Tabletop Treehouse

Chris Sneeze
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Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Player Driven Horror and Scary Movies

    Horror RPGs: Fear, Choice & Player Agency How do you make a tabletop RPG feel frightening without simply taking control away from the players?  In this Halloween episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis talk about player agency in horror RPGs and ways to put characters into terrifying situations while still giving the players meaningful choices.  We discuss letting players define what frightens their characters, tying horror to mechanical consequences, presenting choices where every option has a cost, and giving players some control over how their character’s story ends. Along the way, we look at examples from games like Delta Green, Dread, Rapscallion, Brindlewood Bay, The Between, and other horror-focused RPGs.  Then we loosen things up for Halloween and talk about some of the horror movies that scared us, including Alien, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Thing, Evil Dead, Scream, Poltergeist, and more.  If you run horror games, Halloween one-shots, or just want your frightening scenes to feel tense without removing player agency, this episode is for you. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  2. Oct 23

    The Evolution of Prep

    The Evolution of Prep Starting a tabletop RPG session should not require hours of stressful preparation.  In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis talk about how to build a TTRPG prep system that fits the way you actually run games. We cover figuring out what you are good at, identifying the parts of GMing that need more preparation, keeping useful notes, deciding how much time you realistically have, and understanding what your particular game needs to produce a successful session.  We also talk about overprepping, improvisation, published adventures, encounter prep, miniatures and terrain, player involvement, recaps, and why preparation should support the fun instead of becoming another job.  Whether you are a new Game Master, an experienced GM trying to streamline your process, or someone who keeps staring at a giant binder wondering how much of it you actually need, this episode is about finding a prep routine that leaves you comfortable, confident, and ready to play. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  3. Oct 8

    Your Ship Is Basically a Character in Rapscallion

    Your Ship is Basically a Character in Rapscallion In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis head back to the high seas of Rapscallion to break down how ships work in the game. We talk about ship playbooks, traits like Steadfast, Speed, and Fortune, crew and Lackeys, ship upgrades, Renown, bonds with the ship, and the special moves that come into play when you are escaping, outmaneuvering enemies, taking something head-on, or just trying to navigate dangerous waters. We also dig into why the ship feels less like equipment and more like another character in the campaign, especially once the crew starts adding their own history, secrets, upgrades, and weirdness to it. If you are curious about Rapscallion TTRPG, pirate RPGs, narrative ship combat, or how Powered by the Apocalypse-style mechanics can make a ship feel central to the story, this episode is a good place to start. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  4. Sep 24

    Rapscallion TTRPG Moves Explained: Luck, Consequences & Chaos

    TTRPG Moves Explained: Luck, Consequence & Chaos In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis dive back into Rapscallion to break down the game’s basic and special moves and show how they shape play at the table.  We talk about how Powered by the Apocalypse-style moves work, how Twist Fate lets players add new elements to a scene, why Unleash Your Power makes magic dangerous, how Stand Your Ground handles temptation and character flaws, and why moves like Plunder, Deny Death, and Test Renown can generate entire new storylines on their own.  If you’re learning Rapscallion, curious about PbtA games, or interested in RPG mechanics that turn consequences into story, this episode gives you a practical look at how the system actually plays. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  5. Sep 10

    Rapscallion Playbooks: How Character Creation Builds Story

    How to Start Your Own TTRPG Campaign Starting your own tabletop RPG campaign can feel overwhelming. In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis talk about how to start a TTRPG campaign by focusing on the pieces that actually help you get to the table. We cover three starting points for a campaign: history and lore, a town or starting location, and an antagonist…diving into how each can create conflict. From there, we talk about factions, NPCs with faces, planning your session zero, giving players a clear pitch, connecting characters to the setting, choosing safety tools, and building a first quest that points toward the larger conflict. Whether you are a new Game Master, starting your first D&D campaign, or trying to build a homebrew RPG world without drowning in prep, this episode is about doing enough work to feel ready without writing an entire encyclopedia before anyone rolls dice. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Blink Dog Couriers, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  6. Aug 27

    Rapscallion Playbooks: How Character Creation Builds Story

    Ask Better Questions: Using Prompts to Improve Your TTRPG Good prompts can turn a simple scene into a memorable roleplaying moment. In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis dig into how Game Masters can use prompts to give players more ownership over their characters, the world, and the story. We break down six useful types of prompts, including situation, stakes, relationships, tone and genre, character priorities, and action, with examples of how each can work at the table. If you want your players contributing more to the story without putting all the narrative work on their shoulders, start by asking better questions. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Keeblee’s Pocket Pantry, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  7. Aug 14

    Rapscallion Playbooks: How Character Creation Builds Story

    Rapscallion Playbooks: How Character Creation Builds Story Chris and Dennis continue their overview of Rapscallion, the pirate fantasy TTRPG from Magpie Games, by digging into how playbooks work & how they shape character creation. Using the Chirurgeon and Chronicler as examples, we talk about luck, harm, last words, advances, belongings, oddities, bonds, and the questions that help turn a character sheet into actual story material at the table. From cheese homunculi and strange alchemy to magical books, Jinn, and character-driven quests, this episode looks at how Rapscallion gives players strong identities while giving the Fates plenty of hooks to pull on later. If you’re curious about Rapscallion character creation, how Powered by the Apocalypse-style playbooks work, or how you might want to build story directly into characters, this episode will have an answer or two for you. Join the Tabletop Treehouse community Come hang out with us, talk TTRPGs, share your games, and tell us what we got right or wildly wrong: https://discord.gg/kArZkXgWka Support Tabletop Treehouse on Patreon Get bonus episodes, extra RPG goodies, magic item PDFs like Keeblee’s Pocket Pantry, and help us keep making weird, useful tabletop content: https://www.patreon.com/c/tabletoptreehouse More from Tabletop Treehouse Find episodes, show notes, articles, and more tabletop RPG advice here: https://tabletoptreehouse.com/ Grab Tabletop Treehouse merch Shirts, stickers, and other weird little treasures from the Treehouse: https://www.redbubble.com/people/tttreehouse/shop

  8. Jul 27

    How to Make TTRPG Combat More Engaging

    How to Make TTRPG Combat More Engaging Combat in tabletop RPGs can be exciting, dramatic, and full of great character moments, but it can also slow down fast when players are waiting for their turn. In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, Chris and Dennis share practical TTRPG combat tips for keeping fights engaging in games like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Savage Worlds, Daggerheart, Draw Steel, and other turn-based roleplaying games. We talk about how Game Masters can keep the story moving during combat with meaningful misses, villain monologues, player narration, memorable crits, changing battlefield environments, and encounter design that supports the larger adventure. Whether you’re running high-level D&D combat, building better RPG encounters, or looking for ways to keep players off their phones and invested in the fight, this episode is full of GM advice for making tabletop combat more fun, cinematic, and engaging. Plus, we take a detour through giant laser-shooting stone heads, high-level D&D chaos, and Keeblee’s Pocket Pantry. This is an overview episode, so we’re keeping things broad and approachable. Future videos will dig deeper into the rules, playbooks, running the game, and how to get the most out of your Rapscallion campaign Watch more GM advice Check out more Tabletop Treehouse videos about running better games, building better sessions, and keeping your players engaged: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCANBtcNxt3UGZAH9FUI362Q Patreon Redbubble Discord

  9. Jul 13

    Pirate PbtA. Rapscallion, an Overview​

    Pirate PbtA. Rapscallion, an Overview In this Tabletop Treehouse video, we take a first look at Rapscallion, the pirate fantasy tabletop RPG from Magpie Games. We cover the basics of how Rapscallion works, what makes it different from other TTRPGs, and why its mix of pirates, magic, trouble, and messy character drama makes it such a fun game to bring to the table. This is an overview episode, so we’re keeping things broad and approachable. Future videos will dig deeper into the rules, playbooks, running the game, and how to get the most out of your Rapscallion campaign Patreon Redbubble

  10. Jun 30

    GM Tips for Unexpected Player Choices

    GM Tips for Unexpected Player Choices Sometimes players make choices that send your tabletop RPG campaign in a direction you never expected. In this episode of Tabletop Treehouse, we talk about what Game Masters can do when players surprise them, change the plan, or take the game off course. We share practical GM tips for improvising, keeping the game moving, making player choices matter, and turning unexpected moments into fun and memorable scenes for everyone at the table. Redbubble Patreon

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