The Top Games You Need To Check Out at GenCon! (or order online)!

[@fcwesel7323]

Hey Professor, Floyd from GAMES PLUS here. Thanks for giving us the shout out. Much appreciated!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

You bet! I'll see you soon!

[@yippeethreeeight]

Man, I used to love going to Games Plus back in the '90s (when I had a gaming group).

[@ichiban5]

I spoke to Floyd when I went to Games Plus! Awesome guy!

[@fcwesel7323]

@@ichiban5 why thank you. :)

[@christopherhunt1957]

"Is he talking about Games Plus?!" I had to stop the video and back it up. "He is talking about Games Plus!" The best game store in the greater Chicagoland area. It's always a treat to shop or play a game there.

[@TrollLordGames]

Thanks so much for the shoutout!! We hope to see you at GenCon!!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I hope so too!

[@DirtyDwarf-u1r]

Hail! Trollzah!

[@spartaninvirginia]

Monsters, Fungi, murderous cicadas, and a spinesnapper? That sounds like regular Virginia.

[@Arcahnslight]

As a Virginian, they left out one very important baddie: the methomancer

[@trynda1701]

​@@Arcahnslight😂😂😂😂

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

@@spartaninvirginia literalled lolled

[@VhaidraSaga]

LotFP has some great books out this cycle!

[@Wesley_Youre_a_Rabbit]

Kobolds Ate My Baby! What a throwback, it was the first TTRPG I ever played. Back in 2011.

[@thedabblingwarlock]

Am I already old enough for the year I started playing TTRPGs to be a throwback year? I graduated college the year after that.

[@Wesley_Youre_a_Rabbit]

@@thedabblingwarlock lol I graduated college in 2013. We old.

[@thedabblingwarlock]

@@Wesley_Youre_a_Rabbit Eh? What's that? Me hearin' ain't what it used t'be. 😁 My sister's been calling me an old fart for years now. It's just starting to sting a bit.

[@DeficientMaster]

Awesome checklist for my first Gen Con! Hope to run into you on Friday Professor!

[@plixeon]

This was awesome, highlighting companies and booths is great. Thank you for this.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Silversmith70]

I remember wanting to go to Gencon in the 80's when I was a kid so bad, it was like a dream. I never did because it was so far away. I always imagined playing in one of the tournament modules with a pre generated character.. Kayen Telva to be sure!

[@thesonofdormammu5475]

I also dreamed of going. Then I moved to Wisconsin in 2003 just to find out that it got moved from Milwaukee to Indianapolis (2002 was the last year it was in Milwaukee). Needless to say, I'm still a bit salty about that.

[@ishotmyboss]

I finally got to play in a convention play test group once, it was surreal because I sat next to Devin Grayson and she was super nice. I was a fan of her Catwoman run at the time.

[@eldritchedward]

I went in 2000-2002. It was amazing. I was kinda overwhelmed, being the first time I visited the US. It was weird but also amazing and a great time. 2001 I even had two other Germans accompany me (well, one Aussie living in Germany, but still).

[@thesonofdormammu5475]

@@eldritchedward I'm super jealous of you, I missed it by a year! Glad you were able to go though!

[@eldritchedward]

@@thesonofdormammu5475 It was great. And personally I liked Milwaukee. Well, not the constant police sirens, but other than that I had fun. I was lucky enough to have inherited some money from my grandfather which allowed me to do this.

[@samdoorley6101]

Fate of the Norns! Man what a call-back. And I wholeheartedly agree, such an evocative game. As a side note, it was fun to see the energy you put into this video. Watching you was like watching a kid on Christmas day, all that energy and enthusiasm. I think that's one of the things about TTRPGs I love the most, the ability to inspire childlike wonder in all age groups. Great vid as always PDM.

[@rafauke]

So much enthusiasm and positivity in this video ❤

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks!

[@deanc7476]

This video alone hooked me into your content. You got yourself a new subscriber sir! Seeing all this makes me realize how much I’ve been missing all these years since I last played TTRPGs in the 80’s. I want to get back into this. The creativity of these folks is amazing and inspiring.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for the sub. PLEASE watch my Tomb of Horrors video! It's my best and a lot of other Dungeontubers make cameos.

[@wallacetrottier3654]

My favorite professor. I love you dude! Hope your health stays great

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for your kind words.

[@DMTalesTTRPG]

Next year I will be there, I hope. Symbaroum is a WILD game that’s a ton of fun to run. But it does need a revised edition to make the rulebook (which is stunning) more accessible. It’s organized a bit weird.

[@mateofantasma]

Great setting and incredible art. The book does need a revised edition, it is quite messy, yes.

[@marcclement6597]

cubicle 7 can be found at cubicle 2121, that's not confusing at all.

[@davidk8699]

I'm going to use the shadowdark game master screen for non-shadowdark games. It looks awesome, has a good hight (not too high) and the tables on the back side are useful for any game.

[@Judas_Iscariote]

Oh my!!! Professor, you are so happy and smile a lot in this video Thanks for sharing the good vibes. Love you!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Love you back!

[@sirguy6678]

Sounds like a fun weekend! Don’t forget to stop by the entrepreneurs alley- many of these new vendors are creating fantastic stuff you will never see commercially!

[@brianlouchen]

I’m DMing for the 1st time at Gencon. I won’t be able to make your gigs due to schedule conflict of my games so hopefully I’ll be able to see ya and say hello and grab a pic!

[@neil_chazin]

Wow Games Plus! I use to shop there when I was in High School, way long ago.

[@bobbyellis5006]

I'm running several games for Lurking Fears, including Symbaroum and Vaesen. Hope to see you there. I got to say hello to you last year for a quick moment. Hope to do so again, along with Seth. He is probably the TTRPG creator I watch the absolute most on KZbin, no offense.

[@willmendoza8498]

Not even going this year, but your enthusiasm is infectious!

[@levismith1719]

Thanks for the a heads up! So much to see it’s easy to miss the good stuff. 🤙

[@hariustherealking]

I am currently sitting next to your table at Harry and Izzy’s . But I don’t want to bother you, have a great con!

[@Tullowit]

Glad you are dropping by Troll Lords!! C&C is the game I chose for my players when we departed from "The Ampersand Game." I started playing in 1980 with the Basic set and then quickly moved into Advanced. C&C truly fits your description, and gives me the feel I had back in my early gaming days.

[@BobMorrisWI]

Iron Crown Enterprises! Old school hard core system. Rebooted in 2022 with Rolemaster Unified.

[@jarrettperdue3328]

Great coverage, thank you!

[@paddysparlor]

Thanks for the recommendations PDM. You should check out Horde Wars by Todd Blackwall while you’re at GenCon. It would mean the world to my friend if you get the time. But we know you’re busy. I hope you have a great time man! And thanks for the video! 🤘🥰🤘

[@watchtowerdragon7098]

Love this! I would be very interested in seeing how a starter/mini campaign runs for each of these systems.

[@Victor.Alteria]

I went to GenCon semi-regularly in my teens, and was lucky enough to get in on the ground floor of (the now defunct?) Gen Con East. I got used it skipping it when it became a corporate entity in bed with Wizards. This video makes me wish I would have made reservations this year since it seems that non Ampersand Games and third party accessories are the stars again. I bought my original Champions books in the 80s at a Gen Con, directly from Bruce Harlick and George MacDonald at the same time I bought my AD&D 1e DMs Guide from Gary Gygax, and Top Secret from Merle Rassmussen. They were all sitting at the booths, acting like gamers as well as game makers.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing.

[@baronvonswankenstein]

Gen Con is now owned by Peter Adkinson and was not part of the sale when WOTC was sold to Hasbro. Further, WOTC has stopped attending Gen Con. As the elephant in the room, they don’t bother with promotion at Gen Con anymore. So the lion’s share of game companies at Gen Con these days are independents. The only “corpo” game company would be Paizo. And, as far as I know, they haven’t turned evil yet.

[@Victor.Alteria]

@@baronvonswankenstein Agree on all counts.

[@valkyriebait136]

I appreciate a man with a plan to work the vendor floor. Gods know I have to do the same thing.

[@joegkushner]

ha! Love the call out to Games Plus. It's not close to me being in Chicago proper but I've been going there for decades.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Great store!

[@ericg7183]

Maybe I'll get to run into you. This will be my second year attending, the first was 2019. I'm definitely looking forward to the Kobold Press and Paizo tables, but I will definitely drop in at the Palladium Books table. I've been in contact with Kevin Siembieda off and on, in person, since 2001.

[@GhostManBrandonDDpre]

Organizing my pre-gens. Re-reading the most recent Stockholm Kartell release (Cut Purse). Got a grocery bag of "healthy snacks". Cleaning my car out and getting ready to drive nine hours Wednesday, so I get a good night sleep and start running in the Free League room Thursday at 9am. I will see you at 4pm Saturday.

[@sterlingpratt5802]

I've run games with Lurking Fears a lot in the past. Amazing group!

[@miageeked3486]

Great video. I love all of Dungeon Craft's vids! Wish I was going to GenCon but set aside my travel budget for MythicCon in NC. Was last at GenCon nearly 25 years ago.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I will be at Mythicon. Both are great cons for different reasons.

[@middlemonster]

I've been watching a lot of your older videos and I love your take on D&D, rules always feel like they get in the way. With your ideas, you only need one or maybe 2 books and only the GM needs to have read them. You actually need zero books, because of the SRD, or you're an experienced DM and don't need books anymore. I wonder if you have tried Genesys dice yet. The Narrative roll concept is pretty interesting. Instead of the GM assigning a number, they just hand the player a few negative dice, adjusting the challenge. I've yet to play it live. Plus, Genesys dice give you an additional way to reward players for creative thinking. If they come up with a near way of solving a problem, give them a boost dice as a reward. Or, if they are doing something very risky, you can give them a setback dice. I'm not even saying you need to learn the Genesys system, just understanding the dice themselves is enough to run a game without any rule books. That said, I grew up playing a LOT of WoD and Shadowrun, so I am a big fan of dice pools and Genesys gives you that. I've also always preferred wounds and conditions over HP. Just feels more naturual to say, you are bleeding from your arm, let me take a dice away from your pool, but in this case, you give them a setback dice. I had a thought about your rolling for ability scores system. Growing up, I always disliked it, just felt unfair. But if you really like rolling what about this idea? Instead of having each player roll their own ability scores, why not have each player roll once or twice depending on how many players there are? Then you tally the best scores and everyone gets them, putting them where they want. So instead of people having vastly different scores, everyone has the same scores, rolled by all the players. I also like the idea that players can shift their scores by one in a one for one pay off. With this system you can do the 3d6 rolls and not feel bad for the guy who rolls a 5, 10, 12, 6, 7, 4

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Yesterday I played Shadowdark with Kelsey Dionne and Baron DeRopp of Dungeon Masterpiece. Kelsey and I rolled up characters with 3d6, down the line and took the hp we rolled the first time (her character had 1hp.) TONs of fun! Her character died and mine lived--barely--but it was fun knowing my character could die.

[@TaberIV]

I love the Yellow Book of Brechewald! I haven't run it but it seems like a great Wizard School campaign

[@VhaidraSaga]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@commiedeer]

Went to Gencon twice, once in 2016 and once again in 2017 for the Starfinder launch... Was worth experiencing and worth going back to be one of the first that got a copy of Starfinder 1st Edition but I will never go back a third time.... Ultimately, it's too big, way, way, WAY too crowded, and unless you get insanely lucky like I did ONCE the second time I went, there isn't really anything to do unless you do really, really well at the "camping out for event tickets" mini-game that is frankly too much of a hassle. I almost cancelled my second trip all together because finding a room was turning to be a total nightmare between hotels double booking me, con attendees gaming the room lottery harder then the system for event tickets, and everyone fighting to avoid the airport hotels. GenCon NEEDS an attendance cap. But you'll get WotC to admit that the current design direction for D&D 6th Edition is a terrible idea long before GenCon will do that.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Gen Con IS crowded. No question.

[@HowtoRPG]

Thanks. Very enlightening. My list grows.

[@lexington476]

2:39 but we can definitely find Deathbringer baking artisanal bread 🙂.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I love bread!

[@ShaneKennedy-gt8nl]

Thank you professor dungeon master I love all your videos

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you kindly.

[@jeffgagnon1983]

I love into the odd! The writing is so clear and concise. I use this system on all settings for solo play since it's so simple I can play a party of four.

[@matthewmcguigan4293]

Terrific quick run through. I've never been to Gencon, but I hope to get to go at sometime in the future.

[@bluecarpettiles]

Some great shout outs. Check out the One Ring while you’re out Free League.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Will take a look.

[@uffdude2936]

That ampersand game.! 😂 I'm stealing that one!

[@bjornh4664]

Swede here. Your pronounciation of "Mörk borg" was perfect.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I was corrected, so i'm glad it's okay now!

[@GrayArmyGaming]

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1I wouldn’t sweat it-Swedish is impossibly difficult to pronounce!! 😂

[@bensdecoypoondummy1189]

Hope to bump into you there! Free league is my number 1 stop. Absolutely love all their games

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I'm running Blade Runner this GenCon. Can't wait!

[@scottmckay9049]

*stares from Scotland

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Sorry.

[@dganim9196]

have a great trip Prof!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks! 😃

[@AyarARJ]

The Blade Runner looks real interesting. Little something on how that went might be received well.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I'm running it and will do a review this fall.

[@jierdareisa4313]

I love ALL Dungeon Craft videos!!!! ❤

[@NiagaraThistle]

LOL I love the rando call out to Sebastian Manascalo, and i love his comedy too!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

He's vert funny.

[@Newt211]

I really enjoy this guy, I find myself wanting to listen because of his no nonsense critique of stuff. Thanks for telling it, like it is.

[@Vownus]

Thanks Dan! I'll be looking for you at the show (or hope to see you at the booth!) - TS Luikart (C7)

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

See you there!

[@northernlight8857]

Gencon is my Mecca. I am saving up to go there when the kids are grown up.

[@zompreacher]

Don't wait. Just do it now and take the kids

[@DirtyDwarf-u1r]

Love your stuff, professor. Heard about your health problems and I wish you a speedy recovery.

[@whangbar]

"No dwarves baking artisanal bread here!" lmao. I just saw a dwarf with a man bun weeping on your porch. They're sensitive these days. They drink kombucha, do yoga, aren't afraid to cry . . .

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL Dungeon Craft videos!

[@solowolf7418]

Hey Professor will you be at Gen Con on Thursday?

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I'm at GenCon now. Just played Azul.

[@edwardromero3580]

Nice. Thank you for your service.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

You bet

[@serendipitousmelodiousness]

Remember when this channel was about making tabletop dressing for minis? Love your work, Prof, it's truly amazing to have followed your journey all the way to celebrity status at GenCon... So awesome

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you! And I STILL do tabletop dressing. Check out this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGmWhX-nnZ2Iapo

[@jonarbuckle320]

I LOVE goodman games booth! I volunteered to help them (as well as run some games for them) so its awesome it was your #1 pick!

[@EsperRanger]

If anyone likes vintage toys there is a shop called South Side Toys in Franklin, Indiana that is great. My hotel was near there during last year's Gen Con. As for the con itself I also enjoy picking up older books at the R Talsorian booth. I can't make it this year but my sister is going so I'm asking her to look for the new Fabula Ultima books and a Lycoris Recoil trial deck from Bushiroad.

[@adammcclendon431]

Sweet run-down. GC is on my travel wish list

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Need to go at least once.

[@erickent3557]

Yer shit-eating grin at the start was positively infectious. Thanks for brightening my day!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Any time!

[@ichiban5]

Glad you gave Games Plus a shout out! I stopped in there for the first time in April while I was on vacation and they were extremely nice. We talked about Everyday Heroes. It’s too bad that I don’t live near them otherwise I would be there all of the time! If anyone needs ANYTHING RPG related, I would HIGHLY recommend these guys!! Their store had EVERYTHING when I went and they are great people. Have fun at GenCon!!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for giving them your support! And if you like Everyday Heroes, check out my buddy Ron's review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3-zXn6XibuFmc0

[@juauke]

Have a great Gen Con! I hope I can get to the US one day to enjoy one of those conventions!

[@thedabblingwarlock]

While I'll probably never go to GenCon, I am loving this video because of the cool stuff I'm finding out about or being reminded of. Also, Paizo's take on goblins starting with Rise of the Runelords is why I love goblins so much. They are just fun and wacky enemies. Their adventure paths are also good, though some are definitely better than others. Rise of the Runelords and Curse of the Crimson Throne are well worth checking out. I've not been enthused by PF2e. I passed on it largely because I felt that character creation was too rigid, and some of the criticisms I've heard have just reinforced that feeling. You have lots of options, but really only one option because the others just aren't effective. I liked the action system they implemented, but by and large I haven't felt the need to dive into the game. Pathfinder and Paizo will have a special place in my heart because they were how I got into TTRPGs and what I've played the most, but PF2e is not for me, I think. I love me some Midgard and Kobold Press! I have the PF1e and D&D5e versions of Deep Magic and the Midgard setting book as well as several other books for 5e. The gods have masks thing is one of my favorite things from Midgard and I've enjoyed the games I've played in that setting. Courts of the Shadow Fey would be a fun one to spring on your players, I bet. Their Tomes series is also great for homebrew, I think. If you haven't heard of them, Frog God Games is another good 3rd party publisher. They have a more old school feel. Rappan Athuk, Tome of Horrors, The Blight (think fantasy Victorian era London, if you haven't heard of it, Professor DM, I think you'd love it,) Bard's Gate, and a whole lot of adventures and modules for PF1e and D&D 5e. I keep meaning to check out both DCC and OSE. I really liked the preview of Dolmenwood from Necrotic Games that's based on the OSE rules. I am playing a very slow C&C PBP game. Made myself a paranoid, gaslit, gnome illusionist posing as an old halfling wizard. Shenanigans are ensuing as she tries to pose as a dead goblin and lure some of his buddies into an ambush.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Tizmanian]

Great review of Gencon must visits!

[@patrickclapp9898]

Thanks for the Mazes callout! See you at GenCon!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Looking forward to it!

[@travisbaggett2813]

I love all Dungeon Craft videos!

[@morbash82]

Games Plus is my LGS and they are fantastic!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Yes, they are.

[@BuckFu]

I’m not going this year but last year dcc had their handbook in paperback for like ten bucks.

[@Stray_GM]

Would have loved to go this year. I really enjoyed it last year which was my first time!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

It's a lot of fun!

[@RyanoftheNorth]

Great showcase! Love that you're running Blade Runner at the con... wish I could be there at the table!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Ran it for y group and they loved it!

[@Hamurator]

Have fun there!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks!

[@Xd12c]

I jumped on the Kickstarter for Mek Borg based on your review

[@CarlosRodriguez-dd4sb]

Have a terrific trip!!

[@irishthump73]

I still love ALL Dungeon Craft videos

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for your support.

[@jaybakata5566]

As a person that will never go to Gencon I still love this video by Dungeon Craft. Giving me information on new/upcoming games that I should check out, even if I can't do it at Gencon.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Glad to be of service!

[@zelbarnap]

Castles and Crusades is awesome!

[@zombie-phile]

Castles and Crusades is a fantastic system. Can't reccomend it enough.

[@ringo2715]

Kenzer & Co of Hackmaster and Knights of the Dinner Table fame will be on my list of visits this year. I'm a big fan of the comic and I want to check out Hackmaster they are at booth 1229

[@jasonnewell7036]

Vikings did use dice! I saw a viking board game at a museum exhibition, and they had dice, damn it!

[@TheWintersoldier84]

You're the GOAT, professor.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

@@TheWintersoldier84 thank you!

[@Wraithing]

Look at you rockin' the contact lenses and extra hairspray - Celebz DM! Enjoy that GenCon my friend. Hope you have a great time.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@Billchu13]

I got to learn fate of the norns from the developer and author. He's got a GREAT pitch for the game. Death bringer approved.

[@andrewburgess9578]

Couldn't agree more about Enemy Within for Warhammer. BTW Professor, if you haven't tried their "Rough Nights and Hard Days" adventure set you're missing out...

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing.

[@Ozblock1]

This was a great video, I watched it twice, so much great stuff. Wish I could go (I'm an Aussie)

[@theokogod6711]

I heard about Fate of Norns years ago and have been trying to remember its name ever since! Thank you for the reminder. It looks like new versions of the books coming out from what I found. I’d love to see if you did a video on them

[@palexanderrice]

Every time I see that goblin, I get jealous

[@elkornu8]

Awesome video!!!!! Game plus is always my fav booth to go to at GenCon

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

GREAT stuff!

[@71rwtd]

Thanks for the heads up Professor Dungeonmaster

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

You bet!

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

Woohoo, maybe one day 😊

[@colepivin3769]

Can't wait! See ya there!

[@ImperialVirtue]

I always learn something from the professor! Lots of great stuff to discover.

[@MrJHDK]

Really wish Talsorian would do a new edition of Caatle Falkenstein.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing.

[@bjhale]

Kinda makes me wish I were going, but man, is it expensive and crowded. As for booth recommendations, I heard that the Outcast Silver Raiders folks will have one again this year. Their game is up for a few Ennies this year and is totally worth checking out.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Will do!

[@myleft9397]

Great video. I'll definitely check out these booths. What do you think of the one that makes terrain for minis? It was a giant booth as soon as you walked through the main doors, set up with modular castles, etc. Looked amazing but pricy

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Dwarven Forge makes FANTASTIC terrain. The best. I occasionally feature it in videos and have a metric ton of it. In games I use my Ultimate Dungeon Terrain because it's cheap, easily transportable, and more versatile.

[@Ulfhamr-v7u]

I didnt think lotfp was still in production. Finding print copies seems like an arthurian quest goal

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Good luck.

[@VhaidraSaga]

They are putting out books multiple times each year. The books are still super high quality too.

[@jaysw9585]

It's a shame the new edition of Paranioa isn't getting any attention. It is so good and so much fun to run. They really did knock it out of the park with the new edition.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Seth Skorkowsy did the ultimate Paranoia review. I actually played the game this year.

[@jaysw9585]

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 he reviewed the old red clearance edition which had the cards and was absolutely awful to play. The new edition is the Perfect Edition and takes most the mechanics back to the XP edition.