Mastering Minimal Prep: Running Great TTRPG Sessions When You're Short on Time and Energy

Are you a Game Master juggling real life and game night with little to no prep time? Feeling drained but still want to run a meaningful session? You’re not alone—and you don’t need hours of notes to make magic happen.

In this episode of The Bearded Nerd Podcast, Brian shares practical, low-effort strategies to help GMs run amazing TTRPG sessions—even when time and energy are running low. Learn how to “lift and shift” content from past sessions, empower your players to drive the story, and keep your encounters fun and flexible without getting bogged down in perfection.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• How to run a session with less than 30 minutes of prep

• The “Lift and Shift” method for reusing maps, NPCs, and encounters

• How to lean into player agency and improv when you’re running on fumes

• Tools, apps, and analog tricks to speed up your game

• When to shorten your session—and still leave players wanting more

Whether you’re a new GM or a seasoned world-builder dealing with burnout, this episode is packed with easy wins and confidence boosters to help you keep the game alive.

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🎲 Resources & Mentions:

• Donjon, Kassoon, and Fantasy Name Generators for fast prep

• Roll20, Owlbear Rodeo for quick online sessions

• Patreon extras for plug-and-play encounters and GM cheat sheets

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🧔 Hosted by Brian, the Nerdy Podcaster behind The Bearded Nerd
💬 Join the community & support the show here
📩 Got questions or topic requests? Reach out to thebeardednerdvlog@gmail.com