Sam Tillis
@stillisgaming.bsky.social
Your friendly neighborhood professional Game Master. https://startplaying.games/gm/stillis-gaming
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Sam Tillis
@stillisgaming.bsky.social
· Dec 24
At final count, I ran 428 RPG sessions in 2024.
Granted, some of those were 1 hr afterschool games for kids. I pound out four 75 min sessions in a row most Saturdays. Then again, others were 9 hr marathons, so it all balances out.
Hi. I'm Sam. I'm a Professional Game Master. Follow me for stories.
Granted, some of those were 1 hr afterschool games for kids. I pound out four 75 min sessions in a row most Saturdays. Then again, others were 9 hr marathons, so it all balances out.
Hi. I'm Sam. I'm a Professional Game Master. Follow me for stories.
Gonna have to learn more about chicken anatomy than any (non-rural) man may know in order to write this truly bizarre D&D one-shot...
December 10, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Gonna have to learn more about chicken anatomy than any (non-rural) man may know in order to write this truly bizarre D&D one-shot...
On Session 100 of an online-only D&D game, we find a way to meet in person, and I build them a deconstructed dungeon out of tarot cards.
(For those who recognize some of what's happening in the second image; yes, I am scrambling two influences together.)
(For those who recognize some of what's happening in the second image; yes, I am scrambling two influences together.)
December 9, 2025 at 10:52 PM
On Session 100 of an online-only D&D game, we find a way to meet in person, and I build them a deconstructed dungeon out of tarot cards.
(For those who recognize some of what's happening in the second image; yes, I am scrambling two influences together.)
(For those who recognize some of what's happening in the second image; yes, I am scrambling two influences together.)
This is an objectively perfect piece of writing.
'Cloud Dancer': A Measured Response
Regarding Pantone's decision, and so on, and so forth
johnpaulbrammer.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
This is an objectively perfect piece of writing.
When one of your teen D&D players designs a flumph cosplay.
December 4, 2025 at 7:04 PM
When one of your teen D&D players designs a flumph cosplay.
When I was growing up, these pamphlet-sized adventure booklets were essentially my introduction to D&D adventure modules.
I don't know that they were any good, but I'm immensely nostalgic for them. A link, in case anyone finds themself needing to buy me a present...
www.ebay.com/itm/20567214...
I don't know that they were any good, but I'm immensely nostalgic for them. A link, in case anyone finds themself needing to buy me a present...
www.ebay.com/itm/20567214...
Lot of 6 Dungeons & Dragons Adventures Alderac Entertainment Group AEG d20 3E | eBay
Strange beasts are said to plague a small town by night. Designed for 4-6 characters levels 2-4. Designed for 5-8 characters levels 2-4. To free the land from oppression, the party must brave the mons...
www.ebay.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:34 PM
When I was growing up, these pamphlet-sized adventure booklets were essentially my introduction to D&D adventure modules.
I don't know that they were any good, but I'm immensely nostalgic for them. A link, in case anyone finds themself needing to buy me a present...
www.ebay.com/itm/20567214...
I don't know that they were any good, but I'm immensely nostalgic for them. A link, in case anyone finds themself needing to buy me a present...
www.ebay.com/itm/20567214...
As a professional GM, for me the answer is inevitably "because that's what 90% of people want to pay me for."
Always excited when I can talk a group into trying out literally anything else.
@alexandrian.bsky.social
Always excited when I can talk a group into trying out literally anything else.
@alexandrian.bsky.social
Thought of the Day: Why D&D?
In the past few days I've been asked several times why I still play Dungeons & Dragons.After all, I've criticized the rules, the adventures, the design, and even the company. So why am I st
thealexandrian.net
November 29, 2025 at 8:40 AM
As a professional GM, for me the answer is inevitably "because that's what 90% of people want to pay me for."
Always excited when I can talk a group into trying out literally anything else.
@alexandrian.bsky.social
Always excited when I can talk a group into trying out literally anything else.
@alexandrian.bsky.social
I keep buying themed decks of playing cards. Guess I gotta start running Savage Worlds again...
November 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
I keep buying themed decks of playing cards. Guess I gotta start running Savage Worlds again...
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG....
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG....
November 20, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG....
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG.
I will not prep for a prep-free RPG....
I run lots of D&D for kids/teens, so I have lots of STATS. Here's what the youths are into this season, re: species and class.
Tiefling: 12
Dragonborn: 9
Human: 5
Elf (Drow): 4
Elf (High): 4
Aasimar: 3
Gnome: 3
Kobold: 3
Tabaxi: 3
Warforged: 3
Dwarf: 2
Dhampir: 1
Goliath: 1
Hobgoblin: 1
Axolotl: 1
Tiefling: 12
Dragonborn: 9
Human: 5
Elf (Drow): 4
Elf (High): 4
Aasimar: 3
Gnome: 3
Kobold: 3
Tabaxi: 3
Warforged: 3
Dwarf: 2
Dhampir: 1
Goliath: 1
Hobgoblin: 1
Axolotl: 1
November 14, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I run lots of D&D for kids/teens, so I have lots of STATS. Here's what the youths are into this season, re: species and class.
Tiefling: 12
Dragonborn: 9
Human: 5
Elf (Drow): 4
Elf (High): 4
Aasimar: 3
Gnome: 3
Kobold: 3
Tabaxi: 3
Warforged: 3
Dwarf: 2
Dhampir: 1
Goliath: 1
Hobgoblin: 1
Axolotl: 1
Tiefling: 12
Dragonborn: 9
Human: 5
Elf (Drow): 4
Elf (High): 4
Aasimar: 3
Gnome: 3
Kobold: 3
Tabaxi: 3
Warforged: 3
Dwarf: 2
Dhampir: 1
Goliath: 1
Hobgoblin: 1
Axolotl: 1
You can tell the adults I ran a D&D game for last night do not work in child-adjacent professions (or have children of their own) because nobody lunged across the table to throttle me when I described a small detachment up ahead of "6 or 7 enemies."
November 12, 2025 at 9:54 PM
You can tell the adults I ran a D&D game for last night do not work in child-adjacent professions (or have children of their own) because nobody lunged across the table to throttle me when I described a small detachment up ahead of "6 or 7 enemies."
My absolute favorite thing that new D&D players say to me after I DM for them, hands down, is "you've inspired me to run my own d&d campaign." Especially when it also involves bringing in their kids.
November 12, 2025 at 6:29 AM
My absolute favorite thing that new D&D players say to me after I DM for them, hands down, is "you've inspired me to run my own d&d campaign." Especially when it also involves bringing in their kids.
When the D&D players realize that the most efficient way through the dungeon is to ignore all the doors and windows and just smash through walls. **chef's kiss**
November 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
When the D&D players realize that the most efficient way through the dungeon is to ignore all the doors and windows and just smash through walls. **chef's kiss**
The sweet, sweet feeling of having no fucking idea how your RPG players are going to navigate their way out of *this* one... 😈
November 9, 2025 at 4:54 AM
The sweet, sweet feeling of having no fucking idea how your RPG players are going to navigate their way out of *this* one... 😈
Civ VII rolls out an update **on the same day** as Europa Universalis V comes out... and I have two gigs to prepare for and run. 😭😭😭
November 4, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Civ VII rolls out an update **on the same day** as Europa Universalis V comes out... and I have two gigs to prepare for and run. 😭😭😭
The Stranger Things kids have gotta be playing like 4th edition by now.
October 30, 2025 at 6:18 PM
The Stranger Things kids have gotta be playing like 4th edition by now.
Writing email newsletters and then sharing those email newsletters on social media like its 2017.
buttondown.com/stillisgamin...
buttondown.com/stillisgamin...
"I Like to Watch"
…damn it Tillis, you think in this Year Of Our Lord 2025 you can subject-line a newsletter with a reference to cult-classic ‘70s film Being There and expect...
buttondown.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Writing email newsletters and then sharing those email newsletters on social media like its 2017.
buttondown.com/stillisgamin...
buttondown.com/stillisgamin...
Professional proofreading is changing "cluster fuck" to "clusterfuck" in a legitimate publication because, incredibly, Merriam Webster has an entry and a strong preference on the matter. @merriam-webster.com
October 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Professional proofreading is changing "cluster fuck" to "clusterfuck" in a legitimate publication because, incredibly, Merriam Webster has an entry and a strong preference on the matter. @merriam-webster.com
That terrible feeling when you've finished your D&D prep-work early, so now you've got nothing to do but wonder what you've *forgotten* to prepare for over the course of several hours.
October 16, 2025 at 9:07 PM
That terrible feeling when you've finished your D&D prep-work early, so now you've got nothing to do but wonder what you've *forgotten* to prepare for over the course of several hours.
Several years later, this middle school history textbook cover of the Silmarillion is still the cleverest thing I ever created and I'm willing to fight anyone who says otherwise.
October 16, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Several years later, this middle school history textbook cover of the Silmarillion is still the cleverest thing I ever created and I'm willing to fight anyone who says otherwise.
I am, apparently, the single person on the entire internet who unironically enjoys playing Civilization 7.
Ask me anything.
Ask me anything.
October 8, 2025 at 10:12 PM
I am, apparently, the single person on the entire internet who unironically enjoys playing Civilization 7.
Ask me anything.
Ask me anything.
Just another Thursday afternoon where I'm inventing a surf-fishing minigame for an RPG I've almost never run before...
October 2, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Just another Thursday afternoon where I'm inventing a surf-fishing minigame for an RPG I've almost never run before...
Oh! This is up!
Warning: the saddest scene I have ever run as a DM, ever, happens near the end of this episode. (After quite a bit of unbridled joy, natch.)
Warning: the saddest scene I have ever run as a DM, ever, happens near the end of this episode. (After quite a bit of unbridled joy, natch.)
The One Ring: Over Hill and Under Hill 2 - The Crowned Hill
YouTube video by Quests & Chaos
www.youtube.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Oh! This is up!
Warning: the saddest scene I have ever run as a DM, ever, happens near the end of this episode. (After quite a bit of unbridled joy, natch.)
Warning: the saddest scene I have ever run as a DM, ever, happens near the end of this episode. (After quite a bit of unbridled joy, natch.)
I now have three (3) different groups lining up trying to get me to run the Cosmere RPG. Guess I finally need to get into Brandon Sanderson...
September 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I now have three (3) different groups lining up trying to get me to run the Cosmere RPG. Guess I finally need to get into Brandon Sanderson...
Being a professional DM is wishing mid-session that you had a random disease chart, then realizing that you *have* a random disease chart that you printed out for a session 8 months ago, but it never came up and has been sitting in the back of your DM kit ever since.
September 25, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Being a professional DM is wishing mid-session that you had a random disease chart, then realizing that you *have* a random disease chart that you printed out for a session 8 months ago, but it never came up and has been sitting in the back of your DM kit ever since.
The only (and I mean ONLY) downside to running a superhero RPG is having to do the thing where you check everyone's character sheets to make sure they don't have a power that would just let them entirely bypass a session's worth of plot.
September 24, 2025 at 8:32 PM
The only (and I mean ONLY) downside to running a superhero RPG is having to do the thing where you check everyone's character sheets to make sure they don't have a power that would just let them entirely bypass a session's worth of plot.