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A Dungeons & Dragons podcast, where a rotating panel of DM’s provides insight and inspiration for Players and Dungeon Masters.
Episodes
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
The first few sessions have been bursting at the seams with a variety of urban encounters, but urban encounters mean lots of Non-Playable Characters. And how do you create NPC's? What should you focus on? In this episodes of the Campaign Builder, Dan and Adam sit down and go over their checklist of what's important for NPC creation, and why.
Important Physical Details:
- Race
- Status
- Class and/or Job
- Age
- Gender/Sexuality
- Height/Weight
- Colouring (hair, complexion, eyes)
- Cleanliness
- Clothing
- Accessories
- Posture
- Voice
- Mannerisms
- Scars/Tattoos
- Location
Important Personality Details:
- Family
- Romantic Interests
- Contacts
- Attitudes
- Faith
- Preferences/Prejudices
- Sense of Humour
- Transparency
- Needs
- Goals
- Desires
- Pet Peeves
- Fears
- Triggers
- Secrets
- Adaptability
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Tuesday May 05, 2020
Tuesday May 05, 2020
It's off to yet another campaign setting in this episode of the It's A Mimic! podcast, and this time it's all about a mega-city, guilds, magic experimentation, and carnivals of fervant destruction! That's right! Adam, Dave, and Terry are heading to Ravnica to explore how well the setting ports over from Magic the Gathering, and the answer might surprise you!
The Ravnica Guilds:
Azorius Senate
Boros Legion
House Dimir
Golgari Swarm
Gruul Clans
Izzet League
Orzhov Syndicate
Cult of Rakdos
Selesnya Conclave
Simic Combine
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
The party has won, and their enemies are on the run! But before they can give chase, the public steps forward to reward them! Fame and fortune and love and titles and rewards and boons and favours... The game has now changed, at least locally. But what does that mean, and how do you reward such a low-level party?
Takeaways:
- Heroism is a double-edged sword. Becoming famous can be just as much a challenge as a reward.
- Even dark and gritty campaigns rely on the feeling of success.
- Clarity about risk, rewards, and boundaries will give definition and the feeling of accomplishments.
- From a Dungeon Master's perspective, the illusion of progress is sometimes more important than the progress itself.
- Rewards that focus on providing services and opportunities are very effective, and often give a better sense of in-game achievement than NPC favours or shiny new items.
- Heroic status comes with responsibilities, and larger organizations will probably take interest in new players on the scene.
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
Tuesday Apr 28, 2020
In this episode about incredibly serious and evil dragons, Brad, Dave, and Dan discuss the overwhelming brute force of the Copper Dragon. It's antisocial behaviour and hatred of minstrels is well-documented, and the It's A Mimic! podcast absolutely despises their pragmatic and boring outlook on life.
Heh.
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Thursday Apr 23, 2020
Thursday Apr 23, 2020
What does order look like, and what are some fundamental kinds of laws and orders that a Dungeons & Dragons party might run into? In this week's episode of the Campaign Builder, Dan and Adam dig into their unique definitions of law, and how they think about applying rules within their D&D worlds. Because, after all, rules are meant to be broken...
Different Kinds of Law and Order:
- Religious Law
- Legal Law
- Organization Law
- Customs
- Status (Honour)
- Popularity (Reputation)
- Morality or Ill-Repute
- Survival of the Fittest
- Magical Law
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Wednesday Apr 22, 2020
Wednesday Apr 22, 2020
In this special mailbag episode, the panel of Dungeon Masters has a pointed discussion about the recent Unearthed Arcana addition: Magical Tattoos. Things get a bit needly as they try to draw clear conclusions, but before the ink dries on this topic, you'll be able to see the whole picture. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Giveaway, and stay tuned for more opportunities to control the flow of an episode's conversation!
The Tattoos:
Absorbing Tattoo
Barrier Tattoo
Coiling Grasp Tattoo
Eldritch Claw Tattoo
Blood Fury Tattoo
Illuminator's Tattoo
Lifewell Tattoo
Ghost Step Tattoo
Masquerade Tattoo
Spellwrought Tattoo
Shadowfell Tattoo
Giveaway Winner: @gelfwings
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
This episode of the It's A Mimic! podcast sees Adam, Dan, Terry take a look at some common conditions in Dungeons & Dragons 5E. All five of the conditions listed impede or disrupt the player's agency in some way, so how do we make these fun and interesting at the table? How can we keep the roleplay rolling and the combat coming?
Blinded, Deafened, Poisoned, Charmed, and Frightened all leave something to be desired, but is homebrewing additional consequences too cumbersome? Or do we need a little 3.5 in our 5e? It's time to argue, once again, as the panel of Dungeon Masters tears into the game design and discuss fairness, balance, and expectations.
On-Air Shoutout: @pepperina_sparklegem
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Thursday Apr 16, 2020
Thursday Apr 16, 2020
In Dungeons & Dragons, nNot every day is a walk in the park, and not every walk in the park happens during the day. The frightening, the weird, and the outright malicious lay just around the corner of most adventures, but how do you raise the tension and build horror around the table? This week, the Campaign Builder focuses on how to bring horror to your table, even at low levels. It's not just ghosts and ghoulies in this episode. Adam and Dan talk about pushing boundaries, reading the table, and understanding the different types of Horror.
Different Threats in Horror:
- Bizarre
- Cosmic
- Creature
- Monster
- Phobic
- Religious
- Stalker
- Undead
The Five Pillars of Horror:
- Disgust
- Dread
- Suspense
- Helplessness
- Pain
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
Tuesday Apr 14, 2020
In this week's episode, we say thank you very mucho, Mr. Roboto to our favorite mechanical (or magical?) constructed horrors of Dungeons and Dragons 5E, the Constructs. Adam, Dan and (of course) Dave, chime in in an ordered fashion about the general rules and flavor of Constructs. And, like clockwork, have some disagreements about the nature of constructs to the plane devoted to all things construct, Mechanus (how do you say that word?).
Then, the panel of DM's breaks down three top tier mechanical threats and how to use them in your campaigns; The Marut, the Steel Predator and the Hellfire Engine. They spin their wheels and grind their gears while coming to a general consensus about this often-overlooked monster class.
On-Air Shoutout: @wolfedges
Available On:
iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
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Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson
Logo by: Kate Skidmore
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
Riots! Urban unrest! Mobs and crowds and chaos! This episode focuses on what happens when an urban environment descends into chaos and how to disrupt the status quo! Dan and Adam are at it again, this time with angry and frightened citizens, insane religious leaders, and overwhelmed city officials! It's mayhem, havoc, and disruption as far as they eye can see, so brace yourselves for another episode of the Campaign Builder. Because things are about to get messy!
Takeaways:
- A world-shaking event should feel chaotic and out of control by keeping the pressure on the players.
- Disrupting the status quo doesn't mean punishing the players or taking away their recent rewards.
- The simple act of making impactful, positive decisions during a riot will steer your players toward community leadership roles.
- As Dungeon Masters help the players learn the world in early sessions, it is equally important for the Dungeon Masters to observe and learn how the characters react to their world.
- If players don't take the bait on some dynamic encounters during the chaos, let it go. Don't remove agency by forcing their hands.
- Dragging the party out into the city will allow them to continue to explore and map out the city as they fight to keep the city from tearing itself apart.
Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube
Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!
Social: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Email: info@itsamimic.com
Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe
Logo by: Kate Skidmore