Fluff N Crunch

I had the pleasure of talking with John Houlihan, Line Editor for #modiphius Achtung! Cthulhu RPG, about his upcoming novel, Shadow of the Serpent, which combines elements of Lovecraftian #mythos with the Age of Napoleon. We discuss his ideas for the setting, and the story in his upcoming novel. Check out the links below for pre-order information!

#cthulhu 

John's Site: www.john-houlihan.net

Innsmouth Literary Festival

https://www.innsmouthgold.com/innsmouth-literary-festival

Pre-Order the book: https://amzn.eu/d/bZEVM8S

Listen to our previous episodes with John:

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/rIu7mv062Mb

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/cqx0gJ762Mb

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX 

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

What's all the controversy? How can you mine Outlaws for #ttrpg ideas? How #Starwars does it feel? Cut through the nonsense with our quick review of this new game.#outlaws #tatooine Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Players can get pretty steamed when their character dies...and it's worse when they die for reasons of the dice alone, or in ways that do not fit within the story. In this episode we discuss the moments when this issue comes up, and how to handle them gracefully. And thanks to Professor Dungeon Master @DUNGEONCRAFT1 for a very clever, simple way of handling this issue. #tabletoprpg #characterdeath Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Sometimes campaigns end; sometimes they're resolved; sometimes they die...quickly. My Castles & Crusades campaign, at about 9 months, died suddenly and we've replaced it, happily, with Traveller...a game no one else at my table has played. In this episode I discuss our Session Zero character creation, which in Traveller presents story and character background possibilities that simply do not come up in most other games. #traveller #travellerrpg #sessionzero #castlesandcrusades C&C Overview episode: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/HgH1Gizh2Lb Traveller Overview: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/eTIWYDMh2Lb Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

What's the new #startrekadventures #rpg like? How are the rules different from the first edition, and are they better? Is it worth the purchase?  @Modiphius  was kind enough to provide us with PDF copies to review, and here's our honest commentary on the updated version of a great game. #starktrek #finalfrontier #tabletop #hesdeadjim Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

What do you, as a GM, do when your players fail? How do you handle the story, the game, and the people around you when the dice don't play nicely? We discuss some of the issues with player failure and offer some ideas on how to deal with it both from the table and interpersonal management side of things, and the game/mechanical side. #ttrpg #gamemaster #playerfailure #characterfailure Note: the episode content begins at the 5-minute mark Timestamps 5:00 Episode content begins Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

I think so...but it's my game so I could be a little biased. Regardless, Chris and I discuss the fear mechanic - how it works, how it will support a proper horror vibe in a story...and Chris offers a revision that I'm going to try out in my next two playtests. #rpg #tabletop #horror Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

In our ongoing joint project to develop our own #tabletop #rpg games and systems, we discuss here some ideas Chris has for dice mechanics and, to my surprise, I end up liking a dice pool idea that involves different die types in each roll. Tune into hear the details. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Art in TTRPG books is important…but why? How? To whom? Is it a deal-breaker for purchases or a barrier to entry to the hobby? We figure out the answers.

RPG art article link: https://www.blackgate.com/2014/02/12/art-of-the-genre-the-top-10-rpg-artists-of-the-past-40-years-2/

Amazon documentary: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07Q334KBS/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Now that we've discussed norms in character creation systems, we're going to look at some options and ideas for what we're going to use in the #ttrpgs we are each developing. #ttrpgs #characters #chargen

RPG art article link: https://www.blackgate.com/2014/02/12/art-of-the-genre-the-top-10-rpg-artists-of-the-past-40-years-2/

Amazon documentary: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07Q334KBS/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein we begin our examination of general approaches to character generation in #ttrpgs as part of our work to develop our own games.#ttrpgs #characters #chargen Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

I think the title says it all. Chris attended UK Games Expo, and I went on vacation. He's got some interesting news about the experience, some new games he played, designers with whom he spoke, and we talk about the value of attending game conventions. #ukgamesexpo #gameconventionsThe Mandalorian: Adventures - https://store.asmodee.com/products/the-mandalorian-adventuresAltered CCG: https://www.altered.gg/en-us Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein we offer and discuss our ideas for the games we each are going to write, kicking around setting ideas that point toward the sorts of stories the games will help tell and will inform the sorts of system decisions we’ll each have to make.

If you’re interested in game design, and what we think is a vital issue - the nexus of system, setting, and story - this episode is for you.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Beyond just a heap of dice, what is a "dice pool" and what advantages and maybe challenges this type of resolution mechanic offer for #ttrpgs ? We dive into the topic by spotlighting several different games, past and current, that use dice pools, and share our ideas about the possibilities a true dice pool offers players and GMs. #dice #rpgs #tabletoprpg Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Mechanics…what makes RPGs games, and often a source of either interest or frustration, depending on how they work. In this first part of a series, We look at the most basic type of resolution mechanic: generate a number and compare it against another number. What systems use this? What opportunities and limitations does it present? What form of it do we like best? We ended up surprising ourselves with the answer to that last one.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein we point out how DnD 5e falls flat in system, settings, and stories, and we offer ideas on how to fix a game that WOTC has done its best in the last few years to ruin. The original TTRPG deserves better than vanilla settings and boring rules, and we have some ideas. #dnd #wotc #ttrpg #fixdnd #eberron #forgottenrealms #greyhawk Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

In response to a listener request, we discuss the issue of crunch - of rules complexity and density in #ttrpgs. We talk about a few games that have a reputation for being too crunchy, and discuss in depth five games with which we have experience and believe are both crunchy and playable. #traveller #anima #conan #2d20 #shadowrun Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

What’s Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound all about as a #TTRPG? What’s the foundation of the setting, how does the system work, what kinds of stories can be told in it? Herein we discuss this expansive RPG from Cubicle 7, building on our recent discussion of the Warhammer universe. Check out the game at https://cubicle7games.com/our-games/age-of-sigmar-soulbound #warhammer #ageofsigmar #ttrpg #cubicle7 Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

We talk about the Fallout tabletop RPG in this episode - given all the #Fallout related talk of late, with the Amazon show, it was high time we hit this title. We talk about how it differs from other #2d20 games, how well it models the video game property, and point out one glaring issues with the core rules. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

#Modiphius released free quickstart rules and adventure PDF for Star Trek Adventures 2e today...and we made time to react to it! We discuss what's in the document, some of the most salient rules changes from 1e, and what we think players and GMs can expect from this new version of a great game. #startrek #startrekgaming #startrekadventures Download the PDF: https://www.startrekttrpg.com/ Read this exclusive overview of the rules changes (dropped after we recorded and includes some things we didn't mention): https://comicbook.com/startrek/news/star-trek-adventures-second-edition-rules-changes-tasks-combat-ships/ Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein we discuss Modiphius’ community publishing program, available on DriveThruRPG, based on our own experiences and survey results from other content creators who’ve published various full games under the license.

WB Program Homepage: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/4329/modiphius/category/44299/2d20-world-builders

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

In Chris’s debut solo episode, he discusses recent reveals for Warhammer’s Age of Sigmar minis game.

We will drop these episodes as regular bonus content, on Saturdays.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX 

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Warhammer 40,000 Wrath & Glory RPG offers several tiers of play to help you dial in the type and scope of story you want to play in this massive, iconic world. In this episode we discuss what makes this game unique in the areas we love so much: system, setting, and story. We look into what kinds of stories you can play within the setting, and at how the d6 dice pool system helps to model the proposed vibe and action of the Warhammer 40k world. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39 Check out the game on Cubicle 7's site here: https://cubicle7games.com/warhammer-40k-wrath-glory-core-rulebook

This week I interview Richard, the designer of Frightshow Classics, a line of d100-based horror adventures available on DriveThruRPG, and created in the spirit (and system) of Pacesetter’s Chill 1e and the Cryptworld. If you’re looking for easy-to-run stories that offer a great 70s/80s/Kolchak the Night Stalker vibe, look no further…

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Get Fightshow Classics on DriveThruRPG: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/23052/yeti-spaghetti-and-friends

Chill 1e Action Table: http://tinyurl.com/2s49mvxt

Would either of these well-known properties make for a good tabletop RPG setting? If so, is there a system out there already that would fit the mood and themes of the property? We dig into both in this episode and try to answer these questions. And for free, we've thrown in a compelling argument that the 1997 Starship Troopers film is a heaping pile of trash and that you should ignore it as a source of information about that story or setting. Read the book! #masseffect #starshiptroopers #sciencefiction #rpg #ttrpg Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Warhammer is huge - it’s fantasy, it’s an iconic dark future, it’s miniatures, and rpgs. And in this episode we tackle a top-level overview of it so that we can, in future episodes, make sense of the individual rpgs in the line. #warhammer #40k #darkfuture #spacemarines #chaos Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

I’m joined today by John Houlihan, the Creative Lead for the Achtung! Cthulhu RPG, and we talk about - and unbox - the new Starter Set for the game. This box includes abbreviated rules, a 60-page adventure, six pregenerated characters, maps, tokens, and more, and I think it would be great for someone new to the game or for someone who’s been playing it for years.

We also discuss the upcoming D-Day campaign book and how it differs some from existing campaign books like Shadows of Atlantis and The Serpent & the Sands.

Check out the new A!C Homepage: https://www.achtungcthulhu.com/

And the new free PDF quickstart materials: https://tinyurl.com/58827baa

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Just when you thought your collection of Star Trek Adventures books was complete, Modiphius drops the news that they're coming out with a second edition of the rules later this year! The book promises more world content, "streamlined" rules, and compatibility with the current edition. Deftly avoiding baseless conjecture, we offer up our wishlists of what we would like to see in this book...and what we would like to not see in it, too. Sign up for the Star Trek Adventures email update list from Modiphius here: https://tinyurl.com/3s68sjbw Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Here i am today with Al Spader, lead writer for Modiphius' upcoming Federation-Klingon Tactical Campaign, to talk about what story content, new rules, character options, and other ideas are in this book and how you can use it in your Star Trek Adventures campaign. We discuss the tactical campaign subsystem in some detail and talk a lot about the story possibilities in this 200+ page volume, available soon from Modiphius and at your FLGS. #STA #startrek #startrekgaming #modiphius #ttrpg #rpg Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39 Modiphius Product page: https://modiphius.us/products/star-trek-adventures-the-federation-klingon-war-tactical-campaign Star Trek Adventures Second Edition Info Page: https://www.modiphius.net/en-us/pages/star-trek-adventures-2e-signup?mc_cid=578be5c37e&mc_eid=8c697fda54

10 months after our first discussion of AI usage in and related to TTPRGs, we revisit the subject, reviewing some of the tool available now, and diving into the politics of AI usage. #ttrpg #ai #midjourney #chatgpt Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein I discuss Castles & Crusades, from Troll Lord Games, and how it differs from 5e mechanically as well as in the feel it seeks to promote at the table and in stories. TLG is so confident in their system that they give away the PDF version of a recent printing of the Players Handbook for free! Links to that and other things are below. As always, get involved in the conversation - what do you think of C&C? What questions do you have about it? Leave a comment below or join our Discord. #castles&crusades #trolllordgames #rpg #ttrpg #frp Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39 Download the C&C PHB for free: https://trolllord.com/product/cc-players-handbook-7th-printing-alternate-cover-free-pdf/ Check out the game's homepage on TLG's site: https://trolllord.com/castles-crusades/

Herein we discuss a challenge that many (probably most) GMs face: how to restart a campaign after you've had a break for real-world reasons. We have some ideas about how to get ready as GM, how to get your players ready, and how to go about deciding when within the story to pick things up. Maybe you start exactly where you left off...maybe you fast-forward the story...maybe you retcon some things. We discuss all of these, and from a practical perspective as related to Jeremy's restart of his Kingmaker campaign. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

Herein we discuss zones, range, and movement in 2d20 games, and how to embrace the narrative vibe of these...and give up counting gridsquares. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39 Timestamps :50 Zones are subjective; you don't need to count squares anymore 1:37 Zones are narratively distinct areas, defined by what's in them and their borders far more than their objective size 2:30 Defining distance by understanding adjacent zones 3:30 Defining the separation between adjacent zones 4:25 Movement using zones - you're counting zones, not squares or measuring distance 5:28 Cinematic action is enhanced by using zones and zone-based movement 6:32 Some advice for using maps and/or minis with zones

We all face it at some point or another: the need or want to start a new campaign, possibly with new rules or a different setting, and beyond getting players onboard, there are other things we need to take care of in order to set ourselves up for success. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39

The Metacurrencies in 2d20 are essential to the gameplay and storytelling experience the system can help produce. However, knowing their mechanical effects and values is only half the issue; you need to use them proficiently (and often!) as a player. This listener suggested episode focuses on how to use Momentum, Threat, and Fortune/Determination effectively as a player - when to use them, when to maybe not, and how to view their availability during a session. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UCzk8ymniVxWjr8MjIu5eN7w

Herein Chris and I review Outgunned, from Two Little Mice, available on DriveThruRPG (link below). We think this is a great, simple system that will enable you to play high action one-shots or short campaigns in the spirit of 80s action movies like Rambo, Missing in Action, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and others in the genre. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Subscribe to our email list: https://forms.gle/VaFtxXjkzRSqwFi39Outgunned on DriveThruRPG: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/449021/outgunned

Lots of games present ways to quantify location, character, equipment, and story elements that are otherwise descriptive in nature. 2d20 games utilize a clever and flexible system of "traits" or "truths" (depending on the property you're playing) that serve as a clean and easily comprehensible means of connecting the qualitative to the quantitative, expressing important story elements in game terms. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Herein we discuss the mechanical and setting changes and expansions that will appear in the upcoming release of Ahris Remastered, on DriveThruRPG through the 2d20 WorldBulders program.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Herein we discuss the three metacurrencies found in most 2d20 games: Momentum, Threat, and Determination/Fortune. We talk about how they work, how to get used to using them at the table, and why they're meant to be spent, not hoarded! Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

The first in our series of How To episodes, focusing this time on 2d20’s core mechanic - a resolution system that determines success or failure, as well as accompanying positive or negative (but always interesting) occurrences.

Moving forward, these episodes will be published as bonus episodes and collected together on our YouTube channel in a special playlist.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Building on our discussion last year about Janissaries and Kipo, herein we discuss two other properties - both from book series - that could be used for new settings, campaigns, or short story arcs. We also discuss which existing game systems we think would be the best fits for each. Check out the links below to find out more about these two properties. 1632 on Amazon: https://a.co/d/euSSko7 1632 Homepage: https://1632.org/ Codex Alera on Amazon: https://a.co/d/3zVea04 Jannisaries and Kipo Episode: https://youtu.be/7CNV2IDyX78 Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Herein we compare notes on what we each believe are the five best 2d20-based RPGs thus far published. We discuss why, we argue a little, and then we invite you tell us that we are wrong. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Don't forget to subscribe to this YouTube channel! This is where the cool kids hang out, so don't be a square... Timestamps 1:07 Our hellos 2:52 Episode content begins here 3:54 Our #5s6:14 And on to #4 15:29 After a longer segment, we move to #3 21:02 We got through that pretty quickly, so now here's #2 29:15 Our top choices

As is now our annual tradition, we discuss our dreams, goals, and plans for the show, our gaming, and life in general in our last episode of the calendar year. And this time we're inviting you along for the ride in a far more active manner. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Find the Ahris Fantasy RPG on DriveThruRPG: https://tinyurl.com/fkhys3u3

As is now our tradition, we wrap up the year with two episodes: our review of the preceding year, and our forecasts and plans for the one to come - in our gaming, the show, gaming at large, and life. We end 2023 - which we agreed was a good year for us both - discussing how well we met our goals and plans for the show as of a year ago, as well as some specific points that we agreed we'd like to cover, related to gaming and life. We end with some awards we'd hand out of it had awards to hand out. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

In this week's episode we initially set out to discuss ways to overtly and covertly track time at the table so as to build tension and drama, give players a sense their progress (or lack thereof) toward accomplishing a goal, and to support focusing players during sessions. We realized that time - and lot of other things within a tabletop game - can be understood as one of many resources GMs can use to shape the story and mechanical action within encounters, scenes, sessions, and longer story arcs. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

In this episode we discuss the setting and the system in the original science fiction RPG (yeah, we can argue that but we're sticking with our position!), first published in 1977. We also discuss some of the stories you can tell within the vast Traveller universe. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod Other links mentioned and resources for Traveller: A Forbes article about the game - great overview: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robwieland/2021/06/09/now-is-a-great-time-to-get-into-the-legendary-traveller-rpg/?sh=2c74ec8015c4 Traveller Map: https://travellermap.com/?p=-0.433!0.5!2 Mongoose Publishing: https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/collections/traveller-rpgs A massive Traveller wiki: https://wiki.travellerrpg.com/Main_Page Cepheus Engine SRD: https://www.orffenspace.com/cepheus-srd/

We explore two fiction IPs as potential fodder for game settings and/or adventures. We discuss which existing systems we might use, and why we think these non-gaming properties would be a good fit for the tabletop world. We'd love to hear from you with your suggestions along these same lines. Janissaries on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087GX9HNS?binding=hardcover&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_thcv Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

We finish our discussion of how canon characters from existing fiction properties can be used - and some advice on how to not use them - in tabletop RPGs. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

How can you incorporate canon characters into RPGs without marginalizing the PCs or beloved and well-known characters from existing fiction? In this episode we discuss this thorny question, looking at Star Wars, Star Trek, and GI Joe as examples. Subscribe to this channel!Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe to our weekly podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Herein we discuss how to modify Achtung! Cthulhu to use for playing 80s-style GI Joe stories.

Check out this great Joe reference site for characters and vehicles: https://www.3djoes.com/

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Yes, we are aware that there already is a GI Joe RPG out there...we don't care! This is our latest "Essential Elements" episode, in which we look at what story and character ideas must be present in a TTRPG to properly represent the source material in content and vibe. In our next episode, we'll talk about how to take these elements and, using the 2d20 system (which we think is better than the existing Joe RPG engine), we'll offer some ideas about how to run a GI Joe game at your table. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

We think that religion offers much more story and character potential that we see in many games, and game publications, and so in this episode we discuss the issue - maybe gripe about it some, too, and definitely offer some ideas about how to address religion, faith, and how they can play out in a game for improved stories and characters.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Let’s learn about Gumshoe, Pelgrane Press’s house system that has some unique features intended to optimize it for investigation-heavy stories.

Check out Pelgrane at the following links:

Nights Black Agents: https://pelgranepress.com/product-category/gumshoe/nights-black-agents/

Trail of Cthulhu: https://pelgranepress.com/product-category/gumshoe/trail-of-cthulhu/

TimeWatch: https://pelgranepress.com/product-category/gumshoe/timewatch/

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

It looks like the designers went back to the woodshed and greatly improved on the beta version released a while ago, and this 320+ page book has a lot to offer the supers fan. Part 2 of 2. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

It looks like the designers went back to the woodshed and greatly improved on the beta version released a while ago, and this 320+ page book has a lot to offer the supers fan. Part 1 of 2. Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Join us for Act 3 of "Trouble on Beta Inari VII" as we bring to a close the first episode in our Captain's Log co-op game. Join our friendly Discord here: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Check out the character sheets and campaign info here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1juZygemCPwd3Tz5ff9Y3VOx_1MU4jps6?usp=sharing Subscribe to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Part 2 of our Captain's Log actual play, following the investigation of a missing survey team on a remote alien world...herein our heroes get into more trouble, discover something about the current status and whereabouts of the missing team, and realize that the clock is working against them.

Join our friendly Discord here: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Check out the character sheets and campaign info here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1juZygemCPwd3Tz5ff9Y3VOx_1MU4jps6?usp=sharing

USS Tracy responds to a distress call from a small team surveying an alien world. Attached to a deep space exploration task force Tracy is an Oberth-class ship refitted with an improved hull, high-resolution sensors, and rapid-fire torpedo launches.

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Check out our crew and ship stats here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1juZygemCPwd3Tz5ff9Y3VOx_1MU4jps6?usp=sharing

Herein we create our ship, the command crew, and establish the foundation for the campaign's story. It was fascinating and fun to get creative with the help of the excellent random tables in the Captain's Log book and by discussing the process with each other. Listen to our podcast YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod And join our friendly Discord here: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Check out the character sheets and campaign info here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1juZygemCPwd3Tz5ff9Y3VOx_1MU4jps6?usp=sharing

Herein we create characters together, relying on the random tables in the CG rulebook for results and inspiration. We’ll use these characters in the co-op game we’re going to start playing shortly, which will become a regular feature on the show.

Following up our talk about Bond and a 2d20 1:1 ruleset, we discuss the tropes of spy and espionage stories, both for use within that genre of games and in others, too. Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX and find us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Herein we review - with the authors' blessing - three full games published in the 2d20 World Builder's program: Ashland, Mermaids of the Depths, and Sentience.

Join the conversation on Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Although Ahris comes with around 60 monsters and NPCs ready to use, the flexible monster creation system will enable you to stat out any creature or foe from literature, mythology, your mind, or other properties. In this episode we build two iconic monsters, no prep involved. Listen to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

We dig deeply into the contents, presentation, and potential of the new Captain's Log solo rpg in this episode, following up our conversation with Jim Johnson last week. Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Jim Johnson, Star Trek Adventures Line Manager, joins us to talk about the newest release for STA: Captain's Log - the solo RPG book. Don't miss this one - this is great content if you want to play solo, play GM-less, or use it as a supplement to your regular STA game. There's a lot to this book!

Links mentioned:

Continuing Conversations Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-trek-adventures-continuing-conversations/id1534755873

Jim's Captain's Log YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVAnIScalX09TzMS_UUMccyQcGXTTuN3m

Fluff n Crunch podcast (that's us!): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Fluff n Crunch Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we discuss how Talents are created in Ahris and create a few...and discover just how flexible the system is. If you want to make really original characters, this is the way to go. Listen to the podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we discuss the quickstart released in early July - the system and setting, and the sorts of stories we think one could tell with them.

Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we discuss the quickstart for Dreams and Machines and how the rules differ in quite a few ways from standard 2d20, and what those might mean for gameplay. If you want to get right to DaM, skip to the 10-minute mark. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

If there's a part of Ahris that might be confusing, it's spell creation. In this episode we create three spells, working through the steps described in Chapter 7 of the Ahris rulebook.You can get the discount code for 1/3 off the list price of the full Ahris rulebook, good until 5 July 23, here.

And join our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Ahris FRP is live on the 2d20 WorldBuilders Program on DriveThru, and today we do an overview of the system, pointing out where it fits on the 2d20 Crunch-o-Meter, how it compares to other 2d20 systems, and what players and GMs can do with it.

You can get Ahris at a 1/3 off the list price through this discount code until 5 July 2023. And be sure to check the TOC/credits page for a link to a comments form where you can leave feedback on the game.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/441474/Ahris-Fantasy-Roleplaying-Game-and-Setting

Join our Discord and get in on the conversation: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Following our "Essential Elements" episode last week, we lay the foundation for a 1:1 Bond game, and by extension other 1:1 games, using the 2d20 SRD, and promise to work on it over the next month or so to make it playable.

Join us on our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we discuss what makes a Bond story, and therefore what must be included in order to fit as a TTRPG. In order next episode we take the 2d20 SRD for another joyride as we work out ideas for a 1:1 - one player, one GM - game system for Bond.

Herein we discuss the whole book and come to a surprising difference of opinions about it.

Herein we discuss how we'd use the 2d20 SRD to sketch out the basics of a Star Wars RPG, and make some promises about doing so.

Last year we did an episode on how to approach the process of converting an existing property into a game system. Today we approach Star Wars for that purpose, given that although there are several systems, current and dead, for SW, we are not overly fond of any of them, and so we are going to offer our ideas for working up a 2d20 conversion.

Herein we discuss how difficult it is for a GM to create, present, and maintain a horror vibe, and then offer some suggestions for how to do it. Join the discussion our Discord here: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

You can see the full list of Chill horror RPG books available on DriveThru here, and go directly to the free quickstart here. We recommend reading the QS to understand the investigative mechanics, and to download any of the free short adventures (all the ones with the red vertical left margin in the graphic) for ideas about pacing.

In short, we like it a lot. Listen to hear the details, and then join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

We discuss Jeremy’s 2d20 WB effort, Ahris FRPG, which should be out by or in June. Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

If you want to get right to the episode, in which we react to and assess the movie, and talk about it through a GM's lens, skip to 14:20, after we review in depth Chris's Wondrous Adventure to America (pronounced KWA-AH).

This is our first in a series, which we'll return to over the next few months, hopefully before HAL or Skynet destroys us all.

The title says it all. Herein we seek to improve some of the classic fantasy RPG story hooks.

The episode in which we respond to our own complaints about combat in RPGs, with suggestions - general and specific - for both players and GMs, to make it all better.

Connect with us on Twitter @fluffncrunchpod

Listen at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Find us on our Discord, too: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Yep, there are plenty of pain points in combat in RPGs. Herein we discuss 11, and promise to offer solutions in our next episode.

Find our podcast at https://anchor.fm/fluffncrunch

Find us on Twitter  @fluffncrunchpod   

Join us on our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we discuss some ways to get in the right frame of mind to come up with interesting story and campaign ideas for Achtung! Cthulhu, and offer some specific ideas, and some good resources for background material, too.  Reach us on Twitter @fluffncrunchpod, and join our Discord.

The resources I mentioned...

1. A Short History of World War II
2. Militaryhistoryonline.com

How do you get a campaign going in a scifi setting? We discuss a number of ideas, how to avoid cliches, and add twists what might seem like otherwise boilerplate story hooks.

Despite being the inspiration for so much gaming, and there being nothing wrong with either either setting, we think the classic adventuring parties in both are broken, if one is to stick to conventional RPG systems. Join the chat on our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Some genres work best for short story arcs - maybe 2-4 sessions at most - and some are probably best for true one-offs. Listen to our discussion and let us know what you think on our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Herein we offer our models - not at all playtested - for skill lists and rules, based on Modiphius' 2d20 SRD...and we think we hit on some interesting and possibly even workable ideas.

Herein we talk about skills in TTRPGs and the problems they can create within PC parties and adventures and stories. Part 2 comes next week.

Part 2 of our discussion of the new publishing program, with our hopes and dreams of what people will produce over the short term. Check out the page on DriveThru.

Herein we discuss round 2 of WOTC's mess: community response, their new OGL draft, and what we think of the whole thing before we put it to rest and get back to gaming. Check out some of our source material videos below.

• Legal Eagle
• DnD Shorts: DnD's New OGL...
• DnD Shorts: Insider Leaks from WOTC

Chris and I discuss the first few releases for the new community publishing program...two of which come from us.

Go here to take a look.

Herein we discuss the details of the WB program from Modiphius and discuss some of the early possibilities and our hopes and expectations for the program. In part 2 we'll talk in detail about our plans.

Herein we discuss, with as much restraint and reliance of evidence as possible, the supposed changes to WOTC's OGL. Probably the first in a series. Join the discussion on our Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

For further reading:

• DnD Beyond's 21 DEC 22 OGL post
• Gizmodo/i09 OGL Article
• ENWorld's 10 JAN Post from OGL Publishers

We discuss what we accomplished and thought about 2022, and what we've got planned, personally and for the show, for 2023.

Chris has an interesting and ambitious idea for a 5e campaign which will require considerable world building and possibly some house rules. In this episode we discuss his idea, kick around some ways to get him started, and promise to return in a few weeks to discuss his progress.

You saw the movie, or the show, or read the book, or got sucked in by the cover art...and you now have a shiny new game that you really want your players to try. How do you get them to willingly do so, if they are predisposed to sticking with a safe known? Herein we discuss the challenges and possible solutions to this common problem for GMs.

And join our Discord!

Herein we discuss the Supporting Characters subsystem in Star Trek Adventures, Dune, and Homeworld - how does it work and why is it so special? We also talk about how such a model could be 'ported into other 2d20 games and perhaps even other systems entirely.

Join the conversation on our Discord.

Kyle, GM from Bastard Quest, joins us to discuss his two episodes in which he ran "The Judas Priest," an adventure we wrote for him for the 2d20 Conan RPG. We talk about the adventure, how it went for him and his players, and some changes we've made to it. 

19 JAN 23 update: I have significantly revised the adventure and decided that, given the inclusion of copyrighted material, to remove access to it.

We shine our game spotlight on the pulpy, action-oriented setting and system of John Carter of Mars, based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novels.

Herein we kick around the idea of using XP - however it's gained, whatever it's called in a given system - to buy/do things other than just buffing a character.

Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

A Fluff n Crunch-written adventure will be run on two upcoming Bastard Quest AP episodes, on 24 NOV and 1 DEC, for the 2d20 Conan RPG. Track them down on your podcast app of choice and listen to their treatment of this short, savage tale.

Our interview with John Houlihan, the leader designer for Modiphius' Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20 RPG. We discuss the game, the system, the setting, upcoming products, and some other interesting things, too. Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

...our discussion of the sorcery system in Conan, and the Book of Skelos expansion for the 2d20 game line.

Join our conversation on our Discord at https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

I think the title should do the trick. And here's the link to join our Discord.

Hither came a discussion of formal downtime systems, a thing not often found in RPGs; and in detail we chronicle the exploits of the Carousing system in Modiphius' Conan RPG.

Continue the discussion on our Discord right here.

And if you're interested in a one-page cheat sheet for Carousing, you can download it here.

Virtually all RPGs have systems by which "experience" is gained and spent, and, beneath the hood, they're almost all the same, offering only variations on the same theme. We discuss this aspect of gaming, and offer some ideas about how to approach the issue differently.

Our discussion about and survey of the system and setting for Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of, and our thoughts on what sorts of stories you could run with it. We also discuss how the mechanics of this game are different from more recent Modiphius products...and yet, appropriate to Conan.

Check out Modiphius' two free Conan quickstarts here.

What's the optimal party size? How have party size expectations, rules, and norms changed over time? We discuss this and offer some ideas about managing big and small parties.

Infinity, based off a miniatures skirmish game, debuted in 2017 as a result of a Kickstarter. Very much on the crunchy end of the system spectrum, it overlaps mechanically a great deal with both Conan and Mutant Chronicles in its presentation of a transhuman/cyberpunk future. You can read Chris's actual play summaries, which we mentioned in the episode, here, and see the full line of Modiphius products here.

Or airplane rides, or trains, or whatever...this is Chris's hack of pieces and parts of various systems to use as a simple ruleset for roadtrips with his family. You can look at the rough draft of the rules here.

An overview of the setting, system particulars, and our take on story ideas for the grand daddy of 2d20 games, the Diesel Punk Mutant Chronicles. And if you want to pick up the massive MC PDF bundle (from which we get zero kickbacks), check it out here.

This is the permanent Discord link (and so is this: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX). Join us at our troll-free server where we discuss the sorts of things we talk about on the show, trade ideas, and don't give in to the darker impulses of social media and Internet relations.

We've seen plenty of RPG properties mined for various kinds of video games, and we've seen the latter used as fodder for movies, books, and other media...so how about turning a video game, of some sort, into a TTRPG? It's been tried, and with the 2d20 SRD out, and the ever-ready GM who wants to create something new for the table, we decided to dig into this topic. When is it worth the work, and what challenges should you expect to meet along the way?

Also, here's the link to that meeples game I mentioned, Holotype - it was a lot of fun; the creators were great guys; and so I endorse it. The Kickstarter is accepting late pledges.

Herein we discuss the high points of 2d20 - what we really like about it. If you're considering trying the system listen to this. If you want evidence and ideas for getting your non-compliant friends to get onboard, listen to this.

Herein we discuss those systems - at least some of the systems - that claim to be applicable to and useful in any genre of play.

Herein Chris and Jeremy discuss their ideas for projects they'd like to begin using the new SRD, and commit to producing some content for the community.

What is this thing called "balance" and why do so many game systems attempt to ensure it in character and encounter design? We pick at this issue and offer our thoughts.

Herein Chris and Jeremy review and reflect on the newly-released SRD and the good things it can provide players and GMs (especially GMs).

SRD via DriveThruRPG

Herein Chris and Jeremy present their review of the new Homeworld RPG from Modiphius, discussing the system, setting, and story possibilities presented in this 340-some page book. There's been a lot of discussion on the official Discord about errors, typos, and inconsistencies in this book; however, we do not address these...if you want those lists, go to the Discord and prepare to read.

Herein we discuss our ideas for using 2d20 for a Supers game, with most of this episode focused on powers and how to account for them mechanically. We'll have a linked document of our notes ready within the next few weeks and will discuss it in a future episode.

Here's the link to our shabby notes - we'll flesh these out more over the next few weeks.

Chris has decided to go back to his college roots and run Vampire, and after wrestling with the decision over which version to run, he has settled on 5th edition. Herein we discuss a little of the history of Vampire as a setting and system, compare changes to the rules and settings over the last 30 years, and focus on some of the particulars of 5th ed as he begins his campaign set in Las Vegas.

Herein we discuss the Homeworld Quickstart/Free RPG Day materials, including the rules, adventure, and what seem like the direction of this game.

Chris and I met over a year ago, and started recording FnC shortly thereafter, and upon reaching this, our 50th episode, we decided to look back on what we've done, what we think of it, and what we'd like to do over the next 50+ episodes.

It might include some rambling and reminiscing, so be warned. 

Chris and Jeremy frame the basic needs of a Supers mod for 2d20, discussing stats, skills, and starting to discuss powers. Part Two will follow within the next few weeks.

Chris is nearly done running CoS, and I ran it when it first came out. Herein we discuss the story and how it interacts with the current 5e rules and DnD player norms. If you've not listened to our episode on running investigation-heavy stories, we call back to some of those ideas, by implication, in this episode. Our older episode on running published adventures is also implied.

I (Jeremy) am going run the Dracula Dossier for my group, but I'm not hip on Gumshoe as a system after having run it a decent amount. The challenge, then, is whether or not 2d20 can be modified to emulate the necessary tropes for Jason Bourne meets Dracula. Can it? Let's see.

In Chris' first solo episode, he works through a list of well-known and lesser-known Supers RPGs from over the years, addressing some of their strengths and shortcomings, and then foreshadows future commentary on the new Marvel RPG, and expresses some hope for the future of Supers games.

We had the pleasure of talking with Nathan Dowdell, the 2d20 System Manager for Modiphius Entertainment. Our discussion ranged from how he and his team have modified the core system to fit various existing properties, to some talk about the upcoming SRD, to other ideas related to 2d20 and gaming in general.

Kickstarted in 2015 and fulfilled in 2020, the Cortex Prime toolkit hardback presents the Cortex system and myriad options for how you might use it in your games. Chris and I discuss what we think of the core mechanic and, more importantly, what else is in the book, how it might be used, and for whom this might be an interesting purchase.

Since Chris was sick this week, I decided to offer short reviews of several of Modiphius' published A!C adventures, with commentary and suggestions for GMs who might want to run them.

In this one I interview Chris about the new Marvel supers game, and I get an earful. Below are links to his blog, wherein you can see examples of the infamous Archetype Tables, and read about his suggestions for improving the game (that is, making it playable).

• Post 1: Overview
• Post 2: Comparisons and Conclusions

Herein I seek feedback on a very rough draft of a more traditional fantasy magic system for use with 2d20. It's rough, and I think I'm coming away with some good ideas to improve it.

As GMs, we draw inspiration for ideas - and life ideas whole-cloth - from books, movies, tv, and mythology. I propose another valid source: the lyrics and album covers of many Metal bands. Below are linked some of those mentioned in the episode, and a few others.

Lyrics

• Iron Maiden, "Sun and Steel"
• Iron Maiden, "The Wicker Man"
• Iron Maiden, "The Duellists"
• Iron Maiden, "The Prophecy"
• Judas Priest, "Tyrant"
• Judas Priest, "Bloodstone"
• Judas Priest, "The Sentinel"
• Type O Negative, "Wolf Moon"
• Rainbow, "Man on the Silver Mountain"
• Bolt Thrower, "Granite Wall"

Album Covers

• Iron Maiden, Somewhere in Time
• Iron Maiden, Brave New World
• Iron Maiden, Powerslave
• Bolt Thrower - various wallpapers

I think that says it...herein we discuss what we'd like to see in a fantasy core rulebook...not tied to an existing property or setting.

Our mainly GM-focused discussion of the differences in planning and management needs between one-offs, adventures, and campaigns.

In this episode we discuss the highly narrative Dishonored 2d20 RPG, and talk about what we like and dislike about it as a setting, as a vehicle for storytelling, and as a version of our favorite system.

Investigations and mysteries are interesting, can be a lot of fun, and are also a challenge to plan and run. Digging into our long experience of mistakes in trying to do this, Chris and I discuss what we believe to be the biggest pitfalls to avoid in planning and running these. In the episode I refer to Chill 3e and some potentially useful (free) materials related to that game available on DriveThruRPG - see that all here.

What is Star Trek without problem solving through gonzo science, engineering, and medicine? We think not much, and Modiphius agrees, as evidenced by their inclusion of a subsystem for using a riff on the scientific method within the game. It's simple and story and character focused if done well, and you should go out of your way to put it to use.

In this episode we explain and discuss it, run through a sample of it, and provide some commentary and house rules for it, too.

TTRPGs have gone through a lot of development over the last 45+ years, and over that time we've seen different views on when and how to use the dice...when to call for rolls, what those rolls should be used to accomplish, and even when to hide and possibly fudge rolls (by the GM, of course...GMs fudge; players cheat!). In this episode Chris and I talk a little about that evolution, and focus mostly on ideas of how a GM can go about deciding when to call for the dice, when not to, and how to accept their results. And, of course, we use lots of examples related to 2d20.

Reach us at [email protected]

In this episode we discuss how to get people to play a 2d20 game, and then how to explain and make sense of the most important mechanics during that first session.

Part 2 of our discussion of the challenges of running original adventures and campaigns in story-heavy settings, wherein we move on from easier settings to more difficult ones - that is, those with little daylight between story and setting, like Dune or The Expanse.

Part 1 of our discussion of the challenges of running original adventures and campaigns in story-heavy settings. In this episode we first discuss those settings with established stories that don't present too much of a challenge to writing original adventures, and offer some opportunities, then move on to those settings where there is less daylight between story and setting.

This is a long one, in which we work through a combat encounter and provide running rules and gameplay commentary throughout. We made a mistake, however, with the rules and I went back and plugged in a few interludes of commentary to smooth things out and set up our recognition of the mistake, which we talked about at the end of the episode.

One bit of advice for running combat in AC: make sure you have your Momentum charts and weapon Qualities and Effects lists handy - they will both come up, and there are subtle differences between AC and some other 2d20 titles.

The episode in which we discuss the comparative merits and challenges in using published vs. homebrew adventures and campaigns, which led us quite organically to some realizations about us as GMs - and probably GMs in general - from which we drew what we believe is solid advice for those of us who spend most of our gaming time 'behind the screen.'

Find us on Facebook or email us at [email protected]

The episode in which we discuss range, space, and distance, and how it's handled through theater of the mind and minis-based games, as well as how 2d20s concept of 'zones' can work well with either.

And feel free to contact us directly through our new email: [email protected]

What are Chris and I looking forward to, individually, in gaming over 2022? What releases have our interest, and what do we hope to do with our respective groups? We discuss these, and some Covid, in this episode.

We take shots at the game and the system a lot, we know, and so we thought it was time to devote an episode to explaining ourselves to you. Spoiler: we actually think there is quite a lot to like about 5e...and yet...

Recorded while Jeremy and Chris could not harmonize their schedules, this episode includes our first guest host, John - military combat veteran and current law enforcement officer - whose life experiences color his views on gaming and game rules. We had an interesting discussion of the core mechanic and how we think it's a significant improvement over the stock Year Zero Engine, and spent time on how the combat system creates situations and forces decisions that closely resemble the real thing.

After about six months of podcasting and a lot of gaming, we decided to look back on all of 2021 and reflect on the good.

A follow-up to our favorites discussion, herein we talk about some of our worst gaming experiences by system. And don't get your nose out of joint over these - we all have games we've played that we just didn't like, for some reason or another. On the upside, consider this: if some of your favorites are some of our least favorites, we will never compete over the last copy.

Herein Chris and I go full-frontal op-ed, sharing our fondest and best game memories by system.

I played a lot of PF 1e when it replaced DnD 4e at our table, and it was great...up to about 6th level. Having moved away from PF when DnD 5e came out, I have to date only give PF 2e a cursory glance. Chris, on the other hand, has played and run it and promises that there are many noteworthy improvements in 2e...and so we took this episode to talk about the newest version of the system.

A notional combat encounter between Conan and pirate cultists and their vile leader...

The first in a series of 'notional combat encounters' we're going to work through for different 2d20 games, to help nail down how combat flows and what options are available, and also to compare combat between the different games.

In celebration of the release of the new movie, we decided to put our model for hacks & mods to the test by working through the a version of 2d20 to use for a Ghostbusters game. You can read Chris' notes and our combined ideas on his blog right here.

We do a deeper dive into this one than the PG...spoiler: it's a good book.

I think the episode title does the trick. We'll address the GM's Guide in the next episode, and in greater depth.

Chris wanted to select a game system to run a homebrew Supers game with his family, and he wanted it to be simple and streamlined for them, and varied and detailed enough to keep him interested as GM. That's a tough needle to thread, and so we decided to discuss it to try and reach a solution. I think I might have won him over, and in a future episode (this was recorded in July before his vacation) we'll discuss his decision and its outcome.

We like the properties published for 2d20, but there are plenty of settings and genres that Modiphius doesn't publish for - so we decided to think through how to reskin, hack, modify, or convert to use some version(s) of 2d20 with other settings. You can read the notes, cleaned up, to which we referred in the episode here. We will add more to that page over time as we revisit this topic in future episodes.

Threat, also known as Doom and some other names in different 2d20 properties, is an essential element of the game for the GM and if you're not using it well, you're not going to get the most out of the system. In this episode we discuss three categories of Threat, as we see it, and give some experience-based advice about how to understand and use it. We mentioned a few of the quickstarts, and those are linked below.

• Acthung! Cthulhu QS
• Conan Free RPG Day Scenario
• STA QS
• STA Klingon QS

We discuss the newest book for STA from Modiphius and how GMs (especially) will be able to get a lot of mileage out of it, even if you've no interest in playing in the Expanse.

Although the mechanics are still stock 2d20, running starship combat is a lot more involved than that at the personnel level, and requires a more even burden of GM and player knowledge requirements. In this episode Chris and I work through two rounds of starship combat, stopping throughout to comment on how the rules work and how they evoke the right feel at the table. We recommend that, to get the most out of this, you re-read, or at least scan, the starship operations and combat rules in whichever STA rulebook you have (and if you've a choice, use the Klingon book - it's a lot more clear than the original!).

We decided to treat all four Quadrant books in one review, discussing what is and isn't in each and how each can fit into different types of Star Trek Adventures games. And then I tried to convince Chris that Voyager is pretty good, and we agreed and provided clear evidence that Wesley Crushed is annoying.

Here's a brief update on our change to our publishing schedule - we're going weekly!

Herein we discuss what's in and what's good about the Command Division book for Star Trek Adventures, with commentary aimed at both players and GMs.

In addition to a generic conflict resolution system - the basic 2d20 mechanic with a few tweaks - Dune offers five different versions of that system, intended for use in story-specific situation: dueling, skirmish combat, espionage (break-ins and sabotage and such), intrigue (social conflicts), and warfare ("send the horse! full attack!"). Herein we discuss what we like, don't like, and are confused by in these systems.

Chris has a physical copy and I have the PDF...so what do we think of Modiphius' 2d20 version of Dune? This is a highly narrative implementation of the rules, closer to John Carter of Mars than Star Trek, so we're going to see a different kind of feel expressed...or so we assume.

Herein we discuss why it's tough to model some settings and genres in TTRPGs.

Herein we discuss how combat works across the 2d20 games, building on our discussion of the metacurrencies - Momentum and Threat, in particular - and how central they are to gameplay.

Herein we discuss Momentum, Threat, and Determination, player and GM metacurrencies that appear in all 2d20 games, albeit sometimes with different names. These currencies are what give 2d20 it's cinematic dimension, through which players and GM can shape situations in ways that are mechanically coherent and make sense for the story.

We've both run a lot of 2d20 games and confusion always comes up around the core mechanic for players new to the system. Herein we discuss how it works, what it does, and give some indication as to why these are all good (really good!) things.

Chris and Jeremy introduce themselves in this first episode and discuss their gaming backgrounds, interests, and current work.