09-22-2026, 04:50 PM
(09-22-2026, 02:49 PM)misha Wrote: For me, I think the distinction is between prep that I can do and prep that I have to do. Adjusting to taste is great, but it's pretty opt-in. If there are big bits of information that are simply missing, it's something that I don't have any choice but to add onto my mental load--this might be something relatively simple and low-stakes like "what does the village look like as you walk into it" or something more high-stakes like "how many devils are in this room at any given time". I'm already spinning a lot of plates in my head when I GM, so I really appreciate it when the book anticipates the types of mundane questions that come up in play and has an answer for them--especially if they're tied to bigger subsystems, like treasure quantities, regional politics, or thematic throughlines.
I think this is a great articulation of that distinction and put in those terms I would agree.
I think part of what might be happening is that my particular feeling of what is needed varies from some folks. That question you raise of regional politics is a great example of something that a lot of adventures lack or that will necessarily be adjusted to fit any ongoing campaign. Same with how something looks, if my villages are a little less Dolmenwood and a little more New Sun, for example. Lastly I find that a piece of prep I am always doing is mapping relationships. Partially because I think that even when they are included (most adventures nowadays) they are usually presented in a scattershot or less useful way. For me those relationships are such a driver that I need either a deep understanding or a convenient mapping.