Breaking Initiative
37 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago -Breaking Initiative is a brand new podcast-style YouTube channel, with hosts Brett and Rob, who go over various D&D related topics, as well as other table-top related subjects. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
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Episodes
Firearms in Dungeons and Dragons - Gunslinger subclass, and setting a tone for guns in your setting
May 05, 2022 15:30 - 15 minutes - 14.7 MBBreaking Initiative's 32nd video, Brett and Rob discuss the best ways to use Firearms in D&D. They also discuss the best ways to use the Gunslinger subclass provided in D&D Beyond, pros and cons for using it, and how that all interacts with various feats that have been released since Gunslinger was first available. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Cheating and Fudging in D&D, when to do it
May 02, 2022 15:30 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBEpisode 31 of Breaking Initiative, where we post what will probably go down in history as our most divisive video. Rob and Brett give their opinions on the ramifications of cheating in tabletop games like D&D (mostly calling out intentionally incorrect dice check results in your favor). Why you should never do it, but also (confusingly enough), when to do it. Advice on handling cheaters as both a DM and a Player. Happy April Fools Day! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify...
Ending a Game - DMing tips for FINALLY concluding your D&D campaign
April 29, 2022 15:34 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MBEpisode 30 of Breaking Initiative, Brett and Rob discuss how to END an adventure. In particular, we focus finding that perfect narrative beat to end on, how to draw a satisfying conclusion for both the players' personal journeys, as well as your own story they have been playing through. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Starting a Game - DMing tips for beginning your D&D adventure
March 26, 2022 17:58 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBEpisode 29 of Breaking Initiative, Brett and Rob discuss how to start an adventure. In particular, we focus on the narrative for coming up with a way to join your players, how it can set the pace for the rest of the campaign, and a few things NOT to do. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Quick-e-Quest: Running a quick encounter from Tome of Beasts - D&D 5E
March 11, 2022 19:41 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBIn our 28th Breaking Initiative video, we meet in person to have Brett run a short encounter involving a creature from Tome of Beasts (Volume 1) by Kobold Press. Rob creates a character to see if he can survive. We also give tips at the end at how to add this and other encounters from various materials to your games. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Star Wars 5e - Running a Star Wars setting in D&D 5e - Overhauled rules and options
March 01, 2022 15:12 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBAs a special treat, in our 27th episode of Breaking Initiative, we discuss how to run a D&D game set in the Star Wars universe as a setting for your campaign, as well as awesome overhauled rules for D&D to introduce new races, classes, and alternatives to spells. To run a Star Wars game using the rules mentioned in this video, head over to SW5e, an unofficial site dedicated to providing free tools and digital character sheets that are easy to upload into your games using Roll20. https://...
The Legends of Vox Machina - Our thoughts on Critical Role's new animated D&D show
February 17, 2022 00:25 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBIn this episode, we discuss the new show on Amazon Prime from Critical Role, an animated show based on their first campaign, the Legends of Vox Machina. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Player Pets in Dungeons & Dragons - DM Advice for handling ranger pets and more
February 10, 2022 13:00 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MBOur 25th installment of Breaking Initiative, the show where we start talking about D&D advice, until it devolves into Rob explaining why he keeps killing Brett's pets in D&D. Beast Master hunters get them, but anyone can own a pet, really. What should you allow, what should you be cautious of, and of course, when is the perfect time to kill the player's pet? Sure, and I guess when NOT to do it too... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Any Magic Item can be CURSED - D&D 5E tips for improving curses and other magic item variability
February 02, 2022 21:09 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MBWe're back for our 24th episode of Breaking Initiative! Today we go over an optional rule for providing variation for your magic item rewards you give your players, particularly in relation to cursed magic items, and making the curses harder to break. ANY MAGIC ITEM COULD BE CURSED! A luckstone that transforms you into a rabbit, an axe that tries to kill you if you don't provide it with fresh blood, an unbreakable spellbook that whispers secrets that slowly drive you insane, a decanter of en...
Miniatures in Tabletop Roleplaying Games - Should you use them?
November 30, 2021 13:21 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBIt's our 23rd episode of Breaking Initiative! Watch as two grown men geek out over showing you their pretty okay miniatures they painted. We discuss why you should use them, how to use them, many (MANY) alternatives to using them for all sorts of budgets and levels of cheapskates out there, as well as just shameless bragging and rambling rants about shaped plastics. By the way, you can also catch us on Spotify, as well as many other platforms! https://open.spotify.com/show/4kc2G6JjpRFeg8cv0...
Awarding Magic Items in D&D 5E - the Cool, the Fun, & the Weird
November 23, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBin the 22nd episode of Breaking Initiative, we take a short break from our Wild Beyond the Witchlight series to discuss our own advice for magic items in Dungeons and Dragons (Fifth Edition). When and why should you hand them out? How does this affect Challenge Ratings? Using published charts to reign in "Power Creep", and more. 0:00 Introduction 1:07 What're we talking about? 1:46 What's the point of Magic Items 4:07 Interesting Magic Items 19:20 Distributing Magic Item Awards 15...
Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough - Episode 4, Custard Direction
November 16, 2021 19:59 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBRob and Brett's solo playthrough of Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Episode 04. Archilus and Bezel clean up a mess, partake in some intense eating, and become aware of a much larger stakes. Character Sheet: Archilus https://drive.google.com/file/d/124Xj... Bezel https://drive.google.com/file/d/1olOm... Player Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12E79... Shoutout to Hero Forge for providing tools we used to make the character(s) in the thumbnail! https://www.heroforge.com/ B...
Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough - Episode 3, Happy Place Even Happier
November 09, 2021 17:00 - 47 minutes - 44 MBRob and Brett's solo playthrough of Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Episode 03. Archilus unexpectedly tries to help someone in trouble, while trouble in the shadows unexpectedly comes for him and Bezel. Character Sheet: Archilus https://drive.google.com/file/d/124Xj6vCRsiJ1lH2WxSAHt_5IedaELdHg/view?usp=sharing Bezel https://drive.google.com/file/d/1olOmBBlO7TQLomQ0MluGw8k8lEezGrxY/view?usp=sharing Player Map: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12E79P6gteaP-DqbFdr3abzU0nQaS7iFU/view?usp=shari...
Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough - Episode 2, Lost at the Carousel
November 02, 2021 20:16 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBRob and Brett's solo playthrough of Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Episode 02. Archilus is free to explore the fairgrounds, and makes his way to the carousel, and something may have been lost... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough - Episode 1 - Archilus and Bezel
October 26, 2021 15:47 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MBRob and Brett's solo playthrough of Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Episode 01. A mysterious figure is running from someone. Finding a clear getaway, he unknowingly stumbles into a unique situation that will start him on a path that continues to snowball into chaos... and opportunity. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Episode 1, Archilus and Bezel -Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough
October 26, 2021 15:47 - 46 minutes - 43.4 MBRob and Brett's solo playthrough of Wild Beyond the Witchlight, Episode 01. A mysterious figure is running from someone. Finding a clear getaway, he unknowingly stumbles into a unique situation that will start him on a path that continues to snowball into chaos... and opportunity. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Character Creation (PC and Sidekick) - Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough: Mission 0, Part 2
October 19, 2021 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBBreaking Initiative crew plays through Wild Beyond the Witchlight in a new series on the channel. This is the final part of character creation and mission 0 as we discuss the direction of the campaign, develop ideas for the tone of Rob's bard and the world he will inhabit, as well as a sidekick NPC controlled by the DM that will join in this solo campaign. By the way, you can also catch us on Spotify, as well as many other platforms! https://open.spotify.com/show/4kc2G6JjpRFeg8cv0CTLor We h...
Character Creation (class and stats) - Wild Beyond the Witchlight Playthrough: Mission 0, Part 1
October 12, 2021 13:22 - 25 minutes - 23 MBBreaking Initiative crew plays through Wild Beyond the Witchlight in a new series on the channel. This is the first of two parts where we go through the nuts and bolts of Mission 0, develop a concept and discuss what kind of game we are looking forward to. Rob rolls stats for his character and decides on a class. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
All About Witchlight, New Player Races - Harengon and Fairy in The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
October 05, 2021 15:08 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MBEpisode 15 of Breaking Initiative, we go over the two new player races presented in The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: the Rabbitfolk (known as Harengon), and Fairies. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
All About Witchlight, The Feywild - Discussing The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
September 28, 2021 18:42 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBWe discuss The Wild Beyond the Witchlight the new Dungeons and Dragons campaign book. Also we touch on Feywild history and Feywild in general. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Roleplaying during Combat - Advice for Players and DM's to make combat more fun
September 22, 2021 13:17 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBEpisode 13 of Breaking Initiative, we give our advice for players and DM's to add some spice into the drudgery of combat. The DO's and DON'Ts for roleplaying in combat. Making monsters and players shine when it life and death matters most. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Rolling D&D Ability Scores - Standard Array, Rolling Stats, Point-buy
September 16, 2021 14:54 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MBIn our 12th episode of Breaking Initiative, we discuss how the intricacies of determining your ability scores when making a new character in D&D 5E, as well as ways it was done in editions long past. We build characters in the video and determine their stats through Point-buy, Standard Array, and good old fashioned Rolling for Stats, as well as discuss which one is either the best or our favorite way to do it (and when to do which). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com...
Handling death in D&D Campaign
September 04, 2021 18:36 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBWe talk about death. How to deal with it and tips on how to maybe bring them back. Also time when players should stay deal --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Coin Flip description
August 28, 2021 12:41 - 29 minutes - 27 MBEpisode 10 of Breaking Initiative, we do our second Quick-e-Quest, where Brett DM's for Rob and runs an Encounter from Nerdarchy's Out of the Box Encounters called "Coin Flip". Afterwards, we give our thoughts on how to best apply and prepare for putting this encounter into one of your dungeons. Shoutout to Nerdarchy, a big channel that designed this encounter. https://www.youtube.com/user/Nerdarchy About Out of the Box Encounters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crF2iv8aF5Y --- Support t...
Pros & Cons, D&D 5e Classes (Part 3)
August 23, 2021 17:09 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBEpisode 9 of Breaking Initiative is the finale of our 3 part series where we give our spicy opinions and hot takes on all 13 classes in Dungeons and Dragons (5th edition), and present to you the pros and cons of each class from our own perspectives. In this Episode, part 3, we cover Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, and have BONUS Artificer time!! We have a subreddit! For now, we post links to all of our YouTube videos as an archive, but we hope to be interactive with D&D and tabletop comm...
Pros & Cons, D&D 5e Classes (Part 2)
August 18, 2021 00:13 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBEpisode 8 of Breaking Initiative is a continuation of a new 3 part series where we give our spicy opinions and hot takes on all 13 classes in Dungeons and Dragons (5th edition), and present to you the pros and cons of each class from our own perspectives. In this Episode, part 2, we tackle Fighter, Monk, Paladin, and Ranger. Topics: 0:00 Introduction 1:50 Fighter 14:45 Monk 22:14 Paladin 26:46 Ranger 34:37 Wrap-up SHOW LESSWe have a subreddit! For now, we post links to all of our YouTube ...
Pros & Cons, D&D 5e Classes (Part 1)
August 08, 2021 14:25 - 34 minutes - 32.1 MBEpisode 7 of Breaking Initiative is the beginning of a new 3 part series where we give our spicy opinions and hot takes on all 13 classes in Dungeons and Dragons (5th edition), and present to you the pros and cons of each class from our own perspectives. In this Episode, part 1, we tackle Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, and Druid. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
New To Dungeons and Dragons
August 03, 2021 17:36 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBBrett and Rob from Breaking Initiative break down their personal advice for new players to Dungeons and Dragons. Also, if you are finding yourself in the position of being a new DM for a group of players, or you are an experienced DM that wants advice for handling new players, we have some hot takes and tips specifically for you as well. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Gambling & Games in Dungeons & Dragons
July 24, 2021 17:29 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBEpisode 5 of Breaking Initiative. Why would you put a game into your game of Dungeons and Dragons? Benefits of gambling (in D&D of course, not real life) and the delights of using those gaming set tool proficiencies. This week we discuss how playing games in your game of D&D 5E (or any tabletop game really) is a great idea when implemented correctly, and ways we have done it in the past (which you can use for yourself) Unfortunately we had to cut out how Dragonchess and Three Dragon Ante wo...
Sharing the Spotlight - Tabletop Roleplaying Tips
July 18, 2021 05:00 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBOn our fourth episode of Breaking Initiative, we share some of our tips for Tabletop Roleplaying gams that really focuses entirely on the roleplaying aspect of this, particularly with sharing your "moments" and allowing everyone to have their moment, as well as some advice on how to manage your own time and still have a presence without upstaging someone else during their spotlight moment. You can also catch us on Spotify, as well as many other platforms! https://open.spotify.com/show/4kc2G...
Elsa vs Sub-Zero - D&D Exhibition Match
July 18, 2021 04:55 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBOur THIRD episode of Breaking Initiative, where we show off a simple Home-brewed subclass to allow for an interesting cryomancer-styled variation of the Storm Sorcery lineage. And what better way to show off this idea than to make a couple famous examples of this class option, Elsa of Arendelle and Sub-Zero, and pit them against each other in a battle to the death? WHO WILL WIN!? Brett and Rob each take control of them, while Rob DM's a scenario where they have their chance encounter. We ha...
BI ep 2- The Mercer Effect
June 13, 2021 20:28 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBWe talk about hom the mercer effect helps and hurts the dnd community. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Quick-e-Quest: The Silver Flame, a Zelda-inspired puzzle for Dungeons and Dragons
June 07, 2021 15:41 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBThis is officially our first episode of Breaking Initiative. Yes, audio quality will improve with future episodes, Rob (that's me) has a better microphone on order, one that isn't powered by a potato and shoe-strings. We've started a subreddit! We hope to be interactive with D&D and tabletop community as a whole, and we invite you to start some discussions about topics related to our videos, or the hobby in general. https://www.reddit.com/r/BreakingInit... If you are interested in runni...
D&D and Me Ep 3
January 15, 2021 20:48 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBI interview my good friend Rob who got me started in Dnd. We go through his journey on how he starting playing and a few stories throughout his experience --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
D&D and Me ep 2
December 18, 2020 14:20 - 15 minutes - 14.7 MBTalk a little more about me and what's going on. A DM tip. News about a dnd movie coming out in 2022 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
D&DandMe ep. 1
December 11, 2020 20:28 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBI talk about some of my own experiences with dnd that are impacting my life. Also a tip on character building. For news I talk about Tasha's cauldron of everything. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brett-goldin/support
Dnd and Me ep. 1
December 11, 2020 20:28 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBI talk about some of my own experiences with dnd that are impacting my life. Also a tip on character building. For news I talk about Tasha's cauldron of everything.