Legacy Campaigns: A Fresh Chapter To Continue Your Story

For a lot of us, the idea of completing a full campaign with a single party of characters is the height of gaming accomplishment. And if you've managed to do that, then you might very well want to play a different system or setting entirely as a kind of palate cleanser. But if you're the sort of player (or the sort of Game Master) who enjoys continuity and sequels, then I would recommend considering the idea of a legacy campaign... because they can take a variety of forms, and you can usually tailor them to fit your game, and your players.

As we turn the page, another set of heroes are enmeshed in our tale...

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

A New Chapter In Your Quest

There are a couple of different ways a legacy campaign can go. First and foremost, it can be the literal legacy of the former PCs, whether it's their children, students they've trained, squires they've knighted, etc. The idea is that the PCs of the last campaign are passing the torch to the new party, providing some kind of continuity between the characters, if not the actual story of the campaign. Alternatively, the legacy might be a continuation of the events and story from the first campaign, but in a different location with different characters who aren't necessarily connected to the characters of the previous campaign. For a quick reference, the connectivity between the Pathfinder adventure paths Shattered Star, Rise of The Runelords, and Return of The Runelords follows this path.

However, it's also possible to combine the two into a single campaign, if that's what you and your players want to do!

I am here to earn my spurs, and to make my father proud.

As I said in The Key To A Sandbox Is To Make Sure It's Populated, And Stuff Is Happening, though, a legacy campaign requires a bit of setup to really sell it!

Now, that doesn't mean the Game Master has to plan a three-campaign series right from the jump. But you do have to have the first campaign planned, plotted, and completed so that you have all the information about what happened during the first story that you can use as a springboard for the second one (and from the second to the third, if you want to be industrious). You need to know which characters completed what deeds, which NPCs lived and died, and which of the villains were sentenced, which ones were slain, and which ones returned to the outer darkness to join their alien masters. And once you have all of that information, you can then properly plan the sequel to that game!

If you're the Game Master, picture yourself as the head of a successful TV series. You received enough of a budget to shoot the first season, so you made something relatively self-contained, but which has the potential for spin-offs and sequels. You finished it, and it was popular enough that your audience wants more. Maybe you had some ideas in mind for where it could go next. Maybe you were just hoping the first season did well enough you could scoot across the line. Either way, with this format, and your very narrow audience, it's a good idea to make sure the first season is as polished and enjoyable as possible before you spend too much time working on the second or third season that you might not even get.

The most important thing, though, is that you need to be sure you have player enthusiasm to see more. Because while the idea of following up a campaign with a legacy sequel might be intriguing (especially if the players get to see the results of the previous game, and hear the tales of their old characters' adventures), it's equally possible that your audience might have been just fine with a one-and-done for that game, that story, or that system. Don't over-invest in making a multi-part story told over several campaigns if you know your players don't have that kind of stamina.

With that said, however, keep in mind that a "campaign" doesn't have to be a years-long, level 1 to level 20 endeavor. A campaign could just as easily be a story that takes characters through a 5 level progression, or even a 10 level progression. As long as the story is complete, the GM reaches the end point, and the plot is solved, that's a full campaign... just make sure you let your players know how long the story will last before you get started so they can plan accordingly!

Game Master Resources

If you're planning on running a legacy campaign, whether it's for a passing of the torch, or you want players to have to deal with further permutations of the threats that were seen and opposed in the first story, I would recommend getting your hands on some of the following supplements:

- I'm Back! 25 Reasons For A Villain's Survival: Whether it's the big bad they thought was defeated, a hated henchman, or even an ally they thought was dead, this book can be fun for more continuity.

- 100 Character Goals and Motivations: Good for your players to take a flip through, but very important for understanding the motivations and machinations of your game's villains.

- 100 Dark Secrets: Something that can put allied NPCs into a different context, and which could provide something deeper to find for your villains, can also be good for giving your PCs something to keep under wraps.

- 100 Tips & Tricks For Being A Better Dungeon Master: A supplement that collects a majority of the good advice I've covered here on this blog to help make your games the best they can be.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Moving From Reactive Characters To Active Ones In Your Tabletop Games

There is a tendency among players to be reactive. There may still be roleplay going on, and the character may still be doing things, but those things are rarely important or goal-oriented. They'll be drinking at the tavern, cooking meals in a kitchen, splitting wood, wandering through a carnival, fighting in a local pit, or any of a thousand other things, but these tasks are rarely in service to actually accomplishing anything... instead, they're merely things that can be stopped as soon as the actual task is set before them by the Game Master.

Put another way, a lot of characters are swimming around like fish, waiting for something that looks vaguely like a hook to appear. And then when the hook is there, it's like they're waiting for it to grab them, and pull them to wherever it is they're supposed to be.

However, a game often goes far more smoothly (and can actually be a lot more fun) if the player characters are actively pursuing goals and plots, instead of passively waiting for something to happen to them in order to spark a reaction.

When was the last time the king cleared the board?

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Motivation Is Only Part Of The Formula

When it comes to character actions, the discussion often turns to motivations and goals. After all, if a character isn't pursuing what they want, then it must be because they don't have a clearly defined brass ring they're reaching for, right? The difficulty is that motivation is just the gas in the tank; you need to have it, but the fuel isn't what drives you forward... it's pushing your foot down on the pedal that does it. It is applying action and ignition to the motivation that makes the wheels turn.

 

To continue this metaphor, you can have a character with deep, abiding motivations. They may have causes they care passionately about, or goals they must achieve if they're to move on with their life... but picking a direction doesn't mean you are moving in that direction.

 

Knowing the route isn't the same as walking the road.

For a less metaphorical example, do you play your character like Fred or Shaggy? Are you actively looking for answers, trying to find solutions, or even setting up traps, or is your character constantly making excuses, ducking plot hooks, or trying to run away unless the plot grabs them by the scruff of the neck, or they're dragged into things by the rest of the party?

 

Now, that is not to say you can't play a Shaggy. But if the entire party is reluctant to participate in what's happening, and is looking for reasons to get out of it to be somewhere else, and to do something else, then there's either not going to be a game to play, or the plot is going to have hem the party in to force them to solve a problem. However, if 3 of the 4 characters are being proactive and jumping in with both feet, this typically drags a reluctant (or a purely reactive) character along in their wake.

 

If you find yourself constantly twiddling your thumbs, looking around the table for someone to make the first move, or constantly waiting around for your character to be told what to do next, consider taking the initiative instead. Be the one who makes a plan, and gets the table talking. Call out to your companions, and tell them what you plan to do, and ask them to come with you on this endeavor. You don't necessarily need to be the party leader, but sometimes all it takes is being willing to dive in to really get the gears turning.

 

It also saves your Game Master from having to constantly prime the pump, and come up with some kind of event or NPC to give everyone a push in order to keep things moving.

 

Lastly if you are interested in a little extra motivation for your characters, then I'd recommend checking out my supplements 100 Character Goals and Motivations, which went Electrum a while back, and 100 Dark Secrets which is still Silver at time of writing, but could move up to the next metal level with your help!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the dark sci fi saga of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

A Second Supplement Of Anti-Trope Suggestions (With A Snarky Title) Has Dropped!

So, I don't really know how to classify this particular series I've apparently started. Because they aren't limited to only worldbuilding questions, NPCs, lore, or background ideas. They're not primarily for players, or Game Masters. Mostly they're just inspired by seeing a prevalent trope in tabletop RPGs, and providing a list of ideas for folks who don't want to go along with the stereotype at their table, but who could use a bit of inspiration to move in a different direction.

The first supplement was 100 Fantasy Professions (That Aren't "Adventurer"), and it was something folks on both sides of the table could use for inspiration. The second supplement, which came out this past weekend, though, is 100 Ways To Start A Campaign (That Aren't In A Tavern).

And I highly recommend grabbing a copy if you haven't yet!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Which Tropes Should I Tackle Next?

Any time the audience sends me a message with their buying habits, I try to listen. And since 100 Ways To Start A Campaign (That Aren't In A Tavern) hit Copper today, and seems to be well on its way to cresting Silver before it fully runs out of momentum, this seems to be something that readers enjoy! As such, I wanted to tag in my regular readers, and ask you what RPG stereotypes you think deserve their own entry in this series? What would you actually use?

Some examples I've been kicking around include things like:

- 100 Friends and Family Members To Put In Your Backstory

- 100 Rewards (Other Than Gold)

- 100 Quirks For Your Character

 

These are just a couple ideas I've jotted down in my notebook of things to work on in the future, but I wanted to take a moment to see if this is something folks wanted to see more of, and if they'd like more tongue-in-cheek titles which were still offering useful resources to help improve your characters, your campaigns, and even your settings!

 

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Build A Character For The Game You're Actually In (Square Pegs and Round Holes)

If you're a fan of RPGs, then you're likely familiar with the Character Assembly Line. This is a phenomenon that happens to both players and Game Masters alike where you start making character after character, and concept after concept, even though you don't have games to put them in right now. Sometimes you make a few notes on them, and sometimes you draw up an entire character sheet (just for the practice) and write dozens of pages of backstory, but a lot of RPG enthusiasts go through this process.

And there's nothing wrong with going back to that archive and snatching up a character when you finally get a chance to play, or when you're running a game and you need an NPC, an antagonist, etc. However, the issue comes when you choose a character whose theme, story, and tone really don't match the game you're planning on putting them in.

Which is why it's important you aren't trying to ram a square peg into a round hole... because no one is going to enjoy that.

Also, before we go any further, take a minute to check out the following supplements that have advice on this, and other subjects:

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better RPG Player

- 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master

Don't put the wrong concept down there...

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Make Sure Everything Matches

Consider for a moment that you're starting a new campaign. It's going to take place in the deserts of the deep south, and you're going to be dealing with fire elementals, mummies, trapped tombs, and ancient devils long-buried beneath the shifting dunes. It will be filled with horror, tension, and dark secrets of an empire long past.

Now, if you decided the best fit for this campaign was to bring an awakened polar bear that tells dad jokes whose sole motivation is a search for the world's most epic cheese, your GM is likely going to feel like you're just being a contrarian. After all:

- Polar bears are going to suffer in the desert heat, leading to massive negatives for the player

- The character has a ridiculous goal that's at-odds with the campaign

- The character has a radically different tone from the established tone of the game

This doesn't make this a bad character. It makes that character a bad fit for this particular campaign.

The bear isn't the problem, here.

The example seems obvious, but we make these kinds of mistakes all the time when we choose our characters, and try to shoehorn stories, ideas, or even builds that just don't work into a campaign. For example, playing a happy-go-lucky bard is perfectly doable in most Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder games, provided the tone of the game works for that character. But you can't take that same concept and just port it over to a grimmer, darker game like Warhammer Fantasy or Zweihander and expect it to work either mechanically, or tonally (since magic tends to come with dark, dangerous repercussions, and joy is a thing found only in stories). By the same token, playing an inflexible agent of the law (whether that be a church inquisitor or a sheriff empowered by the regional lord) can definitely work in those grimmer settings where paranoia and brutal use of force are part of the setting and story, but trying to play that same concept in a group where everyone else is planning to run heists, defraud the nobility, etc. is going to create immediate, negative conflicts.

Every character concept comes with assumptions built into it, and if those assumptions are not true in the game you're trying to put them in, it's likely that everyone is going to have a bad time. Which is why before you choose a character concept, whether it's from your archive or made fresh, hold them at arm's length and ask what assumptions have to be true for them to work.

For example, if you want to play a character that's an orc, or a tiefling, or a goblin, do those creatures even exist in the setting you're playing in? And if they do exist, do they exist in a way that allows your concept to work? If you want to play a young wizard's apprentice who is growing into their own and trying to make their way in the world, that concept only works if magic exists in a setting. And even if magic does exist, it's worth asking whether wizardry can be practiced openly in the world, or if it's a black art that's as deadly to the user as it is to those around them, because that could drastically alter the story you're trying to tell.

And even if there aren't fundamental issues between your character concept and the setting, they might still be a bad fit for the job. If the campaign is going to be focused on investigation, mystery, and politicking with relatively little (if any) combat, then bringing a character that's a bloodthirsty berserker that lives for battle is going to be a mismatch for the game. If the game is going to be set in the middle of a war where constant fighting and strategy need to be utilized, that is probably not a great game to bring a soft-hearted poet with no viable combat skills to. And if the game is dealing with cults who worship eldritch fiends, and said fiends are an open and understood part of this world, no one wants to have an elven academic constantly trying to debunk the existence of the devils when they are very real, very present, and they go next in the initiative order.

Seriously, my guy... just cast something please?!

Again, all of these character concepts can work well in the right game. Players simply need to make sure they choose the character that is going to fit the campaign they signed up to play, and tailor that character to fit so they're a fun, engaging, and interesting part of that campaign.

Lastly, and this is just as important, if you don't vibe with the sort of game being proposed, remember that you are not obligated to play. If you're really jonesing for something upbeat, simple, and fun, but the groups want grim, serious, and complicated, that's not a game you're going to enjoy. If your creativity and your desires as a player aren't meshing with the game, or with the direction a group is going, it's perfectly okay to sit this one out. No game is better than a bad game, and when you aren't having a good time, that's going to send ripples through the rest of the table.

Find a character that fits the world and story, and find a table that fits for you and your needs as a player.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or the dark sci fi saga of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Everyone's Favorite Game: Fantasy Character or Prescription Medication?

Names are one of the hardest parts of any RPG character. Does this name convey the proper feeling you're looking for? Does it sound suitably fantastical? Is there a hidden joke in there for those who pay close attention?

Well, if you're getting stuck on this part of your character, consider looking through the names of medications for inspiration!

Afrin, elven cleric of the goddess of dreams.

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

It's Ridiculous... But Roll With It!

This strategy is a little bit on the ridiculous side, but give it a whirl and see where it takes you! Because there are so many medicines out there for so many different conditions, and they can all act as a fun little in-joke for your next character.

As a for-instance, consider some of the following:

- Moxifloxacin: A drug that made me laugh just looking at the name, doesn't it sound like the stage name of a gnomish bard? If you really wanted to, you could event cut it into two names, if your party needs a little bit of Moxi!

- Warfarin: An ideal name for a dwarven fighter with a nasty, curved ax, Warfarin the Wanderer has a reputation that precedes him, and a road of bodies that stretch between his heels and the horizon. Blood thinning, indeed.

- Namenda, The Unwavering Eye: A monk of elven blood, Namenda has seen the world grow and change around them, and they have remained. Unchanging and unbowed, Namenda has never forgotten the things that came before.

- Naproxen: Trained by an obscure order of hospitalers, Naproxen's touch and a whispered prayer can remove pain, and get people back on their feet to march or fight again.

- Toridol: Toridol is a warrior who feels no fear, and feels no pain when in the grip of his battle fury. It is short lived, but during that brief window, he is all but invincible!

I'm not even feeling it!

These are just a handful of the medications on the market that have a fantasy-sounding names, and some examples of how you can tie them into your character's skillset, story, and powers.

If this little game isn't quite up your alley, though, you may find some of the following bundles from Azukail Games to be useful in coming up with some alternatives for your next characters!

- Breton First Names (Bundle)

- Hawaiian First Name (Bundle)

- Lucha Libre Names (Bundle)

- 100 (And More) Medieval Surnames

- Manx First Names (Bundle)

- Maori First Names (Bundle)

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Consider Giving Summoned Creatures, Spirits, Etc. The Full NPC Treatment

The ability to summon allies to your side via magic and spell-like abilities is a staple of TTRPGs, and there are entire classes and character builds geared toward making the most out of these spells and abilities. However, too often we end up just treating these monsters, spirits, and even summoned animals as nothing more than collections of stats and numbers, rather than as what they are; characters. Even though they may only show up for a brief period of time, and they typically show up just to do a specific job, we often overlook the story potential these creatures can provide us with.

All you need do is open the door, and ask them to come to your side.

As always, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

When You Have Friends in Low (And High) Places

While there are a lot of games out there that use summoned creatures and spirits, I will be using the framework of Pathfinder, as well as Dungeons and Dragons for discussing this idea. Since it's a largely roleplay-centered idea, you can apply this idea to any other game where the creature or spirit you summon and control is an actual entity, rather than a simple collection of energy that has no will or thoughts of its own that merely mimics a creature.

Okay? Okay.

Who's messin' with you, fam? Point me at 'em!

The idea of summoning a creature to your side to aid you in whatever struggle you're currently dealing with is not a particularly new one, as far as magic in the genre goes. From the ancient wizards battled by barbarian heroes like Conan, to Gandalf calling on Shadowfax to whisk him and Pippin away, to the warrior mages of Magic: The Gathering, calling on powerful monsters and deadly beasts to fight your battles for you, or to provide you aid at a critical moment, is nothing new in the genre. But while it can be a pain to keep track of multiple miniatures on the map, as well as the hit points, special abilities, attacks, etc. used by your newly-summoned allies, you can squeeze a little more RP value out of them if you're willing to.

For that, you need to make them full NPCs, and give a few hints of the story you have with them, and how they play into your character's history. As an example, consider some of the following scenarios:

- The sorceress with a secret tie to an archdevil reluctantly calls upon infernal creatures to aid her in battle. The lesser creatures refer to her with the term mistress as a sign of respect, but more powerful devils might use a title unfamilar to the rest of the party, or simply offer a cryptic message like, "Your godmother sends you her regards," before vanishing at the end of the battle. While the sorceress may not interact with the devils much, she calls on them by name, showcasing her mastery of the devil's tongue, and suggesting that something more than mere arcane study is to blame for her skill at calling on these allies.

- The gnome druid Bingala only calls on animals he's personally met and befriended with his spells to summon nature's allies. At first this might lead to some moments of affection as he's nuzzled by a wolf pack that defended him, or he sends a bear off with a scratch behind the ear, and a whisper to watch over his mother before he disappears. But as the animals get stranger and stranger, the druid has more and more tales to tell about his travels, and how he encountered such truly bizarre allies... as well as what he did to earn their friendship so that they would come to his side when called by the power of the green.

- An aasimar summoner who was born on the celestial plane, and only came to the material plane on the business of the higher realm. When they call on celestial creatures, they do so because these are the beings from their home plane, and the kinds of monsters they're most familiar with. Even if that means colossal, feathered T-Rexes with glowing eyes golden claws, or boars with silver ridges who speak in a tongue like a perfect bell. Seeing the bizarre creatures they call to their side, and how the summoner interacts with them, can drive home just how alien they are, and how bizarre the plane they grew up on is compared to the one whose soil they now tread.

Your Mileage May Vary

To get out in front of some of the comments I've seen with advice columns like this before, this isn't a strategy everyone is going to want to try. Some players and Game Masters may already be juggling too many balls to start assigning story significance, personal narratives, and more to summoned creatures who are only going to be on the board for a single fight, or a handful of rounds. However, I've found that this is a unique method of injecting a little extra character and story into using summoned creatures as a main method of overcoming challenges, so I wanted to share it for folks who wanted to add some more personality to what can quickly become a very scattered and impersonal method of magic use.

Also, I've linked some of the articles I've written about the most common classes in Pathfinder who are known for using summoned creatures. Please consider giving those a look as well, as I'd love to get back to this series and really finish it out!

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Druids

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Summoners

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Sorcerers

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Wizards

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Players, Be Specific When Asking For Help With Your Characters

As someone who has run my share of RPGs, and who spends most of my time on forums and social media pages dedicated to various games, I've lost count of the number of players I've seen asking for advice on how to make a "good" character. What feats do you take to make a good fighter, what spells do you need to make a good wizard, what rogue talents make me the best rogue, and so on, and so forth.

The reason these requests always generate so many disagreements, though, is lack of specificity. Because what is "good" to one person giving advice is going to be useless to another, and vice versa. So if you take nothing else away from this week's update, remember this. Be specific when you ask for advice, and you might actually get tips that are useful for accomplishing your goals.

Narrow your goal, and you'll get targeted advice.

Before we get into it this week, don't forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron!

Lastly, to be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree!

What is "Good" Anyway?

The problem you'll run into when you ask for advice for making a "good" character (not capital-G Good, that's alignment, morality, etc.) is that there is no universal definition of what makes a character effective. Consider the age-old example of judging every animal by how well it can climb a tree... great if your goal is climbing trees smoothly and quickly, not so good if your goal is doing anything other than that.

I appreciate you can swim really well... but I need to leap this chasm.

Before the metaphor gets away from me, consider the question of what spells do you take to make a "good" wizard? You could ask a dozen different players, and get a dozen different answers. Some will lay out the best metamagic feats and evocation spells that will let you deal massive amounts of area-of-effect damage. Others will focus on spells that destroy single targets one at a time. Still others will lay out wizard spellbooks specifically made to weaken and debuff opponents, while different players will have a list that's entirely built to buff and protect their allies from harm.

All of these are valid options. The problem is that "good" is completely subjective here. One player heard it as, "make the biggest fireball/lightning bolt you can," while another heard, "reduce the enemy effectiveness so your allies can more easily mop them up." Another player heard, "one spell, one kill," while another interpreted it as, "turn your allies into titans!" None of these are wrong, but whether the listener's definition of a "good" build meshes with the definition of the person asking for advice can be sort of hit-or-miss.

That's why it's a good idea to think about what you actually want your character to be able to accomplish before you ask for advice. Whether you're going to a forum of 100k players, or just asking your Game Master for their input, results are always better when you ask specific questions.

For example:

- How do I deal the most damage with a melee weapon?

- What methods can I use as X class to increase my defense?

- What feats and archetypes for a cleric should I use to maximize my healing spells?

- What feats and rogue talents increase my ability to use the Stealth skill effectively?

You could get even more specific than these, or a little less specific if you have a particular goal (deal the most damage with a greatsword, for example) but you haven't locked in any specifics like class, species, etc. At the end of the day, however, you need to provide the parameters for what kind of advice you're actually looking for to be sure that you and your responders both have the same goals in mind.

You're probably still going to get your share of responders who ignore your specifics and just post what they think is a better solution (the "yeah, I know you're looking for fighter advice, but what you really want is a rogue/barbarian/alchemist with X, Y, and Z combos for this," folks) but it's easier to ignore them when they stepped outside the bounds that you laid for your request.

Speaking of "Better" Builds...

If you're looking for fresh tricks, I've got you covered.

I talked about this splat when it first dropped, but I don't want it vanishing into obscurity just yet. Sellswords of Sundara details 10 mercenary companies, providing their histories, uniform styles, combat doctrine, notable NPCs, as well as whispers and rumors about them to really add mystery to the game. And since we're talking about achieving specific goals today, each company has an archetype or subclass (depending on if you prefer the Pathfinder Classic or Dungeons and Dragons 5E version) that gives you unique abilities.

From characters who can be resurrected using animate dead, to monks that can punch spells out of the air, to old soldiers who can turn their age negatives into bonuses, there's all kinds of fun things in here you should check out. If you want a more in-depth discussion, take a look at my last Crunch post Breaking Down The New Tricks Available in "Sellswords of Sundara"!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

If Your Character Has An Edge, They Also Need a Point

Every one of us, as a gamer, has gone through an edgy phase. Whether it was because we read Frank Miller's work on Batman, or we had an abiding love of the Punisher, or we'd just seen Watchman and loved Rorschach as a character, we tried to bring some of that into our games. There is a reason, after all, that the Marquis de Edge is the first entry on my list The 5 Eye-Rolling Rogues You Meet in Your Gaming Career.

Two edges, but you still need a point.

However, there is a little piece of nuance that I think we often forget when it comes to the discussion of so-called "edgy" or "grim" characters. It's that, much like the media that inspired them, the really successful ones have a point they're trying to make. It's only when that point is absent that the concept falls apart, or starts moving into unintentional parody territory.

So I thought I'd talk about that this week.

Also, if you haven't signed up for my weekly newsletter yet, you should consider doing that! It puts you on top of all my latest releases, new blogs, fresh novels, and more. Lastly, if you want to help me keep Improved Initiative going, consider becoming a Patreon patron today... it really helps a lot.

The Iron Age of Comics, And Edgy Characters

If you weren't a big fan of comics in the 1990s, then you might have missed the Edgining, or the Grimming of the medium in the wake of both The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen by Frank Miller and Alan Moore respectively. The former comic took the character of Batman to a new level, as an aging Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement to fight a new breed of criminal with progressively harsher and more demented tactics (most of which got spliced into Batman V. Superman). This culminates in a fight with Superman, Bruce faking his own death, and then training a new generation of Batmen to continue the fight for him. Watchmen was originally going to use a bunch of characters that had been acquired by DC Comics as a deconstruction of the superhero genre, essentially showing the sorts of damaged people and fractured psyches that would exist behind the mask, but DC wouldn't go for it so Moore made his own thinly-veiled versions of those characters as an extra layer of middle finger.

Case in point.

These comics had a massive impact on the medium, going to unique places as they explored the genre of superheroes in ways that hadn't been done before. They acted as the counterpoint to heroic narratives, and showed an underlying bleakness that resonated with readers in a profound way.

What happened next is what always happens next... the tide of imitators began to crash upon the shores.

If you dig through the 90s, you'll find a small ocean of content trying to capture the lightning in a bottle of the foundational titles. Characters like Cable and Deadpool are good examples, but so are the stories of Spawn. Characters who already existed, like the Punisher and Wolverine, were taken to ever bleaker, darker storylines they hadn't been allowed to be a part of before. It seemed like every writer and every artist was chasing that high mark Miller and Moore had laid down, each in their own way.

Some of these tonal imitations were pretty good. The re-invention of Daredevil into a tortured soul trying to balance his more violent desires for vengeance (and giving us the whole Man Without Fear arc) is an example of when this worked. But a lot of titles and stories just devolved into nihilism and brutality, filling pages with empty spectacle that sort of pretended it was trying to be about something, but never really got beyond the belt pouches, bullets, and blood.

What This Has To Do With RPGs

Art doesn't happen in a vacuum, and the explosion of grim, dark, and edgy content that lasted from the late 80s to the early 90s had a pretty notable effect on RPGs as well (not the least of which was the surging popularity of the World of Darkness, which is still with us today). And while there have been plenty of unique settings and games that use grim or edgy content as a vehicle for exploring deeper issues, or to act as a counterpoint to prevailing narratives in storytelling, there are also a lot of games that were just edgy for the sake of being edgy.

Sort of a tabletop version of how Dark Souls gave us deep, impactful worldbuilding, grim storytelling, and an utterly unique challenge and atmosphere, and that spawned an entire genre of imitators, many of whom captured the look but missed the point.

Die, die, die again... but is it a statement on the futility of heroism? Or just punishment?

So what does this have to do with players, and even GMs, who are looking to explore those sharper edges of morality? Those characters and games where adjectives like bleak, grim, or dark apply? Well, it means that you need to have more than just the surface-level aesthetics in order for someone to take what you're doing seriously, and for it to have an impact on the table.

Sometimes that means you're planning an arc for the character, and there's a story you're trying to tell. For instance, if you have a character who's driven primarily by hatred, or vengeance, is this a story about how hollow that victory can be, and the sort of monster it can turn you into despite what you tell yourself? Is it about trying to turn the character off of that path, to give them a bigger cause, to teach them to trust again, and to give them friends and an adopted family to help them heal? Is it about losing your grip on being that better person, and slipping back down into wrath and hatred? Because if you've seen Berserk, that's what happens for our protagonist over the years of serving with the same mercenary company... and let's not forget Guts was found wailing as a baby beneath his mother's hanged body, raised by a brutal "knight" who abused him in every way, and he knew nothing but violence and bloodshed until the Band of the Hawk taught him how to be a person.

That's Mörk Borg level dark, right there.

If you're the Game Master, though, it's equally important to ask what the purpose of the grim/edgy game is. Are you doing a deconstruction of a traditional fantasy tropes, the way Watchmen dissected the superhero? Are you attempting to make a game feel like it has higher stakes by increasing the difficulty and lethality to keep players on their toes, and/or to make things like running in shirtless, sword swinging something that is more likely to get them killed? Are you using the level-based system of power to make comments on hierarchies, personal achievements, or other aspects of a world?

To be clear, you don't have to be going deep and metaphorical with an edgy setting or character concept for it to still be valid. Maybe it just appeals to you in an aesthetic sense, you're more comfortable in that particular archetype, or it's something you haven't really gotten a chance to play. But it is important to do that as an active choice, rather than because you defaulted to it without questioning motives, desires, goals, etc.

And the more edge a character, setting, or campaign has, the easier it's going to be to swallow if there is a point to all of it. Because edge just for edge's own sake can get really tiring really quickly.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat thriller Marked Territory, it's sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

"Small GM Energy" Can Be a Problem For Your Game

Tabletop RPGs are supposed to be filled with the wondrous and the fantastical. Whether you're playing denizens of the night, lurking in the shadows of the modern day and feeding from the blood of mortals, or a party of great heroes standing against the undead tides of the necromancer lord Zar-Nathas, we're all fond of saying that the only limitations for our games are our imaginations.

I would personally recommend that more game masters out there embrace that spirit! Because far too many folks fight their players tooth and nail to try to make their games as small as possible, and I have rarely seen anything stifle player interest and creativity as thoroughly as those efforts.

Go on... let it out already!

For folks who don't want to miss out on any of my upcoming releases and news, make sure that you subscribe to my weekly newsletter! Additionally, if you want to help me keep doing what I'm doing, consider become a Patreon patron today! Or if you're just looking for something fun to add to your table, you might want to take a look at 10 Fantasy Villages, or my supplement for Ironfire, the first city in my new fantasy setting available for both Pathfinder and DND 5th Edition!

What I Do (And Don't) Mean About "Small" Games

To eliminate confusion, I'm going to talk about what I do and don't mean regarding what a "small" game is. Because I'm sure there are some GMs out there who think I'm talking about giving their players powerful magic items, letting them have high-level characters, or giving them expansive resources (servants, castles, mercenary companies, etc.) just because the players want it, and it fits their backstories.

But I'm not talking about any of that.

When I say that too many GMs put in white-knuckled effort to keep their games small, I mean that they restrict as many starting options as they can in order to fit everything within narrow boxes. I'm talking about GMs who will tell you that elves can't be barbarians, that orcs and half-orcs can't be nobles, and that drow, tengu, or tieflings are right out because they, "Don't want to deal with them." These are the GMs who, even though they're running modern games, will re-write the rules to discourage use of firearms so that players either won't (or effectively can't) use them. The GMs who, even if the setting is strange, bizarre, and fantastical, want to limit as much stuff as they can so the players only have a handful of real choices when it comes to making their characters and telling their stories.

But why, you may ask?

Academically, I understand why some GMs do this. Generally speaking there are two reasons:

- They want to exert some sort of control on the toolbox that players have available to them. They might be prepared for barbarians, wizards, and sorcerers, but they don't also want to have to deal with psionic nonsense that follows its own rules, a character race that's highly resistant to certain abilities, etc.

- They want to control what kind of story is being told, and what sort of elements are present in it.

For the record, the second one is a way bigger problem, and a far more common reason that this happens in my experience.

You Can Change The Game (But Your Players Need To Know)

The rule most people cite here is that we can all change the rules of any game we want to as long as it gears it toward the experience we want to have. And I am totally in favor of doing this... what most people seem to leave out, though, is that if a GM is going to change the rules or the setting, that needs to be done with the informed consent of their players for it to be fair.

And there should be a conversation around it... especially if this is going to be a problem for your game going forward.

Everybody's got deal breakers.

As an example, if you want to run a Pathfinder game in the core setting of Golarion without black powder, guns, gunslingers, or any of the weird tech that exists in that core setting, then you need to tell your players about this change up-front. This is especially true if there is no canonical reason for the change to happen in setting, such as rewinding the timeline so the gunworks in Alkenstar hasn't been built yet, so of course there aren't widespread firearms. You can limit the race and class choices if you want to, and even declare certain feats and spells are off-limits. You can state that elves are no longer aliens, that gnomes are not fey creatures, or anything else that you want.

What you might find, however, is that your players are a lot less enthusiastic about your game if you do that. It's even possible they'll decide to walk away, and wait for a game that allows them full access to the breadth of options in the published material rather than play with options they want grayed-out.

So the next time you go to make a change in your game, stop and ask yourself whether it broadens the options players have available to them, or if it shrinks them. Because I can tell you this right now... if you let your players have the toys they want, and if you let them really go for it when it comes to their characters, you will never have to chase them down to ask if they're coming to game. They will be there, ready to roll, and eager to play because you worked with them to help provide the experience they wanted.

And sometimes that's worth a little extra planning, or a slightly convoluted explanation on your part as the game master.

Also, for additional reading, consider some of the following:

- Too Many Game Masters Are Just Itching To Say "No"

- Game Masters, Make Sure You Run The Setting Everyone Agreed To

- Game Masters, Goal-Oriented Players Need Challenges (Or They'll Eat The Setting)

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Remember, Elves Need Blacksmiths and Dwarves Need Fletchers

Archetypes are everywhere when it comes to tabletop RPGs, and the stories we tell with them. All you need to do is mention a class or race you'd see in a fantasy game, and you immediately have an image leap to your mind. When someone says elf, you probably picture a long, lithe figure holding a bow, a scimitar, or both. They probably have long, flowing hair as well. When someone says dwarf you probably picture the opposite; a bulky, bearded figure with an ax or a hammer, likely bearing armor and a shield and ready for battle (assuming you're not a Gotrek and Felix fan, that is).

If you haven't read it yet, seriously, go check it out!

This applies to other games, as well. If you say the word Ventrue to a Vampire player (Masquerade or Requiem) they'll also have a very particular image immediately spring to their minds. Likely a man in a power suit, or a woman in an elegant sheathe dress. If you say to a Werewolf: The Apocalypse player Get of Fenris that immediately calls up images that are one part Boris Vallejo and one part Harley Davidson.

To be clear, these traditional images we have of classes, clans, tribes, fantasy races, etc. in our games are not wrong. From the paladin who is a handsome, holy knight in shining armor, to the half-orc barbarian who's allergic to shirts, those archetypes became archetypes for a reason. However, at the same time, it's important to remember that they are not a requirement by any stretch of the imagination. There is more beneath the surface-level reading of what characters can be, and choosing to disregard some (or even all) of a stereotypical imagery associated with your rules chassis doesn't make you a "special snowflake" who's trying to be different.

Because if the rules don't say you must be, do, or have X,Y, and Z, then it's not a requirement for your character.

Elves Need Blacksmiths, and Dwarves Need Fletchers

Thurandill shall be your name, and you'll be as deadly as you are beautiful.

This phrase was a gold nugget that someone dropped at my feet in the White Wolf subreddit, and it's become a part of my personal philosophy (permission was granted to steal it, which is why I'm sharing it with you fine folks). Basically, any time there is a role that would be common to a society, a race, a clan, etc., there is going to be someone fulfilling that role. The dwarven smith might be the stereotypical image you think of, but there are smiths among the elves, among the orcs, the halflings, gnomes, and humans, too. There will be differences, sure, but there will also be similarities. Elves may be the ones we associate with archery, but there are half-orc and halfling longbow snipers that may be just as deadly.

And so on, and so forth.

Despite what sounds very obvious on its face, there are a lot of DMs, GMs, STs, and others who will immediately lose their cool if someone proposes a character they deem too far outside that stereotype. A character who is, "too special," "too weird," or, "too unique," so they throw on the brakes. If you find yourself in that position, I would recommend taking a step back and asking yourself why you're doing that? Because as long as a character concept follows all the rules, and is consistent with the lore and physics of a setting, what do you gain by denying your players something they want to play?

Think Deeper, Think Broader

The stereotypes in our games are meant to be a starting off point, but they're by no means the law of the land. Unless the rules expressly state something is required, then enforcing that status quo does nothing but narrow the potential of your setting, your characters, and your players. It puts additional limits on our flights of fancy, whose only limits should be the agreed-upon rules of the setting and game.

And we've got enough of those to deal with as is.

To be clear, I'm not saying you can immediately ignore anything that gets in the way of your character concept. If there's a particular form of magic only accessible to those of elven blood, then only characters who have the proper DNA can learn and harness that magic. If you can only learn a certain fighting style at a particular temple, and from a particular teacher, then you need to have that as part of your backstory. And so on, and so forth.

But if there is nothing in the setting or rules that creates a requirement for a character to possess the skills they have, or to look or act the way they do? You get a lot more out of disregarding the stereotype in favor of saying to your players, "All right, lay it out for me. How did they get like this?"

If someone wants to play a half-orc barbarian who was adopted and raised by the duke and his husband, where does it say in the setting rules that this mounted fury who's infamous on the melee field during tournaments isn't a valid concept? If someone wants to play a Ventrue in your vampire game, but instead of a business suit and a red tie he wears leathers and runs a motorcycle gang of ghouls like a pack of Old West desperadoes, what do you gain by telling the player they can't do that? If a player has a broad-shouldered armorer with rippling thews and a grip that can crush a man's skull, why would you insist they play a dwarf instead of an elf if their concept is based entirely around being an elven smith who maintains old elven relics while attempting to recreate the styles of the old masters?

Pick your battles, and work with your players so that they can be happy with the characters they're bringing to your game. It really does set the tone for everything else.

Additional Reading and Thoughts

This isn't exactly a new concept, so I thought I'd leave some links to times I've talked about this before. Not to get too repetitive, but I thought it would be of interest to some folks. Also, while I have your attention, my new supplement A Baker's Dozen of Fantasy Vigilantes just dropped today! I'm pretty excited about that, and I wanted to bring it up. Also, if you want to make sure you never miss any of my updates and fresh content, consider signing up for my newsletter! One update goes out every week, recapping all the news and releases in a single missive.

- DMs, Learn To Take Your Foot Off The Brake: One of my more recent talks on this subject, a DM looking for reasons to say no instead of reasons to say yes is one of the most common causes of table enthusiasm flagging, then going out entirely.

- Everything is Weird in Fantasy RPGs (But That's Not How You Make a Character Stand Out): A reminder that just because something is weird or unusual in your experience, that doesn't mean it's all that strange by the standards of the setting.

- DMs, Please Stop Arbitrarily Limiting Race Choice in Your Games: There are few things more frustrating than showing up to a game that is full of possibilities, and then being told you can only play characters of X, Y, and Z races, for reasons. You want your players enthused, and you don't do that by narrowing down their options for no reason.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!