Making a Monster
73 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 months ago -Game designers show you their favorite monster, how it works, why it works, and what it means. Each bite-sized episode features a D&D or TTRPG designer and the monster of their choice.
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Episodes
Wizmos from "D&D in Space" by Mage Hand Press
February 15, 2021 19:00 - 19 minutes - 17.5 MB"They're capricious little scrap robots, and I love them." The Wizmos from Dark Matter (a sci-fi D&D conversion by Mage Hand Press) are just doing the best they can, and it isn't very good. Get one-page-RPG Wizmo Havoc here: https://scintilla.studio/wizmos-dark-matter-mage-hand-press/ Support the show and get even more cool stuff: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Dark Matter by Mage Hand Press: https://darkmatter.magehandpress.c...
Niels RPG Toons makes a Monstrosity
February 01, 2021 07:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MBWhat if the Kraken is too big to release? Niels RPG Toons uses cartoon-style fantasy art to tell vibrant, expressive stories, including one about a tentacle monster so big it's an ecosystem unto itself. Get monster stats, lore, and papercraft miniatures for monsters from the Stars and Sea campaign bundle at https://www.patreon.com/posts/free-download-43834622 Read the transcript and get more from the show: https://scintilla.studio/monster-niels-rpg-toons-makes-a-monstrosity Get stat blocks...
Melusine of Avalon - Chris Hopper
January 27, 2021 06:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBThe Melusine is one of the oldest mermaid legends in the world with so many tails in our modern cultural heritage that you've probably seen her even if you didn't know her name - much like the work of a good spymaster. Chris Hopper is a freelance writer for Realmwarp Media and student of Arthurian lore who updated the melusine for the Cities of Myth D&D setting. Get the stat block for the Melusine and read the full transcript here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-melusine-chris-hopper Get...
14: Grikk the Many - Matthew Whitby
December 21, 2020 13:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBWhat happens when the monsters level up too? Matthew Whitby, host of the Dungeon Master's Guild House, shares a goblin with power enough to be more than a level 1 punching bag. Get the full transcript and see the art of Grikk the Many here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-boss-goblin-matthew-whitby Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Meet my guest Matthew Whitby and watch his YouTube...
13: Werepigeon - House Sivis Echoer Station
December 14, 2020 09:00 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBSteve and Rebecca from House Sivis Echoer Station argue for the werepigeon, and whether you have to be scared of an animal to make a lycanthrope out of it. Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter House Sivis Echoer Station is a scripted fiction podcast taking place in Keith Baker's Eberron setting, where two intrepid gnomes capitalize on the happy magical accident of "broad casting". https...
12: The Bagger - Justice Arman
December 09, 2020 09:00 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBWith all the warlock pacts and deals with the devil made in Dungeons & Dragons, who comes to collect when the devil's payment is due? Read the transcript and get more from the show: https://scintilla.studio/monster-planegea-atlas-games/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Meet my guest Justice Arman: https://twitter.com/justicearman Music by Will Savino (Music d20): https://www.patre...
Bonus: Endless Houses
December 04, 2020 09:00 - 7 minutes - 7.16 MBRead the transcript and get more from the show: https://scintilla.studio/monster-endless-houses/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Everyone in the show: Robert Turk, Wicked Clever Games: https://www.facebook.com/wickedclever Michael Sands: https://twitter.com/MotW_rpg Will Savino (Music d20): https://twitter.com/Music_d20 https://www.patreon.com/musicd20/posts
11: Rime of the Frostmaiden Double Feature
November 02, 2020 11:00 - 20 minutes - 19.1 MBTwo monsters from Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden - Malquaestus Pizkor, literal boss monster, and Saja Snowtooth, the blue hag of Faevris. Read the transcript and see art from the book here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-rime-of-the-frostmaiden-double-feature/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Everyone in the show: Sebastian Yue: https://twitter.com/sebastianyue Cassandra...
Bonus: Dagon - IT GOES DEEPER
October 30, 2020 11:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBLucas, Alex, and James revisit Dagon, Lovecraft's first eldritch horror, to discover how some monsters have origin stories stretching back to the beginning of time itself. Read the transcript and get more from the show: https://scintilla.studio/monster-bonus-dagon/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Meet my guests: https://twitter.com/Aclippinger Music by Audionautix: www.audionau...
10: Heckna - Ashley Warren
October 26, 2020 09:00 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBAshley Warren, lead writer for the Heckna carnival horror campaign setting, introduces us to Heckna himself, the post-human clown king of the Revelia. Get desktop wallpaper with art from the game: https://scintilla.studio/monster-10-heckna-ashley-warren/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_rmBkRxXlI&list=PLNqL_h0x0qyZoNSS1VP1tBA5QCaie5Coo&index=12 Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter....
10: Heckna, Ashley Warren
October 26, 2020 04:00 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MBAshley Warren, lead writer for the Heckna carnival horror campaign setting, introduces us to Heckna himself, the post-human clown king of the Revelia.
09: Music Elemental - It's a D&D Monster Now
October 19, 2020 13:30 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBReddit's resident D&D graffiti artist shares the most mechanically interesting monster he's made - the music elemental. Get the stat block for the music elemental and read the transcript here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-09-music-elemental-itsadndmonsternow/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Meet my guest: https://www.patreon.com/ItsADnDMonsterNow https://www.reddit.com/r/Its...
08: Abomination - Never Going Home, Wet Ink Games
October 13, 2020 08:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBA cosmic horror game set in World War I uses supernatural aberrations to reflect the human corruption of that period in history. Featuring Never Going Home's writer Irvin Jackson, artist Charles Ferguson Avery, and system designer Brandon Aten. See Charlie's illustrations and read the transcript: https://scintilla.studio/monster-08-abomination-never-going-home-wet-ink-games/ Meet the Guests: Never Going Home: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/283637/Never-Going-Home?affiliate_id=148508...
07: Dagon, Demon Prince of the Shadowsea - Alex Clippinger
September 29, 2020 09:00 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBAlex Clippinger brings H.P. Lovecraft's first published monster, Dagon, to 5th edition D&D. We track how monsters become "dungeon and dragons-ed", and explore how game mechanics imitate the experience and intent of the cosmic horror genre. Get a free copy of "Go for the Eyes!": https://scintilla.studio/monster-07-dagon-alex-clippinger/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: https://www.twitter.com/sparkotter Meet my guest: https://twitter.com/Ac...
06: Monster of the Week - Michael Sands
September 24, 2020 06:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBMonster of the Week is the system that powers The Adventure Zone and Critshow. Designer Michael Sands shows his cinematic, player-first approach to creating monster and mysteries, and we meet Marilynn, the improbable fairy creature who nearly derailed an entire playtest campaign. Transcript: https://scintilla.studio/monster-06-monster-of-the-week-michael-sands/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: https://www.twitter.com/sparkotter Meet my gue...
06: Monster of the Week, Michael Sands
September 24, 2020 01:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBMonster of the Week is the system that powers The Adventure Zone and Critshow. Designer Michael Sands talks about Marilynn, the improbable fairy creature who nearly derailed a playtest campaign, and the system's story-first approach to creating mysteries and monsters.
05: Itzigratz - Bryan Holmes
September 14, 2020 13:00 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MBMind Flayers and magic aren't supposed to mix, but the rare illithid outcast can achieve true lichdom. Get the full stat block for Itzigratz the Illithid Lich here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-05-itzigratz-illithid-lich-bryan-holmes Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/sparkotter Meet the guest: Forgotten Realms expert and best-selling DM's Guild creator Bryan Holmes brings a proper Illithid Lich to the show, and asks h...
04: Space Leper Nuns - Robert Turk
September 07, 2020 16:00 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBSci-fi survival horror meets B-movie comedy with the Space Leper Nuns from Starship Infernum, a charming, fast-paced, pick-up-and-play RPG by Robert Turk of Wicked Clever Games. Read the transcript and get more from the show: https://scintilla.studio/monster-planegea-atlas-games/ Get stat blocks, bonus content, and other monstrous perks: www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: www.twitter.com/SparkOtter Meet my guest Robert Turk: http://www.wicked-clever.com/ https://www...
03: Warforged Colossus - Steve Fidler
August 24, 2020 06:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBThe Warforged Colossus, a 10-story weapon of mass destruction wandering Eberron's Mournland, combines the roles of dungeon and dragon in Steve Fidler's Mythic Eberron. Get a Salvaged Titan Chassis you can use in your D&D game free: https://scintilla.studio/monster-03-warforged-colossus-steve-fidler/ Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/sparkotter Meet my guest: https://twitter.com/vorpaldicepress/ http://vorpaldicepress.c...
02: The Heir of Orcus - Anthony Joyce
August 17, 2020 15:00 - 11 minutes - 11 MBWill you redeem the unredeemable? Anthony Joyce shares how the Heir of Orcus makes heroes and villains hard to distinguish in Dungeons & Dragons. Your own copy of The Heir of Orcus adventure is still available! Visit the episode page at https://scintilla.studio/monster-02-heir-orcus-anthony-joyce Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/scintillastudio Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/sparkotter Meet my guest: https://twitter.com/thrawn589 https://anthonydreams.com/ Music f...
01: Jiangshi - Banana Chan, Game and a Curry
August 10, 2020 12:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBThe Jiangshi, Chinese hopping vampires, in an RPG that addresses the racism and oppression of 1920s Chinatown - featuring Banana Chan of Game and a Curry. Read the full transcript and see art from the game here: https://scintilla.studio/monster-01-jiangshi-banana-chan/ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwZnw01Oz9U&list=PLNqL_h0x0qyZoNSS1VP1tBA5QCaie5Coo&index=2 Join the conversation: https://twitter.com/sparkotter https://www.instagram.com/sparkotter/ Guest links: http...
00: Making a Monster
August 05, 2020 02:30 - 1 minute - 1.49 MBWelcome to Making a Monster, a bite-sized podcast where game designers show us their favorite monster and we discover how it works, why it works, and what it means. Guest voices, in order: Banana Chan, Irvin Jackson, Brandon Aten, Alex Clippinger, Steve Fidler, Bryan Holmes, and Robert Turk. More information at scintilla.studio/monster Music: "Pedal to the Funk," by 5% Savvy. Learn more at scintilla.studio/fps.
00 - Making a Monster
August 04, 2020 21:30 - 1 minute - 1.49 MBWelcome to Making a Monster, a weekly podcast where game designers show their favorite monster, how it works, why it works, and what it means. Each week's episode will feature one guest and the monster of their choice. Many create for Dungeons & Dragons, but you'll also hear from designers of many other excellent games like Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall, Monster of the Week, Never Going Home, and Starship Infernum.