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Sword Breaker

Sword Breaker

By Logan Howard

Sword Breaker is a podcast about the Dungeon World role playing game and playing in fantasy settings by the creators of the Sword Breaker zine.
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Episode 29 - Magic Items

Sword BreakerOct 14, 2019

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12:30
Episode 57 - Weird Fantasy

Episode 57 - Weird Fantasy


Weird Fantasy is a subgenre of speculative fiction that emerged in the mid-twentieth century, often featuring elements of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. It was a popular genre in pulp magazines and comic books during the 1940s and 1950s, and was known for its dark and surreal themes, unusual characters, and bizarre settings. Weird Fantasy stories often explored the limits of human understanding and the consequences of pushing the boundaries of science and magic. Some of the most notable authors associated with this genre include H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, and Clark Ashton Smith. Today, the legacy of Weird Fantasy can be seen in a wide range of media, from horror movies and video games to avant-garde literature and graphic novels.

Apr 07, 202315:09
Episode 56 - Gonzo Fantasy

Episode 56 - Gonzo Fantasy

Thanks to Yochai Gal for the suggestion. This one is about Mix-it-up fantasy where everything goes!
Feb 18, 202315:09
Episode 55 - Portal Fantasy

Episode 55 - Portal Fantasy

This episode was suggested by Chris Shorb many moons ago. I just dove back in and used my normal segments to make it less intimidating. Hope you'll enjoy!
Jan 31, 202311:40
Episode 54 - Dark and Grimdark Fantasy
May 07, 202110:26
Episode 53 - Reptile Folk

Episode 53 - Reptile Folk

Chris Shorb asked for Reptile Folk. Here they are! 

May 01, 202108:37
Episode 52 - Monster Parts

Episode 52 - Monster Parts

Another great suggestion from Goblin's Henchman! If the world were full of monsters with weird powers and crazy anatomy, surely there would be people who found a use for all these wild resources!

Call-in from Chris Shorb suggesting more subgenres to cover!

Apr 27, 202108:11
Episode 51 - Broken Magic Items
Apr 22, 202112:21
Episode 50 - Chimeras

Episode 50 - Chimeras

Welcome aboard the Crazy Chimera Carousel! Enjoy the ride!
Mentioned or called in:
Jason Connerley - Nerd's RPG Variety Cast
Joe Richter - Hindsightless
Goblin's Henchman
Spencer "Free Thrall" - Keep Off the Borderlands
Brian Holland - Session Zero and Greg Gelder
Apr 17, 202116:25
Episode 49 - Sword and Sorcery
Apr 10, 202113:20
Episode 48 - High Fantasy

Episode 48 - High Fantasy

This is a bit of a longer episode. I wanted to cover some ideas about genre, terminology, and labels before continuing my series! I hope you'll have some fun with my 8 examples of High Fantasy settings!

Apr 06, 202116:10
Episode 47 - Low Fantasy

Episode 47 - Low Fantasy

Joe Richter of the Hindsightless podcast inspires another episode! This time it's all about Low Fantasy. This is the second episode in a series in which I'm exploring the sub-genres under the "Fantasy" umbrella. I hope my 8 variations will demonstrate that Low Fantasy doesn't mean No Fantasy!

Other call-ins from Goblin's Henchman of the Blog and Podcast of the same name! 

Apr 03, 202112:53
Episode 46 - Epic Fantasy
Apr 02, 202114:43
Episode 45 - Towers

Episode 45 - Towers

This episode will be about towers thanks to a suggestion from Ray Otus! There is also an invitation to join in the fun creating new monsters for the Crazy Chimera Carousel! Enjoy!

Mar 30, 202107:09
Episode 44 - Magic Shoes

Episode 44 - Magic Shoes

Thanks to Joe Richter of the excellent Hindsightless podcast for the idea for this one! Lowly shoes are much more powerful than we often remember. 

There's a call-in from Goblin's Henchman from the podcast of the same name! Check out his fantastic blog to find out more about the items he mentioned and a whole lot more!

Mar 28, 202112:49
Episode 43 - Magic Bags

Episode 43 - Magic Bags

Whatcha got in the bag? Magic bags have appeared in folklore and myth for ages because all of us can relate to the mysterious experience of reaching around for unseen things!

Mar 26, 202109:57
Episode 42 - Death Knights
Mar 23, 202111:31
Episode 41 - Forests

Episode 41 - Forests

The great forests are places of personal trial. They rarely release the same soul that wandered in.

Mar 21, 202108:15
Episode 40 - Hirelings

Episode 40 - Hirelings

Hirelings can be great for carrying stuff and using as fodder. While it's never a good idea for a hireling to upstage the player characters, they can still be an interesting part of an adventure!

Mar 15, 202109:14
Episode 39 - Traps

Episode 39 - Traps

A great trap can freak out your players AND give information about the setting that helps establish themes and offers hints to the players at the same time!

Mar 11, 202110:44
Episode 38 - Villains

Episode 38 - Villains

What's the difference between a common monster and a villain? Listen to this episode for my take...

Mar 09, 202113:01
Episode 37 - Armor

Episode 37 - Armor

What do you use for protection? I always loved those shiny suits of plate armor! For a good dungeon crawl though...maybe something better for swimming or climbing eh? Here's another short episode with a few thoughts and 8 variations!


Mar 04, 202109:12
Episode 36 - Goblins

Episode 36 - Goblins

Nasty little humanoids with a thirst for blood and treasure! Here's a short episode that gets quickly to the variations!

Nov 24, 202007:45
Episode 35 - Swords

Episode 35 - Swords

Who doesn't love a magic sword?
Oct 17, 202010:07
Episode 34 - Maps

Episode 34 - Maps

Maps are such an interesting part of role playing because they can make a huge difference in the way the world is understood by the players. Call in and tell me about the maps in your games!

Oct 13, 202006:57
Episode 33 - Shops

Episode 33 - Shops

Who wants to go to the mall in the middle of a fantasy adventure? Can shops enhance the setting?

Oct 12, 202011:33
Episode 32 - Monks

Episode 32 - Monks

Are they obnoxious genre breaking characters or legitimate fantasy heroes? Chris Shorb asked me for this one and I hope he finds and enjoys it!

Sep 30, 202013:34
Episode 31 - Thieves

Episode 31 - Thieves

What are your favorite thief archetypes? Ever had that player in your group who wanted to play a thief because...jerk?

Dec 18, 201910:32
Episode 30 - Orcs
Oct 17, 201907:20
Episode 29 - Magic Items
Oct 14, 201912:30
Episode 28 - Post Apocalypse

Episode 28 - Post Apocalypse

Thanks to Jason Connerley for the suggestion!
Sep 20, 201912:37
Episode 27 - Dreams

Episode 27 - Dreams

What can we do with dreams in our games?
Aug 27, 201919:14
Episode 26 - Cities

Episode 26 - Cities

Give your city a face and a heart!
Aug 03, 201914:02
Episode 25 - Kaiju

Episode 25 - Kaiju

How do you drop some of that delicious Toho magic into your games?
Jul 10, 201916:15
Episode 24 - Airships

Episode 24 - Airships

They're one of the favorite ways to cross those big fantasy maps!
Jun 07, 201911:14
Episode 23 - Bards

Episode 23 - Bards

Check out Ray Otus' Plundergrounds! We are both responding to a prompt from Jim Jones about Bards!

May 15, 201909:32
Episode 22 - Wizards
May 08, 201914:41
Episode 21 - Adventuring Parties

Episode 21 - Adventuring Parties

Lots of great call-ins! Ray Otus, Benjamin Hinnum, RFED, and Joe Richter.
May 06, 201911:15
Episode 20 - My 3 Top Monsters

Episode 20 - My 3 Top Monsters

3 of my favorite monsters and 8 variations on goblins!

Apr 26, 201907:04
Episode 19 - Halflings
Apr 25, 201912:39
Episode 18 - Barbarians
Apr 11, 201907:11
Episode 17 - Something Borrowed...

Episode 17 - Something Borrowed...

I was challenged by Ray Otus and I did not back down!

Apr 10, 201911:52
Episode 16 - Roads
Apr 03, 201917:50
Episode 15 - Curses
Mar 29, 201910:51
Episode 14 - Holy Relics
Mar 19, 201922:26
Episode 13 - Government
Mar 13, 201907:53
Episode 12 - Rangers
Mar 01, 201908:32
Episode 11 - World Building
Feb 21, 201940:56
Episode 10 - Dwarves
Feb 13, 201920:46
Episode 9 - Equipment

Episode 9 - Equipment

Equipment as world building
Feb 11, 201907:44
Episode 8 - Clerics

Episode 8 - Clerics

Inspired by Brian Holland of Session Zero and Cody M. of the No Save For You podcast, I'll share my thoughts on clerics. I'm a big fan of the class and feel there are serious missed opportunities that we can tackle together!
Feb 07, 201925:18