How should TTRPGs decide whose turn it is? From fixed D&D initiative to Daggerheart’s conversational spotlight, we dig into player agency, spotlight sharing, and why some players just don’t want to contribute.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oeLbFyJC38Y

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▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Apocalypse World "The Conversation" https://writeups.letsyouandhimfight.com/evil-mastermind/apocalypse-world/

2. Index Card RPG https://www.runehammer.online/index-card-rpg

3. Swords Without Master https://unwrittenearths.itch.io/swords-without-master

4. Dungeon Crawler Carl https://mattdinniman.com/books/dungeon-crawler-carl/

Why did everyone ignore D&D's potion rules? What can Monopoly's Free Parking house rule teach us about homebrew? We explore game design, player behavior, and why the rules that feel right aren't always the ones that make the best game.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6HY4kKbsN70

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▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Soren Johnson ("Players will optimise the fun out of a game") https://www.designer-notes.com/game-developer-column-17-water-finds-a-crack/

2. When We Cease to Understand the World https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676260/when-we-cease-to-understand-the-world-by-benjamin-labatut-translated-from-the-spanish-by-adrian-nathan-west/

In this episode, we have a genuine argument about whether Dumbledore is actually gay. Because if a character's secret isn't revealed, was it ever true? Or is it a kind of quantum secret? But I promise this is still about TTRPGs.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YvDIP_YankY

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Dogs in the Vineyard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_in_the_Vineyard

2. Playing to life https://www.nordiclarp.org/2018/02/21/play-lift-not-just-lose/

3. Alien TTRPG https://freeleaguepublishing.com/games/alien/

4. Dumbledore is gay announcement https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/jk-rowling-says-dumbledore-is-gay-idUSN20520040/

If the format of D&D modules were reconstructed from first principles, there's NO WAY boxed text would survive. Why does modern D&D still use boxed text? It's an unskippable cutscene which only exists as a misapplication of show-don't-tell.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2K65ftUK-po

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. The Gazebo story https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_and_the_Dread_Gazebo

2. FATE Core https://fate-srd.com/fate-core

3. Numenera https://numenera.com/

4. Mothership “Another Bug Hunt” https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/another-bug-hunt

5. Luca Rejec’s Holy Mountain Shaker https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/products/holy-mountain-shaker

6. Paramedic triage frameworks (page 6) https://members.stjohn.org.au/docs/FRA%20Topic%205%20Background.pdf

7. Wargaming intent statement https://youtu.be/5h4ChTl0gN4?t=1822&si=Qy3e-2a8NQHsUwN2

What do you do when a player misses a session? We talk session zero, love letters from Apocalypse World, and how Blades in the Dark solves RPG scheduling by rethinking the adventuring party.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5h4ChTl0gN4

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Love Letters PbtA https://community.openlegendrpg.com/t/gm-tech-love-letters-informing-absent-players/1921

2. Old School Essentials https://oldschoolessentials.necroticgnome.com/srd/index.php/Main_Page

3. Blades in the Dark https://bladesinthedark.com/greetings-scoundrel

4. Band of Blades https://evilhat.com/product/band-of-blades/

5. Stonetop https://plusoneexp.com/collections/stonetop

Rory Story Cubes are more than random tables — they’re RPG tools for asking better questions, building character backstory, and creating shared fiction in session zero. This episode is about better GM prep, better DM tools, and how fiction-first prompts can make your D&D and TTRPG games stronger.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gjbxeRG_7oY

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Rory Story Cubes https://www.storycubes.com/en/

2. Blades in the Dark https://bladesinthedark.com/greetings-scoundrel

3. John Harper’s article about The Line https://mightyatom.blogspot.com/2010/10/apocalypse-world-crossing-line.html?m=1

4. Dixit https://www.libellud.com/en/our-games/dixit/

5. The digital tools episode https://youtu.be/3FlPfMzNX60

6. Monster of the Week https://evilhat.com/product/monster-of-the-week/

7. Mothership https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/pages/mothership-rpg

8. Tim Denee's blog post about low gear and high gear mechanics https://blog.olddog.games/posts/gears-of-system-gears-of-lore

9. Decaying Orbit https://storybrewersroleplaying.com/decaying-orbit/?v=8bcc25c96aa5

What does levelling up actually mean in D&D? Let’s talk XP, classes, fictional weight, Skyrim crabs, Warhammer careers, and how to make character progression feel better at the table.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6NcsGTfbyic

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Monte Cook / Ivory Tower Game Design https://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=13812.0

2. Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay https://writeups.letsyouandhimfight.com/night10194/warhammer-fantasy-roleplay-1st-edition/

3. Apocalypse World http://apocalypse-world.com/

4. Blades in the Dark https://bladesinthedark.com

5. Through the Breach https://www.wyrd-games.net/through-the-breach

6. Malifaux https://www.wyrd-games.net/malifaux-fourth-edition

7. Zombie World https://magpiegames.com/collections/zombie-world

Dice aren’t just about luck—they’re about uncertainty. In this episode of the Start a Quest podcast, we explore why the d20 exists, why the humble d6 still shines, and how weird or custom dice can transform your tabletop RPG.

Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2B6GleNlrUc

And sign up for the newsletter: https://www.start-a-quest.com

▼▼ SOURCES MENTIONED ▼▼

1. Chainmail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chainmail_(game)

2. Psi*Run https://lumpley.itch.io/psirun

3. 13th Age https://pelgranepress.com/13th-age/

4. Dungeon Crawl Classics https://goodman-games.com/dungeon-crawl-classics-rpg/

5. How to play Scattergories https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/play-scattergories/

6. Guile’s theme https://youtu.be/Z4G9MU4wvTo?si=szcXqG2TjVq-ynUP&t=26

7. Mouse Guard https://www.mouseguard.net/rpg

8. Robert Worldert Buildert (Mr. Worldwide) @BobWorldBuilder

9. Genesys https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/products/genesys/

10. Fate Core https://evilhat.com/product/fate-core-system/