Game Master's Journey - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Daggerheart: The Fear Full GM | GMJ 335 Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Today I talk about Fear in Daggerheart, a metacurrency used by the GM. Some GMs consider metacurrency to be a bad word. So how do the metacurrencies of Hope and Fear work in DH? Are they boons or flaws? Pros or cons? Buffs or debuffs? I’ll unpack it in this episode. I show how in my experience Fear hasn’t limited my creativity or prevented me from doing things I want to do. I discuss how fear is an excellent pacing tool, especially in combat, and how it really helps the GM dial in the difficulty of combat to exactly where they want it to be. Though at first blush Fear may appear to limit your options as GM, I haven’t felt like it does in practice. But it does make me feel like I can be more strategic and tactical, all while experiencing significantly less cognitive load than I’d experience running a similar combat in D&D. Fear also helps the players see that what you’re doing is totally fair and earned by their choices and actions. I also don’t have to feel bad when those consequences are unpleasant to the PCs.

Play Daggerheart with Me on Start Playing Games.

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Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

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Join my Discord server.

Email me.

Check out my YouTube channel.

Join my Book Club, now on Discord.

Check Out my OTHER PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

Daggerheart: Taking the Initiative | GMJ 334 Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Today continue my series on Daggerheart with an in-depth explanation and exploration of its initiative system. I was very excited to try Daggerheart’s “lack of initiative initiative,” which is a bit of a misnomer. Daggerheart does have an initiative system, it’s just not like the ones you’re probably used to. I’m here to report that it works very well, and I really like it. I also talk a bit about how Daggerheart encourages metagame discussions between the GM and players at the table, and why I’m hugely in favor of this. Some people are averse to metagame discussions. But I show how they can greatly enhance your game, and I’d go so far as to say they’re required to deliver the experience and story everyone at the table wants.

Play Daggerheart with Me on Start Playing Games.

Subscribe via RSS, Appl e Podcasts, or Spotify.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Follow me on Bluesky.

Join my Discord server.

Email me.

Check out my YouTube channel.

Join my Book Club, now on Discord.

Check Out my OTHER PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

Introduction to Daggerheart and Comparison with D&D, Pathfinder, and Numenera | GMJ 333 Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Today I’ll share the top 10 most-played tabletop RPGs right now. There are some surprises in this list, at least to me. I’ll also begin my series of episodes exploring the new RPG, Daggerheart, by talking a bit about what I like about it and why I’m excited to run it. I’ll compare and contrast DH with D&D, Pathfinder, and Numenera. Some of the aspects of Daggerheart I’ll touch on in this episode include the basic mechanics, campaign frames, and how the game encourages collaborative storytelling by having the players contribute to detailing the setting, NPCs, etc. during play. I’ll also talk a bit about how Darrington Press has made every effort to reduce math in the game and cognitive load on the GM and the players.

Play Daggerheart with Me on Start Playing Games.

Subscribe via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Follow me on Bluesky.

Join my Discord server.

Email me.

Check out my YouTube channel.

Join my Book Club, now on Discord.

Check Out my OTHER PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

The Top 10 Most Played Tabletop RPGs Right Now

Running a High-Level Game | GMJ 332 Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

In this episode I discuss running D&D and other RPGs at high level. It’s often not as fun as we think it’ll be, especially for the GM. A lot of the issues with high level play and advancement are baked into the games, but sometimes we as GMs make the situation even worse through our approach. I talk about some ways to handle powerful PCs as a GM—what to do and what not to do. I also share things I’ve learned running Blood of the Avatars and other high-level campaigns. Hopefully you can learn from some of my mistakes in your next high-level game.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

If you’re interested in worldbuilding and/or my D&D campaign setting of Primordia, check out the first worldbuilding episode. You can go to this page to see all the episodes that discuss worldbuilding.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Evil Characters in a Good Aligned Group | GMJ 331 Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

This week I have a roundtable discussion with players from my D&D campaign, Blood of the Avatars, that recently ended. Brett, Craig, and Sam join me to discuss our experiences with the end of the campaign, both as players and GM. We talk about our experience with having a character who goes evil within a good aligned party. There’s a lot that can go wrong there, but Manny played Lerissa’s descent very well, and all the players handled the situation perfectly. This is as much on the players as the GM, but if you want to know how it can work and come out awesome, our campaign is a great example of it done well. Finally, we talk about the end of the campaign and the final battle. The players give their perceptions on how it all turned out. We talk about what is needed to make the ending of such a long campaign truly satisfying. There are definitely things I could’ve done better, and we discuss that, so as I always say at the top of the show, you can learn from my mistakes, or at least things I could’ve done differently and/or better.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Wrapping up a Campaign | GMJ 330 Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

This week I have a roundtable discussion with players from my D&D campaign, Blood of the Avatars, that recently ended. Brett, Craig, and Sam join me to discuss our experiences with D&D at high level, both as players and GM. If there’s a sweet spot for D&D level-wise, what is it? We also talk a bit about what we’d really like to see from game companies INSTEAD of big hardback adventures/campaigns that go on for 10+ levels. Finally, we talk about the end of the campaign and the final battle. The players give their perceptions on how it all turned out. There are definitely things I could’ve done better, and we discuss that, so as I always say at the top of the show, you can learn from my mistakes, or at least things I could’ve done differently and/or better.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Dungeons & Dragons at Endgame | GMJ 329 Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

This week I have a roundtable discussion with players from my D&D campaign, Blood of the Avatars, that recently ended. Brett, Craig, and Sam join me to discuss our experiences with D&D at high level, both as players and GM. We also talk about what it was like to bring a new player into a campaign toward the end, when the PCs are all high level. Finally, I talk a bit about my thoughts and strategies going into the final leg of the campaign, and how I prepared and planned for it. The players give their perceptions on how it all turned out. There are definitely things I could’ve done better, and we discuss that, so as I always say at the top of the show, you can learn from my mistakes, or at least things I could’ve done differently and/or better.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Blood of the Avatars 61: Blood of the Avatars part 2 | GMJ 328 Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

The final session of our D&D campaign, Blood of the Avatars. The final battle at the World Axis continues. Aided by the many allies they’ve made throughout their adventures, the PCs fight for the survival of Primordia itself. Together they will make a decision that changes Primordia forever. This is part 2 of the session.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Blood of the Avatars 60: Blood of the Avatars part 1 | GMJ 327 Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.

Blood of the Avatars 59: You're On Mute part 2 | GMJ 326 Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

Our D&D campaign, Blood of the Avatars, continues. This week the final battle at the World Axis continues. Aided by the many allies they’ve made throughout their adventures, the PCs fight for the survival of Primordia itself. They are now level 17. This is part 2 of the session.

Check out my sci-fi novel, Critical Balance.

Have you read Critical Balance? Please leave a review on Amazon.

Check Out my NEW PODCAST - Lex Out Loud

Call the Game Master's Journey voice mail: 951-GMJ-LEX1 (951-465-5391).

If you’re a new listener, and you’d like to go back to the beginning, here’s a link to Episode 1.

Check out my latest D&D supplement, Adventurers of Primordia.