What 35 Years Behind the Screen Taught Josh Heath About Designing TTRPGs (Episode 271)

What 35 Years Behind the Screen Taught Josh Heath About Designing TTRPGs (Episode 271)

Author: Tabletop Journeys April 10, 2026 Duration: 1:00:50

What happens when a veteran designer with 35 years of GMing experience asks himself: "What if He-Man was a mechanic, not just a character?" The answer is Swords and Science, and Josh Heath of High Level Games joins us to break it all down.


Josh has spent decades studying how TTRPGs work, and that depth of knowledge shows in every design decision he made on this game. We dig into the Great Hero System, a brilliant concept that captures the DNA of 80s action cartoons like He-Man, She-Ra, Voltron, Thundarr the Barbarian, Power Rangers, and more. What evolves is a genuinely fresh tabletop experience where players aren't waiting to be the hero. They are the world the hero shows up to save.


🎲 In this episode:

The clever design problem Josh solved to keep every player at the table engaged

How the Great Hero System captures the feel of your favorite 80s cartoons mechanically

A deep dive into the dice pool system at the heart of Swords and Science

Josh's journey from lifelong He-Man fan to TTRPG publisher


Whether you're a seasoned game designer, an 80s cartoon enthusiast, or just someone who wants to roll dice and summon a legend at the perfect moment, this one's for you. 🗡️⚡


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🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode

Swords and Science: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/560739/swords-and-science-ashcan-edition

High Level Games: highlevelgames.ca


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#TabletopJourneys #TabletopCafe #TTRPG #SwordsAndScience #JoshHeath #HighLevelGames #GameDesign #DicePool #HeMan #80sCartoons #Voltron #ThundarrTheBarbarian #PowerRangers #IndieRPG #TabletopGaming #RPGDesign #DungeonsAndDragons #PodcastInterview #TTRPGCommunity #RollForIt


Three longtime friends, with a combined century of experience around the gaming table, invite you into their ongoing conversation. Tabletop Journeys is a podcast born from decades of shared history, not just as gamers but as people who have spent a lifetime thinking deeply about the worlds we create together. You’ll hear the easy, often hilarious dynamic of a group that has played in and run every kind of tabletop and live-action roleplaying game imaginable. Their discussions are the kind that usually happen late at night, after the dice are put away, where ideas get pulled apart, rebuilt, and passionately debated. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair in one of those living rooms, listening in as they dissect everything from game mechanics and storytelling techniques to the unexpected life lessons found in collaborative imagination. It’s less a formal review show and more a chronicle of a lifelong journey through games, packed with the kind of insight and friendly argument that only comes from truly knowing your fellow travelers. Tune into this podcast for a natural, deep, and often very funny exploration of why we play.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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