Compare & Campaign

Tom's up to his tricks again, because he got his hands on the game design system being profiled in this episode's RPG Danger Room (a system called Caltrop Core, based around the mighty d4) and he's writing not one...not two...but THREE new RPGs! So on this show we're talking Caltrop Core, Tom's variant called Caltrop MORE, and Tom's new games: Orbserver, Ceremony in Shadow, and Going Cummando. Plu...

Tom and Magill celebrate Valentine's Day by messing around with ChatGPT as a DM resource with surprisingly good results! Then Tom talks about the interim between acts of the Coyote's Aegis campaign, during which Hexaquila takes part in an Iron Chef-style cooking competition. Magill discusses an adventure from the DnD Behind the Screen subreddit about a town full of uncanny people who don't seem en...

Another act in the Coyote's Aegis campaign is coming to an end with Tom's adaptation of a D&D Expeditions module - and it's one that Magill has played! Thrill as the heroes infiltrate a mercenary base and encounter a demon-worshipping cult of kuo-toa! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill showcases the only RPG system based around a tower of Jenga blocks. That's right, it's Dread! Plus some...

Rants and drama abound as Magill and Tom give yet another update on all the drama with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast! Yes, we know this has been resolved, but it wasn't resolved at the time we recorded this episode! Tom also rants a bit about mainstream D&D celebrities, and we check back in with the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as they investigate strange reports of the Arcto...

We're doing another episode on Renegade Games' Essence20-system, officially licensed G.I. Joe RPG! Tom and Magill give more of their thoughts on the sourcebook, make characters, reflect upon the live action G.I. Joe movies, and even touch upon the long-forgotten, extremely-little-known Ottawa Fringe Festival show "Cobra: The Musical." We promise we'll get back to our usual format next week. OR WIL...

Yo Joe! The podcast has been invaded by Cobra and it's up to that elite group of heroes the G.I. Joes to save the day! That's right, on this episode, we're putting Coyote's Aegis on the back burner so we can do a deep dive into the G.I Joe Essence 20 RPG. Tom and Magill go through the character creation system to generate the new Joes Ginger Scraps and Flamberge, and Tom gives his thoughts on the...

On this episode, Tom adapts another D&D Expeditions module wherein the party of the Coyote's Aegis campaign need to rescue the beloved Cysquatch and infiltrate Elf Fort Knox! And then in the RPG Danger Room...aww dangus, we're nowhere NEAR being done with Essence 20, because Tom bought Magill a copy of the G.I. Joe RPG sourcebook for Christmas, which means the guys are doing a deep dive after...

Oh man, here comes the first C&C episode of 2023! Tom is talking about how he reskinned No Foolish Matter, a classic Adventurers League module, to  use in the Coyote's Aegis campaign! Magill is talking about Essence 20 - Hasbro's and Renegade Games' d20 based RPG system for use with such properties as Transformers, Power Rangers, and G.I. Joe - which will, unbeknownst to him, soon become...

It's our last episode of 2022 and we're bringing a whole mishmash of stuff to the table! First Tom and Magill give their thoughts on the Thai demon-centric action movie Demon Warriors (a.k.a. Opapatika), and then we check in with Tom's campaign only to find that he's running a classic Adventurers League module: Bane of the Tradeways! And over in the RPG Danger Room, we wrap up our exploration of t...

Alien eggs, a vessel for the Cult of One, the surrender of Tristania and the return of the Arctopus! These are just some of the major events that transpire in this episode of Compare & Campaign as Tom talks about another installment in the saga of Coyote's Aegis. And as if that wasn't enough, it finally happens: we actually play an RPG on the show! Magill runs a mini-scenario for Tom to demo t...

It's the conclusion of the tour of Sitra Arha as the party from the Coyote's Aegis campaign wrap up another act, this time involving an imp named Pip, a group of Glabrezus, and a fight in a coliseum! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill finishes off his overview of the mechanics of City of Mist by generating a "base of operations" theme card for the two-man crew of Agent Bowman and Norb Snodgr...

The Coyote's Aegis party heads to Marityme - not to be confused with the Maritimes - where they seek the knowledge of Zamiel, a Nightside Eclipse scholar! And along the way they encounter cloakers, fire giants, ultroloths, and managed to avoid succumbing to...ABYSSAL MADNESS! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, it's more City of Mist as Magill and Tom fill in the theme card for their crew of two. Fi...

The Coyote's Aegis party arrives in the realm of Werships where they visit a Batcob Sanctuary, investigate a security complex, and find themselves facing that classic encounter: a black pudding in a lift shaft! And in an extra-big edition of the RPG Danger Room, Magill guides Tom through the character creation system in City of Mist, as Tom generates a paranormal investigator who is also...a WERE-...

The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign traverse an ocean of black ooze via barge to arrive in the realm of Omenknow where they are given quests by vampires and undead elves that lead to a confrontation with a lich! Then over in the RPG Danger Room, Magill closes the book on The Burning Wheel and opens a new sourcebook to talk about the Powered By The Apocalypse-based game City of Mist! And yeah,...

After heeding The Boxer's Omen and digging into some Road Meat, Tom tells us about the Coyote's Aegis party and their escapades in the island realm of Writhen, including some matchmaking with a creature who looked like a Todd McFarlane figure designed by Clive Barker and attempts to gain an audience with the lich Belphegor! Then Magill stumbles his way through the ranged combat system in The Burni...

Tom and Magill are all over the place this episode - probably a symptom of it being the Year of the Stutterin' Mind. First they talk about their preferred date formatting, then it's a discussion of spooky movies for the Halloween season, some talk of nerdy weddings...heck, they even talk about Facebook memories associated with the film Martyrs. But then Tom gets back into Coyote's Aegis as the par...

Aww geez, Magill had a hell of a month and he starts this episode by telling you all about the kittens and the hurricane! Then the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign find themselves in the realm of Illoomorpheme, where they survive an ambush and meet a dangus Lich. And in the RPG Danger Room, Magill and Tom continue "burning" a character in The Burning Wheel: a crossbow-wielding goblin Sunblotte...

The party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign continues their van tour of Sitra Arha and wind up in Larvae where they attempt to run a forgery scam to get every possible reward for a quest. The only problem is their ruse will be found out quickly, so naturally...they can never go back to Larvae. Then Magill and Tom continue building a goblin sunblotter in the Burning Wheel's character creation system....

It's a brand new act and the heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign begin a new tour. This time they're headed to Sitra Arha and their guide is our old pal Gutbones! Then Magill and Tom continue burning a character in The Burning Wheel. Also, Magill might get swept off in Hurricane Fiona, so if the podcast ends suddenly, you know why! Find us on Facebook! All music composed by Vince Nitro.

Things kick off with a major piece of D&D news: the announcement of ONE D&D! What will this new edition (and associated software) mean for the future of Dungeons & Dragons? Magill and Tom give their thoughts. Then we follow the party in the Coyote's Aegis campaign as they wade through battle after battle and raid a tomb as they make their way to Fort Stormblast. And in the tavern, Magi...

On this episode, the heroes from the Coyote's Aegis campaign meet the true ruler of Beargate Lake: a black Shadow Dragon named Kitten! And Kitten is pretty interested in the party's dragon turtle A-Tuin...but there's way more going on in this episode than just that! Expect lengthy discussions about Better Call Saul, Star Trek, the movie "NOT ME!", aiming for a 7 out of 10, and more. In the RPG Dan...

The Deathlands tour in the Coyote's Aegis campaign continues as the caravan makes its way into the Tristanian mountains headed for the White Ring Outpost and eventually Port Goodberry. But on the way...Odium gets stuck in the tour bus bathroom! Dangus! Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill breaks out the second sci-fi RPG ever created - Starfaring - and he and Tom give it a review, then generate a s...

Tom issues some corrections to the Coyote's Aegis campaign as the party sets out from Fort Kalasu to fight some Grimlocks. Then in the RPG Danger Room, Magill boots up the streamlined one-shot-focused RPG cbr+pnk to discuss its merits, the recent game that Tom GM'd, and the appeal of stripped-down RPG systems in general. And the meataphors continue as C&C slowly transforms into an entirely mea...

The heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign continue their caravan, setting out from the city of Decima, engaging in companion quests and random encounters, and eventually meeting the goblin family called the Mykelsons. After that, it's the exciting premiere of our new RPG Danger Room segment where Magill takes a close look at the pick-up-and-play roleplaying system In a Wicked Age. Will it be crunc...

The heroes of the Coyote's Aegis campaign have to fend off numerous attacks upon their caravan as they make their way to the city of Decima where they witness a confrontation between Arthur, Tusk, Magnus Dwarfbelly, and Prince Foob! Then the Verse campaign wraps up as Magill describes the big final adventure and talks about what he's going to be doing next with his segment of the show, now that he...