PODCAST

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast

Two best friends delve deep into the oddities of creative gaming to celebrate what makes this hobby truly special. If you enjoy casual conversation laden with tips, tricks, and meaningful examinations of story and structure - then this gaming podcast is for you!

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All Episodes

JM120 - Do TTRPGs Even Need Ability Scores?

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/11/19

What if I told you your tabletop RPG doesn’t need skills… or stats… or even weapon proficiencies? Today we commit a little RPG heresy—and ungovern the cylinder. The Jaunty Mantis returns with another episode of chaotic brilliance, high-level RPG design debate, and extremely questionable metaphors. Today, Jesse and Matty tackle a deceptively simple question: Do tabletop RPGs actually need their core features? Ability scores, skill systems, weapon proficiencies—are they essential, or are they just

en-US

JM119 - Vampires, Grimdark, and Ghosts in Galveston

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/11/12

Ever wonder what happens when your Nosferatu fashion designer fails a feeding roll? The Jaunty Mantis dives deep into the blood-soaked streets of Galveston and the creative chaos of running Vampire: The Masquerade. In this episode, Jesse and Chris get into the weird and wonderful mechanics of running Vampire: The Masquerade in Galveston, Texas — from ghostly visions after the 1900 hurricane to Nosferatu feeding fails that end with a glass of water for the kid.

en-US

JM118 - Social Encounters, Combat Flow, & Character...

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/11/05

What if your TTRPG character suddenly told you they were more than you ever imagined—and what if your RPG's combat and social rules were holding you back? Matty returns to the podcast and things get spicy fast as we dive into the evolving craft of tabletop RPGs. From character-changing playlists to Vampire: The Masquerade’s approach to social mechanics—and the eternal question of how much combat a game really needs—we explore creativity, game design, and the hidden rules shaping our favorite TTRPGs

en-US

Jaunty Mantis 117 - Predation RPG Review – Dinosaurs,...

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/10/29

What happens when you mix time travel, cybernetics, and dinosaurs — and then get stuck 90 million years in the past? We’re diving into Predation, the wildest RPG you’ve never played. Strap in, game mothers, dungeon masters, and dice goblins — this episode we’re reviewing Predation, the dinosaur-heavy RPG from Monte Cook Games built on the Cypher System! We unpack what makes Predation such a unique blend of science fiction, time anomalies, and genetically modified dinosaurs. From player-driven

en-US

Jaunty Mantis 116 - How to Make Dinosaur Encounters...

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/10/22

In this episode of The Jaunty Mantis, we riff on mechanical ways to make dinosaurs stand out at the table — beyond simple reskins or bigger HP pools. They cover size & reach, zone-based combat, fear/horror mechanics, animal companions and mounts, pack tactics, and inspiration from other RPG systems (Rifts, Exalted, 4E, Runehammer).

en-US

Jaunty Mantis 115 - Dinosaur Domains & Blood Magic |...

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/10/15

What happens when dinosaurs, blood magic, and gothic horror collide?In this episode of The Jaunty Mantis, hosts Jesse and Matty dive deep into Dungeons & Dragons design, building new 5e subclasses and settings inspired by the theme of prehistoric dread.Matty introduces a new Blood Hunter Order of the Sauran, blending primal instincts and dinosaur fury into a playable subclass for D&D. Meanwhile, Jesse unveils a terrifying new Domain of Dread ruled by a sentient Allosaurus who devours minds

en-US

Jaunty Mantis 114 - Turning Prehistoric Power into...

The Jaunty Mantis TTRPG Podcast ·

2025/10/08

What if your next D&D campaign was ruled by dinosaurs? From cursed velociraptor gods to underground triceratops kingdoms, Jesse and Matty explore the wildest ways to bring prehistoric power into your tabletop worlds. What happens when you mix dinosaurs with tabletop roleplaying games? In this episode of The Jaunty Mantis, Jesse and Matty dive headfirst into the prehistoric—exploring how to bring dinosaurs into your RPG worlds through settings, characters, and pure creative chaos. From

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