Back in 2009, Brian Jamison self-published “Gamemastering“. This was a book designed to impart “roleplaying techniques that minimize prep and maximize fun.” I picked it up around 2012, right in the middle of my disillusionment with Dungeons & Dragons following the death of Third Edition. It was a book that transformed my approach to play.

I’ve spoken about Jamison’s book on numerous occasions but I’ve never written a comprehensive review and I’ve not come across one anywhere else. In fact, when I mention the book I either get blank looks or a kind of silent disapproval from fellow hobbyists.

Jamison’s book is one that I have a love-hate relationship with because on the one hand he helped me to move away from one style of play and shift towards something different that I had always sensed could be shared. On the other hand, Jamison’s style is jarring and his paternalistic approach to GMing turns me off.

While there are many great tips that do indeed lessen prep and increase certain engagements with RPGs, there’s also a lot of stuff that annoys me. I’ve found that his approach is sometimes lacking in nuance while at the same time finding loads of useful tools that have made me a more confident GM.

I’m curious to ask: Is there any mileage in reviewing his book in detail? There are 26 chapters of material in total and it’s a comprehensive guide to a particularly interesting blend of play styles. It’s also a product of one man’s journey as a GM through the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

I find Jamison’s book fascinating but, as I noted before, I’m not always sure others would agree. Let me know if it’s a series worth writing.

Game on!

On to Gamemastering Part I