Best Deviant Discussions Podcasts (2026)

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Holiday Special 2025: Forever Home - Episode 181 1:40:22

Play Pause

8d ago1:40:22

1:40:22

This week, we're getting around to showcasing a game we made almost three years ago: Forever Home! Join us as we play through the hijinks of a social media DIY influence vlogger and their 200-year-old house's attempts to play matchmaker in a game we would consider to be a Hallmark movie prequel. You can find Forever Home on our Itch page, https://u…

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Apocalypse How - An Interview with Rene from Rene Plays Games 1:08:17

23d ago1:08:17

1:08:17

This week, we're joined by Rene, the host of the Rene Plays Games podcast to talk about post-catastrophe and post-apocalyptic settings. Join us as we discuss ecology, infrastructure, and how to wreck your home town* for the purposes of generating a TTRPG setting. * in a fictional sense. Do not actually wreck your home town. We've mentioned Rene and…

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Everyone Gets a Cantrip! - Episode 179 59:05

1M ago59:05

59:05

This week, we do a little bit of homebrew worldbuilding, asking the question: what does a setting look like when everyone is capable of casting spells? Join us as we discuss the implications of having a society full of spellcasters, some ways that even combat-focused cantrips could be used as utility spells, and just what to do about Eldritch Blast…

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Madness! Fangs! Tentacles!: Extraplanar Dragons, pt.2 - Episode 178 57:45

2M ago57:45

57:45

This week, we're venturing into the Chaotic Evil quadrant of the Great Wheel to discuss the extraplanar dragons of Carceri, Pandemonium, and the Abyss. Join us as we discuss feral chihuahuas (relevant), eldritch horrors (RELEVANT), and The Human Centipede (also, unfortunately, relevant). CONTENT WARNING: Once we get to the Abyss (around the 33 minu…

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Perverse Incentives or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet Part 2 29:43

2M ago29:43

29:43

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! In this episode of 'Deviants' with Danny and Zurc, the hosts discuss the contrasting approaches to policing in the UK and US. They delve into Bonnie Burkhart's book 'Manufacturing Criminals,' which criticizes the US for incentivizing arrests over crime prevention through organizations like the ICAC Task F…

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The Haunting of Cobblestone Chateau: Wraithound Halloween AP - Episode 177 1:14:02

2M ago1:14:02

1:14:02

This week, we're playing a one-shot of Cezar Capacle's solo-capable RPG Wraithound. Join us as we build a fantasy ghost hunter, walk him into a spooky mansion, and watch his attempts to identify and banish the spirits haunting the Cobblestone Chateau. Wraithound is one of many excellent games designed by Cezar Capacle. You can find his work on Itch…

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Perverse Incentives or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet Part 1 29:18

2M ago29:18

29:18

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! This episode of 'Deviants' dives into the controversial and complex realm of sexual offense investigations and decoy operations in the US and UK. Hosts Zurc and Danny break down the legal intricacies of entrapment, revealing stark differences in how these cases are handled across the Atlantic. They argue …

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Dragons in the Deep: Extraplanar Dragons, Part 1 - Episode 176 1:08:23

3M ago1:08:23

1:08:23

This week, we start our look at the dragons native to the Outer Planes with the Lawful Evil quadrant of D&D's Great Wheel cosmology. Join us as we look at the dragons native to Acheron, Baator, Gehenna, and Hades, as well as the impressive Shadowdrakes living in the River Styx. Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links…

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One Shot to Rule Them All - Episode 175 44:22

3M ago44:22

44:22

This week, we're brainstorming and developing one-shot outlines inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, in preparation for a game at a library event celebrating the publication of The Hobbit (not Tolkien's birthday - sorry, got that bit of info wrong). Join us as we figure out how to put the Nazgul on Bikes, how to steal treasure from a dragon, an…

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REAP the Whirlwind: 5th Anniversary AP - Episode 174 1:58:24

4M ago1:58:24

1:58:24

This week, we're celebrating our fifth anniversary (and Tarrasquemas) with Spencer Campbell's solo souls-like necromancer RPG, REAP. Join us as James reaps his way across the realm of Kyrie, Ian gets *most* of the rules right, and we find out if Petrov the Necromancer can defeat the Horror at the end of the game. You can find REAP, and Spencer Camp…

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Primary Prevention Part 3: From Silence to Support 20:02

4M ago20:02

20:02

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! In this third installment of our primary prevention series Danny shares his experience on forums for those attracted to children and emphasizes the importance of supportive communities that encourage pro-social behavior and connect people with resources to learn what boundaries are important for their spe…

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Wings of Wrath and Whimsy: Extraplanar Dragons pt.1 - Episode 173 1:06:59

4M ago1:06:59

1:06:59

This week, we start looking at some of the dragons native to planes beyond the Material. Join us as we discuss dragons from the Feywild, the Underdark (okay, not TECHNICALLY another plane), and the Elemental and Paraelemental Planes. Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites,…

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Primary Prevention Part 2: Breaking the Silence 17:03

4M ago17:03

17:03

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! In Episode 3 of Deviants, we delve into the critical topic of primary prevention with a focus on boundaries, the role of supportive communities, and methods for child safety. Danny shares personal experiences that highlight the struggles of keeping secrets and the importance of reaching out for help. We a…

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The GenCon Recap - Episode 172 41:35

5M ago41:35

41:35

This week, Ian is recounting his adventure to the distant city of Indianapolis to be counted among the record 72,000 attendants of GenCon 2025. Join us as he gives a recap of the games he played, shows off the games he purchased, and poorly describes some game mechanics (I was tired, okay?). Here's a list of the games mentioned this week, plus plac…

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Primary Prevention Part 1: Untold Histories 23:04

5M ago23:04

23:04

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! In the second episode of 'Deviants', the hosts embark on a three-part series focused on the primary prevention of sexual abuse. They examine Shakespearean times, comparing historical child exploitation to present-day challenges. The discussion highlights how primary prevention involves creating safe, supp…

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The Cut of My Jib - Episode 171 48:43

5M ago48:43

48:43

This week, we're taking a meme and making the framework for a TTRPG out of it. Join us as we discuss themes and mechanics, define some terms, and just generally have a good time figuring out how we might get our own booth at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Here's a link to the meme in question: https://imgur.com/wkK73kR A large amount of the informa…

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Deviants: The First Episode 29:08

5M ago29:08

29:08

Send us a text! Let us know what you think! In the inaugural episode of 'Deviants,' hosts Zurc and Danny delve into their personal experiences and the societal complexities surrounding child sexual abuse prevention. Zurc, a survivor of sex trafficking and Danny, who faced his own struggles with de-stigmatizing atypical sexual interests, emphasize t…

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One Foot in the Grave, One Wing in the Air: Undead Dragons - Episode 170 1:04:48

6M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

This week, we discuss the variety of undead dragons available in the D&D rulebooks. Join us as we discuss the mechanics of undeath with regards to dragons, create a dragon mummy, and revel in the terror from the 3.5e Fiend Folio that is the Hullathoin. As mentioned in the episode, we discuss the dracolich at length in Episode 92, "Lich Please". Her…

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You've Got One Shot - Episode 169 1:02:08

6M ago1:02:08

1:02:08

This week, we take a look at the Module Maker Kit for One Shot in the Dark, the solo-capable game written by Jon from Tale of the Manticore. Join us as we assess the advice, play with the Mythic GM Emulator, and start our work creating a module for One Shot in the Dark. We forgot to mention it in the actual episode, but you can find all of Jon's wo…

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All Aboard the Time Machine: Dragons from Past Editions - Episode 168 1:05:08

7M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

This week, we're turning back the clocks to look at some of the dragons from 2nd and 3rd Edition D&D which haven't been updated to 5E in official books. Join us as we discuss seven different types of dragons - each one interesting and, often, unreasonably deadly - that have been relegated to the annals of time. Our website is live! Head on over to …

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Spawn Point: An Interview with C.R. Rowenson - Episode 167 1:01:24

7M ago1:01:24

1:01:24

This week, we welcome returning guest Clark (C.R.) Rowenson, who has come to discuss his new LitRPG novel Spawn Point. Join us as we discuss the his new book, the LitRPG genre as a whole, and some ways to adapt LitRPG into your tabletop games (and vice versa). You can preorder Spawn Point for Kindle here (Release date Oct. 24th, 2025): https://www.…

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And Now For Something... Kinda Different: Non-D&D Dragons - Episode 166 59:11

7M ago59:11

59:11

This week, we make the best of our scheduling conflicts to talk about some of our favorite depictions of dragons in non-D&D media. Join us as we talk about some of our favorite dragons, what makes them different, and ways to change up how you run dragons in your game. As noted, we had some scheduling conflicts come up and were unable to get our int…

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Flying Facets: Gem Dragons - Episode 165 1:15:41

8M ago1:15:41

1:15:41

This week, we return to our draconic conversation by visiting the third major dragon category - the gem dragons. Join us as we discuss these neutral, neurotic, and psionic dragons, plus how to incorporate dragons narratively into your game in a meaningful way. The Solo But Not Alone 5 bundle is almost over! You still have until May 20th, 2025 to pi…

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Coming Back For More - Episode 164 54:34

8M ago54:34

54:34

This week, we're taking unconventional inspiration from the holiday season to discuss different ways to bring characters back from the dead. Join us as we talk about boons from otherworldly entities, reincarnation, reanimation, and what comes back when you call across the veil. The Solo But Not Alone 5 bundle is also still ongoing, and it has reach…

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'Cuz I'm Shiny: Metallic Dragons - Episode 163 1:22:15

9M ago1:22:15

1:22:15

This week, we're continuing our draconic conversation by discussing the metallic dragons. Join us as we talk about ways to play with the "physical vs. magical" nature of dragons, the evolution of metallic dragons through the editions, and some interesting ways to implement metallic dragons in your settings. I mentioned a video by TikTok creator Fel…

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Time to Celebrate - Episode 162 47:14

9M ago47:14

47:14

This week, we're revisiting an aspect of a previous topic and talking about festivals. Join us as we discuss celebrations of all types, a food-eating contest minigame, and some ideas about how to implement these ideas in your home game. As mentioned in the episode, we had another episode a little over a year ago where we talked about creating holid…

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Taste the Rainbow: Chromatic Dragons - Episode 161 1:32:25

10M ago1:32:25

1:32:25

This week, we're fulfilling a promise from almost a year ago and starting our discussion about dragons. Join us as we briefly discuss D&D cosmology from a draconic perspective, followed by an analysis of the five primary chromatic dragon types - black, blue, green, red, and white - and some unconventional ways to incorporate them into your games. T…

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TTRPG Econ 201: Player Economy - Episode 160 47:09

10M ago47:09

47:09

This week, we're still talking about the economy, but not the monetary kind. Join us as we discuss different forms of player economy, from action economy in game design to how to prioritize which (and how many) aspects of gameplay you want to focus on with your players at the table. As I mentioned in the insert at the beginning of the episode, we w…

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TTRPG Econ 101 - Episode 159 50:57

11M ago50:57

50:57

This week, we're talking about economies. Join us as we discuss ways to use economy, currency, and wealth as worldbuilding tools. The Solo But Not Alone 5 bundle is finally live! You can find it here: https://itch.io/b/2865/solo-but-not-alone-5 Here are a couple of bonus links for this week. First off, here's a link to YouTuber RamsesThePigeon's vi…

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State of the Podcast 2025 - Episode 158 41:38

11M ago41:38

41:38

This week, we're taking a step back to discuss where we see the podcast now, four years in, and what we're planning to do in the future. Join us as we talk about why we're stepping away from making content specifically geared towards D&D, what we're going to do instead, and how we aim to get from Point A to Point B. The Solo But Not Alone 5 bundle …

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Carta SRD, plus Solo But Not Alone 5, with Cat - Episode 157 1:12:33

12M ago1:12:33

1:12:33

We're back in 2025! To kick off this year's episode lineup, we welcome back Cat from Peach Garden Games to discuss both the Solo But Not Alone 5 bundle and their Carta SRD (System Resource Document). The Carta SRD is a mechanical system designed to assist game developers with creating single-player RPGs powered by a humble deck of playing cards. Yo…

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2024 Holiday AP: Kids on Bikes - Episode 156 1:58:34

1y ago1:58:34

1:58:34

This week, we're playing a holiday themed game of Kids on Bikes! Join us as we try to figure out how to play with Dr. Mary Crowell and Mike Daniel; our game may not be an ideal example of Kids on Bikes gameplay, but we sure had a whole lot of fun doing it. This is our last episode for 2024. We'll be taking time off through the holidays, as we do ev…

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Older Than Bones - Episode 155 1:10:31

1y ago1:10:31

1:10:31

This week, we're having a chat about Appalachia with our friend and West Virginia native Kelly West. Join us as we discuss the history and culture of Appalachia and some ways to incorporate it as a setting in your home games. Please excuse the quality of Kelly's audio. I cleaned it up as best I could, and hopefully the content of our conversation o…

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The Green and the Inner Dark: Old Gods of Appalachia RPG - Episode 154 58:25

1y ago58:25

58:25

This week, we're talking about the Old Gods of Appalachia roleplaying game by Monte Cook Games. Join us as we discuss the inner workings of the Cypher system and how it has been modified to run games set in 1930s Appalachia. To pick up a copy of OGoA, you can visit the Monte Cook website (https://www.montecookgames.com/store/product/old-gods-of-app…

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All Flesh Is Surplus Jam: The Mall of Horrors - Episode 153 1:31:28

1y ago1:31:28

1:31:28

This week, we're taking a break from our regular episodes for a one-shot game of The Lost Bay. Join us as we try to find our way through the darkness and out of the mall. Special thanks to Kris for writing and running the adventure, and to Danny for coming on to play with us. Kris didn't have any media links he wanted to provide, but Danny can be f…

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Werewolves and Warlocks and Vampires, Oh My! - Episode 153 1:11:41

1y ago1:11:41

1:11:41

This week, we're talking about Monster of the Week! Join us as we discuss the Powered by the Apocalypse system, monster hunting, and game mechanics, and highlight some of our favorite playbooks in the base ruleset. At about the 30 minute mark, we mention a game where you play as cats. It's called "Magical Kitties Save the Day", by Atlas Games, and …

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Till the Streetlights Come On - Episode 151 1:03:40

1y ago1:03:40

1:03:40

This week, we're talking about Kids on Bikes! Join us as we discuss the themes and mechanics of the game, and culminate with trying our hand at character creation. Hurricane Helene hit our region of East Tennessee hard. While we both got out safe and sound, many folks in nearby communities weren't so lucky. If you want to help in this area specific…

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The Future is Now, Old Man - Episode 150 1:13:38

1+ y ago1:13:38

1:13:38

This week, we (mostly) finish our discussion of the changes to the classes in the new D&D 2024 ruleset. Join us as we discuss quality of life improvements, forget to mention the rogue, and James voices his... opinions. As mentioned in the episode, one of the sources we're using to get our information about the new 2024 ruleset is the YouTube channe…

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International House of Vampires - Action 12 Cinema Anniversary AP, pt. 2 1:41:33

1+ y ago1:41:33

1:41:33

This week, we welcome back Michael Ross from The RPG Academy and Rob Hilferty from Worldbuild With Us to play Michael's Ennie-nominated game Action 12 Cinema to celebrate our podcast's fourth anniversary. Join us for the second part of our play session, where we complete the Production Phase of the game, engaging in bad B-movie hijinks to discover …

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Recipe for Disaster - Action 12 Cinema Anniversary AP, pt.1 1:29:25

1+ y ago1:29:25

1:29:25

This week, we welcome back Michael Ross from The RPG Academy and Rob Hilferty from Worldbuild With Us to play Michael's Ennie-nominated game Action 12 Cinema to celebrate our podcast's fourth anniversary. Join us for this, the first part of our play session, where we complete the Pre-Production Phase of the game, establishing the details of the cra…

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Uncanny Valley - Episode 147 1:05:30

1+ y ago1:05:30

1:05:30

This week, we're continuing our look at the rules changes for the D&D 5e 2024 ruleset. Join us as we talk about the changes to spellcasting, weapon properties, and - despite our best efforts - as many classes as we can manage in the time allowed. As mentioned in the episode, one of the sources we're using to get our information about the new 2024 r…

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Different, but the Same - Episode 146 1:08:36

1+ y ago1:08:36

1:08:36

This week, we start taking a look at some of the new rules changes announced for the latest version of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. Join us as we discuss what's new, what's gone, and what's been clarified. As mentioned in the episode, one of the sources we're using to get our information about the new 2024 ruleset is the YouTube channel Treant…

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Unto Desolation - Episode 145 1:15:27

1+ y ago1:15:27

1:15:27

This week, we begin our transition away from Fallout and back into our biomes series by talking about wastelands. Join us as we discuss types of wastelands, examples of wastelands from both media and the real world, and some ideas on how to implement different types of wastelands into your games. Near the end of the episode, I mentioned a product (…

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Wild Wasteland - Episode 144 44:42

1+ y ago44:42

44:42

This week, we wrap up our conversation about the Fallout TTRPG by Modiphius. Join us as we discuss the creatures and characters of the Fallout RPG, how to modify them, and how we would build some of the creatures from Fallout lore that didn't make it into the book. As mentioned previously, Modiphius has a free quickstart guide for the Fallout RPG a…

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The Pendulum Worldbuilding Tool - Episode 143 53:10

1+ y ago53:10

53:10

This week, we welcome back returning guest Jon, host of the Tale of the Manticore podcast. We discuss the show, his worldbuilding process, his game One Shot in the Dark, and his worldbuilding aide Pendulum. You can find Jon's show on taleofthemanticore.podbean.com, on YouTube @taleofthemanticore, or on your podcatcher of choice. You can also find t…

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Wasteland Factions - Episode 142 1:02:57

1+ y ago1:02:57

1:02:57

This week, we're returning to Fallout to talk about some of the established factions found within the universe. Join us as we discuss Vault-Tec, the Enclave, the Brotherhood of Steel, the NCR, and raiders, as well as ways to implement them on the table when running the Fallout RPG. As mentioned last week, Modiphius has a free quickstart guide for t…

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Opening the Vault - Episode 141 1:02:01

1+ y ago1:02:01

1:02:01

This week, we're breaking out our copies of the Fallout RPG by Modiphius Games. Join us as we give our first impressions of the system, along with some talk about character creation and the basic mechanics of Fallout's 2d20 system. As mentioned in the episode, Modiphius has a free quickstart guide for the Fallout RPG available on their website. It …

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Death of the Author: An Interview with Sam Leigh - Episode 140 59:01

1+ y ago59:01

59:01

This week, we're joined by returning guest Sam Leigh to discuss her newest game, Death of the Author. Join us as we discuss solo games and meta narratives, and spend way more time than we realize creating an amazing monster in the Monster Mashup. As mentioned, Sam is a returning guest. You can find her on Twitter (@GoblinMixtape), or on Tiktok at t…

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I'm On a Boat! - Undercommon Taste Episode 139 1:07:47

1+ y ago1:07:47

1:07:47

This week, we're continuing our exploration of TTRPG biomes by exploring islands and maritime settings with special guest Eric Holden from The Goblin's Corner podcast. Join us as we discuss the hazards, features, and plot points you can hit in an island-hopping adventure. Eric's podcast, The Goblin's Corner, is another TTRPG podcast devoted to worl…

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Return to The Lost Bay - Undercommon Taste Episode 138 56:40

1+ y ago56:40

56:40

This week, we're joined by returning guest Iko, host of The Lost Bay Podcast and game designer behind the gothic horror TTRPG The Lost Bay. Join us as we continue our discussion of The Lost Bay, how it has expanded since our last conversation, and where it's going next. To hear more about The Lost Bay from a mechanical perspective, check out Iko's …