Whether it’s a fortified castle, secret bat-cave, spaceship, or even a humble basement office, the right lair can give players a secure home, strategic advantages, and powerful story opportunities. We'll discuss how to introduce lairs meaningfully—through conquest, inheritance, or rewards—and explore the narrative and gameplay possibilities they open up. From maintenance headaches to hidden vulnerabilities, discover how lairs can enhance your game’s depth and provide unique challenges. Tune in for ideas on designing memorable player lairs that feel like home, enhance storytelling, and enrich your RPG adventures.

Level Up Your Lairs

In this episode, Mark and Ben discuss the power and pitfalls of dice in tabletop RPGs. Dice introduce suspense and uncertainty,  becoming the "third storyteller" at your table. Dive into Dice 101, and discover how probability affects the stories you tell at your table. We discuss the implications of averages on test rolls and effect rolls, and share storytelling tips for handling skill checks, group rolls, and damage calculations. Different dice mechanics can shape narratives in different ways, so we talk about techniques for adjusting rolls—static modifiers, advantage, exploding dice, and meta-currencies—to keep the suspense high and the story engaging. Tune in and get ready to master dice probability, balance your gameplay, and discover how you can let the dice help you tell your story.

Playing the Odds

In this episode, we dive into a crucial topic for every GM—how to handle and resolve conflicts within the group. From differing expectations about the game to personality clashes and in-game character disputes, conflicts can arise in many forms. We'll explore common sources of tension, like combat-focused players vs. storytellers, rules disagreements, and even external life stressors that spill into the game. Learn how to manage conflicts as the GM, from listening to players' concerns and helping them reach a consensus, to knowing when it’s time to make a hard decision to preserve the group. By the end of the episode, you'll have strategies for de-escalating conflicts, rebuilding group dynamics, and ensuring that your sessions remain enjoyable and inclusive for everyone involved.

Conquer Conflict

In this episode, Mark and Ben explore the exciting and collaborative world of co-GMing—trading off gamemastering duties with a friend. Co-GMing offers a way to prevent burnout, combine creative strengths, and make storytelling even more fun. We'll discuss the importance of working with the right creative partner, dividing things up, and tips for how to kindle that creative synergy. With a good Co-GM, you can work on big, ambitious campaigns and do things together that would be difficult as a solo act. Tune in for practical advice on how to co-GM successfully, with ideas for building a dynamic partnership and creating a memorable campaign that benefits from two brains, two perspectives, and a whole lot of creativity.

Double Your Dungeonmastery

In this episode Mark and Ben tackle an often-overlooked but emotionally rich aspect of tabletop RPGs—romance! While romance in games can feel intimidating, especially with its potential for awkwardness, this episode breaks down how to handle it with care. From setting boundaries and ensuring player consent to avoiding cringe-worthy moments, they discuss strategies for making romance an engaging and respectful part of your storytelling.

Learn how to approach romance with NPCs and fellow players, balancing humor and sincerity to create meaningful character development without derailing the plot. Mark and Ben also dive into the potential pitfalls, like unwanted advances or overshadowing the main story, and offer tips on maintaining clear communication at the table.

Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on how romance can enhance your RPGs and add depth to your campaigns while keeping things fun and respectful for everyone at the table!

Roll for Romance

In this episode of Tabletop Tune Up, learn how to borrow the key elements of pulp storytelling to add thrills and chills to your games. Pulp is a style of storytelling distinct from the 1930's time period it is often associated with. Pulp stories tend to feature powerful, virtuous heroes, dastardly villains, exotic locales, and high octane over the top action. As a storytelling approach, pulp influences go beyond the 1930's adventure and detective fiction to include the science fiction of Flash Gordon (which inspired Star Wars) and the fantasy adventures of Conan the Barbarian. So try a little pulp in your next game and let us know how it turns out! You can reach us with Tune Up ideas at tabletoptuneup@gmail.com. To learn more about the Lester Dent Storytelling formula, click here [https://mysteriouspress.com/blog/the-lester-dent-pulp-fiction-formula.asp].

Power Up with Pulp!

In this episode, Mark and Ben dive into the art of trash talking in tabletop RPGs—without crossing the line. They explore how to effectively use banter to create excitement, foster camaraderie, and raise the stakes during gameplay. Learn how trash talk can engage players between sessions and heighten drama during key moments in the game. Learn how to keep the fun light-hearted, respectful, and engaging, ensuring it boosts everyone’s experience. Tune in for tips on using trash talk to fuel your sessions and keep your players on their toes.

Talking Trash

Whether you’re a GM striving for harmony or a player finding your niche, achieving balance can be the key to a memorable game. We break down the different ways to define balance, from party composition and individual capabilities to fitting challenges within encounters. Learn how to manage balance in both one-shots and campaigns, adjust as your game progresses, and make sure all players have a chance to shine.

Balancing Your Party

In this episode of Tabletop Tune Up, Mark and Ben dive into the world of NPCs and how to make them memorable in your RPG sessions. From serving the story and building the world to helping manage time and providing fun moments, NPCs are essential tools for GMs. Learn how to give each NPC clear motivations and how to craft personalities that play against typical archetypes. Discover the power of visuals and quirky details to help your players connect with NPCs, and get tips for expanding the role of memorable characters who might steal the spotlight. We’ll also discuss common pitfalls, like overloading players with information or overshadowing their characters. Tune in for advice on how to create NPCs that resonate with your players and add depth to your game!

Enhancing Your NPCs

In this episode of Tabletop Tune Up, we discuss the fun and creative process of finding your character's voice in RPGs. Accents and vocal choices can add depth to character portrayal, and voices can be a memorable extension of a character’s story. You don't have to be an experienced voice actor to be really expressive with your voice, and we talk about how to incorporate voice work effectively without overdoing it by using inflection, speed, volume, and vocabulary to create memorable moments with your characters. We also talk about how to avoid common pitfalls like stereotypes or overuse of accents at your table.

Finding Your Character's Voice

Here's a podcast for you, the rpg gamemaster (or dungeonmaster). Join your hosts and GMs Ben Dyer and Mark Lehman as they give you the short-form tips and tricks on how to make your rpg adventures easier for you and more fun for everyone.

Theme music by Suno, cover image by Dall-E.