 2016 09:00 - 54 minutesIorek earns the title Kill Stealer.
Game Master's Journey 85 - Primordia AP 10: Mackadoodle!
January 12, 2016 09:00 - 58 minutesThe PCs have leveled, so we start out with everyone describing their new abilities and spells. We also have a little bit of general 5e discussion, and then we get on with the adventure. Samson loses part of his soul. Oh well, he wasn’t using it.
Game Master's Journey 84 - XP & Random Encounters Feedback
January 11, 2016 09:00 - 37 minutesThis week I use your feedback to revisit the topics of encounter-based versus milestone xp and using random encounters in your game.
Game Master's Journey 83 - Primordia AP 09: Tactical Retreat
January 06, 2016 09:00 - 1 hourIorek discovers a mysterious door, and things get real as the PCs face their toughest challenge yet.
Game Master's Journey 82 - To XP or Not to XP, Random Encounters & Should the Players Always Win?
January 05, 2016 09:00 - 54 minutesToday I'm discussing three topics. First, I give my thoughts on awarding experience versus using a milestone method of advancement. I also talk about how I do "random" encounters. Finally I tackle the question, "Should the players always win?"
Game Master's Journey 81 - Primordia AP 08: Fabulous Pastel Butterflies
December 31, 2015 20:00 - 54 minutesIn this episode of my Primordia campaign, Raith and Azriel get naked, and we ponder whether we've gone astray from our hard core roots.
Game Master's Journey 80 - Primordia AP 07: Fort Dead Bugs
December 30, 2015 09:00 - 36 minutesThe PCs battle some scary and gross creatures in The Forgotten Tomb.
Game Master's Journey 79 - Primordia AP 06: Zombies of The Forgotten Tomb
December 29, 2015 09:00 - 54 minutesThe adventures in Primordia continue. The PCs face a horde of zombies within the Forgotten Tomb.
Game Master's Journey 78 - GM 101: Sandbox vs. Plot-Driven Adventures & Finding Good Players Online
December 22, 2015 09:00 - 45 minutesWelcome to the fourth episode in my GM 101 series in which I answer the question, “How do I become a game master?” Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss sandbox versus plot-driven adventures. I also talk about how to get your players invested in your story, and how to find good, quality players online.
Game Master's Journey 77 - Primordia AP 05: The Forgotten Tomb
December 18, 2015 21:00 - 34 minutesThe first adventure in Primordia continues, as the PCs enter the Forgotten Tomb.
Game Master's Journey 76 - Primordia AP 04: The Adventure Begins
December 18, 2015 09:00 - 38 minutesWe begin the first adventure in Primordia. The PCs leave the city of Elandria to investigate rumors of monsters near a Forgotten Tomb.
Game Master's Journey 75 - Primordia AP 03: Characters & Opening Scene
December 17, 2015 09:00 - 46 minutesWe continue our discussion of characters, including our fifth PC. We then start with the first scene of the campaign.
Game Master's Journey 74 - Primordia AP 02: Character Creation & Backgrounds
December 16, 2015 21:00 - 1 hourWe introduce the characters and tell a little about their backgrounds. Dwayne as Iorek, a Tiefling Wild Magic Sorcerer; Nathan as Samson, a Human Order of the Immortal Psion; Steve as Raith, an Eladrin Bladesinger Fighther/Wizard; Kyle as Sprout, a Goliath Nature Cleric of Primordia; and Chrissy as Azriel, an Aasimar Great Old One Warlock.
Game Master's Journey 73 - Primordia AP 01: Psionics & The Order of the Butterfly
December 16, 2015 09:00 - 52 minutesNathan and I discuss the psion/mystic class, which he is going to playtest. We talk about how psionics will work in Primordia, and how it will interact with magic. We also discuss his character, Samson, and the Order of the Butterfly. Nathan does a great job of coming up with new lore in the world to support an Order of the Immortal psion.
Game Master's Journey 72 - Game Mastering & Worldbuilding with Dungeon Master Chris
December 15, 2015 09:00 - 45 minutesDungeon Master Chris from the Dungeon Master’s Block podcast joins me on the show today to discuss game mastering and worldbuilding.
Game Master's Journey 71 - GM 101: Pacing, Session Notes, and Making Combat Fast & Interesting
December 12, 2015 20:25 - 1 hourToday I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to respond to your feedback and do my best to answer your questions about game mastering. These questions inculde: How do I control the pacing of my game? How do I make session notes that are easy to reference during play? How do I make published adventures not feel like a railroad? How do I make combat fast and interesting without feeling like a separate mini-game?
Game Master's Journey 70 - GM 101: Session Zero, House Rules, Worldbuilding & Thinking on Your Feet
December 09, 2015 15:00 - 1 hourToday I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to answer the question, “How do I become a game master?” In the second of my series of GM 101 episodes, I respond to your feedback and do my best to answer your questions about game mastering. I discuss session zero, speeding up and slowing down combats, when to house rule (and when not to), worldbuilding and thinking on your feet.
Game Master's Journey 69 - GM Aids for Encounters & NPCs
December 08, 2015 09:00 - 41 minutesRunning a game requires a lot of creativity and thinking on your feet. So what do you do when you’re out of ideas? Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to share three resources that can help you out when your creative well has run dry. These products can be invaluable to you during your prep, and even during play.
Game Master's Journey 68 - GM 101: So You're Thinking About Becoming a Game Master
November 30, 2015 21:00 - 45 minutesFor a show about game mastering, there are precious few episodes about how to BE a game master. That ends now. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to answer the question, “How do I become a game master?” In this first of my series of GM 101 episodes, I will do my best to share what I’ve learned in my over 20 years of experience as a game master.
Game Master's Journey 67 - Instant Adventures with John Marvin
November 26, 2015 09:00 - 42 minutesJohn Marvin of Dread Unicorn Games joins me on the show today to discuss the art of game mastering. We discuss his recent series of blog post articles in which he unpacks the instant adventure format for designing and running adventures. We also talk about third party publishing in RPGs and John’s upcoming 13th Age supplement, Gods and Icons.
Game Master's Journey 66 - Using Montages and Fronts in Your RPG with John Marvin
November 25, 2015 01:40 - 39 minutesJohn Marvin of Dread Unicorn Games joins me on the show today to discuss the art of game mastering. We discuss his new adventure for Numenera, what he’s learned about running adventures from 13th Age organized play, and how to use montages and fronts to enhance your game.
Game Master's Journey 65 - Building D&D Encounters Part 2
November 20, 2015 23:07 - 53 minutesOne of the many things I love about D&D fifth edition is the ease with which you can create balanced encounters. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to create the first encounters in my new D&D campaign, and I take you along for the ride.
Game Master's Journey 64 - Building D&D Encounters Part 1
November 18, 2015 20:12 - 49 minutesOne of the many things I love about D&D fifth edition is the ease with which you can create balanced encounters. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to create the first encounters in my new D&D campaign, and I take you along for the ride.
Game Master's Journey 63 - Worldbuilding 8: Building My First City Elandria
November 17, 2015 09:00 - 46 minutesOne of the best parts of being a game master is creating your own world. The fifth edition of D&D has inspired me to finally take the plunge. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss my new D&D world, Primordia. I’ll discuss the Adventurers’ Guild in my world, how the portals work, and my first city, Elandria.
Game Master's Journey 62 - Worldbuilding 7: The Primordia Campaign Begins
November 12, 2015 20:24 - 45 minutesOne of the best parts of being a game master is creating your own world. The fifth edition of D&D has inspired me to finally take the plunge. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss my new D&D world, Primordia. I’ve begun running a campaign in the world, so I’ll discuss the first session. I’ll also talk about why I think starting small with your worldbuilding is the way to go and some more about my deities.
Game Master's Journey 61 - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide Review
November 10, 2015 05:30 - 45 minutesWizards of the Coast has recently released our first non-adventure supplement to D&D fifth edition, the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss this supplement. I’ll tell you exactly what is (and isn’t) in this book and help you decide whether it’s for you.
Game Master's Journey 60 - Worldbuilding 6: Welcome to Primordia
November 03, 2015 09:00 - 48 minutesI've finally chosen a name for my D&D world! I also discuss how cities work in the world, more about the night sky of Primordia, and how the planets and moons relate to the deities. I also talk about how the gods are perceived and how I tightened up my pantheon.
Game Master's Journey 59 - My Edge of the Empire Campaign Part 2
October 28, 2015 17:09 - 1 hourI get a lot of questions from listeners about worldbuilding and adventure and campaign design. There’s also been quite a bit of interest in my new Star Wars campaign. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to continue my discussion of my Edge of the Empire campaign. I talk about the characters the players created, and what I came up with for the first adventure.
Game Master's Journey 58 - My Edge of the Empire Campaign Part 1
October 26, 2015 20:00 - 37 minutesSometimes the best way to learn is by example. I’ve had quite a few requests from listeners to discuss my new Edge of the Empire campaign. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to do just that. In the first of a series of episodes about my new Edge of the Empire campaign, I discuss the inspirations, ideas and thoughts I had going into the campaign. Once I have a clear idea of what I want to accomplish, I’m ready for session zero with the players.
Game Master's Journey 57 - Worldbuilding 5: Back to the Drawing Board
October 23, 2015 16:41 - 1 hourThis week I really get under the hood of designing my own D&D setting. I ask myself some tough questions about if and why I want to build my own world and what exactly I want to accomplish with it, and I share the answers to those questions with you.
Game Master's Journey 56 - Game Preparation
October 20, 2015 08:00 - 46 minutesA good GM should always be prepared. No matter what your RPG of choice is, game preparation is very important. Preparation can make the difference between an excellent GM and a terrible one. Prep can also make the difference between feeling awesome during and after a session versus not so much. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss game preparation with the aid of an excellent GM resource—Never Unprepared by Phil Vecchione.
Game Master's Journey 55 - Choose Your Own Adventure Path
October 13, 2015 08:00 - 41 minutesPublished RPG campaigns can be a great resource for GMs with busy lives. However my experiences with them has taught me that they have a lot of drawbacks. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to share my experiences with published campaigns and why I now feel they’re not for me. I also explore my other options in the search for that ever elusive “sweet spot”.
Game Master's Journey 54 - Communication & Dealing with Problem Players
October 06, 2015 08:00 - 58 minutesA very important aspect of our hobby that is sometimes overlooked is establishing and maintaining clear communication with your players. In every way from setting player expectations to resolving conflicts among the people at the table, communication is key. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to address a listener’s problems with power-gaming players and reflect on some insights I’ve gained from my own groups lately.
Game Master's Journey 53 - RPG Elegance, 13th Age & Star Wars RPG Revisited
September 28, 2015 21:35 - 49 minutesIn the season three finale episode, I revisit some topics from the season with your feedback, including elegance in RPGs, 13th Age, and the Star Wars dice system.
Game Master's Journey 52 - Writing for Paizo with Mark Garringer
September 22, 2015 08:00 - 37 minutesMark Garringer returns to the show today with some tips on writing for a company like Paizo. He also shares what it’s like to MC the Pathfinder Special with 1200 players.
Game Master's Journey 51 - Designing Monsters & Scenarios for Pathfinder with Mark Garringer
September 18, 2015 08:00 - 36 minutesMark Garringer returns to the show to discuss his experiences with Pathfinder Society as a Venture Captain. He also talks about writing monsters and scenarios for Paizo.
Game Master's Journey 50 - From Pathfinder to D&D Fifth Edition with Mark Garringer
September 15, 2015 08:00 - 46 minutesMark Garringer joins me on the show today to discuss his experiences in the RPG hobby, including creating monsters and scenarios published for Pathfinder.
Game Master's Journey 49 - The Soul of Star Wars with Kevin LoadedDice & Evan Luis
September 07, 2015 19:02 - 41 minutesKevin and Evan from the Loaded Dice podcast network join me to conclude our discussion of Star Wars Edge of the Empire. This is part three of a three part interview.