Author Buzz | TPK – Roleplay encounters and advice | Activity https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/ Activity feed for the group, TPK – Roleplay encounters and advice. Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:18:48 +0100 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-GB 30 hourly 2 7f723f82eff0cbbced71e079b90417da Blog: I asked ChatGPT to craft the most horrible and unfair normal-looking homebrew D&D monsters from TPK Archives • Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/i-asked-chatgpt-to-craft-the-most-horrible-and-unfair-normal-looking-homebrew-dd-monsters/ Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:42:00 +0100 It has been a while since I added to my Evil GM’s Guide. So I asked ChatGPT to craft the most horrible and unfair but normal-looking homebrew D&D monsters. Hello […]

]]> 0 dd52a79d203f9b5082cc1a9846248f70 Bob Bobson joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/16298/ Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:23:47 +0100 0 b85f8ddd09de4f9c86b643aac34f10f6 Blog: AI generated Dungeons and Dragons assets from TPK Archives • Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/ai-generated-dungeons-and-dragons-assets/ Mon, 05 Dec 2022 08:02:33 +0000 I gave an AI (craiyon.com) some prompts with which to create some monsters and maps. It has been a while since I talked about RPGs so I thought I would fix that […]

]]> 0 03d6334ac4e0d85103b4f2aa8b393d0d Blog: Gallio’s Independence Claims from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/the-three-kingdoms-of-tameria/gallios-independence-claims/ Sun, 06 Dec 2020 11:11:00 +0000 In 2081 CR Gallio joined the Lagorin union. Gallio’s adsorption into the Lagorin empire was not without its difficulties. Many fled what they saw as an invasion, f […]

]]> 0 d7aeebafab8b24f25e48f65410d3c1cf Blog: The mending spell in the real world from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/real-world-spells/the-mending-spell-in-the-real-world/ Fri, 02 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0100 The mending spell would be insanely useful in the real world. The mending spell repairs a single break or tear in an object you touch. For example, a broken chain […]

]]> 0 9992167d4ec9693018e622b93f6b1823 Blog: DnD Spells in the real world from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/real-world-spells/dnd-spells-in-the-real-world/ Thu, 01 Oct 2020 09:00:00 +0100 What if you could have three DnD (5e) spells that you could use in the real world? Which would you choose?
The post DnD Spells in the real world appeared first on […]

]]> 0 d78916e5975cedf47ea0444af946807d Blog: An introduction to S3 RPG from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/story-skill-system/an-introduction-to-s3-rpg/ Wed, 02 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +0100 Long time readers will know that I am developing the S3 RPG system. It should come as no surprise that I made a video about it. I have further videos planned that […]

]]> 0 2828672aeb7b433828e0b97379183746 Matthew Brown started the topic Why GMs should try for a TPK sometimes. in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/why-gms-should-try-for-a-tpk-sometimes/ Sun, 09 Aug 2020 20:19:52 +0100 I make the case that GMs should sometimes try for a TPK.

]]> 0 0af578989dd14e45f313b195fa437452 Blog: Why good GMs should plan to cause a TPK from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/why-good-gms-should-plan-to-cause-a-tpk/ Sat, 08 Aug 2020 08:00:00 +0100 Some time ago I made the case that GMs should be ready to kill player characters. I also went into depth about how to save your players from a TPK. After all, the […]

]]> 0 5d34f50e07572805e1b0573ae1641566 Blog: Mad Science presents: Liquidised gluons from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/story-skill-system/mad-science/mad-science-presents-liquidised-gluons/ Thu, 09 Jul 2020 08:00:00 +0100 A proposed item for the Story Skills System: Mad Science setting. Liquidised gluons It takes 12 matching glueballs to make half a litre of liquidised gluons. This […]

]]> 0 603a24c22ad96c6910b88c73b50050f5 Blog: A huge (fake) diamond from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/loot/a-huge-fake-diamond/ Tue, 30 Jun 2020 09:00:00 +0100 Sometimes, just for a laugh, an evil GM likes to mess with player’s loot expectations. This is an example of one such nasty trick. Item description You find a […]

]]> 0 a8bef3be24c048ea3a0e4efc900be357 Blog: TPK: A crime they did not commit from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/tpk-a-crime-they-did-not-commit/ Sun, 31 May 2020 10:00:00 +0100 What happens when your party are accused of a crime they did not commit? What happens when they do not see the accusation coming – say during some well-earned rest […]

]]> 0 8e548e8b6c2a40646d04f23d55baa7af Matthew Brown started the topic TPK Code updated in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/tpk-code-updated/ Wed, 27 May 2020 15:44:58 +0100 I gather you all know that the TPK adventures adjust based on the stats you give. There is a class that runs all that with a complex shortcode interface. (I wrote it before blocks were a thing).

I was happy to leave things alone until I started to notice a DC of 17.5 come up on the new encounter. (Not new, just sitting in drafts for a year). For…Read more

]]> 0 ff61f269cfa0c1050f7a5d48b4ffca0b Blog: Midnight Encounter from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/midnight-encounter/ Wed, 27 May 2020 12:58:40 +0100 This TPK prelude is a midnight encounter which should serve as an introduction to other goblin encounters. This is a surprise attack that turns the usually […]

]]> 0 c74caf8b74b7936877874df130b64b12 Blog: Gallio and Lagorin Politics from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/the-three-kingdoms-of-tameria/gallio-and-lagorin-politics/ Wed, 12 Feb 2020 16:57:49 +0000 From 287 CR to 298 CR the Iron Realms (now Northen Lagorin) were unified under Tallon in a series of wars, alliances, treaties, and negotiations. There then […]

]]> 0 a9c64837899e2e9c0f13f570b9ceaa86 Blog: Sewer Map RPG Tiles from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/sewer-map-rpg-tiles/ Sun, 09 Feb 2020 18:58:22 +0000 Lomg before I had conceived of the Three Kingdoms setting, I came up with a number of map parts. One such set was a collection of Sewer Tile Map parts. With these […]

]]> 0 e974d63921bf569e81946352868a343b Blog: The Three Kingdoms of Tameria from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/the-three-kingdoms-of-tameria/the-three-kingdoms-of-tameria/ Wed, 29 Jan 2020 11:25:20 +0000 While going through my notes, I realised that I already had a region name – Tameria. Thus, the map got an update insofar as I have named the landmass itself. Also, […]

]]> 0 c5dfdee6a910c3ee99ffb7a9a8675854 Blog: Crafting a 5e setting from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/crafting-a-5e-setting/ Sat, 25 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000 This past week, I have been working on a 5e setting. That’s right, my first content for Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition. Longtime readers might know that I am a […]

]]> 0 5dff672a941c64f8c6bac24edd3d0908 Blog: Low-level monsters that could TPK a 5e party from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/dungeons-and-dragons/low-level-monsters-that-could-tpk-a-5e-party/ Thu, 30 May 2019 16:28:50 +0100 I’ve talked before about making your goblins scary again but that was Pathfinder – in Dungeons and Dragons 5e, there a whole load of low-level monsters that could […]

]]> 0 5de9a376560ca2d90db52697c9795606 Blog: Plotting a game from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/plotting-a-game/ Sat, 12 Jan 2019 10:00:02 +0000 When I’m not writing or blogging I like play various tabletop and RPG games and sometimes – as the GM – it is my job begin plotting a game. As I said before, […]

]]> 0 d7c1557e9f1c943a019957ed06b69298 Neil Willcox joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/1196/ Sun, 23 Dec 2018 12:04:25 +0000 0 ff98e57645c818cc87b3d61b386e2bf5 Blog: Evil GM: Cursed items to mess with your players (Pathfinder) from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/evil-gm-cursed-items-to-mess-with-your-players-pathfinder/ Wed, 31 Oct 2018 10:00:51 +0000 Sometimes you just want to mess with your players. Perhaps because they have become complacent or maybe they have forgotten that you, the GM, are all powerful. […]

]]> 0 a97d893e7ebc4508da051b00f42047c1 Blog: Glossary of S3 terms from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/story-skill-system/glossary-of-s3-terms/ Mon, 29 Oct 2018 10:00:46 +0000 This is a summary of terms used in the S3 RPG system.  Challenge Level (CL) The overall challenge of a task. The higher the CL, the more skill that is needed to […]

]]> 0 f59460aa0cc330206048aad661daed6f Burty Burtman joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/1142/ Tue, 25 Sep 2018 14:35:47 +0100 0 ad0837729dd70df1f679665395ad2553 Blog: GMs, do you understand the difference between skill types? from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/gms-do-you-understand-the-difference-between-skill-types/ Wed, 15 Aug 2018 09:00:34 +0100 Click grabbing headline aside, I really am going to talk about the difference between different skill types. I’m going to draw my examples from both S3 and […]

]]> 0 0258fddee4014f8c7e1278cc819ae688 Blog: Rewarding good RP: Player Karma from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/rewarding-good-rp-player-karma/ Mon, 11 Jun 2018 15:43:25 +0100 I’d like to introduce you to an idea I have been toying with that could, in theory, be used to shape player behaviour in and out of the game – the idea of player […]

]]> 0 be5f0423c066fc4a5230c10a0b481951 Matthew Brown started the topic Liches - How t be a great GM in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/liches-how-t-be-a-great-gm/ Thu, 31 May 2018 11:51:54 +0100 I thought you all might like this video.

]]> 0 fab8f4f99b0038939f5c71e73e798600 Blog: True Love’s Kiss in an RPG from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/true-loves-kiss-in-an-rpg/ Sun, 27 May 2018 09:00:59 +0100 True love’s kiss as a power to break a spell or curse is one of those fairy tale elements that has become engrained in the modern psyche. I thought it might be […]

]]> 0 939472938218f55e7851646b7c0fc953 Blog: The Story Skills System (S3) explained from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/story-skill-system/the-story-skills-system-s3-explained/ Sat, 19 May 2018 22:39:12 +0100 The heart of the Story Skills System is storytelling and character skills. It was designed to be a simple system where everything is a skill and, depending on […]

]]> 0 69244038492dd0837a2f00e2aca0e50c Jason Latnar joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/937/ Sat, 19 May 2018 00:35:17 +0100 0 3ea2fdf9df35eddb4e7e9cbf4e816210 Christian Writer joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/935/ Sat, 19 May 2018 00:23:54 +0100 0 f828cd3eaa9351d4f16410d85e0376a6 Matthew Brown replied to the topic Any advice for a first time GM? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/any-advice-for-a-first-time-gm/#post-1159 Fri, 18 May 2018 23:39:40 +0100 Let me know how you get on.

]]> 0 8aa44bb56c926d21f448919a06f3536f Blog: Cursed ring of gender change from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/loot/cursed-ring-of-gender-change/ Fri, 18 May 2018 23:36:09 +0100 Sometimes, just for a laugh, an evil GM likes to mess with player’s characters and nothing does that quite like a cursed ring of gender change. Maybe there is a […]

]]> 1 9a8cc9630602d0f331cf0db919430301 Matthew Brown posted an update in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice: I am currently working on an NPC creation extension. https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/902/ Wed, 09 May 2018 16:41:44 +0100 I am currently working on an NPC creation extension.

]]> 0 abfa3ef6c01c18a50b074469b4ebff6d Blog: How to save your players from a TPK from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/how-to-save-your-players-from-a-tpk/ Tue, 01 May 2018 09:49:36 +0100 I know I said that a GM should be ready to TPK their players but that also means that, as the GM, you should have a plan to save your players. Assuming, of […]

]]> 0 f57674f68afdc5bc366b6fe19de88cb7 Matthew Brown replied to the topic Why would you advise people to cause a TPK? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/why-would-you-advise-people-to-cause-a-tpk/#post-1143 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:50:56 +0100 I’m sorry you lost a much-loved character, but that sounds like a poor GM combined with some bad teamwork. Come on, everyone knows that you protect your healer while trying to take down the other group’s healer. Why were your tanks and DPS characters not shielding your cleric?

A GM should not be happy that the players failed. That’s just mean.…Read more

]]> 0 b53ad57eaa776cc67d8a8d1369d2eb99 jeffjohns replied to the topic Any advice for a first time GM? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/any-advice-for-a-first-time-gm/#post-1142 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:39:04 +0100 I’m really looking forward to it. Being the GM looks like fun.

I’m not naive enough to think it will be easy but I want to have a go. I’m going to be running Hell’s Rebels (Pathfinder) which I’ve had in my library for ages.

I like Matt’s idea of getting another GM to support me. I’m going to ask the guy whose flat we play in. He’s been our GM…Read more

]]> 0 d4c10788b0e5f03460039a4ca93e6e41 jeffjohns replied to the topic Why would you advise people to cause a TPK? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/why-would-you-advise-people-to-cause-a-tpk/#post-1141 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:35:06 +0100 Dave sounds like a terrible GM. 🙁

I’m sorry that you had a bad TPK.

]]> 0 bc54e3ba1b2044f48c7b0cabc7322236 Jack Dent started the topic Why would you advise people to cause a TPK? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/why-would-you-advise-people-to-cause-a-tpk/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:32:38 +0100 Our TPK is about the most traumatic ending to a story I have ever experienced.

I had just got my beloved cleric – Cedric the Green – to level 8. We were in the middle of a side-quest to solve a murder when the local thieves guild caught wind of what we were up to and ambushed us. Our GM, Dave, had the mooks target Cedric first. After he went…Read more

]]> 0 fa0c47e66603ce70810fd2572a1011d9 Jack Dent replied to the topic Any advice for a first time GM? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/any-advice-for-a-first-time-gm/#post-1139 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:27:49 +0100 My advice: Don’t!

I ran a game once and it was the hardest thing I ever did. I stick to just running a single character now.

]]> 0 250aa78ebda1f4b44ba55be455a52274 Jack Dent joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/876/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:24:51 +0100 0 8f769e3f6c4737fe991500c46e6a6beb Matthew Brown replied to the topic Any advice for a first time GM? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/any-advice-for-a-first-time-gm/#post-1138 Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:19:08 +0100 If you are unsure I would suggest two things.

  1. Run a pre-made adventure path.
  2. Ask the most experienced GM from the group to support you.

When I ran my first game I had the groups founding GM backing me up. That really helped me find my feet. Not to mention I had a guide to some of the parts of the GM role that I was unfamiliar with.

A…Read more

]]> 0 bc3befdf6f4f8c613fcf018b6f564094 jeffjohns started the topic Any advice for a first time GM? in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/any-advice-for-a-first-time-gm/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:11:21 +0100 In a few months time, I will be the GM for our group. There are four of us and we take it in turns but this is my first time in the hot-seat.

Any advice you can give me?

]]> 0 281c09294deaa7bd277e736bbde77c5d jeffjohns joined the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/871/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:08:48 +0100 0 bc5e7e581e605eddc888f98cae647e3e Matthew Brown started the topic TPK FAQ in the forum TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://authorbuzz.co.uk/groups/tpk-roleplay-encounters-and-advice/forum/topic/tpk-faq/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 17:43:59 +0100 What is TPK?

TPK is a common role play term for a total party kill, where all the characters are killed (ending the adventure). While a TPK is generally a bad thing, the threat of a TPK can increase the thrill of overcoming or surviving an encounter.

Why this is a good thing is explained…Read more

]]> 0 a595558b01aef410c6ad31f8fcba1cd2 Matthew Brown created the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice https://authorbuzz.co.uk/activity/p/859/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 17:19:06 +0100 0 edb97752713f39b6c39a36d2e0b8c10f Blog: Bless my soul, these rolls are fixed from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/bless-my-soul-these-rolls-are-fixed/ Sun, 29 Apr 2018 17:13:22 +0100 One thing you learn as a GM is that sometimes you need to ensure that rolls are fixed. And that is okay. Here is why. When you transition from player to narrator […]

]]> 0 7163e34ce02e9eb64d8f64ac9ad0c698 Blog: Why GMs should be ready to kill player characters from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/why-gms-should-be-ready-to-kill-player-characters/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 21:11:42 +0100 A good GM is a GM that is ready, willing, and able to kill player characters. A bad GM is one that enjoys doing so. I want to explain why a GM needs to be […]

]]> 0 70f6eea47ad882c71e28587715d40a74 Blog: Scar goblin tactics from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/scar-goblin-tactics/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 09:00:34 +0100 Goblin tactics include dirty fighting and ganging up. Standard goblin tactics for fighting stronger opponents is ambush followed by overwhelming numbers. Scar’s […]

]]> 1 f4817fc5e710f4720559df75e3d0241f Blog: TPK: Ambush on the road to nowhere from TPK – Matthew D Brown in the group TPK - Roleplay encounters and advice http://matthewdbrown.authorbuzz.co.uk/lordmatt/tpk/pathfinder/tpk-ambush-on-the-road-to-nowhere/ Tue, 24 Apr 2018 05:56:32 +0100 What happens when the party face an unexpected ambush in an otherwise tranquil scene? Can they fight off a horde of attackers long enough to survive? Who are these […]

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