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Episodes
Short, bite-sized RPG advice, tips, and tricks for DMs and players of tabletop role playing games (TTRPG)
Episodes
Sunday Apr 05, 2026
Sunday Apr 05, 2026
Want to make your characters better? Consider adding flaws to your character. What kinds of flaws are there and how do you add them in a way that’s not disruptive to the game? Give this episode a listen and find out.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #flaws
Resources:
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
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Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Mar 22, 2026
Sunday Mar 22, 2026
NOTE: My apologies for the audio quality. The entire recording/audio processing chain was rushed this week.
Is your TTRPG campaign falling apart after only a few sessions? The problem might be that you need a Session Zero. In this third part of our "setting expectations" series we dive into the vital, often-overlooked conversations DMs and players need to have before rolling the first die. Learn how to align your creative visions, manage game logistics, and agree on crucial player safety tools to ensure everyone is on board with the social contract for a lasting, fun adventure.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #startingcampaign #sessionzero #session0
Resources:
Ep 47 - Comprehensive Session 0 Guide for DMs - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-47-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-dms/
Ep 48 - Session 0 Guide for Players - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-48-less-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-pcs/
Ep 271 - Setting & Tone - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-271-setting-and-tone/
Ep 214 - House Rules to Make Your Game Easier - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-214-house-rules-to-make-your-game-easier/
Ep 215 - House Rules to Make Your Game Harder - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-215-house-rules-to-make-your-game-harder/
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
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Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Mar 08, 2026
Sunday Mar 08, 2026
In this episode we continue the “setting expectations” series, hopefully helping to stop mismatched expectations from derailing your TTRPG campaign! GMs, this episode is packed with practical advice for designing and effectively communicating your game's Tone and Setting.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #tone #setting #expectations
Resources:
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Sunday Feb 22, 2026
Ready to start your TTRPG campaign in some way besides a boring tavern? Episode 270 is here to help! We dive deep into the real purpose of a campaign's beginning and explore three powerful ways to unite your party from the jump
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #startingcampaign
Resources:
Episode 47 - Comprehensive Session 0 Guide for DMs - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-47-comprehensive-session-0-guide-for-dms/
Episode 100 - Starting Anywhere But A Tavern - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/episode-100-starting-anywhere-but-a-tavern/
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
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Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Feb 01, 2026
Sunday Feb 01, 2026
Do your descriptions fall flat? Are your characters, locations, and NPCs just static items in time that never change? In this episode I’ll give players some tips for changing their character descriptions and for GMs to change NPC and place descriptions to improve their game.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #burnout #descriptions
Resources:
Crispy’s Tavern, The Real Matt Mercer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV-4HnJT_Rg
Roll 4 Initiative - A Guide to Better Descriptions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhFmAW3KIYY
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
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Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
Sunday Jan 11, 2026
Is your campaign's "big bad" just evil, or is there a hero beneath the monster? This episode dives into the age-old debate for Dungeon Masters: how important is a sympathetic backstory for a villain, and whether you should include complex antagonists in your game
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #villains
Resources:
Episode 180 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-180-let-villains-be-villains/
Episode 235 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-235-the-why-of-villains/
Episode 253 - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-253-recurring-villains/
Thor Skywalker - Why does everyone seem to love “Sympathetic Villains” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO2dBY8DPho
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Sunday Dec 28, 2025
Sunday Dec 28, 2025
Description
Today we dive into the age-old debate that divides Dungeon Masters: When do you negate a powerful spell or maneuver? We explore the thin line between creating epic tension and causing frustration. Tune in to discover the crucial difference between an earned victory and a slog, and learn the rules of engagement for challenging your players in the most satisfying way.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #Countering
Resources:
Episode 135 - The Rule of 3
Episode 64 - Beholders, the Eyes Have It
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Running a high-level character (Level 11+) is a different animal altogether. Forget easy skirmishes and simple ability checks—you're now facing world-breaking threats. In this episode I’ll give you some tips for running these legendary characters.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #highlevel
Resources:
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
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Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Nov 30, 2025
Sunday Nov 30, 2025
Running high-level TTRPGs (level 11+) are different animals! In this episode I break down essential GM tips for these epic campaigns. Plus, I’ll give you some advice on how you need to change your prep to run a legendary game.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #highlevel
Resources:
Episode 45 - Minions - https://www.taking20podcast.com/e/ep-45-usining-minions-from-dd-4e-to-make-combat-better/
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
Sunday Nov 02, 2025
This week, I talk about players’ and DMs’ relentless pursuit of perfection in tabletop RPGs. I encourage both to embrace failures and give you some tips to help every roll and choice become a chance for exciting, unpredictable adventures.
#rpg #ttrpg #dnd #pathfinder #gmtips #playertips #tabletop #roleplaying #failure
Resources:
Buy Me a Coffee! - ko-fi.com/taking20podcast
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/taking20podcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/taking20podcast
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/taking20podcast.bsky.social