Subverting TTRPG Tropes (Episode 252)

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Tabletop Journeys

536 episodes

1 day ago

Friends for much longer than any of them care to admit, your three hosts bring extensive RPG experience from even before they met. For almost 100 years combined, they have played in and ran tabletop and live action games of every stripe. Since then, they have discussed, argued, kibitzed, broken down, built up, rearranged, and dissected every imaginable topic, frequently in living rooms in front of horrified onlookers who couldn't get a word in edgewise. The Tabletop Journeys project started as friends wanting to get together over Zoom to talk about the games they were running, they stuff that they had bought, and things that they thought were cool. And now, we hope that you do too!

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Subverting TTRPG Tropes (Episode 252)

Tabletop Journeys

46 minutes 46 seconds

1 week ago

Subverting TTRPG Tropes (Episode 252)

🎲 Tired of the same old tavern start? Let's Break Some TTRPG Tropes! 🎲

Ever groaned when your GM says "You all meet in a tavern"? Ready to transform boring clichés into unforgettable gaming moments? Join Josh, Michael, and Lewanika for an electrifying discussion on how to subvert common tabletop RPG tropes and revolutionize your game table! 🔥

In this episode, we're flipping the script on tired TTRPG conventions and showing you how to breathe new life into your campaigns! Whether you're a veteran Game Master or just starting your storytelling journey, you'll discover practical techniques to transform overused tropes into memorable gaming experiences that your players will talk about for years.

✨ In this episode

🗡️ Why "Starting in a Tavern" falls flat, and how to create compelling opening scenes that hook your players from Session One

🎭 The GMPC Problem Solved - Avoiding the Mary Sue/Gary Stu trap while still telling amazing stories

⚔️ Adversarial vs. Collaborative GMing - Finding the perfect balance between challenge and fun

🎪 The Minion Rule System - A game-changing technique for managing combat difficulty on the fly. Link below!

🏰 Building Long-Term Campaigns - Learn how to telegraph major threats while keeping players engaged

💡 Creative Player Agency - Empowering your players to shape the narrative in meaningful ways

🎯 PERFECT FOR:

• Dungeon Masters & Game Masters looking to level up their storytelling

• Players who want deeper, more engaging campaigns

• D&D 5e, Pathfinder, and all TTRPG enthusiasts

• Anyone tired of cookie-cutter fantasy adventures

• GMs preparing for conventions like AcadeCon

• Storytellers seeking fresh campaign ideas

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION!

We want to hear from you! How do you handle the "Damsel in Distress" trope at your table? What tired TTRPG conventions do you love to subvert? Drop your best trope-busting ideas in the comments below and let's build an amazing community of creative storytellers together!

Whether you're running D&D, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, or any other tabletop RPG system, these GM tips and storytelling techniques will transform how you run your games. Don't let lazy tropes ruin your campaign - learn how to make every session unforgettable!

And remember:

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🔗 Links & Resources mentioned in the episode:

The Travelers Guide to Minions: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/494345/the-travelers-guide-to-minions?affiliate_id=3080022

Patreon: patreon.com/ttjourneys

Bluesky: @ttjourneys.bsky.social

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ttjourneys

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneys

Website: https://ttjourneys.com/

Email: podcast@ttjourneys.com

📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Travelers Guide to Factions - Available at AcadeCon!

• Dragonlance Novels - The origin of the tavern trope

• Vecna: Eve of Ruin Campaign Discussion

• Session Zero Best Practices

🎲 RELATED TOPICS & KEYWORDS:

#DungeonsAndDragons #DnD #TTRPG #GMTips #DMTips #TabletopGaming #RoleplayingGames #Pathfinder #GameMaster #DungeonMaster #CampaignPlanning #StorytellingTips #TableTopRPG #RPGCommunity #DnD5e #TTRPGCommunity #GameDesign #NarrativeGaming #WorldBuilding #SessionZero #GMAdvice #PlayerAgency #CollaborativeStorytelling #FantasyGaming #RPGPodcast #GamingPodcast #TabletopJourneys

🔮 NEXT EPISODE: Fighter Class Warfare - Don't miss it!

💪 Support the show and get exclusive content at www.patreon.com/ttjourneys - We've just announced an exciting new program for next year with amazing Patreon benefits!

#TTRPG #DnD #GMTips #Tabletop #Gaming #RoleplayingGames #DungeonsAndDragons #Pathfinder #DMTips #RPG #TableTopGaming #DnDTips #GameMaster #TTRPGPodcast #GamingCommunity