RUNES (Remastered): Introducing Axe and Anarchy Into Your Game
Release Date: 02/28/2026
HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 4: 10 out of 10, Would Play Again
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Show Notes In this final installment of the RPGBOT.Podcast How to Play Fantasy Flight Star Wars: Edge of the Empire series, the crew wraps things up with a deep dive into questions, answers, and overall system impressions after completing their multi-part Star Wars RPG actual play. After surviving pirate stations, clone cults, and barely escaping Imperial pursuit, the hosts analyze what worked, what didn’t, and what makes the Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars RPG system stand out compared to other tabletop RPGs. The discussion opens with discusson of the system’s signature narrative dice...
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HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 3: Pt 3 - "In a galaxy where everything is broken..."
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Show Notes In Part 3 of this Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play, the RPGBOT crew finally delivers on the promise teased since Episode 1: full-on Star Wars space combat! And it is every bit as chaotic, cinematic, and barely-survivable as you’d hope. Picking up immediately after their explosive escape from the pirate station, the crew aboard the Malarkey finds themselves pursued by TIE fighters. What follows is a crash course in Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars starship combat mechanics, including initiative slots, range bands, shield management, and the ever-chaotic narrative dice system....
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UNDERWATER COMBAT (Remastered); Randall Sinks to the Bottom; Hilarity Ensues!
The RPGBOT.Podcast
The party stands heroically on the docks. The bard composes a sea shanty. The fighter sharpens his sword. The wizard prepares a speech about buoyancy physics he read on a forum at 3:00 AM. The rogue realizes sneak attack requires not drowning. The cleric discovers healing word does not cure lack of oxygen (or does it?). The DM Googles drowing rules mid-initiative because everyone forgot how breathing works. Welcome to underwater combat, where your character sheet becomes a flotation device and the real boss monster is physics. Show Notes In this episode the RPGBOT crew dives into underwater...
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HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 3: Pt 2 - We accidentally started a Robot Cult.
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Last time on RPGBOT.Podcast: we attempted a stealth infiltration of a pirate space station and immediately turned it into a full-blown crisis involving the Empire. This time? It gets worse. Show Notes In Part 2 of this Star Wars Edge of the Empire actual play, the RPGBOT crew continues their mission to infiltrate a hidden pirate station and hack its central maintenance terminal, but things escalate in the most RPGBOT way possible. After escaping the chaos of an iconic Star Wars-style cantina and evading Imperial forces, the crew descends into the station’s maintenance tunnels. What should...
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HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 3: Pt 1 - Hack the Terminal, They Said. It’ll Be Easy, They Said.
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Welcome back to the RPGBOT.Podcast, where we’re teaching you how to play the Star Wars tabletop RPG the best possible way: by immediately committing crimes in space. In this episode, Randall introduces a Wookie slicer with Force powers on the run from the law, while Ash debuts a former Imperial smuggler who solves problems the traditional way: shooting first and then leaving without askin questions. Tyler GMs a Star Wars RPG actual play session which quickly becomes a chaotic adventure featuring pirate stations, suspicious hookahs, questionable dice math, and a cantina band legally...
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THE ETHEREAL PLANE (Remastered): Exploring the Enigmatic Realm and What Lies Beyond
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Randall, Tyler, and Ash explore the Ethereal Plane: the ghostly plane of existence where your barbarian can’t punch anything, your wizard can’t read the signage, and your rogue is absolutely certain there’s loot “just on the other side” of a wall they can’t quite touch. Welcome to the Ethereal Plane, where (almost) everything is fog and spooky vibes. Show notes In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, the hosts dive into The Ethereal Plane, the enigmatic realm that sits alongside the Material like a paranormal overlay, perfect for interplanar travel, spooky...
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THE PLANE OF FIRE - The Worst Vacation in the Multiverse
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Welcome back to the RPGBOT.Podcast, where today’s travel brochure reads: “The Elemental Plane of Fire: Come for the lava rivers, stay because you physically cannot leave.” Congratulations. You’re about to plan a vacation to a place where the weather forecast is “burning with a chance of more burning.” Let’s talk about the Elemental Plane of Fire. Show Notes In this episode of the RPGBOT.Podcast, hosts Randall James, Tyler Kamstra, and Ash Ely explore the Elemental Plane of Fire in Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, diving into the lore, cosmology, monsters, and adventure...
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HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 2: The Galaxy Needs Heroes… We Built These Instead
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Every RPG player knows the real game doesn’t start when the dice hit the table. No, the real adventure begins when some nerds open a rulebook, stare at a character sheet, and argue about whether a Wookiee hacker with a moral crusade for droid rights is mechanically viable. In this episode of the RPGBOT.Quickstart series, the crew tackles FFG Star Wars RPG character creation in Fantasy Flight’s Edge of the Empire. Randall decides the galaxy clearly needs a Force-sensitive Wookie slicer, Ash plans to become the smooth-talking Twi’lek pilot with questionable ethics, and Tyler guides them...
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2024 DnD 5e SORCERER Levels 5 - 20 (Remastered): Mastering Magic, Essential Spells for Characters
The RPGBOT.Podcast
The party had a plan. The Fighter would kick in the door. The Rogue would sneak behind the enemy. The Cleric would prepare a healing spell. And the Sorcerer? The Sorcerer would spend six minutes explaining why Fireball is technically the safest solution to every problem, including diplomacy, stealth, and emotional growth. Because Wizards study magic… Warlocks borrow magic… But a D&D 5e Sorcerer is what happens when magic studies you and decides you’re the group’s primary tactical error. Today on RPGBOT: Sorcerer Levels 5 - 20 optimization, where your spell list gets bigger,...
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HOW TO PLAY STAR WARS: EDGE OF THE EMPIRE 1: Every Roll Tells a Story
The RPGBOT.Podcast
Randall: “So this is a Star Wars RPG where we’re not Jedi, not heroes, and not important… we’re basically the guy who owes Jabba rent.” Tyler: “Correct. You’re the reason bounty hunters have a 401k.” Ash: “Finally! A system that understands my characters are emotionally complicated, morally questionable, and one hyperdrive failure away from eating space ramen.” -The RPGBOT.Podcast cast, probably Show Notes In this Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG How to Play, the RPGBOT crew dives into the core concepts and themes of Fantasy Flight’s narrative dice system, a tabletop RPG...
info_outlineYou know how every +1 sword in 5e feels like it came off the same enchanted assembly line?
“Congratulations adventurer — your reward is… statistically adequate.”
This week, the crew grabs a metaphorical chisel, carves glowing symbols into that boredom, and asks: What if your weapon didn’t just hit harder — what if it screamed cosmic philosophy while doing it?
From axiomatic swords enforcing universal order to anarchic axes overthrowing alignment conventions, we dive into Pathfinder 2e rune system mechanics, shamelessly loot them for D&D 5e magic item customization, and then escalate into tone-bending chaos where you might play villain henchmen or survive horror scenarios for fun.
Because nothing says “balanced campaign design” like rewriting metaphysics with Nordic graffiti and then handing the party an axe that hates bureaucracy.
Show Notes
In this episode, the RPGBOT crew examines one of tabletop fantasy’s most persistent mechanical gripes: magic items in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition often feel numerically incremental rather than creatively transformative. The discussion pivots toward Pathfinder 2e’s rune system, positioning it as a compelling model for deeper customization through layered item enhancement rather than static bonuses.
The hosts unpack the distinctions between fundamental and property runes, emphasizing how property runes add unique mechanical effects to weapons and armor, producing gameplay that’s both expressive and modular. They explore how these mechanics could be translated into homebrew D&D campaigns, addressing balance through level-based restrictions, rarity adjustments, and vulnerability considerations.
Attention shifts toward practical experimentation — allowing multiple runes per item, adjusting enhancement bonuses, and porting armor runes to broaden defensive options. The conversation also touches on systemic design trends like emerging magic item pricing guidance in OneD&D, which could make cross-system adaptation easier for DMs.
In true RPGBOT fashion, the episode expands beyond mechanics into narrative structure:
The crew suggests using rune-inspired item shifts as gateways for tonal experimentation, recommending session-zero communication, short tonal arcs, villain-perspective one-shots, or survival-horror side stories to re-energize campaigns.
The result is an episode that blends TTRPG system design analysis, cross-system mechanical hacking, and campaign tone strategy, demonstrating how rules innovation can reshape storytelling possibilities at the table.
Key Takeaways
- Standard D&D 5e magic item mechanics often rely on numeric scaling rather than narrative identity.
- Pathfinder 2e rune mechanics provide modular item customization through layered enhancements.
- Property runes introduce unique combat and thematic effects beyond simple bonuses.
- Use level restrictions and rarity mapping to maintain balance.
- Experiment with multiple runes per item for player agency.
- Extend rune logic to armor for broader gear diversity.
- Price transparency (e.g., OneD&D item costs) supports homebrew adaptation.
- Rune mechanics illustrate modular system design principles applicable across TTRPGs.
- Discuss tonal changes openly with players before implementation.
- Run experimental arcs or villain POV sessions for variety.
- Horror survival scenarios can reframe player motivation and stakes.
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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
Tyler Kamstra
Ash Ely
Randall James
Producer Dan