Some Derps Talk About Games
Society & Culture
About
We are a couple of derps. We like to talk about games. Join hosts Buddy & Mango each week for discussion of all things games and nerd culture.Write in: podcast@somederpsplaygame.com
Episodes
- Ripples in the Sand Artifacts (Tabletop)
This episode details the design of tabletop roleplaying game artifacts for the Pathfinder 2e system. The artifacts are being created for characters in the Ripples in the Sand game, which begins at level 6. Characters featured include Hones…
- Rats in the Walls Post-mortem (Tabletop)
This episode discusses the conclusion of the Winter 2026 Ceran game campaign. The hosts reflect on the events in Krahz-shek, the Skaven invasion, and specific character details like Druidbull's dinosaur.
- Midnight First Impressions (Video Games)
This episode reviews the Midnight expansion a month after launch. The hosts discuss the new systems, classes, and addon changes, evaluating the story, the sense of the addon changes, and the new dungeons and raids.
- Jeff Kaplan and Play Nice (Video Games)
Buddy and Mango discuss Blizzard Entertainment, referencing Jeff Kaplan's interview and Jason Shrier's book "Play Nice" in relation to games like World of Warcraft, Starcraft II, and Diablo 4.
- Roguelitification: 2026 Edition (Video Games)
Buddy’s theory of Roguelitification, concerning player preference for exploring game systems over linear experiences, is revisited and updated in light of Slay the Spire 2. The discussion explores the evolution of roguelikes and player des…
- Unhinged Universes Beyond Pitch Me (MTG)
Gamers, did you know that Magic: The Gathering does crossovers with major IP constantly? They've done Marvel, Magic: The Gathering, even niche little tiny baby IPs like Final Fantasy. Well, today, we'd like to ask the question: What Univer…
- Yet to Come in 2026
The 2026 Forecast Episode Well, there's a ton of stuff coming up in 2026, including the new Magic Set, the new WoW expansion, and a new return to Marvel and Star Wars. What are we hyped for? What are we interested in? What are we dreading?…
- Commander Banlist
Our great friend, Cerryan has a little card in his collection all the way back from 2003. That card is Biorhythm, an eight mana sorcery that maybe wins you the game on the spot. Well, Biorhythm just got unbanned. It's a new card reentering…
- Authored vs. Avatar Protagonists (Video Games)
OK, stop me if you've heard this one before. You're loading up an RPG and you can make whatever decisions you want. You can make your character a total chad or butt ugly. You can make him a douche or a charmer. What we call that kind of pr…
- How to Win at D&D
In a strange corner of the RPG space, there's a new insistence about how DnD ought to be played. Close adherence to time metrics needs to be prioritized. DnD's roots as a minitature wargame need to be respected. That all that came before u…
- The Derpies 2025
It's been a long, cold year in New Hampshire but now that both Derps talking about games are up here, January means snow, ice and the best, damn podcast awards show this side of appalachia. We've got games, tv, movies, and most importantly…
- The Omega Raid of The War Within (Video Games)
Manaforge Omega Raid Review! We have gotten AotC. We have played into Xal'atath's plans. We have killed Dimensius and imprisoned his power in the Dark Heart. The only question that remains: How was the raid? Was it good? Was it bad? Was th…
- The Modern Prometheus (Movies)
Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein Out now on Netflix and kind of watchable in theatres, Guillermo del Toro's next film, Frankenstein has just premiered! Starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and the newest ingenue, Mia Goth, let's get into th…
- When Good Storytelling Advice Goes Bad
In the world of storytelling, there's plenty of advice about what to do. What not to do. What to show. What to hide. Alfred Hitchcock talks about suspense. Trey Parker and Matt Stone talking about but and therefore. The holy grail: Show, d…
- Raiders of the ARC
ARC Raiders: Shooting Extractors who try to Extract from this Shooter It's a new day, a new game. This one is ARC Raiders, an extraction shooter by the folks behind The Finals. Their love of technical gunplay, usable consumable gadgets, an…
- New Ceran Pitches & Genre (TTRPG)
Because we're nearing the new arc for the next Ceran game, it looks like we should talk some more about what the new pitches entail. In particular, I'm thinking: How do we attack different genres in TTRPGs? What does it look like to stage…
- Ten Years of Some Derps Talk About Games! Some Derps Talk About Games Forever!
Buddy is back from Australia, gamers! That means that there's a lot to catch up on, so let's take a look at what's what! What is a game? How do we feel about the new Commander changes? What's going right or wrong with Legion Remix? How doe…
- Villains
Villains What do villains mean in our stories? What's the difference between an antagonist and a villain? What are the best villains we've ever encountered? How do villains work? Buddy just wrapped two tabletop arcs that had competing arch…
- Plot Pedestals and the Iron Law of Worldbuilding (Narrative)
What's the Opposite of a Plot Hole? Loooooong time ago, we had a whole big podcast about plot holes. Are they good? Are they bad? What is Mango's Iron Law of Worldbuilding? Well, interestingly, something we didn't consider in that conversa…
- Grab Bag Catchup (Various)
Guys, We Have Infinity Things To Talk About Given that it's been more than a month since our last cast, it turns out there's a ton of stuff that has happened. It's getting a little wild. Silksong wasn't even announced at the time of the la…
- Dog Days Grab Bag (Various)
More Grab Bag! In accordance with us failing to materialize topics, we're going to rip through a bunch of things that are percolating right underneath the surface. On the docket: GenCon! MTG Proxies 11.2 First Impressions DK Bonanza ------…
- It is 2025, and I am watching a Superman Movie (Movies)
Look, Up in the Sky: Superman! Would you look at that. Nine months (or something) since our last movie review. Today's foray back towards the monoculture: Superman! James Gunn's entrance into the DC Superhero Universe has arrived with gust…
- Power Creep woes... or not? (MTG/VG)
Power Creep through a New Lens Hell gamers-- it's almost been a month because lots of things have happened! Hearthstone released a new expansion! Magic banned a ton of cards in standard! The new WoW patch is coming! All of this comes to a…
- Operation Goblini Freedom (Video Games)
The Liberation of Undermine: Raid Review! It's been months since The Liberation of Undermine actually showed up and now it's time to review it! Operation Goblini Freedom was a great success. Gazlowe has cast out Gallywix. What did we think…
- The For Real Universes Beyond Episode (MTG)
So, a few years ago, we did a big grab bag and complained about Universes Beyond in Magic: The Gathering. Since then, it's... it's just gotten way worse. On top of the release of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set, it feels like a good…
- Industry Garbage Fires (Video Games)
Did you know that fan art for Marathon was added into the game? That there's a massive controversy around plagiarism? That the tides are deeply against Marathon and it's only four months from release? It's time to get into the details on a…
- PF2E Impressions (TTRPG)
Pathfinder 2.0 Check-in Whelp, we've had a huge set of podcasts about the establishment of PF2E for Heretic Heroes, so why don't we take a minute to check in on how that's going? What are Buddy's first impressions of the systems? How does…
- WeakAuras too Strong? (Video Games)
WoW's Add-on Philosophy In a huge podcast shaking up twenty years of design, Ian Hozzikostas announced the team's long term intentions to integrate popular add-on functionality into the game itself-- and in the process, strip those same ad…
- Problem Solvers (MTG & TTRPG)
Another episode about Commander and DnD! Mango and I have discovered a new podcast and they're bringing up tons of new stuff to the MTG side of things. We anna talk about it! Also, Buddy has started the new DnD game set in Ceran, Heretic H…
- Arti-facts with Buddy (TTRPG)
Buddy's System for Artifacts BY REQUEST, we'll be covering the special, super secret ruleset for how Buddy creates and implements magic items in his tabletop games. What are the kinds of systems that are used to accentuate players? How do…
- Into the COMMAND ZONE (MTG)
Commander! We spent Saturday playing some new Commander decks with friends of the cast, Frank and Josh and this is a battle report of some of those adventures. How do we feel about power level in Commander? What makes for a powerful Comman…
- D&D 3.P.2 (TTRPG)
PATHFINDER 2E MEET AND GREET Because we're setting up a new game, it's time to talk systems! Pathfinder 2nd Edition has been out for a while. And it's time to learn what it's all about! What are ancestries and how are they different than r…
- A Whole New World (TTRPG)
Ceran Buddy's custom campaign setting gets the Mango interrogation today because we're starting up a new game inside of it in a few weeks. What's the hook of this grand setting? What are the cute little quirks? How does religion and magic…
- Italian Hoagie Opera (Movies)
Eephus Mango's brother (Grango) happened to be the cinematographer for an indie feature called EEPHUS! It's about old guys. It's about baseball. It's about New England. It's about stuff that doesn't matter. If you like anti-climactic tone…
- Decisions for a Campaign (TTRPG)
Buddy's Dragonlance Game This one's sort of a grab bag. Buddy has started running a Dragonlance game in person-- and that includes a bunch of different systems. Artifacts, party advantage, the tension pool, and more. How are they playing o…
- The Shame of Sid Meier (Video Games)
Civ VII: Is it bad? The new Civ is out. Buddy was insanely hyped for it. But is it good? Is it bad? It opened to mostly negative reviews, sits at Mixed right now on Steam. The Civ subreddit is huffing copium. Youtubers are tearing it apart…
- SPOODERS RAID (Video Games)
Raid Review: Nerub'ar Palace Coming in late in the game with a Queen An'surek kill just before the new season buzzer went off (as Wombo is well-known to do,) we are now prepared to review the opening raid for the War Within! What do we lik…
- Sandboxes Vs Railroads (TTRPG)
Imagine you're in a facebook group chat with a bunch of people and someone asks what constitutes a sandbox in a TTRPG. How much does improv vs. preparation factor into it? Can the players go off and do absolutely anything they want? What h…
- The Derpies Live, 2025 (Various)
Well, well, well, if it isn't the Derpies. LIVE FROM MANGO'S BASEMENT! Wouldn't you know it, when two people live within an hour of each other we can record our very first live episode in eight years of podcasting! What are the categories…
- When the Capicola Hits (TV)
The Sopranos Now that Buddy has returned to the east coast, it's time to rediscover his New Jersey roots. Gabbagool. Mob wife aesthetics. Throwing people off bridges in Newark. From the black void of New England, because he hasn't bought l…
- A Dream of Rome (Movies)
Gladiator II Did they have sharks in the water in the Colliseum? No. Did they have Trebuchets at the siege of Numidia? Nope. Did one of Marcus Aurellius' slaves ascend to become Emperor? Also, no. And also, he never stepped foot in Rome! B…
- Hot Frosty (Movies)
Ok, now, hear me out: What if we started investigating a new cinematic universe? A cinematic universe from a titan of modern American cinema? A cinematic universe that has huge movies coming out every year-- on Netflix. Our first, and mayb…
- The Warcraft Direct: 30 Years of Orcs and Humans (Video Games)
Warcraft has been going for three whole decades. We learned a lot about what's next in the big ol' Warcraft Direct livestream. The question is: What do Buddy and Mango think of all of it? Or more accurately-- what does Mango think of it si…
- Roguelite Poker (Video Games)
Roguelite Deckbuilding Evolution A few years ago, we did a big podcast all about roguelite deckbuilders. It's been a while. What are the big changes in the genre? Why did Balatro hit it so big? What kinds of changes are we seeing in the le…
- Venom Venom Venom (Movies)
VENOM: THE LAST DANCE Have you ever been at a party where someone pretends to be super stupid and gets some laughs and so they just lean into how stupid they look and sound and at first, it's kind of funny but then it gets more and more aw…
- Tabletop Boss Mechanics (TTRPG)
So, imagine you're running a boss fight for a game and nobody can die. How do you impart stakes? How do you explain mechanics? What are the tools you have to design boss encounters? Let's talk about some of those challenges ---------------…
- Within the War Within (Video Games)
The War Within: Six Weeks Later So, we did our initial War Within takes. We talked about delves. We talked about hero talents. But now the max level story is done, we've cleared the raid (on normal,) we're getting into some of the long-hau…
- Defense of the Ancient Team Fortress 2 (Video Games)
Valve has surprised everyone by releasing the Alpha to their newest game, Deadlock, to viral success on their platform. One part MOBA, one part Hero Shooter, Deadlock tries to appeal to the DOTA laner and CS:GO agent in all of us. The only…
- TTRPGs, Online and IRL
In a world of Roll20's and Tabletop Simulators, of kitchen tables and even premium TTRPG-playing spaces, players have more ways to play than ever before. But what are the differences between those two spaces? How do they play out? --------…
- The Worldsoul War Saga Within Begins (Video Games)
The War Within: Week One Whelp, gamers! We've done it. Dragonflight is over. The Era of Dorn and Khaz Aghal have begun. Players got to take to the skies of the Isle of Dorn, the crags of the Ringing Deeps, the farms of Hallowfall, and the…