A 2023 Retrospective in TTRPGs - Lazy RPG Talk Show

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of slyflourish.com
Video Contents
00:00 Show Start
01:11 DM Tip: Adding Free Monstrous Menagerie Tokens to Owlbear Rodeo
07:55 D&D & RPG News: CORE20 RPG Playtest
10:47 Patreon Spotlight: 5e Artisanal Monster Database
14:53 Commentary: A Look Back at 2023
40:31 Product Spotlight: Sly Flourish 2024 Calendar
41:51 Patreon Question: Best Adventure to Learn Shadowdark RPG
44:13 Patreon Question: Using The Books We Buy
46:27 Patreon Question: When Will You Run Drakkenheim?
49:03 Patreon Question: Leaving a Game Gracefully
52:08 Patreon Question: Dealing with Missing Players in Character-Focused Adventures
53:57 Patreon Question: What To Do with Players of Dead PCs?
Links
Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter
slyflourish.com/subscribe/
Support Sly Flourish on Patreon
/ slyflourish
Buy Sly Flourish Books:
shop.slyflourish.com/
Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie tokens (affiliate link)
www.drivethrurpg.com/product/...
Owlbear Rodeo
www.owlbear.rodeo
Owlbear Rodeo Tutorial Video
• Owlbear Rodeo for Lazy...
CORE20 Blog
core20rpg.wordpress.com/2023/...
CORE20 Playtest Download
drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Lazy DM 2024 Calendar
shop.slyflourish.com/collecti...
#dnd #lazydm #dndtips #dmtips

[@captainhawdon937]

Mike is probably the most likable guy in the business.

[@jackdubois1512]

With guys like shaun and teos on MD its stiff competition. If they could collab on a dnd based guided meditation i think id be a calmer person

[@agilemonk6305]

Well that’s because Mike works hard to be kind and decent to anyone and everyone, and does his best to have his opinions, but not criticize others opinions. ❤

[@captainhawdon937]

@@jackdubois1512 Thanks for mentioning MD. It's right up my alley. I've heard Mike mention Teos often. I'm enjoying it so far.

[@mithren86]

Because he's your pal

[@thecrossroadstavern1447]

I would say Matt Colville but he’s getting out of the business eyyy

[@daxterwous]

About the "Patreon Question: What To Do with Players of Dead PCs?" section. When a character is rolling death saves, allow or prompt them to narrate short memories that are flashing before their eyes. I stole the idea from the Adventuring Academy. That way they have something to do and people get to know their characters more. Not every player might be interested in this, but it's cool to try. Id recommend giving people a headsup (so they dont have to be super creative on the spot) and give them short prompts to work with like "In this moment, your life flashes before your eyes. What is a fond or perhaps sad childhood memory? OR What is something you regret or are proud of?". Giving people two options to pick from allows them to choose how they want their character to feel, while still limiting the creativity that is required. The "What are you thinking right now" might be a bit too broad or uninspiring for some. Again, not my idea :)

[@stonerocks0]

Cool idea, thanks for sharing it!

[@FireallyXTheories]

Core 20, Fabula Ultima (which won two Ennie awards this year.), Cloudbreaker Alliance (good Kickstarter. Amazing mechanics sitting between tactical and theatre of the mind), DC20, Vagabond, MCDM RPG, Farsight, Shadowdark (I think that's the dungeon crawler one that came out?), Tales of the Valiant. 2023 was quite the year for TTRPGs! So many ones released and going into production. I especially enjoy the ones that don't use a DnD SRD or Cipher or PBTA or FITD, that do their own thing that I can't just homebrew into 5E or the other pregenator games of those "engines", because I've seen so many of them, they all blur together in my mind and lose their identity to me.

[@JunMiyazaki]

You left out a very important developement from 2023! The Lazy GM Creative Commons contents, which was a really nice move from you! Thanks and I wish a happy new year!

[@Benz74M]

Re- dead PCs: do have the player handle a NPC or monster's combat rolls; if resurrection is going to take a while for story reasons, you can make a "quick build" character of any given level on dndbeyond in a few minutes. Player can play that character until the one's they grew attached to is brought back. At session 0, you can players come up with two characters, with PC B brought in if PC A dies. Deep Magic 2 by KP has a spell that basically allows a dead character to stick around as a 1 hp ghost.

[@Keovar]

7:33 - If you add a numeral or letter to the end of the first token's name, the additional ones you drag out from it will have an incremented alphanumeric character. That's been very handy, but when I have a little more time, I give my monsters funny names, generally puns and/or cultural references. Zombies: Robert Zombie, Sid Viscous, John E. Rotten, Brian Damage, & Tenacious Z. Owlbear: Winnie the Hoo Harpies: Deborah Harpy, Sh-Ril Crowe Sea Spawn: Swim Shady, My Cousin Finny, Marlin Monroe, Sharkira, Physh Styx, Krillex, Salmon & Gar-Fin-Krill, Call Me Fishmael, & Wanda

[@SlyFlourish]

Wow!

[@razorchuckles]

I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when I see a new upload from Sly Flourish

[@reneesteeves3698]

An awesome positive talkshow to kick off the new year! Thanks for this week’s instalment. Looking forward to 2024 🎉

[@derekchamberlain3729]

Thanks for the OwlBear tips. It was great to learn how to import tokens, and where to get them. Loved all the news and Q&A as usual, too.

[@ffunkddup1]

Great as always. Happy New Year

[@vintagezebra5527]

Thanks so much for a year of great RPG discussion and content. I’ve checked out so many new games and products based upon your highlighting or recommending them. Each of your shows always has awesome, down to earth, actionable advice. At a time when I’m slowly purging my subscriptions of overly negative, hyperbolic, or clickbait-y “creators”, your weekly videos remain a highlight. I appreciate your moderate, upbeat approach and the fact that you come to each video from a place of loving our hobby. Happy New Year!

[@solaries3]

TOR's Moria book was also a $1 million+ Kickstarter. Huge amount for an expansion to an existing game.

[@searchforsecretdoors]

Great way to start the new year. Thanks for always reminding me what I love about RPGs, Mike!

[@benfletcher5696]

Happy new year! Really looking forward to seeing a more complete City of Arches.

[@gregcampbell2977]

Thanks Mike! Enjoyed your content in 2023. Happy New Year and best wishes for 2024.

[@kingsfan2099]

I have been running games in Arches and cannot wait to have a hands on version.

[@Jibcutter]

Great vid. The Crowdfunding list looks similar to one I could dream up. I’d maybe add Break! to the list.

[@gmanbo]

Here for the ride

[@Deadshot15]

Thanks again for another great episode! I picked up a calendar from the store and got the A5E monster tokens from DrivethruRPG. That combined with all the Patreon stuff is fantastic. I think your point on the 2024 Core Rule books is accurate. However, is fine what we should be hoping for? If they are the ones bringing people into the hobby shouldn't they be the standard bearer for quality? At any rate, for those in the hobby is is a golden era of content with so many creators putting out great products, yourself included. Happy New Year!

[@dukejaywalker5858]

The Level Up Monstrous Menagerie is a big step up from WotC's MM. I got the PDF, but it's so useful I'll probably get the physical book too.

[@stewi009]

Regarding dead or downed characters, this is my approach: For downed/unconscious characters I don't really do much of anything. As you alluded to yourself, it's usually only a round or two and then they're back up. In Shadowdark (at least in my limited experience so far) it's more like they stabilize in one or tow rounds but stay unconscious for the fight. However, fights in SD are really fast, especially if the DM (me) remembers to roll morale checks for the monsters, and I generally let the unconscious player "come to" within a single crawling round after the fight ends. Realistic? Maybe not, but it keeps things moving. For DEAD characters, the big rule of thumb is to get their new character (or temp character, if we're expecting resurrection) back into the game ASAP. We can lean on from classic tropes, like "they find a prisoner in the next room" or "you take over this henchman and gain a class level," or we get creative by using the fact that magic and zany adventures are real in this world. "Your new character teleports unexpectedly in front of the party, having just consumed a magic mushroom." There are random tables for reasons why a new character appears, which I sometimes use. Whatever it takes, just get them back in the fray.

[@nickroth1906]

On the question for what to do with downed players. Just spit-balling this idea: On their turn have the player describe a memory with one of the other characters in the party. This is kind of a flashback playing in the head of the character that is up. That memory then sparks some inspiration in that character providing some benefit. Maybe it's an actual point of insprition as 5E uses it. Maybe it's some temporary hit points or movement speed bonus. Just something to boost the party member a little bit. For this kind of thing I would definitely tell players ahead of time and use it to encourage roleplay between characters so they have a bank of memories to use.

[@joshuabrown-clay4858]

I didn’t hear you mention Blood and Doom in your rundown of new TYRPGs. It didn’t do as well on Kickstarter but I really like the swords and sorcery, cosmic horror aesthetic and the art direction. Here’s hoping that’s another great one!

[@xxTerraPrimexx]

I have changed up dying to this instead (I use Grim Hollow rules for greivous and permanent wounds as well so dropping to zero is not great). Bu to avoid the skip your turn I changed things up and have found it fun so far; When you are reduced to 0hp, you begin dying. Whilst dying the following apply; You have the Helpless condition to attacks that are made within 5ft You are Disoriented, Unresponsive, Prone and Slowed (Can't concentrate on spells, can't take reactions, typically moved speed is 5ft) You cannot cast levelled spells All d20 tests are made with disadvantage, death saving throws and ‘play dead’ are made as normal unless specified otherwise by the DM. You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saving throws. In some instances, should a spell or effect require you to be unconscious, you may be affected by it if you have the dying condition at DMs discretion. You cannot consume potions, but you can be fed a potion as normal. You may, if you wish, attempt to 'play dead'. Make a constitution based deception check adding your proficiency bonus if you have that skill, versus the opposing creature's insight. Be warned some creatures might want to start eating you… I am actually a fairly big believer that the DM should avoid "the skip your turn" mechanics, as even with turn times being 3 minutes a player, you still end up potentially waiting 15-20 minutes

[@garryame4008]

I am really enjoying my copy of Forge of Foes! It's incredibly useful, especially for instantly dropping an improvised monster

[@SlyFlourish]

Awesome!

[@connors7078]

Hi Mike. I am from Australia and backed Forge of Foes. I have not yet received it. (I just finished typing this and then you said it was still shipping to some areas, so eagerly awaiting :D).

[@ikaemos]

Yesss, an A5e campaign is up next! When it came out, I wasn't too hot for Level Up because of its similarity to 5e - I think I had expected some grand reimagining. Nowadays, I have other systems for that, but when I get the hankering for something 5e-like, A5e is my go-to. It's a subtle improvement in most aspects (e.g., rules wording, monster design), but downright transformative in many others (classes, proficiency dice, maneuvers, etc.). It leans on the crunchier side, which might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is mine. EDIT: Oh, and the best thing about it for me - it has a permissive license similar to Pathfinder's, which means that almost all A5e content is available in Foundry for free. This isn't much of a draw for people like Mike, but I like VTT-support and some light automation. At the very least, I wanna be able to drag features, feats and abilities out of a compendium and onto a sheet, instead of having to copy it by hand. You can't do that for 5e anywhere without shelling out a massive sum, at least not legally.

[@jacobvardy]

I really like A5e. The slight increase in crunch is worth it for the combat maneuvers alone. They vastly improve melee characters. Last session a player used a clever combo and got her berserker three sequential crits on an enemy boss.

[@epee11c]

I give players agency, but that's because I've developed my own system. When a player goes down, they aren't unconscious, they can still crawl around and the like. If they would die, they can choose to: 1. Die 2. Write a powerful being a blank check in exchange for their life (GM chooses being) 3. Take a lasting injury that takes a month or more to heal. The players have liked this a lot and, contrary to my expectations, haven't taken the blank check option. There is no resurrection magic in my game.

[@GateKeeperPat]

CORE20 player creation makes me think of Fabula Ultima's progression

[@zionich]

My local game shop had an end of year blowout 25% off everything, so I picked up Ebberon, Van Richten's Guide, and Fizban's Treaury of Dragons. I wanted to make sure I got the evergreen books that I can always use. Dragonlance has been a game that I have not like running as written. My first campaigns were Dragon of Icespirepeak, then Curse of Strahd, with some homebrew adventures in there. Dragonlance has taught me I do not like the standard pear shaped structure of other WoTC adventures. I much prefer a more open game.

[@johnhume1]

I'm happy to keep spending my time and energy on Shadowdark, Knave, and others, but I've continued to follow the OneDnD playtest changes, and it looks to me like they're pretty consistently making small but significant improvements to the classes, subclasses, and spells that will make the 2024 version of the game more fun than the 2014 version. The only addition that worries me is Weapon Mastery, because of the possible impact on speed of combat.

[@LUZ_TAK]

Happy sun revolution Mike and folks! Any way I can mass import the tokens into Roll20?

[@millersj]

Re: What should players do when they're down. This is a great justification for sharing character sheets. I primarily play online, and 5e's inventory management is just flat out garbage. Let's admit it. No one tracks inventory because it's not fun. As a result of this, players will forget they have items in their inventory, even magical items. I have character sheets set to shared among all of them so they can all see each others' sheets. If a character drops, we establish death saves, and I allow a little metagaming and offer them an olive branch. Take a look at the other character sheets and see if there's anything they can do to help the party, or help the downed player. It does result in a little bit of backseating if gone unchecked, but I can't tell you how many times someone will say "Hey, have you forgotten that you have this 'wand of fixing the current situation' in your inventory?" and the other player will facepalm because they forgot.

[@frontendchaos]

I've been following the Core20 stuff, and have to say that the font used in the headers is very bothersome for my eyes (jagged uneven letters). Somehow I missed that it's classless/level-less... I'll have to read more closely, that feature is interesting to me.

[@Otaconsps]

I personally can't wait to run Frostmaiden. I know it gets a bad rap because it's more sandboxy and doesn't hold your hand as much.....but I think there's more than enough content there to make a super engaging campaign if you're willing to really make it your own. The themes are really appealing to me but I get where having to do more of your own work is a turn off to lazy DM types ;)

[@sumdude4281]

I'm hoping we see indie game folks do adventures to support Shadowdark and MCDM. Everyone is doing their own rule sets and campaign but we need more high quality designed adventures for system XYZ. On other notes, the character driven campaigns are great until someone intricate to the story drops out or is missing games. This is where OSR TSR/Western Marches delves shine. Same thing with character death, retainers, etc. In OSE your character dies you might have another, or you've hired retainers. You run a retainer.

[@ttprophet]

When players are downed at my table we each take turns spanking their bare bottom with a belt, then they have to put there nose in a corner alone in a dark room and not talk while holding hands akinbo. There, they must stay in solitude and think about their own mortality, and the infinite loneliness of nothing, forever, while we continue to laugh and have fun in the other room. Some cry. Some protest. Some panic. All show up next session. lol

[@ikaemos]

Sounds like a fun time. Maybe not so much the existential dread; after this last half-decade, that feels like porridge to most people. But hey, free spankings!

[@dylanblack3635]

In regards to the D&D movie, what likely hurt it was blow back from the Wizards fiasco that had'nt quite cooled yet. Personally, I don't think we need D&D movies. Instead, we need well written fantasy movies. This was a well written fantsy movie and if they had done what was suggested by others and had it named "Forgotten Realms: Honor Among Thieves" it might have done better, simply because it would have been different enough that it would have gotten some curiosity. The thing that infuriates me more than anything is that Hasbro has so many IP's that they just let sit fallow because they believe that people will only recognize one or two. Brand recognition will kill companies like Hasbro (and Disney and WBD and Paramount) than anything. You can only go back to the same well so many times in a row before it goes dry.

[@ttprophet]

Question: are international products written universally from the ground up? And does this affect WotC with Hasbro as an international brand? I think about this often with Netflix. I find the stories and plots lack a certain localized nuance; often generic, and bland. And i think that is because it is more profitable to bring in a larger audience worldwide than it is tell an amazing blockbuster story that could only resinate with a particular country. I'm curious if Hasbro has landlocked D&D content in not only an international bubble, but all ages bubble as well, and in losing their edge they may have appeased their stockholders, but may have shot themselves in the foot long term. Watcha think mike?

[@ltbaxter]

Maybe I'm too old school, but if a PC dies, they can reflect on what they could have done better, or pick up the PHB or other book and do some reading. Actions have to have consequences if the game is to have any meaning. If there is access to Revivify, consider themselves lucky.

[@Pasta__Lover]

Dang level up is only pdf. I like physical books.

[@SlyFlourish]

They have physical books. enpublishingrpg.com/collections/level-up-advanced-5th-edition-a5e

[@Pasta__Lover]

@@SlyFlourish sweet thanks 👍

[@rynowatcher]

I do not see why a player being out for a few rounds is a bad thing. Never thought to solve that problem; kind of messed up if the party is ignoring you while you are making death saves over and over again. Sounds like a problem the party needs to talk over more so than a rules thing.

[@alessandroford1591]

Idea for dead players. Have them come over to the GM side of the screen and take control of one or several of the foes that the PCs are fighting against. This also means you have to spend less of your own mental processes to keep complex combats going.

[@ericnull3470]

If a player dies during the game, they make a new character. Pretty simple. If you want them to be involved, then they can play an enemy character or make the enemies rolls so you don't have to and so they, as a player, are still involved. Characters should die. They should always die. No threat of death... whats the point of the "game" side of any role playing GAME. If there is no risk of failure... just sit around a fire and tell a story. Why bring rules into it if players can never lose.

[@fraqtl]

Mike, you keep saying you'd like WotC to do this or that to bring more people into the hobby, like their only value is to bring customers to third party creators. It's not their job to do that. If it works out, it's great but every time you go on about what you wish WotC would do to bring hobbies into the game, you aren't really talking about the hobby, you are talking about the business of third party creators. WotC isn't the hobby. Third Party creators aren't the hobby. The people who sit at a table are the hobby. Most of the things you've been rabbiting on about for most of the year haven't affected the vast vast majority of the people who play. They are the hobby. Talking about the business of the hobby is a perfectly reasonable thing to be talking about of course but please stop conflating "the hobby" with "third party creators".