Black Lodge Games Podcast

Join Black Lodge Games for a discussion of the origins of the TTRPG hobby through the lens of the incredible book, "The Elusive Shift" by Jon Peterson. Join our community over at https://blacklodgegames.locals.com with promo code MIDWIT for a free month. You get access to our videos 24-36 hours prior to release on YouTube, discussions with our community, and much more! #dungeonsanddragons #wargaming #gygax #garygygax

-There may not be a way to win at Dungeons and Dragons, but there is certainly a way to LOSE. This week we talk about the fruits of the #brosr gaming efforts and the principles behind them. Some of the principles of the BrOSR style of play are legitimately interesting but it is put into practice with stoner-tier, "lol so random" world building and a commitment to dog-shitism. This is the trash game, the shit tier slop, the garmonbozia that we talk about. Check out the links below to videos we talked about: GREAT video by  @TheJoyofWargaming  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig7cc94dpVw GREAT interview with  @gelatinousrube  on  @RollinBones  live show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9l8QNkWE1A Incoherent ramblings by Jeffro Johnson that fail to explain a single thing of value: -  @TheBasicExpert : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErTwyuVZ660-  @RollinBones : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vERmTxDP2aQ -  @InappropriateCharacters  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNiQO2RhWpI The dogshit BrOSR session report referenced in the show: https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2023/08/dubzaron-session-103-what-is-love.html?m=1

This week, we discuss why roleplaying in character adds more to any game of any style, why you should want excellence at your table, and how the villains at Onyx Path Publishing (armed with a practically unlimited art budget) ripped the heart and soul out of the aesthetics of the Exalted game line. #exalted #onyxpath #whitewolf The art of Exalted 3rd edition and Exalted Essence is a crime against aesthetics and should land everyone involved in Guantanamo Bay with no chance of parole. The art of the new edition is flat, lifeless, intentionally ugly, and all of the characters look like they're on mind numbing anti depressants. They desexualized the characters entirely and have a clear hatred of the human body, beauty, excellence, and every ideal that the Exalted represent. Straight to jail.

Within the Ring of Fire is a dark fantasy roleplaying game from RAW Immersive Games over at  @woodwwad  #rpg #dnd #ttrpg This game is one of the weirdest and most compelling RPGs we have ever played and helped crystalize our views of what RPGs can be. This is a game that is primarily focused on immersion through roleplay, and though flawed in many respects, is deeply compelling. We cover the good, the bad, and the utterly incomprehensible aspects of this great, great game.

Today we talk about hostility to actual roleplay at the table. Getting into character is one of the easiest ways to enhance immersion at the table and aversion to it is largely rooted in a fear of embarrassment for bringing a little sincerity to the game. Cynicism and the hatred of sincerity is a plague on mankind and poisons everything. If you want a better experience at the table, go beyond doing the bare minimum. This doesn't mean you are "method acting" and doesn't require "doing voices", it just requires that you actually get engaged and play a little bit of make believe in the Elf Game. Children instantly know how to do this, so why don't you? #dndpodcast #dnd #osr #dungeonsanddragons #ttrpg #roleplayinggames

The OSR has an extremely autistic view on what constitutes story in Dungeons and Dragons. Any mention of character backstory, plot hooks, or even role play constitutes "story gaming" as opposed to the truth as revealed by Gary Gygax that D&D is nothing more than a sandbox exploration game in pulp fantasy hex maps. This is utterly deranged and the lowest form of play imaginable. We agree that story is the emergent result of play, but it *requires* actual role play as the central focus and core activity of the game. Your character is more than the statistics and equipment listed on your sheet. They did not spawn into a game map with no prior history and no motivations outside of "gold". Fools will disagree. #osr #dndpodcast #dnd

Alignment in Dungeons and Dragons is not something to just tack on to your game as an after thought. This week, Nick and Matt dive deep on what the purpose of alignment is in table top roleplaying games, how it defines the boundaries of play, and how it ultimately improves both the game world and your roleplaying experience. Even games like Vampire: The Masquerade and Vampire: The Requiem have alignment deeply embedded within the core of their settings and mechanics. Don't be like Wizards of the Coast and cast it away in favor of a flavorless, post modern hellscape! Use alignment as fuel for the fire of your imagination and the engine of your game world.Also, don't forget to check out  @cfourcrispy ! Great new channel documenting his experimentation with more immersive roleplaying.#dnd #dndpodcast #alignment #OSR #ttrpg

This week, Matt and Nick tease their upcoming live play of Cyberpunk 2020/Red. They dive into the character creation process, life path system, and talk about the driving themes and flavor of this classic roleplaying game and why they find it such a compelling choice for the tabletop.Stay tuned for the premiere of "Blood and Sunshine", the next live streamed TTRPG from Black Lodge Games.

When should you be rolling dice in your tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons? Outside of obvious situations like combat scenarios, skill based systems in TTRPGs often become a crutch for bad game masters as a way to artificially inject drama or tension into their games. This week on the Black Lodge Games Podcast, Matt and Nick dive deep on when you should and should not be calling for players to make skill rolls, and why doing this wrong will suck the drama right out of your games. After thoroughly covering the do's and don'ts of rolling the funny dice, we explore the most loathsome action a bad dungeon master can take while running a game: fudging the dice rolls. Do you want your players to have agency and meaningful consequences in your games? Find out how in this week's episode.

Why do so many table top roleplaying campaigns end up on rails? How can you successfully run a sandbox game where you player characters have agency and the story emerges organically out of play instead of playing out like a novel written by the Dungeon Master? Matt and Nick delve deep into this issue today and discuss the differences between an old school style of play relying on random encounter tables vs the more modern "narrative" driven games that seem to be inspired by the success of internet shows like  @criticalrole . Great games generally don't spawn simply from random tables or an interesting plot hook, they come from games that have structure and built in conflict.

This week, Nick and Matt (two men with Adonis-like visages) diagnose a massive problem in the hobby: lack of toxic masculinity. The current culture of D&D 5e is progressing further and further into feminization and young men are being sold a poisonous world view about heroism and strength. These games are not therapy, they are fantasies about adventure, danger, heroism, and daring. We check in on @PlayYourRole who makes horrendously evil content that promotes young men abandoning their instincts about their role as men in the world. After discussing his completely villainous worldview, Matt and Nick check in on the #wotc product announcements to see the direction of New Product™ and whether you should consoom it. After wading through this horrific parade of weakness and poison, it's time for some glorious eye bleach, courtesy of classic Dungeons & Dragons artists, Jeff Easely and Clyde Caldwell.

This week, Nick and Matt stare into the abyss of YouTube RPG content creators. From the depth of the sewer, we find a true pearl of insanity:  @JScottGaribay . This man is a prolific YouTuber who posts multiple unhinged and nonsensical vlogs every day that are related to... D&D? Humanitarianism? The new social gospel? Who knows! Join us as we *try* to understand his incoherent babbling about Dungeons & Dragons and get a whole lot of laughs along the way.

In this episode of the Black Lodge Games Podcast, Matt and Nick share their tips and insights on how to create a great tabletop gaming experience. We cover a wide range of topics, from choosing a good setting and building atmosphere, to creating memorable characters and limiting the number of players at your table to avoid horrible diminishing returns on fun.

Welcome to the first episode of the Black Lodge Games Podcast! Join your hosts Matt Pritchard and Nick Guidotti, two experienced GMs with more than three decades of combined table top role-playing game experience, as they dive deep into the world of immersive role-playing games. In this episode, Matt and Nick discuss their thoughts on modern RPGs such as Dungeons and Dragons and why they believe that these games have become stale and flavorless. They share their insights on what makes a truly immersive RPG experience and explore alternative game systems and settings that can bring excitement and creativity to your gaming table. Whether you're a seasoned RPG player or just starting out, this podcast is a must-listen for anyone who wants to elevate their gaming experience. So sit back, relax, and join us as we explore the world of immersive role-playing games on the Black Lodge Games Podcast.