Passive (Aggressive) Perception: Recent Episodes
Ivan Potocnik & Steve Jones
A system-agnostic tabletop RPG podcast that asks more questions than it provides answers. Passive (Aggressive) Perception asks tough, and sometimes uncomfortable, questions, takes deep looks into what makes fulfilling roleplaying experiences, and will NEVER tell you how you should play. || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Twitter: @passive_podcast
I won't bore you with an overly-verbose description for this one. I'll only use this opportunity to say THANK YOU for accompanying us on this grand journey, and we hope that your next session is the best one yet.
-Ivan & Steve
Do your players (or yourself as a player) behave differently when your PCs enter a city, village, or township? Today we're discussing some of the unique challenges of playing in a city setting.
We go in-depth on how specific game times associated with city play differ from a traditional gaming model which heavily incorporates the TTRPG pillar of exploration. We run down several methods for keeping the action moving, avoiding boredom, and maintaining canon.
We also cover the idea of player pragmatism, and the unique phenomenon of behavioral shifts caused by a change of locale.
Our Website: https://icastspells.com
Our Twitter: @passive_podcast
Our Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:30: TTRPG News
- 08:35: How some adventure types lend themselves to city settings.
- 09:30: Adapting the TTRPG pillar of exploration for intuitive city play.
- 11:50: Making a locale robust without getting stuck in the trap of endless prep.
- 20:15: Lore is great for reinforcing a city's character.
- 22:43: Maintaining canon.
- 26:32: Cities provide much more immediate consequence for questionable behavior.
- 31:58: How to avoid alienating certain player types while in different locales.
- 36:48: Pragmatism, character integrity, and how locale can influence the behavioral shifts of players.
- 44:07: Ways to regain tone after out-of-character conversations short circuit encounters.
- 49:44: Avoiding getting into a boring string of fetch quests.
- 54:33: Outro
To have the problem of finishing a campaign milestone and have your players still wanting more, even though the story is over, is a much better problem to have than your players being bored because there is no end in sight.
How many campaigns have you been a part of that have languished and died because of a lack of payoff. Is your gaming group losing steam? Are you scrambling to wrap up story arcs? We address these challenges and more as we discuss how we think many stories are better for having an ending.
Our Website: https://icastspells.com
Our Twitter: @passive_podcast
Our Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 02:40: TTRPG News
- 16:19: Main Topic
- 18:32: Personal examples of TTRPG campaigns that suffered from having shaky conclusions.
- 22:30: Consider playing your TTRPG campaign in chapters.
- 27:23: How unclear campaign goals can affect pacing.
- 29:20: The fantasy of the never-ending campaign can stand in the way of good games.
- 32:03: How many times have you as a GM/DM had to scramble to tie up a campaign?
- 33:42: Examples of TTRPG systems that nudge players toward campaign conclusions.
- 35:39: Foregoing a game's natural conclusion can prevent you from trying other things that you might find you enjoy.
- 37:52: Framing the conclusion of your game.
- 45:40: Outro
- 47:31: Absolute Mayhem
Do you ever run entire sessions without a combat encounter? This week we analyze how varying level of combat work in your TTRPG games. We discuss engaging the players in a way that simulates the thrill of combat but in social and exploration encounters. We also talk about the message of "might makes right" and how realism can affect players' enthusiasm or aversion to in-game violence.
Mad Jack Churchill: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill
Our Website: https://icastspells.com
Our Twitter: @passive_podcast
Our Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:44: TTRPG News
- 13:41: Main Topic
- 14:32: How much combat should I be including in my TTRPG sessions?
- 25:49: Making non-combat encounters feel like combat.
- 28:05: Giving individual players a chance to shine.
- 31:53: Putting just as much prep energy into exploration and social encounters as you would stat blocks.
- 34:00: Giving the players the tools to define the terms of their own fun.
- 39:43: The message of "might makes right" in games.
- 46:13: Outro
The incredible and prolific TTRPG designer, Alex Clippinger has joined us this week to give us an inside look into Cubicle 7's new project, Broken Weave, drop some game design knowledge, and talk through some of the benefits and pitfalls of adapting Dungeons & Dragons: Fifth Edition. This was a fantastic conversation covering several topics including points of focus for growing as a designer, expectations we bring to the table, burgeoning out into playing non-D&D systems, and much more.
We ended with some pretty major takeaways from this episode that were unique to Alex's experience. A huge THANK YOU to Alex for doing this interview and hopefully this won't be the last time we hear from him.
Find Alex here:
Website: https://aclippinger.carrd.co/
Twitter: @Aclippinger
DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Alex%20Clippinger
DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/17366/Alex-Clippinger
Our Website: https://icastspells.com
Our Twitter: @passive_podcast
Our Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 03:06: A little about Alex
- 03:58: "How did you get into freelancing?"
- 05:37: "Were you a writer before you started doing TTRPG work?"
- 08:49: "How did you get into the hobby of TTRPGs in general?"
- 12:44: "How have you evolved as a designer and a writer since you first started out?"
- 17:52: "How does genre play into your design process, and how do you utilize your influences?"
- 24:47: Inside look at Broken Weave from Cubicle 7; one of Alex's newest unreleased projects
- 34:36: "In the modern trend of 5e adaptations, why do you think it's so common?"
- 38:01: "What is your interest in making 5e adaptations and how is it different from the alternatives?"
- 39:34: "Do you think underdevelopment of the D&D: 5e system is a major design pitfall?"
- 42:53: "What are you gaining and what are you sacrificing when you make the decision to adapt D&D: 5e?"
- 46:17: "Do you think that people sometimes limit themselves by trying to adapt certain game types to D&D: 5e when other systems might already d that thing better?"
- 53:38: Outro
Is your TTRPG character affiliated with anything larger than themselves or the party they roll with (heheh puns)? This week we cover TTRPG factions, guilds, and other big-picture affiliations. We discuss how they can provide scope, inform character backstory, create fascinating and useful narrative drivers for your campaigns, and much more.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 01:12: TTRPG News
- 10:12 Main Topic
- 12:50: Some TTRPGs lean more heavily on factions than others
- 13:32: TTRPG factions serving as patrons
- 15:53: Forged in the Dark and juggling power between factions
- 16:58: Big factions that span entire peoples and how they can inform character backstory and disposition
- 21:14: TTRPG factions can help characters realize end-game aspirations
- 22:44: Using factions as a trump card
- 26: 18: Factions can be a way to introduce lore and legacy setting characters
- 27:17: Factions can be a great way to explain the 'start of things'
- 33:05: Watch out for misaligned goals and disparate faction affiliations within your TTRPG party
- 35:25: Outro
PROMO:
Snyder’s Return:
- Interviews with Content Creators, Developers and Publishers for both established and Indie TTRPGs
- TTRPG Actual Play. Published/Homebrew adventures using a variety of Game Systems helmed by GM, Adam ‘Cosy’ Powell
All the best info, and never too serious.
SITE:
https://snydersreturn.squarespace.com
Twitter: @ReturnSnyder
What would you do if your GM said "because I said so" during a session? Talking about when GMs flex their table authority 'just because.' There are two sides of the GM using unilateral decision making, and we investigate both the positive and the negative aspects of this contentious issue. We talk through deus ex machina and offer our hot takes on popularized forms of it, plus much more.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:57: TTRPG News
- 13:00 Main Topic
- 14:43: Ways GM fiat can be used for bad.
- 23:35: On TTRPG deus ex machina.
- 33:56: Ways GM fiat can be used for good.
- 44:02: Outro
PROMO:
Snyder’s Return:
- Interviews with Content Creators, Developers and Publishers for both established and Indie TTRPGs
- TTRPG Actual Play. Published/Homebrew adventures using a variety of Game Systems helmed by GM, Adam ‘Cosy’ Powell
All the best info, and never too serious.
SITE:
https://snydersreturn.squarespace.com
Twitter: @ReturnSnyder
This week we talk about the ancient and honored tradition of human storytelling, its base components, what defines a great storyteller, and how all of this applies to the TTRPG experience. We discuss how examining this discipline can improve our games, and how the idea of collaborative storytelling (i.e., story building) has evolved to accommodate the modern gaming paradigm. We try to cut through the haze of semantic arguments and getting stuck on specific language, and hope to unify some of our perspectives on this contentious topic.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 3:57: TTRPG News
- 4:57: GMs ARE storytellers... but so are players.
- 15:25: Base definition of storytelling and how it applies to TTRPGs.
- 19:09: The 5 tenets a good storyteller, and how these apply to the GMs role at the table.
- 28:54: Who at the table shoulders the most story responsibility is a spectrum.
- 33:33: Thought experiment #1 (actors & playwrights).
- 39:17: Thought experiment #2 (AI copywriters).
- 42:22: Improve your game by re-framing the table experience as one of collaborative story building.
- 45:17: The foundation of gaming is mutual respect. Apply this to your table roles.
- 46:19: Outro.
PROMO:
Snyder’s Return:
- Interviews with Content Creators, Developers and Publishers for both established and Indie TTRPGs
- TTRPG Actual Play. Published/Homebrew adventures using a variety of Game Systems helmed by GM, Adam ‘Cosy’ Powell
All the best info, and never too serious.
SITE:
https://snydersreturn.squarespace.com
Twitter: @ReturnSnyder
Part two of our special 2-part series where we give our answers (and encourage you to give yours) to the questions presented from #RPGaDay2022, an annual celebration of tabletop roleplaying games conceptualized by @autocratik which you can find at https://www.autocratik.com. In part one we answer the first 16 questions from this highly hash-tag-able social experience, and we hope you will respond with your interesting answers and anecdotes. In this episode we cover questions 17-31.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 1:33: TTRPG News
- 8:49: @xerjester "What are your 4 TTRPG character archetypes?"
- 10:47: Main Topic & Recap
- 12:43: Past, present, or future? When is your favorite TTRPG set?
- 15:04: Where is your favorite place to play TTRPGs?
- 17:20: Why has your favorite TTRPG stayed with you?
- 20:01: How long do your TTRPGs last?
- 23:07: Setting Sunday: Share an intriguing detail about a game setting you enjoy.
- 26:15: Who is your current TTRPG character?
- 29:10: What situation is your TTRPG character currently in?
- 31:29: When did you starting playing this TTRPG character?
- 31:47: Where has that TTRPG character been?
- 33:25: Why does your TTRPG character do what they do?
- 35:07: How has your TTRPG character changed?
- 35:59: Who would you like to see take part in #RPGaDAY2022?
- 37:22: What should #RPGaDAY do for its 10th anniversary next year?
- 37:56: When did you first participate in #RPGaDAY?
- 39:43: Outro
A special 2-part series where we give our answers (and encourage you to give yours) to the questions presented from #RPGaDay2022, an annual celebration of tabletop roleplaying games conceptualized by @autocratik which you can find at https://www.autocratik.com. In part one we answer the first 16 questions from this highly hash-tag-able social experience, and we hope you will respond with your interesting answers and anecdotes.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:48: TTRPG News
- 7:16: Who would you like to introduce to RPGs?
- 13:02: What is a great introductory RPG?
- 17:15: When were you introduced to RPGs?
- 22:17: Where would you host a first game?
- 27:08: Why would a player like the game in the previous question?
- 31:23: How would you get more people paying RPGs?
- 34:38: System Sunday - Describe a cool part of a system that you love.
- 40:11: Who introduced you to RPGs?
- 43:08: What is the 2nd RPG you bought?
- 47: 45: When did/will you start GMing?
- 50:12: If you could live in a game setting, where would it be?
- 54: 32: Why did you starting RPG-ing?
- 57:31: How would you change how you started playing RPGs?
- 1:00:08: Who would you want to GM for you?
- 1:07:25: What would be your perfect game?
- 1:09:36: Outro
Discussing everyone's favorite stomping ground, tabletop roleplaying game taverns. We cover a lot of ground ranging from tips and advice on how to keep your players on their toes, to how we think adding extra flavor to a tavern setting can prevent this part of gaming from becoming just another uninteresting place to take a long rest. NPC generation tips, keeping continuity in questing, listener feedback, TTRPG news, and much more.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 1:00: @bddc_pod "On TTRPG Lore"
- 10:56: Tabletop Roleplaying Games as film
- 22:39: TTRPG News
- 25:24: Main Topic
- 25:25: Why we think how we have been playing taverns needs an overhaul
- 40:53: Taking your players' cues
- 45:55: Give your TTRPG tavern proprietor genuine life
- 51:11: Subvert your players' expectations to keep things interesting
- 57:20: Continuity in questing and making it relevant in your taverns/waypoints
- 1:02:59: Home bases vs oases
- 1:08:13: Outro
This week we cover the importance of a tabletop roleplaying game's setting lore. We discuss why we think it's sometimes neglected and cover the potential risks of not being wholly acquainted with your in-game world. We touch on topics such as setting uniqueness, campaign scope, bringing real-world assumptions into sessions, the loremaster player archetype, and much more.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:59: TTRPG News
- 13:20: @BurnelDan "What is your favorite character you've had in any game?"
- 21:36: Main Topic
- 23:19: Dispelling the misconception that some games don't have lore
- 24:53: What exactly we mean by TTRPG lore
- 25:56: The subtlety of deep lore games
- 28:37: TTRPG lore is what players fall in love with and remember
- 29:55: Lore knowledge helps us play our most genuine characters
- 31:27: Not using the available lore can strip a setting of its uniqueness
- 34:29: The absence of lore can serve as a hook
- 35:18: Emergent lore, while useful sometimes, can be a cop-out for players who don't want to do their research
- 39:47: Gaining a working knowledge of a game's lore informs the scope of the players actions
- 41:02: Gaining a baseline of lore knowledge shows respect to the game and the GM
- 42:40: Knowing lore prevents us from bringing real-world assumptions into the game
- 44:45 Knowing game lore cuts down on lengthy exposition dumps (employing the loremaster player archetype)
- 49:27: Wanting emergent story has merit, as does targeted learning
- 53:32: Outro
At the behest of several listeners, we're finally doing a general "Getting To Know Us" episode. In this episode we talk briefly about our roots, who we are, and what led us to gaming. The majority of the episode is comprised of individual questions from listeners and friends of the show that had questions for us as GMs that they might otherwise not have had the opportunity to ask. We cover narcissism in GMing, character quirks that people might find distasteful, using pop-culture references, how the times have changed and how we've grown with them as gamers, our favorite types of character archetypes, and so much more.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 1:55: @GazpachoTT "What is the 101 on Ivan and Steve?"
- 17:01: Sabz "How would you describe the difference between being a GM and being a player? What is your preference and why?"
- 25:22: @0_0blique "Using non-heroic characters in a heroic-setting campaign"
- 30:52: @SJohnRoss "Why the ponytail?"
- 31:46: @TenuousDnD "How many pop culture references are too many to include in your homebrew world?"
- 35:42: @TenuousDnD "What is the first piece of advice you give to a new GM?"
- 38:06: @TenuousDnD "What is the difference between a GM and a DM?"
- 39:58: @TenuousDnD "Why do GMs seem to love puns so much?"
- 41:49: @SwampRob "How do you make different cities with different cultures seem different?"
- 46:47: Jay R "Do you want your players to have as much control over the universe as the GM? How do you manage the tone in a collaborative framework without keeping the reigns too tight?"
- 50:27: Eric C "While GMing, what is the ideal blend of improv, sandbox, and intended story following the beaten path? Are there times where you prefer one or the other, or does it depend on the group?"
- 55:33 : Jenny V "... What do you do if the PCs are doing something in the game that you find personally distasteful?
- 1:02:36: Bill P "What changes do you see, or perhaps growth have you experienced in your years of gaming... keeping in mind age and culture?"
- 1:07:37: ToxicSquirrel "What's the most difficult type of player that you have ever had in a group you were GMing? Do you have a favorite type of player?"
- 1:10:32: @Ivrione "What is a game you would love to run but not play? Vice versa?"
- 1:14:18: @Ivrione "What is your biggest TTRPG regret? What is your biggest TTRPG triumph?"
- 1:20:20: Craig K "Do you consider the GM a storyteller or a rule adjudicator? Which do you consider yourself?"
- 1:24:56: Craig K "What is the most important trait of a storyteller/GM?"
- 1:26:49: Craig K "Narcissism and the GM. Do you think there is a certain amount of narcissism necessary to be a good GM?"
- 1:37:35: Outro
This week we cover incorporating diseases, curses, maladies, and other general afflictions into your tabletop roleplaying games. We analyze why we think this aspect of gaming doesn't get as much love as it should and talk about some interesting ways to make it work at your table. We go over how to run diseases and curses, pick apart how they can affect your campaign, give tips on how to make them a more meaningful part of the world, and offer examples that bridge the gap between the mundane and the supernatural.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 2:23: TTRPG News
- 17:31: @Flyingfox369 "Being tasteful with diseases in games"
- 21:14: Main Topic
- 30:42: @FightGuyStudio "Making disease the basis for an entire TTRPG campaign"
- 35:17: @LucyDnDPrincess "using the looming possibility of a disease as a potential apocalypse event"
- 41:58: @DiceTherapy "Lycanthropy, weresharks, vampirism, and other supernatural afflictions"
- 54:08: Social Information
- 55:05: Examples of curses, diseases, and other afflictions to use in your TTRPG campaigns
- 01:02:07: The Malady Workshop (Unique maladies created for 5e written by med students)
Having a meaningful discussion about how skills and experiences at the tabletop roleplaying game table can apply to one's 'real life.' We cover career impacts, its influence on self-improvement and self-exploration, how it can aid in developing and nurturing strong interpersonal relationships, its applications in psychotherapy, using it as a tool for learning, and much more. We also cover some TTRPG news and discuss several replies from listeners.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 0:34: TTRPG News
- 16:07: @grenchaw "Passive (Aggressive) Perception custom magic item"
- 17:57: Main Topic
- 20:55: @Cyber_Trout "3-hour watches with the kids and scenarios for customer service"
- 22:30: @LochTheFoxGod "how to incorporate D&D into your resume"
- 23:05: @Brian_Gerken "RPGs helped me get a legal internship"
- 26:44: @JackGogsbane "Learning history and myth through games"
- 31:25: @BurnelDan "Learning vocabulary through roleplaying games"
- 33:24: @JormofYore "LARPing helped me get over my shyness"
- 41:09: @Ramethzer0 "Tabletop roleplaying games helped to hone my communication skills"
- 42:41: PSYCHODRAMA.WORLD "General Effects of Roleplay Techniques In Psychotherapy"
- 45:13: @GuardianNoodle "D&D helped me get over my fear of public speaking"
- 47:37: TTRPGs as cultural unifiers
- 51:14: @TiaTruths "My gaming group is a party IRL and we consider each other family"
- 53:11: Applications to session zero
- 56:09: Outro
In this episode we're asking important questions about traveling in tabletop roleplaying games. We go in-depth into the handwaving paradigm, why we think that is, and methods you can employ to make it a more meaningful part of your table experience. We also discuss some of our favorite travel systems from games, how we've hacked them to work for us, and why it can be important to explore this particular pillar of RPGs.
Website: https://icastspells.com
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 1:20: TTRPG News
- 10:42: Main Topic
- 11:15: @MicahRRogers "Travel encounters for every city block."
- 14:13: @Eat_Bray_Love "OSR hex/point crawl."
- 16:34: @LikesPierogi "Contextually relevant encounters."
- 19:13: "Why do we choose to handwave TTRPG travel?"
- 23:08: @AbyssalBrews "Campfire travel system." (also mentioned at 29:06)
- 26:58: "The One Ring 1e Journey System."
- 32:30: "Savage Worlds Interludes."
- 33:42: "How Ivan runs TTRPG travel."
- 36:20: "Random encounter tables."
- 37:52: "Travel encounters that evolve into social encounters or combat encounters.)
- 42:45: "How is implementing a TTRPG travel system better than just handwaving?"
- 49:50: Outro
We talk about getting your campaign back on track after a layoff, whether that be a week, a month, a year, or beyond. We address some of the challenges of getting players re-bought in , how to set the table for the best possible return experience, and some of the things that can kill a campaign. We also cover some new TTRPG releases and the return of a style of gaming which, to many, has been lost to time.
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- 1:48: @candleisles "High Trust Trad"
- 5:53: TTRPG News
- 12:45: Main Topic
- 40:13: Outro
In this episode we cover some of the strategies behind, and the implications of, splitting your TTRPG party. We discuss how it can help expedite the action, but also increase work load and slow down your pacing. We go in-depth with several person and listener-sourced examples and dig into when splitting the party may be a good idea and when it may be ill-advised. Tune in for help running a split party, TTRPG news, listener feedback, and more.
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- TTRPG News: 1:23
- Main Topic/Poll From @RpgMatch: 11:45
- @CYBERKING9906 "I never Split The Party": 12:25
- @JayDubTheGamer "Shopping & Downtime": 16:42
- @Attercap "Staying Invested/Limiting In-Game Knowledge": 26:21
- @NoTMock "Tuning Out": 28:00
- @CandleIsles "Spotlight Juggling": 30:48
- @TNotsolidsnake "Using Text Chat": 35:06
- @GeekPostNet "12-Player Split": 36:30
- @DiceTherapy "5 Players, 5 Puzzles": 37:34
- @Vegasucks "Split The PLAYERS": 38:21
NEW COVER ART
This week we're talking about what makes for an ideal session length? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of shorter vs longer sessions. Do we still have it in us to run marathon sessions that last the whole weekend? Tune in for insights on how to structure your games for time, TTRPG news, listener feedback, and more.
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- 0:00: Intro
- TTRPG News: 1:00
- @gazpachoTT "Playing I Spy": 7:32
- @34thGingerbread "The Fountain of Going to Jail"
- Main Topic/Poll By @RpgMatch: 12:04
- @TA_Stangroom "Whole Weekend Sessions": 14:49
- @yum_dm "Real Life Happens": 16:07
- @AcademicFoxhole "Session Frequency Chart": 18:58
We cover bringing elements and tools from your TTRPG kit into other activities like board games, video games, fantasy sports, sex, and much more. We cover some of the tenets of how ascribing meaning through narrative and roleplay can help you build better memories with the things you love.
Twitter: @passive_podcast
Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Show Breakdown:
- TTRPG News: 0:42
- Black Dragon Company @bddc_pod "El Guapo": 3:24
- Addressing Twists In Games: 5:20
- Role Playing Grenade @rpgrenadepod "Caltrop Core": 8:18
-
BrOSR: 9:02
- Cascade Crisis Gaming & Miniatures @cascadecrisis "Addressing Characters With Disabilities: 14:53
- Main Topic: 20:19
- Dirty20 Gaming @thatotherkevin2: 23:35
- Mama Newt @luckynewtgames: 24:01
- FelScion113 @fscion113: 24:34
This week we cover the story significance of adding a Big Bad Evil Guy (BBEG) to your campaign. We also discuss the non-literal interpretation of the concept, goal-oriented play, and providing context and significance to your in-game actions. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Discussing some of the more interesting house rules we know about, why we believe rules tweaking can benefit your games, and how sometimes customizing rules can be for all the wrong reasons. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
This episode is about redefining how we view personal failure in our TTPRG sessions, and how reframing the concept can open up whole new worlds of opportunity for the players at your table. Also, listener feedback, and TTRPG news. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Clickity clack! When dice attack! This week we talk about the very contentious topic of fudging rolls. We also cover some alternative ways to use dice at your table and their impacts, including rolling in the open vs behind a screen, and player-facing systems of conflict resolution. A brief review of DREAD, addressing listener feedback, and TTRPG news. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Discussing the sometimes difficult but sometimes necessary act of telling your players (or even your GM) NO. When is it appropriate and when does it require an explanation? Also, we dig into listener feedback and TTRPG news. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Discussing the double edged sword that is the witting (and sometimes unwitting) inclusion of humor into your TTRPG sessions. We investigate where the line is when it becomes too much, the nature of the sliding scale of tone, and the possible implications they can have on your games. We also cover some listener feedback and TTRPG news. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
We have a conversation with very special guest, Eric Swanson. Eric is a TTRPG developer, illustrator, editor, DIY publisher, and the list goes on! In this episode we discuss the impacts of crowdfunding, democratization of development, tips for getting your first product to market, and much more. Eric even has a curated list of his own Dusty Stack games! Check out Eric's work at https://narrativedynamicspress.com/ || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
This week we fall down the rabbit hole discussing the advantages of honing your skills using theater of the mind, and how it compares against using tactical maps, minis, and other player aids. We also do some follow-up on last week's episode on GM burnout and cover recent TTRPG news || Steve's Article On 3D Printing PPE: https://romesentinel.com/stories/local-volunteers-join-covid-19-fight,95525 || 3D Printed Website For 3D Printed PPE: https://rist3d.org || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Discussing the tolls of mental exhaustion, and how that can translate in to affecting our games. We rap about some of the causes of, and coping strategies for, when you're feeling creatively burnt out || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
"School is a badly designed game." Today we're talking with very special guest, Michael Low. Michael Is an educator, game designer, and leading innovator in using TTRPGs as a tool for learning. We talk about the common ground between TTRPGs and education, how it's currently being utilized, and its vast potential to improve the learning landscape for our youth. Find Michael's various projects at https://www.luckoflegends.com/ || https://storiesrpg.com/ || https://luckoflegends.itch.io/ || Michael's Twitter: @LuckLegends || PaP Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Discussing our thoughts and weirdly idiosyncratic opinions on what it takes to run a successful TTRPG mystery. Covering the importance of keeping things fresh and varied, and outlining how easy it is to mess up. Plus, some TTRPG news.
Talking about pacing and how both GMs and players alike can promote tighter games by staying aware of this key concept, plus some suggestions for nailing it. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Fly, you fools! This week we discuss incorporating 'unwinnable' encounters (both social and combat) into your sessions and campaigns and the tonal, and narrative advantages of doing so. We go over when we think it's appropriate to bolt from an encounter and how we can facilitate that understanding both as players and as GMs. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Backstory Vs. 'Forestory'. This week we're discussing the process and impact of developing your character's backstory. We cover the merits and pitfalls of having a robust, pre-written backstory as well as the advantages of taking a more collaborative approach at the table. All mixed in with a little TTRPG news and the absurdity you have grown to expect (and hopefully accept) from us. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
On this episode we cover various systems of TTRPG metacurrency. We also discuss whether or not it's appropriate to distribute metacurrency based on merit/behavior, and the implications of defining either objective or subjective standards for rewarding players at the table. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Join us as we discuss unique and story-driving ways to provide quest and adventure rewards that separate themselves from the typical gold/experience paradigm. We systematically analyze a gamut of ways to reward players while identifying what makes said rewards relevant to your PCs' goals and motivations. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
This week's episode is about using the widely varying and sometimes alternative methods of generating a character in your favorite TTRPGs. We answer some listener feedback from @Ivrione on Twitter, and go in-depth about our experience with Twilight 2000's lifepath character generation system. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
Today we're talking about some of the stresses behind and strategies for more successfully bringing brand new systems to the table. We discuss the shifting responsibility for learning rules, how to navigate first sessions when no one at the table is familiar with the system, and the merits of broadening your repertoire. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
We're taking a week off! Here's a brief message from a very groggy Ivan and a new track from John Potocnik's new album, Tunes From Pleasant Valley. This album is released completely royalty free for use in videos, podcasts, streaming, or however you see fit. Available anywhere you get your music. || Tunes From Pleasant Valley: https://open.spotify.com/album/0rme4ZJI3p4nMGmp8eNpNA?si=V7hOIwPqSsWLJVWeu5Hgag || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
This week we're discussing deities in TTRPGs, and how a pantheon can pivotally affect the nature of a campaign. We discuss objective morality and what part in-game gods play in defining it. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
We're talking about party balance, reconciling differences between party members both mechanical and narrative in nature, and when the 'why' of character generation over the 'how.' We also field some questions from listeners @KailaEvansDM of @cotdnd, and @grenchaw. Finally, we're feature a special track at the end of the episode from Ivan's father, John Potocnik, off his new album, Tunes From Pleasant Valley. This album is released completely royalty free for use in videos, podcasts, streaming, or however you see fit. Available anywhere you get your music. || Tunes From Pleasant Valley: https://open.spotify.com/album/0rme4ZJI3p4nMGmp8eNpNA?si=V7hOIwPqSsWLJVWeu5Hgag || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
We compare highly linear storytelling against open-world methods of running a game and their respective advantages and disadvantages. We cover how to best incorporate principles from each into your sessions and the importance of making player-driven action both relevant and significant. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com
We're talking improv! We go over some of the core tenets of improv and how they apply to the overall TTRPG experience. We discuss the commonalities, differences, the act of listening, agreement, facilitating the story, and much more. || Improv List: https://www.jesterzimprov.com/fundamental-improv-principles/ || @RPGrenadePod: https://linktr.ee/RolePlayingGrenade || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
We discuss in-game currency, and the difference between granular systems and overarching wealth systems. We talk about some of the potential pitfalls of each and how to best incorporate them into your games in a meaningful way. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
We're talking about downtime! We hit on topics such as how to make things more story relevant, where to draw the line so it doesn't become rote or monotonous, and much more. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
We're revisiting our Dusty Stacks! This time around we're discussing six games that we're dying to play, and their individualities that make them so compelling. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ || Paranoia: https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/us/rpgs/paranoia.html || Wheel Of Time: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965 || Upriver, Downriver: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gejwatts/up-river-down-river || The Resistance of New Holloway: https://adventurebymail.itch.io/the-resistance-of-new-holloway || Dead Belt: https://acoupleofdrakes.itch.io/dead-belt || Dusk City Outlaws: https://scratchpadpublishing.com/dco-info
This time around we're discussing metagaming! We theorize on when metagaming stops being harmless fun and starts being disruptive to the table. We also talk about ways to make players' outside knowledge work narratively. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
This week we're discussing the merits and the downfalls of using virtual table tops vs playing your game in-person. We also do an in-depth answer for a question posed to us from listener Joshua H. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we cover our philosophies on puzzles and how to better integrate them into your games. We touch on effective strategies for increasing player buy-in and the conditions that need to be met in order to harness the power of a good puzzle, riddle, or trap. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
This time around we're talking about incorporating horror and elements of horror into your tabletop games. We discuss how to mix things up with swerves away from the expected, its potential impact on players, and how we tend to view it as a tool for building stronger narrative experiences. || Horror in D&D series: franfranatus || False Hydra Mini: Comet Lord Minis || Original False Hydra article: Goblin Punch || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
This week's episode is a companion piece to episode #11, but we're taking a deeper dive into intertwining play styles between those that min-max their characters for disparate reasons. We talk about how to better engage min-maxers while also spotlighting your more narrative-focused players and how to nip potential discord in the bud. || Contest Winner: @DmLiterary || Night's Black Agents AP Pod: @RPGrenadePod || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
This week we tackle the dense subject of bringing real-life socio-political issues into your game, and handling them in a sensitive and respectful way. We also talk about problematic facets of game tropes, the industry, how we view certain topics, and how we handle them at our own tables. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
This time we're focusing on the differences between players who enjoy focusing more on rules and mechanics versus those that prefer a more narrative-driven session. We discuss how to handle a clash of the two ideals and some strategies to help players and GMs alike find a comfortable middle ground || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/papat0k || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we're talking about the merits of campaigns, one-shots, and how you can marry the two ideas to create memorable experiences for your table. Plus, we add two more additions to our Dusty Stack. || Dissident Whispers: https://whispercollective.org/ || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com ||Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
Today we're talking about Session Zero! We wax poetic about safety tools, short circuiting problematic situations, and lots more. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ || Session Zero Workbook Examples: https://www.inkandlyre.com/post/the-ultimate-session-zero-workbook || https://slyflourish.com/frostmaiden_session_zero.html
In this installment we're here to ask, nay BEG you to TAKE THE HOOK! We go over some of our best tips for hook building, contrarian players, how many storylines players should expect their GMs to have prepped, and much more. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
Today we're talking about bringing new players under the TTRPG tent as well as exposing existing players to new systems. We go over the impact of TTRPGs as a device for building interpersonal relationships and some of our personal experiences shepherding. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
We outline the advantages of running a homebrew adventure vs. a published adventure/module. We talk about what ratio of the two we think makes for the best campaigns, and discuss what room if any there is for hacking an existing adventure. Also, 2 new 'Dusty Stack' items! || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we're talking about game day set up and how we define the rituals that surround game day. We talk about food, session start, taking breaks, wind down, and much more. EDIT: I (Ivan) said somatic components like, 42 times when what I really meant was material components. For those curious, somatic components are gesticulations, gestures, etc that make spells work. Thanks! || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ || Ork With A 'K': https://orkwithak.blogspot.com/
In this episode we're talking about pulling inspiration from non-RPG source material. We go through some of the media and concepts that have provided fonts of inspo for us as GMs and how we bring them into our games. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we're talking about maps, minis, music, lights, voices, and generally 'going for it!' What are the most rewarding 'extra' things we as GMs and Players can do to improve the overall gaming experience? Listen in to see if you agree with us, for some cringe-worthy stories, and to hear some of our absurd character voices. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we talk about our dusty stacks of unplayed games and what they represent to us, what we think draws people to a new system, and we run through our lists of the most compelling titles that we'd like to get to in the coming sessions. EDIT: MÖRK BORG is actually pronounced "MURK BORG." || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ
In this episode we talk about total party kills (TPKs), player death, and the shared responsibility between PC and GM. Is the GM the end-all arbiter of the rules, or do the players have more agency than that? Is it ever okay to fudge rolls? Listen in and see if you agree with us. || Twitter: @passive_podcast || Email: passiveaggropod@protonmail.com || Logo By O_Oblique: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3clQyg-hJNTFNNvydS6fFQ