Level Up Your Gaming: Tabletop RPG Podcast

Making A Simple Game Complicated

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about when simple games become complex. What adds the complexity? How can you keep the game simple? Should you always embrace the complexity? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Genre Episode: Fantasy

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the Fantasy genre for games. What is a fantasy game? How can you make them special? Does a fantasy game have to be set in a certain period? What is high vs low fantasy? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Genre Episode: Sci Fi

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the Sci Fi genre for games. What is a true sci fi game? What about Star Wars? How do you make a sci fi game special? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Critial Condition

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Critical Condition. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

The Non Bad Bad Guy

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the non bad bad guy. What is a non bad bad guy? Why would you want a bad guy that isn't actually bad? What are some examples of these bad guys? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let Them Cook

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about letting your players cook. What does it mean to let your players cook? Why should you let them cook? What can letting your players cook do your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Breaking Bard

Thu, 21 May 2026 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Breaking Bard. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

When Too Much Detail Goes Wrong

Thu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how too much detail goes wrong. Why is too much detail difficult when telling stories? How much detail is enough? How can you avoid putting too much detail into your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Starting An Incomplete Game

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about starting and incomplete game. Why start an incomplete game? What do you need to have to get a game started? How can you juggle all of the issues with an incomplete game? Won't my players just take everything off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: A Song For The Hollow

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Song For The Hollow. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Rewriting Your Game When You Mess Up

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about rewriting your game when you mess up. Why would you want to rewrite your game after starting? How do you adjust your game and maintain what you started with? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

When Player Agency Goes Awry

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Player Agency Going Awry. What happens when player agency goes awry? What are the reasons why this could happen? How do you handle this situation when everything is off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

City Planning

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about City Planning. What goes into the design of a city? How do you handle all those NPC's and Locations? How do you keep everything from being so overwhelming? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

The Importance Of Having A Writing Partner

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about the Importance Of Having A Writing Partner. Why should you have a writing partner? What benefits does a writing partner provide? What if I don't have a partner who is a GM? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Red Herrings

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Red Herrings. What are red herrings? Why would you use them? How can these improve your story? What are some pitfalls with using red herrings? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: The Silence Between

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt The Silence Between. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Making Better Backstories With Plot Hooks

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Making Better Backstories With Plot Hooks. How do you craft backstories with plot hooks? What benefit does it give to the GM? How can it make your players more dynamic? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Game Master Sins

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Game Master Sins. What are some of the cardinal sins for game masters? Why are they so bad for game masters to commit? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Helping GM DJ With His Game

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we help our friend DJ with his upcoming game. We use his notes on the game to help him come up with an ending to his upcoming game. DJ, Josh and I ping pong the ideas around to help craft some ideas for the end of his game he'll be running.

Introducing New Players To Role Playing

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Introducing New Players To Role Playing. What is the best way to introduce new players to role playing. How should you go about introducing new players to the hobby? What types of games work best? What can you do to be most successful in bringing new players into the hobby? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Giving Magic A Flare

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Giving Magic a Flare. How can you make magic more meaningful in your game? What does the added description offer to your game? How can magical flare improve the narrative experience? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

The Importance Of Having More Than One GM

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about The Importance Of Having More Than One GM. Wy is it beneficial to having more than one gm in your group? How can you foster a second GM? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Curtains Fall Secrets Rise

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Curtains Fall Secrets Rise. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Give Your Players A Home

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Giving Your Players A Home. Why do we want to give our players a home? What does it offer for the game? Should you always give your players a home? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: A Date With Destiny

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 21:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Date With Destiny. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Murder Your Players To Make Them Better

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Murdering Your Player Characters To Make Them Better. Why would you actively murder your player characters? What lessons are learned by doing this? How does it change the direction of your games? What does it do for future games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Adjusting Difficulty On The Fly

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Adjusting Difficulty On The Fly. How do you adjust difficulty on the fly? Why would you want to adjust difficulty in your game? What are some good rules to follow when adjusting your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Making Better Homebrew Items And Monsters

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Making Better Homebrew Items And Monsters. What makes good homebrew items and monsters? Why do you want homebrew items? How do you make better items? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Setting Up A Space To Play

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Setting Up A Space To Play. How do we set up a good play space? What should we focus on? will this cost me a lot of money? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Grave Peril

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Grave Peril. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

How To Write A Character Arc

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about How To Write A Character Arc. What makes a good character arc? How do you make them meaningful? How do you mix them into the other players at the table to keep everyone engaged? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Dungeons And Dine

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 12:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Dungeons And Dine. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Daggerheart Campaign Frames

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Daggerheart campaign frames. What are campaign frames? How can they be used to improve game planning? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Using Excessive Detail In Your Games

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to use excessive detail to improve your games. Why use extra detail in your games? What tools can you use to create this detail? What areas of detail should you focus on? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Making Games Less Epic

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how make games less epic. Why would you want a less epic game? How do you not slip into epic? Can less epic games make for something epic down the line? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

How To Fight The Gods

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to fight the Gods. How do you fight beings that are beyond your characters power? How can you beat something unstoppable? What other options are there to win an unwinnable fight? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Labyrinth Of Leviathans

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Labyrinth Of Leviathans. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Using A Theme To Design Your Story

Thu, 29 May 2025 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about using a theme to design your story. Why use a theme for game design? How does using a theme help you stay focused? What are other benefits of using a theme? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

How To Create Boundaries In Story Creation

Thu, 15 May 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about creating boundaries in story creation. How do you put boundaries in story creation? Why should you put boundaries up? What happens without boundaries in story creation? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Consuming New Media

Thu, 08 May 2025 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about consuming new media for game ideas. What are various types of media we can pull from? What are some examples of things we've watched? What can we learn from these different types of media? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Ending A Game That's Off The Rails

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about ending a game off that's the rails. How do you end a game that's off the rails? How does a game get into this state? How can you avoid going off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: A Field Guide To Whiskey

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Field Guide To Whiskey. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Crafting A Spy Craft Game

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the spy craft game. What is a spy craft game? What makes a good spy craft game? What are things to consider in a spy craft game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Retcon

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about retcon. What is retcon? Why should you not use retcon? Is there a reason to retcon at all? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Bad Game Ideas

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about bad game ideas. What are bad game ideas? Why are they bad? How can we avoid ideas like this? Why do we try to run bad games from time to time? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Wisper's Of The Vanishing Rabbit

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Wisper's Of The Vanishing Rabbit. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Religion In Games

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about religion in games. What role does religion play in your game? What can religion offer to your game? What are some good stories to run around religion? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Spice Is Nice Romance In Games

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about romance in games. How do you do romance in games? What are some systems that work well for romance? What are some boundries? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Bait And Switch Games

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 07:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about the bait and switch in games. What is a bait and switch game? Why would I change the game after establishing an old one? What are the downsides? What are the upsides? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Resource Management For Dummies

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about resource management. How should I handle resources? Why should I keep track or resources? When should I ignore resources? What are better ways to track resources? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Archive Of Lost Things

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Archive Of Lost Things. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Puzzles Your Players Like

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about puzzles your players will like. What puzzles should I use? How do you make ones your players will enjoy? How to get your players to engage with the puzzles? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

What's On Your Gaming Playlist

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about your gaming music. What music is good for games? Why do we use music in games? Can it be distracting? When do you not want music in your games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Let's Make A One Shot: Mysteries In Monochrome

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Mysteries In Monochrome. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

Turning Your One Shot Into A Campaign

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about turning your one shot into a campaign. How do you take a one shot an turn it into a campaign? Why would you want to turn a one shot into a longer game? Is it better to just link one shots together? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Gaming Situations That Always Work

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about gaming situations that always work. What are game situations that work for all groups? What makes these situations good for all groups? When is it best to use these situations? Why do you need these in your gaming arsenal? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

How To Run A City Campaign

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to run a city campaign. How do you run a city game? What are the benefits of running a game in a city setting? What are the downsides? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Differences Between Antagonists And Villains ft Ken

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we difference between an antagonist and villain. What is the difference between an antagonist and a villain? Is there a difference at all? How can we make multiple antagonists within a story. We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Popup Spirit Halloween Store

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Popup Spirit Halloween Store. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Terror at the Table - With Ken Spensley

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In today's episode, I talk with Ken about terror in role-playing. What makes a story scary? What are different ways to tell a scary story? How do you make a horror story work for your players? What sorts of spooky tales are our personal favorite? We answer all of these questions and more!

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Living Worlds - With DJ Hird

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss Living Worlds with DJ Hird. DJ has been participating and running Living Worlds for some time now and has plenty to say about joining or running these unique games. Specifically, we talk about what it is like to play in one of these games, what it is like to run a session, what the modules look like, what types of players you might encounter, and where to find a game to either join or possibly run. There is a lot of information in this episode, so sit back and enjoy!

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A Talk with John

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss Virtual Tabletops and different Tabletop Role-playing systems with our good friend John. He is a member of the Tuesday game that Josh sometimes runs. He lives out of state in Ohio and games with us virtually, so he has specific feelings about the how the different systems are represented in the virtual world of online gaming.

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Politics in Gaming

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I talk about politics in your stories. I try to take a look at how you can make a game using political systems and give your placers choices that are political in nature. Can you get your players more engaged if the options they need to choose from are morally gray? What types of governments can we use to make interesting stories and what sorts of political intrigue can we have with them? I try to answer these questions and more.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Zombies Ate My Neighbors

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the title of a fantastic Super Nintendo Game, "Zombies Ate My Neighbors". We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Making a Rural Game

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss games in a rural setting. What are the benefits of the rural setting? What makes a rural game so inviting and interesting? How can you get your players invested in the wilds? What types of stories can you tell in places where the people are sparse? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Shorter Stories

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 19:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making shorter stories. Why make shorter stories? What are the benefits to this methodology? Can you weave narrative through multiple short stories? How can you be effective with short stories? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Potion Commotion

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Potion Commotion. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Making Better Traps

Fri, 21 Jun 2024 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making better traps. What makes a good trap? How do I utilize traps effectively? Do I have too many traps? Are my traps appropriate? Are my traps dangerous enough? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Engage with us here. Tell us your thoughts on the subject or your own experiences with the topic.

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Narrative Combat

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss narrative combat. What is narrative combat? How can I achieve better combat through narration? What does more description and narration add to combat? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Degrees Of Success

Thu, 23 May 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss degrees of success. What is a success? What is a failure? Do they have greater or worse affect based on the roll? How can you use higher or lower numbers to add something special to your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Keep The Creativity Flowing

Fri, 17 May 2024 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss keeping your creativity flowing. What do you do when you aren't feeling creative? How do you overcome writers block? What are some ways to stay focused on your game? How can you bring back the spark of creativity? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Adding Rules From Other RPGs To Make Your Game More Interesting ft How To Be A Better DM Podcast

Thu, 09 May 2024 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we are joined by guest hosts from How To Be A Better DM Podcast Justin and Tanner. We discuss the topic of adding rules from other TTRPGs into your current game. Join us as we give you our thoughts and more in today's episode.

How To Be A Better DM Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-a-better-dm-dungeon-master-tips-for-the/id1575473372

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Corporate Games

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss running corporate games. What is a corporate game? What do you need to avoid when running this type of game? How should I structure the game? How do I make the most of the time? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Axe Marks The Spot

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Axe Marks The Spot. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Making Your Mooks More Human

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making mooks more human. What are mooks? How can we improve them? How does this make for memorable encounters? How much should I add to my mooks to improve them? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Playing The Good Guys

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss playing the good guys. What is a good guy? How do we play this character? Doesn't it limit my players? How can adding constraints to character morality improve fun and engagement? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Your Story Fit Your Setting

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making story fit your setting. Does any story work for any setting? How do you bend story to fit into different settings? What are things that we need to consider when fitting story into settings? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Carnival Of Mirrors

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Carnival Of Mirrors. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Adding Minigames

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss adding minigames to your game. What are some examples of minigames? How do I make minigames feel good? Does it take away from playing a Table Top RPG? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Tools For Building A World

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss different tools for building a world. What are some tools available online? What are some techniques I can use to build a world? What if I don't know where to begin? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Nostalgia In Games

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss nostalgia in games. Why do we use nostalgia in games? How can this be a helpful thing? What makes it such a powerful tool? What are the problems with using nostalgia in games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Cinematics And Autopilot

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss using cinematics and autopilot. How do I use cinematics? Is there a right time to use autopilot? How much is too much? What are the downsides to using these storytelling techniques? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Streamlining Games

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss streamlining games. How do different games streamline their systems? What can be learned form looking at other games? Do all streamlining ideas mesh? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Bard To The Bone

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Bard To The Bone. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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GM Note Taking

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode Josh talks about taking notes as a GM. Why should you take notes as a GM? What are the benefits of note taking? How does it help you tell better stories? Josh answers all these questions and more in today's episode.

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How Real Is Too Real

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss how real is too real in your game. How much gritty realism should I add to my game? When should I lean away from the realism? When should I embrace it? Do I need realism at all? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Let's Make A One Shot: Assassination At The Opera

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we do our first in a series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Assassination At The Opera. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about.

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Running Your First Game

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss running your first game. How do I get started GMing my first game? What do I need to know in order to run a game? What resources are out there? Do I have to do all this prep that you guys talk about? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Giving Your Players Life

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss giving your players life. How do I guide my players to make good backstories? How much detail do they need? How do I use these stories in my storytelling? What should you avoid when adding details to a character? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Promo 2023-2024

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 07:00:00 -0500

The promo for the podcast for end of year 2023 - 2024

Inspiration VS Insight

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss inspriation vs insight for your players. Should I give my players the answer when the character has the knowledge? How long to I allow them to figure out a story or mystery? What do I do when my players are stuck? What if no one posseses the knowledge on their character sheets? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Learning How To Relax

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 20:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to relax as a GM. Do I always have to be running at 100%? What do I do when my players go off the rails? How do I maintain energy each game session? Do I have to duplicate perfect game sessions? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Building A Better World

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to build a better in game world. What makes for good world building? What should I focus on first? What should I wait to flesh out? How much is too much? Should I avoid anything when world building? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Telling A One Shot

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to tell a one shot game. What makes for a good one shot? Are ones hots really different? How much prep do I need for a one shot? What should I not do in a one shot? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Telling A Multi Part Mystery

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to tell a multi part mystery. What is a multi part mystery? How do you give players clues? How do you move players along? What if the players get stuck? What makes for good building blocks? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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How To End A Game

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to end a game. What makes a good ending to a game? What should you do to set up a good ending? Why is a good ending so important? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Promoting New Players

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss promoting the next generation of players. Why is it important to bring up a new generation of players? How do you cater to new players? What are some of the challenges you face GMing for newcomers to the game? How can it improve your GM style? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Flavor Text

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss adding flavor text to your games. What is flavor text? How should I incorporate it? When should I use it? When should I avoid it? How much is too much? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Effective Encounter Maps

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making effective encounter maps. What is an encounter map? What makes for good design of one? How much detail should I include? What do the players need to know about? How can I improv details on the encounter map? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Travel Fun

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 22:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making travel fun in games. How do I make travel fun? Should I avoid it all together? What should I avoid if having my players travel? What do I need to do to make this play style engaing? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Writing A Game With A Partner

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 07:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss writing your game with a partner. What is co-writing? How do I write with a partner effectively? Can this partner be a player in my game? What are the disadvantages of writing with someone else? What are the ground rules? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Players Who Steal The Spotlight

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss players that steal the spotlight. How bad is it when a player steals the spotlight? Can this be a good thing? How can you address the issue? How does it hurt or help your table? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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A Look At The D&D Movie

Thu, 25 May 2023 09:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss the D&D Movie. How was the movie? Was it any good? What lessons can we learn from the movie? Was it true to D&D? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Storytelling On The Fly

Wed, 10 May 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss storytelling on the fly. How do you storytell a game out of no where? What tricks can you use to make it a good experience? How do you make the experience a fun one? How can you buy yourself time to improve the game experience? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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House Rules

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss house rules. What are house rules? Why should I use house rules? What are different types of house rules? Can house rules be used across multiple games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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A Retrospective Look At Tabletop RPGs

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 12:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we celebrate our 150th episode by taking a look at the history of Tabletop RPGs through the decades. Where did Tabletop RPGs come from? How did they evolve over the years? What are the trends we will see in the future? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making The Most Out Of Short Game Sessions

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss how to make the most of short game sessions. What length constitues a short game session? What game types fit best in a short game session? How do I get my players to feel involved in a short game session? How do I keep the players focused in a short game session? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Talking About The Critical Role In The Room

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss the popular live play Critical Role. What is Critical Role? What are the benefits of live play? How does the show help the hobby? In what ways does the show hurt the hobby? What can you learn from live plays? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Will AI Steal Your GM Job

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss if AI will steal your job as a GM. Am I obsolete? How can I effectively use AI as a GM? What are it's limitations? What are the different applications of AI in gaming? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Extra Episode: When Chat GPT Takes Over Level Up Your Gaming

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:00:00 -0500

Josh had a bit of fun this week and gave Chat GPT some prompts about our podcast. This is the result. Enjoy this episode this week as next week we'll discuss how you can use a tool like Chat GPT to help build and inspire ideas in your games.

Helping Players Take Better Notes

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss getting your players to take better notes. Why don't your players take notes? How do I get my players to take notes? Why should they take notes? What information should we just give them? Are there any rewards I can give for taking good notes? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Maps

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss creating maps for your games. What are the different types of maps? What makes a good map? What should you focus on when creating maps? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Monetization In D&D

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss monetization of D&D. What is the history of the D&D license? What is happening with D&D in the future? Is my current edition of D&D staying unchanged? What does this mean for the future of playing D&D? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Improving Mysteries

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss improving mysteries. What are some different types of mysteries we can tell? How do I improve on a mystery? What elements make a great mystery? What are some good guidelines in telling a mystery? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Food, Music, And Art In Games

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss food, music, and art in games. How do I use these elements in game? What does this do for my game? How can I tell better stories with these elements? How can I offer insight to my players with these tools? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Suspending Disbelief

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss suspending your disbelief in games. Why should I suspend my disbelief? What do the players gain? What does the GM gain? How can I improve impossible situations to increase enjoyment in the game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Avoiding Accounting And Math

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss avoiding accounting and math in your games. What is the purpose of the numbers? What stuff can you ignore? Why would you want to avoid the numbers? When do you need the numbers? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Stealing Ideas From Media

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss Taking ideas from existing media. What should I borrow from? What should I avoid? What if my players recognize the source? Does it make sense to adapt ideas? Are there any concepts that don't work without leaning in? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Building Encounters

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 08:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss building encounters. What types of encounters are there? How do I make the encounters meaningful? What things should I consider in making encounters? What about the environment? How do I progress my players through encounters? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Virtual Table Tops

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss various virtual table tops. What are the differences between them? What are the pros and cons? How do I choose one? Can I really go wrong with one or the other? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Learning New Systems

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we welcome Josh as the new cohost and discuss learning new systems. What are the challenges with learning new systems? How should I approach learning a new system? Why would I want to try a new system? What makes a game successful in any system? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Combat Length Action Problems

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode I discuss combat length action problems. What are the problems with combat lengths? How do you address these problems? Can you fix some other actions in combat to fix the action length problem. I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Wiped The Party Now What?

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss what to do when you wipe the party. Did I have to wipe the party? Can I save my players in bad situations? What if my players are acting foolish? Should I fudge rolls? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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The Rule Of Cool

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0600

Next Episode will be dropping 11/23

In today's episode we discuss the rule of cool. What is the rule of cool? How should I use the rule? What are the benefits? What are the downsides? How to I rain in players trying to abuse it? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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11-2 Podcast Update

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500

As you may have guessed my daughter was born since the last podcast dropped. As a new parent and a first time parent I am getting used to the crazy schedule that is a baby. I have another episode recorded which I will work on this weekend and have it ready to drop 11-9. Stay tuned and send us best wishes.

Also all parts of The Devil Went Down To Jersey are now out on all podcasts. Please check them out. Links to the shows that are hosting each part below.

Brad Younie of Carnivore Games

Website:
https://carnivoregames.com/?fbclid=IwAR1-srn4MWXwtAN759FskaX8EL0HuW7PlpMzczjicjnm1XGYjdqXaqbWgPg

Game System:
The Unexplained
https://carnivoregames.com/?page_id=298

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunexplained

HiBRiD_Therory

Podcast:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/hibrid-roleplaying-game
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WfvgCvtOyvjsnMvId8Vy8?si=f9f69ff2e2ba4080

Socials
https://twitter.com/hibridrpg

My Personal Link:
https://www.facebook.com/hujraat.johaansen

HiBRiD Game Group
https://www.facebook.com/hibridrpg/

A Fool's Quest

afoolsquest.com

D20 To Curtain

Website:
https://d20tocurtain.com/index.html

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194
https://open.spotify.com/show/4yUDbTlpfjQ4ZgsZMm2S9M
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/d20-to-curtain-podcast-1201801

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/D20toCurtain/
https://twitter.com/d20tocurtain
https://www.instagram.com/d20tocurtain/

The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Website:
https://www.thedungeonmastersdojo.com/

Podcast:
https://thedungeonmastersdojo.podbean.com/

Socials:
https://twitter.com/DungeonDojo
https://www.instagram.com/thedungeonmastersdojo/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonMastersDojo

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/TheDMD

Scary And Terror

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss scary and terror in games. What is the difference? How to I make a game scary? How to I build terror? How do I do this in a one shot? What if I miss the mark? Is there only one type of scary or terror? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Part 1 can be found on A Fools Quest
Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3slvx7DrDpS6ieICAi07qm?si=ck_pnVoeRBuw4_drDCaeIQ&fbclid=IwAR27KGqsT3nr0LrPEiUiEYn_XBaY4kIo7cputizTurr0Vk8WdtNid26F2e4&nd=1

Part 2 can be found right here on Level Up Your Gaming

Part 3 can be found on D20 to Curtain
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194?i=1000582883604&fbclid=IwAR0c_YYdkUnx5eZSns8lkVIxD50LBTjb_mY8WyLR3LttTjQSxXCQD6zw5i8

Part 4 will be released 10/24 on HiBRiD_Therory Podcast

Links for all those involved in the project

Brad Younie of Carnivore Games

Website:
https://carnivoregames.com/?fbclid=IwAR1-srn4MWXwtAN759FskaX8EL0HuW7PlpMzczjicjnm1XGYjdqXaqbWgPg

Game System:
The Unexplained
https://carnivoregames.com/?page_id=298

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunexplained

HiBRiD_Therory

Podcast:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/hibrid-roleplaying-game
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WfvgCvtOyvjsnMvId8Vy8?si=f9f69ff2e2ba4080

Socials
https://twitter.com/hibridrpg

My Personal Link:
https://www.facebook.com/hujraat.johaansen

HiBRiD Game Group
https://www.facebook.com/hibridrpg/

A Fool's Quest

afoolsquest.com

D20 To Curtain

Website:
https://d20tocurtain.com/index.html

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194
https://open.spotify.com/show/4yUDbTlpfjQ4ZgsZMm2S9M
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/d20-to-curtain-podcast-1201801

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/D20toCurtain/
https://twitter.com/d20tocurtain
https://www.instagram.com/d20tocurtain/

The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Website:
https://www.thedungeonmastersdojo.com/

Podcast:
https://thedungeonmastersdojo.podbean.com/

Socials:
https://twitter.com/DungeonDojo
https://www.instagram.com/thedungeonmastersdojo/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonMastersDojo

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/TheDMD

Our Detials

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Bonus Episode: Devil Went Down To Jersey Part 2

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Part 2 continues to follow the members of FPI as they continue their investigation into the lead on the Jersey Devil. The group heads into the Pine Barrens to begin their search.

Part 1 can be found on A Fools Quest
Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3slvx7DrDpS6ieICAi07qm?si=ck_pnVoeRBuw4_drDCaeIQ&fbclid=IwAR27KGqsT3nr0LrPEiUiEYn_XBaY4kIo7cputizTurr0Vk8WdtNid26F2e4&nd=1

Part 3 will be released on D20 To Curtain

Links for all those involved in the project

Brad Younie of Carnivore Games

Website:
https://carnivoregames.com/?fbclid=IwAR1-srn4MWXwtAN759FskaX8EL0HuW7PlpMzczjicjnm1XGYjdqXaqbWgPg

Game System:
The Unexplained
https://carnivoregames.com/?page_id=298

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunexplained

HiBRiD_Therory

Podcast:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/hibrid-roleplaying-game
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WfvgCvtOyvjsnMvId8Vy8?si=f9f69ff2e2ba4080

Socials
https://twitter.com/hibridrpg

My Personal Link:
https://www.facebook.com/hujraat.johaansen

HiBRiD Game Group
https://www.facebook.com/hibridrpg/

A Fool's Quest

afoolsquest.com

D20 To Curtain

Website:
https://d20tocurtain.com/index.html

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194
https://open.spotify.com/show/4yUDbTlpfjQ4ZgsZMm2S9M
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/d20-to-curtain-podcast-1201801

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/D20toCurtain/
https://twitter.com/d20tocurtain
https://www.instagram.com/d20tocurtain/

The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Website:
https://www.thedungeonmastersdojo.com/

Podcast:
https://thedungeonmastersdojo.podbean.com/

Socials:
https://twitter.com/DungeonDojo
https://www.instagram.com/thedungeonmastersdojo/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonMastersDojo

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/TheDMD

Our Details

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

October 2022 Podcast Update

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 14:00:00 -0500

Podcast Update for October. No Episode this week as I am preparing for the Live Play episode releasing on 10/10.

Podcast will have a missed week sometime here in October as my wife and I welcome our first child into the world.

We will go to a Bi Weekly Cadence through November and updates will be posted on our Facebook or smaller recordings in November.

Live Play Details

Part 1 released on Monday 10/3 is going to be dropping on A Fools Quest.
Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3slvx7DrDpS6ieICAi07qm?si=ck_pnVoeRBuw4_drDCaeIQ&fbclid=IwAR27KGqsT3nr0LrPEiUiEYn_XBaY4kIo7cputizTurr0Vk8WdtNid26F2e4&nd=1

We will be hosting Part 2 on 10/10

Part 3 will be releasing on 10/17 on D20 To Curtain

Links to all these great shows and Links to Brad's work will be in the show notes

Brad Younie of Carnivore Games

Website:
https://carnivoregames.com/?fbclid=IwAR1-srn4MWXwtAN759FskaX8EL0HuW7PlpMzczjicjnm1XGYjdqXaqbWgPg

Game System:
The Unexplained
https://carnivoregames.com/?page_id=298

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunexplained

HiBRiD_Therory

Podcast:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/hibrid-roleplaying-game
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WfvgCvtOyvjsnMvId8Vy8?si=f9f69ff2e2ba4080

Socials
https://twitter.com/hibridrpg

My Personal Link:
https://www.facebook.com/hujraat.johaansen

HiBRiD Game Group
https://www.facebook.com/hibridrpg/

A Fool's Quest

afoolsquest.com

D20 To Curtain

Website:
https://d20tocurtain.com/index.html

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194
https://open.spotify.com/show/4yUDbTlpfjQ4ZgsZMm2S9M
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/d20-to-curtain-podcast-1201801

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/D20toCurtain/
https://twitter.com/d20tocurtain
https://www.instagram.com/d20tocurtain/

The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Website:
https://www.thedungeonmastersdojo.com/

Podcast:
https://thedungeonmastersdojo.podbean.com/

Socials:
https://twitter.com/DungeonDojo
https://www.instagram.com/thedungeonmastersdojo/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonMastersDojo

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/TheDMD

Rewards In Game

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss rewards in game. What are the different motivations players have? What are the different reward types? How do you know what rewards your players will respond to? Can rewards be bad if used incorrectly? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Cross Promo Live Play Details

Brad Younie of Carnivore Games

Website:
https://carnivoregames.com/?fbclid=IwAR1-srn4MWXwtAN759FskaX8EL0HuW7PlpMzczjicjnm1XGYjdqXaqbWgPg

Game System:
The Unexplained
https://carnivoregames.com/?page_id=298

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/theunexplained

HiBRiD_Therory

Podcast:
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/hibrid-roleplaying-game
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4WfvgCvtOyvjsnMvId8Vy8?si=f9f69ff2e2ba4080

Socials
https://twitter.com/hibridrpg

My Personal Link:
https://www.facebook.com/hujraat.johaansen

HiBRiD Game Group
https://www.facebook.com/hibridrpg/

A Fool's Quest

afoolsquest.com

D20 To Curtain

Website:
https://d20tocurtain.com/index.html

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d20-to-curtain-podcast/id1513279194
https://open.spotify.com/show/4yUDbTlpfjQ4ZgsZMm2S9M
https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/d20-to-curtain-podcast-1201801

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/D20toCurtain/
https://twitter.com/d20tocurtain
https://www.instagram.com/d20tocurtain/

The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Website:
https://www.thedungeonmastersdojo.com/

Podcast:
https://thedungeonmastersdojo.podbean.com/

Socials:
https://twitter.com/DungeonDojo
https://www.instagram.com/thedungeonmastersdojo/
https://www.facebook.com/TheDungeonMastersDojo

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/TheDMD

Recurring Good Guys

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss recurring good guys in your game. What is a recurring good guy? How should they be used in the game? What should I avoid? How do they benefit my players? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Yes And... Improving With Improv

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss improving your games with improv. What are some rules I should follow? How far should I go with improv? What should I avoid? Does improv always favor the players? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

A Look At One D&D Playtest Material

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we take a look at the new playtest material for One D&D. What's changed in the playtest material? What is the direction that D&D appears to be heading? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Roundtable Discussion On Combat

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we have a roundtable discussion on combat. This episode focuses on perspectives from newer players and more veteran ones. We have 6 people on the episode today with many thoughts being thrown around the table. There are great points made about how to engage players and challenges faced in combat as a whole. We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Gimmicks In Games

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss using gimmicks in games. What are gimmicks in games? Why do some of them work? What if my gimmicks don't work? Should you use gimmicks? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Using Lore To Enhance Your Games

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss using lore to improve your games. How to I present my lore? Why is it useful in a game? How to I create my own lore? How much detail should I put into my lore? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Choosing The Right System For Your Game

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss choosing the right system for your game. What are different systems good at? Why should I choose one system over another? Why is it a good idea to choose a system that fits my setting? Can I adapt my current system to fit any setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Bandit Camp Links

Kickstarter landing age: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/banditcamp/wo-ua-hardcover
Bandit Camp homepage: https://banditcamp.io/
WO: Free Edition: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/354307/Wicked-Ones-Free-Edition

Drive Players To Complete Your Game

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss how to drive your players to complete your game. What are my players motivations? What actions direct them to complete finish the story? When should I push on my players to have them get to the end of my story? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
or
Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Bandit Camp Links

Kickstarter landing age: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/banditcamp/wo-ua-hardcover
Bandit Camp homepage: https://banditcamp.io/
WO: Free Edition: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/354307/Wicked-Ones-Free-Edition

Post Apocalyptic Games

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss Post Apocalyptic Games. What types of stories can you tell? What are the challenges with the setting? How do I run the game successfully? What types of players enjoy the setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming

Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Handling The Death Of A Player

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss handling the death of a player at the table. How do I honor my friend or player? What do we do with his character? Does the character need to die? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Solving Actual Puzzles

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss solving actual puzzles in game. How should I present my puzzle? What are the benefits of solving the puzzle? How do I guide my players while dealing with puzzles? How can I clue them in that a puzzle needs to be solved? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Introduction Of Josh, Lori, And Ken

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I introduce Josh, Lori, and Ken to the podcast. Who are they? What are their credentials? What are their GMing and Playing styles? I find out the answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

The Players Hierarchy Of Needs

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss different players needs. What does a player need? How can I look at a players need and meet them? Why are the needs of my players important? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Difficulties With Delays Between Game Sessions

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss delays between game sessions. How do we address unforeseen delays? What are some options we have to handle inconsistent players? When should you move on to another schedule? How do I re energize my players when we get back to gaming? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.

Basing Games On Established Stories

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss adapting stories from existing stories. How much source material should I use? What are successful ways to do this? What if my players recognize the source material? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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An Introduction Of GM Tom

Wed, 25 May 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I introduce GM Tom to the podcast. Who is GM Tom? What is his GMing philosophy? What will GM Tom bring to the conversation? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Setting Goals For Your Game

Wed, 18 May 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I talk about setting goals for your game. What are good goals for your game? How do you pick goals for your game? What benefit do you get from setting goals? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Perception Rolls And Giving Context

Wed, 11 May 2022 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I talk about perception rolls and giving context. Why do we require perception rolls? What is bad context? Do we need perception rolls? Is there a problem in giving out answers to your players? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Understanding New Players

Wed, 04 May 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I talk about understanding new players. How do we cater to new players? What do new players look forward to in gaming? What can we learn from new players to try and level up our gaming? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Blind Spots

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I talk about blind spots. How do I identify my blind spots? How do I correct my blind spots? How can I check my blind spots as a player? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Helping Out A Friend

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode I discuss the future of the show and changes that are coming. I discuss what brought about the changes and look forward to continuing the show.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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From Silly To Serious

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss bringing your players back to focus in your session. How do I focus my players when we first meet? What do I do when someone breaks scene with a joke? How do I walk back into gaming when we've sidetracked into another discussion? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Difficulty With Modern And SciFi

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss difficulties in modern and SciFi games. How does security affect outcomes of player actions? How much security should I put as an obstacle? When should I tone down my security in any setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Being Menacing Without A Monologue

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss making your villains menacing. How do I make a good villain? How can a put weight behind my villain without dialogue? How do I get my players invested? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Players As GMs

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss having players act as GMs within games. How do I have my players do dramatic edits? How do I limit what my players can do? What if my players aren't good at adding dramatic flare? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Metagaming And Why We Should Consider Embracing It

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss metagaming and why you should allow it. When do I allow my players to metagame? Are there any hardline no's? Is it always bad? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Extra Episode: We're Probably Missing Something

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode Aaron discusses a player conundrum of missing details. How do you know when you are done looking for things? How can the GM help? Why is it important to know if you are missing anything? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com
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Character Progression

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 22:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss character progression. How do you handle character progression? How do you make progression feel meaningful? How do you modify character progression to make it more in line with character experience? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Better NPC Creation Again

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss how to improve your NPC's even more than before. How do I make these characters feel more real? How do I create connections? What are the most important things to think about when creating NPCs? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Combining Actions

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss combining player actions. How do I combine actions? What are some examples in all three phases of the game? How to you balance power creep with combining actions? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Narrative Over Rolling

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we discuss using narrative technique over rolling. When should I use rolls? Why should I use narrative? How do I keep my players interested in outcomes? What if my players avoid major story elements? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Extra Episode: The Cortex Prime System Ft. Chris

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we have a listener provide his thoughts on the Cortex Prime system. Chris does an excellent job describing the system today. We hope you enjoy the episode.

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Your Best Game

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we celebrate our hundredth episode and talk about your best game. What is your best game? What made it so memorable or good? We want to know and hear from you in today's episode.

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Better Character Creation

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about better character creation. What makes a good character? How to I create unique characters? How can a session zero help this process? How do I define my powers for the character? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Deep Dive Into The World Of Darkness: Malkavian

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we take a deep dive on the Malkavian clan from Vampire the Masquerade. What type of vampire clan are they? How should I play one? What are things to consider with the clan? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Adjusting Your Game In Maintenance

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 08:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about updating your game in maintenance mode. When should I update the game? Why would I make changes to a game in flight? How much time should I spend updating the game? What should I avoid? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Challenging Genre Expectations

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 11:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about challenging genre expectations. Why would I change my genre? How far should I go? What if my players don't like the changes? What should I avoid doing? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Fitting Games To Your Players

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about fitting games to your players. How do I create games they will like? What if my players like a wide variety of game types? How do I make my players more invested in a non combat game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Destiny And Fate

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about destiny and fate in games. Why would I want to avoid destiny and fate? How can these be used effectively in game? What can be done if a player wants to take this as a background? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Pushing Characters Outside Of Comfort Zones

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about pushing players and characters outside their comfort zones. How much should I push the boundaries? How fast should I introduce new content? What if my players don't like what I've done? If they do like the new content how to I use it again? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Deep Dive Into The World Of Darkness: Stereotypes

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about tabletop rpg stereotypes and try to focus on World of Darkness. Why would I lean into these stereotypes? When should I break these stereotypes? How are things different if you are a player vs a GM? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Maintaining The Tension

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 07:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to maintain tension in your games. How do I create tension? What do players fear? What makes a scene exciting? What if the players know you sometimes fudge rolls? What if the players know you want the best outcome for you? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Breaking The Fourth Wall

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about breaking the fourth wall. What's the fourth wall? What are some ways we can break it? Why would I want to break the fourth wall? Should I let my players break the fourth wall? Are there any limitations? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Preview Of Coming Weeks

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0500

We are off this week from podcasting. Here is a preview of some upcoming episodes. Thanks for listening we will be back next week

Building An Epic Game

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about building your epic game. Where do I start? How to I organically bring characters into the quest? How do I gate my players progression without limiting them? How much detail do I need in the starting area? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Outside Game Activities

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about extra activities outside of game. What is an extra outside of game activity? Why should they be avoided? Are there any cases when we should have players engage in extra activities outside of game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Action Economy In Games

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about action economies in games. What is action economy? How do I improve action economy? How to I manage action economy in combat to improve flow and experience? When should I ignore action economy all together? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Tanares RPG Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragorigames/tanares-rpg

Social Situations Expanded

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we give examples on how social roleplay and rolls can be used in social situations. How do I take into account social merits in roleplay? How do I give my players information with dice rolls? When do I ask my players to roll? What dice should they roll? What if my players fail a roll? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Tanares RPG Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragorigames/tanares-rpg

Story Above Success

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how GMs overlook success of their game in order to execute their story. How does a GM fall into this pitfall? How do you achieve a successful story and successful game? Can a game be successful if the story needs to change? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Bringing In Elements From Other Game Systems

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 11:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to bring in other game systems into your current game system. How do I work out the rules with a system change? Can I use any story element? Are there times when other game system story or mechanics don't fit? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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How Much Detail To Prep

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how much detail you need prepared to run a game. How detailed should my NPCs be? How much time should I spend creating locations? Do I need an ending to start a game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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How To Make Your Games Standout

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to make your games standout from one another. How do I keep things fresh? Why would I want to change what I do best? What are some other conflicts I can create a story around? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Checking In With Players

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about checking in with your players in your game. How to I read feedback visually? How should I approach for feedback? How can I change direction if I notice players are disengaged? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Expanding Social Roleplaying

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to expand social roleplaying in a game. Do I require my players roleplay out all social scenes? How do I incorporate my characters social benefits into the scene? How to I make the social contest meaningful? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Handling Problems In A Game As A Player

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about how to address problems as a player in a game. What are some of the problems we may face as players in the game? How do we approach each problem? What if communication doesn't work? Are there any problems we can overlook? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Level Up Your Playing

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about improving your play styles. What makes a good player? How you should look to improve as a player? How to you mesh well with your GM? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Player Communication In Character Development

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about communication between players in character development. What are important things to discuss between players? How do you avoid overlap in development? What subjects are off limits and how to you communicate them? How do you develop intertwined backstories during development? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Experience Systems

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about experience systems. What types of experience systems are there? Is there a best choice? What if I don't want to use experience? How to I augment systems to create my own experience system? What are some things to avoid when giving experience? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Salvaging A Game Headed South

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about salvaging a game that is failing. How do I identify the problem? What if it's a GM problem? What if it's the players? Do we need to start all over? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Critical Failures

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about critical failures. What are critical failures? How do we use critical failures? How do you prevent them from hamstringing your players? How can you use them to improve your game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Recurring Bad Guys

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about your recurring bad guy. How do I give them proper motivation? How do I hook my players into finding them? How do I handle underlings? When do I let my players finally see the villain? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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You Probably Shouldn't Do That Again

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about 9 more things we probably shouldn't be doing as GMs. Below is the list.

You probably shouldn't have in game tasks take too long or have too many steps.
You probably shouldn't limit NPC knowledge in the moment.
You probably shouldn't role play out a whole scene of NPC's talking to one another.
You probably shouldn't require overly detailed backgrounds from your players.
You probably shouldn't run games to teach your players lessons.
You probably shouldn't keep running a game you don't enjoy storytelling.
You probably shouldn't make your players roll for things they role played out well in the scene.
You probably shouldn't use music without purpose or forget you have it running in the background.
You probably shouldn't engage in side sessions that are away from the table.

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Eliciting Emotions In Games

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about creating emotion in your players. How do I get my players to feel emotion? What types of emotion should I be shooting for? How do I handle emotional scenes? What if my players don't feel the emotions? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Improving Your Dungeons

Wed, 26 May 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about improving your dungeons. Why do I need to add story to my dungeons? Why do I need to care about the monsters or traps in my dungeons? Do I always need to force my players through the dungeon. We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Revisit Into Music And Sound In Games

Wed, 19 May 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we revisit music and sound in games. Why is it important to use music and sound in game? What do I gain from it? How should I get started and what should I avoid? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Improving Mass Combat

Wed, 12 May 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about improving your mass combat. How do I handle mass combat? How to I make sure it doesn't get boring and slow? What are the purposes of mass combat? How to I engage all players in large extended combats? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Say Yes Or Roll

Wed, 05 May 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about saying yes to your players instead of requiring rolls for everything. Where did we get this idea? How has it worked so far? Are the players finding it enjoyable? What are the pitfalls with the system of saying yes? What are some modifications you can put on the system to still have player engagement? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Handling Character Deaths

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about handling character deaths. How should I handle a character death? Why am I killing the character? Should this death be epic? Is killing the character the only way? How to I reintegrate the new character after a character death? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Carrot And The Stick

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about leading your players with the Carrot or the Stick. Which is a better technique for moving my players through my game? What is one better than the other? Is it an all or nothing thing? How do I execute either method? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Stonewalling Your Players

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about stonewalling your players. How far off the set path do I let my players stray? Why are my players moving completely outside of the story I have designed? Is it ever alright to stonewall players? How do I limit my players without completely shutting them down? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Setting Difficulty

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about setting difficulties in your game. How do I handle my players with their different power gaps? What if my players don't have optimal characters? How do I get my players to work more in character in combat regardless of difficulty? How do I create tension and challenge without blowing out the difficulty? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Dungeon Draft
https://dungeondraft.net/

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Deep Dive Into The World Of Darkness: Werewolf The Apocalypse

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about The World of Darkness RPG Werewolf the Apocalypse. What is The World of Darkness? What is Werewolf? What does a game look like? What do you like about Werewolf? How can I improve my Werewolf games today. We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Telling A Connected Game

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about telling a connected game. How do I segment a long game idea into shorter games? How do I keep engagement with the game being disjointed? How to I stay organized in planning this game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Character Classes And Being Stuck In A Lane

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about character classes and being stuck in a lane. Why do I have to choose the most optimal class/race combinations? Are my players just trying to obtain a specific power? Can you give low level players high level powers? How can you get better role play out of your characters by breaking class molds? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Session Zero

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about the session zero. Why should I run a session zero? What should we accomplish in this planning session? Should we cover themes? Should we create character concepts? We discuss all this and more in today's episode.

From our listener Chris the Session Zero tool Decuma
https://goldenlassogames.com/decuma

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Random Events

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about using random events in your games. How can I use random events? What should they focus on? How many good vs how many bad events? How do I create modern events? How to I avoid duplicating events? We discuss all this and more in today's episode.

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Online Tools From The Previous Episode

https://roll20.net/
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/home/home.php

From our listeners (Thanks Gary)

https://www.scabard.com/pbs
https://www.worldanvil.com/login
https://app.fantasy-calendar.com/calendars/create

Gaming Online And Adding Technology To Game Presentation

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about gaming online and using technology in your game presentation. What are good tools to use for online gaming? Is there a single good tool I can use? What is the best voice/video tool I should use? How can I bring in technology to improve our local gaming table? We answer all these question and more in today's episode.

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Tool's recommended by our listener from our last episode

https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/inn/
https://inkwellideas.com/.../random-inn-generator-floorplan/
https://thecoppersanctum.github.io/thecopper.../taverns.html
https://inkwellideas.com/free.../staff-patron-generator/...

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Improving Your Locations To Make Them More Meaningful

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about improving your locations. How do I make a random location more interesting? How can I drive lore or story with my locations? How much time should I spend on dressing up my locations? What are some of the tools that I can use to improve my locations? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Pregen Characters And Motivations

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about pregen characters and their motivations. How much motivation should I give the pregens? What motivations do they need? How do I ensure someone will play a specific pregen for the story's success? Should I have multiple pregen options? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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When Players Miss A Session

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about what do do when players miss sessions. What are my options for handling this? What are some rules I should follow? If I let someone play the character how do I moderate that? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Why We Cheat As GMs

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about why we cheat as GMs. Why would we do this? Why would we even talk about it? Isn't cheating against the rules? Is cheating always bad? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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A Year In Review

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we look at our podcast over the last year. What are our thoughts on some of our favorite episodes? What is coming down the pipeline for the next year? We answer all these questions and think about the podcast in today's episode.

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Your Next Game After A Long Campaign

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk your next game after a long campaign. How much time should I wait to start a new long game? Should I roll into my next multi year game right away? How do I find time to take a break? How can I get others to step up to the plate and GM? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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How To Build A Long Campaign

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 12:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about the long campaign. How do I start a long campaign? How do I plan the game? How much do I need planned ahead of time? How do I establish theme? How do I keep track of everything? We cover all these questions and more in today's episode.

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The Epic Final Battle And The Epilogue

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about the final battle and the epilogue to your story. How do I make the final battle epic? What makes a good epilogue? What if I'm not a prolific writer? Why is it important to include this in my game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

There are two songs that accompany our reading of the epilogue in today's episode. They are below as we cannot embed them due to copywrite reasons.

Black Hawk Down Soundtrack: Gortoz A Ran Track 11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwRjaaU3Fhg
hooverphonic - battersea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKZedCwd5zA (Replay Until The End of the reading)

The reading of the epilogue starts at 4:57 and ends at 12:35

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Game Concepts And Group Sizes

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about different game concepts and group sizes. Which concepts work better for large groups? Which ones work better for small groups? Is there anything I should avoid with my group? How do I handle my large or small group in different situations? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode?

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Our Evolution As Storytellers

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about our evolution as storytellers. Where did we start telling stories? How have we changed as storytellers? What different things did you try? What worked best for us and why? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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When Players Leave The Table

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about how to handle players leaving your table. What shouldn't I do? What are some techniques for handling this? Can I avoid awkward moments when the player leaves in the middle of something? How do I make the parting meaningful? We discuss all these question and more in today's episode.

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Improving Your Side Stories And Encounters

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about improving your side stories and encounters. How do I make an encounter more meaningful? How do I add flavor to my side stories? How do I keep my players engaged? How do I get my players to interact with deeper elements of my side story or encounter? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Player Agency And The Illusion Of Choice

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 13:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about player agency and player choice. What do I do when my players don't want to follow my story? How do I handle players making different choices than I predicted? Do I have to indulge every choice they make? Do players actually have choice and agency? We discuss all this and more in today's episode.

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Creating Your Own Monster

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about creating your own monsters. Where to I start when I create my monster? What should it look like? How should it act? How much detail do I need on where it comes from? What powers should it have? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Rules Lawyers And Order In The Court

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about Rules Lawyers. How do I handle my Rules Lawyer? Should I dismiss them outright? When are they useful? What if I have multiple Rules Lawyers? How do I remedy rules disputes with them? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Player Backgrounds And Player Motivations

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 15:00:00 -0600

In today's episode we talk about player backgrounds and motivations. Should I care about player backgrounds? What are the purpose of player backgrounds? How do I use my players motivations? Should I build stories around my player backgrounds and motivations? We answer all these questions and more in todays episode.

Tactical Play VS Non Tactical Play

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about tactical play vs non tactical play. How do I do more tactical play in my game? What are the benefits to a more tactical game? When should I scale back the tactics? Do I need tactical play at all? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Making Your Players Center Stage

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about putting the spotlight on your players. How do I create moments for each of my players? Should I focus on skills, class, or what the character likes? How do I keep the other players from being left out? How often should I give my players these moments? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Telling A Mystery

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about telling a mystery in a game. How do I leave clues for my players? What if my players miss clues? How do I get my players to move on the evidence? What if my players go astray? How do I help my physical characters fit into this type of game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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The One Shot Game

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 15:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the one shot game. How do I tackle running a game like this? Why would I want to run a one shot game? Should I use pregens or have my players make characters? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Running Your First Game

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about running your first game. How do I manage my time with the players? What type of story should I tell? How long should the game be? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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When Players Don't Fit In Your Game

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about the difficult subject of what to do when players don't fit in at the table. Is this a player problem or a character choice problem? Can this be rectified in game with a character change? What do you do when the player is the problem? When is it time to go separate ways at the table? We answer all these question and more in today's episode.

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Bringing New Players Into Your Games

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about adding new players to your table. How do you insert them into an existing story? What do I do with an experienced player? What do I do with a new player? How do I make them feel like they are part of the game no matter where they are inserted? We answer all these questions and more on today's episode.

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Incorporating Social Play Into Your Games

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about adding social elements and encounters into your games. How do you let your diplomat shine? How do you prevent a power gamer from ruining their experience? How do you incorporate social and politicking into different settings? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

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Interview with The Dungeon Masters Dojo

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 08:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we change up the format and conduct our first interview with a group of guys from The Dungeon Masters Dojo podcast. Luis, Scott, and Bill have been gaming for 30 plus years each and were a lot of fun to talk to during the podcast. We hope you enjoy their stories and insight.

Check out their podcast, The Dungeon Masters Dojo, with new episodes on Tuesday and shorter content on Wednesdays. You can find them at all your favorite podcast providers or check them out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/The-Dungeon-Masters-Dojo-103976808013364/

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Miscellaneous Accounting: Equipment and Others

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about your players equipment, supplies, and money. How do you keep track of all those things as a GM? How do you make those items scarce and prevent players from hording them? We answer these questions and more in today's episode.

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Episode 30: Helping Your Players When They Are Lost

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about helping your players out when they lose their way. How obvious should I be? When do my players need help? What are some techniques for helping them out? How to I plan for contingencies? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Episode 29: Adding That Something Special To Your Game

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss adding adding a special element to a well crafted game to take it from a good game to a great game. How do you pack an emotional punch that will leave your players feeling satisfied? How do you introduce a prop or physical element into the game and have it hold weight for the players? We dive into these questions and more in today's episode.

We have new episodes that come out almost every Wednesday. If you like the show please subscribe for new episodes, also leave us a review or a five star rating for the podcast, and tell a friend about the show.

You can contact us at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com if you'd like to join the discussion, comment on an episode, or suggest and episode topic.

Preview Of Coming Weeks

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Unfortunately we were not able to record an episode this week and we didn't have one in the bank. Instead I am releasing a little teaser episode of future topics we are looking at talking about. We also have our first interview scheduled with another group that will be coming out later this month or early next month.

Please subscribe, rate, and review this podcast. Also you can contact us at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com

We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode.

Episode 28: Creating A Collaborative Universe Part 2

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we continue our discussion from last week on collaborative universe building. This episode is more focused on the tools we use to execute the collaborative world building we've been using in our games. How do you share notes? How do you share music? How do you transition your games? These are just a few questions and more that we answer in today's episode.

If you'd like to get a hold of us or participate in the discussion send us an email at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com otherwise please subscribe, rate, review, and tell a friend about the podcast.

Episode 27: Creating A Collaborative Universe Part 1

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 14:00:00 -0500

Today we discuss creating a collaborative universe. This episode is more about the theory and definition of what collaborative universe building is. How do you trust that the other GM's in your universe are going to be faithful to your universe? What are the benefits of creating a universe with your friends? This is a natural extension of last weeks episode and we think you'll find it enjoyable.

Episode 26: Episodic Storytelling

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 14:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we talk about Episodic Storytelling. What is Episodic Storytelling? What are the benefits of running a game like this? Shouldn't a game be an epic chronicle? How do you maintain consistency between stories? We attempt to answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Episode 25: Cheating In Games

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:00:00 -0500

In this episode we discuss players cheating in games. Why would someone want to cheat in a tabletop game? What should you do about it? What types of cheating are common to see in games? We attempt to answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

If you'd like to join the discussion or want to suggest and episode topic you can reach us at levelupyourgamingpodcast@gmail.com

Episode 24: Table Talk And What To Consider

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Today we discuss player table talk and what you should admit or ignore as a GM. We boil it down to two pretty simple rules and it gets us going on some interesting tangents. This episode eventually dives into Jared's two key philosophies on game and how to improve them. It's definitely worth the listen.

Episode 23: Splitting The Party VS Group Play

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In today's episode we discuss splitting your party vs group play. How do you handle the group once they've split up? How can you avoid metagaming? Why might you encourage this type of behavior?

On the other side if you want your players to stay together. How do you keep them together? What are the benefits to group play? How do you train your players to move in a group?

These are all things we discuss in today's episode.

Episode 22: Ending A Game

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Today we discuss ending your game. Why is an ending important? What if I'm doing a short game or a one shot? What if the game wasn't very successful to begin with? How do I create my ending? We discuss all this and more in today's episode.

Episode 21: Writer's Block

Wed, 27 May 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Today we talk about GM Writer's Block. How do you get past writer's block? Should you shelve the game you are working on or muscle through it. We'll discuss several techniques on getting past a dreaded case of writer's block.

Episode 20: Sandbox Games

Wed, 20 May 2020 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we dive into the Sandbox Game. How do you run a sandbox game? How do you do a story in a sandbox game? What happens if my players zig when I want them to zag? How do I end the game after playing it for so long? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode.

Episode 19: Impactful NPCs

Wed, 13 May 2020 16:00:00 -0500

Today we discuss impactful NPCs in your games. What details do I need to know about the NPC? How do you give them more life? How do you add them to the group? How can you make players care about them? These are just a few questions we answer in today's episode.

Episode 18: How To Do Horror In Games

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we dive into how to do horror in your games or incorporate scary scenes. How do you put players in scary situations? How do you make your monster scary? How can you use atmosphere to enhance the horror? What should you avoid? We dive into these questions and more in this episode.

Episode 17: Deep Dive On Player Types: Specialist And Power Gamer

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we dive into two specific player types from Robin's Law, The Specialist and The Power Gamer. We look at what makes these two types tick and how they meld together well. How do you challenge these players to break some of their habits and try out different character types? How do you manage these players in your game? These are just a couple of questions we look to answer in today's episode.

Episode 16: Time In Games

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 14:00:00 -0500

Today we talk about time in games. How do you manipulate time and manage it in game? How can you move the passage of time without breaking immersion. How do you merge two time streams that are moving at different speeds? These are just a few of the questions we answer in today's podcast.

Episode 15: Metagaming

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about your players and when they metagame. How do you handle your players when they are metagaming? Do you allow any metagaming at the table? What if you just let it continue? These are just some of the questions we dive into in this weeks episode.

Episode 14: House Rules

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 11:00:00 -0500

Today we discuss house rules in games and the differences between spoken and unspoken rules. How do these rules come into play? Doesn't the core game have everything you need? How do you augment the system to your play style and create these rules? These are just a few things we discuss in the podcast.

Episode 13: Quarantine Episode

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Given the global crisis we felt it important to talk about how you can continue gaming with your group via online tools. We discuss what you should set up and tools we've used over the years to facilitate this need. We know this is a tough time and hopefully we can provide you a way to continue to enjoy your hobbies with your friends.

Episode 12: Consequences In A Game

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 16:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about consequences for your players in game. How should you use consequences? How harsh should they be? What's the point of having consequences? We answer all these questions and more.

Episode 11: Heroes And Villains

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:00:00 -0500

Today we talk about playing heroes and villains in games. We discuss some pros and cons of playing each type in games. What are the challenges we face with playing villains? Why is it so rewarding to play the hero? These are just a few questions we talk about in today's podcast.

Episode 10: You Probably Shouldn't Do That

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 13:00:00 -0500

In this episode we talk about 9 things we think you should avoid when running a game. We've done them and found they just don't work very well when it comes to running a game. Jared and I get vocal in the episode and I it should make for a good listen.

Episode 9: Controlling Your Table

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 14:00:00 -0600

Today we talk about the important task of controlling your table. You are the host to those who join your games and it's important to ensure everyone is engaged in the game. We talk about important things like managing turn order, introducing new players to the table, and engaging players in the game at all times.

Episode 8: Music And Atmosphere In Games

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 16:00:00 -0600

In this episode we discuss how to set a tone using music in your games. We discuss how to spice up a combat or pack that emotional punch with a sad song. How do you make a scary scene even more frightening or creepy? We'll be sure to let you know in this weeks episode.

Episode 7: Improving Your Combat

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0600

In this episode we discuss how to add more description and flavor into your combats. What happens when you swing and miss the enemy? How should they react when they take damage? How do you scale a combat to handle my bruiser? These are just a few of the topics we hit on to improve your combat scenarios.

Episode 6: Planning A Game v2

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0600

This is a continuation of our previous episode, Planning A Game v1. We dive deeper into the win loss conditions mentioned in the previous episode and give some more background as to why it's important to have them. We then drive right into the maintenance mode of game development and give tips and suggestions on how to keep your game a well oiled machine.

Episode 5: Planning A Game v1

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 15:00:00 -0600

How much time should I put into planning my game? What do I need to have ready before my first night of game? How should I design my game? These are just some of the questions that we answer in today's episode on planning your game. We start broad by identifying the two phases of game planning and then focus on the development phase of a game.

Episode 4: Best Laid Plans

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 15:00:00 -0600

In this episode we talk about what happens when your plans for your game go off the rails. Your players decide to go left when you want them to go right and are screwing everything up. Not to fear Aaron & Jared give you advice and techniques to bring the players back to your story or adapt to the situation you're in. Always remember "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Episode 3: Building A Better Villain

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0600

Aaron & Jared talk about how to build a better villain in your games. What motivates the individual and how to you give more life to your villain to impress your players. We talk about the traits of a good villain and the organization around them.

Disclaimer: The episode gets a little themed toward an adult audience around 17 minutes in. If you have young kids listening just be aware of this.

Episode 2: KYP (Know Your Players)

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 08:00:00 -0600

On today's episode we talk about knowing your players and how that makes for developing better games around their play style. We do get a little off topic but we cover the important "Robin's Law" analysis that you should do to make better games for your players to get them more engaged in the game.

Episode 1: The Gathering

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0600

In our first podcast we talk about one of the most crucial parts of starting a good game, The Gathering. We discuss different types of gatherings and their effectiveness in engaging your players.

Introduction

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 09:00:00 -0600

Just a little about your hosts, Aaron and Jared. We talk about how we got into gaming and how long we've been doing the hobby. If you'd like to get right into content please see Episode 1: The Gathering.