Grab your coffee and join the Lair crew as we unpack the challenge of fostering player agency in tabletop RPGs. We explore how to spark proactive decisions, avoid the paralysis of infinite choice, and leverage mechanics that reward bold, cinematic play.
Chapters
0:00 Intro1:00 Star Wars Sparks and hesitant players3:00 Fear of splitting the party and analysis paralysis6:30 Encouraging proactive play and giving permission10:00 Using patrons and clear motivations14:00 Narrative hooks and inciting actions17:00 Video game parallels and open-world stress20:00 Mechanics: fate points, plot points, and inspiration24:00 Player chaos: volunteering as hostages26:00 Minion promotions and closing comments
Listen to the Episode
Watch to the Episode
Watch Player Agency on YouTube.
Show Notes
Erin’s Star Wars SPARKS games: hesitant players and dusty Star Destroyers
Fear of splitting the party and the paralysis of choice
Giving players permission to act and making decisions cinematic
Narrative hooks: long-lost brothers, ticking clocks, and patrons
Game mechanics fueling agency: Fate Core, Cortex, Savage Worlds, inspiration points
Stories from the table: defeating big bads too quickly, volunteering as hostages, “Benny from The Mummy” moments
The balance between modules and improvisation
Open-world video game parallels (No Man’s Sky, Red Dead Redemption, Skyrim)
The episode’s closing: minion questions, potential promotions, and how to connect with the show
Featured Image Meta
A collection of twenty-sided dice.
