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PODCAST

Down in a Heap

A big pot of old school RPG stew. Cover art photo provided by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@cadop

leisure games

All Episodes

00:11:09

OSR October #12 Thursday Thaumaturgy

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/30

The Thaumaturgical subject today involves a method for creating minor magic items and scrolls in your OSR game through the spell, Embed.

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00:19:43

OSR October #11: Milieu Mea Culpa

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/29

Listening back to my last Monday Milieu, I realized I had completely forgotten one of my favorite settings, and maybe the best one created in the OSR era - the Midderlands by Glynn Seal of Monkeyblood Design. I also do a thumbnail on his adventure, Chewer of Fingers. Sounds pretty creepy for Halloween! 🎃

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00:23:23

OSR October #10: Monday Milieu

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/28

A ramble about published campaign settings, both in the “official “ TSR era, plus the independent and OSR sphere. I talk about what I look for (and dislike) in a setting, and why I usually decide to make up my own.

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00:11:40

OSR October #9: Sunday Sacrilege

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/26

What do you think about the whole prime requisite idea in old versions of D&D? Isn’t having a high score in an attribute already its own reward?

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00:10:45

OSR October #8 Does Size Matter?

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/14

What happens when you’re playing games designed for 6-8 PCs and you only have 3-4 players?

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00:09:11

OSR October #7 Yet More Sunday Sacrilege

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/12

I talk about another aspect of classic D&D that I don’t like and don’t use in my games: energy level drain.

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00:07:13

OSR October #6 Thursday Thaumaturgy

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/10

In Thursday Thaumaturgy I describe a potential new spell for your OSR game. Today is Spirit Track.

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00:13:44

OSR October #5, Secrets of The Towers

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/08

In today’s Wednesday Wandering I take a look at a little adventure from an old Dungeon magazine that’s had an outsized influence on my adventure and campaign creations: The Secrets of The Towers by Larry Church.

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00:09:50

OSR October #4: A Quick & Dirty Alchemist

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/07

In today’s Tuesday Tinkering, I share a blog post from Rich Forest (one of the creators of A Visitor’s Guide to the Rainy City) where he provides guidelines for a “quick and dirty “ alchemist class. This is especially useful in a world where the gods don’t answer the prayers of priests with divine magic (like the Rainy City). Check out the complete post at superheronecromancer.blogspot.com.

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00:26:45

OSR October: A Visitor’s Guide to the Rainy City

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/06

It’s Monday Milieu and today I review the setting, A Visitor’s Guide to the Rainy City by Superhero Necromancer Press. You can get a pdf at Drivethru RPG, or print and pdf from Indie Press Revolution.Check out the author’s blog at superheronecromancer.blogspot.com.

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00:16:33

OSR October #2, Sunday Sacrilege

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/05

3d6 Down the line is not for me.

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00:10:22

OSR October #1, 2025

Down in a Heap ·

2025/10/04

A brief look at what fantasy books, movies and art developed my tastes in fantasy gaming. These are possibly what keep me focused on what you might call OSR gaming. My (abbreviated) Appendix N?

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00:37:00

Crowd Funding Projects: currently active and late ones

Down in a Heap ·

2025/03/28

I go through some current crowd funding campaigns: Castle Zagyg (Troll Lords), Ryecroft (Monkeyblood Design), Shadowdark Western Reaches (Arcane Library), Castles & Crusades Reforged. And I also run through the naughty list; projects I backed that are late: Mythic Bastionland, Scientific Barbarian, The Many Crypts of Lady Ingrade, and Harrowed Ground.

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00:46:52

Ambition & Avarice 1e Deep Dive 1

Down in a Heap ·

2024/10/30

The first in a deep dive series looking at the OSR game, Ambition & Avarice 1e by Greg Christopher of Chubby Funster Games published in 2012. I’m delving into what’s different about this compared to a more traditional TSR era game like Moldvay Cook/Marsh B/X (or Old School Essentials if you prefer). There are substantial differences, yet this is still very compatible with your old school adventures and supplements. In this episode, I focus on base task resolutions, and player characters. Both

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00:18:43

Campaign Diary 1: The Forsaken North

Down in a Heap ·

2024/10/12

When I recorded this, there wasn’t a real object, but after listening back, this is the start of a series I’ll keep doing as a sort of campaign diary. This will entail both the planning for The Forsaken North, and discussions about the new (for me) system I’ll be using: Ambition & Avarice 1e by Greg Christopher of Chubby Funster Games. Later entries might include session recaps or updates that develop out of our game sessions. Enjoy!

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00:07:45

OSR October: Ambition & Avarice 1e

Down in a Heap ·

2024/10/01

A tentative return to podcasting for OSR October, 2024. This is a rough one as I try to navigate the new recording approach without the benefit of my familiar Anchor app. A thumbnail look at the new system I’m going to try out: Ambition & Avarice by Greg Christopher.You can get a copy at DrivethruRPG: Chubby Funster Games.

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01:15:07

Knave 2e Review: the Final Episode?

Down in a Heap ·

2024/07/10

An armchair QB review of Knave 2e by Ben Milton of Questing Beast. It’s “ a flexible, classless rule set for players who scheme, strategize, and seek adventure.” It’s also closely compatible with most adventures and supplements of your favorite old school fantasy RPG. I go over the good, bad, and uncertain aspects I see (keeping in mind I haven’t played it) in this last ride of Down in a Heap. Thanks for all the fun over the years! Stay in touch: bigbalboni “at” gmail.com.

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01:06:59

Halberds & Henchmen: a Retrospective

Down in a Heap ·

2024/07/07

I look back at my Frankenstein’s Monster of a hack from 2017, Halberds & Henchmen. What circumstances led to it, what the design goal was, what’s good, bad, and ugly about it? Also how I squandered the opportunity for it and what its future might be. Email me at bigbalboni “at” gmail to get any updates and/or PDFs of my work after the podcast.

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00:33:42

Calamities!

Down in a Heap ·

2024/06/30

Add depth and uncertainty to your game setting by throwing in an occasional calamity that changes the landscape (political or actual). Inspired by the Advanced Civilization board game. Also calls from Jason & Spencer. Check out current Kickstarters for Castles & Crusades “Reforged” by Troll Lord Games (ends 7/9/24) and Gary’s Appendix Issue 6 by Jeffrey Jones of RPG Ramblings (ends 7/10/24).

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00:43:55

I’m Not Dead …I’m getting better :)

Down in a Heap ·

2024/06/08

Spotify extended the mobile app life until July 9th, so Down in a Heap lives on for another month. Calls from Jason and Riley provide discussion on attribute gains & losses, training, what’s going to happen after the podcast, and just why the heck is wearing helmets and armor not cool, and when, how, and why did this trend emerge? Send messages to bigbalboni “at” gmail. Thanks!

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30 results

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