New Year, Same Dice: Refreshing Your Table Without Starting Over
A new year in tabletop roleplaying games doesn’t usually mean abandoning everything and starting over. More often, it looks like small resets. A new arc. A different system for a short run. A shift in how the group plays together. For a lot of tables, January is simply a chance to pause and ask what kind of game they actually want to be playing.
Here are a few ideas tables are using to reset or refresh their play.
#1. Try Shorter Campaigns.
How many people never get to kill Strahd? Why is it that scheduling fatigue really TPKs most groups? Instead of committing to an open-ended campaign, consider planning a 4–8 session arc. Shorter runs lower the pressure, make scheduling easier, and give everyone a clearer sense of momentum. They also make it easier to try a new system or genre without worrying about long-term burnout.
I ran for a table that liked to think of things in terms of TV series. We had season one, came to a natural end, and then rebooted for the new season with some newer characters and a time jump!
#2. Rotate the GM Role.
Sharing facilitation, especially for one-shots or limited arcs, can reinvigorate a table. If Erika Ishii can run Roll for Shoes for their friends, you’ve got a player who can step in to take the lead and give the perma-DM a break.
Rotating GMs spreads the workload, builds confidence, and helps players see how different styles shape the game. It can also make everyone more thoughtful and generous participants when they’re back on the player's side.
#3. Experiment With a Tonal Shift.
Speaking of tone shifts, even within an ongoing campaign, a temporary tonal shift can wake people’s brains up. Running a quieter, character-focused session after several combat-heavy ones, or switching genres for a short arc, can help players engage differently and notice new aspects of the story and each other.
If you’re a Mothership devotee and you notice your sessions feel repetitive, maybe try a lighter game like Outgunned, where you can live out the power fantasy of being an action hero. It might help you appreciate what you love about your home base game or get the creative juices flowing when the system lets you play differently.
#4. Make Something Together.
Not every session has to look the same. Spending a session crafting something together for the game can be surprisingly powerful. Drawing a map the party will use, creating physical artifacts, writing in-world letters, or building props can deepen immersion and give players a different way to connect to the story.
None of these changes require perfection. They’re about curiosity and permission. Trying something new, noticing how it feels, and keeping what works is often enough to refresh a table and make play feel alive again.
New year. New approaches. Same table.
#5. Try some new games.
Trying a new game is a great way to inject new energy into an old table, but it can be difficult if none of you know the system. Reach out to your local game stores or online to find GMs that are looking for new players in the systems you’re interested in. Having a guest GM for a new system can also give your regular GM a break.
And if you’re in the Chicagoland area, you’ve got the best TTRPG community in the world at your doorstep! Check out our upcoming events here at the Chicago Tabtop Gaming Association, or use the button below to join us on Discord!
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