Above Table

This week we divine and dive into the fascinating intersection of tarot cards and tabletop role-playing games. From character creation to game mechanics and storytelling, we explore how tarot can add depth, mystery, and inspiration to your campaigns.

Chapters:

(00:00) Introduction to Tarot in TTRPGs

(03:27) Incorporating Tarot into D&D

(12:13) Using Tarot for Storytelling and Adventure Building

(22:41) Tarot Decks and Their In-Game Effects

(31:15) Tarot-Themed Characters and Sub-Classes

(41:43) The Prognosticator Class: Tarot and Fate Manipulation

(50:19) The Seeker Class: Purpose and Power

(01:06:04) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for full show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

100 Fortunes From The Fortune Teller from DnD Speak

The Tarot Journey

Using Tarot Cards for Character Development, Game Mechanics, and Storytelling

The GM & The Tarot

Tarot for Adventure Building Dummies

Tarot of Many Things from Jesse Brake

Tarot Deck Item from Monkey DM

The Fortune Teller by en-mason

Tarot Domain Cleric from Ausi

Circle of the Wild Card from Heartleaf Games

College of Four Suits from Griffon’s Saddlebag

The Prognosticator from Dillan Ackerman

The Seeker from FriskyRisque

Trinket of the Week: Deck of Throwing

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode isn’t about dance moves but the class with probably the most iconic class feature: Druids and their Wildshape. Join us as we explore the new 2024 Druid changes and have a cozy romp through some fun homebrew subclasses from the evolutionary and botanical to the Dragonix and even Irish folklore-inspired.

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for full show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

Druid Circles from laserllama

Circle of Evolution from Harowing

Into The Wild from Riot Minds

Circle of the Grove from Griffon’s Saddlebag

Circle of Dragons from Griffon's Saddlebag

Circle of Imbolc from Dakota Irish

The Oracles of Aughra from Sarsen Games

The Pantheon of Ethelon from Adventure Ripples

Briarguard Armor from Dungeon Strugglers

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're going back to our roots, exploring a class and associated subclasses, and this time it's monks! Accounting for 2024 rules changes, this episode covers new options for Kung Fu monks, boistrous brawlers, dexterous assassins, elemental strikes and healing hands. Oh - and also how the WORST 5e subclass is finally fixed...

Chapters:

(0:00) Exploring the Monk Class

(06:17) 2024 Rules and Changes to the Monk Class

(11:29) 5e Monk Reworks

(15:38) Master Unarmed Combat Techniques

(24:46) Stealth and Subterfuge

(38:40) Wield Strikes and Bursts of Elemental Power

(51:05) Stay Calm & Heal

(01:03:06) Special Mentions & Unique Monk Options

(01:07:01) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for full show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

Alternate Monk by laserllama

Monastic Traditions by laserllama

Way of the Kidney Punch in The Delver's Guide to Beast World from Heartleaf Games

Way of the Brawler from Johnpocalypse

Way of Strings from Haricu

Way of the Vogue in Chromatic Gamut from Action Fiction

Way of the Stormfist from Griffon’s Saddlebag

Way of Dancing Wind in Among the Open Skies from Aripockily

Way of Peace in Heretic's Guide to Devotion & Divinity from Eventyr

Way of the Artisan in L’Arsene’s Ledger from Loot Tavern

Way of the Hive Monk in Stargazer's Guide to Aroria from Ink and Lyre

Way of the Meridian from Griffon's Saddlebag

Flail Snails Mail Monk Items

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

D&D has expanded well beyond original Medieval fantasy, and whether you're world building in a steampunk metropolis, galactic empire or an alternate eldritch Victorian Europe, the subject of firearms will inevitably arise. This episode is all about exploring firearm rules and those who can use them - from new weapon types, properties and explosives to gunslingers, clerics with carbines and monks with muskets, just take aim and fire away!

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

Firearms of the Realms by Yonael

5e Firearm Rules by Big Milk

Six Shooter from Arvo Halme

Weird West from Mage Hand Press

Thunder Junction from Plane Shifted

Magic Bullets from Tribality

Arcane Firearm Sigil Manual from NovaNC

Gunslinger from Matthew Mercer/Critical Role

Gunslinger from Heavy Arms

Gunslinger Class 4.0 from Ashamed-Plant

The Seas of Vodari from Tribality

School of Gun Magic from CamunonZ

Gun Mage from IDBN

Alien Influence Warlock Class from David Adams

Artificer: Powdermaster from JonnyDM

Valda’s Spire of Secrets from Mage Hand Press

Lens of Distance from Yonael

Kickstarter of the Week: Until Death Do Us Part

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey! Listen! It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this episode full of Zelda content to help with your journey. From different RPG systems and iconic 8-bit dungeon crawls that both emulate the games we know and love, to iconic species and monsters Linked into D&D 5e, this chat serves up more ingredients than you can shake your maracas at! You’ll be a ttrpg tri-force to be reckoned with.

Chapters:

(0:00) Exploring The Legend of Zelda's themes and mechanics

(06:50) What Zelda inspiration can we apply to official rules?

(11:23) The Legend of Zelda inspired rule systems

(19:26) Heroes of Cerulea and Forgotten Ballad

(28:50) Break! RPG and Obojima

(31:16) Diving into Zelda's Races and Cultures

(43:06) Tools for running a Zelda game

(51:05) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes

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Featured on this episode:

Zelda D&D Campaign Ideas

The Legend of Zelda Adventure System from Papers Pencils

The Legend of Zelda: Reclaim the Wild

Heroes of Cerulea from Blackfisk Publishing

Forgotten Ballads from Cool Way Ink

Breath of the Wild Setting Guide from Creator Works

5e Breath of the Wild Player's Companion from Pankratos_Gaming

Hyrulean Races from Ashamed Plant

Zelda Monster Manual from gowronatemybaby7

How to build a 5e Link from each Zelda game

Horse Breeds from The Gollicking

Cyclic dungeon generation from Sersa Victory

Boss Keys from Game Maker's Toolkit

Trinket of the Week: Volcanic Ocarina

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 50! So time to celebrate with some Inspiration! Inspiration has changed in the official rules so we dive into how Inspiration is given out and what it means. We discover a myriad of different ways it can be used at your table from saving up Inspiration for even greater heroics to boon, banes and heroic final actions - there's something to inspire everyone!

Chapters:

(0:00) Understanding Inspiration in D&D

(09:07) Earning and Awarding Inspiration

(17:33) New Rules for Inspiration In 2024

(29:11) Variations on Inspiration Mechanics in D&D

(36:41) Unconcious Inspiration

(40:23) Kibble's Tasty Heroic Inspiration Mechanics

(52:00) Alternatives to Dice Rolling and I Know A Guy

(1:01:06) Final Thoughts on Using Inspiration

(1:03:00) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

8 Best House Rules For Inspiration from The Gamer

[5e] Homebrew Inspiration from Gyllz

Hero's Last Stand from Willibombago

Dying Breath from TheHeadlessOne

I Know A Guy from David Nett

I Know A Guy from Ryan Imel

Fates & Fortunes from Nord Games

Trinket of the Week: The Arcanite Shard

Kickstarter of the Week: Catch Me If You Cant

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wanted a character's tattoos to have more meaning beyond physical description? Then this episode is for you. From Ink Devil Warlocks to Tattooists with sketchbooks and the Marked class who collect as many tattoos as possible - we explore the options that make tattoos an integral part of a character. But not only that - we explore expanding mundane tattoos with tools and inks as well as reems of magical tattoo designs with lore and artwork to enrich your worlds.

Chapters:

(0:00) Introduction to Tattoos in TTRPGs

(08:05) Exploring Tattoos Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

(16:20) Ink Devil Warlock Subclass and How To Become An Inkbender

(25:02) The Tattooist and The Marked Classes

(35:25) Character Customisation and Integrating Tattoos Into Adventures

(43:59) Expanding Tattoo Systems

(56:36) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

Tavern Tales Vol.1 from Escape Plan Games

The Inkbender from Smilesy_

Tome of Mystical Tattoos Vol.1

Magic Tattoos from Cottage of Everything

Magic Tattoos Extended from davidqshull

Tool Craft from Dump Stat Adventures

Guide to Magical Tattoos v4 from LadyJadz

Mystic Ink (Magic Tattoos) from Duncan Rhodes

Trinket of the Week: Sunken Isles Tattoos

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From economic powerhouses and adventuring leagues to scholastic societies and, of course, the infamous thieves' guilds - this episode covers them all. We explore full fledged guilds ready to plug into your world and how to craft your guilds with the renown system. Players run guilds are also the perfect companion to the new bastion system so this episode have options for everyone!

Chapters:

(0:00) Why use Guilds in your game

(10:11) Using Renown for easy Guild interactions

(19:53) Setting up your own Guild

(32:59) Expanding the game with pre-made Guilds

(45:08) Stick to the classics with a Thieves Guild

(53:06) A city of Guilds and other adventures

(59:22) Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

Simple Guilds for D&D 5e from Master The Dungeon

Running a Guild from Gerard Gully

Remarkable Guilds & Their Heroes from Loresmyth

The Guilds of Ethelon from Adventure Ripples

Unearthed Spoils Special Edition - In The Shadows from Grim Press

Leverage: Waterdeep - One Hand Washes the Other from Benjamin L. Eastman & Matt Dunn

Trinket of the Week: Tools of the Trade from Aripockily

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With new games due to start in 2025, we've already covered Safety Tools and Session Zero. But what about Level Zero…? In this episode we explore how playing characters experience before they are plucked from obscurity can enrich personal story, narrative drive and be a bloody good laugh!

Chapters:

(0:00) Welcome Back

(03:26) Exploring Level Zero Play

(13:23) Why is Level 0 not the standard starting point?

(21:59) Dungeon Crawl Classics and Character Creation

(30:26) Understanding the Fifth Edition Funnel

(40:04) Let's roll up a Level 0 Character

(46:07) Inovative Approaches: Humble Beginnings

(54:30) A Life Well Lived

(1:07:40) Level Zero Adventures and Trinket of the Week

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on this episode:

What's Past is Prologue from Alan Patrick

Play Right Now from Domergue

Dungeon Crawl Classics Quickstart from Goodman Games

Fifth Edition Funnel For Dungeons & Dragons from Ten Red Crows Press

Zero Level Rulebook for 5E from Weird Works

Humble Beginnings: Level 0 Characters From Tyler Aiden Gray

A Life Well Lived from Cubicle 7

The Commoner from Walrock Homebrew

How To Play Level Zero from Dungeon Coach

Down & Out in Waterdeep from Zack Sporen

A Hero's Journey from David Flor

Lair of the Lamb from Goblin Punch

Truly Madly Deeply: Level Zero to Hero from Patrick Higingbotham & Chad Cray

Trinket of the Week: 100 Wondrous Items

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The temperature continues to plummet and so we're taking our icy theme to the next level and jumping into Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. Phil brings an avalanche of supplements into Ten-Towns to bury Josh with and they're all pure gold! For anyone inspired by our winter episodes or planning running RotF in the new year, this episode treads clear paths between must-have guidance and supplements for the ultimate chill!

Chapters:

(0:00) Intro and Year In Review

(1:26) Exploring Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden

(4:14) The Sandbox Nature of Rime of the Frostmaiden

(7:29) Campaign Pitch: The Vibe of Icewind Dale

(9:41) Approach to House Rules and Banned Content

(17:24) Dungeon Coach's Arctic Survival Guide

(24:06) Ten-Towns Primers and Resources

(38:47) Enhancing Gameplay with Music & Tools

(44:55) Creative Game Mechanics and Expanding the Bestiary

(1:02:05) Trinket of the Week and Looking Ahead to 2025

Get in touch: [email protected]

https://linktr.ee/abovetable

www.abovetable.com for show notes and more

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Featured on the show:

Rime of the Frostmaiden House Rules from Apostol Apostolov

Arctic Survival Guide from The Dungeon Coach

Ten-Towns Overview from Excel Lynt

Rime of the Frostmaiden Complete DM's Bundle from Eventyr

Ten Towns Expanded from Patrick Rehse & Joe Raso

The Ten Towns of Icewind Dale | Music/Ambiance from AJ's Corner

Ten-Towns Travel Calculator

Rules for Troutball

Black Cabin Puzzle

Frosty Encounters from DnD Unleashed 

Scientific Secrets of Icewind Dale

Glissade from Abyssal Brews

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Music:

"The Path of the Goblin King" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.