Episodes

[#65] In this discussion episode, Jim and Josey ooh and ahh as Jason shows off his next-level gaming backpack setup. Greg is off this week. The backpack itself is available here . He also totes a small Bluetooth speaker for ambient music and sound effects. A portable knockdown dice tower keeps the mah rocks neat. For e-book reference and VTT stuff, he's also got a Tablet Stand . And of course if you have devices, it's always good to have a back-up power source . You can go as fancy as you want w...

[#64] This week, Jason shres one of his favorite RPG Recap stories an epic tale of forum RG madness and triumph. You can find the original Ballad of Edgardo here. This was the kind of thing that could only happen on a Play-by-Post game . In addition to the epic story, Jason just really likes the name Edgardo . There's also an epic heel-face turn in this. Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/s...

[#63] In this horror story, Greg shares the story of a serious campaign that provied to be anything but. Jim is off this week at Origins. You can read the original post and comments here . The crew discussed non-traditional names for white kids . Jason mentioned The Trinyvale Campaign as a 'Loony Tunes' game. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin Ma...

[#62] Today, Josey tells us a story: Check out the original post and comments . Seven years is a long time to hold someone's interest . You probably shouldn't play an Oath of Devotion Paladin if you enjoy being an asshole. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566-crunk-knight License: https://fil...

[#61] We continue our delve into the Top 50 Tips for DMs. This week, it's #31-40. Our Top 50 Tips list come courtesy of MT Black Games . You always round down for damage . Josey explained why the barkeep was so interesting . We all discussed Rule Zero . Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566-crunk-knight • Transition Music: º Thatched Villagers by Kevin MacLeod: https://incompetech.fi...

[#60] "Um, OK, so the camera opens on a boisterous tavern in the middle of town, what are each of your characters doing there?" is a perfectly OK way to start a D&D campaign, but there's a host of other possibilities, and in this episode, we get into a few of our favorites. This episode was Jason's suggestion, spinning off this blog post he noticed. Jim floated his theory that the ubiquity of taverns comes from the hobbit's Prancing Pony meet-cute with Aragorn in Fellowship of the Ring . Jim als...

[#59] In this short but sweet horror story, Jason brings a horror story about a Vecna-inspired practical joke . Jason mentioned a Practical Guide to Wishes . The 5e rules are actually pretty specific about what a Wish can do . If you were unfamilar, Vecna is pretty badass . For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmm...

[#58] This week, Josey, Jim, Jason, and Greg have a six-pack of DM queries to consider: Should you spoil a campaign that died ? What do you do about that stupid magic item you made up ? How do you nudge a reluctant hero ? Who do you line up against a party of sinister PCs ? Can you scratch-build your very first campaign ? How much disaster-proofing are you bligated to provide? Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod Link: https:...

[#57] In this horror story, Greg tells us about a struggle of wills between a DM and their badass PCs. This story comes to us from Reddit user u/Available_Regre t Sandstorms are legitimately terrifying . Superman is not the only DC character who has teamed up with Santa Claus . For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.f...

[#56] We continue our delve into the Top 50 Tips for DMs. This week, it's #21-30, and we're getting a little more into YMMV territory. Our Top 50 Tips list come courtesy of MT Black Games . Josey mentioned bespoke initative trackers We talked about Legendary Actions and Lair Actions and how you can use them to spice up a fight. We talked about inexpensive c ostuming to spruce up in-person games, and the new Zoom Avatars for playing online. Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddrago...

[#55] In this horror story, Josey brings us a story of metagaming one-upsmanship. There is some disagreement about what exactly constitutes metagaming . Sorry, but Psychic Scream is just messed up . We discussed what happens when matter and anti-matter collide. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/...

[#54] Jim and Greg are off this week, so Josey and Jason take the opportunity to stat up their favorite burger-flipping patriarch. Jason was inspired by the fact that there's a Bob's Burger movie out soon. Once you know where to look, it's super-easy to blow $300 on a chef's knife. Just for Jim, there are vegan versions of Bob's classic burgers . Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566...

[#53] Jim brings us a tale of outrageous hazing that ultimately backfires. Jason mentioned places to put bad dice . While this did not technically fall afoul of any current hazing laws , it should have. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566-crunk-knight License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-li...

[#52] In this discussion episode, we talk tips and tricks for biulding compelling PC backgrounds, as a player and DM. Jason is a fan of The Ultimate RPG Backstory Guide . Jim is partial to Backstory Cards . Jim talked about using a Character Funnel to create a shared backstory. Halfling Hobbies offers a pretty great cheat sheet for connecting backstories . Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io...

[#51]

[#50] In our Golden Anniversary Episode, we out n our Sage hats to offer advice to aspiring DMs, including what to do about vindictive oligarchs , how much backstory is the right amount , and how to go on when a player (NOT a character) dies. The rich are not like you and me . Get help with grief when you lose a friend. Join the conversation at the DMAcademy subreddit. Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incomp...

[#49] In this horror story, Jim brings us a tale of a DM who isn't clear on how the History skill actually works. This story comes to us via Redditor u/Kursed_Valeth . CBR has good tips for interesting ways you should use the History skill. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566-crunk-knight Lic...

[#48] In an extension of our regular DM Advice episodes, we conitnue our look at a list of 50 DM tips and discuss which oesn make our personal cut, how we'd revise them, and why Jason still hates shopping. Our list comes courtesy of MT Black Games. Step one for creating compelling NPCs is to give them a name. We consider the difference between Deus Ex Machina and The Cavalry . Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeod • Transition...

[#47] In this horror story, Jason shares an infuriating tale of a wizard-hating DM. If you want your own custom spell book , etsy has options. That's not how Contingency works. Even if it was, Disintegrate is a 6th level spell, so it's not a valid target. For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3566-c...

[#46] In these wholesome stories of RPGs done right, Greg tells us about a place where evryone knows your PC's name, Jason tell us about tying one on in the best way, and Josey and Jim both marvel at the uncanny wisdom of kids new to the game. Greg somehow found a wholesome story on Reddit . Josey found her amazing story of Australian teens on Kotaku . Jason also located his story on Reddit ! We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knight by Kevi...

[#45] Jim just played El Paso ! El Paso is a WIP hack of The Between RPG. It's a 'Weird Western' focusing on ghosts, liminal spaces, and the costs and impacts of violence. The Between by Jason Cordova is available from Gaunt let Publishing . Follow the game's designer on Twitter. Caleb sports a pair of .45 Schofield revolvers named Salvation and Damnation. The eponymous 1949 John Payne & Gail Russell film depicts a pretty brutally corrupt place. Did you know we have shirts? Check out the STORE •...

[#44] In this horror story, Josey relates a sordid tale of a frat bully at the table. TW: Sexual harassment in and out of character, physical violence at the table. They were playing Waterdeep: Dragon Heist , an official WotC adventure campaign. For a visualzation of The Slap, sub in one of these WWE Epic Superstar Slaps . For more stories of terrible games, check out the RPG Horror Stories subReddit . We tell horror stories every Friday! Check out our other episodes! • Theme Music: º Crunk Knig...

[#43] In an extension of our regular DM Advice episodes, we take a look at a list of 50 DM tips and discuss which ones make our personal cut, how we'd revise them, and why Jason hates shopping. Our list comes courtesy of MT Black Games. We mentioned The Monsters Know What They're Doing . There's a host of internet rescources, and not just bleprints, dedicated to castles. Josey name-dropped Fallout: Nuka-World. Everything we love can be found at curmudgeonsanddragons.com • Theme Music: º Crunk Kn...

[#42] Jim just played Under Hollow Hills ! Under Hollow Hills is a pbta game where you portray performers in a traveling circus made of fae and mortal beings. It’s by Vincent and Meguay Baker, the designers of the pbta system, and in this episode, we’ve got to entertain the Midsummer Court in the midst of a spat between King Oberon and Queen Titania. You can read about the game and pick up your own copy at the Lumpley Games site. We played online using Streamyard , a pretty good free Zoom altern...