Tabletop Journeys

Prep Less, Teach Better: Convention D&D for New PlayersRunning D&D for new players does not require hours of prep.At Rising Phoenix Game Con 2026, I put the TTJ approach to the test with a mixed table of new and experienced players, proving that the right adventure and the right mindset can carry the entire table.This is your Convention Diary + GM Breakdown.Six players.Three experienced.Three brand new.One goal: keep the game moving and make sure everyone is having fun.If you have ever wondered how to run games for new players without over-prepping or over-complicating things… this is the episode for you.#OnTheRightPath #TTRPG #DND #DungeonMaster #GameMaster #RoleplayersWanted #CallYourBoysTTJ #TTRPGCommunity #LearnDND--------------------🎲 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN - How to choose the right starter adventure for new players - Why “less prep” leads to better teaching at the table - How to read player cues and guide decisions without railroading - When to use maps, minis, and tools, and when to keep it simple - How to run fast, engaging convention games for mixed tables --------------------🧠 THE TTJ WAYStart with a strong, simple adventure.Prep what matters.Teach through play, not lectures.When you combine that with patience and enthusiasm, you get:👉 New players who get it👉 Tables that stay engaged👉 Games that actually move--------------------🎥 FEATURED ADVENTURE: Borderlands Quest: Goblin TroublePublished by Wizards of the Coast (Available on D&D Beyond)Credits: - Designer: Shawn Merwin - Additional Writing: Chris Tulach - Editor: Sadie Lowry - Cover Illustrator: Robson Michel - Cartographer: Dyson Logos - Illustrators: John Grello, Alejandro Pacheco, Taras Susak, Matias Tapia--------------------🔥 Rising Phoenix Game Con🔥One of our favorite conventions, run by an incredible team and community.Event Info:🌐 https://tabletop.events/conventions/rising-phoenix-gamecon-2026Join the Community:🌐 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H7nDRZ8qQ/--------------------🎙️ MORE FROM TABLETOP JOURNEYS- Star Trek Preservations – STA Actual Play- Tabletop Cafe – TTRPG conversations & community- Dr. Homebrew – Build it, test it, run it at your table- On the Right Path – Bite-sized GM advice--------------------🎙️ TTJ CREDITSWritten, Hosted, & Edited by Lewanika MillerTheme: “The Lewanika Jam” by David HerreraOpening and Closing sequences produced and edited by David Herrera at Bow Tie StudiosTabletop Journeys is hosted by Josh Newton and Lewanika Miller, with Michael Ross🎧 Listen & Watch:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/tabletopjourneysYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneysJoin our games on Patreon:🌐 https://www.patreon.com/tabletopjourneysDriveThruRPG:🌐 https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLCDM’s Guild:🌐 https://www.dmsguild.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLC----------If this helped you rethink how you prep or teach at the table:👍 Like the video💬 Drop your biggest challenge teaching new players🔔 Subscribe for more GM tools and convention insights

This is your STA Convention Diary + GM Breakdown. What does it actually take to run Star Trek Adventures at a convention and make it hit?Episode Highlights:⚡Running STA the TTJ Way⚡Sour Deals breakdown (STA 2E Starter Set)⚡Mission Briefs vs full adventures⚡Real table energy from Rising Phoenix 2026⚡Why STA needs more GMsIn this episode of On the Right Path, we break down the TTJ Way. From syncing timelines across Preservations, Expeditions, and A.E.G.I.S., to integrating published adventures like Sour Deals into a living campaign, this is about running games that connect, land, and stick.We cover:🧩 Why mission briefs dominate convention play🧩 How to prep less and still deliver big moments🧩 Building a reliable pre-gen pipeline🧩 Creating tables full of energy, momentum, and buy-inAnd here is the real takeaway:We need more STA GMs at the table. If you have ever thought about running STA at a con, this is your starting point.-----------------📣 Call to ActionThinking about running STA?Drop a comment and tell us what you need to get started.#StarTrekAdventures #OnTheRightPath #TTRPG #GameMaster #ActualPlay #TTRPGCommunity #RoleplayersWanted #GMsWanted #CallYourBoysTTJ-----------------🔥 Rising Phoenix Game ConOne of our favorite conventions, run by an incredible team and community.Event Info:🌐 https://tabletop.events/conventions/rising-phoenix-gamecon-2026Join the Community:🌐 https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1H7nDRZ8qQ/-----------------🖖 STA ResourcesModiphius Downloads:🌐 https://modiphius.net/en-us/pages/star-trek-adventures-downloadsSTA Character Builder (BC Holmes):🌐 https://sta.bcholmes.orgSupport BC Holmes:🌐 https://www.patreon.com/bcholmes-----------------Credits: Written, Hosted, & edited by Lewanika MillerTheme: “The Lewanika Jam” by David Herrera.Opening and Closing sequences produced and edited by David Herrera at Bow Tie Studios.Tabletop Journeys is hosted by Josh Newton and Lewanika Miller, with Michael Ross.🎧 Listen & watch: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/tabletopjourneysYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneysJoin our games on Patreon:🌐 https://www.patreon.com/tabletopjourneysDriveThruRPG:🌐 https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLCDM’s Guild:🌐 https://www.dmsguild.com/browse/pub/21022/Tabletop-Journeys-LLC

Grim, gritty, and unapologetically dark… today we crack open one of the most atmospheric 5E-compatible settings on the market.In this episode of Tabletop Journeys Presents: On the Right Path, we dive into Grim Hollow: Transformed by Ghostfire Gaming with a full unboxing and first impressions. From premium components to deeply evocative worldbuilding, this set delivers a tone that leans hard into horror, consequence, and meaningful challenge.If you’ve been looking for a way to bring true danger, lasting wounds, and narrative weight to your table, this is a product worth your attention.This is not just about what’s in the box; it’s about what it enables at the table.👉 Gritty play👉 Meaningful stakes👉 Horror that actually landsWhether you run convention games, home campaigns, or one-shots during spooky season, this breakdown will give you a clear sense of what Grim Hollow brings to your toolkit.#OnTheRightPath #TTRPG #DND #GrimHollow #GhostfireGaming #CallYourBoysTTJ ⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 Cold Open0:30 Intro & Tone1:15 Why Grim Hollow2:30 What’s in the Box8:00 Campaign Guide & Setting10:30 Maps & Adventures15:45 GM Screen & Mechanics19:30 Player Journal21:30 Final ThoughtsAnd remember:✅ Like✅ Subscribe✅ Ring the Bell to never miss an EpisodeTabletop Journeys Links: 🎥 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ttjourneys 🎲 DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/17948/Tabletop-Journeys-LLC 📚 DMs Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/browse/pub/17948/Tabletop-Journeys-LLC🔗 CONNECT WITH TABLETOP JOURNEYSPatreon: patreon.com/ttjourneysBluesky: @ttjourneys.bsky.socialFacebook: www.facebook.com/ttjourneysYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneysWebsite: https://ttjourneys.com/Email: [email protected]

OtRP (S2 Ep 19) – "Everything's Better the Second Time Around."===========================What comes after first contact… is where the real story begins.In this episode of On the Right Path, we take a second look at the Star Trek Adventures Species Sourcebook and review the Second Contacts Mission Brief pack. From new character options to ready-to-run adventures, this episode highlights how these tools expand your table.Whether you run them as standalone missions or weave them into an existing campaign, second contact stories offer structure, flexibility, and depth. If you are building STA 2E missions or looking for fast, effective TTRPG prep, this is where your next adventure hits warp speed while staying On the Right Path.=========================== 🎬 What You Will Find in This Episode: - STA 2E mission brief design and iteration- Second contact storytelling and campaign depth- TTRPG adventure design through refinement- Practical GM tools for "replayability" and structure Star Trek Adventures RPG 2E🏢 Published by Modiphius Entertainment🎲 2d20 System Designer Nathan Dowdell📊 Project Manager Jim Johnson📥 Free download and purchase information🌐 https://modiphius.net/en-us/pages/star-trek-adventures-downloadsFree Mission Brief Pack:🖖 STAR TREK ADVENTURES: SECOND CONTACTS🚀 Writer: Aaron M. Pollyea🙌 Special Shout Out: BC Holmes🌐 Character Builder: https://sta.bcholmes.org/index.html🌐 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/bcholmes/postsTabletop Journeys ContentOur latest Kickstarter was funded in under 6 hours—join the fun:🌐 https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ttjourneys/make-100-the-bridgedwell-chronicles-part-1Check our Library of Content:🌐 On DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/28665/tabletop-journeys-llc🌐 On DM's Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/en/browse?keyword=tabletop%20journeys%20llc Support the Channel🌐 https://tr.ee/WqccYf4COR🛠️ Support the channel by subscribing to Patreon. Join the conversation and comment below; share the episode with your friends.And remember:✅ Like✅ Subscribe✅ Ring the Bell to never miss an episode✅ Leave a comment if you would like to explore the galaxy alongside the Dilamus Christian and those serving aboard Asselin Station🌌 #IDICYall #StarTrekAdventuresRPG2E #2D20 #TTRPG #CallYourBoysTTJ #tabletopjourneys

Ever stare at a blank stat block and wonder where to even start? In this episode of Dr. Homebrew, we pull back the curtain on the monster-building framework we use here at Tabletop Journeys. It's a rules-first, narrative-driven system we've refined across dozens of NPCs, published adventures, and card decks.

Whether you're crafting a terrifying custom beast or a compelling villain NPC, this episode breaks down our full process step by step. We cover everything from how Challenge Rating (CR) anchors the entire stat block, to feature points as a spendable currency, to how we handle spellcasting differently from the official Monster Manual and why we made those calls.

We even walk through a brand new NPC, Arwir Echagüe (CR4, undead, and very hard to read 👀), to show you exactly how it all comes together in practice.

🔑 Topics covered in this episode:
Why CR is the foundation of every stat block we build
Feature points, the hidden currency that balances your monsters
Why we put spells directly into the action economy (and why it matters at the table)
A full live walkthrough of a CR4 NPC stat block

Shoutouts to the incredible work of Teos Abadía, Mike Shea, and Tom Dunn that helped shape our process

💬 We want to hear from YOU! Drop a comment and let us know: Are we getting it right? Would you want access to the full ruleset? Interested in a Foundry module? Tell us below!

And remember:
✅ Like
✅ Subscribe
✅ Ring the Bell to never miss an Episode

🔗 Links & Resources mentioned in the episode:

Tao Sabadia & Mike Shea: https://slyflourish.com/lazy_5e_monster_building_resource_document.html
Tom Dunn: https://tomedunn.github.io/the-finished-book/monsters/monster-manual-2024/

🧭 Tabletop Journeys Links:
Patreon: patreon.com/ttjourneys
Bluesky: @ttjourneys.bsky.social
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ttjourneys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ttjourneys
Website: https://ttjourneys.com/
Email: [email protected]

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