DM Hype Squad

This week, we chat about what to do if DMing is starting to feel like a chore. We've all felt it at different times and we all have different ways to get through it. We also delve into why Roz felt they weren't vibing with Out of the Abyss and decided to move us to another campaign, how we lean on each other for support and how sometimes the best thing to do is to take a break.

In this episode we do what we've been threatening for months and finally talk about Pathfinder 2e! Join us as we work through character creation on Demiplane and discuss the differences to D&D. Disclaimer: we are very new to this system and there are some things we probably didn't get quite right. We're learning!

On this episode we talk about playing games at high levels. We've recently started playing a mini Return to Barovia campaign, DM'd by Lyn (watch it on the Crits and Chaos youtube!) We chat about how we levelled our characters up, how to balance combat when your players are mini gods, and how excited we are to go back to a beloved campaign setting.

In this episode we talk about the Warlock class for 5e. Han and Lyn have both played Warlocks and have a lot of feelings about it. Roz has chosen a hill to die on and it is that Warlocks should be INT casters. We chat the flexibility of the class, upcoming changes in the new 2024 Player's Handbook, and all the fun you can have with RP.

On this special pride themed episode, we talk about diversity in gaming, making D&D a safe space for LGBTQ+ people, avoding harmful stereotypes, and chat about our queer characters and their relationships. Lyn also spills the beans on how one of her characters really feels about Han's character, and we talk negotiating romance in game with other players.

Han, Roz, and Lyn chat all things artificers. We discuss breaking away from steampunk mad scientist stereotypes, what it means to use tools as a spellcasting focus (cobbler's tools? shoes everywhere!), and can Roz and Han, both big fans of this class, convince Lyn to play an artificer?

Han, Lyn and Roz chat about roleplaying! We talk about giving everyone at the table time to shine, character arcs and developing a character, and giving yourself the freedom to let your characters tell you who they are.

Han, Lyn and Roz discuss whether paladins are boring, creative ways to RP paladins and stick to their oaths, and invent a new drinking game. Roz is playing a paladin with daddy issues in our return to Strahd mini-campaign and we are all very excited.

Han, Lyn and Roz discuss player back stories; what makes for a good back story, how much back story you need, and different ways you can use player back stories as a DM (for evil.)

Han, Lyn and Roz talk about Clerics! We have all played clerics in a campaign and we all love them dearly. We talk about balancing healing and doing damage, how versatile the class really is, and how much pressure we put on ourselves to be "the healer".