When the Prep Pile Turns Into Dead Weight
Every greenhorn GM thinks more prep means a better game. Ya stack notebooks, print stat blocks, scribble timelines, and end up lookin’ like a scholar ready to lecture instead of a barkeep ready to run a brawl. Truth is, half that parchment dies the moment yer players walk through the tavern door.
Too much prep ain’t just wasted ink. It becomes a burden. You’re chained to yer notes instead of watchin’ the table. And once you cling to the pile, the game starts feelin’ stiff, like ale left out overnight.
The Warning Signs of Over-Prep
Yer spendin’ more time re-readin’ notes than listenin’ to yer players.
The story only works if the table follows yer script.
Every “unexpected” choice leaves ya flustered.
That ain’t GMing — that’s stage-managing. And this ain’t no stage, lad, it’s a tavern brawl of dice and imagination.
Why Flexibility Beats Stacks of Notes
Prep should give ya confidence, not chains. Yer better off knowin’ the bones of yer world — the villains’ motives, the dangers in the wilds, the secrets of a city — and then lettin’ the table flesh it out. A pile of names, a handful of maps, and a list of goals will outlast ten scrolls of boxed text any day.
📌 If yer neck’s bendin’ under the prep pile, remember this: the players never see what ya wrote. They only feel what ya deliver.
How to Keep Prep Light but Deadly
Use point-form notes so ya can shift on the fly.
Prep NPCs and locations as modular pieces — drop ‘em wherever the players wander.
Build encounters that flex with party size and choices.
Spend more time imaginin’ how players might surprise ya than polishin’ dialogue they’ll never hear.
By keepin’ it loose, ya give yerself room to breathe. And when the table throws ya a curveball, ya can swing back instead of flippin’ pages.
📌 If yer prep’s crushin’ ya, these tankards might lighten the load:
Final Call from the Tavern
Yer notes should serve ya, not rule ya. Keep ‘em lean, keep ‘em sharp, and never forget: the best prep is the kind no one ever notices. The game lives at the table, not in the pile.
