What Would The Smart Party Do?

Mike Shea Interview a.k.a Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master It's the Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, or first time on the show for Mike Shea, also know as Sly Flourish on the Twitters. Mike's books about how to get the most out of the game prep and spend less time doing it have been an inspiration to many hard-pressed GMs, and the lads take a dive into his secrets and tease out details on how you can be smarter about your downtime activities while making your games at the table more awesome. Visit the Sly Flourish website for a plethora of articles and resources on GMing. Subscribe to the Sly Flourish newsletter for weekly D&D articles and the free Dungeon Adventure Generator PDF. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTu

Episode 144 - Games You Should Have Too In a continuation of last episode, the lads go through a veritable cornucopia of games that you should consider looking at, to round out your roleplaying chops. If you're looking for inspiration or fancy broadening your horizons, get your earballs round this episode covering settings, GM advice, adventure support, art & layout and much more! Johan Egerkrans is the Vaesen artist who went shamefully unnamed due to a memory lapse during recording! Be sure to check out his work. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 144 - Games You Should Have The lads have been listening to other podcasts and hearing their thoughts on systems, creating a Frankenstein's monster of a game etc. and reminded of all the sections they have done on particular parts of games. It seemed about time to draw some of this together and go through a variety of games people should have in their collections for a more well rounded view of the gaming world. So, get ready to draw up a shopping list as The Smart Party rattle through a bunch of mechanics and games you might want to purchase to make your gaming life better. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 143 - Shawn Tomkin Interview The lads get yet another special guest, Shawn Tomkin, creator of Ironsworn, who is currently in the process of bringing out his new Sci Fi game, Starforged. As usual, the boys get the inside scoop on design decisions and drill more into the solo play aspect, the dark art that is the Oracles and much more! Get more on Starforged at the Kickstarter page. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 142 - Mattias Lilja Interview The lads get another special guest this time, Mattias Lilja, co-creator and game writer for Ruins of Symbaroum 5E from Free League. They talk about the difference between the original game and 5e version, and what effect that has on design. Also, a discussion on probabilities in gaming and does everyone understand the statistics behind them? Find out more on Ruins of Symbaroum for 5E at the Kickstarter page. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 141 - Dennis Detwiller Returns (aka McReady From The Thing Drinking Scotch) The lads are delighted to invite back Arc Dream's Dennis Detwiller to talk about his latest project, Impossible Landscapes, helping out new RPG creators after reviewing 200+ products and hot new gossip about what's happening with Smart Party favourite GODLIKE, superhero roleplaying in World War II. Find out more on Delta Green at Arc Dream If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 140 - Influential Games (aka Chained Lightning) There are many games that influence the way we play. Some have become almost lifelong companions; some deliver a great idea to be stolen and used elsewhere. Baz and Gaz got through some of the influential games that shaped their gaming and talk about others that perhaps defined parts of the roleplaying zeitgeist. Settle in for a classic episode discussing a good old fashioned RPG muse. Maybe pour yourself an Old Fashioned to go with it? If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 139 - 90s Magazines(aka Fool's Gold) Good friend of the show Dirk the Dice off of The Grognard Files is a guest this week, to talk to the lads about gaming in the 90s; a period when he was in the "deep freeze" and away from roleplaying games. RPG magazines from that storied decade are all he has to go on as evidence of gaming back then, and so Dirk presents our hosts with assumptions to be debunked, or otherwise. If you want to know more about the Grognard Files you can find out on the website here. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 138 - Jonathan Tweet - Everway Interview(aka Right Turn Clyde) Good friend of the show and veteran game designer Jonathan Tweet returns to talk to the lads about the 25th Anniversary Edition of Everyway, his diceless mythic roleplaying game. There's also chat on Over the Edge, Ars Magica, Glorantha and where Magic the Gathering came from! If you want to know more about the Kickstarter you can find this here, the game looks gorgeous now and is well worth a look. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 137 - Francesco Nepitello Interview(aka You're My Sam Gamgee) This time, internationally recognised game designer Francesco Nepitello joins the lads to talk about the upcoming second edition of The One Ring. He is an author of roleplaying games and thematic board games, like Lex Arcana, Zombicide: Chronicles and Age of Conan, reaching international recognition with War of the Ring - and uses this experience to inform a new TOR edition. If you want to know more about the Kickstarter you can find this here, it's fun just watching the money rack up and stretch goals being smashed! If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities!

Episode 136 - Baz is Back(aka What Are You Playing?) After his forced absence, enjoying listening to the show for a short while, our Baz is back in the office and talking games. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 135 - Role+Play+Game(aka I Want to Roll Dice in the First Half Hour) Due to the plague, the lads have drafted in a Stunt Baz for this episode, but it's a goodie! Guy Milner off of the Burn After Running blog joins Gaz to talk about rolling dice and all elements of the Roll plus Game plus Playing hobby. Some top tips on using dice in your games and what to think about before you even start. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 134 - Final Podcast ...of the Year(aka D&D Doesn't Work for 10 Players Online) It's nearly time for the year Mad Max takes place, but as we drive on fumes for the end of 2020, the lads get Mat Hart from Steamforged games along to talk about the state of the hobby, Kickstarters in a curious year, his new Epic Encounters and the trials and tribulations of gaming online. With some added tentative hopes for the future sprinkled in. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 133 - Skills(aka Show Me Your Penumbra) The lads talk skills. Have we got them, do we need them, where did it all start and has it gone horribly wrong? From the good old days of 8% in detect / disarm traps, to the feat and abilities, what use are skills in RPGs, if any? If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 132 - Jon Hodgson Interview(aka Some of These People Have a Strong Throwing Arm) The lads talk to home-grown talent and head of Handiwork Games, Jon Hodgson. From his great work as artist and art director on The One Ring, to writing, game design with his 9 year old, and many other hats, this wide-ranging discussion covers writing, designing, art in games and more! (Including Frankish kings and their bee fetish.) If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 131 - It's a Kind of Magic (aka Have You Spelled it Right?) Magical energies suffuse the 'cast this time as the lads discuss magic in gaming. Sure, you can have mystical power, but at what price? How have the different iterations of D&D handled magic and did they get it right? All this and more awaits your summoning spell. If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you!Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartpartyTwitters: twitter.com/the_smart_partyEmail: thesmartparty@hotmail.comKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartpartyPatreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 130 - King Arthur Pendragon (aka Can You Play From the Perspective of a Horse?) Good friend of the show and line developer of King Arthur Pendragon, David Larkins returns, to reveal what's been going on at Chaosium with the latest edition on KAP, how the company is doing in new normal and new kickstarter about an old product. An increased focus on honour as well as glory, refined rules, new art and more are revealed. Roll for the Winter Phase and see if your wife, and more importantly your favourite horse, survive! You can discover more for yourself in the links below: If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_party Email: thesmartparty@hotmail.com Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartparty Patreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to develo

Episode 129 - Fights Too (aka The World's Most Complicated Initiative System) Back by popular request, both of the show's glorious listeners got in touch to say they'd like to hear more on fights in RPGs. Well, The Smart Party are here to please. You can discover more for yourself in the links below: If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_party Email: thesmartparty@hotmail.com Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartparty Patreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 128 - Fights (aka Back in Black) Did you look at my pint funny? Roll for initiative! After a few games of Feng Shui 2 recently, the lads have thought about fights in RPGs. Is it necessary for combats to occur? Do they go on too long? How can you make them more interesting? All this and more, this episode! You can discover more for yourself in the links below: If you dig actual plays and reviews of played modules, check out the new YouTube channel. Get in touch, the lads love to hear from you! Facebook: facebook.com/thesmartparty Twitters: twitter.com/the_smart_party Email: thesmartparty@hotmail.com Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thesmartparty Patreons: patreon.com/thesmartparty We always welcome lovely reviews on iTunes or elsewhere too. If you're less keen, give us a shout, we'd are open to development opportunities! :)

Episode 127 - Reviewing GM Advice (aka "I'm the Unknown Stunt Man") There's plenty of GM advice out there in roleplaying land, but what about advice on the advice? This time on the 'cast, Gaz is joined by the Lee Majors of roleplaying, Dirk the Dice, from the Grognard Files Podcast to discuss sources of GM advice. From the ancient tomes handed down by Gygax himself, to the latest hot takes from blogs and the internet, our scholarly heroes delve into the dungeons to bring out the shimmering gems of golden advice. You can discover more for yourself in the links below: Robin Laws has given many talks and written several documents, including Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering Sly Flourish (Michael E. Shea) wrote The Lazy Dungeon Master (and return thereof) James D'Amato has several novels, including The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide Gareth Ryder Hanrahan is an excellent RPG writer and is often giving out advice on the Pelgrane Press website. Greg Stolze's "How to Run Roleplaying Games" and many other resource