The Encounter Deck

Having finally defeated the YouTube adverts, Daffrid and Dysartes are back to discuss their preferences when it comes to role-playing games - should they use a generic rules engine, or design their own bespoke system? As well as this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news from Games Workshop, and we take a look at the news...

Now their eyes have returned to normal after researching too much content on the silver screen and the small screen, Daffrid and Dysartes take a look at two different release models for card games, and try to determine which they prefer. The outcome may not surprise you... On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the ne...

Now that Dysartes has retrieved Daffrid from the duck pond following the witch trial, our hosts are taking a look at YouTube, and supplying their recommendations for channels that provide painting tutorials over there. How many of the names do you recognise? As well as this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news from Games...

Having escaped from the HR daemon, Daffrid and Dysartes return to finish their coverage of the UK Games Expo 2026, with a look at Foxglove Farm, Fate of Witches, and the Duncan Rhodes Painting Masters. Did our hosts pick up any awards in the painting competition? Should Foxglove Farm be renamed? Is Daffrid a witch? As well as this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doin...

With a local cleric having cast Lesser Restoration to remove the painting paralysis from our hosts, Daffrid and Dysartes return to look at the range of films and TV series adapted from our favourite licenses, and ask the question - are we in a golden age for such adaptations? On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the...

Now the mysterious blue smoke has dispersed, the deck has summoned Daffrid and Dysartes for their half-year review. At the start of the year our hosts had set themselves goals and constructed bingo cards for things GW might reveal, and it's time to see how they're doing. As well as this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at...

Having recovered from the Tasha's Drinking Game over the last couple of episodes, Daffrid and Dysartes return to look at how to recover from one of the most troublesome ailments for a miniatures hobbyist - Painting Paralysis. How do we break the deadlock and get back to being productive? On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight...

Following some technical difficulties - namely the blue smoke escaping from Daffrid's internet connection - our hosts are back to continue talking through their experiences at UK Games Expo 2026. On top of our experience at the Expo, Dysartes managed to catch up with Will Kirkby, otherwise known as Chamonkee, Sheffield-based artist and creator. Will is the artist who did the illustration work...

Daffrid and Dysartes have escaped from the Black Planet, and are ready to begin talking about their experiences at UK Games Expo. We did have to wait for Daffrid's voice to recover before we could record, however. Dysartes managed to sit down with Chris and Hughie from Colour Forge, with that interview being in the discussion segment - the NEC is definitely a noisy spot to have a chat, even on the...

Note - Unfortunately, Daffrid lost his voice following UK Games Expo, so episode 52 is delayed. Instead, here's episode 4 to tide you over. Daffrid and Dysartes finish taking a pause for breath, and return to looking at the changes to classes in the upcoming D&D 5e Revised (or 5.5, according to Dysartes). If you're partaking in the Tasha's Drinking Game, please do so responsibly. On top of thi...

Daffrid and Dysartes return from the void to start looking at the changes to classes in the upcoming D&D 5e Revised (or 5.5, according to Dysartes). There's a lot to talk about, as our hosts have... thoughts, to the point this topic will be split across two episodes. On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news...

Daffrid and Dysartes emerge from the shade once more to discuss which games they're wanting to try out at UK Games Expo 2026 - and there is quite the list. On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news from Games Workshop, and we take a look at the news from the wider gaming world as well. Originally recorded on May...

Daffrid and Dysartes are back, and continue with their look back at UK Games Expo 2024. Survive: Escape from Atlantis, Shadowrun, and Battletech all got a test run, alongside a discussion about Joyride, a new racing game from Rebellion. On top of this discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we’ve been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news from Games Workshop, and we take a...

Daffrid and Dysartes return to see how various AI models coped with digesting Daffrid's roleplaying scenario from the last episode, and how they did with regurgitating that content into new forms, as well as suggesting additions to what came before. Maybe we'll find out whether Dysartes is too cynical - or not cynical enough - when it comes to the Abominable Intelligence. On top of this artifical...

Hello, and welcome to The Encounter Deck. Join Daffrid and Dysartes for their first venture into the podcasting world, taking a look at the news from Games Workshop, stories from the wider gaming world, and covering the first half of their discussion of their experiences at UK Games Expo 2024. Please note - as this was the first episode we recorded, there may be some audio issues as we needed to l...

Daffrid and Dysartes return to tackle the deck's last challenge - follow a series of prompts from the Deck of Wonders to create a tabletop roleplaying scenario. It looks like one of our hosts has been a wee bit enthusiastic on this particular task... On top of this novel discussion topic, we also catch up on what hobbying we've been doing over the last fortnight, we look at the news from Games Wor...