Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
@tsmag.bsky.social
www.tabletopspirit.com
A FREE quarterly PDF magazine full of boardgaming goodness, powered by passion! Packed with features, interviews and reviews, we cover boardgames and RPGs!
A FREE quarterly PDF magazine full of boardgaming goodness, powered by passion! Packed with features, interviews and reviews, we cover boardgames and RPGs!
Pinned
Hello boardgaming fans... Just to let you know the latest issue of Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine (#29) is now available and FREE to download. You'll find plenty of Christmas joy inside. And Monopoly, too!? bit.ly/TSM_29
Every back issue is also FREE to download from our website: tabletopspirit.com
Every back issue is also FREE to download from our website: tabletopspirit.com
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
To me, books aren't just packaging for words, they're expensive physical objects you reference, pass around your friends, travel with, and live with.
I want to know if the publisher cares about that! Whether the book sparks joy to hold! If it will last! Not just whatever odd elves they wrote about!
I want to know if the publisher cares about that! Whether the book sparks joy to hold! If it will last! Not just whatever odd elves they wrote about!
December 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
To me, books aren't just packaging for words, they're expensive physical objects you reference, pass around your friends, travel with, and live with.
I want to know if the publisher cares about that! Whether the book sparks joy to hold! If it will last! Not just whatever odd elves they wrote about!
I want to know if the publisher cares about that! Whether the book sparks joy to hold! If it will last! Not just whatever odd elves they wrote about!
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
If I could change ONE THING about TTRPG reviews I would force people to engage with the quality of the physical books themselves, not just the content inside.
It feels vanishingly rare to see a reviewer discuss form factor, paper stock, binding, cover treatments, or general durability etc. 1/2
It feels vanishingly rare to see a reviewer discuss form factor, paper stock, binding, cover treatments, or general durability etc. 1/2
December 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
If I could change ONE THING about TTRPG reviews I would force people to engage with the quality of the physical books themselves, not just the content inside.
It feels vanishingly rare to see a reviewer discuss form factor, paper stock, binding, cover treatments, or general durability etc. 1/2
It feels vanishingly rare to see a reviewer discuss form factor, paper stock, binding, cover treatments, or general durability etc. 1/2
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Pacts is another excellent title from @dvcgames.bsky.social. That was to be expected. The surprise is that this is perhaps the best divide-and-choose game I've ever played. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/12/08/p...
Cutting the Cottage Pie
At this point, I don’t believe the fine folks at DVC Games have it in them to publish a bad game. Pacts, for example, is not only a fantastic divide-and-choose game, it’s probably the b…
spacebiff.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Pacts is another excellent title from @dvcgames.bsky.social. That was to be expected. The surprise is that this is perhaps the best divide-and-choose game I've ever played. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/12/08/p...
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Another great write-up.
I’m never seen so many reports on one event.
I’m never seen so many reports on one event.
The second part of my Dragonmeet write-up, where I ramble on about how it went:
lunarshadow.net/2025/12/07/d...
lunarshadow.net/2025/12/07/d...
Dragonmeet 2025 part 2: Thoughts
Ok, cards on the table. I’m writing this first part a couple of days before the event even happens. Why? Because right now I’m honestly not really looking forward to it. Which is stupid…
lunarshadow.net
December 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Another great write-up.
I’m never seen so many reports on one event.
I’m never seen so many reports on one event.
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Finally played Mists of Carcassonne last week.
Misplayed a couple of times, the game felt impossible 🤣 After rereading the rulebook, the game finally make sense.
It was fun trying to return the ghost to the supply.
#boardgames #boardgamesky #mistsovercarcassonne
Misplayed a couple of times, the game felt impossible 🤣 After rereading the rulebook, the game finally make sense.
It was fun trying to return the ghost to the supply.
#boardgames #boardgamesky #mistsovercarcassonne
December 8, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Finally played Mists of Carcassonne last week.
Misplayed a couple of times, the game felt impossible 🤣 After rereading the rulebook, the game finally make sense.
It was fun trying to return the ghost to the supply.
#boardgames #boardgamesky #mistsovercarcassonne
Misplayed a couple of times, the game felt impossible 🤣 After rereading the rulebook, the game finally make sense.
It was fun trying to return the ghost to the supply.
#boardgames #boardgamesky #mistsovercarcassonne
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Despite our furnace being knocked out for the first major cold snap of the year, it was a lovely week!
What did you get to the table?
What did you get to the table?
December 9, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Despite our furnace being knocked out for the first major cold snap of the year, it was a lovely week!
What did you get to the table?
What did you get to the table?
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
PAX Unplugged 2025 wrap-up posted!
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
omnes.exeunt.press/p/paxu-2025-...
#PAXU #PAXUnplugged #PAX2025
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
omnes.exeunt.press/p/paxu-2025-...
#PAXU #PAXUnplugged #PAX2025
PAX Unplugged 2025 wrap-up
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
omnes.exeunt.press
December 3, 2025 at 1:18 PM
PAX Unplugged 2025 wrap-up posted!
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
omnes.exeunt.press/p/paxu-2025-...
#PAXU #PAXUnplugged #PAX2025
Safely back from PAXU and recovered, it's time to share some thoughts and highlights from this year's tabletop gaming convention in Philadelphia. Spoiler: It was awesome!
omnes.exeunt.press/p/paxu-2025-...
#PAXU #PAXUnplugged #PAX2025
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
I am so glad we finally got to meet in person, and of course happy to see Pacts continuing to have the impact it is having. It is a special project and it deserves all the love.
December 3, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I am so glad we finally got to meet in person, and of course happy to see Pacts continuing to have the impact it is having. It is a special project and it deserves all the love.
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Sometimes something new will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Need to figure out a sixth dexterity/physical movement concept though.
Need to figure out a sixth dexterity/physical movement concept though.
December 3, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Sometimes something new will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Need to figure out a sixth dexterity/physical movement concept though.
Need to figure out a sixth dexterity/physical movement concept though.
This was reviewed (again!) in the latest issue of Tabletop SPIRIT - bit.ly/TSM_29
December 8, 2025 at 11:08 PM
This was reviewed (again!) in the latest issue of Tabletop SPIRIT - bit.ly/TSM_29
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
MidCon details can be found here: www.midcon.org.uk and MidsummerCon was an off-shoot / experiment to see if it would work on a smaller scale.... I wrote about the event in Tabletop SPIRIT #28 but you can find out more using this link: boardgamegeek.com/thread/36085...
MidCon 2026 | Powered by Project Boo
Website for MidCon 2026 | Powered by Project Boo
www.midcon.org.uk
December 8, 2025 at 1:15 PM
MidCon details can be found here: www.midcon.org.uk and MidsummerCon was an off-shoot / experiment to see if it would work on a smaller scale.... I wrote about the event in Tabletop SPIRIT #28 but you can find out more using this link: boardgamegeek.com/thread/36085...
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
We used to have a physical version of the magazine available to buy, but the headaches and internal squabbles simply weren't worth it, esp. with all the rest of the effort that we put into every issue... 😳
www.tabletopspirit.com
www.tabletopspirit.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We used to have a physical version of the magazine available to buy, but the headaches and internal squabbles simply weren't worth it, esp. with all the rest of the effort that we put into every issue... 😳
www.tabletopspirit.com
www.tabletopspirit.com
We used to have a physical version of the magazine available to buy, but the headaches and internal squabbles simply weren't worth it, esp. with all the rest of the effort that we put into every issue... 😳
www.tabletopspirit.com
www.tabletopspirit.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
We used to have a physical version of the magazine available to buy, but the headaches and internal squabbles simply weren't worth it, esp. with all the rest of the effort that we put into every issue... 😳
www.tabletopspirit.com
www.tabletopspirit.com
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
December 8, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Happy to share all of this, and certainly food for thought... Worth adding, however, is that there are plenty of gaming conventions that are not consumer-led, where the emphasis is on gaming itself and not just buying new stuff... 👍
#TTRPGTHOUGHTS
1
When is it acceptable to say: “Just entertain yourselves”?
I’ve written in other thoughts about how I dislike Comicons (especially MCM comicons) because they’re set up just to give punters stuff to consume whilst the organisers just sit back and rake in the money.
1
1
When is it acceptable to say: “Just entertain yourselves”?
I’ve written in other thoughts about how I dislike Comicons (especially MCM comicons) because they’re set up just to give punters stuff to consume whilst the organisers just sit back and rake in the money.
1
December 8, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Happy to share all of this, and certainly food for thought... Worth adding, however, is that there are plenty of gaming conventions that are not consumer-led, where the emphasis is on gaming itself and not just buying new stuff... 👍
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Chris has an incredible line up of games—both for their intrigue and accessibility!!
Go say “Happy Birthday” and buy some games!!!
Go say “Happy Birthday” and buy some games!!!
Today marks my 36th time around the sun!
I'm putting my stuff on sale for the next week
junkfoodgames.itch.io
I'm putting my stuff on sale for the next week
junkfoodgames.itch.io
December 7, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Chris has an incredible line up of games—both for their intrigue and accessibility!!
Go say “Happy Birthday” and buy some games!!!
Go say “Happy Birthday” and buy some games!!!
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Wordle 1,633 3/6
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩I'm getting to like these threes!
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩I'm getting to like these threes!
December 8, 2025 at 8:22 AM
Wordle 1,633 3/6
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩I'm getting to like these threes!
🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟨⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩I'm getting to like these threes!
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Monday morning bump for all those who, somehow, had something better to do over the weekend than hang around on social media
A huge, huge thanks to @evilgaz.bsky.social who invited me onto the UK's Premier RPG Podcast The Smart Party the other week, let me basically talk at him for about 2 & a half hours and then somehow edited my unfiltered stream of consciousness down to something that is actually listenable to
Wyrd Science Magazine
open.spotify.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Monday morning bump for all those who, somehow, had something better to do over the weekend than hang around on social media
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
An Age of Vikings #TTRPG campaign is not only comprised of epic sagas but also memorable interactions. Here the game's creator Pedro Ziviani explores how to bring the heroes' day-to-day life to the game table in unique and exciting ways!
Age of Vikings: How To Live Like a Viking
An Age of Vikings campaign is not only comprised of epic sagas but also memorable interactions with NPCs, social trouble, and even situations where your Farming skill could be of critical importance. ...
www.chaosium.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:48 AM
An Age of Vikings #TTRPG campaign is not only comprised of epic sagas but also memorable interactions. Here the game's creator Pedro Ziviani explores how to bring the heroes' day-to-day life to the game table in unique and exciting ways!
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
Awww.... The latest issue does have a truly international flavour about it... bit.ly/TSM_29
www.infoludiche.org/la-rivista-b...
www.infoludiche.org/la-rivista-b...
December 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Awww.... The latest issue does have a truly international flavour about it... bit.ly/TSM_29
www.infoludiche.org/la-rivista-b...
www.infoludiche.org/la-rivista-b...
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
I used to hate mince pies & now I really like them, & weirdly sometimes that gives me hope one day I could learn to be happy. In terms of inspiration I know that's pretty thin gruel but sometimes the fiddliest locks need a real tiny lockpick
December 6, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I used to hate mince pies & now I really like them, & weirdly sometimes that gives me hope one day I could learn to be happy. In terms of inspiration I know that's pretty thin gruel but sometimes the fiddliest locks need a real tiny lockpick
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
How to help an author? Read us, review us, put us on your wishlists, in your carts, heart us, add us to your Goodreads TBR, pop into your local bookstore and have them place an order, make a library request.
December 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM
How to help an author? Read us, review us, put us on your wishlists, in your carts, heart us, add us to your Goodreads TBR, pop into your local bookstore and have them place an order, make a library request.
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
I think Reiner Knizia once released 137 games in a year...
December 7, 2025 at 5:54 PM
I think Reiner Knizia once released 137 games in a year...
Reposted by Tabletop SPIRIT Magazine
Always thrilled to learn of authors who are roleplayers.
(And one of my favorite authors no less.)
(And one of my favorite authors no less.)
Yesterday's Word Count = 954
Let's pop back in time to the era of small brown books...
I had a lot of fun with this although mortality rates were high.
(*just to clarify I'm posting the covers of games I either owned or played contemporaneously with the editions shown.)
Let's pop back in time to the era of small brown books...
I had a lot of fun with this although mortality rates were high.
(*just to clarify I'm posting the covers of games I either owned or played contemporaneously with the editions shown.)
December 7, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Always thrilled to learn of authors who are roleplayers.
(And one of my favorite authors no less.)
(And one of my favorite authors no less.)