Biggus Geekus
By Joe Hardin and Randy Nichols
Biggus GeekusMay 19, 2021
Cabin Con 18 Review
We discuss Cabin Con18! Also many lesser issues.
Is That Monster Good Eatin'?
This week we talk about what an adventurer might do with a monster corpse. Eating it is just one option.
Notes to follow
DnD has too much class ... It only needs two.
This week we discuss why DnD only needs two classes ... maybe three.
Tickets for Big Geek Con 2024 on sale now:
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
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Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Intra Party Strife
notes to follow
Hirelings & Henchmen – Tools of the Trade or just Tools?
Episode 184 Streamed Live Tuesday March 26, 2024. (R)
Catch-up from the past week
This past Friday 3/22/24 we live streamed Horde Wars Ultimate Campaign – much death and much miraculous recoveries. The Priest/Acolyte was, as always, One and Done!
Hirelings & Henchmen- Tools of the Trade or just Tools?
https://oldschoolroleplaying.com/henchmen-and-hirelings-in-dungeons-and-dragons/
Henchmen: is a better grade of hireling. While money may still be a motivating factor for them these are permanent retainers or allies for the player characters. They are sidekicks.
Advantages
Gives use for the hard-earned coin.
Allows for PCs to feel like big shots and build up to Domain play in an organic way and at lower or the lowest character levels.
Challenges
Who plays these NPCs especially if there is many of them? Additional burden on the DM???
How do you stop them from becoming fodder or “trap detectors”?
How do you handle these characters leveling up? How long will the follow the characters? A PC is level 5 and a henchman is level 4…does the boss-worker dynamic change?
At what point would it be ok to have a BBEG convince one of the hirelings/henchmen to turn on the party? Kill them in their sleep?
How do they/did they work throughout the editions?
Story Mechanics in TTRPGs?
Bennies, Re-rolls, Narrative Control, Hero Points, Fail Forward, Success with a Cost …others?
Yes, no, maybe, always good, sometimes good , never good?
How do they aid play? How do they hinder?
Big Geek Con 2
September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+
Parents must be with their children at all times. We are not baby sitters.
Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also we are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
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On the Web:
Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Magic items, What are they good for?
We talk about the magic items in our games and what, if any, good they are. Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale!: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 $30 for 3 days! Sept 20 - 22 Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw 4960 Towne Centre Road Saginaw, MI 48604 https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Our Links: PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Advancing Your Game
This week we talk about advancement in your game, and how you might change it up. We also discuss Dune movie presentations. So watch out for spoilers!
Big Geek Con 2024 tickets are on sale!
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024
Support Our Show!
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also we are on all the social, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
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On the Web:
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Monster Mash 15: Aberrations
Its a Monster Mash this week as we talk about aberrations!
Aberrations are creatures that cannot be easily grouped by physical
description. These beings are often amorphous and alien. From the
lowly mimic to the mighty beholder these nightmare creatures are often found underground or in the watery depths, seeking to devour or enslave. Sometimes both. Inspired in large part by the Cthulhu mythos, aberrations were part of early Dungeons and Dragons and have a place in many game settings and home tables.
BECMI/Rules Cyclopedia: beholder,that’s it.
1e: Beholder, Mind flayer, Ixitxachitl, and a lot
more https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Advanced_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_1st_edition_monsters
2e: https://adnd2e.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Monsters
3.x: https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/3e_SRD:Aberration_Type
4e: https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Dungeons_%26_Dragons_4th_edition_monsters
5e: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters?filter-type=1&filter-search=&filter-cr-min=&filter-cr-max=&filter-armor-class-min=&filter-armor-class-max=&filter-average-hp-min=&filter-average-hp-max=&filter-is-legendary=&filter-is-mythic=&filter-has-lair=&filter-partnered-content=f
Big Geek Con 2024 Tickets on sale: (Sept 20 - 22)
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, we are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus
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Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus
On the Web:
Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Online DnD Madness
This week we discuss many of the odd topics surrounding DnD spewing forth from the internet
Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Fixing DnD Part One
With the upcoming release of 6th Edition by WoTC and our ongoing desire for OUR DnD, we bring you some things you can to do to freshen up the old girl. This will be a recurring topic, offering new ideas or changes to previous ideas under this topic. This may (likely will) eventually depart from the old game and birth a new one.
Big Geek Con 2024 tickets on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials and video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Gygax vs Arneson: Battle Royale
Episode 178 Streamed Live Tuesday February 13, 2024 Main Topic: Who is the true Dungeon Master…Gary or Dave? A review of two documentaries: 1.) Secrets of Blackmoor: A Tue History of Dungeons & Dragons https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9301886/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl 2.) The Dreams in Gary’s Basement https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10621206/ Both movies painted their respective subjects in a good light Blackmoor for Mr Arneson’s part and Dreams for Mr Gygax. However neither treated the other’s subject in a bad light, letting the ages old schism remain in the past. Both mostly focused on the positive contributions each paid to our hobby. Secrets of Blackmoor went into great detail about how the tabletop RPG hobby sprung from war gaming, largely though Dave Arneson’s efforts. Dreams focused on Gary Gygax’s similar journey detailing the rise and fall of TSR and its eventual purchase by Wizards of The Coast. In light of these two documentaries, it seems the hobby owes it existence to both of these visionaries, though it is uncertain as to who gets top billing. At this point it hardly matters. Modules or Roll Your own? Modules/Pre-packaged Adventures Advantages: all encounters and stats done for you, plot ready to go, read-n-run (???), nice maps & visuals, and can dovetail with your own ideas(can even steal them from modules) and they can be fun to read. Disadvantages: may not fit your group, too railroad-y, costly($?), may need to shoe horn the current campaign/party situation into the adventure( Slavers series??/), politicization of games could creep in and long adventure paths/modules can be a lot to read and prepare even though it is all laid out for you. Rolling Your Own Advantages: easier to prep(theoretically), can react on the fly w/o worry of “messing” up the adventure, do not have to spend time reading, allows you infinite freedom and you can tailor it to your group from the start. Disadvantages: must make your own maps & prep time/write stats( ?), may need to use monster books/charts/random tables and “wing’in it” can result in non-sensical situations ( “ an aboleth, that doesn’t make any sense!”), inspiration can run dry, Big Geek Con 2: get ticket at - https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024 September 20-22, 2024/$30 for those who are 13+ Parents must be always with their children. We are not babysitters. Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw 4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604 +1 989 790 5050 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
When one Dungeon Master is not enough.
Tickets for Big Geek Con on sale: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2024
This week we discuss situations when you may need multiple DMs. Also the supposed Tencent issue.
Internet Meet Karen and Disheartening Dweomers
notes to follow
Divide, Divide, Divide The Hobby!
Episode 175 Streamed Live Tuesday January 23, 2023 Main Topic: Divide -Divide-Divide The Hobby! https://youtu.be/L9pDhntGoVY?t=30 (sample of the song “Divide” by Disturbed) Bravo Mr. Boivin: https://youtu.be/u20Wuj5gMY0 What is wrong with just accepting the natural division of folks in the hobby? (i.e., BrOSR, 4D, Basic DD 1st-3rd level, 3.X epic tabletop skirmish, Sparkletroll Barista D&D, etc.) Let them do what they want and screech about being Elite, who cares? Shouldn’t we all just try to be excellent to each other? Maybe we should try to be excellent in our chosen playstyle? Let’s be elite in our own preferred play style, if possible, whatever that may be. Can Big Geek Con begin to be the play we attempt to achieve excellence in our style of play? This may include some Gatekeeping, but only as it pertains to folks trying to horn in on your fun by bringing in some other style you do not enjoy or maybe do NOT want at your table. We can and should still nerd rage but try to pursue this excellence, if nothing else just for ourselves. If it helps others then so be it. Plus, it’ll be fun to debate who are the true elites of TTRPGS! More Settings & Adventures and Less Systems! Inspired by a Facebook post I commented on and then was commented on by the following: Bitty Jen(username on Facebook) “Respectfully, I’ll pass. As mentioned earlier, there are more than enough rulesets/variants/clones/combo-rewrites..etc etc But good luck with yours. What the community really needs are competent writers of modules/campaigns who don’t take themselves too seriously, and don’t try to reinvent the wheel with stupid gimmicks.” New systems are not bad may be but less valuable to some these days than new settings/adventures/modules/Pop-in Principles/System neutral. Randy: “I do not deny the gamer fascination and love of new systems/games, but I’d like to see ore settings a la Savage Worlds business model over WoTC and many others endless array of supplements then Rinse&Repeat for each new edition. System neutral is ,for me, superior since it will never require updates/new editions and will be evergreen. Experienced DMs would find more value from Adventures/Modules/Settings than new systems in general if they have a long running campaign…yes, I am speaking for them. Of course, some GMs like other game systems for cannon fodder. Now gamers, in general, cannot resist the new shiny, but in the realm of the OSR, it has been said many times...who needs another clone retro or otherwise? What about Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed/Evolved style ‘systems? Too much like retro-clones, I guess. But the monetary drawback is 1 DM – 1 purchase…how to monetize such settings and adventure modules to the players? What could a player be offered besides a new system?” Report from Big Geek Land Big Geek Con 2 September 20-22, 2024 Friday Noon-11pm, Saturday 8a-11pm, Sunday Noon-6p??? Considering get-together at the attached Uno’s Friday & Saturday 9pm till close to play, wind down, meet-n-greet. Location: Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw: 4960 Towne Centre Road, Saginaw, MI 48604 +1 989 790 5050 Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
What are the OSRs?
Episode 174 streamed live Tuesday January 16, 2024
Main Topic: What are the OSR’s of today? Old School Renaissance or Old School Revival
A little History:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_Renaissance
A couple of primers:
A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming (Matt Finch and Mythmere Games 2008): https://ia601802.us.archive.org/28/items/a-quick-primer-for-old-school-gaming/A%20Quick%20Primer%20for%20Old%20School%20Gaming.pdf
2. New OSR Primers (Lumpkin, Milton, & Perry):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VSa6hSvQAlyvkTfmqhix1Z2EoFJPR-CP/view
The Different Flavors of the OSR today
https://osrsimulacrum.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-historical-look-at-osr-part-v.html
“It was simply a rebirth of interest in old-school Dungeons & Dragons, specifically as its original designers intended it to be played. Its adherents had never entirely disappeared, but it was certainly a playerbase on life support for the longest time. Around 2007 began a renaissance, one that manifested in a variety of ways but at its heart was firmly rooted in mechanical compatibility with TSR-era D&D and a sharing of certain key design principles that went with those editions and the way their designers intended them to be played…”
The main four variants:
Classic OSR: The original wave. Has both compatibility and principles.
OSR-Adjacent: Some principles, some compatibility.
NSR: Principles, but not compatibility.
Commercial OSR: Compatibility, but not principles.
OTHERS:
FKR:Free Kriegsspiel Revolution
Numbers don’t add up to a game.
If the fiction fits, try it.
You play worlds, not rules.
https://followmeanddie.com/2021/10/02/fkr-free-kriegsspiel-revolution/
Great video by ben Milton of Questing beast for overview:https://youtu.be/d4lvrC3ZBzM
BRoSR:https://youtu.be/JIEW2r6deXs
“AD&D 1st edition with absolutely no house rules, do every single thing Gary told you to do." Also patron play / Braunstein where many
domain level characters that would be NPC are run by the players"
More annoying links:
1) https://jonmollison.com/2022/11/10/brosr-principles-a-primer/
2) https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/11/bdubs-essential-guide-to-patron-play.html
3) https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/07/jeffrogaxian-time-keeping-vs-variable.html
Live Character Creation
Let’s create a character with as many random rolls as possible using Horde Wars!
Random Geek-itude
Big Geek Con 2
Dates: September 20-22, 2024 (Times TBD)
Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw
Our Links:
Cash Support
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The BrOSR is Stupid ... and Timepeeping
Episode 173 Streamed Live Tuesday January 9, 2024 Main Topic: What time is it? Timekeeping in D&D What is the value of time keeping? Is it worth the effort? Abstract or precise units of time? Which version of D&D does this in the way you most prefer? What game does this in the way you most prefer? Campaign Level View: events in the world/region/city/base town, Holy days for religious orders, special astronomical events, magical confluences, others? Character Level View: spell durations, round durations, disease/poison duration, ration usage, light sources, aging process, stamina, rest & recuperation, and others? Consider: https://www.reddit.com/r/osr/comments/17qab2z/an_attempt_at_strict_time_keeping_records/ Too extreme? Adventure Level View: Dungeon mapping, dungeon crawling (real light sources/torches. Equipment usage, overland travel, time limits/pressure, etc/other? Player Needs: Time to play, time in between turns, breaks in play. Etc/other? BRoSR: https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/07/jeffrogaxian-time-keeping-vs-variable.html https://bdubsanddragons.blogspot.com/2021/11/bdubs-essential-guide-to-patron-play.html When Gaming Preferences become true Biases When you learn/see/try a new game, what sorts of preconceived notions/preferences may keep you from enjoying them or enjoying them fully? How might they influence how you play the game or even if you would even try to play it? 1. Genres: fantasy (dragons and wizards), historical, sci fi, horror, superhero, mixed genres, other? 2. Settings: homebrew vs published 3. Mechanics: die types, diceless, cards, built-in safety tools, others? 4. Companies: woke vs non-woke, TSR vs WoTC, other? 5. Editions: 1e vs 2e vs etc any game 6. Simulation vs Emulation vs Narrative As well as Trad games vs indie vs dungeon crawler’s vs OSR vs Modern 7. Play styles: RP-1st/2nd/3rd person, Adventure: sandbox, AP, modules, others? 8. The stereotypes associated with the game or the players of the game? Report from Big Geek Land Big Geek Con 2 Meeting Jan 15th to determine exact dates of BGC2. Likely September 20-22, 2024 Four Points by Sheraton Saginaw Shameless Plug Time: If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well. Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus Streamlabs: https://streamlabs.com/biggusgeekus1/tip Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BiggusGeekus On the Web: Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com Email: thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com Big Geek Emporium: https://biggeekemporium.com/
Gaming Resolutions and More! Potpourri with Patrick Once Again!
This week we discuss a variety of topics, including New Year's Gaming Resolutions, with Patrick of Pointy Hat Games.
D&D Discussions With David
notes to follow
Horde Wars Basic ... And Beyond!
Episode 170 Streamed Live Tuesday December 19, 2023
Main Topic: Horde Wars Basic and Beyond with Blackwall Games
We discuss Horde Wars with Todd and Nate of Blackwall Games. Horde Wars is a fantasy tabletop RPG that leans into a medieval European tropes to inform its design. This is mixed with other influences to give it a unique feel. It also relies on a combination of classes and skills that give players many combinations to choose from.
Many topics were covered:
- Where does the Basic game stand?
- What about the advanced version?
- How does Horde Wars facilitate campaign play?
- With so many games on Guilded, how do you keep motivated?
- Are you and Nate both running playtest groups?
- Are you and Nate going to Cabin Con #2
- How do you design monsters?
- How do you design encounters?
d12 days of Horde Wars! The Christmas Holiday Special giveaway!
We have given 9 away so far…Last 3 tonight!!!
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
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Fantasy Top Five
notes to follow
A Chaos Of Topics
Notes to follow
What makes a Challenging Game?
What makes a Challenging Game?
Episode 167 Streamed Live Tuesday November 28, 2023
Main Topic: What makes a Challenging Game?
CR vs random tables vs encounters to fit the ‘story’/adventure.
When does challenging become a meat grinder?
How can mechanics inform the challenge of a game?
Some examples for comparison:
DnD OSR : fairly random, expect that the ‘wilderness’ could produce almost any creature, no skill checks to challenge Player characters- proficiencies allowed for this to a lesser extent in later editions, combat dangerous to engage and sometimes players need to have superior planning and careful with resources.
DnD 3.X +: CR becomes a bigger thing, skills significant in 3.X, less so in 4e and 5e but big push to challenge PCs not players, combat usually lands in favor of the PCs especially if player skill is high enough to build a powerful PC.
13th age: skills more loosely defined via backgrounds, short of significant imbalanced encounter design PCs almost always win, very predictable combat if follow the patterns shown by the adventures provided by the game,
Savage Worlds: whole game is skill based, Pcs are heroes, but combat can be swingy
Rolemaster: critical tables cause the game to lean toward swinginess
Do you prefer games that are run so that they challenge the character more than the player or vice versa?
Some additional thoughts on magic systems
Joe:
Using 1e ADnD magic as a base, add the following:
Spell/Magic/Mana points Use an activation check (may replace a save*)
This is a alternate to having a magic phase in combat:
Divide spells into categories: Invocations (combat cast), Incantations (may be interrupted) , Ritual (not for combat)
Attack roll instead of saves as much as possible, one roll even for AOE. Use saves for spells that control or deceive, such as charm, sleep, etc.
Consider Entangle: An attack roll represents the plants initial grasping of targets. Anytime someone enters after the initial casting gets an attack roll as well. Magic attacks are based on caster’s magic stat with bonuses at higher level. Miss will mean the same as a save did.
Randy:
Prefer spells be re-written completely & would like more evocative names. Coarsal’s Conflagration (common parlance- Fireball)- think of it as a nod to Vance.
Might combat spells be automatically cast ( i.e., no disruption), but debuffed a bit so that they do not dominate. EX: Lightning Bolt: less damage, but still affect multiples.
Or some spells could be offensive, but be incantations such as:
Fireball (maybe increase damage), Haste(ritual version [affects a group of folks for s specified time amount maybe in rounds or minutes]/incantations version [cast at the spur of the moment, maybe in combat/maybe not, only affects one person and duration is but a couple rounds maximum])
So, some spells could be cast in a variety of forms: combat, ritual, incantation or mix Rituals take anywhere from Minutes to years in preparation, collection of components, performance of rites, and casting time. However, these should be highly useful and/or powerful/game changing.
Random Geek-itude
The d12 Days of Horde Wars- Christmas Holiday Special giveaway!
12 PDFS given away over the next 3-4 weeks.
We will need your email ,but will determine the winner based upon random roll
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus
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Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus
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On the Web:
Website: www.biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Email:thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com
Big Geek Emporium:https://biggeekemporium.com/
Combating Combat - Building The Mechanics
Episode 166 Streamed Live Tuesday November 21, 2023
Main Topic: Combating Combat -Things to consider as you design a combat system for a fantasy TTRPG.
What kinds of feel or experience do you want combat to give?
Frenetic, fog of war, cinematic/heroic action, gritty blood-n-bone combat, other?
Emulation vs. Simulation
Need to decide if BALANCE is important, and HOW to handle it
Complexity can often stall the game.
How “old-school” do you go? (all attacks do d6, weapon vs. armor,
speed factor, phases)
How should the offense and defense capabilities interact?
D&D: AC, attack roll, damage rolls vs HPS
Armor as DR, wounds vs vitality
Simplified comparison: combat skill vs defensive skill/opposed rolls.
Include a separate Dodge/Parry/Block/Evade mechanic?
How many actions does a character get per turn? And how does it affect combat
Movement: double moves, running, AOO’s, withdrawals
Attack: melee, range, spell, number of attacks,
Other types: speaking, opening a door, interacting with an object.
Do actions effect initiative order?
Character types and limitations if any in combat.
Armor and weapon limitations.
Combat skill limitations.
Who gets to be good at what?
Can wizards wear armor and cast spells?
Can warriors sneak around?
Spell disruption (OSR vs 3.X vs 13th age)
Fear of Magic dominance
How does the initiative system interact with combat?
Is it turn-based? Side initiative (OSR), individual (3.X, Savage Worlds), # actions based on speed (GURPS/Hackmaster/Shadowrun), He who starts the fight goes first/free form, highest roll goes first then around the table in clockwise order (horde Wars)
How important is it?
OTHER considerations:
Setting and Rules often feed into each other.
If the game is mainly about combat, then perhaps the combat system should be robust and detailed.
If the game is meant to be about the story that gets told around the
table, then maybe the system needs to be more fluid with interchangeable pieces to increase or decrease complexity in the
system.
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Setting Up A Great Setting
notes to follow
Designing the All-Important Magic System
notes to follow
Fear Biggus Geekus
notes to follow
Joe V. Randy D&D Edition War Round 2: 1e vs. 2e
notes to follow
Joe v. Randy - A Battle in the D&D Edition War
Notes to follow
Loot and Edition Wars in DnD
Notes to Follow
When Enough Is Enough In DnD
Shownotes to follow
Big Geek Con #1 Report
Episode 158 Streamed Live Tuesday September 26, 2023
Main Topic: Big Geek Con 1- Post Shenanigans Report
People to thank
Workers/helpers:
A special nod goes to Randy’s wife & K. Scott
Appreciation to Joe Hardin and His wife, L. Neumann, Martenson, Greg T., Larry E., and Fladey ( for donations to raffle) as well as David Guyll (donations for raffle- extreme number of miniatures).
The GMs:
Fladey, Larry N., Larry E., Martenson, Kelley, Tim, and Benny S., Darth Thiek (Commander -style tourney), Halcyon, J. Demo, Nathan Lindy, and Geoff S.
Special Kudos:
Ben R. playing with Bennie.
Bennie gave away his prize to a friend
Far travelers: Darth Thiek, Fladey and guest, Abub.
Nathan Lindy: ran Horde Wars like a boss!
Business end
Set up
Advertising
Setting up GMs and sessions
How did we do?
# of Attendees
Friday: 34
Saturday: 47
Games played by BG and favorite things
Randy - games played: Modern War by young 13 year old (his own homebrew), Cheating Death- by Tim Scott : TPK and a mighty screw up on my part, and 13th age by Larry E.- enjoyable ,but more guffaws by moi. (very tired)
Randy’s Favorites: Loved my theme of not reading the dice right, loved my kids’ game(great ideas and cool thing), watching Horde Wars tables fill up
non-stop, & inspired by my running of my module(very first session), and meeting the various dudes from the chat on this show.
Joe - games played: Rifts Coalition Wars, Extreme Xcrawl, Horde Wars, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Palladium Fantasy, and 13th Age
Joe’s Favorites: Meeting folks from the live stream, you guys ROCK! Getting some gaming in after a long break.
Food: hot dogs, pulled pork, chips, cookies, soda, water, candy bars.
Good/Bad/Ugly
Suggestion Box:
Sound buffering
Credit card payment option on site
Stagger early games
Late start Friday/end Sunday
AC/Fans needed
Place merchandise closer to entrance
Advertise at local games stores
People buying weekend pass should get two “raffle” tickets (or more incentive)
If possible buy stuff to raffle
Game sign up online if possible
Tabletop events and dates set earlier
45 minute registration pre-game
Floating GM each slot
Encourage folks to show up ten minutes before games
More variety of diet pop
Add a space on sign-in sheet for email and to text notifications
Kids play place
How about Big Geek Con 2?
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Handling PC Death
Episode 157 Streamed Live Tuesday September 19, 2023
Main Topic: Handling PC Death (a revisit)
Should it be on the table at all?
How much does it suck to have your PC to die mid-session?
Types of Death? Fair (Player poor choices or fairly rolled combat deaths). VS Unfair (GM Fiat/unfair targeting of a PC/1 save or die)
Classic D&D solution: Raise Dead/Resurrection
Basket full of PCs (old school Dark Sun)
How is Death handled in Games outside of the fantasy genre?
How has your opinion on PC death changed/evolved/stayed the same since EP7?
Death Mechanics You’ve seen in a game?
Squishing Gaming Myths - Roll Players vs Role-Players
Is there a divide?
Does it matter?
Why or why not?
Can the two gamers mix?
Random Geek-itude Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI.
This coming weekend is THE weekend!
Tickets sold day of show: $40 whether you come Friday(22nd) or Saturday(23rd).
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Planescape Reimagined
Episode 156 Streamed Live Tuesday September 12, 2023
Mental Illness as badge of Honor
Main Topic: Planescape Reimagined
The Great Wheel Cosmology:https://srd.dndtools.org/srd/environment/planesDescriptionsAndCosmology.html
Randy’s Big IDEA: The prime (Prime Plane) is prime real estate throughout the Multiverse and all the other planes want it. Why? It is the only plane that is not dedicated to a single idea or alignment. It has desirable resource (its residents) and it is not primarily dedicated to a single idea or alignment.
Sigil:
City of Doors is run by a Great Council of Dominant representatives of non-deity level leaders from the planes of the multiverse They are in a constant political dance called the Kreigstanz in an attempt to outmaneuver each other. This keeps them from mounting a full assault on the prime material plane. Of course, many of these powerful individuals will do a little ‘invading” secretly or sometimes not so secretly from time to time.
Lady of Pain: head of the table- a powerful entity who can keep out powerful immortal creatures due to the nature of the City of Doors. She has a seemingly endless horde of warriors called Dabus who do not speak, but only act. They might be constructs or a race of mute beings, no one knows for sure because as they die their bodies dissipate into nothing or meld into the streets of Sigil.
The Factions: these could be human/PC race led organizations that attempt to win favors from the Great Council, the Lady of Pain, or perhaps to just keep an eye on the dealings of these planar entities who would wish to dominate the Prime Material Plane.
The PORTALS: These exist as the only way to access Sigil and only the Lady and Dabus have control to their access at least officially.
Joe’s Big IDEA:
Skip Sigil and keep the focus on the PCs’ homeworld as much as possible.
- PCs’ home world has occasional invaders from the wider multiverse, maybe other prime worlds
- Invasion forces vary in strength
- Forces are after a valuable resource (make one up lazy!)
- May be a single force, maybe multiple
- May be independent forces, maybe coordinated
- Can easily be used to springboard a campaign
- Can be used as a one shot “Stop The Invaders” adventure
-- get to ground zero
-- battle to penetrate a stronghold
-- find and eliminate the leader/close portal (not necessarily connected)
Squishing Gaming Myths: D&D is NOT a GOOD TTRPG.
It is just the most popular.
It doesn’t represent magic well.
Levels are dumb and skills are where it’s at.
It is just an adventure game, no roleplaying support.
It doesn’t work past level 6/10/12
It is too complicated.
Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI. “Do Not try that at a Small Con!” We got some good help working on the non-gaming stuff.
Tickets sold day of show: $40 whether you come Friday(22nd) or Saturday(23rd).
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Resistance Is Futile
Shownotes to follow
Moving Goalposts: Exp Gains in DnD
Notes to follow
Gaming Facts or Fiction?
Episode 153 Streamed Live Tuesday August 22, 2023
Shout out the Geeapaloozapodcast
Two of our Cabin Con buddies have started a Twitch podcast on general gaming: https://www.twitch.tv/geekapaloozapodcast
Main Topic: Gaming Facts or Fiction?
Old DnD Research:https://www.dndresearch.com/blog/2020-survey-result-update-1-demographic-of-ttrpg-players#/
RAW vs RAI vs Homebrew Rules: Is it a big deal at most tables?
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?398993-On-RAW-RAI-amp-RAF
Gamer Funk: are gamers are a smelly bunch? Banned!: https://www.theregister.com/2019/04/05/stnky_gamers_banned/
Con Crud:If you go to a convention will you likely come home with the plague? https://publichealthinsider.com/2018/08/31/gaming-cosplay-and-con-crud-oh-my/
Gamers have low social skills: Can gamers interact socially outside of the table? https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1199&context=honorscollege_theses
Gamers are smart: Does the average gamer have an IQ that is above average? Video gamers article: https://technave.com/gadget/Study-suggests-that-PC-gamers-have-highest-average-IQ-22139.html
TTRPGs have been and is still a boy’s club: Are there any women in the house? Video games: https://techpenny.com/roleplaying-gamer-demographics-trends/
TTRPGs: https://blog.gitnux.com/tabletop-gaming-statistics/
D&D Weirdness: Leveling Up
Old school: Gain XP then gain level after you train..
New school: Gain XP then gain level & mid-adventure or in-between encounters
Level Caps on non-humans- too weird. But having a level cap on Mortals seems reasonable
Everything increases at the same time
Defeating opponents/gaining treasure to get stronger.
Training – Use a mentor who advises and occasionally offers insight, and
adventure seeds.
Level caps: Make them setting/table specific
How to get exp: add in goals based exp (some examples in different versions)
Everything increases: have to redesign the game on some level to make this change
Random Geek-itude: Report from Big Geek Land
“Cry Havoc, and remember, you just ‘Try That at a Small Con!” ( Thanks Venger!)
1 Month away folks!
Suggestions: Kids 13 and under free with an adult (max two kids per adult) and adult must accompany the child during the whole time.
Tickets sold day of show: $40 whether you come Friday(22nd) or Saturday(23rd).
Tragedy at Taigon’s Falls at BGE:
https://biggeekemporium.com/product/tragedy-at-taigons-falls/
Big Geek Con Discord thread for games:
https://discord.com/channels/758861997697138759/1142771211298938890
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Cash Support
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So ... You All Meet In A Bar
Episode 152 Streamed Live Tuesday, August 15, 2023
Special Guests DM Blackwall and DM Nate
Horde Wars Basic is available on BGE
Campaign Analysis: So, you all meet in a bar.
Should Pcs be generated together (“session zero”) or individually/separately?
Should the Pcs know each other?
Many ways to start a campaign (the first adventure):
In a tavern with a mysterious stranger.
Hired as Caravan guards.
In media res.
Mission Impossible- your mission if you choose to accept it. No reason. Module or homebrew…just begin.
Full sandbox: players choose their starting place and see if the PCs meet up, maybe via some sort of event?
Jazzing up these beginnings:
Mysterious meeting with hermit sage outside the city.
PCs are mercenaries on a merchant ship defending against Pirates.
PCs are the only survivors of a battle on a hilltop.
PCs begin at the entrance of … (insert module or adventure)
PCs are lead to an alchemist who turns out dead ...
D&D Weirdness: Randomness
Why are we in the RPG sphere so attached to randomness?
The need for some element of failure/success
The random elementbrings excitement.
Removes arbitrary choices.
Combining success/failure with severity of effect:
Rolling a hit then getting 1 damage on a random roll, for instance?
Lean into randomness to improve the experience:
Make the success roll pivotal so it influences the effect, like the way crits work.
Dice Superstitions
Unlucky/lucky dice and players.
Don’t touch another gamer’s dice.
Put new dice through rituals to make them roll well
Must have dice of one-color set.
Roll with specific dice every time.
Random Geek-itude
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI
Big Geek Adventures: Tragedy at Taigon’s Falls is done and will be posted on BGE soon!
Horde Wars Basic: https://biggeekemporium.com/product/horde-wars-basic/
Find Horde Wars at Grand Con: https://www.grand-con.com/exhibitors-2023
Shameless Plug Time:
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Save or Suck in your RPGs
Notes to follow
Deities In Your RPGs
Deities of Your Campaign
Episode 150 Streamed Live Tuesday August 1, 2023
Main Topic: Deities in Your Campaign
Pantheons or Monotheistic settings.
Using the real world mythologies in your game.
Creating your own.
Using a game’s settings deities as written.
No deities
To what extent should they take front stage in a campaign?
Can you call down the gods?
What are the eternal consequences of deities in a campaign?
DnD Weirdness: Adventuring Part 2 - The Campaign World’s Adaptation to adventuring
Adventuring Companies
Traditional organizations sending out adventurers
Folk referring to “adventurers” and understanding it as a thing
Adventurers become the pioneers/colonizers and/or troubleshooters
150th episode Giveaway
Give away one ticket to BG Con 1 on September 22-23,2023.
Random Geek-itude: Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI. – be there or be square!
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also: We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support
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On the Web:
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Email:thegeeks@biggusgeekuspodcast.com
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Wishes in DnD
As you WISH - An analysis of wishes in D&D
Episode 149 Streamed Live Tuesday July 25, 2023
Main Topic: As You Wish
Inspiration: “Best Wishes: Guidelines for giving and getting” by G. Snyder Best of Dragon Vo. 5 pp.58-59
1.) The Wish Spell/Effect Throughout the Editions https://dumpstatadventures.com/blog/2019/1/5/deep-dive-the-wish-spell
2.) Memories of the use of the Wish Spell, Wish granting items or creatures from D&D
-how common?
-creature/deity granted
-ring of wishes and other magic items
-word lawyering
-results
3.) Your thoughts on wishes now.
-how common?
-who or what grants them?
-what is the power level of the wish?
DnD Weirdness
Adventuring in DnD, adventuring itself can produce several odd things in the game
world that you can lean into … or shy away from:
1. Quests. Folks have custom quests just for you!
2. Gear economy. At some point the pcs find more gear than they can use.
3. Profession of Adventurer. The party seeks out monsters to kill. Adrenaline rush or death wish.
Random Geek-itude: Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI.
Starting with EP150(?):we will be giving away two free for Big Geek Con until they are gone.
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Portals!
Notes to follow
DnD Weirdness
Episode 147 Streamed Live Tuesday July 11, 2023
The Main Hobby is Busted
Baldur’s Gate 3 video game: https://news.yahoo.com/baldurs-gate-3s-commitment-d-190000993.html
Cohors Cthuhlhu Game - https://youtu.be/96Eb7ZFgtVE
We need a true alternate hobby culture…fight the power!
Main Topic: DnD Weirdness
Exploring the weirdness of Dungeons.
That they exist at all.
Old school dungeons don’t stay empty
If you lean into the last point, empty dungeons don’t stay empty, it can serve the atmosphere of your game world. What fills the
dungeons? How is it filled? Why do dungeons not stay emptied? Answering these questions, some or all, can be a fun way to add depth and perhaps a dit of quirkiness to your game.
Some related points:
Are the monsters attracted?
Are they spawned?
Does this impact the surrounding area?
Can the attraction/spawning cause overflow?
Where do these monsters come from?
Randy is convinced he is not an really an OSR player/DM.
There are many things about OSR style play to like.
Less number of spells
Encumbrance
Resource tracking
ZERO to HERO
However there many things to not like:
1 HP PC
XP charts w/insanely slow progression
Spell segments/weapon speed
THACO
Vancian Magic
Random Geek-itude
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023, at the Four Points Hotel in Saginaw, MI.
Shameless Plug Time:
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socials, video and podcast places as well.
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Retro Review: Best of Dragon Vol. 2 part 2
shownotes to follow
Retro Review: Best of Dragon Vol. 2
We go into detail with Best of Dragon vol 2, detailed notes to follow.
Monster Mash 14: Slimes and Oozes
Episode 144 Streamed Live Tuesday June 20, 2023
Main Topic: Monster Mash #14 - Slimes, Oozes, etc.
Over the various editions of Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) there have been a
few standard monsters in this category. They are generally
amorphous, unintelligent, slow moving and are more like hazards than
creatures. What makes them creatures is they grow, likely reproduce,
and “attack” by some form of acid. In essence, they try to break
down their victims and absorb them.
These creatures have not organization or culture. Those attacked are done so
opportunistically, not from any type of desire or motivation.
Something lands on or near them and they attempt to digest it.
The standard creatures are: Black Pudding, Gray Ooze, Green Slime, Ochre Jelly, Yellow Mold, and the Gelatinous Cube. The gelatinous cube is a little different from the others as they use pseudopods to attack and can actively move to a target. Later, Violet Fungi, Shriekers, and Gas Spores were added to this category as “fungus creatures”. These are a bit more complex, but still unintelligent.
We discuss:
1) Their differences over the editions
2) Memorable encounters
3) Alternate takes or uses in encounters
Random Geek-itude: Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023
Four Seasons Hotel in Saginaw, MI. – be there or be square!
NEW:
1) Kids 13 and under free with an adult (max two per adult) adult must accompany the child
2) Tickets will sold day of show: $40.
3) EP150 give away few tickets for Big Geek Con.
Shameless Plug Time:
If you would like to support our show, please like, subscribe, and share us where you are listening or viewing the show, also. We are on all the socials, video and podcast places as well.
Cash Support PayPal: https://paypal.me/biggusgeekus
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Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/biggusgeekus
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On the Web:
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Monster Mash 13 : Here There Be DRAGONS - Part 2!
Episode 143 Streamed Live Tuesday June 13, 2023
A short discussion of “fauxSR”, being an online disagreement about the OSR, with guest Ryan David of Nerdcognito Main Topic: Monster Mash #13: Here there be DRAGONS Part 2
We pick up from the discussion on ep142 and begin with “ecology”. How do dragons fit into the world and what considerations should be made. These considerations can be political, territorial, existential, etc. We also discuss some of our favorite dragon encounters, and some alternate ways to use them in your campaigns.
Should the concern be with how much they eat?
How do they fly?
Is it wrong to present tribute?
How rare should they be?
Bestial or Intelligent?
Is it really all that it’s cracked up to be? Best of Dragon Magazine Vol. #1:
Review and highlights…perhaps even hit the table of contents. Usefulness of such magazines back in the day and today? Where are they now? Opinion on articles? Any specific one you liked?
Those who tried to replace them: Gygax Magazine, Kobold Quarterly, etc?
Current Day: Mad Scribe magazine - #2 soon to be out with the article from yours truly.
Random Geek-itude
Report from Big Geek Land
Big Geek Con: September 22-23, 2023 at the Four Winds Hotel in Saginaw, MI. – be there or be square!
Shameless Plug Time:
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On the Web:
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Big Geek Emporium:https://biggeekemporium.com/
Big Geek Con 2023: https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2023
Monster Mash 13: Dragons!
Shownotes to follow
Monster Mash 12: Lycanthropes
Shownotes to follow ...
What Is The Player's Job At The Game Table?
Episode 140 Streamed Live Tuesday May 23, 2023
Main Topic: What is the Player’s job at the game table?
Talked about the job of the DM and a few ways it can be approached. Let’s do the same for the folks on the other side of the screen.
Don’tbe a jerk.
Learn the rules related to your character.
Build characters that get along well in a group environment. Try to do things that are not just fun for you.
Know what you want to do on your turn (especially/mainly in tense moments such as combat). Pay attention during such moments.
Try to fit in with the group’s style. If not, then kindly excuse yourself.
Realize your PC isn’t the star and could bite the bullet. There is plenty of extra paper to make a new PC.
Do NOT try tobreak the game with your uber-PC.
Don’t overly gimp your PC to become a drain on the group.
Don’t be overly cautious…engage the scenario/challenge/situation.
If the game is long term, try to get the $ to invest in a copy of the rules.
Do NOT cheat!
Campaign Analysis: Homebrew vs Published/pre-made World.
Played Hyperborea, used pre-made adventure -thoughts on the session.
Random Geek-itude: Report from Big Geek Land
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2023
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Click on the Rant link in live chat on Rumble!
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What is the DM's job?
Episode 139 Streamed Live Tuesday May 16, 2023
Special Note: Big Geek Con 2023 tickets on SALE!
https://tabletop.events/conventions/big-geek-con-2023
Main Topic: What’s the DM’s job?
Relevant links:
https://gnomestew.com/how-different-rpgs-define-the-gms-role/
https://gnomestew.com/game-master-referee-storyteller-whats-in-a-name/
https://www.escapistmagazine.com/judging-the-game/
https://www.escapistmagazine.com/its-not-your-story/
https://dwelleroftheforbiddencity.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-dm-as-storyteller-versus-dm-as.html
https://gnomestew.com/storyteller-or-facilitator-two-approaches/https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Role-Playing_Game_Manifesto_(DnD_Other)
https://www.enworld.org/threads/rather-long-dm-as-judge-vs-dm-as-storyteller-in-5ed.321691/
DM Roles:
World Builder
Adversary
Storyteller
Judge
The Judge referees the interaction of the PCs with the environment. This comes from D&D’s wargaming roots. In the old days wargaming rules were a lot less cut and dry and in addition to the two players there was a judge who would not only make sure that both sides followed the rules but who would make rulings when people did things that went outside the rules. This is the same thing that a DM as Judge does, make sure that the players follow the rules and make rulings when they do things that fall into the grey areas of the rules or completely outside them.
The Storyteller crafts a story to share with their players. The player characters are the protagonists of the story as the storyteller guides them through it. Through play, the characters experience the story. His job is to make that story unfold and guide the players through it. The players are to play their characters and move through the story.
Random Geek-itude
Big Geek Con: Friday & Saturday 9/22-23,2023
Tickets: $30 (both days)
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