Table Variation

A new year begins, we catch up, talk about new games, and Matt dissects WW1984

Is having something like Power Attack (PF1E) or Sol Ring (MTG) a symptom of poor game design?

Matt and Walter talk about six characters everyone should build and play at least once.

What happens when a game system gets retired? Is it good or bad, and what comes after?

Discussion of the new MTG set - Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms

Update! We're still here, and we'll start releasing real episodes again soon!

Our two word review of what's been going on for the last month! Also RPG stuff.

Roundtable discussion about teaching people how to play RPGs through VTTs, with guests Anthony and Kyle.

Matt, Kyle, and Walter talk about why they love RPGs

Discussion of rules as written vs rules as intended, looking at examples from real life.

Matt, Kyle, and Walter each discuss a different RPG topic

Recording remotely (thanks COVID-19), we discuss diseases and other maladies in RPGs.

Kyle quizzes us on our Top 3: Skills, Characters, Modules, Classes, Star Wars and more.

Matt and Walter talk about nothing important, 2020 edition!

Matt and Kyle share their tales from Tales from the Yawning Portal!

We look back at the last 3 years, what we've said, and everything we've yet to say!

Last episode of 2019! We ask the question: what is the future of pencil and paper RPGs?

Player Agency - the most important part of any RPG

What will the next edition of D&D look like? We take a look at D&Ds history, to better predict what the future might hold.

Impressions on our first Virtual Tabletop (VTT) experience / Matt went to PAX!

Table Variation reviews the new Pathfinder 2nd Edition Core Rulebook and give their first impressions.

War for the Crown after action report -- Kyle guest stars and asks some hard hitting questions about the Pathfinder Adventure Path.

Third Party Content - when do you allow it at your table? What do you allow?

How long has your gaming group been going for? Kyle guest stars, and talks about his 10 year and going strong Sunday D&D table.

How do you prepare for something new in your game? A class? An adventure? The 70th episode.

Professional RPGs like Critical Role - what can we learn from them?

In what ways can you be creative in your game? How can RPGs help cultivate creativity?

Experience in RPGs, GMing, Playing -- How much do we have and what do we still need to work on?

When do the rules at your table get in the way? What do you do?

2018 in review! Table Variation looks back at 2018 and forward into the future.

Bonus Thanksgiving Track - Playing with Parents

Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica & Systems for Settings

A brief discussion about the structure of unique stories being told with RPGs, and how to make your game one of them.

Andrew Porter guest stars!

Mark Seifter guest stars! Topics include being a game designer, Pathfinder v2 playtest, and GMing! Twitter: @MarkSeifter facebook.com/MarkSeifterGameDesigner/

Two topics - Rotating GMs and Playing RPGs in public

Discussion about blocktext - when is it OK for the GM to take over. Inspiration Station Artwork: Big Friend https://www.artstation.com/artwork/VY69Z Artist: Mauro Belfiore

SPOILERS: Starfinder Society 1-13 and 1-14. Topic: Railroading in RPGs. What is it? Is it always bad? How do you avoid it? Inspiration station artist: Viktor Mukhin Artwork: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/a5xoz

ART LINK: https://cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/004/325/915/large/rocio-espin-pinar-atlantisnewgeneral.jpg?1482450235 With Pathfinder 2 on the horizon, we look at everything bad about Pathfinder v1 we've come to accept over the last decade.

300 Adventure Ideas! Kyle Cance guest stars.

Matt and Walter discuss board games this episode. Art piece discussed by Zhihui Su, found on artstation here: https://www.artstation.com/su116861261

Art by Sergey Gurskiy discussed: https://www.artstation.com/krmplce How do you craft the story for your RPG game? Matt and Walter discuss.

In depth discussion about TPKs and how they happen. Ryan Wilson guest stars.

Revitalizing Encounter Design - with special guest Kyle!

PATHFINDER SECOND EDITION!! Matt and Walter break it down

This is almost episode 50

Matt and Walter brainstorm how to elevate your table beyond the confines of standard rules, and how to cope with that as a player.

Matt, Ryan, and Walter have a heart to heart with all the players out there.

Matt, Ryan, and Walter bounce around a bit and talk about their favorite RPG genres and science fiction.

Matt, Ryan, and Walter talk about the "ideal" versus the "reality" when it comes to RPGs, both as a player and as a GM.

SPOILERS FOR THE LAST JEDI Matt, Quinn, and Ryan review the Last Jedi and talk about dragons as villains.