What Is Roleplay?

By Beyond Cataclysm

Welcome to What is Roleplay: a podcast from Beyond Cataclysm exploring the very basics of Roleplay, Role Play Games, and what it means to be part of this awesome hobby.

We will be exploring the nuts... more

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FAQs about What Is Roleplay?:

How many episodes does What Is Roleplay? have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.

What Is Roleplay? episodes:

August 19, 2025What is Roleplay #26 Crits with Steph Windross
Welcome to Episode 25 of ‘What Is Roleplay?’
This episode CM Lowry is joined by Steph Windross to discuss Crits
To start the conversation CM Lowry asks Steph to define what the meaning of a Crit in roleplay games
Crit is short for Critical Roll, either a Critical Success or a Critical Failure. In short that means you have a rolled either the highest (success) or lowest (failure) number on the dice. These usually have interesting results which impact on the game as you continue to play.
CM reminds us that if your unsure about dice you can revisit Episode 1 of What Is Roleplay
Most games and systems will require that the dice actually land on a natural 20 in order for that to be considered a Crit Success – so if you roll 18 and add some sort of bonus that makes your score 20 that would not count as a Crit.
Steph shares some about a brilliant Crit Success from her real life adventures in roleplay games such as DnD and Blades in the Dark.
In Blades in the Dark Crits create narrative currency for collaborative story telling moments
CM & Steph chat about some of the things that can happen when you roll a critical fail – a sort of doubling down on the things that go wrong.
CM asks Steph to chat about some games that don’t use Crits. Steph mentions lots of the current batch of OSR (Old-School Renaissance) games
CM chats about the exploding dice mechanic, in which a Crit Success means that you get to roll again and add further details to the game story.
Steph brings up ICRPG (Index Card Roleplaying Game) as a game that has a set of really interesting mechanics for dice rolling and crits.
CM & Steph totally nerd out on MOTHERSHIP and the Panic Engine System that it’s built on.
CM asks Steph if there are any card games that use Crits
They discuss The Wretched by Chris Bissette and it’s use of a Jenga Tower. If the tower falls that’s a huge Crit Fail and ends the game!
CM and Steph agree that they enjoy the rolling dice and allowing chance to determine how the game processes and how the story unfolds.
Listen as CM and Steph enjoy an actual play involving Crits, the city of Manchester and trying to park your car without getting a fine from a civil service demon!!
Actual Play Quick-Map drawn by Jog Brogzin
Steph chats about her latest project, CALPINI, which is based on the rules light A Dungeon Games by Chris Bissette, which is also compatible with MORK BORG
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Dragonbane
Dungeons & Dragons
Blades in the Dark
OSR
GURPS
Cairn
Mausritter
Savage World
ICRPG
Mothership
Call of Cthulhu
The Wretched
Bloody & Alone in Appalachia
Dread
The Sealed Library
MORK ORG
SOLO BORG
More about Steph
Fistful of Crits on ETSY
Fistful of Crits on BlueSky
Fistful of Crits on Instagram
Fistful.ink for all your printing needs
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysm on Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
Our most recent project is Mork Org
Our upcoming project is Lucky for None in Space
Actual Play Quick Map drawn by Jog Brogzin
Jog on Social Media:
Instagram – @jogbrogzin
Bluesky – @jogbrogzin.bsky.social
Patreon – patreon.com/jogbrogzin
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders
Actual Play Soundscape by Traveling Light
The post What is Roleplay #26 Crits with Steph Windross first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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43min
June 19, 2025What is Roleplay #25: No Prep Play with David Blandy
Welcome to Episode 25 of ‘What Is Roleplay?’
This episode we are joined by artist and tabletop roleplay game designer David Blandy to discuss No Prep Play
Chris asks David what No Prep Play is
Simply put it is playing without preparation – creating an adventure on the fly as you’re playing. Instead of having a preset scenario or adventure, you just make things up as you go.
It helps to have a sourcebook for inspiration, perhaps one with lots of tables that you can roll on to randomly generate ideas.
The Opposite of No Prep Play usually takes one of two form
Either a pre-written module in which everything for the adventure is set out – maps, settings, non player characters, creatures, everything that the players are going to encounter is contained within the book or booklet
Or something homebrewed that takes on a similar format to the adventure module. Something you’ve spent hours (or years) thinking up, writing and illustrating. Everything is set out for the player. This can be a very exciting thing for a GM to create and is a form of play within itself. You might choose to use tables from other RPGS.
David shares some tips for those who might be scared to lead a No Prep game
Trust yourself – you have the answers because you know the world you are working with, as someone who is running the game. Have a shape in your head of how you’d like the game to play out – trust this vision.
Throw questions at the group to buy time and give you ideas of what comes next
Don’t be scared of the players – they’re there to have fun with you! Have confidence that everyone is there to have fun so relax.
No Prep Play is a nice solution to the problem of the Forever GM. As the Games Master in a No Play Game you’ll get to play along with the other players, rather than having to refer to the big book and keep players on track. It’s far more organic and can make for lots of fun.
David shares some stories from No Prep games that he has really enjoyed leading
Whilst using the spark tables from Lost Eons as inspiration one party broke through the side of a cavern and discovered a whole new universe. Of course this could have been created with prep before hand but having that spontaneous moment of discovery alongside the players rather than railroading them into a fix scenario was just a really beautiful thing for David to be part of.
David also shares some of the difficulties of leading a No Prep game
The most challenging thing is just committing to doing it – as much as it’s freeing there is a sense of danger – you don’t have the safety net of a module to fall back on.
David suggests that there is a middle ground between Prep and No Prep games
Create tables before hand that you can roll on during the game. You can also pre-select these from game books that you already have on your self. Here is an example, written by Chris McDowell and intended for use with 2d20
David makes the point that No Prep Play is just a heap of fun – give it a shot
Let your party know that this is the type of game your playing and ask them to be patient with you
Chris and David enjoy an actual play, with No Prep involved!
David opts to use the Eco Mofos system, which is based on rolling d6s. Chris’s punk, William Smith, goes by the monika JET, and is a 50+ year old hacker, who is arrogant, smokes and wears a cool leather jacket.
Listen as David and Chris figure out how JET overcomes wolves, spiders webs and rats to encounter a hermit and unlock the secret to finding a new safe place to call home.
Actual Play Quick Map by Jog Brogzin
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Lost Eons by David Blandy
Lone Eons by David Blandy
Eco-Mofos by David Blandy
Dungeons & Dragons by Wizards of the Coast
Into the Odd by Chris McDowell
Isle of Ixx by Skullfungus
Ultra Violet Grasslands by Luka Rejec
Savage Worlds by Pinnacle Entertainment
Fiasco by Bully Pulpit Games
Books, Authors, Etc.
Chris McDowell Author / RPG Designer
J R R Tolkien Author
Between To Cairns Podcast
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
More about David
Itch.io – David Blandy
BlueSky – @davidblandyrpgs
Instagram – @davidblandyrpgs
Copy-Paste Co-op Website
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysm on Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
Our most recent project is Mork Org
Our upcoming project is Lucky for None in Space
Actual Play Quick Map drawn by Jog Brogzin
Jog on Social Media:
@jogbrogzin on IG, FB and X
Bluesky – @jogbrogzin.bsky.social
Patreon – patreon.com/jogbrogzin
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #25: No Prep Play with David Blandy first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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1h 1min
May 20, 2025What is Roleplay #24: Space with Marco Serrano
Welcome to Episode 24 of ‘What Is Roleplay?’
This episode we are joined by Games Designer and Spicy Tuna RPG head honcho Marco Serrano to discuss Space
After a brief opening chat Chris asks Marco ‘Why is Space brilliant’? To which Marco answers that it creates a realm of endless possibilities within the game. Sci-fi gives us input from the science and technology that we currently have available and also the possibility to extrapolate how things might look in the near future. The unknowns of Space gives us room to explore, within our games, all the possibilities that could come from life as we know it improving or getting worse!
Marco shared his experiences of playing MOTHERSHIP, the first game he ever played that was based in space. Like in many games your health can dwindle, but you also have stress that builds up and can lead to long lasting conditions. Narratively your character is forever changed, but without necessarily affecting the mechanics of how you roll and whether you can still actually achieve things. This builds into the horror aspect while allowing the game to continue to run – something that’s especially great if your running longer campaigns rather than just one-shots.
Chris asks Marco if there are any other kinds of stories that space lends itself well too, other than just horror. Marco points out that there are lots of stories from the Ray Bradbury era that are more Thriller than Horror. Many stories based in space are about experiencing the unknown – coming across things that are eye opening and beyond our abilities, that maybe make the reader think ‘wow, we shouldn’t do this again!’
Chris agrees that the vastness of space tends to make the mind boggle, as explored in the Ringworld Series by Larry Niven. The Ad Astra expansion to Mutant: Year Zero by Free League Press has a wonderful engine that explores this by factoring in the decay caused by year adrift in space.
Marco also mentions Orbital Blues, another game that takes place in space and does really interesting things with the concept of space, scratching the itch of space cowboys and focusing on shore leave rather than big missions.
Chris makes the point that Space themes are far less common in roleplaying games than fantasy themes, whilst its the other way round when it comes to other media such as TV and Films, and asks Marco if he has any comment as to why that might be the case? Marco feels that, with the popularity of Mothership, we’re at the beginning of a new revival of the sci-fi games niche.
There is a discussion regarding the fact that most space based games are also horror, with the general understanding that you’re going to die a horrible death
Marco tells us a little bit more about his game Greenhorns
It uses some familiar adventuring game play mechanics and would appeal to fans of old-school gaming and mixes in narrative storytelling as well. When you build a planet in Greenhorns and begin to explore it feels a lot like dungeon diving. In Greenhorns you serve a god-machine and go out on missions to build planets. It’s focused on the chaos of creation and the ramifications of that chaos. Your job is to stabilise the planet, via different narrative options, and bring peace to the inhabitants. It’s a collaborative world building experience.
There is also a Loot system, which is the way the characters make money, but these items of loot also carry recordings and enable the players to build the lore of the planet and wider solar system too.
Chris and Marco move into a real play in which they play two characters in a space based adventure. Listen as the dice determine how things will go with them as they fly through a wormhole at hyper speed smuggling a cargo of unrefrigerated luxury fruit past the intergalactic Police to a resort planet, before it goes bad!
Actual Play Map drawn by Jog Brogzin in 1 Hour
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Constant Downpour by Spicy Tuna RPG
Greenhorns by Spicy Tuna RPG
MOTHERSHIP by Tuesday Knight Games
Dread by Epidiah Ravachol and Nathaniel Barmore
Jenga by Hasbro
Ad Astra by Free League Press
Orbital Blues by Soul Muppet Games
Traveller by Mongoose Publishing
Stars without Numbers by Kevin Crawford
Death in Space by Stockholm Kartell
Alien RPG by Free League Press
Star Trek RPG by Modiphius Entertainment
Star Wars RPG by Fantasy Flight
Cloud Empress by Watt
Down We Go RPG System
Microscope by Ben Robins
Micro Circuits by Alexander Sheep
Cryo Drakus by Spicy Tuna RPG
Blackthorn by Spicy Tuna RPG
Follow our impending Kickstarter page for Lucky For None IN SPACE
Books, Authors, Etc.
Ray Bradbury Author
Ringwork Series by Larry Niven
ISBN Coffee by Beyond Cataclysm
Warhammer 40K Novel Series
More about Marco
Spicy Tuna Website – spicytunarpg.com
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysm on Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
Actual Play Quick Map drawn by:
Jog Brogzin
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
Actual Play music is from the Constant Downpour OST by:
Blake Suarez
The post What is Roleplay #24: Space with Marco Serrano first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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56min
April 24, 2025What is Roleplay #23: Monsters! with Paul Baldowski
Welcome to Episode 23 of ‘What Is Roleplay?’
This episode we are joined by Author and Game Designer Paul Baldowski to discuss Monsters!
Chris asks Paul why Monsters are so important in roleplaying games?
Paul states that they are far more than just a character to slam down – they add a level of challenge and complexity that wouldn’t be present without them.
Chris makes the point that monsters are an important device for storytelling, a fork in the road of the journey that the players are on.
A discussion using Hansel & Gretel as an example of a monster being at the heart of a really complex story
Chris asks ‘What defines a monster’?
Paul chats about this idea, suggesting that monster do not have to be animate – anything that presents a barrier or delay can be monstrous, such as a wall or door.
Paul sights the British TV series ‘Knightmare’ as a great example of inanimate monsters.
The lifeforce meter for ‘Knightmare’ can be viewed HERE
In other approaches Monsters can be complex tasks that require lots of dice-rolls.
Paul points out that Monsters and Obstacles are the same unless the game mechanics make them different
Orc level 3 and locked door level 3 are the same in that they both require the player to overcome them using storytelling, dice rolling or some other tool or strategy
Cypher System deals with obstacles like this well – the levels allow for an increase or decrease complexity. So new players can face challenges that aren’t too hard and experienced players can enjoy more challenging encounters.
Chris chats about some systems that allow for Monsters to have some agency and react to the actions of characters – attacking back
This becomes like a war game, like a game of Chess, and pretty complex, especially for the Games Master (GM).
Dragonbane is a good example of a old-school game like D&D that has simpler mechanics for monsters – the GM roles on a table, making monster management much easier and simplifying play.
Chris asks Paul if he has played again games that have no monsters at all?
Paul mentions that it depends on how you define monster, since we all have monstrous characteristics but suggests that Behind Enemy Lines is one example.
Chris mentions a few games that don’t have any monsters and are worth playing such as Wanderhome and Fiasco. In both games there is an exploration of what a monster is and how we journey with our own personal demons.
Paul and Chris then move into an actual play
Using a d6 they build a dark lair in which the monster, The Paul, dwells. The Chris encounters clawed creatures and the twisted glass portal into a yawning maw of shadow and darkness. Will Chris survive the encounter? Listen to find out…
Actual Play Map drawn by Jog Brogzin in 1 Hour
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Cthulhu Hack by Paul Baldowski
The Dee Sanction by Paul Baldowski
MÖRK ORG by CM Lowry
RONIN by Slightly Reckless Games
Cypher System by Monte Cook Games
Dungeons & Dragons by Wizards of the Coast
Pathfinder by Paizo
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay by Games Workshop
Dragonbane by Free League Games
Alien by Free League Games
The Walking Dead RPG by Free League Games
Zombicide Chronicles Boardgame by CMON
Behind Enemy Lines by FASA
Twilight: 2000 by Free League Press
Wanderhome by Jay Dragon
Fiasco by Bully Pulpit Games
Quest RPG by T.C. Sottek
Lucky for None in Space by CM Lowry
Books, Authors, Etc.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm
Knightmare TV Series
Squid Games TV Series
More about Paul
All Rolled Up Website – allrolledup.co.uk
Paul on BlueSky – @paulbaldowski.bsky.social
Paul on Mastodon – @PaulBaldowski
Paul’s Blog – justcrunch.com
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysmon Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
Actual Play Quick Map drawn by:
Jog Brogzin
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #23: Monsters! with Paul Baldowski first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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1h 2min
March 26, 2025What is Roleplay #22: Rules Light RPG with Dan Sumption
Welcome to Episode 22 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by RPG designer and author Dan Sumption to discuss Rules Light Roleplaying Games
Rules light Roleplaying Games (RPGS) are games that have a very simple rules framework so that the learning curve is nice and easy and the players are more free to approach and enjoy the game.
There is a stronger emphasis on imagination and freedom, rather than being stifled by heavy rules.
Episode 15 of What Is Roleplay would be a helpful listen for those interested in Rules Light RPG.
Dungeons & Dragons is a game that many people have heard of and is the introductory game for many people getting into roleplaying games. Unfortunately it has very complicated rules, also known as crunch, and can be quite off putting.
Rules light games involve a lot more imaginative play, something we all naturally did as children but have often forgotten since.
Dan chats with Chris about Into The Odd, a game that has no hit rolls, meaning you don’t have to roll to check if your attacks actually hit them. This changes combat a great deal, and bring a great gravity and consequence to fighting. This inspires players to think about non-combative ways of dealing with conflict.
Chris mentions the real-time mechanic used in NOVA by Spencer Campbell, whereby the GM keeps the game moving by telling players they’ve taken too long to complete there turn.
The key difference between traditional RPGs and rules light RPGs is that the creator is leaving more scope for imagination and making things up on the fly. You’re going to write your own rules as you play the game.
Some games within the rules light category lend themselves to quickplay and short games session, sometimes know as one-shots. One such example that Dan enjoys is Lasers & Feelings.
Dan feels that there is a certain level of trust needed within the group of players to play a rules light game. If there are people in your party that are super competitive you might need a few more rules in place to make sure they don’t bulldoze the rest of the party.
Dan also introduces us to some of the games that have been created using the Into the Odd system such as Cairn, Mausritter, Electric Bastionland & Weird North. Because these rules light systems are so simple your really encouraged to do your own world building and make your own hack of the original system. The simplicity really encourages your own creativity.
Dan Shares some tips on how to run a rules light games session:
Don’t be afraid – just lean into the experience and enjoy it. Even if you think your ideas are rubbish they may well lead to something really interesting during play.
Allow for collaborative play – everyone should be free to contribute ideas and build the world and wider rules together.
If there isn’t a rule for it don’t just say no – figure out what works for your group and then go for it!
Don’t bog the game down in too much mathematics
Chris makes the point that rules light RPGs usually enable players to set up, have an adventure and finish in around about 3hrs. This is incredibly helpful when you only have one evening together. And the simplicity usually allows for hilarious adventures to unfold with gonzo stuff like bags of teeth and death by nose bleed!
Dan & CM Lowry enjoy at Rules Light Actual Play set in a snowy cottage and using a standard deck of playing cards
Clubs = Other People
Diamonds = Riches
Hearts = Magic
Spades = The Land
By drawing cards the story unfolds – a lonely wizard lives in a remote cottage on a hill after being banished from the local town after the people rose up against them. They are drawing on the power of the land through Geomancy. Listen in to see what’s on the cards for our wizard and the towns folk.
Quick Map of the Lonely Wizards Cottage by Jog Brogzin (Drawn in 1 Hour)
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Mostly Harmless Meetings by Dan Sumption
Nice Weather for Fish by Dan Sumption
DnD 5th Edition
Itch.io
Into The Odd by Chris McDowall
Nova by Spencer Campbell
Lasers & Feelings by John Harper
Cairn by Yochai Gal
Mausritter by Losing Games
Electric Bastionland by Chris McDowell
Cyberpunk RED
Knave by Ben Milton
Loot Goons by Chris Bissette
CVLT of the Hadron Lamb by Christian Eichhorn
Kingdom by Ben Robbins
In My End Is My Beginning by Dan Sumption
Books, Authors, Etc.
Matter of Britain by Crab & Bee
Learning to Draw Trees by Dan Sumption
Contingency RPG Convention
This Book I Read Podcast Episode with Dan Sumption
More about Dan
Dan on Instagram – @dansumption
Peakrill Press Website – peakrill.com
Peakrill Press Linktree
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysmon Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
Actual Play Quick Map drawn by:
Jog Brogzin
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #22: Rules Light RPG with Dan Sumption first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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1h
February 20, 2025What is Roleplay #21: Maps with Jog Brogzin
Welcome to Episode 20 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by fantasy map maker Jog Brogzin to discuss Maps
What is a fantasy map maker? Someone who makes fantasy maps. Unlike a regular cartographer they’re not looking to create maps that will safely guide you to your destination – they’re not looking to complete with GPS or Ordinance Survey. Instead they are looking to tell a story through the map.
Jog creates maps for conventions such as Dragonmeet and Warpcon, making sure they have the flavour of the particular convention.
Jog first got into maps by going hiking and taking a map and a compass to be able to know exactly where they were at all times.
In RPG maps are an important part of the lore – here is the world, what do you want to do with it?
CM Lowry asks Jog to share some roleplaying games that feature maps and have sparked joy.
The Royal Cartographer – A Solo Journaling Map Making RPG by Albi
Colostle – A beautifully illustrated Solo World-building RPG by Nich
We Sail Beyond – A map making game for group play By Matt Sanders
Chris and Jog banter about medieval maps and how badly wrong the proportions of Britain & Ireland are!
Jog shares some tips for making your own maps
Don’t be to hard on yourself – have fun with it
Remember the purpose is for story telling more than navigation
Manage your expectations on how much people will interact with your map
Share your skills with others if you can
Hex Maps are discussed: these provide narrative prompts for various different biomes and encounters, whilst allowing for quicker movement through areas that are less exciting or important to the game. For example you might have one square for a huge desert and four squares for a small city.
Other types of maps use in RPGs have different levels of scope and would include the full world map, geographic location maps for specific countries of areas and then more detailed specific location or dungeon maps.
CM Lowry and Jog Brogzin undertake an actual play in which they tell the tale of Jog arriving in the Land of Qor’de’tarr, washed ashore on a life raft after experiencing a ship wreck (see Jog’s Map below)

Links to things we discussed:
Games:
The Royal Cartographer
Colostle (also for sale in our store here)
We Sail Beyond
MÖRK BORG
CY_BORG
Mork Org
Books, Authors, Etc.
Ordinance Survey
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
The National Library of Scotland Map Repository
More about Jog
Jog on Bluesky – @jogbrogzin.bsky.social
Jog’s Website – jogbrogzin.com
Jog’s Linktree – linktr.ee/jogbrogzin
Jog’s Patreon – patreon.com/jogbrogzin
More about Us
Beyond Cataclysmon Bluesky @beyondcataclysm.bsky.social
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #21: Maps with Jog Brogzin first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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52min
October 16, 2024What is Roleplay #20: Pirates! with Luke Stratton aka Limithron
Welcome to Episode 20 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Luke Stratton aka Limithron to discuss Pirates!
Luke answers the question ‘What is a Pirate’
Dictionary definition – someone who steals things at sea
Pirate is a word that has been appropriated for all types of theft
Pirate has another layer of connotation – The word Pirate, somewhat like the word Knight, there is an aspect of this rogue being a sort of hero’
Chris asks ‘why are pirates good for roleplay games’
Pirates are a really accessible character to play for first time roleplayers. They may not know what a Tiefling Bard is, or how to play one. Everyone knows how to talk like a Pirate and chase the usual tropes of treasure, love and rum!
Chris asks Luke if there are any challenges that people face in playing a Pirate
There is a line to walk – real Pirates were murders, racists, rapists & criminals. So there is a line between reality and the fantasy version of Pirates you need to be careful with and discuss with your players before starting a roleplay sessions.
Luke answers the question ‘What other games do Pirates well’
Luke doesn’t feel that there are many, if any, roleplay games that do Pirates that way he’d like them to be, hence why he created Pirate Borg. There are some great video games that do Pirates justice, such as Assassin’s Creed Black Flag and Sid Meyers Pirates!
One RPG that comes close for Luke is Savage Worlds: Pirate of the Spanish Main. Also Savage Worlds: 50 Fathoms
Chris and Luke mention some useful tools for undertaking naval combat
Use of miniatures and a Hex map
Virtual Tabletop (VTT) such as Foundry or Roll20
Use of a rules light system help with this, which is why Pirate Borg is a Mork Borg hack, because its such a simple system
Chris Plugs our upcoming Kickstarter ‘Mork ORG: An Office Space in a hopeless place’. Launching 29th October 2024. Pre follow here
ACTUAL PLAY:
CM Lowry and Luke Stratton roleplay a short system neutral actual play in which they play rival Pirate Captains who have just collided and crossed cutlasses. It turns out they are brothers and a checkered history – chaos ensues!
Luke plugs his current Kickstarter – Pirate Borg: Down Among The Dead
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Dungeons & Dragons 5e Curse of Strahd
Wanderhome
Eat The Reich
MÖRK BORG
Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag
Sid Meyers Pirates!
Savage Worlds: Pirates of the Spanish Main
Savage Worlds: 50 Fathoms
Warhammer 40K Battlefleet Gothic
Star Wars: X-Wing
Star Wars: Armada
Limithron’s Guide to Naval Combat
Armada by Mantic
Fiasco by Bully Pulpit Games
Sundered Isles Expansion for Ironsworn
CY BORG
Ocean of Stars by John Dodd
Dungeons & Dragon 5e Spelljammer
Books, Authors, Etc.
Treasure Island by Robert Louie Stevenson
Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Franchise
Tabletop Gaming Magazine
Foundry VTT
Roll20 VTT
More about Luke
Instagram – @limithron
X – @limithron
Website – Limithron
Linktree – linktr.ee/limithron
Pirate Borg: Down Among The Dead Kickstarter
Patreon – Patreon.com/limithron
More about Us
CM Lowry on X – @cmlowryauthor
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #20: Pirates! with Luke Stratton aka Limithron first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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51min
September 16, 2024What is Roleplay #19: Social Conflict with Dave Semark and Matthew Tyler-Jones
Welcome to Episode 19 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Dave Semark and Matthew Tyler-Jones to discuss Social Conflict
Dave & Matthew tell us about how the embarked on their journey into podcasting, inspired by the Free League game Coriolis and how that lead to them building a relationship with Free League and becoming freelance designers, not only working with Free League but also with Modiphius, Monolith, Firelock and other games publishers.
CM Lowry asks the question: What is Social Conflict?
Matthew makes the point that most systems don’t have rules for social conflict. Dice are used for pretty much everything else, but social conflict is dealt via conversations between the players and GM.
Matthew states that social conflict is at the very heart of all roleplay aspects of gaming, the parts where you are playing your characters as opposed to rolling dice.
CM Lowry makes the point that having the ability to win or lose at conversation can be quite daunting for players, especially those who find it hard to express themselves, debate or converse at length
Friendships were made and lost around the table, because players took it personally when their character lost an argument.
Dave makes the point that the player / player character dynamic is a strange thing and it’s important to be able to, as a person, disconnect ourselves from our characters so that we don’t get to hot under the collar.
CM Lowry and Dave discuss the different approaches to social conflict: You could take a stats heavy approach, using things like Charisma stats to figure out which character would win an argument or a more dramatic approach, in which you can use accents and props to literally act out the discussion.
Matthew stated that it’s very important that no-one feels uncomfortable during a roleplaying game. Players should not be made to feel strong armed into a decision they’re not comfortable with.
Most modern systems find a nice balance between stats and roleplaying, giving players figures to work with that enable them to then act out their discussions and letting them choose which approach they prefer.
CM Lowry asks ‘what is the most mechanical way that we can deal with social conflict’
Matthew highlights some games that do this well – games that aren’t just about running into a cave and hitting a dragon over the head!
Powered By The Apocalypse (PBtA) is a system that deals really well with the mechanics of social conflict, which uses ‘Moves’ instead of stats. One PBtA game that does this well is called The Warren in which you play a rabbit and so physical conflict is pretty much out the window because you’re a rabbit and you would lose! Instead this game has lots of Moves that allow you to persuade the other Rabbits to do certain things.
Another great PBtA game that deals well with social conflict is called Night Witches – in which you are a Soviet Pilot invading Nazi Germany. You use moves like Pulling Rank or Bending the Rules in order to persuade others to do what you want. A conversation will be had and then the GM will decide which move the player should use – you then roll a dice and add an bonuses you might have. The results are no binary – if you roll well you might get the do the thing you wanted but there will be a cost to your success or if you fail, you might be able to do something else instead.
Matthew suggests that the best PBtA Games are the simplest ones – avoid anything too wordy as this system is supposed to be easy to read, digest and play
Dave makes the point that in the early years of RPGs social conflict would be dealt with via a single dice roll and then it would be done. Thankfully over the years games creators have tried to develop deeper understandings of social conflict. One game that does this well is A Song of Ice & Fire which features the concept of Intrigue. Although the rules are perhaps overly complex, the ideas are good, in which you roll to knock down the other characters composure instead of hit points.
CM Lowry suggests Spire as a great system that deals well with social conflict via well thought through mechanics. If you fail in a social conflict, you take some sort of negative consequence, which might make you think twice before launching headlong into needless arguments, and also makes for fun narrative devices.
Matthew also makes mention of Hillfolk as another example of a game that deals incredibly well with social conflict. IF you lose an argument you get a token which you can then use further down the link to win the next argument – a mechanic that shows up on the Sons of Anarchy tv show. The worse you are at arguments, the more likely you are to win them in the future!
Honourable mentions to Wanderhome, Fiasco & Ten Candles that each have unique and exciting ways of dealing with social conflict
Dave calls out Coriolis, and the Year Zero Engine that it’s built upon, for the poor way that conflict is handled. Players use a skill called Manipulation to force other characters to do their will and if that doesn’t work then you have to attack!
Dave & Matthew unpack their upcoming game Tales of the Old West, Kickstarting soon, which is based on the Year Zero Engine, but with some adjustments to the types of stats and a d6 dice pool. They have some great mechanics for dealing with social conflict. Pre-follow here
CM Lowry makes the point that Dave & Matthew’s system gives players and the GM the tools to be able to navigate social conflict via either method, dice rolls or acting out the roleplay, and reiterates the point that it’s critical to discuss things as you play and make sure the players are not uncomfortable during game sessions.
ACTUAL PLAY:
Listen as CM, Dave & Matthew play a game of Fiasco in which the crew of Flight 703 from Las Vegas to the Philippines come up against an increasingly zany list of difficulties. Will they make it? Or will this fiasco end in tragedy? Listen on to find out…
Map for the actual play drawn by Jog Brogzin – jogbrogzin.com

Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Coriolis
Year Zero Engine
Mörk Borg
Powered By The Apocalypse
The Warren
Night Witches
A Song of Ice & Fire
Spire
Heart
Hillfolk
Belong Outside Belonging
Wanderhome
Fiasco
Ten Candles
Dungeons & Dragons
Tales of the Old West
Books, Authors, Etc.
Effekt Podcast
Free League Publishing
Modiphius
Monolith
Firelock Games
Sons of Anarchy
Robin D Laws
Hamlet’s Hit Points by Robin D Laws
Blackadder
More about Dave
Website – RPG Gods
Effekt Publishing – effektpublishing.com
More about Matthew
Website – Effekt Podcast
Effekt Publishing – effektpublishing.com
More about Effekt
Facebook – Facebook.com/RPGGods
Podcast – effektpodcast.org
Publishing Website – effektpublishing.com
YouTube – youtube.com/channel/UCTL-78ykSWs6g0GEH2y0J5g
Kickstarting NOW! – Tales of the Old West
More about Us
CM Lowry on X – @cmlowryauthor
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #19: Social Conflict with Dave Semark and Matthew Tyler-Jones first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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1h 5min
August 13, 2024What is Roleplay #18.5: Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play Special with Samuel Poots
Welcome to Episode 18.5 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots for a special Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play
This is a follow up to Episode 18, where Samuel unpacked the idea of Narrative Worldbuilding. Stream here
Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games – the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
Samuel & CM Lowry work together to build a sci-fi world in which anthropomorphic badgers have cybernetic arms that are owned by private corporations.
Samuel uses the following touch points to flesh out this world:
Environment – What are the environmental challenges, what is the climate like etc.
Culture – How do people respond to this environment? What do they bring to this space and how has this environment shaped them?
Friction Points – What are the politics of the people within the culture, how is this not a monoculture
Details of Intrigue – The granular details – items, specific NPCs, historical events that have shaped the world
Listen as Samuel & CM establish the setting, factions and storyline for our renegade lumberjack badger who lives in the air vents of a corporate owned orbiter that travels from planetoid to planetoid, stripping them of all valuable resources. Rebel and fight back against the evil Galactic Union … and don’t forget your data-slate!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Adventure Game
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Mutant: Year Zero – Ad Astra Expansion
Blades in the Dark
Wanderhome
Books, Authors, Etc.
Repo! The Genetic Opera
The Forest Moon of Endor (Star Wars)
Deep Space Nine (Star Trek)
Babylon 5
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This Book I Read Podcast featuring Adrian Tchaikovsky
More about Samuel
Twitter – @pootsidoodle
Website – Ulster University
More about Us
CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay #18.5: Narrative Worldbuilding Actual Play Special with Samuel Poots first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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28min
July 15, 2024What is Roleplay? #18: Narrative Worldbuilding with Samuel Poots
Welcome to Episode 18 of ‘What Is Roleplay?!
This episode we are joined by Samuel Poots to discuss Narrative Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding is an important cornerstone of all writing and especially important when writing roleplay games – the process of designing an environment for the story or the game you are creating.
Samuel Answers the Question ‘What is Narrative Worldbuilding’: Designing the environment in such a way that the location can tell it’s own story as well as creating a space that allows for stories to emerge naturally. Designing the world with narrative hooks that allow for stories to happen as the players encounter them. Using questions that add flavour to the world.
There are two approaches to this – the GM spends a great deal of time before the game doing all of the narrative world building, writing the lore which sets out the story – OR – the GM has short touch points, perhaps just 100 words maximum, that set the scene for the players but allow for lots of personal interpretation and for the players to have more space to contribute to the story. The characters themselves have stories to tell.
CM & Samuel spend a little too much time discussing cutlery! What if there was a world in which anthropomorphic cutlery were at war and the spoons had been banished to the desert biome?
The GM has a great deal of influence over the use of narrative world building – rather than shutting down player suggestions, Samuel suggests the use of the ‘Yes, and’ approach – allowing character input but with conditions and an understanding of the effect this input will have
Samuel Answers the Question: ‘How do you bring Narrative Worldbuilding to your table?’
Environment – What are the environmental challenges, what is the climate like etc.
Culture – How do people respond to this environment? What do they bring to this space and how has this environment shaped them?
Friction Points – What are the politics of the people within the culture, how is this not a monoculture
Details of Intrigue – The granular details – items, specific NPCs, historical events that have shaped the world
Samuel also discusses the use of visual art as a hook or starting point for Narrative Worldbuilding, using Wanderhome as a wonderful example of this approach. The nature prompts within Wanderhome allow for conversation and collaboration
CM Lowry asks Samuel to share some tips for players
Have a conversation with your GM and the other players to establish the collaborative process, preferably in game session zero
Perspective is all important – how does you character view and react. Consider their backstory and how their experiences and memories will effect the way they approach the adventure
Samuel & CM Lowry share a brief actual play, starting out in a tavern at the edge of a range of ominous foothills. Strange interactions between a bar tender and post-person ensue, including decapitated Beast-man head in pickling vinegar!!
Links to things we discussed:
Games:
Jim Henson’s Labyrinth The Adventure Game
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Monarchs of Camelot
Into The Odd
Mork Bork
Wanderhome by Jay Dragon
Mausritter
Mouse Guard
Books, Authors & Publishers:
Penny Dragon Games
Redwall by Brian Jacques
OnTableTop
Sea of Claws by Samuel Poots
Cubicle 7 Games
Digital Dryad
More about Samuel
Twitter – @pootsidoodle
Website – Ulster University
More about Us
CM Lowry on Twitter – @cmlowryauthor
CM Lowry’s website – All About Chris
Website – beyondcataclysm.co.uk
Patreon – Patreon.com/beyondcataclysm
With music generously provided by:
Powerplant & Imploders.
The post What is Roleplay? #18: Narrative Worldbuilding with Samuel Poots first appeared on Beyond Cataclysm.
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42min

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How many episodes does What Is Roleplay? have?

The podcast currently has 13 episodes available.