Black Lodge Games Podcast

Mar 06 2024 6
Black Lodge Games Podcast artwork

Welcome to the Black Lodge Games Podcast, hosted by RPG fanatics, Matt Pritchard and Nick Guidotti. Black Lodge Games is on a mission from God to bring the hobby back to what it was always meant to be: an engine for immersive storytelling. Join us as we delve deep into the art of running and playing great RPG experiences. TTRPGs are a unique medium that allow players to engage in storytelling in a way that simply isn't possible away from the table. While role playing games are a fantastic and fun hobby in their own right, they offer much, much more for those willing to dive just a bit deeper.

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How Role Playing Games Forged Their Identity

Mar 06 2024 60 mins  
Join Black Lodge Games for a discussion of the origins of the TTRPG hobby through the lens of the incredible book, "The Elusive Shift" by Jon Peterson. Join our community over at https://blacklodgegames.locals.com with promo code MIDWIT for a free month. You get access to our videos 24-36 hours prior to release on YouTube, discussions with our community, and much more! #d

How to LOSE at D&D | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Aug 28 2023 69 mins  
-There may not be a way to win at Dungeons and Dragons, but there is certainly a way to LOSE. This week we talk about the fruits of the #brosr gaming efforts and the principles behind them. Some of the principles of the BrOSR style of play are legitimately interesting but it is put into practice with stoner-tier, "lol so random" world building and a commitment to dog-shit

Exalted 3rd Edition's Crimes Against Humanity | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Aug 27 2023 80 mins  
This week, we discuss why roleplaying in character adds more to any game of any style, why you should want excellence at your table, and how the villains at Onyx Path Publishing (armed with a practically unlimited art budget) ripped the heart and soul out of the aesthetics of the Exalted game line. #exalted #onyxpath #whitewolf The art of Exalted 3rd edition and Exalted Essence is

The Weirdest F*cking RPG You've Never Heard Of | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Jun 29 2023 87 mins  
Within the Ring of Fire is a dark fantasy roleplaying game from RAW Immersive Games over at @woodwwad #rpg #dnd #ttrpg This game is one of the weirdest and most compelling RPGs we have ever played and helped crystalize our views of what RPGs can be. This is a game that is primarily focused on immersion through roleplay, and though flawed in many respects, is deeply compelling. We

The Race to the Bottom in RPGs | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Jun 20 2023 65 mins  
Today we talk about hostility to actual roleplay at the table. Getting into character is one of the easiest ways to enhance immersion at the table and aversion to it is largely rooted in a fear of embarrassment for bringing a little sincerity to the game. Cynicism and the hatred of sincerity is a plague on mankind and poisons everything. If you want a better experience at the table

The OSR Is Wrong About Story in Dungeons and Dragons

Jun 08 2023 56 mins  
The OSR has an extremely autistic view on what constitutes story in Dungeons and Dragons. Any mention of character backstory, plot hooks, or even role play constitutes "story gaming" as opposed to the truth as revealed by Gary Gygax that D&D is nothing more than a sandbox exploration game in pulp fantasy hex maps. This is utterly deranged and the lowest form of play i

Why Dungeons and Dragons Needs Alignment | Black Lodge Games Podcast

May 11 2023 61 mins  
Alignment in Dungeons and Dragons is not something to just tack on to your game as an after thought. This week, Nick and Matt dive deep on what the purpose of alignment is in table top roleplaying games, how it defines the boundaries of play, and how it ultimately improves both the game world and your roleplaying experience. Even games like Vampire: The Masquerade and Vampire: The

Cyberpunk 2020: Blood and Sunshine | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Apr 24 2023 59 mins  
This week, Matt and Nick tease their upcoming live play of Cyberpunk 2020/Red. They dive into the character creation process, life path system, and talk about the driving themes and flavor of this classic roleplaying game and why they find it such a compelling choice for the tabletop.Stay tuned for the premiere of "Blood and Sunshine", the next live streamed TTRPG from Bl

When to Avoid the Dice in D&D and TTRPGs

Apr 18 2023 62 mins  
When should you be rolling dice in your tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons? Outside of obvious situations like combat scenarios, skill based systems in TTRPGs often become a crutch for bad game masters as a way to artificially inject drama or tension into their games. This week on the Black Lodge Games Podcast, Matt and Nick dive deep on when you should and sho

Sandbox vs. Railroads in Dungeons & Dragons | Black Lodge Games Podcast

Apr 10 2023 73 mins  
Why do so many table top roleplaying campaigns end up on rails? How can you successfully run a sandbox game where you player characters have agency and the story emerges organically out of play instead of playing out like a novel written by the Dungeon Master? Matt and Nick delve deep into this issue today and discuss the differences between an old school style of play relying on r