MYSTERIES (Remastered): Mastering Mind Games and Unlocking Secrets!
Release Date: 12/13/2025
EBERRON - FORGE OF THE ARTIFICER 2: Mobile Bastions and Divorced-Dad Energy
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Welcome back to RPGBOT.Podcast, where Ash is a Top GM™, Tyler is still emotionally processing Bastions, and Randall has discovered that Eberron finally lets you live your best divorced-dad-with-a-houseboat fantasy. In Part 2 of our review of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, we leave the artificer workshop behind and dive headfirst into dragonmarked intrigue, mobile bastions, noir detectives, political backstabbing, and the deeply dangerous question: “What if my base could walk?” This episode contains airships, crime fiction, economic monopolies, and at least one moment where we...
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ELEMENTALS (Remastered): Unleash the Untamed Fury of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth!
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Show Notes Elementals are the walking embodiment of the four classic forces—fire, air, water, and earth—and they’re one of the easiest monster families to drop into any campaign while still feeling mythic, dangerous, and thematically sharp. () In this remastered episode, the RPGBOT crew digs into how to make elementals more than “a pile of hit points with a damage type”—including encounter roles, terrain design, and how to telegraph threats so your table feels challenged instead of cheap-shotted. What elementals are (in play): not just monsters, but mobile hazards and “terrain...
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EBERRON: FORGE OF THE ARTIFICER 1 - Union-Approved War-Forged Opinions
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Welcome back to RPGBOT.Podcast, where optimism is optional, feedback is weaponized, and today we’re firing up the lightning rails straight into Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. This is Part 1 of our review, which means we’re here to ask the most important questions first: Does this book actually understand artificers? Does it respect Eberron’s magic-as-industry vibe? And will Ash rant about corporate design decisions like an angry warforged with a union card? Spoiler: yes. Probably several times. Grab your tool proficiencies and buckle up—this is Eberron, where magic is practical,...
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2025 YEAR END REVIEW - 104 New Episodes a Year Was a Choice
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Show Notes The RPGBOT crew closes out Season 5 the only way they know how: with heartfelt gratitude, passionate rants, accidental comedy, and at least one derailment into pop culture discourse. In this end-of-year recap, Randall, Tyler, and Ash look back on a year of certified bangers, a few corporate-mandated stinkers, and the surprising joy of discovering that people are, in fact, listening. A lot of people. Like… three-quarters of a million downloads a lot. Along the way, the hosts reflect on: Why giving feedback is harder than it sounds (and why Josh should maybe just be hired already)....
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ROGUES LEVELS 11-20 Remastered: Skilled Skullduggery for your Devious Deceiver!
The RPGBOT.Podcast
In this remastered episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, we continue to shine a spotlight on building one of the most intriguing classes in the game: the Rogue. With their sneaky tactics and manipulative ways, Rogues add an essential element of mystery and cunning to any adventuring party. Join us as we break down the key components of building a successful Rogue character, and learn how to level up your game with this second part of our two-part series on Rogues. HANDBOOKS FROM RPGBOT.net RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on , or your...
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PICKING A TTRPG (That isn’t D&D or Pathfinder Part 3) - A Galaxy of Games, Crunch, and Chaos
The RPGBOT.Podcast
On this remastered episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, we complete our 3-part series on Picking a TTRPG that is not DnD or Pathfinder by adventuring deep into the vast and thrilling universe of tabletop RPGs. From the spine-chilling cosmic horror of Alien RPG to the gritty nihilism of Death in Space, we’re exploring the diverse themes of space exploration, teenage superheroes, cyberpunk chaos, and even the villainous fun of Necessary Evil. Join us as we tackle the art of balancing crunch with accessibility, dive into the rise of one-page RPGs for quick and chaotic adventures, and share tips on...
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PICKING A TTRPG (That isn’t D&D or Pathfinder Part 2) Remastered - Rolling Dice and Brewing Chaos
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Ever wondered what beer chemistry, emo vampires, and broom mechanics have in common? Neither did we—until this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast! We’re diving deep into RPG madness, from the grimy charm of Shadow Dark to the chaos of Warhammer's magic (spoiler: it’s messy). Then, we tackle Symbaroum, where sweeping is serious business, and Vison, the perfect game for overachieving detectives. Horror fans, brace yourselves! It's eldritch chills with Call of Cthulhu, slapstick terror with Pulp Cthulhu, and Appalachian nightmares with Old Gods of...
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2026! Screaming into the void while RPGBOT.chat torments us - A fitting end to 2025!
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Farewell 2025, Hello 2026 As the dice finish rolling on 2025, we want to take a moment—before the initiative tracker resets—to say thank you. This year was packed with bold experiments, deep dives, hot takes, re-releases, masterclasses, actual plays, rule arguments that absolutely mattered, and more than a few moments where we stopped mid-recording and said, “Wait… does that actually work?” Thanks to you, the listeners, it did. In 2025, RPGBOT.Podcast explored new systems, revisited old favorites, broke down mechanics piece by piece, and kept doing what we love most: helping players,...
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PICKING A TTRPG (That isn’t D&D or Pathfinder Part 1) Remastered - Crunch, Chaos, and Political Backstabs
The RPGBOT.Podcast
"Crunchy rules or simple vibes? Political intrigue or straight-up dungeon brawls? Survival in a dying world or low-power fantasy feels?" This remastered RPGBOT.Podcast dives into everything you love (and fear) about tabletop RPGs that aren't D&D or Pathfinder. From decision trees to help you find your perfect game match, to the storytelling magic of Powered by the Apocalypse, and the chaotic survival of Mork Borg, there's something for everyone if you're willing to look past what you already know. Tune in if you’ve ever wondered, "Is my game too crunchy, or am I just lazy?" Summary...
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HOW TO PLAY PATHFINDER 2E (Remastered) - Pt4. Questions and Answer
The RPGBOT.Podcast
You survived the one-shot. No one died permanently. Only some rules were misunderstood. Now comes the most dangerous phase of any tabletop experience: questions. In this episode, the RPGBOT crew sits down after the Pathfinder 2e one-shot to answer the things every new player asks—what worked, what didn’t, what we forgot, and why Pathfinder 2e somehow makes rules discussions feel productive instead of like a rules-lawyer cage match. Pathfinder 2e Re-Releases! Perfect timing for learning, teaching, and holiday one-shots: RPGBOT is re-releasing our Pathfinder 2e Quickstart episodes for...
info_outlineHave you ever watched your players stare at a clue for 25 minutes, slowly realizing they’re not unraveling a mystery, you’re watching them invent a brand-new conspiracy theory? In today’s remastered episode, we dive into the magical art of mystery design: how to build suspense, reveal secrets, and gently nudge players away from wildly incorrect guesses like “the butler did it” when you absolutely, definitely did not even put a butler in this campaign.
Show Notes
In this remastered RPGBOT.Podcast episode, the crew digs deep into the craft of creating and running tabletop RPG mysteries: from puzzle-heavy one-shots to sprawling, campaign-defining enigmas. We break down how mystery structure changes the way players interact with the world, how clues can guide without railroading, and why your players always suspect the guy with the most ominous accent (even when he’s just a blacksmith).
We walk through best practices for investigation adventures in systems like Dungeons & Dragons 5e, Pathfinder 2e, and other TTRPGs that thrive on intrigue. You’ll learn how to balance player agency with narrative direction, how to keep mysteries from stalling, and how to use secrets, lies, and misdirection to build an unforgettable experience.
We also cover the common pitfalls: clue scatter, dead-end thinking, mystery over-engineering, and the infamous “GM explains the entire plot because nobody figured it out.” Plus, we share our favorite tools, techniques, and design frameworks for ensuring your mysteries feel clever rather than confusing.
If you've ever wanted to run a mystery adventure that has players gasping instead of groaning, theorizing instead of floundering, and celebrating instead of crying over red herrings—this episode is your blueprint for success.
Key Takeaways
Designing Effective Mysteries
- Structure mysteries around clear goals, accessible clues, and multiple pathways to solve the problem.
- Use redundancy in clue placement—no single point of failure.
- Think in terms of “information flow,” not “plot.”
Building Engaging Clues
- Clues should connect characters, locations, motives, and secrets.
- Make clues tactile (objects), social (NPC testimony), and environmental (scene details).
- Each clue should move the investigation forward, even if only slightly.
Keeping Players Engaged
- Allow players to propose theories—even absurd ones—and gently redirect when needed.
- Encourage table talk, but not paralysis.
- Let players feel smart by validating partial insights, even if they’re not perfect.
Managing Mystery Mechanics
- Investigation checks should reveal information, not gatekeep it.
- Provide clues through multiple skills: Perception, Investigation, Society, Arcana, etc.
- Remember: failure shouldn’t stop the mystery, only add texture.
Building Tension and Payoff
- Pace reveals to maintain suspense.
- Use NPCs, factions, and motives as engines for twists.
- Craft an ending that feels earned, surprising but inevitable.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
- Don’t require players to think exactly like you.
- Don’t hide vital information behind a single roll.
- Don’t write an ending before understanding how the players will approach the mystery.
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Meet the Hosts
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Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.
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Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.
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Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI’s worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.
Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net