Inspiration Point

S7E42: The End

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana are joined by Andrew to bid a very fond farewell to Inspiration Point as a podcast. Come join us as we discuss the highs and lows of the last several years, and where we're looking to go from here.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E41: Death, a Post-Mortem

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the Death campaign that's been running simultaneously on Tiana's channel and in two Patreon games. This has been a huge endeavor, and it's coming to an end (as all things must). How are we feeling about how things went?

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E40: Dispatch - Lessons from a Superhero Game

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about their new favorite video game: Dispatch. But to justify talking about it for an hour, we talk about the lessons we can learn from the game and how to apply them into TTRPGs.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E39: Dealing with Failure

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about why players (and GMs!) have a hard time when their rolls fail. (In the midst of a few other things we talked about, of course.)

S7E38: A Rambling Conversation

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 00:26:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana intended to talk about the new Draw Steel system that both of them backed on Kickstarter. The conversation took a few turns along the way, but we had fun.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E37: IP D&D - Our Tier 2 Arcane Spells

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam walks Tiana through the current list of Tier 2 Arcane spells in the IP D&D Master document. We adjust a couple things, discuss whether others should be in, and generally geek out about magic.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E36: IP D&D - Tier 3 Spells Part 2

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana finish up their Level 3 spells tier list; what's essential, what's too good, what can be left on the rubbish bin, and what can be combined with another spell to streamline the choices.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E35: IP D&D - Tier 3 Spells Part 1

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana focus on making a Level 3 spells tier list; what's essential, what's too good, what can be left on the rubbish bin, and what can be combined with another spell to streamline the choices.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E34: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - Warlock

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana return to Warlock to talk about the fantasy of the class, as well as our current class write-up for IP D&D.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E33: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - Sorcerer and Wizard

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the Heroic Classes Sorcerer and Wizard (we skipped over Warlock for the moment; tune in next week for that), going through the current write-up for the classes.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E32: IP D&D - Tier 2 Spells Part 3

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana wrap up their quest through the second level spells. Do you agree with our choices? Disagree? Do you have suggestions for martial spells? Join the Discord and tell us all about it!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Working Spell list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1thj4uee9rDCtJbj7VKKx1sTf02LNUhnEbgQ00pcZ_NM/edit?usp=sharing

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E31: IP D&D - Tier 2 Spells Part 2

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their herculean sorting task, discussing their way through the good, the useful, and the Acquisitions Incorporated.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Working Spell list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1thj4uee9rDCtJbj7VKKx1sTf02LNUhnEbgQ00pcZ_NM/edit?usp=sharing

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E30: IP D&D - Tier 2 Spells Part 1

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take on a herculean task: going through the second level spell list in D&D 5e and assigning each spell to one of the four power sources within the game. (And we develop a secret fifth list over the course of this episode.)

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Working Spell list: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1thj4uee9rDCtJbj7VKKx1sTf02LNUhnEbgQ00pcZ_NM/edit?usp=sharing

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E29: The Worst Advice!

Sun, 17 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana Ren take a break from giving good advice and lean into the mirror universe version of this show. Hopefully, some conversations that come from this are helpful for you and your table!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Five Geek Social Fallacies: https://plausiblydeniable.com/five-geek-social-fallacies/

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E28: Going Through Your Notes - Heroic Class (Assassin Through Druid)

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana go through the notes left in the Heroic Classes section of the IP Master Document (link to the doc below). We discuss what we agree with, reword a couple things to make them clearer, and dive deep into our disagreements (whether that's a disagreement with the note or with each other). Join the conversation!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E27: Discussion about Way of the FromSoft DM

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about Adam's DMing style, affectionately known as "Way of the FromSoft". What does that mean to him? How does it differ from his previous styles?

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E26: Roast Adam

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam turns to Tiana to get a read on how she feels about his GMing after sitting at his table for years. He wants it all! The good, the bad, the "WTF, man?"

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

Podcast edited by E (https://www.instagram.com/haul.away/)

S7E25: Building Monsters - Blue Dragon

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana work through Adam's Blue Dragon build. We discuss the design ethos we have in mind for enemies, how it plays out with the Blue Dragon, and where we go from here.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

AJ Pickett's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ajpickett/featured

S7E24: Control Spells (and Other Moments When Players Lose Control)

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about control spells and how to make them work without players losing agency. But what does that mean, specifically?

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E23: Equipment and Shops

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about equipment in IP D&D, and the shops where player characters can obtain this equipment. We also introduce the idea of "comfort" to the game, with various effects (both positive and negative).

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E22: Playtest After-Action Report

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the game Adam ran as a playtest for the IP D&D system. We're excited about how it went, and how the input from the players offered suggestions for changes!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E21: Conditions and Damage Types

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a look at conditions and damage types; we want the damage types to feel like they have individual identities, which means they need to do different things!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E20: Backgrounds and Ancestry

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana follow up on the idea of a level 0 character with backgrounds and ancestry, allowing players to get the basics of what a character is and can do before diving into base classes and beyond.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E19: Taking a Step Back

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the difficulties of teaching and learning a new system, and how we're using those difficulties to build a smarter system while still keeping it as distinctly Dungeons and Dragons.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E18: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - Paladin

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana do a deep dive into Paladin as rewritten for Inspiration Point D&D. This class means a lot to both of us, so we dove deeper into the fantasy of the Paladin than will be common in other Heroic Classes.

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E17: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - Assassin and Champion

Sun, 25 May 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana dive into the builds for Assassin and Champion. These were two subclasses in D&D 5e, but we're fleshing them out into their own Heroic Classes!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E16: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - Cleric and Monk

Sun, 18 May 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana begin talking about the builds for the Cleric and Monk classes. We had to start with Tiana's favorite class, after all!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E15: Heroic Classes for IP D&D - The Design Ethos

Sun, 11 May 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana begin discussing the Heroic Classes, which are the classes that player characters will choose at level 3. This is where the tree begins to truly branch, and thus there's a lot of decisions baked into the design process. Let's talk about it!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E14: Magic Systems and Spells for IP D&D

Sun, 04 May 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana do a deep dive into the magic system for IP D&D. This covers the ethos of designing the magic, the magic types, and the cantrips created thus far for Arcane, Divine, Primal, and Martial. Check out the document linked below to get more information as we discuss magic, and feel free to leave your thoughts as comments!

The Master Document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Death Campaign: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIN_3aqfME8Ut_xe36dWasRaSO-HKfYAp&si=gv4g3PVAPa4xV4m3

S7E13: Weapons Deep Dive

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana dive deep into the weapons document to talk about how weapons behave in this new system, and how to make them unique.

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

The Weapons/Armor/Combat actions doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nIZqZ49ixjmUiW1HtgFNgnZ39wuiYHi--ePeqY68m64/edit?usp=sharing

S7E12: Weapons, Armor, and Combat Actions

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana focus on redesigning the weapons and armor, with an eye to balancing accuracy in depiction with fulfilling the fantasy of the combat.

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

The Weapons/Armor/Combat actions doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nIZqZ49ixjmUiW1HtgFNgnZ39wuiYHi--ePeqY68m64/edit?usp=sharing

S7E11: Redesigning the Classes: Acolyte and Rogue

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk more about the new base classes they've been working on, taking a closer look at Acolyte and Rogue. As ever, this is all super loose and we're taking any and all suggestions in the Discord.

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Document with the base classes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

S7E10: Redesigning the Classes: Fighter and Mage

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana dive into the write-up Adam did for two of the four base classes: Fighter and Mage. The ideas held here are super loose, and we want to hear other people's opinions too!

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Document with the base classes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xHSJopmC5TPNcxnKFNxXKZRZlZKu_sgVIzwPAdJ1BxI/edit?usp=sharing

S7E9: Redesigning the Classes: Back to Basics

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about Tiana's idea about taking the class system down to four basic classes for the first few levels. It's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see how it works out!

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E8: Redesigning the Classes: How Did We Get Here?

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a break from looking at individual classes to take a broader view at the class design ethos as a whole. Both Adam and Tiana have ideas for how to dig deep into overall class design, but first, how did we get to where we are now?

History and idea document: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P1EQbgnXd7eFFffN_H9H6M2st6FPsITwChXZ_dWzVXo/edit?usp=drive_link

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E7: Rebuilding the Monk for IP D&D (Guest Host: Chris Lee, aka. A.B.I.)

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana welcome Chris back onto the podcast to talk about ~~fighting games~~ redesigning the Monk. We discuss cultural expectations tied into the name of the class, how to think about martial arts as a whole, and why Tiana is now committed to playing a Monk in Baldur's Gate 3.

Sugar Punch, Chris's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SugarPunch

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E6: Discussing Dungeons

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the first "D" in D&D: Dungeons. What's the point of dungeons? What's the best way to use them in storytelling?

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E5: Monster Design for IP D&D

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana sit down to talk about monster design and some thoughts about combat in this revamp of D&D. We talk about swarms, ideas for how to categorize monsters, and build more of our design ethos as we approach the concepts behind how to handle combat and monsters.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E4: Rebuilding the Fighter for IP D&D

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana tackle rebuilding one of the most basic classes in D&D: the Fighter. (After about a half hour of talking about video games.) Join us as we talk through the changes made thus far, and how we want to adjust more as we go.

Fighter Write-up: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NxGKfFZ6VAs-8jR9Lnyi86XV0xMbwigUy2M2lnQ9xGI/edit?usp=sharing

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E3: Rebuilding the Character Sheet for IP D&D

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a look at the reworked character sheet Adam is working on for IP D&D. The goal is to have everything easily accessible and streamlined in a way that makes sense, while keeping the skills and information that are important to the fantasy of the game. How did we do? What you would add or take away?

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E2: Rebuilding the Barbarian for IP D&D (Guest Host: Dane Filemyr)

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana sit down with guest host Dane Filemyr to talk about Adam's rewrite of the Barbarian class. Dane plays Drausken in the streamed Death campaign, who is a multiclass Fighter/Barbarian using Adam's rewrite, so we wanted to get his take on the Barbarian fantasy, how he feels about Adam's rewrite, and whether Barbarian should be a full class at all.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S7E1: Inspiration Point D&D Overview

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0800

Welcome back from the holiday break, folks! This week, Adam and Tiana sit down to talk about their ambitious project: rewrite D&D to make it more of a passion project than the lackluster thing WOTC gave the world with D&D 2024. We have a lot to unpack and rebuild and discuss; please join us as we dive ever deeper!

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E45: Season Wrap-up

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana look back over the year and talk about the lessons learned and the many games played. Time for us to head into hibernation for the rest of the year!

S6E44: The Art of War in TTRPGs

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about Adam's favorite strategy manual: The Art of War by Sun Tzu. We talk about how to use the principles in that book to change the way GMs and players think about their roles in encounters and overall gameplay.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E43: Political Intrigue (Or: Making Frienemies and Influencing People)

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about upcoming plans in the ongoing Westgate Patron game, where the party is about to start building political alliances within the city. We use that as a springboard to talk about how to set up those sorts of situations for your players, and ways that players can engage within the situations.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E42: The Anatomy of a Despot

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana are feeling TOTALLY NORMAL, NOTHING TO DISCUSS HERE, and talk about what a despot looks like. Dictators and despots can be incredibly intricate TTRPG villains, usable in a number of circumstances ranging from mustache-twirling to "doing the wrong thing for the right reasons."

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Links used in the recording:

https://anthropologyreview.org/anthropology-glossary-of-terms/despotism-a-single-ruler-who-has-absolute-power/#:~:text=One%20such%20factor%20is%20narcissism,assert%20their%20dominance%20over%20others

https://easysociology.com/sociology-of-power/understanding-despotism-features-examples-and-implications/

https://www.newsweek.com/robert-reich-fifteen-ways-recognize-tyrant-537866

S6E41: The Thirteen Keys Applied to TTRPGs

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a tool from politics and political coverage to talk about the best predictors for the survival of a TTRPG table. Because while we do our best to stay away from national politics, we do agree that there are politics inherent in table dynamics, and we want to give our listeners every chance to stack the deck in their favor.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E40: How to Make BBEGs Not (Immediately) Explode

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about Big Bad Evil Guys and how to make them feel appropriately dangerous and scary. We've all been there: you spend a campaign building up to the BBEG, and then when you get into the final fight, they go down like a tower of cards in the first few rounds. How do we make that not happen? Let's talk about it!

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E39: The Second Secret Ingredient

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana introduce the second secret ingredient. We've talked about it before in passing, but this time, we dive deep into why curiosity is the second secret ingredient and how it can elevate your games. Be curious, not judgmental.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E38: Lessons Learned

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the lessons Adam learned from running two different sessions of Death: one on Friday for a private group of Patrons, and one on Tuesday for the livestream crew. No matter how long we've been playing or GMing, there's always something new to learn if we're willing to dig in!

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E37: Redesigning the Ranger

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 23:03:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana dive into a rewrite of the Ranger player class that Adam's been working on. The goal is to design to the Ranger fantasy, without being overly reactive to the 2024 changes to the class.

The Google Doc with the rewritten class: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gCHFMjrHrnmmdlVeOJqFGaYVbxNY4flfQz-EeBcPlAE/edit?usp=sharing

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E36: A Check-In on Death

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 16:48:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a break from talking about the mechanics to talk about games currently in progress: the Death Campaign, currently playing out as a streamed game on Tiana's channel and two Patron games on Discord. We discuss the philosophies being explored, Sir Terry Pratchett gets a moment in the spotlight, and we talk about where the games are going from here.

To watch the Death Campaign live: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E35: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Druid

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana finish their evaluation of the changes to the Player Classes with a deep dive into Druid 2024. We have access to the full book now, so there's a lot more to dig through and discover; come along with us as we wrap up our discussion on Player Classes!

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E34: Games I Played Last Year That WEREN'T D&D (Guest Host: Chris Lee, aka. A.B.I.)

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Chris joins Adam and Tiana to talk about games he played last year that weren't D&D 5e. Along the way, we discuss design ethos, what we look for in games, and why so many systems work great for Persona.

Sugar Punch, Chris's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SugarPunch

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E33: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Sorcerer and Wizard

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their discussion about the changes to Player Character classes in the upcoming 2024 Player's Handbook. We're comparing two classes with a lot of similarities to see how they hold up in the new edition

Sorcerer blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1769-2024-sorcerer-vs-2014-sorcerer-whats-new

Wizard blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1753-2024-wizard-vs-2014-wizard-whats-new

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E32: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Warlock and Bard

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their discussion about the changes to Player Character classes in the upcoming 2024 Player's Handbook. It's charisma hour with Warlocks and Bards, two of the funnest classes to play!

Warlock blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1756-2024-warlock-vs-2014-warlock-whats-new

Bard blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1768-2024-bard-vs-2014-bard-whats-new

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E31: Being a Professional GM (Guest Host: Sam Tillis)

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Tiana takes on the solo hosting role again and welcomes Sam Tillis to the podcast to discuss his journey to becoming a professional GM and how he handles the differences between games as recreation and games as profession.

Sam's Links: https://linktr.ee/stillis.gaming

Emissary link: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/447790/emissary

Death Campaign: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E30: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Paladin and Cleric

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their discussion about the changes to the player classes in the 2024 Player's Handbook. We discuss Paladin and Cleric, with our opinions about the changes

Paladin blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1749-2024-paladin-vs-2014-paladin-whats-new

Cleric blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1767-2024-cleric-vs-2014-cleric-whats-new

Death Campaign live on Tuesdays at 6 pm Pacific: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E29: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Ranger

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their deep-dive into what's known so far about the 2024 player classes. While we planned to talk about two classes as before, we had a lot to say about ranger and our perspective on the design philosophy behind the changes.

Ranger blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1759-2024-ranger-vs-2014-ranger-whats-new

Death Campaign live on Tuesdays at 6 pm Pacific: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E28: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Rogue and Monk

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their discussion about the changes to the player classes in the 2024 Player's Handbook. We discuss Rogue and Monk, with some digression into YouTubers and Star Wars.

Rogue blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1752-2024-rogue-vs-2014-rogue-whats-new

Monk blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1758-2024-monk-vs-2014-monk-whats-new

Death Campaign live on Tuesdays at 6 pm Pacific: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E27: 2014 vs 2024 Classes - Barbarian and Fighter

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana begin talking about the changes to the player classes in the 2024 D&D Player Handbook. We're working from the playtest bundles and the D&DBeyond blog posts, comparing the 2014 classes to the new changes.

Barbarian blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1750-2024-barbarian-vs-2014-barbarian-whats-new

Fighter blog post: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1746-2024-fighter-vs-2014-fighter-whats-new

Death Campaign live on Tuesdays at 6 pm Pacific: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E26: Mob Combat (Guest Host: Alandra Hileman)

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Tiana takes on the solo host role and welcomes Alandra Hileman onto the show to talk about tips and tricks for running mob combat in D&D 5e. We use examples from Phandelver and Below, a campaign Tiana recently wrapped up, to discuss ideas for making the juggling act behind the GM screen as smooth as possible.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation!

Alandra's itch.io page: https://ladybedivere.itch.io/

Keys from the Golden Vault, GM'd by Alandra, over on Quests and Chaos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSM6UhQ5Q6LIyy4uUQVV2sAG0MeA-P6t

Phandelver and Below, GM'd by Tiana, over on Quests and Chaos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSM6UhQ5Q6JF3hrzaTwY8zlbanZ9vWxc

S6E25: Running a Horror Game (Guest Host: Dan Waszkiewicz)

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana are joined by Dan Waszkiewicz, Handler of The Redacted Reports, to talk about running a horror game. We talk about tone and themes, along with some safety tools that we think are essential to the experience.

Join our Discord to offer your opinions! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Dan's preferred safety toolkit: https://ttrpgsafetytoolkit.com/

Check out Dan and Tiana on The Redacted Reports! www.theredactedreportspodcast.com

Check out a product in the Tiny D6 system Dan wrote for! https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/258276/tinyzine-issue-7

And check out Tiana's channel for the Death game Adam runs and the Vampire: the Masquerade one-on-one game Dan runs for Tiana! www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E24: Dragon Age - The Veilguard

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a break from discussing TTRPGs to discuss a game franchise we both hold dear: Dragon Age. There's a new trailer released (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F3N4Lxw4_Y), and we have OPINIONS.

Check out the upcoming Death game run by Adam with Tiana as a player at https://www.twitch.ttv/vanalosswen

And join our Discord to offer your opinions! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E23: Death - Session Zero

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the session zero Adam ran for the new Patron games, including going over his table rules and the general conceit for the upcoming game.

The streamed version of Death can be found here! https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

Join our Discord to offer your opinion! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E22: Roses and Thorns - A Gnarled Frontier Post-Mortem

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana discuss the recently-finished Patron game, Gnarled Frontier. Adam reflects on the lessons he learned as a GM from this campaign, and goes over some of his Roses (high points) and Thorns (challenges/learning opportunities).

Join our Discord to offer your opinion! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E21: Curiosity and Table Dynamics

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the social interactivity of TTRPGs at the table, the importance of playing to the audience (seen or unseen), and how curiosity can build the experience of everyone.

Join our Discord to offer your opinion! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E20: The Fourth Spell Component

Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about ways to elevate the spellcasting experience and how to bring in the fourth component of a spell: roleplay. While we don't think every spell needs in-depth roleplay to make it better, we do have some thoughts and suggestions for how to use spells in a less RAW way to make the experience more dynamic.

Join our Discord to offer your opinion! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E19: Campaign Announcement and Preparation

Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana are thrilled to announce that Adam will be running a livestreamed D&D 5e game on Tiana's personal Twitch channel. The live session zero will be June 11th, with the campaign running through the summer. We're excited to give our listeners a sneak peek into what's coming down the pike. Join our Discord to stay updated! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

Tiana's channel where the campaign will be aired: https://www.twitch.tv/vanalosswen

S6E18: Five Principles of Designing Part 2

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue digging into the five principles of design, using subclasses we designed for this project. Do you have thoughts about what we've done? Want to try the subclasses out for yourself? Let us know at the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E17: Five Principles of Designing Part 1

Thu, 02 May 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana look at principles presented by Treant Monk for handling design choices. There's a lot of thought that goes into game design balance, but we think Treant Monk had a good set of thoughts with the series of questions we go into.

Continue the conversation in the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E16: Find Your Voice

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about character voices and do a short exercise to play with voice. We can put so much of what makes a character who they are into the way we choose to speak as them, and it's a lot of fun to dig into that kind of thing.

Continue the conversation in the Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E15: The Intention Is Not To Intend

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana reflect on the Patron Westgate game we played the day before, and what it taught Adam in terms of GM control and how to let go. At the core of it all, punitive punishment AND mercy are forms of control that GMs need to examine and grow beyond.

Join the conversation in the Discord: https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E14: Triton with a Trident - A Quiz Show

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam takes Tiana through a series of D&D 5e rules questions used on the YouTube channel Jorphdan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qfhVN64AiA&t=100s) to see how well she knows more obscure D&D 5e questions. Take the quiz yourself, and let us know how you did in our Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E13: Campaign Planning Part 3

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam wraps up taking Tiana through a campaign planning document he assigns to his D&D students in his day job. We've been having a good time diving deep into the core concepts of creating a campaign, so grab a notebook and start noodling your own ideas!

The document Adam uses: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alwm8ghRSKMFnOEP941VcYERXMxKadL3Df0WYmjKXsE/edit

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E12: Campaign Planning Part 2

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam continues taking Tiana through a campaign planning document he assigns to his D&D students in his day job. We'll be diving deep into the core concepts of creating a campaign over the next few weeks, so grab a notebook and start noodling your own ideas!

The document Adam uses: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alwm8ghRSKMFnOEP941VcYERXMxKadL3Df0WYmjKXsE/edit

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E11: Campaign Planning Part 1

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam begins taking Tiana through a campaign planning document he assigns to his D&D students in his day job. We'll be diving deep into the core concepts of creating a campaign over the next few weeks, so grab a notebook and start noodling your own ideas!

The document Adam uses: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Alwm8ghRSKMFnOEP941VcYERXMxKadL3Df0WYmjKXsE/edit

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E10: Afflictions - Diseases and Poisons

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about a part of the Dungeon Master's Guide that isn't commonly used: Chapter 8, Diseases and Poisons. While diseases and poisons touch our real world in some interesting ways (*cough cough*), we're interested in how they can be used to tell a story. Come join us!

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E9: Level One Spells Tier List - Part 3

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continuing talking about first level D&D spells and where we rank them. Bucking the usual tier list conventions, we rank them by things like RP potential and how much they serve the secret ingredient in a tabletop party. There's definitely some interesting opinions about the spells in this list! Come join us as we talk about them.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E8: Level One Spells Tier List - Part 2

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E7: Level One Spells Tier List - Part 1

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana start talking about first level D&D spells and where we rank them. Bucking the usual tier list conventions, we rank them by things like RP potential and how much they serve the secret ingredient in a tabletop party. There's definitely some interesting opinions about the spells in this list! Come join us as we talk about them.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E6: DMG Deep Dive - Creating Encounters

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about making encounters more than just trading hit points, using an encounter that happened in the Westgate Patron game Adam runs. We specifically look at page 81, where the DMG talks about Character Objectives that drive encounters. When you know your characters and what they want, focusing in on how to make the players feel is incredibly rewarding.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E5: DMG Deep Dive - Building a Monster

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about making a monster for encounters that may not fit the typical mold. Whether that's something silly for a joke game (as we inevitably did) or changing up a known monster to keep people from metagaming, GMs should never be afraid to mess with monsters to keep things interesting.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E4: D&D 5e vs Baldur's Gate 3

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the ways Baldur's Gate 3 changed D&D 5e rules, and which of the changed rules we'd bring into our games. Some of the changes are great! Others...well, it's a video game, there's thing we can't really do around the table. Check out the resource we used here: https://bg3.wiki/wiki/D%26D_5e_rule_changes

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E3: Factions and Families

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about ways to begin your TTRPG game that doesn't involve "you walk into a tavern..." While that is a time-honored tradition, we feel like there's a ton of ways to get player characters together for that first session so they can start learning about each other, and one of our favorite ways is factions. Have a listen, see what you think! (Gnarled Frontier players, Adam requests that you skip 51:03 to 51:53 because of spoilers for your Patron game.)

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/fQkm2tFh7U

S6E2: Necessary Suffering

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about suffering in games, and how conflict results in a story that everyone remembers. While we don't advocate for GM sadism, there is an element of suffering and striving that makes the storytelling better for everyone.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S6E1: New Year's Resolutions

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0800

Happy New Year, everyone! This week, Adam and Tiana look back at the year we just wrapped up and talk about what we liked, and what we want to improve. New Year's Resolutions are always a challenge, but we think there's been a lot of interesting things happening in the TTRPG space lately.

Join our Discord to continue the conversation! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S5E23: Winter Wrap-up!

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana welcome Andrew back onto the podcast to wrap up the year. We talk about Baldur's Gate, give Andrew a pop quiz on the subject we've talked about without him, and talk about holiday plans. Come join us as we finish up this year with warmth, laughter, and love.

S5E22: Players, Engage

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the issue of player engagement from the player side. It's so easy to get distracted and veer off in various directions, but it's so important to keep combat turns focused and RP moments engaged. We offer some tips on the subject, but would love to hear thoughts from you!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S5E21: DMG Deep Dive - NPCs

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about NPCs who become part of the party, or otherwise aid the campaign in significant ways. There are real dangers about DMPCs, or other ways that NPCs can steal the show; join us as we talk about the benefits and pitfalls, and build our own NPC with a series of dice rolls.

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/gYSp3vcrqs

S5E20: Grab Bag

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana had a plan for the episode topic. It was even going to be a good one! And then we kinda rabbit trailed in a bunch of different directions, all at once. So grab a mug of your preferred comfort drink, wrap up in a blanket against the autumn weather, and come hang with us as we talk about burnout and how to prevent it, campaign planning, Big Moments in our personal gaming history, and a bunch of things in between. Including Bluey!

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/Qwc7KSfwtd

S5E19: Let Your Player Characters Know Things!

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the first session of the new Patron game, Westgate, and discuss a cool realization Adam had during the game. There's a lot of ways to get information to players and their characters! But one of the more interesting ways is for the players to know at least some of the knowledge, and let them pass it along in character whenever and however they see fit.

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/Qwc7KSfwtd

S5E18: Session Zero Activities

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about a very important part of any gaming experience: the session zero. Running a successful session zero can feel very intimidating, so we're talking about activities that a GM can use to explore themes and ideas with their players in a fun and engaging way.

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/Qwc7KSfwtd

S5E17: Just Do It

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a break from mechanics to talk motivation. There's a lot of anxiety around GMing TTRPGs; every one of us have felt it. But! Letting anxiety and fears block the stories you have to tell is a crime, and we're here to pump you up and hopefully inspire you to get out there and tell your stories.

Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/Qwc7KSfwtd

S5E16: DMG Deep Dive - Random Encounter Tables

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue their deep dive into Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. This time, we're talking about random encounter tables; when to use them, how to use them, and thoughts for how to build them for your campaign. While we agree that fights just for the sake of fights can be a massive pain, we think there's value in using encounter tables to flesh out the world. See what you think!

S5E15: DMG Deep Dive - Building an Event-Based Campaign

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a look at chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master's Guide to discuss how to build a campaign around an event. We talk about Big Bad Evil Guys (BBEGs), the event at the center of the campaign, and how to hook players into the story. The results are rather absurd!

S5E14: Player Character Death

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana dive into a topic that can be a challenge for both GMs and players: the death of a player character. We talk about examples from games that we've played, as well as looking at how character death can shape a story. While it can be a somber topic, as we all get deeply attached to the characters we play, we hope that this discussion can open up some discussion about when and why it's sometimes the right play.

S5E13: Anxiety and Self-Consciousness

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a bit of a step back from the mechanics of the game and talk about some of the struggles that come with running and playing games. Specifically, we discuss anxiety and the tendency to overthink every decision, and talk about some of the ways we handle that kind of mental struggle. We're not mental health professionals, but we are gamers and GMs who deal with this issue on a regular basis.

S5E12: Wrath of the Scorned Post Mortem and Gamer Spaces

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana take a step back and talk about the Patron game that just wrapped up, Wrath of the Scorned. We discuss themes and how the final confrontation fit within the narrative of the game overall, and how Adam has been seeding things throughout that Tiana entirely missed until they came to fruition. We then switch over to talking about game tables and what we want from the spaces where we play. There's so many variables when it comes to tables and lighting and music; we have our preferences, but we're always open to new ideas.

S5E11: Encounter Builders - Hags

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 12:47:00 -0800

This week, inspired by events in Baldur's Gate 3, Adam and Tiana talk about hags. We talk about their origins in mythology, how they've been used in stories in the past, and how to set the stage to make the encounter truly memorable. CW: Light body horror.

S5E10: Setup and Payoff

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0800

In this week's episode, Adam and Tiana talk about using setup and payoff to create memorable moments for your games. We show examples of setup leading to a satisfying payoff, and touch on a couple times in media when it doesn't work and discuss why that may be the case.

Video referenced in the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGDdpXLc1CQ&t=1s

S5E9: Optimization and Roleplaying

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about the Do's and Don'ts of balancing optimization and roleplay. We all know the kinds of players who focus on getting their numbers higher, or the players who want to do something unoptimized for the sake of a good roleplay flavor. Where's the balance between the two, and what are some pitfalls to watch out for?

S5E8: Player Jobs

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about jobs the players can take on to relieve some of the burden the GM carries. This is a great way to build up some of that Strength player stat, and make things easier for the GM as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list! Add to the list or take away as suits your table.

S5E7: Player Stats - Mental

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana continue the conversation by delving deeper into the mental stats: Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. We definitely have opinions about which stat is the most important, but we feel that a blend of the stats is necessary for every player.

S5E6: Player Stats - Physical

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week as a follow-up to the previous episode talking about GM stats, Adam and Tiana talk about physical player stats: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, so we talk about what it looks like to be strong in a stat, while offering some suggestions for how to improve your game in that area.

S5E5: Making Meaningful Quests

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana discuss something we consider to be the meat and potatoes of a good TTRPG experience: making quests that are meaningful for players. Everything in a TTRPG experience should be character-centric, but how does that translate to quests and getting PCs where we want them to be?

S5E4: Plot vs. Exposition vs. Dialogue

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0800

This week, Adam and Tiana talk about managing information in a TTRPG and how best to give players information without their eyes glazing over. We all know the desire to tell players everything, but is that the best way to get information across? Let's talk about it!

S5E3: Races in TTRPGs

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Adam and Tiana discuss the hot-button issue of races in TTRPGs. While we briefly touch on some of the real world problems connected to fantasy races, we focus more on what makes a race within storytelling interesting while using the mechanics, because the story is the most interesting aspect of the game for us.

S05 E2: Forgotten Rules of the Forgotten Realms

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Adam and Tiana talk about the optional rules from the D&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide that are seldom used or generally ignored. While the devil is certainly in the details, we think that there's also a lot of flavor and storytelling that can really shine in the usage of optional rules.

S05 E1: (Re)Introductions and Romance in TTRPGs

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Adam gives a brief explanation about what's been going on behind the scenes and introduces his new co-host: Tiana Ren Hanson. It's been a while since she was last on this show, so we talk about her experience in TTRPGs, performance, podcasts, and life in general. We then discuss a topic near and dear to both of our hearts: romance in TTRPGs and how it can add greater depths to the emotional experience at the table. While romance can be considered to be one of THOSE topics, we think there's a lot to be gained if players and GMs want to explore those emotions.

S04 E17: Homebrew 5e Changes

Sun, 28 May 2023 16:00:00 -0800

After all the things that have been happening with WotC and the direction OneD&D seems to be going in, Adam has been thinking a lot about various alternative changes that could be implemented in order to bring a different feeling to playing the game. To top it off, many of the changes we discuss here are changes you could implement at your own table very easily; so give 'em a shot!