John Tkalcich
@workingwithjohn.com
Avid nerd enthusiast. I love Computers, RPGs, Photography, Art, Reading, Learning, and more. I try very hard to understand other points of view and not be too judgy, and I firmly believe that diversity and multiple viewpoints make for better solutions.
Thank you for this. I have been eyeing sleep buds for a while, but the price is definitely a hesitation. It’s nice to see a review from a trusted source.
January 20, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Thank you for this. I have been eyeing sleep buds for a while, but the price is definitely a hesitation. It’s nice to see a review from a trusted source.
2e firvolg fighter from the book of humanoids. built incorrectly because we don’t understand the rules. Then a half -elf mage/Druid who adventured with a Minotaur fighter.
January 11, 2026 at 7:17 AM
2e firvolg fighter from the book of humanoids. built incorrectly because we don’t understand the rules. Then a half -elf mage/Druid who adventured with a Minotaur fighter.
Pretty sure you can do this in D&D 3E if you wanted.
January 10, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Pretty sure you can do this in D&D 3E if you wanted.
It is amazing, and you were so good! I was sad to see your exit, but what a scene.
You killed it. 10/10 No Notes.
You killed it. 10/10 No Notes.
January 10, 2026 at 2:56 AM
It is amazing, and you were so good! I was sad to see your exit, but what a scene.
You killed it. 10/10 No Notes.
You killed it. 10/10 No Notes.
In The Air Tonight takes sooooooooooooo long to get to the drum solo.
January 8, 2026 at 1:53 AM
In The Air Tonight takes sooooooooooooo long to get to the drum solo.
I only started listening to the podcast recently, but big fan since the Dark Sun Listserv.
January 7, 2026 at 9:26 PM
I only started listening to the podcast recently, but big fan since the Dark Sun Listserv.
Not any weirder than it is for me to obstinately play my original 4 characters and ignore the rest of them.
January 7, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Not any weirder than it is for me to obstinately play my original 4 characters and ignore the rest of them.
Agreed, Plus it got effed by Mario.
December 31, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Agreed, Plus it got effed by Mario.
This was fascinating! Thanks for passing it along.
December 31, 2025 at 2:51 AM
This was fascinating! Thanks for passing it along.
Very true! That was one of my points earlier. In my personal games I am not interested in the dice determining my roleplaying, I want it to be Freeform. To me (personal opinion) if the dice are determining the effects of the roleplaying, I am no longer roleplaying, it’s like playing a boardgame.
December 26, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Very true! That was one of my points earlier. In my personal games I am not interested in the dice determining my roleplaying, I want it to be Freeform. To me (personal opinion) if the dice are determining the effects of the roleplaying, I am no longer roleplaying, it’s like playing a boardgame.
My wife and I finally got to watch it. 10/10.
December 25, 2025 at 6:05 AM
My wife and I finally got to watch it. 10/10.
Also as another way of agreeing with your vibe comment. Often in published dnd the non-combat type encounters still often involve peril. Which for sure is a different vibe.
December 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Also as another way of agreeing with your vibe comment. Often in published dnd the non-combat type encounters still often involve peril. Which for sure is a different vibe.
This combination I think rose out of both dnd’s attempts to simplify and also a widespread change in our culture. During the last 25 years this optimization culture has happened not just in dnd but also in jobs and schools. It’s kinda gross.
December 23, 2025 at 1:43 AM
This combination I think rose out of both dnd’s attempts to simplify and also a widespread change in our culture. During the last 25 years this optimization culture has happened not just in dnd but also in jobs and schools. It’s kinda gross.
Contemporary monster manuals definitely have less lore, but we used to get a lot more books that were all lore and no stat blocks. Just purely interacting with societies, or markets, or non-human species, or new areas with all of the above. Most of which was non-combat.
December 23, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Contemporary monster manuals definitely have less lore, but we used to get a lot more books that were all lore and no stat blocks. Just purely interacting with societies, or markets, or non-human species, or new areas with all of the above. Most of which was non-combat.
I am curious as to how we got opposite impressions out of 3E. My experience playing was that 3E was the version that incentivized and provided avenues for much more non-combat interaction. 2E often was still a little wargamey, and the future definitely leaned into combat.
December 23, 2025 at 1:40 AM
I am curious as to how we got opposite impressions out of 3E. My experience playing was that 3E was the version that incentivized and provided avenues for much more non-combat interaction. 2E often was still a little wargamey, and the future definitely leaned into combat.
That’s cool. I feel like I am going to end up in a WoD rabbit hole now. lol. Are these from a specific edition or anything? Sometimes you don’t know what you need until someone else makes you take a look.
December 23, 2025 at 1:37 AM
That’s cool. I feel like I am going to end up in a WoD rabbit hole now. lol. Are these from a specific edition or anything? Sometimes you don’t know what you need until someone else makes you take a look.
Absolutely. I definitely wish more of them poured the money into game design that they do for marketing. So many of those guys have great ideas to address this. Also maybe have those guys talk? lol.
December 23, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Absolutely. I definitely wish more of them poured the money into game design that they do for marketing. So many of those guys have great ideas to address this. Also maybe have those guys talk? lol.
For sure! Wasn’t their system called “story teller” ? It’s what I liked in 3E. DMg2 has 0 chapters on combat, it’s all storytelling and world interaction. Also So many more abilities were non-combat focused back then. What I like in a lot of other systems not dnd are their twists on non-combat time.
December 23, 2025 at 1:34 AM
For sure! Wasn’t their system called “story teller” ? It’s what I liked in 3E. DMg2 has 0 chapters on combat, it’s all storytelling and world interaction. Also So many more abilities were non-combat focused back then. What I like in a lot of other systems not dnd are their twists on non-combat time.
Same with optimization. 3E and to a lesser extent 2e, the character development felt more organic in practice. 5e makes everything feel like it has a short lifespan with one goal in comparison. I hate the optimization culture.
December 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Same with optimization. 3E and to a lesser extent 2e, the character development felt more organic in practice. 5e makes everything feel like it has a short lifespan with one goal in comparison. I hate the optimization culture.
And to be clear I’m not an idiot. I don’t think it is a romance and farming guide either. I just feel like they also catered more to other game types in the past. Like maybe we went from 50/50 combat to 90/10 combat focus.
December 23, 2025 at 1:25 AM
And to be clear I’m not an idiot. I don’t think it is a romance and farming guide either. I just feel like they also catered more to other game types in the past. Like maybe we went from 50/50 combat to 90/10 combat focus.
Ok. So maybe I’m misunderstanding. A system can only have one or the other? Either combat or roleplaying and storytelling? BTW, again, I have not said you are wrong, I agree DND is designed combat focused. I only think the ratio changed. To me, a 128 page book with 5 stat blocks isn’t a kill list.
December 23, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Ok. So maybe I’m misunderstanding. A system can only have one or the other? Either combat or roleplaying and storytelling? BTW, again, I have not said you are wrong, I agree DND is designed combat focused. I only think the ratio changed. To me, a 128 page book with 5 stat blocks isn’t a kill list.
This is why I appreciate your responses. You have given very good and valid reasoning. Also 10/10 for sharing good alternative resources. So much better than the pointless shouting a deal with when I ask questions.
December 23, 2025 at 12:59 AM
This is why I appreciate your responses. You have given very good and valid reasoning. Also 10/10 for sharing good alternative resources. So much better than the pointless shouting a deal with when I ask questions.
Again, I’m not disagreeing, we have really gone all in on simplifying and removing so many things. It’s barely a loose framework, I just personally dont want overly codified roleplay interactions, so it works for me. I 100% agree that they do not put the effort into the same game as they market.
December 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Again, I’m not disagreeing, we have really gone all in on simplifying and removing so many things. It’s barely a loose framework, I just personally dont want overly codified roleplay interactions, so it works for me. I 100% agree that they do not put the effort into the same game as they market.
Yes! I am very in agreement. That was my point about what was lost. It used to be about more than combat stat blocks. We used to often get pages and books of lore and society, and interaction descriptions. Now it’s all published hack and slash adventures. 👎
December 23, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Yes! I am very in agreement. That was my point about what was lost. It used to be about more than combat stat blocks. We used to often get pages and books of lore and society, and interaction descriptions. Now it’s all published hack and slash adventures. 👎
Early DND (odnd/ adnd) to me was 100% an offshoot of wargaming and effectively a shot at turning armies to characters. 2e -3E felt like a slow transition to a focus on character development and role play. 4E felt like a reset in a bad way, and 5e feels like an attempt to simplify 3E to me.
December 23, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Early DND (odnd/ adnd) to me was 100% an offshoot of wargaming and effectively a shot at turning armies to characters. 2e -3E felt like a slow transition to a focus on character development and role play. 4E felt like a reset in a bad way, and 5e feels like an attempt to simplify 3E to me.