Tavern Chat

The deepest mysteries in old-school gaming were never meant to stay hidden. From the real Castle Greyhawk to the unfinished levels of Dwimmermount, Blackmoor’s strangest experiments, and the megadungeon projects that vanished into notebooks and half-mapped ideas — these worlds shaped how we play today, even if we never saw them completed.In this episode, we dig into the roots of the megadungeon, why the OSR brought it roaring back, and how “lost” designs continue to influence everything from Stonehell to Barrowmaze to Castle Zagyg’s modern revival.If you love OSR history, B/X-style dungeon crawling, or the stories behind the worlds we never fully explored, this one goes deep.

Bring your encounters to life with the Three-Layer Encounter Method—a simple OSR prep tool that turns static dungeon rooms into living, reactive situations your players will never forget.In this episode of DM’s Toolbox, we break down how to build encounters that feel alive:• What the players think is happening• What’s actually going on under the surface• And what happens when everything goes sidewaysPerfect for B/X, OSE, Swords & Wizardry, Shadowdark, and any old-school style of play.Plus, a Christmas bonus recommendation: a fantastic OSR stocking-stuffer that fuels smarter, faster prep.If you want stronger emergent play, richer dungeon moments, and encounters that surprise your players every time—this one’s for you. Pull up a stool and join the Tavern.

Jeffro - What is the #BrOSR? The #BrOSR is real D&D. It is AD&D played as intended. It is successful fantasy campaigns that just won’t quit. It is a fundamentally different type of play that is distinct from the conventional approaches to roleplaying that have dominated hobby gaming over the past forty years

Some of us were introduced to the world of gaming by friends, others by siblings, parents, or teachers. How were you introduced to the world of gaming? Call The Tavern's Voicemail at 347-509-5168 and tell us how you were introduced to the magic of gaming. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIdpAASpAI7vu-bZx6pP_mQ/join

Greg Tito and Dan Dillon have some choice words for their former employer. Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

AD&D PHB (1977, p. 76): Any creature at the edge (1’) of such a pit uses its dexterity score as a saving throw to avoid falling into the hole, with a score equal to or less than the dexterity meaning that a fall was avoided. Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

WotC's new VTT, Codename: Project Sigil, sure looks pretty. I'm not surprised that WotC firmly has the Baldu's Gate 3 Community solidly in their sights, but I was surprised to find them pitch Project Sigil for use with OTHER (unnamed) RPGs. Project Sigil begins around 12:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3RqehN6hS0 Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

Members of the DnD Beyond community, and 2014 5e community, in particular, were heard by the powers that be at WotC. Late on a Sunday Nignt WotC announced a course change, and it is huge: "Players who only have access to the 2014 Player’s Handbook will maintain their character options, spells, and magical items in their character sheets. Players with access to the 2024 and 2014 digital Player’s Handbooks can select from both sources when creating new characters. Players will not need to rely on Homebrew to use their 2014 player options, including spells and magic items, as recommended in previous changelogs." https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/1806-2024-d-d-beyond-ruleset-changelog-update?utm_campaign=DDB-PHB-2024-&utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=social&utm_content=14476792382 Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

What is a sign of corporate greed? https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/game-designer-d-d-at-wizards-of-the-coast-4007920428/ Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

When you play in a corporation's sandbox, they control the sand. https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/beyond-deleting-content-spells-magic-items

I run games at various conventions, and writing an adventure for convention play is greatly different than for your home campaign or for publishing. Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/HumbleAmazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

I found an excellent article at Rascal.news that offered some insights into WotC's new VTT, codename Project Sigil. Most of the article is behind a paywall, but I think it was well worth the buck I paid ;) Follow on X @tenkar https://www.rascal.news/d-d-cant-properly-market-project-sigils-not-quite-video-game-features/ https://tenkars-tavern.games/StarTrek Looking to support The Tavern? Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

Join Ol' Man Grognard and Tenkar for a special Sunday Night Triple D Livestream. Use our affiliate links and help yourself to some good stuff while helping The Tavern! DTRPG: tenkars-tavern.games/DTRPG Humble Bundle: tenkars-tavern.games/Humble Amazon: tenkars-tavern.games/Amazon Acorns makes it easy to save and invest. Join me and you'll get a free $5 investment! As a perk of referring users, I can get a reward too. Learn more and see the terms here. https://acorns.com/share/?advocate.partner_share_id=3776334518723731626&shareable_code=84YJGJW

No special guests. No preordained topics. Just Crit Talking! Watch every Wednesday Live on YouTube, Rumble, and X (Marking our return to Anchor/Spotify)

Frank is raising money to pay for medical bills incurred due to kidney failure.

There is a discussion on ENWorld where it is asked "Is D&D for Everyone?" I think the answer is YES, but not every group or every campaign is for everyone.⁠ tenkars-tavern.games/cRPG⁠ (Affiliate link)

Ah, sweet, sweet TSR3. Sometimes you just need to stop and smell the bullshit, because it is heavy in these three letters. And boy, oh boy! Justin decided to troll the Gamers' Health video I did with my niece Shannon on Christmas Day.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHju_pmM80M&t=787s Let's Go, Justin!

Niece Shannon joins Tenkar for a special Christmas Day Gamers’ Health.

Yesterday, Rach and I talked a bit about consent at the gaming table. The conversation that has popped up about that cast has been amazing, both on YouTube and on Facebook, and thanks to that ongoing conversation, I think I missed something yesterday. Communication at the gaming table has to occur before consent can even be an issue, and part of that communication is being honest with your GM before the session even starts.

Strangely enough, I find myself inching closer to X-Cards at the gaming table for organized play / convention games over completely removing themes that some may find triggering. Rach joins me for this one, as I figured we needed the opinion of one that was NOT a grognard ;) https://owenkcstephens.com/2021/12/13/from-a-freelancer-an-open-letter-to-erik-mona/

Digging back into the Arduin Trilogy, we take a look at Dave's view of alignment.

It's the tale of two Kickstarters. Both very late. Both announcing the time for release is finally near. Why do I believe one, and not the other?

It's all over the interwebs. WotC has been making stealth changes to the lore of many of its releases, to correct language that it sees as possibly problematic. This is both the advantage and curse of digital content. But has this made earlier 5e printing more valuable and collectible? https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/races-alignments-lore-removed https://boundingintocomics.com/2021/12/16/wizards-of-the-coast-removes-lore-deemed-problematic-from-dungeons-dragons/ https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2021/12/dd-wotc-removes-racial-alignments-retcons-drow-in-new-batch-of-errata.html https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/rg4jut/writeup_of_all_the_lore_thats_beein_removed_from/

Ah, you've gotta love the internet trolls. On yesterday's video, a troll spammed the comments section with my "real" last name (not a secret, it's been public for years on Swords & Wizardry Light and Swords & Wizardry Continual Light). I figured it was time to explain where the name came from, why I used it, why I continue to use it, and more.

As it says on the tin, TSR3 has voluntarily withdrawn its legal action against WotC without prejudice.

TSR3 has surrendered or abandoned nearly every trademark it has named in its legal action against WotC. In 2 weeks, if TSR3 takes no further action, the Star Frontiers TM will be abandoned. So, why the legal action filed against WotC? https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90276506/STAR-FRONTIERS https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90893809/STAR-FRONTIERS https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90148334/mark https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90148524/TSR https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90124839/TSR-THE-GAME-WIZARDS https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90276510/BLACKMOOR https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90124287/TSR https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90884176/TSR https://www.trademarkelite.com/trademark/trademark-detail/90124788/mark

Banned and posts deleted from the Castles & Crusades FB Group for spamming. Never consulting with the Gygax Memorial Fund before mentioning the fund as a potential beneficiary of monies raised by TSR on their Indiegogo fundraising page.

If you can believe it, Justin LaNassa is attempting to raise $50k to sue WotC for bullying, libel, slander, and for a bonus action, "will also Fight to Have the WOTC Legacy Disclaimer Removed."  I'm glad I can get a front-row seat for free...  https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-tsr-against-wizards-of-the-coast https://dockets.justia.com/docket/north-carolina/ncedce/7:2021cv00210/191410 https://humphriesfirm.law/team_member/justin-k-humphries

I was surprised when one of The Tavern regulars PMed me to let me know he received an email from Paul Stormberg indicating in Paul's signature that Paul was now President of the Gygax Memorial Fund. So, lo and behold, the http://www.gygaxmemorialfund.org/ website has been resurrected.

Today I take a look at Dave's essay on treasure, and the effects that unbalanced magic items can have on the game, and a creative way to remove such.

Fandom, owner of D&D Beyond and now Cortex Prime, just releases a Cortex Fan License that doesnt seem to do much for Cortex fans.  Oh, and WTF is RPGNEWS.com stealing content from other sites? https://www.enworld.org/threads/cortex-fan-license-published.684470/ http://rpgnews.com/?p=151584

Bad Mike is on the Texas Shore. Tenkar is in the Pocono Mountains of North East PA. Together they will be bringing you your weekly allotment of Talking Crit...

Fandom, owner of D&D Beyond and now Cortex Prime, just releases a Cortex Fan License that doesnt seem to do much for Cortex fans.  Oh, and WTF is RPGNEWS.com stealing content from other sites? https://www.enworld.org/threads/cortex-fan-license-published.684470/ http://rpgnews.com/?p=151584

ENWorld has a post about various "eccentric" gifts for your favorite GM. It's my belief that GM gifts should be things that can potentially benefit the gaming group as a whole.

I delve right back into The Arduin Trilogy and take a look at Dave's essay on Player Character Types in fantasy games. After that, I take a short peek at the Individualization of New Player Characters.

Today I take a peek at The First Fantasy Campaign, in particular, the Original Blackmoor Magic System. There is much hinted at, yet little is detailed.

TSR Con has been moved from the weekend of July 4th (when every hotel within 15 miles was likely sold out to non-gamers) to the same weekend as Gary Con (where every hotel within 15 miles is likely sold out to gamers). A not so subtle attempt to steal bandwidth. Also, there is a Star Frontiers Game listed for sale at the Dungeon Hobby Shop Museum, but it's out of stock. Actually, it hasn't been published yet, nor has it been announced, but the sales page is up.

Giantlands is trying to virtue signal, and they fail. Badly. TSR3 gets caught in a lie. Rach labels TSR3 The Remora of the OSR :)

Paizo states it has voluntarily recognized the United Paizo Workers Union. A WIRED article reveals that many full-time Paizo workers also freelance for the company due to working for low wages. https://gamingtrend.com/news/paizo-releases-a-statement-recognizing-the-united-paizo-workers/ https://www.wired.com/story/tabletop-rpg-workers-say-their-jobs-are-no-fantasy/

About 40 of Paizo's freelancers stopped working last month with a list of demands. Those demands have now turned into a singular demand - for Paizo to recognize the United Paizo Workers Union.

Paizo staffers have formed a union. It is not yet known if the company will recognize the union. Paizo is likely the only TTRPG company with enough staff to make the idea of unionizing viable.

Now that we have the episodes uploading to Anchor again, we've been getting voicemails. Randy, Kevin, and Jason call with some observations and follow-ups to some prior episodes.

Aruin Volume IV, The Lost Grimoire, has a number of essays from Dave Hargrave. Today, I'm looking at Dave Hargrave's article on Dungeon Ecology and how it applies today. https://empcho.com/specials/

There's an update on the Arduin Grimoire Facebook Page. Not only is it getting a new web store, but it looks like future rights MAY be moving to another. Time to hypothesize. ;)

An anonymous douchenozzle emailed a threat of potentially tortious interference to Wizard Tower Games for being a sponsor of TSR Con.

Demiplane (the matchmaking service for TTRPG Gamers) and Paizo have teamed up for Pathfinder Nexus, brought to you by the creator of D&D Beyond.

Talking Crit LiveStream - Special Guest Luau Lou - November 3rd, 2021

Tom V sent me an interesting email describing his interactions with Michael from TST and Larry Elmore. Tom also did an amazing video describing the details and more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4JIN4TSjCM

GaryCon sent a follow-up email to its August 31st, 2021 Covid-19 announcement. The most interesting part of the statement is that Ernie Gygax WILL NOT be running games at Gary Con, although he will be there to socialize. I suspect that Ernie WILL be running games at the DHSM sans mask.

I'm about 11% into Jon Peterson's new book, Game Wizards, and Jon knocks it out of the park. Truly well written, entertaining, and full of amazing bits of history. Here's the Amazon link if you want to support the channel:  https://amzn.to/3GDZmlk Note, this is an affiliate link.  Also, as I type this we've raised 1467 for St Jude's Children's Hospital. I've just ordered blue hair dye...