TTRPG - Welcome to Tabletop Roleplaying

The term TTRPG stands for tabletop roleplay game (or tabletop RPG). TTRPGs are the “old-school” equivalent of video game RPGs.

The main difference between TTRPGs and video games are that TTRPGs usually take place between a group of players all sitting around a table, and action primarily takes place in the “theater of the mind.” Even as video game RPGs become more popular, so too do TTRPGs. People like trying out the more in-depth tabletop games that started the video game RPG genre.

Which TTRPG Should You Play?

There are literally thousands of TTRPGs to choose from. The main difficulty with selecting one is that tabletop RPGs usually have pretty in-depth rules, and reading the rulebook can be time-consuming. Which is why many people, once they find a TTRPG they like, tend to stick with playing just that one game. So, which TTRPG should you play? Try finding a game with some of the following traits:


  • Easy for new players to learn, so you can invite your friends.
  • Fits the genre you want to play (fantasy, sci-fi, steampunk, or a game set in a world you already know and love).
  • A game with a lot of depth and options for players, but not so many rules that gameplay gets bogged down.
  • Most importantly, a game that you and your friends find massively fun!


One of the best ways to go, if you’re new to the world of TTRPGs, is to create a list of games that look interesting as you’re doing your research. Narrow down that list based on the bullet points above. Once you have a gaming group you know is interested, bring the list to them, and see what they think. They may add a potential game or two to your list, as well. Then, try one out. You can always switch games if the first one you tried wasn’t exactly what your group was into.

TTRPG Character Sheet

Trying New TTRPGs

If you’re someone with a lot of experience with tabletop RPGs, trying new TTRPGs can be a lot of fun. The same problems exist for you, of course, as someone just beginning their journey. Rulebooks are time-consuming to read, and your gaming group may not love the game. But if you’re a die-hard fan of tabletop gaming, it’s worth the risk to try out a new game even once or twice per year. Make it a birthday or Christmas present.


Most people know about Dungeons and Dragons - it's a household name. But, there are many wonderful TTRPG systems out there that are similar, but different (and in some cases, even better). For a list, take a look at my article on Games Like DnD to find a game that may be lesser known, but one that you may absolutely love.


Many people also customize the TTRPG they play with their gaming group, especially over time. Some things in the rulebook may not suite the group very well, or better ideas get proposed. After all, the whole point of the game is for the group to have fun. So why not? And one of the best ways to come up with small “in-house” rules changes or adjustments is to bring them in from another TTRPG.


The fact is, no one has yet created the “perfect” or best tabletop RPG. Just like no one has yet created the “best” video game RPG. The best games are always a matter of preference. And people are always designing better ways to play. It’s worth it to keep up with the new TTRPGs coming out.

How are TTRPGs Played?

TTRPGs are typically played with a group of people sitting around a table. Everyone prints out character sheets, pulls out their dice, and the rulebook of whichever game they’re playing. Some websites now support playing TTRPGs online, and allow people to game together even if they live in different geographical areas. But the main ingredient is cooperative gaming. Like playing board games, almost every TTRPG is best played with a group of friends.


In the gaming group for a TTRPG, there’s usually one person who “runs” the game, called the “game master.” The game master’s job is to create the gaming world. They decide the world’s setting, it’s NPCs (non-playable characters), unique items and treasures, and the story taking place. Everyone else in the gaming group roleplays a character that they create in the world set by the game master. There are some rare tabletop RPGs that either have no game master, or multiple game masters. It doesn’t really matter which format of roles and responsibilities is used – there isn’t a “right” way to play – so long as everyone in the gaming group is having fun.


What is a TTRPG

Video Game RPG or TTRPG?

TTRPGs will never have the graphics or pure sensation factor of video game RPGs. There are many great video game RPGs out there. Each year they get better and better. The way they look, the music created and used, gameplay mechanics. All of it. As technology improves, video games become more and more immersive, and more and more fun, which is really the point of a roleplay game to begin with.


However, nothing is more immersive than true roleplaying. Not just the “roleplaying” where you’re using a controller to press buttons and move a character around on a screen. But the roleplaying where you take on persona of a character, whether of your own, or another’s creation. Roleplaying with a group of people playing a TTRPG creates for even greater immersion, as each of you contributes to the collective theater of the mind. You don’t just move a character around. You become the character. You see what they see, speak through their lips, hear what they hear, feel as they do, and sense real (imagined) danger and drama.


Players definitely get back what they put in with TTRPGs. Video games bring everything to the player, with very little effort or energy required back. So, both are good. And luckily, you don’t have to choose one or the other. But if you’ve only ever played video game RPGs, it’s definitely time to step into the world of a TTRPG. Give it energy and effort while prepping the game and playing, and you will be amazed how much fun you get out.

Eternity TTRPG Article Shop

Class Based RPGs vs. Classless RPGs

In my article Class Based RPG vs. Classless RPG Pros and Cons I talk about how some tabletop RPGs give players specific character classes (like a warrior, barbarian, rogue, or wizard), while others allow them to literally create any character combination of their choosing.


Class Based RPGs, such as Dungeons and Dragons or the Eternity TTRPG Game System, provide a lot of structure for TTRPGs. Simply by playing the game and leveling up, your character comes with a clear thematic build for their spells, abilities, feats, and powers. Meanwhile, classless RPGs, such as Skyrim, allow you to give your character any combination of spells and abilities you'd like, usually by spending points (like Exp.) acquired by playing the game.


Class Based RPGs

Class based RPGs may seem more restrictive as far as character builds go, at first glance, but many players actually feel that having clear roles within a party (since players are not able to simply select spells or abilities that other characters possess) makes for greater fun. Take the Fallen Paladin for example. It's a clearly dark class that suggests shadowy magic, skill with a sword, and a degree of survivability. It's the kind of thing that's clearly defined, and usually inspires players to try out an archetype that they may have been interested in for some time.


If you want to play a Class Based RPG, you may even check out an online Class Quiz that can tell you what type of class for a game that you might like to play.


Classless RPGs

Most TTRPGs are class based, but some do have a classless system. Classless games are often a ton of fun for one or two play-throughs, where you get to build a character exactly he way you've always imagined for an RPG. However, you'll often find that when it comes to a group of tabletop RPG players, most people will end an ongoing RPG campaign with basically the same character builds as everyone else in the group. The reason is that most games a set of spells or abilities that are simply more powerful than others, so eventually, everyone gravitates towards those powerful builds.


In any case, making the choice between a class based RPG or classless RPG is up to you, for whatever you feel is best for your gaming group. At the very least, I'd recommend trying both so you can know for sure what type of game you enjoy more.


TTRPG Campaigns

People tear up talking about their TTRPG campaigns/ RPG Campaign. Loaded with drama, intrigue, betrayal, passion, and desire to overcome all opposition, a “campaign” represents the best part of TTRPGs. Campaigns are essentially a series of game sessions all played in the same world and storyline, over a period of time. Some campaigns last just a few gaming sessions. While the best ones usually last at least 6 months. Like all good things, good stories take time to mature.


The goal of any gaming group is probably to have the most fun possible. Even though life can get busy and schedules can be hard, most tabletop gamers have the most fun with a long campaign. If a gaming group can meet for a few hours once a week, once a month – whatever – for long enough, and each player stays diligent with immersing themselves in the story, that’s when the most satisfying moments of playing a TTRPG take place. Ask anyone who’s played TTRPGs for any amount of time, and they’ll confirm.


If you’ve never played before, don’t get too ambitious, though. A great TTRPG campaign can be played in a few gaming sessions that each last only a couple hours. Just create one small story at a time. See where it goes. Enjoy the TTRPG journey. Oh, and bring your friends.


Quest Ideas for your Campaign

Whether you're new to tabletop gaming or you're a seasoned pro, it's always helpful to have additional resources for quests, campaigns, and even one-shot games. I've compiled a list of great articles for you to check out here that cover that very set of topics:



Total Party Kills

There's a lot of lingo to learn when you're first getting into TTRPGs. One of the first things you may learn about or even experience for yourself is the legendary DnD TPK. TPK stands for "Total Party Kill," or total party wipe - an encounter where everyone's characters die.


Though sad, TPKs are also often the source of a great deal of fun, as you learn for the first (or even the fiftieth) time that TTRPGs can be dangerous worlds, and the adventure you find there can be very deadly!

TTRPG Campaign

The Dungeon Master

Not all TTRPGs have a dungeon master, but most do. The dungeon master - or game master - is the person who leads the gaming group. Depending on the actual game system you play, it's typically the dungeon master's responsibility to set up the gaming group, coordinate everyone's schedules, plan the game's world, run encounters, plot the main storyline, and mediate players' actions. Being the dungeon master is a big responsibility, but one that many people find very rewarding.


If you ever need help with your own dungeon mastering, I've put together an entire article on Dungeon Master Tools that I've found essential for running my own games. Also, no matter whether you plan on running a relatively short campaign, or one that could span years, I recommend investing in some form of Campaign Planner where you can organize and journal about your story's ideas.


Dungeon a Day

Speaking of quest ideas and dungeon master resources, the Eternity TTRPG website is now home to Dungeon a Day, where you can check us out each day that the event is running for a new dungeon room. Every month, the combined dungeon rooms build up to a complete dungeon floor, which you can use in your ongoing campaign.


Dice, Miniatures, and Tabletop Gaming Mats

Don’t worry about getting anything fancy before playing a TTRPG for the first time. If you really enjoy the genre, and find a good group to play with, you can always upgrade. For your first few games, you may want to pick up the following:


  • Set of dice. Most sets come with a couple d6 (6-sided dice), d8, d10, d12, and d20. Some also come with a couple d10’s so players can “roll” a d100. If you're curious about what dice you should buy, check out my article on the Best D&D Dice for your game.
  • If you’ve already chosen or created the character you’ll play in the game, pick up a miniature that fits your character. Some people also enjoy painting their miniature, for added customization.
  • If no one in your group has a battle mat, and the game uses miniatures, pick up a basic one, or find one with some good background artwork.

If you get into playing a TTRPG you will see the appeal to customizing which dice, miniatures, and gaming mats you use, almost immediately. They really do add a world of fun in their own right.


Online Initiative Trackers

If you're going to play tabletop RPGs the way that most are intended, you may want to check out an online Initiative Tracker. Initiative trackers make it easy for dungeon masters and players alike to determine when it's their character's turn when it comes to combat encounters.


In the past, for my own games, I've experimented with everything from keeping track of initiative on notebooks, to using Initiative Trackers like what you can find on Amazon, to online trackers. What I can definitely tell you is that having some fun and engaging way (even aesthetically pleasing way) to keep track of initiative can be a big help for your tabletop games.


D&D Gifts

If you play TTRPGs for any degree of time, you'll soon come to realize that there are a ton of really cool gifts you can either give someone, or ask for yourself, based in the world of tabletop RPGs. Artwork, dice, miniatures, battlemaps, even music, games, or movies - really, the list is endless.


If you're curious about what's out there, looking for a gift for someone, or want to see what you might get for yourself, take a look at my Ultimate DnD Gifts Guide for over 50-ideas and inspirations. Also, if you need some gifts that that special dungeon master in your life, take a look at the Ultimate Dungeon Master Gifts compilation I've put together.


And finally, don't forget about having a very merry DnD Christmas! You won't find such exciting DnD-themed ugly sweaters anywhere.

Tabletop RPG Minis

TTRPG Character Sheets

Probably the most useful part of any TTRPG is the character sheet. Each tabletop game system has a different set up for the character sheet. Some are very simple, and are comprised of only a couple columns on a sheet of paper. Others are multiple pages long, with each page crammed with information. The character sheet is so useful because it’s basically a summary of the game’s rules, laid out for players as a quick reference on how to play.


It’s also a summary of each player’s character in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, and important notes for roleplaying. Need to know whether or not a player’s character is capable of achieving a task with any uncertainty of success? Check the character sheet. Need to remember some important detail from a character’s past? There’s probably a section for that on the character sheet (and hopefully the player used it to write down that important detail).


Aside from just being dead useful, TTRPG character sheets are fun. They’re fun to look at, for the unique designs game creators so lovingly put into them. They’re fun to read in detail, to get an idea for how a game is played. And they’re fun to search through when in the heat of an important moment in the game, hoping beyond hope there’s something listed on there that can save you.


Character Ideas

Of course, character sheets are only useful for explaining an awesome character idea. If you ever want to explore some additional options on character design, or need inspiration for your own unique creation, check out these awesome DnD Character Ideas where you can find about 10-different character concepts that you may try for your upcoming campaign.

Dungeon A Day Article

Dungeons and Dragons Resources

Of course, of all TTRPGs, Dungeons and Dragons is by far the most famous and most played. If you're specifically planning to play D&D, here's some additional resources that you and your group can use in your upcoming games. The following posts are specific strategy guides on some of the game's most important/ iconic spells, and other important D&D 5th edition topics:


Try Out a Group GM TTRPG

Most TTRPGs use a single GM (game master) to run the game, providing details for the world, NPCs (non-playable characters), and more. 


If you’ve never played a group GM game before, though, I highly recommend it. Most group GM games result in chaos, as every player contributes to the game’s story, world, NPCs, etc. However, Eternity TTRPG has solved those problems. Check out our Shop page to learn more about how you can leverage all of your group’s creativity, play as a GM, and also roleplay your own character – all in the same campaign.

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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


If you love the site, please share it with others! I have lots of gaming-related material for you to peruse and use in your own gaming sessions. If you have any questions about the site or want to contribute, just send me a message using the "Contact" page, which you can find in the site's footer.

A high-angle shot of a crowded Gen Con event

Does DnD Actually care about Gen Con Again? Return to DnD's Roots

By Jacob Tegtman • April 5, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvxI1GXJerE Transcription Dungeons & Dragons is finally returning to the convention that made it famous… Well, to be clear – D&D has been at Gen Con. It’s just, they haven’t really had much of a presence there in recent times, have they? Even small indie games have had substantially larger booth space than D&D, which I saw last year basically tucked into a back part of the convention, with pretty much only like a 20ft by 10ft space, or so. If even that, to be honest.  And, I don’t know for sure if D&D hosted many events even at Gen Con while we were there last year. Maybe a few intro games? But if I had to guess, I would’ve said that third parties may have run more games of D&D than Wizards of the Coast D&D actually did. But, after years of near silence… Wizards of the Coast is planning to go all-in on Gen Con again. The real question is—why now? We’ve seen a lot of relatively big moves from D&D recently, back towards its roots. So, what could this move mean for the future of D&D? Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to news channel for all things D&D and tabletop roleplaying. Today we’re diving into some pretty cool news, hopefully a big positive for the direction of D&D: Wizards of the Coast is officially heading back to Gen Con with D&D in a big way. And honestly… it’s kind of a full-circle moment. Let’s rewind for a second, because – as I’m sure you know – Gen Con isn’t just any convention. Gen Con was founded back in 1968 by Gary Gygax, which to be honest, I didn’t know prior to researching for this video. If you aren’t aware, Gen Con is now the largest convention for tabletop gaming, I believe in the world. It pretty much takes over Indianapolis for, what I can confidently agree, is probably indeed the best 4-days of gaming each year. At the time they started Gen Con, it was just a small gathering of wargaming fans in Wisconsin. But in 1974… Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons. And, of course, Gen Con became ground zero for spreading the game. People would attend… pick up a copy… and bring it back to their hometowns. That’s how D&D went viral—before the internet even existed. It turns out, hanging out with cool people in person and telling them about cool things – in person – was the OG way to go viral. Go figure! So, fast forward a few decades… Gen Con became the D&D event, and the tabletop gaming event. We’re talking massive tournaments, huge reveals… Even a life-sized castle built on the convention floor. Yeah. That actually happened. But then something changed. In recent years, Wizards of the Coast has been… mostly absent. No big booths. No major announcements. Just a quiet, minimal presence—if anything at all. I can tell you, seeing them last year, like I mentioned, was not only unimpressive... it was actually even a bit sad. I remember thinking like, “why are you guys even here? Why bother with a booth like this, it just makes D&D look bad.” And other fans have definitely noticed, as well. At this point, you might be wondering: why did D&D pull away from Gen Con, anyways? Well, a few key things: First—vision. Wizards started treating D&D less like a game… and more like a global entertainment brand. You’ve seen the somewhat recent movie, and then they’re pushing hard towards digital tools now, trying to make D&D more of a money-making tool, and truthfully, less like the D&D we all grew up with. Second—control. Instead of third-party events like Gen Con, Wizards of the Coast has focused more on their own events. Things like MagicCon – for Magic: the Gathering. And third—cost. Giant booths and live events are expensive, and brand-awareness is not the same as actual sales. In the past, the cost of large-scale live events like Gen Con was a no-brainer investment for D&D. However, with D&D moving towards online income, live spaces didn’t fit the online vision as much. So, for years… Gen Con became more of a community-run D&D space rather than an official one. But now—that’s changing. Wizards vice president recently confirmed that Gen Con is about to become a major part of D&D again. Starting this year: Annual D&D product roadmaps will be revealed at Gen Con They’ll have more organized play events And there will be more direct and “official” community engagement Like so many of the things Wizards of the Coast is doing to push live community spaces for D&D again, this could be a big deal – but it will depend on how well Wizards follows through. Still though, this is the first time in years that Wizards is showing up where the players are. And this could be a great sign for the game. With all of this in mind, we now finally come to the question: “why is this happening now?” There are a few clues. First—D&D has lost major momentum in the TTRPG space, let’s be real. Wizards is, perhaps, finally recognizing the loss of their community, and is trying to reconnect with the people who built the community to begin with. We’ve seen: The return of classic settings – which is ok. I’d rather see – as one recent viewer put it – new stuff. Done in the classic way, but some actual new content would be x1,000 times better. And they are creating new seasonal content, with a return to D&D modules and “official” weekly play at local gaming stores. Second… Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The OGL controversy. You may remember: The Open Gaming License controversy, when Wizards of the Coast tried to change D&D’s open license in a way that would restrict creators and potentially take a cut of their earnings—sparking massive backlash and boycott calls from the community. That moment seriously damaged trust with fans. And while things have cooled down… This Gen Con push feels like a very intentional move to rebuild goodwill. Because if you want to win back hardcore players—You show up at Gen Con. That’s all there is to it. Show up, and make it fucking awesome. Make your audience actually want to play D&D again. For a lot of fans, D&D skipping Gen Con has felt… weird. It’s the place where the fire started. It’s been the biggest name in tabletop ghosting the biggest tabletop event in the world, in favor of creating online subscription models that very few people actually want. But now? This feels like a return to D&D’s roots. A reconnection with the community that built the game’s legacy in the first place. So the real question is—Is this just good PR… Or the start of a new era for D&D? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you enjoyed this coverage, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and roll for initiative on the next video. See you next time!
Map of the Tomb of Horrors dungeon on aged parchment

The Return of Official D&D Modules in 2026 - The Future of D&D

By Jacob Tegtman • April 2, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r1xrclddMg Transcription A piece of classic D&D is coming back… but just not in the way you’re probably expecting.  Wizards of the Coast just announced something that could completely change how many people play D&D—short, fast, old-school adventures are officially returning. And yeah… I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that – as so often, depending how well Wizards of the Coast can execute this – this might actually be the biggest shift in D&D storytelling in years. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to party member for all things Dungeons & Dragons. Today we’re breaking down the return of adventure modules, what they are, why they disappeared, and whether this is actually genius… or just another attempt at recovering a piece of D&D that’s already forever sailed away. So this all dropped at Gary Con in Wisconsin, which was March 19-22 nd , just a couple weeks ago. That’s where the VP of D&D, confirmed that modules are coming back. If you’ve only played modern D&D, where campaign books are pretty lengthy and involved, this might not sound like a big deal. But it kind of is a big deal because this isn’t just a new product… it’s a return to D&D’s roots. If you aren’t familiar though, you may be wondering – what even is a module. Back in the early days of D&D, adventures weren’t the massive 300-page books we often see now. They were short, self-contained stories. Think quick, punchy adventures you could finish in a session, or a few sessions. They’re basically the ancestors of modern one-shots. These official D&D modules, which many people absolutely loved, were: Compact Easy to run And perfect for drop-in play, for someone who was a more casual gamer, or for someone visiting, etc. But when 3rd Edition rolled around, D&D itself changed. The game shifted toward long-term campaigns, deeper character progression, and structured storytelling—and short, standalone modules just didn’t fit that vision anymore. This brings up a whole order of interesting topics, but in older D&D (like Basic and Advanced D&D), the game assumed: That you’d jump between adventures Characters might not persist long-term – character death was super common, and almost even encouraged And the game world was only loosely connected Modules fit that style of play perfectly, where you can do a quick story that is compelling, engaging, and action-packed, but doesn’t necessarily try to stretch that narrative further into a larger context. 3rd Edition D&D, however, introduced: Strong character progression systems Feats, skills, and long-term character builds And most importantly, a focus on ongoing story arcs Suddenly, D&D became about one continuous campaign , not disconnected adventures. So instead of a: “here’s a dungeon for the weekend” vibe, the design officially shifted to: “Here’s a story that takes your party from level 1 to 15.” It’s also worth mentioning that with 3rd Edition, Wizards of the Coast introduced the Open Game License . This license meant: That third-party creators could make adventures freely Which inevitably led to the market becoming flooded with small modules. So, Wizards of the Coast didn’t need to focus on short adventures anymore. Instead, they could focus on: Big flagship campaigns that had a longer shelf life, and felt like “premium products” With lengthier and more involved Core rulebooks While letting the community handle smaller content. To summarize the history, D&D once offered “official” short, adventure modules. That module model shifted towards third-party creators with the advent of 3 rd edition. And now, 26-years later, third parties are still creating modules, but we’re also making a return to “official” D&D modules. Moving forward, the big question is: what’s different this time? According to D&D, these new modules will tie into something called D&D Seasons, which we’re already getting a taste of now. Think of themed content sets that last 3–4 months. The idea is basically what Magic: The Gathering does with Card release sets. Every 3months, they roll out a new set, where players can access new content. In this case, with D&D, it’ll be a new module, or new modules, based around the current set’s theme. Examples could include what we’re seeing with D&D Seasons for 2026, which will each be three-month series: starting with the Season of Horror followed by the Season of Magic And then finally into the Season of Champions with this year’s last quarter. These modules will also connect to organized play programs—in-store sessions of quick weekly games, for those local gaming stores that want to host these kind of events. Overall, D&D is aiming for: · Faster games available to more people (meaning like 1-2hr adventures, rather than the 3-4hr sessions many longtime players often get into, with their friends) · Easier prep for DMs · And more accessible D&D overall We don’t know yet if these will be physical books… or digital-only releases on D&D Beyond. My guess is there will be both available. Modern D&D campaigns are a big commitment. Oftentimes you’re talking months… sometimes years. And I love that, personally. Probably, anyone who’s ever been part of a long-term successful campaign, does love that style of play. However, I think we can all agree that not all campaigns make it very far, at all. I’ve heard the average number of sessions for most campaigns is 7-usually before they fall apart because of scheduling conflicts, lack of player interest, etc. So, modules are intended to flip the current long-term D&D campaign dynamic, not by replacing them, but by giving players another choice. Modules aim to be: Easier for new players to get into D&D, Create less pressure on DMs/ less requirement for preparing a long-term campaign And provide alternatives of play that could be perfect for people with busy schedules This might be what the D&D community needs right now. At the end of the day, these modules coming out will essentially be one-shot sessions that D&D provides for anyone who’s interested. My take is that Wizards of the Coast has made some tremendous mistakes with D&D. However, I do think that an attempted return to D&D roots is move that makes a lot of sense. The real test will be in the execution. If Wizards can make this new generation of D&D modules feel fresh and meaningful—then they may be onto something. If, however, they feel like recycled content with a new label… Players will notice, and probably resent the effort a little bit. I’m just saying, we don’t need more content on Strahd, Tomb of Horrors, and many other adventures Wizards has been putting out. I’ve been playing those adventures since the original modules and content on them. Personally, I’d be looking for something new, and that means Wizards of the Coast would have to get creative and take some content risks. Which... is something big companies don’t often like to do. That’s why we see so many remakes of movies, rather than exploring new ideas. Corporations often prefer “safe money” over true art. But, what do you think? Are you looking forward to trying these new modules… or will you stick with longer campaigns? And do you think D&D will create some awesome new concepts, or try to rehash the same adventures people have been playing for years, in hopes of relying on past success? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you want more D&D news, updates, and tools to make your games smoother and more enjoyable—hit that like button and subscribe. I’ll see you guys in the next one.
Josiah Mork: Creator of Starset RPG and Pen RPG

Interview with Game Designer Josiah Mork: Creator of Starset & PEN

By Jacob Tegtman • March 27, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9In5gaz65s8 Transcription Jacob Tegtman (00:01.848) Hey everyone, welcome back to Eternity TTRPG, where we cover really everything tabletop gaming related, Dungeons and Dragons. Now we're finally jumping into some of my favorite topics, which is game design and getting to spend some time with great game designers up and coming, people who are established. And today we're interviewing Josiah Mork, who is the owner and lead designer for Hoodwink Gaming. So welcome to the show. Thanks for being part of the channel. Josiah (00:33.142) Thanks, it's my pleasure. Yeah, it's been great working with you on eternity and getting to swap ideas. So I'm really looking forward to being able to talk through some of that process with you. Jacob Tegtman (00:44.478) Awesome, Ben. Yeah, I've been looking forward to talking with you. We always have a lot of fun when we catch up. I think this will be a really good conversation. There's so many parts of your mini games that I've wanted to ask you about for really such a long time. And it always felt like we were working on some project or discussing something. But now I have a really good excuse to just nail you down for maybe about an hour-ish and hopefully die. Josiah (00:50.028) for sure. Josiah (01:04.972) There's always something. Jacob Tegtman (01:14.352) dive into what you've been doing and why you've made some of the decisions you've made, which I think are really interesting. I'm sure, yeah. So do you just want to maybe start by introducing yourself more, know, who you are, what you've done, and yeah, where you're going? Josiah (01:20.968) Yeah, well, hopefully I've got good answers for you. We'll see. Josiah (01:32.756) Yeah, absolutely. yeah, like you said, I'm Josiah. I'm from Michigan, living just out of DC now. I've been designing and playing board games since my early teen years, I guess I would say. I love creative writing and storytelling. That's just been an amazing way that I've found to connect with people. My actually my undergrad and my grad degrees were in communication and looking at how communication connects us and strategies and stuff behind it. And so I find a storytelling a really compelling way to do that. But before I had gotten into school and whatnot, you know, I was homeschooled. I was in late middle school and I was reading this cartoon. Maybe you are some of your viewers have seen it. Foxtrot comics. And there are some. Have you seen it? Highly recommend, highly recommend. It's really funny. But there are these two characters, they're really nerdy middle schoolers and they were playing Dungeons and Dragons in the comic. And I just thought that was the coolest thing. But my parents, know, I'm a Christian, my family's Christian, fairly conservative. And so my parents were more familiar with like the 80s, like D &D scare, very like Stranger Things season four. And so they were not really like, yeah, not really D &D fans. And so I was like, well, okay, I'll create my own. And that's how it all got started, you know? And then it was a great way to make friends in my Boy Scout troop. You know, we would play, would swap ideas, we would... Jacob Tegtman (02:51.202) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (02:55.042) Not too far ahead. Sure. Yeah, that's awesome. Jacob Tegtman (03:08.12) time. Josiah (03:09.972) you know, go on crazy adventures with rules that didn't quite work. And then over time, you know, I just realized that there were all of these cool avenues to explore and storytelling that D &D didn't necessarily do. And so I just felt really passionate that this is my way to connect with people and connect people with each other is through writing games. Jacob Tegtman (03:30.508) That's amazing, man. Yeah, it's funny, like the ways that we get into gaming too. Like you mentioned those comics. you ever see Dexter's Lab? Okay. Okay. Yeah, was probably a little bit before. Yeah. There was like an episode that was kind of based on Dungeons and Dragons and I saw it when I was like six and that's what got me into it as well. yeah. Josiah (03:39.616) Yeah, well, I've heard of it. Yeah, I've seen clips from it, yeah. Josiah (03:52.972) It's so funny how it seems like every show, know, Community, Gravity Falls, like, there are all these shows of every different genre, and they all have like a D &D episode for some reason. And I love it, you know, but it's so random. Jacob Tegtman (03:58.679) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (04:05.302) Yeah, like all of them. Me too. Yeah, it is. Yeah. I also like the takes that different shows have on like nerdy board games. I think was like Parks and Rec had, I forget what the game was called. Yeah, you remember it. Yeah. Yeah. That's so cool, man. Josiah (04:20.81) The Cones of Dunshire, yeah. Love that, love those episodes. Jacob Tegtman (04:29.646) So I want to dive into really all of those things more, but what games do you currently have available then? And your website will post it in the show notes as well, but it is hoodwinkgaming.com for anybody who's interested. But yeah, tell us about some of your games. And again, I feel like I want to go into all of these in more detail, but yeah, give us the summary version at least for now. Josiah (04:55.05) Yeah, so it's a little deceptive at the moment. My original titles and kind of most of the games that I do are under the pen brand. So play easily now is the acronym. We have war game and role playing game. But actually neither of those are on the market at the moment. If you go to my website. Yeah, we've got a landing page for the war game and we've got a preview for the RPG. And I've actually I've got. Jacob Tegtman (05:12.95) really? I was actually, yeah, I was checking it out like yesterday, so. Josiah (05:24.422) know, prototypes of both of those here. But they are still in development because of various different reasons of wanting to refine some ideas or just kind of ended up having to move to other projects. So they're almost launch ready. But those are the ones that they're working on for the longest, just the newest editions aren't quite together yet. Jacob Tegtman (05:29.506) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (05:39.96) Yeah, nice. Jacob Tegtman (05:46.04) Very cool. Josiah (05:46.164) And then the one that I've been working on most recently, and that we actually have a new project launching next month for, is Star Set. So that's a grimdark survival-oriented tabletop role-playing game that we launched initially a couple years ago, and then just did a relaunch for the second edition for, which is much more crunchy, much more mechanical, and much more narrative-based. So really looking forward to building that out. Jacob Tegtman (06:14.542) That's exciting. Yeah, I can attest that game is great. I really enjoyed reading through it. Everything from the design of the book to the art to the way that you have, especially character building in that, I find super fascinating. You can just tell, yeah, the amount of attention to detail in there is like out of this world. It really feels like you guys... Josiah (06:27.148) Well, thank you. Josiah (06:34.966) haha Jacob Tegtman (06:38.478) You took the lore of the game and you baked it into every part of the game. Whereas I think a lot of games like, you know, we'll talk about D &D later. D &D is like the game that's everything. So it's like if it's in a fantasy book or movie or anything, like we'll just jam it into D &D somehow. And, you know, that kind of has its place, but for building characters and stuff, you know, like you don't, I don't know. It's supposed to be able to fit many different genres and you're Josiah (06:42.72) Mm-hmm. Jacob Tegtman (07:08.612) I think what's so cool about is that when you're playing Star set you're playing Star set Because from the very first thing you do with your character and their background and their skills even it's all based on the lore of this whole universe so Josiah (07:19.902) Mm-hmm. Well, I really appreciate that. mean, that's really the heart behind it when we were working on it is, we had a story that we wanted to tell and really created the universe to tell that story. And one of the things, you know, that I picked up studying communication is that, you know, we are attracted to details. And even if it's details that, we haven't necessarily experienced in our own lives. Jacob Tegtman (07:24.963) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (07:33.324) Yeah. Josiah (07:45.324) hearing vivid details or strong emotions in other people's stories lead us to be more connected with them. And so that was something that we really trying to flesh out in Star Set. hopefully, from the sound of it, it hopefully worked pretty well. Jacob Tegtman (08:00.352) I think so, yeah, absolutely. So, what do we talk about first, man? Like, what do you want to talk about first? Josiah (08:01.452) Thank you. Josiah (08:11.672) man, I could talk about games for hours and hours, so I better let you guide that conversation. Jacob Tegtman (08:14.944) You Okay, I just want to make sure we cover like the big things before we dive into the nitty gritty here. Yeah. Yeah. Josiah (08:24.332) Oh yeah, I mean, I kind of touched on, I guess I'll throw it out there. I'll throw it out there because it's really important to me and kind of the company into my story. you know, I really do, we're about to, you know, dig into the nitty gritty, like you said, and Dungeons and Dragons and all the different games that are out there. And I just think, you know, before whether you're a designer or a player, whenever you kind of step into a game, I think the most important thing and what's in the mission kind of a hoodwink that we try and do differently is that Jacob Tegtman (08:33.379) Yeah. Josiah (08:53.446) The games are just kind of an excuse. Really, the games are just an excuse to get together with people and to have FaceTime with people. And if working in social media has taught me anything, it's that people need that more than anything. And that's why we call it Hoodwink Games, because we kind of have all these substitutions. get hoodwinked into thinking that socializing is something that it's not. And really, it's just fellowshipping with people and joining community and FaceTime with people. and talking about the things that matter with people. And the way to do that from going from stranger to best friend is in my experience games. And so that's kind of the heart behind it. Jacob Tegtman (09:30.658) That's been a cool one. Yeah. You know, it's interesting you bring that up too, because this is something I've been thinking a lot about recently, especially as everybody's been seeing more AI come into their work, into their lives. And I feel that more than ever, people are wanting that human, real human interaction. And so as good as video games are looking nowadays and as fun as MMOs are and stuff like that, and I like all of those, I don't think I've Josiah (09:43.628) Mm-hmm. Josiah (09:53.004) Mm-hmm. Jacob Tegtman (10:03.53) found anything that's as fun is sitting around playing a tabletop role-playing game, especially in person. mean, even, you over FaceTime like this is fun, but something in person about it just makes it one of the best experiences. Josiah (10:09.729) video. Josiah (10:13.142) Mm-hmm. Josiah (10:18.686) It really does. It's those shared memories and those shared jokes. And, you know, I work in politics, doing social media for politics. And the thing that just aggravates me the most about politics, but also religion, people say don't talk about politics or religion because people care about it so much. And it's like those are things that we care about the most. So we should be able to share those with people. But you can't because as soon as you bring them up, you know, there are all these walls. Jacob Tegtman (10:39.48) Sure. Josiah (10:48.062) and games when you've played for a couple hours with somebody and slayed the dragon and made a couple jokes, then it's like, well, okay, now your opinion isn't the thing that I'm defining you on. The thing I'm defining you on is that, you know, you're a half drunk elf paladin or something like, and it just makes it easier. Jacob Tegtman (10:48.416) I guess. Jacob Tegtman (11:04.014) Yeah, that's so true. That's so true. Yeah, it definitely does break down those walls and give you that sense of shared history, even if it's like a shared mental history, theater of the mind. So, yeah. Josiah (11:17.27) Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's great. Jacob Tegtman (11:21.428) I agree, man. Especially when you're doing... So I haven't read through all of the lore of Starseq. There's just so much in there. I've read through a good deal of it. But I think one of the things that also stands out about at least that game, because I know Penn's still in the work in progress... Josiah (11:38.599) the Jacob Tegtman (11:39.446) that, you know, it does cover a lot of political things and it covers a lot of religious things and you aren't like pushing a view on anybody, but just inherent to human life is politics and religion. so games let you approach these topics like in ways that allow you to explore what could be, but in a safe way and have conversations about what could be without feeling like you're being attacked or told. Josiah (11:53.856) Mm-hmm. Josiah (12:01.6) Thank you. Josiah (12:05.836) Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's really the, again, I'm really glad that you feel that way about the game, because that was one of the number one priorities of it, is there are just really hard conversations that should be had. And that game kind of came out of COVID, where there were a ton of hard conversations people were having. And I think you could spend every day, every minute of every day with people. Jacob Tegtman (12:14.306) Yeah, for sure. Jacob Tegtman (12:23.394) That's right. That's right. Yeah. Josiah (12:33.664) but if they're not people that you feel like you can have hard conversations with, then you haven't really been in community at all. And so having a medium like that, where, like you said, I don't wanna tell anybody what they should believe. There are things that I believe are true about God and about the world and about politics and stuff, but those things have to exist relationally for them to mean anything to you. so... Jacob Tegtman (12:39.788) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (12:50.542) Sure. Josiah (12:58.954) to have that space to kind of explore and talk and then role play through just makes it fun for one thing, but also makes it so much more personal and so much more impactful, I think. Jacob Tegtman (12:59.374) Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (13:10.772) I agree. So what is the next thing that you said you're working on with StarCert? I think I missed that when you mentioned earlier. Yeah. Josiah (13:16.436) Yeah, so my co-writer, Emily, and her husband Ryan, who did some of the art for Star Set, they have actually written and illustrated the first campaign for it. It's called Echoes on Mars, and that's going to be launching on Kickstarter next month. Jacob Tegtman (13:31.822) Okay. Okay, cool. That's exciting, man. So what number of Kickstarter will this be for you? Josiah (13:38.092) Thank Josiah (13:42.294) That's Josiah (13:46.806) seven maybe six or seven. I'm doing this one well I should say the plan is to do it on Kickstarter but changing a lot of things. I'm still talking to them. My wife is behind me. I still want to talk through some of them with her because it had a lot of very negative Kickstarter experiences and learned a lot. So we're to do this one if we end up doing it on Kickstarter very slim down and very different than some of the other ones. So it's a constant learning experience. Jacob Tegtman (13:48.43) Sort of. Yeah. Jacob Tegtman (13:54.094) Sure. Jacob Tegtman (14:16.43) Yeah, I just remember I feel like every year or so I feel like you're launching something on Kickstarter successfully. So at least from the outsider's view looking in, it's like man Josiah just knows what he's doing with selling games. Josiah (14:30.208) You Well, I know a little bit more than I did last time and that's the goal. Yeah.
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