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XP Is XP: The Many Faces of Role-Playing

Arcadia, Malcolm, and Jess are in the studio this week while Tori is off gaming at her other table—because let’s be honest, every table needs their rogue.

This episode dives into a conversation that’s close to many gamers’ hearts: video games versus tabletop RPGs. The crew explores what makes each experience unique, starting with one of the biggest differences—the human element. Around a physical table, you can see your friends laugh, react, and connect. Video games, on the other hand, sometimes take that face-to-face energy away… but they bring their own kind of magic.

Jess admits she’s our resident video gamer, while Arcadia and Malcolm explore how both kinds of gaming can serve different needs. Whether it’s stress relief, immersion in another world, or just a healthy bit of dissociation, digital games offer plenty of benefits. And yet, as we’ve discussed in past episodes, TTRPGs offer something deeply personal: connection, creativity, and those small rituals that make every session feel special (snacks included).

The group also talks about safety in online anonymity—how it can let you try on different versions of yourself or make choices you might hesitate to make in person. But there’s also something to be said for the freedom of the tabletop sandbox, where imagination sets the limits and the dice decide the rest.

In the end, both experiences can offer community, catharsis, and that little serotonin hit we all chase. So why not both?

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Rise (Epic, Inspirational, Cinematic) by Artur Aravidi is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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