Behind the Screen: Spring Cleaning Your Campaign…

Stupid Ranger and I took a bit of a weekend getaway this weekend, and on our return trip I got bitten by the need to Spring Clean and get some of those tasks done that I’ve been putting over during the colder months (including previous cold months that have occurred years ago).

Out with the old…

As the weather gets warm (at least, in our part of the world) this year, take the opportunity to spruce up your own campaign. Got some old, tired plot point cluttering up your guest bedroom? Chuck it out, replace it with something interesting or at the very least different.

Being a fairly analytical nerd, I prefer to make lists. If you are similarly inclined, I highly recommend the classic “Pros and Cons” list focused on elements of your campaign. Is your story going well, everyone engaged? Pro. Too many powerful magic items or cohorts cramping your style? Con.

After you’ve got a prioritized list, take the top two items from your Con list and come up with some ideas how to bring them back toward the other side of the list. I actually like to propose a handful of in-game ideas how to rectify my Cons and then break them out into their own list to try to “crash” the idea, figuring out ways that my players could likely sidestep or derail my provided fixes.

I have previously explored this concept in my Failure Mode and Effects Analysis post, but it bears repeating as I feel this is a very good tool to use when breaking new campaign ground.

Take advantage of the nice weather as an excuse to start sprucing up your gaming sessions!!