In this episode we discuss the question of racial ability bonuses in D&D and other TTRPG systems. Is race the best way to give the flavor of the setting or does it just bring with it uncomfortable stereotypes drawn from the real world? Which will win in our discussion nature or nurture? If you roll a muscle wizard does that save you from the Tolkien hole?
In the second part of our discussion of Dungeons and Dragons 5e and our pirate campaign, we talk about how to play pirates in a fantasy roleplaying setting. We also discuss our collaborative world-building session.
Avast ye! Here be piratey accents. Yuv bin warrn’d. Arrrrrr!
“Nature made me a freak. Man made me a weapon. And God made it last too long.”
Logan, Logan
“This is what life looks like…”
Professor X, Logan
In this installment of Movie Mining, where we mine movies for RPG ideas, we review the 2017 film Logan and discuss what lessons we learned on how to play older characters in your RPG campaigns. We also talk about the Old Man Logan comic series where the movie drew inspiration. So, if you’re wondering how can you balance the benefit of long experience with the physical ravages of time to create a deep and interesting player character or NPC, find out in our review, bub. Snikt!
You laugh at them at the circus. You welcome them into your homes to entertain your children. You let them sell you hamburgers. But who are the men and women who hide behind the makeup. In this Creature Feature, we showcase clowning through history, and we discuss how you can play them as antagonists and protagonists in your role-playing games. And before you ask, “sexy clown” did not make the cut.
For a longer discussion on clowns listen to our podcast here.
“What are you going to do with those pies, boys?”
– second last words of Farmer Gene Green
“Aaaarrrrgh!”
– last words of Farmer Gene Green
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Happy Halloween! You laugh at them at the circus. You welcome them into your homes to entertain your children. You let them sell you hamburgers. But in this Creature Feature, we look at the horror that is the clown. We discuss clowning through history and clowns in fiction. And while we can’t imagine why anyone would want to play them as protagonists, we share ideas on how you could.
Also check out our video on clowns here.
From the vault! In this previously unreleased episode from 2015, Wayne and Lyal blasphemously tastefully add Christianity to our Pantheon Pandemonium series. This is an episode for those looking for ways to bring the Arian controversy and the Trinity into their RPG (And who isn’t?) or for those who want their in-game religions to feel more realistic.
We also give our reaction to a trailer for a movie that came out in 2016. Current!
A return of a classic series: Creature Features!
In this installment, we talk about golems, the unstoppable clay (Wait, clay?) automatons, and similar constructs. Listen to find out how you can create a homunculus using porn and a horse uterus or a Seto Taisho through sheer laziness. We also discuss It!, the 1967 horror classic that shows how innocent we once were about the dangers of nuclear weapons and the durability of clay.
“Memento mori.” (Remember you will die.)
-the famous phrase whispered in the ear of a victorious general during a triumph
“Shut the f**k up.”
-the less famous response
With hanami (cherry blossom viewing) still fresh in their minds, Wayne and Lyal discuss festivals and the questions you need to ask yourself when including them in your game. We also discuss Savage Rifts (guitar riff), the game that threatens to break the Internet.
In this episode, we pick the five RPGs every role player should have on his or her shelf, including which edition to have. These aren’t our five favourite games or the five most popular games of all time. Nope. These are five games whose mere possession will contribute to your overall gaming experience.
These are the criteria we used. Play along at home.
Innovative
Impact
Representative of a specific type of a game
Widespread
Paid us to mention them (Kidding. No company took us up on our offer.)
“I’m just a simple goblin. Do you know we don’t have a word for ‘family’ or ‘love’? Suffice to say, I don’t really understand your attachment to the small humans. I have noticed, however, that most of you will do whatever it takes to prevent … misfortune befalling your wee ones. Goblins also don’t have a word for ‘regret,’ but I know you do. Think about the regrets you’ll have if you don’t take my offer.”
-“Glassy” Salo, bootlegger, racketeer, businessman, goblin
In this installment of Creature Features, we look at the lowly goblin. Will you play them as tiny fodder, as roguish antiheroes, or as unchecked capitalists?
