Rephonic
Artwork for System Mastery
Roleplaying Games
Role-Playing Games
Character Creation
Game Mechanics
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons
Wild West RPG
Capers
Fabula Ultima
Superheroes
RPG Mechanics
Tales From the Floating Vagabond
The Companion's Tale
Final Fantasy
Ghost Dog: Way Of the Samurai
The Quiet Year
Mörk Borg
Unbidden
1920s
Doctor Who

Jef and Jon review old roleplaying games

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes350Founded12 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
LeisureGamesHobbies

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for System Mastery

Latest Episodes

Sure it's PBTA but really we want to talk about the rare-ish process by which specifically board games become specifically RPGs. Plus these animals kill each other and are cute.

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Western boob comics! Remember these? They've long since supplanted by that single mega milk manga image, you know the one. Anyway somewhere between the original Vampirella and that, there were a bevy of buxom comics companies that made titles like... more

Let's take a look at a game out of Sweden, née as Drakar Och Demoner, a classic dungeon crawl game with fairly simple mechanics, sleek layout, and pretty nice art. But does it have enough other stuff to get to good? Well, let's talk it out.

Learn ... more

Find out which one of us gets mad enough to break the no research rule as we dive in to discuss this game of alien abduction and intergalactic comedy exploration from the far off year of 1992.

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Key Facts

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

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Kira Woodmansee
Game designer and artist
Tales from the Floating Vagabond
Episode: 311 - Tales from the Floating Vagabond 2e, Part 2: An Interview
Sean Ellis
Game designer and writer
Tales from the Floating Vagabond
Episode: 311 - Tales from the Floating Vagabond 2e, Part 2: An Interview
James DiMatteau
President of OneShot Podcast Network and RPG designer
OneShot Podcast Network
Episode: 309 - Invisible Sun Lore
James D'Amato
Co-host of various roleplaying podcasts and game designer
Possible Worlds Games
Episode: 308 - Invisible Sun

Hosts

Jef
Host who humorously critiques and reviews tabletop roleplaying games, often sharing personal anecdotes and reflections.
Jon
Co-host who engages in comedic dialogue while reviewing old RPGs, contributing insights and humor to the discussion.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 445 ratings
  • An excellent review which showed me exactly why I am glad it did not buy this game. What an entertaining resource.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    indigonegative
    8 months ago
  • This makes me want to get this game. These three apparent Americans using the word "twee" incessantly is incredibly annoying.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    Rocky McCobb
    8 months ago
  • If you're lookingfor honest in depth discussion of ttrpgs thuis is not the place for it. The hosts don't learn the rules then take turns shifting on the rules that they didn't read. If you want smarmy comments about rules and settings that aren't accurate or applicable, these are your guys.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    JohnQPublic
    8 months ago
  • It's nice to hear old systems being reviewed, but the utter lack of any seriousness is extremely off-putting. Sure, have fun and make the episode interesting, but at least try to be intellectually honest to the system you've put so much effort into learning! Honestly, if every game system review is a series of continuous jokes, why bother reviewing them at all??

    I appreciate the enormous effort to review so many game systems. It's just a shame the work gets lost under piles of innanity.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    Siltoneous
    a year ago
  • Man. This is my first episode from you guys... And I am taken aback how negative you are. Some of the "jokes" and comments make me wonder if you actually ever actually roleplay, or do you just dungeon crawl with miniatures and anything that's not on the table or in the stats doesn't matter.

    I have never used the word "toxic" before in my life, but I'm actually tempted by the subtext of the episode. Mostly because I get the impression that this is somehow supposed to be a positive episode...

    Podcast Addict
    3
    NoMoreCocaine
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Reviews reflect varying opinions on the quality of the humor, with some finding it immature while others enjoy the banter.
The podcast is appreciated for providing informative critiques while being entertaining, leading to a loyal fanbase.
Listeners enjoy the blend of humor with serious analysis of old and obscure RPGs, often noting how it brings back nostalgia.
Many appreciate the comedic insights and unique critiques offered by the hosts.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#190
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#97
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#230
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#17
Philippines/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#47
South Korea/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#59
Israel/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

311 - Tales from the Floating Vagabond 2e, Part 2: An Interview
Q: What's next for Tales from the Floating Vagabond?
They plan to produce more content, including adventure modules and explore the game's universe further, introducing new mechanics and expanding on existing ideas.
308 - Invisible Sun
Q: Would you play this game again?
I would play this game tomorrow; it was a delight to play.
308 - Invisible Sun
Q: What's your least favorite thing about this game?
It has to be the way in which this is written—very obtuse and sliding in and out of different perspectives.
264 - Monsterhearts
Q: What was your least favorite thing?
There's not a lot I dislike about this game, but if I'm going to find anything, it's the base mechanical stuff.
264 - Monsterhearts
Q: What was your favorite thing about Monsterhearts First Edition?
I love the fact that this starts out with like, hey, there is no unconditional acceptance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About System Mastery

What is System Mastery about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast provides a comedic and insightful review of old tabletop roleplaying games, examining their mechanics, themes, and the often bizarre narratives that accompany them. The hosts engage in witty banter as they critique the games, share personal anecdotes, and reflect on their own experiences with RPGs, making it both entertaining and educational for listeners. The exploration ranges from lesser-known indie games to iconic classics, often highlighting the absurdities and challenges inherent in translating various cultural outputs into playable formats, ultimately appealing to a niche audience who appreciates humor mixed with critical analysis of gaming.

Listeners can expect lively discussions marked by an irreverent tone, as the ho... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers System Mastery has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to System Mastery?

These podcasts share a similar audience with System Mastery:

1. Movie Mastery
2. Expounded Universe
3. Ludonarrative Dissidents
4. The GROGNARD Files
5. MegaDumbCast

How many episodes of System Mastery are there?

System Mastery launched 12 years ago and published 350 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 System Mastery?

Recent guests on System Mastery include:

1. Kira Woodmansee
2. Sean Ellis
3. James DiMatteau
4. James D'Amato

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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