Role play is breaking into the mainstream! While games like Dungeons and Dragons might once have been confined to people's basements, the success of shows like Critical Role, Acquisitions Incorporated and The C-Team has resulted in a deluge of new podcasts on subjects ranging from insightful DM advice to thrilling live-play. The downside of this is the sheer number of new podcasts coming can be a little overwhelming. It can be hard to decide which ones are worth listening to and impossible to find the time to listen to all of them. Well worry not, it's EN World to the rescue! It this series of articles we'll be highlighting some of the best and newest RPG podcasts to fill your ears with during the grey time between games.
Seasons of Skyrend is a narrative-heavy real-play based in a custom 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons setting. Departing from the established D&D cannon allows the show to explore notions of good and evil and the characters are definitely played in shades of grey. While the show describes itself as a "slow burn" the narrative pace is tight, and the "theatre of the mind" combat is quick and satisfyingly visceral.
Technical Difficulties takes a scatter-gun approach to its episodes. Instead of focussing on on a single system or games the run live-plays of multiple systems such as Eclipse Phase, Red Markets and Delta Green. Mixed in with this is their “Table Chatter” episodes where they discuss gaming news and interview game designers. The show is a great way to experience new gaming systems and hear about upcoming RPG projects. They are also open to playtesting RPGs that are currently under development.
Turncloaks is unflinching in its commitment to bringing you a dark, gritty, low-fantasy version of D&D 5th edition. The narrative and voice acting are excellent, and if you like your fantasy grimdark, then you'll love it. However, the subject matter is definitely adult, and you should pay close attention to the disclaimers at the beginning of some of the episodes.
Experience Pointers is a GM advice show. All three of its hosts are Twitch live-streamers from the Saving Throw Network. The focus of the show is drawing on the host's experiences as GMs or players and offering up ideas and suggestions for your own game. The show is very new, with only three episodes to date, but the hosts have good chemistry, and their advice is practical and valuable, especially for newer GMs.
The Drift focusses on Paizo’s new magnum opus, Starfinder. The show itself is a mixture of live-play and interviews with Paizo's design crew. Starfinder, as a game, is excellent and the live-play episodes capture its themes of discovery and exploration fantastically. The interviews with talents like Amanda Hamon Kunz, Rob McCreary and Owen KC Stephens are an exciting exploration into exactly how much work goes into creating an RPG with Starfinder’s scope.
contributed by John McCloy
Seasons of Skyrend is a narrative-heavy real-play based in a custom 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons setting. Departing from the established D&D cannon allows the show to explore notions of good and evil and the characters are definitely played in shades of grey. While the show describes itself as a "slow burn" the narrative pace is tight, and the "theatre of the mind" combat is quick and satisfyingly visceral.
Technical Difficulties takes a scatter-gun approach to its episodes. Instead of focussing on on a single system or games the run live-plays of multiple systems such as Eclipse Phase, Red Markets and Delta Green. Mixed in with this is their “Table Chatter” episodes where they discuss gaming news and interview game designers. The show is a great way to experience new gaming systems and hear about upcoming RPG projects. They are also open to playtesting RPGs that are currently under development.
Turncloaks is unflinching in its commitment to bringing you a dark, gritty, low-fantasy version of D&D 5th edition. The narrative and voice acting are excellent, and if you like your fantasy grimdark, then you'll love it. However, the subject matter is definitely adult, and you should pay close attention to the disclaimers at the beginning of some of the episodes.
Experience Pointers is a GM advice show. All three of its hosts are Twitch live-streamers from the Saving Throw Network. The focus of the show is drawing on the host's experiences as GMs or players and offering up ideas and suggestions for your own game. The show is very new, with only three episodes to date, but the hosts have good chemistry, and their advice is practical and valuable, especially for newer GMs.
The Drift focusses on Paizo’s new magnum opus, Starfinder. The show itself is a mixture of live-play and interviews with Paizo's design crew. Starfinder, as a game, is excellent and the live-play episodes capture its themes of discovery and exploration fantastically. The interviews with talents like Amanda Hamon Kunz, Rob McCreary and Owen KC Stephens are an exciting exploration into exactly how much work goes into creating an RPG with Starfinder’s scope.
contributed by John McCloy