PICKING A TTRPG (That isn't D&D or Pathfinder Part 2) - Rolling Dice and Brewing Chaos

Ever wondered what beer chemistry, emo vampires, and broom mechanics have in common? Neither did we—until this week's RPGBOT.Podcast!

We're diving deep into RPG madness, from the grimy charm of Shadow Dark to the chaos of Warhammer's magic (spoiler: it's messy). Then, we tackle Symbaroum, where sweeping is serious business, and Vison, the perfect game for overachieving detectives.

Horror fans, brace yourselves! It's eldritch chills with Call of Cthulhu, slapstick terror with Pulp Cthulhu, and Appalachian nightmares with Old Gods of Appalachia. Oh, and don't forget Vampire: The Masquerade, where brooding has never been so stylish.

Summary

Join the RPGBOT hosts as they embark on a tabletop odyssey filled with epic quests, fermented wisdom, and dice-fueled shenanigans! In this episode, they sip on the heady brew of beer chemistry before stumbling into the Old-School Renaissance of Shadow Dark—where dungeons are grim, and death is always just a dice roll away.

The adventure takes a quirky turn with Symbaroum, a game where sweeping mechanics finally get their moment in the spotlight, and spirals into the arcane depths of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay's magic systems (spoiler: it's like herding chaotic cats). Mystery lovers, rejoice! They dissect Vison, an RPG that dares players to think—and maybe overthink—its clever puzzles.

For horror fans, it's a double feature: Call of Cthulhu's sanity-shattering frights meet Pulp Cthulhu's lighthearted antics (think Indiana Jones with an eldritch twist). The hosts then dive fang-first into Vampire: The Masquerade and the brooding drama of World of Darkness, where players face the ultimate challenge: emo roleplay.

To cap it off, the crew gets their candles snuffed out in Ten Candles and pulled into the spine-tingling Appalachian horrors of Old Gods of Appalachia. Whether you're rolling a nat 20 or a nat 1, this episode celebrates RPGs in all their weird, wonderful glory.

Links

• Almost everything below is an affiliate link and Tyler doesn't want to copy+paste this a zillion times
• Achtung Cthulhu
• Adventures in Rokugan
• Alien RPG
• ALIEN RPG - A review
• ALIEN RPG: Cinematic Scenario Cycle Review
• ALIEN RPG - RPGBOT.News S2E34
• All Flesh Must Be Eaten
• Apocalypse World
• Battletech
• Bladerunner
• Call of Cthulhu
• Candela Obscura
• Colostle
• CY_BORG
• Cyberpunk Red
• Cypher Core Rulebook
• Death in Space
• Death in Space – A review
• Delta Green
• Doctor Who RPG
• Doctors and Daleks
• FFG Star Wars
• Fallout RPG
• Forbidden Lands
• Genesys Core Rulebook
• Imperium Maledictum
• Warhammer 40000 Roleplay: Imperium Maledictum - A Review
• Legend of the Five Rings
• Lord of the Rings Roleplay 5e
• Marvel Multiverse RPG
• Masks
• Mork Borg
• Mörk Borg - A Review
• Mörk Borg Cult: Heretic - A Zine Review
• Mörk Borg Cult: Heretic - RPGBOT.News S2E32
• Numenera
• Old Gods of Appalachia
• Pirate Borg
• Pulp Cthulhu
• Ruins of Symbaroum
• Ruins of Symbaroum - A Review
• Ruins of Symbaroum - RPGBOT.News S2E46
• Shadowdark
• RPGBOT.Podcast - ShadowDark RPG Adventure Designer Kelsey Dionne
• Shadowrun
• Symbaroum
• The One Ring 2e
• The One Ring 2nd Edition - A Review
• The Walking Dead RPG
• Vaesen
• Vaesen & the Mythic Britain and Ireland Expansion - A Review
• RPGBOT.Podcast - Zoe Franznick Reviews Free League's Vaesen
• Vampire: The Masquerade
• How to Play Vampire: The Masquerade
• Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
• Werewolf: The Apocalypse
• SPOOKTOBER - HOW TO PLAY WEREWOLF

Episode Takeaways

Game Mechanics & Themes

1. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay features a risky, intricate magic system and expansive character creation options.
2. OSR games bring simplicity and nostalgia reminiscent of early D&D.
3. SimBroom introduces corruption mechanics that shape gameplay.
4. High-risk, high-reward gameplay boosts player engagement.
5. RPGs offer unique themes and mechanics, expanding gameplay possibilities.
6. Dragonbane lets players embody whimsical characters, like ducks.
7. Shadow Dark thrives on time pressure and quick decision-making.
8. Vison focuses on solving mysteries over combat, creating unique narratives.
9. World of Darkness emphasizes personal horror and the burden of being a monster.
10. Call of Cthulhu delivers cosmic horror with sanity mechanics, while Pulp Cthulhu adds action-oriented flair.
11. Horror RPGs, like Old Gods of Appalachia and Ten Candles, use innovative mechanics to amplify tension.
12. Dread, with its Jenga tower, brings suspense into the physical realm.

Character Creation & Player Experience

1. Brewing beer involves mastering sugar and fermentation processes.
2. Transitioning from dungeon fantasy to darker themes in RPGs can challenge players.
3. Vampire RPGs often introduce disempowerment and moral dilemmas, such as the dangerous Diablerie mechanic.
4. Character survival in horror RPGs often hinges on player choices and narrative decisions.

Game Selection & Exploration

1. Selecting games often involves collaboration and even dice rolls.
2. Exploring lesser-known RPGs enriches the gaming experience and storytelling.
3. The RPG landscape is vast, with many innovative games to explore.
4. Exploring different RPGs can enhance storytelling and player engagement.

Resources & Community Engagement

1. The chapter on mysteries in Vison's rulebook is a valuable resource for any TTRPG.
2. Rubrics can help evaluate RPG mechanics and themes effectively.
3. Community ratings and reviews play a key role in podcast growth.

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How to Find Us:

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Tyler Kamstra

• Twitter: @RPGBOTDOTNET
• Facebook: rpgbotbotdotnet
• Bluesky:rpgbot.bsky.social

Ash Ely

• Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
• Twitter: @GravenAshes
• YouTube@ashravenmedia

Randall James

• @JackAmateur
• Amateurjack.com

Producer Dan

• @Lzr_illuminati