It’s A Mimic!

Latest Episodes:

E085 - Port-FOE-lios - Beholders: Stalks and Kills Sep 08, 2020

Show notes

In the first part of our discussion on Beholders, the panel of Dungeon Masters at the It's A Mimic! podcast sits down to review the (in)famous creature that is so iconic that it graces the cover of the 5th Edition Monster Manual itself. Terry, Dave, and Adam go over not just the mechanics and battle strategies of these aberrant nightmares, but also the breakdowns and differences when it comes to Spectators and Gazers.

Normally, I'd try to fill these show notes with puns, but it felt like low-hanging fruit, so I just focused on trying to write a normal breakdown. You have no idea how it was not to make a pun about eyes or looking or hovering or teeth in the above paragraph. - Adam

This episode is sponsored by Wildbot 3D.

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

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E084 – Class: Full Potential - Bards: Dirty Little Lyres Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

Get out your instrument and strum it! It's time for another round of bards! In this second episode of coverage of the marvelous minstrel, the inspirational instrumentalist, and the guy always trying to bone a dragon, Adam, Dan, and Terry attempt to shed some light onto new options presented in Xanathar's Guide to Everything for your bard's chart topper, their instrument of choice, the thing that inspires them, and the thing that they run from.

After making their way through the options, the It's A Mimic! podcast turns to the last handful of bard colleges that Dungeons and Dragons 5e has provided: College of Glamour, College of Swords, and College of Eloquence. It's sure to be a tale for the ages that absolutely in no way brings up 1940's Germany... At all... Yikes. Play us out, Sam...

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Commercial/Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

E083 – Class: Half-Casters, All Fun - Paladins: Steel-Cut Oaths Aug 25, 2020

Show notes

Its time to get psychological with your favourite do-gooders - The Paladin. Always prone to be those paragons of order and goodness, this weeks episode of the It's a Mimic podcast decides to do it a bit different offering up our second episode by dashing the notions of the sentinals of the selfless and displaying a little bit of fanfaronade. We have the "holier-than-thou" mom of the group, the Oath of Redemption; the braggadocios Oath of Glory; and the "totally not evil you guys" Oath of Conquest.

The episode opens up the hearts of your hosts, Dan, Megan and Terry as well - displaying that we are more than mild podcasters with a love for shiny math-rocks.

We occasionally have feelings too.

E082 - Off to the Races - Half-Elves and Half-Orcs: Or, You Know… Half-Humans Aug 18, 2020

Show notes

In this week's episode, Megan, Dan, and Dave discuss the concept of half-humans in Dungeons and Dragons 5e by highlighting the "good" and the "bad" poster children of the concept. The hosts go into the mechanics that both races bring to the table, as well as the four variants (Aquatic, Drow, Wood, and High Elves) offered up for those Half-Elven players who want a little more depending on their pointy-eared heritage.

Orcs be Orcin' just one way I guess.

The panel then discusses some roleplay and social options for Half-Elves and Half-Orcs, but then get distracted and try to brainstorm what other half-humans we want to see in our campaigns.

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Commercial/Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

E081 – Dungeon Mastery - Condition Effects: Captive Audiences Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

In this week's episode, the panel of DM's are stunned to tackle another round of Condition Effects. This time though, they are paralyzed with fear of having their agency removed with all those pesky effects that make your characters turn's go by way quicker than you had ever planned: Stunned, Paralyzed, Incapacitated and Petrified. Adam, Dave, and Megan chat about their likes and their dislikes about these action-removing statuses and some of the monsters from Dungeons and Dragons 5e that will use some of these effects against you.

So, get up, stretch, and move around while listening in. We'll do the same because the last thing we want it to be petrified to our chairs.

This episode is sponsored by Wildbot 3D.

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Commercial/Shout Out Music by: Tyler Gibson

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

T013 - Touring the Multiverse - Eberron: Sharn, Menthis Plateau, Northedge, and Tavick's Landing Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

As we wrap up our discussion on The City of Towers, Dave takes Adam on a tour of the entertainment district, some religious temples, and the dangerous fringes of society. But how effective are the law enforcement agencies in Sharn, where are the best places to avoid, and what evil lurks beneath the deepest ruins below?

Quarters:
Central Plateau
Dura
Menthis Plateau
Northedge
Tavick's Landing

Landmarks:
The Dagger River
The Hilt
Skyway
The Cogs
The City of the Dead

Menthis Plateau Districts:
The Seventh Tower (Upper Menthis)
Den'iyas (Upper Menthis)
University (Upper Menthis)
The Little Plains (Middle Menthis)
Cassan Bridge (Middle Menthis)
Warden Towers (Middle Menthis)
Smoky Towers (Middle Menthis)
Everbright (Middle Menthis)
Firelight (Lower Menthis)
Torchfire (Lower Menthis)

Menthis Plateau Locations*:
Little Xen'drik (The Seventh Tower)
Morgrave University (University)
Burning Ring (Various in Lower Menthis)
Khavish Theater (Den'iyas)
Stargazer Theater (University)
Ten Torches (Torchfire)

*Menthis Plateau Locations are listed erroneously in E:RftLW as "District[s]" in the table on page 169.

Northedge Districts:
Crystal Bridge (Upper Northedge)
Oak Towers (Upper Northedge)
Shae Lias (Upper Northedge)
Holdfast (Middle Northedge)
High Hope (Middle Northedge)
Longstairs (Lower Northedge)
Stoneyard (Lower Northedge)
North Market (Lower Northedge)

Northedge Locations:
Gates of Passage (Shae Lias)
The Veil of Flesh (Shae Lias)
Daca's Watch (High Hope)
Fathen's Shrine (North Market)
Nightshade (Shae Lias)

Tavick's Landing Districts:
Twelve Pillars (Upper Tavick's Landing)
Silver Gate (Upper Tavick's Landing)
Deathsgate (Middle Tavick's Landing)
Graystone** (Middle Tavick's Landing)
Tavick's Market (Middle Tavick's Landing)
Terminus (Lower Tavick's Landing)
Wroann's Gate (Lower Tavick's Landing)
Black Arch (Lower Tavick's Landing)
Dragoneyes (Lower Tavick's Landing)
High Walls (Lower Tavick's Landing)
Copper Arch (Upper Tavick's Landing)
Cornerstone (Middle Tavick's Landing)

**Graystone is listed erroneously twice in E:RftLW as "Graywall" in the table on page 174.

Tavick's Landing Locations:
The Deathsgate Guild (Deathsgate)
The Three Towers (Copper Arch)
The Cornerstone (Cornerstone)
Chance (Dragoneyes)

Other Locations:
Skyway
Cliffside
The Cogs
The City of the Dead
Old Sharn
The Sewers
Fallen
Khyber's Gate

Forces of the Law:
The Sharn Watch
The King's Citadel
- The King's Dark Lanterns
- The King's Shields
- The King's Swords
- The King's Wands
The Redcloak Battalion

Other Organizations:
The Circle of Song
The Esoteric Order of Aureon
The Guild of Starlight and Shadows
The Closed Circle

Monster:
Dyrrn the Corrupter (Daelkyr)

Um... I think Djed may need some real help...

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Intro/Outro Music by: Melodica's Music

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

B028 - Campaign Builder - Preparing for a Fight (Level Five) Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

So much of our favourite pop culture is based upon destroying the status quo, making a hair-brained scheme, and then fighting the insurmountable odds, but in D&D the hair-brained scheme is often overlooked. So how do you offer opportunity and agency without having the session go wildly off the rails? Adam and Dan walk you through what it means to go from storyteller to audience, and why Dungeon Masters should not necessarily be concerned with the realism surrounding player schemes.

Takeaways:
- When the party plots and schemes while the tension ratchets up, and the Dungeon Master steps back to a reactionary role, the campaign is operating at peak performance.
- Revenge is a major motivating factor for most players, but they might try to surprise their DM. If this is the case, be cognizant of whether or not this is because they want to have a big cool moment, or if they just don't trust you as the Dungeon Master.
- One of the major issues with giving the players total agency over a story beat is simply that analysis paralysis might set in. Providing boundaries and nudges might be required to keep them on track.
- Dungeon Masters should take more notes than the players to maintain consistency.
- Using enemy powers and tactics against the players in this session may inspire them to use similar powers and tactics in the next session against the big boss fight.

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

E080 – Lore – Theros: Where There’s a “Hero” Within Aug 04, 2020

Show notes

Theros is all about big personas, gifts from gods, epic monsters, and heroic journeys, and in this episode of the It's A Mimic! podcast, the titans on the panel of Dungeon Masters clash together to Gather the Magic and go on a odyssey of mythic proportions as they explore the newest campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. But even it all seems Greek to you now, there's enough divine insight in the episode to raise your knowledge to epic levels. So step aboard the chariot and prepare your eloquence for glory!

Locations:
Akros
Meletis
Setessa
Oreskos
Phoberos
Skophos
Asphodel
Odunos
Skola Vale
Katachthon Mountains
Oraniad Mountains
Nyx

Gods:
Athreos
Ephara
Erebos
Heliod
Iroas
Karametra
Keranos
Klothys
Kruphix
Mogis
Nylea
Pharika
Phenax
Purphoros
Thassa

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Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe/Tyler Gibson

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

T012 - Touring the Multiverse - Eberron: Sharn, Central Plateau, and Dura Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

In this first half of the discussion on Sharn, City of Towers, Dave leads Adam through the basic layout of the city, and does a tour of both the richest and poorest areas of the city. Remember that the neighbourhoods are called "Quarters", each neighbourhood includes three vertical regions called "Wards", and each ward has multiple "Districts".

Quarters:
Central Plateau
Dura
Menthis Plateau
Northedge
Tavick's Landing

Landmarks:
The Dagger River
The Hilt
Skyway
The Cogs
The City of the Dead

Central Plateau Districts:
Korranath (Upper Central)
Platinum Heights (Upper Central)
Mithral Tower (Upper Central)
Ambassador Towers (Middle Central)
Dragon Towers (Middle Central)
Sovereign Towers (Middle Central)
Boldrei's Hearth (Lower Central)
Olladra's Kitchen (Lower Central)

Central Plateau Locations:
Aurora Gallery (Platinum Heights)
The Korranath (Korranath)
Kundarak Bank of Sharn (Korranath)
Lyrandar Tower (Highest Towers)
Cathedral of the Cleansing Flame (Sovereign Towers)
The Citadel (Ambassador Towers)
The Panaceum (Dragon Towers)
Pavilion of the Host (Sovereign Towers)

Dura Districts:
Daggerwatch (Upper Dura)
Highhold (Upper Dura)
Highwater (Upper Dura)
Overlook (Upper Dura)
The Bazaar (Middle Dura)
Hareth's Folly (Middle Dura)
Rattlestone (Middle Dura)
Tumbledown (Middle Dura)
Fallen (Lower Dura)
Malleon's Gate (Lower Dura)
Callestan (Lower Dura)
Precarious (Lower Dura)

Dura Locations:
Moraggan's (Highhold)
Pegasus Spire (Highwater)
The Hollow Tower (Hareth's Folly)
The Anvil (Callestan)
The Clifftop Adventurer's Guild (Clifftop)

Bazaar Merchants:
The Seven Leagues
Sundry's Shop
Roll and Conquer

Criminal Organizations:
Boromar Clan (Halflings that gamble, steal, and smuggle)
Daask (Droaam monsters that focus on violent crime ad extortion)
House Tarkanan (Citizens with aberrant Dragonmarks that are mercenaries, thieves and assassins)
The Tyrants (Changelings and magewrights that focus on forgery, grifters, deception, and information gathering)

Planes:
Syrania
Fernia
Astral Plane

Monster:
The Undying (Councilor and Soldier)

And Djed's place seems awfully quiet these days. We hope he's alright...

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Intro/Outro Music by: Melodica's Music

Logo by: Kate Skidmore

B027 - Campaign Builder - Betrayal (Level Five) Aug 03, 2020

Show notes

Aha! Bet you didn't see it coming! Out of nowhere, here comes an episode on the worst kind of surprises in D&D: Betrayals! This episode sees Dan and Adam break down the why, when, and how of using effective, meaningful betrayals in your Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

Takeaways:
- Some players will blame the Dungeon Master for a betrayal, and focus on the DM as the adversary. The best way to avoid this is by having the betrayal be plausible.
- Squash the impulse to talk about the betrayal after the session. The players still working through it and analyzing all the small details. Hearing about how you designed the betrayal will put the attention on you and not the character.
- You can use your own attitudes and language to subtly imply that there is a distance between yourself and the villain you are revealing. Swapping from first-person perspective to third-person perspective is a good tool for this.
- Knowing the layout of the story in advance allows you to introduce some ideas quietly in the background of the plot while major issues, raising stakes, and resolutions are in full swing. This gives you the opportunity to drop hints about a betrayal early, so the players can look back on the plot later and see that the traitor was always there.
- Having a strong motivation is key to planning a betrayal. Without a proper motivation, this will seem like it's just a Dungeon Master adding a twist for their own selfish reasons.

Available On: iTunes | Spotify | Podbean | YouTube

Don’t forget to Like/Follow/Subscribe/Whatever when you listen!

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Email: info@itsamimic.com

Intro/Outro Music by: Cory Wiebe

Logo by: Kate Skidmore