Thinking Critically: A D&D Discussion

Welcome to the season 2 opener! We are flying out of the gate with a super interesting discussion all about lore with Steven from The Travel Log. This episode will be useful for both DMs and players looking to flesh out their creations using published work, lightening the creative load. I start by quizzing Steven on a few places I've heard of, but have no idea where they are or what they're like. Steven explains how the Sword Coast and the Forgotten Realms fit together, alongside a brief history on other famous locations such as Neverwinter and Baldur's Gate. He goes on to explain how the different editions of D&D aren't just a rules update, but also directly impact the setting and lore - I never expected the mechanics and setting to be so intrinsically linked! After detailing the hidden history of his favourite race, the Yuan-Ti, we discuss ways players can add dimension and flavour to their characters by integrating pre-existing lore into their backstories. Finally, to bring us home, we debate how retconning "new" settings (such as Exandria) into established material impacts the game. 05:38 - A Tourists Guide to Faerûn 10:33 - Faerin or Faeroût? 16:15 - Cataclysmic lore resets - how lore impacts mechanics 24:15 - The secret history of the Yuan-Ti 31:00 - Integrating pre-existing lore into your character 46:15 - The intimidating baggage of lore 52:40 - How the landscape shifts with the introduction of new "lore" Follow The Travel Log (@DndTravellog) on: Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thetravellog Twitter: https://twitter.com/DndTravellog Steven's Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeartGolem Lily's Twitter: https://twitter.com/awweheck Lily's IG: https://www.instagram.com/awweheck/ Follow me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Well, here we are, 25 episodes later and a whole lot wiser! This is the wrap up and retrospective for season 1 and boy, what a journey it has been. This episode doesn't feature a guest, but instead you can humour me for an hour as I take a look back at the past six months and what it's meant to me as a player, DM, and human being. But first, the show would be nothing without the listeners and guests, so I take some time to thank all you lovely people, it's not hyperbole to say you've changed my life. Then I take a listen to a few of the episode snippets that I never got round to publishing, and embellish a little as to how they made the cut. Fair warning you'll have to excuse me tooting my own horn in this section, you have been warned! Then the second half of the show is dedicated to the Q&A. I had questions submitted from my guests, listeners, and my players and some are really spicy! It's a varied bunch, so if you want to hear about how it's impossible to disassociate the "human" from the "DM" alongside me gushing about my favourite NPCs, this is the section! And to close out the episode, I announce the listener-only competition that went out in episode 25. 01:50 - Thank you all 05:24 - Retrospective 17:35 - Unreleased episode snippets & follow up 26:58 - Q&A 01:00:24 - Competition results Follow me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

CW: In-game, player-character death, injury, harm, sexual identity, allusions to suicide and euthanasia. Player mental health & disorders and physical exhaustion. For this season finale, I'm joined by Cal a.k.a The Baron to talk all about "Health", an important subject both in and out of the game. We start off by talking about the understandable misconception of "HP" as one-dimensional indicator before deep diving into how the mechanics of exhaustion are the other side of the same coin. Humour Join us as we gush over the Path of the Zealot, and how there's the potential for romance on the battlefield between the often unlikely duet of Wizards and Barbarians. After admitting our unqualified status, we tentatively debate how the concept of healing is affected by an inherently theistic setting, and consider some earthly alternatives. Bringing the episode to a close I bare my soul as I talk about how D&D has been my lifeline in these trying times, and how I've been blown away by the support of the TTRPG community. This episode also contains spoilers for the Gloomhaven board game. 03:55 - The implications of HP meaning "fighting energy" 17:21 - If HP is a spring, then exhaustion is a rubber band 26:11 - Mitigating the "yo-yo" effect of healing at 0 HP 37:17 - The debilitating reality of exhaustion 45:53 - Healing in a theistic universe 56:37 - Benefits of TTPRGs on mental health Follow Cal (@Baron_Von_Balls) on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Baron_Von_Balls YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6R4sngT4oIj6t2dvC24Clg Ask questions and enter the competition on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD References: Gloomhaven Happiness episode of Thinking Critically Gametee Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode is (unfortunately?) not about the delicious sugary treat, but instead the DM tool of "fudging dice"; changing the outcome of a roll behind the screen. For this discussion, I'm joined by Bart Wynants, a.k.a @critographer, author, historian, and all-round inspiration machine. Off the back of Bart's extensive, seven-part Twitter thread, we discuss the finer points of this particular incarnation of DM fiat, and how it's a bit of an iceberg of unseen issues. Firstly, it's not limited to just altering the result of a dice roll in secret, and it's pervasiveness can take many forms: dice tables, magic items, difficulty DCs, etc. I go through my personal realisation of how public rolling completely changed the game for the better, with no drawbacks! We come to the conclusion that fudging is less a DM tool, and actually a symptom of a deeper problem - seen as an exceptional occurrence. Through the use of the "five-whys" methodology we can get to the bottom of why the need for fudging has manifested, and fix it at the root, which is easier than you might expect! 02:32 - Transparent rolling: the silver bullet? 09:19 - Improvising/fudging DCs 18:46 - Single points of failure and the 'rule-of-three' cure 26:20 - Finding peace in the absolution of responsibility 32:13 - Fudging dice table results - why bother & how to remain flexible 38:04 - Tier 1 life support - a failing of the framework? 43:48 - Miscellaneous fudge 53:26 - The Five Whys - how to get to the root of your fudging habit Follow Bart (@critographer) on: Twitter: https://twitter.com/critographer He’s done some recent work for: Raging Swan Press: https://www.ragingswanpress.com/ Hansor Publishing - The Gaia Complex: https://thegaiacomplex.com/hansor Nightfall Games - The Terminator RPG: https://nightfall.games/terminator Follow me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD References: Bart's "THOU SHALT NOT FUDGE" Twitter thread: Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7 Gloomhaven The Alexandrian Agency episode of Thinking Critically Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

For this insightful episode I am joined by Scott, a.k.a @optionalrule, and we talk about the incredibly important topic of agency. It's a term that gets bandied around a lot, carrying with it an awful lot of weight. In this hour, Scott and I begin to unpack some of that weight and how it can drastically and dramatically impact the gameplay experience. Starting by clarifying some common misconceptions and misinterpretations, we define what "agency" really is within the TTRPG experience. When you have so many options on the table, where do you draw the line? Indeed, the GM is player too with their own pool of agency, and it's that trading of agency which leads to interesting and dynamic games. We finish on the importance of trust, something not always directly associated with agency, but the two are often intrinsically linked. The more you trust each other, the more you're willing to part with to increase the enjoyment of everyone at the table, and I can't think of a more poetic explanation than that! 02:30 - Nobody puts agency in the the corner - the common misconceptions 13:33 - What constitutes "meaningful" actions 24:16 - Taking player agency away through in-game mechanics 42:04 - An ethical tug of war - sacrificing agency for others 52:43 - Railroading versus sandbox - the analysis paralysis of too much agency Follow Scott (@optionalrule) on: Website: https://optionalrule.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/optionalrule Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/optionalrule/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi7AoQ6KbaZQqhdO7heKPqw Follow me on: Website: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD References: Dungeons, Dice & Dudes Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Oh dear, hopefully we don't make any enemies with this episode all about the rules! Andrew Block and I discuss a range of topics interspersed with luke-warm takes and personal opinions. If that doesn't sell it, I don't know what will! We open with a discussion around the 'Rule of Cool' (RoC) and how it often belies the tricky nuances around modifying rules on the fly; there's often a wider impact that isn't always immediately visible. Indeed, D&D is a game of two halves where all the players work together to maintain a satisfying balance. Do you focus on verisimilitude and a believable universe potentially at the expense of "cool" set pieces? Or do you throw caution to the wind and allow audacious feats of heroism, possibly sacrificing standardisation and consistency? Ultimately, the rules are there to facilitate a story, so if you're achieving that, you're doing fantastic! 03:03 - RAW versus RoC - verisimilitude versus spontaneity 15:53 - A tale of two systems 21:10 - Empathy with interpretation 41:42 - Does the existence of clarification services and common issues suggest a weakness in the framework? 49:40 - The house (rule) always wins Follow Andrew (@Nominrath) on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/Nominrath) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC--jFXPcBpcM5sxOLrHEKpw) Follow me on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD) References: Gloomhaven @OptionalRule on Twitter Conflict episode of Thinking Critically Archetypes episode of Thinking Critically RPG Stack Exchange Sage Advice Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This meaty episode is all about encounters within your TTRPG game. I'm joined by @XhangoGames and somehow we manage to squeeze an awful lot into a little over an hour! We sandwich mechanical examples for spicing up encounters alongside ways to reframe interactions with NPCs; turn "misses" into misfortune! Xhango opens the episode up with the elegant definition that all encounters should be a "dramatic question" - every interaction (environment, NPCs, and adversaries) should all put something at stake, what could be lost? This includes benign encounters with merchants and even each other. Check out Xhango's latest product on DM's Guild, the Candlekeep Codex! 01:20 - The Dramatic Question - non-combat encounters 17:42 - Time as an expendable resource 19:58 - Balancing encounters and "shifting the blame" 26:38 - Engaging players through the environment 32:47 - Higher level encounters 38:47 - Reappraising CR: designing multi-dimensional combat Follow (@XhangoGames) on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/XhangoGames) DMs Guild (https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Xhango%20Games) Follow me on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD) References: Time episode of Thinking Critically Mistakes episode of Thinking Critically Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

For this special [natural] twentieth episode, it's my pleasure to welcome Ben, Darrel, Vicky, Grace, and David from No Small Rolls (@nosmallrolls), the amazing actual-play podcast where there are no small rolls! It's a laugh a minute as they take me through their experiences in producing NSR, and how they've approached portraying a character based on a sheet full of numbers. It was interesting to find out how a career in acting affects the D&D experience, or more accurately, how it doesn't. Ultimately, there is no silver bullet to successful role play (whatever that means!), and no single person is "more suited" to the experience than any other. Alongside such earnest guidance, you can also hear me mess up in literally my first sentence, learn how to buy friends, and appreciate how slippers can give you proficiency in stealth! 00:56 - Meet the cast! 21:06 - How acting and podcasting affects the D&D experience 35:49 - The character sheet - your "Director" 46:58 - Dealing with the misconception of stage fright 58:08 - Finding your voice 70:00 - Performance as performers 78:26 - Darrel's Pearls of Wisdom™ Follow No Small Rolls (@nosmallrolls) on: Website (http://www.nosmallrolls.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/nosmallrolls) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nosmallrolls/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nosmallrollsdnd) Follow me on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD) References: Open Bar Theatre Mistakes episode of Thinking Critically 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 Daniel, a.k.a @eos_rakonto, and we talk about the fine art of improvisation. Starting with the frankly embarrassing realisation on my part that almost everything that happens in a given game is improvised, we move on to discuss a number of tips for DMs on how to deal with the dynamic nature of play, and role playing on the fly. We end on ways to improve your own character role play at the table, especially for those that find it intimidating. Daniel is sincere, knowledgeable and insightful, and it was a pleasure to have him on the show. 01:25 - How improvisation is at the core of D&D 03:38 - Improvising NPCs - tips for maintaining role play 18:37 - Improvising encounters - dealing with the unpredictability of players 32:05 - Setting difficulty dynamically 38:43 - Order from improv - a purely improvised game 44:34 - Campfire talk - PC to PC RP 56:03 - Encouraging improvisational RP Follow Daniel (@eos_rakonto) on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/eos_rakonto) Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/eos_rakonto) Follow me on: Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD) Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/) Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD) References: Kobold Fight Club Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

A bumper landmark episode, as for the first time I'm joined by two guests! Two-thirds of Tabletop Journeys, Josh and Lewanika, join me to talk all about space within D&D 5e. They share their extensive experience of role playing, not only table top but also live action. Starting with the nitty gritty of combat, we discuss how well the framework emulates the real world, and ways to enhance your combat encounters through interesting use of space. There is also lots of useful information on how to build a compelling sense of exploration of the unknown, in the absence of space travel in vanilla 5e. And we bring to a wholesome close about how D&D improves our own personal mental space, something of huge importance in these critical times. 02:22 - The theatre of combat - using the space to stage epic encounters 39:07 - To boldly go - exploring "space" 62:13 - The abstraction of distance and occupying a space 72:33 - Mental space - why we play Follow Josh & Lewanika (@ttjourneys) on: Tabletop Journeys website (https://www.ttjourneys.com/) Twitter (https://twitter.com/ttjourneys) Follow me on: Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD) Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/) Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD) References: Society for Creative Anachronism Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod