RPGBOT.Podcast

Welcome to the RPGBOT.Podcast—where Unearthed Arcana comes to be lovingly examined, gently mocked, and occasionally asked, "Buddy… are you okay?" Today we're cracking open the latest UA drop from Wizards of the Coast, featuring a Monk who does mystic stuff (but don't ask him what kind), a Paladin who took an oath against spellcasters yet somehow became their HR department, a Rogue whose entire job is "stand near a wizard and vibe," and a Warlock who finally said, "What if I just took the cCeric's homework?" We've got scotch-fueled optimism, holiday fatigue, subclass features that boldly ask for coordination without offering agency, and at least one moment where we all realize: congratulations, you don't have a feature—you have responsibilities. Strap in, casters, because someone's about to give you a massage and call it game design.
Show Notes
In this episode, Randall James, Tyler Kamstra, and Ash Ely engage in a lively discussion about the latest Unearthed Arcana release, focusing on four new subclasses for Dungeons & Dragons. The conversation kicks off with light banter about personal experiences and preferences, particularly around scotch and the recent holidays. As they delve into the new subclasses, they express mixed feelings about the design choices, particularly criticizing the lack of creativity in naming and mechanics. The hosts explore the intricacies of the Mystic Arts Monk, Oath of the Spellguard Paladin, and the Magic Stealer Rogue, highlighting both the potential and shortcomings of each subclass. They emphasize the need for more engaging features and express disappointment over the reliance on existing mechanics without innovative twists.
Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you.
Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players.
Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings.
Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community.
Meet the Hosts
Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.

Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.

Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.

Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
BlueSky: @rpgbot.net
TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET
Ash Ely
Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
BlueSky: @GravenAshes
YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG
Amateurjack.com
Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link)
Producer Dan
@Lzr_illuminati

At level 11, the Cleric stops being "the healer" and starts being "the department of cosmic corrections." Need a miracle? You've got it. Need a battlefield reorganized? Also you. Need the DM to quietly reconsider every encounter they prepped? Congratulations: you just prepared Heroes' Feast and learned that your god's job description includes "professional problem solver, part-time artillery, full-time vibe check." Welcome to Cleric 11–20, where your faith is strong, your spell list is irresponsible, and your party suddenly thinks every plan can be solved by "ask the Cleric."
Show Notes
Episode Overview
In this episode of RPGBOT.Podcast, we break down how to build and play a D&D 5e Cleric from levels 11–20, where your character graduates from "durable support" to "divine Swiss Army catastrophe." We cover late-tier class features, high-level spell priorities, feat and gear considerations, and how to stay impactful when the game gets weird (and the monsters start having resumes).
What Changes at Levels 11–20
Your spell slots get absurd: 6th–9th level spells aren't just stronger—they change what "a problem" even means.
Channel Divinity becomes a resource-management minigame: It's no longer "use it when you remember." It's "use it to control the pace of encounters."
Your role expands: You're still support… but also control, emergency reset button, and occasionally the party's primary win condition.
Late-Tier Cleric Priorities (The "Don't Waste Your Turn" Checklist)
Action economy matters more than ever: high-level combats punish "I guess I cast Cure Wounds."
Concentration discipline: pick the concentration spell that wins the fight, then protect it like it owes you money.
Defenses scale or you get deleted: AC, saves, and positioning keep your miracles online.
High-Level Spell Picks That Define Your Cleric
Rather than listing everything, we focus on categories of "spells that win sessions," and how to choose within them:
Battlefield control & tempo (deny actions, reshape positioning, force bad choices)
Pre-fight power (buffs that make the party feel like they're cheating)
Hard counters & problem solvers (condition removal, anti-magic, planar nonsense)
Clutch buttons (resets, revives, "nope" spells for when the DM smiles too confidently)
Feats, Ability Scores, and "High-Level Practicality"
When to cap Wisdom, when to take resilience/defensive feats, and when a utility feat is secretly the MVP.
War Caster vs. Resilient (Con) (and why your table's encounter style decides this).
The "I'm level 15 and still miss" problem: improving reliability via positioning, spell choice, and save targeting.
Gear and Magic Items (What You Want and Why)
We talk about item functions instead of shopping lists:
Concentration protection
Mobility and positioning
Defensive layers (AC, saves, resistances)
Spellcasting flexibility (extra casts, broadened options, panic buttons)
Playing Cleric at Tier 4 Without Becoming a Solo Game
High-level Clerics can accidentally steal the spotlight. We discuss:
How to enable party hero moments while still being decisive
When to solve the plot and when to support the plot
How to coordinate with the DM so divine power feels epic, not adversarial
Key Takeaways
Tier 4 Clerics are not "healers," they're strategists. Healing keeps the party alive; control and prevention win fights.
Your best turns usually aren't reactive. Preempt threats with positioning, concentration, and proactive tempo spells.
Protect concentration like it's your hit points. You can lose the fight without losing HP if you drop the spell that mattered.
Pick one job per encounter and do it violently well. Control, buff, counter, rescue—trying to do all of it in one round leads to "meh" turns.
Your spell list is a toolbox—prep is gameplay. The difference between "good Cleric" and "legendary Cleric" is often made at dawn.
Don't build only for peak moments. Tier 4 is swingy; build for reliability so you're useful even when the boss is immune to your favorite trick.
You can be the party's win condition without being the party's main character. Enable your allies' big turns, then drop the miracle when it counts.

Welcome to the RPGBOT.Podcast, where today's lesson is simple: cosmic horror, but with punchable Nazis.
If classic Call of Cthulhu is about fragile academics discovering forbidden truths and immediately dying, Pulp Cthulhu is about kicking down the door, firing a shotgun at an elder god, and saying, "That all you got?"
This episode is about concepts, themes, and vibes—the part of the game where sanity is optional, luck is currency, and surviving certain death might involve parachuting into a hot-air balloon you didn't know was there. Grab your fedora. We're going full pulp.
*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:26d7a6db-f4c1-44e6-ba3e-d673b1d90813-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Show Notes
What Is Pulp Cthulhu?
Pulp Cthulhu is a fully compatible variant of Call of Cthulhu that dials the game from existential despair to high-octane pulp adventure. Characters are tougher, more competent, and far more likely to survive long enough to matter.
If Call of Cthulhu is The Thing or Evil Dead, Pulp Cthulhu is The Mummy, Army of Darkness, or Indiana Jones with eldritch nightmares. 
Core Themes & Tone
Heroic pulp action instead of grim cosmic inevitability
Investigators who can take multiple hits and keep fighting
A lighter, often comedic tone without abandoning horror
Quips, gadgets, globe-trotting, and cinematic set pieces
This makes Pulp Cthulhu an excellent transition for players coming from Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, or other heroic tabletop RPGs.
Setting & Genre Shift
Time period: 1930s, just before World War II
Scope: Global adventures—London, Cairo, jungles, ruins, secret bases
Enemies: Cultists, mythos horrors… and a suspicious number of Nazis
The game leans hard into classic pulp tropes: secret societies, forbidden relics, occult conspiracies, and globe-spanning races against evil.
Core Mechanics
D100 roll-under system with degrees of success
Regular, Hard, and Extreme successes replace DCs
Fumbles and pushed rolls create escalating consequences
Skills improve when you fail them during advancement
These mechanics reward specialization while keeping tension high, even for highly skilled characters.
What Makes Pulp Cthulhu Different?
Archetypes
Two-Fisted Hero, Hard-Boiled Detective, Mystic, Mad Scientist, Femme Fatale, and more
Each archetype boosts a core characteristic and grants bonus skills
Talents
Passive and active abilities that enhance combat, investigation, or survivability
Categories include Physical, Mental, Combat, and Weird Science
Hit Points
Roughly double standard Call of Cthulhu HP
Still deadly—just less instantly fatal
Luck as a Meta-Currency
Spend luck to:
Cancel fumbles
Reduce damage
Stay conscious
Cheat death entirely (with a suitably ridiculous explanation)
Luck regenerates every session, encouraging aggressive use
Insanity, Magic, and Weird Science
Insane Talents can grant powerful abilities with narrative drawbacks
Magic is faster to learn but still dangerous and unpredictable
Psychic powers like telekinesis and clairvoyance are viable builds
Weird Science introduces death rays, jetpacks, ghost detectors, and other Flash-Gordon-adjacent nonsense
Yes, you can build a psychic mind-wizard or a mad scientist with a death ray. The game actively wants you to try.
The Pulp Meter
The game supports multiple pulp levels:
Low Pulp: Almost classic Call of Cthulhu
Mid Pulp: Standard Pulp Cthulhu rules
High Pulp: Extra talents, cinematic survivability, full nonsense
This episode sets the stage for going high pulp in future sessions
Key Takeaways
Pulp Cthulhu trades hopeless cosmic horror for heroic pulp survival
Characters are tougher, more competent, and more fun to invest in
Luck is a central mechanic that fuels cinematic storytelling
The 1930s setting enables globe-trotting, occult conspiracies, and pulp villains
Perfect for groups who want action, investigation, and horror without constant character death
If you've ever wanted to punch Cthulhu—or at least shoot near him—this is your game
Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you.
Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players.
Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings.
Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community.
Meet the Hosts
Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.

Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.

Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.

Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
BlueSky: @rpgbot.net
TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET
Ash Ely
Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
BlueSky: @GravenAshes
YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG
Amateurjack.com
Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link)
Producer Dan
@Lzr_illuminati

Welcome back to the RPGBOT.Podcast, where today we're talking about Plane of Elysium—the one afterlife that sounds so good the Dungeon Master has to invent mechanics to stop you from moving there permanently.
It's paradise. Your needs are met. You're at peace. You're happy. Too happy.
In fact, if you stay too long, you might fail a Wisdom save and decide adventuring, heroism, and saving the multiverse are overrated compared to eternal riverfront property and a Mai Tai. And if that sounds suspiciously like quitting D&D to live in a gated community called "Ecstasy," don't worry—we'll explain why enforced happiness, dragon shift-work, and a giant bone spine gate mean Elysium is still absolutely unhinged.
Show Notes
What Is Elysium?
Elysium is the Neutral Good Outer Plane, positioned between the Beastlands and Arborea.
It represents true contentment, rest, and fulfillment, rather than law, chaos, or moral absolutism.
Souls here aren't punished, tested, or judged—they're finally allowed to relax.
The Core Vibe
No labor, no scarcity, no stress.
Everything you need is provided.
Happiness is genuine—unless you're in the gate town, where it absolutely is not.
The Four Layers of Elysium
Amoria
Gentle meadows, forests, and idyllic towns along the River Oceanus.

Every settlement somehow has riverfront property.

Biomes get weirder the farther you travel from the river (plains, badlands, deserts… for reasons).


Eronia
Craggy mountains, harsh winters, rugged terrain.

Heaven for dwarves, mountain folk, and anyone who thinks Colorado weather is "nice actually."


Belierin (Bellerin)
The prison layer of heaven, which is a sentence that should worry you.

Holds legendary threats that couldn't be killed: hydras, ancient evils, fallen dukes of Hell.

Access is restricted—mostly via the River Oceanus.

Perfect setup for a level 20 "heaven jailbreak" campaign.


Thalassia
Endless ocean dotted with heroic islands.

Where the best souls go—or where deities personally abduct you before you die because you're just that good.

Eternal tropical vacation, sailing, fishing, and zero capitalism.


The River Oceanus
A holy river that flows through Elysium and beyond.
Functions as a major planar highway connecting multiple Upper Planes.
Also conveniently Hydra-proof.
Who Lives Here?
Guardinals (celestial animal-folk with extreme "Narnia energy")
Moon Dogs (the best boys; CR 12; hunt evil; deserve all the treats)
Phoenixes, because nobody here is trying to harvest them for profit
Numerous deities, including Pelor, Lathander, and Shantaea
Pathfinder vs. D&D
Pathfinder does have an Elysium—but it's functionally closer to D&D's Arborea.
Same name, wildly different vibes.
The Gate Town: Ecstasy
Located in the Outlands, connected to Elysium.
Appears joyful, welcoming, and celebratory… because happiness is magically enforced.
Suppressed emotions inevitably explode into violence.
Ruled by twin dragons:
The Lightcaller (gold dragon, daytime ruler)

The Night Whisperer (silver dragon, nighttime ruler)

Never seen together. Definitely suspicious.


Key Locations in Ecstasy
Philosopher's Court – a "safe" place to vent grievances that now regularly turns into Fight Club.
Revelhome Inn – run by a Lawful Neutral medusa who turns problem guests into garden statues.
The Bone Plinth – a giant spine you climb to reach the gate to Elysium, because nothing says "upper plane" like skeletal horror décor.
Planar Mechanics
Overwhelming Joy (Optional Rule):
Fail repeated Wisdom saves and you refuse to leave Elysium.

If forcibly removed, you'll do everything possible to return.


Fear effects are weakened.
Violence is rare—unless you're in Ecstasy, where it's scheduled.
Key Takeaways
Elysium is D&D's most tempting afterlife—and the one most likely to derail your campaign.
It offers true happiness, not moral judgment or endless labor.
The layered structure lets every character imagine their perfect heaven.
Belierin quietly turns heaven into an endgame boss rush.
Ecstasy proves that enforced happiness is way scarier than honest suffering.
Overwhelming Joy is a brilliant narrative mechanic for testing player priorities.
If your party reaches Elysium and leaves voluntarily, they are either heroes… or liars.
Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you.
Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players.
Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings.
Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community.
Meet the Hosts
Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.

Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.

Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.

Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
BlueSky: @rpgbot.net
TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET
Ash Ely
Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
BlueSky: @GravenAshes
YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG
Amateurjack.com
Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link)
Producer Dan
@Lzr_illuminati

Somewhere in the multiverse, a cleric just whispered "I prepared Bless," and three dice immediately rolled higher out of pure fear. Because clerics aren't "the healbot," they're the divine Swiss Army knife: buffer, debuffer, front-liner, artillery, investigator, walking lie detector, and occasionally the person who politely asks a demon to leave and the demon actually does. Today we're building clerics from levels 1–10: how to pick your domain, what to prepare, how to stop wasting actions, and how to make your table say, "Wait… clerics can do that?"
Show notes
Cleric identity at levels 1–10: You're a full caster with armor, a strong action economy toolkit, and some of the best "party-wide value per spell slot" in the game.
Choosing a Domain (Subclass) with intent
What each domain wants to do in combat (frontline, blaster, controller, support, utility).
How domain spells shape your "default prep list."
The hidden question: "Do I want to solve problems with my action, my bonus action, or my reaction?"
Ability scores and build priorities
Wisdom as your engine (save DCs, prepared spells, key features).
Constitution for concentration survivability.
Strength vs Dexterity depending on armor and weapon plans.
Armor, weapons, and "being accidentally hard to kill"
Light/medium/heavy armor considerations.
Shield math and when it's worth it.
Weapon use: when it's a trap, when it's correct, and how cantrips change the calculus.
Cantrips that actually matter
Core combat cantrips (and why "I guess I'll swing my mace" is usually a cry for help).
Utility cantrips that quietly win sessions.
Spell preparation that doesn't make you cry
Your "always-good" staples (buffs, heals, control, utility).
How to prep for unknown adventuring days without over-prepping niche tools.
Concentration discipline: the real cleric skill.
Channel Divinity: use it early, use it often
Turning Undead and its situational dominance.
Domain Channel Divinity options as mid-tier power spikes.
How Channel Divinity changes your "resource rhythm" between short rests.
Level-by-level power spikes (1–10)
L1: Domain + armor + Bless = "party performance enhancement plan"
L2: Channel Divinity arrives (and suddenly your subclass has teeth)
L3: 2nd-level spells broaden your problem-solving
L5: 3rd-level spells are the "cleric becomes a headline" moment
L6–8: subclass features + improved survivability + cantrip/weapon upgrades
L9–10: 5th-level spells and consistent encounter impact
Table role: how to be a cleric without becoming the babysitter
Healing as a tool, not a lifestyle.
Preventing damage and ending fights faster as the "real healing."
Coordinating with your party so your buffs land where they matter.
Key Takeaways 
Start with your cleric job description
Pick one primary role and one secondary role:
Support/Buffer (primary) + Controller (secondary)
Frontline (primary) + Support (secondary)
Blaster (primary) + Utility/Support (secondary)
Most clerics get in trouble when they try to be all of these every round.
Concentration is your true hit point total
A cleric who keeps concentration up is a force multiplier. A cleric who drops it every other round is a very polite person wearing armor.
Practical habits:
Don't stack concentration spells in your head like a wishlist—pick one plan per fight.
Invest in Con saves/survivability decisions early.
Position like you're important (because you are).
Your "default fight plan" should fit on an index card
Example templates:
Support opener: Concentration buff → sustain/position → emergency heal only when it flips the encounter.
Control opener: Concentration control → maintain distance/cover → punish clustering.
Frontline opener: Concentration buff/control → stand where enemies hate it → force bad choices.
Healing is strongest when it changes the math right now
In-combat healing shines when it:
Prevents an ally from going down before they lose their next turn,
Buys a crucial round of actions,
Keeps a key damage dealer online,
Or pairs with control/positioning to stop the "down-up-down" cycle.
Otherwise, healing between fights (and prevention during fights) is often more efficient.
Domain spells and Channel Divinity are your build's "signature moves"
If you're not using your domain's unique tools regularly, you may have picked a domain whose play pattern you don't actually enjoy.
Levels 1–10 clerics win by being the most consistent person at the table
You don't need perfect optimization to be great—clerics reward:
Reliable concentration,
Smart positioning,
Prepared spells that solve common problems,
And knowing when to spend resources to swing an encounter.
Welcome to the RPGBOT Podcast. If you love Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and tabletop RPGs, this is the podcast for you.
Support the show for free: Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast app. It helps new listeners find the best RPG podcast for D&D and Pathfinder players.
Level up your experience: Join us on Patreon to unlock ad-free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT Podcast, chat with us and the community on the RPGBOT Discord, and jump into live-streamed RPG podcast recordings.
Support while you shop: Use our Amazon affiliate link at https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ and help us keep building tools and guides for the RPG community.
Meet the Hosts
Tyler Kamstra – Master of mechanics, seeing the Pathfinder action economy like Neo in the Matrix.

Randall James – Lore buff and technologist, always ready to debate which Lord of the Rings edition reigns supreme.

Ash Ely – Resident cynic, chaos agent, and AI's worst nightmare, bringing pure table-flipping RPG podcast energy.

Join the RPGBOT team where fantasy roleplaying meets real strategy, sarcasm, and community chaos.
How to Find Us:
In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net
Tyler Kamstra
BlueSky: @rpgbot.net
TikTok: @RPGBOTDOTNET
Ash Ely
Professional Game Master on StartPlaying.Games
BlueSky: @GravenAshes
YouTube: @ashravenmedia
Randall James
BlueSky: @GrimoireRPG
Amateurjack.com
Read Melancon: A Grimoire Tale (affiliate link)
Producer Dan
@Lzr_illuminati