Greetings Nibblers!

This week, we’re charting the core mechanics of Shattered Waters and how we're hacking Carta SRD to fit our post-apocalyptic, anachronistic fishing world. By the end of this development log, you will know more about Fatigue, fishing, and the roguelike elements that will shape your game sessions. Let’s go!

1. The Carta SRD Hack

Shattered Waters uses a hacked version of Peach Garden Games' Carta SRD (found HERE on itch.io). Why Carta? Simply because its card-based exploration fits perfectly with the ever-changing landscapes of our Post-Sundering world. Here’s how we adapt it:

• The Grid: A 6x4 layout of face-down cards forms your expedition map. Each card is a biome, an event, and a fishing spot. In our version of Carta, we do use Jokers though!

• Suits Reimagined:

  • ♠️ Spades: The Wild, the Harsh, the Unforgiving

  • ♣️ Clubs: The Strange, the Clever, the Twisted

  • ♥️ Hearts: The Emotional, the Personal, the Spiritual

  • ♦️ Diamonds: The Lucky, the Rare, the Risky

• Jokers: Represent unique locations that will be revealed in future devlogs... Like if I was going to reveal everything at once!

The full descriptions of the themes relating to every suits will also be revealed later since they are not in their final versions yet.

2. Anatomy of a Prompt: What’s in a Card?

Here’s the breakdown:

A Narrative Description
The scene-setting hook.

An Event to Interact With
A challenge, choice, or encounter.

A Fishing Spot
It's the backbone of the game after all!

A Journaling Prompt
A prompt that helps players with the journaling part of the game. You prefer to draw? Perfect, we also added ideas of stuff to draw in your journal in the journaling prompt.

A Revisit Rule
What changes if you draw this card again?

3. Fishing Mechanics: Fatigue & the Oracle

Determine The Fish: The fishing tables are not finished yet but the first roll is about determining what fish is interested in your bait. The size of the fish has an impact on the Fatigue Cost of fishing. Also, each suit has it's own Common Fish and each card, it's own uncommon/unique fish. These (you guessed it) are harder to catch.

The Fishing Roll: The actual fishing attempt is made by rolling a d10, add any relevant modifiers (weather, gear, etc.) and compare the result on The Fishing Outcome Table. If you roll OVER your Current Fatigue, you catch the fish. If not, no fish for you. If you roll significantly OVER or UNDER your Current Fatigue, this might mean a Critical Failure or a Critical Success. These results can have various effects on your expedition. More about these will be revealed in the future.

Design Note: Fatigue starts at 0. Each card flip or event can add Fatigue. Resting while traveling restores some Fatigue while resting in Anchorage (town) resets it.

Example Play: Ace of Spades

The Mudflats

A river delta shudders as a newborn island of silt and clay surges from the depths. Before you sprawls a landscape that is both beautiful and dangerous: sucking quicksand pits, crumbling earthen spires, and the skeletal remains of a pre-Sundering watchtower half-swallowed by the mire. With every step, your boots sink deeper, and the cold water chills your bones.

Then you see it…

Sunlight reflects on a metallic surface in the ruins. A corroded astrolabe maybe? Unless it is a handmade lure from the Old World. It lies near a bubbling sinkhole where the mud whispers like a sleeping beast. Reaching it means gambling with quicksand… but leaving it feels like abandoning a fragment of the world-that-was.

Retrieve The Relic
Roll d10 - Current Fatigue
≥7 - You wrench the relic free! Gain 1 Valuable.
4-6 - As you approach, the relic sinks deeper in the mud, lost forever.
≤3 - You sink waist-deep. You manage to get free. Gain 2 Fatigue.

Press Onward
As your walking away, you can see the relic sink in the mud, lost forever.

"Sketch the relic you saw or imagine what it might have been. Whose hands last held it before the Great Sundering? What promise did it carry? And as you walk away (or clutch it, dripping), what emotion settles in your chest: regret for what was lost, or dread for what was found?"

When drawing this card again:

• If you successfully retrieved the relic, it is gone.

• If you failed to retrieve the relic, it is now buried deeper. -2 if you try to retrieve it.

• If you sank or pressed onward: The island has stabilized but shrunk—"Press Onward" now costs no Fatigue and reveals cracked footprints leading to where the relic was. It is gone.

Next Devlog: Dive with me into how rods, bait, and trinkets (like lava-waders or weird, magical compasses) can affect your odds in this ever-shifting world.

— Patrick Dubuc, Lead Designer

Shattered Waters is a solo TTRPG in development. Playtest kits are expected to be released in Fall 2025.

Feedback? Send an email at info@bigbitegames.ca!

The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ "Dani California" isn’t just a song that helped define a generation. It’s a full character background waiting to happen. Anthony Kiedis’ lyrics paint a tragic, rebellious portrait: a girl born in the South, dying young after a life of dive bars, dusty highways, and running from the state line. Every verse has potential: the preacher who damned her, the lovers she outran, the restless spirit that never settled.

Don't worry though! The woman described in our Lyric Forged Legends today is very much alive and kicking! Let's look together how that song inspired this week's article:

Dani "Cali" Hayes
Rebellious Drifter with a Guitar and a Ghost Town Past

Dani was born under a bad sign in the dead-end town of Blackwater, Mississippi, a place where dreams went to drown. Her mama worked double shifts at the diner; her daddy was just a name on a faded postcard from Alabama. By 15, Dani traded textbooks for a second-hand guitar, playing blistering licks in garages and baptizing her sorrows in cheap beer. The local preacher called her "hellbound"; the sheriff called her "trouble." She called it freedom.

At 17, she hitched a ride with a band called The Howlers and never looked back. For years, she lived out of vans and motel rooms, blazing a trail from Louisiana to California, leaving behind broken hearts and dive-bar stages still humming with her energy. She played punk in Minnesota, blues in Oklahoma, and when she finally reached the Pacific, she screamed rock 'n' roll anthems into the Santa Ana winds. Life was fast, loud, and messy: a hurricane of crazy nights, whiskey breaths, and strangers who felt like home for a night.

But the road has teeth. Dani’s seen things: a knife fight in Fargo, a deal gone wrong in Memphis, and the painful souvenir of a lover who didn’t survive the last winter. She carries scars on her knuckles and a .38 revolver tucked in her denim jacket. Her only constants are her guitar, her beat-up motorcycle, and the creeping sense that her luck’s running thin.

Now she drifts, chasing gigs and ghosts, forever one step ahead of the law… or worse.

Character Defining Features

• Appearance: Sun-bleached hair, leather jacket over band tees, scuffed boots. Eyes that look older than her 24 years. The song refers to her as a "stunner" so her attributes should reflect that too.

• Personality: Defiantly optimistic but secretly weary. Protects the downtrodden. Hates authority, loves underdogs. Quick to laugh, quicker to fight.

• Motivation: Outrun her past. Find a place that feels like home. Play the song that makes the world listen.

• Flaw: Self-destructive streak. Trusts too easily or not at all. Haunted by the people she couldn’t save.

• Abilities/Skills:

  • Road-Hardened: She can fight hunger, exhaustion, and long drives better than anybody else.

  • Stage Presence: Can persuade/inspire through her music.

  • Burned Luck: Her luck runs out when needed most.

• Bonds:

  • The Howlers: Her old band. The band is scattered, but one might sell her out for cash.

  • Father Miles: The Blackwater priest who still prays for her soul (and knows her secrets).

  • "Finn" (Deceased): A lover who died in her arms. She hears his voice in her dreams way too often.

Why The Party Needs Her?

• She knows hidden routes, underground networks, and where to find anything… for a price.

• Her music can rally crowds, distract foes, or soothe souls.

• She’s a human wrecking ball against tyrants and bullies.

Character Arc Ideas

1. "The Last Stop": Dani’s past crashes into the present when a new Howlers tour poster surfaces… with her face on it. Someone’s impersonating her, luring her into a trap.

2. "Ghosts of Highway 61": Dani believes Finn’s spirit is trapped in her guitar. To free him, she thinks that confronting the Memphis crime boss who killed him will ease his soul and free him.

3. "California Dreamin’": She inherits a dilapidated music venue in LA. Can she build a home, or will her demons burn it down?

How To Play Her?

Joan Jett meets Mad Max, with a splash of tragic poet.

That's it for this June's Lyric Forged Legend. Don't miss the next article next month as I try to tackle Rednex's Cotton Eyed Joe!

Good day fellow Game Masters! Come and sit 'round the virtual campfire and let’s talk about tension. That delicious, spine-tingling feeling that separates a forgettable dungeon slog from a session your players will recount like war veterans for years to come.

You’ve read the guides. You know the tricks: ominous music, creepy descriptions, high-stakes consequences, maybe a literal ticking clock. You’ve described damp stone walls until you’re blue in the face and made more spooky chanting noises than a Gregorian monk with a sore throat.

But what if I told you the most potent weapon in your tension-building arsenal isn’t something you add, but something you take away? The secret sauce, the MSGP (Mysterious GM Powder) you’ve been missing?

It’s Silence…

*cue record scratch* Silence? Seriously Pat? That’s your big reveal? Did you hit your head or something?

Hear me out. I’m not talking about the awkward silence when no one remembers the tavern keeper’s name. I’m talking about intentional, strategic, nerve-wracking, premium-grade silence.

Why Silence is Your Best Friend (and Your Players' Nightmare)

• When you stop talking, your players' brains kick into overdrive. That shadow you were just going to describe as a coat rack? In the silence, it becomes a lurking monster, a vengeful ghost, or Kevin’s rogue character trying (and probably failing) to pick their pockets. Your description sets the stage; their imagination writes the horror movie. Silence fertilizes doubt. Use this to your advantage!

• Think of the best horror movies. The creaking noise moments before the jump scare. The heavy breathing before the monster lunges. The unsettling quiet before music hits you like a freight train. Tension isn't the explosion; it's the fuse burning down. Silence is that fuse. Describe the villain slowly raising their blade... then shut up. Watch your players squirm.

• Roll a crucial saving throw behind your screen. Stare at the result. Don't say a word. Just... look concerned. Maybe make a thoughtful "Hmmmm" noise. Maybe jot down a completely meaningless note. The silence around the dice roll amplifies its significance tenfold. Is it a crit fail? A narrow success? They don't know! Agony! I know it’s meta but still, it will fuel tension!

• Players enter the ancient tomb. You describe the oppressive stillness, the dust motes dancing in the single shaft of light... then you stop. Let them sit in it. Let them feel the significance of the place. Let them agonize over which crumbling corridor to take, without you filling the air with more description. Silence makes space for dread and deliberation.

How to Weaponize Silence (A Practical Guide)

• After a big reveal, a dire warning, or a critical dice roll. Count slowly to three (in your head, you maniac, don't actually count out loud!). Let the words hang. Then continue.

• Describe a single, potent sensory detail ("The only sound is the slow drip... drip... drip of water from the cavern ceiling"), then let the silence amplify it. Don't immediately follow it up with "and also you see...".

• Glance down at your notes after something tense happens. Furrow your brow. Sigh softly. Scribble something. This isn't cheating; it's method acting. Even if your notes just say "Buy milk," the silence screams “Danger ahead!”.

• Build your description deliberately, leaving gaps. "The door creaks open... revealing... darkness." Pause. "A stale, cold breeze washes over you." Pause. "Your torchlight flickers, struggling to penetrate more than ten feet." Pause. Let them ask "What do we see?" The asking builds the tension.

• An NPC hears terrible news. Instead of gasping or crying out immediately... have them go utterly still and silent. Stare into the middle distance. The longer the silence, the heavier the emotional impact when they do react (or break down).

Silence Is Not Always Golden (Sometimes It’s Just Awkward)

• Like a potent spice, silence is best used sparingly. Too much becomes awkward or boring. Aim for impactful moments.

• If your players are genuinely confused or lost, break the silence! Tension relies on their understanding of the stakes, not being bewildered.

• Silence works best in contrast. Use it after a loud noise, amidst frantic action, or following a shocking revelation. The sudden absence of sound is what makes it powerful.

• A slight smile, a worried frown, wide eyes: your silent reaction sells the moment. Poker face optional (but recommended for maximum psychological torture).

The Grand Tension Recipe

• Set the Stage: Use your descriptions, music, and stakes (the usual stuff).

• Light the Fuse: Introduce the threat, the mystery, the crucial moment.

• Apply the MSGP (Silence): Stop talking. Let the moment breathe. Let imagination and dread fester.

• Detonate: Deliver the payoff – the monster attack, the consequence, the revelation, the dice result.

Master the strategic use of silence, and you'll transform your game. That tense hush before the battle? That's the sound of your players being utterly immersed. That anxious quiet after a character fails a save? That's the sound of drama.

Now go forth, wield silence like a scalpel, and watch your players lean forward in their seats, hearts pounding, hanging on your next... word... or... the... lack... thereof.

Got a tension-building trick? Share your secret spices in the comments!

This week’s devlog is all about Shattered Waters: a solo journaling fishing tabletop roleplaying game powered by a hacked version of Carta. Set in a world fractured by a cataclysmic event known as The Great Sundering, this game combines roguelike exploration, storytelling, and resource management into a deeply immersive experience.

⚠️ Please note: all details shared in this development log are part of an ongoing work-in-progress and are subject to change before the official release.

The Core Loop

At the heart of Shattered Waters lies its core gameplay loop: a structure that not only drives the game forward but also brings it to life. Each loop reveals a wealth of information: biome, location, weather, your current Fatigue status, potential new catches, and even elusive clues about the Legendary Godfish.

1. Prepare

• Reset your Fatigue (add +1 if you rested overnight)

• Adjust for any fish spoilage

• Check your gear and inventory

2. Explore

• Note the time of day: Morning, Afternoon, or Night

• Flip over an adjacent card on the game grid

• Move to that card (-1 Fatigue)

• Adjust the weather (red card = better; black card = worse)

• Resolve prompts, if the card has any

• Fish: Roll a d100, apply modifiers, and compare your result on the correct fishing table

3. Rest or Push On

• Rest (at night): Sleep until Morning, regain +1 Fatigue

• Push On: Continue exploring and fishing, risking exhaustion

4. Return to Anchorage

• Sell your catch

• Repair or purchase gear

• Rest (fully restore your Fatigue)

• Reshuffle the map and draw a new game grid

To cap off each day, players write an entry in their Fishing Log. This log can be a brief note or a rich, narrative vignette. It’s up to you. It’s a perfect space to reflect, strategize, or build the emotional arc of your fisher’s journey.

Roguelike Mechanics

Every return to Anchorage comes with a cost. Each time you head back to town, the entire map reshuffles itself: a side effect of The Great Sundering. The world shifts beneath your feet, keeping every expedition into the wild unpredictable and fresh.

I'm also working on a penalty system for when your Fatigue hits zero while out in the wild. It might be an injury, lost gear, or a forced retreat, but pushing your limits will carry consequences.

Custom Suits for a Unique Carta Experience

To truly make Shattered Waters feel distinct, I’ve reimagined Carta’s traditional suits with themes that reflect the fractured and surreal world left behind by The Great Sundering:

• Spades – The Wild, the Harsh, the Unforgiving
  Weather, survival, danger, lost gear, difficult choices

• Clubs – The Strange, the Clever, the Twisted
  Puzzles, illusions, traps, magical oddities, clever beasts

• Hearts – The Emotional, the Personal, the Spiritual
  Dreams, memory, empathy, inner conflict, and personal revelations

• Diamonds – The Lucky, the Rare, the Risky
  Gambling, rare finds, fate, temptation, high-stakes decisions

Each suit now carries both mechanical impact and narrative depth, helping to generate stories that feel grounded in the mystery and magic of this broken world.

Weather That Matters

A major innovation in Shattered Waters is its dynamic Weather System. At the start of each expedition, the weather is fair. As players flip over cards while exploring, the weather evolves:

• Red card → Improves weather by one step

• Black card → Worsens weather by one step

The current weather state impacts gameplay in various ways. Some conditions boost fishing rolls, while others limit fishing entirely or unlock foraging opportunities. Right now, the weather system features a 7-step track ranging from Sunny and Hot to Tempest.

Some grid cards can only be accessed (or fished on) under specific weather conditions, giving the system real mechanical and narrative weight. More mechanics tied to weather are in the works, and I can’t wait to share them soon.

What Didn’t Make the Cut (Yet)

There's so much rich material in my brainstorming documents that I’ve had to make some tough choices. A few features have been cut from the core release, but that doesn’t mean they’re gone for good.

These will be reworked and released as supplements, allowing players to continue their adventures and revisit Anchorage for new experiences.

Here’s a sneak peek:

• Sea Fishing: Venture onto boats and brave the open waters

• Sky Fishing: Embrace the fantastical and fish among floating isles and celestial creatures
  

The base game will focus entirely on land-based fishing, but future expansions will take you further and higher into the unknown realms of the shattered world.

Until Next Time...

Shattered Waters continues to grow into something that feels both intimate and expansive: a quiet meditation on survival, wonder, and the allure of the unknown, framed in a beautifully broken world.

Thanks for reading this week’s development log. Stay tuned for more updates as we inch closer to release.

 IWe’ve all been there at one time or another: your players are checking their phones, doodling on their character sheets, or zoning out while someone monologues about a tavern’s drink menu. The hard truth? Even the most exciting campaign can stall out if pacing goes off the rails.

For new (and even veteran) gamemasters, managing your session’s rhythm is crucial to keeping your players engaged. Here are 7 proven tips to help you pace your TTRPG sessions so nobody gets bored at the table ever again.

Make Every Scene Do Something

If a scene doesn’t advance the plot, develop a character, or raise tension, consider cutting it—or at least speeding it up. Time is limited, and most players don’t want to spend half an hour negotiating iron rations or walking across yet another empty field.

Before each scene, ask yourself: “What’s the purpose of this moment?”

Change the Mode Every 20–30 Minutes

Attention spans drop fast when things feel static. One great trick is to rotate through different “modes” of play every 20–30 minutes: roleplaying, combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, downtime, etc.

If combat just ended, don’t jump into another one. Let the next segment focus on social intrigue or discovery.

Add a Countdown or Urgency

Pacing thrives on pressure. When players know they have time to wander and debate forever, they will. A countdown clock, a ticking bomb, or an approaching threat injects energy and forces decisions. 

Try this line: “You hear boots echoing down the corridor. They’ll be on you in less than a minute.”

Mirror the Table's Energy

As a GM, you're not just running the world—you’re reading the room. If players seem restless, low-energy, or distracted, that’s your cue to pivot. Maybe jump ahead in time, fast-forward travel, or throw in a surprise.

Keep an “emergency beat” ready—like a sudden combat, a strange dream, or a cryptic message.

End Scenes Sooner Than You Think

A scene doesn’t have to play out in real-time. Most don’t need to. Don’t be afraid to fade out once the meat of the interaction is done. You can summarize the rest or let players fill in the blanks.

Try saying, “Unless there's anything else you want to do here, we’ll fast-forward to the next key moment…”

Start With A Bang

Start the session mid-action, not mid-breakfast. Dropping players into a chase, battle, or tense scene grabs attention fast. It also avoids the “slow warm-up” that can kill momentum right out of the gate. I wrote a full article on the subject HERE.

Begin a session with sentences such as: “You kick the door open and arrows fly past your head—what do you do?”

Use Cliffhangers and Milestones

Structure your sessions like TV episodes: with a rhythm, a build-up, and an endpoint that leaves players wanting more. Ending on a cliffhanger or a big reveal gives them something to look forward to and keeps your pacing tight.

Plan your session with one big moment in mind. Once you hit it, start wrapping up. 

Good pacing isn’t about going fast, it’s about going somewhere. By being proactive in managing scene length, player focus, and emotional highs and lows, you keep your group immersed, energized, and excited for what’s next.  TTRPGs are stories that are built by you AND your players, and no one wants their story to drag.

Try a few of these tips at your next session, and you might hear your players begging for more at the end of the night! 

What’s your favorite pacing trick at the table? Drop it in the comments! Subscribe for more GM tools, tips, and ideas every week.

The past month has been anything but easy. Since I came back from Cuba, one health issue after another has been piling up. I’m not sure yet if I picked something up during the trip or if it’s just a coincidence — but either way, I’m slowly getting back on my feet. Slowly, but surely.

One sign that I’m on the mend? Inspiration is flowing again!
I woke up about a week ago with an idea. I remembered those early mornings when I’d wake up at 4:00 AM just for the chance to go fishing with my dad. For him, fishing was sacred: absolute silence, eyes fixed on the line, no exceptions. He was strict, but being allowed to join him made me feel special — like I had been given a rare and precious privilege.

And then it hit me...

If I had had the wisdom and writing skills I have now, I would have kept a journal. I would have written down my thoughts, recorded memories, sketched the fish we caught, and measured them. I would’ve created a living testimony of those moments spent with my father.

And that’s how the idea for Shattered Waters was born.

Shattered Waters: A Fantasy Fishing Solo TTRPG

A thousand years ago, the world didn’t burn.

It didn’t fall to swords or sickness.

It drowned.

Historians call it The Great Sundering — when the gods, in sorrow, spite, or silence, shattered the realms. Every current, lake, sea, and river shifted, twisted, and flowed into one another.

Now the land is unmoored.

Weary fishers may always return to Anchorage — to sell their haul, trade for better gear, savor a hot meal, and rest beneath warm blankets — but when they cast off again, the world will not be the same. The land will have shifted. The seas will have turned. And the map you once trusted will lead only to memory.

• In this new world, rain may fall in spirals.
• You may have to fish in lava.
• Lakes may even appear on floating islands.

And the fish?

They have transformed and mutated.
They do not ask why.
They just swim.

The Call

You might chase fame, casting your line hoping to become a legend.

Or perhaps you seek knowledge, driven to uncover every secret, finned and scaled, that swims beneath the waves.

Maybe you're one of the quiet ones, fishing not for glory or answers, but for the peace that comes with the cast.

With little more than your rod, your instincts, and whatever gear you’ve bartered, found, or forged, you set out into the unknown.

The Shattered Waters are calling — with their sunken empires, starlit marshes, and lakes that churn with molten fire.

Only the boldest and best-prepared will catch the fish others only whisper about:

• The rare.
• The impossible.
• The ones that remember the world before it broke.

The Shattered Waters

The world is now in a constant state of transformation. With every new day, a new land unfurls — strange, radiant, and unpredictable.

Each day, you’ll explore a new world, discover new and unique fish, and face strange events:

You’re not meant to control it.
You’re meant to witness it.
To fish it.
To find meaning in the drift.

How To Play

This is a solo journaling and discovery game. You’ll write what you find, draw maps, collect fish, and uncover secrets hidden in this ever-shifting, fractured land.

And someday, perhaps, you’ll learn what happened during The Great Sundering.

Expected Features

• Hack of Carta by Peach Garden Games and Kat McDonald
• Can be played with 2d10s and a standard deck of cards
• Inventory and Resources Management
• Dynamic Weather system
• Prompts can change according to the time of day
• Three playbooks (that also act as three difficulty levels)
• End game triggers events that will carry on to the next game
• Great replayability value
• Over 40 fish to discover and catch

Shattered Waters isn’t just a game — it’s a tribute to memory, to quiet mornings, and to the stories we carry with us.

If casting your line into a strange, shifting world speaks to you…
If you long for discovery, solitude, and the unexpected…
Then this journey is yours to begin.

Follow along for updates, playtest opportunities, and release news.
Subscribe at [YourWebsite.com] to get notified when I post new content, design updates, and behind-the-scenes insights.
Share the news! Let the waters ripple.

And when the time comes… start writing your own story in the Shattered Waters.

Some fish remember the world before it broke.
Maybe you do too.

Bite-Sized Mechanics is a series of articles that focuses on a single mechanic in each article, providing the core concept, the pros and the cons of using them, and ways to make it your own.

Sometimes, tides turn...

A couple of years ago, I won the lottery... five times in the same year. Not the grand prize, but enough to make my life comfortable for a few months. About three weeks ago, I treated myself to what should have been a dream vacation—my first all-inclusive with Helen and our Baby Girl. A paradise of endless cocktails and sandy beaches... at least in theory. Instead, both me and Baby Girl got sick (and I still am sick at the moment of writing this article). I also broke a toe, we had numerous issues with the room, and at one point, I swear a lizard was in charge of the front desk (in my head at least!).

That, Nibblers, is Luck in action. And it's one of the most underused, misunderstood, and potentially powerful mechanics in tabletop roleplaying games.

In this week’s Bite-Sized Mechanics, we’re diving into Luck—what it is, what it does, and how to make it sing at your table.

What Is Luck?

Luck is a mechanic that simulates the chaotic, whimsical forces that sometimes steer a character’s fate beyond their control. It's that little "X factor" that lets a hero survive an impossible fall, draw a winning card, or just happen to have a flashlight in their bag when the lights go out.

Mechanically, Luck often takes the form of:

• Luck Points: expendable resources players can spend to reroll dice, avoid failure, or bend reality.

• Luck Stats: numerical attributes representing a character’s natural fortune or misfortune.

• Narrative Permissions: GM-facing tools that allow characters to stumble into good (or bad) outcomes "just because."

Some systems treat Luck as an equalizer—helping the underdog stay in the game—while others use it to create unpredictability, drama, and the illusion that the universe has a personality of its own.

The Pros

Adds Drama and Surprise

Luck introduces chaos in a controlled way. A roll of the dice might fail, but that one last Luck Point? That could change everything.

Empowers Players

Luck allows players to influence outcomes without having to "game the system." It’s player agency without min-maxing.

Encourages Risk-Taking

When players know they have a fallback, they’re more likely to make bold, cinematic choices—and that’s when the best moments happen.

Offers a Narrative Safety Net

Not every failure should be fatal. Luck gives designers and GMs a lever to keep things moving without yanking control away from the players.

Evokes Genre Tone

In pulp, heroic, or noir games, Luck is more than a mechanic—it’s thematic. Think Indiana Jones slipping through a collapsing ruin or the detective who finds the matchbook clue in a random pocket.

The Cons

May Undermine Tension

Too much Luck can make failure feel toothless. If every botched roll can be rerolled, the stakes can start to feel low.

Can Be Abused

Without limits, Luck mechanics can be exploited. Players might hoard points, trivialize challenges, or bypass key moments with no real cost.

Slows Down Play

“Wait, I’ll use a Luck Point to reroll.” Then another. Then maybe one more. This can drag out key scenes unless managed tightly.

Creates Balance Issues

Characters with high Luck or too many Luck resources can eclipse others, especially in games where challenge balance is tight.

Hard to Justify In-World

Explaining why one character is just “luckier” than others can strain narrative logic unless it's baked into the worldbuilding.

Tips for Designing with Luck

• Define the Flavor: What is Luck in your world? Is it fate? Fortune? Chaos magic? Clarifying this makes the mechanic feel grounded rather than arbitrary.

• Cap Its Power: Limit how often Luck can be used (per session, per scene, etc.) or tie it to meaningful costs (e.g., narrative complications or stress).

• Make It Earnable: Reward Luck points through play—failing rolls, leaning into flaws, or advancing the story. Don’t just hand them out for free.

• Add Narrative Weight: When a player uses Luck, consider narrating it differently. “You just barely make it” hits differently than “The universe nudges the odds in your favor.”

• Let GMs Use It Too: GMs can use Luck pools for NPCs or random world events, keeping the mechanic dynamic and balanced.

Hacking Luck

Option 1: Luck Tracks

Modification: Track Luck as a sliding scale that refills slowly.

What It Brings: Encourages careful timing and rationing of fortune—adds strategy and pacing.

Option 2: Fortune & Doom Pool

Modification: Players earn “Fortune” points; the GM gains “Doom” points in return.

What It Brings: Balances player power with rising tension. The more they cheat fate, the more it fights back.

Option 3: Luck as a Trait

Modification: Let Luck be a stat rolled like any other.

What It Brings: Bakes Luck into the core of character identity, rather than treating it as a side mechanic.

Option 4: Ticking Luck Bomb

Modification: Every time you spend Luck, roll a die. On a 1, something goes catastrophically wrong later.

What It Brings: Introduces long-tail consequences and makes players think twice before calling on fate.

Option 5: Shared Party Luck Pool

Modification: A shared resource that the entire party can draw from.

What It Brings: Encourages teamwork and negotiation—who gets the lucky break this time?

Other Known Alternatives

If you're inspired to tinker with Luck mechanics, here are a few games that do it well:

• Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition): Spend Luck points to adjust roll outcomes. Simple, powerful.

• Fate Core: Fate Points serve as narrative tokens that bend reality, Luck with a strong storytelling angle.

• Savage Worlds: Benny tokens work as cinematic Luck tools with tactile flair.

• The One Ring: Hope and Shadow function as moral Luck and Doom—beautifully thematic.

• Deadlands: Poker chips as fate tokens, blending gambling with storytelling.

Luck is more than just a mechanic—it’s a philosophy of design. Done right, it adds tension, personality, and cinematic flair. But it needs balance, structure, and a clear purpose to avoid becoming a crutch or a gimmick.

How do you use Luck at your table? Do you let your players bend fate or roll with the punches?

Share your close calls, favorite house rules, and biggest lucky breaks in the comments!

“The Pope has died. A new Pope, his hour come round at last, slouches towards the Chair of Saint Peter to be ensconced. In the meantime, WE BLOGGING.”

As the conclave gathers and sacred smoke prepares to rise, I’m answering a challenge from the Prismatic Wasteland blog to turn our eyes not to clerics the class, but clerics the institution — the veiled machinery of faith. Hierarchies. Vestments. Rituals older than empires. The power behind thrones and the weight of invisible crowns.

Too often in tabletop roleplaying games, the "cleric" is treated like a walking medkit. A healbot, smite machine, and holy grenade thrower. But let’s not forget: a cleric serves something greater, and that "greater" almost always involves ritual, structure, politics, and doctrine. And that’s where your world can get wonderfully weird.

I. THE CHAIR OF SAINT [REDACTED]:
Why Clerical Hierarchies Matter

Every divine order, cult, or holy conspiracy in your game should ask:

• Who decides what is sacred?

• Who gets to speak for the divine?

• Who guards the relics, writes sermons, and silences the heretics?

Because where there's power, there is succession — and that means also conflict.

A living hierarchy isn't just a ladder of titles — it's a network of rivalries, a machine of miracles, and often, a nest of secrets. Clerics don’t just cast spells — they represent forces, and sometimes, entrench them.

II. BENEATH THE ROBES:
Rituals, Relics, and Power

Want to make your religious hierarchy feel real? Layer it with:

• Rituals that take time: Not all blessings are instant. Want divine guidance? That’s three hours of chanting, a brass key, and a live goat.

• Relics with political gravity: The femur of Saint [REDACTED] isn’t just holy — it legitimizes whoever holds it as the [INSERT SPIFFY CLERICAL RANK NAME HERE].

• Rites of succession: Choosing a new pontiff, hierarch, or oracle isn’t a vote — it’s a magical conclave where prophetic dreams, divine signs, or apocalyptic visions play a role.

Need inspiration? Look to the real-world Conclave:

• Locked in.

• Cut off from the outside world.

• Sworn to secrecy.

• Bound by centuries-old ceremony.

Now imagine that, but in space. Or in the Underdark. Or in a ruined cathedral filled with ghostly echoes of the last ten failed pontiffs.

III. ECCLESIA MILITANT TO SACRED SCRIBES:
Structuring a Clerical Hierarchy

Not every pantheon needs a pyramid, but every divine institution needs structure, and structure means roles, responsibilities, and rivalries.

Here’s a modular clerical hierarchy you can adapt to nearly any fantasy religion:

Common Ranks in a Fantasy Religious Order:

Acolyte: Novices and apprentices. Often perform ritual labor and minor ceremonies.

Ordained Cleric: Fully inducted. Leads local congregations, heals, and performs standard rites.

Canon/Prelate: Oversees multiple clerics. May act as inquisitors, judges, or advisors.

Bishop/High Priest: Regional power. Controls temples, relics, and doctrinal interpretation.

Cardinal/Hierarch: Policy-makers. Elect new leaders, coordinate crusades, and preserve prophecy.

Pontiff/Divine Speaker: Chosen voice of the divine. Final arbiter of faith, law, and miracle.

You can modify these with a cultural or divine flavor. In a serpent cult, the ranks might be Fangs, Coils, and Scales. A machine-god religion might use Initiate, Programmer, Sysadmin, and Architect.

Power Structures and Splintering

Here are optional tensions you can weave in:

• Schisms: Two pontiffs, both divinely chosen. The world splits in allegiance.

• Monastic Orders: Independent but influential. They might hoard relics or secret texts.

• State-Church Conflict: The crown wants a puppet pontiff. The church resists. Civil war looms.

This structure can support adventure seeds, social intrigue, and major world events. Who's the real power behind the divine? What rank must a player attain to change doctrine or declare a holy war?

IV. THE CONCLAVE AS ADVENTURE HOOK

Your players enter a city on the brink: the High Priest is dead, and the conclave begins at midnight. Here are three ways to turn that into a session or campaign arc:

1. Assassins in the Cloister: Someone is killing cardinals before they can vote. The PCs are hired to protect (or eliminate) a specific faction.

2. Divine Deadlock: The conclave is cursed. Every vote ends in black smoke. The PCs must delve into ancient catacombs to retrieve the lost Sign of Choosing.

3. False Prophet: One candidate is channeling miracles... but from a source that isn’t divine. Do the players expose the truth, or get behind the heretic and remake the faith?

Let the rituals become the battleground. Let the doctrine spark war. Let the smoke rise, not from a chimney, but from a sanctum set aflame by doubt, ambition, and divine fire.

As we watch the real-world events unfold behind sealed doors and marble walls, let’s remember what clerics can be in our games: not just healers, but philosophers, reformers, rebels, martyrs, and monarchs in all but name.

The Pope may wear white, but your Hierophant of the Seraphic Lattice might wear black iron, have holy equations tattooed across their face, and speak only in mathematical tongues. That’s the beauty of fantasy.

Dungeon puzzles are a powerful tool for gamemasters looking to add depth, mystery, and interactivity to their campaign. A well-designed puzzle can immerse players in the world, encourage teamwork, and create memorable moments.

But what makes a dungeon puzzle truly engaging?

Today, I would like to explore with you practical techniques for designing puzzles that will captivate your players' attention while maintaining game balance and narrative flow.

To craft an engaging dungeon puzzle, consider these fundamental components:

• A Clear Goal: Players should understand what they need to accomplish, even if they don’t yet know how.
• Consistency: The puzzle should make sense within the setting and follow a clear set of rules.
• Multiple Solution Paths: Give players room for creativity in how they solve the puzzle.
• Fair Clues: Provide hints through environmental details, lore, or NPC interactions.
• A Rewarding Payoff: Ensure the effort leads to a satisfying result, such as treasure, story progression, or unlocking a new area.

Different puzzles serve different gameplay experiences. Here are listed the main types of puzzles as well as a few examples for each of them:

Physical Puzzles

• Lever & Switch Mechanisms: Pulling the right levers in sequence to open a hidden passage.
• Pressure Plates: Players must place objects (or themselves) on specific tiles to trigger an effect.
• Magical Glyphs & Runes: Inscribing or activating runes to cast a spell or unlock a door.

Riddles & Logic Puzzles

• Classic Riddles: A verbal challenge requiring wit and deduction.
• Pattern Recognition: Identifying the correct order of symbols or numbers.
• Cipher Decoding: Translating an ancient script to reveal a hidden message.

Roleplaying & Social Puzzles

• NPC-Based Puzzles: Convincing an ancient guardian to reveal the way forward.
• Deception & Misdirection: Players must uncover a lie or hidden truth to progress.
• Moral Dilemmas: The puzzle solution depends on difficult choices with consequences.

Skill-Based Challenges

• Dexterity & Agility Tests: Jumping across moving platforms or balancing on a narrow bridge.
• Knowledge & Intelligence-Based Clues: Using history, arcana, or religion checks to decipher an inscription.
• Collaborative Team Efforts: Requiring multiple players to act simultaneously (e.g., holding open a gate while another rushes through).

Balance Challenge with Fun

A puzzle that’s too easy is forgettable, while one that’s too hard is frustrating. Consider:

• Testing puzzles with different player types (logical thinkers, roleplayers, and problem-solvers).
• Adding adjustable difficulty by offering additional clues if players struggle.
• Avoiding puzzles that require highly specific, out-of-game knowledge.

Integrate Puzzles Into the Narrative

A puzzle should feel like a natural part of the world rather than a random obstacle. Weave it into the setting:

• A puzzle door inscribed with ancient runes tied to lost lore.
• A golem guardian that only allows passage to those who answer its riddle correctly.
• A mystical clock that rewinds time when set to a forgotten era.

Reward Creative Solutions

Allow your players to think outside the box! If they come up with an ingenious, logic-driven solution that wasn’t planned but makes sense, don't let them realize that they've overcome your plan. Roll with it! This enhances immersion and player investment.

Example 1: The Singing Statues

• Setup: An echoeing chamber contains four statues, each humming a different tune. A locked door bears an inscription: “The harmony of four shall reveal the way.”
• Solution: Players must correctly align the statues by rotating them until their melodies harmonize.
• Twist: A failed attempt awakens a stone guardian!

Example 2: The Three Keys of Fate

• Setup: Three locked chests stand before the players, each with a unique keyhole. The walls bear cryptic engravings about past, present, and future.
• Solution: Players must match the correct key to each chest based on the engravings’ hints.
• Twist: Unlocking the wrong chest triggers a trap, but keen investigation reveals which key belongs where.

Example 3: The Bridge of Light

• Setup: A chasm stretches before the players, with a glowing pedestal nearby. A sign reads, “The path is seen only by those who cast no shadow.”
• Solution: Players must figure out how to eliminate their shadows (e.g., by extinguishing light sources, using a mirror to reflect the light, or casting an illusion spell).
• Twist: Every few minutes, the bridge disappears and resets!

• Making Puzzles Too Cryptic: If players feel lost without clear clues, they’ll lose interest.
• Requiring a Single Solution: Encourage creativity rather than forcing a rigid approach.
• Interrupting Game Flow: If a puzzle brings the game to a screeching halt, consider adding an NPC or additional hints in the players environment.
• Ignoring Player Skills: Adapt puzzles to the party’s strengths and weaknesses to make sure everyone gets a chance to shine.

Making dungeon puzzles blend seemlessly into the setting is a challenge (both narratively and creatively) but can be highly rewarding. They make your players feel smart and immersed when they have to use logic, physical interaction, roleplaying, or skill checks to overcome the obstacle in front of them. By carefully providing meaningful clues, rewarding multiple solutions, and balancing difficulty, you can craft puzzles that will have a lasting impact on your players and have them talking about how cool that puzzle was for months, maybe years!

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Share your favorite puzzle ideas in the comments below!

In many tabletop roleplaying games, high-stakes adventures and thrilling encounters often take center stage. However, the moments between the action (AKA Downtime) are, in my opinion, just as important for developing a compelling and immersive story.

Downtime offers players opportunities to flesh out their characters, maintain relationships, and shape the world around them, ultimately making the overall experience richer and more engaging.

Downtime refers to the in-game periods when characters are not actively adventuring, fighting, or tackling immediate, urgent threats. This can include time spent in a city between quests, resting after battle, or even extended breaks between campaigns. While some games incorporate structured downtime mechanics, others leave it open-ended, allowing players and gamemasters time to explore character-driven narratives in a more organic way.

Character Growth and Development

Downtime provides a natural space for characters to reflect on past events and evolve. Players can use these moments to explore their characters’ personal goals, backgrounds, fears, and ambitions. Did a character witness something that changed their outlook? Are they struggling with the consequences of a difficult decision? Encouraging players to dive into these elements can lead to powerful storytelling moments.

Pat's Tip: Offer players individual or small-group scenes during downtime to focus on their character arcs. A personal conversation with a mentor, an emotional reunion with family, or training to master a new skill can all add depth.

Worldbuilding Through Player Action

Downtime allows players to influence the game world beyond adventuring. They can establish businesses, forge alliances, conduct research, or even shape political landscapes.

Examples:

• A rogue sets up an information network to gather intelligence.
• A wizard opens a small academy to train apprentices.
• A warrior builds a sanctuary for war orphans.

These elements make the world feel dynamic and responsive to player actions, enhancing immersion.

Relationships and Roleplaying

Interpersonal relationships between characters often flourish during downtime. Friendships, rivalries, and romances can take center stage without the pressure of combat looming over them.

Pat's Tip: Introduce NPC-driven events such as festivals, feasts, or personal requests from townsfolk to encourage social interaction and allow the players to further develop their character's personality beyond adventuring.

Resource Management and Strategic Planning

For players who enjoy the tactical aspects of RPGs, downtime can be excellent opportunity for resource management. This could involve gathering materials for crafting, recruiting allies, or planning the next phase of their journey.

Ideas for Strategic Downtime:

• Crafting magical items or upgrading equipment.
• Training new abilities or refining combat techniques.
• Investing in real estate or starting a faction.

These activities not only add realism but also make characters feel like they are growing in meaningful ways.

Mysteries, Side Quests, and Personal Plots

Downtime doesn't have to be quiet—it can be filled with intrigue, challenges, and personal missions. Introduce side quests that tie into a character’s backstory or unresolved mysteries.

Pat's Tip: Use downtime to foreshadow future conflicts. A character might receive a cryptic letter, hear whispers of a rising threat, or uncover a secret related to their past.

Set Clear Expectations

Make sure players know that downtime is an intentional part of the game. Session 0 is a great moment to discuss about this by the way. Encourage them to think about how their characters spend their free time and communicate their ideas.

Use Structured Downtime Mechanics

Some TTRPGs, like Blades in the Dark and Dungeons & Dragons (via the Downtime Activities rules), offer built-in mechanics for downtime. If your game doesn’t, consider creating a system that rewards players for engaging with downtime activities.

Engage Players with Meaningful Choices

Offer downtime events that have lasting consequences. It can be anything from the rise of a rival guild, a new love interest, or a failed business venture, let players feel the impact of their actions.

Keep It Player-Driven

While you can introduce downtime opportunities, the best downtime moments often come from the players’ own interests. Roll with it and propose downtime activities that fits their character’s story.

Downtime is more than just a break from the action—it’s a powerful storytelling tool that can deepen character development, expand the game world, and create unique and highly memorable roleplaying experiences. By using downtime as a key component of your game, you’ll craft a richer, more immersive roleplaying experience that keeps players invested even when the swords are sheathed!

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How do you use downtime in your games?