Level Up Your Gaming: Tabletop RPG Podcast

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The Level Up Your Gaming Podcast is a tabletop RPG podcast. Assisting GM's DM's and Players, the Level Up Your Gaming Podcast is here to…

by Aaron and Josh

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About Level Up Your Gaming: Tabletop RPG Podcast

The Level Up Your Gaming Podcast is a tabletop RPG podcast. Assisting GM's DM's and Players, the Level Up Your Gaming Podcast is here to help you take your games to the next level. Each Wednesday your hosts, Aaron and Josh, talk about a new topic to help you improve your…

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Episodes

New episodes usually come out every two weeks.Latest 200 episodes in the feed

Oct 30, 2026 · 48 min

Revisiting Using AI In Gaming

In today's episode we talk about using AI in your games. What lessons have we learned about using AI in gaming? What are some good use cases we've found for using AI? What areas should you avoid using AI? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Oct 22, 2026 · 31 min

Let's Make A One Shot: Mummy Issues

In today's episode we talk about breaking our conventional rules. What happens if you let your players split the party? What about an unkillable bad guy? How can you do the opposite of our conventional advice? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 15, 2026 · 45 min

Let Your Players Split The Party, Breaking Conventional Rules

In today's episode we talk about breaking our conventional rules. What happens if you let your players split the party? What about an unkillable bad guy? How can you do the opposite of our conventional advice? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 1, 2026 · 38 min

Let's Make A One Shot: The Broken Door

In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt The Broken Door. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Sep 24, 2026 · 42 min

When Your Players Can't Kill The Bad Guy

In today's episode we talk about when you can't kill the bad guy. Are the players incapable or are they not allowed to kill the bad guy? What can you do instead? How do you handle that dramatic encounter with the bad guy if the players can't kill them? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…

Earlier episodes (195)

Sep 10, 2026 Genre Episode: Cyberpunk
In today's episode we talk about the genre Cyberpunk. What makes a good Cyberpunk game? How is it different from other similar genres? What types of stories do you tell? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 27, 2026 How To Manage Inconsistent Game Schedules
In today's episode we talk about how to deal with inconsistent game schedules. How do you handle long breaks between games? How do you refocus and help your players after these breaks? Is there anything you can do to prevent schedule issues? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Aug 21, 2026 Let's Make A One Shot: A Fistful Of Spells
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Fistful Of Spells. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Aug 6, 2026 Making A Simple Game Complicated
In today's episode we talk about when simple games become complex. What adds the complexity? How can you keep the game simple? Should you always embrace the complexity? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jul 24, 2026 Genre Episode: Fantasy
In today's episode we talk about the Fantasy genre for games. What is a fantasy game? How can you make them special? Does a fantasy game have to be set in a certain period? What is high vs low fantasy? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Jul 13, 2026 Genre Episode: Sci Fi
In today's episode we talk about the Sci Fi genre for games. What is a true sci fi game? What about Star Wars? How do you make a sci fi game special? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming…
Jun 25, 2026 Let's Make A One Shot: Critial Condition
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Critical Condition. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jun 18, 2026 The Non Bad Bad Guy
In today's episode we talk about the non bad bad guy. What is a non bad bad guy? Why would you want a bad guy that isn't actually bad? What are some examples of these bad guys? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 5, 2026 Let Them Cook
In today's episode we talk about letting your players cook. What does it mean to let your players cook? Why should you let them cook? What can letting your players cook do your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
May 21, 2026 Let's Make A One Shot: Breaking Bard
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Breaking Bard. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
May 7, 2026 When Too Much Detail Goes Wrong
In today's episode we talk about how too much detail goes wrong. Why is too much detail difficult when telling stories? How much detail is enough? How can you avoid putting too much detail into your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Apr 30, 2026 Starting An Incomplete Game
In today's episode we talk about starting and incomplete game. Why start an incomplete game? What do you need to have to get a game started? How can you juggle all of the issues with an incomplete game? Won't my players just take everything off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Apr 23, 2026 Let's Make A One Shot: A Song For The Hollow
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Song For The Hollow. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Apr 9, 2026 Rewriting Your Game When You Mess Up
In today's episode we talk about rewriting your game when you mess up. Why would you want to rewrite your game after starting? How do you adjust your game and maintain what you started with? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Apr 3, 2026 When Player Agency Goes Awry
In today's episode we talk about Player Agency Going Awry. What happens when player agency goes awry? What are the reasons why this could happen? How do you handle this situation when everything is off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Mar 20, 2026 City Planning
In today's episode we talk about City Planning. What goes into the design of a city? How do you handle all those NPC's and Locations? How do you keep everything from being so overwhelming? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 7, 2026 The Importance Of Having A Writing Partner
In today's episode we talk about the Importance Of Having A Writing Partner. Why should you have a writing partner? What benefits does a writing partner provide? What if I don't have a partner who is a GM? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Feb 26, 2026 Red Herrings
In today's episode we talk about Red Herrings. What are red herrings? Why would you use them? How can these improve your story? What are some pitfalls with using red herrings? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 13, 2026 Let's Make A One Shot: The Silence Between
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt The Silence Between. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jan 29, 2026 Making Better Backstories With Plot Hooks
In today's episode we talk about Making Better Backstories With Plot Hooks. How do you craft backstories with plot hooks? What benefit does it give to the GM? How can it make your players more dynamic? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Jan 15, 2026 Game Master Sins
In today's episode we talk about Game Master Sins. What are some of the cardinal sins for game masters? Why are they so bad for game masters to commit? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jan 8, 2026 Helping GM DJ With His Game
In today's episode we help our friend DJ with his upcoming game. We use his notes on the game to help him come up with an ending to his upcoming game. DJ, Josh and I ping pong the ideas around to help craft some ideas for the end of his game he'll be running. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 25, 2025 Introducing New Players To Role Playing
In today's episode we talk about Introducing New Players To Role Playing. What is the best way to introduce new players to role playing. How should you go about introducing new players to the hobby? What types of games work best? What can you do to be most successful in bringing new players into the hobby? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for…
Dec 11, 2025 Giving Magic A Flare
In today's episode we talk about Giving Magic a Flare. How can you make magic more meaningful in your game? What does the added description offer to your game? How can magical flare improve the narrative experience? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Nov 25, 2025 The Importance Of Having More Than One GM
In today's episode we talk about The Importance Of Having More Than One GM. Wy is it beneficial to having more than one gm in your group? How can you foster a second GM? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Nov 16, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Curtains Fall Secrets Rise
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Curtains Fall Secrets Rise. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Oct 31, 2025 Give Your Players A Home
In today's episode we talk about Giving Your Players A Home. Why do we want to give our players a home? What does it offer for the game? Should you always give your players a home? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Oct 17, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: A Date With Destiny
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Date With Destiny. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 3, 2025 Murder Your Players To Make Them Better
In today's episode we talk about Murdering Your Player Characters To Make Them Better. Why would you actively murder your player characters? What lessons are learned by doing this? How does it change the direction of your games? What does it do for future games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Sep 18, 2025 Adjusting Difficulty On The Fly
In today's episode we talk about Adjusting Difficulty On The Fly. How do you adjust difficulty on the fly? Why would you want to adjust difficulty in your game? What are some good rules to follow when adjusting your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Sep 10, 2025 Making Better Homebrew Items And Monsters
In today's episode we talk about Making Better Homebrew Items And Monsters. What makes good homebrew items and monsters? Why do you want homebrew items? How do you make better items? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Sep 1, 2025 Setting Up A Space To Play
In today's episode we talk about Setting Up A Space To Play. How do we set up a good play space? What should we focus on? will this cost me a lot of money? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 16, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Grave Peril
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Grave Peril. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Aug 7, 2025 How To Write A Character Arc
In today's episode we talk about How To Write A Character Arc. What makes a good character arc? How do you make them meaningful? How do you mix them into the other players at the table to keep everyone engaged? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jul 28, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Dungeons And Dine
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Dungeons And Dine. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jul 19, 2025 Daggerheart Campaign Frames
In today's episode we talk about Daggerheart campaign frames. What are campaign frames? How can they be used to improve game planning? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us…
Jul 11, 2025 Using Excessive Detail In Your Games
In today's episode we talk about how to use excessive detail to improve your games. Why use extra detail in your games? What tools can you use to create this detail? What areas of detail should you focus on? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jun 27, 2025 Making Games Less Epic
In today's episode we talk about how make games less epic. Why would you want a less epic game? How do you not slip into epic? Can less epic games make for something epic down the line? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 20, 2025 How To Fight The Gods
In today's episode we talk about how to fight the Gods. How do you fight beings that are beyond your characters power? How can you beat something unstoppable? What other options are there to win an unwinnable fight? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Jun 6, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Labyrinth Of Leviathans
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Labyrinth Of Leviathans. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
May 29, 2025 Using A Theme To Design Your Story
In today's episode we talk about using a theme to design your story. Why use a theme for game design? How does using a theme help you stay focused? What are other benefits of using a theme? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
May 15, 2025 How To Create Boundaries In Story Creation
In today's episode we talk about creating boundaries in story creation. How do you put boundaries in story creation? Why should you put boundaries up? What happens without boundaries in story creation? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
May 8, 2025 Consuming New Media
In today's episode we talk about consuming new media for game ideas. What are various types of media we can pull from? What are some examples of things we've watched? What can we learn from these different types of media? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Apr 24, 2025 Ending A Game That's Off The Rails
In today's episode we talk about ending a game off that's the rails. How do you end a game that's off the rails? How does a game get into this state? How can you avoid going off the rails? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Apr 17, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: A Field Guide To Whiskey
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt A Field Guide To Whiskey. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Apr 4, 2025 Crafting A Spy Craft Game
In today's episode we talk about the spy craft game. What is a spy craft game? What makes a good spy craft game? What are things to consider in a spy craft game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 28, 2025 Retcon
In today's episode we talk about retcon. What is retcon? Why should you not use retcon? Is there a reason to retcon at all? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review…
Mar 14, 2025 Bad Game Ideas
In today's episode we talk about bad game ideas. What are bad game ideas? Why are they bad? How can we avoid ideas like this? Why do we try to run bad games from time to time? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 6, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Wisper's Of The Vanishing Rabbit
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Wisper's Of The Vanishing Rabbit. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Feb 27, 2025 Religion In Games
In today's episode we talk about religion in games. What role does religion play in your game? What can religion offer to your game? What are some good stories to run around religion? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 14, 2025 Spice Is Nice Romance In Games
In today's episode we talk about romance in games. How do you do romance in games? What are some systems that work well for romance? What are some boundries? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 7, 2025 Bait And Switch Games
In today's episode we talk about the bait and switch in games. What is a bait and switch game? Why would I change the game after establishing an old one? What are the downsides? What are the upsides? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with…
Jan 29, 2025 Resource Management For Dummies
In today's episode we talk about resource management. How should I handle resources? Why should I keep track or resources? When should I ignore resources? What are better ways to track resources? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us…
Jan 20, 2025 Let's Make A One Shot: Archive Of Lost Things
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Archive Of Lost Things. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Jan 10, 2025 Puzzles Your Players Like
In today's episode we talk about puzzles your players will like. What puzzles should I use? How do you make ones your players will enjoy? How to get your players to engage with the puzzles? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jan 2, 2025 What's On Your Gaming Playlist
In today's episode we talk about your gaming music. What music is good for games? Why do we use music in games? Can it be distracting? When do you not want music in your games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 12, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Mysteries In Monochrome
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Mysteries In Monochrome. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Nov 27, 2024 Turning Your One Shot Into A Campaign
In today's episode we talk about turning your one shot into a campaign. How do you take a one shot an turn it into a campaign? Why would you want to turn a one shot into a longer game? Is it better to just link one shots together? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Nov 14, 2024 Gaming Situations That Always Work
In today's episode we talk about gaming situations that always work. What are game situations that work for all groups? What makes these situations good for all groups? When is it best to use these situations? Why do you need these in your gaming arsenal? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Oct 31, 2024 How To Run A City Campaign
In today's episode we talk about how to run a city campaign. How do you run a city game? What are the benefits of running a game in a city setting? What are the downsides? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Oct 23, 2024 Differences Between Antagonists And Villains ft Ken
In today's episode we difference between an antagonist and villain. What is the difference between an antagonist and a villain? Is there a difference at all? How can we make multiple antagonists within a story. We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 9, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Popup Spirit Halloween Store
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Popup Spirit Halloween Store. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Oct 2, 2024 Terror at the Table - With Ken Spensley
In today's episode, I talk with Ken about terror in role-playing. What makes a story scary? What are different ways to tell a scary story? How do you make a horror story work for your players? What sorts of spooky tales are our personal favorite? We answer all of these questions and more! Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Sep 25, 2024 Living Worlds - With DJ Hird
In today's episode I discuss Living Worlds with DJ Hird. DJ has been participating and running Living Worlds for some time now and has plenty to say about joining or running these unique games. Specifically, we talk about what it is like to play in one of these games, what it is like to run a session, what the modules look like, what types of players you might encounter, and where to find a game to either join or…
Sep 18, 2024 A Talk with John
In today's episode we discuss Virtual Tabletops and different Tabletop Role-playing systems with our good friend John. He is a member of the Tuesday game that Josh sometimes runs. He lives out of state in Ohio and games with us virtually, so he has specific feelings about the how the different systems are represented in the virtual world of online gaming. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Sep 11, 2024 Politics in Gaming
In today's episode I talk about politics in your stories. I try to take a look at how you can make a game using political systems and give your placers choices that are political in nature. Can you get your players more engaged if the options they need to choose from are morally gray? What types of governments can we use to make interesting stories and what sorts of political intrigue can we have with them? I try…
Sep 4, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Zombies Ate My Neighbors
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the title of a fantastic Super Nintendo Game, "Zombies Ate My Neighbors". We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Aug 26, 2024 Making a Rural Game
In today's episode we discuss games in a rural setting. What are the benefits of the rural setting? What makes a rural game so inviting and interesting? How can you get your players invested in the wilds? What types of stories can you tell in places where the people are sparse? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts…
Jul 27, 2024 Making Shorter Stories
In today's episode we discuss making shorter stories. Why make shorter stories? What are the benefits to this methodology? Can you weave narrative through multiple short stories? How can you be effective with short stories? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Jul 5, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Potion Commotion
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Potion Commotion. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jun 22, 2024 Making Better Traps
In today's episode we discuss making better traps. What makes a good trap? How do I utilize traps effectively? Do I have too many traps? Are my traps appropriate? Are my traps dangerous enough? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 7, 2024 Narrative Combat
In today's episode we discuss narrative combat. What is narrative combat? How can I achieve better combat through narration? What does more description and narration add to combat? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
May 23, 2024 Degrees Of Success
In today's episode we discuss degrees of success. What is a success? What is a failure? Do they have greater or worse affect based on the roll? How can you use higher or lower numbers to add something special to your game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
May 17, 2024 Keep The Creativity Flowing
In today's episode we discuss keeping your creativity flowing. What do you do when you aren't feeling creative? How do you overcome writers block? What are some ways to stay focused on your game? How can you bring back the spark of creativity? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
May 9, 2024 Adding Rules From Other RPGs To Make Your Game More Interesting ft How To Be A Better DM Podcast
In today's episode we are joined by guest hosts from How To Be A Better DM Podcast Justin and Tanner. We discuss the topic of adding rules from other TTRPGs into your current game. Join us as we give you our thoughts and more in today's episode. How To Be A Better DM Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-be-a-better-dm-dungeon-master-tips-for-the/id1575473372 Leave us an email for feedback,…
Apr 25, 2024 Corporate Games
In today's episode we discuss running corporate games. What is a corporate game? What do you need to avoid when running this type of game? How should I structure the game? How do I make the most of the time? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Apr 12, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Axe Marks The Spot
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Axe Marks The Spot. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Mar 29, 2024 Making Your Mooks More Human
In today's episode we discuss making mooks more human. What are mooks? How can we improve them? How does this make for memorable encounters? How much should I add to my mooks to improve them? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 21, 2024 Playing The Good Guys
In today's episode we discuss playing the good guys. What is a good guy? How do we play this character? Doesn't it limit my players? How can adding constraints to character morality improve fun and engagement? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Mar 15, 2024 Making Your Story Fit Your Setting
In today's episode we discuss making story fit your setting. Does any story work for any setting? How do you bend story to fit into different settings? What are things that we need to consider when fitting story into settings? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us…
Feb 29, 2024 Let's Make A One Shot: Carnival Of Mirrors
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Carnival Of Mirrors. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Feb 16, 2024 Adding Minigames
In today's episode we discuss adding minigames to your game. What are some examples of minigames? How do I make minigames feel good? Does it take away from playing a Table Top RPG? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 8, 2024 Tools For Building A World
In today's episode we discuss different tools for building a world. What are some tools available online? What are some techniques I can use to build a world? What if I don't know where to begin? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us…
Jan 25, 2024 Nostalgia In Games
In today's episode we discuss nostalgia in games. Why do we use nostalgia in games? How can this be a helpful thing? What makes it such a powerful tool? What are the problems with using nostalgia in games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jan 18, 2024 Cinematics And Autopilot
In today's episode we discuss using cinematics and autopilot. How do I use cinematics? Is there a right time to use autopilot? How much is too much? What are the downsides to using these storytelling techniques? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jan 4, 2024 Streamlining Games
In today's episode we discuss streamlining games. How do different games streamline their systems? What can be learned form looking at other games? Do all streamlining ideas mesh? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 14, 2023 Let's Make A One Shot: Bard To The Bone
In today's episode we continue our series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Bard To The Bone. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Dec 8, 2023 GM Note Taking
In today's episode Josh talks about taking notes as a GM. Why should you take notes as a GM? What are the benefits of note taking? How does it help you tell better stories? Josh answers all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming…
Nov 30, 2023 How Real Is Too Real
In today's episode we discuss how real is too real in your game. How much gritty realism should I add to my game? When should I lean away from the realism? When should I embrace it? Do I need realism at all? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Nov 16, 2023 Let's Make A One Shot: Assassination At The Opera
In today's episode we do our first in a series of Let's Make A One Shot. The game we make a one shot for comes from the prompt Assassination At The Opera. We describe all the details you would need to consider to pull this one shot off. Enjoy this episode as we make a one shot using the tools we talk about. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Nov 9, 2023 Running Your First Game
In today's episode we discuss running your first game. How do I get started GMing my first game? What do I need to know in order to run a game? What resources are out there? Do I have to do all this prep that you guys talk about? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Nov 2, 2023 Giving Your Players Life
In today's episode we discuss giving your players life. How do I guide my players to make good backstories? How much detail do they need? How do I use these stories in my storytelling? What should you avoid when adding details to a character? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Oct 27, 2023 Promo 2023-2024
The promo for the podcast for end of year 2023 - 2024 Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.
Oct 20, 2023 Inspiration VS Insight
In today's episode we discuss inspriation vs insight for your players. Should I give my players the answer when the character has the knowledge? How long to I allow them to figure out a story or mystery? What do I do when my players are stuck? What if no one posseses the knowledge on their character sheets? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for…
Oct 5, 2023 Learning How To Relax
In today's episode we discuss how to relax as a GM. Do I always have to be running at 100%? What do I do when my players go off the rails? How do I maintain energy each game session? Do I have to duplicate perfect game sessions? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Sep 21, 2023 Building A Better World
In today's episode we discuss how to build a better in game world. What makes for good world building? What should I focus on first? What should I wait to flesh out? How much is too much? Should I avoid anything when world building? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Sep 6, 2023 Telling A One Shot
In today's episode we discuss how to tell a one shot game. What makes for a good one shot? Are ones hots really different? How much prep do I need for a one shot? What should I not do in a one shot? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with…
Aug 25, 2023 Telling A Multi Part Mystery
In today's episode we discuss how to tell a multi part mystery. What is a multi part mystery? How do you give players clues? How do you move players along? What if the players get stuck? What makes for good building blocks? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Aug 16, 2023 How To End A Game
In today's episode we discuss how to end a game. What makes a good ending to a game? What should you do to set up a good ending? Why is a good ending so important? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 3, 2023 Promoting New Players
In today's episode we discuss promoting the next generation of players. Why is it important to bring up a new generation of players? How do you cater to new players? What are some of the challenges you face GMing for newcomers to the game? How can it improve your GM style? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Jul 20, 2023 Flavor Text
In today's episode we discuss adding flavor text to your games. What is flavor text? How should I incorporate it? When should I use it? When should I avoid it? How much is too much? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jul 12, 2023 Making Effective Encounter Maps
In today's episode we discuss making effective encounter maps. What is an encounter map? What makes for good design of one? How much detail should I include? What do the players need to know about? How can I improv details on the encounter map? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Jul 1, 2023 Making Travel Fun
In today's episode we discuss making travel fun in games. How do I make travel fun? Should I avoid it all together? What should I avoid if having my players travel? What do I need to do to make this play style engaing? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Jun 15, 2023 Writing A Game With A Partner
In today's episode we discuss writing your game with a partner. What is co-writing? How do I write with a partner effectively? Can this partner be a player in my game? What are the disadvantages of writing with someone else? What are the ground rules? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Jun 8, 2023 Players Who Steal The Spotlight
In today's episode we discuss players that steal the spotlight. How bad is it when a player steals the spotlight? Can this be a good thing? How can you address the issue? How does it hurt or help your table? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
May 25, 2023 A Look At The D&D Movie
In today's episode we discuss the D&D Movie. How was the movie? Was it any good? What lessons can we learn from the movie? Was it true to D&D? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please…
May 10, 2023 Storytelling On The Fly
In today's episode we discuss storytelling on the fly. How do you storytell a game out of no where? What tricks can you use to make it a good experience? How do you make the experience a fun one? How can you buy yourself time to improve the game experience? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Apr 28, 2023 House Rules
In today's episode we discuss house rules. What are house rules? Why should I use house rules? What are different types of house rules? Can house rules be used across multiple games? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Apr 20, 2023 A Retrospective Look At Tabletop RPGs
In today's episode we celebrate our 150th episode by taking a look at the history of Tabletop RPGs through the decades. Where did Tabletop RPGs come from? How did they evolve over the years? What are the trends we will see in the future? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Apr 13, 2023 Making The Most Out Of Short Game Sessions
In today's episode we discuss how to make the most of short game sessions. What length constitues a short game session? What game types fit best in a short game session? How do I get my players to feel involved in a short game session? How do I keep the players focused in a short game session? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback,…
Apr 5, 2023 Talking About The Critical Role In The Room
In today's episode we discuss the popular live play Critical Role. What is Critical Role? What are the benefits of live play? How does the show help the hobby? In what ways does the show hurt the hobby? What can you learn from live plays? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected]…
Mar 24, 2023 Will AI Steal Your GM Job
In today's episode we discuss if AI will steal your job as a GM. Am I obsolete? How can I effectively use AI as a GM? What are it's limitations? What are the different applications of AI in gaming? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with…
Mar 16, 2023 Extra Episode: When Chat GPT Takes Over Level Up Your Gaming
Josh had a bit of fun this week and gave Chat GPT some prompts about our podcast. This is the result. Enjoy this episode this week as next week we'll discuss how you can use a tool like Chat GPT to help build and inspire ideas in your games. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 8, 2023 Helping Players Take Better Notes
In today's episode we discuss getting your players to take better notes. Why don't your players take notes? How do I get my players to take notes? Why should they take notes? What information should we just give them? Are there any rewards I can give for taking good notes? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Mar 1, 2023 Making Maps
In today's episode we discuss creating maps for your games. What are the different types of maps? What makes a good map? What should you focus on when creating maps? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 16, 2023 Monetization In D&D
In today's episode we discuss monetization of D&D. What is the history of the D&D license? What is happening with D&D in the future? Is my current edition of D&D staying unchanged? What does this mean for the future of playing D&D? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Feb 8, 2023 Improving Mysteries
In today's episode we discuss improving mysteries. What are some different types of mysteries we can tell? How do I improve on a mystery? What elements make a great mystery? What are some good guidelines in telling a mystery? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us…
Feb 1, 2023 Food, Music, And Art In Games
In today's episode we discuss food, music, and art in games. How do I use these elements in game? What does this do for my game? How can I tell better stories with these elements? How can I offer insight to my players with these tools? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Jan 26, 2023 Suspending Disbelief
In today's episode we discuss suspending your disbelief in games. Why should I suspend my disbelief? What do the players gain? What does the GM gain? How can I improve impossible situations to increase enjoyment in the game? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Jan 19, 2023 Avoiding Accounting And Math
In today's episode we discuss avoiding accounting and math in your games. What is the purpose of the numbers? What stuff can you ignore? Why would you want to avoid the numbers? When do you need the numbers? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Jan 11, 2023 Stealing Ideas From Media
In today's episode we discuss Taking ideas from existing media. What should I borrow from? What should I avoid? What if my players recognize the source? Does it make sense to adapt ideas? Are there any concepts that don't work without leaning in? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Dec 29, 2022 Building Encounters
In today's episode we discuss building encounters. What types of encounters are there? How do I make the encounters meaningful? What things should I consider in making encounters? What about the environment? How do I progress my players through encounters? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Dec 21, 2022 Virtual Table Tops
In today's episode we discuss various virtual table tops. What are the differences between them? What are the pros and cons? How do I choose one? Can I really go wrong with one or the other? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 15, 2022 Learning New Systems
In today's episode we welcome Josh as the new cohost and discuss learning new systems. What are the challenges with learning new systems? How should I approach learning a new system? Why would I want to try a new system? What makes a game successful in any system? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Dec 7, 2022 Combat Length Action Problems
In today's episode I discuss combat length action problems. What are the problems with combat lengths? How do you address these problems? Can you fix some other actions in combat to fix the action length problem. I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Nov 23, 2022 Wiped The Party Now What?
In today's episode we discuss what to do when you wipe the party. Did I have to wipe the party? Can I save my players in bad situations? What if my players are acting foolish? Should I fudge rolls? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with…
Nov 9, 2022 The Rule Of Cool
Next Episode will be dropping 11/23 In today's episode we discuss the rule of cool. What is the rule of cool? How should I use the rule? What are the benefits? What are the downsides? How to I rain in players trying to abuse it? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Nov 2, 2022 11-2 Podcast Update
As you may have guessed my daughter was born since the last podcast dropped. As a new parent and a first time parent I am getting used to the crazy schedule that is a baby. I have another episode recorded which I will work on this weekend and have it ready to drop 11-9. Stay tuned and send us best wishes. Also all parts of The Devil Went Down To Jersey are now out on all podcasts. Please check them out. Links to…
Oct 19, 2022 Scary And Terror
In today's episode we discuss scary and terror in games. What is the difference? How to I make a game scary? How to I build terror? How do I do this in a one shot? What if I miss the mark? Is there only one type of scary or terror? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Part 1 can be found on A Fools Quest Link:…
Oct 10, 2022 Bonus Episode: Devil Went Down To Jersey Part 2
Part 2 continues to follow the members of FPI as they continue their investigation into the lead on the Jersey Devil. The group heads into the Pine Barrens to begin their search. Part 1 can be found on A Fools Quest Link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3slvx7DrDpS6ieICAi07qm?si=ck_pnVoeRBuw4_drDCaeIQ&fbclid=IwAR27KGqsT3nr0LrPEiUiEYn_XBaY4kIo7cputizTurr0Vk8WdtNid26F2e4&nd=1 Part 3 will be released on D20 To…
Oct 6, 2022 October 2022 Podcast Update
Podcast Update for October. No Episode this week as I am preparing for the Live Play episode releasing on 10/10. Podcast will have a missed week sometime here in October as my wife and I welcome our first child into the world. We will go to a Bi Weekly Cadence through November and updates will be posted on our Facebook or smaller recordings in November. Live Play Details Part 1 released on Monday 10/3 is going to…
Sep 28, 2022 Rewards In Game
In today's episode we discuss rewards in game. What are the different motivations players have? What are the different reward types? How do you know what rewards your players will respond to? Can rewards be bad if used incorrectly? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Sep 21, 2022 Recurring Good Guys
In today's episode we discuss recurring good guys in your game. What is a recurring good guy? How should they be used in the game? What should I avoid? How do they benefit my players? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Sep 14, 2022 Yes And... Improving With Improv
In today's episode we discuss improving your games with improv. What are some rules I should follow? How far should I go with improv? What should I avoid? Does improv always favor the players? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Sep 7, 2022 A Look At One D&D Playtest Material
In today's episode we take a look at the new playtest material for One D&D. What's changed in the playtest material? What is the direction that D&D appears to be heading? We give you our thoughts and answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 31, 2022 Roundtable Discussion On Combat
In today's episode we have a roundtable discussion on combat. This episode focuses on perspectives from newer players and more veteran ones. We have 6 people on the episode today with many thoughts being thrown around the table. There are great points made about how to engage players and challenges faced in combat as a whole. We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback,…
Aug 24, 2022 Gimmicks In Games
In today's episode I discuss using gimmicks in games. What are gimmicks in games? Why do some of them work? What if my gimmicks don't work? Should you use gimmicks? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave…
Aug 17, 2022 Using Lore To Enhance Your Games
In today's episode I discuss using lore to improve your games. How to I present my lore? Why is it useful in a game? How to I create my own lore? How much detail should I put into my lore? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 10, 2022 Choosing The Right System For Your Game
In today's episode we discuss choosing the right system for your game. What are different systems good at? Why should I choose one system over another? Why is it a good idea to choose a system that fits my setting? Can I adapt my current system to fit any setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected]…
Aug 3, 2022 Drive Players To Complete Your Game
In today's episode I discuss how to drive your players to complete your game. What are my players motivations? What actions direct them to complete finish the story? When should I push on my players to have them get to the end of my story? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Jul 20, 2022 Post Apocalyptic Games
In today's episode we discuss Post Apocalyptic Games. What types of stories can you tell? What are the challenges with the setting? How do I run the game successfully? What types of players enjoy the setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jul 13, 2022 Handling The Death Of A Player
In today's episode we discuss handling the death of a player at the table. How do I honor my friend or player? What do we do with his character? Does the character need to die? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming…
Jul 6, 2022 Solving Actual Puzzles
In today's episode we discuss solving actual puzzles in game. How should I present my puzzle? What are the benefits of solving the puzzle? How do I guide my players while dealing with puzzles? How can I clue them in that a puzzle needs to be solved? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Jun 29, 2022 Introduction Of Josh, Lori, And Ken
In today's episode I introduce Josh, Lori, and Ken to the podcast. Who are they? What are their credentials? What are their GMing and Playing styles? I find out the answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave…
Jun 22, 2022 The Players Hierarchy Of Needs
In today's episode I discuss different players needs. What does a player need? How can I look at a players need and meet them? Why are the needs of my players important? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please…
Jun 6, 2022 Difficulties With Delays Between Game Sessions
In today's episode I discuss delays between game sessions. How do we address unforeseen delays? What are some options we have to handle inconsistent players? When should you move on to another schedule? How do I re energize my players when we get back to gaming? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Jun 1, 2022 Basing Games On Established Stories
In today's episode we discuss adapting stories from existing stories. How much source material should I use? What are successful ways to do this? What if my players recognize the source material? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
May 25, 2022 An Introduction Of GM Tom
In today's episode I introduce GM Tom to the podcast. Who is GM Tom? What is his GMing philosophy? What will GM Tom bring to the conversation? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a…
May 18, 2022 Setting Goals For Your Game
In today's episode I talk about setting goals for your game. What are good goals for your game? How do you pick goals for your game? What benefit do you get from setting goals? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming…
May 11, 2022 Perception Rolls And Giving Context
In today's episode I talk about perception rolls and giving context. Why do we require perception rolls? What is bad context? Do we need perception rolls? Is there a problem in giving out answers to your players? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
May 4, 2022 Understanding New Players
In today's episode I talk about understanding new players. How do we cater to new players? What do new players look forward to in gaming? What can we learn from new players to try and level up our gaming? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Apr 27, 2022 Blind Spots
In today's episode I talk about blind spots. How do I identify my blind spots? How do I correct my blind spots? How can I check my blind spots as a player? I answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a…
Apr 20, 2022 Helping Out A Friend
In today's episode I discuss the future of the show and changes that are coming. I discuss what brought about the changes and look forward to continuing the show. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your…
Apr 13, 2022 From Silly To Serious
In today's episode we discuss bringing your players back to focus in your session. How do I focus my players when we first meet? What do I do when someone breaks scene with a joke? How do I walk back into gaming when we've sidetracked into another discussion? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Apr 6, 2022 Difficulty With Modern And SciFi
In today's episode we discuss difficulties in modern and SciFi games. How does security affect outcomes of player actions? How much security should I put as an obstacle? When should I tone down my security in any setting? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us…
Mar 30, 2022 Being Menacing Without A Monologue
In today's episode we discuss making your villains menacing. How do I make a good villain? How can a put weight behind my villain without dialogue? How do I get my players invested? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 23, 2022 Players As GMs
In today's episode we discuss having players act as GMs within games. How do I have my players do dramatic edits? How do I limit what my players can do? What if my players aren't good at adding dramatic flare? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 16, 2022 Metagaming And Why We Should Consider Embracing It
In today's episode we discuss metagaming and why you should allow it. When do I allow my players to metagame? Are there any hardline no's? Is it always bad? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a…
Mar 9, 2022 Extra Episode: We're Probably Missing Something
In today's episode Aaron discusses a player conundrum of missing details. How do you know when you are done looking for things? How can the GM help? Why is it important to know if you are missing anything? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Mar 3, 2022 Character Progression
In today's episode we discuss character progression. How do you handle character progression? How do you make progression feel meaningful? How do you modify character progression to make it more in line with character experience? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Feb 23, 2022 Better NPC Creation Again
In today's episode we discuss how to improve your NPC's even more than before. How do I make these characters feel more real? How do I create connections? What are the most important things to think about when creating NPCs? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with…
Feb 9, 2022 Combining Actions
In today's episode we discuss combining player actions. How do I combine actions? What are some examples in all three phases of the game? How to you balance power creep with combining actions? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Feb 2, 2022 Narrative Over Rolling
In today's episode we discuss using narrative technique over rolling. When should I use rolls? Why should I use narrative? How do I keep my players interested in outcomes? What if my players avoid major story elements? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jan 27, 2022 Extra Episode: The Cortex Prime System Ft. Chris
In today's episode we have a listener provide his thoughts on the Cortex Prime system. Chris does an excellent job describing the system today. We hope you enjoy the episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you…
Jan 19, 2022 Your Best Game
In today's episode we celebrate our hundredth episode and talk about your best game. What is your best game? What made it so memorable or good? We want to know and hear from you in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a five…
Jan 12, 2022 Better Character Creation
In today's episode we talk about better character creation. What makes a good character? How to I create unique characters? How can a session zero help this process? How do I define my powers for the character? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jan 5, 2022 Deep Dive Into The World Of Darkness: Malkavian
In today's episode we take a deep dive on the Malkavian clan from Vampire the Masquerade. What type of vampire clan are they? How should I play one? What are things to consider with the clan? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 30, 2021 Adjusting Your Game In Maintenance
In today's episode we talk about updating your game in maintenance mode. When should I update the game? Why would I make changes to a game in flight? How much time should I spend updating the game? What should I avoid? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 15, 2021 Challenging Genre Expectations
In today's episode we talk about challenging genre expectations. Why would I change my genre? How far should I go? What if my players don't like the changes? What should I avoid doing? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 8, 2021 Fitting Games To Your Players
In today's episode we talk about fitting games to your players. How do I create games they will like? What if my players like a wide variety of game types? How do I make my players more invested in a non combat game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Dec 1, 2021 Destiny And Fate
In today's episode we talk about destiny and fate in games. Why would I want to avoid destiny and fate? How can these be used effectively in game? What can be done if a player wants to take this as a background? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Nov 17, 2021 Pushing Characters Outside Of Comfort Zones
In today's episode we talk about pushing players and characters outside their comfort zones. How much should I push the boundaries? How fast should I introduce new content? What if my players don't like what I've done? If they do like the new content how to I use it again? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Nov 10, 2021 Deep Dive Into The World Of Darkness: Stereotypes
In today's episode we talk about tabletop rpg stereotypes and try to focus on World of Darkness. Why would I lean into these stereotypes? When should I break these stereotypes? How are things different if you are a player vs a GM? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Nov 4, 2021 Maintaining The Tension
In today's episode we talk about how to maintain tension in your games. How do I create tension? What do players fear? What makes a scene exciting? What if the players know you sometimes fudge rolls? What if the players know you want the best outcome for you? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or…
Oct 27, 2021 Breaking The Fourth Wall
In today's episode we talk about breaking the fourth wall. What's the fourth wall? What are some ways we can break it? Why would I want to break the fourth wall? Should I let my players break the fourth wall? Are there any limitations? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 20, 2021 Preview Of Coming Weeks
We are off this week from podcasting. Here is a preview of some upcoming episodes. Thanks for listening we will be back next week Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please leave us a review or a five star rating wherever you get your podcast.
Oct 13, 2021 Building An Epic Game
In today's episode we talk about building your epic game. Where do I start? How to I organically bring characters into the quest? How do I gate my players progression without limiting them? How much detail do I need in the starting area? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…
Oct 7, 2021 Outside Game Activities
In today's episode we talk about extra activities outside of game. What is an extra outside of game activity? Why should they be avoided? Are there any cases when we should have players engage in extra activities outside of game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage…
Sep 29, 2021 Action Economy In Games
In today's episode we talk about action economies in games. What is action economy? How do I improve action economy? How to I manage action economy in combat to improve flow and experience? When should I ignore action economy all together? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook…
Sep 22, 2021 Social Situations Expanded
In today's episode we give examples on how social roleplay and rolls can be used in social situations. How do I take into account social merits in roleplay? How do I give my players information with dice rolls? When do I ask my players to roll? What dice should they roll? What if my players fail a roll? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts…
Sep 15, 2021 Story Above Success
In today's episode we talk about how GMs overlook success of their game in order to execute their story. How does a GM fall into this pitfall? How do you achieve a successful story and successful game? Can a game be successful if the story needs to change? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Sep 8, 2021 Bringing In Elements From Other Game Systems
In today's episode we talk about how to bring in other game systems into your current game system. How do I work out the rules with a system change? Can I use any story element? Are there times when other game system story or mechanics don't fit? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Sep 1, 2021 How Much Detail To Prep
In today's episode we talk about how much detail you need prepared to run a game. How detailed should my NPCs be? How much time should I spend creating locations? Do I need an ending to start a game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 25, 2021 How To Make Your Games Standout
In today's episode we talk about how to make your games standout from one another. How do I keep things fresh? Why would I want to change what I do best? What are some other conflicts I can create a story around? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 18, 2021 Checking In With Players
In today's episode we talk about checking in with your players in your game. How to I read feedback visually? How should I approach for feedback? How can I change direction if I notice players are disengaged? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Aug 11, 2021 Expanding Social Roleplaying
In today's episode we talk about how to expand social roleplaying in a game. Do I require my players roleplay out all social scenes? How do I incorporate my characters social benefits into the scene? How to I make the social contest meaningful? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on…
Aug 4, 2021 Handling Problems In A Game As A Player
In today's episode we talk about how to address problems as a player in a game. What are some of the problems we may face as players in the game? How do we approach each problem? What if communication doesn't work? Are there any problems we can overlook? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow…
Jul 28, 2021 Level Up Your Playing
In today's episode we talk about improving your play styles. What makes a good player? How you should look to improve as a player? How to you mesh well with your GM? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at https://www.facebook.com/LevelUpYourGaming Please…
Jul 21, 2021 Player Communication In Character Development
In today's episode we talk about communication between players in character development. What are important things to discuss between players? How do you avoid overlap in development? What subjects are off limits and how to you communicate them? How do you develop intertwined backstories during development? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or…
Jul 14, 2021 Experience Systems
In today's episode we talk about experience systems. What types of experience systems are there? Is there a best choice? What if I don't want to use experience? How to I augment systems to create my own experience system? What are some things to avoid when giving experience? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at…
Jul 7, 2021 Salvaging A Game Headed South
In today's episode we talk about salvaging a game that is failing. How do I identify the problem? What if it's a GM problem? What if it's the players? Do we need to start all over? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 30, 2021 Critical Failures
In today's episode we talk about critical failures. What are critical failures? How do we use critical failures? How do you prevent them from hamstringing your players? How can you use them to improve your game? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 24, 2021 Recurring Bad Guys
In today's episode we talk about your recurring bad guy. How do I give them proper motivation? How do I hook my players into finding them? How do I handle underlings? When do I let my players finally see the villain? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and engage with us at…
Jun 16, 2021 You Probably Shouldn't Do That Again
In today's episode we talk about 9 more things we probably shouldn't be doing as GMs. Below is the list. You probably shouldn't have in game tasks take too long or have too many steps. You probably shouldn't limit NPC knowledge in the moment. You probably shouldn't role play out a whole scene of NPC's talking to one another. You probably shouldn't require overly detailed backgrounds from your players. You probably…
Jun 9, 2021 Eliciting Emotions In Games
In today's episode we talk about creating emotion in your players. How do I get my players to feel emotion? What types of emotion should I be shooting for? How do I handle emotional scenes? What if my players don't feel the emotions? We answer all these questions and more in today's episode. Leave us an email for feedback, questions, or thoughts at [email protected] or Follow us on Facebook and…

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Level Up Your Gaming: Tabletop RPG Podcast

About Level Up Your Gaming: Tabletop RPG Podcast

Episodes

Revisiting Using AI In Gaming

Let's Make A One Shot: Mummy Issues

Let Your Players Split The Party, Breaking Conventional Rules

Let's Make A One Shot: The Broken Door

When Your Players Can't Kill The Bad Guy

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