The Disoriented Ranger talks: Musings about DMing

"Randomize everything. You'll never be more concrete in your ideas than you are after letting go of the illusion of control. DM tools are there to help you and free you." - Jens Durke.

The third book in the series is out; here are my posts on parts one and two. Part three is probably my favorite so far.

This is a compilation of GM advice and reflections from my friend Jens. I have read most of it - in fact, I had read most of it in his blog, and I even responded and referenced some of it with my own blog posts - here is one example. His post about GM styles is great, and it is included here.

Jens goes deep into this stuff. This is not "DM's tips for beginners"*, but reflections on the very nature of DMing. Jens discusses "elf games"  with Daoism, morality and free will. The book format is a plus if you have a hard time reading long posts in blog format, like I do.

(*although his version of the "12 things..." contains good, straightforward advice in addition to the philosophical stuff - like the quote in the beginning of this post).

As before, only one dollar - click here to get it, it is certainly worth the read!

Here is the blurb:

What's this about, now?

Nothing is older than yesterday's blog ... or so they say. After 10 years of exploring "all things D&D and role-playing" on The Disoriented Ranger blog, most of it during the Golden Age of the so-called OSR (and some of it in the Silver Age, I presume), it is time to look back and see what I deem worthy of conserving.

I talked several subjects over the years, many of them about game design, but some of it was also about what it takes to "DM" a role-playing game. What kind of DMs are there, how to DM a game, what players are like, and can be like, and how to handle that ...

I shared my takes about these over the last 10 years and they make a good third anthology. So here they are: 15 posts on roughly 97 pages with thoughts and musings about how to approach this hobby as a DM. All edited and prettied up for this pdf.

Also check out Part 1 about Gaming Culture here and Part 2 about D&D and the OSR here!

What's to come?

There are three more anthologies to follow in the next couple of months, so look out for:

• Part 4: Storytelling Advice
• Part 5: DIY & Gamedesign
• Part 6: Theories in Action

Parts 1 to 3 as well as Parts 4 to 6 will also be compiled for a PoD option!

This is not a trip down memory lane, the topics presented here are still as important as they had been when I addressed them. My sincere hope is that sharing them here will encourage and inspire new readers (or fans of the blog, but with fresh eyes) to see the wealth of potential our hobby has, as well as its pitfalls.

Other than that: I can just provide the map, and even I get lost ...

Cheers,

The Disoriented Ranger

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What qualifies me, you ask?

Just so you know: "Obscurity and competence - that is the life that is best worth living." (Mark Twain)