Show Notes
When your world’s on fire, the schedule’s in chaos, and the goblins are unionizing—welcome to West Marches.
In this episode, the hosts venture deep into the untamed wilds of West Marches–style tabletop roleplaying games. With no regular party, no fixed storyline, and no safety net, they explore how this classic format redefines player agency and opens the door to truly dynamic storytelling. The hosts explain how to build a vibrant, reactive world filled with tension, consequence, and creative freedom.
They also share tips for managing the behind-the-scenes chaos: prepping seasonal events, tracking a living timeline, and handling player-driven schedules without losing your mind. Along the way, they touch on the mechanical differences between Pathfinder 2 and D&D 5e in supporting exploration-based gameplay and share some clever ideas for managing treasure, experience gaps, and inevitable player death.
Content Referenced in This Episode
- Hexploration on Archives of Nethys
- Mork Borg (affiliate link)
- Outdoor Survival
- PF2 GM Core (affiliate link)
- Shadowdark
- RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes
If you want to get into a West Marches Campaign and join his personal Discord Server, contact Ash Ely at BlueSky: @GravenAshes
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In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
Ash Ely
- Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
- Join Ash’s West Marches-style PF2 Game
- Twitter: @GravenAshes
- YouTube @ashravenmedia
