The RPG Academy

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show And Tell # 152 – Murder Gently

6 september 2024 | 27 min

The Reviews – 2024 D&D 5e PHB

27 augusti 2024 | 52 min

Show And Tell # 151 – Sentients

22 augusti 2024 | 26 min

Bonus ep – ConVergence. Moe & Michael chat SDCC and GenCon 2024

15 augusti 2024 | 53 min

Bonus ep – GenCon 2024 Recap and Review

13 augusti 2024 | 48 min

Show And Tell # 150 – Holdfast Station – corrected audio

7 augusti 2024 | 41 min

Show And Tell # 149 – Starscape redux

31 juli 2024 | 34 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 102 – with Guest Co-host John Ross

29 juli 2024 | 61 min

Hello Academaniacs!

In this episode Michael and Chris are joined by guest co-host John Ross, Michael’s oldest child for some fun and silly TTRPG chat.

Extra Curricular

Chris – Finished the Acolyte, Eat the Reich, The Boys, Adult stuff

John – Stranger Things, re-reaching Percy Jackson, Deadpool rewatches

Michael – Action 12 Cinema is up for an ENnie, ENnie awards next week at GenCon, I’ll be at GenCon, There is a new D&D release event at GenCon, AcadeCon jumps into full gear after GenCon, S4 of the Bear and now rewatching S1 of the Bear – it’s magnificent, Action 12 Cinema is now in some local FLGS around the country.

10 Things

Michael – 10 things a sand shark would have eaten

Chris – 10 adult things

John – 10 Video game Characters

USED BOOKS: John talks about a new campaign he started he’s based on the animated show on Netflix The Hollow with a big ‘twist’ two sessions in and the first one was the best one he’s ever ran.

we then jump around on a few different topics including running a campaign with the players not knowing anything about their characters, other systems and more.

Where have my Fingers Been?

John – 2 goblins waiting for their turn in combat in a battle that is NOT going their way.

Chris – 2 people waiting for the bathroom but the people in front of them have had explosive diarehea

Michael – 2 brothers tasked with cooking dinner

Cryptozoology:

Liches

Audience Q&A:

Most anticipated events at GenCon

3 accessories question for John

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

GO VOTE FOR ACTION 12 CINEMA FOR BEST RULES ENNIE and PLUS D12 GAMES for Fan’s Favorite Publisher.

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Rolistes Present… Time to Vote for “Action 12 Cinema” at the Ennies!

19 juli 2024 | 51 min

Show And Tell # 148 – Sam Dunnewold

16 juli 2024 | 41 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 101 – Action 12 Cinema ENnie Nominated

13 juli 2024 | 51 min

Hello Academaniacs!

For this special 100th Detention LIVE episode Chris and I share the big news! We’re going on a cruise together! Oh, also my game Action 12 Cinema has been nominated for an ENnie award under the “Best Rules” category and I need your help!

VOTE FOR ME HERE:

Extra Curricular

Chris – The Boys (on Amazon Prime), The Acolyte (Disney +) Work life has improved. Vacations on the Horizon, including a D&D Cruise next year.

Michael – On my summer break, GenCon coming up, The Boys, The Bear, Running Marvel 616 RPG at the library and D&D for my kids Plus a ‘learn to play D&D’ session with some work folks. but my big news is the Action 12 Cinema ENnie nomination. Farm to Fable still going strong. Guesting on a Gossip Girl podcast. AcadeCon badge sales go live on 08/15. AcadeCon the 13th: 2d4

10 things

Michael – 10 things you’ll do if you win the ENnie

Chris – 10 things you hope to do/experience on our Cruise

Used Books – Running games from modules, not as bad as we thought. Also, aligning player expectations can make or break a game.

Where have my Fingers been?

Michael – Two guys looking for the ENnies ceremony.

Chris – two players playing a Dread game on a badly rocking ship.

We say goodbye to our friend Kevin Stacy

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 147 – Mythworks

9 juli 2024 | 53 min

Bonus ep – Michael’s Origins 2024 recap

5 juli 2024 | 67 min

Detention, LIVE! episode100 How to Be a Better DM Podcast

3 juli 2024 | 53 min

Hello Academaniacs!

For this special 100th Detention LIVE episode Chris and I are joined by Justin Lewis from Session Zero Studio and the How to be a Better DM Podcast.

Extra Curricular

Chris – Agents of Mystery of Netflix, Star Wars: The Acolyte, Work stuff and living as an Empty Nester with the wife.

Justin – Delicious in Dungeon on Netflix, Magic the Gathering,

Michael – Origins convention experiences – recapping on TikTok and FB, The Boys, Smallville rewatching for Farm to Fable, I did renew my contract to be back at the school next year. Will be at GenCon.

10 things

Chris – 10 reasons why your party would work WITH their nemesis

Michael – 10 things you’ll see at a Conventino

Joseph – 10 non D&D TTRPGs

Used Books – We discuss the How to be a Better DM podcast and share some advice for new or on the fence DMs out there.

Where have my Fingers been?

Justin – two people who have finally found the big red button!

Michael – Someone has found a Genie but they are not quite a normal Genie.

Chris – two players fighting to be the next GM

Q&A – Justin answers our ‘if an action figure was being made of you – what are the three accessories that would be included?’ Question

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 146 – Bump in the Dark

24 juni 2024 | 36 min

Show & Tell # 145 – The Extraordinarily Horrible Children of Raven’s Hollow

5 juni 2024 | 36 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 26

31 maj 2024 | 50 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 25

24 maj 2024 | 45 min

Show & Tell # 144- Slayers RPG

21 maj 2024 | 42 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 24 (corrected audio)

18 maj 2024 | 45 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 23

10 maj 2024 | 53 min

Show & Tell # 143- D20 Cruise recap with Neal and Rich

10 maj 2024 | 59 min

Show & Tell # 142 – Moe guests on Dice Exploder

6 maj 2024 | 44 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 22

3 maj 2024 | 51 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 21

26 april 2024 | 46 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 99 D&D Trivia game with guests

23 april 2024 | 73 min

Hello Academaniacs!

For this special Detention LIVE episode Chris and I are joined by Lewanika from Tabletop Journeys, RJ from the DragonLance Campaign and Friend of the Show Jack for some D&D Trivia. The Five of us working together with the occasional chat help managed to get 50% of the questions correct. How’d you do?

Extra Curricular

Chris – Taking it easy for a change, finishing up Love is Blind on Netflix. Catching up on Critical Role.

Joseph – Finishing up the Gm book for Dungeon Dwellers. (Game Master’s Vault). Return to Dark Tower the RPG. Keeping up with pets. 3D printing.

Michael – Teaching games at my school, Learn to Run D&D at the Local public Library (Corbin) Action 12 Cinema. A new Secret Project. AcadeCon planning in well underwater

10 things

Chris – 10 things you find in the hold of a shipwreck

Michael – 10 Names for pets

Joseph – 10 Terrible pieces of Gaming Advice.

Used Books – A Trojan horse scenario where the players unwittingly are working for the BBEG

Where have my Fingers been?

Joseph – two people talking where one has figured out they have been taken advantage of by someone and the other one just isn’t getting it.

Chris – Two dragons arguing over a horde

Michael – two people arguing over who will drive on a night out.

Q&A – ReaperWolf answers our ‘if an action figure was being made of you – what are the three accessories that would be included?’ Question

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

North Texas RPG Convention

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 20

19 april 2024 | 38 min

Show & Tell # 141 – Rascal News

11 april 2024 | 42 min

Show & Tell # 140 – eXistential eSsential

3 april 2024 | 36 min

Bonus ep – Draft Special – Most awesome collection of Vehicles from Live-action TV 70’s, 80’s and 90’s

27 mars 2024 | 44 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 98 with guest co-host ReaperWolf of Dungeon Dwellers RPG

25 mars 2024 | 64 min

Hello Academaniacs!

For this special year-end review show Michael and Chris are joined by Joseph C. Wolf aka ReaperWolf of the Dungeon Dwellers RPG

Dungeon Dwellers RPG KS, funded and still open for pledge manager

The Sunstarved Shrine – an intro adventure for Dungeon Dwellers

Extra Curricular

Chris – Taking it easy for a change, finishing up Love is Blind on Netflix. Catching up on Critical Role.

Joseph – Finishing up the Gm book for Dungeon Dwellers. (Game Master’s Vault). Return to Dark Tower the RPG. Keeping up with pets. 3D printing.

Michael – Teaching games at my school, Learn to Run D&D at the Local public Library (Corbin) Action 12 Cinema. A new Secret Project. AcadeCon planning in well underwater

10 things

Chris – 10 things you find in the hold of a shipwreck

Michael – 10 Names for pets

Joseph – 10 Terrible pieces of Gaming Advice.

Used Books – A Trojan horse scenario where the players unwittingly are working for the BBEG

Where have my Fingers been?

Joseph – two people talking where one has figured out they have been taken advantage of by someone and the other one just isn’t getting it.

Chris – Two dragons arguing over a horde

Michael – two people arguing over who will drive on a night out.

Q&A – ReaperWolf answers our ‘if an action figure was being made of you – what are the three accessories that would be included?’ Question

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

https://rpjesters.com/
https://gofund.me/ed1fcdc6
https://www.instagram.com/rpjesters?igsh=MWRwNjZ6cHVhbjZocw==
https://www.instagram.com/casey_reardon?igsh=MTQzdHJoaTUwbjR5dw==

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Bonus ep – CincyCon 2024 with Michael & his minions

5 mars 2024 | 21 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 97 with guest co-host Casey Reardon of RP Jesters.

26 februari 2024 | 81 min

Hello Academaniacs!

For this special year-end review show Michael and Chris are joined by Casey Reardon of the RP Jesters podcast.

Extra Curricular

Chris – The Brothers Sun on Netflix, back in the DragonLance campaign, Spending time with the Wife. Ready Player One Audiobook

Casey – The Traitors on Peacock, Brandon Sanderson, Tress of the Emerald Sea, Icons RPG, Avatar Legends RPG.

Michael – Action 12 Cinema fulfillment is underway. It’s now available for purchase via IPR. I’m now on TikTok. CincyCon in Cincinnati, OH.

10 things

Chris – 10 places you might take a first date.

Casey – Elements of Realty TV shows

Michael- Types of people you see at Gaming Conventions

Used Books – How to make Combat more interesting. Also, skill checks and Skill challenges.

Where have my Fingers been?

Casey – Two people right outside the door of a big bad monster and are arguing over who goes in first.

Chris – A bride and a Maid of Honor are trying to deal with cold feet.

Michael – two people watching Survivor for the first time.

Q&A – Casey answers our ‘if an action figure was being made of you – what are the three accessories that would be included?’ Question

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

Subscribe to Jimmy’s Blog on Substack

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 139 – Helbine

23 februari 2024 | 29 min

Show & Tell # 138 – Errant Challenger

16 februari 2024 | 28 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 19

9 februari 2024 | 36 min

Show & Tell # 137 – Beetle Knight

6 februari 2024 | 31 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 18

2 februari 2024 | 43 min

The Reviews – Tales from the Loop – Starter Set

1 februari 2024 | 43 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Michael is joined by first-time reviewer JimmyLogan to review the Tales from the Loop – Starter Set.

Tales from the Loop is an RPG by Free League Publishing, publishers of various IP based games such as Alien, Lord of the Rings and The Walking Dead. This review covers the ‘Starter Set’ with a sample adventure. Free League provided us with a digital copy of the Tales from the Loop Starter Set for this Review.

The 32-page rulebook is comprehensive and enjoyable to read, featuring clear color choices and fonts, along with well-delineated example text. Simon Stålenhag’s illustrations, coupled with what appears to be ‘company paper’ with typewritten information, work together to set the tone, capturing the essence of Kids in the ‘80s. The introduction is a well written piece of fiction that drops you directly into what is referred to as the “loop universe.” It moves into first person story telling and finally into an example of how this situation is resolved with the dice. For those new to role playing games, this is a great introduction! Whether or not you’ve seen the Amazon Prime television series, there’s enough background information provided for your imagination to run wild.

The show is set in the fictional Mercer, Ohio, while the game is set in Switzerland, as envisioned by the artist. An alternate setting is included as well – Boulder City, Nevada. This is explained in the time line as having been created first, some time during the 1950’s, followed by the Swedish counterpart in the late 1960’s. There are eight pages of world-building, including a fictional timeline of the United States and Sweden. The setting establishes that the fantastical experiences of the Kids are commonplace. Robots and flying machines serve as backdrop elements, taken for granted by the characters. Sufficient real-world history is included, allowing the Gamemaster and players to draw on their own memories of the era. For younger players, inspiration can be derived from television and movies. The included two sided map is reminiscent of those seen in older editions of Twilight: 2000. One side shows the Mälaren Facility and displays towns, islands, the reactor, and the ring network. This attention to detail creates an immersive, ‘in-universe’ experience. The flip side of the map showcases the American counterpart, catering to those preferring a more familiar setting. This side includes Boulder City, Nevada, the reactor, the ring network, and part of Lake Mead. Both sides offer numerous setting options for your Mysteries, the term used for adventures or modules in this system. The designers include a short note about using your home town as this setting. Perhaps the Loop was built there? This would allow you to use local people, streets, buildings and other set pieces for your game.

There are six primary principles that drive the game:

1. Your home town is full of fantastic things.

2. Everyday life is dull and unforgiving.

3. Adults are out of reach and out of touch.

4. Mysteries are dangerous but Kids will not die.

5. The game is played scene by scene.

6. The world is described collaboratively.

Number one is pretty much a given, what with the setting. Number two is a reminder that the characters are Kids – they are not super heroes and they don’t have an exciting life. What we see as spectacular is old hat to them. Number three is a reminder that the Kids are to be considered on their own for almost the entire Mystery. Some adults are mentioned as being contacts for more information, but generally speaking the Kids don’t interact with them. Numbers four and five have more to do with noting that the Kids face danger, but will not suffer mortal harm and the ‘scene’ is the method of role playing. Lastly, number six means the GM does not dictate everything in the game.

The Mysteries themselves are the purview of the GM, but the world itself is the result of the group adding their own perspectives. Robots, for example, exist without the need for extensive exploration into their origins, so new ‘tech’ can easily be introduced without scientific explanation. If it fits the world you are creating, it is accepted. The characters that the players use are referred to as Kids. They range in age from 10 to 15 and they have four attributes: Body, Tech, Heart and Mind. Body is obviously for physical challenges like running, jumping, climbing and even fighting. The Tech attribute is used when the Kid needs to program a computer, repair a robot, construct a machine and even to open locks. Heart is about making friends, deceiving people, persuasion and knowing the right people. Mind is about solving riddles and knowing things. It’s also used to find weak points or to otherwise understand something pertaining to nature. Clue gathering falls into Mind as well. Skills are tied to attributes as well, and help with the dice system described below. Like attributes, they are very straight forward, and help narrow the focus of the attribute.

Body, for example, includes Sneak, Force and Move. Your Kid might better very stealthy, but slow, or maybe a strong fighter, but slow and clumsy. These are all elaborated on at the end of the rulebook. Challenges in the game are called Trouble. Things you find are called Items. They can help with the task of overcoming Trouble. Each Kid starts with an Iconic Item that can only be used by them. Other guiding forces for the characters are Drive, a Problem and Pride. Think of these as motivation and guiding forces. The Drive is the why while a Problem is something the Kid has to deal with in everyday life. The GM can use this to put the Kid into Trouble. Pride is more important, and is unique to your Kid. The GM can use this to put the Kid into Trouble, but the Kid can also use it once per Mystery to score an automatic success. Lastly are Relationships. These are with each other and at least one NPC. These service as connections between the Kids and the strange goings on. It could be a parent, police officer, librarian, teacher or anyone else the Kid has a connection with. Conditions are bad things that can happen to the Kids. They can become Upset, Scared, Exhausted or Injured. These are taken as a result of a failed check or to ‘push’ the results of a Trouble check in an attempt to turn a failure into a success. Since they are not defined in detail, it is left up to the GM and the player to decide what is appropriate. These conditions have two effects. First, they are an aide to your role-play, giving you a guide as to how you should role-play the Kid. They also have the mechanical effect of giving a negative to all rolls. Each condition is a minus one, or to put another way you roll one less die. If you are broken, you will automatically fail.

The dice system, named the “Year Zero Game System,” is straightforward. Free League also uses this for their Alien, Blade Runner and Walking Dead RPG’s, as well as others. The GM never rolls. Players roll a number of D6’s based on attributes, skills, and possibly extra dice from their Iconic Item. Success is achieved with at least one “six,” and occasionally harder tasks may require more than one six. This simplicity avoids cumbersome calculations with plusses and minuses. A set of custom dice are included in the box set. I reviewed the PDF, so I can’t comment on their heft. The design is consistent with the artwork and the side with the six also has the logo of the Risenergi corporation, the government agency that operates the Swedish accelerator.

The starter set includes a 16 page introduction adventure called The Recycled Boy. Instructions for a new GM are included so he or she knows how to introduce the Mystery and how to introduce the Kids with a ‘starting scene.’ I found the text comprehensive without being overwhelming. Experienced GM’s will find the information interesting as well and it serves as an introduction to this particular game style. The format aligns with the rulebook design, making it an easy transition. Stats and backgrounds for NPCs, locations, and useful illustrations and maps are provided to assist the GM. Two handouts are included to enhance the table experience as well.

Lastly, the set includes five Kids (characters) for the players to use. Names, backgrounds and even an artist’s interpretation in included for each. Designed with the introduction adventure in mind, these two page handouts include stats for the Attributes and Skills. They also include check boxes for the Conditions as well as prefilled Relationships, Drive, Pride, etc.

Overall, it’s an excellent introduction for new players to RPGs as well as serving as a pregen for the included adventure. While I haven’t had the chance to bring it to the table yet, I can confidently give this a solid B! Though the genre isn’t my go-to, having run spies, Star Wars, and other fantastical settings over the years, I believe this would be a great addition to the rotation. If you’re a fan of the artwork or the show, your rating may be even higher, as it successfully captures the essence without requiring additional suspension of disbelief. The complete package makes it accessible for groups looking to embark on a learning adventure or test the system. An advertised full Core Rulebook encompasses rules for character generation, guidelines for crafting your own Mysteries, and includes some predesigned Mysteries too. If you’re having fun, you’re doing it right – this game will allow you to have fun! Give it a try!

Ratings:

JimmyLogan: B+

Find Jimmy on Facebook

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
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Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Check out all Schwalb Entertainment has to offer HERE

Show & Tell # 136 – Deimos Academy RPG

30 januari 2024 | 29 min

The Reviews – Phandelver and Below: Shattered Obelisk

26 januari 2024 | 46 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 17

26 januari 2024 | 48 min

Show & Tell # 135 – SAKE

23 januari 2024 | 30 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 96 with guest co-host Grant. Character Creation challenge

19 januari 2024 | 81 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 16

19 januari 2024 | 51 min

Bonus ep – River City Con Recap discussion with Guest Co-Host Jacob

17 januari 2024 | 24 min

The Reviews – Planescape & Adventures in the Multiverse

12 januari 2024 | 46 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 15

12 januari 2024 | 53 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 14

5 januari 2024 | 50 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 95 with guest Mr. Dragonbane. Our 2023 year-end review!

31 december 2023 | 124 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 13

29 december 2023 | 89 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 12

22 december 2023 | 43 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 11

15 december 2023 | 65 min

The Reviews – When the Wolf Comes

12 december 2023 | 29 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today The Caleb G (@TheCalebG) takes a look at When the Wolf Comes by Ian Sharp ( @VikingVerse) in partnership with Schwalb Entertainment.

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review When the Wolf Comes, a Schwalb Entertainment game created by Ian Stuart Sharpe. The book was successfully funded at 458% back in Summer of 2022. At the time of writing this article, the book is available on DriveThruRPG along with many adventure modules, novels, and comics. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the game book for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

When the Wolf Comes presents the game rules for the Vikingverse, a series of stories set in an alternate timeline where Vikings are the dominant culture on Earth and in space. The game uses the Shadow of the Demon Lord rules.

Book and Resources

The book is massive, at almost 400 pages. About half the book is dedicated to rules and character options for players. There’s about 30 pages of setting details and about 50 pages of game runner guidance. A bestiary takes up another 50ish pages. The remainder of the book includes a sample adventure and two appendices.

Even though the book is large and dense, it’s easy to read and use when playing. The layout is smooth and there’s a very detailed table of contents and index. There is no wasted space in this book. Every inch is packed with information and details.

The star of the book is its gorgeous art, which seems to be a blending of Mike Mignola and Jack Kirby. It’s vibrant and evocative, helping immerse players in the unique style of the Vikingverse.

Beyond this core book, there are a vast amount of resources to help inform players about the Vikingverse and immerse them in this fantastic world. Key among these is the Thought and Memory Saga, a campaign designed to take character from level zero to ten. There’s also Space Vikings, a supplement providing additional character options and rules.

Story

At first glance, the Vikingverse story is simple. All Norse mythology and magic is real. Viking culture became dominant prior to 900 AD and shaped the rest of human development. There is a blend of magic and science as humanity and others explore the cosmos.

But the truth of the fiction goes far deeper. The Vikingverse is actually a divergent timeline driven by Odin altering reality to avoid Ragnarok. But since ultimately Ragnarok can only be delayed, the universe experiences various chaotic events as fate tries to rectify what was done. These events drive the overall plot of the Vikingverse as explored in its source novels and comics.

Mechanics

When the Wolf Comes is built on the Shadow of the Demon Lord framework. The core mechanics are exactly the same. A d20 plus modifier roll resolves everything. There are four attributes along with a few derived characteristics. What would be called a skill check in other systems are called challenges here and are always rolled against a target value of 10. The Boon and Bane system functions the same way but they are instead called Weals and Woes.

There are rules for gaining Trauma when encountering the worst parts of the universe. An excessive amount of Trauma can induce Shell Shock which grants randomized mostly negative effects. Trauma can be removed by gaining permanent disorders. There’s also a system of social status based on gaining Honor and Shame through how story events are roleplayed.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Again, everything in When the Wolf Comes functions exactly like Shadow of the Demon Lord. Characters start at level zero with nothing but Origins and Professions. Origins are more than simply a description of where the PC comes from. They define Attributes and Characteristics, as well as provide special abilities that advance with level progression. They also have incredibly robust options to create differences within each Origin. Most of these options are focused on flavor, but some provide mechanical differences. Professions are focused on flavor, helping define what the PC was doing before embracing a life of adventure.

As with the art, the Origins serve to bring the unique elements of the Vikingverse to the forefront. There are only ten options, but it feels like there are far more given the wealth of variation within each one. Also, the Origins are fascinating, pushing far beyond the classic tropes of high fantasy. Each Origin is presented with a short description of its place in Vikingverse lore, but that description is rich with details.

After playing through an introductory game that serves as an advanced session zero, players pick their first level of a Novice Path, which grants various class abilities. The intent here is that this choice is inspired by the gameplay of that session zero instead of simply being an arbitrary choice made while reading the book. This intent continues as players are encouraged to make choices for their Expert and Mythic paths based more on roleplay and game events.

Gameplay in When the Wolf Comes is fun, fast, and deadly. This is not a “big damn hero” game. Instead it’s a tough game where each roll is tense and survival is not guaranteed. Once again, this is true to the source material of Shadow of the Demon Lord.

Opinion

I absolutely love this setting and book. It’s gorgeous. The art is spectacular. Maybe it’s the unique setting, maybe it’s the different style, but I feel like this art is some of the most impressive I’ve seen in a gaming book ever.

The Vikingverse is a carefully-crafted setting that turns typical high fantasy tropes on their side with logic and consistency. Nothing is done by accident or just to be different. It’s refreshing to see such a unique take on mythological lore and how that influences the game set in this world.

Personally, I never found a way to really engage with Shadow of the Demon Lord. I can appreciate the setting and mechanics and understand their palace in the tabletop hobby, but they just never clicked with me. I don’t enjoy a game that is so punishing to players, instead preferring my gaming escapism to allow those big heroic moments facilitated by lots of big numbers on the dice. But I both understand and love this version of the rules. The setting and lore are more appealing to me, so that’s a huge factor. But something in how it’s presented here just makes more sense to me.

Another detail I love is how the lore is presented. I had no idea this game was based on novels and comics. My guess is that the average gamer will not either. They’ll probably stumble across the book based on the impressive cover art and then get hooked with the overall concept. Thus, the fact that there’s a one-page summary of the lore at the start of the book is a genius approach. Many games that present unique settings spend a lot of pages introducing the setting before explaining the rules. That’s a fine tactic, but one that I don’t appreciate. I want to explore the setting by understanding the rules, and that’s how When the Wolf Comes approaches things. That summary captures readers by telling them everything they need to know about the lore and then locks them in by presenting Origins like living robots, mutated animals, and corporate clones with brilliant art. Then, 200 pages later, readers get deeper details on Vikingverse lore. This is such a smart approach.

Ian Stuart Sharpe has created a vibrant, unique world with love and attention to detail. This game is a beautiful addition to the Vikingverse and a shining example of how to adapt an existing property to a tabletop game. The decision to use Shadow of the Demon Lord as foundation for this game was completely right as the system beautifully supports the tone of the Vikingverse stories. This book has my absolute highest praise and recommendation.

Rating: A+

Buy a copy on DriveThruRPG and support our Show HERE

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 10

8 december 2023 | 55 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 9

1 december 2023 | 43 min

Show & Tell # 134 – A Monster’s Tail (corrected audio)

29 november 2023 | 31 min

Bonus ep – AcadeCon review/discussion

24 november 2023 | 79 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 94 with guest Kevin Stacey

20 november 2023 | 65 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode Chris and I welcome Kevin Stacey in for a chat!

Extra Curricular:

Chris – Work keeping him busy, Still on Diablo IV, Rewatching The Boys, Watched Gen V, Bodies on Netflix, Getting for winter in Michigan.

Kevin – Lots of Gaming stuff lately. Re-watched Werewolf by Night Colorized edition (new on Disney +), Started The Fall of The House of Usher, sorta new to Horror in any real way so watching a lot of it lately.

Michael – Really all AcadeCon right now. Did manage to keep Farm to Fable going, S6 coming to an end soon. Watched and Loved Loki S2, Loving Invincible Season 2, The Marvels – I loved it. The Killer on Netflix – didn’t care for it. Spider-Man 2 on PS5. About to start a new D&D 5e game with my boys and two of their friends – Using the new WOTC Phandelver and Below adventure.

10 Things:

Kevin – Top 10 Horror movie Kills

Chris – 10 favorite non-jedi Star Wars Characters

Michael – 10 Foods/snacks for game night.

USED BOOKS – Small talk about AcadeCon and gaming at Conventions in general.

Where have my Fingers Been?

Michael – A DM and Player in a game with lights off!

Chris – two EMTs called to a tragedy at a gaming convention

Kevin – Your a GM and your first player has come up to the table.

Cryptozoology: Gelatinous Cube

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 133 – A Stitch in Time

18 november 2023 | 33 min

The Reviews – Myrrorside RPG

16 november 2023 | 35 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today The Caleb G (@TheCalebG) takes a look at Myrrorside by Angus McNicholl / Parallel Publishing.

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review Myrrorside, a Parallel Publishing game created by Angus McNicholl. At the time of writing this article, the book is available on Drive Thru RPG in PDF, softcover, and hardcover versions. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

Myrrorside is a horror game in a modern setting where magic and scary things come from an alternate reality hidden behind the real world. Its mechanics are easy to understand and have a moderate level of complexity. There’s a nice balance between narrative flexibility and mechanical guidelines. The game works best when it’s used to tell stories in episodic fashion, similar to horror TV shows or mini-series.

Book

At right around 100 pages, the book is easy to read and use as a resource during gameplay. Myrrorside is a focused world simulator, providing a vibrant setting for players to use as they wish. The first 14 pages are focused on that setting and there is not a specific story or named characters to follow.

It’s worth noting that there is only half a page dedicated to safety rules at the game table. There is an abundance of information on this topic in the gaming zeitgeist, so what’s presented here is clearly a quick summary. Some may find this refreshing as it does not repeat information needlessly. Others may find it concerning and not considerate of players who may not have a wealth of experience at the table.

The remainder of the book provides gameplay instruction, mixing in small pieces of setting lore occasionally for flavor. Overall, the book’s layout is average. It’s easy to read and is well-organized. However there is a lot of empty space that could be used for examples, supplemental information, flavor text, or art.

The interior art is all in shadowy shades of teal, presenting a moody atmosphere that carries a persistent sense of dread. Like the green tones in The Matrix, this teal shading informs readers that something is different in this world and that the world is consistently dangerous.

Setting

The scary, horror-filled world of Myrrorside is presented as the underlying foundation of reality. The real modern world is built upon this terrible structure, like an operating system. The surface levels of the Myrrorside are just like reality, only slightly different. In some places there is an overlap between worlds and it’s possible for people and other beings to slip between them. Going further and deeper into the Myrrorside reveals the sprawling nightmarish world where human understanding breaks down and everything is trying to kill everything else.

Modern technology breaks down in the Myrrorside. Old-fashioned analog tech will still function, but digitally-powered devices like smartphones either stop working entirely or start glitching in strange ways. Likewise, the magic of the Myrrorside works only briefly in the real world, dissipating quickly. This keeps most of the game action set in the Myrrorside’s reality. Magical effects and terrible monsters can bleed over into the real world, but their impact is fleeting.

The Myrrorside is populated by native creatures, called the Strange, and by humans that have been trapped in and warped by this alternate reality, called the Lost. There are many variations within these categories, but all are deadly to humans.

Core Mechanics

This game uses the 2dx Operating System. PCs have 4 Attributes and 24 Skills, all of which are rated by dice size from d2 to d12. After narrating their action, players make an Action Test by rolling the applicable Attribute and Skill dice, picking the highest result, then adding positive or negative modifiers. Opposed Tests happen when PCs and NPCs are in conflict. The magnitude of success or failure after comparing results is used as a guide to inform the role play of how events happen. An unopposed Action Test happens when the PC simply acts against the environment, similar to a Skill Check in a standard d20 system. A negative modifier to reflect the difficulty of the task is applied to the Test. A positive result is a success, a negative result is a failure, and a result of zero is a success at a cost.

Beyond situational modifiers to the Test, there is also a system of Advantage and Disadvantage. Unlike other systems using the same words, Myrrorside does not treat this a reroll. Instead, it adds an extra Attribute dice to the roll for every Advantage and Disadvantage gained in the Test. Then players remove dice until they have only two remaining. Advantages remove the lowest results while Disadvantages remove the highest results. Advantages and Disadvantages are cumulative and do not cancel each other out.

As this is a horror game, Myrrorside includes two mechanics that attempt to reinforce the dramatic tension of storytelling. The first is called Pulse or Tension. It can be raised through horror elements being played out and lowered by humanity-reaffirming moments. Higher levels of Tension inflict a variety of penalties that attempt to replicate emotional states of fear. The second of these mechanics is called Collateral. Players can take a Collateral token to convert any failed Action Test to a success as if the dice results were zero. Beyond the success at a cost that a result of zero brings to the story, Collateral has a variety of additional negative impacts on PCs.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building characters is incredibly easy. The book provides the starting dice size for Attributes and Skills and gives simple instructions for improving dice according to where players want their characters to be focused. Players have the options of taking Quirks and Burdens, which provide mechanical support for roleplaying flavor details. That’s it. There are no classes or special abilities. This is a game about playing regular people dealing with supernatural horror.

Gameplay follows a standard TTRPG flow, with players dealing with the plot as it unfolds. There are no special mechanics included in the book that deal with plot pacing and management, such as filling clocks or moving through a countdown.

Using magic is possible in the game, but it is not easily done. Human characters must use complex rituals to harness magical powers. Each ritual presented in the book includes a casting time and component list. Mechanically, rituals are resolved with Action Tests, which might be opposed or unopposed, depending on the nature of the spell and the situation. On the other hand, creatures native to the Myrrorside can use magic much more easily and frequently.

The last 30ish pages of the book give advice and instruction to game runners. This includes guidance on using thematic tropes and structuring an episodic plot. There is a short bestiary. Also presented is a method of playing the game without a game runner, called Collaborative Meta-Gaming. This gives instructions on how players can create a scene structure, take turns leading scenes, and vote on how events progress with a resource called Influence.

Opinion

I think that Myrrorside has a lot of fun ideas and it delivers a great horror vibe, but the overall presentation needs a little polish.

I like the setting. The concept of our world being the falsehood built on top of a horrible reality is very fun for episodic storytelling. Lore presented in the book is vivid enough to give players a strong understanding of the game’s intended vibe but also open enough to give players and game runners plenty of room to add their own ideas. And the overall idea of regular humans struggling against insurmountable and incomprehensible terror is a fundamental aspect of the horror genre.

Another great feature is the mechanics. They’re easy to learn, excellent for newer players, and they support the horror vibe. The focus on human skill and the difficulty of using any supernatural resources informs players that their characters are up against a difficult struggle with little to no help.

That being said, the book is a little unclear at times. There are a few terms that are not as clear as they could be. For example, humans that visit the Myrrorside are called “firewalkers”, but this is really only picked up through context. Some creatures and world details are mentioned once and never given any further explanation. None of this really has a negative impact on the game, but it’s frustrating.

There are also a few mechanical details that are a little rough around the edges. For example, there is guidance for how to increase and decrease the Pulse or Tension (and the fact that both terms are used simultaneously is another point of confusion) and there is a list of what happens mechanically at the various levels of Tension. But there is no actual numerical value assigned to those levels. Similarly for Collateral, while the consequences of gaining it are provided, there are no clear instructions for how those consequences are applied to characters. While it’s not hard for a game runner to come up with a solution, it’s something I feel should’ve been included, especially since these features are so fundamental to supporting the horror tones of the game.

Likewise, the bestiary feels lacking. The lore tells players the entire Myrrorside is full of deadly creatures, but the book only gives a few examples and no instructions for how to create more. There are references to unique creatures that would be a natural fit for recurring villains in the episodic game, but very little support for them. Again, it wouldn’t be hard to figure it out, but why is it not part of the book?

In general, I like Myrrorside. I love the opportunity to tell a story about humans in an impossible struggle, especially when the mechanics of the game support that tone. The setting is a nice combination of horror tropes and gives players lots of room for creativity. And the game is very accessible to new TTRPG players. But the game feels incomplete. A lot of the details and information are vague. While the unknown is a core aspect of the horror genre, that should apply to the characters, not the players. I think that Myrrorside has potential but falls short of other similar games in the episodic horror genre.

Rating: C-

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Show & Tell # 132 – Slugblaster

21 oktober 2023 | 32 min

Show & Tell # 131 – Don’t Play This Game

16 oktober 2023 | 37 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 93 with guest Moe Poplar – Big Bad Con

10 oktober 2023 | 69 min

Show & Tell # 130 – Bard RPG

9 oktober 2023 | 24 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 8

5 oktober 2023 | 89 min

Show & Tell # 129 – Capers Cyberpunk

19 september 2023 | 30 min

The Sample Adventures. Marvel Multiverse 616 RPG

18 september 2023 | 86 min

The Sample Adventures. Old Gods of Appalachia. Ep 4 – Wrap up discussion

16 september 2023 | 29 min

The Sample Adventures. Old Gods of Appalachia. Ep 3 – The Curse of the Fiddle

15 september 2023 | 73 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 7

14 september 2023 | 91 min

The Sample Adventures. Old Gods of Appalachia. Ep 2 – The Dance

13 september 2023 | 64 min

The Sample Adventures. Old Gods of Appalachia. Ep 1 – The Wampus

11 september 2023 | 50 min

The Sample Adventures. Old Gods of Appalachia. Ep 0 – Session 0

11 september 2023 | 21 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 6

7 september 2023 | 47 min

Bonus ep – Best D&D party via MCU Heroes Draft

6 september 2023 | 56 min

Show & Tell # 128 – Pod People

5 september 2023 | 39 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 5

24 augusti 2023 | 58 min

Show & Tell # 127 – Enclave: A Tableless Roleplaying Game

23 augusti 2023 | 29 min

Bonus ep – GenCon 2023 pt 1

21 augusti 2023 | 22 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 4

17 augusti 2023 | 59 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 92 with Guest Sam from SLASH! Rpg

16 augusti 2023 | 71 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast as well as the GM of the Smuggler’s Blue Streaming show. And our guest this week is Sam the designer of the new horror movie RPG SLASH! which just finished a great run on Kickstarter.

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Not a lot going on, lots of work stuff. Mini vaca with scouts doing a river cleanup. Feeling under the weather.
- Michael – Has a kidney stone (boo!), Went to GenCon (yay!), The new Marvel RPG, Sword of the Serpentine (fantasy Gumshoe), AcadeCon KS goes live next week!
- Sam – bery busy on the design of SLASH! and running the Kickstarter for it, a Sr in UC Berkley, moved in dorm for this year. Took TTRPG club co-ordinator position, road trip to Colorado coming up. Finished Owlhouse. Avatar the Last Airbender.
10 things –
- Michael – top 10 Bad super heroes
- Chris – 10 favorite Horror movies
- Sam – 10 computer languages and/or terms.
Used Books: Sam talks about a series of one shots he ran in an overarching mystery game. both good and the bad.

Where have our fingers been?
- Sam – 2 people examining a dead body looking for clues
- Chris – 2 people who just committed a murder on accident and need to deal with the body
- Michael – 2 goblins examining a murdered body looking for clues.
Cryptozoology: The False Hydra

Q&A: Sam gets the usual action figure accessories question.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 126 – Stoneburner

14 augusti 2023 | 27 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 3

10 augusti 2023 | 66 min

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 2

3 augusti 2023 | 73 min

The Sample Adventures. The Land of Eem. Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch. Ep 3

30 juli 2023 | 43 min

Hello and welcome to The Rpg Academy. This episode is part of our The Sample Adventures series where we take a look at various RPG systems by using the sample adventure included in the core book. This week we are playing through the Land of Eem rpg using the sample adventure – Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch.

Michael ( @MichaelK.Ross on Bsky.social )

For this game we have the following players:

Kevin Stacy ( @KevRanGames on Twitter) Playing Squeege, the Dungeoneer

Kevin B, playing Kiri Candleheart, the Bard.

Michael Waldschlager II ( @LoserMLW on Twitter ) playing, Galen Dundoogle, The Knight-Errant

Shane playing Voricia Wrynch, the Rascal

Shawn playing as S. Warbly Pebbleskip, The Gnome

As with all our The Sample Adventure games our primary consideration is having a good time, but we also do try and explore and explain the mechanics of the system as appropriate but do not swear to get all the rules right all the time.

Find all our players with their other streams/activities in the following places:

Kevin S – WandersHavenProductions on twitter

LaNotteEterna! on Twitch

Shawn – Rook & Rasp on Twitch (Various shows)

Instagram @ Bink026

LoserMLW on Social Media

Smuggler’s Blues: A REDEMPTION Story on YouTube (http://youtube.com/@SmugglersBlues)

CHAOS, Inc on the IDENTECO Channel (http://twitch.tv/IDENTECO)

Tubular Teens with Titans (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tubularteens/)

Shane –Tubular Teens with Titans podcast

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. The Land of Eem. Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch. Ep 2

29 juli 2023 | 47 min

Hello and welcome to The Rpg Academy. This episode is part of our The Sample Adventures series where we take a look at various RPG systems by using the sample adventure included in the core book. This week we are playing through the Land of Eem rpg using the sample adventure – Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch.

Michael ( @MichaelK.Ross on Bsky.social )

For this game we have the following players:

Kevin Stacy ( @KevRanGames on Twitter) Playing Squeege, the Dungeoneer

Kevin B, playing Kiri Candleheart, the Bard.

Michael Waldschlager II ( @LoserMLW on Twitter ) playing, Galen Dundoogle, The Knight-Errant

Shane playing Voricia Wrynch, the Rascal

Shawn playing as S. Warbly Pebbleskip, The Gnome

As with all our The Sample Adventure games our primary consideration is having a good time, but we also do try and explore and explain the mechanics of the system as appropriate but do not swear to get all the rules right all the time.

Find all our players with their other streams/activities in the following places:

Kevin S – WandersHavenProductions on twitter

LaNotteEterna! on Twitch

Shawn – Rook & Rasp on Twitch (Various shows)

Instagram @ Bink026

LoserMLW on Social Media

Smuggler’s Blues: A REDEMPTION Story on YouTube (http://youtube.com/@SmugglersBlues)

CHAOS, Inc on the IDENTECO Channel (http://twitch.tv/IDENTECO)

Tubular Teens with Titans (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tubularteens/)

Shane –Tubular Teens with Titans podcast

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. The Land of Eem. Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch. Ep 1

28 juli 2023 | 47 min

Hello and welcome to The Rpg Academy. This episode is part of our The Sample Adventures series where we take a look at various RPG systems by using the sample adventure included in the core book. This week we are playing through the Land of Eem rpg using the sample adventure – Curse of the Chicken-Foot Witch.

Michael ( @MichaelK.Ross on Bsky.social )

For this game we have the following players:

Kevin Stacy ( @KevRanGames on Twitter) Playing Squeege, the Dungeoneer

Kevin B, playing Kiri Candleheart, the Bard.

Michael Waldschlager II ( @LoserMLW on Twitter ) playing, Galen Dundoogle, The Knight-Errant

Shane playing Voricia Wrynch, the Rascal

Shawn playing as S. Warbly Pebbleskip, The Gnome

As with all our The Sample Adventure games our primary consideration is having a good time, but we also do try and explore and explain the mechanics of the system as appropriate but do not swear to get all the rules right all the time.

Find all our players with their other streams/activities in the following places:

Kevin S – WandersHavenProductions on twitter

LaNotteEterna! on Twitch

Shawn – Rook & Rasp on Twitch (Various shows)

Instagram @ Bink026

LoserMLW on Social Media

Smuggler’s Blues: A REDEMPTION Story on YouTube (http://youtube.com/@SmugglersBlues)

CHAOS, Inc on the IDENTECO Channel (http://twitch.tv/IDENTECO)

Tubular Teens with Titans (https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tubularteens/)

Shane –Tubular Teens with Titans podcast

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Campaigns: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Episode 1

27 juli 2023 | 58 min

Show & Tell # 125 – Starscape

25 juli 2023 | 34 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 91 with Guest Garmbreak1 from Midgardia RPG

17 juli 2023 | 58 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast as well as the GM of the Smuggler’s Blue Streaming show. And our guest this week is Garm ( @Garmbreak1 ) from MidgardiaRPG

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Diablo 4 continues, and work. Shadow of the Demon Queen D&D 5e campaign continues to stream weekly on Thursdays.
- Garmbreak1 – Casset Beast on Nintendo Swtich, Old(er) Star Wars novels on Audio, AnimeCon in Canada, behind on the Live Action Star Wars Tv stuff -someday.
- Michael – AcadeCon Prep is beging to wind up. Dice ordered, chips ordered. T-shirt images locked in. Lots of new games bought for the library (Blood on the Clocktower, Catarsis, Marvel Remix) found some cool AcadeCon Door prizes at McKay’s in Knoxville, TN by accident. Indiana Jones and the Dial of the Destiny. Bear season 2. Bullet Train action movie (Brad Pitt). Spider-Man on PS5
10 things –
- Chris – Name 10 wilderness Creatures
- Michael – 10 things I like about the Spider-Man game
- Garmbreak1 – Top 10 Animi
Used Books: Garmbreak1 shares a game he ran that was in the Star Wars universe that was a ‘side quest’ campaign when the regular game couldn’t go and was mission based/open table (meaning each session was self-contained)

Where have our fingers been?
- Garmbreak1 – two characters arguing over a broken character concept.
- Chris – two characters in a bunker besieged by Battle droids.
- Michael – Meeting myself from another universe.
Cryptozoology: Giant Spiders

Q&A: Garmbreak1 gets the usual action figure accessories question.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 124 – Tide Breaker

13 juli 2023 | 33 min

Show & Tell # 123 – Eco Mofos

6 juli 2023 | 42 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 90 with Guest Alex from IdenteCo and Chaos INC.

3 juli 2023 | 70 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast as well as the GM of the Smuggler’s Blue Streaming show. And our guest this week is Alex ( @AlexTheHumanoid ) who is the co-creator of the Cyberpunk RPG IdenteCo.

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Diablo 4 continues, and work and Scout activities. Marvel Zombicide. Faculty Retreat coming up.
- Alex – Work! Summer Release season for the FLGS stuff. Lord of the Rings Magic The Gathering. Spider-Verse, Flash movie. Superman: Legacy casting news! FLGS state of the Union.
- Michael – Origins recap (now in podcast form). TV – The Bear season 2 on Hulu, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues to be the best of Trek. Shameless
10 things –
- Alex – Name 10 Indie RPGS
- Chris – 10 best bad movies.
- Michael – 10 things I want for lunch.
Used Books: Palladium games/ Rifts. Balancing letting PCs be and feel powerful with challenging encounters.

Where have our fingers been?
- Michael – Game shop owner and someone trying to buy ALL my dice.
- Chris – A smuggler being offered a crappy job
- Alex – 2 guys planning a trip to AcadeCon
Cryptozoology: Sasquatch

Q&A: Alex gets the usual action figure accessories question.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

Buy a copy of the game from the Free League store

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Masters of Umdaar ep 2

2 juli 2023 | 60 min

Bonus ep – Origins Game Fair 2023

28 juni 2023 | 47 min

Film Studies – The Terminator (Three Sarah and a Trenchcoat)

26 juni 2023 | 114 min

Show & Tell # 122 – Witches of Midnight

22 juni 2023 | 37 min

The Reviews – Mörk Borg

20 juni 2023 | 31 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy’s The Review series. Today Michael Waldschlager II ( @LoserMLW ) drops in for a quick review of Mörk Borg a dark fantasy role playing game created by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell, and published internationally by Free League Press.

Overview

Mörk Borg is a dark fantasy role playing game created by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell, and published internationally by Free League. You are stepping into the tattered boots of characters scraping to survive and eke out a living in a dying world prophesied to end very, very badly. Your characters may be attempting to stave off the impending destruction or embracing it, toiling for the very same beings that are driving the lands headlong into their demise.

The Dying World

As mentioned, the world of Mörk Borg is an extremely dismal and hopeless place. The sun has all but vanished, and darkness has lain heavy over the lands for hundreds of years. Ancient prophecies made by two ancient two-headed basilisks were uncovered during the construction of a Cathedral and as it turns out, every single foreseen event has come to pass. An enormous city came to grow around this Cathedral, and these prophecies have become the primary focus of worship by many of the world’s inhabitants.

There are a number of kingdoms and factions vying for the faith and coin of the people of these lands, and each of them is just as grim as the next. Will you side with the ageless Blood-Countess Anthelia in the kingdom of Kergüs? Do you seek servitude with The Shadow King in the forests of Sarkash? Your options are only as limited as your time as with each new dawn, the threat of armageddon hangs low on the horizon thanks to the Calendar of Nechrubel, which dictates with a roll of the dice if daybreak brings a new Misery to the world or not. If you happen to generate 7 Miseries in the course of your struggle to survive, the world and your characters die horribly and, predictably, the adventure ends.

Core Rulebook

One thing is certain when you open up this book, and that is that Mörk Borg is not your typical RPG rulebook. This is very much a product of its inspirations, and those inspirations are rooted in the haunting lyrics and gothic art of death, doom and black metal. From the stylized and chaotic skeleton and exaggerated logo on the cover to the included introductory dungeon crawl, this book screams slickly-designed and ordered chaos. Each page draws the eye, and while small sections may maintain a particular typeface, the layouts and fonts are constantly shifting to incorporate and contain the richly foreboding and inspiring graphic design work. Reading Mörk Borg, you can practically hear the frenzied thrumming of heavy guitar licks, the pounding beat of drums and primal scream of lead vocals in the background.

At a count of less than 100 pages, this short tome certainly falls under the category of a ‘rules-light’ system, with the first 17 pages dedicated to setting up the world and the vibe of the game, then diving right into character creation, equipment, combat, rest and some common dice checks. The Powers section, which covers the way magic works in Mörk Borg, starts on page 34, then there is also a section for Optional Rules, which offers a variety of tables for additional systems to add to your gameplay, as well as a number of default classes for your characters. The final two reference sections of the rulebook cover the enemies of Mörk Borg, Creatures and Outcasts, then the book dives into the short adventure, “Rotback Sludge” or “The Shadow King’s Lost Heir”. This offering is a dungeon crawl clearly inspired by the classics of early role playing game systems.

The final section of the rulebook contains a few more tables for filling out character details, such as “Where do you Wander” and “Who (or What) Contacts You?”, and a D100 Adventure Spark generator to assist Game Masters in coming up with grim quests to send your party on.

The last set of these tables is a well-designed dungeon generator, with which you can determine a name, dungeon status (active or inactive), the dungeon dwellers, dangers, distinctive features and sample rooms. I tested this and created one called ‘The Sin Tunnels’, an active dungeon inhabited by a heretical cult lead by a possessed 11-year old, with the danger of a terrible dormant curse about to be unleashed, and a distinctive feature where the rooms rotate around the dungeon’s center. Sounds like a place I’d love to go delving!

Finally, there’s a simple one page summary sheet for the game’s basic mechanics, and a one-page index as well, directing you to the various areas of the book for quick reference.

System Mechanics

Mörk Borg’s system is D20-based, with characters having 4 main abilities: Agility, Presence, Strength and Toughness. These abilities are rolled with 3d6 and the roll determines your ability bonus, from a range of -3 to +3. Any checks are made against a Difficulty Rating (referenced as DR) determined by the Game Master, with the player rolling a D20 +/- the applicable ability bonus. There are no defined skills, with any action the player wishes to take falling into one of the 4 primary ability categories and being checked against that bonus. Trying to swim? Roll a D20 and add or subtract your Agility bonus. Surviving a fall? Roll using your Toughness bonus. Need to charm a Seer? Better have a good Presence bonus.

There are a number of weapons, armors and pieces of equipment available for selection, with all of the above items suffering from possible wear and breakage. The system takes carrying capacity seriously, with a limitation of the number of items any character can carry, and penalties that cause increases to Difficulty Ratings as your character becomes overloaded.

Combat is also very straightforward, as only players roll dice. Initiative is determined by a D6, and there are Melee, Ranged and Defense checks. For those lucky or unfortunate die rolls, there are both Crit and Fumble tables. On the Crit side, you have double damage, armor reduction and a free attack as possible outcomes. Rolling a 1 on the D20 gets you the Fumble table which has consequences for fumbling your Attack or Defense roll. If you drop to zero Hit Points you are considered Broken, but go below zero HP and you join the ranks of the deceased.

In the world of Mörk Borg, magic is referred to as Powers, and they are conferred solely by the use of Scrolls. Characters that use Powers are limited in their daily use, and if you fail the Powers usage roll…well, guess what? There’s a table in the Optional Rules for “Arcane Catastrophes” that has some very interesting and gruesome results, such as these examples from the text:

“You and a random nearby creature pass out. When you wake up, your souls have switched. Welcome to your new flesh.”

“Your skin tatters like paper, your flesh melts like wax and your intestines bloat like balloons, bursting and falling out until all that is left is a walking, talking skeleton.”

The game is very clearly rooted in Old School Renaissance or OSR-style gameplay, with a heavy reliance on reference tables, random effects and the dice determining almost every outcome to be had in the game. This may provide a challenge to gamers who are much more used to modern systems which put more focus on the role playing and storytelling aspects of tabletop RPGs and less on the more mechanical or crunchy nature of decision making via dice rolling.

Creating a Character

Being a rules-light system, the character generation system is designed for rolling almost every aspect of your potential character against tables. Creating a character can be very simple, and a basic character can be whipped up in minutes by following the tables and taking the results as written. A player could also pick and choose, but using the tables makes it extremely easy for someone to jump in.

The system also allows for advanced character generation using the handful of Classes in the Optional Rules section. The classes include the Fanged Deserter, Wretched Royalty and four other interesting options with pre-set Specialties that add some variation to each class.

The Optional Rules also introduce a few other items to help make more interesting and three-dimensional characters, like Omens which are limited use abilities that recharge and even reset after 6 hours of in-game rest. More tables for fleshing out a character include “Terrible Traits” for personality quirks, “Broken Bodies” which give your character some physical distinctions. Also included is “Bad Habits” which is pretty self explanatory, and finally “Troubling Tales” to provide your group or individual character with some disturbing and compelling backstory beats.

I was able to roll up a character in minutes and using the Optional Rules, build them out with some Terrible Traits and Bad Habits. Once I added a name, I was ready to go! The process took 15 minutes at best, and the tables made things very simple.

Opinion

Disclaimer: In the time I was working on this review, I was unable to take the game for a test-drive with a group. However, without having gotten to play the game, I can speak to what I’ve read and rely on my past experiences with new systems to make what I feel is a sound judgment.

I believe that Mörk Borg has the bones (no pun intended) of a very stylized and simple game to run a limited campaign or series of one shots in an extremely heavy horror-based atmosphere. I say limited campaigns or one-shots because mechanically, the system is designed to be very brutal and unforgiving. The nature of the game may have driven the design decisions behind why generating a character is so simple, as there’s a very good chance your initial character will not survive. I would relate this to a game like Dungeon Crawl Classics, where players are encouraged to generate four separate characters at once to minimize downtime when one inevitably dies.

Mörk Borg is a game designed for players and game masters who are fans of the brooding, pessimistic and often epic style of death, black and doom metal, and while I find the setting intriguing, I can see how that would also turn off potential players who long to portray heroes in a setting that feels hopeful or light. Mörk Borg is not that setting, and that is not its world.

The other potential negative that stands out to me is that for all of the imaginative design choices made in the production of the book, I feel like this book is more object d’art than a reference rulebook. While there are some really standout art pieces and layout decisions, I think that the disjointed nature of so many of the pages makes it difficult to go back and quickly find the information I might be looking for. This wouldn’t stop me from playing it, mind you, but the fact that the book is less than 100 pages can make that small issue even more frustrating.

Mörk Borg is no doubt a standout in the field for its innovative system, look and graphic design choices. For players used to core rulebooks that are easily referenced, and a world where they can rise to be heroes, however, it may be a hard sell. But for those folks looking for a gruesome change of pace, a metal-infused grimdark world and a system with some crunch, Mörk Borg is certainly worth your time!

Rating: A

Game materials were provided to The RPG Academy by Free League Publishing for review consideration.

Bonus Content!

Want to give it a go? There’s a free, plain text version available at https://morkborg.com/content/ along with blank character sheets and quick reference materials and a mobile character generator!

Buy a copy of the game on DriveThruRPG and also support our channel

Find Michael on Twitter – @LoserMLW

Join us on Discord. It’s by invite only but just send me an email or other msg asking to join and i’ll send you an invite link.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
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Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Detention, LIVE! episode 89 with Guest Doug Shute

19 juni 2023 | 74 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast as well as the GM of the Smuggler’s Blue Streaming show. And our guest this week is Douglas Shute from Victory Condition Gaming.

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Diablo 4!, work stuff (as always).
- Doug – Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Movie (long time fan of the toys!), Getting organized for a lot of upcoming convention events like Origins and GenCon. New Avatar RPG starter set, coming to his channel soon.
- Michael – Heading to Origins next week, Also going to GenCon in August, ScoobyNatural, Marvel 616 RPG, Dragonbane, re-reading the full Heralds of Valdemar book series. Blue Rose RPG.
10 things –
- Doug – Name top 10 Transformers
- Chris – 10 things you enjoy about going to gaming conventions.
- Michael – 10 bad names for Transformers.
Used Books: Resisting the old West End d6 Star Wars system – running games in an established Canon.

Where have our fingers been?
- Doug – Two civilians watching a Transformer fight.
- Chris – A new G.I. Joe recruit meeting Sgt. Slaughter
- Michael – 2 brothers that have just opened one Transformers toy.
Cryptozoology: Wood Wife.

Q&A: Doug gets the usual action figure accessories question.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Masters of Umdaar ep 1

13 juni 2023 | 65 min

Show & Tell # 121 – Michael Low

9 juni 2023 | 39 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 88

5 juni 2023 | 64 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast as well as the GM of the Smuggler’s Blue Streaming show.

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Lots of work stuff. Diablo 4 coming soon!, Smuggler’s Blues a new live streaming AP Star Wars show, DragonLance game continues, Audio feed coming in July.
- Michael – D&D with my childhood friends!, Ted Lasso Series Finale, re-watching older comfort shows – Firefly, Community, Iron-Man, Avengers I, Capt. America Winter Soldier, Yellowjackets. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, newest Marvel Legendary set: Midnight Sons. Action 12 Cinema – first edit done.
10 things –
- Michael – 10 Father’s Day presents you’d want
- Chris – 10 Magic Items in Diablo 4 you hope to collect.
Used Books: Michael talks through his desire to run a jail break session in D&D.

Where have our fingers been?
- Chris – Two D&D characters discussing ways to get arrested
- Michael – Trying to teach someone to play poker.
Cryptozoology: Intellect Devourer

Q&A: Any interest in the new Free League Lord of the Realms 5e setting. Any interest in Warhammer 40K

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Blue Rose Quickstart Adventure The Rhy Wolf’s Woe. Ep 2

30 maj 2023 | 74 min

The Sample Adventures. Blue Rose Quickstart Adventure The Rhy Wolf’s Woe. Ep1

29 maj 2023 | 85 min

Show & Tell # 120 – Mini Dungeon Tome II

23 maj 2023 | 24 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 87 with Guest Wesley from CreativeJuices7th

22 maj 2023 | 64 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and Wesley Whitaker from the YT Channel CreativeJuices7th

Extra Curricular –
- Chris – Son is playing the new Zelda game, Diablo 4 Server Slam, Binge Sweet Tooth (Netflix), Lots of work stuff. Got another EagleScout through the system.
- Wes – God of War Ragnarok, beating it. Now going for all the extra stuff.
- Michael – Trying to take care of some stray animals in my neighborhood, dropped my glasses and now they’re broken, Yellowjackets season 2 is GREAT, The Big Door Prize (Apple TV+), Action 12 Cinema charity stream.
10 things –
- Wes – 10 PSA you’ve chosen NOT to do on your channel.
- Michael – 10 possible Potentials I would want to get from the Big Door Prize machine.
- Chris – 10 ‘achievements’ in Diablo.
Used Books: Wes talks about a game where taking an alternative approach turned out to be very very easy – maybe too easy?

Where have our fingers been?
- Chris – Two people in a coffee shop, one is attracted to the other but rolls a nat 1 on their Charisma check.
- Michael – Two spies meeting and both thinking the other is hitting on them
- Wesley – two people performing a how to be a Kobold Guard training video.
Cryptozoology: Chasme

Q&A: The three accessories question for Wesley

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Dragonbane Quickstart Adventure Riddermound. Ep3

13 maj 2023 | 53 min

The Sample Adventures. Dragonbane Quickstart Adventure Riddermound. Ep2

12 maj 2023 | 50 min

The Sample Adventures. Dragonbane Quickstart Adventure Riddermound. Ep1

11 maj 2023 | 50 min

The Sample Adventures. Dune Adventures in the Imperium Quickstart adventure Wormsign. Ep 3

6 maj 2023 | 39 min

The Sample Adventures. Dune Adventures in the Imperium Quickstart adventure Wormsign. Ep 2

5 maj 2023 | 32 min

The Sample Adventures. Dune Adventures in the Imperium Quickstart adventure Wormsign. Ep 1

4 maj 2023 | 45 min

Show & Tell # 119 – Paladin Archives July Marathon

26 april 2023 | 48 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 86

24 april 2023 | 70 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and ML Earhart ( @ItsMLEnow )

Extra Curricular –
- ML – Magic the Gathering Arena, Silver Spring Stage 1-act Play festival, The Goblin Universe
- Michael – Stopped playing MtG Arena, Action 12 Cinema writing is almost done, LexiCon Gaming Convention, Origins Game Fair, GenCon, The Mandalorian S3 Finale.
- Chris – Path of Exile (on Steam), Work stuff, DragonLance TV show Rumors,
10 things –
- ML – 10 Made up Magic The Gathering card mechanics
- Chris B – 10 foods you wouldn’t mind getting food poison from.
- Michael – 10 cards i’d like to see in Magic The Gathering
Used Books: ML Shares about a campaign from a friend where training was built into the system.

Where have our fingers been?
- Michael – A vaudevillian ventriloquist who’s dummy is slowing gaining sentience.
- Chris – Final match at a Magic The Gathering tournament where one player is cheating
- ML – two performers going up for the same role.
Cryptozoology: Myconoids

Q&A: The three accessories question for ML

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:
Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Detention, LIVE! episode 85

27 mars 2023 | 80 min

The 2023 Ultimate TTRPG Bookshelf Draft

15 mars 2023 | 92 min

Our 2023 Ultimate TTRPG bookshelf Draft board

Hello and Welcome to The RPG Academy. In this very special bonus episode Michael ( @TheRpgAcademy ) is joined by Lewanika from the Tabletop Journeys Podcast as well as Kevin Stacy from the Game Knight Heroes podcast for a cross-pod event – the 2023 Ultimate TTRPG Bookshelf Draft with Chris Burlew from the Redemption Podcast acting as our Draftmaster aka the Commissioner.

The Draft proceeded in Snake Draft format with Lewanika going in 1st position, then Kevin and then Michael.

We had 6 categories to draft from and we could draft them in any order we wanted. Our Categories were:

The Cornerstone. Any version of D&D or Pathfinder (though you COULD go outside if you wanted)

The Contender. A TTRPG that wasn’t one of the big two, but maybe should be or could be in the future.

The Indie Darling. An Indie RPG that can never get enough live.

Genre 1 and Genre 2 – any TTRPG that would fit as a genre game.

Wildcard – anything we wanted including a duplicate of another category.

We have our selections as:

Round 1 Selection 1 Lewanika Cornerstone Category D&D 3.0/3.5 edition

Round 1 Selection 2 Kevin Cornerstone Category D&D 5e

Round 1 Selection 3 Michael Contender Category Savage World Adventure Edition

Round 2 Selection 4 Michael Indie Darling Dread

Round 2 Selection 5 Kevin Genre 1 Mutants & Masterminds

Round 2 Selection 6 Lewanika Genre 1 Star Trek: Adventures

Round 3 Selection 7 Lewanika Genre 2 Everyday Heroes

Round 3 Selection 8 Kevin Genre 2 Vampire: The Masquerade

Round 3 Selection 9 Michael Genre 1 MASKS: The New Generation

Round 4 Selection 10 Michael Genre 2 Call of Cthulhu

Round 4 Selection 11 Kevin Wildcard City of Mist

Round 4 Selection 12 Lewanika Contender Dungeon Crawl Classics

Round 5 Selection 13 Lewanika Indie Darling Kids on Bikes

Round 5 Selection 14 Kevin Indie Darling Lady Blackbird

Round 5 Selection 15 Michael Cornerstone Pathfinder 2nd edition

Round 6 Selection 16 Michael Wildcard: Atomic Robo FATE

Round 6 Selection 17 Kevin Contender AGE – Adventure Game Engine

Round 6 Selection 18 Lewanika Wildcard The Palladium Series

and now it’s all up to YOU, dear listener – now you get to vote and determine who’s bookshelf is the Ultimate (or most ultimate) one from this draft. Check on various social channels on Twitter, Facebook and instagram and vote. We will tally the votes across all our channels and announce which one of us has the Ultimate TTRPG Bookshelf.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!
~Michael
E-mail us at TheRpgAcademy/Gmail.
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit and LIKE our Facebook Page
Support our show by becoming a Patron at www.Patreon.Com/TheRpgAcademy

Join us on Discord: Contact me for an invite.

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. Action 12 Cinema. Ep 4 Act Three

9 mars 2023 | 30 min

The Sample Adventures. Action 12 Cinema. Ep 3 Act Two

8 mars 2023 | 27 min

The Sample Adventures. Action 12 Cinema. Ep 2 Act One

7 mars 2023 | 41 min

The Sample Adventures. Action 12 Cinema. Ep 1 The Pre-Production Phase.

6 mars 2023 | 50 min

The Reviews – Keys from the Golden Vault

3 mars 2023 | 84 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy The Review series. Today Michael, Tom, and guest co-host Fiona ( @WAIR_Podcast ) Take a look at the newest WotC D&D hardback heist adventure anthology book – Keys from the Golden Vault

Quick Overview:

The book introduces a possible new Patron organization for your PCs called The Golden Vault, a list of possible rival crew who may be working against you in your missions and 13 individual heist adventures ranging from level 1 to 10.

RATINGS

Tom’s Overall Rating: B+

Fiona’s Overall Rating: A-

Michael’s Overall Rating: B+

If you would like to pick up a copy of Keys from the Golden Vault on Amazon AND Support the RPG Academy podcast please use THIS LINK.

Support the Action 12 Cinema KS

Join us on Discord. It’s by invite only but just send me an email or other msg asking to join and i’ll send you an invite link.

Follow Tom on Twitter – @BeskarTom

Follow Fiona on Twitter – @WAIR_Podcast

WAIR Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/wair_podcast

DMBC Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/DMBC

Find Sarah Madsen on Twitter – @UnfetteredMuse

Find Sarah’s work on her website HERE

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Show & Tell # 118 – Action 12 Cinema

28 februari 2023 | 60 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 27

26 februari 2023 | 61 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 84

23 februari 2023 | 72 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Eric Faber ( @Airborneham ) a Game designer, here to talk about The Last Hand a GMless Horror RPG on KS now.

Extra Curricular –

Chris – The Librarians tv show, You Tv Show, Dragonlance D&D campaign (streaming every other Thursday)
Eric – The Last Hand, Changeling game starting up, Peace Maker tv show, Dead End Paranormal Park tv show, Inside Job Tv show, Legend of Korra, Avatar the Last Airbender
Michael – Action 12 Cinema Prep, Arrow, Lockwood & Co, Heir of the Empire,

10 things –

Eric – 10 alternate names for The Last Hand
Chris B – 10 things that you’ve done that surprised you about yourself
Michael – 10 feelings I am having about the Action 12 Cinema Kickstarter

Used Books: Eric shares all about his currently running Kickstarter for The Last Thing.

Where have our fingers been?

Eric – two remaining people in a bar where all the people are disappearing.
Chris – Riding the scariest new ride at the local theme park.
Michael – A person is teaching another how to play Texas Hold ’em

Cryptozoology: Ghosts

Q&A: The three accessories question for Leam

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Detention, LIVE! episode 83

13 februari 2023 | 63 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Leam from the A Geek of One’s Own Twitch Channel

( @geek_own ) and on Twitch

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Destiny 2 on PC, New Amsterdam,
Leam – Old Enough, Reading some Batman Comics, streaming video games.
Michael – Action 12 Cinema Prep, Revival by Stephen King, Heir to the Empire Audio book, Lockwood & Co., the Last of Us tv show

10 things –

Leam – 10 Australian TV shows
Chris B – 10 things you wouldn’t do at a Hospital.
Michael – 10 improvised weapons used in movies.

Used Books: A dark campaign encounter that really challenges the players with no good solutions as well as the value of a good session 0 and safety tools.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – a tap dancer and an Irish folk dancer, have a dance-off.
Chris – The foley artists providing the audio for previous dance off
Leam – Giving a tour in Australia.

Cryptozoology: The Rust Monster

Q&A: The three accessories question for Leam

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 26

12 februari 2023 | 50 min

The Sample Adventures. Shadow of the Demon Lord – Dead by Dawn intro adventure. Episode 3

10 februari 2023 | 57 min

The Sample Adventures. Shadow of the Demon Lord – Dead by Dawn intro adventure. Episode 2

8 februari 2023 | 41 min

Show & Tell # 117 – Gervasio Lembo

7 februari 2023 | 74 min

The Sample Adventures. Shadow of the Demon Lord – Dead by Dawn intro adventure. Episode 1

6 februari 2023 | 44 min

The Sample Adventures. Brindlewood Bay Rpg Episode 4

2 februari 2023 | 52 min

The Sample Adventures. Brindlewood Bay Rpg Episode 3

1 februari 2023 | 43 min

The Sample Adventures. Brindlewood Bay Rpg Episode 2

31 januari 2023 | 41 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 82

30 januari 2023 | 68 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Chris Constantine designer of Hodgepocalypse

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Marvel Zombiecide, Steam Games, Pub G, Destiny 2, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Redemption Podcast final season, Vox Machina, Boy Scouts.
Chris Constantine – Prepping a crowdsourcing campaign for Hodgepocalypse, She-Hulk, Night court (the new one), Also SW: Bad Batch, The Mandalorian Season 3,
Michael – Cruise vacation to Grand Turks and Dominican Republic, Arrow Season 3, Farm to Fable, Greatest American Hero pilot, The Last of Us Tv Show, The Revival by Stephen King, Action 12 Cinema.

10 things –

Chris Constantine – 10 alternate names for The Hodgepocalypse.
Chris B – 10 things your broken Tardis might look like.
Michael – 10 things I didn’t wanna see on the buffet

Used Books: Rolling with the punches, learning to Improv as a GM.

Where have our fingers been?

Chris Constantine – negotiating with a Medusa
Michael – A Medusa looking for a new apatment.
Chris B – Two people on a cruise, not together, coming together to play a TTRPG.

Cryptozoology: The Manticore

Q&A: The three accessories question for Chris

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Brindlewood Bay Rpg Episode 1

30 januari 2023 | 41 min

Hello and welcome to The Sample Adventures. A new Actual Play series from The Rpg Academy where we are taking a trip through various sample adventures included in Role Playing Game core books, setting supplements, starter sets, boxed sets, etc . . .

For this series we are playing through the First adventure of the Brindlewood Bay RPG by Jason Cordova and The Gauntlet called Dad Overboard.

Our GM for this series is Brian Kurtz (@BrianBPK)

and our players

Michael Ross ( @TheRpgAcademy ) As Flochelle Rogers aka Flow

Kevin Stacy from Game Knight Heroes Podcast as Agness McGuffin

Chris ( @Sky_Rider19 ) as Lillian ‘Lily’ Montgomery

In this episode we introduce ourselves and our characters and Brian leads us through the beginning phases of the game including the introduction of the game and some safety tools and further defining our characters background and how we know and related to one another. We hear a mysterious answering Machine message for Flo and each character gets a short introductory scene and we end just as the mystery is about to begin.

Come back for episode 2 to hear the gameplay start in earnest.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. Beam Saber episode 3

27 januari 2023 | 59 min

The Sample Adventures. Beam Saber episode 2

26 januari 2023 | 57 min

The Sample Adventures. Beam Saber episode 1

25 januari 2023 | 57 min

Film Studies – Stalker (Apocalypse Words)

23 januari 2023 | 93 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 81

16 januari 2023 | 66 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Christopher Helton.

Extra Curricular –

Chris – New TV show on Nextflix – New Amsterdam, Marvel Zombiecide, Willow finale,
Christopher H – Reading lots of Marvel Comics on the Unlimited App, Anime series called Nana.
Michael – Willow series overall, Malcom in the Middle, Arrow Tv series, Action 12 Cinema KS next Month.

10 things –

Chris – 10 things you might find in a Swamp
Michael – 10 things you’d find in a Lich’s shoebox
Christopher – 10 Action Movies.

Used Books: For this week we talk a bit about Christopher’s currently running Kickstarter for Action-Heroes RPG.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – two people underground.
Chris – two people crafting a Craigslist ad for luring people into a deadly encounter
Ian – Two people discussing Marvel vs DC.

Cryptozoology: Florida Cryptid – The Skunk Ape

Q&A: A Charlton Comics Character through Action-Heroes RPG lens

The three accessories question for Ian

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Reviews – Everyday Heroes RPG + The Escape from New York and The Crow Cinematic Adventures.

12 januari 2023 | 31 min

Hello and welcome to The RPG Academy The Review series. Today Michael and Tom take a look at Everyday Heroes from Evil Genius Games.

Quick Overview

Everyday Heroes is a modern version of the D&D 5e game for both good and Ill. If you like D&D 5e and are interested in playing a more modern / Action Movie style RPG this fits that bit very very well. I was very impressed throughout by how they managed to re-skin 5e and more so by the changes they made.

The core book consists of 3 main sections.

Part 1: Heroes. This is roughly 200 pages and walks you through character creation and includes all the rules of how your Hero works.

Part 2: Game Rules. This is about 60 pages and covers the core rules, combat, and Skill checks as well as some miscellaneous rules as well as a section on vehicles and chases.

Part 3: Mastering the Game which includes sections on GMing the game, creating adventures, and a bestiary of sorts.

90% or more of the game lines up with a traditional action movie in the vein of Die Hard or Lethal Weapon. Extraordinary people but not super or supernatural. There are a few winks and nods, particularly in the bestiary section where you have creatures like Demons and Vampires included so you CAN dip into the Supernatural.

Primarily though you will get that sort of flavor through their Cinematic Adventure series wherein they are crafting a series of adventures based on popular Action Movies which will also, as needed, introduce new rules to match the tone style of those movies.

For this review I was also given digital copies of the Escape from New York Adventure and The Crow Adventure. In particular I want to say that in The Crow they introduce rules for Ritual Magic.

I don’t want to say my expectations were low, it was more that I had no expectations going in. I was aware of the Kickstarter that launched this product but it didn’t draw me in. Now I wish it had. As an Action Movie Junkie that also happens to enjoy D&D 5e and have a lot of skills for GMing that which would cross over here making this a very easy game to run, amazing adventures coming out every few months. This is a game I expect I will buy a hard copy of to have in my collection and will run at some point in 2023 (Probably when the Universal Solider Adventure Lands).

Is it perfect? No. I had one minor issue with the font/ formatting but that may be how I was reading it digitally and am not sure if that’s reflected in the print edition. But my biggest compliant is I really don’t like the art. Pretty much throughout the book the art doesn’t work for me. Very much a YMMV situation and easy enough to ignore so despite that I am still rating the game and the initial 2 adventures as a B+ and give it a high recommend.

Overall Rating: B+

If you would like to pick up a copy of Everyday Heroes at DriveThruRPG AND Support the RPG Academy podcast please use THIS LINK.

Sign up to be notified with Action 12 Cinema goes live on KS in February.

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You can find Evil Genius Games website HERE

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Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Head over to the Free League store and buy your copy of Blade Runner.

The Reviews – Blade Runner RPG from Free League Press

9 januari 2023 | 39 min

The Blade Runner Starter set. Available from the Free League Press webstore

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review Blade Runner, a Free League Publishing and Alcon Entertainment game. Blade Runner achieved 16,513% funding on Kickstarter in May of 2022. At the time of writing this article multiple versions of the book and all related resources are available for purchase directly from Free League as well as on Drive Thru RPG and many other retailers. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the book and resources for the purpose of this review.

Quick Overview

Blade Runner lets you play in the world established in Blade Runner 2049. The book and its resources are part rules and part campaign setting, focusing on play in the gritty, noir, cyberpunk, neon landscape of LA as seen in both of the Blade Runner movies but set in the year 2037. Players work for the LAPD in the RDU, Replicant Detection Unit. Characters are either human or replicant and are tasked with locating and retiring rogue replicants. While there are rules for action scenes, the core of the gameplay experience is solving cases and dealing with tough moral decisions.

Book and Resources

The core rulebook contains everything players and game runners need to play Blade Runner. A starter set is available, containing a quick start guide, a starter adventure, pre-made characters, full-color handout materials that support the adventure, and dice. Dice with special symbols that fit the game mechanics can be bought separately, as can a high-quality game runner screen. There are also Virtual Tabletop assets for use on Roll20. The starter adventure, Electric Dreams, is the only published adventure for this setting currently, but more are said to be on the way.

The book is right around 230 pages and packed full of art and reference tables. About 80 pages scattered through the book are devoted to rules and mechanics. Only about 10 pages towards the end give guidelines for how to run the game. The rest of the book describes the world of Blade Runner, specifically the city of LA.

Story

The game Blade Runner lets players experience the story and setting of the two Blade Runner movies. On an Earth devastated by years of mistreatment, corporations have taken over and made things worse. The elite and wealthy are able to move off-world but the rest of society suffers. Cybernetic humanoids called Replicants were created as a reliable workforce but soon rose up in rebellion against their masters. Thus began decades of fear-induced violence. Blade Runners are employed by the police force to hunt down and eliminate renegade replicants.

Of course, nothing in this neon- and noir-soaked world is as easy as it seems. Blade Runners are a necessary evil in this world and are treated as such. While their work is officially sanctioned, they are also executing replicants that are, for the most part, just trying to exist peacefully. The focus of Blade Runner is dealing with difficult moral choices. Action and combat plays a part, but the true story is found in how players and characters deal with the social and personal impact of their choices.

Mechanics

For as complex a story as Blade Runner provides to players, the mechanics are easy to grasp. Based on the Year Zero Engine, characters have 4 attributes and 13 skills, each rated with a die ranging from a d6 to a d12. After describing an action, players roll the dice from the applicable attribute and skill. A result of 6 or higher on either die is a success. A result of 10 or higher grants two successes. In general, only one success is needed to complete the action as described. Rolling multiple successes counts as a critical success and has a variety of benefits including dealing extra damage, inflicting critical injuries, or adding bonus effects.

There is an advantage and disadvantage mechanic, which either adds or removes a die from the roll. After rolling, players can decide to push their roll and re-roll one of their dice at the cost of their characters suffering damage from the extra exertion.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building a Blade Runner is quick and easy. All attributes and skills start by default at a d8 and a d6 respectively. Players decide if their character is human or replicant (or a secret replicant), their role in the LAPD, and how long they’ve been serving. These decisions grant a varying number of improvements that can be applied to the dice values of each attribute and skill as the player wants. Players also define a Key Memory for their characters that can be used to provide mechanical benefits and role playing opportunities. All of these choices are provided on tables so players can roll randomly if they want.

A game here is generally referred to as a Case File. Playing the game starts with the relatively simple premise of RDU agents being assigned a case. Using all the resources of the LAPD and their personal contacts, agents investigate the case and deal with the consequences of chasing down and retiring replicants. Cases are organized by clues and NPCs that can be found at specific locations as well as a timeline of events that play out whether or not the PCs are present at the time.

The majority of gameplay is about finding clues and talking to the citizens of LA. There’s also navigating the political and corporate world of the city. When negotiations fail and things take a nasty turn, there are detailed mechanics for combat and chase scenes. Combat is deadly in Blade Runner and is definitely not the first choice that players should make.

Opinion

I don’t know if I’ve ever read a TTRPG based on a book or movie that absolutely nails the source material and themes as good as Blade Runner does. It is easily the most engaging game book I’ve ever read.

The book is absolutely gorgeous. The Blade Runner movies are all about style and this book is bleeding style from every page. Almost every page is full of art that perfectly depicts the vibe of a desperate city soaked in rain and neon. The actual content of the book is organized in small boxes set against a dark background. This actually makes it easier to find the needed section of rules, as each component is almost isolated and highlighted.

In most books, I want the focus to be on mechanics. I want to learn the unique aspects of the game through the way players interact with the game world. In this case, an overwhelming majority of the book is dedicated to describing the game setting and that’s just fine with me. The core of this game is style and that’s exactly what we get. As I mentioned before, this book is pretty much a campaign setting for the city of LA in 2037. While there are facts about the world, we are not given any details about setting a game anywhere other than LA. This is not necessarily a problem, in my opinion. The intent of this book is to deliver the experience of the movies and they happen in LA.

There are two small quibbles I have with this book. They are incredibly minor. First is the need for more examples. Second is the challenge of running this game without printed materials.

As to the examples, the book does provide clear examples. I just want more, specifically for how to create a Case File and run a game. The concepts presented here are nothing entirely new or unique in the gaming world, but it feels like not nailing the right formula here will negatively impact the tone and style of the game. I think after running a few games it will all make sense, but it is something I’m concerned about.

As to the other quibble, let’s take a look at Electric Dreams, the first and only currently printed Case File for the game. Included are full-color maps of key locations, magazine covers, newspapers, suspect profiles, crime scene photos, and evidence. Having all of this physically on the game table or shared in a digital game space makes the game experience vivid and engaging. The lack of these is not a problem, but it does present an extra degree of challenge. These resources help keep players focused and give them something real to inspect and search for clues instead of simply relying on skill checks and descriptive dialogue. That’s just cool. Playing without them is perfectly fine. Most games are played without things like these resources. But given the emphasis on style and tone of Blade Runner, having tools like this just makes the game all the better.

I absolutely love Blade Runner, the book, the movies, and the game. The book was clearly written as an act of love for the source material and had the intent of delivering a true-to-source experience. I love how the mechanics and structure support the themes of the story and how their focus is not on combat. I also love how the mechanics are easy to understand. Being able to quickly build a character and explain the rules allows players to experience more of the game.

If you want to play in the Blade Runner world, or just play a cyberpunk game with an emphasis on difficult choices instead of futuristic tech, this is the game for you.

Overall Rating: A

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Find Caleb on Twitter – @TheCalebG

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Find Caleb’s Charity work at Point 5 Past.org

Sign up to be notified with Action 12 Cinema goes live on KS in February.

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Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
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Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
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Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Faculty Meeting # 165 – 2022 In Review

29 december 2022 | 61 min

Show & Tell # 116 – CalazCon

20 december 2022 | 47 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 80

19 december 2022 | 73 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Ian from the Undercommon Taste Podcast

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Gaming on his PC – StarWars the Old Republic MMORPG. Netflix – You. Love is Blind. The Ultimatum: Marry me or not. Christmas prep.
Ian – World of Warcraft, Bluey, Netflix: Sandman series. Critical Role Season 3.In the Mouth of Madness. The Feast of Saint Dionysios.
Michael – Streaming Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Warcraft II. Spider-Man on PS4. Willow Tv show. Farm to Fable, Healthy Minds Alliance official Podcast.

10 things –

Ian – 10 shows that would be worse for daughter to watch than Bluey.
Chris – 10 things found in the wreckage of Santa’s Sleigh having crashed into an almost dead mall
Michael – 10 foods every adventurer should take with them.

Used Books: For this week do a brief recap of things from 2022 we were proud of/excited about and a few things we are looking forward to in 2023.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – two parents having learned that their kids no longer believe in Santa Clause.
Chris – Shoveling snow, wondering why they don’t have heated sidewalks.
Ian – Two adventurers packing for a trip.

Cryptozoology: Krampus

Q&A: The three accessories question for Ian

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Reviews – Dragon Lance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

15 december 2022 | 89 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 24, Plus year-end recap

5 december 2022 | 60 min

Journey Through the Realms. Episode 9 – DragonLance

29 november 2022 | 42 min

Faculty Meeting # 164 – Player Problems

28 november 2022 | 60 min

The Reviews. Episode 30 – The Calling

23 november 2022 | 39 min

In this episode of The Reviews, The Caleb G ( @TheCalebG ) takes a look at The Calling Sci-Fi Western RPG by Ohad Reiter ( @OhadReiter )

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past. Today I’m here to review The Calling, a game published by Ohad Reiter and currently available on DriveThruRPG. The publisher was kind enough to send a copy of the book for the purpose of this review.

The Calling has several purchase options available on DriveThruRPG as well as a free quick-start guide. On the game’s website (www.thecallingrpg.com) character and GM sheets are available for both letter and A4 paper, as well as fillable PDF options.

Quick Overview

The Calling is a genre mashup of Science Fiction and Western tropes. The game’s world is a post-Armageddon that has been rebuilt based on classic movies. Players create characters that are the Chosen of Star Gods, alien beings that reshaped the world prior to Armageddon. Adventures range from classic elements of fighting mutated creatures and salvaging ancient tech to protecting the Star Gods from cosmic horror monstrosities. While most RPGs will have GMs take the role of deities, the Star Gods in The Calling have a much more active role and impact on the game.

Book and Resources

This book comes in at just shy of 450 pages. Most of these pages are text, charts, and examples of how to play the game. There is some full page art scattered through the book. It’s black and white and very reminiscent of classic pulp comics.

The first 300 pages are devoted to game rules and structure. Story details are scattered throughout, but the main mythology of the game world is told in about 10 pages after that first rules section. The last 100 pages are focused on the bestiary and magic spells.

Primarily focusing on the rules with flavor sprinkled in is a great approach. The Calling is a pretty crunchy game, so building a foundation for the game’s intent and concept on the mechanics is crucial.

The online resources for The Calling are slim but helpful. Three different versions of both player and GM sheets cover the bases of everything the table will need for a game. And as someone who is always searching for an easy-to-use digital character sheet for games, having the official sheet from the publisher is much appreciated.

Story

The short version of The Calling’s story is that Armageddon happened 300 years ago. Survivors gathered somewhere in Asia and rebuilt society based entirely on old movies. There aren’t big cities, just small towns surrounded by farms and ranches. Towns are drawn straight out of old Westerns, right down to Main Street and the saloon. Leadership in towns is organized like mafia movies. Monasteries show movies to town residents for both entertainment and spiritual enlightenment.

Most folks in this world rarely leave their towns. PCs are adventurers, the few brave and skilled enough to survive the dangers of the new world. They are also the Chosen of the local Star God, an alien being that is more or less responsible for the region where the PCs live. Not only do the Chosen Ones complete heroic quests, but they also serve and protect their Star God who, in return, supports them by answering prayers and granting miracles.

The longer version of the story tells players exactly what happened 300 years ago and how encountering the beings that would become Star Gods led to Armageddon. While exploring the depths of space, humanity met alien beings. These beings came back to Earth, became part of human society, and began using their advanced genetic manipulation abilities to help improve the world. However, the Star Gods also picked up many of humanity’s worst traits and started fighting amongst themselves. During this time, humans continued their usual terrible behaviors and ended up in a war as well. However, they now had access to much more advanced technology thanks to the Star Gods, so this war became Armageddon and wiped out most of humanity.

In the aftermath, the remaining Star Gods repaired and rebuilt the Earth, returning it to a vibrant natural state. They nurtured the surviving humans and helped them develop. When humanity was at a point of being able to understand concepts such as history and culture, the Star Gods used old movies to instruct and guide them. Thus we see the current state of the world in The Calling.

All of the dangers in this new world come from both the impact of both the Star Gods and the destructive choices of humanity. The genetic experiments the Star Gods performed led to mutated beasts roaming the world, including even deadlier versions of dinosaurs. Creatures based on human myths are also a threat, but these have a more unclear origin. During the Armageddon, humans built advanced and dangerous robots who are now living deep underground doing strange robot things. They have taken on shapes reminiscent of monsters from high fantasy stories to strike additional fear into their human prey A variety of classic monsters like vampires, demons, and werewolves also exist as altered humans who made deals with Star Gods. And there are also cosmic horrors that are on Earth for the sole reason of hunting and killing the Star Gods.

Mechanics

The basic dice resolution in The Calling is very simple. Characters have five traits (Muscle, Grace, Insight, Resolve, and Charm) that range from one to six. When faced with a task, players roll 2d6 and add the related trait value. Meeting or beating the target number (called the Difficulty Score) generates a successful result. Rolling snake eyes (two 1s on the dice) is a critical failure and rolling boxcars (two 6s on the dice, called Midnight here) is a critical success. A Midnight roll also generates a currency called Favor that can be used when interacting with Star Gods.

There are 14 skills, each of which is assigned or related to a specific trait. However, there is no positive modifier for being trained in a skill. Instead, there is a negative modifier for rolling an untrained skill. Character abilities and situations can provide both positive and negative modifiers to rolls.

With only a few exceptions, NPCs and monsters do not roll against PCs. NPCs and monsters have set values that players roll against. For example, the player will roll their character’s attack against a monster’s dodge score and roll their character’s dodge against a monster’s attack score.

The Calling also provides a structure to resolve dramatic scenes from movies such as negotiations, heists, investigation, and so on. When a scene like this starts, players describe three actions the party takes to resolve the scene. The overall result is based on how many successful skill checks are made ranging from zero to three. The book gives a breakdown of several classic scene types and guidelines of how to establish the scene, what skills to use, and how to define the overall success after rolls are made.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building a character in The Calling is very quick. Players start by selecting their character’s Dojo and Calling. A Dojo is a fighting style. There are eight options including Cyborg, Katana, and Laser. A Calling is both a character’s background and their general method of interacting with the world. There are ten options including Cowboy, Nun, and Witch. Players then assign a set array of five numbers to their characters’ traits.

Dojos and Callings also grant Masteries, which encompass everything from supernatural powers to physical prowess. To use the terms of other games, Masteries are the catch-all for feats and class abilities. They also grant access to Prayers, which are The Calling’s version of magic.

To use Prayers, players take a specific combat action to role play offering up the request to their character’s Star God. If the request is granted, the Prayer is paid for with Favor. Prayers have many effects, ranging from summoning ally spirits to dealing elemental damage to enemies. Almost every Prayers also has a healing effect for the party as well.

Players strive to complete their characters’ individual quests as they experience the game’s other events. Quests are selected from a list in the character’s Calling and are broad enough to be incorporated into larger plot elements and intertwined with other characters’ quests to make the overall story more interesting. Completing Quests is how characters advance and gain levels.

As mentioned before, NPCs and monsters don’t roll dice. Instead, they have set Difficulty Scores for players to roll against. The only exception is their initiative. Their attacks and abilities also have flat damage, no rolling. This makes for very streamlined encounters and combat.

There are a large variety of combat maneuvers and options. This is where most of The Calling’s crunch comes into play. All of these maneuvers draw upon action and western movie themes and strive to help players recreate that fun on-screen action at the table. As a perfect example, ever want to shoot off someone’s hat? That’s in there.

A helpful feature of combat is that Goliath-sized monsters (the largest size category) are treated as multiple creatures each with their own stats, actions, and attacks. When a part of the Goliath is reduced to zero hit points, its actions are no-longer available in combat. This is an excellent way to manage combat with larger creatures and give players strong tactical options and clear objectives.

Gameplay in The Calling fits the fairly standard “big heroes in a dangerous” world concept. As Chosen of local Star God, characters will be asked to help with all kinds of tasks as they venture between towns completing their own quests. Unlike deities in other games, the Star God plays an active role in the campaign and interacts with the characters regularly, In fact, the choice of the Star God’s domain defines the overall theme of the campaign that’s being played.

Being an active part of the game puts the Star God in danger. The Chosen are not quite the Star God’s bodyguards, but they were chosen to defend the Star God from extreme danger. That danger takes the shape of Doppelgangers, a unique monster type that exists solely to destroy the Star God. This is where the cosmic horror element entrees The Calling. These Doppelgangers are hidden in the world and turn into twisted, terrifying monstrosities when they reveal themselves.

These Doppelgangers are integral to every campaign in The Calling. Only six exist in the game world and characters must find and destroy them. Doing so advances the Star God, granting them additional abilities that can support the characters. Dying to a Doppelganger is the only way for a character or party to be truly wiped out. In fact, if this happens the players lose the game. Additionally, Doppelgangers act as progress locks. They must be destroyed in a specific order for characters to advance through available levels.

Opinion

I’m torn about The Calling. It’s a great concept. Mashing up genres and presenting a post-Armageddon world inspired by action movies and Westerns is amazingly fun. Building a character with the Dojo and Calling option provides for lots of flexibility and creativity. The mechanics are easy to learn and understand but crunchy enough to provide lots of engaging tactical combat. The monsters are easy to run while still being interesting. The story itself is original, unique, and very entertaining. The book is written in a very accessible style and contains lots of great information for players and narrators of all skill levels, even though it does seem to be aimed primarily at new players.

But there are elements that are not so great as well. The book, while mostly well-organized, does present some information randomly. It’s not a distracting problem, but it could have a better structure. There are some minor grammatical errors throughout the entire book. The art that is there is fantastic and on-theme but there’s not much of it. The language of the book is inconsistent, changing between in-world style, generic advice structure, and personalized “I” statements from the author. The game advice contains many “only”, “never”, and “always” statements. This is not necessarily a problem but it does feel like the game comes with lots of restrictions.

Speaking of restrictions, The Calling has a very defined structure and pace. There is clearly a start and finish to the campaign, along with win and loss conditions. This is not bad, but it is different as the majority of RPGs are open-ended. But a defined structure can be very beneficial, especially for newer players. Open-ended RPGs can present players with paralysis of choice. Having too many options can be overwhelming. The defined structure and pace also helps with time management when it comes to playing the game.

Overall, I like The Calling. It’s a fun, pulpy game with a cool story and setting driving the action. It asks for a lot of role-playing prompts from players and rewards those with mechanical support. But the presentation is rough around the edges. It’s a little distracting but that’s the worst of it.

The Calling is easily accessible to new players and appealing to experienced players. It’s not quite a niche game but it’s not as expansive as other RPGs. I hope that it continues to grow and develop. This game feels a lot like 13th Age, to me. It gives players a very specific box to play in, but provides many options of what to do inside that box. I feel that this is an excellent game for an actual play podcast or stream. It’s the type of game that delivers a very specific experience. If that’s the experience you want, you will absolutely love this game.

THE RATING:

The Caleb G: C+

If you’d like to grab a copy of The Calling (or anything) from DriveThruRPG please use our link first and we get a small % of what you pay.

If you’d like to support the RPG Academy you can use this AMAZON link and then purchase anything from amazon you’d like. Use it every time you shop there, and the RPG academy will get a small % of what you spend.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Detention, LIVE! episode 79

21 november 2022 | 78 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is John Thompson ( @passionerdly ) from Rook & Rasp

Extra Curricular –

Chris – AcadeCon 2022, Battlestar Galactica board game, Work, The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself, Green Ronin, Dragon Age RPG
John – AcadeCon 2022, Gutterpunk KS,
Michael – AcadeCon 2022, Action 12 Cinema, Wakanda Forever, Andor,

10 things –

Michael – 10 Things you’d find in an AcadeCon hotel room post AcadeCon
Chris – 10 games you want to play at the next Faculty Retreat.
John – 10 things you love about Dragon Age

Used Books: For this week we let John sell us on his currently running TTRPG Kickstarter for Gutterpunk.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – At the grocery store looking for a turkey and they’re all out
Chris – two cops called to a grocery store about a guy faking a heart attack to steal a turkey
John – Taking your friends to meet your favorite musician but they have no idea who they are.

Cryptozoology: The BagmanAudience Q&A:

Tips for getting groups to try new RPGS

Favorite Boardgames

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 23

21 november 2022 | 79 min

Bonus ep – AcadeCon 2022: Cons of Future Past

16 november 2022 | 69 min

Show & Tell # 115 – Here We Used To Fly

14 november 2022 | 42 min

Show & Tell # 114 – Noctis Labyrinth

8 november 2022 | 56 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 78

24 oktober 2022 | 92 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is Mitch ( @Mitchsbustillos )

Extra Curricular –

Mitch – The Try Guys debacle. Loving Cyberpunk Edge Runners on Netflix and the Cyberpunk video game.
Chris – Got a new gaming computer. Still loving Andor. Enjoyed She-Hulk. Rings of Power.
Michael – Really enjoyed She-Hulk. Still loving Andor. House of the Dragon. The Midnight Club. Midnight Mass. Haunting of Hill House. Black Adam

10 things –

Mitch – 10 IPs Mitch would love to turn into an TTRPG
Chris – top 10 weirdest TTRPGs
Michael – 10 bad smells for cologne

Used Books: Mitch discusses the mission of the IGDN and their currently running GoFundMe to raise funds for the yearly Diversity Sponsorship program.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – A scene from Pulp Fiction ( and he fails miserably)
Chris – two people, one likes D&D and one likes Pathfinder and are arguing over it.
Mitch – When the Goblins actually win a fight

Cryptozoology: The monster from the movie It Follows

Audience Q&A:

Tips for getting groups to try new RPGS

Favorite Boardgames

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 22

23 oktober 2022 | 80 min

Faculty Meeting # 163 – The Giveaway

19 oktober 2022 | 65 min

Film Studies – The Name of the Rose (The One Which Inspired Rosewood Abbey)

17 oktober 2022 | 91 min

The Reviews. Episode 29 – Defiant RPG

16 oktober 2022 | 39 min

In this episode of The Reviews, The Caleb G ( @TheCalebG ) take a look at Defiant RPG by Game Machinery (@Thilnen )

Thank you to Game Machinery for providing us with a review copy.

Howdy cats and kittens! It’s TheCalebG aka Professor Crunch aka the founder of Point Five Past.Today I’m here to review Defiant, a game published by Game Machinery and currently available on DriveThruRPG. The publishers were kind enough to send a copy of the book along with the various resources needed to play the game for the purpose of this review.

Defiant was successfully funded by 543% on Kickstarter in July of 2021. The campaign met 10 of its 12 stretch goals. There are currently 3 supplemental books available for purchase and a free Quick Start guide. The Kickstarter campaign mentions an online system to manage characters and games, but as of the writing of this article this resource is still under construction. The core book comes in both a standard print layout and a screen-friendly layout, which is a great approach for our digital gaming environment.

Quick Overview

Defiant is an urban fantasy game with a focus on political drama and intrigue. The story is set against the background of an ongoing apocalypse. Players create supernatural characters who are part of elaborate courts that are safe havens from apocalyptic danger and mortal observation. Gameplay is focused on managing court expectations and responsibilities while maneuvering and manipulating others to accomplish a variety of goals. Although it is not the focus, many themes in the game are mature and not for younger players.

Book and Resources

The print version of Defiant is just over 300 pages and the screen-friendly version is just over 600. Most of the book is focused on how to prepare and play the game. It seems like common sense to say this, but given the intent of the game, this a crucial point to recognize. More on that later.

Interestingly, the book’s art was “made using stock images from paid and free sites.” My understanding of this is that the stock images were used as a base for the art. Characters are depicted as ultra-rich socialites with typical supernatural details like wings or horns. The art is striking, with mostly yellow and purple tones, which gives a surreal depiction to everything. Note that while none of the art is explicit, there are risqué depictions of mature content. Nothing here is worse than you’d see in a fashion magazine or on Instagram, but there are quite a few implications being made. This is not a book for kids.

There is a good, common sense flow to how the information in the book is given to readers. Given the complex nature of Defiant, this is a smart move. Starting with the foundation of a quick overview of the game and its intent, the book then builds by explaining the game’s setting and how to prepare for the first game session. It is comforting to see a focus on Line and Veil rules here, considering the adult nature of much of this content.

Game mechanics are referenced but not explained in detail until around 70 pages into the book. Similarly, character abilities and details are discussed but not given details until almost 200 pages into the book. Normally, this is something I would call out as a concern. However, given the need to understand the social dynamics of this game world, I feel that the focus on how to facilitate this type of game and the unique nature of the game world is the best approach. Additionally, the mechanical structure of characters is addressed during character and game creation with the included game resources.

Speaking of resources, Defiant provides a lot of them. This is an appreciated decision, as the specific details of game mechanics are on the complex side. Maps and reference cards provide details of the setting and reminders about how everything works. Cards are also used in character creation. More on that later. These resources are clear and easy to use, giving enough information to keep the game moving without having to dig through the book.

Story

The apocalypse is happening right now in Defiant. But due to illusions maintained by powerful magic, mortal folks don’t know this. Terrible apocalyptic events are understood as acts of terrorism, tragic accidents, or environmental disasters. Players take on roles of supernatural beings that once were part of carrying out the apocalypse but have decided to defy their responsibilities.

Safety in this world is found in the Domains of the Defiant. These are small pockets of supernatural civilization hidden within regular cities inhabited by mortals. Domains are isolated from each other, so each game that’s played takes place completely within one single Domain. The safety of Domains are maintained by following strict rules and structure, which leads into the court hierarchy structure of the game.

Characters come from one of four supernatural origins. Angels are fallen divine servants; Daeva are former gods and legendary creatures; Leviathans are ancient draconian forces of destruction; Infernals are tormented humans who became tormentors over centuries of suffering.

The majority of daily activity in Defiant is focused on maintaining the status-quo of the Domain to ensure that the apocalypse remains safely outside its walls. As powerful as the characters are within a Domain, they cannot fight against creatures still serving in the apocalyptic war. These creatures are also grouped into four origins, this time based on the classic mythology of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These creatures might infiltrate or take action against a Domain, but this is very rare.

Mechanics

The core dice mechanic in Defiant is a fairly simple dice pool roll of 3d6 with successes generating from a result of 5 or higher. But instead of a more typical mechanic of adding successes to a stat or attribute, a character’s Potential allows players to increase the dice size up to a maximum of d10s while success is still determined with a result of 5 or higher. Potential is gained from a variety of sources such as character traits, adversary flaws, and outside sources of help. Potential can be reduced by things such as an enemy’s advantages or a character’s weaknesses.

Potential increases dice one at a time starting with the lowest die. So 1 Potential would let a player roll 1d8 and 2d6, 2 Potential would let a player roll 2d8 and 1d6, and so on.

There is also a resource called Shards. These can be used to add a d8 to the dice pool, which can then be upgraded with Potential as normal. Shards have a variety of other uses related to character abilities.

When it comes to the dice pool mechanic, this is a relatively simple system. There is some complication in finding all the ways that Potential is gained and lost, but this becomes much easier as the game progresses.

Character Creation and Gameplay

Building a supernatural character in Defiant is both simple and complex. On the simple side, there are no stats or attributes. Characters are defined in themes and traits which are all descriptive words or phrases. Also, everything is done with cards. Players randomly select cards to define all important aspects of their character from their supernatural origin to their standing in their court to, believe it or not, their marital status. Once these choices are made and details are recorded on a character sheet, character creation is done. Compared to the more typical number- and option-heavy character creation process, this is a breeze.

But on the complex side, character creation is far more involved than making these simple choices. Unless the group is playing in a pre-made Domain, players are also creating their home town and court while making characters. They are fleshing out all the NPCs that hold specific court roles. The hierarchy of the courts in Defiant are crucial to the overall story. If the rules of the Domain are not met through the structure of the court, the magic that holds back the apocalypse fails. And don’t forget that regular folks also exist in this supernatural world. Interaction with them is rare, but they are still a factor of how the Domain operates. Thus, character creation in Defiant is more along the lines of world creation. This isn’t terribly complicated as most things are defined with a few simple phrases, but it is a very different experience when compared to other games.

Playing Defiant is similarly different from other RPGs. The focus is not on combat or exploration. Instead the game is about managing the daily activities and responsibilities of the court while also pursuing individual goals of advancement. Conflict comes from clashing schemes and personalities. Physical combat can occur, but it’s typically in the form of a tournament or a duel. Defiant is about playing politics and managing grand plans over a long term. To support this structure, a campaign is organized like a television show with a Season that is broken into six to ten Episodes. Character abilities are focused on supporting this narrative structure and prompt players to ask large-scale questions that introduce new elements into the game and move the story forward.

Opinion

Defiant presents an impressive concept and supports it with a vivid world and clever mechanics. The rules at the core of the game are easy to understand which helps players focus on developing a shared narrative experience at the table.

That being said, Defiant is a very niche game. This is not an easy game to pick up and play at random. This is a game where everyone needs to share the same mindset, expectations, and mental preparation. Given the type of gameplay and mature themes in Defiant, players need a high degree of comfort and trust with each other. Luckily, the book is full of reminders about how to play the game successfully and safely. But this is not a game for younger players and probably is not what you’d play randomly at a convention or run for strangers.

I commend the writers for taking on an ambitious topic and presenting it in an accessible way. Personally, I’ve always struggled with how to best execute a game of intrigue and political drama and the mechanics here are a perfect approach. I also love how the writers embrace and support the LGBTQIA+ community and present a refreshing attitude of inclusivity.

Defiant is a narrative-focused game about social elite with supernatural powers pursuing their own agendas while also maintaining their responsibilities in strict court hierarchy with the apocalypse ongoing in the background. Why the CW hasn’t optioned this for a new show yet is beyond me. The game is focused on style but delivers the substance needed to tell a great story. This is not something I’ll likely play at length. It’s just not the right game for me and my typical players. But I like what Defiant presents and how it executes the concept. If you are seeking this type of story, I can’t think of another game that presents the concept in such an accessible and streamlined way.

THE RATING:

The Caleb G: B

If you’d like to grab a copy of Defiant (or anything) from DriveThruRPG please use our link first and we get a small % of what you pay.

If you’d like to support the RPG Academy you can use this AMAZON link and then purchase anything from amazon you’d like. Use it every time you shop there, and the RPG academy will get a small % of what you spend.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Detention, LIVE! episode 77

10 oktober 2022 | 87 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host is David Gunsberg ( @Tigrannosaurus1 )

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Really liking Andor and She-Hulk. Also liking Rings of Power. Playing Hyrule Warriors but the game play is very different than expected, but fun. Plus work stuff. Camping soon.
David – Recently changed jobs, back to working for self. Father of 2 kids. Loving Owl House on Disney +, She-Hulk is on the list. Playing D&D with twins. Caught them playing themselves. Reading Chronicles of Narnia.
Michael – Loving Andor. Loving She-Hulk. Stephen King Book Fairy Tale. Very good. AcadeCon is just a month away. Family vacation end of the month, Disney World.

10 things –

David – 10 favorite childhood shows from Australia
Chris – 10 Things you’ve heard you should watch out for while camping in Australia
Michael – 10 Things you wanna see at Disney World

Used Books: David talks about restarting his RPG hobby as a 40 year old father and re-connecting with his friends from when he played as a child and how his style of gaming has changed over those years.

Where have our fingers been?

David – Two heroes trying to convince the other one to go through the door first.
Chris – two people on vaction. One speaks the native language and the other does not. After 7 minute the one that does not realizes the conversation is now in english and they just haven’t been paying attention
Michael – A Paladin has just caught the Thief stealing.

Cryptozoology: Gladiator NPC Stat block as some reskinning it

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 113 – Code Warriors

4 oktober 2022 | 47 min

Show & Tell # 112 – When the Moon Hangs Low

27 september 2022 | 40 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 21

26 september 2022 | 72 min

Faculty Meeting # 162 – Roll to seduce the inanimate object

22 september 2022 | 64 min

Show & Tell # 111 – Dragonbane

20 september 2022 | 39 min

Show & Tell # 110 – Beacon

13 september 2022 | 53 min

Show & Tell # 109 – Heroes and Hardships

7 september 2022 | 53 min

The Sample Adventures. Monster of the Week. Episode 3

2 september 2022 | 55 min

The Sample Adventures. Monster of the Week. Episode 2

31 augusti 2022 | 51 min

Show & Tell # 108 – You Meet In A Tavern, You Die In A Dungeon

30 augusti 2022 | 53 min

The Sample Adventures. Monster of the Week. Episode 1

29 augusti 2022 | 49 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 20

27 augusti 2022 | 60 min

Show & Tell # 107 – A Multiverse of Subclasses

22 augusti 2022 | 61 min

The Sample Adventures. Alien the RPG, episode 2

19 augusti 2022 | 63 min

The Reviews. Episode 28 – Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

19 augusti 2022 | 52 min

The Sample Adventures. Alien the RPG, episode 1

16 augusti 2022 | 61 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 19

14 augusti 2022 | 71 min

Bonus ep – GenCon 2022 Recap and Review.

10 augusti 2022 | 67 min

Film Studies – Hackers (Kids on Bytes)

6 augusti 2022 | 74 min

The Sample Adventures. Fantasy Age. Ep 3

5 augusti 2022 | 51 min

The Sample Adventures. Fantasy Age. Ep 2

3 augusti 2022 | 47 min

Faculty Meeting # 161 – A Game by Any Other Name

2 augusti 2022 | 65 min

The Sample Adventures. Fantasy Age. Ep 1

1 augusti 2022 | 54 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 76

29 juli 2022 | 72 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and guest co-host Jake the GM from the Everwar Saga on our Twitch Channel.

The Everwar Saga, our newest D&D 5e Stream. It will be 6 short arcs. Each arch 4-6 sessions. The world they are building is the main character.

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Work stuff – hiring multiple people so lots of hiring and training. Getting ready for a bit Scout Trip. Visiting Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
Jake – Better Call Saul S6. Streaming video games. 3d Printing.
Michael – Action 12 Cinema nearing completion, AcadeCon KS launches in less than two weeks, Getting ready for GenCon NEXT WEEK.

10 things –

Jake – 10 things you wish you could 3d Print
Chris – 10 Games you wish existed but don’t now.
Michael – 10 things I want to see at AcadeCon

Used Books: Jake discusses the first campaign he ever ran and the many lessons learned from it.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael – DM and Player, the Player is fudging rolls.
Chris – Last two members of a D&D party about to pull from a Deck of Many Things.
Jake – Trying to learn how to 3d Print.

Cryptozoology: Rust Monsters

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Show & Tell # 106 – When the Wolf Comes

26 juli 2022 | 58 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 75

22 juli 2022 | 65 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Work stuff, finished S3 of The Boys Tv Show, Near to finishing up his Scout Mastering. His son is about to get his Eagle Scout Badge. Loved Obi-Wan Kenobi Show.
Michael – Lots of gaming Stuff, but see Used Books for all that. Updated the Podcast Studio (now in a closet with sound panels), Thor: Love & Thunder (really liked it), Ms. Marvel (Loved it), The Bear on Hulu – Intense watch, Only Murderers in the Building s2, Evil on Paramount Plus.

10 things –

Michael – 10 Things you’d fine in my small kitchen
Chris – 10 Silly Things he and his wife have fought about.

Used Books: Michael’s been gaming a lot. BIG NEWS. I got to play in a Pathfinder 2e game that my son JG ran for me and the rest of the family. Was it a great game, no! but will I cherish that memory forever, YES! We’re supposed to play part 2 later. Jakey also wants to run one but he wants to make up his own adventure. I also got to play in a game with my childhood best friends (Brandon, Bill and Joe) the three people I first started playing with all those years ago. I also ran a game for Joe and his Son which I hope is just the start of their adventuring together. Action 12 Cinema is moving into Layout. Thief: Down & Out in 2nd draft.

Where have our fingers been?

Chris – Arguing over a new economy in a fantasy game.
Michael – Taking a compound that gives you super powers.

Cryptozoology: Crawling Claws from D&D 5e

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

The Sample Adventures. Temples and Tombs – episode 5, interview with the designer Christopher Grey

20 juli 2022 | 29 min

The Sample Adventures. Temples and Tombs – episode 4

18 juli 2022 | 37 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 18

17 juli 2022 | 76 min

The Sample Adventures. Temples and Tombs – episode 3

15 juli 2022 | 34 min

Journey Through the Realms. Episode 8 – Exandria

15 juli 2022 | 78 min

Show & Tell # 105 – RPG Stories

14 juli 2022 | 47 min

The Sample Adventures. Temples and Tombs – episode 2

13 juli 2022 | 40 min

The Sample Adventures. Temples and Tombs – episode 1

11 juli 2022 | 60 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 74

4 juli 2022 | 55 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and Guest Michael Walsh ( @Ventrue1399 )

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Wrapped up kids graduation stuff. Busy at work. Loving The Boys TV Show. Excited for the new Willow show. Finished Obi-Wan Kenobi show, loved it.
Michael R – Got to play D&D with by OG game group. It was so much fun! Getting ready for GenCon. Got some AcadeCon swag in. Action 12 Cinema moving into Layout. The Boys, Ms. Marvel, Umbrella Academy. Strangers Things
Michael W. – About to launch an gaming channel ( @lagniappeGaming ) after GenCon, heading to vacation on Lake George. Doing a rewatch (first watch with wife) on the Marvel TV Shows. Brother is trying to launch a pro wresting career and Michael is helping him.

10 things –

Michael W. – 10 RPGs you hope to play on your channel in your first year.
Chris – 10 of your favorite D&D Classes.
Michael – 10 things you’d want in your castle.

Used Books: Michael W. discusses a game where the players changed over during the course of the game where it was almost a totally new group of players ended the campaign vs those that started it. Also a situation where the characters had to reveal a dark secret to proceed. Great RP moment.

Where have our fingers been?

Michael W. – Are last two people about to go into a circle to reveal a secret but neither wants to go first.
Chris – Manchurian candidate type scene where one person is about to give a speech, the other about to set off an explosion.
Michael R. – Two people discovering a dumb waiter for the first time.

Cryptozoology: Nothic

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 17

4 juli 2022 | 76 min

Faculty Meeting # 160 – Coming Back to D&D

30 juni 2022 | 66 min

The Reviews. Episode 27 – The One Ring Starter Set

27 juni 2022 | 56 min

Journey Through the Realms. Episode 7 – Council of Wyrms (corrected audio)

22 juni 2022 | 69 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 73

20 juni 2022 | 71 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and Guest Co-host Caleb G ( @TheCalebG ) from @P5Past and we have Tom as well for a rare Detention 4 way (@BeskarTom)

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Getting ready for Son’s Open House at College. Recently graduated H.S. Doing yard work and preparing for family for the Graduation. First 3 eps of Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wars Show and Disney +
Caleb G. – Watching and talking about Smallville. Vacation. House work and car maintenance. Family time in the evenings. Also digging Obi-Wan Kenobi. Loving Owl House.
Michael – Action 12 Cinema, new updates coming soon. Ran a playtest of the game for Tabletop Journey’s show. Going to be working on Thief: Down and Out! Stranger Things S4 Vol 1. Really liked it. Obi-Wan is okay. Ms. Marvel ep 1 was AMAZING. The Boys is SOOOO GOOOOD! Also doing a Buffy the Vampire Slayer re-watch.
Tom – Recently moved, setting up the studio and game space.

10 things –

Michael – 10 things that if you were going through a storage unit you DON’T want to find.
Chris – 10 vegetables for a vegetable pizza.
Tom – 10 things to NOT bring into a Twister game.
Caleb G. – 10 Things to go on your Fantasy Burger.

Used Books: Caleb brings up a game where two players wanted to change characters after they started, but the game started with a flash forward where those original characters were present. We talk about letting players change characters mid-campaign.

Where have our fingers been?

Chris – waiting in line outside of a food truck.
Michael – Watching your favorite TV show but the person with you has already watched it and are ruining it.
Tom – Dirt farmers in Pig Town resisting the call to adventure.
Caleb G. – At the movies and trying to decide if you are going to see Morbius during it’s 2nd release.

Cryptozoology: Golems

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 16

19 juni 2022 | 62 min

The Sample Adventures. Star Wars Force & Destiny boxed Set. Episode 4 the Recap

17 juni 2022 | 48 min

Hello and welcome to The Sample Adventures. A new Actual Play series from The Rpg Academy where we are taking a trip through various sample adventures included in Role Playing Game core books, setting supplements, starter sets, boxed sets, etc . . .

For this first series we are looking at the Sample Adventure included in the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Force And Destiny boxed set.

In this recap episode we give our players a chance to give their initial reactions to the session and then I interview our GM Chris Burlew for his thoughts on how well this Sample Adventure does as a Sample Adventure.

For this series we have our GM as Chris Burlew (@Burlew_Chris). Chris the GM for the Redemption Podcast, the longest running Star Wars Actual Play in the known Galaxy.

As players we have

Me, Michael ( @TheRpgAcademy) as the Togruta Seeker Kaveri Ra.

Caleb ( @TheCalebG) as the Zabrak Mystic Dao Jodh

Chris N (@Skyrider_19) as the Human Guardian Sarenda.

and Jerry (aka Thul) as the Kel Dor Sentinel Tarast Voon.

Also mentioned:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. Star Wars Force & Destiny boxed Set. Episode 3

17 juni 2022 | 41 min

Hello and welcome to The Sample Adventures. A new Actual Play series from The Rpg Academy where we are taking a trip through various sample adventures included in Role Playing Game core books, setting supplements, starter sets, boxed sets, etc . . .

For this first series we are looking at the Sample Adventure included in the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Force And Destiny boxed set.

The goal for these episodes are two three fold.

1 – as always our first priority is to have fun playing a game with friends.

2 – To be used as a template for any new(er) GMs who are wanting to start running games, will be using these sample adventures themselves and want to experience how a veteran GM ran the same adventure.

3 – for us to review the adventure for how well it does what it was designed to do; namely introduce the game’s concepts and themes to a new audience.

For this series we have our GM as Chris Burlew (@Burlew_Chris). Chris the GM for the Redemption Podcast, the longest running Star Wars Actual Play in the known Galaxy.

As players we have

Me, Michael ( @TheRpgAcademy) as the Togruta Seeker Kaveri Ra.

Caleb ( @TheCalebG) as the Zabrak Mystic Dao Jodh

Chris N (@Skyrider_19) as the Human Guardian Sarenda.

and Jerry (aka Thul) as the Kel Dor Sentinel Tarast Voon.

Also mentioned:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. Star Wars Force & Destiny boxed Set. Episode 2

15 juni 2022 | 54 min

Hello and welcome to The Sample Adventures. A new Actual Play series from The Rpg Academy where we are taking a trip through various sample adventures included in Role Playing Game core books, setting supplements, starter sets, boxed sets, etc . . .

For this first series we are looking at the Sample Adventure included in the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Force And Destiny boxed set.

The goal for these episodes are two three fold.

1 – as always our first priority is to have fun playing a game with friends.

2 – To be used as a template for any new(er) GMs who are wanting to start running games, will be using these sample adventures themselves and want to experience how a veteran GM ran the same adventure.

3 – for us to review the adventure for how well it does what it was designed to do; namely introduce the game’s concepts and themes to a new audience.

For this series we have our GM as Chris Burlew (@Burlew_Chris). Chris the GM for the Redemption Podcast, the longest running Star Wars Actual Play in the known Galaxy.

As players we have

Me, Michael ( @TheRpgAcademy) as the Togruta Seeker Kaveri Ra.

Caleb ( @TheCalebG) as the Zabrak Mystic Dao Jodh

Chris N (@Skyrider_19) as the Human Guardian Sarenda.

and Jerry (aka Thul) as the Kel Dor Sentinel Tarast Voon.

Also mentioned:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

The Sample Adventures. Star Wars Force & Destiny boxed Set. Episode 1

13 juni 2022 | 52 min

Hello and welcome to The Sample Adventures. A new Actual Play series from The Rpg Academy where we are taking a trip through various sample adventures included in Role Playing Game core books, setting supplements, starter sets, boxed sets, etc . . .

For this first series we are looking at the Sample Adventure included in the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars: Force And Destiny boxed set.

The goal for these episodes are two three fold.

1 – as always our first priority is to have fun playing a game with friends.

2 – To be used as a template for any new(er) GMs who are wanting to start running games, will be using these sample adventures themselves and want to experience how a veteran GM ran the same adventure.

3 – for us to review the adventure for how well it does what it was designed to do; namely introduce the game’s concepts and themes to a new audience.

For this series we have our GM as Chris Burlew (@Burlew_Chris). Chris the GM for the Redemption Podcast, the longest running Star Wars Actual Play in the known Galaxy.

As players we have

Me, Michael ( @TheRpgAcademy) as the Togruta Seeker Kaveri Ra.

Caleb ( @TheCalebG) as the Zabrak Mystic Dao Jodh

Chris N (@Skyrider_19) as the Human Guardian Sarenda.

and Jerry (aka Thul) as the Kel Dor Sentinel Tarast Voon.

Also mentioned:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with your mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Faculty Meeting # 159 – Picking a Game

9 juni 2022 | 64 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 15

5 juni 2022 | 63 min

Faculty Meeting # 158 – Being Critical

31 maj 2022 | 54 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 14

22 maj 2022 | 63 min

Show & Tell # 104 – Lake of Dust and more, with Frog God Games

18 maj 2022 | 63 min

Detention, LIVE! episode 72

16 maj 2022 | 70 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and Guest Co-host Caleb G ( @TheCalebG ) from @P5Past

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Boy Scout work. Wrapped up Moon Knight D+ Tv show. (big fan). New streaming Show starting (The Starting Adventures)
Caleb G – Moved into new house. Better weather = Yard work. Look at Schools. Streaming with Identeco. Also finished Moon Knight. Working with Point 5 Past Charity.
Michael – Also watched Moon Knight. Film Studies – The Three Musketeers and Film Studies – A Knight’s Tale. Saw Dr. Strange 2 – Michael Really liked it.

10 things –

Caleb G – 10 things you could have used to stick that foam on the wall
Michael – 10 things I expected to see in Dr. Strange 2 but DID NOT see.
Chris – 10 Alternate titles for a West Coast Avengers Style Team.

Used Books: Caleb gives us the DL on this new charity work and offers how you can support it. Pointfivepast.org

Where have our fingers been?

Caleb G – are at a stop sign, confused why 10k people have just ridden by on the same bicycle.
Chris – Walking into a Park, ignorantly misunderstanding a large gathering that is happening.
Michael – two 2 voices in Moon Knights head.

Cryptozoology: Tarrasque

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The music used during our intro and outro is a modified version of Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions Used under the Creative commons Attribution-shareAlike License.

Journey Through the Realms. Episode 6 – Planescape

15 maj 2022 | 52 min

Show & Tell # 103 – Brindlewood Bay

11 maj 2022 | 45 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 13

8 maj 2022 | 39 min

Film Studies – A Knight’s Tale (He Will Knock You Prone)

6 maj 2022 | 76 min

Show & Tell # 102 – The Undying War by Troll Lord Games

5 maj 2022 | 50 min

Faculty Meeting # 157 – Role Play vs Roll Ability

25 april 2022 | 64 min

TTRPG CrowdFUNding Review ep 12

24 april 2022 | 78 min

Journey Through the Realms. Episode 5 – Spelljammer

21 april 2022 | 46 min

The Reviews. Episode 26 – Death in Space

21 april 2022 | 36 min

Howdy AcadeManiacs, it’s your old friend Professor Crunch. I am thrilled to bring you a review of Death in Space, “a rules-light tabletop roleplaying game in a gritty science fiction setting” that was successfully funded on Kickstarter back in April 2021.

I reviewed a copy of the PDF kindly provided to the Academy by Free League Press.

The Kickstarter campaign was successfully funded by 2545% and let me tell you, the finished product deserves the hype indicated by its success ratio. I absolutely love this game. If you’re a fan of narrative-focused games, you’ll like these mechanics. If you’re a fan of grungy, edge-of-civilization survival sci-fi set against a backdrop of cosmic horror stories, you’ll like this setting.

Style

First and foremost, this book oozes with style. It’s gorgeous. The book is printed in sharp contrast with a light font on a dark background. The art is subtle but stunning, quickly demonstrating the strange, desperate mood of the setting. There’s also a holographic cover that is simply slick as all get out.

As a word of caution, some might find this visual presentation challenging. Many folks read digital material in a “night mode” setting nowadays, myself included, and this book comes with that setting already selected. I personally did not experience any additional eye strain when reading this book. But fair warning to anyone picking this up.

This book is expertly designed to draw readers into the intended mindset by the game creators. The game’s genre is nothing new, but the story of the game setting is injected with unique twists on core sci-fi and cosmic horror tropes. Every part of the book, from cover to cover, helps readers and players feel these unique story elements viscerally.

This same careful attention to style and prevention carries over into the support resources available to players. While character creation is quite simple (more on that later), an online character generator is available. It’s presented in 8-bit, old-school DOS-style graphics and serves as an easy tool to help players embody the mindset of the world and their characters. There’s also a glorious soundtrack that provides a perfect background for your game session. It’s moody and evocative.

All in all, every single detail of this game has been designed to put readers and players in the exact mental space that the creators intended.

Book Overview

The book is short, at just over 130 pages. But it is jam-packed with content and art. Every single page is visually appealing, full of art and details that deliver the theme and style of this game. The book is also very well organized, with information following (except for one odd exception) a logical flow.

After a short introduction to the game world, the book starts with character creation rules. Personally, I love this approach. Not everyone feels the same way, but I think that starting with character creation gives players the best foundation for gameplay. In this game, after creating characters the party creates a living space. That space is crucial for survival, so naturally the book takes readers there next.

Following both steps of pre-game creation, the book next shows us how to play the game. While the rules are relatively simple (more on these later), there are quite a few different things to keep track of during gameplay. But the explanations are easy to understand. They’re also very easy to reference during a game session.

The next section of the book is focused on lore and setting. We learn the history of the game world and interesting facts about the star system where the game takes place. Most of the information in this section is focused on The Ring, which is the primary location where most events in the game take place. And since there are elements of cosmic horror lurking in the background, we also learn about cults that are active in the game.

The rest of the book is devoted to tables of information necessary to play the game. Most of this is focused on equipment and items. But tables are found in every section of this book. The majority of these tables are numbered for selection by a random roll.

As mentioned earlier, there is one odd point of organization in the book. The very first thing seen in the book is a list of in-game items and their cost. While this is necessary information, it’s odd to read it first. I would think placing it at the end of the book with the rules cheat sheet would make more sense.

Character Creation

As a mostly rules-lite system, Death in Space has 6 steps of character creation. The whole process is simple and entertaining, especially when you roll on the random tables.

The first step is generating the 4 character abilities that define each player character. This is done by rolling 1d4 minus 1d4. That’s right. The abilities in Death in Space range from +3 to -3. If you haven’t guessed so far, the spooky space game with ‘death’ in the title is super lethal. To support this, PC hit points are defined by rolling 1d8. Once.

Additional steps include selecting an origin (which grants a choice of special abilities) and selecting or rolling for a variety of flavor-based character details and starting equipment.

The second part of pre-game creation is about creating a space for the PCs to live. The game calls this a Hub. The Hub can be either a spacecraft or space station. Each is defined by pre-set stats which come into play later when filling the Hub with equipment and supplies. The Hub is completed by selecting or rolling flavor details, just like with PCs.

Mechanics and Playing the Game

The core mechanic of Death in Space is an ability check of 1d20 plus the relevant ability, which can be negative. A result of 12 or higher is a success. For an opposed task, the same roll is made but the higher result wins. Combat is done with the same roll again, but in this case it’s compared to the defense rating of the target. A roll equal to or greater than the defense rating is a success.

Failure of an ability check is noted as generating “a complication or setback”, which I interpret as embracing the “fail forward” ideology. Given the setting and tone of the game, this feels exactly on-brand.

Failure of an ability check or attack roll also grants PCs a Void Point, which is a really fun resource for players. These points are related to Cosmic Mutations, which essentially super powers that PCs can gain through a variety of methods. This is where the cosmic horror vibe really kicks in. These Mutations grant useful powers but bring a risk of triggering a Void Corruption. Triggering a Corruption injects crazy horror elements into the game.

As fun as this is, the Cosmic Mutations are the one small gripe I have with this game. They are defined vaguely, which is deliberate and gives players the opportunity to use them creatively. The rules state that a player has to spend a Void Point to activate a Mutation, but many of them are defined as seemingly on-going abilities. This obstacle can be easily overcome with a good session zero and clear ongoing communication. But I do think this could be a challenge for new players who may feel less confident with sharing narrative control.

There are also rules for traveling, fighting, and surviving in space. Given the lethality of this game and setting, these are none too forgiving. This is also where the rules slide slightly towards being more crunchy than rules-lite. Tracking things like fuel and oxygen are not tricky, but they’re not easy.

There are plenty of other rules that help flesh out the game world, from carrying capacity to the extra wild things that can happen when a PC dies. A unique and well-executed rule is Morale. Enemies and NPCs have this rating. Depending on how combat goes, a Morale roll can lead to an enemy trying to flee or surrender. While this is a relatively simple rule, it’s one that is missing from many other games. And in this case, it helps reinforce the desperate nature of survival inherent to Death in Space and adds a level of realism to the role play. Enemies are trying to survive themselves, and will not fight to the death when they could escape and try to recover.

Another crunchy element is the condition and repair of gear. There are quite a few rules about when and how items break and how difficult it is to repair them. Survival in this game is very dependent on having the right gear and making sure it is functional. This is a key component of Death in Space.

Setting

As noted above, maintaining gear is a big part of the game setting. A primary principle of Death in Space is “Nothing is New”. The game is set in the Tenebris system, which has been plagued by war that hasn’t ever quite ended. Communication is difficult. Travel is even harder. There are no new resources to be found, so everything is in a constant state of disrepair. Thus, PCs tend to be focused on making sure what they own and use daily will function as needed when needed.

There is quite a bit of information about the Tenebris system itself, including planets and different celestial bodies. But space travel is expensive and difficult in this game, so it will probably be rare that players will see all these locations. PCs will spend most of their time in The Ring, one of the last inhabitable places in the system. The majority of the setting details in the book are focused on The Ring, ranging from elements of the physical location to the intricacies of its political organization.

Also included in this section are resources for things like terrifying creatures, environmental dangers, and random tables that help outline every element of a game session.

Overall, this setting is focused on the desperation of survival. It’s not easy to live in this setting, let alone thrive. The book leaves enough room for players to add in whatever story elements they prefer, but the foundation it delivers reinforces how difficult it is to exist in this game.

Conclusion

Death in Space is an excellent game. It delivers exactly what it promises with a dark, moody, survival experience set against a backdrop of grungy sci-fi meets cosmic horror. The tropes of the game are not unique, but the game does use them in a fresh and engaging way.

The mechanics walk the fine line of crunch and provide a rules-lite, narrative-focused game that has just enough structure to support the more complicated details of the setting. Most importantly, the rules support the style and tone of the setting and help players experience their characters’ desperate efforts to survive.

Every element of this game is designed with style and care. This is not the right sci-fi game for every player and every story. If you plan on running this for your group, make sure you have a thorough session zero and get everyone on the same page when it comes to the horror and survival elements that are a core part of this game. Also be sure to keep lines of communication open during the game, as events can take a drastic turn suddenly.

One of my favorite elements of the game are all the random tables included in the book. Rolling randomly adds to the unexpected and dangerous nature of both the sci-fi and cosmic horror genres. But also, simply reading all of the possible outcomes helps both players and narrators understand the true nature of the setting, which leads to better, more informed role playing. By providing these details about the game world, the game designers have helped players act with confidence.

As a fan of rules-lite games and the sci-fi and cosmic horror genres, I highly recommend this game. It’s quick to set up and easy to run. The book’s style and design elements set the game’s intended tone right from the start, and that tone is further supported by extra game resources that are available for free. Every bit of this game helps players understand and embody their characters, and that makes for an excellent game experience. Death in Space was created to fit a very specific tabletop gaming niche, and it does it perfectly.

MY RATING:

Overall I’d rate this game as an A-

Follow Death in Space on Twitter ( @DeathInSpace1 )

Visit DeathInSpace.Com

If you were to purchase just the core rulebook from the same site, it would run you $60 and you’d need another $47

If you’d like to support the RPG Academy you can use this AMAZON link and then purchase anything from amazon you’d like. Use it every time you shop there, and the RPG academy will get a small % of what you spend.

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.
Thanks!!

~Michael

E-mail us at Podcast@TheRpgAcademy
Follow us on twitter @TheRpgAcademy
Visit our Facebook Page

Please consider contributing to my Patreon, making a modest donation via Paypal or even support your show at no extra cost via your purchases on DriveThru RPG.

Email: TheRpgAcademy@gmail
Twitter / Facebook / Website

Playing Roleplaying games can be an amazingly fun time and also a benefit to your well being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental or emotional well being, please reach out to someone who can help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text HOME to 741741

The Trevor Project

Our Intro and Outtro music is Fly a Kite by Spectacular Sound Productions used via Creative Commons Attribution License

Detention, LIVE! episode 71

18 april 2022 | 88 min

Hello Academaniacs!

Welcome to Detention! In this episode I’m joined by Co-host Chris Burlew (@burlew_chris ) GM of the Redemption Podcast and Guest Co-hosts Kevin Stacey ( @KevranGames ) from the Game Knight Heroes Podcast

Extra Curricular –

Chris – Business conference, The Tomorrow War, 20 year Wedding Anniversary.
Kevin – Running multiple games, Stranger Things s4 Trailer, finished Wheel of Time show.
Michael – Kids and I went to LexiCon Gaming convention, Pathfinder 2e org play, AcadeCon KS goes live August 16th. A 2nd Faculty Retreat in September. Action 12 Cinema. Thief: Down & Out

10 things –

Michael – 10 properties you think would make a good role playing game.
Chris – 10 destinations for a future wedding anniversary vacation.
Michael – 10 odd things you’d use to clean your glasses

Used Books: A Wheel of Time TV show discussion & Then ways to get players excited and reinvigorated with playing

Where have our fingers been?

Kevin – one is trying to convince the other to play a new system.
Chris – Local gaming store fighting over the last copy of Catan.
Michael – Steve, who now wants to be Bob The Bard taking his first Bard lessons from an old Master

Cryptozoology: Liches

Audience Q&A:

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Comments and Feedback are always welcome.

Thanks!!
~Michael

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