Episodes

  • Comparing TTRPG Systems (ft. Puffin Forest!)

    Comparing TTRPG Systems (ft. Puffin Forest!)
    May 26 2023
    Podcasts & Players is a podcast that aims to entertain with stories and tips for roleplaying games like D&D, as well as to promote content creators who love playing them. In this episode, we talk about Star Wars, time travel, rookie mistakes, chaotic players, gripes with Pathfinder, killer badgers, Ben made a GAME ON STEAM, and more! GET BALL DROP NOW: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2326450/Ball_Drop/ Ben's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@puffinforest Ben's Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/PuffinForest If you're interested in playing in a campaign DMed by me, check out the link below! https://startplaying.games/gm/coolboyshane If you'd just like to support me, you can become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane Theme composed by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • Rules as Written (ft. Pack Tactics!)

    Rules as Written (ft. Pack Tactics!)
    May 5 2023
    SPOILERS for Curse of Strahd @ 42:39!SKIP TO ➡ 51:12 In this episode, we talk about the lore of Pack Tactics, what it means to “optimize”, getting sponsorships, our beef with D&D 5e design, homebrew for our Curse of Strahd games, nerfing Eloquence Bard, One D&D, playing a character with 5 classes, how to approach the Hexblade, how to incorporate spellcasting into the story, are paid D&D games worth it, what makes a D&D game “good”, letting players be proactive instead of reactive, optimizers are your friends, and more! Kobold's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PackTactics Kobold's Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Pack_Tacticss Kobold's Discord: Pack Tactics#6749 If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane Theme composed by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Optimizing for Fun (ft. d4: D&D Deep Dives!)

    Optimizing for Fun (ft. d4: D&D Deep Dives!)
    Dec 22 2022

    In this episode, we talk about Colby’s ASMR career, what “optimizing” actually means, bladesinger stategies, Treantmonk’s infamous class guides, fun and quirky character builds, Obbliax the World Render!, the fastest character possible, a good dungeon master should help PCs feel useful, and more!

    Colby's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DDDeepDive/

    Colby's Twitter https://www.twitter.com/ColbyPoulson

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    59 mins
  • Rebalancing D&D 5e (ft. Bone Wizard!)

    Rebalancing D&D 5e (ft. Bone Wizard!)
    Dec 20 2022

    In this episode, we talk about 5e mechanics, call him “Bone”, dragon sorcerers, mini PEACE GUILD update, dumping Constitution as a paladin, the Owlbear - beast or monstrosity?, Bone starts s**t with the entire youtube community, editing videos and improving content, Shane just can't stop getting Bone off topic, fixing the Barkskin and Stoneskin spells, homebrew philosophy, venom vs. poison, improvising with adopted NPCs, and more!

    Bone Wizard's Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp_GDqUpojSdw-WD5Gy6ylg

    Bone Wizard's Twitter https://www.twitter.com/WizardBone

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • Stinky Lil' Characters (ft. Zannianator!)

    Stinky Lil' Characters (ft. Zannianator!)
    Sep 7 2022

    In this episode, we talk about early art influences, MLP "ask blogs", Homestuck (more like HomeSUCK haha jk jk), traditional vs. digital art, art students and online posting, D&D in college, why is D&D so darn good, 5e is pretty good, the origins of Popper: the stinky middle-aged goblin man, playing different kinds of necromancers, necro-NERDS discuss ethics, changing your art style, running a one shot for the first time, adding music to your games, and more!

    Zannia's Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/Zannianator

    Zannia's Twitter https://www.twitter.com/zannianator

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron!

    https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Getting into Character (ft. Kendall the Human!)

    Getting into Character (ft. Kendall the Human!)
    Aug 2 2022

    In this episode, we talk about getting started with D&D, line and veil sheets in TTRPG games, honing one’s skills in acting school, director and actor relationships, joining Deer Stalker Pictures, character deaths, animal grudges, making characters for ourselves vs. filling a role in a group, creating fun flaws, and more!

    SPOILER WARNING for Curse of Strahd! (10:45 - 12:35)

    Deerstalker Pictures https://www.youtube.com/c/deerstalkerpictures

    Kendall's Twitter https://www.twitter.com/kendallsdumb

    Kendall's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kendallthehuman

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron!

    https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • Mental Health and D&D (ft. FlyingFoxGirl!)

    Mental Health and D&D (ft. FlyingFoxGirl!)
    May 19 2022

    CONTENT WARNING! ---> 35:17 - 52:58

    In this episode, we talk about ye olde youtube, being embarrassed of our teenage years, we BREAK THE RULES and talk conspiracies, politics, and religion (then get tired and stop), flyingfoxgirl’s origin story, getting into graphic design, Shane reveals his seething disgust for theater (just kidding), figuring out what you’re good at, “Professor JoCat”, remembering our friends who’ve passed, the importance of mental health and how it affects us, using D&D to explore personal flaws, the importance of communication, respectfully implementing romance into a D&D game, the difference between NPC and PC romantic relationships, respecting boundaries, using CritCrab’s videos as a reference for what not to do, that one Community episode, and more!

    FlyingFoxGirl's Channel

    https://www.youtube.com/user/flyingfoxgirl

    FlyingFoxGirl's Twitter

    https://www.twitter.com/flyingfoxgirl

    “Tales from Shadow Valley” can be found here:

    https://www.twitch.tv/thebardsplayhouse

    US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

    ~ 800-273-8255 ~

    List of Crisis Hotlines in Other Countries

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

    Talkspace (Online Therapy and Counseling)

    https://www.talkspace.com/

    Telehealth Resources

    https://www.telehealth.com/

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron or subscribe on twitch!

    https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    https://www.twitch.tv/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Getting Musical (ft. Tori Draws Stuff!)

    Getting Musical (ft. Tori Draws Stuff!)
    Mar 31 2022

    In this episode, we talk about recording and releasing Violarune, music distribution, where did the time go, conservatory for classical musicians, performance vs. composition, Tori’s Lore-y Story, starting and releasing a podcast, Tori and Cade (FlyingFoxGirl) are besties, making friends during the pandemic, a D&D story about Tori’s group “The Midlands”, pacifying an ancient red dragon, I call the moon a “gibbon” (it’s actually gibbous), I talk about an adventure I ran for friends in a volcano fire temple for a looong time, playing in games with other creators (Critcrab, Jess Jackdaw, Puffin Forest), stereotypes about non-human races, forgetting environmental hazards (darkness, difficult terrain, cover), putting a turn timer on combats, and more!

    Violarune: A Deltarune Viola Cover EP https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_krirKi0u7blCgzn2YJI0CReDP-9UfGVWs

    Tori's Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/ToriDrawsStuff

    Tori's Twitter https://www.twitter.com/Tori_Draws_Stuf

    If you'd like to support me, you can become a patron or subscribe on twitch!

    https://www.patreon.com/coolboyshane

    https://www.twitch.tv/coolboyshane

    Theme composed by Shane Talerico, original by Shane Talerico and Jessica Julian.
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    1 hr and 31 mins