Three expert GMs explore the craft of tabletop roleplaying—why rules feel good, why scenes work, and how stories land. Through casual conversation, creative experiments, and honest breakdowns, this podcast celebrates what makes the hobby special and helps you run better games.

Three expert GMs explore the craft of tabletop roleplaying—why rules feel good, why scenes work, and how stories land. Through casual conversation, creative experiments, and honest breakdowns, this podcast celebrates what makes the hobby special and helps you run better games.

Death and danger aren’t just threats in Dungeons & Dragons—they’re what give stories weight. In this episode of Jaunty Mantis, the gang digs into why real risk matters at the table, how rules and scenes create tension, and what makes RPG storytelling truly land.

The Arcane Library article discussed on the episode: https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/blogs/news/the-importance-of-danger-and-death-in-your-dnd-game?srsltid=AfmBOoq7WfPKBDnaHKnVMJGfQ2PLkLYEzz8f0Ka9SGTV4qbMKFzinsbH

Should you really never split the party? In this episode of Jaunty Mantis, Jesse and Chris dig into one of tabletop RPG’s oldest rules of thumb—and turn it on its head. From D&D and Vampire to Traveler and Powered by the Apocalypse, we talk about why splitting the party can actually improve pacing, roleplay, tension, and storytelling at your table. Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

What do healthy, fun, and sustainable tabletop gaming goals actually look like in 2026? Jaunty Mantis here, this week we sit down to talk about our personal and shared TTRPG goals for the year ahead—as game masters, players, creators, and people who love this hobby but want to avoid burnout. From campaign pacing and storytelling priorities to how often we actually want to be at the table, we break down what we’re aiming for (and what we’re leaving behind). Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Ending a tabletop RPG session can feel awkward, rushed, or flat—even when the rest of the game was great. So how should a session end? In this episode of The Jaunty Mantis, we unpack why session endings matter, why Game Masters are often overly self-critical, and how to end sessions in ways that build momentum instead of killing it. From cliffhangers and cutaways to ending mid-combat (on purpose), we explore practical techniques you can use immediately—without burning yourself out trying to be “cinematic” every time.

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

What happens when a player can’t make it—and the story needs them? In this episode of Jaunty Mantis, Jesse, Matty, and Chris tackle one of tabletop gaming’s most frustrating problems: last-minute absences. From running flashbacks and side games to stealing scenes, leaning into OSR one-shots, and even letting story beats happen without the missing player, the crew shares hard-earned advice, devilish ideas, and genuinely practical GM techniques.

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Can a tabletop RPG ever be fully serious — or is humor baked into the DNA of playing with your friends?

In this episode of Jaunty Mantis, Jesse, Matty, and Chris dive into a surprisingly complex question: Is humor an unavoidable part of tabletop role-playing games — or can you truly run a serious, emotionally resonant campaign?

Drawing from decades of combined experience, the hosts explore how laughter, tension, character backstories, emotional beats, and even absurd emergent moments all blend together at the table. From Vampire: The Masquerade’s deadly-serious in-character drama to D&D’s natural silliness and its self-referential culture, the crew unpacks why we play — and what we hope to feel.

They discuss tools like character bonds, session zero prompts, life-path systems, emotional stakes, and ways GMs can create deeper, more meaningful moments without losing the fun.

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Cybernetic heartbreak, social disasters, noble nepo babies, improvised space romance, mishaps that should have been fatal, and the wild joy of letting dice determine your fate. The Jaunty Mantis crew spirals into utter chaos building Traveller RPG characters. Buckle up — it gets weird

Welcome back to The Jaunty Mantis, the podcast with creative questions for curious gamers! In this episode, Jesse, Matty, and Chris dive into the art (and anxiety) of doing NPC voices — when they work, when they fall apart, and when they accidentally turn every character into an unhinged space gremlin.

The crew opens up about narrative style, the influence of Critical Role, how players respond to GM performance, and whether accents are helping or hurting the game. Then the episode shifts gears into full character-creation chaos as the team builds life-path characters in Mongoose Traveller 2e!

Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio