Rephonic
Artwork for Why We Roll
Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Game Design
Tabletop Roleplaying Games
Danse Macabre
Body Horror
Tabletop Rpgs
Kickstarter
Game Mechanics
Indie Ttrpgs
Blister Critters
Dungeons & Dragons
Indie Game Design
Indie Rpgs
The Sometimes Kingdom
RP Jesters
TTRPG
Indie Games
Role-Playing Games
Alien Franchise
Dance Macabre

Why We Roll is a streaming show and podcast about designing tabletop roleplaying games, hosted by Chris Pickett (Danse Macabre) and Wythe Marschall (Stillfleet). Chris and Wythe host in-depth conversations with professional game designers with a focus on contemporary indie TTRPGs. They also occasionally run actual-play sessions and offer behind-the-scenes looks at the games they’re developing. Top... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes102Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesArtsDesignLeisure

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Artwork for Why We Roll

Latest Episodes

On this episode of Why We Roll, Wythe and Chris sit down with Zac Bir, creator of the minimalist TTRPG Journeyman! We chat the history of the games we love, adapting fiction into TTRPG settings, and rule-light, trust-heavy design for maximum story te... more

Justin Sirois of Severed Books joins Wythe Marschall (Stillfleet, PICARO!) and Christopher Pickett (Danse Macabre) to talk about the multiple ENnie Award-nominee OSR fantasy horror TTRPG, Sickest Witch, as well as graphic design, running a truly indi... more

Heads up! This episode was recorded in September of 2025, so if you hear some out-dated references... just blame Chris for editing this one late! On this episode, Wythe Marschall and Christopher Pickett talk to infamous mystery artist and proud Midwe... more

On this episode of Why We Roll: The Indie TTRPG Game Design Podcast of the Stillfleet Studio, Wythe Marschall (PICARO!, Stillfleet) and Christopher Pickett (Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying, Thrall) chat with narrative designer Konstantine... more

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Recent Guests

Zac Bir
Designer of Journeyman
Episode: WWR 96 ☉ Journeyman w. Zac Bir
Justin Sirois
Founder of Severed Books, designer of Sickest Witch
Severed Books
Episode: WWR 95 ☉ Sickest Witch w. Justin Sirois of Severed Books
Konstantine Paradias
Writer and narrative designer; co-creator behind Ultradelve
Kos to Ultradelve project
Episode: WWR 93 ☉ ULTRADELVE w. Konstantine Paradias & Anthony Grasso
David Piccolomini
Game designer and guest designer on Road Warriors
Don't Go Broke Games / Gamefound collaborator
Episode: WWR 92 ☉ Road Warriors AP with Don't Go Broke Games
Dan Metz
Game designer and guest designer on Road Warriors
Don't Go Broke Games / Gamefound collaborator
Episode: WWR 92 ☉ Road Warriors AP with Don't Go Broke Games
Miel Markus
Master of Ceremonies for the evening
Stillfleet Studio
Episode: WWR 92 ☉ Road Warriors AP with Don't Go Broke Games
Bri de Danann
Art director and illustrator, Bright Bard Games
Bright Bard Games
Episode: WWR 91 ☉ Axolotl with a Gun w. Bri de Dannan & Jon Boyle of Bright Bard Games
Jon Boyle
Co-founder, Bright Bard Games
Bright Bard Games
Episode: WWR 91 ☉ Axolotl with a Gun w. Bri de Dannan & Jon Boyle of Bright Bard Games
Laurence Phillips
Game designer, Hardy Roach Games
Hardy Roach Games
Episode: WWR 89 ☉ Il Fantasma del Giallo w. Laurence Phillips

Hosts

Wythe Marschall
Host of the show, co-hosts with a focus on indie RPG design and production.
Chris Pickett
Host of the show, co-hosts with a focus on indie RPG design and production.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 20 ratings
  • An overtly leftist platform ranting clumsily about how superior they are. Not great.

    Podcast Addict
    1
    saltylight
    2 years ago

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

WWR 94 ☉ PICARO! w. HODAG RPG
Q: What are the key influences that shape Hodag's art and game design for Picaro?
Influences range from Barry Lyndon for the visual touchstone, to older D&D art, Classic Golden Age comics, and a mix of 3rd Edition aesthetics, with a strong emphasis on expressive faces and live-action style storytelling.
WWR 94 ☉ PICARO! w. HODAG RPG
Q: What distinguishes Picaro from other indie RPGs and what is its core vibe?
Picaro is a 1700s, grid-based, picaresque-focused game that emphasizes robbing the rich in a grimy, Coen Brothers-like atmosphere, combining historical setting with accessible, comic-inspired art.
WWR 94 ☉ PICARO! w. HODAG RPG
Q: How did Hodag first get started in RPGs and what drew him to the medium?
He describes growing up in the Midwest, discovering RPGs in adolescence, and being hooked by the blend of art and storytelling, which led him to pursue illustration and game design as a career.
WWR 91 ☉ Axolotl with a Gun w. Bri de Dannan & Jon Boyle of Bright Bard Games
Q: How did the collaboration between Bri and Jon evolve in the early days of Bright Bard Games?
They describe meeting through co-op work during the pandemic, starting with smaller zines, then formalizing their partnership, and building a catalog focused on whimsical, easy-to-learn mechanics that still allow for depth and thematic storytelling.
WWR 90 ☉ The Sometimes Kingdom Zine 01: Monsoon w. Ethan Gould
Q: How did you balance the whimsy of the setting with the more system-driven aspects of the TTRPGs?
The whimsy is kept matter-of-fact and grounded in everyday logic, with magic constrained by word-based rules so that it feels like a usable system rather than pure wish-fulfillment; this maintains bite and meaning while preserving a playful tone.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Why We Roll

What is Why We Roll about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A show focused on designing tabletop role-playing games, with in-depth conversations featuring professional indie designers, live-play sessions, and behind-the-scenes looks at game development. Episodes consistently explore design philosophy, publishing realities, art and world-building, safety at the table, and practical mechanics across OSR- and NSR-inspired systems, with a strong emphasis on community, collaboration, and the business side of indie RPGs. Notable strengths include a hands-on, design-workshop style during live gameplay and interviews that blend technical guidance with personal storytelling, making it helpful for aspiring designers, publishers, and anyone curious about modern indie TTRPG creation and production. A recurring ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Why We Roll?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Why We Roll:

1. My First Dungeon
2. Ship of the Dead Podcast
3. Think Like A Game Designer
4. Chapo Trap House
5. My Brother, My Brother And Me

How many episodes of Why We Roll are there?

Why We Roll launched 3 years ago and published 102 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 Why We Roll?

Recent guests on Why We Roll include:

1. Zac Bir
2. Justin Sirois
3. Konstantine Paradias
4. David Piccolomini
5. Dan Metz
6. Miel Markus
7. Bri de Danann
8. Jon Boyle

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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