Undercommon Taste

This week, we are joined by Rob Hilferty, one of the co-hosts of the podcast Worldbuild With Us, to discuss the basics of worldbuilding. Join us as we discuss the ins and outs of collaborative worldbuilding, what you need, and what you don't, as well as a fun example as we create a sci-fi space opera setting in real time.   You can find Worldbuild With Us on Twitter ( @LetsWorldbuild ), YouTube (...

This week, we begin our exploration of the North American cryptids with the most prevalent of them all: the Bigfoot. Join us as we discuss Bigfoot variants, how to adapt them for your table, and ideas for implementing them in your game.   Find links to all of our social media, episodes, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord via our Linktree: linktr.ee/undercommontaste Our theme song is Massacre Anne, w...

This week, we're talking about monsters that can turn you to stone. Join us as we explore the mythological origins of the Basilisk, the Cockatrice, the Gorgon, and the Medusa, and how they've been presented in D&D throughout the editions.    Find links to all of our social media, episodes, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord via our Linktree: linktr.ee/undercommontaste Our theme song is Massacre Anne...

This week, we're talking about monsters that come from the sea. Join us as we discuss the mythology and lore of the Lernean Hydra, the Leviathan, the Kraken, and more, and how to incorporate these plot-level monsters into your game. Our long-time friends of the show over at Worldbuild With Us (Twitter: @LetsWorldbuild ) just celebrated a major milestone anniversary: 200 episodes! Congratulations t...

This week, we are joined by special guest Dr. Ali Mattu. Dr. Mattu is a clinical psychologist with a focus on anxiety disorders, and we're discussing the intersection of gaming and mental health, from ways that gaming can be helpful for managing anxiety to the portrayal of mental health in media. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and tomorrow (May 18, 2023) is Mental Health Action Day. You can...

This week, we're talking chimeras - those monsters which are made up of pieces of other monsters. Join us as we discuss chimeras in mythology and game lore, starting (of course) with *the* Chimaera of Greek mythology, and continuing through to manticores, catyblepases (catyblepi?), owlbears, and more.    Our friends over at Worldbuild With Us (Twitter: @LetsWorldbuild )recently did a two-part epis...

This week, we're diving into the lore of four-legged beasties, both in mythology and in game. Join us as we discuss hellhounds, black dogs, and the King of Cats, and the D&D monsters they inspired - yeth hounds, barghests, grimalkin, and more - and how to make them more than just a simple combat encounter.  As we mentioned at the beginning of the episode, we were guests on another podcast! We got...

This week, we're following up our episode on harpies with an episode on merfolk and their variants. Join us as we discuss the lore and game mechanics surrounding merfolk, kelpies, nixies, selkies, and more. In other news: we were guests on another podcast! We got to join Aaron and Zak over at Some Patches Required for some talk about TTRPGs and how they've influenced - and been influenced by - vid...

CW: There is a brief mention of suicide and self-harm, in the context of discussing the harpies as described in Dante's Inferno. This happens at about the 8 minute mark, and lasts for about 20 seconds.   This week, we're talking about the human-bird hybrid creature from Greek mythology - the harpy! Join us as we discuss their description from mythology, how they've been presented in TTRPGs, and ho...

This week, we welcome Michael Ross from The RPG Academy to discuss his new game, Action 12 Cinema, which is currently live on Kickstarter. Join us as we discuss this GM-less game, its d12 dice system, and our love for B-budget movies. Between recording and the episode release, Action12 Cinema has hit fully funded! You can check out the project here to help push them up and past their first stretch...

This week, we're wrapping up our discussion of lycanthropes in TTRPGs. Join us as we discuss the mechanical aspects of including werecreatures in your game, including how they've functioned throughout the editions of D&D, how to make your own custom lycanthropes, and some fun ideas to elevate your players' lycanthrope encounter experience. As we mentioned, our next episode is going to be an interv...

This week, we're talking lycanthropes! Join us as we talk about the prevalence of werewolves in real world mythology and folklore, and the origins of some of the most popular lycan-tropes, like changing under a full moon or the ongoing feud between werewolves and vampires. (Yes, that is a werewolf pun, and no, I will not apologize for it.)   Find us on Facebook:  facebook.com/UndercommonTaste Foll...

This week, we discuss morale and disposition. Join us as we discuss ways to drive your enemies before you, bolster the fighting spirit of your allies, and throw some chance into the mix when first encountering NPCs. This week was also a first, as it was the first time in over 2 years/100 episodes that we recorded an episode in person! The audio quality was a bit off - we apologize for that - but w...

This week, we are joined by Sam Leigh (  @GoblinMixtape  ), solo RPG creator and author of the Ennie-nominated solo RPG Anamnesis. Join us as we discuss solo RPGs, Sam's creative process, and the Anamnesis Game Jam. You can find Sam's work for sale at blinkingbirchgames.itch.io , and you can find all of her social media links at samleigh.carrd.co . This week's shoutout was for game designer, write...

This week, we talk some more mechanical aspects of incorporating food into your games. Join us as we touch on trail rations, malnutrition, spoilage, and food as rewards. This is also our last episode of the year! Thank you all for another year of listening. We'll return on Friday, January 6th at 9PM Eastern with an interview with solo RPG creator Sam Leigh over on our Twitch channel ( twitch.tv/un...

This week, we come off of the Thanksgiving holiday talking about food. Join us as we discuss ways to use food as a vehicle for worldbuilding, and as we return to our town of Verdigris to build out some cuisine culture for the denizens.   This week's episode is sponsored by Fireball Forge and How Not to DM, and their current Kickstarter project, Too Hot One Shot, which is running until December 7th...

This week, we're talking with Greg Tito and Shelly Mazzanoble, the co-hosts of Dragon Talk, the official Dungeons and Dragons podcast. Join us as we discuss their new book, Welcome to Dragon Talk, as well as aspects of their careers and TTRPG experiences before and during their time at Wizards of the Coast. You can pre-order "Welcome to Dragon Talk: Inspiring Conversations About Dungeons & Dragons...

This week, we return to our homebrewing roots to present a new player class for 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons - The Spellblade. Join us as we discuss this new half-caster class that augments their martial prowess with arcane magic in a torrent of spell and steel. We now have an Itch store! Head on over to undercommontaste.itch.io to get a copy of Ian's new Liminal Horror adventure, Beneath the...

This week, we are pleased to welcome Goblin Archives to discuss his game, Liminal Horror. Join us as we discuss game design, horror in TTRPGs, and the Tales From the Void game jam. You can find Goblin Archives on Twitter ( @goblin_archives ) or on Itch ( goblinarchives.itch.io ), where you can find Liminal Horror and his published supplements for it. You can also find his work, along with the free...

This week, we are joined by Cassie, the GM for the Call of Cthulhu actual play podcast The Lovelycraftians. We discuss the horror genre - more specifically cosmic horror - as well as some advice for having a safer and more rewarding horror TTRPG experience at your table. You can find Cassie on Twitter ( @LovelyGM_Cassie ), or running the game with the Lovelies ( @Lovelycraftians ). They just wrapp...

This week, we welcome Hannah, Mary, and Eric back one more time to discuss the adventure we just wrapped up. We discuss the things we liked, the things we didn't, and some character details that may have been missed during play. Cast: Hannah Miller is the editor of 19 Hits the Dragon ( @19HitstheDragon ), and can be found on Twitter ( @Bad8uddhist ), Twitch ( twitch.tv/Bad8uddhist ), and Tiktok (a...

They've found Suzen Khahlo, and they've found Blightspore. But how are they going to get back out?   Cast: James Daley as Mica Hannah Miller ( @Bad8uddhist ) as Bangarang Eric Holden ( @goblinscorner ) as Oxley Mary Crowell ( @DrMaryCCrowell ) as Vaca   The Tarrasque Task of Moreen Trask is a module written by DM Dave, and released by Tabletop Audio through their Patreon. You can find the module h...

This week, the party executes some ingenuity to navigate the upper regions of the tarrasque's digestive tract, all while continuing their search for the leader of the Ironfield and the magical sword she possesses.   Cast: James Daley as Mica Hannah Miller ( @Bad8uddhist ) as Bangarang Eric Holden ( @goblinscorner ) as Oxley Mary Crowell ( @DrMaryCCrowell ) as Vaca   The Tarrasque Task of Moreen Tr...

This week, Bangarang, Oxley, Mica, and Vaca begin to explore the innards of the tarrasque. They find two members of the Ironfield, both worse for wear, and discover that years of hard living and avoiding the doctor have left the tarrasque's organs in a terrible state.  We want to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Tarrasquemas, and hope you get your Tarrasquemas cake and all the wondrous items...

This week, we begin our anniversary game! We are joined by special guests Hannah Miller ( @Bad8uddhist ), Mary Crowell ( @DrMaryCCrowell ), and Eric Holden ( @goblinscorner ) as we slog through "The Tarrasque Task of Moreen Trask".  The quiet desert town of Dubufi is rudely awakened when the gnomish archmage Moreen Trask flies in, being chased by a 600-foot-tall, 1200-foot-long living apocalypse e...