RETRAINING - Because your first draft was a dumpster fire...
Release Date: 06/23/2025
DAGGERHEART: HOW TO PLAY CHARACTER CREATION - Roll Stats, Choose a Class, Cry About Your Backstory
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Ever wonder what would happen if D&D and a therapy session had a magical woodland baby? Welcome to character creation in Daggerheart. Thank You to Our Sponsor – DungeonFlow.app: This episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast is proudly sponsored by — your new favorite GM tool for organizing campaigns, generating traps, and describing suspiciously pulsing potted plants. Whether you're prepping a one-shot or wrangling a West Marches campaign, DungeonFlow makes your life easier, faster, and way less covered in metaphorical blood. Try it now and streamline your prep time before the rogue does...
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SHINKICKING Remastered - Managing Difficulty and Tone in Combat RP
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Ever accidentally traumatize your party during a goblin ambush? We did—so we made a whole episode about it. In this remastered episode, the RPGBOT crew rolls initiative on one of the most delicate balancing acts in tabletop role-playing games: how to manage difficulty and tone in combat scenarios. Whether you’re a GM trying to run a gritty, high-stakes survival encounter or a player who just wants to dropkick goblins and crack jokes, this conversation explores how to harmonize challenge with narrative tone. The hosts unpack the psychology of danger, why tension doesn’t always mean TPKs,...
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DAGGERHEART: HOW TO PLAY CONCEPTS AND THEMES - Cue the Spotlight, We're Monologuing Through Combat
The RPGBOT.Podcast
We upgraded Foundry, discovered a few surprise “features,” and then dove headfirst into the hope-and-fear-fueled mayhem of Daggerheart—join us for mechanics, emotions, and at least one character death that felt really personal. This episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast is sponsored by , your one-stop shop for streamlining game prep and powering up your sessions. Whether you're navigating Daggerheart's emotional economy or just trying to remember what room had the spiky floor trap, DungeonFlow has your back. With encounter builders, random traps, and mood-setting room descriptions, it's...
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SHADOWFELL - Get Your Gloom On
The RPGBOT.Podcast
What if your depression had hit points and could punch back? Welcome to the Shadowfell. Huge thanks to DungeonFlow.app for sponsoring this episode—because even in the Shadowfell, your dungeon prep shouldn't be a nightmare. Sign up today at and start building better encounters, faster. It's free to try, easy to use, and unlike the Shadowfell... it won’t drain your soul. In this laughably bleak episode, the RPGBOT crew takes a torch (dimly lit, flickering with existential dread) and dives headfirst into the Shadowfell—D&D’s very own Plane of Gloom, where your hopes go to die...
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LIGHT AND DARKNESS Remastered - Because apparently no one packs torches anymore...
The RPGBOT.Podcast
If you've ever wondered why your dungeon feels less like a terrifying crawl through the dark and more like a grayscale video game, this episode shines a light on everything wrong—and weird—about darkvision. In this remastered and updated episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts revisit one of their most debated topics: how vision mechanics function in tabletop RPGs, especially Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. They dive deep into how different systems handle lighting, visibility, and the ever-confusing rules around darkvision. The episode unpacks the practical and narrative...
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WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLE PLAY Part IV: Review - Fate, Fortune, and Fragile Line Between Hero and Corpse
The RPGBOT.Podcast
. Explore the treacherous roads, clash blades with the forces of corruption, and roll the bones in the grimdark world of Warhammer Fantasy. Whether you're a grizzled veteran or fresh meat for the dice gods, Ash has a seat at the table for you. Show Notes: In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts venture deeper into the grim and perilous world of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. The conversation centers on how chance, mechanics, and narrative intertwine to create memorable and brutal gaming experiences. From unlucky dice rolls to warpstone corruption, the hosts unpack the intricate systems...
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WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLE PLAY Pt III: Example Play - Bring Gloves, Trust No One, and Never Sniff the Daisies
The RPGBOT.Podcast
If you’ve ever asked, “How do I actually play Warhammer Fantasy Role Play?”—this episode is your crash course, chaos crash cart, and comedy club all rolled into one. Grab your dice, pack your herbs, and don’t forget your gloves. Things are about to get weird in the woods. Thank you to our sponsor, DM Adamantine! If you're ready to play with an expert GM in a one-of-a-kind setting, check out Dungeon Master Adamantine at or find him on for custom sessions in Greece or online! In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the crew dives headfirst into the brutal, baroque, and...
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DEITIES Remastered - Divine powers, celestial politics, and heresy to keep things interesting.
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Ever wondered what happens when your cleric starts a cult, your paladin questions their god, and your podcast host thinks he is one? Tune in and find out. In this episode, the RPGBOT.Podcast crew dives deep into the divine—and the deranged—as they tackle the topic of religion in tabletop RPGs. From the celestial bureaucracy of the Forgotten Realms to Pathfinder’s heavily codified pantheon, the hosts examine how religion shapes settings, drives character motivation, and complicates moral choices. The discussion explores the roles of deities, demigods, and divine casters, while also...
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PLANE OF ARBOREA - Where vibes are chaotic, food is suspicious, and trees hold grudges
The RPGBOT.Podcast
If you’ve ever wanted to party in a magical forest where the trees are judging you and the weather is trying to kill you, this is your episode. A massive thank you to Dungeon Master Adamantine for sponsoring this episode! Whether you want to explore mythic Athens in person or dive into the underdark from your living room, Nick Fotopoulos—aka DM Adamantine—runs unforgettable sessions across systems including D&D, Call of Cthulhu, and Vampire: The Masquerade. Book a game with him at or at . Episode Summary: In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the crew ascends to the upper...
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RETRAINING - Because your first draft was a dumpster fire...
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Ever pick a feat so bad it made your character question their entire existence? Good news—this episode is your mulligan. Need a professional GM to help you respec your party’s chaos into a compelling narrative? Book a session with the one and only Dungeon Master Adamantine! Whether you're in Athens, Greece, connecting online, or just looking to combine your vacation with a dragon-slaying adventure, DM Adamantine is your go-to Game Master for high-quality TTRPG sessions in D&D, Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: The Masquerade, and more. Find your next unforgettable adventure at or book...
info_outlineEver pick a feat so bad it made your character question their entire existence? Good news—this episode is your mulligan.
Need a professional GM to help you respec your party’s chaos into a compelling narrative? Book a session with the one and only Dungeon Master Adamantine!
Whether you're in Athens, Greece, connecting online, or just looking to combine your vacation with a dragon-slaying adventure, DM Adamantine is your go-to Game Master for high-quality TTRPG sessions in D&D, Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: The Masquerade, and more. Find your next unforgettable adventure at www.dungeonmasteradamantine.com or book sessions at StartPlaying.games/gm/dmadamantine.
In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts embrace change—literally—as they dive deep into the concept of retraining mechanics in tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons 5E and Pathfinder 2E. But before the character sheet gets erased, they kick things off with a nerdy detour into Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition, share opinions on the Resident Evil franchise, and wax nostalgic about the golden age of gaming.
Then the core conversation begins: What do you do when the feat you picked at Level 3 turns out to be hot garbage? Or when your barbarian realizes Intelligence isn’t just a dump stat—it’s a lifestyle choice? That’s where retraining comes in.
The hosts discuss why retraining is essential for both new and experienced players, the narrative and mechanical implications of character do-overs, and how GMs can avoid turning the process into a bureaucratic nightmare. They compare systems, critique design philosophies, and remind everyone that flexibility is key to fun.
If you’ve ever regretted your build, re-specced mid-campaign, or wanted to take a mulligan on your bard’s flute proficiency, this episode is for you.
- PF2 Retraining on Archives of Nethys
- Neverwinter Nights 2 (Affiliate Link)
- Strongholds and Followers
- Dimension20
- NaddPod
- Slither Film
- Cornetto Trilogy
- Bojack Horseman
- Tedd Lasso
Key Takeaways
- Retraining is essential for helping players adapt to new strategies, party dynamics, or just plain regret.
- Pathfinder 2E offers clear, structured retraining rules that make it easy to respec without breaking immersion.
- D&D 5E, by contrast, provides limited retraining options, often requiring house rules to fill in the gaps.
- Retraining is especially useful for new players who don’t yet grasp the long-term consequences of build choices.
- Costs for retraining—whether time, gold, or in-world narrative—should be clear but not punitive.
- The “burden of knowledge” can be overwhelming; good retraining systems ease that pressure.
- Character development should be fluid, allowing for organic growth and change over time.
- Retraining can include skills, feats, class features, and even languages, though learning Infernal overnight might stretch believability.
- Tone shifting—from serious to humorous or vice versa—is an important skill for both players and GMs. Humor should act as a pressure release, not a tonal whiplash.
- Matching your group’s emotional energy and narrative expectations is vital for a good game session.
- Every table should discuss retraining rules upfront, so expectations are clear and rerolls don’t become courtroom dramas.
- Even Call of Cthulhu has unique retraining mechanics that focus on realism and narrative trauma—proof that every game handles it differently.
- Retraining mechanics support player agency, increase campaign longevity, and ultimately make the game more fun.
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Tyler Kamstra
Ash Ely
Randall James
Producer Dan