Not DnD

Not DnD Podcast Break for 2026

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000

We first started the show in March 2022! I love speaking to designers and publishers of all sizes about their games. I’m incredibly lucky to get to do this as part of my job, but loving your work and creating projects you are passionate about can make maintaining work-life balance a challenge. So in 2026 the Not DnD podcast will be on a break for the foreseeable future.

This will not be the end of the Not DnD podcast though! After a break we will be looking to bring the show back, perhaps in a different format or structure to make it more sustainable. Thank you all for watching and listening to Not DnD over the last three years.

You can still catch me each week on the Morrus' Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk (Live streaming as always Friday at 2pm UK time/ 9am Eastern) and This Week in TTRPG podcasts.

144 Twilight Sword TTRPG inspired by The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Ni No Kuni

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:57:34 +0000

Twilight Sword is an adventure role-playing game inspired by classic video-games like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Ni No Kuni.

The game uses an original CAT (Created at Twilight) system. Most actions are resolved by rolling a D12 and rolling equal to or below their relevant ability score. The game also features cooking and brewing mini games, a hope/despair mechanic, and has simple journey rules to make travel part of the game.

Find out more as we speak to Simone and Rico from Two Little Mice today on Not DnD.

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/two-little-mice/twilight-sword

143 Branch Riders TTRPG | action, investigation, and creative play

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:16:15 +0000

Branch Riders is an easy to play narrative driven role playing game built on the concepts of action, investigation, and creative play. In the game you play as Branch Riders, fighting to contain a malevolent force known as the Blight. Your home is the Nexus, which branches out into eight distinct realms.

Protecting the realms is a game of battle and subterfuge, foiling the Blight and then returning to the Nexus to debrief and recover. Players track the team’s Exposure - how aware the Blight is of their presence - and as Exposure increases, the mission becomes more difficult and dangerous.

The games unique system has a quick and simple character creation. Choose your home realm, assign dice to your five Approaches (attributes), rate your skills, choose your Gift, and write your Purpose - that’s it! Branch riders also uses cards to track conditions with physical, emotional, or social consequences in-game.

Find out more as we speak to Jack Berkenstock and Doug Hagler on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

kickstarter.com/projects/tbgjack/branch-riders-tabletop-role-playing-game

https://discord.com/channels/478634844532768768/985969962969616384

142 Mausritter | If you survive long enough, you may become a hero amongst mice

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 22:00:00 +0000

It’s a huge and dangerous world out there, and it does not look kindly on a small mouse. But if you are very brave and very clever and just a bit lucky, you might be able to survive. And if you survive long enough, you might even become a hero amongst mice.

Mauritter is an ENNIE Gold Winning (Best Family Game 2021) rules light fantasy ttrpg where you play brave little mice. Mausritter features a unique inventory system that uses physical item cards, and a dangerous and evocative magic system.

Find out more as we speak to Isaac Williams on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

Mausritter month: https://www.backerkit.com/c/collections/mausritter-month

Buy: https://gamesomnivorous.com/pages/store

Find out more: mausritter.com

141 Root: The RPG | A Tabletop Roleplaying Game of Woodland Animal Vagabonds

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 22:26:00 +0000

Based on the Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right board game, Root: The RPG brings the tales of the Woodland to your RPG table!

In Root: The RPG, you play vagabonds, outcasts from the normal society of the Woodland who have come to live in the spaces between, whether that's in the forests themselves or on the fringes of society. You are competent and skilled—you have to be to survive as vagabonds—and you aren’t tied down to any particular place or faction.

The game is built on the Powered by the Apocalypse framework, and features a slew of specific and carefully designed systems to represent life in the Woodland.

Join us as we speak to creator Brendan Conway on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

https://magpiegames.com/collections/root

140 Shiver RPG | bring your favourite scary movies and horror stories to life

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 22:30:00 +0000

Shiver is a setting neutral TTRPG that works as a framework to bring your favourite scary movies, spooky tv shows, and horror stories to life.

Great for one shots, with quick to learn rules and fast character creation. The archetype game system has you matching symbols instead of adding up numbers, and the doom clock mechanic helps GMs build tension throughout the game.

Charlie Menzies from Parable Games returns this week to tell us more about Shiver.

Shiver RPG: https://www.parablegames.co.uk/pages/shiver

Grim Gazette: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/parablegames/the-grim-gazette-a-collection-of-victorian-horror-ttrpgs

Don’t Play This Game Interview: https://notdnd.podbean.com/e/68-don-t-play-this-game-with-charlie-menzies/

No Show This Week

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 22:00:00 +0100

Unfortunately this week guest had to cancel, so we have no show this week. But next week we will be back talking about to Parable Games about Shiver.

https://www.parablegames.co.uk/products/shiver-core-book

139 Enclave: the diceless, yet mechanically deep, narrative roleplaying game

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:27:00 +0100

Enclave is a diceless narrative roleplaying game, but don’t mistake it for being rules light!

Storytelling is everything in Enclave; the game is played purely verbally, with common sense and commitment determining success. The game has a range of mechanics that can be used for game masters, however the core mechanics are simple enough to use for a one shot with a new player. Character creation provides a range of creative options, and takes around 15 minutes.

Successfully funded in 2023 on Kickstarter, the game is now expanding the core ruleset with a second edition and an expansion book providing more player options and levelling rules.

Join us on this weeks episode of Not DnD where we talk to creator Robby Howell to learn more about Enclave.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robbylava/enclave-aspirant

Discord: https://discord.gg/JdZWyf7fq2

Email: robbylavagames@gmail.com

138 Traveller: the iconic science fiction roleplaying game

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 22:30:00 +0100

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. In September we are looking at tabletop RPGs for a sci-fi setting!

Traveller is a long-beloved science fiction roleplaying game first published in 1977. The game has had several editions published over it's almost 50 year history, including GURPS and d20. It's difficult to discuss sci-fi ttrpgs without mentioning this iconic game.

The Traveller Core Rulebook Update 2022 by Mongoose publishing provided new careers, equipment, hazards, world creation, psionics and shipbuilding. Come learn more about Mongoose Traveller 2nd Edition with Matt and Chris from Mongoose Publishing on this weeks (29th September) episode of Not DnD.

https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/collections/traveller-rpgs

https://www.mongoosepublishing.com/

markosia.com/traveller

137 Astra Arcanum provides deep tactical combat in a sci-fi setting

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:30:00 +0100

Astra Arcanum is a new Sci-Fi Tabletop RPG from ENNIE winning studio with deep tactical combat, a massive character creation suite, and a vast setting to explore.

The game had a hugely successful kickstarter in June 2025, and is now in development with a planned delivery of December 2026.

This week we’re talking to Sarp Duyar (Producer) and Tyler Dennison (Lead Writer) from Metis Media about the how the development of the game is going, and get some behind the scenes information.

ww.metismedia.net
https://www.instagram.com/metiscreativestudio/ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/metismediarpg/astra-arcanum-the-roleplaying-game

136 Biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and climate change in Blue Planet

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:30:00 +0100

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. In September we are looking at tabletop RPGs for a sci-fi setting!

Blue Planet was originally published over 25 years ago. The TTRPG received broad acclaim for its deep, detailed, and realistic setting, presenting a precarious future threatened by the dire consequences of ecological collapse. Issues like biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and climate change were relevant 25 years ago, and even more so today.

Today (15th September) on Not DnD Jeff Barber will talk us through the new edition of the system (Blue Planet: Recontact), which provides an extensive evolution of the core mechanics, taking advantage of two decades of RPG development.

135 Fizanthra's Guide to the Fringe for Hidden Worlds Refined Core

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:30:00 +0100

Throughout September we are looking at tabletop RPGs for a sci-fi setting on Not DnD.

This week Bryan Donihue will join us on Not DnD to talk about Fizanthra's Guide to the Fringe which provides a sci-fi setting for The Hidden Worlds Refined Core setting.

Hidden Worlds is a single d20-based game with skill-based mechanics and story-based advancement for characters. An open magic system and quick deadly combat allows for a huge amount of flexibility and creativity for both the GM and players. I'd not come across the The Hidden Worlds Refined Core and the initiative system looked intriguing to me, and something I'd like to try running.

I found the recently funded Kickstarter for Fizanthra's Guide to the Fringe, and was sad to have just missed out. Luckily they will have a late pledge options on backerkit!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bryandonihue/fizanthras-guide-to-the-fringe

https://www.oneleggedgm.com

https://www.twitch.tv/oneleggedgm

https://www.youtube.com/oneleggedgm

134 Story Bake | Save the world with sugar, butter, and flour!

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:53:26 +0100

In August we are looking at tabletop RPGs with culinary themes.

Story Bake is a TTRPG about the magic of baking, the power of friendship, and finding wonder in the world! The creator Dan is a professional baker and combines their love of baking and games with Story Bake, and will share their story with us today on a live recording.

The game comes with a full set of baker and bakery sheets, and real world recipes with each of the 13 adventures Powered by the Apocalypse.

PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/524357/storybake

Book: https://plusoneexp.com/products/storybake

Dan: https://linktr.ee/dan_the_baker

133 Ready Set Bake! The Great British Bake Off Inspired TTRPG

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 22:00:00 +0100

Using an original RPG system, Ready Set Bake is ideal for roping in family members and friends who aren't familiar with RPGs but love baking and cooking shows.

This week we’ll be speaking to Jaye and Dave Eisinger to find out more about this GBBO-inspired mini-RPG. The game has recipe challenges, secret ballot voting, and a guided mad-lib recipe generator.

In this episode we'll also be talking about the upcoming Ready Set Feast, which a follow on to Ready Set Bake with woodland creatures working together to craft, bake, and cook the best feast the forest has ever seen.

https://sunkenrust.itch.io/readysetbake

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/322574/ready-set-bake

https://sunkenrust.itch.io/ready-set-feast

Edible TTRPGs for August

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:26:32 +0100

Ready Set Feast
Story Bake
???? can you guess?

132 SHIFT Roleplaying System | an easy to use core ruleset with a ton of flexibility

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:35:23 +0100

Today on Not DnD we are looking at SHIFT, a new game system from Hit Point Press. The system is centred around traits and a Shift dice mechanic, which allow the GM and players to collaboratively world build as part of gameplay.

There are options rules which allow you to adjust the complexity of the game and customise it to your needs, but the core rule offer simple and fast gameplay.

Join us live as we speak to Jordan and Sebastian from Hit Point Press about the upcoming Kickstarter.

http://rpgshift.com

http://rpgshift.com/discord

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shiftrpg/shift-rpg

https://bsky.app/profile/shiftrpg.bsky.social

https://www.instagram.com/rpgshift

131 Five by Five | A versatile rules lite TTRPG

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 22:00:00 +0100

First released in 2008, Five By Five is a rule lite ttrpg using d6 powered by the h5 (high-five) mechanic. You roll two d6 dice and multiple the numbers on both die (for example role a 4 and a 2, your result is 8).

The game has a simple core mechanic, but also robust rules for character creation, task resolution, combat and character advancement.

Find out more as we speak to Jeff Moore on this week’s episode of Not DnD.

https://dreamsdragons.itch.io/five-by-five

https://bsky.app/profile/dreamsdragons.itch.io

130 First Encounter | Play the creature folk the level one adventurers are fighting!

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 23:27:15 +0100

First Encounter is a rules-lite fantasy RPG designed to be played with minimal setup, zero preparation and a Kobold's hoard of generic fantasy tropes.

Play as a party of intrepid (maybe slightly trepid?) Creaturefolk, defending your homes from the ever-expanding Venture Town and the wicked Enpecies (NPCs) who dwell within it. Worse yet, they have called in the most dangerous of all known fantasy villains...Level one Adventurers!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/firstencounter/first-encounter-rules-lite-rpg

http://instagram.com/fireandfablestudios

https://bsky.app/profile/fireandfable.bsky.social

Rules Lite TTRPGs for July

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 22:28:36 +0100

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. Each week EN World’s Jessica Hancock interviews the creators behind different tabletop roleplaying games that aren’t D&D!

Throughout July 2025 we are looking at TTRPGs with accessible mechanics. Sometimes learning a new ttrpg can feel like a chore, or a difficult task. These games look to remove that barrier as much as possible.

First Encounter

Five By Five

SHIFT Roleplaying System

129 Galactic & Going Rogue | Pick up and blaster and say "enough is enough"

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:22:27 +0100

In Galactic & Going Rogue you play rebels, soldiers, spies, and criminals, or perhaps someone who simply picked up and blaster and said "enough is enough."

A GM less game for 2-6 players which takes inspiration from Galactic, Rogue One, and Andor.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/galacticgoingrogue/galactic-and-going-rogue-two-ttrpgs-of-war-among-the-stars?ref=9o21i2

Website: https://jumpgate.games

Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/jumpgategames.itch.io

Itch: https://jumpgategames.itch.io

128 Midnight Muscadines | The Cozy-Dark TTRPG of Magical Jams

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:40:39 +0100

Midnight Muscadines is a cozy-dark tabletop roleplaying game where light and shadow intertwine in a fractured world. Players take on the roles of Marmateers—brave adventurers who venture into the untamed Wildernight to collect the elusive Midnight Muscadines, craft magical jams, and protect the fragile light of Nimm.

The games comes with a variety of play modes; solo, duet, GM’less and GM-led. Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and Sea of Stars -- Midnight Muscadines seeks to capture the magic of exploration and heartfelt adventure in a world where small heroes make a big impact.

Store: https://pandiongames.com/muscadines

Itchio: https://pandiongames.itch.io

Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/pandiongames.com

Discord: https://pandiongames.com/discord

127 I Could Do This In My Sleep | Are you sure you wanna be awake for this..?

Mon, 26 May 2025 22:00:00 +0100

‘I Could Do This In My Sleep’ is a cyberpunk entry to DriveThruRPG’s 2025 PocketQuest game jam. Powered by a simple yet flexible character skill system, I Could Do This In My Sleep suits a group of 2 - 4 players and one game master.

A modern-day cyberpunk tabletop roleplaying game where Cybernetic implants keep the masses of Great Britain on their feet and working 16 hours a day, dead to the world around them. You play someone with a glitched chip in their head that lets you hijack work streams and tug the reins of power for yourself; superhuman feats of strength, perfect recall, mind control. All you gotta do is keep taking the drugs, and try to forget the nightmares you saw through a thousand pairs of hopeless eyes.

Find out more as we speak to Zachary Elliott-Hatton, if you’re sure you wanna be awake for this…

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/517253/i-could-do-this-in-my-sleep

126 Changed Stars | Strive for a better future together on the Frontier

Mon, 19 May 2025 23:58:27 +0100

Take on xenophobic separatists, cut throat criminals, lethal machines, and otherworldly predators as you strive for a better future together on the Frontier.

Changed Stars is a sci-fi roleplaying game set in a bright-yet-perilous future. Inspired by utopian feminist science fiction and contemporary gritty speculative futures, Changed Stars presents a modern-take on a post-patriarchal society for the players to navigate.

The game features a unique d6 system. On a test only a single 6 is necessary to achieve Success, but multiple 6s may be used to Twist. There is also the Edge pool, a push-your-luck mechanic that helps you succeed will adding additional complications to the heat of the moment.

Buy the game: https://dieselshot.itch.io/changedstars

Social: https://bsky.app/profile/dieselshot.bsky.social

Discord: https://discord.gg/GSc4swY9wk

Crowdfunder: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dieselshot/changedstars

125 Frostpunk | The Tabletop Roleplaying Game based on the award-winning Frostpunk video games

Mon, 12 May 2025 23:02:00 +0100

Frostpunk, the Tabletop Roleplaying Game based on the award-winning Frostpunk video games

The cold is unrelenting. It's been ten years since the end of the world. Cities depend on massive generators that provide heat, and machinery that excavates resources and grows food. Humans scramble to survive, relying on the pillars of Faith and Order to build societies that can keep residents alive despite the odds. You have skills to contribute to the city—but can you make the difficult choices needed for survival?

Frostpunk, the Tabletop Roleplaying Game, based on the award-winning Frostpunk video games, uses Catalyst’s new medium-weight roleplaying Dice Core system. Join us this week as Jason M. Hardy tells us all about the project.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cgl/frostpunk-the-roleplaying-game

Website: catalystgamelabs.com

Warm Flesh actual play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQK9igBQf6w

TTRPGs that look forward in time. ome visions are frozen, some dark and dystopian, but others feature a rehabilitated vision of humanity.

Mon, 05 May 2025 22:00:00 +0100

In May, Not DnD is looking to the future. Some visions are frozen, some dark and dystopian, but others feature a rehabilitated vision of humanity. Join us as we look forward in time.

Frostpunk
Changed Stars
I Could Do This In My Sleep

124 The Psychic Danger Society | Mystery, psychic prediction, community, and tea

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:41:00 +0100

Join us for a cozy interview of mystery, psychic prediction, community, and tea. This week we’re speaking to James Kerr about The Psychic Danger Society.

The unique mechanics of the game give you a pool of “prediction dice” which you roll at the start of the session. The players choose which dice results to use when resolving issues in the game. Each die, when put forward, is spent and gone, leaving players with fewer to use should something go wrong. If you’re caught without dice, you can't know the future, and it may mean the end… so make your predictions count!

Buy on DTRPG https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/485796/the-psychic-danger-society?affiliate_id=359568

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jameskerr/the-psychic-danger-society

https://www.radiojamesgames.com/

ww.igdn.com

123 Runecaster | Draw powerful runes. Discover new spells. Blow yourself up!

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 22:00:00 +0100

Runecaster is a narrative TTRPG about learning magic through spectacular failure. Play as rookie mages who cast unique spells by combining runes. Magic will just as often blow up in your face as it will light your way.

Join as we speak to Wes Zebrowski on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pangurbancollective/runecaster-a-narrative-ttrpg-of-magical-experimentation

122 Cold Sun | Survive and explore a world at the dawn of civilization

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:00:00 +0100

What does it take to survive the wilderness? Who does it take? A soldier, a talker, a hunter, a witch? Who lives and who starves? In the wilderness, food is the only thing that matters -- and while your stomachs go empty and wounds begin to ache,one thing remains truly certain... the World will Feast.

COLD SUN is a visceral roleplaying game by Robert Cambias about scarcity, survival, and adventure, for 1-8 players. It takes inspiration from John Harper’s Blades in the Dark, Patrick Stuart’s Veins of the Earth, and the OSR (Old School Renaissance) movement.

robert-cambias.itch.io/cold-sun

121 The Cunning Folk | A TTRPG of Mischief and Mayhem

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 22:00:00 +0100

Become one of The Cunning Folk with this rules-lite dark comedy ttrpg. Use your Magick and Luck to create a whole heap of Mischief. And seek devilish revenge on mortals on the receiving end of your ire.

The Cunning folks has its own system with a simple D6 dice pool, and interestingly features a levelling DOWN as well as levelling up mechanic. The rules encourage a ‘failing forward’ style of storytelling, and the low prep required of the GM makes it ideal for one shots.

The game is launching on Kickstarter today (31st March 2025)! Find out more as we speak to Emily Greymoore on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emilygreymoore/the-cunning-folk-ttrpg

Emily’s LinkTree https://linktr.ee/emilygreymoore

Art by https://www.patreon.com/c/Rossydoesdrawings/home

120 Mappa Mundi | An Exploration & Ecology RPG

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:19:53 +0000

Join host Jessica on this week's episode of Not D&D, presented by E.N. World, as she delves into the innovative tabletop RPG 'Mapa Mundi' with creator George Francis Bickers from Three Sail Studios.

Mappa Mundi is a TTRPG driven by exploration and ecology. Players take on the role of Chroniclers, brave souls setting out from hearth and home to travel the wilds and tell the story of this world in flux.

Emphasising non-violent gameplay, Chroniclers must work with the peoples, monsters, and creatures of Ecumene to return the world its voice. Explore the Wilds, encounter extraordinary Monsters, and write the chronicle that reconnects the world. Swear an oath to do no harm and illuminate a land shrouded by Fate.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/threesailsstudios/mappa-mundi-an-exploration-ecology-rpg

www.mappamundirpg.com

119 Not DnD | Fear Itself | Walk into a disturbing contemporary world of madness and violence

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Join us in this week's episode of Not D&D, where Jessica hosts Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan.

Fear Itself plunges ordinary people into a disturbing contemporary world of madness and violence —and inexorably draws them into confrontation with creatures of the Outer Dark, a realm of alien menace. Gareth shares insights on the unique Gumshoe system that fuels investigations, ensuring that players seamlessly uncover the game's dark secrets.

Fear Itself - Shattered Veil Edition is live on gamefound this month.

https://gamefound.com/en/projects/pelgrane-press/fear-itself-shattered-veil-edition

www.pelgranepress.com

118 Not DnD | Why We Fight with Laurie Blake | play eco-punks fighting fascism to build a brighter, greener future

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 02:33:48 +0000

Welcome to this week's episode of Not D&D, where host Jessica is joined by game designer Laurie Blake to discuss their innovative tabletop role-playing game, Why We Fight.

Why We Fight is a solo+ narrative TTRPG where you play a crew of eco-punks fighting fascism to build a brighter, greener future.

Using a designed-for-purpose, lightweight system (PbtA meets FATE) developed with new school revolution (NSR) attitude and perspective. Your Crew will journey through the remains of a post-civil war country to save lives, reclaim nature, create a community of compassion, and beat back the oppressive forces that threaten the chance for a new start.

https://www.instagram.com/sdrgames.studio

https://bsky.app/profile/sdrgames.bsky.social

https://www.sdrgames.studio/pages/why-we-fight

Fight fascism, the Outer Dark, or swear an oath to do no harm, with these TTRPGs that are Not DnD

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:16:17 +0000

It's been three years of Not DnD, the weekly podcast discussing tabletop roleplaying games.

This month we are looking at Why We Fight, a solo+ narrative TTRPG where you play a crew of eco-punks fighting fascism to build a brighter, greener future.

Mappa Mundi is a TTRPG driven by exploration and ecology. Players take on the role of Chroniclers, brave souls setting out from hearth and home to travel the wilds and tell the story of this world in flux.

117 Despair Dilemma with Game Designer Nora Jean Haynes

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Been watching the second season of Squid Game recently? Despair Dilema is a Death Game that take inspiration from this and other narratives such as DanganRonpa and Zero Escape.

Game designer Nora Jean Haynes shares the unique mechanics of "Despair Dilemma," a game that challenges traditional RPG narratives by having players assume the roles of narrative forces instead of characters. And how it navigates player safety and narrative control through structured phases of play.

Backerkit: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/double-summon-games/despair-dilemma-a-death-game-mastermind-ttrpg/launch_party

Free Quickstart Demo: https://noorasphere.itch.io/despair-dilemma-playtest

116 Exploring the Zombie Sandbox 'Reanimated' TTRPG

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 23:15:48 +0000

My guilty pleasure is low budget zombie movies. I love running survival horror, and enjoy a rules light system for this sort of storytelling.

Reanimated is based on the Key Powered System using 2d8, with an infection mechanic that makes every interaction with the undead a risk. The game offered a huge amount of customisation options to run the stye of survival horror you are looking to create, and is very much a sandbox to craft your own stories within.

Jed Doerksen discusses his journey from a Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast to an indie game creator. Discover the unique aspects of 'Reanimated', including its sandbox setting inspired by iconic zombie media like Romero's films and video games such as Left for Dead. Jed also shares insights into game mechanics, character creation, and his goal to offer a concise, accessible system for storytelling.

https://composedreamgames.com/marketplace/publisher/trappedchest/reanimated

https://www.trappedchest.com

https://bsky.app/profile/trappedchest.bsky.social

115 Zephyr

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 23:34:52 +0000

Today we're speaking to Federico Sohns about their game Zephyr on Not DnD. The world feels dark, moody and almost lonely, but the game also provide elements of colours and connection. This is a really unique game, and I think it will be a really interesting discussion to listen to.

You play one of the Windfall who are are born of, and live upon, the back of a colossal sentient content. You travel across it to fulfil sacred obligations. Obligation and Debt are a key theme of the game, and has an Obligation Mechanic as tool used to craft adventures.

The game also explores Feeling and Identity. Coloured tokens represent the different emotions of the sentient content you travel upon, and used to build your character as they discover their sense of self.

Buy the game: https://www.araukana.com/store

Not DnD plans for February 2025

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:00:00 +0000

It's a cold dark month here in the UK, but has fleeting glimpses of spring on the horizon. I think the games I’ve chosen for February 2025 for Not DnD reflect that mood.

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. Each week EN Publishing’s @tabletopjess interviews the creators behind different tabletop roleplaying games that aren’t D&D!

You can watch the live recording every Monday at 5pm ET / 10pm GMT on YouTube or Twitch.

114 Mum Chums

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Mum Chums is a slice-of-life game where each player portrays someone who cares for a young child, nominally set in Britain. Play begins as their kids start primary school.

A GMless game exploring the relationships between people who raise children, coming soon to Kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/floaker/mum-chums

113 Bitter Chalice

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Bitter Chalice is a Soulslike fantasy TTRPG about insatiable hunger in a blighted land. It's inspired by video games like Hollow Knight, Bloodborne, Dark Souls, and Elden Ring (but without the repetitive and frustrating deaths).

Bitter Chalice is structured to be a different experience to traditional TTRPGs: think of it as one huge, highly curated game campaign that comes with its own rules.

Find out more about this upcoming game as we speak to Tommaso De Benetti on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theworldanvil/bitter-chalice

112 ION Heart

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 22:00:00 +0000

Here's a cosy solo TTRPG for those looking to escape the darkness of the season.

ION Heart is a Lo-Fi Solo Mech TTRPG. Discover planets, solar systems and cultures of your own making in the peaceful galaxy of the Astral Union.

Create a pilot and their mech best friend and sail the stars with. Your job as a pilot is to bond with your mech as you explore together and find a home for you both in the stars wherever your path may take you.

https://ion-heart-a-cozy-solo-mech-ttrpg.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Not DnD plans for January 2025

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:43:39 +0000

Happy New Year! Here's the games we will be looking at in January 2025:

Ion Heart

Bitter Chalice

Mum Chums

More information and links to the live streams can be found here: https://www.enworld.org/threads/new-year-plans-for-not-dnd.709468/

111: BIND

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000

I knew BIND would be a good fit for Not D&D, as it is an acronym for BIND Is Not D&D! The game uses a 2D6 system at its core, and introduces new rules as needed for the module you are playing.

BIND is a community driven grunge-fantasy TTRPG which is based around free and open source software. BIND is a has a ‘Print It Yourself’ format instead of traditional publishing. Done this way to make it accessible for gamers all over the world, and encourage you to scribble your own notes in the pages to make it your own.

https://bindrpg.gitlab.io/

110: Deepspace

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Deepspace RPG, the new card-based sci-fi RPG. The card based combat is inspired by deck building board games.

The game is currently in development by Ethan from Flaming River Studios, and available to download for free.

Download the game: https://flamingriverstudios.itch.io/deepspace-rpg

Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/flamingriver

Playtest: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d1ALFM2sQo88I6hLQRbVCvBosbU6INbM/view

109: Be Seeing You

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Be Seeing You is a roleplaying game about independence, control, freedom and compliance. Influenced by fiction in the vein of The Prisoner, Stalker, and Utopia, and real struggles against mass surveillance, the Hostile Environment, and the alienating effects of capitalism.

The game is for three to five players and needs no GM. There are also additional play modes for solo player, and a two player versus mode - which feature new mechanics and change the feel of the game.

Creator Tanya Floaker joins us to share more, and walk us through the game rules.

Buy the game at https://floaker.itch.io/be-seeing-you

108: Trail of Cthulhu 2nd Edition

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:18:09 +0000

Trail of Cthulhu 2nd Edition is built around the GUMSHOE system, which is perfect for a game of investigation and horror. You take on the roles of stalwart investigators - detectives, journalists, scientists, ordinary people - as they uncover clues and unravel cryptic mysteries that lead inexorably towards the terrifying cosmic horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos described in the works of writer H. P. Lovecraft and his disciples.

Join us as we speak to Kenneth Hite and Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan on this weeks episode of Not DnD.

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/pelgrane-press/trail-of-cthulhu-2nd-edition

Not DnD plans for December 2024

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:13:06 +0000

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. Each week EN Publishing’s @tabletopjess interviews the creators behind different tabletop roleplaying games that aren’t D&D!

Here's the games we will be looking at in December 2024.

You can read more on EN World at https://www.enworld.org/threads/ttrpgs-that-are-not-dnd-for-december.708253/

107: PSYCHODUNGEON with Kayla Dice

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:00:00 +0000

PSYCHODUNGEON is a fantasy workplace action drama, played using No Dice and No Masters. It's a tabletop roleplaying game set in a world of mobile phones and magic spells, mass transit and malevolent demons, the supernatural intermingled with the everyday.

In Glyndain, when a persons trauma hits a breaking point, their troubles manifest physically as a psychodungeon full of monstrous nightmares. Plumbers are called in to clean out the dungeons and close them off. It’s difficult work. Dangerous. The kind that follows you home. Part adventurer, part handyman, part therapist. Still, it’s a living. You’ve got bills to pay and rent to make. It’s time to go down, down into the PSYCHODUNGEON.

Buy the Book: https://ratwave.square.site/

Buy the PDF: https://ratwavegamehouse.itch.io/psychodungeon

106: Aegean TTRPG with Stoo Goff

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Aegean is a tabletop role-playing game about a group of mythic heroes building a new, free city on the shores of the Aegean Sea. There are neighbouring cities to trade or war with, monsters to kill, gods to appease, deceptions, negotiations and bloody skirmishes.

With a core resolution mechanic of a D10 dice pool, the game also balances Risk, Glory and Hubris as game mechanics which impact your character. The pantheon of gods are very present, as you would expect in this setting, and can grant favour and disfavour to impact dice rolls.

www.aegeanrpg.com

#105: A Fool's Errand with J Strautman and B Marsollier

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:53:21 +0000

Play the Fools, incite Calamity. Dive into a world of tarot & androids, of neon dreams & data divine. Will you deny these jealous gods?

A Fool’s Errand is a tarot-fueled science fantasy tabletop roleplaying game set in a vibrant post-calamity world of Androids, Humans, and those in between.

Kickstarter Link (now fully funded!): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/strautmaskreplica/a-fools-errand

Website: https://www.planetarcana.com/a-fools-errand

Twitter: @strautmask, @marsollier_b

#104: Bludgeon TTRPG with Tejas Oza

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

The Bludgeon TTRPG System is a crunchy, tactical RPG with flexible mechanics. The game is made by a team of Indian designers and artists and is currently in development and being play tested.

The games core design centres around power sources the characters have (whether Martial, Chakra, Primal, Arcane or Divine), and a scaling system where power and experience does not mean bigger numbers. Instead, it means that you're a more rounded character with more options via adaptations, class abilities, and passives skills.

Website: https://tacticsnchai.itch.io/bludgeon-the-ttrpg

Actual Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MtpX718L7U&list=PLtCtk4T5Gt15tG7JXYBMjijPQNGXAHGWS

Socials

@tacticsnchai.bsky.social

@TacticsNChai

Not DnD plans for November 2024

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 21:21:19 +0000

Written article on EN World here: https://www.enworld.org/threads/not-dnd-november-2024.707751/

#103: Paint the Town Red with Soulmuppet Publishing

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 18:42:46 +0000

Paint the Town Red is a game about being dead. You play as a vampire chasing the sensation of feeling alive, to escape the rot they feel in their soul.

This game is about depression, partying and falling in love, and explores themes of trauma, vice and loneliness.

The game is published by SoulMuppet publishing and is built on the engines of Orbital Blues and Best Left Buried. Zachary Cox will be joining us to share more about the game which will be live on backerkit soon!

Paint The Town Red on backerkit: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/550c2e1e-d2fd-476a-9e12-bebd2272c123/landing

#102: Space 1999 with Andrew Peregrine

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 00:19:08 +0100

The Year is 1999. A cataclysmic accident has sent Earth’s moon hurtling into space, leaving behind a broken planet. Life has become a fight for survival for the people of Moonbase Alpha as their journey takes them far deeper into the universe than they ever thought possible! This game has you playing one of the crew of Moonbase Alpha on their search for a new home. You can be an adventurous pilot, a stalwart security guard, a bold commander, an audacious medic, or any one of the 300 Alphans. This game by Modiphius uses their 2D20 system. The game is now available to pre-order, and Andrew Peregrine will be on the show to tell us about what to expect in the frontiers of space!

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Pre-order: https://modiphius.net/pages/space-1999

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This episode was pre-recorded and streamed on October 14, 2024. Watch live every week on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Not DnD October Preview

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:55:42 +0100

Not DnD is a weekly show discussing tabletop roleplaying games. Each week EN Publishing’s @tabletopjess interviews the creators behind different tabletop roleplaying games that aren’t D&D!

You can watch the live recording every Monday at 5pm ET / 10pm BST on YouTube or Twitch, or catch up with the podcast platform of your choice by searching 'Not DnD'.

Here's the games we will be looking at in October 2024.
Space 1999 - 14th October The Year is 1999. A cataclysmic accident has sent Earth’s moon hurtling into space, leaving behind a broken planet. Life has become a fight for survival for the people of Moonbase Alpha as their journey takes them far deeper into the universe than they ever thought possible!

This game has you playing one of the crew of Moonbase Alpha on their search for a new home. You can be an adventurous pilot, a stalwart security guard, a bold commander, an audacious medic, or any one of the 300 Alphans.

This game by Modiphius uses their 2D20 system. The game is now available to pre-order, and Andrew Peregrine will be on the show to tell us about what to expect in the frontiers of space!
Paint The Town Red - 21st October Paint the Town Red is a game about being dead. You play as a vampire chasing the sensation of feeling alive, to escape the rot they feel in their soul.

This game is about depression, partying and falling in love, and explores themes of trauma, vice and loneliness.

The game is published by SoulMuppet publishing and is built on the engines of Orbital Blues and Best Left Buried. Zachary Cox will be joining us to share more about the game which will be live on backerkit soon!
Bludgeon TTRPG System - 28th October The Bludgeon TTRPG System is a crunchy, tactical RPG with flexible mechanics. The game is made by a team of Indian designers and artists and is currently in development and being play tested.

The games core design centres around power sources the characters have (whether Martial, Chakra, Primal, Arcane or Divine), and a scaling system where power and experience does not mean bigger numbers. Instead, it means that you're a more rounded character with more options via adaptations, class abilities, and passives skills.

Designer Tejas Oza will be on Not DnD to share more about the game, and how you can get involved.

#101: Our Brillian Ruin with Justin Achilli and Rachel J Wilkinson

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 17:40:47 +0100

Our Brilliant Ruin is a tabletop roleplaying game set in the Dramark, a place where the last fragile remains of society live in the shadow of a dying world. The Ruin, a preternatural force befouling everything it touches, has ravaged geography and culture alike, wreaking destructive havoc and loosing monstrous creatures into a previously bucolic region. With the world plunged into rust and ruin, how will you spend the time you have left?

The game uses an original system of d6 dice pools driven by a character’s emotions and motivations.

Come find out more with creators Justin Achilli and Rachel J Wilkinson!

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Free Copy of the Game: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/476564/Our-Brilliant-Ruin-Roleplaying-Game?affiliate_id=36142

Website: http://ourbrilliantruin.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/brilliantruinIP

Audio drama: https://ourbrilliantruin.com/clawmoorheights

One sheet rules summary: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13GyRw0NnmED87SmgssEprcwWid2mDGAf

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This episode was aired live on September 30, 2024. Watch live every week on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Not DnD Postponed for September 23, 2024

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:39:03 +0100

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this week's episode of Not DnD has been postponed.

#100 Wreck This Deck with Becky Annison

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 22:00:00 +0100

Wreck This Deck is a dark urban fantasy game of solo journaling, demon summoning and deck crafting. Summon and bind demons into your Demon Deck, defacing the cards as you go. Demon summoning is dangerous and you’re bound to get into some sticky situations as you play but it’s nothing you can’t handle – right?

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Buy the Game: https://blackarmada.com/product/wreck-this-deck/

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on September 16, 2024. Watch live every week on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#99 So You've Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire with Tim Hutchings

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:00:00 +0100

This solo tabletop role-playing game is a direct sequel to the award-winning Thousand Year Old Vampire! So You’ve Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire is a game about a regular (or not) person meeting an ancient, dangerous, intriguing being. This vampire may be driven by hunger, love, art, anger, despair, fear, the need to fill its years with meaning, or none of the above. That’s where you fit in. But how you fit, exactly, is what can only be learned through play. Are you a friend, a lover, food, or something else?

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So You've Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire on Backerkit https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/tim-hutchings/so-you-ve-met-a-thousand-year-old-vampire

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on September 9, 2024. Watch live every week on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

September 2024 Preview

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 20:00:00 +0100

Here are the games I'll be looking at in September 2024, and interviewing their creators to find out more on Not DnD. I've created a list of solo games to consider for your October spooky season!

So You've Met a Thousand Year Old Vampire?

Wreck This Deck

ION

Heart Our Brilliant Ruin

More information about this month's episodes https://www.enworld.org/threads/not-dnd-trpgs-to-consider-for-halloween.706462/

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#98 The Era d20 Rule Set with Ed Jowett

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 20:00:00 +0100

The Era d10 Rule Set is a core ruleset which powers over fourteen games in different settings across the Era Universe. Each of the games has unique rules which affect the balance of that game. As the title outlines, the game uses a D10 dice pool. The Era d10 Rule Set has been created to make the process of playing the game as simple as possible, while remaining representative. It is designed to be intuitive and to leave the choices in the hands of the Game Master. The goal is to reduce the time spent referring to the rulebook and increase the time spent having fun while playing!

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Website: https://www.era-games.com/

Free Starter Guide: https://www.era-games.com/product/era-d10-fundamentals/

Discord: https://discord.gg/W6KdjtXvZw

Socials: https://www.facebook.com/shadesofvengeance/ https://x.com/Shades_of_Venge https://www.instagram.com/shadesofvengeance https://www.youtube.com/shadesofvengeance

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This episode was pre-recorded and released August 26, 2024. Watch live every week on Twitch at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#97 Horse and Rider with Robin Small

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 12:50:21 +0100

Horse and Rider is a 2-player game about a horse rider taming, and forming a bond with, their horse. One person plays the horse, the other the rider and each work together to form a bond over the course of six stages. Each stage draws from the techniques used to tame horses and are mechanically represented through a six-sided dice and three pieces of string or ribbon that are braided together. This mechanic was chosen as a way to represent trust between the two parties and draws from the history of horse riders braiding horse hair. The crowdfunding campaign for the book print run was fulfilled in 2023, and is now available in PDF format on itch. ----- Buy the PDF: https://smallredrobin13.itch.io/horse-and-rider Buy the book: https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Horse-and-Rider.html ----- This episode was live streamed on August 19, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#96 Jude's World with Yvris Burke

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 07:27:18 +0100

The upcoming crowdfunding release by Button Kin Games, Jude's World is a solo, tarot-based journaling game in which a plucky preteen protagonist works to reunite their warring parents. The game both pays homage to and critiques "Parent Trap"-style narratives while reveling in a 90s sitcom aesthetic inspired by the likes of Boy Meets World, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Clarissa Explains it All. ----- Crowdfunding: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/buttonkin/judes-world Website: www.buttonkin.com Twitter: https://x.com/button_kin

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This episode was pre-recorded and streamed on August 12, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#95 Against the Odds with Helena Real

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:15:26 +0100

A game inspired by fantasy fiction and hopes to offer an alternative to D&D and other fantasy RPGs for players more interested in telling dramatic stories than killing, "looting", and counting torches. Against the Odds uses the PbtA framework and follows along the example of the most modern incarnations of that philosophy, such as Masks: A New Generation, Avatar Legends, and Urban Shadows.

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Buy: https://helenareal.itch.io/ato

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This episode was live streamed on July 22, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#94 Quintessence with Charlotte & Juan

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:33:22 +0100

Quintessence is a setting-agnostic tabletop roleplaying system by Charlotte & Juan that centres player agency & rewards creativity! Players can create unique characters and custom skills in any setting using the intuitive & robust rules framework. The game uses a dice pool framework, life path character creation system, and encourages a cinematic action style of play. Characters have no rigid class or levels, with customisable perks and quirks to encourage unique character creation that can be customised any setting of your choice.

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Website: https://www.quintessencettrpg.com/

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This episode was live streamed on July 22, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#93 Runecarin with Colin le Sueur

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:45:00 +0100

Strap on your bearded axe and linden wood shield, delve into the forsaken barrow and cleanse the draugr within. They will overhwhelm you at first so prepare to die. But when you wake up at the bonfire, you'll know what to expect for your next attempt. Parry their attacks, disarm them, and hack them to pieces. Defeat the mad jotunn within and claim the soul remnant they protect. A Norse fantasy setting set after Ragnarok destroyed most of the Nine Realms of Norse mythology. Runecairn is based on Cairn by Yochai Gal, with streamlined rules, fast character creation, and gameplay based on exploration and player choice. Designed for two players, one Warden and one Adventurer.

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Buy: https://shop.byodinsbeardrpg.com/products/runecairn-wardensaga-remastered

More from By Odin's Beard: https://shop.byodinsbeardrpg.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/byodinsbeardrpg

Instagram: https://instagram.com/byodinsbeardrpg

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on July 15, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#92 Chasing Adventure with Spencer Moore

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:19:27 +0100

Chasing Adventure is a fast-paced tabletop roleplaying game about daring adventurers in a dangerous fantasy world. Chasing Adventure began several years ago as an effort to make Dungeon World play smoother and faster, and has now become it's own TTRPG. The game is Powered by the Apocalypse.

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Get the Free Version: https://chasingadventuregame.com/free

Get the Full Version: https://chasingadventuregame.com/game

Join the CA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/w7eAnj6

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This episode was streamed live on July 8, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Not DnD July 2024 Preview

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 02:14:39 +0100

Here's what we have planned for the first few weeks of July!

Chasing Adventure - 8th July

Runecairn - 15th July

Quintessence - 22nd July

Against the Odds - 29th July

#91 SAKE (Sorcerers, Adventurers, Kings, and Economics) with Rainer Kaasik-Aaslav

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 01:11:37 +0100

SAKE (Sorcerers, Adventures, Kings, and Economics) is perfect for players who want to experience the thrill of adventure while managing their own domains, trading, engaging in large-scale battles, and playing with magic and gods, all in one game. SAKE is a point-buy system where EXP, which is used to buy skill ranks, abilities, HP, spells etc., is gained through gameplay events and the personality traits of a Player Character. Find out more on this weeks episode of Not DnD with creator Rainer Kaasik-Aaslav.

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1710384861/sake-sorcerers-adventures-kings-and-economics

Webpage: https://sake.ee/

Basic Rules in DriveThru RPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/26322/seventh-son-publishing-llc

Basic Rules in Itch.io: https://rainer-kaasik-aaslav.itch.io/

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This episode was streamed live on June 24, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#90 Eureka with Blue, Addison, and Ash Sanders

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 22:26:11 +0100

Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy is an original rules-medium 2D6 system for investigation-oriented adventures in any time period between about 1850 and the present day, with a bit of a supernatural twist. The game features investigation mechanics that let players take initiative, use their characters' unique strengths to find clues, and deduce conclusions themselves.

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/anim/eureka-investigative-urban-fantasy

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

Free demo: https://animttrpgs.neocities.org/

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/anim-ttrpgs

Discord: https://discord.gg/T6RQRs4dkN.

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This episode was previously recorded and aired on June 16, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#89 At the Gates with Danielle Lauzon

Mon, 27 May 2024 22:57:12 +0100

At The Gates is the core rulebook for a high fantasy tabletop roleplaying game inspired by Japanese RPG video games. The game uses Storypath Ultra, which is is an update to the existing Storypath system by Onyx Path. The system uses D10s, and seeks keeps the focus on narrative, story-built play, and action-adventure.

Danielle Lauzon will be joining us on Not DnD today to share more about the game!

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Link: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/onyx-path/at-the-gates

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This episode was previously recorded and aired on May 27, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#88 Death of the Author with Samathna Leigh

Tue, 21 May 2024 03:42:40 +0100

In this solo TTRPG, you play as a character who attempts to gain control over their story, despite the wishes of the Author. Players use a deck of tarot cards to draw Scenes prompts, then modify these prompts to change the course of your story. At the end, no matter the story, the Character will confront their Author.

Samantha Leigh from Blinking Birch games will be talking to us today on Not DnD about Death of the Author.

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Death of the Author on Backerkit https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/blinking-birch-games/death-of-the-author

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This episode was previously recorded and aired on May 13, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#87 Last Fleet TTRPG with Joshua Fox

Tue, 21 May 2024 03:29:46 +0100

Last Fleet is a PBTA tabletop roleplaying game where you play brave pilots, officers, engineers, politicians and journalists struggling to hold the human race – and themselves – together under unbelievable pressure. The game focuses on action, intrigue and drama in this high-stakes situation.

The game provides support to create your own evocative setting, or you can play out of the box as the survivors of the Interplanetary Commonwealth.

Find our more in this weeks episode of Not DnD as we speak to creator Joshua Fox.

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Link: https://blackarmada.com/product/last-fleet/

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This episode was previously recorded and aired on May 13, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

May 2024 Preview

Mon, 06 May 2024 22:58:35 +0100

A preview of what's coming later this month from Not DnD

----- Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#86 Action-Heroes TTRPG with Christopher Helton

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 02:45:23 +0100

Action-Heroes is a cinematic toolkit role-playing game with a D6 dice pool system. The game encourages collaborative play in a group that give players the tools to play characters that are larger than life doing explosive action that roots them as the center of their world. There are no classes in the Action-Heroes RPG, and characters are built using pools of points that allow players to customize their characters to the ideas that they have in their heads. Join Jessica as she speaks with Christopher Helton to learn more.

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Action Heroes on DriveThruRPG https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/433788/ActionHeroes-Cinematic-RolePlaying?affiliate_id=1082

Christopher Helton on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/dorkland.bsky.social

Dorkland blog https://dorkland.blogspot.com/

Discord https://discord.com/invite/2e4RgkutsM

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This episode was live streamed on April 22, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#85: Lethe with Chris Legge

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 04:48:55 +0100

Lethe is a TTRPG that uses a unique mechanic for collaborative storytelling; rather than players building their character in advance, the GM builds each player character. Players start with a blank character sheet that they fill in as they perform certain actions. Eventually the player’s abilities become better known and they start to uncover their missing memories. As the game progresses, players will have to decide if their memories line up with who they want to be.

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Get Lethe https://crowdfundr.com/Lethettrpg

Chris Legge on the web https://crlegge.carrd.co/

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on April 15, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#84 Wandering Blades with Daniel Kwan

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 02:10:08 +0100

Daniel Kwan (Asians Represent Podcast, Candlekeep Mysteries, Motherlands RPG, Candela Obscura) joins Jessica this week on Not DnD to talk about Wandering Blades.

Wandering Blades is a rules light, low fantasy tabletop role playing game inspired by Chinese wuxia and xuanhuan media, and old-school renaissance (OSR) games. Violent melodrama in an old school tabletop RPG package! Wandering Blades is currently in development, but you can download the current Quickstart guide on itch.io

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Wandering Blades Quickstart : https://danielhkwan.itch.io/wanderingblades

More About Daniel: beacons.ai/danielhkwan

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on April 8, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Not DnD April Preview

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:16:02 +0100

A preview of what's coming later this month from Not DnD

----- Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#83 One Honk Before Midnight with Jack Dixon

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 01:13:17 +0000

H.O.N.K. is a rules-lite, chaos-heavy system that will be very comfortable for those familiar with D&D Fifth Edition, or with 2d6 systems such as Monster of the Week and Apocalypse World. This game is perfectly suited to the brand of chaos that only a true goose can invoke. Find out more on from creator Jack Dixon on this week's episode of Not DnD.

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Pre-order the game: https://thepocketworkshop.co.uk/product/one-honk-before-midnight-adventure-wiro-bound-copy/

Twitter https://twitter.com/Jackaphobia

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on March 18, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#82 The Contract with Spencer Stecko

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:19:03 +0000

The Contract is a tabletop roleplaying game about ambitious people who go on deadly missions to earn fantastic powers. Jessica Hancock speaks to Spencer Stecko on this week's episode of Not DnD to learn more.

The Contract is 100% free-to-play via the website. This website's online guidebook and extensive integrated tools can be found at https://www.thecontractrpg.com/ The game is designed so that only the GM requires a full understanding of the game's rules. This allows brand new players to learn as they play.

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Website: http://www.thecontractrpg.com/

Live on Kickstarter until April 10th: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sapientsnake/the-contract-rpg?ref=8jkohz

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This episode was streamed live on March 18, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#81 The Long Road Home with Alex White

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:32:20 +0000

This week Jessica interviews Alex White from Plane Sailing Games about The Long Road Home. The Long Road Home is a role-playing story game about friends returning from an epic fantasy quest, hoping they will find their loved ones safe back home.

The game was inspired the idea of the Hobbits travelling home after the events of their great quest. Reminiscing together about the friends they made and lost along the way, and wondering whether they will find their touchstone back home. The Long Road Home ask the question “What happens when the quest is over?”

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Kickstarter (ends 3rd April): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/plane-sailing-games/the-long-road-home

Website: http://planesailinggames.com

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This episode was streamed live on March 11, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

What's Coming in March 2024

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:00:00 +0000

A preview of what's coming later this month from Not DnD

----- Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Ep 80: The Magus with momatoes and Chiara Locatelli

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 01:01:36 +0000

This week Jessica interviews momatoes, and Chiara Locatelli about The Magus

The Magus is a solo RPG about “pathos, calamity, and the infinite loneliness of power”. The game promises crunchy narrative mechanics that inspire players to write the journey of a magus aspiring for ultimate power, while being forced to sacrifice who they love.

Written by the award-winning Philippine designer momatoes (ARC: Doom), the game is currently crowdfunding for the first-ever English physical edition. Featuring a new tool, The Oracle, which is a system-agnostic inspiration deck which can be used in many solo ttrpgs.

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Kickstarter (ends 29th Feb): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nessundove/the-magus-and-the-oracle

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This episode was streamed live on February 26, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Ep 79: Against the Darkmaster with Nikola Segoloni and Max Caracristi

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 01:23:25 +0000

Against the Darkmaster is a tabletop Epic Fantasy roleplaying game of high adventure, heroic action, and heavy metal combat. The game has a simple resolution mechanic using d100s and a flexible magic system. The passion & drive system encourages players to roleplay their characters' motivations and goals.

Join Jessica and the team from Open Ended Games to learn more about this classic fantasy tabletop RPG that comes served with a healthy dose of classic Heavy Metal.

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Discounted copy for Not DND listeners here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?discount=951c201ca3

Against the Darkmaster website: https://www.vsdarkmaster.com/shop/

Discord: https://discord.gg/MRFUuaAhRx

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vsdarkmaster

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

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This episode was streamed live on February 13, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

What's Coming in February 2024

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 22:00:00 +0000

A preview of what's coming later this month from Not DnD

----- Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#78 Momento Mori with Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano & Simone Formicola

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:48:00 +0000

Join Jessica and the producers of the game, Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano & Simone Formicola of Two Little Mice, as we hear about Memento Mori. Memento Mori is a role-playing game in which Players take the role of Drifters, people sick with the plague who, despite their condition and the terrible reality of Medieval Europe, are determined to fulfill their Dream. Memento Mori is written and designed by Italian artists Marco B. Bucci and Andrea Felicioni, and produced by the independent studio Two Little Mice (Outgunned, Household) ----- Backerkit Link: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/bc091828-cc71-40d9-af27-6009677ec443/landing Quickstarter Guide: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/464206/Memento-Mori--Quickstart-Guide Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2littlemice ----- This episode was pre-recorded and streamed on January 29, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm GMT at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#77 Terminal with Kayla Dice

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 01:38:58 +0000

The world as you know it, early 21st century, Earth is nothing but a lie. In truth, it is a simulation called The Terminal, a lie to keep humanity under the control of the Robot Authority. This week's episode of Not DnD features a Digital Pirate Action TTRPG, built on a focused system to tell exciting and epic stories of grave consequence. Join Jessica Hancock as she interviews Kayla Dice about Terminal.

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Buy the game: ratwavegamehouse.itch.io/terminal

Follow Kayla: http://socials.ratwave.uk

Website: http://ratwave.uk

Coming next: crowdfundr.com/RitualMagic

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This episode was streamed live on January 22, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#76 Salvage Union with Aled Lawlor and Panayiotis Lines

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 00:43:53 +0000

Designers Aled Lawlor and Panayiotis Lines from Leyline Press are here to talk about Salvage Union. Learn more about this post-apocalyptic mech tabletop roleplaying game powered by the Quest RPG.

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Buy the Game: https://leyline.press/products/salvage-union-core-book

Website: www.leyline.press

Twitter: www.twitter.com/salvageunion

EN World Article: https://www.enworld.org/threads/scrap-together-a-mech-family-in-salvage-union.701589/

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This episode was streamed live on January 15, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#75 When the Wolf Comes with Ian Sharpe

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:01:41 +0000

When The Wolf Comes is a game of storytelling, heroism, and epic struggle set during a reimagined Norse End of Days - and powered by Robert J. Schwalb’s Shadow of the Demon Lord system. Join us for the live interview with creator Ian Sharpe.

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When the Wolf Comes on DTRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/443491/When-the-Wolf-Comes

Space Vikings on DTRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/461160/Space-Vikings

Website: http://vikingverse.com

Twitter: @vikingverse http://twitter.com/vikingverse

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vikingverse/

Written Article on EN World here: https://www.enworld.org/threads/when-the-wolf-comes-an-interview-with-ian-stuart-sharpe.700189/

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This episode was streamed live on January 8, 2024. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Happy New Year from Not DnD!

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year from Not DnD! Find out what to look forward to in January as Not DnD returns next week.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 22:00:00 +0000

A quick message from Jessica during the holiday season. Not DnD will come back on January 8, 2024!

#74 Brindlewood Bay with Jason Cordova

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 03:36:31 +0000

Brindlewood Bay is a murder mystery tabletop role-playing game about elderly women amateur detectives, inspired by Murder, She Wrote and H. P. Lovecraft.

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Brindlewood Bay official website https://www.brindlewoodbay.com/brindlewood-bay.html

Brindelwood Bay on DriveThruRPG https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/410316/brindlewood-bay-kickstarter-edition?affiliate_id=36142

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This episode was streamed live on December 11, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

December Preview for Not DnD

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:00:00 +0000

In December, as we come to the end of the year, we'll be interviewing creators who deal with endings on Not DnD.

Brindlewood Bay lets you play as elderly women, who become amateur detectives.

Death Throes is set at the end of the world, the early stages of a zombie outbreak.

#73 Steel & Scale with Sam Barker and Joseph Oliver

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:45:00 +0000

High fantasy in the Age of Industry. Steel & Scale is a complete and comprehensive Tabletop Role-Playing Game, based on a d20 system, designed to be simple for new players to pick up, with enough complexity to provide variety and tactical depth for experienced TTRPG players. With no fixed classes, and vast options for customisation, no two characters will be the same!

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Website: steelandscale.com

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on November 27, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#72 The Electrum Archive with EmielBoven

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 20:45:00 +0000

The Electrum Archive is a science-fantasy TTRPG zine series inspired by the worlds of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Dark Sun and Ultraviolet Grasslands.

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Electrum Archive website www.electrumarchive.com

Emiel Boven on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/emielboven

Emiel Boven on Substack https://emielboven.substack.com/

Emiel Boven on Itch.io https://emielboven.itch.io/

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on November 13, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#71 Orbital Blues: Afterburn with Sam Sleney & Zachary Cox

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 01:18:42 +0000

Oribtal Blues is roleplaying love-letter to off-beat sci-fi, vintage music, and cooperative old-school styled roleplay, Orbital Blues allows you to play out rules-light tabletop adventures in the style of space westerns such as Cowboy Bebop, Firefly and The Mandalorian.

Afterburn is series of new books, adventures and merchandise for Orbital Blues, an RPG about sad space cowboys.

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soulmuppet/orbital-blues-afterburn

Website: https://soulmuppet-store.co.uk/

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This episode was live-streamed on November 13, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

November Preview for Not DnD

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 05:11:19 +0000

Jessica lets you know what to look forward to this month on Not DnD.

#70 Bluebeard’s Bride with Marissa Kelly

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 23:00:00 +0000

A young bride is wed to an ugly, but powerful man with a blue beard. He invites her to explore the house… but one room is forbidden. Eventually, the young bride falls prey to her curiosity and opens it, discovering a gruesome display of prior brides’ corpses… Bluebeard's Bride is a gothic horror tabletop role-playing game based on the Bluebeard folktale. Join us as we speak to Marissa Kelly who created the game alongside Whitney "Strix" Beltrán, and Sarah Richardson.

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Bluebeard's Bride on the Magpie Games website https://magpiegames.com/pages/bluebeards-bride

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on October 30, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#69 Gloom Tarot and Terror with Ryan Cagle

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 23:00:00 +0100

Gloom Tarot and Terror is a minimalist horror tabletop role playing game about a terrifying threat out to devour a small town, the group of young people responsible for stopping it, and the utterly oblivious adults in their lives. In Gloom Tarot and Terror, players weave compelling stories full of suspense and tension, with or without a game master. Narrative and actions are driven by cards drawn from a custom Tarot Deck, while six candles represent the encroaching evil in the form of the players' only light source.

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Gloom Tarot and Terror on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryancagle/gloom

Paradox Press Website https://paradoxpress.games/

Ryan Cagle https://ryancagle.com/

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on October 23, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

#68 Don’t Play This Game with Charlie Menzies

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:28:40 +0100

A unique legacy solo horror experience that has players live out their own found footage horror movie. With a twisted multiplayer options that allows you to curse other players to continue your story. The game goes beyond the tabletop as players get hands on creating artifacts, exploring the outside world, and scaring the €@&# out of themselves.

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Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/327195066/dont-play-this-game-a-cursed-solo-rpg

Website: www.dontplaythisga.me

Demo Sign Up For Players: https://dontplaythisga.me/free-demo-game

Twitter - https://twitter.com/GamesParable

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This episode was streamed live on October 16, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Host: Jessica Hancock (@tabletopjess)

#67 The Walking Dead with Nils Hintz

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 20:45:00 +0100

The Walking Dead has always been about characters facing impossible life and death choices. In The Walking Dead Universe Roleplaying Game, you can face these choices head on, putting yourself in the world of The Walking Dead – at any time in the timeline, encountering familiar faces and places and brand-new ones and, making the biggest choice: Who are you going to be? We have seen many stories in The Walking Dead Universe, now it’s time to see yours.

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The Walking Dead RPG https://www.thewalkingdead-rpg.com/

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This episode was pre-recorded and released on October 9, 2023. Watch live every week Mondays 10pm BST at http://twitch.tv/enpublishing

Host: Jessica Hancock (@tabletopjess)