Compare & Campaign: Recent Episodes
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Magill and Tom regale each other with their experiences running roleplaying games for their friends, and discuss the finer points of RPGs along the way.
It's an RPG sandwich on this episode, as Magill kicks things off with a look at the amphibian-infested solo tactical game This Frog Is Ruining My Dungeon Crawl! Then it's over to Coyote's Aegis as the party begins to suspect there's a Night Goblin in their midst as they learn more about the black waters of Sitra Ahra and how they drain into the Gigalich. And they've gone back to Larvae, where they swear they wouldn't go! Then it's back to the RPG Danger Room where Magill takes a look at a game called This Person Should Not Exist that uses a Where's Waldo book as its central mechanic.
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Tom and Magill are up to their elbows in Rifts on this episode as Magill continues his attempt to learn two systems at once by hopping between Savage Worlds and Savage Rifts sourcebooks. Over on Tom's side of things, the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign are escorting the Cult of One to the realms of Sitra Ahra and spell the doom of the Nightside Eclipse! Plus Magill goes on a weird tangent about inspiration.
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After some D&D news, Tom dives into Coyote's Aegis where the party traverses the Tangle to meet Odium and make a plan to escape Sitra Ahra! Then Magill and Tom continue making a Mind Melter in Savage Rifts. So many Edges to choose from!
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Aww dangus! What's Magill going to play next? Tom helps him figure out his next solo RPG venture. Then in the Coyote's Aegis campaign, the party enlists the help of a singing goblin named Jimjar Bonbun to guide them to the Tangle! And in the RPG Danger Room, we do more Rifts stuff with the Savage Worlds crossover adaptation: Savage Rifts!
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It's a whole smorgasbord of stuff on this episode, as Tom and Magill talk about the Fallout TV series and games a bit, Magill reviews Exclusion Zone Botanist now that he's played it, and, that's right, RIFTS RETURNS TO THE PODCAST! Magill's going over the extensive Rifts RPG skill list, so expect lots of Dickering. And in the Coyote's Aegis campaign, Operation Pearls is underway as the heroes escape their imprisonment and kill some Trogs in a tower! Tower o'Trogs!
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This episode was recorded ten days before 4/20 and is coming out a week after 4/20, but you'd better believe this is somehow our 4/20 episode. We're not covering anything weed-related though. Anyway, Magill is talking about the G.I. Joe-like fast-action RPG called F.I.S.T., which sounds pretty darn cool. And then there's a big twist in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as the players wake up in a prison surrounded by NPCs from their past! Where the dangus mangus are they??
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Magill's got another selection of bite-sized RPGs for Tom to sample - this time they're all from Exeunt Press, and there are some pretty neat ones involving alien plantlife and cave people! Then Tom wraps up the liberation of the Mantle in Coyote's Aegis, bringing to an end the multi-session siege! Also we're a fast food review show now. Roll 1dFood.
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What happens when multiple rules in D&D contradict each other...and it happens within one module?! D&D needs a Stack like the one from Magic: The Gathering. Anyway, on this episode, the Coyote's Aegis heroes continue securing the Mantle against the demonic hordes and put to rest a Mummy! Then Magill summons up the Highland Paranormal Society in the RPG Danger Room to look at a bunch of mini-RPGs and RPG accessories from Nate Treme.
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It's a big ol' sandwich of RPGs on this episode, as Magill starts things off by profiling 6e. Not Dungeons & Dragons 6th Edition, stupid! Just a game called 6e by Jared Sinclair. Then Tom gets into the final operation of this act of Coyote's Aegis, which sees the heroes defending a besieged city against a huge variety of enemies, all influenced by the demon lord Graazt! And finally, Magill comes back to wrap things up by looking at a storytelling RPG about a seemingly endless house.
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Dangus Mangus! That's the name of Tom's Meat Mech in the game Extreme Meatpunks Forever, which Magill is looking at in the RPG Danger Room. Over in Tom's campaign, the story of Coyote's Aegis, the heroes find themselves in a big ol' arena battle with fire giants, gorgons, a chained pegasus, and other such vile opponents!
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The Coyote's Aegis heroes enter the final arena of their epic-length operation in the penultimate mission of the liberation of Agaloch! Giant spiders and beholders abound! The Magill continues the deep dive into Extreme Meatpunks Forever starting with a review of the visual novel video game series that inspired the whole thing.
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The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign has found themselves in yet another boss fight! They've gotta take on some demons in a room shaped like a spider - creepy! Then in the RPG Danger Room we're getting weird in a different way as Magill talks about Extreme Meatpunks forever, the queer, anti-fascist, Cronenberg-mech game.
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The Coyote's Aegis party encounters some drow - but can they be trusted?! Also there's a suspicious Tiny Fart Demon! Talk about Paranoia, which is also something Magill and Tom engage in. Then Magill profiles four more Zine RPGs that were part of Zine RPG Month on Kickstarter! Expect ghosts, mechs, bodybuilders, and disc jockeys.
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The combat continues in Coyote's Aegis as the party finds themselves in another big ol' fight, this time against undead Drow! Connor floats along the ceiling, they bathe in magic water, there's a fart demon...good times. Then Magill profiles four different zine RPGs that are party of Kickstarter's Zine RPG Month celebration. Wanna be a Power Ranger in a Jane Austen novel? How about a punk rocker at the end of the world? We've got you covered!
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What do you call a plurality of bats? A cauldron? A cloud? Apparently there are no wrong answers! On this episode, the heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign speed through a dark forest on the backs of Cloakers as they enter the next phase of their operation. February is Zine RPG Month, so Magill profiles a bunch of zine RPGs from Kickstarter and Backerkit! Also, how do you pronounce vichyssoise? How many campaigns is too many campaigns? And did they ever catch the guy who rode a dirt bike down the Carleton University tunnels?
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The Coyote's Aegis campaign comes to the end of its massive naval battle, only to prepare for the next phase of the epic-length operation! Expect butt stabbing. Then Magill takes a look at Skate Wizards, a steezy roleplaying game about radical and arcane shredding of the gnar. Plus some nautical knowledge and a cameo from Magill's wife's sneezes.
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The huge naval battle continues in Coyote's Aegis as the heroes have commandeered a ship called the Bloody Fury and are using it to take out rafts, capture enemies, and encounter robots that aren't in rowboats. In the RPG Danger Room, Magill is reviewing the new Outsiders expansion for the solo RPG Notorious, and he's also contemplating some D&D etiquette from a Dicebreaker article. Listen to us blather on now!
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Coyote's Aegis continues its intense multi-session naval battle as the heroes move from sinking warships to sparring with enemies on floating rafts! But no robots in rowboats, unfortunately. And then Magill wraps up his profile of GOZR, the awesome, gnarly fantasy RPG that's made of random tables and has a fantastic art style. Plus you can listen to Tom slowly get the hiccups until it derails the episode!
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In Coyote's Aegis, Operation Riverbed continues with a huge naval battle as the heroes move from ship to ship, looting them, freeing captives, sinking vessels and shooting enemies in the butt! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill does a deep dive into GOZR as he and Tom admire the insane artwork in the sourcebook and rolling up a character. Hey, how do you pronounce "aegis" anyway?
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Following the major military victory at the Battle of Ashgrain Output, the liberation of Agalloch continues as the Coyote's Aegis party launches into a huge naval battle - the start of an operation where Tom will use the whole meat! Then Magill revisits Magnagothica: Maleghast and shares his thoughts on the first few hours of Baldur's Gate 3. Then it's off to the tavern to play the solo game Scrap!
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It's the big finale of the Battle of Ashgrain Outpost and the party from the Coyote's Aegis campaign are facing off against helmed horrors, azers, and a giant boss! And hey, 2023 came to an end, so Magill gives a rundown on key pieces of D&D news from the year (and what a wild year it was), as well as going over the best D&D campaign settings. Join us as we bid good riddance to last year!
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Hey it's Christmas time! And to celebrate, Tom's busting out the D&D Mad Libs and Magill is listing off a bunch of holiday-themed one-shot adventures that you can run in your campaigns. And over in the Coyote's Aegis campaign, the party gets into a big fight with some kinda robots as the Battle for Ashgrain Outpost continues!
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Coyote's Aegis gets into some giant-sized combat involving Stone Giants and Fire Giants! Magill profiles a game that he thought was an RPG but is in fact a tactical skirmish game (Magnagothica: Maleghast)! But most importantly, your two hosts contemplate RPG systems and wonder if there are just too darn many of them. Hey does anybody else want a new edition of Rifts?
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Some new RPGs popped up in Magill's feed, so he quizzes Tom to see which of them appealed, if any. Would you play a game set in the universe of The Crow? Highlander? Pacific Rim? What about the Kieron Gillen comic Die? Then we check in with the Coyote's Aegis campaign as the battle of Ashgrain Outpost has finally arrived! Will the heroes liberate the slave-driven industrial centre of Agaloch? And things wrap up in the RPG Danger Room as we look at Goblin With a Fat Ass.
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Tom had COVID, so we start things off by pondering the effects of COVID-19 on roleplaying gamers. In the Coyote's Aegis campaign, the heroes infiltrate Ashgrain Outpost to free some serpentine slaves and look great doing it! Then Magill has too many ales at the tavern and goes on a ramble contemplating the best bits of different RPG systems that we've discussed on the show before. In the Danger Room, Magill talks about the monster hunting-and-eating RPG called Wilderfeast while a bunch of hammering happens in the background (sorry about that). Also, does anyone besides Magill use Skill Challenges anymore?
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Coyote's Aegis has a bunch of objectives to take care of, starting with the task of dealing with their Drow allies, and then heading off to Ashgrain Outpost! Then Magill and Tom revisit Wicked Ones, since their Wicked Ones campaign is about to start, and ponder the differences and similarities between it and other Forged in the Dark games. Plus: we learn one of Tom's favourite spells!
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Tom's feeling low energy and Magill's kinda punchy so it's a goofy, lazy episode of Compare & Campaign as your hosts dive further into Notorious! Tom tells the tale of his bot's quest, Magill rattles off a list of zine RPGs that he found, and then they both take a look at official and unofficial versions of the Dune RPG. The official version is ridiculously expensive!
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The Coyote's Aegis campaign is fighting a giant fight! This episode sees them face off against a bunch of Azers, prompting Magill to ponder a thought experiment: does fire resistant armor impart its bonus when the wearer bites something that deals fire damage? 'Cause like, that armor's not in the wearer's mouth, right?? Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill continues his exploration of solo RPGs with a spaceship-generating mini-game called Bucket of Bolts!
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The Coyote's Aegis prepare to enter a multi-level base and chow down on the delicacy Army Stew. Then Magill goes all Star Wars as he sings the praises of the solo RPG Notorious! Plus a rabbit hole of RPG news that you'll have to listen 'till the end to hear...
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Tom continues describing Operation Failing Moon, and now that the Coyote's Aegis party has gathered their allies for the coming battle, they have to get back to the army...but aw dangus, there are patrols everywhere! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, exhausted after doing a deep dive on The Gates, Magill does a round-up of RPG topics that he read about recently - previews of episodes to come, no doubt! Plus we ponder what Hellhounds eat and celebrate International Women's Day (yes, we know it's not any time near now).
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The party in Tom's Coyote's Aegis campaign is engaged in an epic combat encounter that lasts multiple sessions...but how can we keep that much combat exciting? And over in the Danger Room, Magill wraps up The Gates! Plus: we contemplate whether Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is, in fact, a Saw movie.
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Tom and Magill are thrilled to be joined by a guest on the podcast for the first time ever as they welcome Lukayo Estrella, creator of The Gates, to the show! Expect much discussion of World of Darkness, the Wachowskis, The Invisibles, and more! At last, with Lukayo here to answer our burning questions, Magill can finally find out if he has to throw his beer in the river.
Read all about The Gates right here:
https://the-gates.weebly.com/
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The Coyote's Aegis team encounters a death priestess and fights cultists of Ishyr! Magill continues his deep dive into The Gates! Plus Tom tries to find inspiration for one of his games, Magill talks about an adventure module based on The Terminator, and they both discuss their dreams. Not like their aspirations, dreams of being stuck in transit or wandering empty museums.
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Having gained allies in myconids and illithids, the Coyote's Aegis party continue their search for the waterfall that was shown to them in their minds. And they meet a kooky goblin and some giants! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill finally dives into The Gates: an RPG inspired by Nobilis and City of Mist. But...is it a game? Or something else? Do I have to throw my beer in the river? Plus: Magill's a caveman!
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In the Coyote's Aegis campaign, the party departs from Omega Base in style and take their vehicles (plus a bunch of soldiers) to the Dralic front. And they make friends with some illithids - weird! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill finishes his overview of Wicked Ones, the Dungeon Keeper-inspired Forged in the Dark RPG, and vows to run a game of it sometime.
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The Coyote's Aegis campaign continues with a briefing session where the players learned some Important Illithid Information, and Tom and Magill talk a bit about Liberty's Kids, the Dic cartoon that Tom uses for NPC portraits. Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill talks about the Forged in the Dark game called Wicked Ones where the players take on the roles of monsters designing a dungeon to trap heroes. And it's free!
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It's a short, sweet, and silly episode this week as Magill whips out a whole bunch of single-page RPGs by Oliver Darkshire that let you play as space wizards, Roman citizens in a burning city, or even just someone who owns a mastodon! Then it's on to the Coyote's Aegis campaign where the party learns a critical piece of information and the story tees up the final act. Big things are on the way!
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The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign continues their attempted assassination of Lord Dio as part of Operation Goldeneye, and it all culminates in a scene out of a Bollywood movie! Then Magill forgoes the RPG Danger Room in favour of the Tavern of Many Corners where he talks about some ridiculous topics from everyone's favourite RPG: Rifts. Is Glitter Boy really the worst O.C.C.? And why isn't there a Rifts actual play podcast out there?
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In this Danger Room-centric episode, Tom and Magill dive further into Nobilis to see if they can figure it out and Tom makes a character that's the embodiment of swarms and infestations! Magill also recommends a cool solo card-and-dice game called Doom Machine, and Operation Goldeneye gets underway in the Coyote's Aegis campaign. Plus there's a porcupine!
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There's schemin' a-plenty as the Coyote's Aegis party engage in Operation Goldeneye! And in the RPG Danger Room there's confusion a-plenty as Magill and Tom dive into Nobilis, desperately trying to find some clarity in amongst the florid prose of the sourcebook. I think it's like Sandman? Also, Tom wants to know if you play music during your RPG sessions, and Magill gets confused about the definition of "geiss" thanks to young adult fantasy's horniest author.
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Operation Goldeneye continues in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as the party does some elaborate scheming! Magill talks more about the RPG Don't Rest Your Head and gives an introduction to Nobilis (at long last)! And there's much talk of Neil Gaiman, Tim Burton, and accidental Facebook hearts. Listen...NOW!
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Having finished up the deep dive into Writhing in the Dark, Tom proceeds to the next mission in the Coyote's Aegis campaign, based on the module Death on the Wall! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill once again puts off tackling Nobilis in favour of talking about Don't Rest Your Head, a game of paranoia and insomnia. And as a bonus, Tom talks about a paramilitary-themed Forged in the Dark RPG that he's created called Boots on the Ground!
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Tom wraps up his deep dive into the now-classic module Writhing in the Dark - finally the party will meet the big bad illithid in the middle of the brain bucket! And over on Magill's side of things, he shares some cool D&D resources he found, talks about a cool solo card game called Dustrunner, and helps Tom build a character in the swimming pool-based LARP called Prawn! Plus: Sea Dracula!
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Tom continues his deep dive into the Writhing in the Dark module as the Coyote's Aegis party continues their exploration of the Brain Bucket. And speaking of deep dives, over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill is talking about the swimming pool LARP called Prawn! Plus we debate the differences between roleplaying games, party games, and improv games, and go on a big tangent discussion Wizards of the Coast's newish logo design.
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We made it to 150 episodes! Can you believe it? What a nice, round number. On this show, Tom continues his deep dive into the Writhing in the Dark module, and things get really crazy in the RPG Danger Room as Magill tries to make sense of the truly unusual game Wisher, Theurgist, Fatalist. How does one even go about playing a game where the gameplay is messing with the rules of the game? Sounds like Nomic, which Magill also discusses!
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Tom continues his deep dive into the module Writhing in the Dark as his players rinse every room of the dungeon on their way to meet an illithid! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill sings the praises of this D&D Lite game called Cairn that promises quick and easy setup! But Tom is less than impressed. Plus more talk about Essence 20 and Magill reviews Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
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The Coyote's Aegis party is headed for trouble as they venture into THE BRAIN BUCKET in one of Tom and Magill's favourite modules: Writhing in the Dark! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill mucks around with the borderline incomprehensible improv game Time Wizards, so make sure you wear a big hat and have a big beard. Plus a discussion of the differences between Cookie Monster and Nanalan, and we got worm pile. Oh no, it's gross!
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The Coyote's Aegis campaign wraps up Operation Birth & Death, based on the module Hillsfar Reclaimed, and pull off some ghostly scooting while they're at it. Then Magill dives into the prefab campaign that comes with the Savage Worlds: Low Life RPG and ponders the different ways that you can get your party together at the start of an adventure. Plus, tasty soup and shiny grime!
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Operation Birth and Death continues as the Coyote's Aegis party sneaks their way past some guards to get into a masquerade ball! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill continues the deep dive into Andy Hopp's Low Life by running down all the different religions of Mutha Oitha so Tom can choose one for his Holy Roller. Plus some talk about Tom's Easter-themed game of Essence 20: G.I. Joe!
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It's a jam-packed episode this week! We start off with Tom's review of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, then it's a big ol' installment of the Coyote's Aegis campaign that sees the party infiltrate a masquerade ball! Then over on Magill's end of things, he discusses the multitude of work by Low Life creator Andy Hopp (including Hopp's convention Con on the Cob) and he and Tom ponder how they approach maps as they talk about the various iconic locations of Mutha Oith.
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After a month off, the crew in Coyote's Aegis gear up for Operation Birth and Death (or is it Death and Birth?) and encounter some old friends along the way. Then Tom and Magill use the Savage Worlds: Low Life character creation flow chart to make Tom's character: Crawley the Oldster Croach! Plus thoughts on Tom Clancy and Nanalan. Shoosh!
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The heroes of Coyote's Aegis spend some down time between adventures getting up to shenanigans like Junkyard Wars, and Magill dives into the Savage Worlds RPG Low Life, created by Andy Hopp! Plus we talk about Atlantis stuff and Tom discovers Creepy Freaks unboxing ASMR.
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Tom found the complete transcript of this act of the Coyote's Aegis campaign and so we get to hear the real, actual play-by-play of his session, complete with out of character player commentary! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill busts out the Savage Worlds system as a lead-in to the truly bizarre RPG he'll be covering next episode. Plus, some D&D rules loopholes to torment your DM.
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The Coyote's Aegis party is heading into the land of mushrooms to tangle with some Myconids! Which side will they take in the shroomy conflict? Then Magill talks about a campaign module he was able to create extremely quickly thanks to some help by ChatGPT. Plus Tom roasts Guillermo Del Toro.
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Tom's up to his tricks again, because he got his hands on the game design system being profiled in this episode's RPG Danger Room (a system called Caltrop Core, based around the mighty d4) and he's writing not one...not two...but THREE new RPGs! So on this show we're talking Caltrop Core, Tom's variant called Caltrop MORE, and Tom's new games: Orbserver, Ceremony in Shadow, and Going Cummando. Plus the party from the Coyote's Aegis campaign get sent on a Night Goblin hunt, but as usual there's a lot more going on than meets the eye.
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Tom and Magill celebrate Valentine's Day by messing around with ChatGPT as a DM resource with surprisingly good results! Then Tom talks about the interim between acts of the Coyote's Aegis campaign, during which Hexaquila takes part in an Iron Chef-style cooking competition. Magill discusses an adventure from the DnD Behind the Screen subreddit about a town full of uncanny people who don't seem entirely human, and then Tom caps things off by introducing us to Donk Snotland. Man, what a packed episode!
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Another act in the Coyote's Aegis campaign is coming to an end with Tom's adaptation of a D&D Expeditions module - and it's one that Magill has played! Thrill as the heroes infiltrate a mercenary base and encounter a demon-worshipping cult of kuo-toa! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill showcases the only RPG system based around a tower of Jenga blocks. That's right, it's Dread! Plus some reflections on the long defunct webseries Tabletop.
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Rants and drama abound as Magill and Tom give yet another update on all the drama with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast! Yes, we know this has been resolved, but it wasn't resolved at the time we recorded this episode! Tom also rants a bit about mainstream D&D celebrities, and we check back in with the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as they investigate strange reports of the Arctopus and the appearance of a mysterious dam.
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We're doing another episode on Renegade Games' Essence20-system, officially licensed G.I. Joe RPG! Tom and Magill give more of their thoughts on the sourcebook, make characters, reflect upon the live action G.I. Joe movies, and even touch upon the long-forgotten, extremely-little-known Ottawa Fringe Festival show "Cobra: The Musical." We promise we'll get back to our usual format next week. OR WILL WE??
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Yo Joe! The podcast has been invaded by Cobra and it's up to that elite group of heroes the G.I. Joes to save the day! That's right, on this episode, we're putting Coyote's Aegis on the back burner so we can do a deep dive into the G.I Joe Essence 20 RPG. Tom and Magill go through the character creation system to generate the new Joes Ginger Scraps and Flamberge, and Tom gives his thoughts on the game now that he's had a chance to explore the sourcebook further. Come for the Snow Job, stay for the Beach Head.
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On this episode, Tom adapts another D&D Expeditions module wherein the party of the Coyote's Aegis campaign need to rescue the beloved Cysquatch and infiltrate Elf Fort Knox! And then in the RPG Danger Room...aww dangus, we're nowhere NEAR being done with Essence 20, because Tom bought Magill a copy of the G.I. Joe RPG sourcebook for Christmas, which means the guys are doing a deep dive after all! YO JOE!
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Oh man, here comes the first C&C episode of 2023! Tom is talking about how he reskinned No Foolish Matter, a classic Adventurers League module, to use in the Coyote's Aegis campaign! Magill is talking about Essence 20 - Hasbro's and Renegade Games' d20 based RPG system for use with such properties as Transformers, Power Rangers, and G.I. Joe - which will, unbeknownst to him, soon become Tom's new obsession! And mixed in there is lots of talk about nostalgic toys like the Aliens action figures and the Incredible Crash Dummies, ruminations upon whether or not Rick and Morty is still cool, and more. Download now, but don't steal 'cause it's haunted!
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It's our last episode of 2022 and we're bringing a whole mishmash of stuff to the table! First Tom and Magill give their thoughts on the Thai demon-centric action movie Demon Warriors (a.k.a. Opapatika), and then we check in with Tom's campaign only to find that he's running a classic Adventurers League module: Bane of the Tradeways! And over in the RPG Danger Room, we wrap up our exploration of the City of Mist RPG by running a confrontation encounter between Tom's character Agent Cross and a junkyard full of teenagers who are acting very strangely indeed...
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Alien eggs, a vessel for the Cult of One, the surrender of Tristania and the return of the Arctopus! These are just some of the major events that transpire in this episode of Compare & Campaign as Tom talks about another installment in the saga of Coyote's Aegis. And as if that wasn't enough, it finally happens: we actually play an RPG on the show! Magill runs a mini-scenario for Tom to demo the gameplay of City of Mist. Can Agent Cross figure out why students at the local high school keep disappearing?
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It's the conclusion of the tour of Sitra Arha as the party from the Coyote's Aegis campaign wrap up another act, this time involving an imp named Pip, a group of Glabrezus, and a fight in a coliseum! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill finishes off his overview of the mechanics of City of Mist by generating a "base of operations" theme card for the two-man crew of Agent Bowman and Norb Snodgrass. Next time, he'll act as MC while Tom takes part in a mini-adventure to showcase how City of Mist works.
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The Coyote's Aegis party heads to Marityme - not to be confused with the Maritimes - where they seek the knowledge of Zamiel, a Nightside Eclipse scholar! And along the way they encounter cloakers, fire giants, ultroloths, and managed to avoid succumbing to...ABYSSAL MADNESS! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, it's more City of Mist as Magill and Tom fill in the theme card for their crew of two.
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The Coyote's Aegis party arrives in the realm of Werships where they visit a Batcob Sanctuary, investigate a security complex, and find themselves facing that classic encounter: a black pudding in a lift shaft! And in an extra-big edition of the RPG Danger Room, Magill guides Tom through the character creation system in City of Mist, as Tom generates a paranormal investigator who is also...a WERE-CHARMANDER!
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The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign traverse an ocean of black ooze via barge to arrive in the realm of Omenknow where they are given quests by vampires and undead elves that lead to a confrontation with a lich! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill closes the book on The Burning Wheel and opens a new sourcebook to talk about the Powered By The Apocalypse-based game City of Mist! And yeah, at one point Magill calls it Changeling: The Masquerade. This fuckin' guy!
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After heeding The Boxer's Omen and digging into some Road Meat, Tom tells us about the Coyote's Aegis party and their escapades in the island realm of Writhen, including some matchmaking with a creature who looked like a Todd McFarlane figure designed by Clive Barker and attempts to gain an audience with the lich Belphegor! Then Magill stumbles his way through the ranged combat system in The Burning Wheel, further illustrating just how insanely dense the system can get.
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Tom and Magill are all over the place this episode - probably a symptom of it being the Year of the Stutterin' Mind. First they talk about their preferred date formatting, then it's a discussion of spooky movies for the Halloween season, some talk of nerdy weddings...heck, they even talk about Facebook memories associated with the film Martyrs. But then Tom gets back into Coyote's Aegis as the party heads to the realm of the Swayy where they attempt to contact the local leadership and win their favour. Unfortunately, these plans are at risk of being disrupted by none other than Hexaquila, who intends to take out not one but TWO targets who reside in this realm! Then in the RPG Danger Room, it's more Burning Wheel shenanigans as Magill explores the system of Artha points. As with everything associated with The Burning Wheel...it's complicated!
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Aww geez, Magill had a hell of a month and he starts this episode by telling you all about the kittens and the hurricane! Then the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign find themselves in the realm of Illoomorpheme, where they survive an ambush and meet a dangus Lich. And in the RPG Danger Room, Magill and Tom continue "burning" a character in The Burning Wheel: a crossbow-wielding goblin Sunblotter named Udo!
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The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign continues their van tour of Sitra Arha and wind up in Larvae where they attempt to run a forgery scam to get every possible reward for a quest. The only problem is their ruse will be found out quickly, so naturally...they can never go back to Larvae. Then Magill and Tom continue building a goblin sunblotter in the Burning Wheel's character creation system.
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It's a brand new act and the heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign begin a new tour. This time they're headed to Sitra Arha and their guide is our old pal Gutbones! Then Magill and Tom continue burning a character in The Burning Wheel. Also, Magill might get swept off in Hurricane Fiona, so if the podcast ends suddenly, you know why!
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Things kick off with a major piece of D&D news: the announcement of ONE D&D! What will this new edition (and associated software) mean for the future of Dungeons & Dragons? Magill and Tom give their thoughts. Then we follow the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as they wade through battle after battle and raid a tomb as they make their way to Fort Stormblast. And in the tavern, Magill talks about the enormous ooze called the Genius Loci!
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On this episode, the heroes from the Coyote's Aegis campaign meet the true ruler of Beargate Lake: a black Shadow Dragon named Kitten! And Kitten is pretty interested in the party's dragon turtle A-Tuin...but there's way more going on in this episode than just that! Expect lengthy discussions about Better Call Saul, Star Trek, the movie "NOT ME!", aiming for a 7 out of 10, and more. In the RPG Danger Room, Magill and Tom start creating a character (or should I say BURNING a character) in The Burning Wheel.
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The Deathlands tour in the Coyote's Aegis campaign continues as the caravan makes its way into the Tristanian mountains headed for the White Ring Outpost and eventually Port Goodberry. But on the way...Odium gets stuck in the tour bus bathroom! Dangus! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill breaks out the second sci-fi RPG ever created - Starfaring - and he and Tom give it a review, then generate a spaceship using the system's ship creation rules.
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Tom issues some corrections to the Coyote's Aegis campaign as the party sets out from Fort Kalasu to fight some Grimlocks. Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill boots up the streamlined one-shot-focused RPG cbr+pnk to discuss its merits, the recent game that Tom GM'd, and the appeal of stripped-down RPG systems in general. And the meataphors continue as C&C slowly transforms into an entirely meat-themed podcast.
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The heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign continue their caravan, setting out from the city of Decima, engaging in companion quests and random encounters, and eventually meeting the goblin family called the Mykelsons. After that, it's the exciting premiere of our new RPG Danger Room segment where Magill takes a close look at the pick-up-and-play roleplaying system In a Wicked Age. Will it be crunchy, or will it make us feel like a ham floating downstream? Then a brief jaunt to the tavern where we hear about Tom's Cyberpunk Faction idea, The Wild Hunt!
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The heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign have to fend off numerous attacks upon their caravan as they make their way to the city of Decima where they witness a confrontation between Arthur, Tusk, Magnus Dwarfbelly, and Prince Foob! Then the Verse campaign wraps up as Magill describes the big final adventure and talks about what he's going to be doing next with his segment of the show, now that he's out of campaign notes to draw upon. And in the tavern we talk about the retro RPG Starfaring and the modern RPG cbr+pnk!
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After making a stop in Port Ravendusk, the Coyote's Aegis party rescue a farmer and his wife then take part in the Battle of Butchertown! Over in the Verse, Magill's planned session is derailed by an absent player and so instead he pays homage to the series finale of Firefly. And then in the tavern the guys look at some really silly homebrew monsters.
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The Coyote's Aegis party have to take a break from adventuring to manage the inn of the Frowning Jester! But naturally, their time behind the front desk is anything but uneventful. And over in the Verse, the spacefaring adventurers fall in with the cast of the very TV show that the campaign is based on: Firefly! Then in the tavern, Tom tells the history of Voormas, the Harvester of Souls from Mage: The Ascension, and Magill spices up some encounters with 2d6 goblins.
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Mephalee has been having weird dreams as the Coyote's Aegis team infiltrates a Nightside Eclipse prison and meets up with some new travel companions including Odium! Then in the Verse, the crew of the Kennel is taken captive by the Alliance only to be freed by their insane android ally, and while on the run they encounter some pretty famous NPCs. Over in the tavern, Tom and Magill try to pin down the limits of Odium's powers and discuss the lackluster fourth season of Banshee.
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It's a very special episode of Compare & Campaign as Tom and Magill take the week off from talking about RPGs to instead geek out over the fantastic season of television that is Banshee season 3. After months, maybe even years of Tom's recommendations, Magill has finally caught up to one of Tom's favourite pieces of TV ever made, and you'll hear all about it right here!
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It's an episode full of crazy encounters as a member of Coyote's Aegis unwittingly falls victim to a curse and suffers a horrible fate! And in the Verse, the crew finally make it to an interplanetary warlord's secret lair in deep space, but little do they know that they've been sold out by people they thought were their allies! Then in the tavern, Magill busts out the turntable to play an old vinyl album that has an adventure module in the liner notes.
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Tom and Magill start the show by talking about what they got up to in May, with Tom giving an in-depth review of the game Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Magill talking about watching the second season of Banshee. Then the gang in Coyote's Aegis continue their journey and find a spooky note with a curse! And over in the Verse, the crew of the Turducken have to pull off a heist that involves moving a giant statue!
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The Coyote's Aegis caravan continues rolling along, this time encountering stirges and a wagon full of goblin researchers! Could another TPK be in store for the heroes? And over in the Verse, an enemy is made into a temporary ally as the crew plot out their next heist, which will take place inside a Buddhist Temple. Then in the tavern, Tom talks about a truly awesome sounding campaign module involving mimics and Magill seeks advice on how to run a very talky adventure that has minimal combat.
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Coyote's Aegis suffers another near-death experience as they are saved from a TPK by Zeth Hexnat! And Hexaquila bites a ghost! In the Verse, the crew once again finds themselves with a new ride called the Turducken, and the seeds are planted for a future betrayal. Then in the tavern we learn about The Last Prospector, a module for Stargrave, and Tom outlines a campaign based on an album by Nekrogoblikon.
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It's a brand new month! Or at least it was when the guys recorded this, so Tom and Magill start the episode talking about what they got up to in April, including a long review of the macho action extravaganza Stone Cold. Then in the Verse, the crew find themselves stranded on a dying world and have to make some tough decisions about who they save and who they leave behind. Over in Coyote's Aegis, the party once again comes up against foes who are a lot more challenging than they anticipated. And in the tavern: d20 Modern is back, baby!
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Tom's running a whole new campaign with a whole new approach, and that means that this giant-sized episode is dedicated entirely to the beginning of Coyote's Aegis! Tom gives us the scoop on how he used the RPG system Fiasco to generate the broad strokes of his D&D 5e campaign and also details the first adventure: a caravan tour fraught with peril!
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It's a milestone episode as Tom wraps up the Al's Aces campaign with a huge finale complete with multiple epilogues! But what will happen to Drale next? Magill has some ideas, and also some RPG news as he talks about Hasbro's acquisition of D&D Beyond and the failure of the Dark Souls RPG.
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Al's Aces continue to fight their way through the Carven Spire against wave after wave of monsters, leading to a confrontation with HORGH! In the Verse, the crew of the Kennel have had their ship stolen, so they have to commandeer a Reaver ship with the help of a murderbot! And then in the tavern, Tom gives us some additional info on his campaigns and Magill quizzes Tom with riddles.
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It's a big ol' episode of Compare & Campaign, starting with Tom and Magill talking about things they got up to in March. Then in the Verse, the crew of the Kennel get suckered into hunting treasure on a wrecked ship in deep space, and Al's Aces continue fighting their way through the monsters of the C'tan in the Carven Spire! Then in the Tavern, Tom cranks all the dials and Magill pays a visit to the Tolkien Estate ('s website).
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Al's Aces infiltrate the Carven Spire by way of a waste pit and have to fight their way through enemy creatures using some musical magic! In the Verse, the crew of the Kennel are killing time before they can fence their comet-harvested ice when a memorable character from the Firefly TV series shows up! And in the tavern, Tom finds himself Trapped in a Cabin with Lord Byron.
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The heroes of the Verse are tasked with fencing methane-rich ice harvested from a comet, but when they go to meet their contact, it turns out she's dead! Can they offload the volatile ice before it melts and explodes? Then Al's Aces draw ever closer to the end of their campaign as they grab their baZeuskas and contend with traps and enemies galore! And over in the tavern, Tom dissects some famous idioms, coming to the conclusion that pissing off people is bad, so don't do it.
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On this milestone episode of Compare & Campaign, Al's Aces wrap up Operation Hidden Track as they rescue captives and contain the elemental outbreak in the industrial district of Katatonia! And in the Verse, the crew of the Kennel cross paths with some old frenemies at a mine and learn about their employer's scheme to buy an entire planet! Then in the tavern, Tom talks about Mage: The Awakening and Magill teaches you how to put D&D on your resume. Tune in and get that Episode 100 ding!
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It's an absolutely massive show, right on the cusp of our 100th episode! Big reveals, crazy backstories, and daring adventures! In the Verse, the crew of the Kennel find themselves caught in the middle of a diamond smuggling operation with enemies on all sides at a museum gala! And in Al's Aces, we learn the entire story of Odium, at long last! Plus Tom and Magill muse upon the idea that you need 10,000 hours to master something and much, much more.
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With King Blackhelm Ishyr defeated, Al's Aces are sent into the industrial district of the city of Decima to attempt to end the siege! And in the Verse, the Phoenix completes its transformation into a flying saloon called the Kennel and Song engages in a hoverbike race. Then in the tavern (half of which is at the start of the episode), Tom runs down a list of game demos that he found on an old CD-ROM and Magill builds Neo in D&D.
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Al's Aces delve ever deeper into the undercity of Decima, leading to a final confrontation with the Drow Vampire King of Katatonia Blackhelm Ishyr! Meanwhile, in the Verse, the crew of the newly-named Kennel head back to Ezra to find some work, but instead find themselves being used for target practice by the crime boss Adelei Niska! Then in the tavern, Magill teaches you how to make Elven Lembas bread and Tom muses upon the subject of level design.
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Al's Aces venture into the sewers beneath the city of Decima to investigate strange subterranean forces and find not one, but TWO dragon turtles! Then over in the Verse, the Phoenix gets a new identity as its crew goes on the run after escaping from prison and make a pit stop on a pleasure resort planet. And in the tavern, Magill talks about some optional rules to making camping in D&D a bit more interesting, and Tom busts out his Requiem Chronicler's Guide to tell some war stories.
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Who knows why Al's Aces have started naming their operations after body parts? Not me! On this episode, the Aces fend off the invasion of the city of Decima, and then over in the Verse...it's a big ol' prison break! The crew of the Phoenix put their plans into action as they make a daring escape from space jail, and have to start new lives under new identities. Plus a roundup of the fun stuff Magill and Tom did in January!
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The Dralic War continues as Al's Aces take part in the Battle of Decima, and Tom reveals his tips for keeping large-scale war-style combat engaging! Then in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix have to settle into their routines in space prison, make allies, avoid making enemies, and plot their escape. Then in the tavern, Magill describes the worst RPG ever published and he and Tom generate a bunny!
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Continuing the liberation of the Deathlands from the Nightside Eclipse, Al's Aces disguise themselves to infiltrate an enemy camp and do some reconnaissance. And in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix are headed directly to the Big House, the Slammer, Space Sing-Sing, as they are thrown in prison and have to figure out a way to survive until they can figure out a plan to escape. Then in the tavern we talk about Bottle Chronicles!
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In the Verse, the Phoenix's mysterious passengers ask for their assistance in stealing a ship from ascrapyard on a distant moon, right underneath the Alliance's noses! And over in Drale, Port Ravendusk has been secured, which will provide a point from which the Dralic army can continue their campaign, but Al's Aces are going to come up against some military resistance as they infiltrate a monastery being occupied by the Nightside Eclipse! Then in the tavern, Magill talks about one of the worst RPG systems ever made and Tom does another quiz on magic words.
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Al's Aces launch a full assault on a fortress and, in a fight against wereboar guards, Chessi contracts the dreaded MOON PIG MADNESS! Then in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix are hired to transport some dogs to a nearby moon, and while they're there they find a new client at the local watering hole. Plus Tom and Magill talk about what they've been up to lately!
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It's a sidequest extravaganza in Magill's session of The Verse, which sees his players splitting up the party (gasp!) to take part in a series of mini stories. Meanwhile, Al's Aces have taken part in a naval assault of Port Ravendust, and now they battle through the streets to liberate this part of the world of Drale from Nightside Eclipse influence. And over in the tavern: more Silver Bayonet!
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We wrap up 2021 with a nice, long episode as Al's Aces take part in a Dralic naval assault on Port Ravendusk and the crew of the Phoenix are invited to a soiree being hosted by a local mine baron, only to find themselves in a Die Hard situation when some old enemies bust in and take the party hostage! Then in the tavern, Magill talks about RPG accessories and Tom shares his newfound love for Silver Bayonet! Plus some discussion of how hideous E.T. is. Yuck.
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Name a more iconic duo than Tom and joke cereal. Can you do it? We certainly try on this episode, where, continuing the battles of the Draelic war, Al's Aces take to the air to attack a fleet of airships in their Black Sabbath Squadron! And over in the Verse, the Phoenix has come face to face with a crew of rival scavengers and their ship: the Cantankerous! Then over in the tavern, Tom profiles the powers of the Protean vampires and Magill talks about a new strategy game that uses Play-Doh.
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The Draelic War has begun and Al's Aces has to respond to an extraplanar strike force sent by the Nightside Eclipse to attack the Crimson Tower! And this is just the beginning of a multi-pronged assault from the Nightside Eclipse, so the heroes strap on their jetpacks to wade into the battle. Meanwhile, in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix are tasked with salvaging an abandoned ship in an asteroid field, but as usual, things don't go according to plan. No tavern this week, but we get to hear about Tom's struggle to maintain good posture!
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A new month begins, which means that Tom and Magill start things off by talking a bit about what they've been up to besides playing RPGs! So expect movie and TV recommendations, game recommendations, and a discussion of the best worst fan-made Lays potato chip flavours. Then in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix has to make an unscheduled stop at the Cloud 9 space station where they find themselves caught in the middle of some local conflicts. Meanwhile, Al's Aces are tasked with acting as escorts for Lord Vic, a foppish noble from the north who, unbeknownst to them, is stoking a gang war. And in the tavern, we learn a bit about what kinds of characters you can play as a Gangrel in Vampire: The Masquerade!
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Al's Aces enter a new act on this episode, with Act 7: Saros! Then over in the Verse, the crew of the Phoenix suddenly find their ship disabled after they discover a corpse in a hidden compartment in the cargo hold! Then in the tavern we talk about hit locations, dice rollers, Waste Monkeys and the powers of the Gangrel!
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An act ends and a new campaign begins on this episode of C&C! First, Tom tells the tale of Operation Old Tree, wherein Al's Aces summon their allies to finally confront their long-time nemesis: Salayeth the War Witch! Then Magill takes us to the outer reaches of space in The Verse, a space Western campaign inspired by Firefly, where the players form a crew, get a ship, and get the hell outta dodge. And in the tavern the guys engage in some technobabble.
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A new campaign begins on this episode as Magill sets the stage for his spacefaring, Firefly-inspired campaign "The Verse!" And Al's Aces continue their attempts to stop the Cult of Cryonax by returning to Murderfrost Monastery and finding a secret passage to a snowglobe dungeon! There are jetpacks, there are domed temples, and there's a pop quiz, so brush up on the history of Drale if you want to score top marks. Then, in the tavern, Magill showcases one of his favourite d20 Modern adventure modules.
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Al's Aces are called upon to rescue the dwarven king Abbo Stormhammer from the foul clutches of their old enemy: Salayeth the War Witch! And the Destiny of Istus campaign comes to an end on a giant cliffhanger as the heroes attempt to reactivate the Godtrap and ensnare Iuz once and for all! But first Tom and Magill talk a bit about other things they've been doing lately, and it all wraps up in the tavern with an exploration of the different layers of the Abyss.
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Expect banking drama, Banshee, Balto, and other things that start with a B on this episode of Compare & Campaign! Plus a bunch of RPG stuff, of course. Al's Aces are sent to investigate an Underdark hideout that might act as a base for the Cult of Cryonax, or worse: the Nightside Eclipse! And the heroes of the Destiny of Istus campaign head further underground into the megadungeon beneath Castle Greyhawk where they face frog demons, diamond golems, and even a succubus! Then, in the tavern, Tom tells us about his game of Fleshscape.
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The adventurers in the Greyhawk campaign continue to delve deeper and deeper into the megadungeon beneath the ruins of Castle Greyhawk, where they encounter an old foe! Meanwhile, Al's Aces watch a play, solve an assassination, and clear their names! And as this is all going on, Magill and Tom contemplate why fantasy stories are so fixated on describing every plate of food the characters come across. Speaking of food: in the tavern we learn how to cook and eat a gelatinous cube!
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Al's Aces head to Murderfrost canyon to investigate the source of a magical super-blizzard that is ravaging the Northern mountains of Drale. And that source? The Cult of Cryonax! Meanwhile the adventurers in the Destiny of Istus campaign begin their dive into the mega-dungeon beneath the ruins of Castle Greyhawk, hoping to reactivate the legendary Godtrap! Then in the tavern we have a prolonged discussion about the McElroys, the Adventure Zone, and what makes a good DM. All this and more on this slightly delayed episode of Compare & Campaign!
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The weather is behaving strangely in the mountains of Northern Drale and it's ruining Winterfest! Clearly the Cult of Cryonax is up to no good, and so when two otyughs burst out of the sewers and start terrorizing the city, Al's Aces have to seek out the aid of the Sunsmoke Order. Then in the Destiny of Istus campaign, following the barbarian siege on Leukish, the heroes decide to go on the offensive by reactivating the legendary Godtrap that lies dormant deep beneath the ruins of Castle Greyhawk! And over in the tavern, Toms looks at the various depictions of Cryonax the elemental yeti and Magill showcases the very first D&D map.
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Intrigue! Siege tactics! A flying jellyfish! All this and more on episode 77 of Compare & Campaign, as the adventurers from the Destiny of Istus campaign have to defend a city from a raiding barbarian fleet, and Al's Aces have to investigate the death of a Flumph - the Flying Spaghetti Monster of D&D. Then in the tavern we've got a bunch of rules for farts and Tom reviews a Drizzt novel. Well, the novel review comes at the start of the episode, but you get the idea.
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It's almost the technical end of summer, so Tom and Magill talk a bit about what they've been up to lately before diving into their respective campaigns as Al's Aces go to the Highlands to investigate the Cult of Cryonax and the Destiny of Istus heroes find themselves stalked by a Jason Voorhees surrogate! Plus Tom half-heartedly reviews a sub and talks about the Subway tuna sandwich scandal, and then over in the tavern there's a magic words quiz and some talk about trees.
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The fun starts as the adventurers in the Destiny of Istus campaign travel to Wintershiven to loot a crypt and meet a sarcastic flaming skeleton. Tom hates the name Wintershiven! Then Al's Aces infiltrate a retreat being run by the Cult of Cryonax and discover strange things underground, including a cell block and a foul temple. In the tavern we talk about Kobold Fight Club and Nosferatus more. PLUS: Tom's wild theories about The Mummy Returns! All this and more on episode 75 of Compare & Campaign.
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A new act begins in the Al's Aces campaign as our heroes return from the Nightside Eclipse realm of Sitra Arha only to discover that someone else has stowed away with them when they travelled through the portal home! Obviously the only things to do are attend Winterfest and pay a visit to the Bong Druid of Mammoth Weed Mountain. In the Destiny of Istus campaign, the adventurers infiltrate a Scarlet Brotherhood temple and interrupt an arcane ritual sacrifice! Then in the tavern we talk about fungus orbs, death cows, and Nosferatus. Plus, Tom gets bitten by a spider!
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In the Destiny of Istus campaign, following their encounter in Eldredd, the players head back to Greyhawk for an exposition dump and are granted a parsonage to use as their base of operations! Meanwhile, Al's Aces escape Sitra Arha and the Gigalich via the Glumurphonel, navigate a security checkpoint and explore the Demilich Ring Observatory! Then over in the tavern, Osprey Publishing gets a moment in the spotlight as Tom and Magill generate a crew for a game of Stargrave and Magill outlines the rules for a game he used to play as a kid using green plastic army men.
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Al's Aces, still behind enemy lines in Sitra Arha, descend into the homeworld of the Nightside Eclipse called the Gigalich where they're thrown into a pit fighting arena run by cannibal undead! And the heroes of the Destiny of Istus campaign find themselves in the city of Eldredd where they have to infiltrate a manor that was once owned by an alchemist who might know the secret to creating a cure for the Red Death! But they're not alone...an old foe is there searching for the same thing! Then in the tavern, Tom talks about the two highest level spells that he could find in the Rifts core rulebook and Magill showcases a terrific short-form RPG called Fleshscape.
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Magill and Tom talk vaccines as this episode of Compare & Campaign opens, and then Al's Aces, having escaped Worships pursued by the cyborg goblin Rex, run into Gutbones while navigating and hacking an outpost to gain critical data in their fight against the Nightside Eclipse. Then in the Destiny of Istus campaign, the players track the animal avatar Morgorath with the help of some centaurs, then investigate the boat of a strange merchant. And over in the tavern, Tom profiles two of his favourite D&D monsters and Magill talks about more weird RPGs that he found!
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Al's Aces continue their adventures in Sitra Arha on Operation Abysmal Heirships as the players infiltrate a data hub, having passed through the gateway realm of Nespithe. And then in the Destiny of Istus campaign, the players head to Jurnre to try and obtain a healing amulet that could hold the power to stave off the plague sweeping the land. Over in the tavern, Magill talks about the I'll Be Back series of mini-RPGs, all based on the filmography of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tom quizzes Magill on what the original D&D monsters were.
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Tom wraps up Operation Portal, which he has been covering on the last couple of episodes, where Al's Aces are frontier operatives in Sitra Arha, stuck in the gateway realm of Nespithe. Then over in the Destiny of Istus campaign, Maeve the paladin is officially inducted into the Order of Istus while her friends are gassed and forced into an underground fighting ring! Then in the tavern, Tom quizzes Magill on the intricacies of bunny herbalism and Magill tells Tom about a defunct RPG where everyone is a psychic dolphin. NICE.
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In this great big episode of Compare & Campaign: the adventurers in the Destiny of Istus campaign get entangled in a catfishing romance scam as a bratty price stows away with the party disguised as a knight! And then Al's Aces go undercover as extraplanar mercenaries in the Nightside Eclipse base of Sitra Arha from whence the undead faction plans and launches their assaults on other factions. Then in the tavern, Tom talks about the awesome but now defunct tabletop game Horrorclix, and Magill runs Tom through a Dungeons and Dragons quiz.
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Al's Aces take over another episode as another act of Tom's campaign starts. Take the Stargate to Necro-Hell along with them and meet that wacky undead dude known by many names, but whom the players call Gutbones! Thrill as Tom recounts key pieces of black metal lore! And then in the tavern Magill talks about an obscure RPG called HoL: Human Occupied Landfill.
NOTE: Alex, don't listen to this episode.
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Tom and Magill are feeling goofy, so this episode starts with a lengthy discussion about non-D&D topics including the sudden release of Black Summer season 2, places where the guys used to buy discount computer games, and the time William Shatner left a voicemail for Tom's mom. Once that's all out of the way, Al's Aces engage in Operation Forgiven Rot, where they liberate the Isle of Labyrinth from invading forces, and the heroes of Greyhawk head to Rookroost to investigate a wizard's tower. Then in the tavern, we take flight on a phantom flyer and a variety of magic carpets!
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Al's Aces go on an action-packed operation where they have to extract some VIPs being held prisoner on the Isle of Labyrinth so they can mount a counterattack against a dragon! The adventurers in the Destiny of Istus campaign finally return to Greyhawk to visit Maeve the paladin's holy order where they are given a summons from a neighbouring kingdom and a new assignment in Rookroost! And over in the tavern: a handy D&D quick reference guide, some gorgeous cottagecore maps, and a profile of the Dust Goblin race. It's haunted, don't steal!
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We got mines, we got towers, we got walls, we got chambers...it's a whole architectural thing on this episode of Compare and Campaign! In the Destiny of Istus campaign, the players expore the dried-up mines of a trading city and learn the ways of dwarven beard magic. And over in Al's Aces, the players find a new home for the Crimson Chambers and face off against a myriad of foes including the Burning Banner orcs and the bizarre creatures known as the perytons. Then in the tavern, Tom talks about a game of Scion that he'd like to run and Magill shares some great resources for maps.
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On this thrilling episode of Compare & Campaign: Al's Aces start a new act as an invasion force attacks from the Arctopus! The Greyhawk adventurers have to adjudicate a witch trial resulting from magical pop-up ads! And in the tavern, Magill asks Tom for recommendations for adventure modules to run with his play group because he's feeling short on inspiration.
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Al's Aces take over the podcast in a full-length episode dedicated to their escapades on Operation Closed Curve as they discover a dang ol' upside-down river and navigate the Dark Pyramid of Sorcerer's Isle! Then in the tavern Tom talks more about the module he based this adventure on and Magill goes through a list of some of the more obscure GURPS supplements from Steve Jackson Games.
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Al's Aces gets extra crazy on this episode as the team heads into the Far Realms, becoming Scrooge Ghosts and fighting a Time Basilisk in one of the most intense encounters Tom has ever run! Then in the Fate of Istus campaign, the players go rogue and, instead of running his planned session, Magill has to pivot quickly as they attempt to assassinate a high-level barbarian king. In the tavern, Tom talks about running a kingdom as a vampire, and Magill explores different kinds of magical dust.
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It's an ending and a new beginning on this episode, as Tom wraps up the final operation in this act of the Al's Aces campaign, which sees the heroes stop a prison break and take part in a huge battle on a glacier! And Magill starts his new Greyhawk campaign: the Fate of Istus, where a rag-tag group of adventurers happen upon an ancient magic artifact thought lost to the sands of time! Then over in the tavern, Magill gives a rundown on two notorious magic items and Tom quizzes him on the meaning of magic words. Plenty of magic to go around!
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We recorded this episode on May the 4th, so naturally Magill has to start things off with his May the 4th rant! You may have already heard it last year. Then Al's Aces venture into a mine guarded by Cannabis Corpses to confront Carmen the Prairie Hag (formerly the immortal). Magill's Eberron campaign wraps up with his Eb-ilogue detailing how it would have ended had it not been abruptly cut short. In the tavern Tom details how to run your vampire's haven and Magill talks about the Bad Apples adventure module that he recently ran. Plus: Yahoo answers is shutting down, DoubleFine is unreliable, and Magill and Tom tell tales from their time in Film Studies.
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We're all over the place in this episode, but don't worry because it's still a show about D&D - I swear! First Tom and Magill review the new Mortal Kombat movie, which leads into a discussion of video game movies and rare cereal, but it eventually loops back to their respective campaigns as Magill describes the (unintentional) final session of the Eberron campaign as the bards venture into the Mournlands leading a zombie horde. Then it's Tom's turn as he regales us with Operation Larval Door, wherein Al's Aces continue their adventures in Hell and meet with Mephisto to complete an Insomnium drug deal. Tom also talks a bit about his time in Iceland, and the whole thing wraps up with a discussion of PC Gamer magazine and our reasons for being DMs.
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Tom done dangus'd last episode, so this one opens with a quick correction before we check in with the bards of Eberron as they encounter a group of exiled bandit sorcerers! Then Al's Aces investigate book thefts at the School of Hellfire and we go on yet another tangent about Mortal Kombat. In the tavern, Magill teaches us how to run a barony and we get a lesson on that legendary D&D artist David A. Trampier.
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In this episode, Al's Aces go to a school of magic in search of some missing tomes and find the library overrun with imps and zombies! Then in Eberron, the bards try to settle on a new name for their band as they encounter the cultists of the House of Pain! Magill also sings the praises of bite-sized D&D, Tom reminisces about the Ottawa Museum of Nature's insect exhibit, and in the tavern we recount the Tale of Sir Bearington.
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Tom is sleepy and Magill is full of ridiculous thoughts on episode Schfifty-Five of Compare & Campaign! Al's Aces are once again exploring Hell disguised as ice bugs, and the bards of Eberron have to help some viking barbarians lay a dragon's soul to rest so it will stop burninating the countryside. Then in the tavern, Magill pours everyone a glass of Psi-Cold from Rifts and Tom details all the pitfalls of being a freelance mercenary agent.
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Tom and Magill switch gears for a moment to talk about their love and hate of the Mortal Kombat movies before diving into a jam-packed episode where the bard of Eberron go hunting for a Mask of Destiny and Al's Aces head back to hell wearing ice bug disguises that Tom keeps forgetting about. Then in the tavern Magill recites the Ballad of Alandare!
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On this episode: Al's Aces head back to Goblintown in Tom's adaptation of the adventure module Secrets of Sokol Keep, the bards of Eberron dungeon crawl their way through a treacherous demiplane, and Magill and Tom debate the merits of classic sitcom theme songs. Plus, in the tavern we look at Scion's interpretation of the god Poseidon and we both contract Warp Touch.
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We start off in Eberron as the wandering band of bards from Magill's campaign attend a bacchanalian party following their performance of the Sixfold Trials of Larazod. Then over in Al's Aces, Tom's players are deployed to the battlefield to take on an army of the undead! And over in the tavern, Tom talks about the Vampire RPG's humanity mechanic - specifically something called the Predator's Taint - and Magill celebrates a full year's worth of episodes by profiling the biggest monster in the D&D Monster Manual: the Tarrasque.
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Al's Aces embark upon Operation Ice Worm (spoiler: no ice worms) and find themselves very thankful for a clever use of Mage Hand! Meanwhile, the band from Eberron undergoes the Sixfold Trials of Larazod as they take to the stage. And in the tavern, Tom gives an overview of Scion's World War 2 supplement "The World at War" and Magill talks about the Dragonmasks from Hoard of the Dragon Queen.
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Hey, we made it to 50 episodes, and to celebrate...Magill and Tom are just doing the same old thing! Magill's Eberron campaign runs through a city-based adventure module from Dungeon Magazine as the players chase an orcish thief through the docks of Passage, and Tom's players conduct a series of raids on criminal hideouts, including an encounter with the infamous Inkpin. Then in the tavern, Tom sings the praises of Salty Bet and its D&D-themed spinoff: Goblin Bet!
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Tom takes inspiration from Robert E. Howard as Al's Aces set out on Operation Conquerer, and one of the characters winds up with a mouthful of ink. Then in Eberron, Magill revisits another classic adventure module from Dungeon Magazine as his band of wandering bards encounters Old Man Katan and his incredible, edible mushroom band! Then in the tavern, Magill describes the bizarre creatures known as Floopers and Tom quizzes us on a bunch of magic words.
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Al's Aces complete Operation Conquerer in Tom's campaign and acquire lots of magical D&D drugs along the way! Then over in Eberron, Magill's troupe of wandering bards stop by Bradbert Niss's house for a game of Spottle. Over in the tavern, Tom outlines the many mini adventures in the Defiance In Phlan module, Magill shares some hilarious retro D&D products (including candy!), and the guys go off on a tangent about French/German flam pizza.
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Magill and Tom have set up the new campaigns they'll be discussing, so let's finally get into them! In Magill's Eberron campaign, the travelling party of bards is asked to investigate the source of the strange ichor polluting a smalltown river, and in Tom's campaign (Al's Aces) the players must trek through the land of stench to save an agent from a goblin hideout. Plus: menhirs, cyclops drama, arrow-slit sniper debacles, and spooky districts! Then, in the tavern, Tom talks about an Adventurer's League module that he used for inspiration, and Magill runs down a somewhat incorrect list of useless D&D spells.
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It's an episode of new beginnings, as Tom starts up his second campaign: Al's Aces! Thrill as the new MPOC recruits have to go through firearms training, learn to decode runestones, and more! Then Magill continues setting up his Eberron campaign with some background on the setting, profiles of the characters, and the introduction to the first adventure. Over in the tavern, Tom outlines some templated introductions from the Adventurer's League and Magill ponders why "pregnancy" is listed as a magical disease on dandwiki.com.
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Join us, won't you, as MPOC's Finest go on their final op of Tom's campaign: Operation Cephalopod! It's a doozy! Then Magill talks about the next campaign he'll be detailing on the show, and in the tavern we discover the origins of the critical hit, a classic Gary Gygax adventure module inspired by Alice in Wonderland, and the Eternal Peanut.
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The campaigns are wrapping up as MPOC's Finest go on their penultimate operation into the flooded sewers to fight wasps and hags! Meanwhile, the Verdant Apocalypse campaign concludes with some major standoffs and an epilogue. Then Tom and Magill discuss the mini-campaign that Tom is running, called "Crimes Against the Faith," and Magill lists some hilarious magic gloves from the good ol' Encyclopedia Magica.
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Magill shamefully corrects a major mistake that has run through his entire description of the Verdant Apocalypse campaign up until this point and describes how he runs a siege without it becoming a slog. Meanwhile, MPOC's Finest keep killin' them bugs in the mines, and over in the tavern with sing the praises of Thaumaturgy and the Emerald Order.
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The wasteland gang of the Verdant Apocalypse campaign has been separated! Some of them wound up in a garbage dump in the settlement of Passage, others found themselves in a prehistoric cave on the other side of a rift wall! Will they be reunited? Meanwhile, MPOC's Finest undertake a lengthy dungeon crawl laid out like a side-scrolling platformer with a whole menagerie of wild monsters. Then, in the tavern, Magill and Tom discuss possible ideas for Dungeons and Dragons movies and roll on some random loot tables. Special background cameo from Magill's overly enthusiastic cats.
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Tom and Magill are covering everything this episode! The Bog of Eternal Stench, impossible arcade games, in-game save points, cosmic knowledge fish, mannequin limbs, tools of the trade, the worst weapons in Rifts, the debate about the origins of the yo-yo, and an update on Stumpy the Spider! Don't miss out, download today, or the Trimera Pantera will get you.
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Tom and Magill discuss the Mandalorian, MPOC's Finest face off against some fire-resistant sticky-icky, the Verdant Apocalypse squad meet a giant goldfish, and in the tavern we get to hear about the Ballad of Edgardo! Excitement! Adventure! And really wild things!
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MPOC's Finest celebrate Dwarven Alliance Day by shutting down a smuggling operation in the sewers! Meanwhile, the wasteland wanderers of the verdant apocalypse meet some new allies and go hunting for food. Then in the tavern, Tom and Magill take a look at some weird magic items as well as the insane RPG "Dungeons: The Dragoning 40,000 7th Edition.
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MPOC's Finest investigate a conspiracy involving a smuggling operation disrupted by a terrorist threat as different criminal organizations clash in Oston, and the post-apocalyptic explorers pass through a dinosaur-infested jungle and find themselves at a bizarre roadside attraction. Then, in the tavern, Tom and Magill workshop some ideas for Tom's campaign idea: Bloodshot Panopticon!
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Magill runs a big vehicular encounter as a mini-session because one of his players couldn't make it, but it ends with a crazy reveal! Meanwhile Tom takes MPOC's Finest through their final challenges before they can rescue a goblin princess! And in the tavern we dodge a bunch of non-lethal traps, and Magill educates everyone on that most confusing of D&D mechanics: THAC0.
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Tom takes more inspiration from arcade brawler video games as he puts MPOC's Finest in a battle on an elevator! Meanwhile, in the verdant apocalypse, the team tries to rescue some of their own from an arena battle by causing a giant, chaotic distraction...and also seeks out some doughnuts. Then in the tavern we take a look at some campaign scenarios from Big Eyes, Small Mouth, and Groj the orc tries to sell us some dubious wares. Plus another encounter with the spider that lives in Tom's room!
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Post-apocalyptic fratboys, vampire clans, Sam Shepard goggles, and a cliched fantasy landscape - we've got it all on this episode! Thrill as MPOC's Finest get a gear upgrade inspired by Splinter Cell but misattributed to an American playwright. Gasp as the wasteland wanderers of the verdant apocalypse are brought before the Alpha Omega. And of course, have a few laughs at the tavern!
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The gang of memory-wiped wanderers in Magill's verdant apocalypse campaign go on a vermin-infested dungeon crawl through a Billy Joel song, and MPOC's Finest start populating the countryside with frozen banana stands. I swear this will all make sense once you listen. Then, in the tavern, you can learn about all the merits of the legendary ten-foot pole, as well as finding out why you can blame clerics on mass transit delays.
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It's an Omega overload as MPOC's Finest go on Operation Omega Rising in the hopes of saving a goblin princess, and the wasteland-wandering crew of Magill's Verdant Apocalypse campaign unwittingly stray onto the turf of a gang known as the Omega Boys. We swear we didn't plan this. In the tavern, Tom lays out the Soviet vampire campaign he's always wanted to run.
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A goblin princess has been kidnapped, a group of strangers wake up in an apocalyptic world with no memory of how they got there, a mind-flayer with a creative brain-themed puzzle is protective of his drink cooler, and the abridged history of Palladium Books! It's a jam-packed episode on this week's Compare & Campaign.
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MPOC's Finest find a creative way out of fighting eachother in an arena battle, and Magill starts a brand-spanking-new campaign! Plus much video game talk, a Wall of Text, and a tavern full of mystic bubblemakers. All that and more on this slightly-delayed episode!
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Minds of Metal and Wheels Part 2 concludes, and Tom and Magill pitch their ideas for a third installment! And over in MPOC's Finest, Tom talks about how to entrap your party without your players feeling like they've been railroaded.
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The climax has arrived for the gang in Minds of Metal and Wheels Part 2 as they have to take on automatons, sky krakens, Martians, werewolves, and more! And over in MPOC's Finest, the party tries to 100% a dungeon crawl, and Tom resent's Magill's comparisons between his squad of bad guys and the Knights of Ren. Get dat orb!
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Time catches up with the gang in Minds of Metal and Wheels, and MPOC's finest go on a dungeon crawl straight out of a video game! And in the tavern we look at a classic D&D module from the man himself: Gary Gygax.
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The steampunk crew from Minds of Metal and Wheels are back on Mars where they uncover the source of the mysterious signal controlling Hudson Cane's automaton on Earth. Meanwhile, MPOC's Finest have to do something they've never done before: make camp behind enemy lines! And in the tavern we talk about the ghouls of Vampire: The Requiem and get some choice DM tips from Spencer Crittenden (or rather, an article he wrote).
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Tom and Magill inadvertantly spend a lot of time talking about potions and apothecaries on an episode featuring more of the time travel and tactical missions that you've come to love. Everything wraps up with a lesson about magic words!
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Tom's players encounter the Mentu Dynasty while Magill's players double back on themselves to revisit a location from their past! The guys also discuss how they handle spells or potions that make characters fall in love, and in the tavern they meet a cactus that looks kind of like a potato.
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Minds of Metal and Wheels starts mucking around with the timeline as the party gets four-dimensional and MPOC's Finest plumbs the Underdark. Then get out your temporary tattoo sheets in the tavern, because Magill and Tom are getting inked.
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MPOC's Finest begin their Frontier Operations behind enemy lines and Minds of Metal and Wheels FINALLY gets to the time travel stuff! It's a big episode full of twists, turns, and at least one tangential conversation about Army of Darkness. Tune in now! Plus Warhammer character generation and Dungeon Magazine adventure module discussion in the tavern.
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It's time for a big fight with some screech owls in Tom's campaign, and Magill's players find themselves in the midst of a huge street brawl! But what's really important is that Tom is excited for the 9th edition of the Warhammer 40,000. Magill introduces everyone to the game of Spottle at the tavern.
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Things are getting intense with the screech owls in MPOC's Finest, and it's a steampunk military base dungeon crawl in Minds of Metal and Wheels Part 2! But really, this episode is about Tabletop Simulator, video game character creation, and Simple, Laid-Back, Universal Gaming.
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Things are getting METAL in Tom's campaign while Magill's party finally makes their way to the mission in Brazil. What took them so long?! Plus some arms dealing goes down at the tavern.
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Tom's players are trying to stop some evil owls from waging war, while Magill's players insist on taking a minute to absorb the impact of last session's cliffhanger ending. Then it's off to the tavern for some bottles and battle yo-yos!
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The crew from Minds of Metal and Wheels are put in charge of solving the mystery of Jack the Ripper's identity, while MPOC's finest completely bypass the adventure entirely and skip to the boss battle. But what's a DM to do except roll with the punches? Then at the tavern, Tom and Magill turn up the ambient soundscapes and take a trip to Mutant Tasmania!
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Tom and Magill recount a couple of brisk yet exposition-heavy adventures in their respective campaigns, but also get sidetracked by a lot of tangential conversation topics, including mention of 10 hours of ambient deep fryer sounds. Plus an exploration of the old Wizards of the Coast map-a-week archives and intense nitpicking of what makes a siege weapon.
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Tom's players claw their way back out of hell as Magill's players try to figure out what kind of monster clawed its way through San Francisco! Can you ever trust someone who goes around wearing a cloak and gas mask? Then, in the tavern, Tom busts out a deteriorating copy of Dragon magazine and things go rapidly off the rails thanks to an abundance of percentile tables in a Rifts book.
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MPOC's Finest go straight to hell as Tom tries to reverse engineer his adventure notes based entirely off the track titles from a metal album. Meanwhile, Magill's steampunk squad arrives at a mission hub in San Francisco, and the guys discuss Eberron's magical version of Chernobyl at the Non-Euclidean Tavern.
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The heroes of "Minds of Metal and Wheels Part 2" uncover a plot to turn addicts into fish people while "MPOC's Finest" go to hell, and Magill and Tom finally order some food at the Non-Euclidian Tavern.
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Magill launches a brand new campaign that's just like his old campaign only more thoroughly mapped out! And Tom starts a new arc for his players involving some Harryhausen skeletons. Plus, Steve Jackson games gets raked over the coals at the tavern!
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Magill's campaign comes to a close and Tom's campaign wraps up its first major story arc, so the guys take some time to discuss how to end your campaign. Plus they spend a ridiculous amount of time gushing about their love for Bully Pulpit Games' Fiasco!
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Magill's campaign is wrapping up and Tom's is approaching the end of his first story arc, which means it's an action packed episode this week. Also, Tom has to contend with a spider that has taken up residence in his room, and Magill brings dessert to the tavern.
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Magill's campaign approaches its conclusion as his heroes prepare for an invasion of Mars, and Tom weaves a tale about the Arctopus. Tom also gets out his homemade list of goblin fruits so that he and Magill can feast at the corner table in the tavern.
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Travel back to mere days before the coronavirus lockdown began as Tom and Magill discuss how to avoid boredom during large-scale combat and contemplate which DMPCs from pop culture are the best. And why do Tom's players keep wanting to kill his DMPCs anyway?
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Magill's players finally make it to the Red Planet as Tom forgets everything that he's talking about thanks to our new sponsor Amnesia! The guys also swap some D&D jokes, talk about their favourite monsters, and Tom goes on a whole tangent about the Jagged Alliance video game series.
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This episode starts with a review of Tom's latest adventure module, published via Goblin Ink Press! Then it's off to the Isle of Labyrinth for the chapter of Tom's campaign, followed by a trip to the moon in Magill's, and everything wraps up in the Tavern of Many Corners as the duo make fun of Palladium Books.
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Magill and Tom spin yarns about infiltration and torture, and take note of some reoccurring jokes that have popped up among their player groups. Also, does anybody understand THAC0? NOT ME!
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We're getting deep into our campaigns as Tom and Magill discuss their respective fifth sessions! Thrill as they contemplate the merits of riddles and traps. They love reading about them, but do they ever use them? Pro tip: never read the exploding runes.
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Enjoy a deluge of content as Magill realizes that last week's episode didn't post correctly, and drift back to an innocent time before the global pandemic! Tom and Magill have no idea what's coming...so instead they talk about how to handle cameo players and other assorted topics!
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Magill and Tom discuss representations of Dungeons & Dragons and other roleplaying games in pop culture as they also describe the second session of their respective campaigns.
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Tom and Magill describe the first chapters of their respective campaigns and talk about how important worldbuilding is when launching a D&D campaign.
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Tom and Magill's brand new Dungeon Master discussion podcast launches as they talk about how to get ready to run an RPG campaign. They also describe the campaigns they have run in the past, and which of them will be the focus of the first season of this show.
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All music composed by Vince Nitro.