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FREE TICKETS?! Yes, really. In this episode of Tickets to Travel: The Business of Travel Experiences , we’re joined by the ultimate guest list insider, Lance Dashoff, founder of Loudie — the app that’s quietly revolutionizing how fans score free concert, comedy, and festival tickets across the U.S. From his early days at WME curating VIP access, to launching a platform that fills empty seats and fuels unforgettable nights out, Lance spills the tea on: Why 30–40% of tickets go unsold How promoters are secretly using free ticketing to boost bar sales and fan buzz The economics behind live events and why not all sold-out shows are actually sold out How Loudie helps fans and venues win — without the scammy vibes Why travel pros and concierges should start recommending this app yesterday Whether you’re in LA, NYC, or stuck in traffic on the way to Philly — this is the episode you can’t afford to miss (literally). Download Loudie, follow us @tix2travelpod on TikTok, IG, and YouTube, and grab your next night out before someone else does. Because every ticket is a ticket to travel — and sometimes the best ones are free. www.tttpod.com…
Content provided by Lair Of Secrets. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Lair Of Secrets or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Ken elaborates on the Attention Economy - how many things people need to keep track of - for D&D 2024, and how it differs from the 2014. (and yeah, this explains his initial reaction to the Blade Ward cantrip back in Episode 5). He reviews the idea of the Action Economy (how many things a player can do in a round), how it relates to the Attention Economy (how many things a player needs to keep track of), and the implications for speed of play. Chapters 0:00 - Intro – What is the Attention Economy?1:15 - Action Economy vs. Attention Economy2:45 - How D&D 5E Streamlined Play3:30 - High-Level Play and Complexity Challenges4:20 - D&D 2024 – Exciting or Overwhelming?5:10 - Final Thoughts & Experimenting with the New Rules Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch The D&D Attention Economy - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 7) on YouTube.
Content provided by Lair Of Secrets. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Lair Of Secrets or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Ken elaborates on the Attention Economy - how many things people need to keep track of - for D&D 2024, and how it differs from the 2014. (and yeah, this explains his initial reaction to the Blade Ward cantrip back in Episode 5). He reviews the idea of the Action Economy (how many things a player can do in a round), how it relates to the Attention Economy (how many things a player needs to keep track of), and the implications for speed of play. Chapters 0:00 - Intro – What is the Attention Economy?1:15 - Action Economy vs. Attention Economy2:45 - How D&D 5E Streamlined Play3:30 - High-Level Play and Complexity Challenges4:20 - D&D 2024 – Exciting or Overwhelming?5:10 - Final Thoughts & Experimenting with the New Rules Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch The D&D Attention Economy - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 7) on YouTube.
The edgerunners finally flipped the switch at the bottom of Elysium HQ's subbasements. As the power surged back, a wrathful AI queen named Hera burst to life, proclaiming her refusal to serve any false gods or corporate masters. She sees to draw the crew — APT, Angry Bob, Omen, and Atlas — into her web of revenge against Jason Antilles, a tech bro CIO who escaped Earth’s devastation for an orbital Olympus. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters :00 Intro1:04 Recap of the last mission2:27 Hera awakens, demands loyalty5:00 Digging into Antilles’ backstory7:15 The wrathful queen’s digital gifts10:00 Team heals up in eerie med-labs15:00 Planning escape routes, avoiding turrets20:00 Discussing Erebus, Cerberus, and past scars25:00 Moral debates and fixer mysteries30:00 Stepping back into the hot zone35:00 Prepping next moves and research42:00 Outro and episode wrap-up Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Cyberpunk RED Chapter 10: Hera's Wrath on YouTube. Show Notes Recap of the team’s mission: descend into Elysium HQ, flip the switch, collect payday Activation of Hera, an AI queen filled with rage against Hercules Corp and Jason Antilles Team dialogue with Hera: pledging loyalty (for now) to survive, receiving cryptic gifts (golden apple, pomegranate, persimmon) Background on Antilles, Olympus orbital, and corporate lore Tension builds over the meaning of Hera’s demands and the risks of unleashing AI beyond the Blackwall Characters reflect on past wounds (both physical and emotional) while healing in futuristic med bays Planning next steps: research Hera, investigate who hired them, understand the nature of the gifts, and strategize upcoming infiltrations Banter and camaraderie among players, with moral dilemmas surfacing Cliffhanger: the team escapes the ruins, heading into Night City’s dangerous streets on foot, fruits and fate in tow Featured Image Meta A marble bust of the Greek goddess Hera.…
Grab your coffee and join the Lair crew as we unpack the challenge of fostering player agency in tabletop RPGs. We explore how to spark proactive decisions, avoid the paralysis of infinite choice, and leverage mechanics that reward bold, cinematic play. Chapters 0:00 Intro1:00 Star Wars Sparks and hesitant players3:00 Fear of splitting the party and analysis paralysis6:30 Encouraging proactive play and giving permission10:00 Using patrons and clear motivations14:00 Narrative hooks and inciting actions17:00 Video game parallels and open-world stress20:00 Mechanics: fate points, plot points, and inspiration24:00 Player chaos: volunteering as hostages26:00 Minion promotions and closing comments Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Player Agency on YouTube. Show Notes Erin’s Star Wars SPARKS games: hesitant players and dusty Star Destroyers Fear of splitting the party and the paralysis of choice Giving players permission to act and making decisions cinematic Narrative hooks: long-lost brothers, ticking clocks, and patrons Game mechanics fueling agency: Fate Core, Cortex, Savage Worlds, inspiration points Stories from the table: defeating big bads too quickly, volunteering as hostages, “Benny from The Mummy” moments The balance between modules and improvisation Open-world video game parallels (No Man’s Sky, Red Dead Redemption, Skyrim) The episode’s closing: minion questions, potential promotions, and how to connect with the show Featured Image Meta A collection of twenty-sided dice.…
With the first arc of our Fallout 2d20 campaign completed, we sit down with some coffee to reflect on the game. We talk about the 2d20 system's strengths, campaign story arcs, funky dice, perk cards, and immersive mechanics. Looking ahead, we think about future campaign goals, new characters, and deeper dives into Fallout-style survival gameplay. Want more Fallout 2d20? Check out: Post: Fallout 2d20 Campaign & RPG Resources Podcast: Gore and Lore in Fallout – Campaigns & Coffee Podcast: Fallout Zones Chapters 0:00 Intro & Fallout Campaign Overview1:17 First Impressions of the Fallout 2D20 System3:38 Luck as a Game-Breaking Stat?6:05 Perks, PDFs, and the Art of Scavenging8:22 Critiques: Special Dice, Proprietary Components10:23 What Didn't Work—Or We Didn't Use13:40 Cheat Sheets and GM Tools14:44 Favorite In-Game Moments16:42 Character Growth and Future Arcs20:15 Would You Play It Again?21:56 Combat Mechanics and Cover23:04 Planning the Next Arc: Session Zero Redux24:56 Minion Mailbag: Dungeon Guard Duty Snacks26:10 Outro Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Wrap-up (Campaigns & Coffee) on YouTube. Show Notes Fallout 2D20 system wrap-up after six sessions Reflections on long break and return to post-apocalyptic play Mechanics discussion: perks, action points, special dice, and the role of luck Praise and critiques: rulebook usability, proprietary materials, and gameplay smoothness Favorite moments: Pip-Boy puzzles, Nurse 17’s goldfish crusade, and ghoul roleplay Hopes for future arcs: deeper scavenging, zone maps, and expanded character growth Josh contemplating retiring "Lucky Buck" Session Zero for planning future campaign direction Bonus question: Best snack for dungeon guard duty Featured Image The door from Vault 81 in Fallout 4.…
Join us for the Lair of Secrets' annual summer reading list! We run down a few of the books on our respective lists, but we're always looking for more! Featured in this episode are: Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Infinite Archive (The Midsolar Murders #3) by Mur Lafferty Vicious by V.E. Schwab As well as side quests to talk about Iain Banks' The Culture series, Terry Prachett's Discworld, and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. Suggest your own book ideas in the comments! Chapters 0:00 Intro & Rocket Misfires0:40 Red Sonja: Sword & Sorcery Revival1:45 Moon Cheese Madness: Scalzi’s Absurd Apocalypse3:10 Seveneves vs. Moon Made of Cheese4:20 Ghosts in Cryo: Cold Eternity Breakdown5:35 Space Opera and the Glam-paign Idea6:50 Infinite Archive: Murder, She Wrote in Space8:00 Vicious by V.E. Schwab: Superpowered Rivalry9:10 The Overflowing To-Read Pile10:20 Pratchett’s Final Discworld Reflections11:20 Saying Goodbye to The Culture Series12:00 More Books, More Time: Summer Reading Goals13:10 Share Your Book Picks!14:00 Outro & Call to Action Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Summer Reading List 2025 (S4E24) on YouTube. Show Notes Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone (Ken) - I got this as a Christmas present, and I’m looking forward to Gail’s take on Red Sonja in novel form (I already read the comic book series she wrote; it was great). From the book blurb: The gutsy, wild, tortured free spirit, forged in pain yet unafraid of life or death, Red Sonja, the famous, fiery She-Devil and barbarian of Hyrkania has never concerned herself with the consequences of her actions. She’s taken what she wanted, from treasure to drink to the companionship of bedfellows. She’s fought who deserved it (and sometimes those who didn’t). And she’s never looked back. But when rumors start bubbling up from her homeland—rumors of unknown horrors emerging from the ground and pulling their unsuspecting victims to their deaths—and a strange voice begins whispering to her in her sleep, she realizes she may have to return to the country that abandoned her. And finally do the only thing that has ever scared her: confront her past. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (David) - I’ve been a fan of most of Scalzi’s books. This is one of his more humorous books like Starter Villain and Kaiju Preservation Society. I’m looking forward to it. It’s also going to hold me over until the next Old Man’s War book comes out. The moon has turned into cheese. Now humanity has to deal with it. For some it’s an opportunity. For others it’s a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now... something absolutely impossible. Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives -- over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you’d expect, and then to so many places you wouldn’t. It’s a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket. Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (Ken) – Barnes’ third sci-fi/horror/ghost story novel is out. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the first two, which makes this one an easy pick. Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth’s most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago… The cryo program,…
The crew infiltrates a raider lair to rescue a kidnapped girl, navigating irradiated sewers, sentry turrets, and a heavily armed Thriftway gang. Steve NuGunnar faces off against his nemesis Thriftway in a brutal final encounter to reclaim his prized NuRay 3000. Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Fallout 2d20 Resources: Links to community forums, wikis, rules, podcasts, and cheat sheets. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Recap2:10 Turret Ambush!4:59 Raider Chase Begins7:35 Ghoulardi Loots, Team Pushes Forward14:00 Echoes and Radiation20:00 The Showdown Chamber28:00 Frag Grenade Chicken Toss36:00 Raider Meltdown in the Water45:00 Lucky Buck and the Leg Blasts54:00 Ghoulardi's Sniper Shot1:03:00 Nuka Cherry Rage Shotgun1:12:00 Raider Wrath and Ramming Speed1:20:00 The Last Shot at Thriftway1:27:00 Terminal Hacking Mini-Game1:39:00 Brotherhood Logs & Power Armor1:41:00 Cliffhanger Ending Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Chapter 5: Thriftway Throwdown on YouTube. Show Notes Recap of the mission: tracking the kidnapped girl from Covenant Opening battle: turret gun ambush and team tactics Nurse 17 charges into the fray armed with teddy bears and tea party rage Lucky Buck's accidental luck-fueled sharpshooting streak Ghoulardi’s chicken-stuffed frag grenade attack Steve NuGunnar confronts Thriftway for the NuRay 3000 Girl rescued from a makeshift cage by Nurse 17 Fallout-style terminal hacking minigame live! Discovery of Brotherhood T-60 power armor and terminal logs Time freezes, leaving the team mid-victory… Featured Image A view of sewers from Fallout 4.…
On this episode, Ken recaps running ShadowDark, Mothership, and Gaslands Refueled at a local RPG convention. We also delve into how to support your local conventions (MEPACon in the Pennsylvania, and Who's Yer Con? in Indiana). Chapters 0:00 Intro & MEPACon Setup2:10 Venue Upgrade & Con History4:00 ShadowDark: Morka Norden Recap7:00 Learning from Live Play & Light Mechanics9:30 Mothership Funnel: Decanted Breakdown13:00 Emergency Decanting & Medical Mishaps17:00 Engineering, Design Tweaks, & Player Strategy22:00 Gaslands: Straight to Hell Tutorial26:00 Concrete Jungle & Advanced Play Challenges30:00 Why Local Cons Matter & Final Reflections Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Support your Local Convention (S4E22) on YouTube. Show Notes MEPACon RECAP What is MEPACon? MEPACon stands for "Mid-Eastern Pennsylvania Gaming Convention" Located near Allentown, PA About 30 minutes from Ken’s house. Held every six month, in spring and fall Not sure on the exact head count, but Ken's thinking 150 people. Probably more. Moved to Delta Hotels by Marriott, which is a MUCH better hotel than the previous one (which is being torn down) Ken ran four games: Decanted: A Mothership funnel … that failed at being a funnel. Except, maybe not? Morka Nordan: A ShadowDark adventure ripped from Ken’s lunchtime adventure Got used to the digital tabletop handling all the light stuff. It's harder to do in the real world. This is the game where Ken realized just how many ShadowDark mistakes he'd made with his lunch time game. Two Gaslands Refueled games Straight to Hell: A 2-hour intro game Concrete Jungle: A 2-hour race/battle royal game that probably needs to be 4 hours. And maybe I just need to run three 2-hour slot tutorials during the weekend to build up a base of experienced players. Supporting Your Local Conventions Importance of local conventions for playtesting, community, and outreach Thoughts on prepping for Who’s Yer Con and leveraging past games Reflections on building in-person player communities post-pandemic Featured Image Meta An old-time ariel map of Allentown, PA.…
After some bartering in Covenant, the Wastelanders continue their quest to hunt down Thriftway's raiders. The Wastelanders' goal? Recover Steve NuGunner's NuRay 3000. Oh, and a girl who was kidnapped from Covenant by the raiders. Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Fallout 2d20 Resources: Links to community forums, wikis, rules, podcasts, and cheatsheets. Chapters 0:00 Intro & Wasteland Recap5:15 Covenant Refuge and Raider Fallout13:10 Upgrades, Bartering & Lars’ Plea20:40 Junkyard Clues & Mole Rat Mayhem31:25 Tracking Raiders & Teddy Bear Prep40:10 Ambush in the Wastes: Sneak or Shoot52:45 Sewer Entrance & Guard Elimination1:00:50 Shotgun Justice & Laser Luck1:17:35 Sewer Showdown & Whip Disarm1:33:55 The Turret Twist & Fallout Cliffhanger Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Chapter 4: Shotgun Justice on YouTube. Show Notes The wasteland adventurers delve deeper into the irradiated heart of the wasteland as Steve NuGunner, Lucky Buck, Goulardi, and Nurse 17 arrive at the battered settlement of Covenant. After narrowly fending off raiders, they resupply, regroup, and are thrust into a high-stakes mission: rescue a kidnapped girl taken by Thriftway’s Enclave-aligned raiders. Nurse 17 gets upgraded with stealth and speed, becoming a teddy bear-draped death machine, while Steve is laser-focused on retrieving his beloved NuRay 3000. Following tracks to a junkyard-turned-camp, the group uncovers clues leading them to an ominous sewer entrance. Their infiltration escalates quickly as stealth gives way to gunfire and buzzsaws. From sneak attacks to shotgun justice, the team cuts through the raiders, pushing deeper and deeper into the base. Along the way, they interrogate a survivor, sprint into potential traps, and navigate the green-tinged threat of an oncoming radiation storm. The episode crescendos with a chase into the sewer depths—just in time for the hum of an auto-turret coming online. Featured Image Meta A man aims a shotgun in a screenshot from Fallout 4.…
Ken and David explore Moonbeam.stream, a streaming platform made for tabletop gamers and creatives, while sharing their live-streaming experiments and future content plans. They also dive into their respective ShadowDark campaigns, filled with dungeon chefs, dagger-bound skeletons, and low-level party drama. Ken preps for his return to Philmont, while David tempts fate with yet another enticing Kickstarter. Moonbeam sites Moonbeam.streaming The Lair's Realm on Moonbeam Chapters 0:09 What Is Moonbeam.stream?1:19 Streaming Past and Present2:48 Live Streaming Experiments3:28 Ken's OBS Trials & Switch Bridge Setup4:50 Drawing Dungeons and Mothership Maps5:46 Streaming One-Shots and Actual Plays6:07 The DIE: Die Improvement Environment7:24 Portal Vibes & Co-Working Streams9:29 Scheduling & Chaos Coordination14:21 Ken’s Training for Philmont18:18 Altitude, Monsoons, and Backpack Logistics25:04 Cooking in the Dungeon: ShadowDark Update28:24 Party Health Woes and Lucky Rolls30:55 Skeletons, Dire Rats & Goblin Politics33:49 ShadowDark Western Reaches Kickstarter35:13 Alien RPG Evolved Temptation35:55 Wrap-Up and Community Links Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Moonbeam Chasing (S4E20) on YouTube. Show Notes What is Moonbeam? Not a crypto-currency. Ok, it is, but we’re not talking about THAT Moonbeam. It’s a streaming platform, currently in beta, that’s meant to have better moderation capabilities and a more creator-friendly pay structure. What are we doing with Moonbeam? Game Prep Campaign Notes Map Prep FoundryVTT exploration Random experiments Video Games? Maybe. Ken’s thinking about a Switch bridge. Actual Play RPGs The Die Improvement Environment or D.I.E. Helping rehabilitate those recalcitrant dice. Stuff we like so far Co-working Streams Random folks playing video games Haven’t watched an RPG session yet (probably should) Stuff we probably need to figure out A recording schedule? Posting? Figuring out how Realms work. (We’ve got a Lair of Secrets realm, but how does it interact with other realms?) Featured Image Meta A black and white image of the moon over Lake Champlain. Photo by Ken.…
On this episode, we talk about the top mistakes we made running ShadowDark (aka "how Ken accidentally enabled hard mode for his campaign"). Our mistakes include "overly complicate torch management", "create deadlier rat diseases", "don't use Luck points", and more! Looking for more ShadowDark content? Check out these Lair episodes: d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! (S4E15) Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) Chapters Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d8 ShadowDark Mistakes We Made on YouTube. Show Notes 1. Overcomplicate Torch Management You don't need to do torch gymnastics to light a new one. If your old one is burning down, and the players want to start a new torch, they do it. The timer is reset to 60 minutes, and the old torch is discarded. Keeping fractional torches around ("But we had 15 minutes left on this torch!") is a natural impulse given the importances (and potential scarcity) of light, but fractional torches make things complicated. And the mechanic isn't meant to be complicated. A reasonable house rule I've seen for torches that go out less than halfway through their burn cycle is to round down to 30 minutes. Keeping track of "half torches" is still work, but less work than breaking it down further. That said, if you’re under threat, then yes, there are torch gymnastics. There’s a DC 12 Dexterity check to ignite a torch under such conditions. - If it’s dark, same DC, but with disadvantage. We’ll talk more about that in our ShadowDark house rules episode coming up. (Sly Flourish - https://slyflourish.com/shadowdark_house_rules.html) 2. Create even deadlier rat diseases The common rat in ShadowDark is infected with a fast acting disease that immediately saps the adventurer's Constitution. Depending on how you interpret the rule, it either prevents all healing until the adventurer makes a saving throw OR the adventure can't recover their lost Con until they make a saving throw. Ken chose the latter. 3. Don't use luck points For Ken’s first few games, he didn’t use Luck points at all. Which, given how deadly ShadowDark is, can be a pretty big difficulty upgrade for players. Running the same scenario at a convention (and swapping in a Seer character from Cursed Scrolls #3) revealed just how helpful Luck tokens are (the seer being able to create Luck tokens 3x per day). 4. Get Spell Mishaps Wrong Ken’s game made spell failure MUCH more dangerous by rolling on the mishap chart whenever a spell casting attempt failed (and not just on critical fumbles, as per the rules). This makes it much more likely your 1st level character is going to get killed when failing to cast a spell. 5. Don't Plan for Carousing Carousing is a big part of the game. During downtime, players can spend gold to have adventures in town, earning XP, acquiring allies (and maybe an enemy). But to do it, they need gold … so it helps to make sure that they’ll actually have that gold when they got home. Also, read the carousing and “learn skills” downtime activities before you start the adventure, so you know what the players can do at the end. 6. Get Stuck in D&D 5e Mode ShadowDark is a cousin of D&D 5e … and 5e has a rule for everything. It’s easy to bring in default 5e assumptions (I’m looking at you, opportunity attacks) rather than looking for the ShadowDark equivalent. 7. Stress about when to level up Do you level up at session's end or in the middle of the session? This is more a preference than a mistake (though your mileage may vary). Leveling up is super easy in ShadowDark, but it does slow things down a bit. 8 Wasting time looking up rules that don't exist ShadowDark is a rules-light game. D&D or Pathfinder fans may come in looking for detailed rules for, well, just about everything. Most of the time, ShadowDark doesn’t have them. Like “Learning” during downtime.…
Our group of wastelanders (and one former Vault dwelling weapons tester) defend the fortified town of Covenant from raiders in the latest chapter of our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play campaign. The raiders defeated, the group gains access to Covenant, where they uncover rumors about a ghoul named Thriftway dealing in slaves for the Enclave. Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Fallout 2d20 Resources: Links to community forums, wikis, rules, podcasts, and cheatsheets. Chapters 0:00 - Intro: Welcome to the Wasteland1:00 - Raiders at the Gates: Defending Covenant4:30 - Entering Covenant: A Safe Haven or a Lie?9:45 - The Barter Extravaganza: Caps, Junk, and Haggling26:00 - The Junk Jet Temptation: A Heavy Investment31:30 - Thriftway’s Shadow: Raiders, Slavery, and the Enclave44:10 - The Alarm Sounds: Lars Returns, Badly Wounded50:15 - A Mission Forms: Tracking Thriftway and Saving the Girl1:03:30 - Outro: Next Stop – The Hunt Begins! Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Chapter 3: Rumors & Raiders on YouTube. Show Notes Raiders at the Gates – The team helps Covenant fend off a raider attack and earns the town’s trust. Covenant’s Secrets – The town appears friendly, but there’s an undercurrent of unease, especially toward ghouls. The Great Barter Session – A deep dive into Fallout’s economy as the group haggles for ammo, supplies, and a stealth module for Nurse 17. The Junk Jet Temptation – Lucky Buck eyes a bizarre but deadly weapon. A Growing Threat – The group hears rumors that the Enclave is buying slaves from Thriftway, but his location remains unknown. A Sudden Attack – Lars, a local mechanic, returns badly injured, revealing that raiders took his daughter. A New Mission – With a lead on Thriftway, the party gears up for a rescue operation. Featured Image Meta A raider base in Fallout 4. Credit: Bethesda.…
Fallout 2d20 uses zones instead of conventional battle maps or theater of the mind to describe where your characters (and their enemies) are in the game world. In this episode, we talk about how Fallout zones work, offer advice on how to use them, and take a peak at some other games that use zones. After fighting our way through the wasteland, we geek out about Alien: Isolation, the excellent survival horror game now available on the Switch, and the Foundry Virtual Table Top. Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Fallout 2d20 Resources: Links to community forums, wikis, rules, podcasts, and cheatsheets. Chapters 0:00 Intro – Welcome to the Lair of Secrets1:00 What Are Fallout Zones?3:45 How Zones Improve Tactical Combat9:30 Obstacles, Cover & Hazards in Zone-Based Play15:20 Zone-Based Games – Fate, Shadowdark, Alien, and More19:45 Jump Scares - Playing ALIEN: Isolation in the Dark26:30 How Alien: Isolation Preps You for Running an Alien RPG31:10 David’s New Obsession: Foundry VTT34:50 Foundry vs. Roll20 – Which Virtual Tabletop is Better?37:45 Final Thoughts & Sign Off Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout Zones on YouTube. Show Notes Main Topic Overview of zones in Fallout 2d20 What and why? Abstract way of representing regions and distances in a game. Half-way between battle map and theatre of the mind … sort of. Great for RPGs featuring more abstract locales. Lets you avoid infinite 5-foot-squares. Fallout 2d20 zones Reach - Arms reach (within close, but not an actual zone; minor action to close; confusing wording) Close - Any distance within the zone you’re in. Medium - Distance of one zone Long - Distance of two zones Extreme - Distance of three or more zones How do they impact movement / weapons? Difficult terrain: “A zone may be filled with difficult terrain, slowing anyone attempting to cross it.” Fallout 2d20 core rules (p. 38) Obstacles are similar in that they hinder your movement, but they exist between zones—attempts to move from one zone to another where an obstacle is present may slow your progress. Fallout 2d20 core rules (p. 38) Hazards are parts of the environment that inflict damage to creatures caught in them. A hazard may be present in a specific zone, or it may be spread among multiple zones. Fallout 2d20 core rules (p. 39) How to Represent Zones Theater of the Mind How far can you take it in theatre of the mind? Visual Zones Use index cards or draw out boxes representing zones. Battle Maps Create your map. Draw lines on it indicating zones Outside Example: Zone 1: The near battlefield, on the shores of a stream. Between zone 1 and 2: the stream that must be crossed Zone 2: The field on the far side of the stream Zone 3: A stand of broken boulders & battle tank Zone 4: The edge of a forest. Hulks of buildings looms in the distance Inside Example: Zone 1: The Library Zone 2: The Entrance Hallway Zone 3: The Kitchen Zone 4: The Basement Zone 5: The Balcony and second for overlooking the dining room Prior experience with zones in other systems FATE Index Card RPG Professor DM / Dungeon Craft Alien (Year Zero system) Forbidden Lands Adjacent Shadowdark Fallout scenarios we ran The Lab (small scale zones) Surface Fight (open range) The Dungeon (larger, longer-range zones) Advantages & Disadvantages Advantages Makes range more abstracted; in Cyberpunk RED, if I want to give the solo a chance to use his sniper or assault rifle skills, I probably need to scale up my map. With zones, the distance gets abstracted … and the map doesn’t even need to exist. Disadvantages Breaks your brain a little. Can be hard to conceptualize (particularly if you come from a minis-based game. Reach vs. Close Building-as-a-zone vs.…
As our Fallout 2d20 Actual Play campaign continues, the party treks across the wasteland toward the settlement of Covenant. Along the way, they encounter dangers both grotesque and ridiculous, from gutting radioactive bugs for dinner to dodging their own teammates grenades. And yeah, Steve's still trying to recover his prototype laser pistol from the bandit leader known as Thriftway... Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Fallout 2d20 Resources: Links to community forums, wikis, rules, podcasts, and cheatsheets. Chapters 0:00 - Intro: Welcome Back to the Wasteland1:04 - Meet the Survivors: Ghoul Chemists, Security Officers, and a Nurse Handy3:15 - Scavenging, Cooking, and Campfire Debriefs7:40 - Lucky Buck’s (Un)fortunate Grenade Luck12:30 - Wasteland Travel & Gunfire in the Distance18:05 - Sneaking Into Trouble: Raiders at Covenant22:50 - Explosive Ambush: Baseball Grenades & Laser Blasts30:20 - The Last Stand: Raiders’ Final Moments37:45 - Covenant Welcomes the Survivors45:10 - What’s Next? The Mystery of Thriftway55:20 - Outro: Join Us Again in the Wasteland! Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Chapter 2: Covenant Clash on YouTube. Show Notes Picking up from last time: The team emerges from their bloatfly battle at Taffington Boathouse, scavenging for supplies and making camp. Character Highlights: Ghoulardi, the chem-crafting ghoul, prepares a fine (if unsettling) wasteland feast. Steve NuGunnar, still haunted by the theft of his NewRay 3000, is determined to reclaim it from Thriftway. Nurse 17 plays both den mother and war machine, tending to the team and disarming Lucky Buck in the most literal sense. Lucky Buck, ever a source of accidental chaos, makes up for past grenade mishaps with a well-placed explosive. Svenghoulie, the enigmatic wasteland ghoul, provides a Molotov cocktail mid-battle as a thoughtful gift. Tense Wasteland Travel: Gunfire in the distance signals trouble near Covenant. Raider Ambush at Covenant: The team executes a surprise attack, eliminating hostiles with a mix of precision, explosions, and mechanical saws. A Welcome at Covenant: The settlement's guards thank the party for their assistance, allowing them entry. On the Horizon: The mystery of Thriftway and his stolen tech looms large, promising more danger ahead. Featured Image Meta The town of Covenant, as depicted in Fallout 4. Credit: Bethesda.…
On this episode, we delve far from the light to geek out about Shadowdark. The old-school-inspired RPG strips Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition to its essentials, and then adds in some modern sensibilities. We talk about our favorite mechanics, how it's impacted our other games (looking at you D&D 5th Edition!), and our players' penchant for wandering off into the dark. PLUS: Squishy wizards! Unlimited spells (if they don't kill you!) Morale failures! AND the upcoming Western Reaches Campaign Setting Kickstarter (link in the comments) Chapters 0:00 - Intro: Straight into the ShadowDark1:30 - Rolling Old-School Attributes (3D6 in Order!)4:10 - The Darkness is Your Enemy: Why Light Matters7:30 - Inventory Tetris: The Beauty of Gear Slots10:00 - Squishy Wizards and the Horror of 1 HP13:00 - No XP for Combat? Time to Get Creative15:20 - Skills? Where we're going, we don't need skills!18:00 - Morale Checks: Making Enemies Run in Fear20:30 - Unlimited Spells (But at What Cost?)23:00 - Clerical Penance: Displease Your God and Suffer26:00 - Rolling on the Chaos Tables: Why Randomness is Fun28:40 - Limited Rules, Maximum Improv31:00 - Excited for Western Reaches—More ShadowDark Content!32:30 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Us Online Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch d12 Ways ShadowDark is Awesome! on YouTube Show Notes Old School Attributes. Roll 3d6. In order. Re-roll if you all your stats are under 14, re-roll. No one can see in the dark But the monsters can. Where do the monsters lurk? Gear Slots Carry a number of items equal to your STR stat or 10. All gear besides typical clothing fills one gear slot. Gear that is hard to transport might fill more than one slot. Squishy heroes A wizard with 3 hit points? Good luck. Skills Easy? You do it. (It’s infectious … started doing that in D&D too) Hard? You roll? Something make it easier? Advantage, Harder? Disadvantage Morale Enemies who are reduced to half their number (or half their hit points for a solo enemy) flee if they fail a DC 15 Wisdom check. Large Groups. Make one check using the leader's WIS modifier. Throwback to old school D&D Your spells can kill you Dare to roll on the spell failure charts Magic missile bathes you in purple light? Unlimited Spells Just. Keep. Casting. But do you risk it Clerical Penance Inadequate or subversive penance (such as donating your sacrifice to a party member) only displeases your deity further and makes the spell loss permanent. Embrace the Random Talents depend on a die, not choice Limited rules. Maximum improv. Stripped down version of 5e removes a lot of the game’s specific rules. Improvise when the specific is needed. The rules system can fit in your head once you play it enough It’s in the Goldilocks zone of size The Western Reaches Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG: The Western Reaches Setting ShadowDark Quickstart Shadowdark RPG Quickstart Set (PDF)…
We kickoff our Fallout 2d20 campaign with the protagonists (not sure we can call them "heroes" just yet) waking up in the Wasteland. Fallout 2d20 Campaign Page: An overview of the campaign, plus links to episodes and related game resources. Chapters 0:00 - Intro & Audio Shenanigans3:15 - Meet the Survivors8:40 - Escape from the Hospital Basement14:55 - Reg the Super Mutant Chef22:10 - Journey Through the Wasteland29:30 - EyeBot Encounters & Enclave Paranoia35:50 - The Boathouse Discovery42:15 - Bloatfly Swarm Attack!49:40 - Lucky Buck’s Unfortunate Grenade Fumble55:20 - Steve Learns About Boats & Water1:02:45 - Looting the Boathouse & Finding the Note1:10:30 - What’s the Deal with Thriftway?1:18:15 - Closing Thoughts & What’s Next Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Fallout 2d20 Chapter 1: Wasteland Wake-Up (S4E14) on YouTube. Show Notes Intro Banter & Setup: The team settles in, adjusting audio, discussing wildlife encounters, and reflecting on the horror of screech owls. Meet the Survivors: Ghoulardi – A grizzled ghoul with a quick wit. Nurse 17 – A pre-war Nurse Handy bot obsessed with Goldfish crackers and proper nap times. Steve NuGunnar – A Vault-Tec security veteran, utterly baffled by surface life. Lucky Buck – A shockingly lucky Brotherhood of Steel initiate with questionable grenade etiquette. Cryogenic Awakening: The group escapes a hospital basement, encountering a radroach-dissecting super mutant chef named Reg, who warns them to leave before his kin arrive. First Steps in the Wasteland: The survivors are joined by Svenghoulie, a ghoul carrying grenade-stuffed rubber chickens. The Journey to Covenant Begins: Along the cracked highways, they dodge a suspicious EyeBot blaring patriotic music and explain the concept of boats to a bewildered Steve. Bloatfly Brawl at the Boathouse: The team arrives at a seemingly abandoned boathouse, only to be swarmed by oversized, irradiated insects. Lucky Buck’s Unlucky Grenade Incident: Attempting to clear the infestation, Buck fumbles a baseball grenade, obliterating the bloatflies—and nearly taking Steve with him. Looting the Wreckage: The team scavenges supplies, discovering food, weapons, and a note pointing them toward Covenant and a mysterious Thriftway. Closing Thoughts & Next Steps: The session ends with a healed-up Steve demanding answers about Thriftway, as the group prepares for what lies ahead. Featured Image Meta Cryo-chambers from Fallout 4. Credit: Bethesda.…
Ken elaborates on the Attention Economy - how many things people need to keep track of - for D&D 2024, and how it differs from the 2014. (and yeah, this explains his initial reaction to the Blade Ward cantrip back in Episode 5). He reviews the idea of the Action Economy (how many things a player can do in a round), how it relates to the Attention Economy (how many things a player needs to keep track of), and the implications for speed of play. Chapters 0:00 - Intro – What is the Attention Economy?1:15 - Action Economy vs. Attention Economy2:45 - How D&D 5E Streamlined Play3:30 - High-Level Play and Complexity Challenges4:20 - D&D 2024 – Exciting or Overwhelming?5:10 - Final Thoughts & Experimenting with the New Rules Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch The D&D Attention Economy - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 7) on YouTube.…
Ken recaps his group's second session using the D&D 2024 rules, with specific looks at Blade Ward (spiffy spell, won't save you from critical) and Mastery (a character ability that unlocks special characteristics of weapons). Chapters 0:00 - Welcome to Greyhawk '761:10 - The Burrow Boys Arrive: Ogres, Halflings, and a Goliath3:20 - Trickery and Tragedy: Illusions, Combat, and Critical Failures5:10 - The Standoff Turns Deadly: James Fairheight’s Fate7:00 - D&D 2024 Playtest: What We Learned Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch Enemy Mine - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 6) on YouTube.…
After venturing into the dark with only a torch to guide their way, the Campaigns & Coffee crew talks about their experiences playing the ShadowDark RPG (where they ARE very likely to be eaten by a grue). They discuss the dungeon-delving, old-school-inspired game’s real-time torch mechanics, its focus on fast-paced and high-stakes decision-making. They also look at encumbrance (no, you can not bring a golf club bag's worth of weapons), spell mechanics, and the game's relentless tension. Chapters 0:00 – Welcome1:00 – First Impressions of Shadowdark RPG3:05 – Torch Timer: Exciting or Stressful?5:36 – How Shadowdark Brings Back Old-School D&D8:11 – Minimal Planning, Maximum Action12:30 – Encumbrance: You Can’t Carry Everything!16:25 – Spells, Failures, and Magical Chaos18:00 – Fun (and Bad) Player Choices20:46 – The Overlord’s Healthcare Question22:06 – Outro and Final Thoughts Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Shadowdark Impressions (Campaigns & Coffee) on YouTube. Show Notes David’s Sunday RPG Sessions Running Shattered Ark and diving into Shadowdark with friends. First Impressions of Shadowdark A game that balances intensity and relaxation, depending on playstyle. Real-Time Mechanics The torch timer creates urgency, making every decision count. Roleplaying vs. Action Less focus on deep character backstories, more on immediate problem-solving. Using Foundry VTT Learning the system while displaying maps on the big screen. Dungeon Delving Emphasis Shadowdark restores a classic Dungeons & Dragons dungeon-crawling feel. Comparing to Older D&D Editions Discussing how early D&D had more encounters and rest limitations. Encumbrance Matters! Inventory slots limit loot-hoarding, forcing strategic choices. Spell System Spells don’t disappear, but failed rolls can make them unusable or go awry. Player Stories Highlights of decision-making, torch anxiety, and unexpected survival. Featured Image Meta Cover art from the ShadowDark core rule book. Credit: The Arcane Library.…
On this episode of Lair of Secrets, we present the our guide for new Game Masters, packed with advice, tips, and encouragement for those ready to take the GM seat. We explore choosing the right game, gathering players, preparing efficiently, and rolling with mistakes while ensuring a fun and engaging experience. Chapter List 0:00 - Welcome to the Lair & GMing 1012:00 - Choosing the Right Game for You & Your Players5:00 - Prepping Smart: Rules, Research & Quickstart Guides8:30 - Finding & Pitching to Players11:45 - One-Shots vs. Campaigns: Starting with Low Commitment14:20 - Tools of the Trade: GM Kits & Digital vs. In-Person Play17:30 - Rolling with Mistakes & Improvising on the Fly20:15 - Setting Expectations & Managing Player Dynamics23:00 - Encouragement for New GMs & The GMUary Initiative25:10 - Closing Thoughts & Join the Lair Community! Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch The Lair's Guide for New Game Masters (S4E13) on YouTube Show Notes Identify games you are interested in Game that you’ve been playing? A game you’ve had on your shelf and have been interested in? Watch videos or listen to podcasts about those games. Like say … Scum & Villainy or Cyberpunk RED actual plays here at the Lair :) Make the Pitch Read the room and look for: games that fit the players might like Sense of whether they want a one shot or something extended Offer to run one game With the option to run more if you and the others like it Offer to run a self-contained game Fiasco Honey Heist Lasers & Feelings Lady Blackbird D&D Essentials Kit Do a test run Play the game at a convention Get a feel for how the game is run Try a solo adventure See the Dragonbane boxed set and its solo adventure Do a mini session with people excited for the game to “kick the tires” of the rules get used to being the GM figure out the virtual game table as the GM What’s your minimal viable game as a new Game Master Run a one shot That one shot means there isn’t a long commitment The one shot can turn into a multi-shot game if everyone is enthusiastic about it Quickstart rules for games Pregen characters This way you know what the character abilities are and how they might be played What we recommend you reading and setting up Review the scenario Take notes about parts that are confusing or not fleshed out. What we recommend you and your players review before the game: The basic rules for the game Rules Cheat Sheet Find one or make one Review the characters Some tools Index Cards Notebook List of names Pencils. Extra dice Build a tool kit! Running - Don’t worry. You’ve got this. Talk with your group and set expectations. Ask the rules lawyer to chill (or to help) Let the group know that if you can’t find a rule, you’ll make a ruling and move on Roll with the fumbles (see also: ken makes awesomely bad mothership maps) Don’t worry about being “right”, work on having fun Featured Image Meta Cover art for the D&D Essentials Kit. Credit: Wizards of the Coast.…
Building immersive cities for RPGs takes center stage on this episode, with inspiration from real-world examples like San Antonio's Alamo and Chicago's reversed river. We dive into tools and techniques for making cities that evolve, feel lived in, and resonate as characters within campaigns. From quirky city rivalries to handling disasters, this episode offers creative advice for dungeon masters and storytellers. Chapters 0:00 Intro2:10 Real-World Inspiration: San Antonio and the Alamo6:30 Geography and Natural Features in City Design10:45 Tools for RPG City-Building (The Quiet Year, Ex Novo)15:00 How Cities Evolve Over Time20:00 City Rivalries and Personality24:30 Integrating Disasters and Landmarks into City History30:00 Cities in Post-Apocalyptic Settings33:20 Q&A: The Rogue-Polymorphed-Toad Dilemma34:30 Outro Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch Build Better Cities - Campaigns & Coffee on YouTube Show Notes Introduction: Exploring city-building in RPGs inspired by San Antonio's vibrant culture and geography. Cities: Skylines video game Key Elements of Real Cities: San Antonio’s Alamo and its unique building-height regulation. Chicago’s reversed river and evolving cityscape. Historical insights from medieval cities to Cyberpunk's Night City. Domus: Night City: how Cyberpunk 2077’s future megacity was built Tips for RPG City-Building: Start with geography and natural features. Use landmarks, NPCs, and district evolution to build personality. Recommended tools: The Quiet Year Ex Novo The Game Master's Book of Astonishing Random Tables Recommended books Life in a Medieval City Life in a Medieval Castle Life in a Medieval Village A Magical Medieval Society Western Europe City as a Character: How rivalries and unique traits shape urban identity. Integrating disasters and recovery into city evolution. The 9/11 Memorial in New York City The Survivor Tree Q&A Segment: Turning a rogue-turned-toad mishap into a strategic move.…
Ken rants about the new and improved Blade Ward cantrip. in Dungeons & Dragons 2024. Chapters 0:00 Intro - Welcome to Greyhawk ’760:15 Why I Hate Blade Ward1:10 Blade Ward: 2014 vs. 20242:00 The Action Economy Problem2:30 Final Thoughts & Playtesting3:00 Outro - Like & Subscribe Listen to the Video Watch the Episode Watch "I Hate Blade Ward - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 5)" on YouTube. Show Notes Welcome to Greyhawk '76. I'm Ken Newquist and I hate blade ward. Quick backstory: Had our first Greyhawk '76 session, in which the adventurers got recruited to recover a lost Fairheights family treasure from an abandoned mine. Our human battlemaster / wizard initiate LOVES blade ward. And rightly so - it's a cheap, spammable buff that builds on his already impressive AC. What changed? What it did: Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing attacks Lasted until the end of the next turn What it does now Whenever a creature makes an attack roll against you before the spell ends, the attacker subtracts 1d4 from the attack roll. Requires concentration Lasts for 1 minute. My concern: Impacts the action economy. We've added another die role for EVERY attack on this character. More dice being rolled means more time waiting for die rolls. And more math. Increased cognitive load on the Dungeon Master I've got a lot of things to remember. This is one more thing. Combined with fighter's 18 Armor Class (from Scale Mail), this increases the character's tank-iness at low levels. Seems over powered for a cantrip (no, I did not do the math) Where we go from here? Obviously I'm joking that I hate Blade Ward. I have some concerns, but we can mitigate them by: The player rolling the dice The player keeping track of the spell We already have similar book keeping for things like bless so it's not THAT much more. But it IS one more thing.…
Ken talks about lessons learned during his first Dungeons & Dragons 2024 adventure, "The Lost Coins of Cousin Ernest", including: Blade Ward Rules guide in the 2024 Player's Handbook The Thief Hand-drawn maps in Roll20 Weapon Mastery Chapters 0:00 Intro0:35 Setting the Scene: The Treasure Mine1:50 Rival Factions: Fairheights vs. Witherwinns3:10 Water Weird Ambush4:20 Rogue Abilities Shine5:15 Hand-Drawn Maps and Retro Vibes6:30 Lessons Learned: Rules and Mechanics7:45 Blade Ward: Overpowered or Balanced?8:30 Teasing the Next Session9:10 Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts Listen to the Video Watch the Episode Watch "Our First D&D 2024 Adventure - Greyhawk '76 (Ep. 4) on YouTube Show Notes We had our first Greyhawk '76 session, in which the adventurers got recruited to recover a lost family treasure from an abandoned mine. I played on the High Ery / Erybend family rivalry subplot from the DMG: Fairheights vs. Witherwinns (their client is James Fairheight, and he found deciphered a map to the family treasure). Started the action IN the mine, with the adventurers and their client having just discovered the treasured. See the "Ignite Your Next D&D Campaign" episode of Campaigns and Coffee Setup is an old mine. The first level has a main shaft and lots of side passages. Mine tunnel collapses created a jumbled, partly flooded cave lake on the second level. The treasure, gleaming in light from a ventilation shaft over head, was located in the center of the lake. The bludgeoned corpses of a previous crew were on the island, having just reached the treasure. The treasure was protected by a water weird (inspired by a re-read of the Dungeon of Dread "Endless Quests" book) The cavern was multi-teared, with a walkable rim surrounding it, and multiple entrances. At intervals, additional crews would show up to challenge the party, because James couldn't stop humble bragging about his find. Goals: Give each character a chance to try out class abilities in a multi-level environment. Inject role-playing opportunities to help define character personalities and priorities. Lean into the DMG as a campaign source book. The Adventure It went well. Water weird attacked "Predator"-style, leveraging disengage and its' innate invisibility in the water maneuver around the cavern and threaten heroes. The arrival of the Witherwinn faction delivered additional drama, as some players chose to intimidate through force, while the Trickster cleric charmed other Witherwinns to his side … and used "calm emotions" to keep them disinterested. Set up the next confrontation: The Burrow Brothers, a murderous band of halfling cutthroats and their ogre allies. Lessons Learned I've got a bunch, some of which will be covered in upcoming episodes. The Rules Guide in the Player's Handbook is pretty great. Death Saving Throws: Work the same as they ever did (the save is a straight d20 roll, which happens at the start of your turn). Finding Traps is a Wisdom (Perception) - it counts as finding a hidden object. Check the Compendium The Rogue's Thief gets a Climb speed. Handy when moving down the crumbling walls of a collapsed cave. The Rogue's Thief also gets to substitute Dexterity for Strength when Jumping Hand drawn maps work well in Roll20 Weapons Mastery represents weapon-specific features that certain characters (rogues, fighters) can use take special actions (like "Nick" or "Vex". More on that next time. Blade Ward is a powerful cantrip. I hate it. Ok, I don't like it. Ok, I'll wait to pass judgement, but right now, I'm not a big fan.…
On this episode of Greyhawk '76, Ken talks about the essential books for running a World of Greyhawk campaign, including the new Dungeon Master's Guide (2024), the World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) and the Expedition to the The Ruins of Greyhawk (2007). Chapters 0:00 Introduction1:00 Greyhawk ‘76 Campaign Kickoff2:30 Reviewing the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide4:00 Updated Maps: Hits and Misses6:00 Exploring Greyhawk Lore: Classic Sourcebooks8:00 The Twin Cataclysms and Canon Debates10:00 Iuz, the Great Kingdom, and Major Conflicts12:00 Adventure Hooks and Iconic Locations14:00 Wrapping Up: Greyhawk Library Essentials Listen to the Video Watch the Episode Watch 'Build a Greyhawk Library - D&D 2024 (Ep. 3)" on YouTube Show Notes Welcome to Greyhawk '76. Let's talk books! Player's Handbook (2024) The rules. Dungeon Master's Guide (2024) High-level overview of the Free City of Greyhawk and the larger campaign setting. Loosely based on the 1980 Greyhawk Folio. It's nice to see Greyhawk featured so prominently, but there are a ton of continuity, country, and NPC changes that don't make a ton of sense (except in the context of 1) updating Greyhawk for modern sensibilities 2) fitting all the things into Greyhawk … which doesn't really need all the things fit into it. Like … why is Otto (long standing member of the Circle of Eight) now a … dwarf? Sets up the primary conflicts as … Elemental Evil (they were defeated, but yeah, some cultists are still out there), the demigod Iuz (gathering his forces in the north; classic villain), and dragons … umm, yeah, dragons aren't world-shatteringly important in Greyhawk. The Scarlet Brotherhood and/or the dying Great Kingdom are better Big Bads. BUT … it wouldn't be Greyhawk if we weren't arguing about canon … hell, it feels like coming home to be reading people passionately and thoughtfully arguing about how the latest release disrespects with their favorite setting (I'm looking at you, From the Ashes). I'll link to some of that commentary in the show notes. Fold-out map of the Flanaess, with the City of Greyhawk on the other side. The World of Greyhawk (1983) The true state of the World of the World in CY 576. The original World of Greyhawk boxed set. Greyhawk Adventures (1988) Notes on Gods, Geography, Magic Items, Spells, and even Zero Level Characters The City Of Greyhawk (1989) - Pre-Greyhawk Wars release Gazetter of the Free City and the Surrounding Area - the city, plus some city-based things like the DM's guide to the Low City (random tables!) Folk, Feuds, and Factions - a who's who of the free city, plus guilds, low life, mages and priests, economics, military, and law. Expedition to the The Ruins of Greyhawk The 3.5 update of the Greyhawk Ruins book, which itself documented a chunk of Castle Greyhawk. Never ran it, but I might pull from it if the crew goes there. Somewhere, i've got a copy of the original Greyhawk Ruins … but haven't been able to fi gure out where I put it. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer This book provided the foundation for the old Living Greyhawk campaign. It takes place in CY 591, which is nearly two decades after our '76 campaign, but it's still a great reference (particularly for areas not covered extensively in earlier releases) Castle Greyhawk The joke version of Castle Greyhawk. Not recommended. Two new fan-created resources World of Greyhawk Gazetteer Revised Classic Guide to Greyhawk Greyhawk grognards take on DMG 2024 Canonfire - Samwise - Greyhawk 2024 Age of Great Sorrow - Entirely Unsolicited Grognard Opinions on the World of Greyhawk in the 2024 D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide…
Meet the adventurers taking center stage in Ken's Greyhawk '76 test drive campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 2024! Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch "Meet the Party - D&D 2024 (Ep. 2)" on YouTube Show Notes In the second episode of Greyhawk '76, Ken talks about the player characters the campaign is using to test drive the Dungeons & Dragons 2024 rules. Campaign Guidelines for Character Creation Since the purpose of the campaign is to test drive the D&D 2024 rules, we decided to start at 3rd level rather than 1st. That gives everyone a few more options to play with, and lets them pick a subclass (which is where things often get interest for players, since more advanced capabilities kick in with the subclasses). Here are our guidelines: Everyone begins at 3rd level Everyone uses the Standard point buy for attributes Use the "starting at higher level" rules on page 43 of the D&D Player's Handbook They get normal starting gear plus one Common magical item Characters who will die (what, Ken kill low-level 5e characters? Impossible!) will be built using the same rules, with the "starting level" tweaked as necessary. The Characters of Greyhawk '76 Ramnulf Heathertoes Male Halfling Thief Subclass: Rogue Background Origin Feat: Magic Initiate (Mage) Species Origin Feat: N/A Reed Goodbarrel Male Halfling Cleric Subclass: Trickster Domain Background Origin Feat: Tough Species Origin Feat: N/A Tiberius Male Human Fighter Subclass: Battlemaster Background origin feat: Tough Species Origin feat: Magic Initiate (Wizard) Raqsam * Male Dragonborn Wizard Subclass: Illusionist Subspecies: White Dragon Background Origin Feat: Alert Species Origin Feat: N/A Evaluating the Party It's a well rounded party. There's a good mix of classes (with a surprising number of halflings), which should help us achieve our playtest goals. It nicely balances hard-hitting martial characters (the rogue, the fighter), magical support (the wizard, the cleric), and healing (the cleric again). The chosen classes also help us playtest specific parts of D&D 2024 rules, like mastery, tweaked spells and cantrips, and the less combat-oriented skills (finding and disarming traps, interacting with NPCs, offensive and defensive spells, and the ever-fun battle master maneuvers.…
Welcome to Greyhawk '76, a test drive campaign for Dungeons & Dragons 2024! (aka D&D 5.5). This episode introduces the test drive, what it hopes to accomplish, and explains where the campaign gets its name from (hint: it takes place in the Common Year 576). Chapter List 0:00 Intro to Greyhawk '760:45 The Legacy of Greyhawk1:45 Blackrazor Guild’s Storied Past3:15 New Campaign Setup and Testing D&D 2024 Rules4:00 Closing Thoughts Listen to the Episode Video Watch the video on YouTube Show Notes Introduction: Ken introduces Greyhawk '76, a podcast exploring D&D 2024 rules within the classic Greyhawk setting. Greyhawk Overview: A brief history of Greyhawk as D&D's second campaign setting, emphasizing its balanced factions and lower-magic tone. Blackrazor Guild Legacy: A retrospective of the group’s adventures in Greyhawk, spanning nearly three decades and multiple campaigns. New Campaign Setup: Details on the new campaign with third-level characters based near the Free City of Greyhawk, designed to test the 2024 rules. Focus on Testing: Ken explains the goal of evaluating the changes in D&D 2024, comparing them to 5E, and planning to incorporate lessons into ongoing campaigns. Feature Image Meta A classic illustration of adventurers planning by David A. Trampier, featured in the original D&D Player's Handbook.…
We explore our favorite game conventions, from the chill vibes of CinCityCon to the dynamic events of Gamehole Con, to the cozy fun of MEPACon. We also look ahead to Philadelphia Area Game Expo, a new-ish convention happening in January 2025. After the convention stories, we dive into our RPG experiments, including David's mechanical torchlight for ShadowDark, the crunchy mechanics and destroyable hexcrawl map of Forbidden Lands, and Dragonbane as the sweet spot of complex vs. simple game rules. Chapter List 0:00 Intro0:36 Convention Recap: CinCityCon and Gamehole Con3:12 Super Nintendo Escape Room Highlight5:45 Upcoming Events: MEPACON and Philly Area Game Expo7:10 Exploring ShadowDark's Torch Timer Mechanic10:29 Forbidden Lands: Hex Crawls and Crunchy Dice Mechanics14:12 Open Table Games and RPG Planning16:45 RPG Innovations: ShadowDark vs. Dragonbane19:30 Wrapping Up: Balancing Gaming with Life30:02 Outro and Lair Warnings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2vZFA8dRVk Show Notes Conventions We Attended CincityCon Hamilton, OH October 11-13, 2024 Played lots of Sparks It’s a Star Wars Living Campaign based on West End Games original Star Wars RPG. Gamehole Con Madison, WI October 17-20, 2024 Played in an Escape Room Met Seth Skorkowski in person Played a lot of Sparks Saw friends who I don’t normally see Digression: Easton’s Escape Room Off Center Escape Rooms in Easton, PA. Easton was a hive of scum and villainy back during Prohibtion (or at least, a good place for illegal alcohol). Conventions We Plan To Attend Mepacon Bethlehem, PA November 8-10, 2024 Philadelphia Area Game Expo Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo (aka PAGE 2) January 16-19, 2025 Banter Forbidden Lands Ken’s reading through the Player’s Handbook. Dice-pool based fantasy RPG built around a hex crawl. Bunch of d6s, a d8, a d10, and a d12. These represent base dice (from attributes), skill dice (from skills), gear dice (from your stuff). 1s are called banes. They represent damage, exhaustion, fear, or degraded gear (but only hurt you if you push your luck). When you fail, you fail forward. 6s are successes; multiple 6s trigger special effects. Great art, great setting, but is the dice mechanic too crunchy for beginners? Thinking of playing a solo game with this as a way to try out the rules and relax. David ran ShadowDark in person and used Foundry VTT Ran The Lost Citadel of the Scarlet Minotaur from the Shadowdark Quickstart Used Foundry VTT on the television to show the player view of the map. Sans UI Had the Shadowdark module installed The torch timer was fun The timer on the first torch ran out an almost inconvenient time David made physical torch prop as a clue to the players, which they liked due to it’s obvious changes Ken's been playing with TorchLightTimer.com Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Bluesky Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch YouTube…
In this episode, we brainstorm ways to launch your campaign without resorting to "they meet in a bar". Providing fodder and inspiration is Greyhawk '76, Ken's upcoming D&D 2024 test drive campaign, and David's just launched open table ShadowDark campaign. We talk about how to engage players through immediate conflict, emphasizing choice, and balancing proactive vs. reactive player behaviors. Chapter List 0:00 Intro0:26 Ken’s Greyhawk Campaign Concept1:51 Greyhawk Nostalgia and Resources4:27 70s Aesthetics Meet D&D5:48 ShadowDark’s Torchlight Mechanics11:38 Kicking Off Campaigns with Conflict16:11 Engaging Passive Players19:57 Crafting a Dark Empire22:34 Outro and Call for Feedback Video https://youtu.be/GObxgGFpQQQ Show Notes Introduction: The hiatus of Elemental Apocalypse and excitement for D&D 2024. Greyhawk Revisited: Ken’s “Greyhawk 76” campaign idea with a 70s aesthetic, playlists, and retro maps. ShadowDark Adventures: David’s exploration of ShadowDark mechanics and its old-school D&D feel. Engaging Players: Starting campaigns with immediate conflict (e.g., being chased). Emphasizing consequential choices to encourage player buy-in. Balancing proactive and reactive player behaviors. Hero’s Journey: Using inciting incidents to create origin stories for party cohesion. Avoiding Passivity: Techniques to engage reluctant players or inspire action when adventurers resist the call. Overlord Advice: Brainstorming ideas for building a sustainable, formidable dark empire. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Bluesky Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch YouTube…
We look at The Electric State RPG, a role-playing game game featuring a slow motion apocalypse, haunting artwork, and a cyberspace plague so intoxicating that people died playing it ... simply because they forgot to eat. We start with Simon Stålenhag's original art/fiction book, which depicts a young woman's journey across the wrecked remains of the United States. We then walk through the role-playing game, discussing its setup, mechanics, and how it translates art book into a different kind of apocalyptic game. Finally, we get confused about the upcoming 2025 The Electric State movie. Directed by the Russo Brothers, it shares the visual aesthetic of the book and the game, but the setting itself has gone from somber death dream to ... action comedy? After geeking out about The Electric State, we talk about Netflix's new KAOS series (featuring Greek gods in a modern day setting), the Balder's Gate 3 and Mechwarrior 5 video games, using Obsidian for an Ironsworn: Starforged solo campaign, and news of various Lair experiments. Check out our unboxing of the Electric State RPG! Chapter List 0:00 Intro2:15 Introducing The Electric State3:40 Exploring Themes of The Electric State: A Slow-Motion Apocalypse6:10 Comparisons to The Last of Us and the Visual Narrative7:55 The Netflix Adaptation: Apocalypse Meets Comedy?10:05 Year Zero Engine and Its Role in The Electric State RPG14:50 David's Thoughts on MechWarrior 5: Tactical Mech Combat16:50 Ken's Adventures in Baldur's Gate 3: An Epic Battle with a Door19:25 Starforged, Solo Campaigns, and Using Obsidian for RPG Journaling26:05 Winter Break Gaming Plans and Balancing Nostalgia28:20 Revisiting KAOS on Netflix: Greek Myths and Modern Horrors30:40 Planning for Starforged and Co-op Gameplay35:00 Outro: Cloaking Device and Final Remarks Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch The Electric State RPG (S4E11) on YouTube Show Notes Introduction Ken beat Hades. Insomuch as anyone can beat Hades. The game REALLY keeps going after it is "finished". David completed his gaming coffee table project. The Electric State The Electric State book and RPG are set in an alternate 1997, where a slow-motion apocalypse combined with a virtual reality addiction, is wiping out civilization. The Electric State art/fiction book An example spread from The Electric State artbook by Simon Stålenhag. Released in 2018, The Electric State is a hybrid art book/fiction book. It’s a story of a slow motion apocalypse, and tells the story of a young woman and her robot traveling through a ruined American landscape in an alternate 1997. The world’s been wrecked by a plague of virtual reality, which almost everyone succumbed to. Like Stålenhag's Tales from the Loop, the book is a combination of art and written fiction. Unlike Tales from the Loop, there’s little wistfulness or sense of nostalgia in The Electric State. It’s about the end of the world … and it’s a somber read. It's been categorized as a graphic novel, but it's more of a novella wrapped in beautiful artwork. Most pages feature a short narrative, usually connected to the illustration on the accompanying pages. The Electric State RPG An example spread from The Electric State role-playing game. Inspired by the artbook, The Electric State RPG is published by Free League. It was funded by a Kickstarter, which raised $413,598 from 5,715 backers. Game Mechanics: Powered by Free League's Year Zero Engine [PDF] , used in games like ALIEN, Tales from the Loop, and Mutant Year Zero. Emphasis on survival, exploration, and narrative-driven journeys in a crumbling, dystopian America. Ideal for players in the right headspace, as the setting is emotionally heavy and reflective. Narrative Depth: Rich background story involving Neuronics technology developed in the 1960s for remote-controlled warfare. Escalation to civil war and the fracturing of the United Sta...…
Campaign prep is something every dungeon master a needs to do … even if "prep" is something you throw together five minutes for the session starts. On this episode, we talk about our individual game prep strategies, from structured approaches like Chris's multi-phase plan to Ken’s adrenaline-fueled last-minute inspiration. Josh and Erin share insights into managing unpredictable player behavior and ensuring character growth. To end the episode, we offer advice on how to childproof your evil lair. Quotes "I process, I think, I make notes. Honestly, that second section is my favorite part." – Chris "The first group I ever DM’d for were probably some of the most creative people that I’ve ever known, and that was a bad thing because they went off on a whole bunch of different tangents that I did not see coming at all." – Josh "The first thing I want to do is figure out how I’m going to make characters change." – Erin "I have to have deadlines or else it won’t work. My best ideas come the night before or the day of the game." – Ken Chapters 0:00 Intro0:30 Chris’s Three-Phase Prep Method3:00 Josh's Chaotic First GM Experience5:45 Adapting to Player Choices7:45 Erin’s Character-Driven Prep10:15 Ken’s Last-Minute Inspiration12:45 The Role of Music in Game Prep14:30 Tools for Note-Taking and Mapping17:15 One-Shots vs Long Campaign Prep21:45 Final Thoughts on Prep Approaches24:00 How to Childproof an Evil Fortress26:02 Outro Video https://youtu.be/DFn26QB8-Oc Show Notes Chris’s Three-Phase Prep: Reading the material, brainstorming for character hooks, and finalizing maps/tools. Josh’s Experience: Adjusting to unpredictable players and focusing on world-building to adapt. Erin’s Approach: Preparing for character growth and change, particularly in convention games. Ken’s Method: Last-minute inspiration, enhanced by musical playlists and physical notes. Digital Tools: Discussion of tools like Obsidian and Remarkable tablets for note-taking. Final Thoughts: The group compares one-shot vs long campaign prep. Outro: Discussion about childproofing an evil lair.…
Get in. Do a thing. Get out. Look awesome doing it. That's your typical cyberpunk adventure, and it always involves some sort of security. On this episode, we discuss real-world hacking inspiration, cinematic heist scenarios, and strategies for balancing game difficulty. We dive into the nuances of netrunning, social engineering, and how even the best-laid plans can spiral into chaos. Examples are drawn from the Cyberpunk RED and Cities Without Number role-playing games, with the occasional digression into Dungeons & Dragons, Blades in the Dark, and Scum & Villainy. Quotes "You can plan it out meticulously and think you've got everything covered… but then you get five minutes into it, and everything has gone wrong… something's always gonna go wrong, and that's where the drama happens." - David "There is crazier stuff going on in the real world in, like, cybersecurity right now than you're going to think of in your game, I guarantee it." - Chris Chapter List 0:00 Intro and Cyberpunk Security2:15 Cyberpunk Red Heists and Netrunning Mechanics8:45 Chris Miller’s Real-World Cybersecurity Insights12:10 Cinematic Inspirations for Cyberpunk RPGs15:45 Balancing Player Roles in Heist Missions21:30 Real-World Hacking vs. Fictional Depictions27:15 Strategies for Planning Heists in RPGs35:10 Handling Consequences and Failed Plans39:45 The Art of Improvisation in Cyberpunk Campaigns45:00 Outro Video https://youtu.be/paCzPGt-EPw Show Notes Cyberpunk Resources Broken Loop - Our Cyberpunk RED Actual Play Campaign Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Locked Out: Doors, Locks, & Security Homebrew Rules for Cyberpunk RED Thinking About Cyberpunk Security Planning the Network/Scoping the Heist Two main choices: Scale the network difficulty for your players (story mode), or Don’t, and design for the idea that some things are beyond the capabilities of you team (but they might get lucky) Remember the Defender’s Paradox (Defense must be perfect, but attackers need to succeed only once): The Net Architecture Difficulty section on p210 of the Core Guide help with this For the D&D minded, things of the daemons and such as counterspells and denizens of a dungeon. That’s what this is. Inspiration The examples in the core guide are pretty good Real world threat intelligence guides are a great inspiration: for example – Visual Threat Intelligence: An Illustrated Guide For Threat Researchers Movies, while cheesy, can provide some inspiration – OH GOD NOT SWORDFISH WHY Podcasts – Hacking Humans from Cyberwire, Darknet Diaries, news programs Books - oh so many (history of Space Rogue’s book on L0PHT, Kevin Mitnick, etc) Role-preservation Know your players. What are their roles and what are their skills? What skills is the crew missing? If you are missing a role, what opportunities can you create to give the players options for getting past the challenge. If you lack a TECH, MEDTECH, or NETRUNNER, you’re unlikely to bypass electronics. Creative Thinking Encourage your players to think outside the box. How else can you get into the room or past the door, or through the challenge? Consequences Noise attracts guards … and the more time it takes to get through security, the greater chance the guards will show up. C4 may destroy the thing you came to snag. Not all security is a locked-down barrier It could be a drawing in a conference room It could be a data drive hidden in a crystal necklace at a party Protected by guards, surveillance It could be a person or animal (remember Ein the corgi from Cowboy Bebop) Time Pressure Start a clock! If not using a clock (with increments advancing toward an event) then just advance time … and have consequence for advancing time. What happens on a failed roll? Are they not getting through? They get through but there is a complication…
So your Dungeons & Dragons campaign went on hiatus … how do you restart it? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, Ken, Chris, and Josh talk about how to re-engage with a not-quite-dead-yet role-playing game campaign. They dive into how a game can lose momentum, with real-life interruptions causing campaigns to stall or be put on hold. They share personal anecdotes of campaigns like Cyberpunk Red and Secrets of the Saltmarsh that have gone through pauses, offering practical strategies for relaunching them. Techniques include recaps, time skips, flashbacks, and collaborative world-building (in other words ... getting the players to help figure out how to reboot after the hiatus). The discussion covers the importance of keeping both the game master (GM) and players motivated, with special attention given to tools like Obsidian for campaign notes and ways to revive interest through changes in story direction or character development. Chapter List 00:00 What the heck's a hiatus?03:43 Recap and Relaunch07:07 Taking Notes and Recapping08:26 Base Building and Subgames16:42 Using Flashbacks to Provide Context and Hooks19:33 Starting in the Middle of the Action: Grabbing Players' Attention23:41 Choosing the Right Structure for Hiatuses27:02 Preparing for the Next Level: Getting Players Excited YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI2qiFdd5_8 Show Notes Discussion on the nature of RPG hiatuses: intentional vs. unintentional Examples of stalled campaigns Cyberpunk Red Secrets of the Saltmarsh Strategies for restarting a campaign: Recapping the last session Using a time skip to advance the story Flashbacks to fill in gaps Emphasizing downtime or base-building to rekindle player interest Tips for GMs to stay motivated: campaign notes wiki tools like Obsidian and Scabbard The importance of player engagement: encouraging note-taking future character development in-game world-building Use of seasonal or episodic structure for long-running campaigns Featured Image Meta Linux System Reboot History by xmodulo…
In the latest expedition through the Lair of Secrets, David Moore, Ken Newquist, and Chris Miller delve into the art of map design, specifically focusing on the peculiarities and challenges of modern and near-future maps in gaming. The discussion kicks off with Ken recounting his creation of the "worst best map ever" for a Mothership one-shot, set in an undersea research station on Europa. The map's illogical design, inspired by cost-cutting corporate efficiency, leads to a hilariously challenging game play experience. The trio explores the importance of verisimilitude in modern maps, contrasting it with the more forgiving nature of fantasy settings. They discuss the balance between realism and game play, emphasizing how a poorly designed map can ironically enhance the fun by creating unexpected challenges. Throughout the episode, they share insights on using real-world inspiration, the value of theater of the mind versus detailed maps, and the importance of considering player expectations when designing game environments. View the worst best map ever in all its terrible/great glory. Quotes "Worst best map ever." "No, there's no vents. What are you talking about? It's the future. There's no vents. There's no ventilation." "Who designed this place? What lame-ass industrial designer put together this underwater station?" "In a horror game, the worst maps make for the best stories." "If you're in the real world, you want to know: where are they storing the garbage? Is there a generator?" "Accessibility in gaming isn't just about ramps—sometimes, it's about maps." Chapter List 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage00:49 The Best Worst Map Ever04:32 Exploring the Map's Flaws08:46 Player Reactions and Enjoyment13:34 This map is horrible, don't change a thing17:29 Designing maps for modern and near-future settings20:01 Incorporating real-world inspiration into map design24:29 Theater of the mind vs. tactical maps27:40 Considering objectives and player interactions33:59 Using zones and index cards for abstract map design40:45 Balancing stock maps and visual aids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3M3pRCCjqc Show Notes Ken's "worst best map ever": Discussion on the design and gameplay challenges of an illogical map for a Mothership scenario. The importance of verisimilitude in modern and near-future maps. Contrast between fantasy map design and modern map design. The balance between realism and gameplay in map design. Discussion on using real-world inspiration for map creation. Theater of the mind vs. detailed maps in gaming. Accessibility considerations in map design. The value of stock maps and reusable designs in gaming. Audience engagement: Inviting listeners to share their thoughts on map design and to suggest ideas for an archive of free maps. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
The edgerunners are at Elysium HQ. All they need to do is descend through three sub-levels of the abandoned corporate headquarters and flip a switch on an old server. But first they have to get past these cybernetic corvids … and the remains of the edgerunner crews that came before them. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Quotes "I'm the Swiss Army Knife of Destruction at this point." - Atlas "I don't know that I have any light. Well, I have a flamethrower. That's like momentary light." - Omen "Awesome. I'm like a lighthouse." - Angry Bob Chapters 0:00 Intro and Setup10:15 The Mission Briefing18:45 Encounter with the Corvids28:00 Debating Entry Strategies40:35 Discovery of the Grappling Hooks54:15 Descent into the Darkness1:08:30 The Corvids’ Ominous Warning1:21:00 Preparing to Face the Unknown1:35:45 Entering the Ruins of Elysium1:55:20 Conclusion and Wrap-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1CEFjsGgI…
Chapter 8 of our Broken Loop campaign for Cyberpunk RED ended with a cliffhanger as the edgerunners faced an unexpected … enemy? Friend? Belligerent hivemind hell bent on stripping everyone of their chrome? In this episode of Campaigns & Coffee, we talk about that actual play session, it's unexpected turns, and how we rolled with the consequences of a well-placed grenade. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Quotes "Who knew the corporate ruins would be guarded by cybernetic ravens and a cyberpsycho?" "We survived, but only just. Night City isn't for the faint of heart." "We're not getting paid enough for this—becoming our new catchphrase as we dive deeper into the chaos." "The final scene? A burning car, pulped cyborgs, and a cliffhanger that'll haunt your dreams." Chapters https://youtu.be/2LfIYs5zVN4 Show Notes Introduction: David kicks off with a recap of Ken's recent Cyberpunk Red session.Session Recap: Setting: Night City, 2045, irradiated ruins from a past nuclear blast. Mission: The team must flip a switch in a corporate HQ's techno basement. Unexpected Turn: The Nomad's catastrophic drive check flips the car, leading to a chaotic firefight. Key Encounters: Cybernetic ravens, a cyberpsycho, and Glow Boys. Cliffhanger: The session ends with the group facing the ominous corporate HQ. Discussion: The hosts reflect on the game's unexpected outcomes, the challenge of mixing horror elements in Cyberpunk, and the importance of not pulling punches in the genre. Audience Question: An exploration of how to organize a union for dungeon minions. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch Featured Image Meta Crow photo credit: Tom Swinnen (Creative Commons)…
After talking and driving their way past the factions controlling access to Night City's radioactive core, the edgerunners are approaching the ruined Elysium corporate headquarters. Their goal is to infiltrate the building's sub-levels and flip a switch. First though, they have to get past the Glow Boys, a cult of radiation Worshiping cyborgs ... and the chrome-enhanced, sentient ravens the cultists are facing off against. Get more Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Quotes "Die, stupid birds, die!" - A chaotic cry in the heat of battle. "We should probably ditch the car somewhere where it won't get stolen." "We're having chicken tonight. Or whatever that is." Chapters 0:00 Intro2:15 Entering the Hot Zone8:30 Encounter with the Glow Boys14:45 The Ravens' Attack21:30 Car Flip and Explosion29:00 The Flames Rise35:30 Taking Down the Glow Boys43:15 The Ravens Retreat50:00 The Haunting Voice from Elysium HQ55:00 Mission Debrief and Outro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RJgh8TAPZI Show Notes n this latest installment of the *Lair of Secrets* Cyberpunk Red campaign, the Edgerunners dive deep into the heart of the dangerous Hot Zone of Night City. Hired to flip a switch deep inside the Elysium HQ, they drive through the decaying ruins of the city, passing by desperate refugees and hostile mercenaries. T he team quickly finds themselves entangled in a chaotic confrontation with glow-painted, cybernetic warriors known as Glow Boys and a horde of cyber-enhanced, raven-like creatures that seem eerily obsessed with collecting "chrome." After a series of tense battles involving faulty driving maneuvers that flip their car, an explosion, and flamethrowers, the team narrowly escapes. However, as the last of their enemies falls, a haunting voice echoes from the depths of Elysium HQ, calling out for fresh meat and chrome, signaling that their challenges are far from over. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
It's convention season, and David talks about Origins, a big-but-cozy game convention in Columbus, Ohio, meeting Shadowdark RPG creator Kelsey Dionne, plans for Gen Con 2024, and gaming with Jon Hook of the Modern Mythos podcast. Meanwhile, Ken geeks out about dynamic lighting in Roll20 (and his hopes for using during the Lair's upcoming Cyberpunk RED Elysium HQ run). Oh, and Ken actually completed a video game - Fire Emblem Engage - and started a new game, Hades (which apparently every other geek on the planet has already played) But why stop there? Ken and David also talk about a bunch of other RPGs including Dragonbane, Eat the Reich, Star Wars d6, the, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Mission Kit, the Dread RPG, and You’re in Space and Everything’s Fucked. Quotes "I finally completed a game! It feels like finishing a marathon for a 52-year-old gamer." "Origins is like a cozy Gen Con—a perfect mix of games and geek culture without the overwhelming crowds." "Shadowdark RPG is like 5th edition D&D but darker, with no dark vision and a real sense of urgency." Chapters 0:00 Intro1:30 Ken's Gaming Achievement3:45 Origins 2024 Highlights12:30 Jon Hook and Isolated Investigators15:30 Shadowdark RPG and Game Discussions22:15 Dynamic Lighting in RPGs28:00 New Game Purchases and Interests36:10 GenCon and Upcoming Events42:00 Closing Thoughts and Stealth Promo https://youtu.be/MBOKthFGSn8 Show Notes Main Topic: Origins 2024 David went to Origins this year and has come back to our Lair to report on his findings after being away for more than a decade. Met with Jon Hook! Jon ran games with the Lurking Fears group Hung out much of the con. He’s also an enabler of game purchases. Jon Ran one of his Isolated Investigator modules. Tons of fun with one Keeper and one player. Jon was on a panel: "Beyond D&D - How and why are these other games different?" How games like Shadowdark, Dragonbane, and others are different-- and better? Than the world's most popular RPG. It was an interesting panel, lots of audience participation. Even the “GURPS guy” got a word in. Met Kelsey Dionne, creator of the Shadowdark rpg David was able to talk with her for a bit, thanks to Jon being on the same panel with her Played a fair amount of Star Wars d6 games with the Sparks group So what about Origins? It's a cozy GenCon It’s larger than a typical local con but also less dense than Gen Con. You can stop in the middle of an aisle of the vendor hall and not block traffic Was able to talk with people at the booths for extended periods Hotel was close and I was able to relax or nap for a bit, then head back in again Roll for Topic Podcast How do you handle light sources? Gen Con 2024 David's going ... who else is going? Obligatory Banner Fire Emblem Engage Finally finished the latest entry in the Fire Emblem series. Nostalgic take on the series, with characters carried forward from earlier games. The story wasn’t nearly as compelling as Three Houses though, in part because it was super-linear.. Hades As the last geek in America to play Hades, Ken can confirm that yes, it’s good. Picked it up on sale for Nintendo Switch Sci-Fi and Fantasy Novel Writing series is complete David turned in his pages for the end of class, got some good feedback Continuing his efforts to write at least 250 words a day. Not so many it’s discouraging, and he often writes more Recommended if you have the time, money, and want to be serious about publishing what you write Cyberpunk Edgerunners Mission Kit It’s on its way. New rules for 2077! Looking forward to quick hacks. Check out our unboxing of the Edgerunners Mission Kit David's Origins game purchases Fallout dice Fallout map set Star Trek 2nd edition quickstart Dread Eat the Reich You’re in Space and Everything’s Fucked Outro…
Chapter 7 of our actual play Cyberpunk RED campaign sees the edgerunners venture into the Hot Zone at the center of Night City as part of their mission to flip a switch in the basement of Elysium HQ. Get Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters 0:00 Intro2:10 Mission Briefing5:30 Gear and Supplies10:45 Entering the Hot Zone15:20 Encounter with Sawbones20:00 Emotional Toll25:15 Avoiding Scavvers30:00 High-Speed Escape35:45 Approaching Old Corp Center40:00 Conclusion https://youtu.be/pDufsOwAS5M Show Notes In the latest chapter of the Lair of Secrets' Cyberpunk Red actual play campaign, the team is tasked with infiltrating a ruined Elysium Aeronautics research facility in Night City's dangerous hot zone. In the previous episode, Priest - APT's fixer - negotiated a substantial increase in their fee to 40,000 EBs. Adequately funded ... they went shopping. The crew acquired various assets, including hand-drawn maps, street guides, and a medallion from a 6th Street Army member, Roof Diver. Delver Dan's shop provided them with Geiger counters, radiation tablets, and neon green lead-lined duct tape. Angry Bob updated his wardrobe to fit the irradiated zone aesthetic. As they navigated through Night City's decaying streets, they encountered various factions and obstacles. The team decided to drive through the Sawbones' territory, a mercenary group providing medical aid in exchange for salvage. They donated medical supplies, earning safe passage. The desolate, eerie atmosphere of the med center and the suffering of its inhabitants deeply affect the crew, especially Atlas, who becomes emotional at the sight. As they proceed, they avoid a potential conflict with a group of Scavvers harassing salvagers. Omen skillfully maneuvers their vehicle through the dangerous terrain, evading gunfire and collapsing buildings. The session concludes with the team poised to enter the Old Corp Center, ready to face whatever dangers await them next. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
In this episode of "Campaigns and Coffee," hosts David, Josh, and Erin dive into convention season, offering tips and sharing personal experiences. The trio discusses their preparation rituals, with Erin highlighting her dedication to the Sparks campaign—a Star Wars role-playing game using the West End Games D6 system. Josh shares his strategy for attending Gen Con with his young child, emphasizing the importance of keeping kids entertained. They also touch on essential convention tips like the 3-2-1 rule (three hours of sleep, two meals, and one shower daily), and reminisce about their convention highlights, including wandering into off-limits areas of Lucas Oil Stadium. Want more GenCon? Check out our coverage of GenCon 2023. Chapters 0:00 Introduction to Convention Season2:10 Erin's Sparks Campaign Prep4:30 Josh’s Gen Con Tips5:31 Managing Conventions with Kids6:50 The Essential 3-2-1 Rule8:20 Backpack Packing Tips12:21 Josh’s Dice Addiction and Rituals14:44 Navigating Lucas Oil Stadium18:06 Final Convention Tips18:36 Essential Minion Inventory https://youtu.be/9sl_k7zm0m8 Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
In the latest episode of the Lair of Secrets podcast, we delve into our summer reading lists, exploring a mix of thrilling, nostalgic, and intellectually stimulating books. Ken kicks things off with Action Park by Andy Mulvihill, reminiscing about the notorious amusement park of his youth. David follows with a dive into sci-fi novels, including Larry Niven's Ringworld Engineers and Cixin Liu's The Dark Forest. After the reading lists, we've got the obligatory Overlord banter, with Ken's 20-mile hike, David's ongoing writing course, and our upcoming Fallout 2d20 actual play RPG game. Need more books? Check out our previous summer reading lists: Summer Reading List 2023 Summer Reading List 2022 Summer Reading List 2021 Quotes "Action Park was as legendary as it was notorious because the designer's impetus was, 'It's the amusement park where you control the rides.'" Chapters 0:00 Intro2:10 Ken’s First Book: "Action Park"5:35 David’s Sci-Fi Reads: "Ringworld Engineers" and "The Dark Forest"11:48 More Book Picks: "In Our Stars" and "Venice"18:23 Short Stories vs. Novels21:08 Ken’s 20-Mile Hike Adventure28:44 David’s Writing Course Progress30:36 Fallout 4 Gameplay and Mods37:03 Fallout 2d20 TTRPG Excitement38:20 Outro and Community Engagement https://youtu.be/wa2UMca9ALw Show Notes Sci-Fi & Fantasy Summer Reading List 2024 Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park by Andy Mulvihill and Jake Rossen In Our Stars (The Doomed Earth, Book 1) by Jack Campbell Chaos Terminal (The Midsolar Murders, Book 2) by Mur Lafferty Terminus (Threshold, Book 4) by Peter Cline Ringworld Engineers by Larry Niven The Dark Forest (The Three Body Problem, Book 2) by Cixin Liu Ibenus (The Valducan, Book 3) by Seth Skorkowsky The Best of Science Fiction 2003 by Karen Haber and Jonathan Strahan Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett The Banter of the Overlords Ken's 20-mile hike Lessons in pain from a long day on the trail. Writing, writing, procrastinating, writing Back to Fallout 4 … with Mods! Planning our upcoming Fallout 2d20 TTRPG actual play game Outro Thanks for attending our latest minion and future overlord training. Thanks for coming! If you were sitting near the old death ray, head over to dice.camp and follow us @lairofsecrets. We’ve got all you need for those Hyperion gamma burns. Featured Image Meta Book cover art for In Our Stars by Jack Campbell.…
Our Cyberpunk RED campaign continues with Chapter 6: Anticipating the Glow. Previously, the edgerunners accepted a mission to venture into the irradiated core of Night City, descend into the depths the ruined Elysium HQ headquarters, and flip a switch. Being somewhat cautious mercenaries, they decided to do a little research first before venturing into the still-radioactive ruins. Get Cyberpunk RED: Cyberpunk RED Actual Play @ Lair of Secrets Cyberpunk RED Role-Playing Game Resources Cyberpunk RED Frequently Asked Questions Cyberpunk RED Screamsheets Chapters 0:00 Intro3:00 Bounty Update8:30 Corporate Conspiracy Unveiled14:45 Downtime Adventures28:20 New Mission Briefing35:50 Preparing for the Hot Zone45:00 Negotiating the Fee55:25 Essential Gear and Final Preparations1:10:15 Hot Zone Dangers and Tactics1:20:30 Meeting Delver Dan1:32:45 Closing Remarks https://youtu.be/xcTkELmfAV0 Show Notes The story resumes with the edgerunners facing increased bounties on their heads, with Atlas having a 3,500 EB bounty and other members like APT, Angry Bob, and Omen at 2,000 EB each. The team uncovers that the bounties are backed by the Brain Bank, a startup front for various corporations, and are specifically ordered by Zetatech agent Isabel "Izzy" Cordaro, who seeking revenge against Atlas. During their downtime, the characters pursue various personal endeavors: Omen participates in rocket blade tournaments, Angry Bob reports on race corruption, and Atlas contemplates his violent past while helping at the Holy Angels Church. The group is eventually hired for a new mission by APT's fixer, Priest. That mission? To infiltrate the Elysium Aeronautics research facility and reboot an ancient server in its rad-shielded basement. The group meticulously prepares for the mission, gathering information about the Hot Zone . They learn about the dangers from Falco, a seasoned delver, and the desperation of those living in the radiation-scarred city center from Roof Diver, a member of 6th Street. They decide on essential gear, including iodine tablets, air filters, and possibly radiation suits, while negotiating their fee to reflect the mission's high risks, landing a payday of 40,000 EB. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
In this thrilling episode of Campaigns and Coffee, David and Ken delve into Ken's epic Elemental Apocalypse D&D campaign. The heroes are on a quest to reunite a fallen angel with its lost sun sword amidst a world torn apart by elemental forces. Ken shares his creative process, discussing map-making with Incarnate, integrating skill challenges inspired by Blades in the Dark, and setting up an adventure filled with moral dilemmas and high-stakes encounters, including a confrontation with a shadow black dragon. The episode is a captivating blend of strategy, storytelling, and the adventurous spirit of Greyhawk. 0:00 Intro1:20 Campaign Overview1:45 Hunting a Fallen Angel3:13 Using Incarnate for Maps5:00 Skill Challenges and Gameplay7:25 Upcoming Dragon Encounter10:00 Game Mechanics and Liberation Dice12:30 Q&A: Mind-Controlling Dragons19:00 Moral Dilemmas in Greyhawk20:09 Closing Remarks https://youtu.be/7IStOTYExqc…
Mind the crates; we’re still unpacking Season 4 of the podcast! On this episode, Ken talks about playing Monster of the Week mysteries, David flips through his Dreams and Machines rule books, and we delve into our respective reading lists. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:20 Ken’s New Lunchtime Game: Monster of the Week 1:41 David Discusses 'Dreams and Machines' 3:01 Book Discussions and Recommendations 6:43 Strategies for Managing Multiple GMs 8:10 What’s on Their Reading List? 13:06 Alien Novels and Cyberpunk Gaming Insights 19:17 Diving Deep into Cyberpunk 2077 22:29 Insights from Sci-fi Novel Writing Class 27:31 Closing Remarks and Goodbye https://youtu.be/UK-oQul-uJ4 Show Notes Game - Monster of the Week Ken's lunchtime gaming group is racking down horrors in a small New England town Monster of the Week website Game: Dreams and Machines David played several learning games Got the full game and have been reading through it Rules seem pretty solid, I’m not having the same issues with them that I did the Starter Set Unfortunately, some issues with editing/misprints Errata should be coming out soon (or now) according to the Modiphius Discord Game - Dungeons & Dragons Ken's Elemental Apocalypse continues with two apocalypses for the price of one! Alternating game masters and characters as we switch between regions. Makes it easier to tag in another game master when one of us is busy. Dungeons & Dragons website Books: Eric Carter series by Stephen Blackmoore Eric Carter is a necromancer who comes back to his hometown of LA and things go sideways from there. Similar to the Dresden Files in feeling, but has a higher body count Burned through a ton of them, waiting on the next book. Eric Carter series website Book - Alien: The Cold Forge by Allen White A secret corporate space station is experimenting on Xenomorphs in the darkest depths of space, nearby a star could incinerate them in a moment. What could go wrong? Ken's reading this one. Alien: The Cold Forge website Book: The Three Body Problem by Chixin Liu translated by Ken Liu Feels a lot like 1960’s and 70’s sci-fi Interesting concepts and a window into a culture most of us have never really seen It's a heavy read. David's looking for a lighter fare in next next book to compensate. Netflix trailer: The Three Body Problem Video game: Spider-man 2 (PS5) Ken returned to New York City with two Spider-men: Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Despite being the third time slinging around New York City, it doesn’t feel old. Spider-man 2 website Writing class David’s second writing class in sci-fi novel writing. Lots of techniques for brainstorming plot and world-building that David is going to see about adapting to tabletop gaming Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
Our cozy, Saturday morning show continues with a discussion of cyberpunk, but different from our usual cyberpunk. Instead of the dystopian future of R. Talsorian's Cyberpunk RED, hosts David, Ken, and Chris talk about Chris's homegrown, Cleveland-based, cyberpunk campaign which uses the Cities without Number rule set. We explore the challenges of learning different systems within the cyberpunk genre and share techniques for learning a new system and setting. We also discuss the importance of designing sessions to road test new mechanics and balancing rules with fun. Chapters 0:00 Intro: Cyberpunk, But Different 1:40 Meet "Cities Without Number" 4:20 Challenges of learning new RPG systems 7:00 Adapting personal experiences into game settings 10:30 Strategies for engaging with game mechanics 13:00 Community Q&A: Integrating hobbies into a dark persona 17:45 Closing thoughts and outro https://youtu.be/5smOxStFztM Show Notes Introduction to the Episode Main Topic: Exploring new tabletop RPG systems and integrating personal experiences into game settings. Chris's Journey into Cities Without Number Transition from familiar cyberpunk settings to OSR (Old School Revival/Renaissance). Development of "Terminal City," inspired by Cleveland. Utilizing random tables from 'Cities Without Number' to enhance game creativity. Deep Dive into Learning New Systems Discussion on adapting to different rule sets within known genres. Strategies for mastering new systems: Immersive playtesting Collaborative learning with rule-savvy players Integrating personal narratives and local elements into game worlds. Challenges and Solutions in RPG Adaptations Balancing rule complexity with game play fluidity. Leveraging player strengths to complement game play dynamics. Anecdotes from running various systems including Cyberpunk Red and Savage Worlds. Community Engagement Opening the floor to listeners for tips and experiences in adapting to new RPG systems. Addressing listener questions on incorporating side hobbies into a "dark persona" with humor and creativity. Closing Remarks Recap of key insights on adapting to new RPG systems and creating rich, personalized game worlds. Invitation for further discussion and listener engagement in future episodes. Feedback We love feedback! You post a comment below or connect with us using these channels: Email Discord DiceCamp (Mastodon) Twitch…
Season 4 kicks off with this episode as we experiment with a new format and geek out about everything from death rays to Dragonbane. We rundown the role-playing games we hope to play this season, review the games we delved into during the hiatus, and geek out about technology in our campaigns. Chapters 0:00 - Intro and Overview of Season 41:28 - Unveiling the New Format3:45 - Tech Talk: Gadgets and Geomorphs10:26 - The Board Game Bonanza Begins17:06 - Deep Dive into Dragonbane22:00 - Exploring Tech Tools for Tabletops27:00 - What's Next: Upcoming Games and Gadgets31:13 - Viewer Interactions and Requests38:04 - Post-Apocalyptic Game Picks43:25 - Wrapping Up and What to Expect Next https://youtu.be/eoPtrnBmPbM Show Notes Welcome to Season 4 Playing with the Format Different kinds of episodes, with content released as a podcast and on YouTube. Main Show (30-40 minutes, the main topic comes first, then the banter) Campaigns and Coffee (20 minutes, random topics) Interviews (20-30 minutes) Shorts (1-5 minutes - Mirror Universe Advice!) Actual Play (2 hours) Demos / Walkthroughs / Unboxing (5-20 minutes) Role-playing Games in Season 4 Continuing with Cyberpunk RED. Where did we leave off again? Dreams and Machines Dragonbane? Mutant Crawl Classics? Mothership? What do you want to see us play? Obligatory Banter Technology Annex Ken’s new iPad Pro He’s using it to map the next Cyberpunk RED adventure The Apple Pen helps with this. So do Traveller GeoMorphs! And ProCreate! And Continuity And Astropad Slate (turns your iPad into a drawing tablet) When not making apps, Ken is reading comics in Marvel Unlimited, in a desperate attempt to get caught up on his X-Men reading And he protected it with a case: ESR for iPad Pro 11 Inch Case David is using Obsidian heavily for game design and the Dreams and Machines' game He's trying to limit the amount of plugins he is using or he won't get anything done Ken’s been using Zettler, but it’s clunkier. The Game Room Seems like we need to upgrade this place. Maybe “The Polyhedral Cathedral”? Dragonbane RPG Ken continues to reconnect with his Swedish roots. Dragonbane is a translation of Drakar och Demoner, Scandinavia’s first and biggest tabletop RPG, originally launched in 1982. Wouldn’t it be cool to get a Swedish gamer on to talk about the original game? David made a character. David picked up a lot of game related things at the end of the year Microscope So You Want to Be a Game Master Mutant Year Zero: Ad Astra Bangarang and the Gutterlands Youtube: Bill Making Stuff Owlbear Rodeo 2.0 David’s been using the new version for Dreams and Machines Outro Thanks for attending our latest minion and future overlord training. Thanks for coming! If you were sitting near the old death ray, head over to dice.camp and follow us @lairofsecrets. We've got all you need for those Hyperion gamma burns.…
Fallout - the post-apocalyptic game set in an alternate, atomic-powered reality - kicks off our new Campaigns & Coffee short-format podcast. We talk about the new streaming series on Amazon Prime, the video games that inspired it, and the session zero for our upcoming Fallout RPG campaign. To start things off, we look at how the gore-filled kill shots of Fallout 4 and the deep story lore of the video games manifest in the streaming series. While avoiding spoilers, we get into what we loved about the new series, including its use of gore for shock value and it's enjoyable storytelling. As mutant hounds howled in the background (no doubt drawn by our semi-maniacal laughter), we transition to talking about Modiphius' Fallout role-playing game. Using review copies provided by Modiphius, we look at the game's mechanics, the joy of character creation, and how to balance the grit and humor that defines Fallout game play. We get into the specifics of the Fallout 2d20 system, like the use of S.P.E.C.I.A.L stats, perks, and the dice mechanics that make the Fallout RPG a faithful translation of the video game experience into a tabletop format. Check out our Fallout 2d20 Campaign & RPG Resources Chapters 0:00 - Intro: Diving Into Fallout's Universe 1:10 - Fallout TV Show Review and Impressions 3:38 - Transition to Fallout RPG Gameplay 7:58 - Deep Dive into RPG Mechanics and Character Creation 14:58 - GM Techniques and Gameplay Strategy 19:48 - Insights and Challenges from Session Zero 24:43 - Building a Formidable and Sustainable Empire 29:12 - Outro Listen to the Episode Watch the Episode Watch the Gore and Lore in Fallout - Campaigns & Coffee on YouTube. Show Notes Fallout TV Show Discussion General impressions and impact on desire to engage with the game Comparison of violence and gore levels between the TV show, Fallout 4, and other media How the TV show balances violence with storytelling Transition to Fallout RPG Motivations for playing the RPG based on the TV show depiction Initial reactions and comparisons to video game elements RPG Mechanics Deep Dive Detailed exploration of character creation Discussion on RPG stats and perks Adjusting from video game mechanics to tabletop RPG mechanics Game Mastering Techniques Strategies for introducing combat and maintaining game pacing Use of radroaches as beginner adversaries Character Building and Session Insights Experiences from the group's session zero Challenges faced and lessons learned during character creation and early game play Looking Ahead Introduction of new characters and potential plot developments Overlord Strategy Discussion Considerations for building a formidable and sustainable empire in the game world…
Our Cyberpunk RED Recap episode looks at the first season of our actual play campaign. We talk about our favorite moments, how the characters grew, reversals we didn't see coming (or did, and loved anyway) and more. Need to know who’s who? Check out the Cyberpunk RED campaign page. Looking for answers to your Cyberpunk RED questions? Visit our FAQ page. Want ways to pump up the role of your Media character in the game? Learn how to create a screamsheet. How about maps, character generators, plot generators, and more? Visit our Cyberpunk RED Resources page. https://youtu.be/wiE--P4FKzY…
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