Episode Archive

080 Savage Worlds RPG

We talk Savage Worlds RPG, and solicit some help from Kristian Serrano and Ron Blessing from the Savage Bloggers Network. Published by Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Savage Worlds’ motto is ‘Fast, Furious, and Fun’. We talk about what makes it fast, furious, and fun. Target number four, raises, wild die, bennies, wild cards and extras, and playing cards for initiatives are just some...

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079 Latency in RPG Combat

Latency in rpg combat occurs from time to time. Sure there are roleplaying games that have higher rates, or delays, in how combat is resolved. What causes this ‘latency’ we speak of? It could be that many players simply don’t know all the rules. Maybe there are too many rules to remember. How does a...

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078 Starting the RPG Campaign

Starting the rpg campaign takes some previous thought. How much depends on a few things, what you’re going to play and how you’ll approach your players are just two thing to consider. There is quite a bit of social contract, knowledge gathering and dissemination of information. Players are going to want to know the type...

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077 Opposed Die Rolls in RPGs

We typically use opposed die rolls in rpgs to resolve a contest between player characters or between player character and nonplayer characters. We may use skills – my push to your pull, or more like sense motive to the other’s deception. Some systems could have a different approach, re: Star Wars Edge of the Empire by Fantasy Flight...

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076 Monsters and Non Monsters

Monsters and non monsters in roleplaying games. As Game Masters we throw them at the players, but the big bad is typically a humanoid or human.  That is not necessary true. Is it? By saying this we are considering monsters as just fillers. They may be the creatures that do the bidding of some more...

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075 Gumshoe RPG System

We talk about the Gumshoe RPG system developed by Robin D. Laws and published by Pelgrane Press. Ken Hite, author of Trail of Cthulhu, wrote the game using Gumshoe system because a Call of Cthuhlu game could come to a screeching halt if a player character does not find the clue, or the gamemaster would have to scramble to...

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074 Investigative RPG

Roleplaying games are about discovery and some of that includes some type of investigation. Sure, there are games that have mechanics that help facilitate an investigative game, Gumshoe by Pelgrane Press is just one, but what about the games that don’t have investigation at its core? There is the ‘investigation’ skill in D&D 5e, but...

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073 Roleplaying Game Classes or No Classes

Roleplaying game classes, there are rpg systems that involve classes for their player characters. Examples include fighter, magic-user, thief, etc. Dungeons and Dragons and respective derivatives are ones that lead the way with player character classes. Other systems, like Basic Roleplaying, GURPS or Savage Worlds are more generic. In those games you typically build your...

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072 Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG Part 2

Part 2 of our coverage of Dungeon Crawl Classics roleplaying game. We didn’t chase off Jen Brinkman from part 1. She joins us again to keep us on track and ensure the info we convey is accurate. In this episode we mention alignment in DCC and skill checks. We continue on with the feel that...

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071 Dungeon Crawl Classics Part 1

This week we talk about the Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) role-playing game by Goodman Games. We ask Jen Brinkman, from Spellburn and Sanctum Secorum podcasts, to help us explain the rules and mechanics of this cool fantasy-based rpg. Inspired by the original Appendix N, DCC is a game that makes it clear that adventuring is dangerous,...

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