In our last episode of the year, we look at the gaming stories of 2012 that we liked and didn’t like. D&D Next manages to make both lists.

“More choices, more problems.”
– game designer

In this episode, we look at whether it’s best to play a jack-of-all-trades or a master of one. We also compare how to build generalists in different systems: level, point buy, and life path.

In our second Locales episode, we look at prisons with their bars, confinement, monotony, brutality and rape. Your players will love them.
We also review, with no spoilers, Prometheus and The Avengers, and discuss how to improve your Werewolf: The Forsaken game.

…but the picture of the gnoll ain’t one of them.

In this episode, we discuss the latest playtest material. We talk about what we like and don’t like, and Wayne makes a case for elves of colour. We also come up with a winning business strategy for Wizards of the Coast to follow for D&D Next.*

*We recorded this episode before WotC announced their plan to emphasize campaign settings and adventures, which bears a striking similarity to our strategy.

We’re not bad; we’re just recorded that way.

In this installment of Creature Features, we continue to redefine what a “creature” is. We look at the mysterious, sexy and dangerous femme fatale and the lesser known homme letal (probably because we coined it).

Should D&D be everyone’s gateway into RPGs?

After about ten minutes of listening to us talk about D&D, you may start to question the “Non-D&D” part of the title, but we do move on to other games. We look at Exalted, A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying, Runequest, and Dragon Age. We evaluate each game’s system, setting, and presentation. We also discuss which ones would be good gateway games. At the end, we talk about an out-of-print game that presented fantasy races in new and badass ways.

“Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose!”
– Dillon Panthers’ motto

It’s Sunday night, folks, and the Idle Red Hands are without one of their star players, Chris “Flesh Wall” Idle. They’ve faced this situation before, but they are also looking at a strict no spoiler policy with this episode. It’s going to be tough talking about one of the best TV series of all time without ruining storylines. I hear that Coach Taylor is going to have them discuss how to use certain key elements and characters types in your games. Are you ready for some football?

“Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war!”
– William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

We don’t let slip dogs, however. We let slip men, manly men, men’s men. Roman men whose virtus strained against the chains of disciplina. Men who could march all day and then spend three hours setting up camp, until their short, sweaty tunics clung to their broad shoulders and powerful backs. Men with thick, stubby fingers and stocky bodies covered in coarse, black hair. (Hmmm, this shouldn’t be turning me on, should it?)

In this installment of Warriors, we answer the age-old question of “Who da man?”

The only thing too big to fail is a dragon, and if we had dragon bankers, we bet people wouldn’t be so keen to Occupy Wall Street. You want to pass on this episode? Passing’s for quarterbacks, and I don’t see a number on your back. So, listen up and join the 1%.

Also, a review of Descent: Journeys in the Dark.

What do two and a half white men know about blaxploitation movies? Unsurprisingly, very little, but we totally dug playing Soul Patrol, Wayne’s funky version of Cosmic Patrol. In this episode, we chill, get our groove on and review the righteous Cosmic Patrol from Catalyst Game Labs. We also discuss what other genres would work well with this slick game. Solid!