====== GUIDES PLAYSHEET ====== Since the beginning of modern roleplaying, many roleplaying games include or provide a "GM Screen" keeping commonly referenced rules and tables in the Guide's field of view. However, many guides quickly outgrow these and use them only for shielding the view of their notes. Recently, GM screens with updateable panels and laptops or tables with browser tabs open to notes have supplanted the traditional GM Screen. Despite the updates, the goal remains the same: \\ //**What does the Guide need to run a session successfully?**// Each Guide likely brings their own answer which they develop and refine over time. Mentally picture a custom "GM Screen" for the upcoming session. What should be on it? **Chronology** recommends blending System rules, Campaign Setting, and the immediate upcoming Story for the session into an evergreen "Guide's Playsheet". Update a custom "GM Screen" with just needed information for the upcoming session. If there are rarely used System rules expected to come into play, include those for quick reference. Gather all of the Campaign Setting game pieces expected to come into play such as Locations, NPCs, Monsters, Items and Treasure. Organize the System rules and Campaign Setting game pieces into a possible Session outline of how the story may unfold. ===== Core Guide Playsheet Design ===== ☐ **DRAMATIC QUESTION** \\ What problem confronts the Adventurers? \\ What stakes, or consequences of failure, could drive the Adventurers? \\ What costly choices face the Adventurers? ☐ **LOCATIONS** \\ ☐ **OPPONENTS** \\ Who opposes the Adventurers, blocking progress toward their Goal this session? ☐ **TREASURES AND REWARDS** \\ ☐ **OPENING ACT** \\ * Transition from previous sessions * First impressions and setting the scene ☐ **RISING CHALLENGES** \\ * Discoveries * False goals * True goal * Hazards * Obstacles * Traps * Dangers * Any special rules to refresh on? ☐ **CLIMACTIC ENCOUNTER** \\ * Any special rules to refresh on? * Opening moves * Opponents strategy or goal * Opponents Tactics * Retreat conditions * Surrender conditions ☐ **DENOUEMENT** \\ * Rewards * Revelations * Next Steps * Cliffhanger transition to next session ===== Guide Playsheet ===== ^ Dramatic Question ^ ^ | | | | | | ^ Locations ^ Notes ^ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ^ Opponents ^ Notes ^ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ^ Treasures / Rewards ^ Notes ^ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ^ Act ^ Scene ^ Tone / Emotion ^ Notes ^ | Opening | | | | | ::: | | | | | ::: | | | | | Minor Conflicts | | | | | ::: | | | | | ::: | | | | | Rising Conflicts | | | | | ::: | | | | | ::: | | | | | Final Climax Conflict | | | | | ::: | | | | | ::: | | | | | Denouement | | | | | ::: | | | | | ::: | | | | ===== Additional Resources ===== Johnn Four of RoleplayingTips.com has excellent "GM Cheat Sheet" suggestions such as the 5-Room Dungeon Canvas and 5-Room Dungeon Template for [[https://campaign-logger.com/|Campaign Logger]]. \\ Patrons and subscribers to Roleplaying Tips should refer to those resources for greater inspiration. The following Roleplaying Tips archive entries may provide further inspiration for Guide Playsheet items to include: \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt178-5-post-session-player-campaign-development-tips/|Roleplaying Tips #0178 - 5 Post-Session Player and Campaign Development Tips]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt198-session-checklist-ingredients-successful-game-session-part/|Roleplaying Tips #0198 - The Session Checklist: Ingredients To A Successful Game Session Part I]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt199-session-checklist-ingredients-successful-game-session-part-ii/|Roleplaying Tips #0199 - The Session Checklist: Ingredients To A Successful Game Session Part II]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt266-guide-session-notes/|Roleplaying Tips #0266 - A Guide To Session Notes]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt284-blogging-game-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #0284 - Blogging Your Game Sessions]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/news/know-your-players-building-your-session-checklist/|Roleplaying Tips #0352 - Know Your Players - Building Your Session Checklist]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/news/know-your-players-part-2-building-your-session-checklist/|Roleplaying Tips #0358 - Know Your Players Part 2 - Building Your Session Checklist]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/reduce-session-cancellations-with-an-on-call-player/|Roleplaying Tips #0441 - Reduce Session Cancellations with an On-Call Player]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/minis-in-sessions-20-tips-tactical-and-story/|Roleplaying Tips #0537 - Minis In Sessions - 20 Tips (Tactical and Story)]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/rpt581-the-first-15-a-key-gm-technique-for-great-game-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #0581 - The First 15 - A Key GM Technique For Great Game Sessions]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt608-episodic-campaigns-part-2-tips-and-session-ender-narration-tool/|Roleplaying Tips #0608 - Session-Ender Narration Tool]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/gming-your-first-game-session-d12-tips-2/|Roleplaying Tips #0703 - GMing Your First Game Session - d12 Tips]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/panicked-prep-for-next-session/|Roleplaying Tips #0714 - Panicked Prep for Next Session]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/explosive-session-starts-part-cajun-spice-list/|Roleplaying Tips #0737 - Explosive Session Starts Part 1: The Cajun Spice List]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/explosive-session-starts-part-ii-stakes-consequences/|Roleplaying Tips #0738 - Explosive Session Starts Part II: Stakes and Consequences]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/explosive-session-starts-part-iii-the-encounter-pyramid/|Roleplaying Tips #0740 - Explosive Session Starts Part III: The Encounter Pyramid]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/what-should-you-do-with-first-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #0743 - What Should You Do With First Sessions?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/gming-your-first-game-session-d12-tips-3/|Roleplaying Tips #0772 - GMing Your First Game Session - d12 Tips]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/mad-lib-template-for-hook-line-sinkers/|Roleplaying Tips #0780 - Mad Lib Template for Hook, Line, & Sinkers]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/world-building/do-this-now-every-session-for-easy-world-building/|Roleplaying Tips #0811 - Do This Now Every Session For Easy World Building]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/a-quick-tip-on-session-prep/|Roleplaying Tips #0916 - A Quick Tip On Session Prep]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/a-three-part-quest-template/|Roleplaying Tips #0897 - A Three Part Quest Template]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/two-fun-ways-to-add-games-to-your-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #0959 - Two Fun Ways To Add Games To Your Sessions]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/fix-session-problems-before-game-day-by-doing-this-simple-exercise/|Roleplaying Tips #0985 - Fix Session Problems Before Game Day By Doing This Simple Exercise]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/how-do-you-pace-game-sessions-well/|Roleplaying Tips #1022 - How Do Your Pace Game Sessions Well?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/get-into-gamespace-faster-with-a-good-session-warm-up/|Roleplaying Tips #1025 - Get Into Gamespace Faster With A Good Session Warm-Up]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/d6-ways-to-spice-up-next-session-2/|Roleplaying Tips #1032 - d6 Ways To Spice Up Next Session]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/3-quick-tips-for-taking-session-notes/|Roleplaying Tips #1061 - 3 Quick Tips For Taking Session Notes]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building/3-tips-for-better-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #1082 - 3 Tips For Better Sessions]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building/a-simple-but-effective-adventure-template/|Roleplaying Tips #1083 - A Simple But Effective Adventure Template]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/better-session-kick-offs-the-warm-up-trick/|Roleplaying Tips #1087 - Better Session Kick-Offs -- The Warm Up Trick]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/checklist-compelling-session-alerts/|Roleplaying Tips #1094 - Checklist: Compelling Session Alerts]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/unpack-last-session-to-loopy-plan-next-game/|Roleplaying Tips #1100 - Unpack Last Session To Loopy Plan Next Game]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/players-characters/how-to-help-new-players-have-a-blast-with-their-first-session/|Roleplaying Tips #1127 - How To Help New Players Have A Blast With Their First Session]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/7-ways-to-improve-virtual-and-online-game-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #1144 - 7 Ways To Improve Virtual And Online Game Sessions]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/9-ways-to-prep-for-sessions-faster/|Roleplaying Tips #1172 - 9 Ways To Prep For Sessions Faster]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/visual-aid-session-prep-with-the-five-room-dungeon/|Roleplaying Tips #1174 - Visual Aid Session Prep With The Five Room Dungeon]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/how-to-start-every-session-with-a-bang/|Roleplaying Tips #1176 - How To Start Every Session With A Bang!]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/how-can-you-take-fast-notes-during-sessions/|Roleplaying Tips #1185 - How Can You Take Fast Notes During Sessions?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/players-characters/3-ways-your-players-can-help-you-out-next-session/|Roleplaying Tips #1197 - 3 Ways Your Players Can Help You Out Next Session]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/players-characters/d6-tips-for-a-players-first-session/|Roleplaying Tips #1206 - d6 Tips For A Player's First Session]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/running-games/how-to-create-engaging-session-recaps-to-get-players-ready-to-play/|Roleplaying Tips #1215 - How To Create Engaging Session Recaps To Get Players Ready To Play]] \\ ▲ [[:Chronology:]] :: ◢ [[:Chronology:references#resolution_04.r|References: Resolution]] ~~DISCUSSION~~