Upturned Table

In this episode we discuss the question of racial ability bonuses in D&D and other TTRPG systems. Is race the best way to give the flavor of the setting or does it just bring with it uncomfortable stereotypes drawn from the real world? Which will win in our discussion nature or nurture? If you roll a muscle wizard does that save you from the Tolkien hole?

Following our character creation and first gaming session, we have a long-form review of Forbidden Lands, the fantasy TTRPG from Free League. We discuss the system, setting, and mechanics of the game with a final comment on the value of the components themselves. The boxed set feels very premium and is a truly wonderful product. It captures the old school feel very well. But is it worth the price? Find out in our long review of Forbidden Lands!

For a more concise review look for our short version: http://www.idleredhands.com/2019/01/25/video-short-review-of-forbidden-lands-rpg/

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“The Code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.”
–Pirates of the Caribbean

In our latest installment in our Warriors series, we give you guidelines on how to play pirates or give your non-pirate characters a dash of piracy. Our discussion focuses on the Golden Age of Piracy in the Caribbean, including privateers, survival and injuries, the pirate’s code, and punishment.

The subject of pirate ships was too much to cram into this episode, so we cover it in our next one.

All of these topics can apply to any RPG setting, whether you are sailing the sevens seas or your ships battle among the stars. So get inspired for your next tabletop session and try to avoid scurvy. Or space scurvy, if that is a thing.

Also check out our shorter video discussion of robots in TTRPGs on our YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/idleredhands

Robots, androids, replicants. They are called by many names and have a variety of origins and motivations. How can they best be used in your TTRPGs? Find out in our discussion about using robots in your tabletop campaigns, both as antagonists and protagonists. For additional inspiration, we also give you a list of possible campaign ideas (thank you, GURPS!).

In the tradition of our Creature Features, we watched the 1980 scifi film Saturn 3, starring Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel, and Farrah Fawcett. It includes some interesting examples of how to use a robot as an RPG character, even if it failed in its use of the robot as a movie character.

Following up on our top 5 horror settings, we discuss ideas for new and fresh fantasy settings inspired by books, movies, and television. These are not necessarily our favorites, but they were definitely the most inspiring. Have we played it too safe or our choices a reach? Let us know what you think.

Understand that we deliberately didn’t include settings that are currently being used for existing games. Which means this list doesn’t include Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire for obvious reasons. (Well, maybe not so obvious since A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying doesn’t get near enough love.)

To hear what didn’t make the list and also what inspired us to make our choices, listen to our full list of choices in this episode. If you would like to skip the full discussion and go right to the final top 5, please visit our YouTube channel and let us know what we got wrong in the comments.

We discuss Paizo changing the word “race” to “ancestry” in Pathfinder 2.0. What does that mean for Dungeons and Dragons? Will WotC follow Paizo’s lead? Now that “ancestry” is taken, what would be some other alternatives? Is this a case of modern sensibilities triumphing over tradition? Enjoy our lukewarm hot take!

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me

We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot

Drink up, me ‘earties, yo ho

We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot

We definitely give a hoot about our players’ comfort levels at the table

Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho (If you want to drink. No pressure.)

– “Yo Ho (A 21st-century Pirate’s Life for Me)”

In the second part of our discussion of Dungeons and Dragons 5e and our pirate campaign, we talk about how to play pirates in a fantasy roleplaying setting. We also discuss our collaborative world-building session.

Avast ye! Here be piratey accents. Yuv bin warrn’d. Arrrrrr!

Continuing our Campaign Confessions series, we look at our recent pirate-themed Dungeons and Dragons 5e campaign. Part one focuses on 5e itself and the reasons why this edition has become so successful. We try to put our finger, and maybe some blame, on who dragged D&D kicking and screaming out of the basement and made it appealing to a whole new generation of players. Is it the system itself or is it social media savvy?

First comic books have become cool and now D&D. There’s hope for you toy collectors yet.

For Halloween this year, we discuss our top 5 horror settings for role-playing. These settings, from movies, books, and television, aren’t necessarily our favorite ones to watch or read, but they are the most interesting and inspirational settings to play … Continue reading →

“We do not hate the alien because he is different, we hate the alien because he had naught but hate in his heart for us.” — Anonymous Battle-Brother of the Deathwatch What do you do when an IP you love … Continue reading →