Episodios

  • Ep 273 - Flaws
    Apr 5 2026

    Want to make your characters better? Consider adding flaws to your character. What kinds of flaws are there and how do you add them in a way that’s not disruptive to the game? Give this episode a listen and find out.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #flaws

    Resources:

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    19 m
  • Ep 272 - Session 0 Redux
    Mar 22 2026

    NOTE: My apologies for the audio quality. The entire recording/audio processing chain was rushed this week.

    Is your TTRPG campaign falling apart after only a few sessions? The problem might be that you need a Session Zero. In this third part of our "setting expectations" series we dive into the vital, often-overlooked conversations DMs and players need to have before rolling the first die. Learn how to align your creative visions, manage game logistics, and agree on crucial player safety tools to ensure everyone is on board with the social contract for a lasting, fun adventure.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #startingcampaign #sessionzero #session0

    Resources:

    Ep 47 - Comprehensive Session 0 Guide for DMs - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-47-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-dms/

    Ep 48 - Session 0 Guide for Players - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-48-less-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-pcs/

    Ep 271 - Setting & Tone - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-271-setting-and-tone/

    Ep 214 - House Rules to Make Your Game Easier - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-214-house-rules-to-make-your-game-easier/

    Ep 215 - House Rules to Make Your Game Harder - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-215-house-rules-to-make-your-game-harder/

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    25 m
  • Ep 271 - Setting and Tone
    Mar 8 2026

    In this episode we continue the “setting expectations” series, hopefully helping to stop mismatched expectations from derailing your TTRPG campaign! GMs, this episode is packed with practical advice for designing and effectively communicating your game's Tone and Setting.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #tone #setting #expectations

    Resources:

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    30 m
  • Ep 270 - Starting Your Campaign
    Feb 22 2026

    Ready to start your TTRPG campaign in some way besides a boring tavern? Episode 270 is here to help! We dive deep into the real purpose of a campaign's beginning and explore three powerful ways to unite your party from the jump

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #startingcampaign

    Resources:

    Episode 47 - Comprehensive Session 0 Guide for DMs - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-47-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-dms/

    Episode 100 - Starting Anywhere But A Tavern - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/episode-100-starting-anywhere-but-a-tavern/

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    16 m
  • Ep 269 - DM Burnout and Showing Progression Through Descriptions
    Feb 1 2026

    Do your descriptions fall flat? Are your characters, locations, and NPCs just static items in time that never change? In this episode I’ll give players some tips for changing their character descriptions and for GMs to change NPC and place descriptions to improve their game.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #burnout #descriptions

    Resources:

    Crispy’s Tavern, The Real Matt Mercer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV-4HnJT_Rg

    Roll 4 Initiative - A Guide to Better Descriptions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhFmAW3KIYY

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    20 m
  • Ep 268 - Should Villains Be Sympathetic
    Jan 11 2026

    Is your campaign's "big bad" just evil, or is there a hero beneath the monster? This episode dives into the age-old debate for Dungeon Masters: how important is a sympathetic backstory for a villain, and whether you should include complex antagonists in your game

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #villains

    Resources:

    Episode 180 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-180-let-villains-be-villains/

    Episode 235 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-235-the-why-of-villains/

    Episode 253 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-253-recurring-villains/

    Thor Skywalker - Why does everyone seem to love “Sympathetic Villains” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO2dBY8DPho

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    20 m
  • Ep 267 - Should you Counter PC Abilities
    Dec 28 2025
    Description

    Today we dive into the age-old debate that divides Dungeon Masters: When do you negate a powerful spell or maneuver? We explore the thin line between creating epic tension and causing frustration. Tune in to discover the crucial difference between an earned victory and a slog, and learn the rules of engagement for challenging your players in the most satisfying way.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #Countering

    Resources:

    Episode 135 - The Rule of 3

    Episode 64 - Beholders, the Eyes Have It

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    22 m
  • Ep 266 - High Level Characters
    Dec 14 2025

    Running a high-level character (Level 11+) is a different animal altogether. Forget easy skirmishes and simple ability checks—you're now facing world-breaking threats. In this episode I’ll give you some tips for running these legendary characters.

    #rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #highlevel

    Resources:

    Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast

    www.taking20podcast.com

    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast

    Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast

    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social

    Más Menos
    24 m