How to run games with minimal prep

Playing tabletop role-playing games can take a significant amount of free time from people. In addition to the weekly/bi-weekly sessions that can take 3-5 hours (or more!), Game Masters also need to prepare - any where between half the amount of time played, to more than twice the playing time.

The level of preparation needed depends on a few factors: such as the Game Master's ability to improvise, if they are running premade modules, creating their own homebrew worlds, and if the session of heavily roleplay, or heavily combat.

In this article, we cover how Game Master's can use Quest Portal to speed up their preparation and get more time into their busy schedules.

Running games unprepared

For many Game Masters, the idea of playing a TTRPG is all about meeting friends and having fun. They have spent a lot of time getting to a point where running a game unprepared is no challenge. They can recall stat blocks, create characters on the spot, and easily describe locations. It helps that they already have a world and previous sessions to fall back on.

But for others, even with years of experience in a single campaign, running unprepared is more of a challenge - terrifying even. We’re here to help - here's a quick recipe for getting a game started unprepared.

1. Create a new campaign

To create a campaign, first navigate to the plus symbol at the bottom left of the app, which will add a new Untitled Campaign to your campaign list.

You will then have access to Campaign Owner options and be assumed to be the GM - this includes options to give the campaign a name, add header art and logos, as well as setting the system for the game - this is important to for your Assistant to be set to a system to be able to use and cite the correct references with respect to the campaign.

2. Add premade scenes and maps

One of the main ways Quest Portal makes it easier for GM's to run games unprepared is our library of free premade scenes and maps.

Scenes and maps come preloaded with music that's appropriate and you can simply drag the scenes you want to show your players onto your Scene deck.

3. Rules Ready Assistant

The Assistant will be able to answer all those pesky situational rules when you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to look up your encounter idea before you’re ready to roll. Assigning the Game System in the campaign means the Assistant has your back.

Alongside knowing the rules, the Assistant is able to help you flesh out what your seedling idea of an encounter would look like within the framework of the rules of the rpg you’re using - from loot tables to character descriptions and motivations.

4. Inviting players

Then you’re ready to invite your players with the Invite Players button, located to the bottom right of the cover, in the character sheet section in the center of the landing page or by clicking the ellipsis.

5. Generate encounters, characters, and locations on the fly

Our AI Notes features allow Game Masters looking for a quick idea to spin up character concepts, create encounters, get lists of loot, random tables, and more.

[Video: https://questportal.imgix.net/web/AI_Notes_01_Without_Titles_web.mp4]

The AI Notes and the AI Assistant can boost your game significantly by allowing you to focus on the story and keep the session flowing when you are unprepared.

6. Stats on the Fly

Who hasn’t needed a stat block (or three) in the middle of a session, even when you are prepared?

The AI Notes is ready to stat in Freeform Mode by asking it to help generate character stats as well as spells and loot items.

Also, you can ask it to create rollable buttons for you too! Try: “Create stats for a D&D 5e characters, anything rollable should include a roll button in the format [[skill roll formula]]”.

7. Organize your notes

Notes can be accessed in campaigns. They allow Game Masters to start building their world, organizing the content into folders and sub-notes. Notes, as well as any character sheets you create, can easily be linked by @mentioning them - helping you to find things quickly.

This is especially useful for recalling and finding information about your locations, characters and plot points as you make them up. And with Private notes, you can be writing everything down as you go, making it easy to recall and reference later on!

The Notes feature also gives you the ability to create handouts in your Private Notes while the players are talking, and then share them as Campaign Notes when you're ready - appearing to your players as if you were prepped all along.

So, No Prep? No Problem!