RPGs & Baby Makes 3 - The Podcast

Is this our best or our worst episode yet? You decide! After starting the show with a discussion of the Ironsworn RPG, we moved to sort of talking about "Storytelling" versus "Gaming." After agreeing on almost everything, we also talked about tea, rabies, and tropes in grim dark fantasy.  With your hosts Gretchen Hilmers & Rob Hessler!   ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

After a discussion about Rob's adoration of the GM-less game Ironsworn (and our upcoming livestream of a new Post-Apocalyptic campaign using the ruleset), he and Gretchen discuss playing characters boldly. Tune in as Rob goes from rigidly proclaiming that you should go all-in all the time with your PCs, to making all sorts to caveats after Gretchen presents numerous smart counterpoints that he hadn't considered. Plus, a chat about Ben Sperduto's grim dark urban fantasy novel Blackspire. It's a humdinger! 

Got a young kid and still want to play tabletop RPGs? On this episode, Gretchen and Rob discuss how they handle it. Also, Rob talks about his love for "Keeping the Lights On," while Gretchen laments on character creation randomizers. A way to spend an entire hour!

Character death is a part of roleplaying games, but how do we process when one of the players at our table passes away in real life? On this special episode of RPGs & Baby Makes 3, we invite Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and avid gamer Savanah Kite to the show to discuss how we deal with true tragedy at our tables.

How do we play differently in campaigns versus one-shots? Gretchen and Rob discuss the merits and flaws of both, including which type of games they think bring out the best moments in a roleplaying game. Also, they talk about potty training.

After a hiatus induced by two months of illness and the death of one of our longtime players, Gretchen and Rob talk about something that's easy for us, as passionate gamers, to forget: It's only a game.

This week we're excited to welcome Ben Sperduto of Last Redoubt Games back into the studio to talk about his latest project, "Hounds of the Tsar!" Ben is currently offering physical copies of the game on Kickstarter through Tuesday, October 26, 2021 11:00 PM EDT via https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bsperduto/hounds-of-the-tsar-print-edition?ref=user_menu Sperduto describes Hounds of the Tsar as follows: "You have been chosen to serve the Tsardom of Muscovy as a member of Ivan the Terrible's dreaded Oprichnina. Hunt down traitors, heretics, and blasphemous horrors in a realm gripped by famine and the suffering of war. "But beware... your Oprichnik companions are watching you for any sign of betrayal, and dark forces from beyond this world seek to corrupt your soul at every turn." It's an exciting game with an interesting and unique set of rules-lite mechanics that we personally can't wait to play, and were thrilled to discuss in-depth with the man behind it's creation! Find Last Redoubt Games at https://www.lastredoubtgames.com.  

It's AD&D 2nd Edition versus 3-5/Pathfinder verses Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition in a No Holds Barred cage match 47 years in the making!!! Which version of D&D is the best? Tune In! With special guests Lord Cas, Endre, Amanda Plageman, and Kat Valentine!   Opening Title Music Credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

There are right-wing conservative Dungeons & Dragons players, and there are left-wing liberal Dungeons & Dragons players, but can they play at the same table?   On this weeks episode, we examine a passage from David Ewalt's "Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons and Dragons and the People Who Play It" and ask the questions, can gaming bridge our cultural divides?   Opening Titles Music Credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

After spending a bit of time talking about how bad it would be for Rob if Gretchen's character died in his DragonLance campaign, we discuss some uncomfortable feelings about a recent roleplaying-related comic strip by Colms Comics and the importance of consent in games and life.   Opening Titles Music Credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

On this special episode of RPGs & Baby Makes 3 we ask the question, "Is E. Gary Gygax Jr. a Bigot?" Given that he's the son of the founder of Dungeons & Dragons, we felt like his words hold weight and deserve to be analyzed. Inspired by his recent appearance on "Live From the Bunker" (Episode 277: The Return of TSR Games) and some of the comments he made, Gretchen, Rob, and Amanda decided to get all judge-y.    Opening Music Credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬    

Going number two on you! Oh, wait...Err... It's a bonus pod, the second one. After chatting a bit about our recent gaming, we broadcast back to back conversations from long car trips, including the terrible sound quality that comes along with it! First, we discuss the idea of rolling with the punches when things aren't exactly going your way during a particular session of gaming. Then, we delve into the notion of playing games that suit your particular mood. Should you be playing White Wolf's Vampire the Masquerade, or would Kids on Bikes better suit you? Guaranteed to last more than an hour!

CONTENT WARNING: 18+ for language, graphic descriptions of violence, including detailed descriptions of animals being killed for food, psychological terror, and implied cannibalism. RPGs & Baby Makes 3 gathers together to play Calvary Games' Ten Candles, a masterpiece of modern roleplaying designed by Stephen Dewey. The World Is Dark... Pick up a copy of the amazing Ten Candles here: https://cavalrygames.com/ten-candles

ALERT ALERT!!! PROFANITY INCLUDED! This special episode of RPGs & Baby Makes 3 is most certainly not family friendly, as we invited Jeremy Childrey of Gordinaak Games on to the show to talk about his most recent project, "Cocaine & Alligators: A Florida Man Sphere," for use with the Troika! RPG! The conversation also veered into the other games that he's made, including the highly successfully Zinequest 3 project "Gordinaak," a complete setting for the Mothership RPG, as well as a project he termed "the literal worst adventure ever written." Plus, we talked our kids and poop. You don't want to miss it! Find Jeremy's awesome games on itch at: https://gordinaak.itch.io On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/gordinaakgames On Twitter: @GordinaakGames and on Instagram: @gordinaakgames     

This beef is dry aged! This week we're once again joined by our good friend Amanda Plageman, who had some additional insight into the X-card, including a potential pitfall to it's use. We then got into the use of battle maps versus theatre of the mind, touching on the broader discussion of using imagination and what impacts immersion. Finally, the three of us discussed subversive characters, a topic brought on by Gretchen's recent diabolical turn during a one-off of the Mothership RPG. Eat up!

On this week's very special episode of RPGs & Baby Makes 3, we're thrilled to present our interview with Benjamin Sperduto of Last Redoubt Games! Find his latest project "Augmented" on Kickstarter, funding through June 8th, 2021! http://kck.st/33MTELX And learn more about Ben and his work at: www.lastredoubtgames.com www.benjaminsperduto.com www.moranasbreath.com https://www.facebook.com/Last-Redoubt-Games-679701899055556     Opening Titles Music: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Yep, this episode is all about one of our favorite topics: Food!   We delve into Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home and it's follow-up More Leaves from the Inn of the Last Home, The official Supernatural Cookbook, the D&D cookbook Heroes Feast, and RPG Crate's Recipe for Adventure!   Making recipes from each book and examining the contents based on food quality, pictures, and general content, we give our take on how these volumes can potentially add to your roleplaying experience (and enliven your tastebuds).   Listen up and get hungry!     ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

There's something we love about the fact that the number eight also sounds like the word ate. Anytime we can allude to food, it's a good thing. Anyway... Three delicious new segments coming your way! First, we talking about fudging dice, and Rob argues that it's perfectly okay for game masters to do so when the time is right. (Also: Fudge, amiright?!) Then we discuss Lines, Veils, and the X-Card, which is stupidly controversial for some reason. And finally we delve into overcoming creative blocks, including how to use your cat's giant carrot toy as inspiration! (Did somebody say carrots?) As a bonus, near the end of the show Rob teeters perilously close to the edge of having to sleep on the couch. Will he have to? Tune in to find out!

Lucky Number Seven with three fresh segments for your earholes!   Before we get into the beef of the show, we read a few e-mails dealing with cheating and someone named Thundermustard. Then we talk about an epic week of gaming, with Fate, Pathfinder, and Mothership!   Moving to our first segment, we beg you not to WHIP OUT YOUR EXPERIENCE LANCE!   Then we talk about ways to get back into gaming after a long layoff or as a new player.   And we end the show with Rob gushing over one of his favorite GM resources, TabletopAudio.com!   We promise that it's almost an hour long!   ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  

Extra beefy episode coming your way! Ugh... Actually, that sounds gross... Anyway, three more segments for your listening enjoyment! First, Gretchen and Rob talk about the Troika! RPG, a fun and simple psychedelic fantasy game that they recently got a chance to try out. Then, they discuss the roleplaying philosophy of the journey versus the destination. Is it all about beating the BBEG, or is how you get there more important (and, perhaps, more fun). Finally, they invite their good friend Amanda Plageman back to the show to discuss the Candlekeep Mysteries wheelchair controversy. Given that she, herself, is wheelchair bound, we thought that she might just have something to say about it. Give it a listen and we'll promise that it will give you something to do for over an hour!  

For this entire episode we're excited to be joined by our good friend Bianca Bury Rodriguez! Bianca is an AMAZING note-taker, and since it can oftentimes be challenging for parents to play consistently, we wanted to talk to her about how she uses notes to help keep her characters straight when there are long breaks between games. Bianca ALSO helped organize the library D&D program where she works as a librarian, and was happy to share her experience as well as offer ideas about how folks might do something similar where they live. And finally, we got into a detailed discussion about meta-gaming, which we decided is sometimes a good thing. Listen in and we promise you'll hear something!

NEW SEGMENT ALERT! On this week's episode, we debut "In the Common Room," where we interview a guest about a specific topic! And we're happy to welcome Amanda Plageman, longtime head of the Pathfinder Society of Savannah, in to talk about Organized Play, a great resource for gamers who have trouble committing to a consistent game (like a lot of parents). We also talk GM Mind Games and discuss our favorite characters. AND, is Gretchen having a change of heart about dice? Tune in!   Intro music credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Our longest episode yet, which means it must be good, right? RIGHT?!?!?! Three more segments coming your way this time around!  First, we talk about Railroads, Rollercoasters, and Open World-style games, and what we thing works best.  Then we delve into a review of one of our favorite RPGs ever: The very niche Supernatural RPG, based on the long-running television show.  And finally, we do the first of a series of segments on Gamer Etiquette where we talk about food in a gaming group (which was really just excuse to for Gretchen and Rob to talk about food). Also, Gretchen tells an amazing joke about Storm Troopers! Tune in!   Intro music credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼  Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher  Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk  Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright  ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲  ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Gretchen and Rob often like to talk about random gaming topics while just hanging out. This time, because we were on a long trip, we decided to record and edit one of those conversations, and release it as a bonus podcast! Gretchen is gearing up to run her first game ever, so she and Rob chat about her fears and worries, and throw out a few tips for folks who might like to try to run a game but never have before. We'll be talking a lot more about this topic on future episodes, but this is a little more freeform that our usual segments. Note also that we recorded it while in the car, so the sound quality isn't to the same level as our usual podcasts. Still, we hope you enjoy it!

Woohoo, episode two! (Hey, that rhymed! Yeah, yeah, I get it, not clever or funny, but my one year old would love it ;) ) On this week's episode Gretchen and Rob discuss one of Gretchen's favorite RPG miniature resources, Hero Forge, as well as the sometimes controversial DragonLance race Kender, and the use of game master screens. Will you love it? Listen and hope for the best!   Intro music credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼ Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲ ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

On New Year's Eve, Wired.com published a thought-provoking article about how Wizards of the Coast has been handling some of the more controversial aspects of the history of Dungeons & Dragons, especially when it comes to depictions of race. After sharing the article with our gaming group, we decided that we wanted to record a special podcast discussing the ideas presented in the article both from our perspective as gamers and also as parents. Give it a listen! And if you'd like to take a look at the article, here's the link: https://www.wired.com/story/dungeons-dragons-diversity/?fbclid=IwAR2l_ddwAhKAL8UWFxVdUqwidui4Rbf0t5cL59Z9pS2XV2K_j7tr5FK7JOc   Main Title Music Credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼  Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher  Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk  Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright  ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲  ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the RPGs & Baby Makes 3 Podcast, the show about two parents who valiantly attempt to game consistently in spite of a young child! On this episode Gretchen and Rob discuss cheating in RPGs, Sly Flourish's EXCELLENT book, "The Lazy Dungeon Master" (and absolute MUST for any GMing parent), and dice, which apparently Gretchen thinks you only need like one set of. Simply the best podcast done by parents who have children doing a podcast about gaming while having children to come out this year!    Intro music credit: ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬  ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼  Music: D. J. Pinto - The Punisher  Link: https://youtu.be/4LHOhdKMRsk  Music provided by: MFY - No Copyright  ▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲  ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Gretchen Hilmers and Rob Hessler are a married couple with a kid. They like to play RPGs and Boardgames. They made a podcast. Here's what it's all about!