Qarsi
@qarsi.bsky.social
Writing about TTRPGs at qarsi.bearblog.dev! Mostly diy elfgames.
Actually plays Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition.
Actually plays Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition.
Reposted by Qarsi
Sallying out of Magnolia Keep, a case against giving monsters spell slots (and also an excuse for me to suck 4E's dick again)
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/03/stop...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/03/stop...
Stop Giving Monsters Spell Slots I'm Begging You
A little under a year ago, in the summer of 2023, my friend Marshall asked me for advice on picking a tabletop game for him to run. I threw ...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com
March 3, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Sallying out of Magnolia Keep, a case against giving monsters spell slots (and also an excuse for me to suck 4E's dick again)
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/03/stop...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/03/stop...
Reposted by Qarsi
🚨 New Blogpost: I started a campaign without a game system, collectively designing any rules as they were needed. Here is how my Calvinball experiment fared and the rules we patched together
#ttrpg #osr
#ttrpg #osr
You Don't Need a Game System Before You Play — Prismatic Wasteland
I played a 3ish-month campaign where we made up the rules as we went along. Here are the rules we came up with and my impressions of this experiment.
www.prismaticwasteland.com
February 18, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Qarsi
I spent way too long writing this - both in terms of the months it was stewing in my brain and also that it's now 4:20 in the morning and I'm pretty sure I started this like 5 hours ago or more. Yeesh.
iknowadamseats.blogspot.com/2025/02/stop...
iknowadamseats.blogspot.com/2025/02/stop...
Stop Just Playing Games You Know You Like
Intro This post has existed in an endless number of forms in my head for months now, so this might as well be the energy we're bringing int...
iknowadamseats.blogspot.com
February 17, 2025 at 9:21 AM
I spent way too long writing this - both in terms of the months it was stewing in my brain and also that it's now 4:20 in the morning and I'm pretty sure I started this like 5 hours ago or more. Yeesh.
iknowadamseats.blogspot.com/2025/02/stop...
iknowadamseats.blogspot.com/2025/02/stop...
Today we completed the first book of Blood Lords and this marks the end of my Pathfinder 2 experiment. Really didn’t like the module writing, monster design, and how many rolls it took to resolve things. I did end up pitching an insane Burning Wheel PF2 hybrid game among totally different games.
February 16, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Today we completed the first book of Blood Lords and this marks the end of my Pathfinder 2 experiment. Really didn’t like the module writing, monster design, and how many rolls it took to resolve things. I did end up pitching an insane Burning Wheel PF2 hybrid game among totally different games.
I’m sorry D&D 4e stans… I don’t think Madness at Gardmore Abbey is a good adventure 😭
February 13, 2025 at 4:08 AM
I’m sorry D&D 4e stans… I don’t think Madness at Gardmore Abbey is a good adventure 😭
Reposted by Qarsi
Somehow having this on Itch felt wrong and I’ve moved it to my blog. When I’ve had more time I may polish up and publish properly, for now I need sleep
Long story short, my grandmother is dying and I made a dungeon about a dying wizard to process it
#OSR
blog.catshavenolord.page/the-flesh-is...
Long story short, my grandmother is dying and I made a dungeon about a dying wizard to process it
#OSR
blog.catshavenolord.page/the-flesh-is...
February 12, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Somehow having this on Itch felt wrong and I’ve moved it to my blog. When I’ve had more time I may polish up and publish properly, for now I need sleep
Long story short, my grandmother is dying and I made a dungeon about a dying wizard to process it
#OSR
blog.catshavenolord.page/the-flesh-is...
Long story short, my grandmother is dying and I made a dungeon about a dying wizard to process it
#OSR
blog.catshavenolord.page/the-flesh-is...
Reposted by Qarsi
Know someone looking for B/W interior art for their game by an ENNIE AWARD WINNING ARTIST?
FOR FREE?
Please share far and wide! I'll select from all pitches on 3/1/25. :)
And if you're aprehenisive, I am personally inviting you, yes, you, to pitch! 🫵
FOR FREE?
Please share far and wide! I'll select from all pitches on 3/1/25. :)
And if you're aprehenisive, I am personally inviting you, yes, you, to pitch! 🫵
February 11, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Know someone looking for B/W interior art for their game by an ENNIE AWARD WINNING ARTIST?
FOR FREE?
Please share far and wide! I'll select from all pitches on 3/1/25. :)
And if you're aprehenisive, I am personally inviting you, yes, you, to pitch! 🫵
FOR FREE?
Please share far and wide! I'll select from all pitches on 3/1/25. :)
And if you're aprehenisive, I am personally inviting you, yes, you, to pitch! 🫵
Reposted by Qarsi
Did you recently see a bunch of blogposts loosely themed around "elements"? Too many to keep up with? Good news: I tracked them all down and provided brief summaries of all the posts so you can go read all that sound interesting (which may be all of them!)
#osr #ttrpg
#osr #ttrpg
Blog Bandwagon: Elements Edition
Your guide to catching up on a deluge of blog posts from a single day
prismaticweekly.substack.com
February 11, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Blog post!
Last week I posted about Two Against Darkness, a way to run two D&D4 heroes against OSR adventures. Here’s my post about my design process, monster math from OD&D to 4, and how to run it at levels higher than 1.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/two-against-...
Last week I posted about Two Against Darkness, a way to run two D&D4 heroes against OSR adventures. Here’s my post about my design process, monster math from OD&D to 4, and how to run it at levels higher than 1.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/two-against-...
Two Against Darkness - The Madness
I presented a method to run B/X adventures for two D&D4 characters. Now I'll meditate about the differences in math and philosophy between B/X and D&D4, sho...
qarsi.bearblog.dev
February 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Blog post!
Last week I posted about Two Against Darkness, a way to run two D&D4 heroes against OSR adventures. Here’s my post about my design process, monster math from OD&D to 4, and how to run it at levels higher than 1.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/two-against-...
Last week I posted about Two Against Darkness, a way to run two D&D4 heroes against OSR adventures. Here’s my post about my design process, monster math from OD&D to 4, and how to run it at levels higher than 1.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/two-against-...
Reposted by Qarsi
Conceiving a dungeon involves injecting spaces with barely contained energy that yearns to explode, impacting the surrounding area. One way to develop natural tension is through creating dungeons that hold opposed themes. #osr #ttrpg
weirdwonder.bearblog.dev/opposed-them...
weirdwonder.bearblog.dev/opposed-them...
Opposed themes and natural tension
Amanda P. discusses dungeon design, specifically themes.
weirdwonder.bearblog.dev
February 9, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Conceiving a dungeon involves injecting spaces with barely contained energy that yearns to explode, impacting the surrounding area. One way to develop natural tension is through creating dungeons that hold opposed themes. #osr #ttrpg
weirdwonder.bearblog.dev/opposed-them...
weirdwonder.bearblog.dev/opposed-them...
Reposted by Qarsi
People seem to like our catalog, so we're looking into sharing it digitally. In the meantime, I wanted to show you its pages and the creators they feature.
First up is @junkfoodgames.bsky.social, who also laid out the catalog. Check out these awesome zines...
1/
First up is @junkfoodgames.bsky.social, who also laid out the catalog. Check out these awesome zines...
1/
February 7, 2025 at 1:38 PM
People seem to like our catalog, so we're looking into sharing it digitally. In the meantime, I wanted to show you its pages and the creators they feature.
First up is @junkfoodgames.bsky.social, who also laid out the catalog. Check out these awesome zines...
1/
First up is @junkfoodgames.bsky.social, who also laid out the catalog. Check out these awesome zines...
1/
Incredible blog post! This is so useful it’s getting in my game yesterday!
Jumping on the "elements" bandwagon with an idea I've been itching to include since finalizing Faction Turns: Natural Disasters that disrupt your world, unleashing new dangers, opportunities, and hooks!
elmc.at/against-the-...
elmc.at/against-the-...
Against the Elements
Enhance your sandbox campaign with dynamic natural disasters. Discover how unpredictable, transformative events reshape your world in dramatic ways.
elmc.at
February 7, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Incredible blog post! This is so useful it’s getting in my game yesterday!
Reposted by Qarsi
blog bandwagon: my contribution to the Prismatic Wasteland 'Elements' blog bandwagon: re-imagining the elemental planes as planets in our solar system!
dungeondoll.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-...
dungeondoll.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-...
The Elemental Plane(t)s
This is my contribution to the 'Elements' Blog Bandwagon from the Prismatic Wasteland Discord server. I've never been the biggest fan o...
dungeondoll.blogspot.com
February 7, 2025 at 3:16 PM
blog bandwagon: my contribution to the Prismatic Wasteland 'Elements' blog bandwagon: re-imagining the elemental planes as planets in our solar system!
dungeondoll.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-...
dungeondoll.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-...
Reposted by Qarsi
Jumping on the Blog Bandwagon, I present a blackjack mechanic for alchemy! Suitable for any role-playing game where you want to add some simple crafting.
personabler.blogspot.com/2025/02/elem...
personabler.blogspot.com/2025/02/elem...
Elements of Alchemy: A Blackjack solution
A recurring element of many role playing games is crafting systems, whether for alchemy and magic, or more mundane pursuits. These system o...
personabler.blogspot.com
February 7, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Jumping on the Blog Bandwagon, I present a blackjack mechanic for alchemy! Suitable for any role-playing game where you want to add some simple crafting.
personabler.blogspot.com/2025/02/elem...
personabler.blogspot.com/2025/02/elem...
Reposted by Qarsi
New Post: Control Weather Should Not Be a Spell
How a single spell holds back an entire field of magic plus a new character class (Tempestarius) that can control the weather and also gets a storm cloud stronghold
(This is for today’s blog bandwagon. Y’know, “elements” as in weather)
#osr #ttrpg
How a single spell holds back an entire field of magic plus a new character class (Tempestarius) that can control the weather and also gets a storm cloud stronghold
(This is for today’s blog bandwagon. Y’know, “elements” as in weather)
#osr #ttrpg
Control Weather Should Not Be a Spell — Prismatic Wasteland
Control Weather is a cop-out of a spell, combining what should be many different magic effects into a single spell that is high level and accordingly puts a very interesting field of magic out of reac...
www.prismaticwasteland.com
February 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Qarsi
Sallying out of Magnolia Keep, its Periodic Table of the Elements Day! To celebrate, a bunch of us bloggers all made element-themed posts! Mine is on the Rock Lords, demigods fighting in the war between Law and Chaos, with some goodies for Black Sword Hack!
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/02/peri...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/02/peri...
Periodic Table Day: The Rock Lords
Hey folks! Today is Periodic Table Day 2025, and as a result, a bunch of us in the Prismatic Wasteland server have decided to grace your ta...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com
February 7, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Sallying out of Magnolia Keep, its Periodic Table of the Elements Day! To celebrate, a bunch of us bloggers all made element-themed posts! Mine is on the Rock Lords, demigods fighting in the war between Law and Chaos, with some goodies for Black Sword Hack!
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/02/peri...
magnoliakeep.blogspot.com/2025/02/peri...
New blog post!
We’re Blog Bandwagoning! The theme is elements, so I wrote about alchemical oozes: a puzzle monster that eats gold, silver, or you depending on what its made of!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/alchemical-o...
We’re Blog Bandwagoning! The theme is elements, so I wrote about alchemical oozes: a puzzle monster that eats gold, silver, or you depending on what its made of!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/alchemical-o...
Alchemical Oozes
I'm jumping on the elements bandwagon, we're doing alchemy! Specifically with oozes and acids. It's a little puzzle monster for players to interact with. You...
qarsi.bearblog.dev
February 7, 2025 at 1:53 PM
New blog post!
We’re Blog Bandwagoning! The theme is elements, so I wrote about alchemical oozes: a puzzle monster that eats gold, silver, or you depending on what its made of!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/alchemical-o...
We’re Blog Bandwagoning! The theme is elements, so I wrote about alchemical oozes: a puzzle monster that eats gold, silver, or you depending on what its made of!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/alchemical-o...
Reposted by Qarsi
Republishing my first "blog post".
How to make a bespoke hex jig for mapping your #OSR game or other #TTRPG.
Here you go @claytonian.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/make-a-hex-j...
How to make a bespoke hex jig for mapping your #OSR game or other #TTRPG.
Here you go @claytonian.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/make-a-hex-j...
Make a Hex Jig
I made a little jig out of index cards to make a hex map, and I figured other people might benefit from the experience. Maybe you don’t have hex paper,...
billhook.bearblog.dev
February 6, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Republishing my first "blog post".
How to make a bespoke hex jig for mapping your #OSR game or other #TTRPG.
Here you go @claytonian.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/make-a-hex-j...
How to make a bespoke hex jig for mapping your #OSR game or other #TTRPG.
Here you go @claytonian.bsky.social.
billhook.bearblog.dev/make-a-hex-j...
New (?) Blog Post!
Back on twitter I did a live reading of @riseupcomus.bsky.social His Majesty the Worm. I was pretty happy with it and twitter is a hellhole now so it’s now on my blog!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/his-majesty-...
Back on twitter I did a live reading of @riseupcomus.bsky.social His Majesty the Worm. I was pretty happy with it and twitter is a hellhole now so it’s now on my blog!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/his-majesty-...
His Majesty the Worm livetweet archive
When I got His Majesty the Worm in paper, I livetweeted me reading the book. I was pretty happy with my impression, but it's stuck on twitter so here it is, ...
qarsi.bearblog.dev
February 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
New (?) Blog Post!
Back on twitter I did a live reading of @riseupcomus.bsky.social His Majesty the Worm. I was pretty happy with it and twitter is a hellhole now so it’s now on my blog!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/his-majesty-...
Back on twitter I did a live reading of @riseupcomus.bsky.social His Majesty the Worm. I was pretty happy with it and twitter is a hellhole now so it’s now on my blog!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/his-majesty-...
Reposted by Qarsi
Recent posts I've enjoyed on other blogs
virtualmoose.org/2025/02/05/b...
virtualmoose.org/2025/02/05/b...
February 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Recent posts I've enjoyed on other blogs
virtualmoose.org/2025/02/05/b...
virtualmoose.org/2025/02/05/b...
New blog post!
This one is a little post for fun about dissociated mechanics, D&D4 powers, and a creative exercise to associate them.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/associating-...
This one is a little post for fun about dissociated mechanics, D&D4 powers, and a creative exercise to associate them.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/associating-...
Associating Dissociated Mechanics - D&D4 Powers
D&D4 is famous for . It presents a world, but is infamously wishy-washy with the specifics. This aesthetic complaint is the strongest complaint against D&D4....
qarsi.bearblog.dev
February 5, 2025 at 1:55 PM
New blog post!
This one is a little post for fun about dissociated mechanics, D&D4 powers, and a creative exercise to associate them.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/associating-...
This one is a little post for fun about dissociated mechanics, D&D4 powers, and a creative exercise to associate them.
qarsi.bearblog.dev/associating-...
Reposted by Qarsi
New blog post!
This one is about how I think about settings and lore. Fundamental Truths that let me make up lore on the spot. And a way to let players come up with lore too!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/truths-from-...
This one is about how I think about settings and lore. Fundamental Truths that let me make up lore on the spot. And a way to let players come up with lore too!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/truths-from-...
Truths from which the lore flows
Awhile back we were in a bit of a fuss about . I also remember a conversation about information and how to make players feel at home in the world. At the tim...
qarsi.bearblog.dev
February 4, 2025 at 3:43 PM
New blog post!
This one is about how I think about settings and lore. Fundamental Truths that let me make up lore on the spot. And a way to let players come up with lore too!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/truths-from-...
This one is about how I think about settings and lore. Fundamental Truths that let me make up lore on the spot. And a way to let players come up with lore too!
qarsi.bearblog.dev/truths-from-...
Reposted by Qarsi
Hey! I just published my first RPG blog post! - It's all about Solo RPG design and how we design interactions within them. Looking at The Wretched by @loottheroom.bsky.social, Ironsworn by @shawntomkin.bsky.social, Lay On Hands by @alfredvalley.bsky.social, and Quill by @scottmalthouse.bsky.social
Making Solo RPGs ‘gamey’: Points of Interactions.
On the very last day of November 2024, two months ago as of writing this, I attended Dragonmeet. There’s a lot I can say about the convention, and the gr...
forestoath.bearblog.dev
February 4, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Hey! I just published my first RPG blog post! - It's all about Solo RPG design and how we design interactions within them. Looking at The Wretched by @loottheroom.bsky.social, Ironsworn by @shawntomkin.bsky.social, Lay On Hands by @alfredvalley.bsky.social, and Quill by @scottmalthouse.bsky.social
A worm blog rises 🪱
February 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM
A worm blog rises 🪱
Oh also for an iconic daily challenge moment, I’m holding off on #Dungeon25 this month to learn layout and publish my parry game for Playtest Zero’s Parry Jam.
The game needs to exist and I must be the one to do it.
The game needs to exist and I must be the one to do it.
February 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Oh also for an iconic daily challenge moment, I’m holding off on #Dungeon25 this month to learn layout and publish my parry game for Playtest Zero’s Parry Jam.
The game needs to exist and I must be the one to do it.
The game needs to exist and I must be the one to do it.