Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

by Michael E. Shea

Checklist for Reviewing the Characters

you need only to write down a single sentence that clarifies how your session will begin.

Goblins riding dire wolves attack a group of over a hundred refugees from the neighboring town of Gladeswallow.

Checklist for Creating a Strong Start

Checklist for Outlining Potential Scenes

a piece of information the characters can discover as they explore the world and interact with its inhabitants. But secrets and clues are never trivial. They contain information that matters to the characters.

Write Down Ten Secrets Per Session

Checklist for Defining Secrets and Clues

Checklist for Developing Fantastic Locations

Checklist for Outlining Important NPCs

Checklist for Choosing Relevant Monsters

Checklist for Selecting Magic Item Rewards

This outline is about as long as notes prepared from the Lazy Dungeon Master’s checklist are ever going to get,

it’s possible to cut the Lazy Dungeon Master’s checklist down to just three things: Create a strong start Define secrets and clues Develop fantastic locations

Getting better at running games means continually reviewing your approach for preparing and running those games.

Checklist for Reducing the Checklist

Dungeon Master’s Toolkit

Checklist for the Lazy Dungeon Master’s Toolkit

GM’s notebook

index cards

Chapter 16: Building a Lazy Campaign

“spiral campaign development,”

we’re going to focus on three small techniques that let you quickly build out a campaign that matters to the characters and the players: the campaign hook, the six truths, and defining fronts.

Prevent the resurrection of the dark lord.

example of six truths for the world of our “Scourge of Volixus” adventure.

The following components make up each front: The Front: Who or what is this actual front? The Goal: What is this front trying to accomplish? Where is it headed? If one or more creatures make up the front, do they think they’re justified in their actions? Are they? The Three Grim Portents: What three visible steps show the progress of this front?

You worry only about what is happening right now.

Checklist for Lazy Campaign Preparation

Checklist for Running Session Zero

Checklist for Group Storytelling

Checklist for Maintaining the Pace

The Fifth Season

Hyperion

Norse Mythology

Tips for Conducting GM Brain Exercises