Commander Pulsar
@commanderpulsar.bsky.social
He/Him. Pro-GM on Startplaying.Games & ttrpg enthusiast. Hockey Fan. Ask me about Fate, Cortex, Blades in the Dark, or my cats. Human rights are for all humans, full stop.
"If you keep encountering enemies, you're headed in the right direction."
November 26, 2025 at 3:57 AM
"If you keep encountering enemies, you're headed in the right direction."
My first impulse is to use Toon from @stevejacksongames.bsky.social. Built to do Looney Tunes, road runner v. Wile E. Coyote, etc.
November 23, 2025 at 1:28 PM
My first impulse is to use Toon from @stevejacksongames.bsky.social. Built to do Looney Tunes, road runner v. Wile E. Coyote, etc.
I use tools from many games. Return of the Lazy Dungeonmaster by @slyflourish.com as a framework, with GM faction turns from Stars/Worlds Without Number. When building the game I use Pathways from Smallville/Cortex Prime. All this is organized using Obsidian for notetaking.
November 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I use tools from many games. Return of the Lazy Dungeonmaster by @slyflourish.com as a framework, with GM faction turns from Stars/Worlds Without Number. When building the game I use Pathways from Smallville/Cortex Prime. All this is organized using Obsidian for notetaking.
Agreed. Doing the math it works out to a little more than I charge for a pro GM gig, with a bunch of perks like enthusiastic players and a whole gaming convention.
Now, if a company offers to pay me on top of that, I will not say no, as that goes to offset travel expenses.
Now, if a company offers to pay me on top of that, I will not say no, as that goes to offset travel expenses.
November 22, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Agreed. Doing the math it works out to a little more than I charge for a pro GM gig, with a bunch of perks like enthusiastic players and a whole gaming convention.
Now, if a company offers to pay me on top of that, I will not say no, as that goes to offset travel expenses.
Now, if a company offers to pay me on top of that, I will not say no, as that goes to offset travel expenses.
The room was shared--no big deal; I made a couple new friends--but I value it against the room I would have had to pay for otherwise. In exchange I ran games for 16 hours. I got to play a ttrpg I like with new folks enthusiastic about it, for two workdays of a four-day event.
November 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
The room was shared--no big deal; I made a couple new friends--but I value it against the room I would have had to pay for otherwise. In exchange I ran games for 16 hours. I got to play a ttrpg I like with new folks enthusiastic about it, for two workdays of a four-day event.
The first question I'd have is: how detailed do you want or need to get? Are you writing a fisticuffs simulator? Is the game combat-focused? My gaming style sees fights as a last resort method of conflict resolution, so they don't get as much emphasis.
November 22, 2025 at 12:34 PM
The first question I'd have is: how detailed do you want or need to get? Are you writing a fisticuffs simulator? Is the game combat-focused? My gaming style sees fights as a last resort method of conflict resolution, so they don't get as much emphasis.
If the only fight I've ever been in is any indicator, that formula seems fine, except that everything is chaos, you're spending as much effort avoiding your opponent hitting you as you are hitting them, and luck eventually favors someone and the tide tips in their favor.
November 22, 2025 at 12:34 PM
If the only fight I've ever been in is any indicator, that formula seems fine, except that everything is chaos, you're spending as much effort avoiding your opponent hitting you as you are hitting them, and luck eventually favors someone and the tide tips in their favor.
A good friend works for a ttrpg company, and when they work the booth at PAXU, that's a paid business trip. We didn't discuss it in fine detail, but room and badge were covered. Covering room and badge is not insignificant payment, for PAXU that saves me nearly $1000.
November 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM
A good friend works for a ttrpg company, and when they work the booth at PAXU, that's a paid business trip. We didn't discuss it in fine detail, but room and badge were covered. Covering room and badge is not insignificant payment, for PAXU that saves me nearly $1000.
To be clear, I hate everything about that GMing style, but I wonder if some part of Shopping Trips doesn’t derive from covering your butt & creating a paper trail in the event your GM does pull a similar stunt.
November 21, 2025 at 5:07 AM
To be clear, I hate everything about that GMing style, but I wonder if some part of Shopping Trips doesn’t derive from covering your butt & creating a paper trail in the event your GM does pull a similar stunt.
When the relationship isn’t adversarial then you can say things like “because we’re professional & seasoned adventurers, it makes sense that we stocked up on [thing] when we were last in town.”
The Adversary might counter with “you never said it so it didn’t happen.”
The Adversary might counter with “you never said it so it didn’t happen.”
November 21, 2025 at 5:07 AM
When the relationship isn’t adversarial then you can say things like “because we’re professional & seasoned adventurers, it makes sense that we stocked up on [thing] when we were last in town.”
The Adversary might counter with “you never said it so it didn’t happen.”
The Adversary might counter with “you never said it so it didn’t happen.”
With shopping specifically, I wonder if it doesn’t also come from a Gygaxian GM-as-Adversary desire to make sure the Party is equipped for Shenanigans. Importantly, because the GM is going to ask, to have receipts (almost literally!)
November 21, 2025 at 5:07 AM
With shopping specifically, I wonder if it doesn’t also come from a Gygaxian GM-as-Adversary desire to make sure the Party is equipped for Shenanigans. Importantly, because the GM is going to ask, to have receipts (almost literally!)
Very nice. Good job on the good job!
November 21, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Very nice. Good job on the good job!
I'd like "Game Systems" for $400, please.
November 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I'd like "Game Systems" for $400, please.
What is Timewatch, an excellent & fun iteration of the Gumshoe system from Pelgrane Press, written by @kevinkulp.bsky.social ?
November 16, 2025 at 1:41 PM
What is Timewatch, an excellent & fun iteration of the Gumshoe system from Pelgrane Press, written by @kevinkulp.bsky.social ?
As a sci-fi fan, I really like "The Captain is Dead" for a cooperative board game. Your ship is stopped in space, aliens are beaming aboard, and you play as the crew (except the Captain, obviously) trying to restart the jump drive and to keep anything else from going wrong.
November 16, 2025 at 12:46 PM
As a sci-fi fan, I really like "The Captain is Dead" for a cooperative board game. Your ship is stopped in space, aliens are beaming aboard, and you play as the crew (except the Captain, obviously) trying to restart the jump drive and to keep anything else from going wrong.
Eat reagents, spit up potions. Sometimes liquid, sometimes bezoars.
November 13, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Eat reagents, spit up potions. Sometimes liquid, sometimes bezoars.
I blame Marketing—cf. Santa & Coca Cola—in that I don’t think folks really consider what ‘advent’ means in this context. There’s probably a large segment that just knows an ‘advent calendar’ is a thing where you get a little prize every day & is sold in November. We’re not encouraged to think.
November 12, 2025 at 1:12 AM
I blame Marketing—cf. Santa & Coca Cola—in that I don’t think folks really consider what ‘advent’ means in this context. There’s probably a large segment that just knows an ‘advent calendar’ is a thing where you get a little prize every day & is sold in November. We’re not encouraged to think.
Because your basic premise is completely correct and sound, my only practical concern is what to do with all the damp fruity pebbles, once they’ve been used to filter the milk. I will eventually get tired of fruity pebble mush with every meal…
I may be overthinking a little.
I may be overthinking a little.
November 12, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Because your basic premise is completely correct and sound, my only practical concern is what to do with all the damp fruity pebbles, once they’ve been used to filter the milk. I will eventually get tired of fruity pebble mush with every meal…
I may be overthinking a little.
I may be overthinking a little.
Pointing out here that you’re an adult and can do what you want*.
*so long as you don’t hurt others & can afford your shenanigans.
*so long as you don’t hurt others & can afford your shenanigans.
November 12, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Pointing out here that you’re an adult and can do what you want*.
*so long as you don’t hurt others & can afford your shenanigans.
*so long as you don’t hurt others & can afford your shenanigans.
THREE daggers.
November 9, 2025 at 12:38 AM
THREE daggers.
There is magic.wizards.com/en/story, which is all about the lore for each set. Reading this always makes me say "ah, so that's why that flavor text on that card" or "now that card art makes more sense." But also the story is often interesting.
Planeshift is also gold. mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Plane_S...
Planeshift is also gold. mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Plane_S...
MTG Story, Planes, and Planeswalkers | Magic: The Gathering
Explore the official source of the Magic Multiverse by learning about MTG planes and planeswalkers and catching up with current and past MTG stories.
magic.wizards.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:39 PM
There is magic.wizards.com/en/story, which is all about the lore for each set. Reading this always makes me say "ah, so that's why that flavor text on that card" or "now that card art makes more sense." But also the story is often interesting.
Planeshift is also gold. mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Plane_S...
Planeshift is also gold. mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Plane_S...
I don't think I was supposed to sing that to the Muppet Show Theme, but I did.
Sorry.
Sorry.
November 1, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I don't think I was supposed to sing that to the Muppet Show Theme, but I did.
Sorry.
Sorry.
"You've only ever played obe game."
"Nuh-uh! I've also played Pathfinder."
"My mistake."
"Nuh-uh! I've also played Pathfinder."
"My mistake."
November 1, 2025 at 12:13 PM
"You've only ever played obe game."
"Nuh-uh! I've also played Pathfinder."
"My mistake."
"Nuh-uh! I've also played Pathfinder."
"My mistake."