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Artwork for Happy Jacks RPG Podcast: GM & Player TTRPG Advice

Happy Jacks RPG Podcast: GM & Player TTRPG Advice

Happy Jacks RPG Network
Tabletop Rpgs
Safety Tools
Dungeons & Dragons
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Tabletop RPG
Dungeons and Dragons
Player Engagement
Game Mastering
Indie Games
Game Design
Role-Playing Games
Indie Game Design
Game Preparation
Actual Plays
Player Feedback
Happy Jacks RPG
Player Dynamics
Rpgs
Conventions
Character Development

A weekly tabletop RPG advice show that combines friendship, humor, and unbridled enthusiasm to bring you a show that is inclusive, informative, and funny. If you’re looking for an RPG podcast with diverse opinions and a friends-hanging-out vibe, look no further — you’re home.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes590Founded17 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureHobbiesGames

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Happy Jacks RPG Podcast: GM & Player TTRPG Advice

Latest Episodes

◇ Live from GamEx 2026 at the Hilton LAX in Los Angeles! A great panel show with members of our audience and stories from lots of different con games. Since it is a live event, the audio quality is not the same as our normal episodes recorded in our ... more

◇ Designing TTRPGS without traditional dice mechanics, Wes from Indianapolis shares a success story, From the archive 2022: Mike from New York wants to talk about game power that cause problems | Hosts: Kimi, Kodi, & Sam Dunnewold ◇

00:33◇ Welcome ... more

◇ Jake from Illinois asks about stolen moments, Wesley Street on the Discord sends in a success story, From the archive 2022: Taurelin wants to know how to handle it when PCs don’t do what’s their players expect | Hosts: Kimi, Pooja, & Cousteau ◇

0... more

◇ Gregory from Wisconsin writes in about pets in campaigns, Matty All Night shares some con game stories from Pax East, From the archive 2022: Weaselcreature asks about electronics at the gaming table | Hosts: Kimi, Jason, & Kodi ◇

00:33◇ Welcome &... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Mike Ferdinando
Listener sharing feedback from archive mailbag segment
Ithaca, New York, United States
Episode: S37E08 | TTRPGS without Dice, Gaming Success Story, and Powers that cause Problems
Gregory from Wisconsin
Listener who wrote in about pets in campaigns
Episode: S37E06 | Pets in Campaigns, Pax East, Electronics at the Table
Matty All Night
Creator/runner who shared Pax East con stories
Matty All Night
Episode: S37E06 | Pets in Campaigns, Pax East, Electronics at the Table
Weasel Creature
Archive 2022 contributor who asks about electronics at the gaming table
Episode: S37E06 | Pets in Campaigns, Pax East, Electronics at the Table
Christopher in Carolina
Contributor discussing Fate vs other systems
Episode: S37E05 | PBTA Prep, FATE, & A Gaming Story
Adam Hancock
Indie designer, Gnome Made Games
Gnome Made Games
Episode: S37E03 | Adam from Gnome Made Games, Being a Good Player, Tropes with New Players
Captain Kurt
Guest from Alaska
Episode: S37E02 | Can Lines & Veils be Inappropriate?, How Actual Plays Work, Memorable NPCs
Kurt (Archive 2023)
Guest from Archive 2023
Episode: S37E02 | Can Lines & Veils be Inappropriate?, How Actual Plays Work, Memorable NPCs
Spilmeister Thomas
Guest from Denmark discussing holidays in-game
Denmark (listener)
Episode: S37E01 | Railroading Players vs. PCs, Session Zero Playbook, & In-Game Holidays

Hosts

Kimi
Host of Happy Jacks RPG Podcast
Jason
Host of Happy Jacks RPG Podcast
Kodi Gonzaga
Host of the Happy Jacks RPG Podcast
June
Co-host of The Happy Jacks RPG Podcast
Pooja
Host of the show

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 90 ratings
  • One of the best gaming podcasts

    Been listening for over ten years. Just an outstanding podcast. They discuss a variety of tabletop games, and provide entertaining advice and discussion.

    I enjoy the current version as much as I miss the old format.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lieuallen
    United Statesa month ago
  • The friendliest TTRPG podcast. Hosted by the creator of Decuma and Starscape (among other things). Cozy, inclusive discussion and banter about RPGs. Not D&D centric. Lots of indie perspective. I love it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    HorrifiedRancor
    4 months ago
  • One of the best gaming podcasts

    Been listening for over ten four years. Just an outstanding podcast. They discuss a variety of tabletop games, and provide entertaining advice and discussion.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lieuallen
    United States5 months ago
  • As a new DM this podcast has helped reframe my responsibility with empathy as priority. It's a great podcast. Everyone works so hard. And the community is great.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Defaultradio
    a year ago
  • I've been listening to this podcast for years and it always has good advice on how to run games, and not tips that are game specific but can help you no matter what you play.

    The podcast is almost entirely driven by viewer emails which is a great way to make sure they are staying relevant for what their viewers want to know.

    I also really like how the cast is varied and diverse so we can get opinions from a vast majority of voices even when the same questions are asked multiple times.

    Podcast Addict
    Arrya
    3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many comment on the friendly, collaborative vibe and strong community.
The show is appreciated for its humor and approachable discussions of complex topics.
Listeners praise practical GMing tips and safety tooling.
Guests and indie design topics are frequently highlighted as valuable and informative.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#73
Poland/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#83
Norway/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#167
Finland/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

S37E07 | Stolen Moments, Success Story, and Surprise PC Roleplaying
Q: What are your sessions like in terms of length and pacing, and how do you keep a large table engaged without burning people out?
Balance is key: vary scene lengths, use modular moments, employ safety checks, and allow room for collaborative storytelling so everyone can contribute without everyone needing to be involved in every single moment.
S37E07 | Stolen Moments, Success Story, and Surprise PC Roleplaying
Q: My question is, how would you handle a situation like this? Do you have stories similar to this?
Discuss the incident openly with the group, acknowledge the emotional impact, consider a measured adjustment to the encounter or narrative, and prioritize restoring player agency and enjoyment while maintaining narrative integrity.
S37E04 | FATE vs Player Agency, GM Horror Stories, & Initiative Thoughts
Q: Second question: in a game where one character slaps another, would you add fate mechanics or keep it as a narrative moment using Fate Accelerated Edition?
Respondents suggest treating it as a narrative moment and, if desired, using a light fate-based adjudication to determine tone and outcome, rather than a full blown combat mechanic; if escalation occurs, you can shift to a more explicit mechanical approach only as warranted by the narrative stakes.
S37E04 | FATE vs Player Agency, GM Horror Stories, & Initiative Thoughts
Q: I've recently taken up GMing Fate, specifically Fate Accelerated Edition. The first question is about compels: if a player is out of fate points and gets compelled, isn't that taking away their agency?
The panel suggests upfront transparency: you should explain that compels can push a player to act in ways that serve the story, and you can mitigate concerns by ensuring compels tie to the character's aspects and by using them to enhance the story rather than punish players.
S37E03 | Adam from Gnome Made Games, Being a Good Player, Tropes with New Players
Q: How did you jump from playing to designing?
Adam explains starting with a great game group, building simple aids for new players, and gradually publishing those aids on the Dungeon Masters Guild, which led to a design career and eventually full games like Luncheons and Dragonflies and Plane God.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively, practical show focused on GM and player aspects of tabletop RPGs, with a strong emphasis on safety tools, player agency, and accessible design. Episodes commonly cover roundtable discussions on running campaigns, balancing narrative control with player input, and using safety frameworks like Lines and Veils and the X Card. There's frequent spotlight on indie designers and new systems, plus listener mailbags and real-world convention experiences that ground advice in everyday play. The mix of practical tips, design insights, and community stories makes it valuable for both veteran GMs and curious players looking to level up tabletop storytelling.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Happy Jacks RPG One Shots
2. Happy Jacks RPG Actual Plays
3. Gnomecast
4. Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
5. My Brother, My Brother And Me

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 17 years ago and published 590 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Mike Ferdinando
2. Gregory from Wisconsin
3. Matty All Night
4. Weasel Creature
5. Christopher in Carolina
6. Adam Hancock
7. Captain Kurt
8. Kurt (Archive 2023)

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