Look to the Classics for TTRPG Gaming Inspiration

In this video, I dive into one of my favorite ways to spark creativity as a game master: drawing inspiration from the classics! Whether it’s Shakespearean drama, Kurosawa’s cinematic elegance, or the timeless themes in stories like The Great Escape and Seven Samurai, there’s a treasure trove of ideas just waiting to be adapted for your tabletop adventures.

The key for me—and what I talk about in the video—is using these classics not as scripts to copy, but as launchpads for your own games. Rather than trying to retell King Lear exactly as it was written (which would feel like railroading), I look for the emotional beats or the character archetypes that resonate with me and the themes that fit well into the world I’m crafting with my players.

For example, in my own campaigns, I love taking themes like betrayal and loyalty from The Godfather, or the underdog grit of The Great Escape, and using those to inspire the stakes and tension of my own story arcs. I also borrow archetypes like the wise mentor or the cunning trickster to help fill out my NPC cast and give my players interesting characters to bounce off of.

In the video, I even break down a quick example of an adventure outline that combines Seven Samurai, Heat, and The Great Escape into something I call The Magnificent Heist. It’s just a sketch, but it shows how you can take these familiar elements and remix them into a unique campaign framework that still feels fresh and exciting.

If you’re looking to breathe some new life into your own games, or you’re just curious about how I approach this whole process, check out the video. I promise it’s not about being tied to someone else’s story—it’s about pulling in those tried-and-true elements that make a story powerful and giving your players something they can make their own.

So if you’ve ever thought about weaving a bit of Shakespeare, Kurosawa, or even Succession into your next TTRPG session, this one’s for you.

Cheers,
Brian