SHINKICKING Remastered - Managing Difficulty And Tone In Combat RP RPGBOT. podcast

Content provided by Daniel Hastings. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Daniel Hastings or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

RPGBOT.Podcast »
SHINKICKING Remastered - Managing Difficulty and Tone in Combat RP

1d ago 1:03:51

MP3•Episode home

Ever accidentally traumatize your party during a goblin ambush? We did—so we made a whole episode about it.

In this remastered episode, the RPGBOT crew rolls initiative on one of the most delicate balancing acts in tabletop role-playing games: how to manage difficulty and tone in combat scenarios. Whether you’re a GM trying to run a gritty, high-stakes survival encounter or a player who just wants to dropkick goblins and crack jokes, this conversation explores how to harmonize challenge with narrative tone. The hosts unpack the psychology of danger, why tension doesn’t always mean TPKs, and how even a good old-fashioned shinkick can feel appropriately heroic… or humiliating.

They discuss combat pacing, how encounter design shapes the story, and how to use or avoid mechanical lethality to maintain player investment without disrupting tone. From slapstick to soul-crushing, the crew shares real-play examples and tools for aligning your combat difficulty with your table’s emotional goals.

Special thanks to Stubbenz for the idea for this episode

RPGBOT.Podcast Episodes

Other Stuff

DnD 5e – Practical Guidet to Doom-Style DnD Combat

Topics Covered:

What is "shinkicking" in combat RP?

A metaphor for unnecessarily brutal or tone-discordant moments in combat that break immersion or fun.

Tone vs. Challenge:

Aligning encounter difficulty with campaign tone (grimdark, heroic, comedic, etc.)
When a tough fight feels earned versus when it feels like punishment
How comedic or whimsical games can still have meaningful consequences

Combat Design Fundamentals:

Action economy and player agency
Telegraphing danger vs. ambush mechanics
The role of pacing and player morale in combat design

The Danger Dial:

When to turn the heat up for drama
When to pull punches to keep the tone light
Avoiding tonal whiplash: don’t drop horror into a Muppet movie campaign

DM Tools and Techniques:

Using terrain, objectives, and non-lethal consequences
Building tension without overwhelming
Letting players feel clever rather than just lucky

Player Perspective:

How difficulty impacts character expression
How to engage tone-conscious players in lethal fights
Encouraging tone-setting through narration and description

Funny and Real Examples:

Times the hosts accidentally (or intentionally) broke tone
When a joke fight got real—or a real fight turned into a running gag

Key Takeaways

Tone and difficulty must be balanced intentionally. A hard fight in a serious campaign feels very different than the same fight in a cartoonish or comedic setting.
Challenge doesn’t mean constant risk of death. Strategic design can create tension without always threatening character mortality.
Telegraphing is critical. Players respond better to difficulty when they can see it coming and prepare accordingly.
Don’t let tone drift accidentally. Maintain narrative cohesion—know when a gritty beat enhances the story and when it undermines the vibe.
Make combat emotionally resonant, not just mechanically hard. Personal stakes, consequences, and narrative weight can be more impactful than raw damage numbers.
Player tone is part of table tone. Encouraging players to engage with the narrative tone helps reinforce consistency during combat.
Not every moment needs to be epic. Allow room for levity, slapstick, or small-scale drama to humanize your game and make epic moments shine brighter.
Shinkicking is avoidable. Unless you’re trying to ruin someone’s day, there are better ways to raise the stakes.

Call to Action

Want to run better combat and avoid emotional shinkicks? Share your favorite “wrong tone, wrong time” stories on social media and tag @RPGBOTDOTNET.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. It’s a quick, free way to support the podcast, and helps us reach new listeners.

If you love the show, consider joining us on Patreon, where backers at the $5 and above tiers get ad free access to RPGBOT.net and the RPGBOT.Podcast, can chat directly to members of the RPGBOT team and community on the RPGBOT.Discord, and can join us for live-streamed recordings.

Support us on Amazon.com when you purchase products recommended in the show at the following link: https://amzn.to/3NwElxQ

How to Find Us:

In-depth articles, guides, handbooks, reviews, news on Tabletop Role Playing at RPGBOT.net

Tyler Kamstra

Ash Ely

Randall James

Producer Dan

@Lzr_illuminati

483 episodes

#Lifestyle #Games and Gambling #Hobbies #Daniel Hastings #Pathfinder #Characteroptimization #Dungeonsanddragons #TTRPG #RPG #RPGBOT