AJM Nerdcore

This is where i buy all my games 👇
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⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
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A 1978 Kenner Luke Skywalker figure is going under the hammer at Vectis in Thornaby on 15 October, and it's expected to fetch up to £20,000. The reason is a tiny bit of yellow plastic: the double-telescoping lightsaber.

I own Luke's lightsaber (well, a £250 Padawan Outpost replica), so I went down the rabbit hole. I cover how the original prop started life as a camera flash handle from a London shop, why the blue lightsaber was really Anakin's, and why Luke's green one only exists because the blue blade kept vanishing against the Tatooine sky.

Then it's the toys. Kenner sold kids an empty box for Christmas 1977, gave the first Luke, Vader and Obi-Wan figures a saber that snapped if you looked at it, and quickly swapped it for a simpler one. The ones that survived are now worth thousands, and the record for a double-telescoping Luke is $161,457.60.

I also emailed Vectis with a few questions, and I've put together a simple three-step test so you can check your own old Star Wars figures before anything goes in the skip.

I'll post the hammer price once the auction's done, so keep an eye on my feed.

What's still sitting in your loft? Tell me in the comments.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - A £20,000 Luke Skywalker in Thornaby
1:09 - My Luke lightsaber and the camera it came from
2:06 - The blue lightsaber was never Luke's
3:22 - Blue or green?
4:05 - My childhood Star Wars "collection"
4:39 - Christmas 1977: Kenner sold an empty box
5:54 - The design mistake worth a fortune
7:04 - I emailed Vectis
7:43 - The £20,000 Luke up close
8:26 - The $161,457 record
9:22 - Would I sell it?
10:30 - The Don't Chuck It Out test
11:21 - Go and check your loft

THE AUCTION

Vectis Star Wars auctions (lot 623, 15 October): https://www.vectis.co.uk/departments/star-wars-auctions

The news story: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/rare-star-wars-luke-skywalker-161919433.html

CHECK YOUR OWN FIGURES

Standard vs double-telescoping saber, with an animated comparison: https://galacticcollector.com/fig/Luke-Skywalker

Double-telescoping lightsaber guide (Star Wars Collectors Archive): https://theswca.com/lexicon/dt.html

Antiques Roadshow values a double-telescoping Darth Vader: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisals/1978-kenner-darth-vader-with-double-telescoping-lightsaber/

THE RECORD SALES

$161,457 Luke, the record for a production action figure: https://www.si.com/collectibles/new-record-for-most-expensive-production-toys-ever-sold

More on the $161k Luke: https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/auctions/rare-luke-skywalker-toy-expected-to-sell-for-six-figures

The 2022 Luke that sold for $100,252: https://journalofantiques.com/columns/gavels-n-paddles/luke-skywalker-figure-100252-lcg-auctions/

THE LORE

How the lightsaber was made from camera parts: https://petapixel.com/2011/07/11/star-wars-lightsabers-were-originally-made-from-camera-parts/

Return of the Jedi deleted scene, Luke builds his lightsaber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Ms7echpVk

Mark Hamill on the cut Force Awakens opening: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-7-force-awakens-opening-sequence-lightsaber/

Kenner's 1977 Early Bird Certificate advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvYUjtowo5A

MY LIGHTSABER

Padawan Outpost Thin Neck Luke: https://padawanoutpost.com/en-us/products/thin-neck-saber-model-luke

#starwars #lukeskywalker #vintagestarwars #kenner #lightsaber #starwarscollector #toycollecting

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This is where i buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
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💸 SNAKZY 📱 Play games. Earn rewards. Cash out
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Do you still love Warhammer 40k but feel like you're always one release behind? You're not the only one.

I came into 40k by buying somebody else's Blood Angels army off eBay, and I'm still stripping and repainting it one squad at a time. Lately I've noticed a lot of creators and long-time fans stepping back from Warhammer, so I went through Reddit threads, comment sections and Games Workshop's own numbers to work out why.

In this video I look at the three things wearing people out: how fast 11th edition releases are coming, the September price rise and the $420 limited edition Space Marine codex, and the classic units like the Tactical Squad and Dreadnought heading to Legends. I also give Games Workshop some credit, because plenty of people are enjoying 11th edition. Then I share what I'm doing with my own army, and the one rule that got me painting again.

What was your first 40k army, and are you still playing it? Tell me in the comments.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Do you feel one release behind?
2:01 - Who's burnt out on Warhammer
3:36 - 11th edition is moving too fast
5:09 - Price rises and the $420 codex
6:49 - Legends and the old-school look
8:46 - To be fair to Games Workshop
9:40 - What I'm doing with my army
11:06 - What was your first army?

CREATORS FEATURED

@MidwinterMinis : I think I'm done with Warhammer 40k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRtdui9Qdo0

REDDIT POSTS FEATURED

Is it hobby burnout? Trying to find the love again:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1wew9wh/is_it_hobby_burnout_trying_to_find_the_love_again/

Current verdict on 11th edition?:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1w9zln3/current_verdict_on_11th_edition/

I hope 40k doesn't get any new factions this edition:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1wfo09n/i_hope_40k_doesnt_get_any_new_factions_this/

Raptors Hammerfall Bunker... just in time to get sent to Legends:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1wo2wpm/raptors_hammerfall_bunker_just_in_time_to_get/

USEFUL LINKS

Games Workshop annual report 2025-26: https://assets.ctfassets.net/ost7hseic9hc/1C4g3JYVr04ZCkPb39ygIA/93055850ed01cc1fa1da261e29a57fa5/Accounts_2025-26_FINAL_v2.pdf

11th edition reveal: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/ctdexme4/warhammer-40000-the-new-edition-is-revealed-at-adepticon-preview-2026/

What's in the Armageddon box: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/x2allqya/warhammer-40000-armageddon-whats-in-the-box/

Tone Pro, the 150 new paints: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mewx9x8r/the-big-autumn-preview-paint-better/

September 2026 price rises: https://www.inhobby.gg/news/games-workshop-price-increase-2026/

The $420 Space Marine codex: https://spikeybits.com/40k-hobbyists-upset-over-new-400-codex-prices/

The six-month army cycle (Spikey Bits): https://spikeybits.com/why-warhammer-40k-is-so-expensive-the-six-month-army-cycle/

Space Marine units moving to Legends: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/bbnskauh/big-space-marines-news/

Your current codex still works in 11th: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/95fucn12/building-an-army-in-the-new-edition-of-warhammer-40000/

GamesRadar's 11th edition review: https://www.gamesradar.com/tabletop-gaming/this-is-the-most-balanced-start-to-a-warhammer-40k-edition-that-i-can-remember-but-theres-still-room-for-improvement/

Combat Patrol: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/topics/combat-patrol/

WATCH NEXT

My Blood Angels vs T'au battle report: https://youtu.be/CayeQ9OBTFY

My Combat Patrol video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jI_6Gk2eVo

#warhammer40k #warhammer #bloodangels #miniaturepainting #tabletopgaming

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

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This is where i buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT: 9% off games, gift cards & subs
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💸 SNAKZY 📱 Play games. Earn rewards. Cash out
→ https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Warhammer Tone Pro looks like magic when pro painters use it. So what happens when normal painters try Games Workshop's new paints, and do beginners actually need them?

I'm not a pro painter. I'm repainting a second-hand Blood Angels army one squad at a time, and I own seventeen slightly different reds, so I know exactly how paint FOMO works. When Games Workshop let normal people try Tone Pro in stores, I went through what they found. The thick coats that really did level themselves out. The new white that still needed three coats over black. The self-confessed average painter who wasn't sold, and the people who loved it.

Then I get to the question most new painters are asking: do you need to swap your Citadel paints for Tone Pro? I look at what the 1 to 5 numbered tones get right for beginners, what the paint won't fix, and the one question I'd ask before spending any money on new paint.

A beginner walks into a Warhammer store tomorrow. Would you point them at Tone Pro? Tell me in the comments.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Do normal painters need Tone Pro?
1:12 - What Warhammer Tone Pro is (150 paints, 5 tones)
2:43 - The self-levelling thick coat test
3:55 - Pro painters vs the rest of us (meet Dave)
5:31 - What normal painters found at the store demos
7:14 - Paint FOMO and the Tone Pro launch
8:38 - Do beginners need Tone Pro?
10:27 - What I'd actually buy
11:17 - Would you recommend Tone Pro?

CREATORS FEATURED
Thank you to everyone whose work I talk about.

TheChirurgeon (Robert Jones), Tabletop Battles: the "goopy" thick coat test
https://www.tabletopbattles.com/thechirurgeons-road-through-2026-part-40-testing-new-tone-pro-paints

TheChirurgeon and Rich "Cronch" Nutter, Tabletop Battles: full Tone Pro review
https://www.tabletopbattles.com/tabletop-battles-reviews-warhammer-tone-pro-paints

@Ninjon (Jon Ninas)
Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG7ErJtvi7Z4OiXSuAeKdZg
Jon 'Ninjon' Ninas Tries Warhammer Tone Pro Paints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ2yWocOyfQ

Aleksandra Cvetanovski, @CraftworldStudio
Channel: https://www.youtube.com/craftworldstudio
Aleksandra Cvetanovski Tests Warhammer Tone Pro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_eRoeAU7Rg

Marko Miladinović, @CraftworldStudio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markomiladinovic127/
Marko tries his artistic style with Tone Pro: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/eqc84lj0/marko-miladinovic-tries-his-artistic-style-with-warhammer-tone-pro/

@Warhipster (Josh Hill)
Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Warhipster
Josh 'Warhipster' Hill Tests Warhammer Tone Pro Paints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d3ICh2Z1bI

@DuncanRhodesDRPA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuRNH2cb6VwsZbzILptDVIA

REDDIT POSTS FEATURED
New Tone Pro paints demo findings:
https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/comments/1wqprfv/new_tone_pro_paints_demo_findings/

Test model from the Tone Pro demo:
https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/comments/1wr1irc/my_test_model_from_the_tone_pro_demo/

Tone Pro initial thoughts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1wr0isz/tone_pro_initial_thoughts/

Tone pro in store test:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1wqszb8/tone_pro_in_store_test/

The "used without skill" comment:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer40k/comments/1woj02i/underpainting_technique_teacher_aleksandra/

USEFUL LINKS:

Games Workshop's Tone Pro announcement: https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mewx9x8r/the-big-autumn-preview-paint-better/

Tone Pro pre-order preview (Warhammer Community): https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/13drg5hr/sunday-preview-warhammer-tone-pro/

Citadel Colour is now Warhammer Colour (your old paints still work): https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/okgv4njl/citadel-colour-is-becoming-warhammer-colour/

#warhammer #tonepro #minipainting #warhammer40k #miniaturepainting

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

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This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store — https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals — https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards — https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT — 9% off games, gift cards & subs
LUCKY7 — 7% off games, gift cards & subs

💸 SNAKZY — Play games, earn rewards, cash out → https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Five Warhammer alternatives, all picked by you in the comments. Some cost a fraction of a Warhammer army, some need about ten models, and one involves Hot Wheels cars with guns glued on.

I cover Frostgrave, Trench Crusade, Gaslands, Malifaux and Moonstone: what each one costs to start, what the miniatures are like, and which kind of Warhammer player will get the most out of it. None of them are here to beat Warhammer. Each one wins a different category, and at the end I tell you the one I would put my own money on.

If you have ever asked what else is out there for a Warhammer fan, this is the video.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Why I Looked Beyond Warhammer
1:28 How I Picked These 5 Games
2:33 Frostgrave: The Cheap Fantasy Skirmish Game
4:43 Trench Crusade: The Grimdark Alternative For 40K Fans
7:50 Gaslands: Hot Wheels Wargaming On A Tiny Budget
9:45 Malifaux: The Card Driven Skirmish Game
11:44 Moonstone: The Indie Pick I Actually Bought
14:58 My Final Pick And Which One You Should Try

🔗 LINKS FROM THE VIDEO

Frostgrave (Osprey Games) — https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/frostgrave-second-edition-9781472834683/

Trench Crusade — https://www.trenchcrusade.com/

Gaslands: Refuelled (Osprey Games) — https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/gaslands-refuelled-9781472838834/

Malifaux Fourth Edition (Wyrd Games) — https://www.wyrd-games.net/malifaux-fourth-edition

Moonstone (Goblin King Games) — https://www.moonstonethegame.com/

Moonstone starter sets — https://shop.moonstonethegame.com/

My Warhammer cost breakdown — https://youtu.be/9sLlaFA-DWY?si=pkYoSiepJFctxQUS

🎬 FOOTAGE CREDITS

"Let's Play! - Frostgrave 2nd Edition by Osprey Games"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ankYNBe2E

"Trench Crusade Kickstarter Announcement Trailer"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51p3K7FEpcQ

"Let's Play! - Gaslands by Osprey Games"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq6mC0RBAjs

"Moonstone the Game - What is it? An Introduction & Painted Model Showcase"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1uuJv9uPWI

Which one would you try first? If I have missed a smaller game that deserves a spot, tell me in the comments and I will cover it.

🔔 Subscribe for more Warhammer and tabletop videos made for people who want the hobby without the gatekeeping.

#warhammeralternatives #warhammer #miniaturewargaming #tabletopgaming #frostgrave

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

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This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT: 9% off games, gift cards and subs
LUCKY7: 7% off games, gift cards and subs

💸 SNAKZY, play games, earn rewards, cash out: https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Dungeons & Dragons has a new Netflix show on the way, and Hasbro is going through one of its messiest years yet.

This is part three of the series, and it's where the actual drama lives. Netflix just announced a new D&D show, Ravenloft, centred on the vampire Strahd, right after their other D&D series got cancelled in development. Meanwhile at Wizards of the Coast, the president has stepped down, several videogames have been cancelled, and tens of millions of dollars have been written off.

I go through what's actually going on with the Netflix show, the real story behind Sigil, D&D's own virtual tabletop, and why one employee's quote about it bothered me more than anything else in this whole story. Then I give my honest verdict on whether any of it should actually change how you feel about playing.

No, it doesn't. Hasbro can make as many corporate decisions as it likes, none of it touches what happens when you sit down with your mates and roll some dice. This is the final part of the series that started with the Warlock videogame, so if you haven't seen Part 1 or Part 2 yet, I'd start there.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Why I Don't Fully Trust Hasbro Anymore
2:09 - The Cancelled D&D Netflix Show And The Ravenloft Replacement
6:04 - What's Actually Going Wrong At Wizards Of The Coast
11:29 - Does Any Of This Change Whether You Should Play D&D

LINKS TO SUPPORT WHAT'S COVERED:

Ravenloft series announcement: https://nerdist.com/article/netflix-d...

Netflix cancels the Forgotten Realms series: https://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2026...

Curse of Strahd, the source material: https://marketplace.dndbeyond.com/adv...
The Witcher on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80189685

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80148535

Fan reaction piece on the romance angle: https://www.fandompulse.com/p/netflix...

PC Gamer's optimistic take on Ravenloft: https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/d-a...

John Hight stepping down as Wizards president: https://gamesbeat.com/john-hight-is-s...

Hasbro's $56M videogame writedown: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/busines...

Wizards cancels Giant Skull's D&D action game: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/05/wizar...

The Sigil VTT story in full: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/hasbro-...

Chris Cocks on generative AI and D&D: https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/hasbro-c...

Wizards' tabletop is canon policy, explained: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dun...

Warlock official gameplay trailer:    • Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons - Official Gam...  

Heroes of the Borderlands, the beginner starter set: https://www.dndbeyond.com/en/heroes

Watch Part 1 of this series:    • This Studio Already Got D&D Wrong Once  

Watch Part 2 of this series:    • Can This D&D Game Work WITHOUT Any Dice Rolls  

Three videos, a cancelled show, a new one, an executive reshuffle, and enough corporate language to put anyone off their dinner. None of it changes whether Dungeons & Dragons is worth playing. It just changes how much I trust the company behind it.

Subscribe for more honest, no-gatekeeping takes on getting into D&D, Warhammer, Star Wars and LOTR as an adult.

#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #hasbro #wizardsofthecoast #ravenloft

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

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This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT: 9% off games, gift cards & subs
LUCKY7: 7% off games, gift cards & subs

💸 SNAKZY, play games, earn rewards, cash out: https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Why Ocarina of Time is still my favourite Zelda nearly thirty years later, and why the remake this November has me properly nervous.

I was about ten when I first played it, three days at a time on a rented N64 copy from Blockbuster after a decent school report. This video is everything that game did to me the first time round: Hyrule Field feeling like Middle-earth, the ReDeads and Wallmasters I still haven't forgiven Nintendo for, the Water Temple with no walkthrough except a cousin who wouldn't let you forget it, and the music that takes me back to my actual childhood bedroom rather than anywhere in Hyrule.

It's also about why "that's just nostalgia" isn't the cop-out people think it is, and why I'm more nervous about the Ocarina of Time remake than excited. Nintendo are about to show me exactly what Hyrule looks like, and I've spent thirty years remembering a completely different one.

If you had your own first Hyrule, whatever game that actually was for you, I think you'll recognise every bit of this.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro: Why I'd Wipe Ocarina of Time From My Memory Just to Play It Again
1:26 - Growing Up With It: School, Blockbuster & The Rules of Dial-Up Internet
3:02 - Hyrule Field: Why It Felt Like Middle-earth at Ten Years Old
3:42 - The Music: Gerudo Valley, Saria's Song & The Title Screen That Isn't About Hyrule
4:19 - The Water Temple: No Walkthroughs, Just The Iron Boots
5:08 - The Time Skip: Pulling The Master Sword & Becoming Adult Link
5:49 - Defending The Nostalgia: Why "It's Just Nostalgia" Doesn't Hold Up
6:59 - It's Not Just Nostalgia: What World of Warcraft & Warhammer Prove
7:40 - The Remake: Why I'm Nervous About November 2026
8:56 - Outro: You Only Get One First Hyrule

LINKS:

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Switch 2 remake), official Nintendo page: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/...

Official Reveal Trailer — The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct:    • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – The...  

Full 40th Anniversary Direct (new Hyrule Field gameplay starts at 25:09):    • The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direc...  

What's your own "first Hyrule"? Doesn't have to be Zelda, drop the game below and I'll read every one of them.

🔔 If you like videos that take nerd nostalgia seriously instead of just laughing at it, subscribe.

#zelda #ocarinaoftime #n64 #nintendo64 #thelegendofzelda #retrogaming #nostalgia

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You asked, so I made lembas bread from a real Tolkien cookbook, and it's exactly why you should never cook with me.

A bunch of you in the community asked me to try cooking lembas, the Elvish waybread that keeps the Fellowship going all the way from Lothlórien, so here we are. I grabbed Recipes from the World of Tolkien: Inspired by the Legends, picked the lembas recipe, and tried to follow it like a normal, calm, organised adult.

I am not a normal, calm, organised adult. I have ADHD and a very loose relationship with measuring things, so expect tangents, missing ingredients, a kitchen that slowly descends into chaos, and me getting distracted by Tolkien lore at every possible moment. This is a proper informal vlog, no script, no plan, just me, a cookbook, and some questionable decisions.

Does it actually taste like something an Elf would hand you before a long journey? Or is one small bite enough to fill the stomach of a grown man for all the wrong reasons? Watch to find out.

If you haven't seen it yet, this is the sequel nobody needed to Why You Should NEVER Paint With Me, my Hobbit Day Samwise disaster. Same energy, more flour.

Thank you to everyone who suggested this one. Keep the requests coming, because apparently I'll do anything if enough of you ask.

THE BOOK I USED 📖 Recipes from the World of Tolkien: Inspired by the Legends: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recipes-Worl...

This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT: 9% off games, gift cards and subs
LUCKY7: 7% off games, gift cards and subs

💸 SNAKZY, play games, earn rewards, cash out: https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

What should I cook from Middle-earth next? Second breakfast? Rabbit stew with Sam's taters? Drop your requests below and the most-liked one might be next.

🔔 If you like watching me attempt nerd hobbies with enthusiasm and very little skill, subscribe.

#lembas #lordoftherings #tolkien #middleearth #LOTR #Vlog

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

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Part 1 if you missed it:    • This Studio Already Got D&D Wrong Once  

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons is secretly built on forty years of real D&D lore, and I go through all of it.

This is part two of the series. Last time I covered what the game actually is and how split the reaction's been. This time I get into how it actually plays, whether Tasha and Darkon hold up as real D&D lore, and my honest verdict on whether this is a good way into the hobby if you've never played D&D before.

There's a surprising amount of real Dungeons & Dragons buried in this game. Tasha isn't a character made up for the trailer, she's Iggwilv, one of D&D's oldest villains, going back to Gary Gygax in the 1970s. Darkon and the Ravenloft setting come from the actual tabletop lore too. I go through why that matters, how the combat and magic system feels to play as someone who runs a level 9 Hexblade Warlock at their own table, and whether playing this actually counts as playing D&D.

Short answer on that last one: no, but it might be the best doorway into the world of D&D you'll find right now. There's also a setup for part three at the end, because tailoring everything for newcomers comes at a cost for the people who've been playing for years, and that's tangled up in some properly rough news out of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Intro - Can A Video Game Still Feel Like D&D?
1:03 - Part 1 - How Warlock Actually Plays As A Warlock
3:57 - Part 2 - The Real D&D Lore Hiding Inside This Game
9:03 - Part 3 - Is This Actually A Good Way Into D&D?
11:54 - Conclusion - Why Longtime D&D Fans Should Pay Attention

LINKS TO SUPPORT WHAT'S COVERED

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...

Invoke Studios, official site: https://invoke-studios.com

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, Metacritic: https://www.metacritic.com/game/dunge...

Iggwilv, the Witch Queen: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wi...

Baba Yaga in D&D lore: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wi...

Gary Gygax, D&D's co-creator: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gygax

Tasha's Hideous Laughter, the actual spell: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2619...

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, the source book: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/tce

Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, the source book: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/vrgtr

D&D Beyond, the Warlock class page: https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/war...

Baldur's Gate 3, Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/10...

Wizards' tabletop is canon policy, explained: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dun...

Heroes of the Borderlands, the beginner starter set: https://www.dndbeyond.com/en/heroes

Phandelver and Below, the current Mines of Phandelver: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd...

John Hight stepping down as Wizards president: https://gamesbeat.com/john-hight-is-s...

Hasbro's $56M videogame writedown: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/busines...

The Sigil VTT story in full: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/hasbro-...

This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store: https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals: https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards: https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT: 9% off games, gift cards and subs
LUCKY7: 7% off games, gift cards and subs

💸 SNAKZY, play games, earn rewards, cash out: https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

If you've never played D&D and this is the first thing that's made you curious, get Heroes of the Borderlands, grab a few mates, and just play it. That's exactly what it's there for.

Subscribe for part three, where I get into the D&D Netflix show and what's actually going on at Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro right now.

#dnd #warlock #dungeonsanddragons #tabletoprpg #dndlore

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is where I buy all my games 👇

🛒 Alex's Eneba Store — https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals — https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards — https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇

GETTINGHOT — 9% off games, gift cards & subs
LUCKY7 — 7% off games, gift cards & subs

💸 SNAKZY, play games, earn rewards, cash out — https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons picked up more Steam wishlists than almost anything else at Gamescom 2026 - including nearly everyone's tipped Witcher 3 DLC.

Turns out it's built entirely around Warlocks, which is exactly what I play at my own table - level 9 Hexblade, for anyone counting. This one covers what the game actually is, the studio's slightly rocky history, and why the internet's already arguing about whether it even counts as real Dungeons & Dragons.

Three-part series this time. Part 2's where it gets personal - the actual gameplay, how much of this is real D&D lore versus made up for the game (there's a patron reveal that caught me properly off guard), and my honest verdict on whether it's worth it if you've never played D&D before. Part 3's the Netflix Ravenloft show and the actual mess currently going on at Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Intro — Can A Game With No Dice Or Table Still Be D&D?
1:43 — Part 1 — The D&D Game That Broke Gamescom's Wishlist Charts
6:19 — Part 2 — Is Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons Actually Real D&D?

LINKS

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons, Steam page — https://store.steampowered.com/app/37...

Gamescom 2026 wishlist numbers — https://wccftech.com/gamescom-2026-wa...

Invoke Studios, official site — https://invokestudios.com/

Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance (Invoke's last D&D game), Metacritic — https://www.metacritic.com/game/dunge...

GameSpot on the "is this even D&D" debate — https://www.gamespot.com/articles/war...

Cast confirmation (Tricia Helfer & Maggie Robertson) — https://www.gamesradar.com/games/open...

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything (the real source book) — https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd...

Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (the real source book) — https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd...

Split reaction so far: "this looks brilliant" vs "that's not Dungeons & Dragons." Which side are you on? Let me know below — I'll be reading these before I record Part 2.

🔔 Subscribe for the rest of this series, and for more honest, no-gatekeeping takes on getting into D&D, Warhammer, Star Wars and LOTR as an adult.

#dnd #warlock #dungeonsanddragons #tabletoprpg #fantasy

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I painted a Samwise Gamgee figure for Hobbit Day with zero plan, and it's exactly why you shouldn't paint with me.

I am not calm. I am not collected. I am not whimsical. I have ADHD, zero chill, and apparently a lot to prove, so for Hobbit Day I decided to build, prime, and paint a Samwise Gamgee figure completely unscripted, uncut, and unfiltered - and it is exactly the chaos you'd expect.

We start in my kitchen with a croissant (golden syrup and cheese, no I will not be taking questions) and a White Monster. From there: opening the box, assembling him, taking him out to the garden to prime - where I couldn't find anything to balance him on, so he got primed standing on one of my dogs' old bones, as one does. Then the "painting setup," which is generously described as horrendous and barely in focus. You will be able to tell I am a total noob within about four seconds. That's the point.

To end things properly (and calmly...ish), I read the final chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring - focusing on Sam, the one member of the Fellowship who is somehow the opposite of me in every way: patient, steady, whimsical. A good reminder of what I'm aiming for, even if today's video is proof I'm not there yet.

Every clip is exactly as filmed. No cuts, no edits, no plan — just the honest, chaotic reality of trying to make art with an ADHD brain, for Hobbit Day.

This is where I buy all my games 👇
🛒 Alex's Eneba Store — https://ene.ba/Alex
⚔️ Best Warhammer Deals — https://ene.ba/Alex-Warhammer
🎁 Cheapest Gift Cards — https://ene.ba/Alex-Giftcards

Promo codes to save even more 👇
GETTINGHOT — 9% off games, gift cards & subs
LUCKY7 — 7% off games, gift cards & subs

💸 SNAKZY — Play games, earn rewards, cash out → https://snakzy.me/ajmnerdcore

Tell me the worst you've ever botched a hobby project - the more chaotic, the better. I need to know I'm not alone here.

If you want more of this - real, honest, occasionally disastrous attempts at nerd hobbies, no pretending I know what I'm doing — subscribe.

#hobbitday #samwisegamgee #lordoftherings #tolkien #fellowshipofthering #ADHD #miniaturepainting #unscriptedvideo

AJM Nerdcore is represented by Digital Fox Talent. Brand partnerships: digitalfoxtalent.com/brands/creators/ajm-nerdcore

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices