The GM’s Pocket Toolkit
How to Run Games Faster, Think Clearer, and Tell Better Stories Across Any TTRPG System
The Black Dog Tavern has several brilliant GMs, all with completely different styles of play, approaches to the story, and ways to interact with each of the players. Some are adept at bringing every nuanced rule to their game; others (like me) view them more as guidelines. We have only one house rule at the Tavern. The GM’s ruling is final. But that doesn’t mean any of us has every answer to every question. We can all lose track of which player has done what, to whom, when.
Running a game can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the whole thing. Regardless of which system you favour — D&D, Cthulhu, GURPS — as a game master, your brain is doing a dozen things at once. You’re describing the scene, playing every NPC, remembering the rules, juggling pacing, tracking resources, and making sure the spotlight shifts around the table.
The truth? If you’re overwhelmed, you’re more likely to mess up the most important part of any great RPG: telling a great story.
Why Player Aids Matter
The point of a player aid isn’t to replace your GM skills. It’s freeing up your brain for the parts only you can do—reacting to players, keeping tension high, and weaving combat, mystery, and roleplay into a single memorable arc.
They work because they:
Speed up play – less time flipping pages or stalling for rules.
Remove brain-freeze – you don’t have to keep every number, condition, and sequence in your head.
Keep the focus on the story – you’re not distracted by mechanics; you are focussing on your players.
Story First Doesn’t Mean Combat Last
For a first time GM, or at least one who is just starting out on this incredible journey it is easy to forget that “winning” isn’t about racking up kills or gold, it’s about everyone leaving the table feeling they contributed to an amazing story. This incredible video really shows the power of that. But players come to the table for different reasons:
Mystery & puzzle-solvers want the satisfaction of uncovering secrets.
Role-players thrive on emotional beats and character arcs.
Combat & action fans crave tense, tactical showdowns and cinematic wins.
Of course, players are never 100% driven by one type. People play for a mix of all three. However, players will tend towards one archetype over the others, and a great GM gives everyone a reason to stay invested. Good cheat sheets can help you track who has received their moment and who still wants it.
Why These Aids Are System-Agnostic
Every game system has reference sheets, quick-start guides (QSGs) or whatever. They are all dependent on the rules of that specific game. These aids focus on structure rather than rules, so they work whether you’re running D&D, Call of Cthulhu, Mothership, or a homebrew system of your own. They give you:
Scene pacing and turn flow reminders that fit any setting.
Conflict resolution templates that work for both fights and social challenges.
Player spotlight tracking without prescribing mechanics.
The GM’s Pocket Toolkit
So, how about a core aid you can print out or use on a tablet beside your notes:
Turn & Scene – keeps you on track with pacing, escalation, and spotlight balance.
Conflict & Challenge – a flexible framework for resolving anything from duels to debates.
Player Spotlight Tracker – a simple way to ensure each player type gets their moment every session.
It is compact, customisable, and built to be quick-glance usable in the middle of play. And because we are all about sharing the love here at the Tavern, it's here, and of course, it is absolutely free to download, a handy reference tuned to your game and players—without rewriting the rules every time you switch systems.
The Payoff
With this in your pocket, you’ll:
React faster to player choices.
Shift focus naturally between combat, mystery, and roleplay.
Keep everyone engaged without burning yourself out.
Players win in any TTRPG not through hit points, loot, or XP, but by telling a story worth remembering.