Roll For Topic

Episode 189 – Do You Let Players Respec Their Characters?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Lots to catch up on this episode, including the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, edgelord vampire roleplaying from the 1990s, and Chris’ dilemma as a player: can he respec a PC that isn’t mechanically working the way he intended?

Episode 188 – Daggerheart Recap with Jess!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Chris and Jess talk about a small Daggerheart campaign that Jess ran and Chris played in! (Andy will be back next time!)

Episode 187 – Antarctic Cthulhu Weekend After-action Report

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Andy’s back from his weekend GMing an Antarctic Cthulhu campaign, and Chris has questions! Topics covered include the value of creating special game events like this, the challenge of fighting a long campaign into a short weekend, and more.

Episode 186 – What Games Do You Bring on Trips?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Chris is heading off on a work trip, so discussion turns to which RPGs or board games you squeeze into your suitcase when traveling. With snow days and work trips imposing on our schedules, it’s a short episode–but we’ll be back next episode with a detailed breakdown of Andy’s epic Arkham Horror RPG weekend.

Episode 185 – Catch up

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris have a lot to talk about! They discuss Splatbook, how the build-a-dungeon/play-a-dungeon went, the worst part of the D&D ruleset, Shadowdark, and Andy’s upcoming weekend game in a secluded cottage.

Episode 184 – Play-a-Dungeon 2025: Kaiju vs. Theme Park Employees

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

It’s time to play this year’s “Build-a-Dungeon”! Chris GMs a party of five intrepid amusement park employees as they try to save the fair from a rampaging kaiju. This is part of our annual tradition wherein we create an adventure collaboratively in one episode and play it in the next. For the making of this …

Continue reading "Episode 184 – Play-a-Dungeon 2025: Kaiju vs. Theme Park Employees"

Episode 183 – Build-a-Dungeon 2025: Kaiju vs. Theme Park Employees

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This is part 1 of our 2 part Build-A-Dungeon Play-a-Dungeon special for 2025! Chris and Andy are joined, yet again, by John Corey and Kyle Latino! In this episode we brainstorm and build out a one shot adventure that Chris will run in the following episode.

Episode 182 – Stranger Things, Doom, and One Shot Systems

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Chris tries to get Andy to watch the new season of Stranger Things. Andy talks about Doom’s brilliance. Then they talk about simple systems for running one shots.

Episode 181 – Netcrawl, Blades, and 13th Age, Oh My!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Every TTRPG Kickstarter from the last few years seemed to fulfill this month, so Andy and Chris take an episode to go through the piles of shiny new roleplaying games they’ve acquired recently. Along the way they discuss the impact of strong authorial voices in RPG books and plot to ensnare the author of Netcrawl.

Episode 180 – How To Be a Good Player

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Chris has found himself playing in two campaigns, so Andy and Chris talk about how he can be the best player he can be!

Episode 179 – Daggerheart, Draw Steel, and the Post-OGL Landscape

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Chris and Andy take a break from their usual format and have an open discussion about Chris’ new Daggerheart game, and what has their attention now that a wave of post-OGL D&D-alikes are finally arriving. As a bonus, we learn about the corporate merch with which Chris bedecks himself.

Episode 178 – Stranger Things and Aliens

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about Stranger Things and then an issue that Andy had at the table with players and their pregen characters.

Episode 177 – RPG Trivia from RfT Con 2025

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Every year, we host a game convention in Ann Arbor. And every year, a highlight of the con is our obscure RPG trivia contest! This is the live recording of RfT Con 2025’s trivia segment. How does your RPG trivia knowledge stack up?

Episode 176 – Autumn GM Plans and Convention Prep

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Chris and Andy are busy planning RfT Con, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t brainstorming new campaigns they want to run. In this short pre-convention episode, they chat about the campaigns they’re gearing up to run this autumn/winter.

Episode 175 – How Do You Run a Game in Two Hours or Less? (with Garrett Douglas)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We revisit one of our earliest topics, this time with guest Garrett Douglas, creator of Wayne Scotting’s Guide to the Very Small Folk! Garrett shares insight from the many short-duration game sessions he’s run, but not before we chat Ars Magica and share our favorite Chicagoland game stores. Show notes

Episode 174 – Theater and Gaming with Andy Jones

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Chris is joined by guest GM Andy Jones to talk about the intersection between gaming and theater and how good kids these days have it with being able to talk openly about their hobbies.

Episode 173 – Mechs with Toby Shearman

Roll For Topic — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Toby’s going to run a game at RfT Con 2025 about mechs! He comes on to talk through some design ideas and Andy and Chris get very excited about mechs!

Episode 172 – D&D on the Beach, Blue Prince, and The Gunslinger

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Chris wants to pitch Andy on Blue Prince, but decides he should probably talk about some other stuff too.

Episode 171 – The Kids Are Alright

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Chris shares the experience of watching his young daughter and her friends play D&D for the first time. What can jaded adult GMs learn from watching kids hack their way through a D&D adventure? And in what is becoming our regular book discussion segment, Chris and Andy discuss the gaming appeal of Stephen King’s The …

Continue reading "Episode 171 – The Kids Are Alright"

Episode 170 – How Do You Run a One-shot for Non-gamers?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Andy seeks advice about an upcoming game for a group of newbie players. But not before our hosts talk books, Andy excitedly describes his first trip to a swamp, and Chris reveals that his young daughter is about to make her first foray into TTRPGs.

Episode 169 – I Know a Guy and Changing Rules

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris are both about to go on trips so they freewheel a conversation about buying a suit and changing the system for a currently running campaign.

Episode 168 – Do You Replay TTRPG Scenes That Go Wrong?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 22 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Would you ever call for a “re-do” of a scene or encounter that didn’t go as planned? In what situations might that make sense? And are there better ways to “roll with” an unwelcome development in the game? Chris and Andy discuss, along with talk about game pacing and Andy’s million-dollar idea for a mystery …

Continue reading "Episode 168 – Do You Replay TTRPG Scenes That Go Wrong?"

Episode 167 – How Do You Use Weather in Your TTRPGs?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 08 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Does it matter in your D&D game if the weather outside is bright and balmy or cold and rainy? Are there ways to incorporate changing weather into a TTRPG that don’t just boil down to the occasional die roll penalty? Chris and Andy discuss, and Chris describes his experience with Bully Pulpit Games’ The Skeletons.

Episode 166 – Do your characters have lives outside of the adventure?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about the lives our PCs lead outside of the adventuring life. They also inadvertently pitch a very fun sounding game where you play a bunch of teachers.

Episode 165 – How Do You Handle Character Aging and Age Differences?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Have you played in games where your character’s age had a big impact, mechanically or narratively? Chris and Andy discuss why it matters if your D&D character is 18 or 65 years old, and how exploring those nuances might make your game more interesting.

Episode 164 – How Do You Handle Player Mounts and Horses?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What do you do when one of your players comes to the table with a PC that has a horse, mount, or another game feature that radically changes tactical situations? Chris and Andy discuss ways you can approach mounts in a way that doesn’t cheat the player of their mount, but which also doesn’t hurt …

Continue reading "Episode 164 – How Do You Handle Player Mounts and Horses?"

Episode 163 – Do you hand out documents at the table?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about the things we used to love and then get into the the discussion of handing out documents/clues/puzzles at the table.

Episode 162 – How Do You Run Wilderness Survival Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What elements go into a good game focused on wilderness survival and exploration? Chris and Andy discuss, but not before a few detours to talk about Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and The Wizard of Oz.

Episode 161 – How Do You Handle Religion in Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000

What does religious faith look like in your games? Do you encourage your players to make religious faith a key part of their PCs, whether or not their character class is mechanically built around it? Andy and Chris discuss–but not before a few detours into the Dune setting, Tolkien (again), and more.

Episode 160 – How Do You Game in Times of Difficulty?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Is tabletop roleplaying “just” an escapist diversion? How and why do we approach a hobby like gaming when news and politics and life in general are so heavy and overwhelming? Chris and Andy talk about the value of creative action in times of stress.

Episode 159 – To Chase or Not to Chase Your White Whales

Roll For Topic — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris recap the build-a-dungeon/play-a-dungeon and then talk about their gaming plans for 2025. Andy wonders aloud about whether to “just” play D&D or to keep chasing his white whales.

Episode 158 – Holiday Actual Play Special

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It’s our annual holiday tradition–a TTRPG actual play in which we run the roleplaying scenario that we designed in the last episode! Join Chris and he GMs a motley band of heroes try to save Christmas. The game system we’re using is Caltrop Core (https://caltropcore.com/), adapted for this holiday-cheer-filled scenario!

Episode 157 – Build a Dungeon 2024!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again! Join Chris and Andy with special guests, John Corey and Kyle Latino, as they build a dungeon live on air! This is part 1 of 2. In the next episode Chris will run the dungeon for a bunch of lovely folks.

156 – Chit Haters

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about the feelings they have about different methods of getting a random number. Rolling a die is great; drawing a chit from a bag is bad.

Episode 155 – Gold in Games

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about Baldur’s Gate 3 for too long and then Chris surprises everyone by having done a small amount of research before they discuss money in games.

Episode 154 – How Do You Prepare to Run an Epic Campaign? (with Matt Wilson)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Have you thought about running an epic RPG campaign–perhaps a complex published campaign like Curse of Strahd or Masks of Nyarlathotep–but find yourself unsure how to start preparing? In this episode, Andy talks with Matt Wilson, a GM who has run several large, complex campaigns to learn some tips and tricks for preparing to run …

Continue reading "Episode 154 – How Do You Prepare to Run an Epic Campaign? (with Matt Wilson)"

Episode 153 – Spooky and Cheery Holiday Games

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about running games on holidays and what exactly makes it so compelling. They also talk about the upcoming D&D DMG, Alien tie-in novels, and The Left Hand of Darkness.

Episode 152 – What Can Mini-games Add to an RPG?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Have you ever used a mini-game in a tabletop RPG–a game that steps completely outside the official rules of your RPG to resolve a particular situation? We discuss Chris’ experimental one-shot in which he tried out some fun mini-games. Also discussed: Chris’ experience reading The Silmarillion.

Episode 151 – RfT Con 2024 Trivia Quiz and Diamond Heist!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 11:19:13 +0000

Recorded live at the fourth annual Roll for Topic Con! Follow along as the audience takes our annual roleplaying trivia quiz, and plays a brand new game called Diamond Heist.

Episode 150 – What Does Crime Look Like in Your Game Setting?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What does the criminal underworld in your setting look like, and how do the players interact with it? Andy and Chris discuss the topic of crime in RPG settings, along with their plans to run some one-shots at the upcoming RfT Con.

Episode 149 – How Do You Use Languages?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about going to the dentist and also about using languages at the table. Chris makes a reference to a 29 year old movie and Andy makes a reference to a 23 year old tv show.

Episode 148 – How Do You Use Alignment?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Is character alignment a central part of your D&D (and D&D-alike) games, or is it something you change or ignore? Chris and Andy discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the classic alignment chart, and the ways it’s useful at the table.

Episode 147 – The Enthusiasm of a Con

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about Gen Con, Roll for Topic Con, and what makes cons so special!

Episode 146 – Running Minigames Within Your Games

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Have you used a minigame within your RPG to handle a specific scene or sequence? Chris and Andy brainstorm a bit about a jousting minigame for Chris’ upcoming convention game, with discursions into game playtesting, Battletech, and the upcoming RfT Con 2024.

Episode 145 – How to Prep for a Game When You Have No Time (with John Corey)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Guest host John Corey fills in for Chris this week, bringing his expertise in low-prep GMing! John and Andy discuss what they’ve been reading about the early days of the gaming hobby and then go on to talk about how you can move from high-prep GMing to lower-prep, improv-style GMing.

Episode 144 – How Do You Handle Light Sources in Dungeons?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Do you meticulously track the light radius of each torch? Do you handwave it away? Something in between? Inspired by Andy’s recent trip to Mammoth Caves, Andy and Chris talk about the challenges and rewards of taking lighting seriously in your dungeon crawls.

Episode 143 – How Do You Convey Setting Detail to Your Players?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Your setting is full of interesting history and fascinating detail. How do you convey that to your players at the table with boring or overwhelming them? Chris and Andy discuss, but not before they talk about what the movie Furiosa can teach us about good RPG action scenes. Show notes:

Episode 142 – Our Mount Rushmore of Gaming

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk for a while about books and then talk about their own personal Mt. Rushmore’s of RPG Creatives:

Episode 141 – How Do You Help Players with the Rules?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 May 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Do any of your players struggle to grasp the rules of the game you’re all playing? How can GMs help them? Andy and Chris discuss, along with discursions into the weirdness of everyday life and Andy’s recent GMing for a group of sixth graders.

Episode 140 – Live from the AADL Game Con 2024!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris were on a panel with Phil Cameron at the AADL Game Con! We talked about “How to GM like a pro”. Thanks to everyone who came out! It was a lovely time. The panel is also on youtube if you want to watch us talk instead of listen.

Episode 139 – When do you invite players to help you build the world?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about sharing the narrative at the game table. It gets surprisingly philosophical! Also, Andy and Chris will be at the 2024 AADL Game Con on Saturday April 13th! Come say hi!

Episode 138 – How Do You Spotlight Characters?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

What does it look like to shine the spotlight on a particular character in a TTRPG? In this episode, we talk through some player feedback about our last episode, then move on to this important GMing practice. Show notes:

Episode 137 – What Famous Person Would You Like to Game With?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris ponder what famous figure, past or present, would be most fun to have at the gaming table! We also check in on Andy’s Band of Blades game and Chris’ progress through The Lord of the Rings.

Episode 136 – Band of Blades and One Gandalf is Enough

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Join Andy and Chris as they talk about LotR and Andy’s Band of Blades game!

Episode 135 – Dialect, Savage Worlds, and Campaign Length

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Andy and Chris got to game in-person with each other! They talk about the experience of playing Dialect as a world building game for a campaign.

Episode 134 – The Book of the New Sun, and Challenging Game Settings

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We’ve all read books or watched movies that were difficult, but ultimately rewarding. With Andy having just finished Gene Wolfe’s Book of the New Sun, we talk about whether that kind of challenging but satisfying-in-retrospect experience has a parallel in RPG campaigns. What kind of value do we get out of dense, difficult settings and …

Continue reading "Episode 134 – The Book of the New Sun, and Challenging Game Settings"

Episode 133 — What Makes a Great First D&D Adventure?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

As Andy prepares to run Stormwreck Isle, conversation turns to what makes a great D&D starter set or introductory adventure. What experiences do you think best embody D&D? Bonus content in this episode includes more discussion of The Thing, and (if you listen closely) the sound of Andy’s pet guinea pigs squeaking and chattering in …

Continue reading "Episode 133 — What Makes a Great First D&D Adventure?"

Episode 132 — All About Randomness and Dice! (with guest GM Toby)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 10:00:00 +0000

How do you calculate odds and probabilities at the game table? What do we get out of random dice rolls and random tables? And how do dice probabilities work, anyway? We’re joined by mathematician and GM Toby, who talks with Chris about both the mechanics of probability and the ways we use randomness to have …

Continue reading "Episode 132 — All About Randomness and Dice! (with guest GM Toby)"

Episode 131 – Play a Dungeon – The Mice of The Artemis

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

It’s part 2 of our annual Build-a-Dungeon/Play-a-Dungeon specials! Jo, Abby, Liz, and Brandon come on to play through “The Mice of The Artemis” with Chris as GM. Happy holidays everyone!

Episode 130 – Build a Dungeon 2023!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

It’s the holidays so that can only mean one thing: it’s time for us to build a dungeon and then play it live on air! In this year’s Build episode, Andy and Chris are joined, yet again, by John Corey and Kyle Latino of The Splatbook!

Episode 129 – Long-running Campaigns and their Challenges

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about The Walking Dead and videogames before diving into their topic: what questions do long-term campaigns raise that RPG rulebooks do not address?

Episode 128 – Palladium Surprise Package Unboxing and More

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

With Chris temporarily away, Andy is joined by guest co-hosts John and Tim for something we’ve never done before: opening a mystery box of gaming goodness live on the air. Tim unboxes a Christmas surprise package from Palladium Books, after which we revisit one old topic and then ponder a brand new one. Show notes

Episode 127 – Are Your Games “Interesting Failures”?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris take a different approach to gaming in this episode as they discuss the idea of “interesting failures”–art and experiences that don’t succeed, but that nonetheless deliver something worthwhile. After discussing Alien Resurrection, Andy’s favorite example of an interesting disaster, they move on to talk about what “interesting failure” looks like in a …

Continue reading "Episode 127 – Are Your Games “Interesting Failures”?"

Episode 126 – Maintaining Momentum

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris talk about Halloween, how to make a party harder for your players, and then about how to maintain momentum when you have long gaps between game sessions.

Episode 125 – When Players Do the Unexpected

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What do you do when your players make in-game choices you weren’t expecting? Should you try to shift them back onto your planned course, or appreciate the challenge they’re throwing your way? Chris listens as Andy describes a recent adventure that went awry (albeit in a fun way) and they discuss what could have been …

Continue reading "Episode 125 – When Players Do the Unexpected"

Episode 124 — Do You Require Your Players To Read the Rules?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 11:44:46 +0000

How much rules mastery do you ask of your players? Chris and Andy discuss the unique challenge that roleplaying games present, with their often-massive rules tomes and the complicated relationship between rules and roleplaying that takes place at the game table.

Episode 123 – Live at Roll For Topic Con!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Our first live episode in front of a studio (con) audience! Andy runs us through his annual Roll For Topic Swap Table Quiz. Take the quiz while listening and see you how do!

Episode 122 — How Do You Encourage Your Players to Roleplay Among Themselves?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Your players probably interact with you, the GM, in character from time to time. But do they roleplay with their fellow players? What does that look like at the table?

Episode 121 — What Makes a Good Flawed Hero?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What makes for a good flawed player character? Chris and Andy explore what it means to be an interesting flawed or anti-hero. But before they do that, they check in on Andy’s “Masks of Nyarlathotep” campaign and talk about what makes “Masks” unique in a hobby full of great campaigns.

Episode 120 — Choosing the Right Convention Game

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 10:17:00 +0000

In a break from the usual format, Andy and Chris talk through the process of choosing the right game to run for a convention one-shot. Together, they go through the half-dozen games on Andy’s list of possibilities until they narrow down the one that will work best. On the way, they talk about spies, mechs, …

Continue reading "Episode 120 — Choosing the Right Convention Game"

Episode 119 – Audio Equipment, Mysteries, Aliens, and Repetition

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris fail to roll on the table for a topic, but of course have plenty to talk about. Listen as they talk about wrangling audio equipment for a live taping, Brindlewood Bay thoughts, Alien worries, and playing the same games over and over again.

Episode 118 — How to Make Small Towns in Your Fantasy Setting Memorable

Roll For Topic — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy’s back from a cross-country road trip, and he’s eager to talk about all weird and wonderful claims to fame that small, rural towns celebrate. In this episode, Chris and Andy talk about how to make the small towns in your fantasy setting quirky and memorable places to travel through. But first they take time …

Continue reading "Episode 118 — How to Make Small Towns in Your Fantasy Setting Memorable"

Episode 117 – How do You Steal from Movies and Books?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris are thieves! Everyone likes reading books and watching movies, but have you ever lifted a scene or character from them for your campaign?

Episode 116 — What Goes Into a Great Online TTRPG Experience?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We cover a lot of ground in this episode! We talk about health and injury rules, the quirky LitRPG genre, and rethinking alien species in tabletops RPGs. And of course we move onto our main topic: what has the last few years taught us about what makes for a great virtual RPG? Episode notes: Dungeon …

Continue reading "Episode 116 — What Goes Into a Great Online TTRPG Experience?"

Episode 115 — The 30-Year D&D Campaign (with Bryn Mills)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 May 2023 10:00:00 +0000

What’s the longest RPG campaign you’ve ever run? Six months? A year? Two? We’re pretty sure you can’t beat our guest for this episode, who’s been running a weekly D&D campaign for nearly three decades straight. Join us as we learn about Bryn’s truly epic D&D campaign and try to identify the secret of his …

Continue reading "Episode 115 — The 30-Year D&D Campaign (with Bryn Mills)"

Episode 114 — Making Food and Meals a Part of an RPG Campaign (with Jeremy Bai)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Chris and Andy are joined by Jeremy Bai, a prolific translator and author whose RPG Righteous Blood, Ruthless Blades: Wuxia Roleplaying brings the wuxia genre to your game table! We begin by talking to Jeremy about his various projects, RPG-related and otherwise, before discussing different ways that you can make food, drink, and meals more …

Continue reading "Episode 114 — Making Food and Meals a Part of an RPG Campaign (with Jeremy Bai)"

Episode 113 – Running Hacking Scenes (with James Pozenel)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris are joined by James Pozenel of Horse Shark Games to talk about the best way to handle hacking scenes in your TTRPGs (as well as others scenes in which one PC is the star of the show). James is uniquely suited to dispense advice on this, since he’s working on a very …

Continue reading "Episode 113 – Running Hacking Scenes (with James Pozenel)"

Episode 112 — Running RPGs with Kids

Roll For Topic — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 10:18:36 +0000

What do you need to know to run tabletop RPGs with kids? Guest GMs Liz Decker and Tim Saucer bring their experience organizing games for kids to a special roundtable discussion. Liz runs an RPG club at a local high school, and Tim incorporates RPGs into a summer camp for kids. Both have a lot …

Continue reading "Episode 112 — Running RPGs with Kids"

Episode 111 – What Role Does Nostalgia Play in Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Does nostalgia for your youth, and the games you played as a kid, play an active role in the games you play today? And it’s impossible to talk about D&D nostalgia without taking note of the upcoming D&D movie. Listen as they share their hopes and dreams (or lack thereof) for Dungeons and Dragons: Honor …

Continue reading "Episode 111 – What Role Does Nostalgia Play in Your Games?"

Episode 110 — How Do You Adjust the Tone at Your Gaming Table?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

How do you fine-tune the tone–whether it’s grim, comedic, or something else–at your gaming table? Chris and Andy talk about this, but not before they muse on the challenge of running murder mysteries in the TTRPG medium, among other things.

Episode 109 — How Do You Incorporate PCs’ Family and Loved Ones?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Family, friends, and loved ones of PCs, when they appear at all, often serve primarily as victims whose plight motivates the PCs. Are there more and better ways to make the PCs’ loved ones a part of the game? Andy and Chris discuss!

Episode 108 — Dealing with GM Distraction

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:48:35 +0000

Have you ever struggled to stay focused on the campaign you’re running because you’re distracted by all the shiny new games on your bookshelf that you’d also like to be running? Andy and Chris talk about the challenge of avoiding “shiny object syndrome.”

Episode 107 — What Do You Do When Your Players Get Stuck?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris go back to their Roll For Topic roots and roll on the old Table of Topics for this one! They (briefly) discuss the OGL and D&D and what it all means to them before diving into just what in the world a GM should do when their players have no idea what …

Continue reading "Episode 107 — What Do You Do When Your Players Get Stuck?"

Episode 106 — Old Year Reflections, New Year Ambitions (with Matt Wilson)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Chris is temporarily out for this episode, which means that there’s nobody to stop Andy and guest GM Matt Wilson from venturing down all kinds of historical tangents! Join us as we try to keep our enthusiasm for the Late Antique period in check, and reflect on the GMing lessons we learned in 2022 and …

Continue reading "Episode 106 — Old Year Reflections, New Year Ambitions (with Matt Wilson)"

Episode 105 — Actual Play: Snake Oil’s Last Score

Roll For Topic — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 05:06:00 +0000

In the last episode, we planned a Wild West adventure and “dungeon.” Now, we force a gang of hapless players through it! Guest players John, Ben, Toby, and Brandon team up to take on the sinister Snake Oil Kid and his gang. Will things go smoothly and according to plan? Or will they veer wildly …

Continue reading "Episode 105 — Actual Play: Snake Oil’s Last Score"

Episode 104 – Build a Dungeon 2022!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 11:00:00 +0000

It’s the holidays which means it’s the return of Roll For Topic’s traditional Build-a-Dungeon/Play-a-Dungeon! This episode we design a “dungeon” with our pals, Kyle and John, from The Splatbook. Next episode we’ll run what we came up with as an actual play. You can listen to these episodes in whatever order you’d like. Happy holidays!

Episode 103 – Design an encumbrance system that even encumbrance haters will want to use

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000

This week Andy and Chris are joined by Toby to talk about encumbrance systems. Listen as they slowly convince themselves that encumbrance isn’t all bad. This topic was added by listener, Wulf Mungus. Thanks, Wulf!

Episode 102 — Using Cellphones Creatively at the Game Table

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris recap their Halloween roleplaying experiences before tackling a tricky design challenge: can they come up with an interesting way to use cellphones as part of a roleplaying experience?

Episode 101—Design an Adventure Built Around a Performance (with guest GM Alban)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Chris and Andy are joined by guest GM Alban to discuss how you might build an entire adventure around a performance. Is that a performance by the PCs, or by the players? We discuss that, with side forays into topics like Ars Magica, finding GM inspiration in the natural world around you, and more!

Episode 100 — Looking Back at 100 Episodes

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Can you believe we’ve produced 100 episodes? What a wonderful ride it’s been. Join Andy and Chris for a special episode of reflection on the last four years of roleplaying and podcasting. This episode departs from our usual format and asks you to indulge Andy and Chris as they discuss what they’ve learned and where …

Continue reading "Episode 100 — Looking Back at 100 Episodes"

Episode 99 – Create a Cult that Your Party Would Want to Join

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 10:30:00 +0000

What makes a “good” cult in a game? They also have a few pamphlets for you to read—and if you join them in their study they’d be happy to answer any questions you might have!

Episode 98 — Tracking Time and Tension

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Chris and Andy brainstorm a tactile system for marking the passage of time or health in an RPG! But not before Chris a ridiculous action movie, and Andy pitches a ridiculous mashup of a certain intergalactic hunter and a certain murder-mystery RPG.

Episode 97 – Design a 1 Page RPG with John Corey

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0000

John Corey, on loan from The Splatbook, comes on to talk about Vaesen and then helps Chris design a 1 Page RPG.

Episode 96 – Roll For Topic Con 2022 Recap -Stars and Wishes

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 03:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris, with clear eyes and full hearts, chat about their experiences at Roll For Topic Con 2022. They start by using the “Stars and Wishes” framework and then immediately deviate into a less structured conversation.

Episode 95 — Preparing a Convention One-shot

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Beset with pre-convention GMing anxiety, Andy and Chris describe their game prep challenges and brainstorm solutions to some of the questions and problems they face. After passing through the depths of GM despair, will they recapture their enthusiasm for convention GMing by the end of this episode? Spoiler: YES!

Episode 94 — Design a Deadly 10-foot Room

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Andy and Chris brainstorm a deadly, yet survivable, 10x10x10 room. But not before recent family vacations prompt more musings about the mysterious Natural World outside our basements, and the “GM brain” curse of constantly thinking about gaming when you should be admiring the great outdoors.

Episode 93 – Conversation On the Road

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Join Andy (holed up in an airBnB somewhere in the hinterlands of Colorado) and Chris (holed up in his office) as they chit-chat about their recent travels and how they cannot stop thinking about running games.

Episode 92 – Design an adventure for a mouse

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris try very hard not to step on Brian Jacques toes while designing an adventure for a mouse!

Episode 91 — Design a Door that Both Terrifies and Intrigues Your Players

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 06:00:00 +0000

What kind of door would simultaneously beg players to open it, yet fill them with dread at the prospect of doing? Chris and Andy devise a creepy-yet-compelling door sure to cause your players to argue about whether and how to open it.

Episode 90 – Design a sequence of devious dungeon traps

Roll For Topic — Thu, 26 May 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Oh no! Andy and Chris walk fail their investigation check and walk right into a trap! As penance they have to design a series of traps for a technomancer’s dungeon.

Episode 89 — Design the Coolest Boat for an RPG

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000

What would you say is the coolest boat there is? Andy, Chris, and guest GM Nate put their minds together to try and create a really cool boat you can drop into your tabletop RPG.

Episode 88 – Design an Arena Boss Rush

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Listen as Andy and Chris continually fail to not reference videogames as they design an arena boss rush! This question was sent into us by Ryan out in Korea. Thanks, Ryan!

Episode 87 — Design an Interesting Shop

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Can Chris and Andy design a shop for a roleplaying game that’s actually interesting to visit? Listen as they brainstorm a quirky shop that provides not only items for your players to purchase, but opportunities for investigation and adventure. Episode 87 appendix (aka show notes): The Deep House, a horror movie that takes place entirely …

Continue reading "Episode 87 — Design an Interesting Shop"

Episode 86 – Create a Festival!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 06:30:00 +0000

Test your might and win the prize of listening to this episode where Chris and Andy take on the design challenge of: “Create a festival” (a topic added by Tim Saucer)! Chris reminisces way too much his stint in Indiana and Andy relives some memories of horrible footwear. Then they imagine a totally normal festival …

Continue reading "Episode 86 – Create a Festival!"

Episode 85 — Space Anomalies That Beg to be Investigated

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

What space object or event would be so insanely interesting that even the most dedicated PCs will divert course to go check it out? Chris and Andy brainstorm three space anomalies that even the least curious characters couldn’t stop themselves from investigating.

Episode 84 — Underwater Adventures (That Are Actually Fun)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Big news in this episode! Roll for Topic isn’t on its own anymore–we’re now part of a brand-new podcast network. After discussing this news (and nerding out about Michael Moorcock’s Elric novels), Chris and Andy puts their GM brains together to come up with an idea for an underwater adventure that sounds not just workable, …

Continue reading "Episode 84 — Underwater Adventures (That Are Actually Fun)"

Episode 83 — AMBUSH! (with Peter Dillman)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris ambush Peter Dillman, creator of the Dillman’s Dungeon: A Gamer’s Retreat Kickstarter campaign, and force him to design an ambush scenario for a fantasy roleplaying game. Along the way we learn all about Peter’s amazing vision for an “Air D&D” venue to host gaming getaways. Show notes: The Dillman’s Dungeon Kickstarter campaign. …

Continue reading "Episode 83 — AMBUSH! (with Peter Dillman)"

Episode 82 — Useless Magic Items (That Might Have a Use)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Ever given the player characters a magic item that seems to have no practical use… only to have the players figure out a good use for it anyway? Andy and Chris brainstorm up several such “useless” magic items you could drop into your campaign.

Episode 81 — Creating a Love Triangle for Your Game

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

We’re starting something new with this episode! Join as we roll on our brand new Table of Design Challenges to determine a random GM design challenge for Andy and Chris to create on air. The first challenge is to create a love triangle that can be added to any D&D campaign!

Episode 80 — Actual Play Retrospective, and New Year GMing Goals

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

It’s a brand new year! We start with Chris’ reflections on running last episode’s live game, and then Andy and Chris both talk about GMing goals for 2022—as well as about plans for the podcast!

Episode 79 — Play-a-Dungeon 2021!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Join Nicole, Cory, Phill, and Brandon as they explore the crazy sci-fi dungeon we created in Episode 78! With Chris as GM, they encounter space pirates, escape from space bugs, and do many other exciting space-related things. The system used to run this game is the excellent Caltrop Core, which puts the divisive d4 to …

Continue reading "Episode 79 — Play-a-Dungeon 2021!"

Episode 78 – Build a Dungeon Special 2021!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 06:30:00 +0000

It’s our annual Build a Dungeon Special! Andy and Chris are joined by John Corey and Kyle Latino to brainstorm and build out a dungeon/adventure live on-air. Our next episode will be a play-through of the dungeon with some other special guests. Enjoy!

Episode 77 – What location or time would make a great RPG setting?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 06:30:00 +0000

It’s our last “normal episode” of the year! Listen as Andy and Chris talk about what locations and time periods would make for great RPG settings.

Episode 76 — How Do You Incorporate PCs’ Family and Friends into Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Do the family, friends, and loved ones of your PCs play a role in your campaigns? Are they mostly there to disadvantage the PCs, or do they contribute something more to the game?

Episode 75 — How Do You Prepare a One-shot?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000

It’s Halloween one-shot season! Andy and Chris are both prepping spooky one-shots, and talk about how to quickly ease players into game rules that are new to them and make the most of the session.

Episode 74 — How Do You Deal with Imposter Syndrome?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 06:00:00 +0000

This episode takes an unusual turn as Chris and Andy chat about the experience of “imposter syndrome”—of feeling unworthy to participate in this hobby we all love. After a heartfelt discussion, the episode closes out with a more upbeat talk about Halloween one-shots.

Episode 73 — How Do You Increase Player Investment in Your Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris discuss ways to get your players more invested in a roleplaying game—but not before they pursue tangents including Jack Vance’s “Dying Earth” novels and how to handle keeping-watch sequences at the table.

Episode 72 – Trent Reznor, butterflies, and puzzles (with Phill Cameron)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 06:30:00 +0000

This week Chris talks with GM Phill Cameron! We talk about a lot of stuff including Vampire: The Masquerade, make a d6 table about the places you’ll go if you follow a butterfly, and then we even roll on the table to talk about designing puzzles.

Episode 71 — What’s Up with D&D Character Creation?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Andy and Chris diverge from the show’s regular format to discuss a novel they both love and how to set meaningful stakes for RPG encounters… until Chris fails his saving throw and goes into a wild rant about the character creation process in D&D. Listen as they try to salvage some positive insight from Chris’ …

Continue reading "Episode 71 — What’s Up with D&D Character Creation?"

Episode 70 — Convention Reflections!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 06:00:55 +0000

We had ourselves a game convention! Chris and Andy share some brief reflections on the first Roll for Topic Con, a (very) mini-convention at which games were run, old RPG sourcebooks were traded, and fun was had.

Episode 69 — How Do You Balance Action, Levity, and Drama? (with guest GM Laura)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:04:20 +0000

Special guest Laura joins us to talk about the challenge of finding the right balance of tone and story at the gaming table. We also hear about Laura’s experience helping to organize the U-Con convention, and about her recently-finished East Texas University campaign, in which her players dealt with supernatural threats, midterm exams, and mean …

Continue reading "Episode 69 — How Do You Balance Action, Levity, and Drama? (with guest GM Laura)"

Episode 68 — How Do You Run Large Battles?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 06:00:59 +0000

What do large-scale battles look like in the games you run? Chris and Andy discuss the different ways that big battles can play out in a roleplaying game, and talk about the appeal and limitations of large-scale combat.

Episode 67 — ‘The Ground Itself’ Actual Play Part 2 (with Amber Seger and Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 06:30:40 +0000

Amber Seger (@rocketorca) and Kyle Latino (@kylelatino) join Chris and Andy for part two of our playthrough of The Ground Itself! Show notes for Episode 67: Amber Seger, graphic designer, illustrator, co-owner of the Geekspective podcast network, and all sorts of other awesome things Kyle Latino, mad master of RPG maps The Ground Itself, the wonderful RPG …

Continue reading "Episode 67 — ‘The Ground Itself’ Actual Play Part 2 (with Amber Seger and Kyle Latino)"

Episode 66 — ‘The Ground Itself’ Actual Play Part 1 (with Amber Seger and Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 06:00:08 +0000

Amber Seger (@rocketorca) and Kyle Latino (@kylelatino) join Chris and Andy for an epic playthrough of The Ground Itself! Working together, we collaborate to tell the story of one extremely weird castle and the people who live and (maybe) die there. Show notes for Episode 66: Amber Seger, graphic designer, illustrator, co-owner of the Geekspective …

Continue reading "Episode 66 — ‘The Ground Itself’ Actual Play Part 1 (with Amber Seger and Kyle Latino)"

Episode 65 — What on Earth is a THAC0?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:20:10 +0000

After an opening reflection about character creation, Chris and Andy tackle the question that drives us all: what is THAC0, how does it work, and why do so many gamers point to it as a confusing stumbling block?

Episode 64 — Spaceship Dinosaurs, Mutant Crime-fighters, and More

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 May 2021 06:00:27 +0000

Join Chris, Andy, and guest GM Joel Boonstra as they venture off-script and deep into the heart of 1980s children’s cartoons! With the help of the Gamma World roleplaying game, they create a team of barge-dwelling crime-fighters certain to dominate Reagan-era toy store shelves and Saturday morning TV.

Episode 63 — Sports Are Just Numerology Actual Play

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 May 2021 06:00:18 +0000

For a change of pace, Chris and Andy take a break from talking about roleplaying games and actually play one! We play a short game of Sports Are Just Numerology, a fun one-page RPG for two players by Ben Roswell. Listen as your co-hosts stumble through the frightening world of sports!

Episode 62 — How Do You Use and Care For Your Game Books?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 12:17:20 +0000

How are your physical game books a part of the experience of tabletop gaming? How do you handle, annotate, and use them at the table? Andy and Chris wade into questions about the beloved books that contain the games we play.

Episode 61 — How Do You Start a New Campaign? (with guest GM Murph)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:17:06 +0000

Once you have an idea for a new campaign, how do you make it happen at the table? Guest GM Murph joins Andy and Chris to discuss different ways to approach the first days of a new roleplaying game.

Episode 60 – What campaign are you chickening out of running?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 06:30:23 +0000

Andy and Chris get personal and share all about the campaigns they really want to run, but just can’t quite bring themselves to dive into. It’s a GM therapy session! Appendix: Band of Blades Friends at the Table The Quiet Year The Ground Itself The Great Pendragon Campaign Beyond the Mountains of Madness

Episode 59 — How Do You Use Mazes in a Roleplaying Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 06:00:08 +0000

Mazes and labyrinths are a fixture of fantasy roleplaying games, but are they actually fun? Chris and Andy talk about what goes into making mazes fun for your players to interact with. Episode 59 appendix: Candlekeep Mysteries, a new D&D compilation of library-themed adventures that Chris hopes to run soon. The Descent, a 2005 horror …

Continue reading "Episode 59 — How Do You Use Mazes in a Roleplaying Game?"

Episode 58 — Waterdeep Postmortem, Plus Digital Resources in Games (with Guest GM Tim Saucer)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:32:52 +0000

Tim Saucer joins Andy and Chris to discuss his recently-completed Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign, before diving into this episode’s topic: how do you use PDFs and other digital game resources at your table?

Episode 57 — “Eternal Lies” Campaign Postmortem (with Guest GM Matt Wilson)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 06:00:16 +0000

Guest GM Matt Wilson (@hypomodern) joins the show to discuss his recently-finished 18-month campaign of “Eternal Lies”! Matt talks about what worked and what didn’t, how he adjusted the campaign for his table, and what GM tricks he used to make the experience come alive for his players. Episode 57 appendix: Eternal Lies, an epic …

Continue reading "Episode 57 — “Eternal Lies” Campaign Postmortem (with Guest GM Matt Wilson)"

Episode 56 — How Do You Handle Luck and Divine Intervention? (with guest GM Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 06:00:14 +0000

Guest GM Kyle Latino joins Andy and Chris to discuss luck, fate points, divine intervention, and other ways that games equip players with get-out-of-jail-free cards! We hear from Kyle about his new Kickstarter project, and then chat about every type of deus ex machina we can think of. Episode 56 appendix: Old Roads, Kyle’s map …

Continue reading "Episode 56 — How Do You Handle Luck and Divine Intervention? (with guest GM Kyle Latino)"

Episode 55 — How Do You Manage Scheduling For Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:00:51 +0000

Every GM knows that scheduling game nights is the hardest part of their job. Andy and Chris chat about how they manage (or fail) to get everybody to the gaming table.

Episode 54 — Actual Play: “The Accidental Tomb”

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 06:00:08 +0000

Join us for a special acutal-play episode as GM Chris shepherds a party of guest players through “The Accidental Tomb,” the adventure we brainstormed in episode 53!

UPDATED: Episode 53 — Holiday Special: Live Build-a-dungeon!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 06:00:49 +0000

Please redownload this! We had an audio glitch with the original and needed to do a quick edit! Happy holidays! Andy and Chris welcome guests John Corey and Kyle Latino for a special episode in which they brainstorm a dungeon. Chris will DM this very dungeon in the next episode for a gang of unwitting …

Continue reading "UPDATED: Episode 53 — Holiday Special: Live Build-a-dungeon!"

Episode 52 — What Expectations Do You Place On Your Players When Starting a Campaign?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 06:00:39 +0000

Chris and Andy create a d10 random table of unexpected things that can happen when the players start a fire—and after some discussion of Andy’s “Alien” campaign and D&D Christmas giving, we launch into our official topic: expectations you place (or don’t place) on your players at the start of a new campaign. d10 Mysterious/Interesting …

Continue reading "Episode 52 — What Expectations Do You Place On Your Players When Starting a Campaign?"

Episode 51 — How Do You Manage Inventory in Your Games? (with Tim Saucer)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 07:00:30 +0000

Special guest GM Tim Saucer joins Andy and Chris to discuss the ins and outs of handling inventory, equipment, and encumbrance in roleplaying games. Plus, the gang puts together a special bonus Thanksgiving-themed random table, in case you need some holiday inspiration!

Episode 50 — Season 1 Finale, and Resetting the Table of Topics!

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 06:00:21 +0000

Brace yourselves for a big episode! Chris talks about his experience running a Halloween scenario for two very different groups of players. And then, to cap off the first “season” of the podcast, Andy and Chris brainstorm a new Table of Topics!

Episode 49 – Broken Control Panels, Aliens, and Spoopy Sitcom Recaps

Roll For Topic — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 07:00:45 +0000

All all GMs are wont to do, Chris and Andy continue to break their self-imposed rules and make yet another d6 table on air. This time it’s all about fixing broken control panels on space ships. After that they talk about Andy’s upcoming Aliens inspired game and recap Chris’ halloween one shot. d6 table for …

Continue reading "Episode 49 – Broken Control Panels, Aliens, and Spoopy Sitcom Recaps"

Episode 48 — Scary Warehouses, 90s Sitcoms, and Halloween One-shots

Roll For Topic — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 06:00:16 +0000

Chris and Andy break all the rules in a special episode centered around Halloween gaming. Listen as we create a d6 table you can roll on to see what scary things are happening in this warehouse (you needed one of those, right?), and then move on to discuss a unique Halloween game that Chris is …

Continue reading "Episode 48 — Scary Warehouses, 90s Sitcoms, and Halloween One-shots"

Episode 47 – A Different Kind of Fantasy Gaming

Roll For Topic — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 07:00:09 +0000

Listen as Ryan Gough teaches Andy and Chris all about a game played by millions of people that they barely understand. For regular listeners this one is a bit far afield from what we normally do, but we thought it’d be fun to discuss on air. Hope you enjoy it! Extra special thanks to Ryan …

Continue reading "Episode 47 – A Different Kind of Fantasy Gaming"

Episode 46 — How Do You Design Your Game Sessions So That Players Can Show Off?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 06:00:33 +0000

Do you build encounters and adventures in such a way that players have lots of opportunity to show off their character’s abilities, powers, and personality? Andy and Chris discuss!

Episode 45 — Tom Knauss, Tehuatl Kickstarter, and the Care and Feeding of Your Game Books

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 05:00:39 +0000

Tom Knauss of Frog God Games joins us to discuss the new Lost Lands: Tehuatl Kickstarter. We enjoy an in-depth talk about the process of creating a Mesoamerica-themed setting book, then launch into this episode’s topic: how you care for your physical game books. Note: the sound quality for this episode isn’t up to our …

Continue reading "Episode 45 — Tom Knauss, Tehuatl Kickstarter, and the Care and Feeding of Your Game Books"

Episode 44 — How Do You Prepare Set-piece Encounters?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 15:35:31 +0000

This week Christopher Becker came on to talk about running set-piece encounters. Those points in your game where you take some special care to prepare. Do you break out special terrain or miniatures? Do you prepare a big speech for the BBEG to deliver? Do you treat every moment as a set-piece lovingly created for …

Continue reading "Episode 44 — How Do You Prepare Set-piece Encounters?"

Episode 43 — What Do You Do With the Encounters and Secrets Your Players Don’t Discover?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 13:45:25 +0000

Do you share your GMing secrets with players after each adventure? Or do you hang on to them in hopes of re-purposing them? With Chris back at the helm as co-host, we follow this topic into some unexpected places, including the merits of re-running adventures and the importance of information asymmetry in RPGs.

Episode 42 — How Do You Create Memorable NPCs?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 06:00:56 +0000

What’s the key to making NPCs who are memorable, interesting, and possibly even beloved by the players? Chris, Andy, and John discuss. And as a bonus, Andy breaks out a brand-new GM challenge for his co-hosts. Listen and judge their on-the-spot GMing decisions!

Episode 41 — What Do You Do When You Feel Unenthused About the Game You’re Running?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 14:31:22 +0000

Special guest (and former host) Chris joins Andy and John to talk about what you can do when you’re just not feeling very excited about your game.

Episode 40 — How Do You Build or Choose a Setting for Your Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 15:14:47 +0000

Do you like running games set in established, well-defined settings? Do you prefer coming up with setting details on the fly? Something in between? John and Andy talk through the big topic of finding or building the right setting for your game. Episode 40 appendix (show notes): RPG Alchemy Fate Condensed Dungeon World Swords Without …

Continue reading "Episode 40 — How Do You Build or Choose a Setting for Your Game?"

Episode 39 — How Do You Use Fear in Your Roleplaying Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:31:01 +0000

What does fear look like when it crops up in your games, horror or otherwise? How can you use fear to motivate player characters and make for a fun, tense game? John and Andy discuss.

Episode 38 — How Do You Use Maps in Your Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 May 2020 07:00:14 +0000

What role do maps play in the games that you run? While Chris is taking a few weeks of parental leave, Andy is joined by guest co-host John Corey to discuss the wonderful topic of maps. Note: the audio quality on this episode is a bit lower than our usual standard, for which we apologize; …

Continue reading "Episode 38 — How Do You Use Maps in Your Game?"

Episode 37 — How Do You Handle Character Death in a Roleplaying Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 May 2020 15:15:27 +0000

What do you do when a character in your game bites the dust? If character death happens, how do you work it into your campaign, and how do you address the topic with your players? Andy and Chris discuss this notoriously tricky subject.

Episode 36 — How Do You Make Dungeons Feel Adventurous? (with John Corey)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 16:24:24 +0000

Are the dungeons in your game mysterious, exciting experiences, or dull, slow-moving grinds? Andy and Chris are joined by John Corey to discuss ways you can inject a little bit of that “Indiana Jones” vibe into your dungeons.

Episode 35 — How Do You Make In-game Travel Interesting?

Roll For Topic — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 00:16:48 +0000

Do you wince at the thought of roleplaying through a long journey? You’re not alone. Chris and Andy chat about what makes the difference between a travel sequence that is tedious, and one that adds something compelling to your campaign.

Episode 34 — Social Distancing Special: How Do You Run an Online Game?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 17:32:22 +0000

If you’re a GM stuck at home during this time of social distancing, you’re almost certainly giving some thought to running your favorite RPG online. What should you know going in? Andy and Chris are wondering the same thing, so they’ve convened a special panel discussion with returning guests Kyle and Murph to talk through …

Continue reading "Episode 34 — Social Distancing Special: How Do You Run an Online Game?"

Episode 33 – How do you run games when your group is just one or two players? (with Shel Kahn)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 12:15:58 +0000

We’ve all been there. It’s game night and over the course of the day everyone is cancelling until you only have 1 or 2 players. Do you cancel? Do you play a board game instead?! Or do you embrace the smallness and see what happens? Shel Kahn joined us this week to roll on the …

Continue reading "Episode 33 – How do you run games when your group is just one or two players? (with Shel Kahn)"

Episode 32 – How Do You Handle Romance and Shopping in Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 07:00:59 +0000

Donn Stroud joins us to talk about two things that are a major part of life that sometimes get missed in tabletop games: romance and shopping! Unsurprisingly, we had more to say about one of these things than the other. Appendix: Mothership and Dead Planet Lesser Key to the Celestial Legion – cowritten with James …

Continue reading "Episode 32 – How Do You Handle Romance and Shopping in Your Games?"

Episode 31 — How Do You Establish Mood and Avoid an “Adventure Slapstick” Tone in Your Games?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 06:00:48 +0000

Joking around with your friends around the game table is great, but sometimes you want to steer away from that default “adventure slapstick” vibe. How do you establish the appropriate mood for the game you’re running? Andy and Chris discuss this, along other diverse topics including Games You Should Play in Art Museums and Chris’ …

Continue reading "Episode 31 — How Do You Establish Mood and Avoid an “Adventure Slapstick” Tone in Your Games?"

Episode 30 – When Do You Look Up Rules?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 21:20:12 +0000

Chris and Andy chit-chat about some recent games they ran. Then we dive into our topic about the most fun part about games: referring to the rules! Rules are arguably what makes a game a game; however, pausing the session to flip through a book can kill the narrative momentum at the table. So, dear …

Continue reading "Episode 30 – When Do You Look Up Rules?"

Episode 29 — Do You Run Published Adventures or Create Your Own? (with Jess Snyder)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:59:27 +0000

Guest GM Jess Snyder joins Andy and Chris to address the timeless question: do you run published adventures or exclusively homemade ones? And how do you address the challenges that arise with each approach?

Episode 28 — How to Introduce a New Game to Your Gaming Group

Roll For Topic — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 06:00:22 +0000

How do you go about bringing a new RPG to the table? Andy and Chris discuss—and do a little reflecting on the first year of Roll for Topic.

Holiday Special Part 2: Live Play-a-dungeon!

Roll For Topic — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 19:06:12 +0000

Happy holidays everyone! We’re back with an episode in which we play through the dungeon that we made during the last episode. Andy is your esteemed GM for this one and we were pleased to have Aaron, Matt, and Brandon join in as players! If you liked this two-part experiment of building and playing a …

Continue reading "Holiday Special Part 2: Live Play-a-dungeon!"

Holiday Special Part 1: Live Build-a-Dungeon (with guest GM Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 05:00:43 +0000

As a change of pace for the holidays, Andy and Chris team up with previous guest Kyle to design a dungeon one-shot on the fly! Will the end result be a masterpiece of adventure design or a hilarious trainwreck that features psychic whales, post-apocalyptic shopping malls, and something called a “hyperskeleton”? Tune in to find …

Continue reading "Holiday Special Part 1: Live Build-a-Dungeon (with guest GM Kyle Latino)"

Episode 25 — How Do You Deal with Anxiety as a GM?

Roll For Topic — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 05:00:56 +0000

Call it stage fright, nervousness, or GMing anxiety, but all gamemasters must deal with it. What are some ways to minimize it? Andy and Chris discuss. Episode 25 appendix: Hotel Artemis. The Improv for Gamers book. The videogame Ion Fury. Junji Ito’s horror manga Uzumaki.

Episode 24 – Do You Read the Block Text in Your Adventure? (special guest, Aaron)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 15:00:52 +0000

We’re joined by Aaron this week to talk about reading the written block text from adventures. When there’s block text in the adventure module you’re running, do you read it out loud? Verbatim, do you paraphrase, do you throw it all away because you know best?! Join us as we talk all about narrating at …

Continue reading "Episode 24 – Do You Read the Block Text in Your Adventure? (special guest, Aaron)"

Episode 23 – How to Introduce Non-Gamers to Your Game

Roll For Topic — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 14:10:02 +0000

This week it’s just Andy and Chris jabbering about how to introduce non-gamers to your game. We talk about such things as: character creation, whether players should have to read the rules cover to cover, and when and how to introduce mechanics into the game. Appendix: The Adventure Zone’s MaxFunCon East Live show where they …

Continue reading "Episode 23 – How to Introduce Non-Gamers to Your Game"

Episode 22 — How to Handle Doors in Dungeons (with guest Al McWilliams)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 05:00:14 +0000

Guest GM Al McWilliams joins Andy and Chris to talk about his Damage Dice Kickstarter, and to talk about the question that’s on every GM’s mind: How do you handle doors in dungeons? Episode 22 appendix: The Damage Dice Kickstarter project Gyld, Al’s company that makes cool gaming stuff Orcpub, a character generator for D&D …

Continue reading "Episode 22 — How to Handle Doors in Dungeons (with guest Al McWilliams)"

Episode 21: What Elements from Other Media do You Bring into Your Tabletop Games? (with Audrey Huggett)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 19:18:40 +0000

Audrey, who was on the show back in Episode 13, came back on to talk a bit about how the AADL RPG Fest went and then to help us think about what stuff from other media (videogames, movies, books, etc.) we bring into our tabletop games. Unsurprisingly a LOT of stuff came up in this …

Continue reading "Episode 21: What Elements from Other Media do You Bring into Your Tabletop Games? (with Audrey Huggett)"

Episode 20 – The Shortest Episode: Running Halloween Themed Games

Roll For Topic — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 07:00:57 +0000

Andy is out sick this week so rather than skipping Chris decided to jump on the mic and blab about whatever struck his fancy for a few minutes, which happened to be running Halloween themed games! It’s only September; however, if you’re planning on doing something for Halloween now is the time to start prepping! …

Continue reading "Episode 20 – The Shortest Episode: Running Halloween Themed Games"

Episode 19 — How to Run a Convention Game (with John Corey)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Gamemastering a roleplaying game at a convention is a much different ball game than running for your home group. Guest GM John Corey returns as we discuss the fine art of running games at conventions! Episode 19 appendix: Ann Arbor District Library RPGFest U-Con Numenera Phoenix Dawn Command …which is different than Phoenix Command Dungeon …

Continue reading "Episode 19 — How to Run a Convention Game (with John Corey)"

Episode 18 – 7th Sea Campaign Retrospective with Matt Wilson

Roll For Topic — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:24:13 +0000

Matt, one of our first guest GMs, recently wrapped up a two-year campaign of 7th Sea, so we invited him back to reflect on what he’s learned. Also, we touch on the topic of using history to inform gaming. Episode 18 appendix: 7th Sea, second edition. 7th Sea, first edition. Eternal Lies.

Episode 17 – Reflections on Gencon 2019

Roll For Topic — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 12:22:52 +0000

As a change of pace from our usual format, we’re talking about Gencon 2019, from which Andy just returned! Chris and Andy discuss some GMing takeaways from the con. Episode 17 appendix (mostly games that Andy played at Gencon): Gencon, of course. The Mothership RPG. Band of Blades. Eclipse Phase. Cthulhutech. Delta Green. @geekteachin, who …

Continue reading "Episode 17 – Reflections on Gencon 2019"

Episode 16 – How to Send Off a Player Who’s Leaving Your Game

Roll For Topic — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 05:00:06 +0000

What do you do when one of your players has to leave the game for good? Hopefully, you give them a fun in-game send-off. Chris and Andy discuss what makes for a good farewell salute to departing players. Also: we want to hear your suggestions for topics to cover! Drop us a line if you’ve …

Continue reading "Episode 16 – How to Send Off a Player Who’s Leaving Your Game"

Episode 15 – Theater-of-the-mind vs. Maps, Minis, and Other Visual Representations (with Murph)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 12:01:25 +0000

We’re joined by Murph to talk about how to bring the action at the table alive. Do you paint word pictures, or slap down some gorgeously painted miniatures? If you have any feedback, praise, or criticism, we want to hear about it! Visit our contact page for how to get your message directly to us. …

Continue reading "Episode 15 – Theater-of-the-mind vs. Maps, Minis, and Other Visual Representations (with Murph)"

Episode 14 – How to Create and Use Monsters in a Game (with Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 06:30:07 +0000

This episode we’re joined by Kyle Latino, our first returning guest (!), to discuss monsters. Listen as we all admit to just re-skinning existing monsters from the Monster Manual as needed. Episode 14 appendix: Fantasy Fun Council on itch.io – Kyle’s tables and supplements. Powered by the Apocalypse – the system all D&D DM’s secretly …

Continue reading "Episode 14 – How to Create and Use Monsters in a Game (with Kyle Latino)"

Episode 13 — How to Prepare to Run a Roleplaying Game (With Audrey Huggett)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:32:45 +0000

We’re joined by GM and librarian Audrey Huggett to talk about preparing to run an RPG. We also hear about Audrey’s successful efforts to bring roleplaying events to the library! Episode 13 appendix (aka show notes): Murder at Raccoon Ranch, a massive roleplaying/mystery event that Audrey hosted at her library. The In Between: Quest for …

Continue reading "Episode 13 — How to Prepare to Run a Roleplaying Game (With Audrey Huggett)"

Episode 12 — How to Handle Randomness in Your Games

Roll For Topic — Thu, 30 May 2019 12:51:07 +0000

How do you incorporate random elements into your games? Do you rely heavily on randomness or do you downplay it? Andy and Chris discuss the fun (and occasional terror) that random elements bring to a roleplaying game. Episode 12 appendix (aka show notes): The D&D Starter Set, featuring the adventure “Lost Mines of Phandelver” which …

Continue reading "Episode 12 — How to Handle Randomness in Your Games"

Episode 11 — How to Track Combat Details (with Jason Matteson)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 16 May 2019 12:30:57 +0000

What’s the best way to track and manage hit points and other details during an RPG combat scene? Guest GM Jason Matteson joins Andy and Chris to discuss this practical question! Episode 11 appendex (aka show notes): Habler’s Purse, a magic item that Jason created and makes available at the Dungeon Master’s Guide store (pay-what-you-want). …

Continue reading "Episode 11 — How to Track Combat Details (with Jason Matteson)"

Episode 10 — How to Deal with Bored or Distracted Players (with Greg Teachout)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 02 May 2019 12:38:21 +0000

What’s a GM to do when their players start getting bored or distracted during a game? Guest GM Greg Teachout joins Andy and Chris to discuss a challenge that every GM will face at some point. Episode 10 appendix: D&D 2nd and 5th editions. Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov. Save the Cat Writes a Novel …

Continue reading "Episode 10 — How to Deal with Bored or Distracted Players (with Greg Teachout)"

Episode 9 — How to Manage the Power Level of an RPG (with David Frees)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 12:42:50 +0000

How to you set the power level (and handle the power curve) in a tabletop RPG? Guest GM David Frees joins Andy and Chris to discuss. Episode 9 appendix (aka show notes): The D&D Expert Set. The Lore fantasy roleplaying game by GameFace Publishing (Dave’s game!). Hackmaster 5th edition by Kenzer and Company. Other games …

Continue reading "Episode 9 — How to Manage the Power Level of an RPG (with David Frees)"

Episode 8 — How to Handle Consequences for Player Characters (with John Corey)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 11:57:46 +0000

What do you do when the PCs take actions that have severe consequences? How do you make sure that in-game consequences add to the game, rather than detract from it? Guest GM John Corey joins Andy and Chris to discuss! Episode 8 appendix (aka show notes): Microscope by Lame Mage Productions, one of John’s go-to …

Continue reading "Episode 8 — How to Handle Consequences for Player Characters (with John Corey)"

Episode 7 — How to Keep Combat Scenes Moving (with Caitlin Sanders)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 16:11:16 +0000

It’s every GM’s worst fear: a combat scene that drags on forever as players lose interest. What are some tips for keeping combat scenes focused and interesting? Andy and Chris are joined by Caitlin Sanders to share their thoughts and experiences.

Episode 6 – Running Roleplaying Games for Different-sized Groups (with Jessica Snyder)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 05:00:11 +0000

Have you ever run a game for just two people–or a group of ten? Does your game group size fluctuate from week to week? Jessica Snyder joins Chris and Andy to discuss the challenges (and fun!) of running games for groups of varying sizes.

Episode 5 – Bringing Elements from Other Game Systems into Your Game (with Mark French)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 05:00:59 +0000

Have you ever imported a rule or system from a different roleplaying game into the one you’re running? Andy and Chris are joined by Mark French as they discuss GURPS-eating rabbits, which games model recoilless rifles, and also the topic at hand. Episode 5 appendix: The infamous GURPS-eating rabbit. GURPS Special Ops, the game sourcebook …

Continue reading "Episode 5 – Bringing Elements from Other Game Systems into Your Game (with Mark French)"

Episode 4 – Props and Handouts and When to Use Them (with Kyle Latino)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 07 Feb 2019 07:10:16 +0000

What do props and handouts add to a roleplaying game session? Special guest gamemaster Kyle Latino joins Chris and Andy to discuss the pros and cons of using handouts in your game. Episode 4 appendix: The Dragon Ball Z roleplaying game, which served as Kyle’s entry into the roleplaying hobby. The Savage Beard of She …

Continue reading "Episode 4 – Props and Handouts and When to Use Them (with Kyle Latino)"

Episode 3 – How to Use a Dungeon Master’s Screen (with guest Matt Wilson)

Roll For Topic — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 20:45:30 +0000

What makes a good DM screen, and what do they add to the game? Special guest gamemaster Matt Wilson joins Andy and Chris to talk about how they do (or don’t) use dungeon master’s screens. Episode 3 appendix (AKA things that got mentioned): Eternal Lies, a Trail of Cthulhu campaign that Matt is preparing to …

Continue reading "Episode 3 – How to Use a Dungeon Master’s Screen (with guest Matt Wilson)"

Episode 2: When Roleplaying Games Derail

Roll For Topic — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 20:44:38 +0000

What’s a GM to do when their best-laid plans are derailed by pesky players? Andy and Chris discuss the many ways roleplaying game sessions can go awry. Transcript below provided by Barbara Tozier! Episode 2: How to stop derails from happening? [opening music] Chris: Hello and welcome to _Roll for Topic_ an RPG podcast. This …

Continue reading "Episode 2: When Roleplaying Games Derail"

Episode 1: How to GM a Game in 2 Hours or Less

Roll For Topic — Thu, 27 Dec 2018 20:36:03 +0000

Is it possible to run a satisfying game session in just one or two hours? In this inaugural episode, Andy and Chris share their experiences running game sessions with very tight time constraints. Transcript below provided by Barbara Tozier! Episode 1: How to run a game in two hours or less [opening music] Chris: Hello, …

Continue reading "Episode 1: How to GM a Game in 2 Hours or Less"