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A podcast where we create and discuss homebrew content for tabletop roleplaying games, primarily Dungeons and Dragons 5e. Here, we try to expand on the options presented to us in the published material, to offer some guidance for aspiring storytellers trying to figure out how to make their big ideas become reality. Here, we stir the pot and lick the spoon. Logo art by David Sutherland - find him on Deviant Art: https://rb.gy/hqmjgo
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
This week, we're continuing our look into the urban fantasy genre by doing our favorite thing: rolling on a random table and generating on the fly! Join us as we utilize the elements we discussed last episode to pad out our dice rolls and generate a Depression-era urban fantasy setting.
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
Wednesday Apr 22, 2026
This week, we're starting a new series where we discuss different genres and how to implement them in your games. We're starting off with a favorite of ours - urban fantasy. Join us as we define the genre, give some examples, and realize that sometimes James's great ideas end up just being Shadowrun.
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
Wednesday Apr 08, 2026
This week, we're looking at the Plane that isn't a plane, the place that isn't a place, the primordial soup that fills the void between universes: the Far Realm. Join us as we discuss playing in a setting where reality doesn't exist, using the elements of cosmic and psychological horror, and how to embrace alien physiology.
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
Wednesday Mar 25, 2026
This week, we wrap up our series on dragons with a look at some of the extraplanar dragons that didn't really fit into our other episodes. Join us as we talk about dragon warlock patrons, werewolf space pirates, and the insanity that was 3.5e epic dragons.
This is your last week to pick up the Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle. This is a fundraiser bundle to help support the mental health charity Take This!, and can be found here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
Wednesday Mar 11, 2026
This week, we're getting a little bit domestic as we discuss how to better utilize homes in TTRPGs. Join us as we discuss base building, interacting with the decor, and home invasions, among other things.
The Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle is now live, through the end of March. This is a fundraiser bundle to help support the mental health charity Take This!, and can be found here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
Wednesday Feb 25, 2026
This week, we finish our circuit of the Outer Planes with the dragons from the chaotic-good quadrant of the Great Wheel cosmology. Join us as we discuss the dragons found in the planes of Elysium, the Beastlands, Arborea, Ysgard, and Limbo.
I had the opportunity to talk with Rene over on his show, Rene Plays Games, and that episode is now live. On this episode of Perspective Checks, I discuss homebrew, game design, and other similar elements. Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55zpcdOVPwLaTHgA994vgM?si=d5e7e116b2ee4c87
The Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle is now live, through the end of March. This is a fundraiser bundle to help support the mental health charity Take This!, and can be found here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Feb 11, 2026
Wednesday Feb 11, 2026
This week, we talk about ways to play TTRPGs that don't require a multi-hour time block sitting around the table. Join us as we discuss play styles like play-by-post, correspondence play, and standing setups, with some ideas on how to implement them to get your game on when it's all your schedule allows.
We mentioned a bunch of stuff in this episode, so here are some links:
The Time We Have, by Elliot Davis, is a 2-player RPG that takes place during a zombie apocalypse, played on either side of a closed door. You can find the game here: https://moreblueberries.itch.io/ttwh; and you can find an interview with the designer talking about it on the Yes Indie'd podcast, here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2kwBdh9RzBMtmD1DjeMl4B?si=b9ec346e5f6b4737
SPINE is a solo RPG where you are trying to discern the secrets of immortality from a tome which is also trying to eat you. You can find the game here: https://backwards-tabletop.itch.io/spine; and you can watch the game review by MyLifeIsAnRPG on YouTube, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWtfYXOJ9zg&t=4s
Finally, Matt Colville did an episode about Diplomacy and how to play it that was less long ago than I thought (only 2018, but the Before Times are all starting to blur together). You can find that video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWt0AQWjhPg
I had the opportunity to talk with Rene over on his show, Rene Plays Games, and that episode is now live. On this episode of Perspective Checks, I discuss homebrew, game design, and other similar elements. Check it out here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55zpcdOVPwLaTHgA994vgM?si=d5e7e116b2ee4c87
The Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle is now live, through the end of March. This is a fundraiser bundle to help support the mental health charity Take This!, and can be found here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
This week, we're back on that extraplanar grind as we discuss the dragons from the Lawful Good quadrant of D&D's Great Wheel cosmology. Join us as we discuss dragons who are exotic fish collectors, golden retrievers with wings, living spotlights, problematic flavor text (circa 2004), and strangely absent.
The Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle is now live, through the end of March. This is a fundraiser bundle to help support the mental health charity Take This!, and can be found here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Jan 14, 2026
Wednesday Jan 14, 2026
This week, we return from our holiday break with our annual visit from Leon, the organizer of the Solo But Not Alone game bundle. Join us as we discuss the bundle, early internet culture, and showcase the setup process of our in-development solo journaling game, All Is Well With My Soul.
The Solo But Not Alone 6 bundle is now officially live! You can pick up 90 games for $10, and support the mental health charity Take This! here: https://itch.io/b/3481/solo-but-not-alone-6
You can find Leon on BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/catlinggun.bsky.social), and on Itch at peachgardengames.itch.io.
The game "Jonathan Frakes Wants Your Attention and You Must Not Give it to Him", which was mentioned in the episode, can be found here: https://jeffstormer.itch.io/jonathan-frakes-wants-your-attention-and-you-must-not-give-it-to-him
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
This week, we're getting around to showcasing a game we made almost three years ago: Forever Home! Join us as we play through the hijinks of a social media DIY influence vlogger and their 200-year-old house's attempts to play matchmaker in a game we would consider to be a Hallmark movie prequel.
You can find Forever Home on our Itch page, https://undercommontaste.itch.io/forever-home, for the low low price of $3! Go pick up your copy today.
As mentioned in this episode, comedian Deric Cahill has an ongoing bit that he calls "F*** This House", which parallels the sort of scenarios Forever Home is designed to evoke. You can find his videos on most short-form video platforms under the handle @boldfam; here's his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@boldfam
Our website is live! Head on over to undercommontaste.com to find links to all of our social media, streaming sites, Patreon, Itch store, and Discord.
Our theme song is Massacre Anne, written and performed by Mary Crowell, and used with permission. You can find Mary's work online at marycrowell.bandcamp.com, or on Patreon at patreon.com/DrMaryCCrowell.
Our logo was illustrated by David Sutherland. You can find David's work online at instagram.com/wilex_73, or on DeviantArt at deviantart.com/davidsutherland.