Thinking Critically: A D&D Discussion Danilo Vujevic

This episode I'm joined by the eponymous Aaron of Aaron's Games! Although not the first published, this episode was the first recorded without any preparation notes, in the spirit of the episode topic! Aaron and I discuss the inherent nature of TTRPGs, and how what some might consider "chaos", others would say is improvisation. Through character anecdotes, Aaron expertly describes how to introduce chaotic characters while bridging alignments and play styles.


02:33 - The Inherent Chaos of TTRPGs
14:07 - Managing Chaotic Characters
29:28 - Mixing Alignments
43:57 - The Improvisation Engine

Find Aaron on:


YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JtkK5IBFtYwmv6QOqxMhQ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaronsGames_
God Punchers Twitter: https://twitter.com/godpunchers
God Punchers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/godpunchers/
Insert Laughter Here: https://insertlaughterhere.co.uk/

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

Patrons:


Joe from The Fourth Leg @jcd0818: https://anchor.fm/james-h-anderson
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Minor 'Lost Mine Of Phandelver' spoilers in this episode.

This week I host Derrick from the How Not To DM podcast (HN2DM), to once again talk about all the glorious mistakes we make! the most value from these kinds of discussions, however, is not what to avoid, but what can be learned. We are all beginners at some point, and so we share our experiences and how they can bring us all together in this hobby we love.


05:56 - The Biggest Mistake
18:54 - The Learning Experience
31:49 - What Makes a Good Player

Find Derrick on: 


How Not to DM: https://anchor.fm/hn2dm
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HN2DM
T4C Discord: https://discord.com/invite/FycFWE4KwY
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hownottodm/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_v4UX77Yb_Fwrc3GAMTzjQ
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hn2dm

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

Original 'Mistakes' episode: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk/mistakes

And in Dungeons, Dice, and Dudes: https://linktr.ee/DDandD

Patrons:


Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode brings us Nick from the Hidden GMs Podcast to talk about experimentation in TTRPGs. We discuss the benefits of trying different systems and how they can positively impact how you run your current game. No matter what game you play, everything is dependant on the trust between the players and the GM. One way you can experiment in your D&D 5e game is by handing more control over to your players, be that via extensive character knowledge, in game, or collaborative worldbuilding outside of the game.


03:04 - Trying New Systems
15:32 - D&D 5e Experiments
30:17 - Dynamic Campaigns
49:41 - Playing with the Narrative

Find Nick on:


Twitter: https://twitter.com/HiddenGMs
Hidden GMs Podcast: https://hiddengmspodcast.com/

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

References:


Negative Modifier Podcast: www.negativemodifier.com
Negative Modifier Charity Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TTyPipaCWw
Tabletop Journeys Against the Darkmaster: https://www.ttjourneys.com/archives/podcast/field-trip-against-the-dark-master-session-1
Halcyon Daze: Motorcycle Knights: https://redoakscreative.itch.io/halcyon-daze-motorcycle-knights
'Fudging' episode of Thinking Critically

Patrons:


Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Once again I welcome Lucas Zellers, a.k.a @SparkOtter, as we continue our theme from the Monster episode. We discuss a critical topic as Lucas takes us through his new project: Book of Extinction. The book gives game statistics and lore for D&D 5e, alongside real-world history for some of the world’s most famous extinct animals. The project comes at a critical time as earth’s sixth mass extinction accelerates, with more species likely to disappear in the next 20 years than in the last century alone according to the National Academy of Sciences. We discuss the possibility of society becoming numb to extinction, and how these natural events have inescapably shaped the Monster Manual.


02:00 - Extinction: The Core of D&D
08:39 - True Stories Behind Some of the Monster Manual's Extinct Creatures
23:58 - Dino Discussion
31:10 - Extinction-Level Events
38:01 - Content Deprecation
41:48 - TPE: Total Party Extinction

Find Lucas on:


Scintilla Studios: https://scintilla.studio/extinction/
DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/388997/Book-of-Extinction--Preview
DMs Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Lucas%20Zellers
Mage Hand Press: https://store.magehandpress.com/products/book-of-extinction-preview
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sparkotter

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

References:


S03E02 'Monster' episode of Thinking Critically
Center for Biological Diversity: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/new-dungeons-dragons-book-to-support-endangered-species-protection-2022-04-11/
Atlas Games - Planegea: https://atlas-games.com/planegea

Patrons:


Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

I'm once again joined by Bart Wynants (a.k.a. @critographer), this time to talk about how to write TTRPGs. As with many tasks, mind set and habit formation is of upmost importance for success. Bart suggests embodying different 'roles' when writing TTRPG content: The "Architect" for big picture, macro level structure. The "Builder" for content creation and putting meat on the bones. And finally, the "Interior Designer" for beautifying and improving the user experience. This compartmentalisation can help forward momentum by focusing on what's important at that time. A unique aspect of writing for TTRPGs is how you have to keep several different kinds of audience in mind: DMs, players, and viewers/consumers. Each type demands unique considerations and concessions - listen to the episode to find the tips you need approach this and find success!


01:59 - Building the Habit
11:41 - Writing Reusable Adventures
20:46 - How Writing for a Module Differs from Prep
35:31 - Scripting an Actual Play
51:19 - 'The First Draft is Crap'

Find Bart on:


Twitter: https://twitter.com/critographer
Raging Swan Press: https://www.ragingswanpress.com/
Hansor Publishing — The Gaia Complex: https://thegaiacomplex.com/hansor
House of the Exorcist: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/375167/House-of-the-Exorcist

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

References:


S01 E24 'Fudging' episode of Thinking Critically
S03 E18 'Kickstarter' episode of Thinking Critically

Patrons:


Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode I'm joined by Andrew & Vesna Gronosky from Shewstone Publishing, who leverage their extensive knowledge to discuss the implications of having a "history" in your TTRPG setting. The different lifespans of races can have a profound impact in their culture and what they consider important enough to record; what happened "a long time ago" to a human can be relatively "yesterday" to an elf. We can use these schisms to drive worldbuilding and roleplay opportunities. Fortunately for us, real life has volumes and volumes of inspiration, and most of the heavy lifting has already been done over the span of human history.


02:40 - Building on What We Know
09:42 - Cultural Differences
17:19 - History is Relative
23:03 - The Times They are a Changing
45:06 - Conveying "Facts"
49:20 - Making History

Find Andrew & Vesna via Shewstone Publishing on:


Magonomia, the RPG of Renaissance Wizardry: https://shewstone.com/magonomia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShewstoneLLC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShewstonePublishing
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRYQd535twmEZ-8GF1Tt8jg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shewstone

Find Thinking Critically online: https://www.thinkingcritically.co.uk

References:


Ars Magica: https://www.atlas-games.com/arsmagica
Pirenne Thesis (CW: discredited and shaped by anti-Muslim prejudice) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Pirenne
Beyond Battles presentation, Gen Con Online 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW0YxEnsr8A

Patrons:


Robert Hartley @RobertHartleyGM: https://www.patreon.com/RobertHartleyGM
Optional Rule @optionalrule: https://www.optionalrule.com/
Matthew Perkins @mperkinsDM: https://www.matthewperkins.net/
Matt Street @mpstreet88: https://www.virtualtimehustle.com/

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod