The new generation of D&D player: cool, woke, and bespoke. He doesn't care if you remember how to calculate THAC0.
Jack has hosted 123 Episodes.
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Sorcerer Redux: Better With Spell Points
Episode | May 14th, 2021 | 55 mins 42 secs
adding flavor, point buy, revised, sorcerer, spell points, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, weirdness
In the back of the DM's Guide is an often overlooked section about using spell points instead of spell slots. While many dismiss this as too confusing, on closer examination, this might be just the ticket for giving sorcerers that extra love they deserve...that and a few other tweaks, which we discus in this episode.
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The Raven Ranger: Building the Right Character for The Setting
Episode | May 7th, 2021 | 44 mins 17 secs
adding flavor, background occupation, ranger, steal this character, subverting tropes, swarm keeper, tips, weirdness
We all like to build cool, interesting characters. We like breaking tropes, and coming up with original concepts. But often that's not enough. This episode, we look at not just building a good character, we look at building "the right character".
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You Can't Break the Game, But You Can Break Your Friends
Episode | April 30th, 2021 | 45 mins 1 sec
breaking the game, having fun, interpersonal conflicts, resolving issues
Is it possible to break D&D? What does it even mean when someone says, "That's totally broken!"? We investigate this idea and discuss how there is almost nothing, mechanically speaking, that can be introduced to the game that can't be managed somehow. And then we look at the one place where things are not always so easy to manage -- people's feelings. If there is anything that get broken in D&D, it can be hearts. And it can be friendships. We talk about how to prevent that from happening, and how to play the most fun-even-if-it-is-unbalanced-and-weird game of D&D.
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Turning a Old Subclass Into New Gold
Episode | April 23rd, 2021 | 55 mins 56 secs
adding flavor, cleric, forge domain, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, weirdness
This week we hope to inspire you to re-examine subclass features you may have overlooked. We take a second look at a the Forge Domain Cleric, and in particular their unique Channel Divinity. Join us as we discuss how our Kobold cleric build would potentially generate hundreds of gold coin per day, just through an act of devotion to their diety.
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Putting More Dragon in Your Next Character Build
Episode | April 16th, 2021 | 1 hr 6 mins
dragonborn, kobolds, spells, steal this character, subverting tropes, unearthed arcana
With the recent drop of new Unearthed Arcana focusing on draconic options, this week we unpack all the new ways that you can now boost your character's dragon ancestry. We discuss how we might choose between Chromatic, Metallic and Gem dragon lineages. We look at how you can build a "dragon-touched" race using custom lineage and the new dragon feats. And we unpack the lore surrounding some new dragon-inspired spells.
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Beyond Beast Mode: Getting the Most Out of Wild Shape
Episode | April 9th, 2021 | 1 hr 2 mins
adding flavor, druid, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, weirdness, wild shape
Druids are well known for being able to take the form animals, but recent additions to the rules provide new uses for the Wild Shape feature. From magical bow and arrows to fiery elemental companions, join us as we look at how the new features are transforming the way we can play Druids.
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Part 2: The Great Outer Planes Travel Guide
Episode | April 2nd, 2021 | 1 hr 5 mins
adding flavor, exploration, outer planes, three pillars, tips, weirdness
Need some warmer weather? Maybe some extreme sports to satisfy your need for adrenaline? Why not head to the fabulous Outer Planes? Perhaps try you luck at some of the Lower Planes. Can't decide which? Don't worry, we've got you covered -- plus some great tips on how to use the Outlands to build you next character's back story.
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Part 1: The Great Outer Planes Travel Guide
Episode | April 2nd, 2021 | 52 mins 6 secs
adding flavor, exploration, outer planes, three pillars, tips, weirdness
Feeling cooped up? Feeling like your character just needs a little getaway? Why not send them to the fabulous Outer Planes? Can't decide which of the 16 planes to visit first? Don't worry, we've got you covered -- plus some great tips on how to use the Outlands to build you next character's back story.
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Big Shoes To Fill: Playing with Giants
Episode | March 26th, 2021 | 1 hr 1 min
adding flavor, background occupation, dm tips, steal this character, subverting tropes, weirdness
Jack and Jay go up the beanstalk this week to talk about all about something really big: giants! We work our way through the Ordning (social structure), from lowly playable giant-kin like Goliaths and Firbolgs, all the way to the top of the clouds and into the storms! We talk about their magic, their runes, their culture -- and even some fun ways to have a fog giant as your warlock's patron.
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Get Your Fur On: How To Play Animal Races
Episode | March 19th, 2021 | 1 hr 5 mins
adding flavor, owlfolk, rabbitfolk, races, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, ua, weirdness
With some new fey animalfolk races coming out in Unearthed Arcana, we take a look at all the features that the various animal races provide in D&D 5e. From Lizardfolk to Luxadons, Owlfolk to Leonin, we've got all the fur, claws, fangs, trunks, scales and feathers covered.
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Which Rogue Subclass Will You Play Next?
Episode | March 12th, 2021 | 47 mins 23 secs
arcane trickster, assassin, inquisitive, mastermind, phantom, rogue, scout, skulker, sneak attack, soulknife, steal this character, subverting tropes, swashbuckler, thief, tips, weirdness
Jay and Jack discuss the Rogue subclasses, and debate which one is the best. It's a hard choice, as all Rogues are great, and no party should go adventuring without one. However, some are more appealing than others. Tune in to find out which ones get top ranking.
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How To Prep A Horror Game
Episode | March 5th, 2021 | 45 mins 59 secs
adding flavor, dm tips, game prep, horror, session zero
We peer into the dark forbidden corners to reveal the elements that make horror jump out at your players in a way that regular campaign settings might not.
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Learning to Love Bloodhunters
Episode | February 26th, 2021 | 59 mins 50 secs
adding flavor, background occupation, bloodhunter, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, weirdness
Sometimes we can't get past the sight of blood...and because of that we don't make bloodhunters. We don't even taken the time to read the class features, or the sub-classes. Until someone comes along to take us by the hand, and show us some of the really cool things about this Critical Role class. Join us as Jack guides Jay on this learning journey.
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Everything You Want to Know About Undead, But Were Afraid To Ask
Episode | February 19th, 2021 | 1 hr 3 mins
cleric, monsters, tips, turn undead, undead
This week we hold aloft our holy symbols as we talk not just about how to turn the undead, but how to play them, both as players and as a DM.
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Going, Going, Goth
Episode | February 12th, 2021 | 1 hr 3 secs
barbarian, gothic lineages, phantom, rogue, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, ua, zealot
This week we looked at the new UA lineages of Dhampirs, Hexblood and Reborn -- and talk about making scary characters. We also look at a Reborn Phantom Zealot build. And we discuss how these character may, or may not, fit into your next (or current) horror campaign.
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Try to Talk Your Way Out
Episode | February 5th, 2021 | 52 mins 23 secs
deception, performance, persuasion, social interaction, three pillars, tips
Sometimes an encounter with a monster doesn't have to become a fight. As a DM, to create opportunities for players to talk to the bad guys, you need to know what the monster wants (or at least have a handy table on stand-by that you can roll on to find out what they want). We look at how the "guidelines" for parley work, and how you as a player might be able to talk your way out of a tight spot.