Biggus Geekus

This week we discuss why DnD only needs two classes ... maybe three.

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notes to follow

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Episode 184 Streamed Live Tuesday March 26, 2024. (R)

Catch-up from the past week

This past Friday 3/22/24 we live streamed Horde Wars Ultimate Campaign – much death and much miraculous recoveries. The Priest/Acolyte was, as always, One and Done!

Hirelings & Henchmen- Tools of the Trade or just Tools?

https://oldschoolroleplaying.com/henchmen-and-hirelings-in-dungeons-and-dragons/

Henchmen: is a better grade of hireling. While money may still be a motivating factor for them these are permanent retainers or allies for the player characters. They are sidekicks.

Advantages

Gives use for the hard-earned coin.

Allows for PCs to feel like big shots and build up to Domain play in an organic way and at lower or the lowest character levels.

Challenges

Who plays these NPCs especially if there is many of them? Additional burden on the DM???

How do you stop them from becoming fodder or “trap detectors”?

How do you handle these characters leveling up? How long will the follow the characters? A PC is level 5 and a henchman is level 4…does the boss-worker dynamic change?

At what point would it be ok to have a BBEG convince one of the hirelings/henchmen to turn on the party? Kill them in their sleep?

How do they/did they work throughout the editions?

Story Mechanics in TTRPGs?

Bennies, Re-rolls, Narrative Control, Hero Points, Fail Forward, Success with a Cost …others?

Yes, no, maybe, always good, sometimes good , never good?

How do they aid play? How do they hinder?

Big Geek Con 2

September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+

Parents must be with their children at all times. We are not baby sitters.

Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604

+1 989 790 5050

Shameless Plug Time:

If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also we are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support

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Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus

On the Web:

Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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We talk about the magic items in our games and what, if any, good they are. Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale!: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 $30 for 3 days! Sept 20 - 22 Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw 4960 Towne Centre Road Saginaw, MI 48604 https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Our Links: PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email:[email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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This week we talk about advancement in your game, and how you might change it up. We also discuss Dune movie presentations. So watch out for spoilers!

Big Geek Con 2024 tickets are on sale!

https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024

Support Our Show!

If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also we are on all the social, video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support

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On the Web:

Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com

Email:[email protected]

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Its a Monster Mash this week as we talk about aberrations! Aberrations are creatures that cannot be easily grouped by physical description. These beings are often amorphous and alien. From the lowly mimic to the mighty beholder these nightmare creatures are often found underground or in the watery depths, seeking to devour or enslave. Sometimes both. Inspired in large part by the Cthulhu mythos, aberrations were part of early Dungeons and Dragons and have a place in many game settings and home tables. BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia: beholder,that’s it.
1e: Beholder, Mind flayer, Ixitxachitl, and a lot more https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Advanced_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_1st_edition_monsters 2e: https://adnd2e.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Monsters
3.x: https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/3e_SRD:Aberration_Type
4e: https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_4th_edition_monsters
5e: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters?filter-type=1&filter-search=&filter-cr-min=&filter-cr-max=&filter-armor-class-min=&filter-armor-class-max=&filter-average-hp-min=&filter-average-hp-max=&filter-is-legendary=&filter-is-mythic=&filter-has-lair=&filter-partnered-content=f Big Geek Con 2024 Tickets on sale: (Sept 20 - 22)
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, we are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus
Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip
Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus
On the Web:
Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Email:[email protected]
Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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This week we discuss many of the odd topics surrounding DnD spewing forth from the internet

Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email:[email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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With the upcoming release of 6th Edition by WoTC and our ongoing desire for OUR DnD, we bring you some things you can to do to freshen up the old girl. This will be a recurring topic, offering new ideas or changes to previous ideas under this topic. This may (likely will) eventually depart from the old game and birth a new one.

Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials and video and podcast places as well.

Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email:[email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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Episode 178 Streamed Live Tuesday February 13, 2024 Main Topic: Who is the true Dungeon Master…Gary or Dave? A review of two documentaries: 1.) Secrets of Blackmoor: A Tue History of Dungeons & Dragons https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9301886/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl 2.) The Dreams in Gary’s Basement https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10621206/ Both movies painted their respective subjects in a good light Blackmoor for Mr Arneson’s part and Dreams for Mr Gygax. However neither treated the other’s subject in a bad light, letting the ages old schism remain in the past. Both mostly focused on the positive contributions each paid to our hobby. Secrets of Blackmoor went into great detail about how the tabletop RPG hobby sprung from war gaming, largely though Dave Arneson’s efforts. Dreams focused on Gary Gygax’s similar journey detailing the rise and fall of TSR and its eventual purchase by Wizards of The Coast. In light of these two documentaries, it seems the hobby owes it existence to both of these visionaries, though it is uncertain as to who gets top billing. At this point it hardly matters. Modules or Roll Your own? Modules/Pre-packaged Adventures Advantages: all encounters and stats done for you, plot ready to go, read-n-run (???), nice maps & visuals, and can dovetail with your own ideas(can even steal them from modules) and they can be fun to read. Disadvantages: may not fit your group, too railroad-y, costly($?), may need to shoe horn the current campaign/party situation into the adventure( Slavers series??/), politicization of games could creep in and long adventure paths/modules can be a lot to read and prepare even though it is all laid out for you. Rolling Your Own Advantages: easier to prep(theoretically), can react on the fly w/o worry of “messing” up the adventure, do not have to spend time reading, allows you infinite freedom and you can tailor it to your group from the start. Disadvantages: must make your own maps & prep time/write stats( ?), may need to use monster books/charts/random tables and “wing’in it” can result in non-sensical situations ( “ an aboleth, that doesn’t make any sense!”), inspiration can run dry, Big Geek Con 2: get ticket at - https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+ Parents must be always with their children. We are not babysitters. Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw 4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604 +1 989 790 5050 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs:https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website:www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: [email protected] Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/

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Tickets for Big Geek Con on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024

This week we discuss situations when you may need multiple DMs. Also the supposed Tencent issue.

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