Download NPC Cast Episode 167 – Dungeons in RPGs
PLEASE VOTE FOR US FOR THE GOLDEN GEEK AWARDS
The band is back together to chat about what they think would make a great system for dungeons in an RPG! (63min)
Things you may be interested in:
Shadows Over Innistrad Spoilers
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 124 – D&D 5E Bullet Points
In this episode, the guys offer up some bullet points about what they would do with the next Dungeons and Dragons product! (78min)
Other things you may be interested in:
BattleBards – SFX for your role-playing sessions!
Coup Rebellion G54 – A Coup expansion with 25 characters!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 101 – NPCSMDND5E!
The guys finally give their take on the latest (and greatest?) version of D&D yet! (84min)
Things you may be interested in:
The D&D Website – I can’t believe they had the audacity to put a picture of Dragons up there.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 100!
The guys go long! Recorded live, the NPCs answer questions from the NPC Cast Universe! (104min)
Things you may be interested in:
Mordheim – City of the Damned
World of Warcraft
The Mono-Black Pox Deck that NPC Chris modeled his after.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 73 – Rules Lawyers.
In this episode, the guys chat about games copying games! (69min)
Things you may be interested in:
THE GAUNTLET – A charity tournament we hosted on May 18th! Livestream was recorded HERE.
Wizards of the Coast’s Announcement.
A great article on Quiet Speculation breaking down the whole thing.
Article about Mino vs. Tetris.
Baseball – We’re told it’s technically a game.
Sabertron – Like laser tag, but with swords!
All the information you could possibly want about D&D 5E on Enworld.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 70: The Raidy Bunch.
In this episode, we talk about how we design dungeons! (66min)
Friends of the show: Sellsword Studio
Things you may be interested in:
Infinity– A minis game with a new edition coming out soon! [Trailer]
XBOX Originals – New television programming coming to XBOX. Including a possible DEADLANDS show!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 59: GMtervention.
In this episode, we’re joined by The Angry DM to give some tips about running your first ever RPG session! (65min)
Things you may be interested in:
Privateer Press 2014 Keynote: Privateer announces some of their sweet upcoming releases!
From the Vault Annihilation: Wizards of the Coast announces their next reprint set!
WizKids D&D Minis: WizKids announced they will be doing a new line of prepainted minis for D&D!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 56: Get Low.
In this episode, we chat about running Low Fantasy campaigns! (75min)
Things you may be interested in:
TimeWatch: Time travel adventures in GUMSHOE!
Gravwell: A sweet boardgame about alternate-reality gravity because why not?
The Dire Wolf Project: These guys are making Dire Wolves for real. What could possibly go wrong?
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Download NPC Cast Episode 54: You Want RPGs.
In this episode, we tell you hot to get started playing RPGs! (70min)
Things you may be interested in:
Dungeons and Dragons– You know what this is, right?
Pathfinder- An RPG based off of D&D 3.5!
Savage Worlds- A generic RPG system!
Fate Accelerated- An even lighter version of the popular game FATE CORE!
FIASCO– A story-telling game for friends.
Hillfolk– The new RPG by Robin Laws!
Warmachine: Vengeance – An upcoming expansion for the Warmachine Miniatures Game!
On a Roll:Level Up Your RPG – A book full of theories and advice on how to both play and run RPGs!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
In this episode, Aaron and Chris chat about combat systems! (67min)
Some things we discuss on this episode:
Popcorn Initiative: A house rule for Pathfinder by friend of the show The Angry DM!
Street Fighter, The Storytelling Game: An old Street Fighter RPG using the White Wolf system!
Muse On Minis: A WarmaHordes podcast!
Chain Attack: Another, different Warmahordes podcast!
Masterchef Junior: The best television show of all time.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 30: Mendrances and Beneflaws.
In this episode the NPCs chat about benefits, merits, flaws, and hindrances…and feats…and skills…and powers too. Oh, and aspects…and obligations. (65min)
Some things we discuss on this episode:
Titanium Wars: An “interstellar empire-building card game” by Iello.
Magic the Gathering: Theros Artwork: What it says on the tin.
Giant Bomb.com: An awesome multimedia site about video games!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 7
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” Oozes and thangs.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 6
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” Our love for doors is as deep as a sacrificial pit.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 15: A is for Alignment
In this episode the guys talk a bit about Alignment systems in role-playing games, and how players and GM’s can best utilize them! Also: Aaron goes for the long con, Chris has a bad feeling about this, and Del goes robo! Oh yeah, and Taylor Swift.(58min)
Some things we discuss on this episode:
The Angry DM – Unabashedly opinionated DM advice.
Twisted Geeks Podcast – A podcast hosted by a few friends of the show!
Star Wars X-Wing – A Star Wars miniatures game by Fantasy Flight.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 5
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” Goblins playing dice? Must be somebodies lucky day. (most likely the goblins)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 4
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” If everything is trapped, then is anything really trapped? Mind blown.
Thanks to the Delvers’ Podcast for the show intro, check their actual play out!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 3
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” It’s a cat-jar party!
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 2
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” This whole player mapping thing can’t possibly go wrong.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
Total Party Kill – Session 1 – Episode 1
Welcome to the NPC Cast ACTUAL PLAY! The guys are joined by their friends Matt and MC DeTG as they explore the original D&D module “In Search of the Unknown.” Nobody knows for sure what lies ahead, but let’s be honest there are probably traps.
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
EPISODE 10: Where it all started.
Yay, ten! On a bit of a more personal episode, the guys talk about some of their most memorable experiences in role-playing games! Chris also gets excited about the new Kobolds Ate My Baby, Aaron talks meeces and Jerry Hawthorne’s game “Mice & Mystics,” and Del gets a-brewing for his new MtG Standard deck! (48min)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
by NPC Chris.
In the post last week, I covered the two main questions a GM must ask when approaching generating backstory in a game. Once these questions have been asked and answered, what is left is the first session and how you plan to extract this information from your players. Yes, extract. Like problem teeth. Tooth often…pardon me. TOO often, a backstory session is like taking a test, and even the most prepared player typically doesn’t enjoy the act of taking a test. In this week’s blog we will discuss some novel ways in which we can incorporate backstory into a campaign. The only test that will be discussed is the testimony from your players attesting to your campaign being the best! (Sorry)
I am a busy guy. Extremely busy. Even busier than I was when I foolhardily agreed to run two simultaneous campaigns. I work (often overtime), record and edit a podcast, conduct meetings regarding future projects, and even write the occasional blog post. As my time is a valuable thing, and I love to enjoy my RPG sessions as a means of social interaction and escape, I find myself incredibly hesitant to waste a session. This means that 90% of the time I would rather not spend an entire session with backstory. In the first half of this article I spoke briefly about how your character doesn’t tend to become fully realized until you have the chance to play it; and what better time to start playing it than the first session! Something that I picked up from my friend and co-host NPC Del, is the concept of performing a backstory generation session in character. I will give you a couple of examples:
In my most recent D&D 4E campaign, Del determined that all of our characters would begin the campaign while locked up in a mental institution. This allowed him to ask us questions about our character backstories from the perspective of our therapist during our group counseling sessions. This novel approach led to some genuinely interesting interactions and play between the player characters, and offered a bit more insight into our characters than a standard questionnaire approach would have. This is in part because we were encouraged to answer the questions in character. Mine was a rogue named Spane Tribald, and he spoke of his time in the military and of his days as a field surgeon with an affinity for anatomy. As it turns out, he in fact was just incredibly handy with sharp blades and really had an affinity for slicing people’s throats. Medical experience? Well, not so much. This led to a more layered backstory that was able to be revealed bit by bit over the course of the first few sessions. It can be argued that an assassin backstory is a bit overused and a field surgeon may be a bit bland, but an assassin who convinces others (and possibly even himself) that he is a surgeon when he in fact isn’t, can be pretty fun to play. This backstory session led directly into the beginning of the campaign, as the mental institution we were in began to be attacked by demonic forces. In a moment of ultimate redemption, we were able to slay our crooked therapist and escape. It was seamless, it was glorious, and I commend Del for giving us the chance to experience it.
Alternatively, my most recent Iron Kingdoms campaigns began with both parties applying for a Mercenary Charter. In doing this, the deputy was asking them questions in order to file all the necessary paperwork (in triplicate, naturally). Most of the questions they were being asked pertained to their work together as a group.*
*I chose to focus on the group more than the individual during the initial backstory generation. I did this because the campaign was initially conceived as an episodic one that would be played occasionally as a reprieve from our D&D sessions. Because of this, I didn’t want to spend much time trying to shoehorn the group together and instead wanted them to establish a camaraderie from the very beginning.
The questions I focused on were straightforward: “How long have you been working with these other men?” “What are your responsibilities within the team?” “What sort of talents do your team possess that would make it in our best interest to charter you instead of somebody else?” In this way, the structure was quite simple but allowed for more depth of information as everybody was answering in first person, and in character. In order to hammer home the unity of the team even further, I then asked for their group to describe the first mission they went on as a team. They immediately answered with a story of being sent to capture a renegade sorcerer, which led to my spin on mid-session backstory generation: The Flashback Encounter. Once the players had described a bit of their first mission, I put the terrain on the table along with some miniatures and we proceed to play it out as though their characters were remembering it. Because the encounter represented a time when the characters were still learning to work together, and because this was the first game session, the players also had to learn their individual strengths and weaknesses. It felt pretty cool, especially with little things like our Alchemist proclaiming to be very good with “controlled explosions” during the interview portion, and then proving it with some pinpoint grenade placement during the flashback.
Ideas like these are what make GM a rewarding experience for me, and hopefully some of this will inspire you to incorporate backstory generation into your game session in unique and awesome ways. As a recap, this is done by asking yourself the questions:
“What do I want out of this backstory session?”
“What information is necessary now, and what can be discovered later?”
and then using some creative and outside-of-the-box thinking that encourages your players to give you the information you desire while in character. Doing this will establish a tone to the campaign while giving most of your players a cool experience that they have most likely never had before!
That is it for this installment, if you have any questions, concerns, or critiques I would love to hear them. You can contact me at thenpccast@gmail.com or on Twitter as @NPCChris.
Thanks so much for reading, and support your local game store!
NPC Chris is a player and a GM. He has been as far back as he remembers, and will most likely be forever. And ever.
NPC Cast Episode 5: Name that Sword! (MP3)
In this week’s episode the guys blab about cliches, spurred by a sad panda post on Reddit! Also: Del does black and blue, Aaron yearns for something new, and Chris is mad Fate Core doesn’t rhyme! (56min)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 4: I’m No Excited (MP3)
Welcome to NPC CAMP; Some technical difficulties can’t keep us down! In this episode we talk about what Tabletop Games can take from Video Games, Chris is on the hunt, Del evokes the 2d, and Aaron misses dragons! (34min)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 3: Power Creep & Character Sheeps (MP3)
“Those boards don’t work on water; you need more powwwwwaaaa!” This week the guys talk about the concept of “power creep” in game design, across a wide variety of game types. Chris also snap keeps hands with Savannah Lions, Del hangs up the magical dark wizard costume, and Aaron talks about a game bringing dungeon crawling back! (49min)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 2: The digital future, maybe. (MP3)
In this episode, the guys answer a question from Twitter and talk about digital things and stuffs that you can use alongside your tabletop games. Chris also reveals his next GM gig, Aaron likes rolling imaginary dice, and Del predicts a future scandal in Major League Baseball through an adventure hook for Shadowrun! Yes, really! (55min)
Some links we discuss in this episode:
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC Cast Episode 1: Choo Choo (MP3)
Here it is! The Big 0-1! In this inaugural episode of NPC Cast we discuss what Game Masters can do when their campaigns go off the rails, Chris has an out of body experience, Aaron dumps dexterity, and Del has an MtG relapse! (48min)
NPC CAST: YOUR PLACE FOR FACE TO FACE GAMES.
NPC CAST 