On the Shoulders of Dwarves By cover art

On the Shoulders of Dwarves

By: The Dwarves
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  • Summary

  • Dwarves! The podcast now continues in Hebrew, and with a new structure, focusing on creating professional content. Find us on dwarves.org.il ! We still take your questions and answer them, on show@dwarfcast.net
    The Dwarves
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Episodes
  • Rewards Beyond Loot (Episode 105)

    Rewards Beyond Loot (Episode 105)
    Aug 2 2020
    What do we mean when we say rewards beyond loot? Not just money, treasure or magic items. Let’s give a few examples and it’ll be clear. ## Non loot rewards (01:24) Some examples: - Land  - Titles - Association (part of a guild/group/etc) - House / Place to live - Renown  - Something personal - Narrative power ## GMs - What can we do with non treasure rewards (09:33) Why should we use Rewards in our game? - Used for character development - Flash out the setting - Connect the characters to the setting - Give players a chance to expand on what interest them in the setting - Allow a sense of accomplishment without shifting game balance ## For players (13:04) Important tips: - **Use the reward**: Otherwise it is meaningless - you have a title? Use it. You have land, define it and do something with it. You are part of the stonecutters guild? Send them rock samples, keep a journal of interesting rocks you encounter, read on wikipedia about different rocks  - **Signal what interest you**: signal the GM what is the reward you might enjoy getting. How? Establish it as one of your character’s goals. - **Leveraging personal items** - **Using story items:** e.g. taking a defeated enemy’s weapon ## Summary (20:12) Non loot rewards are a great way to create engagement, character development, enhance the setting and discover what is interesting for the GM and players. Consider listening to [episode 27](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/slaps-and-bennies-episode-27-364a24326f571a/) and [episode 19](https://dwarves.podiant.co/e/customising-the-campaign-to-the-players-episode-19-36082ec3b14f62/) to rethink some ideas. * * * ## Taking the load off (22:51) **Uri**: New 5th edition game, Playtesting for “The Makabim game” **Eran**: Sentinel Comics RPG Starter Kit  * * * Email us at [show@dwarfcast.net](mailto:show@dwarfcast.net) with questions, topic suggestions, and comments, and check out [our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast). We have a [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Also, most links to [DriveThruRPG are affiliate](http://drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=29668), which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you. Intro and outro based on On the Shoulders of Dwarves by the Cliches Duo. On the Shoulders of Dwarves is shared under [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). * * *
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    29 mins
  • Information Dumps (Episode 104)

    Information Dumps (Episode 104)
    Jul 4 2020
    What is an information dump? When a large amount of information is dumped upon the players. Mostly tedious information. Here are some ways to make dumping information more interesting. Show, don’t tell (00:26) This is the most basic and fundamental principal. Don’t just tell things.  - Effects: Think what will be the result of the information you want to say and present the results. Don’t say “there is a dragon up north”. Let the party discover burned bodies and abandoned villages”. Information as entertainment (07:40) Sometimes the delivery of the information can be entertaining by itself. Jokes, common phrases, old motivational posters, newspapers headlines, bards tales - all over the top about something. Information as background details (09:28) Deliver the important information as minor details of something more important. As background details: If we want to talk about the ruling system of the kingdom, we could provide that as minor details of our heist plot. “So, the best time to break into the vault would be during the queen's birthday celebrations”.  Pick the top 3 things you *need* your players to know, and put them into the first few scenes. Information as reward (12:22)  Asking for a roll - Deciphering puzzles & riddles - Don’t hoard information, share it. (remember our Mystery Plots episode) Real world comparisons and agreed upon markers (15:38) Providing a real world comparison: “This town is ruled much like ancient rome” . TIAPP-FAA: ”This Is A Perfect Place For An Ambush” Connect information dumps to the characters themselves (18:40) One of the characters know something because they are special or different.  In summary - What’s important? (25:04) Email from an anonymous bee: I have a big problem with the delivery of information. I'm great with giving the details of the city, the sights and smells and NPCs, but I just don't know how to explain how the government works, and why it works like this. When I do this as a conversation with NPCs, the players are bored. Are the players expected to interact with this bit of the world? Either the government matters in the game, or it doesn't.  If it doesn't, no need to expand more than the players are interested in hearing. Confront them with the governance in action, and give them an opportunity to ask.  In front of the inn there's an auction of items "confiscated according to the Law of Foreigners", with people shouting numbers. The party can ask about it or participate. When they buy equipment, the seller hands them a piece of paper with an official prayer, or says "not including hog tax, of course". the players can then ask about it. This might make the government interesting to the players, and therefore, it might start to matter. If it already mattered to the game, then do the same, but as part of the narrative - the characters get into a situation created as a direct result of the way things are handled in town. Taking the load off (25:36) Uri: Even more playtesting. Star Crossed Curses, the one night stand RPG. Eran: Starting Adventures in Middle Earth  Email us at show@dwarfcast.net with questions, topic suggestions, and comments on this episode. We have a Patreon page, in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Our Facebook group. Most links to DriveThruRPG are affiliate, which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no
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    28 mins
  • Obfuscating Game Mechanics (Episode 103)

    Obfuscating Game Mechanics (Episode 103)
    Jun 8 2020
    In today's episode we talk about two very different aspects of information management. I have good news and bad news: the bad news is that most game systems have some really iffy bits that somehow managed to get past the playtest phase or just not suited to your game and that sucks, the good news is that you don’t have to use them. Sometimes a part of the game mechanics does not suit your game. **There are several ways to deal with this issue, you can:** - Remove a mechanic from the system - The GM can obfuscate mechanic from the players - e.g. do all the calculations on their own, like grapple - Saves, to avoid a break in the pacing - Use a simplified version of the rules - Passive perception in D&D - A set amount of damage. - Homebrew your own mechanic for this issue Convention games: intro to system vs running a story-oriented. # Eran’s take (10:45) **Obscuring for clarity** - For reducing cognitive overload - Rules for sailing in 50 Fathoms **Obscuring for tension** - Hit points and other indicators of status - AC, DC of traps City of Mist - statuses are open, custom moves and spectrums are to be revealed What a lovely afternoon # Summary (28:33) One of the best parenting advice I got was to listen to everyone's advice about parenting but remember that 24 hours after your kids have been born you know them better than anyone. I mean that you know your gaming group better them the people that wrote the system or module and if one thing is really problematic - adjust accordingly. This doesn’t mean that you should alter game systems lightly. Game designers work hard on these. * * * # Taking the load off (30:07) **Uri**: My Warpriest is now a cleric, playtesting a new adventure. Getting ready for a new D&D 5e campaign. **Eran**: working on a new version of Menagerie of the Void * * * Email us at [show@dwarfcast.net](mailto:show@dwarfcast.net) with questions, topic suggestions, and comments, and check out [our Facebook group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dwarfpodcast). We have a [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/dwarfcast), in case you'd like to support us in a monetary fashion. Also, most links to [DriveThruRPG are affiliate](http://drivethrurpg.com/?affiliate_id=29668), which means we get a bit of money if you buy through them, with no added cost to you. Intro and outro based on On the Shoulders of Dwarves by the Cliches Duo. On the Shoulders of Dwarves is shared under [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
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    35 mins
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Profile Image for Gál Körmendy

Chef"s kiss

Tons of practical advice, a healthy dose of rpg-philosophy and improv, great overview for both gms and players. Had a lot of fun and took lots of notes.

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