Two-Headed Game Master

Help, there has been a murder! …our ratings are dead… haha ha ha. There is a lot of murder media out there: books, TV, video games, movies, podcasts, even in person live action roleplaying dinner parties or shows. We discuss with our guest how to make TTRPG murder mysteries fun and best practices for running them. www.patreon.com/c/2hgm/home Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

They say first impressions are important, but also don’t judge a book by its cover… so (exaggerated shrug). The first session of a TTRPG adventure can be a powerful tool, remember you only get one shot... But you can always try again next time. www.patreon.com/c/2hgm/home Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

What do the best TTRPGs writers have in common? They were all alive at one point, not necessarily at the same time. Ok, that's a pretty lame fact but if you are reading this then it got your attention didn’t it. We talk about how we write our adventures for our games. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Bro do you even dungeon? This morning we talk about dungeons so big you have to put the prefix 'Mega' in front. (assuming you are listening to this in the morning) Brew that morning coffee and sit down to an episode about caked up dungeons ;P www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

“I always thought that The Thing would be a dope roleplaying session, but never knew how to run it.” If that sounds like something you said, or would say, then this is the episode for you. Get out your school note pad and ready up to take notes! www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Title says it all… www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

HOT TAKE: Player perception is not Character perception. Players can’t make good decisions without good information, why put it behind a roll wall? www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

A friend walked into a bar with a philosophy book, I pointed at it and said “I can’t?”... So we are talking about books. Specifically, choose your own adventure books. Precisely, Fighting Fantasy roleplaying Adventure Books... Exactly. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Sure playing god as a GM is pretty cool, but have you ever tried to create gods? Today we yap about making a TTRPG religion pop. Now, you don’t have to create a whole religion from the ground up but tuning up your favorite TTRPG setting’s religion can go a long way.  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

What year did the first “mini-game” appear? We don’t know either, and I refused to look it up. But it sure wasn’t our original TTRPG; Afterlife. The best thing about mini-games is you can use them in any system because mini-games have completely different rules/gameplay than the larger rule system. Or at least they should in our opinion. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We are back at it again discussing descriptions and their uses in the TTRPG space. This is the episode for you if you have ever wondered what a 2HGM guided meditation would be like… that’s not something you have ever thought of? Huh, maybe it is time to reevaluate somethings www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Want to step up your debrief game? Don’t have a debrief game? Not a problem. After listening to this episode you will be able to debrief with the best of them. Just remember the rules of the pod, every time RMSEL is mentioned you have to finish your drink! www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Welcome to the next episode in the How to Run series where we deep dive into a specific concept. We talk about space battles in this one because there are some interesting things about... hey did y'all notice all the earth reptiles on Dagobah? They totes have a Ball Python problem. Anyways, space battles can be done a multitude of ways and we talk about it. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We built a time machine and went back to when we could mainline a game for the whole weekend! Just kidding, we just took a little game-cation and ripped a 30 hour adventure in one sitting. Well we got up to stretch and bathroom but you knew what I meant…probably. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

To simulate real life in the TTRPG space, we distill actions to one quality/ability, a stat if you will. That makes it easy to run the simulation but is it accurate? *Loud buzzer sound* It is not accurate, actions rarely (if ever) rely on a single ability. Picking delicious non-poisonous mushrooms is not only about perception. We totaly should’ve used the mushroom example during the episode but I only just thought of it :( www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The physical design is not the only component of ergonomics, there is a mental component too. Some people go to school for whole degrees on Design (not us tho, our degree is in BS with a minor in bologna). In this episode we discuss how layouts and mechanics of an TTRPG game can influence the ergonomics of the experience. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Have you ever noticed how different TTRPG systems have similar concepts but slightly different mechanics? How sometimes there seems to be a rule for the most specific edge case but not a core mechanic? Is it possible that we, as game designers, have done a disservice by trying to lure players into game-mastering by writing out all the mechanics? Is this description all questions? Oops? You’re welcome?  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Still here, still leaning against that wall with my leather jacket and sunglasses. Perhaps still smoking… Point is I’m pretty cool and can probably talk my way of detention if a teacher were to walk by. But just because I’m steeped in rizz, does that mean I can just nat 20 my way into becoming the youngest president?  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The title is self explanatory I think. So I’m just going to lean against this wall with my leather jacket and cool sunglasses. Maybe light up a smoke. The question is, does the smoke buff my stats? Or is it a debuff, maybe it is neither?  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

GMs will create hundreds of years of lore, but it doesn’t have to actually take hundreds of years. How, you may ask?! Tips and Tricks. With their patented design, our Tips and Tricks will save you literally hundreds of years of hard work. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

In this episode we discuss what perks we have and…Just kidding, it is another designing episode! Frickin’ got you huh. We talk about the design implications of using Perks, Skills, or Attributes for our own game. Maybe they are actually the same thing, but you will have to listen to the episode to find out. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Ready? Ok! (sounds of the cheer squad warming up before their routine) Instead of those awkward minutes trying to remember how to role-play, try a warm up! Get those role-playing muscles limber and loose. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

By popular demand we invited the Two-Headed Game-Master duo back into the studio for another designing sesh. It might appear like we actually make backwards progress, but that is our process I guess (audible shrug) www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

It’s spoopy season alright, and you know what that means! 2HGM’s Halloween special yessiree. This year the players venture into war-torn Europe. The Grande Armee has created chaos in the region and provided the perfect opportunity for practitioners of the occult to steal secrets best left buried to time. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Come on, hit me! Stop trying to hit me and hit me! Do your players ever sound like that? Probably not, if they did GMs the world over might stop pulling punches. In this episode we take “the dice and rules are more like guidelines” as far as we wanted to…becuase we make the guidelines! www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Joining us for the first time: 2HGM! These two game-masters and TTRPG enthusiasts talk about their original game system and how they are thinking of changing it.  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Sometimes the brainteaser you planned does more than tease, other times it doesn’t even register, it can be hard to nail the perfect puzzle in your TTRPG. We may not have the answer but that doesn’t stop us from talking like we do. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

A lot of effort went into the Four Headed Game-Master, it might not be the most well structured debrief but we had a lot to process. Join us as we reminisce and tell our secrets of making one-shots about the same scenario. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We grew an extra two heads, which brings the total count to four. In celebration we wanted to do a one-shot about a siege, but we all wanted to run it so instead we are doing four… That’s right, four one-shots, four sieges, four different game-masters.  Join us now for A Quick Towerfall  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We grew an extra two heads, which brings the total count to four. In celebration we wanted to do a one-shot about a siege, but we all wanted to run it so instead we are doing four… That’s right, four one-shots, four sieges, four different game-masters.  Join us now for The Great Riot of DCB3 www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We grew an extra two heads, which brings the total count to four. In celebration we wanted to do a one-shot about a siege, but we all wanted to run it so instead we are doing four… That’s right, four one-shots, four sieges, four different game-masters.  Join us now for The Demise of Samwise Zenith www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

We grew an extra two heads, which brings the total count to four. In celebration we wanted to do a one-shot about a siege, but we all wanted to run it so instead we are doing four… That’s right, four one-shots, four sieges, four different game-masters.  Join us now for The Halfling’s Treasure www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Two game-masters walk into a bar… actually it is only one, but they have two heads! (laugh here) That was a funny joke, no? We discuss humor in the hobby. Starting with the high production professional entertainment shows but then applying it to the amature scene (us).  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

You asked for it, so here it is: another episode about the text role-playing the sickos at 2HGM do because once a week role-playing is not enough. We also meander into talking about telling a good story, stats and failure too… so it is not a totally skippable episode… www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Time… yesterday, tomorrow, next year…At some point you will listen to all the words in this episode so why put it off? And now that you’ve already listened to this episode, I don’t need to write a description. Is your noodle twisted yet? www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Solo RPG existed long before we started this podcast, but if you never heard of them did they really tho? Wonder no longer, cuz after this episode you will know all about Solo RPGs. Well maybe not all about them, but a little more than when you started reading this probably… www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

When a fun activity gets stale, what do you do? Introduce a new toy ;p …For serious tho, if you ever feel stuck as a game master or maybe bored as a player, it might be time for a change. We talk about how we experience and work through burnout, writer’s block, and lack of creativity.  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Optimizing your character for your play style during the creation process just takes a little thought… Or don’t listen to the haters (i.e. us), and you do you queen. But if you’re sickos like us you may want to squeeze every last drop of fun out of the hobby by thinking about how a character’s stats change the way you play them.  www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The mission on Samsa VI continues, will our heroes unravel the mystery of what happened to the terraforming team? Can they trust each other when events go from bad to worse? Find out now in Another Bug Hunt! https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg?srsltid=AfmBOoqaE6OBGYXRJcKECKz2a5mCGPud6TOkHjdEu9pDsRDjgyXqS8IB www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

With great dice comes great math. Dice provide randomness to roleplaying, and sometimes it is not even dice! Whatever your random number generator, there are going to be some probabilities. Understanding what them dice do can provide insight into game design, balance and fun! www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The mission on Samsa VI continues, will our heroes unravel the mystery of what happened to the terraforming team? Can they trust each other when events go from bad to worse? Find out now in Another Bug Hunt! https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg?srsltid=AfmBOoqaE6OBGYXRJcKECKz2a5mCGPud6TOkHjdEu9pDsRDjgyXqS8IB www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Does the sound of the wind through the leafless branches raise the hair on the back of your neck? WAIT! What was that scurrying in the underbrush, harmless mouse? Or vicious vampire? Did I get you? We know it is not spoopy season when we release this episode, but you could be listening to it in October so I don’t want to hear another word about it…I maxed the word count so I guess you’ll just have to listen to the episode… www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The mission on Samsa VI continues, will our heroes unravel the mystery of what happened to the terraforming team? Can they trust each other when events go from bad to worse? Find out now in Another Bug Hunt! https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg?srsltid=AfmBOoqaE6OBGYXRJcKECKz2a5mCGPud6TOkHjdEu9pDsRDjgyXqS8IB www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Can you review a game after only playing it for an hour? Well thanks to podcasting magic, which is similar to “Movie Magic” but much less cool, we can. You see, you may have only heard us play Mothership for an hour but by the time the photons of these words reach your eyeballs we will have actually played Mothership for like 7 hours, TA DA! www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The mission on Samsa VI continues, will our heroes unravel the mystery of what happened to the terraforming team? Can they trust each other when events go from bad to worse? Find out now in Another Bug Hunt! https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg?srsltid=AfmBOoqaE6OBGYXRJcKECKz2a5mCGPud6TOkHjdEu9pDsRDjgyXqS8IB www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

Welcome to the scary space, we have screams and shouts. We got all the spooky things, honey no need to scout. Yes, I did write that… Mothership is a sci-fi horror TTPRG by Tuesday Knight Games (link in bio). And we grab a few guest stars to play the intro module hope nothing scary happens. https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg?srsltid=AfmBOoqaE6OBGYXRJcKECKz2a5mCGPud6TOkHjdEu9pDsRDjgyXqS8IB www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The adventure to save The Briarwood and the hamadryad sisters Lorelei and Corelei continues. Will the adventuring band, led by the poorest wood elf Anthony and the hungriest halfling Honk, overcome the evil that has come to the wood? Can the fastidious Colin learn something about the rough adventuring life from the less poor Samantha?   www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The adventure to save The Briarwood and the hamadryad sisters Lorelei and Corelei continues. Will the adventuring band, led by the poorest wood elf Anthony and the hungriest halfling Honk, overcome the evil that has come to the wood? Can the fastidious Colin learn something about the rough adventuring life from the less poor Samantha?   www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours

The adventure to save The Briarwood and the hamadryad sisters Lorelei and Corelei continues. Will the adventuring band, led by the poorest wood elf Anthony and the hungriest halfling Honk, overcome the evil that has come to the wood? Can the fastidious Colin learn something about the rough adventuring life from the less poor Samantha? www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours  

All the episodes of the Fey Sisters Fate live play may not be out yet, but we are back to our regularly scheduled programming. Welcome back Brian as this adventure’s super special guest, we dive into our review of the module. Basically we just talk about how fun it was and barely do any actual review. www.2HGM.com Music: Pondhillow's Finest, The Burning Saviours