Taking 20 Podcast

This episode is a deeper dive into what makes for a good encounter and how we GMs can make them more memorable by adding variety to the monsters, the location, the motivations and the stakes of the encounter.

Taverns are the most overdone trope of starting campaigns.  Taverns are familiar and easy but also bland and boring.  While you can start your campaign with a clandestine meeting or good old fistfight in the local tavern, there are so many better options available to you.  In this episode, I make a case for making a better choice.

Kobolds are just moronic annoying little tunneling monsters who are just goblins in a different body, right?  WRONG!  Kobolds aren't like other monstrous humanoids.  They build complicated lairs, work with other races, and are masterful hit-and-run combatants.

Wizards of the Coast released some radical character creation ideas in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything and Pathfinder 2e drastically changed the way ancestries were treated in the newest edition of its game.  What are those changes?  Are they good for the game?  Tune in and find out.

Curses have played major roles in numerous movies and media:  the ring in Lord of the Rings, the Aztec gold in Pirates of the Caribbean, Ladyhawke, Shrek, Ella Enchanged, the list goes on.  How can you use these curses in your game and not have your player try to kill you with a d4?  Tune in to find out.

GMs, do your players like treasure?  Sure they do.  Everyone does; and that's why mimics are always medium-sized treasure chests in the corner, right?  Not so fast, my friend.  Mimics are more than mindless, opportunistic hunters.  Tune in for some tips and tricks for using these creatures in your game.

PCs have a number of options when it comes to bringing more allies to the battlefield and to the campaign.  What are some best practices for PCs who want to have a super-intelligent celestial dinosaur best friend that they can bring into this plane anytime they want?  Tune in and find out.

This week we return to the class series, focusing on those classes that focus a lot on baddie hit points:  fighters and monks.  Do you want some ideas on how to build a Pathfinder or D&D 5e Fighter or Monk?  Then this episode is for you.

Is your game moving online or staying online longer than you expected?  Mine are staying online for a while so I compiled a list of tips that can help you and your game while using Virtual Tabletops (VTTs).

Music is:

Smooth Lovin by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4379-smooth-lovin

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Travel between adventures doesn't have to be a boring slog of survival checks or reinforcement of how empty your world is.  Travel and exploration activities can spark the imagination, jump start role play and help set the tone for your entire campaign.  Tune in for some ideas on how to execute your players...er...a good travel section of your adventure.