Tabletop Treehouse

The Evolution of Prep Starting a tabletop RPG session should not require hours of stressful preparation.  In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis talk about how to build a TTRPG prep system that fits the way you actually run games. We cover figuring out what you are good at, identifying the parts of GMing that need more preparation, keeping useful notes, deciding how much time you realistically have, and understanding what your particular game needs to produce a successful session.  We also talk about overprepping, improvisation, published adventures, encounter prep, miniatures and terrain, player involvement, recaps, and why preparation should support the fun instead of becoming another job.  Whether you are a new Game Master, an experienced GM trying to streamline your process, or someone who keeps staring at a giant binder wondering how much of it you actually need, this episode is about finding a prep routine that leaves you comfortable, confident, and ready to play. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWkaSupport Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

Your Ship is Basically a Character in Rapscallion In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis head back to the high seas of Rapscallion to break down how ships work in the game. We talk about ship playbooks, traits like Steadfast, Speed, and Fortune, crew and Lackeys, ship upgrades, Renown, bonds with the ship, and the special moves that come into play when you are escaping, outmaneuvering enemies, taking something head-on, or just trying to navigate dangerous waters. We also dig into why the ship feels less like equipment and more like another character in the campaign, especially once the crew starts adding their own history, secrets, upgrades, and weirdness to it. If you are curious about Rapscallion TTRPG, pirate RPGs, narrative ship combat, or how Powered by the Apocalypse-style mechanics can make a ship feel central to the story, this episode is a good place to start. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWkaSupport Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

TTRPG Moves Explained: Luck, Consequence & Chaos In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis dive back into Rapscallion to break down the game’s basic and special moves and show how they shape play at the table.  We talk about how Powered by the Apocalypse-style moves work, how Twist Fate lets players add new elements to a scene, why Unleash Your Power makes magic dangerous, how Stand Your Ground handles temptation and character flaws, and why moves like Plunder, Deny Death, and Test Renown can generate entire new storylines on their own.  If you’re learning Rapscallion, curious about PbtA games, or interested in RPG mechanics that turn consequences into story, this episode gives you a practical look at how the system actually plays. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWkaSupport Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

How to Start Your Own TTRPG Campaign Starting your own tabletop RPG campaign can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis talk about how to start a TTRPG campaign by focusing on the pieces that actually help you get to the table.We cover three starting points for a campaign: history and lore, a town or starting location, and an antagonist…diving into how each can create conflict. From there, we talk about factions, NPCs with faces, planning your session zero, giving players a clear pitch, connecting characters to the setting, choosing safety tools, and building a first quest that points toward the larger conflict.Whether you are a new Game Master, starting your first D&D campaign, or trying to build a homebrew RPG world without drowning in prep, this episode is about doing enough work to feel ready without writing an entire encyclopedia before anyone rolls dice. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWkaSupport Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

Ask Better Questions: Using Prompts to Improve Your TTRPG Good prompts can turn a simple scene into a memorable roleplaying moment.In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis dig into how Game Masters can use prompts to give players more ownership over their characters, the world, and the story. We break down six useful types of prompts, including situation, stakes, relationships, tone and genre, character priorities, and action, with examples of how each can work at the table.If you want your players contributing more to the story without putting all the narrative work on their shoulders, start by asking better questions. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Keeblee’s Pocket Pantry, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop