JM126 - What’s the Point of Roleplaying Games? | Power, Story, Violence & Community

Written By Matt Herzberg

Why do we play tabletop roleplaying games? In this episode of Jaunty Mantis, we dive deep into the philosophy of RPGs—exploring power fantasy, collaborative storytelling, violence as conversation, rules vs. narrative, and why dice-driven games feel so different from novels, improv, or video games. Funny, thoughtful, occasionally unhinged, and deeply personal - heres what we cover:

  • Whether RPGs are about story or process

  • How power and agency evolve from adolescence to adulthood

  • Why violence is baked into many RPG systems

  • RPGs as ritual, catharsis, and even modern church

  • The lessons roleplaying games teach us without permission

Matt Herzberg
Next

JM125 - Don’t Cancel the Game: Creative Fixes for Missing Players