The offer she gives is hard to refuse, but will the gang see it through or make for it as soon as their feet touch solid ground again?

—

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

But what manner of creatures are skulking in the woods, and what is Stella doing in the cellars of the Keep? A faith is born, a life is reclaimed and a family is lost.

—

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

We join Getherin as he leads the military campaign that would come to shape the rest of his future, Astra as she’s about to take the first steps into a new life, and Alder and Unger who find more than they bargained for in the Freebooter city of Sablebasin Keep.

—

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

What evil awaits them in this end of our first arc? Will they be triumphant in stopping the heinous forces creating Twice-deads, or will they join the ranks of the ghoulish undead? Check to find out!

—

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Salutations dear listeners!

In today’s episode, Martin and Christian discuss our very own RPG theory, the Burr Principle. In short, the theory tries to explain how a character can be given more life by using their traits, backgrounds and abilities to hook them to other characters in the game.

A character with several interesting hooks doesn’t need much work to stick to others and through this principle we believe that playing with others will be easier and more rewarding.

Do you have an example of when one of your characters just naturally flowed with the others’ characters? Is there an NPC that everyone found easy to interact with? Let us know in the comments or send us an e-mail about it!

Keep rolling!

Download the episode here

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

Salutations dear listeners!

This week we go back to an old chestnut; roleplaying difficult subjects. Chris and Martin discuss how to tackle mature, and uncomfortable, content in your game. Topics include sex work, physical and mental abuse and the like. These elements can add drama and tension to your game if handled in a mature way, but could (and should) also easily be avoided if you’re not comfortable playing stuff like that.

Keep in mind that roleplaying is supposed to be an experience that -gives- you something. If you play a game and it makes you feel bad, bring it up with your GM.

But if you’d like to explore these things, for whatever reason, Martin and Chris have some advice for you how to keep it objective and how to decompress about it. As always, a well-functioning group should be able to openly decide together if this is something for them, or not.

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

I’ll give you a hint, something’s murdered alright!

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Salutations dear listeners!

This week, join Toby, Fredrik and Chris as they draw deep from the well of nostalgia. The topic is cRPGs, or computer RPGs, focused mostly on late 90s early 00s, the golden era (for these boys) of cRPGs. Ultima, Fallout, Baldur’s Gate and Planescape are all touched upon, not to mention the Final Fantasy series and the distinction between WRPGs and JRPGs.

Hope you’ll find it as enjoyable a listen as it was to record!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

Join Astra the Tiefling Wizard, Getherin the Dragonborn Fighter, Alder the Gnome Rogue and Unger the Gnome Cleric as they set out to right wrongs, left rights, and desperately lift puppies to reach new peaks of buffness.

—

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Pardon the terrible audio quality, there was an overload on one of the USB ports and it messed royally with the Audio, subsequent episodes won’t be suffering from the same problems.

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

This is the Session Zero of our (relatively) new D&D campaign. While the setting is a homebrew, there’s sure to be enough D&D staples to satisfy most everyone!

Linda is playing Astra, the Tiefling Wizard
Daniel is playing Unger, the Gnome Cleric
Toby is playing Alder, the Gnome Accountant
David is playing Getherin, the Dragonborn Fighter

Chris is the DM.

Download the episode here!

Keep rolling!

Big props to darren-curtis on Soundcloud and to tabletopaudio.com for supplying free to use music. If you’re playing DnD, or any other fantasy RPG, I strongly suggest checking out their music!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

After last episode, Chris got a bloodied tooth for Planescape discussions and invited Idran over for a round two.

This time we’re going to zoom in on five different factions of Sigil; The Bleak Cabal (“Madmen”), The Fated (“Takers”), The Mercykiller (“Red Death”), The Revolutionary League (“Anarchists”) and the Society of Sensations (“Sensates”).

We discuss some of the factions’ histories, their core tenets and their Factols as well as trying to draw parallels to real life philosophies and exemplars of them; Including Rick & Morty!

So sit back and enjoy the show!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

Download the episode here

Hi everyone!

This episode is a bit special. After a lot of discussion, we decided that brother Angus and brother Aleberus are going to be taking an extended vacation as we sit down and have a proper session zero. Since Johan expressed some interest in GMing, he’ll be taking charge now and Chris will have a chance to play as well.

Hopefully the Astartes Battle-Brothers Javert, Clotus and Bannus (and Donatus) will prove more steadfast against all the horrors the Grim Darkness of Warhammer 40k can throw at them.

Join us for the latest episode of the Deathwatch RPG Actual Play with music by http://www.sybridmusic.com and http://www.tabletopaudio.com

As usual, if you have any comments or criticism, we’d love to hear from you! Especially tell us how to play deathwatch because, honestly, we’re fucking up a lot ;D

The Deathwatch RPG, Warhammer 40k and all related content is copyright Games Workshop.

If you want to be an NPC in our campaign, let us know over twitter using the hashtag #swederolling. We figured #jointhefray was just a teeny bit too generic for our taste, so we picked something more akin to what we do.

Hope you enjoy today’s episode of Swede Rollers’ Deathwatch RPG Actual Play, and keep rolling!

We also have a Discord server where you can find us and other fans of the show. Just follow the link for the server: https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

Please follow us on:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters

Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/

Download the episode here

Brother Manius has fallen.

The proud Ultramarine Librarian fell against the hated Tyranids, yet his death has only bolstered our heroes’ determination. Now they face a Genestealer Broodlord, the mastermind behind the Avalos uprising and the harbinger of greater foes yet to come.

Will the bold Deathwatch Space Marines Brother Alaberus and Brother Angus stand fast against this xeno menace, or will they join their battle brother in death? Will this new arrival, Lorken, prove a liability or will the fires of battle forge him into a weapon worthy of the Adeptus Astartes?

Join us for the seventh episode of the Deathwatch RPG Actual Play with music by http://www.sybridmusic.com and http://www.tabletopaudio.com

As usual, if you have any comments or criticism, we’d love to hear from you! Especially tell us how to play deathwatch because, honestly, we’re fucking up a lot ;D

Brother Aleberos of the Crimson Fists is played by Fredrik.

Brother Manius of the Ultra Marines is played by Johan.

Brother Angus of the Storm Wardens is played by Toby.

The Deathwatch RPG, Warhammer 40k and all related content is copyright Games Workshop.

If you want to be an NPC in our campaign, let us know over twitter using the hashtag #swederolling. We figured #jointhefray was just a teeny bit too generic for our taste, so we picked something more akin to what we do.

Hope you enjoy today’s episode of Swede Rollers’ Deathwatch RPG Actual Play, and keep rolling!

We also have a Discord server where you can find us and other fans of the show. Just follow the link for the server: https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

Please follow us on:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters

Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/

Hello dear viewers!

Joining us this week is Idran, Chris’ old GM, who is here to fill us in on critical Planescape lore. Planescape, the planar setting for D&D up until 3.5, is a very well-developed, heavily philosophy/ethos focused campaign setting that allows you to play… well… pretty much anything in the planar setting.

You could be from one of the Material Planes like Faerun or Dragonlance, or perhaps you’re from the Outer Plane of Law, or Neutral Evil!

The point is, the planes are some of the most creative and exciting ideas in D&D history and Idran’s here to lay down the groundworks of why it’s so great that 5e is (more or less) going back to it.

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

So your latest character just died and the GM expects you to have a new one done by the next session… what do you do?

Well, we’re here to help you out! We discuss character creation on the other side of the dice. We look at how your character’s past, present and future can be tools for you to use to further develop your roleplaying. We discuss NPCs, morality and the way you can play an archetype without being a stereotype.

We also discuss how the game’s story can matter if you roleplay in the MMORPG, and how the storyline of the game can actually limit your prospects if you’re adherring to canon (which we discussed in an earlier podcast).

We also venture into popular culture phenomena discussing everything from Call of Cthulhu to Homestuck and their influence on youth culture within the next couple of years. Overall it’s a hodgepodge of different themes and subjects in relations to character creation.

Finally, and perhaps more importantly, what do you want Out of Character? This can sometimes be ignored, but it is crucial for the game that you, the player, enjoy what you’re playing!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the episode here

In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future, There Is Only War.

Having sent their message, the Space Marines of the Deathwatch pursue their prey into the sewers of Avalos.

Despite their wounds, the three Astartes show neither fear nor reservation in their hunt and soon come upon a threat that may just be too much, even for them. With the aid of Techpriest Idran, they may perhaps stand a chance, but will brother Manius, brother Angus and brother Aleberus come out alive, or will the genestealer threat overcome even these perfect warriors?

Join us for the sixth episode of the Deathwatch RPG Actual Play with music by  www.tabletopaudio.com

As usual, if you have any comments or criticism, we’d love to hear from you!

—

Brother Aleberos of the Crimson Fists is played by Fredrik.

Brother Manius of the Ultra Marines is played by Johan.

Brother Angus of the Storm Wardens is played by Toby.

—

As usual, the music from this episode is by Sybrid Music. Check out his awesome stuff on YouTube or on http://www.sybridmusic.com.

The Deathwatch RPG, Warhammer 40k and all related content is copyright Games Workshop.

If you want to be an NPC in our campaign, let us know over twitter using the hashtag #swederolling. We figured #jointhefray was just a teeny bit too generic for our taste, so we picked something more akin to what we do.

Hope you enjoy today’s episode of Swede Rollers’ Deathwatch RPG Actual Play, and keep rolling!

—

We also have a Discord server where you can find us and other fans of the show. Just follow the link for the server: https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

—

Please follow us on:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters

Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/

Dying in a game is par and course when it’s something like Dark Souls or an MMORPG like Final Fantasy XIV. But in a Tabletop Roleplaying Game, the stakes may be higher. You’ve put time and effort into your character and they are, most likely, -your- character. You wrote their backstory, you rolled up their stats and you played them for all those sessions. So when Death comes a-knocking, it’s perhaps even more painful than it should be.

So how do you deal with death in a RPG? And what kind of situations might give rise to that happening? Well, as per our usual answer, Session Zero might be the first step. If every player is on the same page in regards to dying then it might be easier to work it in.

Death doesn’t have to be the end either. Plenty of RPG campaigns have involved trying to resurrect or otherwise bring a fallen comrade back to life. There are also plenty of built in rules for resurrection, reincarnations and, of course, undeath. Liches exist for the sole reason to live forever as undead mages after all!

Some games are even built around Death as a major factor in it. Games like Eclipse Phase or Paranoia have worked it into both the setting and mechanics in an interesting and creative way. So in many ways, PC Death, or even TPKs, can leave a huge impact on the remainder of the campaign.

A question a GM should ask themselves too is what purpose does Death serve? Unless you want to slap in the players’ faces that Death comes easy and without purpose, then, like in most stories, Death plays a major part in any story. It’s not a small change, it’s a huge impact!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the episode here

Interested in roleplaying in MMORPGs? Then here’s a brief introduction on what it’s like!

Join us as Andreja breaks down how she roleplays in Final Fantasy XIV, a game which has no official RP Server yet has some of the most vivid and deep roleplaying among MMOs today. Andreja has been part of a lore-focused roleplaying guild on Balmung for years now and she breaks down how the roleplaying community has grown and how it has branched depending on people’s needs and expectations.

Just how do you implement the game mechanics in roleplaying? How can raiding be part of a story and how much emoting is too much emoting? How does elements like housing, gear, level and crafting work into the greater weave of a story? Fashion, after all, is one of the strongest motivator for a roleplayer and games like Final Fantasy XIV offers a lot of options for the fancy RPer. Especially gear that binds on pickup are highly sought after since doing a raid is probably the only way to get access to them.

While the mileage of the RP Quality may vary, it’s a fact that you have your own avatar in the game that acts and speaks the way you want them to. This is certainly an advantage for someone who might feel awkward or otherwise be limited in their ability to face-to-face roleplaying. It is a fact that we base a lot of our assumptions of another person on visual input so having your avatar look the way you want them to for other people really is a strong enhancement to your roleplaying.

Let’s not forget that Game creators go out of their way to implement roleplay-enhancing features in their games. Hidden areas, housing and things like that exist on some level as an enhancement to the immersion and aesthetics of the game.

One of the strangest features for MMORPGs is, however, that in a lot of ways you don’t really need a GM. The game does the mechanics for you, after all, and the role of storyteller is regularly shared between roleplayers. Collaborative storytelling is a very strong element of MMORPG RPing.

Then you have games like Eve Online, which blurs the border between Roleplaying and Real life to a strange point. A game that uses economy as a cornerstone of gameplay certainly encourages players to do things that usually goes with economy, like, say, piracy. Or long-cons.

Finally we do a little aside to talk about the importance of body language and emoting in games to reinforce the emotions behind the text you’re conveying.

So if you’re ever on Balmung and see someone from AEON or LUCKY, give’em a wave and a thumbs up!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the episode here

In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future, There Is Only War.

As the dust from the genestealer slaughter settles, the three warriors, Brother Angust, Brother Manius and Brother Aleberos waste little time as they pursue their goal; the safeguarding of one of the Imperium’s valuable Agriworlds. The bumbling lord Thorsholt has no idea of what is coming, and if the Tyranid forces cannot be stopped, then the Achilus Crusade, already beset by misfortune, may well fall to the forces of Darkness.

The situation on the planet is dire enough that urgent reinforcement is needed and together these Deathwatch troopers seek out the Astropath to deliver the portent of this planet’s impending doom. One can only hope that with the message sent, it will arrive before it is too late.

But there is tension boiling between the three; Angus left Manius and Aleberos behind to pursue their target, yet as he left the fight turned to worse and Manius lost an arm. Will they be able to look past this, or will this small crack in their trust become the rift that tears Kill Team No Mercy apart?

Listen and find out.

—

Brother Aleberos of the Crimson Fists is played by Fredrik.

Brother Manius of the Ultra Marines is played by Johan.

Brother Angus of the Storm Wardens is played by Toby.

—

As usual, the music from this episode is by Sybrid Music. Check out his awesome stuff on YouTube or on http://www.sybridmusic.com.

The Deathwatch RPG, Warhammer 40k and all related content is copyright Games Workshop.

If you want to be an NPC in our campaign, let us know over twitter using the hashtag #swederolling. We figured #jointhefray was just a teeny bit too generic for our taste, so we picked something more akin to what we do.

Hope you enjoy today’s episode of Swede Rollers’ Deathwatch RPG Actual Play, and keep rolling!

—

We also have a Discord server where you can find us and other fans of the show. Just follow the link for the server: https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

—

Please follow us on:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters

Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/

Salutations!

Who here hasn’t at least heard about Faerûn? Or as it’s more commonly known, the Forgotten Realms? And if you’ve ever played World of Warcraft, you’re certainly familiar with terms like Azeroth, the Sunwell or the Forsaken. And what Warhammer 40k player doesn’t know that the Red ones go faster or that Horus betrayed the Emperor?

Canon means that’s it’s pre-established; this is the setting as it was intended by the creators. Every roleplayer and GM will sooner or later have to put themselves and what they’re playing in relation to established Canon; are they following it or breaking new grounds and, if so, how much do they differ?

RPGs have a complex relationship with canon when, after all, most games these days tell the GM outright to forge new and untrodden paths; to explore their own realm of imagination unfettered by what the game designers made for them. Yet there are so many rules and limitations in your typical RPG that it’s almost impossible to ignore Canon completely. And the more you learn about it, the harder it is to keep out of mind whenever the GM pulls a rabbit out of their hats and goes against what you all thought was established canon.

TV-series, movies, comics, books, everything can be said to have canon, and if it doesn’t explain something well enough, Fanon will usually fill in the blanks. This can of course lead to hilarious arguments about whether or not something is proven canon (For more on this, cf. The Internet. Literally all of it.).

In this episode Max, Andreja, Toby and Chris discuss how they relate to canon in RPGs; ranging from video- and computer games (cRPG) to more traditional Pen & Paper RPGs. We discuss everything from FFXIV’s Miqo’te naming conventions to the Dragonborn of Skyrim and the NPCs of Forgotten Realms.

We also touch upon why some people consider canon important, and why it’s important to share a common idea of what is, and isn’t canon, so that eventual conflicts can be avoided. As usual, our solution is a solid Session Zero, but even if you’ve already started, it might occasionally be useful to sit down as real life people and discuss these issues with each other.

Why do people Roleplay their characters in Single Player games like Skyrim? Why do we strive to create some kind of framework for our characters in games that are essentially our own, personal experiences? And why do so many homebrew RPG settings fall flat early on?

We even touch upon Homestuck, specifically the carapaces of the comic and the very narrow field of Fanapaces and roleplaying in Midnight City, the backdrop of the Homestuck Intermission.

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the episode here

Having secured the PDF Forces’ base in Avalos City, the Deathwatch Kill Team No Mercy spares little time before they head towards the next objective in the fight against the clock. Lord-Governor Thorshold has gravely misappropriated the Armed Forces of the city during the uprising and it is up to Brothers Angus, Aleberos and Manius to see to it that he ceases his shortsighted strategy.

But what of the Tyranid forces they encountered on their way here? A vanguard for something worse? The Tyranids may be fast approaching, but the three Deathwatch Space Marines have little time to consider the matter as the survival of a World vital to the Jericho Crusade lies in their capable hands.

In today’s episode, Tyranid Genestealers descend upon our stalwart champions of humanity, yet they too shall face the fury of the God-Emperor’s Angels of Death! None shall stand before the gathered force of Ultramarines, Crimson Fists and Storm Wardens. Is a Genestealer Cult behind the Uprising on Avalos and, if so, how could it had been allowed to grow this massive?

But, as the title implies, betrayal lurks just around the corner, and what consequences shall come of it? Find out in today’s episode of Swede Rollers : Deathwatch!

Brother Aleberos of the Crimson Fists is played by Fredrik
Brother Manius of the Ultra Marines is played by Johan
Brother Angus of the Storm Wardens is played by Toby

—

As usual, the music from this episode is by Sybrid Music. Check out his awesome stuff on YouTube or on http://www.sybridmusic.com.

The Deathwatch RPG, Warhammer 40k and all related content is copyright Games Workshop.

If you want to be an NPC in our campaign, let us know over twitter using the hashtag #swederolling. We figured #jointhefray was just a teeny bit too generic for our taste, so we picked something more akin to what we do.

Hope you enjoy today’s episode of Swede Rollers’ Deathwatch RPG Actual Play, and keep rolling!

—

We also have a Discord server where you can find us and other fans of the show. Just follow the link for the server: https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

—

Please follow us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swedefighters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters
Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/

Session Zero is a term we throw around left and right, but what is it actually?

This week on our RPG Podcast we have Martin and Daniel as guests, both weathered GMs with very different ways of storytelling and running a campaign. Together with Chris and Toby, they ruminate on what is essential for a session zero.

They touch upon many different aspects of Player and GM interaction; character creation, NPCs, player agency, player character development and inter-character conflict. Your character has a flaw that you think would make for good RP? Tell your GM! Your campaign is supposed to be about some farmers leaving their old homes behind to become heroes? Tell your players!

How do you, as a group, create a cohesive narrative? Is it necessary? And how can you make it an enjoyable experience? How do you take advantage of the PC’s background in building the story and how can players build their own story by learning more about the other PCs? About the NPCs? This kind of network-building helps create a strong, coherent story that helps immense the Players into the game and allows for richer and more varied plots!

A tried and tested tool for character development is a questionnaire. Martin goes into detail about how to, and how not to, write some questions to post to your players before the game properly start, as well as some advice on how to answer these questionnaires too.

Chris also goes into the surprisingly deep well of roleplaying opportunities in Deathwatch, and how even a game that is centered so much on action-focused gameplay still offers several different ways to develope your character in surprising directions.

And what would one of our podcasts be without some D&D bashing? Chris mentions the rather shallow background system for D&D (which, of course, still serve as a foundation for character development) and compares it to games like World of Darkness that counts NPCs and other forms of abstract character networks as actual resources.

There’s also talk about NPC creation in general. How to build a stable of supportive characters that exist not necessarily to progress the storyline, but to add to the depths and believability of the setting as a whole.

Overall this a conversation going deeply into the Meta of RPGs. Our systems are probably not the best, and there’s some banter about it, but if you’re a fledgling GM looking for aide in making your first campaign, or even a seasoned Game Master looking for some fresh inspiration, this might be the Podcast for you.

We’re all passionate about Roleplaying Games and we hope you feel like this at least entertained you, if it wasn’t educational. If you have any suggestions or pointers, feel free to let us know in the comments below!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Greetings Rollers! I’m excited by the great prospect of once again introducing you to the DaVinci/Cog-punk setting of Varangia, Martin’s homebrew world that has more layers than a pancake-cake!

In this episode, we’ll talk about the many and powerful Elvar houses, we’ll cover the plethora of Guilds and Councils that rule this urban fantasy. We’ll get acquainted with cults and religious orders, ethnical communities and, of course, the sewer workers. The noblest and most rewarding of professions.

We’ll tell you about Varangia’s unofficial national dish (Seagull Mousse), the not-so-secret Indigo council of Espionage and Intelligence, why the house of Koth is feared and why it makes sense to have a guild of Mercenaries.

Whether you’ve found interest in the setting, or if you’re looking for inspiration for your own fantasy city, we’re sure you’ll find this podcast much to your pleasures!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

For more on Martin’s Varangia setting:

Alright, so let’s say your players aren’t down for your usual linear dungeon crawl. It happens to all of us. At one point or another, people just get tired of bashing in progressively bigger monsters’ heads and want to try something else. Maybe they never want to leave Neverwinter, or perhaps they think that the Lunar Habitat of Clever Hands is the only place for them?

Well, if that’s the case, you’ve got a very different campaign on your hands. A sandbox kind of game is, well, if you’ve played GTA you should be familiar with the concept. A (relatively) open world, constrained only by geographical borders, in which there are a multitude of options to pursue. Perhaps you’ll be an investment banker, or maybe a train robber? Whatever you choose to do, the game needs to present you with a reasonable amount of challenge and, hopefully, some kind of in-universe logic to it. At least that’s how we’d explain it.

A Sandbox RPG isn’t much different. It merely means that you, the GM, need to sit down and think: “Okay, how do I make this world living?” You’ve already been doing that with the monsters populating your dungeons, or the people in a town. There’s a few key NPCs or Monsters who influence the rest of the NPCs/Monsters and whom the PCs have reason to interact with. Now you just need to think bigger.

Martin explains his way of creating a world like this in today’s episode, which covers everything from organized crime to merchant houses, workers’ unions and much, much more. You’ll find, after listening to this, that even bureaucracy and libraries can be used to your advantage in order to make a rich, inspiring setting for the players to romp around in.

Why not have them play Tax collectors in a High-fantasy city? Or perhaps Plumbers and Sewer Workers in a labyrinthian system built and designed thousands of years ago? A system that only works because of these brave women and men’s tireless sacrifice and effort to keep the Sewer Gators in check.

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not check out our YouTube Channel or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G?

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

For more on Martin’s Varangia setting:

Download the episode here.

Choosing a direction, Kill Team No Mercy head towards the PDF Base, minds set on acquiring a vehicle to expediate their traveling around the city of Avalos. Brother Angus contemplates a career as the Kool-Aid mascot, Brother Manius suffers from Carnifex PTSD and Brother Aleberos stays frosty. As always.

But when they arrive at the PDF Fortress, they’re met by a siege. Will they be able to break it and free the besieged forces of the planet, and will they be able to find more clues about what corrupting influence has brought the people of this world from the Emperor’s light?

Time is precious for these three Deathwatch Space Marines as they have to plan their course of action carefully. Will they prioritize finding Inquisitor Manchot, or will they attempt to save Avalos before it can sink even further into chaos and rebellion?

With the Tyranid threat as near and imminent as it seems, it is a race against the clock to save what can be saved and to abandon everything else. In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future, there is Only War!

—

The Rule Talk continues (somewhat) in the thrilling conclusion of the first recording session. Having found their bearings, Toby, Johan and Fredrik devise a plan of procedure in order to achieve their objective.

If you want to be a named NPC in our game (survival unfortunately not guaranteed), just tweet at @Swedefighters with the hashtag #jointhefray, or let us know through any of our social media accounts, or even on our Discord channel!

Space Marines, Deathwatch, etc. are trademarks of Games Workshop.

Finally, once again a shoutout to Sybrid Music for letting us use his amazing music. Go check him out on http://www.sybridmusic.com

Please follow us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swedefighters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters
Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/ubmyEW

In this week’s podcast, we sort of continue on last week’s topic, but also veer a bit in on the personal side.

You’ve all heard us talk about how RPGs have made us more able to talk in front of crowds, to improvise and countless other lateral skills, but what exactly is it improving? And how?

And how can you improve even more? We delve into the realm of playing outside of your comfort zone, of taking on characteristics that are bad in a controlled environment.

In many ways roleplaying can be like theatre; it explores persons and personalities that you find abhorrent. Of course, it doesn’t have to be just that, it allows you to step into the life of someone you’re not, good or bad, and make decisions that in real life would carry much bigger repercussions.

So what’re you waiting for? Give it a listen and see for yourself if you agree with us!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the pod here!

So you just got a group together, you’ve rolled up your characters and the GM screen is up. Time to Adventure!

Except 30 minutes in you realize half the group are on their phone, the other half is in the kitchen making nacho plates and somehow, magically, the third half (don’t question it) is paying attention to the GM. How did it get there?

Or what about that group where there’s always at least 25% of the group missing? No matter how many times you set the schedule, somehow someone always forgets or double books it.

This podcast might not fix flakey players, but we hope it’ll give you some inspiration for how to settle in into a group and style of play that suits you. Max, Johan, Toby and Chris give their takes on what group works and what don’t, how to play online and offline, good systems, apps and generally promoting self-care when it comes to roleplaying.

If you enjoy friendly banter and relatable roleplaying experiences, this is the pod for you!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

But once the dust settles, the questions arise. Who’s actually leading the PDF on Avalos and where is the Lord-Governor? And what of Inquisitor Manchot and her retinue? …And why hasn’t the Astropath Bailey sent out a distress signal?

With the Tyranid threat as near and imminent as it seems, it is a race against the clock to save what can be saved and to abandon everything else. In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future, there is Only War!

Download the pod here!

You guys requested more ruletalk and here it is! The previous session was just narration and now we get into the thick of it. With just the slightest bit of fudging from the GM to keep things rolling smoothly there’ll be plenty of dice rolling and (cut out) rule look-uping.

Massive shoutouts to /u/jareddm on the 40kRPG subreddit for providing us with the top-down map of Lordholm (renamed Avalos City for REASONS) and to the whole dang subreddit for being awesome!

If you want to be a named NPC in our game (survival unfortunately not guaranteed), just tweet at @Swedefighters with the hashtag #jointhefray, or let us know through any of our social media accounts, or even on our Discord channel! Perhaps you’ll be the one to join Cherry and Pannaco in the Deathwatch Annals!

Space Marines, Deathwatch, etc. are trademarks of Games Workshop.

Finally, once again a shoutout to Sybrid Music for letting us use his amazing music. Go check him out on http://www.sybridmusic.com

Please follow us on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swedefighters
Twitter: https://twitter.com/swedefighters
Tumblr: http://swedefighters.tumblr.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/ubmyEW

Salutations Rollers!

For today’s episode, we’ve got two (sort of) new guests, Johan and Max! They’re here to talk about Magic the Gathering which, if you didn’t know, is Toby’s forté. Together they take Chris, the utter noob, through most everything you need to know (and some you shouldn’t) before you begin to play Magic the Gathering.

Sure, they might be a bit light on the rule talk, but who cares about that when you can hear how Jace is pretty much Naruto, how Chandra is just about everyone’s Magic waifu and how Cthulhu & Co. ended up fighting a bunch of Draculas.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s a run-down of the different lands, how they play and what kind of personality they have, and there’s some talk about banned and/or forbidden cards, including a bondage elf that is 100 % real, you guys.

If lighthearted and fun discussion is your thing, then this is the podcast for you. Check it out!

Some links mentioned in the podcast!:

https://www.webhallen.com/se-sv/lek_och_gadgets/kampanjer/midweek_magic/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/itkmagic/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_QGiZa3YhY – Loading Ready Run

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

In this, our premiere episode, we’re introduced to Battle-brothers Aleberos of the Crimson Fists, Techmarine Angus of the Storm Wardens and Brother-Librarian Manius of the Ultramarines.

Together they form Kill Team No Mercy, recklessly abandoning first aid and medicine for more dakka! Did you catch that reference?

Download the pod here

Join our brave Space Marines as they journey to the planet of Avalos where reports speak of armed uprisings and a threat of dark and vile xenos masterminding it. Armed with bigger guns than any man should rightly wield, our heroes set out to eradicate both traitors and xenos alike, all without mercy and in the name of the holy God-Emperor himself.

…But first they need to get there! Will our stalwart Astartes survive a trip through the Warp, the Immaterium likened unto Hell, and the ensuing surprise attack sprung upon them? Listen… and find out!

Chris is the GM, Johan plays Manius, Fredrik is Aleberus and Toby is Angus. Martin provides some extra voice work and you, our dear listener, is of course the most important player in this week’s episode of Swede Rollers!

Swede Rollers is a bi-weekly podcast where we sit down and actually roleplay. In difference to Swede Rolls, which is about roleplaying, Swede Rollers is all about having some good old fun while entertaining you, the listener.

Since we’re just starting out, any feedback we can get is greatly appreciated. Please subscribe to us on iTunes and leave a review and a rating, as this goes a long way to keep us going.

If you want to be an NPC in our show, just tweet #JoinTheFray at @Swedefighters or join our Discord channel https://discord.gg/FAu2vVX

The music from this episode is Rise to Conquer by Sybrid. Check out his music on Spotify, or here on YouTube or http://www.sybridmusic.com

If you liked this podcast and want more, why not leave us a review on iTunes?

Download the pod here!

It’s a 40k-orama! This week, we’ll revisit Games Workshop’s scifi setting Warhammer 40,000 to put our focus on the Imperium of Man. Chris, Fredrik and Toby discuss the Empire(s) that came and went, the inevitable downfall of Man at the peak of the Dark Age of Technology, the collapse of civilization during The Age of Strife, the Emperor of Man’s eventual unification and strive to create a new, galaxy-spanning Empire, and the sudden betrayal by his most trusted Primarch, Horus.

Join us as we look at the multifaceted organizations of the Imperium; discussing the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Imperial Guard, the Inquisition and much more. Unfortunately, as is always the case, we can only touch briefly upon this massive subject, but if you want more then we highly recommend doing some research of your own. These videos provide the basic information you need to have a frame of reference as you dig through often-times conflicting fluff.

Let is also be known that we are, at times, wrong. We don’t rehearse ahead of time, and often we use the wrong name, confuse two pieces of information or just plain haven’t read up enough. If you catch us making a mistake, let us know in the comments!

This will, for now, be the last 40k-themed podcast for a bit, but if you’re still hungering for the Grim Darkness of the Dark Grimness, then I highly recommend you check out our bi-weekly Actual Play podcast, Swede Rollers! There, Chris, Toby, Johan and Fredrik play some goold old-fashioned Space Marines, solving problems through ultra violence.

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the pod here!

Hi everyone!

This week you can join Chris, Toby and our new guest, Fredrik, as we talk about a truly well-established SciFi setting called Warhammer 40,000, or 40k.

Something you will quickly discover while listening to this is that there is a lore in here that runs deep. Even with 30 minutes to go, the three barely manage to cover all the armies of the game, and that’s not even going in-depths with the fluff, which is the term used for lore.

There’s some talk about modelling, some commentary on sound (and unsound) business practice, and lots and lots of fanboying. If you’re a fan of 40k, please be patient with our rambling, and if you’re new to the hobby, have some tidbits to look up on the wikia! (and correct us with). We’d love to hear from you, even if it is to tell you we messed up!

Keep rolling!

If you enjoyed our podcast, why not join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/S8xMU7G

Come shoot the shit! Have fun! Do some memes!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the pod here!

Ahhh, Varangia. The crown jewel of cities. Nestled in the crater of a fallen meteor, this city of wonders have existed for hundreds of years, withstood countless attempts of invasion and has absorbed a myriad of cultures into its ever-expanding folds.

—

Join us as we talk about Martin’s homebrew Fantasy DaVinci-Punk Setting Varangia. We go through the history, geography, laws of society and some of the important events that helped shape the city into what it is today.

Even if you’re not interested in this specific setting, the advice and methods you can learn from Martin’s way of working things into his game are very valuable for your own homebrew settings.

If you want a very different take on fantasy city RPGs, this is the podcast for you. Leave your scrouples and reservations behind as you step into the deeply corrupt city of Varangia – Pearl of Cities!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the pod here!

Salutations!

This week’s episode has Linda guest us for the first time and together we discuss the fabled beast of Railroading.

Railroading is a form of gamemastering where the players aren’t able to influence much of the story and/or are forced down a specific road of events planned by the Gamemaster. Some swear by it, considering their game an interactive story for the players to experience, while others argue that it’s a different beast entirely where the players and GM together create a unique story that shouldn’t be “boxed in”.

No matter your view on it, both ways of playing bring with it its own set of advantages and problems. Join us as we talk about player agency, GM storytelling, cooperative results, online roleplaying, GM-free roleplaying and much, much more!

Download the pod here!

Hey there, thanks for joining us! This week we have a special treat, just for you!

With us in the studio is Daniel, a venerable guest and a GM of countless sessions who’s here to give you his take on classic Roleplaying Games like Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse, all created by the studio White Wolf.

Set mainly in the modern times, these games explore (un)life as one of these creatures of myth as they struggle and fight others and each other for power, influence or perhaps even a better future.

If you’re not familiar with these games, don’t worry about it! Daniel will guide you through the feel of it all, sharing his thoughts about how to best experience this dark, grim version of our world. Or is it that much different? Join us and find out!

And as usual, thanks to the Scouts of Sweden for letting us use their offices for our recordings!

Download the pod here!

We’re kicking off April with an episode focused heavily on giving you, the GM, some advice on how to organize and run your adventures. With Martin and Daniel as our guests, we talk about the importance of keeping an open mind when designing NPCs and Adventure-threads, peppered with memories of sessions past.

Can you leave it all up to fate, or should you be thorough in your planning? How do you sort your notes? How can you keep the illusion that you know what you’re doing all the while making things up in the back of your head?

These, and many more questions, we hope to answer in this week’s Swede Rolls.

Big thanks to Scouterna, the Guides and Scouts of Sweden, for letting us use their locale for recording!

Download the pod here!

This month’s last episode has Martin and Andreas returning to guest our show as we talk in length about the process of character creation.

We discuss the pros, and cons, of building a strong team of characters and debate the aid, or hindrance, stat-based personalities can be.

Comparisons are drawn between LARPing and Tabletop Gaming, and finally we touch upon what some players are okay with, and what others might not.

Big thanks to Scouterna, the Guides and Scouts of Sweden, for letting us use their locale for recording!

Download the pod here!

For this episode, Andreas and Louise guest as we talk about winning, or losing, in RPGs.

Can you really get something out of a spectacular failure, and is winning always a good feeling? Can RPGs be cooperative, or do they need a clear obstacle? And whose job is it to fill that role?

We discuss good and bad GMing and reveal a few bad memories from GMs who might not always have their players’ best interest in mind.

Big thanks to Scouterna, the Guides and Scouts of Sweden, for letting us use their locale for recording!

Big thanks to Scouterna, the Guides and Scouts of Sweden, for letting us use their locale for recording! The art in the background of this episode is from the game Pathfinder by Paizo and are used here in accordance with the Fair Use act.

Download the pod here!

The grand premiere of our podcast! This episode guests Martin who talks about the importance, or lack thereof, that dice and stats can play in your campaign. How important is it to stick to the rules and what fun is a game where you never have the risk of failure? And can you really flesh out a character from a bunch of numbers on a paper?

Listen and find out!

Big thanks to Scouterna, the Guides and Scouts of Sweden, for letting us use their locale for recording!!!