7th Level Bardcast artwork

7th Level Bardcast

119 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -

7th Level Bardcast is a podcast of shared narrative. Three fellow Tabletop gamers have come together to offer their insight into the knowledge they have gained from their gaming experience. Often this rises from the exploration into storytelling with a narrative angle and immersion into player outlook.

Games Leisure Hobbies rpg ttrpg rpg players how to play rpgs players helping players mikel acting bleak rising character creation blades in the dark
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Episodes

Over the Edge of Darkness: Concept

September 04, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MB

Music: The Villain Unveiled by Brendan Christie Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

RPG a Day 2022: Part Five

August 28, 2022 19:00 - 52 minutes - 47.8 MB

Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast RPG a Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RPGaDAY/?ref=page_internal Autocratik Homepage: https://www.autocratik.com/?fbclid=IwAR33I7tf3YuTnFRhJiYXVAdhBw2c42r9nVBJ6TiMHYH8-9DVtnOem-MrTZI   Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

RPG a Day 2022: Part Four

August 21, 2022 19:00 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MB

Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast RPG a Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RPGaDAY/?ref=page_internal Autocratik Homepage: https://www.autocratik.com/?fbclid=IwAR33I7tf3YuTnFRhJiYXVAdhBw2c42r9nVBJ6TiMHYH8-9DVtnOem-MrTZI   Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

RPG a Day 2022: Part Three

August 14, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MB

Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast RPG a Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RPGaDAY/?ref=page_internal Autocratik Homepage: https://www.autocratik.com/?fbclid=IwAR33I7tf3YuTnFRhJiYXVAdhBw2c42r9nVBJ6TiMHYH8-9DVtnOem-MrTZI   Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

RPG a Day 2022: Part Two

August 07, 2022 19:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MB

Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast RPG a Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RPGaDAY/?ref=page_internal Autocratik Homepage: https://www.autocratik.com/?fbclid=IwAR33I7tf3YuTnFRhJiYXVAdhBw2c42r9nVBJ6TiMHYH8-9DVtnOem-MrTZI   Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

RPG a Day 2022: Part One

August 01, 2022 19:00 - 51 minutes - 47.3 MB

Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast RPG a Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RPGaDAY/?ref=page_internal Autocratik Homepage: https://www.autocratik.com/?fbclid=IwAR33I7tf3YuTnFRhJiYXVAdhBw2c42r9nVBJ6TiMHYH8-9DVtnOem-MrTZI   Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

RPG a Day Prep

July 24, 2022 19:00 - 1 minute - 1.59 MB

Sweet Elegance by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Over the Edge of Darkness: Convictions and Touchstones

July 17, 2022 19:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MB

Music: The Villain Unveiled by Brendan Christie Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

RPG a Day

July 10, 2022 19:00 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Over the Edge of Darkness: Vampire 5e

June 26, 2022 19:00 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MB

Music: The Villain Unveiled by Brendan Christie Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Focused Settings

June 19, 2022 19:00 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Quest Begins: Party Mechanics

June 12, 2022 19:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Episode 100: Making Traveller Characters Part 2

June 05, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 61.8 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Episode 100: Making Traveller Characters

May 29, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 74.5 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Break Announcement

May 22, 2022 19:00 - 2 minutes - 2.31 MB

Sweet Elegance by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Quest Begins: Starting at Higher Levels

May 08, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Character Death

May 01, 2022 19:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Quest Begins: Monsters, more than a Stat Block

April 24, 2022 19:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Pacing

April 17, 2022 19:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MB

On this episode Jaryd, Jason, and Mikel talk about how to create proper pacing in games. They explore the possibilities of using shared narrative to allow the players to become involved in the pacing as well. And they touch on the subject of pacing in combat.

Quest Begins: Modules

April 10, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Why Cults are Fun

April 03, 2022 19:00 - 53 minutes - 48.7 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Quest Begins: Narrating the Dungeon

March 27, 2022 19:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Moral Compass

March 20, 2022 19:00 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast  

Quest Begins: Non-Combat Encounters

March 13, 2022 19:00 - 43 minutes - 40.5 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/   Link to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Social Engagements

March 06, 2022 19:00 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US   https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Quest Begins: Custom Ingredients

February 27, 2022 19:00 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://www.patreon.com/7thlevelbardcast

Heroes

February 20, 2022 19:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Quest Begins: Backgrounds

February 13, 2022 19:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Big Bad

February 06, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Quest Begins: Back to D&D

January 30, 2022 19:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MB

Battle Of The Creek by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Finding Interest

January 23, 2022 19:00 - 48 minutes - 41.9 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Season 2 Finale

November 21, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MB

Cherry Metal by Arthur Vyncke | https://soundcloud.com/arthurvost Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Free Play with Mikel: Initiative

November 07, 2021 19:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MB

Mikel is joined by Jaryd to discuss the topic of Initiative. They talk about the many styles of initiative that appear in different system and how each of them have their own value. They also explain why each of them prefers or dislikes the different aspects of initiative in each system.

Story Tension

October 31, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MB

Creating and maintaining player engagement requires quite a bit of finesse from the GM. The GM will use many tools to promote player engagement, one of the tools in tension. Tension relays the portentous feeling to the players of something impending. Excitement and anticipation drive players to engage with the story in order to discover what lies in wait for them.

Free Play with Mikel: Multiclassing

October 25, 2021 03:05 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MB

Mikel and Jason discuss the positive and negative aspects of multiclassing (mostly in D&D 5e). They take a look how to use multiclassing in a way that it promotes a narrative explanation of gaining a different class.

Suspense

October 17, 2021 19:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MB

Suspense in the narrative can be both positive and negative, exciting or apprehensive. The drivers in the scenes of a session will determine what reaction will result. These drivers are controlled by both the players and the GM. On this episode Jaryd, Jason, and Mikel discuss how to address the drivers of suspense in gameplay.

Freeplay with Jason: Stress Relief

October 10, 2021 19:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MB

Jason is joined by Mikel to discuss that topic of stress relief at the gamin table. They talk about the different types of stress relief that players look for when they come to the table and how to spot them. They also talk over how to provide gaming aspects at the table in order to help them relieve their stress.

Atmosphere

October 03, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MB

Atmosphere provides players with the needed material to lose themselves in the game in order to create immersion and engagement. Atmosphere is largely the responsibility of the GM, though the GM might invite the players to help in its development. Typically, atmosphere and the GM’s story are closely bonded.

Free Play with Mikel: Off the Rails

September 26, 2021 19:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MB

Mikel talks with his guest Scott about what to do when a campaign goes in an unexpected direction. They discuss when it is okay to bring a story back on track and when it is best to just let the players take control. They talk about the techniques each of them use to improvise solution.

Style and Tone

September 19, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 54.4 MB

Style and tone give rise to the feel of the campaign. Though the feel can be affected by many elements, style and tone provide the origin. Style provides the structure a campaign will abide by. While tone provides the emotional landscape the campaign will take place in.

Freeplay with Jason: Encouraging and Discouraging Players

September 12, 2021 19:00 - 46 minutes - 42.1 MB

Jason talks with Jarvis about the concept of using GM tools to encourage and discourage behavior that they as GM's wish to see or not see at the table. They lay out the behaviors that are most troublesome, or most desired, from their players, and the techniques that they each use to help their players understand how to stop or continue their behavior.

Ratios of Game Segments

September 05, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MB

We split the life of a game into different segments, and we have defined them on our podcast many times. The names for each of the segments is about the only thing we each agree on. Each of us has a different definition of what they consist of, how they are used and to what degree. The degree of which we use each segment combines to create our own unique styles of running a game.

Freeplay with Jason: Gaming Mediums

August 29, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 67 MB

Hosts Jason and Mikel are joined by two guests from other shows to discuss gaming mediums. Josh from Late and Legends, a D&D actual play podcast, and Izzi from Nat 30's, a D&D actual play Twitch channel. Together the four of them take a look at how each of them came into their respective mediums, and what they enjoy about reaching an audience.

PC Plotlines

August 22, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 67.8 MB

Players have a story they are trying to tell for their character; it is the job of the GM to help them tell that story. Players provide the GMs with insight into their characters’ motivations through backstory and narrative play. GMs can use this insight to facilitate the means for players to tell their characters’ stories.

Free Play with Mikel: Selecting a System

August 15, 2021 19:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

Catalyst by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

NPC Arcs

August 08, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 60.4 MB

NPCs have a life of their own, but a PC sees only a very limited part of that life. Tracking the life of an NPC gives the PCs a more complete insight into a NPC when they encounter them. It is up to the GM to determine how much of that life is prepared and how much is improvised. However, having NPC motivations, drives, goals, quicks, backstories, and backgrounds makes creating NPC arcs a great deal easier.

Freeplay with Jason: Whim the Grim

August 01, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MB

Jason and Jaryd are joined by Robbie from Could've Been Heroes, an actual play podcast in the land of Faritall, run in the Whim the Grim system. Robbie gives a breakdown of his game Whim the Grim, as well as how it fits into his podcast. Jason and Jaryd provide Robbie with some questions to help him delve into some of his design techniques as well.

Major and Minor Arcs

July 25, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 58.7 MB

Mikel and Jason talk with Josh Hatherley, from Late and Legends, about Major and Minor Arcs. Major and Minor arcs are the glue that hold a campaign together. Both the GMs and the PCs can have major and minor arcs that play out during a campaign. Additionally each of these arcs can influence the other to change the outcome.

Freeplay with Jason: Sun and Bronze

July 18, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

Jason and Mikel talk with Sam Bowman about Sun and Bronze, a Bronze age Dungeons and Dragons 5e supplement that Sam is currently contributing to. Jason and Mikel pick Sam's brain on some of his design techniques and discuss some of the aspects of the supplement.

Questions with Jason: Homebrews

July 11, 2021 19:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MB

Jason questions Jarvis on homebrews. Jarvis gives his definition of what he thinks constitutes a homebrew and explains his process in using them in his games. Jarvis also discusses what is important to him when looking for balance in homebrews.