PODCAST

The Goblins and Growlers Podcast

Goblins and Growlers

Old gaming systems. New gaming systems. Weird gaming systems. Two pro game masters and adventure writers roll deep into the depths of the tabletop role-playing world. Join us as we dive into Dungeons & Dragons history, awesome non-D&D systems, cool gaming Kickstarters, board games, and stories about owning a TTRPG business. Welcome to The Goblins and Growlers Podcast!
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Hey, Hey, Episode Delay a.k.a. Brandon You Dope | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Hey, Hey, Episode Delay a.k.a. Brandon You Dope | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
3d ago
3 mins
Hey, Hey, Episode Delay a.k.a. Brandon You Dope | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Hey, Hey, Episode Delay a.k.a. Brandon You Dope | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Hey, Hey, Episode Delay a.k.a. Brandon You Dope How’s everyone doing this fine Monday morning (or whenever you’re listening to this)? So, I’ve got a confession to make. It’s Real Talk Time. I know we promised you an episode on Spelljammer Second Edition to dovetail with last episode’s discussion of the upcoming 5E Spelljammer. HOWEVER I’ve got no new episode for you this week, but it’s totally my fault. What happened was this: We hired a fantastic new editor to help us with production on the podcast. I sent him the audio tracks for the Spelljammer 2E episode. Except I didn’t. I accidentally sent him the wrong files. I sent him the new ones after I realized what happened and he’s working on them now.  So here’s the plan: NEXT Monday, May 30, Memorial Day in the United States, we’ll release the Spelljammer 2E episode. And then, to say on track, THE FOLLOWING Monday, June 6, we’ll release another new episode. Josh and I had a really good conversation/review for Mordenkainen’s Multiverse of Monsters where we talk not only about the book but also the publishing strategy behind it and analyze a couple of interviews with Jeremy Crawford, the main game design architect for D&D. It was a really fun conversation! In the meantime, please Tweet us your frustrations, hopes, and dreams at @WayOfBrandolore, @BlackCloakDM, or @goblinsgrowlers. Also hop on the Discord at bit.ly/goblindiscord. Anyway, folks. Again, sorry about this one — it’s all on me. Sidenote: I’m recording this at around midnight on Sunday night. I just got back from a Bit Brigade concert and am full of the amped-up energy you have when you come back from a live music show. If you’ve never seen Bit Brigade, please check them out. I recommend any of their Meagan 2 performances. I’m about to brush my teeth and head to bed. I hope everyone has an awesome week where you set goals, accomplish them, and wow people with how amazing you are. You are amazing! Let’s all try to lift people up this week. Tell your friends/family/co-workers/whoever that they’re awesome and capable and can take on the world. Spread around the love. Talk to you all next week. Hope to see you in the Discord between now and then.  Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
3d ago
3 mins
Spelljammer 5E and Hostile Takeovers | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Spelljammer 5E and Hostile Takeovers | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Spelljammer 5E and Hostile Takeovers Episode Introduction A doubleheader of topics today. We start off with our best understanding/interpretation of the attempted hostile takeover of Hasbro by hedge fund Alta Fox. They're trying to get people on the Hasbro board so they can spin off Wizards of the Coast into an independent company. Maybe there's an argument to be made there, but it's a complicated subject and there's politics on both sides of it. THEN, we get into the real fun stuff and chat about the new Fifth Edition Spelljammer setting announcement. It's almost like they're putting out an honest-to-goodness box set for this! We talk about what the product is going to look like and go over the basics of the setting in case you weren't familiar with it from its Second Edition origins. Get your giant space hamsters ready. Topics Alta Fox's attempted takeover of Hasbro to spin off Wizards of the Coast (1:00) Spelljammer is coming to Fifth Edition. We talk about the setting and the specific product being released in August (26:00) Additional Resources https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2022/04/wotc-proxy-battle-heats-up-hasbro-slams-spin-off-plans.htmlhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220426006218/en/Alta-Fox-Files-Definitive-Proxy-Statement-and-Sends-Letter-to-Hasbro-Shareholdershttps://investor.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-board-directors-issues-letter-shareholdershttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-17/alta-fox-said-to-push-hasbro-for-wizards-of-the-coast-spinoffhttps://dnd.wizards.com/products/spelljammerhttps://www.cbr.com/spelljammer-collection-expect-dnd-5e/https://arcaneeye.com/dnd-news/spelljammer-5e-announcement/https://www.polygon.com/22722987/dungeons-dragons-spelljammer-reboot-5e-fifth-edition Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
May 9 2022
55 mins
”Conan Unchained!” DnD Module: Is This Best In Life? | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
”Conan Unchained!” DnD Module: Is This Best In Life? | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Conan Unchained! Episode Introduction “The GMs forgot the secret of old modules, and we who found it, are just podcasters… Just podcasters. Not Twitch streamers, not gaming journalists, just podcasters. The secret of old modules has always carried with them a mystery. You must learn their riddle, listeners. You must learn their discipline. For no site, no site in this world you can trust. Not Facebook, not Reddit, not forums. Old modules, you can trust.” - Conan’s father, probably Brandon and Josh sat down on a Saturday morning to watch the first Conan the Barbarian film, and record an episode about the AD&D Module “Conan Unchained!” Join them as they share their thoughts on the work, expanding out to cover some of their opinions on early wargaming D&D, and general thoughts about the Conan films.  About “Conan Unchained!”: Released in 1984 for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, written by David “Zeb” Cook, with art by Jeff Butler. Conan Unchained! includes four pre-generated characters, the adjusted rules for running adventures in this setting, and a full adventure ranging from levels 10-14. Topics Introduction (0:48) David Cook before “Zeb” (1:58) Book Vs. Movie as source material (3:33) The Setting (square peg, round hole) (5:14) The pre-generated characters (and why you should definitely use them) (8:23) Stats specific to the setting (9:49) Comparing Luck Points to Force Points (13:34) Fear checks (14:50) Keeping in mind the era this was written, and the system it’s for (16:46) Hyboria is significantly lower-magic than Greyhawk or the Forgotten Realms (18:09) Without the Conan pastiche, this adventure is so-so (20:28) If you’re wanting to play something like this now (22:22) New monsters! But only technically plural (23:07) Detailing the pre-generated character sheets (25:43) Maps, Atlases, and similar material (27:32) Jeff Butler, the artist for the book (31:17) Additional Resources  Conan Unchained! On Archive.org https://archive.org/details/tsr09123cb1conanunchainedlevel1014  Conan Unchained! Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_Unchained! Jeff Butler’s website, featuring a lot of his work https://jeff-butler.com/   Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Apr 25 2022
41 mins
The Mind Behind ’The End’: Part 2 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
The Mind Behind ’The End’: Part 2 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
The Mind Behind 'The End': Part 2 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast Episode Introduction Welcome to part 2 of our interview with Joe Donka, creator of "The End," the 1995 Christian Apocalypse role-playing game that was banned from GenCon. This is essentially part 3 of our Joe Donka Trilogy so, if you haven't already, be sure to go back and listen to our January 10 episode where we discuss the game for the first time, then go back and listen to the first part of our interview on on March 28. We're so grateful to Joe for taking time out of his day to talk to us and share stories about this fascinating and unique property he created. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was editing this. I decided I'm not even going to put time codes in this episode because it's such a fun interview that you really should listen to the whole thing.  Obviously there are some mature themes discussed here -- maybe a little bit moreso than last week -- so keep that in mind as you're listening. Fortunately there was only one part where we had to do any bleeping. And thanks again to Joe because he sent us a copy of the Judges screen and two autographed copies of "The End." They're glorious. About Joe: Joe is a semi-retired (maybe?) game designer. The primary mind behind Scapegoat Games, half of Tyranny Games, and the principal creator of "The End," a post-apocalyptic game about the people left behind after the devout are whisked off to heaven, and the evil whisked off to hell. “The meek shall inherit the Earth” wasn’t a promise, it was a warning. Additional Resources GGP Reviews The End: https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com/e/the-end-a-tabletop-rpg-about-the-christian-apocalypse/  Part 1 of our interview: https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com/e/the-mind-behind-the-end-joe-donka-pt-1/The End (Second Edition): https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/778/The-End-Lost-Souls-Edition  Of Gods and Men: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/840/Of-Gods-and-Men Tyranny Games: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/25/Tyranny-Games"The End" on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_(role-playing_game)Richard Kane Ferguson's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rkaneferguson/?hl=enRichard Kane Ferguson's portfolio: https://scryfall.com/search?as=full&order=name&q=a%3A%22richard+kane+ferguson%22&utm_source=mci Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore https://www.instagram.com/wayofbrandolore/ https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Apr 11 2022
52 mins
The Mind Behind ”The End”: Part 1 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
The Mind Behind ”The End”: Part 1 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
The Mind Behind 'The End': Part 1 of Our Interview with Joe Donka | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast Episode Introduction We’re joined today by Joe Donka, creator of "The End," a roleplaying game set in the Christian Apocalypse. After spending hours scouring the internet for alternate ways to contact Joe, Brandon and I came up with a game plan for if we didn’t hear from him, then we both got busy with life as we often do. In the meantime, Joe reached back out to Brandon and agreed to an interview! The excitement is palpable. Get ready as we interview the mind behind "The End," getting context, and having some of our wild speculation corrected! About Joe: Joe is a semi-retired (maybe?) game designer. The primary mind behind Scapegoat Games, half of Tyranny Games, and the principal creator of "The End," a post-apocalyptic game about the people left behind after the devout are whisked off to heaven, and the evil whisked off to hell. “The meek shall inherit the Earth” wasn’t a promise, it was a warning. Topics Introduction (0:23) Mrs. Donka’s amusement at the whole situation (1:36) How we came to review The End in the first place (2:35) Joe’s first collaborator Shane (3:56) “Special Thanks to Denny’s” (4:56) Wanting to be an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances (7:08) Joe’s early life, how it influenced The End (10:22) Joe sets the record straight on his age (12:49) The gestation period of The End from concept to publishing (15:20) Scapegoat Games staff (20:02) Harry Liebowitz and Brandon the Optimist (21:12) The End is the Dark Souls of TTRPGs (23:39) Joe’s favorite philosophers (26:07) Back to God, WA (29:22) Joe’s love for post-apocalypse media (30:46) Joe’s (at the time) plans for Scapegoat Games (33:13) The Fall of Scapegoat (34:15) Naming the company Scapegoat Games (43:29) Getting banned from Gen Con (44:10) “If he’s working this hard, it’s going to be successful.” (50:44) Outro (52:12) Additional Resources GGP Reviews The End: https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com/e/the-end-a-tabletop-rpg-about-the-christian-apocalypse/ The End: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/778/The-End-Lost-Souls-Edition  Of Gods and Men: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/840/Of-Gods-and-Men  Joe Donka Games: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/25/Tyranny-Games    Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Mar 28 2022
53 mins
Power Rangers TTRPG from Renegade Games Studios | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Power Rangers TTRPG from Renegade Games Studios | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Power Rangers TTRPG from Renegade Games Studios Episode Introduction Brandon pretty much goes full nerd in this one. He doesn't get a ton of opportunities to talk about Power Rangers and Super Sentai, though, so give him a break. This week he and Josh review Renegade Games Studios' new "Power Rangers Roleplaying Game" which, if you needed a hint, is based on the classic Power Rangers franchise, specifically the first six seasons from the 1990s. It originally was supposed to use the Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition system, but the developers made a late change and created their own system instead, but it still feels a lot like 5e. There are ups (relatively simple to get started) and downs (sloppy production) to this game, but it's worth checking out if you're a fan of Power Rangers. Do you own it? Have you run a game yet? Tell us what you think of it or what you might have done differently if you were the game designer. ----more---- Topics The new Obi-Wan trailer (2:10) Power Rangers RPG (6:00) How the System is Set Up (10:00) So It's Not 5e After All? (13:30) More Like 5e with Another Coat of Paint(17:00) Point Buy and Character Creation (19:00) Powers (27:00) Advanced Spectrum Rangers/Brandon Nerds Out (29:00) More Character Creation - Why A New System Again? (37:00) Clear Production Issues with the Book (39:00) Metal Heroes and Kamen Riders (46:00) Origin of Super Sentai - Thanks, Spiderman (51:00) Zords, How Do They Work? (54:00) Locations and Bestiary (1:04:00) Other Products in This Line (1:09:00) Alter Arms (1:11:00) Wrap Up (1:15:00) Final Nerd Out (1:17:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEvrg5OPft4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-pmgT9aKXY Additional Resources Power Rangers RPG by Renegade Game Studios: https://renegadegamestudios.com/game-world/power-rangers/power-rangers-roleplaying-game/  Alter Arms by Duffy Austin: https://www.alterarms.com/ https://twitter.com/AlterArms  "Japanese Spider-Man Is Bonkers" - Caravan of Garbage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6UkKP42jrIMetal Heroes SeriesSuper Sentai SeriesKamen Rider Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Mar 14 2022
1 hr 23 mins
Push It Real Good | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Push It Real Good | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Push It Real Good Episode Introduction Josh and Brandon’re here and we’re in effect. It’s been a while since it was just us on the show. They catch up on some personal news, as well as talking about Brandon’s latest TTRPG product selection, and some basic Twitter drama. Relatedly discussing an indie TTRPG system called Alter Arms. The meat of this week’s episode is Cezar Capacle’s Push SRD, a rules-light game design system, which Josh repeatedly calls “beautifully simplistic.” Topics Personal news (0:27). Power Rangers RPG (1:23) Alter Arms (3:59) Cezar Capacle (9:25) Push (10:53) Push Synopsis (14:08) “The Oracle” (16:01) Echoes of The Quiet Year as well as Lasers & Feelings (18:20) Brandon’s designing a game??? (23:11) Cezar on Twitter, Spelling, and Josh totally knows the NATO phonetic alphabet (26:19) Cezar’s narrative voice, and intentional omission (29:04) Minimizing the numbers put into your game (30:48) "We are not number crunchy bois." (36:32) Wrestling Facts (38:47) Traits in Push (45:05) Wrapping up & outro (49.05) Additional Resources Power Rangers RPG by Renegade Game Studios: https://renegadegamestudios.com/game-world/power-rangers/power-rangers-roleplaying-game/  Alter Arms by Duffy Austin: https://www.alterarms.com/ https://twitter.com/AlterArms  Cezar Capacle’s links: https://capacle.bio.link/  Push by Cezar Capacle: https://capacle.itch.io/push  The Quiet Year by Avery Alder: https://buriedwithoutceremony.com/the-quiet-year  Lasers & Feelings by John Harper: http://www.onesevendesign.com/laserfeelings/  Short Rest Mug by Cezar Capacle: https://hicsuntdracones.threadless.com/designs/short-rest/accessories/mug/standard And just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Feb 28 2022
52 mins
Review: Episodes 10-12 of Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Episodes 10-12 of Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 10-12 Episode Introduction Here we are 12 episodes later reviewing the final installments of the first season of Critical Role's "The Legend of Vox Machina." Brandon knew nothing about Critical Role going into to this, so odes he want to keep watching or has he soured on it? Has the series rejuvenated Gabe's interest in Critical Role after becoming something of a lapsed fan? Also: it's a spoiler review. A couple of notes: - The final episode of our SEO-cash-in review series! - This was a solid and entertaining season. If the second season is anywhere close to this then we're all about it. - Do you want to hear use review more gaming, fantasy, and gaming-fantasy-adjacent stuff? Let us know at contact@goblinsandgrowlers.com OR tweet us @WayofBrandolore and @BlackCloakDM   P.S.: Minimal editing on this one given the tight turnaround and, frankly, exhaustion. Forgive all the “ums,” “uhs,” and “likes.” ----more---- Additional Resources “The Legend of Vox Machina” on Prime Video“Critical Role” on Twitch“Critical Role” podcast Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please telephone, telegraph, tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: Gabe: https://www.instagram.com/amethystaudiomancer/Brandon: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore Josh: https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Feb 22 2022
1 hr 18 mins
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 7-9 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 7-9 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 7-9 Episode Introduction Happy Valentine's Day. Brandon + Gabe = Review of episodes 7-9 of "The Legend of Vox Machina" from Critical Role and Prime Video. We're in the stride. Everything feels cohesive (except for Pike's story) and our episode notes are suffering from us being engrossed in the plot. By the end of this batch we're rounding third and are on the cusp of the final action in the season. It's pretty great so far and Brandon, who's ignorant of all things Critical Role, is fully bought-in at this point. Also: it's a spoiler review. A couple of notes: - Next week's review should come out on Tuesday because of the regular GGP release day. These third batch of three episodes of this 12-episode series dropped on Thursday, Feb. 10 (EST). The final three episodes will release Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. EST. P.S.: Minimal editing on this one given the tight turnaround, folks. Forgive all the “ums,” “uhs,” and “likes.” ----more---- Additional Resources “The Legend of Vox Machina” on Prime Video“Critical Role” on Twitch“Critical Role” podcast Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: Gabe: https://www.instagram.com/amethystaudiomancer/Brandon: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore Josh: https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Feb 14 2022
1 hr 31 mins
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 4-6 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 4-6 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 4-6 Episode Introduction Brandon and Gabe are back with a review of episodes 4-6 of "The Legend of Vox Machina" from Critical Role and Prime Video. This batch of episodes feels so much more cohesive than episodes 1, 2 and 3. The story gets rolling kept us engaged through all three 24-minute installments. After the somewhat bumpy episodes 1 and 2, it feels like the show has hit its stride. We're invested now and would be binging them for our own enjoyment even if we weren't recording reviews! Also: it's a spoiler review. A couple of notes: - No timecodes for this one. It was a much less structured discussion because we didn't have to rehash things like animation quality, etc. It's more or less chronological through the episodes. - Next week's review should come out on Monday. This one came out Tuesday because Monday was already the regular bi-weekly GGP release. These second batch of three episodes of this 12-episode series dropped on Friday, Feb. 4. Three additional episodes will be released every Friday with the season concluding on Feb. 18. P.S.: Minimal editing on this one given the tight turnaround, folks. Forgive all the “ums,” “uhs,” and “likes.” ----more---- Additional Resources “The Legend of Vox Machina” on Prime Video“Critical Role” on Twitch“Critical Role” podcast Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: Gabe: https://www.instagram.com/amethystaudiomancer/Brandon: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore Josh: https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Feb 8 2022
1 hr 15 mins
Amnesia Campaigns: Who Am I? Why Am I Here!
Amnesia Campaigns: Who Am I? Why Am I Here!
Amnesia Campaigns: Who Am I? Why Am I Here! Episode Introduction Noah Downs (he's a lawyer, but he's a cool lawyer) returns this week to talk with us about amnesia campaigns. How fun is it when your players have no idea who they are or what they're doing. If you're not as old as me, you can Google "Admiral Stockdale debate" to see the first thing I thought of when we discussed talking about this topic. Noah's reasons for discussing this aren't entirely altruistic, however. He has a new amnesia campaign actual-play podcast to push. Follow "Forgotten Paths" on all the podcast platforms to join Noah and his players as they answer the who, what, where, when, and why of their existence. About Noah: Noah Downs (@MyLawyerFriend) is an experienced gaming, entertainment, and intellectual property attorney at Premack Rogers P.C.. He is also a part-time GM on Twitch, and is the GM/Lead Writer for the Forgotten Paths D&D 5E Live-Play Podcast. You can find Noah on Twitch, Twitter, and TikTok at @MyLawyerFriend, and you can find the Forgotten Paths Podcast on your favorite podcatcher, or by following @paths_forgotten on Twitter. Production note: I've listed the topics below in order, but no time codes, because I wrote them all down BEFORE I realized I hadn't trimmed some stuff from the beginning or added music, so they were all off my a few minutes. We can only do the best we can and try to do better the next time. ----more----   Topics Chattin' and beboppin' as we get started. Brandon brings it back to Star Trek, because that's what he does. Giorgios Tsukalos enters the chat. Developing "Forgotten Paths." Working with players through music and playlists. Helping players who are new to the game. Developing character backstory without knowing character backstory. Improving as an amnesia GM The preparation and planning of the podcast Safety tools Additional Resources Forgotten Paths on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgotten-paths/id1603875480 Forgotten Paths Twitter: https://twitter.com/paths_forgotten Noah’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mylawyerfriend Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Feb 7 2022
58 mins
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 1-3 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 1-3 | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
Review: Critical Role’s “The Legend of Vox Machina” Episodes 1-3 Episode Introduction Josh was busy this weekend, so Brandon and Gabe hijacked the podcast to do a review of the new “Critical Role” animated series, “The Legend of Vox Machina.” Gabe is a casual fan of “Critical Role” who fell out of regular listening because of the episode length. Brandon actually has never seen or listened to an episode of “Critical Role,” so he’s going into this series knowing nothing but with an open heart and open mind. Join them as they discuss the ups and downs of the first three episodes, the first two of which were essentially a two-part pilot, followed by a third episode that sets up the Briarwood arc. Spoilers within. Timecodes after the jump. These first three episodes of this 12-episode series dropped (to the public) on Friday, Jan. 28. Three additional episodes will be released every Friday with the season concluding on Feb. 18. Spoiler you won’t mind hearing: We enjoyed it. P.S.: Minimal editing on this one given the tight turnaround, folks. Forgive all the “ums,” “uhs,” and “likes.” ----more---- Topics Intro chatter.Animation quality, both CGI and traditional  (5:30)Differences between the show and the original (9:45)Thoughts on the pilot episode(s) (14:00)Discussing characters, tropes, and voice actors (19:26)Episode 3 discussion (31:30)Release schedule (38:30)Episode run times (39:49)Final thoughts (47:33) Additional Resources “The Legend of Vox Machina” on Prime Video“Critical Role” on Twitch“Critical Role” podcast Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: Gabe: https://www.instagram.com/amethystaudiomancer/Brandon: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore Josh: https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Jan 31 2022
1 hr 1 min
How to Legally Publish Your RPG Content, Interview with Attorney Noah Downs | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
How to Legally Publish Your RPG Content, Interview with Attorney Noah Downs | The Goblins and Growlers Podcast
How to Legally Publish Your TTRPG Content Episode Introduction We’re joined by guest Noah Downs (he’s a lawyer, but he’s a cool lawyer) to talk about OGLs and SRDs, the alphabet soups of publishing tabletop role-playing game content. Noah tells us about how Wizards of the Coast’s Open Gaming License works and how you can use the Fifth Edition System Reference Document to legally create content you can publish and monetize. We also discuss fan-content policies for podcasts and copyright and trademark basics. About Noah: Noah Downs (@MyLawyerFriend) is an experienced gaming, entertainment, and intellectual property attorney at Premack Rogers P.C.. He is also a part-time GM on Twitch, and is the GM/Lead Writer for the Forgotten Paths D&D 5E Live-Play Podcast. You can find Noah on Twitch, Twitter, and TikTok at @MyLawyerFriend, and you can find the Forgotten Paths Podcast on your favorite podcatcher, or by following @paths_forgotten on Twitter. ----more---- Topics Noah’s disclaimer. He’s a lawyer, but not your lawyer, so everything he says here is not to be construed as legal advice and is strictly for informational purposes. Basically, talk to a lawyer. (1:30). What exactly is the Open Gaming License and how does it work? What’s allowable under it and what isn’t? (3:00) What is the System Reference Document? (6:15) What is a derivative work? (8:28) Best practices to stay compliant with the OGL? (9:48) Protecting your own product identity. (11:15) “Fair Use” triggers all lawyers (14:00) What are trademark and copyright? (19:50) Public domain (27:20) Using content in public games (28:50) More on OGL/SRD compliance (32:20) Fan-content policies for actual-play podcasts (36:00) Additional Resources Fifth Edition System Reference Document: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/systems-reference-document-srd Quick Reference Site for the SRD: https://www.5esrd.com/ Wizards of the Coast’s Fan-Content Policy: https://company.wizards.com/en/legal/fancontentpolicy Quick overview of OGL/SRD: https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/blogs/news/how-to-use-the-open-game-license Noah’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/mylawyerfriend Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore  https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDM https://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlers https://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlers https://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher) https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play) JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Jan 24 2022
47 mins
”The End,” a tabletop RPG about the Apocalypse
”The End,” a tabletop RPG about the Apocalypse
”The End,” a tabletop RPG about the Christian Apocalypse Episode Introduction Josh and Brandon discuss 1995’s “The End” from Scapegoat Games. It’s a role-playing game based on the Christian Apocalypse and was kicked out of GenCon for its use of religious imagery. It’s bleak, interesting, and maybe came before its time. They also start down a rabbit hole of investigation and mystery as they try to get in touch with its creator to talk about how it came to be. Hopefully there will be a Part 2 to this with interviews! - Full show notes after the jump - ----more---- Main Topics We’re chatting about 1995’s “The End,” a tabletop roleplaying game from Scapegoat Games – their only release if I’m right. It’s the end of the world as we know it. Discussing the overall setting and themes of the game. Rapture, the Four Horsemen, all that jazz. Written by Joseph Donka, who we cannot get ahold of. Does anyone out there know him? Because We’d love to talk to him about this.  GenCon controversy and ban.   The cover art is evocative of Planescape from the 90s. The artist, Richard Kane Ferguson, is known for (among many other things) illustrating Magic: The Gathering Cards. His work tends to have themes of dark fantasy. Just this year, the original oil and acrylic he did for Dakkon, Shadow Slayer, was sold for $31,000. There’s also that second-edition revival attempt in the early 2000s from Tyranny Games. A few releases there, but they also appear defunct now. Josh makes some headway finding some information about the principal owner of this new company. The book reads so much like a setting description from “The Walking Dead.” Almost as though it came a few decades too early to ride the wave of post-apocalyptic media popularity.  The investigation begins. Tell us your favorite post-apocalyptic stories @goblinsgrowlers on Twitter. Additional Resources “The End” on Abebooks.com. This list includes the attempted second-edition revival from Tyranny Games in the late 90s/early 2000s, so be sure of which one you’re buying if you decide to make a purchase: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&cm_sp=SearchF-_-home-_-Results&an=Joseph%20Donka"The End" on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_(role-playing_game)Richard Kane Ferguson's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rkaneferguson/?hl=enRichard Kane Ferguson's portfolio: https://scryfall.com/search?as=full&order=name&q=a%3A%22richard+kane+ferguson%22&utm_source=mci   Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Jan 10 2022
42 mins
James Bond 007: Role Playing In Her Majesty’s Secret Service
James Bond 007: Role Playing In Her Majesty’s Secret Service
James Bond 007: Role Playing In Her Majesty’s Secret Service Join Josh and Brandon as they enter a world of espionage, intrigue, and dice-rolling, with Victory Games’ TTRPG “Role Playing in Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. A brief news item about Wizards of the Coast rebooting and retconning in their latest Errata to eliminate more insensitive portrayals and stereotyping from Dungeons and Dragons. Not surprising and another step in their reaction to 2020. It’s a good move.  (01:19)A second item about Ernie (son of Gary) Gygax’s new TSR and its nonsensical lawsuit against Wizards of the Coast for trademarks of old TSR content. They also were demanding removal of WotC’s legacy disclaimer. Come on, now.Main discussion: 1983’s “James Bond 007” roleplaying game from Victory Games. It places you in a world of espionage taken straight from the world of Ian Fleming’s master spy: Bond, James Bond. You can play as known quantities from the movies such as Bond, Felix Lighter, Anya Amasova and others or create your own Double-O agent (or rookie). We also talk about our favorite Bond movies! (10:41) Click here for full show notes, including links to what we talk about and images ----more----   Additional Resources Bell of Lost Souls story about Wizards of the Coast’s Errata changes to the Drow and alignments: https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/12/dd-wotc-removes-racial-alignments-retcons-drow-in-new-batch-of-errata.htmlBell of Lost Souls story about the new TSR and their now withdrawn lawsuit against Wizards of the Coast: https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/12/dd-tsr-voluntarily-dismisses-their-wotc-lawsuit-vows-to-refile.htmlDicebreaker retrospective on the Bond RPG and how it changed roleplaying games: https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/james-bond-007-rpg/feature/james-bond-rpg-changed-roleplayingJames Bond 007 on Tabletop Simulator: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1528664949“Classified,” a retro clone of “James Bond 007” from Expedition Press: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/128259/ClassifiedJames Bond, Jr. Intro (for anyone too young to remember it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoWexi-DWFQ Listen, rate, and subscribe! If you like the show, please tell a friend about it. And if you want to tell more people, then please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. You can find and/or support us at all the places below: https://twitter.com/WayOfBrandolore https://twitter.com/BlackCloakDMhttps://patreon.com/goblinsgrowlershttps://facebook.com/GoblinsAndGrowlershttps://goblinsandgrowlers.podbean.com (and basically any other podcatcher)https://quidproroll.podbean.com (our sister podcast, an actual play)JOIN OUR DISCORD: bit.ly/goblindiscord The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs.
Dec 27 2021
55 mins
Magic Versus Realism in Your Game Setting
Magic Versus Realism in Your Game Setting
Low Magic? No Magic? No Problem! We Finance! What kind of settings do you enjoy more? Heavy magic, low magic, or a more realistic milieu with near-zero casting? This episode we discuss merits and preferences on the level of magic in a gaming setting. Just a freewheeling discussion about magic levels. Tweet at us or email at contact@goblinsandgrowlers.com to tell us what you think! We also quickly touch base on a new release for "Boy Problems," the Carly Rae Jepsen TTRPG. Go to boyproblems.itch.io to check out "Side B" and support this creator. And you can check out our episode on "Boy Problems," too! --- The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs. LINKS! Sister podcast, an actual-play: Quid Pro Roll Support: Patreon, itch.io. Discord: Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord! We've even got a channel dedicated to discussing new episodes of GGP! Twitter: Brandon Josh
Dec 13 2021
40 mins
Can you play a game in your sleep? Interview with game designer Cezar Capacle
Can you play a game in your sleep? Interview with game designer Cezar Capacle
Interview with game designer Cezar Capacle So, we all know you don't necessarily need dice for a fun tabletop experience, but can you get away without waking consciousness? In today's episode, Brandon interviews Cezar Capacle, a game designer from Brazil who's trying to push the limits of what a TTRPG can be. Cezar talked to us while he was in the middle of making a huge trans-Atlantic change in his life, so we really appreciate him taking the time to talk. You can show your appreciation, too, by checking out his itch.io store at https://capacle.itch.io/. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/capacle. If you want all his links, you can grab them at https://capacle.bio.link/ --- The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs. LINKS! Sister podcast, an actual-play: Quid Pro Roll Support: Patreon, itch.io, and BigCartel! Discord: Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord at bit.ly/goblindiscord! We've even got a channel dedicated to discussing new episodes of GGP! Twitter: Brandon Josh
Nov 29 2021
1 hr 5 mins
Return to Dark Tower
Return to Dark Tower
Restoration Games' Return to Dark Tower "Dark Tower" is an early electronic board game from way back in the early 1980s. It was pretty revolutionary (and legitimately fun) for the late 70s/early 80s, but you definitely could put it in the category of "reach exceeded grasp." Imagine if someone used the Antikythera Mechanism to play Fortnite. It was expensive, easy to break, and Milton Bradley stole the idea from the original creators. Now it's still expensive, mostly broken, and incredibly difficult to find. Fortunately Restoration Games is bringing it back in a more modern form. Josh and Brandon discuss the game, its history, and spend an awful lot of time talking about Orson Welles. Are you missing out if you've never sat and watched Maurice LaMarche going on and on in his Orson Welles impression? Yes, Always!  Restoration Games: https://restorationgames.com/return-to-dark-tower/ Orson Welles Dark Tower Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxrY7MWEkwE Dark Tower Tabletop Simulator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYV6btuD5-I Orson Welles Frozen Peas Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyko_oQ0da8 --- The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs. LINKS! Sister podcast, an actual-play: Quid Pro Roll Support: Patreon itch.io and BigCartel! Discord: Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord at bit.ly/goblindiscord! Twitter: Brandon Josh
Nov 15 2021
32 mins
Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse
Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse
Unearthed Arcana: Travelers of the Multiverse A couple of things going on here, so we've included some timestamps! First, right before we started recording we found some news about the Star Wars RPG we'd been talking about for a couple of episodes, so we give an update on that. Then next (9:18) we talk about the new Travelers of the Multiverse Unearthed Arcana from Wizards of the Coast -- Giff, Thri-Kreen, Plasmoids, and more. We know there's a multiverse book coming out, but does this mean we're also going to get 5e setting guides for Dark Sun, Spelljammer and Planescape? I sure hope so. Brandon mentions an amazing Dark Sun history video at about the 46-minute mark. Here's a link to that. It's almost three-hours long, but it's absolutely worth it if you want to learn about the setting. --- The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs. LINKS! Sister podcast, an actual-play: Quid Pro Roll Support: Patreon itch.io and BigCartel! Discord: Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord at bit.ly/goblindiscord! Twitter: Brandon Josh
Nov 1 2021
1 hr
Halloween Special: How to use gothic horror in your games
Halloween Special: How to use gothic horror in your games
How to use gothic horror in your games Happy Halloweek! We, along with our guest, Gabriel Perez*, talk about TSR's 1994 Second Edition boxset, "Masque of the Red Death" and, more broadly, gothic horror an TTRPGs. "Masque" takes the rules of Second Edition and lays them on top of a Victorian-Era earth filled with subtle mystery and magic. It's under the Ravenloft branding, but it's just different enough that you could argue it's being forced into Second Edition rules when it should have been its own thing. It's available on DriveThruRPG and, for the rest of this week, it's on sale! Check it out -- it's an interesting oddity among 2e products. *You might know Gabriel as the most-excellent audio engineer for our sister podcast, Quid Pro Roll. --- The Goblins and Growlers Podcast is produced by Goblins and Growlers, a Richmond, Virginia-based tabletop-roleplaying-game content and events company dedicated to inclusivity through TTRPGs. LINKS! Sister podcast, an actual-play: Quid Pro Roll Support: Patreon itch.io and BigCartel! Discord: Join the Goblins and Growlers Discord at bit.ly/goblindiscord! Twitter: Brandon Josh
Oct 25 2021
1 hr 9 mins