The Podge Cast » mechanics

Episode 039: System Swappin

David — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:59:42 +0000

* The RPG Podcast Listener Survey can be found here! Collectively, from all of us RPG Podcasters, thanks for taking it!

* TPC will soon be having a boatload more content. I’m not really sure how it will all line out yet, so stay tuned!

* Systems, when/how to change ‘em to get what you need.

Episode 020: The System is Down, Yo!

Joe — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:01:31 +0000

* KTNG’s homage to Strong Bad

* Dave from the Iron Agenda is here

* Matt is here in body if not mind

* V3 is this Saturday. Come play.

* Play video games with Luke not Joe

* WAR update: We’re moving to the Badlands server

* Leslie and the Badgers

* Can too many rules inhibit role playing?

* Adam revisits a topic from 17 episodes ago

* Iron Agenda is about Big Vagina Islands

* Number of times we discuss Burning Wheel: 6

Episode 019: Return of the Lucias

Joe — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:01:03 +0000

* V3 is coming. Prepare yourself.

* Phil is wrong. V3 is December 6th.

* Want to contribute the Spooky Outhouse Wall (the newsletter)? Email Adam!

* Adam’s experience playing Don’t Rest Your Head

* Luke’s story game epiphany

* If you want to be on the Dark Tower fan roundtable, email adam@podgecast.com

* Magic systems

Episode 011: Min/Maxing With Meg

Luke — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:01:21 +0000

* Special Guest: Meg from Brilliant Gameologists

* An Archon reminder

* Ghost Hunters Redux

* Min/Maxing and Powergaming

* 365 Days of Sex

* Secret Code Contest: We’ve teamed up with four other gaming podcasts to give you a crack at $250 of gaming goodness. Listen to find out how you can participate. Participating podcasts are

Atomic Array

Brilliant Gameologists

Ogre Cave Audio Report

The Podge Cast

The Tome Show

Each winner will receive one of ten $25 gift certificates from Noble Knight Games.

Entries must be submitted to secretcodes@moonstew.com by 17 OCT 2008.

* Worst. Ending. Ever.

* PodgeCast Overtime: Matt and Joe further explore today’s topic, Charlie Rose style. If Charlie Rose had very lax quality control standards. This conversation is not part of the podcast mp3 but is available for download at podgecast.com /episodes /TPC_011_Overtime (dot) mp3

Improving Death as a Threat

Joe — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:55:53 +0000

One of the major changes between D&D 3rd edition and 3.5 was an increased cost to the material components of a raise dead spell by a factor of ten. The intent was to change death from a minor inconvenience to an actual detriment to the character. Given the D&D economy, this change only had a significant impact in low-powered games where equipment couldn’t be sold if the gold wasn’t already on hand. While the loss of experience is also a deterent, this lessens over the span of a campaign as higher levels and larger xp requirements bring the party back into mutual equilibrium.

So without limiting the influx of gold or magic items into a party, how can a DM create circumstances in which death is something to be avoided at all costs rather than something to merely be momentarily disappointed in when it happens? How does he do this without pushing the pendulum too far the other way so that spells such as raise dead are worthless and death means that it’s time to make a new character.

Below is a chart for physical complications that may affect a body once the spirit is magically returned. These effects are unnamed penalties and thus cumulative for each death and resurrection. Regeneration, wish or miracle spells cast with a successful DC 25 caster level check can successfully reverse the penalty.

Roll d%
01-50 Revived with no ill effect
51-60 -2 Dexterity
61-70 -2 Intelligence
71-80 -2 Constitution
81-90 -2 Constitution and -2 Dexterity
91-99 -2 Constitution, -2 Dexsterity, and -2 Intelligence
100 Permanent Death