I picked up this starter box at a Black Friday sale and ran the one session story is contained. Herein are my thoughts.

Free League’s Vaesen Page: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/games/vaesen/

STA came out in late 2017, and I’ve been running it on and off since, with four separate campaigns under my belt, and a shelf of 1e hardbacks as my collection. Herein I look back on the game - what it does well, where it’s rough, and why it’s worth trying (1e or 2e), despite my lack of interest in 2e. Find current and 1e materials at the links below.

Free 2e Quickstart: https://tinyurl.com/2pzvuh5h

1e PDF Rulebook for purchase: https://tinyurl.com/33sbdh5r

1e Klingon Rulebook PDF for purchase: https://tinyurl.com/2t6hhfh5

We’ve discussed the work that goes into getting ready to run a new campaign, and since one of us is going through that right now, we decided to talk through the steps in the process of marrying the three S’s of a game: system, setting, and story.

And here's that link to the massive Classic Traveller deal: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/traveller-classic-rpg-collection?v=5911

Every campaign comes to an end, whether by decision or outside events or pressure. When you have at least some time to work with, how can you gracefully, satisfyingly, finish a campaign? And when you do, are you ending it, or shelving it? We discuss these ideas today.

Every RPG offers some kind of system of formal rewards: XP, levels, skills…but what else can you do, mechanically and within the story, to reward your players? Is there more to rewards than character levels or powers? We think so, and we discuss some specific, actionable ideas in today’s episode.

Most games give a decent amount of attention in the rules to planning combat encounters - but what about those where you, the GM, intend for there to be no fighting at all? How do you decide to insert these into your adventures and how do you plan and run them at the table? We tackle some of the essentials in this episode.

We continue with James’ Traveller campaign and share some different perspectives on he we each ran the same adventure, and how you can launch your own Traveller Spinward Marches campaign.

Art and TTRPGs have a long, cooperative history, with DnD’s art being something of the flagship and standard for what gaming art can be, can look like, and the role it plays in your game. Herein we discuss this and some of the topics with which it overlaps.

For the ‘classic’ DnD art mentioned in the episode…

Watch the documentary, Eye of the Beholder: The Art of Dungeons & Dragons, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2KPLgJO

Check out Art & Arcana: A Visual History: https://a.co/d/1iyToaL

Where do you start when planning a conflict (combat?) encounter? It’s not with CR, or mechanical balance, or XP values…it’s deeper and more interesting, in fact. We discuss some of the most fundamental questions you should ask and issues you should consider when planning where and when to add a fight to your tabletop RPG sessions.Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunchSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

After our episodes about James running High & Dry, I thought it’d be useful to give some advice to the new or would-be Traveller GM or player. There are a lot of Drinaxout there for the game - where should you get started? I help.

Our Discord: https://discord.gg/ydwwPHNuG9

The core book: https://tinyurl.com/tpjf358z

Third Imperium: https://tinyurl.com/4yf6pbe8

Traveller Companion: https://tinyurl.com/mzbjhz97

High Guard: https://tinyurl.com/64p2k8rx

Central Supply Catalog: https://tinyurl.com/yw5p5j46

The Marches Adventures: https://tinyurl.com/2suszadh

The Fifth Frontier War: https://tinyurl.com/3a5a48vj

The Pirates of Drinax: https://tinyurl.com/4awcxamd

Herein we discuss session 2, and the completion of, the great introductory adventure for Traveller, “High & Dry.”

Check out our discussion of the first part of the adventure: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/suIB5wTulWb

Read about the adventure on Mongoose’s site: https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/products/marches-adventure-1-high-and-dry

Find it on DriveThru: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/174177/marches-adventure-1-high-and-dry?affiliate_id=40097

Where do you start when planning an encounter, or scene, for a TTRPG adventure? How do you think about the location and how to convey its details to your players? We discuss in today’s episode.

You’re a GM interested in starting a new campaign…what are the first steps you should take? What are the initial ideas and issues you need to nail down before sinking in all that world and adventure building work?

We tackle these issues in this part 1 of a multi-episode arc.

Traveller’s a great game set in a massive universe - but where should you start? High and Dry is an excellent introduction for players and GMs new to Traveller, and in this episode we discuss James’ first session of the adventure with his group - all of them new to Traveller.

Session prep can be tough - and prep for a game that neither you nor your players have played before is tougher. Herein we discuss James' upcoming first session of Traveller, using it as a vehicle to talk about some foundational session prep practices any GM can use.

Herein we talk about the reboot, and then get down to the important business of discussing some pithy, useful GM tips.

It might sound absurd, but if you want your best TTRPG session, you need to know the rules. Herein I provide some real-world-tested techniques for learning and remembering the rules to your games and your characters.#ttrpg #closereading Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunchSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Engagement, by GM and players, is essential if you want a fun, interesting, and memorable TTRPG session...but how do you achieve it? What does it look like? Here are some specific techniques - for players and GMs - to help you get and stay engaged with the game, story, and each other.Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunchSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Why is it that everything is so politicized these days? Is it possible to play a game without the inclusion of your political positions while at the table, or as a purity test for players? Listen and find out the lab-tested truth of the matter.

Get caught up with the first episode in this series here: https://youtu.be/10o8pt2qEY0

Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX

Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunch

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod

Nobody plans to have a mediocre game session - but how do you get great, or at least pretty good, one? What can you plan in advance to increase the likelihood of a good session? What can you do during the session to make the best it can be?This is the first in a multi-episode series featuring advice on how to have great sessions, and specific ideas about how to make it happen.Join our friendly Discord: https://discord.gg/5AtydRUDjX Subscribe on to our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fluffncrunchSubscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fluffncrunchpod