The RPG Handbook

I know – there’s already a RPG Cookbook on the site. As mentioned once or twice a large chunk of system-free RPG content has been getting collected alongside the material that’s appeared here. The original plan was simply to make a PDF compilation of the pick of the online content. However, the project adapted and grew – with only a core of the most practical Cookbook content folding in alongside the new material. As a result the planned PDF has turned into a how, why, what, when and where guide to tabletop RPGs.

The Cookbook title seemed OK – if now rather misleading in terms of the gap between the online blog content and the PDF. Except that the url for RPG Cookbook as a .com had already gone. Which might well have something to do with an actual cookbook full of tasty recipes for serving at game sessions. Fair enough and a good idea.

While it seemed more likely that RPG Cookbook would be available as a .com it turned out that RPG Handbook and The RPG Handbook were both available as .com urls.

The next minor complication to crop-up came down to the amount of content and how to go about bundling it. Simply rolling everything into one locked-up PDF would undermine the whole purpose of the exercise in terms of making it easier for players and potential players to make practical use of much of the material.

Consequently, the content as a whole has been split into three manageable blocks/ titles:

The RPG Handbook

Is a system-free PDF about:

1. How to start playing RPGs.
2. Encouraging new players.
3. Finding out which types of gameplay players are most likely to enjoy.
4. Putting player choice first.
5. Rapidly constructing adventures and campaigns.
6. Applying overarching themes to adventures and campaigns.
7. Going beyond ‘shop and slay’ reward systems.

What’s the content like?

Turning the patchwork of blog content into a coherent guide hasn’t left much to point to within the current Cookbook material. The list of RPGs for Kids and Big Kids has been transferred over and a few posts have served as the basis for revised or expanded material in the RPG Handbook. Those with copies of clone Corruption are also likely to be familiar with some of the approaches to campaign-building suggested in the RPG Handbook.