The TTRPG Maker’s Cheat Kit

By Therapeutic Blasphemy Games

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Preface

This cheat kit is designed to help TTRPG makers be able to skip writing out some
common things that are put in tabletop roleplaying games. We often put these things
in games because no matter how many times we might think, “people don’t need this
anymore, it’s everywhere and in every game” someone manages to put their whole
buffoonery on display and remind us that in fact these are necessary.

Unlike the TTRPG Safety Toolkit by Kienna S and Lauren Bryant-Monk, this is not for
people at the table. It is intended to be for the people who make the games played
at the table.

You may use this cheat kit in part or whole as you see fit so long as you properly
attribute the work to me in accordance with the license listed above. Copy and
paste what you like into your own game and save yourself some time. Pro-tip: Right-
click and select “Paste without formatting.” It's a huge time saver when
transferring content from one document to another.

The basics are simple and I’m not going to come after you if you make a good-faith
attempt. I’m not asking you to pay me or anything. I just want recognition for my
work. Here is the text to put in your game if you simply want to copy and paste the
license notice:

This work uses the The TTRPG Maker’s Cheat Kit by Therapeutic Blasphemy Games which
is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To
view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

The license notice should be alongside any other legal or credit text in the same
font and size as all the other legal and credit text with no obstructions (such as
weird colors or highlights/backgrounds that render it invisible). If your work is
digital, you may create a hyperlink for the name, “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License” that utilizes the url provided instead of having the url
displayed as it is in this example.

Safety
A Note

I assume that the thing that becomes most tedious when creating games, especially
if you are prolific or you otherwise end up writing a lot for games, is clarifying
what safety looks like in TTRPGs. You know it’s important and you’re going to do it
either way, but it takes time and it feels like you’ve done it a million times
already. I also understand that not everyone wants to or has the space to put a
massive treatise on safety in TTRPGs in their game book. I have written three
different variations of utilizing mechanisms at the table starting from the
shortest blurb to a fully articulated short essay that you can copy and paste into
the game.

You may wish to change a word or two there. I encourage you to do what feels best
for your game’s tone and your creative approach. If your game is going to print,
you may also wish to replace the url with specific titles from the linked PDF
rather than a link that people can’t do anything with except stare at.
Alternatively, you could simply cite the entire toolkit like so, “see the TTRPG
Safety Toolkit by Kienna S and Lauren Bryant-Monk for more information.”

The Shortest Safety Blurb

In all tabletop roleplaying games it is important to make everyone at the table

feel safe exploring themes, characters, and storylines that may be outside the
everyday topics of conversation. Make sure to discuss what will be in the game,
what will never be in the game, and what might be in the game but only in passing.

It is also important that everyone at the table feels comfortable saying “pause” to
take a break and “stop” without fear of judgment during the game. There are more
ways of creating safety at the table and these resources can be explored at:
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1583202183294.pdf

The Medium Length Safety Blurb

At every table and before every game it is a good idea to talk through the content
of the upcoming game. It doesn’t mean the plot will be ruined or that there can’t
be surprises. In order for players to be open to surprises and fun storylines,
players must feel confident that the game is going to be respectful when it comes
to things that are not welcomed at the table. This is often referred to as Session
0.

Everyone at the table should ask themselves, “are there things that I do not want
to be in this game? What things am I okay with being in the game as long as we
don’t spend too long on it?” Once everyone at the table has their answers, they
should share those answers with the rest of the table. It may be helpful to make a
list of those things with two categories, “Unacceptable” and “Only in passing.”
This may also be recognizable as similar, if not the same as, the safety exercise
known as “Lines and Veils.”

During gameplay, it may be the case that something makes someone at the table feel
uncomfortable. It’s important that anyone at any time can say, “I’d like to take a
moment and talk this through.” Maybe that person needs a minute because the story
is intense. Maybe that person needs to talk about the story so far and process how
it makes them feel. It’s important to allow space for anyone at the table to be
able to have this opportunity without fear of being judged or punished for it.

Sometimes people don’t know that something will upset them beforehand and during
the course of play it turns out that a story, theme, or aspect of a character is
too much for that person. Everyone at the table should feel comfortable saying, “I
need us to stop right here.” At that point there is an opportunity for the rest of
the table to show support for that person. Someone at the table should add that
story, theme, or aspect of a character to the list of “Unacceptable” or “Only in
passing” depending on what the person who asked to stop has requested.

After the game is over, it is also a good idea to talk about how the game went.
This is an opportunity to share moments that someone did something really cool,
clever, or fun. It is also an opportunity to talk about things that were difficult
or emotional. Maybe others at the table had feelings about the same moments. Be
sure to give space for everyone to share their feelings and remember that it’s okay
for people to feel differently about the same thing. There are more ways of
creating safety at the table and these resources can be explored at:
https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1583202183294.pdf

The Long Safety Essay

Before the Game

Before anyone begins rolling dice or describing a scene, everyone at the table
should be a part of a conversation. The exact words spoken, the topics covered, and
the way each topic is handled will be different for every table. The purpose of
this conversation is to make it clear what the goal of the game will be and what
everyone at the table can expect from the game. Here are some general questions
that might help:

* What kind of play is emphasized at this table? (e.g. roleplay, exploration,

dungeon delving, combat, etc)
* What are the expectations of players? What are the expectations of the GM (if
there is one)?
* What happens if someone can’t make it to a session?
* Is there anyone who needs more than one or two breaks during the session for any
reason?
* How long will sessions be?
* How long will the campaign be?
* How do people at the table feel about food during the session? Does anyone have
allergies that need to be considered when bringing snacks?
* Is it okay to have alcohol at the table?
* Is it okay to vape or use other electronic smoking devices at the table?

Beyond general questions, there are also questions specific to gameplay that should
be asked both by players of themselves and GMs of the players and themselves. Here
are a few that may help start that conversation:

* What content is off-limits to feature in this game?

* What content is uncomfortable but acceptable in passing reference?
* What content is exciting or fun for people at the table?
* What concerns do people at the table have about playing together?
* What positive experiences with TTRPGs (or other physical games) have you had in
the past that you try to carry forward into every game thereafter?
* What negative experiences with TTRPGs (or other physical games) have you had in
the past that you want to avoid moving forward?

It is perfectly acceptable for someone at the table to realize that the goals and
attitudes at the table aren’t aligned with their own and leave. That said, that is
not an excuse for one person at the table to try to pressure another to leave if
there is conflict about what things should and should not be at the table.

While the GM (assuming there is one) has a lot of power over what happens during
gameplay, it is important for GMs to remember that there is no game table without
players and therefore it is best to avoid attempting to use authority as the GM at
the table to rule in favor of one position on an issue over another. It is best to
encourage consensus-building where everyone gets a chance to speak at length about
their thoughts and feelings, ask questions, and arrive at agreements everyone feels
comfortable with. It may be helpful to write those agreements down for everyone to
refer back to.

It is also important that there be some flexibility with these agreements. Life
experiences change and progress and what was previously uncomfortable may become
acceptable, what was previously acceptable becomes inexcusable. Conversation around
changes to agreements made before the start of the game should be encouraged.

During Play

Games are games in so far as people are playing fictional characters. The divide
between real and fiction gets blurry when playing games that utilize characters
based on the actual players at the table. Regardless of the circumstances, it is
important to make space for people to ask questions, raise concerns, and take
breaks when necessary. Just because they are games and the characters are fictional
does not mean the people who are playing them will not have strong emotions in
reaction to what is happening.

The most basic way to make sure everyone at the table is ok is to ask. Whatever
role people take at the table, GM or player, it is always a good idea to ask
another person at the table if they are doing ok if there is any doubt. People
should be encouraged to be honest and feel supported in pausing the game to have
conversations if necessary before moving forward. The sessions may move slower,
content planned for that session might be put off, but the table will be better for
it in the long run.

Another basic way of ensuring everyone at the table is good to go is to ask

specifically, “is it ok if…” before doing a specific thing. This is especially
important when two player characters are going to interact where one player
character might be taking an action that impacts the another player character. This
can provide the player of the other character the opportunity to say “no” as a
player and narrate an alternative within the game.

Sometimes things come up in play even when everyone at the table is doing their
best to respect the agreements made and check in with everyone else. At that point
it may be necessary to take a break to talk through any discomfort someone is
experiencing. Everyone at the table should be encouraged to ask for pause in the
gameplay to process emotions that come up. Some people may just need a moment to
talk about it with everyone else at the table. Some people may need time to write
out their feelings about it. Some people may need to say, “let’s not include this
content in our game” and then add that to the list of agreements made.

If there is a GM or someone other than the player who requested a pause/removal of

content who has narrative control at the time, be careful not to use game mechanics
or rules as punishment for needing to pause or skip over content. It may be
inconvenient to have to completely abandon an idea for the narrative, but the table
will be better for it in the long run. It is okay to be upset that a pause has been
asked for or that content is being skipped. It is not okay to blame, shame, or
express those frustrations indirectly or directly to the person who asked for
either of those things.

If there have been any changes to agreements or there was an incident where an
agreement was broken (intentionally or accidentally), it is a good idea to review
what the agreements are before the start of play at the next session. Everyone at
the table should be encouraged to ask questions and engage with the agreements.
This may be a time when renegotiating the agreements is necessary, but it should
never be with the intent of pressuring the writing out of an agreement that is
still supported by others at the table.

An important aspect of roleplaying is thinking about what the character would do

even though it may be different from how the person at the table might behave.
There are some who may wish to have a character do things that would be totally
inappropriate in the real world. So long as these behaviors are in character, in
line with the agreements made before and during play, and everyone involved is in
favor of it there is no problem. It is not acceptable to act contrary to the
agreements made before or during play or to act against the wishes of other people
at the table and then dismissively say, “it’s what my character would do.” This
kind of behavior will ruin the table dynamics. People who feel the need to do this
kind of thing at the table might want to ask themselves why it is that when
presented with nearly unlimited possibilities they chose to be the kind of person
who alienates others.

When something doesn’t work for someone or multiple people at the table, there is
always the option to go back to a previous point in play and start over from that
point. Though it may be difficult to act as though a certain moment didn’t happen,
this can help the table move forward in the story after an issue has come up during
play. People at the table should be encouraged to suggest backing up and starting
over again at a specific point in play if there was tension around what should
happen that might be better solved by changing the approach.

After Play

Some sessions may be more intense than others. It is a good idea to encourage
everyone at the table to talk through any lingering feelings, ask questions, and
discuss the session as needed. It may be necessary to have those discussions at the
next session depending on time constraints of people at the table.
Some people may experience a phenomenon called “bleed” in which the emotions of
their character carries over into the real world. Being able to talk through those
feelings with one or more other people at the table may be an invaluable way to
cope with that experience. Some people may not realize at first what is happening
and it may take a few sessions to recognize that that is what is happening.
Utilizing the other approaches mentioned may help bring out this issue for
discussion.

At the end of a campaign, it is also a good idea to talk about the campaign as a
whole. Encourage everyone at the table to take turns talking through how they felt
before, during, and after the game ended. This can also be an opportunity to share
things people liked, didn’t like, and things they’d like to try in future games
because of their experience in this game. It is never okay to blame, shame or
express frustration indirectly or directly to people who may have needed more time
during and in between sessions to process feelings that came up during the game. It
is important to remember that not everyone may feel the same way about particular
aspects of the game and it is okay for there to be multiple perspectives and
feelings about those things.

For GMs

Sometimes creativity exceeds capacity: GMs come up with ideas too broad in scope
for the amount of time they have to prepare. There are many ways to tell when this
is happening and it happens for a number of reasons. There is no need to dwell on
the why. If the GM is:

* Feeling stressed at the start of the game

* Dreading game day
* Short on patience with players
* Unable to focus during play or discussion
* Feeling as though they never have enough time to prep as much as they want or
that their prep work is never good enough

These may be signs that the GM is worn out and needs a break. GMs should be
encouraged to communicate when they are feeling overwhelmed, underprepared, or
otherwise not in sync with the fun others at the table are experiencing. GMs who
push themselves too hard for too long can experience burnout which can range from
needing an extended break from GMing to completely abandoning the hobby.

There are several solutions to the problem of an exhausted GM. The easiest solution
would be to reduce the frequency of sessions. If the game has sessions every week,
switch to every other week. The table may wish to still come together and hang out
(watch a movie, chat, share a meal together, go for a walk, etc) on the weeks when
there is no session just to enjoy the company. If there are other people at the
table who feel confident enough to act as the GM for a time, encourage them to take
turns being the GM for as long as necessary. Another solution is to switch to a
GMless system where everyone shares an equal amount of responsibility in providing
narrative.
How to Roleplay
Before You Put a Blurb in Your Game…
There seems to be an assumption that all games need to explain what roleplaying is
or else the game is unplayable. While it is true that omitting some sort of
introduction to roleplaying can make your game inaccessible to some people, it is
worth asking, “who is this game for? Who do I imagine will play my game?” Since we
can’t all be Wizards of the Coast, Magpie Games, Monte Cook, or one of the other
big names in the industry it seems likely that the games will reach people who know
to look for them. That is, people who already play TTRPGs will know to look for
your games and they will presumably already have a sense of how to roleplay.

That said, if you have a clear sense that you want anyone to be able to pick up
your game and learn to play it by reading the game book, then it makes a lot of
sense to put a “how to roleplay” section in your game. It is worth mentioning that
knowing how to roleplay and knowing how to play the game are two separate things.
Sometimes things like dice pools, modifiers, clocks, and moves can be intimidating
in a way that “playing make-believe” is not. Putting a “how to roleplay” section in
your game is not a substitute for clarity in how to play the game itself.

The Shortest How to Roleplay blurb

This is a roleplaying game. While the game may include paper, dice, tokens, and any
number of tools to help tell the story, the single greatest source of adventure is
within the minds of the players. Take every opportunity to describe what is
happening within the story. If one person gets stuck, other people at the table
might have ideas.

The Medium Length How to Roleplay Blurb

Roleplaying is the act of putting one’s self in the mindset of a different person,
in a different place, at a different time for the purpose of telling a story. Some
roleplaying games might have complex stories with expansive worlds, mysteries, and
unique characters to meet. Other roleplaying games might be about becoming a
powerful adventurer who explores dangerous places to find treasure and fame.

Roleplaying does not require voices, costumes, or special knowledge to do well.

Those things are acting. Acting can help some people roleplay, but it is not
necessary to do any acting. Some people will use first person pronouns, “I” and
other people will refer to the people within the fiction in the third person even
if it is their own character, “Dracula walks to cornerstore and asks where the
bread is.” Both methods work for roleplaying and everyone at the table should be
encouraged to find what feels best for them.

The Long How to Roleplay Essay

There is a lot that can be said about roleplaying, but at its core roleplaying is
make-believe. It can be as boring and tedious as sitting with a friend practicing
for an interview for a job or as exciting as playing a powerful wizard trying to
turn back time to correct a mistake they made in their youth. Roleplaying is
something many people do without thinking about it as roleplaying.
Tabletop roleplaying games are roleplaying that has been formalized, given
structure with a world and rules that help the story unfold in a context. They are
also meant to be fun, hence the term games.

A lot of people in the tabletop roleplaying hobby will say fiction first to
describe an approach to play, but that phrase requires an explanation of what that
means for people who may be playing their first tabletop roleplaying game. Games do
not require players to know every single detail about their character, but ideally
over time they will get a better sense of this character through playing them
combined with their own creative spark. It takes practice to do it smoothly and so
if it is a player’s first time, do not stress if ideas don't spring to life the
minute it is time to play or the page in a journal for a solo session is still
blank after thinking on it for a few minutes.

When someone says to put fiction first, they are reminding everyone that the
miniatures, maps, dice, or whatever props are being used are just the tools to make
the storytelling work in a way that is random or variable. Without those elements,
a solo or journaling game would just be creative short story writing. Without those
elements, games with Game Masters (GMs) might feel a little too cruel because the
GM would get to decide everything and there would be no sense that the player has a
chance against odds to do something incredible.

If all else fails, remember the five questions and five senses:

Who, What, When, Why, and How

+
Taste, Touch, Hearing, Seeing, and Smelling

Combining these with each other can form a question answerable in play: who was
seeing what when and how did they react? Roleplaying is answering these questions
for a character, not the player, and within the world setting of the game. Using
the five questions and five senses will likely feel clumsy and uncomfortable, but
with practice they will no longer be necessary.

Common Mechanics
About

Thanks to systems, engines, and design philosophies that are shared by many games,
there are many game mechanics that can be explained without specificity of the game
itself. You may wish to add specifics to the descriptions that are particular to
your game or add some examples of using these mechanics as they interact with other
mechanics, but hopefully this will cut down on the time it takes to write out
explanations of game mechanics in your game book.

Clocks

Clocks are a way of keeping track of events and action that happens in the
background. While not literal timepieces, they make the world feel as though it is
moving even if the players are not. Advancing a clock can be represented with a
tick in a box. It signifies that there is something that will happen and each tick
of the clock indicates that that moment will come to pass sooner rather than later.
Some clocks are visible to everyone, others are hidden since the players may not
know about everything that happens in the world.

Moves

Moves are abilities that characters can use to take action in the world. Some moves
are shared by characters and others are specific to a type of character. Moves
often reward players for using them with benefits that can’t be obtained from a
simple roll.

Resistance

Action in the narrative can happen quickly and the consequences may be undesirable.
Players may decide they don’t want that consequence to happen, in which case they
should declare, “No, I’m going to resist that.” Make a resistance roll to determine
how much stress it will cost to resist the consequences of an action.

Stress

Stress represents the toll of action on a character in the world. This may be
mental, emotional, physical, or even the spiritual cost that comes with putting a
character through extreme circumstances. Players may choose to take stress
voluntarily in order to achieve seemingly impossible tasks or undo a particularly
awful outcome.

Dice Pools

Dice pools are an assortment of dice accumulated from a variety of skills,

abilities, and help from other people. They are the total number of dice a player
rolls after adding up every benefit that applies in the circumstance and
subtracting any negative effects at play in the moment.

Idle Dreaming

Idle Dreaming is a poetic way of describing the conversations that happen as

players decide what will occur in the narrative. Often it can be a chance to
brainstorm ideas where one person asks, “what if…” and other players can add on or
complicate the circumstances surrounding that what-if moment. Idle Dreaming is a
stage of play that allows for vague ideas to become playable scenes. Once people
have a clear idea of what is happening, transition from idle dreaming to
roleplaying out that idea.

Strong Move
A strong move is a chance for a character to show their strength in whatever form
that it takes. When a player uses a strong move, that player is putting the focus
on their character and spotlighting something standout about them. Players spend a
token in order to make a strong move.

Normal Move

A normal move is a chance for the character to be a part of the narrative. Normal
moves do not take the spotlight, but instead allow the character to contribute to
the existing moment.
Weak Move

Weak moves are a chance to show a character’s vulnerable side. No character is

invincible and every character has needs, wants, and goals that put them in a
position to have to give of themself. Weak moves put the spotlight on a character
in a different way. Some characters may not want to be vulnerable but do it out of
necessity. Some characters choose to be vulnerable knowing it will allow them to
have a better outcome later. Players gain a token when they make a weak move.

Abilities

Abilities represent the core aspects of a character. The higher numbers represent
what the character excels at whereas lower numbers show what the character
struggles to achieve. As the character grows their abilities will change. Some
characters might become better at things they were previously unable to accomplish
and some characters will continue to improve the abilities they already excelled
in.

Skills

Skills act as an extension of the character’s abilities. Each skill shows where the
character has chosen to focus their abilities.

Feats

Feats are the unique capabilities that go above and beyond the average skillset.
They represent the exceptional that set apart adventurers from average folk.
Version 1.01