It’s A Mimic!

By It’s A Mimic!Comedy Leisure Games Hobbies

It’s A Mimic! episodes

March 10, 2020 E059 - Dragon Mastery - Brass Dragons: Good Conversations
In this week's episode, the panel of DM's pops the cork, pours some glasses, pulls out the charcuterie platter, and discusses (at length) the only dragon that will kill you by only talking; the Brass Dragon. The It's A Mimic Podcast finally crosses the alignment border into the good-aligned metallic dragons in Dungeons and Dragons 5e, and discusses these ultimate collectors, as well as their lairs, allies, and how to use them in your campaigns as both ally and villains.
On-Air Shoutout: Save For Half Podcast

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Isaac Callender
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
1 hr 33 min
March 05, 2020 B006 - Campaign Builder - Session One (Level One)
Every campaign begins somewhere, and when the meta discussions are over and Session Zero has come and gone, it's time to roll dice. But is Session One too early to introduce dynamic encounters? Of course not! Dan and Adam each discuss three examples of dynamic encounters for Session One in their own campaign, and demonstrate that more complex encounters can add intrigue and depth, even in the opening moments of a campaign.
Takeaways:
- Quest-givers should be complex characters that can provide multiple emotional reaction early.
- Session One should focus on Exploration and Roleplay, but not ignore other options.
- Setting the tone and establishing a constant enemy early can bring a party together.
- Revealing the quest does not necessarily mean that a quest has begun.
- Allowing your players to explore a hometown in the early stages, can provide insight to the playstyles at the table, and flesh out a map that will matter to them.
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
42 min
March 03, 2020 E058 - Dungeon Mastery - Destiny: Alignment, Honour, & Sanity
In this week's episode of the It's A Mimic! podcast, the panel of Dungeon Masters discusses some optional mechanics offered in Dungeons and Dragons 5e and why you should include - or not include - them into your games. Dan, Adam, and Megan take a stab at Honour and reputation, try to wrap their minds around Sanity, and dive into the age-old argument about the right and wrong of alignment.
From a passionate disagreement about Batman, to a few half-baked homebrew twists on some old mechanics, Megan enjoys how she pits the others against each other. You might be surprised to see who prefers which kind of variant rules, and who supports Alignment, while the tear into their own morality, and the debate into cause and effect. So, an all around light-hearted chat.
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Isaac Callender
Logo by: Kate Skidmore

1 hr 56 min
February 27, 2020 B005 - Campaign Builder - Foundations: Dynamic Encounters
Dynamic Encounters are encounters that have more than a single action, and add depth beyond normal Dungeons & Dragons scenarios that players have seen before. They provide an infinite number of opportunities for surprises, improv, and creative reactions by players and dungeon masters alike. In this episode, Dan and Adam discuss the following:
Dynamic Encounters:
- combat-to-combat
- combat-to-exploration
- combat-to-roleplaying
- exploration-to-combat
- exploration-to-exploration
- exploration-to-roleplaying
- roleplaying-to-combat
- roleplaying-to-exploration
- roleplaying-to-roleplaying
- skill challenges
- downtime
- party politics
Other Dynamic Encounters:
- tactics (in-combat decisions)
- strategy (out-of-combat decisions)
- planning (meta decisions)
- puzzles (environmental problem-solving)
- riddles (language problem-solving)
Takeaways:
- dynamic encounters take place in a static location, using unexpected problems and stakes to increase engagement, while maintaining the same initiative
- downtime includes quest fulfillment, shopping, crafting, drinking, making money, and building relationships, among other simple character- or world-enhancing options
- action economy and initiative can be equally important tools to have in non-combat encounters
- know who the focus of every encounter is, and give everyone a rewarding turn in the spotlight
- "No plan survives contact with the enemy." - Moltke the Elder, Prussian Field Marshall
- "Plans are worthless, but planning is everything." - Dwight D. Eisenhower, American President
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
1 hr 25 min
February 25, 2020 E057 - Port-FOE-lios - Monstrosities: Titanic Horrors
This week's episode sees the panel of Dungeon Masters tackle the biggest of Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition's most twisted and deformed arcane mistakes-- I mean, creations; Monstrosities. Starting with the titans that rival the power levels of even gods, Adam, Dan, and Dave take a good hard look into the magical beasts that not even Dan and his ADHD could miss: those gargantuan behemoths that tower above the party in both power level and stature.
Listen in as the DM's dive deep into the depths of the Kraken, climb high the feral peaks of the Tarrasque, and go on a trip to the Astral Plane once more to address the Astral Dreadnaught. Here's hoping all those crazy gods with creature-forges can take a break and hold off from smashing their divine energies together... because these three powerhouses already have enough nastiness to keep us regular mortals in check...
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Isaac Callender
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
1 hr 48 min
February 20, 2020 B004 - Campaign Builder - Foundations: Guilds
Campaign Builder continues building the basic foundation of their campaign, by looking to factions, and creating a guild from the ground up. With a smattering of NPCs and a constant eye on what opportunities may be presented to the party, the Dungeon Masters . Keeping it simple, they lay out a basic breakdown of interesting environments to the North, South, East, and West, as well as important landmarks in each of these directions. And while they discuss the reasons for their decisions, they also make certain to discuss themes, the necessity of variety, and limitations.
Takeaways:
- A starting faction is great tool for hitting the ground running in a new campaign.
- Starting low status with pathetic allies gives the party the opportunity to sympathize early and grow later.
- Strong personalities and simple mission statements keep early sessions clean and to the point.
- Generic NPCs are useful when building early sessions before player characters are fully established.
- Setting up opposing factions will create easy-to-understand conflicts and an early focus for players.
- When creating guilds, think of the emotional reaction you are trying to create in your players.
BONUS: Remember to stay tuned after the credits to hear their original pitches to each other about potential guilds and guid members.
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore

1 hr 20 min
February 18, 2020 E056 – Class: Gathering the Magic – Artificers: Crafty Little Guys
In this episode of the It's A Mimic! podcast, the panel of Dungeon Masters returns to Eberron and discusses the newest official Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition class, The Artificer. These crafting, building, attunement-laden heroes add a new aspect of party support, and are even powerful enough to be front and center in most combat encounters.
With Adam on Alchemists, Terry on Artillerists, and Brad on Battle Smiths, the DM's tear into the ins and outs, cautioning new Dungeon Masters and players alike on the dangers of the power creep, and how this class may step on the toes of the more traditional classes. That being said, all three do enjoy this unique and flavourful class, as well as the variety of options that each of the bizarre subclasses has to offer.

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
1 hr 58 min
February 13, 2020 B003 - Campaign Builder - Foundations: Locations
The third episode of the It's A Mimic! Campaign Builder has the hosts set aside the what and who, and start looking at the where. Keeping it simple, they lay out a basic breakdown of interesting environments to the North, South, East, and West, as well as important landmarks in each of these directions. And while they discuss the reasons for their decisions, they also make certain to discuss themes, the necessity of variety, and limitations.
Takeaways:
- Contrast leads to exciting adventuring.
- Locations should have a basic past fleshed out, as well as potential future plothooks.
- Each direction should have some sort of relevance to the main plot, even if the players never go there.
- Fantasy settings should have fantastical settings to explore.
- Don't start in the place you want to end up within.
- Some locations should have provide opportunities for setpiece encounters, like defending a homestead, mining in a sacred land, shifting swamps, or recent sites of major disasters.
BONUS: Remember to stay tuned after the credits to hear their original pitches to each other about starting locations, before they incorporated them into the setting... And don't forget that every idea has the ability to become something more fantastic if you don't hold on too tightly.
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore

1 hr
February 11, 2020 E055 – Class: Full Potential - Barbarians: Axing the Hard Questions
Like Rocky, we're going for another round against the Clubber Lang of base classes, the BARBARIAN! This time around on this episode of the It's A Mimic Podcast, the panel looks at interesting flavour to add to your barbarians, made available in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Superstitions, tattoos, and personal totems can lead to amazing characteristics that might just make your barbarian the legend that he or she deserves to be!
In this episode, Dan, Adam, and Dave tear open the Zealot, the Ancestral Guardian, and the Storm Herald to find out if they can hold their own with PHB subclasses. But don't just come for the barbarians! Also check out Adam's unnerving evil side, as he discusses skinning your party members, and a special little "harmless" cult...
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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Isaac Callender
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
1 hr 58 min
February 06, 2020 B002 - Campaign Builder - Foundations: Villains
In the second episode of the It's A Mimic! Campaign Builder, the hosts go from WHAT the plot is going to be, to WHO the the conflicts will be with. Deciding to focus on one arch enemy, and four lieutenants (one per tier), Dan and Adam discuss some unorthodox options and why they like them. So sit tight and listen to what we have to say about our five different villains, including a couple of famous Dungeons & Dragons enemies and three unique concepts for enemies!
Takeaways:
- There are many different kinds of villains, so have many different motivations.
- Having a villain for each tier, as well as a villain for the end of the campaign, will give a sense of accomplishment.
- Changing the location and theme is a good opportunity to introduce a new villain.
- Not every villain has to stay a villain, and not every friend has to stay a friend.
- Subverting expectations with shifting villain motivations will add a sense of organic storytelling to your campaign.
- Despite the differing locations and motivations, every major villain should serve the main story line.
BONUS: Remember to stay tuned after the credits to hear 20 villain pitches that Dan and Adam throw back and forth in preparation for this episode.

Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: [email protected]
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
52 min