Blog Carnival – April 2014 – The Game Master’s Binder

Babbling at the Counter #38 – Pen and Paper

Blog Carnival – April 2014 – The Game Master’s Binder

It’s been a while since the last Carnival entry on the site, so let’s get to it!

This month, Scot Newbury from of Dice and Dragons, tries to make me talk about my GM binder. Well, no dice, mister Newbury! I wont talk about it!

Joking aside, my GM notes are a real mess. I do realize I should work on that, and I will, but what’s the point of the Carnival if I don’t share something fun?

So, while I don’t have a binder with notes, I always carry around my Catalog. It’s a folder full of RPG material, that I keep in my bag. As a lot of Free RPGs out there are only a few pages long, it doesn’t take up much space, while having a selection of more than 10 different games.

This way, whenever we need a quick, low on preparation game in short notice (because something happened to the current game or GM, or maybe because we weren’t planning on roleplaying), I can just take the Catalog out and see if there’s a new game to test or an old classic to revisit.

It’s a great way to be prepared for the unexpected, and to have a few simple, rules-light games at hand in case we have an RPG virgin that wants to play.

Ok, while not a GM’s binder in the strictest sense, this Catalog idea can work out for a perpetually designated GM, as long as improvising and running a game on the fly doesn’t cramp their style!

Don't forget to check the current and previous Carnivals! Link in the image to the right.

- The Storeman