Sam D

Sam D

@sam.diceexploder.com

TTRPG designer, podcaster, screenwriter. Be your own algorithm. https://www.diceexploder.com/ https://sdunnewold.itch.io/

2.1K followers400 following3.5K posts

I don't think immortality would be a burden. They should give it to me, let me try it out. I think it'd go really well for me.

This week on Dice Exploder @weirdwonder.bsky.social talks with me about designing NPCs. We focus on the context of writing adventures / modules, but a lot of what Amanda said I took straight into my GMing. I could do a whole series on this one topic, take a listen!

diceexploder.comTranscript: NPCs with Amanda P. - Dice ExploderListen to this episode here.  Further Reading Beyond the Pale, Tannic, Landmark, Hidden, Secret Socials Amanda P. on Bluesky and at Weird Wonder Sam on Bluesky and itch The Dice...

This is good; please help me fill out my list of movies where people get knocked down and there’s a bowling pins clattering sound effect.

letterboxd.commovies where people get knocked down and there's a bowling pins clattering sound effectA list of 5 films compiled on Letterboxd, including Muppet Treasure Island (1996), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), The Matrix Reloaded (2003), The Naked Gun (2025) and Moana (2016).
Daniel Radosh@radosh.bsky.social

My kid has started a Letterboxd list called Killer Sweaters for films where the killer wears a great sweater and they've asked me to throw it out to Bluesky for more because "that's the kind of thing those weirdos like to do"

A lot of people liking this, not a lot of people suggesting more movies where people get knocked down and there's a bowling pins clattering sound effect.

Sam D reposted

🍑I LIKE BIG BUTTS AND I CANNOT LIE🍑 Loved having this discussion with @sam.diceexploder.com about what bodies we get to inhabit, while we adventure. Down with the humanoid default! Opposable thumbs are overrated. If you don't have legs I'll carry you. Are we not an adventuring *party*?

Sam D@sam.diceexploder.com

This week on Dice Exploder @zedecksiew.bsky.social joins me to talk about Thri-Kreen, the mantis people from Dark Sun, and the broader idea of how playing non-humanoid characters changes the way you play, think, and imagine. This ep is PACKED with ideas, Zedeck is as always such a thoughtful person.

This week on Dice Exploder @zedecksiew.bsky.social joins me to talk about Thri-Kreen, the mantis people from Dark Sun, and the broader idea of how playing non-humanoid characters changes the way you play, think, and imagine. This ep is PACKED with ideas, Zedeck is as always such a thoughtful person.

diceexploder.comTranscript: Thri-Kreen (Dark Sun) with Zedeck Siew - Dice ExploderListen to this episode here.   Further Reading Dark Sun, New Class: Really Good Dog, Lorn Song of the Bachelor, Nine Space Games, A Perfect Wife Socials Zedeck on Bluesky...

I love Slow Horses because every character, no matter how incompetent or hyper-competent they initially seem to be, ends up being like B/B- at their job.

Frank Harkness: I am a legendarily badass assassin. The henchmen I hired was so intimidated and nervous to meet me that he got diarrhea and was late. I've never once in my life killed a man without leaving a witness.

Sam D reposted

All the best things. Time spent talking games with Sam and sharing my love of Fallout in Liminal Horror (by @goblinarchives.itch.io)

Sam D@sam.diceexploder.com

This week, a day late, on Dice Exploder: @thirdfloorwars.bsky.social joins me to talk about fallout from Liminal Horror. It's adventure writing, how to make harm interesting, and horror modules! Take a listen:

What's the right number of minutes to spend on what everyone in the crew is wearing as they prepare to meet Mardin Gull, unofficial peacekeeper of the underworld, for first time? Over or under 30 minutes?

Seraphina Garcia Ramirez 🔜 Metatopia@seraphina.diceexploder.com

Tonight in Blades- After being at war with the Billhooks for a few sessions, they burned two of our houses down, and our Hawkers responded by constructing and then detonating a Tier V Ghost Bomb inside their headquarters, destroying 23 souls and leaving their bodies catatonic. God I love this game

Crazy that "final film ever released by Warner Bros" is a string of words I just read in a news article. Anyway, monopolies are bad.

Megan is correct! If you're in Chicago go check out my short film playing at the Chicago Horror Film Fest this weekend - I will be busy moving into my new apartment instead of being there :( but you can hang out with Megan instead :)

Megan Carnes 🎃👻@magmacranes.bsky.social

If you are in Chicago and want to see @sam.diceexploder.com‘s rly good short film “Toothless” on Sunday and also say hi to me (I composed the music) you can do that, just sayin

She's also correct that you can hire her to make you good music. Did you know you can just pay someone money and then there will be new art in the world? It's crazy cool.

The number one skill I've learned from making Dice Exploder and contributing to the online rpg design scene is how to identify when a conversation is headed somewhere fucking stupid (or has arrived there already) and to not get involved.

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Another corollary to this is that I count myself very lucky that my default knee-jerk reaction to getting more than ~25 likes on any post is go "uh oh"

The number one skill I've learned from making Dice Exploder and contributing to the online rpg design scene is how to identify when a conversation is headed somewhere fucking stupid (or has arrived there already) and to not get involved.

This week on Dice Exploder Caro Murphy, one of the designers behind Galactic Starcruiser, is back to talk about de-roling. After the game is over, what does it look like to step out of your character, debrief, and reincorporate the experience you just had back into yourself?

diceexploder.comTranscript: De-Roling with Caro Murphy - Dice ExploderListen to this episode here. Further reading Back Tower Runners on Kickstarter! DrachenFest Incantrix Productions Imagi-Ne'er-Do-Wells Socials Caro’s website Sam on Bluesky and itch The Dice Exploder ...

Caro's coming from a very larp-forward background, but I think this is a space where tabletop rpgs, especially ones going for high emotions, could take a lot of lessons. Take a listen!

Sam D reposted

I love seeing stuff like this. And how cool is it that Karly just drew the characters? Just like that!

Sam D@sam.diceexploder.com

As promised, here's a set of 4 pregen characters for use with the free version of A Sliver of Evidence (link to that inside the post). This module is great!

As promised, here's a set of 4 pregen characters for use with the free version of A Sliver of Evidence (link to that inside the post). This module is great!

diceexploder.comPregen Characters for “A Sliver of Evidence” - Dice ExploderToday I saw a Kickstarter going around for the new adventuring A Sliver of Evidence from Cairn Press. It looks sick, I love that art so much, and I immediately...
Sam D@sam.diceexploder.com

This looks sick, just read the free version on itch and I'm gonna write pregens for it so hard

I’ve had a bugbear recently about wanting adventure modules to come with pregen characters, and I'm so pleased this one inspired me to write up an example. Maybe my friends will have to hear me yelling about it less now.

I'm especially interested in discussing with people: - What might adventure modules gain and lose by having pregens? - Do these pregens feel like a good set for this module? If not, what would you want to see instead?

Nobody fucking @ me about how I said I was leaving Dice Exploder because I was out of things to say about rpgs and then published like three blogposts this week.

As promised, here's a set of 4 pregen characters for use with the free version of A Sliver of Evidence (link to that inside the post). This module is great!

diceexploder.comPregen Characters for “A Sliver of Evidence” - Dice ExploderToday I saw a Kickstarter going around for the new adventuring A Sliver of Evidence from Cairn Press. It looks sick, I love that art so much, and I immediately...
Sam D@sam.diceexploder.com

This looks sick, just read the free version on itch and I'm gonna write pregens for it so hard

I’ve had a bugbear recently about wanting adventure modules to come with pregen characters, and I'm so pleased this one inspired me to write up an example. Maybe my friends will have to hear me yelling about it less now.