The Dungeon Master's Handbook

Running a heist game in D&D isn't as easy/clear-cut as running a dungeon or wilderness adventure. This episode, I cover how I did it, in response to a vlog by Todd of Hexed Press, and because I intended on making this episode TWO YEARS AGO! ---- Link to Hexed Press vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R7atzWaaVI Link to "Kidnap the Archpriest": https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/233069/Kidnap-...

I learn lessons from all my games, whether Play-by-Post, online or tabletop/face-to-face. This episode, I talk about how I took the druid from 1st Edition AD&D and made their initiation/level-up more about player choice than relying on combat or skill challenge rolls.  Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio cl...

Achievement unlocked! Post-COVID tabletop gaming resumed!  In this episode, I talk about how the recent face-to-face game went and a few things to come out of it.  Link to my campaign website: https://etinerra.com/index.html  Link to Berthier wargames campaign manager: https://sites.google.com/site/berthiercampaignmanager/home  Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠ht...

Later this month, I'll restart my tabletop game - the third game in my AD&D campaign world. I'm also looking to restart my 1x1 game with my wife. In this episode, we discuss how I'm doing all that - how can you pick up the pieces and have a smooth transition when months, or even years, has passed?  Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/Michae...

Keeping the Chronicles of Etinerra campaign alive! Two of my games have fully restarted, and I'm looking to restart my tabletop campaign. A quick update! Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I blog/podcast at: https://chgowiz-game...

So the pandemic is winding down in the United States, but how am I doing with my campaign and gaming? Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I blog/podcast at: https://chgowiz-games.etinerra.com/wp I'm on Mastodon! Find me here: ⁠⁠⁠...

After hitting a point in May, I've been taking care of my mental health. Slowly getting back into gaming. Plus, No Man's Sky! Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I blog/podcast at: https://chgowiz-games.etinerra.com/wp I'm on Mas...

By Crom, I've finally reached the (infamous) Barbarian class as I read through 1st edition AD&D's Unearthed Arcana! This episode, I review the class and share if I'd use it in my campaign. Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I bl...

Join me as I continue my a series of episodes where I read through the (in)famous supplement to AD&D: Unearthed Arcana! Will I use UA in my campaign? Let's find out! This episode, I cover the Paladin, the Druid and the Fighter. I found some surprising elements in each, see what I think about the changes to each class! Show Notes Links: Con of Champions - (May 23-25, 2020) - https://tabletop.events...

Join me as I continue my a series of episodes where I read through the (in)famous supplement to AD&D: Unearthed Arcana! Will I use UA in my campaign? Let's find out! This episode gets into the classes section of UA, where I discover and consider the cavalier! I had a lot of fun considering the options presented, but let's see if it will make it into my campaign as a PC option. Want to comment/ask...

I've decided to pick up the (in)famous supplement to AD&D: Unearthed Arcana! Join me as I begin a series of episodes where I read through the book and see what all the controversy is about. Will I use UA in my campaign? Let's find out! This episode is the introduction to the series, and I go over the comeliness attribute option and the rules expansions for races and sub-races. Want to comment/ask...

It's been a month or so since I've caught up with my call-ins, and I have plenty of observations and questions from some other great podcasters! This is a bit longer than my usual episode, but I hope you enjoy!!  Thanks to these great folks for the call-ins and messages! Nerds RPG Variety Cast - Jason https://anchor.fm/jason376 Gothridge Manor - Tim Shorts https://anchor.fm/gothridgemanor Roleplay...

A recent question on the AD&D subreddit (/r/adnd) serves as the topic for this episode - regarding the rules around pursuit and evasion in both the dungeon and wilderness. https://old.reddit.com/r/adnd/comments/fsnkzk/fleeing_and_pursuit_1e/ This is also my first ever streamed recording session! I had two supporters ask some great questions after the recording. Stream recording: https://youtu.be/Y...

A quick episode to talk about what's going on with my shelter-in-place gaming life. Lots of changes and I'm very busy these days!  What do you think?! Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I blog/podcast at: https://chgowiz-games.e...

My first guest on The Dungeon Master's Handbook! I interview my wife who has been the player in our 11 year one on one OD&D campaign. She talks about what makes it work for her and answers questions from redditors! Show Notes Link to a very old wiki I maintained for the 1 on 1 campaign: https://the-vale-solo-campaign.obsidianportal.com/ Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speak...

In this episode, I take a break from AD&D and talk about a different gaming love - how I combined OD&D and the Ultima CRPG setting from the early 80s into a great homebrew RPG game! Show Notes Links to my Ultima/OD&D Game "Siege Perilous" Players Rulebook: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwiMsojGKI2KUldjYjRGRXhNWjg Game Referee's Guide: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwiMsojGKI2KT29LTWdWdms4T...

In this episode, I wrap up my attempt to demystify AD&D combat with a correction, some odds-ends and Weapons vs. AC!  Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠chgowiz@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I blog/podcast at: https://chgowiz-games.etinerra.com/wp I'm on Mastodon! F...

There have been many attempts to house-rule and update AD&D Initiative/Surprise rules to make it more "realistic." I visit one of those alternative systems from an email I received, as well as talk about what happened with my player that I thought was leaving my campaign! Plus... I'm nervous about a new type of game! You can find the show notes with links to resources on my blog at: https://chgowi...

A lot of games over the past couple of weeks, and some lessons learned as a DM! Come listen as I share about running boss battles, using random events in interesting ways and how a big reveal had me worried that I'd lost a player! Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me...

This is a VERY special episode and it's an experiment! David, player of Eadwig from my Etinerra campaign, submitted a fantastic adventurer's journal entry that I simply had to share. I've been listening to other spoken word/voice acting podcasts and thought I'd try my hand at reading the journal entry with some effects! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it! Let me know what you thi...

Mr. Goblin's Henchman of Goblins Henchmen Podcast (https://anchor.fm/ghench) sent a message with two questions about AD&D - Magic Resistance and how spellbooks work in my campaign. I had great fun sharing the answers! Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/MichaelChgowiz⁠ Leave me an audio clip on Discord to user: chgowiz Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠c...

I'm challenging conventional wisdom that AD&D by-the-book combat is too difficult! In this episode, I visit initiative one more time to talk about melee with a spell-caster, and then I cover charging. Links from episode: My AD&D Combat Cheat Sheet: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1buc4Iubou-bH7V1Ud-h_4SkHm9wfm64a Want to comment/ask questions? Leave a voice message on Speakpipe: ⁠https://www.spea...

My thoughts on the OSR of the past 2019 and coming 2020. As well, I answer call-ins from listeners and other podcasters!  John Alan Large of Red Dice Diaries (https://anchor.fm/the-red-dice-diaries) - Wargames in a D&D Campaign Che Webseter of Roleplay Rescue (https://anchor.fm/jbpublishing) - Thanks! Joe aka The Blind Rat of Hindsightless (https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9) - Kind words and why a sp...

Taking a cue from how Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor Podcast makes episodes in his car, I do some philosophizing about attracting players to old school games. I also talk about the difficulties of some of the elders of the RPG community have with the changing world. On behalf of the Shorten family, we want to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy Holiday! Merry Christmas, if you celebrate. May...

Bonus episode with Call-ins from listeners and other podcasters!  Josh Beckelhimer of JB Publishing (https://anchor.fm/jbpublishing) - Breaking assumptions  John Alan Large of Red Dice Diaries (https://anchor.fm/the-red-dice-diaries) - How do I keep interest in a 10 year campaign  Joe aka The Blind Rat of Hindsightless (https://anchor.fm/joe-richter9) - Why do secret reaction rolls? Different dice...