Thinking Critically: A D&D Discussion

Welcome back! Season 4 opens with a self-indulgent, naval gazing look at the new player experience through the eyes of one my players: Matt Street. Matt joined my homebrew campaign in session 0 way back at the beginning of 2019 with his Tortle sorcerer A'Therin Trolldoor. Since then, over six chapters we've lost two players, four PCs and several NPCs. Matt shares his experiences learning D&D 5e from the ground up, having had no TTRPG experience before; the things he wasn't expecting (rekindling childlike joy) and his most surprising takeaways! We talk through the various tips that both jaded DMs such as myself, and virgin players alike can use to aid that onboarding experience. For better and for worse, D&D still has a certain stigma surrounding it, and anything we can do to reduce those barriers and make people comfortable at the table is surely a good thing. 04:28 - New Player Experience 15:09 - Digital or Physical for Onboarding 30:09 - Tips for New Players 36:16 - Voices and Apprehension 47:18 - Tales of the Unexpected 56:35 - D&D: A Unique Experience Find Matt on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpstreet88 My stream as Rho: https://www.twitch.tv/thinkingcritically My YouTube as Rho: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk References: 'Ability' episode of Thinking Critically 'Experience' episode of Thinking Critically Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

For the season final I'm joined by Ramji, DM of The 4th Culture, an Asia-based TTRPG show which focuses on global voices and set in an Asian-influence homebrew world. We discuss global mythology and it's impact on TTRPGs, such as it's inherent euro-centricity and how this has affected published settings and games around the world. At it's core, D&D is collaborative storytelling, so it's more similar to folklore and myths than you might originally think! We go on to discuss tips for creating homebrew mythology, such as leveraging different systems and approaches to world building, along the way sharing our own anecdotes and cultural experiences. 02:51 - The Difficulty of Mythology in D&D 13:47 - Digging a Little Deeper 24:29 - Building In-Game Myths 37:02 - Telling Stories Through Maps 42:29 - Telling Stories Through Language 56:44 - Linked by Humanity Find Ramji on: The 4th Culture: http://www.t4c.online/ Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: 'Monster' episode of Thinking Critically 'Microscope' by Ben Robbins Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode features Hope of the eponymous HopeForTTRPGs who shares with me how to build and maintain an active and safe community. She goes through some personal pitfalls and anecdotes of that growth, and the unique challenges it possesses. One thing to remember during it all is to look after, care for, and improve yourself, as nothing is worth getting burned out for. This episode also features me personifying the "grumpy old man shakes fist at [thing]" meme... several times! C O N T E N T 01:35 - A New Hope: Growth and Sustainability 12:52 - Discordance 17:02 - How to Build a Community 43:35 - Social Networks 48:58 - Homebrewing Compelling Communities 56:35 - Staying True to Yourself Find Hope on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hope4TTRPGS Discord: https://discord.com/invite/sYpH7vKvJh Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/hopeforttrpgs Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Hope4TTRPGS Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: Tabletop Journeys Eos Rakonto Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Once again I'm joined by Ian a.k.a TheFoolishSwarmi, this time to talk about the different kind of dynamics in D&D. Most of the episode is focused on the discussion of how D&D is inherently a human experience, and how realising this and efforts to make the game more humane can drastically improve the experience for all at the table, in a safe way. TTRPGs operate in a shared space, and just as every table is unique, every group of players is it's own organism. Thank you to everyone who donated to my charity stream, together we made over £600! 02:32 - How Group Dynamics Affects the Game 25:16 - The Whole is Greater than the Sum of it's Parts 38:06 - Party Dynamics and Social Intelligence 49:18 - Building an Effective Character Find Ian on: Website: https://www.foolishswami.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefoolishswamidm/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoolishSwami-102107998588962 Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/FoolishSwami_DM/ 'The Nine of Himdal' on DMs Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/337972/The-Nine-of-Himdal Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: 'Structure' episode of Thinking Critically Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode stars Michael Kesavan, a.k.a. Dead Aussie Gamer, to talk about assembling the best game. Turns out, diversity and versatility are key, both in-universe and out of game. The types of players you have, and the characters they share, creates a unique social biome where we seek acceptance. DAG also takes us through some tips on starting a campaign, and why the negative perception of "starting in a tavern" is misguided. 3:02 - What if I Told You we were Putting a Team Together? 13:07 - The Social Biome 23:50 - Scheduling: The IRL BBEG 31:18 - Bringing People Together 42:42 - Everything is Connected 56:16 - Be Yourself Find the Dead Aussie Gamer on: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/deadaussiegamer Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/deadaussiegamer Ghosts of Saltmarsh: Call of the Kraken: https://youtu.be/R58VFbKemvE Descent into Avernus: Blood War:  https://youtu.be/-RKsm-gYQN0 Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/deadaussiegamer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deadaussiegamer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadaussiegamer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/deadaussiegamer Charity Stream: Charity: https://www.naomihouse.org.uk/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thinkingcritically Donate: https://live.justgiving.com/pages/donate/1750cd4a-0650-4456-b119-ca0c39bf91f7 Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode I host Jarrod Jahoda and Matt Morris of Mid-Level Adventurers to talk all about maintaining continuity in your TTRPGs. We share many tips DMs can use to maintain internal consistency within their campaigns, as to ensure that verisimilitude and to support your players in suspending their disbelief. However, "no plan survives contact with the enemy" and as such, DMs must find ways to encourage and develop the impact and influence of the party on the world. From a players perspective, we ask the question of how do you develop a rich character who's job is being in mortal danger? 07:05 - [Internal] Consistency is King 17:22 - Influence of the Party 24:21 - Pre-building Campaign Continuity 32:30 - Maintaining Characters in Mortal Danger 45:54 - Continuity Errors 55:22 - The Multiverse Find Jarrod and Matt on: Mid-level Adventurers: https://midleveladventurer.wixsite.com/home Twitch: https://twitch.tv/nuuliforged Twitter: https://twitter.com/Midlvladventure Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: 'Lore' episode of Thinking Critically Charity Stream: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thinkingcritically Donate: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/silver-lining-convergence-gameon Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Minor Spider-Man: No Way Home spoilers in this episode! I'm joined by Sam Bradley from Starter Set Studios to talk all how to tell, or be told, a good story. We dissect a couple of common storytelling tools such as 'show, don't tell', and how these translate to running a TTRPG. The implementation of these tools varies system to system, table to table, and requires additional overhead on the GM. I put Sam on spot by asking him exactly who's responsible, and how much so, for creating a good story. Our discussion could be considered a hot take! And once more we discuss the "knowledge divide" between GM and players and how, if you're not careful, this can negatively impact the experience. 03:36 - The Art of Leading 09:39 - Who's Responsible for the Story? 21:10 - Storytelling versus Worldbuilding 30:09 - Communicating Through Filters 37:05 - Serving the Story 44:32 - How Players Can Help 52:39 - Railroading Successfully Find Sam on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/017DIgzgMJkvxOru4rywNr?si=bpBPJRrLRjW02WcANDUP0Q Starter Set Show: https://twitter.com/StarterSetShow Let's Get Shawarma: https://letsgetshawarma.com/ DMs Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/product/371898/The-StarterSet-Handbook-of-Homebrew-Heroes?view_as_pub=1 Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode I'm joined by Rev from The CritShow, the Powered by the Apocalypse podcast, to talk about the consequences of our actions. We agree that any consequence, positive or negative, must fit the the scale and scope of the inciting activity. This can be achieved by a sliding scale; it doesn't always have to be The Worst Possible Outcome for any given misstep. An element of PbtA games is how the GM can work with the players to build that shared narrative, something explicitly missing from D&D 5e. But with this collaborative approach to consequences, a larger degree of trust is required to ensure both the GM and the players are effectively working together for the benefit of the table. Of course, actions don't stop in-game, and there must also be considerations made for IRL actions, for better and for worse. Rev & I discuss some tools and tactics for dealing with potential misaligned and misguided players. 00:58 - Consequential Collaboration Slide 11:02 - Well if it Isn't the Consequences... 36:05 - Of My Own Actions 46:05 - To Err is Human Find Rev on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/RevDeschain The Critshow Website: https://thecritshowpodcast.com/ Find Thinking Critically on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Once again I'm joined by professional marketer and crowdfund-whisperer Zack Applewhite, of Applewhite Games, who shares his expertise in producing successful Kickstarters. 01:34 - Reframing Crowdfunding 12:29 - How To Get Started 20:22 - Pricing & Collaboration 32:55 - Promoting an Idea 39:26 - Spend Money to Make Money, and Other Contrived Platitudes 51:37 - Goals and how to Stretch Them 59:32 - Quickfire Tips! Find Zack on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/ApplewhiteGames Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dndunlimited YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7r-XEWm-W-8AFML-LAaT_A/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zackapplewhite Guilds of Eraegarth: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/applewhitegames/guilds-of-eraegarth-a-dandd5e-expansion-and-campaign?ref=discovery_newest Find me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: 'Marketing' episode of Thinking Critically Jamey Stegmaier - Kickstarter Lessons Learned Patrons: Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This full house episode I'm joined by the cast of The Fourth Leg podcast: Joe, Hunter, & Kelci. And we talk all about motion, momentum, and movement in your TTRPGs. One way you can keep the game moving as both a GM and player, is to engage with those "B" and "C" plots, which often come in the form of backstories. That being said, don't be afraid from abstaining from action, as this can still result in character growth. Often it's considered a GMs worst nightmare, when the characters do nothing, but there are always consequences, which are great springboards for storylines and development. One more classic GM tool is, perhaps counterintuitively, just telling the players The Important Thing. It's easy as a GM to want to hold all the cards, but often this is overkill and just being transparent with the players can really get the ball rolling! 02:50 - Moving Player Characters 25:21 - Collaborative Storytelling 32:27 - Analysis Paralysis: A Charcuterie Solution 46:04 - Leveraging Other Disciplines 52:57 - The Power of the GM Find The Fourth Leg on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheFourthLeg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2GyvpozdMbtiCI1XTtFYtX Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fourth-leg-a-tabletop-gaming-podcast/id1582881435 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81YzA3Yzk3OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== Find me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkCritDnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH_BSgazjwyshzo1jazHeaQ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkingcritically Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thinkingcritically References: 'The Dungeon Coach' on YouTube The Legend of Jamie Roberts Patrons: Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/ Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/ Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/ Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod