Gnome Stew
The Gaming Blog
- Website
- gnomestew.com · all feeds from this site
- Feed URL
https://gnomestew.com/feed/
Read it in your FeedListing reader
Or add to: Feedly Inoreader Raw feed
Latest posts
-
What Death Teaches Us About Systems
If we examine the way game systems handle death, we can learn a lot more about how the game wants you to play it, the influence the system is exerting over your stories, and how to harness that knowledge to create better campaigns.
-
Act With Intent
The other night in my Blades in the Dark game, the players were looking for information and trying to fill a clock to reach their next clue. I asked one of the players what they wanted to do, and they clearly described an action their character wanted to take, but I could not…
-
Gnomecast 248 – What the System Wants
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GC_248_What-Systems-ask-for.mp3 Join Ang along with Josh and JT as they talk about how a game’s system informs the stories we tell with that game. Understanding the intentions behind a game’s design can help us both run and play…
-
Gnomecast 247 – Problem Proofing One-Shots
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GC_247_Problem-proofing-One-Shots.mp3 Join Ang along with friends of the show Andy Jaksetic and Carl Lehmann as they talk about some of the problems you can head off at the pass before they reach your table for your convention…
-
How to Take Player Notes
Do you know how to take notes? I’m not talking about transcribing the events at your table verbatim, or jotting down panicked phrases from random sessions that may or may not be in chronological order. I’m talking about actual, useful, player notes.
-
Did We Just Finish The Campaign?
A few weeks ago, I sensed that my group was nearing the end of our Blades in the Dark campaign. Wanting to finish the campaign on a high note, I spoke with my group about how to do so. We then picked a date, leaving us with 6 more sessions, reserving the last for an […]
-
Gnomecast 246 – The Greatest Foe: Scheduling
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GC_246_Scheduling.mp3 Join Ang, Chris, and Josh as they talk about the greatest foe that any gaming group faces: SCHEDULING! They talk about why it’s such a struggle and offer some ideas on how to defeat this particular BBEG.…
-
Where do I start with a Campaign?
I asked a number of people who GM very little or not at all what they would want to know if they were going to start GMing. This was one of the responses. What are the key points to decide and write first to build the storyline around? Do I decide on a main antagonist? […]
-
Gnomecast 245 – Pitching Campaigns
https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GC_245_Pitching-Games.mp3 Join Ang and Tomas as they have a conversation about how to pitch campaign ideas to your players. What’s the information you need and other things you should keep in mind? Give a listen and they’ll let…
-
You Are What You Eat: A Non-TTRPG Reading List
You cannot create without consuming. In particular, if you’re gonna make a good story, you need to experience good stories in return.