Character Build with Kyle David Perry

About Character Build with Kyle David Perry

At the center of every story is character and conflict. Character Build sets out to explore how much of our own humanity goes into those characters at the game table, on stage, and on camera. Host Kyle David Perry puts a special focus on people who create and play their own characters as he chats with table top role players, comedians, improvisers, actors, and writers about how much of themselves go into the characters they play. The conversation will then turn on its head to explore how those characters may unlock something about our own character, identity, and humanity.

Publisher

Kyle David Perry

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 Jun 2023

Latest episode

29 Dec 2023

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Dec 2023

   CB#15 Connie Chang

   On this Season 2 Finale of Character Build Kyle has the privilege of speaking with professional GM and game designer Connie Chang (he/they/she)! Connie discusses his actual play show Transplanar RPG, and gives a valuable perspective on the presence of racism in the hobby. We also take plenty of time to dive into Connie’s new table top game GODKILLER: First Blood! Buckle up for a great season finale! CONTENT WARNING: -Discussions of racism -Discussions of religious trauma -Discussions and references to violence and peril throughout -Brief mention of cannibalism -Some language and themes may not be suitable for all audiences GLOSSARY: -Anti-Orientalist- a rejection of Orientalism, which is an approach to representing Asian countries through stereotypes, cliches, and generalizations typically established by Western and colonial perspectives. Connotatively the word “Oriental” is a harmful term often used to refer to any person or country from a country in Asia or an Eastern country -AP- short for “actual play” -Ashcan- a prerelease or public release of a game while it is still in the last stages of development -Blades in the Dark - a TTRPG about a crew of daring scoundrels seeking their fortunes on the haunted streets of an industrial-fantasy city (bladesinthedark.com) -Blorbo- slang for someone’s favorite character from a piece of media -Diasporic- (diaspora) a group of people who spread from one original country to other countries, or the act of spreading in this way (dictionary.cambridge.org) -Homunculi - plural for homunculus, which is defined as “little person” or refers to a fully formed miniature human or humanoid creature -Masks - a superhero TTRPG full of action, youthful angst, and dazzling bravery where young adults can take on the roles of members of the latest generation of superheroes (paraphrased from magpiegames.com) -Non-colonial- the rejection of colonialism, which is defined (by dictionary.Cambridge.org) as the belief in and support for the system of one country controlling another -Otaku- a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. (Miyadai, Shinji (2011). "Transformation of Semantics in the History of Japanese Subcultures since 1992". Mechademia via Wikipedia.com) -PBTA- short for Powered by the Apocalypse, which is framework used for many TTRPGs -Subsystem- a self-contained system part of a larger system, applied to games it can be referring to any system within a greater TTRPG -TTRPG- table top role playing game CHECK IT OUT: Follow Connie Chang @byconniechang on Twitter, Instagram, itch.io, TikTok, and elsewhere Follow Transplanar RPG @transplanarrpg on Twitch, Twitter, Instagram, and elsewhere Follow Jonathan Charles at @the_lonely_orchestra Find GODKILLER: First Blood on itch.io Learn more about Auricle by following @auricle_podcast or visiting auriclethepodcast.com CREDITS: Produced, edited, and hosted by Kyle David Perry Show art by Gabriella Ashlin “Transplanar Preamble” (heard at the Outro) composed by Jonathan Charles

2. 

   18 Dec 2023

   CB#14 Eryn Barnes

   This week on Character Build the excellent Eryn Barnes (they/them) gets in the weeds to discuss authenticity, trusting your players at the table, and what it takes to be a dice goblin! Kyle and Eryn chat about the new A24 horror hit “Talk to Me” as well, it’s the season all year for scary stories! If you would like to avoid spoilers for “Talk to Me” you can skip to 53:30 once we bring it up. CONTENT WARNING: -Death -Discussion of grief -Possession -Discussion of bloody horror violence and gore -Brief discussion of cults -Language and themes that may not be suitable for all audiences GLOSSARY: -Brechtian- refers to the work of 21st century German theatre playwright and practitioner Bertie Brecht -Boon- a wish or favor granted within the power of a god, royalty, or other entity -Dice goblin- Someone who likes to play with, collect, marvel at, talk about dice to the point of it unbecoming their personality -Face- Typically a charismatic member of the party that acts as their representative in social situations -Kobold- a mythical sprite with human and reptilian features -Pantheon- a network of gods that exist within a certain universe -Paladin- a class in D&D 5th edition that relies on an oath they have made to a god in order to receive healing and offensive abilities CREDITS: Produced and Edited by Kyle David Perry Show Art by Gabriella Ashlin Original music composed by Gabriella Ashlin

3. 

   9 Dec 2023

   CB#13 Sarah “Kal” Kalinski

   It’s good to be back and as unhinged as ever! GM Extraordinaire Sarah “Kal” Kalinski (she/they) has graced us with their presence to talk about the complexities of good and evil, the power of names, and her new actual-play podcast Crits & Tits! We get emotional, deep, and down right goofy in this episode. Be sure to review our episode-specific content warning and glossary of terms below. Spoiler Alert for Frank Herbert’s 1982 novel “The White Plague” and the 1988 film masterpiece “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”. You’ve been warned! CONTENT WARNING -Death of a parent -Death of a child -Murder -Brief mention of cannibalism -Discussions of mental health -Language that may not be suitable for all ages GLOSSARY -BBEG- Acronym for “big bad evil guy” which typically refers to any main villain in a table top story -C3- Short for “Campaign 3”, which is the current campaign for the actual-play podcast Not Another D&D Podcast (NADDPOD -D20- Short for Dimension 20 -Dimension 20- A high-production actual play show with a rotating cast of characters season to season featured on Dropout, and Independant streaming network -Fantasy High- The title of Dimension 20’s inaugural season, the conceit of which is “D&D meets John Hughes (Director of Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, etc.) -Short rest- The official NADDPOD after show where the four primary cast members discuss episodes week-to-week CREDITS Produced and Edited by Kyle David Perry Show theme composed by Kyle David Perry Show art created by Gabriella Ashlin Original music composed by Gabriella Ashlin Special Thanks to Riccarda Eickenberg

4. 

   1 Nov 2023

   CB#12 A Very Scary Kickback

   Velcome! And BOO! Mwahahaha!!! Thanks for listening to this special Halloween Kickback episode of Character Build! Fiona Sabrina (she/her) returns to deliver a queer thesis on the 1996 cult classic “The Craft” and filmmaker Danny Villanueva Jr. (he/him) talks about his horror anthology “I Dream of a Psychopomp”. Since we told you ours, we want to know…what’s your favorite scary movie? _______________________________________________ Content Warning for this episode: -Discussions of horror elements throughout -Descriptions of bloody violence and gore throughout -Discussions of grief and family trauma throughout -Mentions of physical trauma involving fire and burns -Mentions of self harm and suicide -Mentions of racism -Mentions of physical assault and emotional abuse -Contains strong language not suitable for all audiences and discussions of mature themes throughout _______________________________________________ Spoiler Warning: -Scream (1996) -The Craft (1996) -Child’s Play 2 (1990) _______________________________________________ Character Build is produced and edited by Kyle David Perry Show art by Gabriella Ashlin Outro music [“SSH Theme (Revised)”] composed by Adam Qutaishat

5. 

   26 Oct 2023

   CB#11 Chloe Baldwin

   Thanks for listening to Character Build! In this episode professional actor, filmmaker, and stunt person Chloe Baldwin (she/her/any/all) gets Shakespearean about tragic characters on as we discuss her new short film Morning is Broken and the real-life catharsis table top can foster. Then Chloe clears the table to talk about her time as Drag King Christian Rock! _______________________________________________ The content warning for this episode includes: -Discussions of trauma -Discussions of mental illness throughout -Discussions of death and peril -Brief mentions of alcohol consumption -Severe language that may not be suitable for children _______________________________________________ Glossary: -Risk- A strategy board game diplomacy, conflict, and conquest for two to six players. Originally released in 1957 -Inspiration- A mechanic from Dungeons & Dragons 5e among other versions and systems in where the GM or DM can give a resource called “Inspiration” out whenever they feel a player has done or said something inspiring. Inspiration allows a player to re-roll a failed roll at the discretion of the GM -“Go down”- meaning that someone has dropped to 0 hot points and is now rolling death saving throws to determine whether their character stabilizes or dies _______________________________________________ Get your tickets to see Chloe in “POTUS” by Selina Fillinger at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, IL running from October 26 to December 10, 2023 at Steppenwolf.org Keep up to date on where to see Chloe in “Morning is Broken” at chloebaldwin.net/morningisbroken Follow Chloe on Instagram @chloeglowyflowy Follow Christian Rock @christianrockdragking _______________________________________________ Produced and Edited by Kyle David Perry Show art by Gabriella Ashlin Opening theme and transition by Kyle David Perry Additional music: “All Arcadian’s Theme (Western) composed by Adam Qutaishat Special thanks to Shane Richlen and Riccarda Eickenberg

6. 

   19 Oct 2023

   CB#10 Shane Richlen

   Welcome to Character Build episode 10! Chicago Actor Shane Richlen (he/him) and I discuss empathizing with evil, mutual D&D character funerals, and how important it is to enjoy the stories you tell. The content warning for this episode includes -Discussions of death and dying in a violent manner -Discussions of grief and loss of a loved one -Explanations of peril in a burning building -Gun use in a fantasy setting -Explicit language not suitable for all ages Glossary: -Exhaustion (5e)- a mechanic used in D&D 5e to represent a character’s exhaustion levels affecting performance -PVP- Player versus player -Session Zero- A session ran by the GM that allows players to check in about their characters, backstories, relationships, and mechanics before the group starts playing. An excellent tool to ground players to their characters, the world, and each other. Follow Shane on Instagram at @shane_richlen and follow Character Build @cbwithkdp ________________ Produced and edited by Kyle David Perry Show art by Gabriella Ashlin Opening theme composed by Kyle David Perry Additional music: “All Arcadians Goddess Theme” composed by Adam Qutaishat

7. 

   12 Oct 2023

   CB#9 Adam Qutaishat

   Welcome all to the Season 2 premiere of Character Build! The outstanding Adam Qutaishat (any/all) takes character building to the 201 level as we discuss the gift that is failure, the importance of names, and the fluidity of collaborative story-telling! The content warning for this episode includes: -Discussions of racism -Discussions of the pandemic -Language that may not be suitable for children Glossary for this episode: -Alice is Missing- a “hugely replay-able” silent role-playing game about the disappearance of a teenage girl in a small town, where the story changes every time -INSPIRISLES- a completely original all ages TTRPG promoting storytelling, empathy and Deaf awareness with an emphasis on cooperation. American and British Sign Language are used. -OVERISLES- a direct sequel to and campaign setting for INSPIRISLES -Monster of the Week- A TTRPG with a focus on Buffy The Vampire Slayer/Supernatural style adventures -Divination - a completely Tarot-driven TTRPG -Game Manager- an all-encompassing term for GM, game master, DM, dungeon master, storyteller, or any other term that describes someone running a table top game -Listen to Adam Qutaishat’s podcast Vigil, available anywhere you like to listen to podcasts. -Check out An American Mythology: https://www.mtmadison.com/an-american-mythology -Check out Finding Me: https://www.mtmadison.com/finding-me Follow Character Build on Instagram at @cbwithkdp ——————— Produced and Edited by Kyle David Perry Show art by Gabriella Ashlin Opening theme composed by Kyle David Perry Additional music: “All-Arcadians Theme (Western)” composed by Adam Qutaishat

8. 

   3 Oct 2023

   Character Build Trailer

   Just a little something to tell us what we are all about! Expect new episodes on most Tuesdays of this Fall going into winter. Season 1 is available now to stream!

9. 

   28 Jul 2023

   CB#8 B. Dave Walters

   Welcome to the season finale of Character Build! The legendary B. Dave Walters joins the program to take the show’s prompts to level 20! We discuss how new players always play themselves, the joys of parenting, and all things vampire! Stay until the very end to hear some special thanks for this season of Character Build. Follow B. Dave at @bdavewalters on social media! Make sure to check out the following as well: www.undisputedacademy.com D&D in a Castle- B. Dave is available for round 4! https://shop.dndinacastle.com/products/round-4-2023 Air DnD: Immortal Souls Nexus 6 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/airdnd-with-b-dave-walters-immortal-souls-nexus-6-tickets-667813567357 Follow the show @cbwithkdp on Instagram Content Warning: -References to suicide -References to child endangerment and child neglect -References to death associated with fire -Discussions of violence including fantasy violence and explosions -Language Level: PG-13 Glossary: -Black Dice Society- an official D&D stream set in the horror setting Ravenloft -Caine- (or Cain) is considered the first vampire or the “father of all kindred” -Cheese- the name of Carlos Lina’s character in Dimension 20: Pirates of Leviathan -Crunchy- refers to a game, session, or table with a distinct focus on the numbers and mechanics of a sometimes-otherwise RPG-driven setting. Think crunching numbers. -Dhampir- a term used to refer to “half-vampires” -Flavor- a term that refers to changing how something looks or something is narrated in a TTRPG without changing the mechanical qualities or outcome of whatever is being changed narratively (ex. A player who’s character has magical boots can ask if the boots can appear as Converse high tops, for flavor) -Gloomstalker- A subclass of the D&D Ranger class that relies on stealth -Heroes of the Veil- A D&D Beyond actual-play program -Hunter’s Mark- A spell in D&D 5the edition that’s grown to be a signature ability of the Ranger class -LA By Night- An episodic actual-play using the TTRPG Vampire the Masquarade focused on group of vampires in modern-day Las Angeles -Min maxer- one who optimizes their character’s mechanics by maximizing certain traits while minimizing others -Multiclassing- taking levels in multiple classes -PVP- Player versus Player -Rifts- A multi-generational role playing game created in 1990 that takes place in a post-apocalypse setting and derives genre notes from cyberpunk, Sci-Fi, horror, western, among others [Wikipedia] -Roll in the Family- A D&D stream that featured creators and their family members playing together -Vampire the Masquarade- A TTRPG created in 1991 set in a “gothic-punk” version of the modern world about the night-to-night struggles of vampires, called Kindred, as they struggle against their own bestial natures, vampire hunters, and each other [Wikipedia] -We’re Alive: Frontier- A post-apocalyptic adventure based on the award-winning podcast

10. 

    21 Jul 2023

    CB#7 Rogue Schmidt Clears the Table

    Welcome to Character Build, where this week we are clearing the table and stepping away from TTRPGs! Our guest Rogue Schmidt (she/they) get’s serious about comedy as we discuss being personal versus being palatable and Rogue breaks down their solo show The Locker Room. Content Warning for this episode: -Discussions about grief including loss of a parent -A brief reference to transphobia -A brief reference to illness afflicting children -Discussion of gun violence and children in danger Language Level: R-Rated Follow Rogue on Instagram at @rogueschmidt. Follow the show on Instagram @cbwithkdp. Glossary: -AP- Referring to classes taken at the Annoyance Theatre -Edits- Refers to when a performer stops a scene to change to something else during an improvised montage. -Montage- A series of scenes improvised by a troupe or team of performers, typically after receiving a suggestion from the audience. -“TERFy”- A TERF is a trans exclusionary radical feminist Credits: Music (besides the opening theme) composed by Adam Qutaishat Character Build art: Gabriella Ashlin

11. 

    20 Jul 2023

    CB#6 Sherrick Robinson

    Welcome to Character Build! In this episode Sherrick Robinson (he/him) and I talk finding the right table for you, applying your interests to your play, and nearly a dozen different video games! Be sure to follow Sherrick on any and all platforms @ablacksparrow or visit sherrickrobinson.com. You can catch Sherrick at FeywildAndOut on Twitch. Be sure to follow The Initiative Order Twitch channel to catch the Cyberpunk one-shot Sherrick will be featured in coming up! Glossary: -Chicken! - A new dice game that takes 10-20 minutes to play (find them on Kickstarter!) -Cyberpunk - A TTRPG that is affiliated with a web series on Netflix as well as a video game titled Cyberpunk 2077 -Curse of Strahd - An official D&D Beyond module centered around the titular vampire -Goliath - A lineage of massive people in D&D -Lolth - In the D&D more she is the Spider Queen and evil goddess worshipped by drow elves -Lost Mine of Phandelver - An official D&D Beyond module often used for first time adventurers due to its relative simplicity -NPC - Stands for “non-player-character” which referred to any character in a video game or role playing game that is not played by one of the players of the game -One shot - A one-session adventure that last between 2-5 hours, typically -Ossawa - Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937) an American painter and artist that spent much of his career in France -Patron - Warlocks (in D&D and otherwise) gain their power from worshipping a patron. Examples include a genie or an extraplanar being) -Raven Queen - also known as the Matron of Death, a Diety revered from the realm of Shadowfell -Warforged- A lineage from D&D of semi-mechanical beings made of stone, wood, and metal -Warlock - Among other things, one of the main 13 classes in D&D that relies on magical powers granted by a worshipped Patron -Video games referenced in the episode: -Borderlands -Cyberpunk 2077 -Dave the Diver -Dragon Age -Killer Frequency (cut for time) -Mass Effect 3 -Persona 3 -Saints Row 3 -Shinagami Teaso -Soul Calibur Content Warning: This episode contains references to the following: -Death of a loved one -Moments of violence and peril -References to murder and corpses -Sexual references -Discussion of abduction and kidnapping -Language Level: R-rated Credits: Character Build artwork by Gabriella Ashlin

12. 

    6 Jul 2023

    CB#5 Madelyn Murphy

    Welcome to Character Build! This week I chat with actor and improviser Madelyn Murphy (she/her) about the sensation that is Twenty Sided Tavern, swinging between 9 different characters, and the importance of confidence and catharsis. A special shout out to Twenty Sided Tavern. Be sure to follow them on social media at @twentysidedtavern as well as seeking out Ale! And Well Met: A Twenty-Sided Tavern Podcast (streaming on your favorite platforms). Give Hitch*Cocktails a follow @hitchcocktails, Clued-In @cluedinimprov, as well Madelyn’s personal profile for a photo dump of weird things she finds on the streets of Brooklyn - on Instagram @mad.mad.murphy Glossary: -Catan - previously known as The Settlers of Catan or simply Settlers, is a multiplayer board game centered on the collection and utilization of 6 key resources to build roads, settlements, and cities. Nearly all moves made to advance are perceived in some way by the other players. -Werewolf - also known as One Night Ultimate Werewolf, is a play on the classic game Mafia. Minimal set up allows between 5 and 75 players take the role of villagers or (secretly) werewolves. Insight and deception are a must to succeed. Content Warning: Language Level: PG-13 (only a few F-bombs)

13. 

    22 Jun 2023

    CB#4 Riccarda Eickenberg

    Welcome to Character Build! Riccarda Eickenberg (she/her) and I sit down to discuss the importance of science in organized religion (not what you think, I promise), our biggest actual-play influences, and playing characters for multiple years. Be sure to follow Character Build on Instagram and Twitter @cbwithkdp Episode Glossary: -Actual-Play- An audio or video program where people play a TTRPG for audience consumption. The conceit is that the stream, show, or podcast is not scripted but played “in real time”. [A note from Kyle: Among the dozens of excellent actual play programs out there for consumption the few Riccarda and I mention happen to be some of the most well known: -Critical Role -Adventure Zone -Dimension 20 -Not Another D&D Podcast (NADDPOD)] -Bag of Holding- A popular magical item that can hold up to 500 lbs while only weighing 15 lbs. Think Marry Poppins -BBEG- Stands for big bad evil guy, typically a (or THE) major antagonist of an adventuring party -Crit- Shortened for Critical Hit. In D&D a Crit is a Natural 20 on the roll of a D20 roll, the best possible result -Deck of Many Things- A popular magical item in D&D in where characters can draw cards at a chance for incredibly great fortune…or utter despair. -Familiar- Another word for a pet that often has some type of magical ability to support your character -PVP- Short for Player versus Player -Content Warning: -mentions of death of a loved one, -grief and mental health, -mentions of peril involving a building fire -Language level: PG-13

14. 

    16 Jun 2023

    CB#3 Fiona Sabrina

    Welcome to Character Build! In this 3rd episode Fiona Sabrina (she/her) and I take our time chatting about the infinite nature of gender, the eldritch nature of everything, and music-based insight checks. You can follow Fiona on Instagram at @latenitepunk and Character Build at @cbwithkdp on Twitter and Instagram. Glossary of terms for episode 3: -Call of Cthulhu, and Trail of Cthulhu- Both are investigative horror TTRPGs, albeit with differing mechanics -Eldritch- strange and unnatural, weird, sinister, inspiring fear -Kids on Bikes (also Kids on Brooms/Kids in Space, etc.)- A collaborative TTRPG system that often focuses on mysteries and coming of age -Monster of the Week- A TTRPG system that centers around a group of monster hunters fighting different monsters each session -The Mundane- A character class in the TTRPG Monster of the Week -World Building- A term used to refer to any creation of character, setting, conflict, etc. in the “world” that a game master (GM) or dungeon master (DM) would do in preparation for characters to play in that world. Content Warnings: -Discussions of grief, death, and trauma through out -Discussions of horror themes, especially existential horror and body horror -Language Level: R (lots of F-bombs)

15. 

    8 Jun 2023

    CB#2 Sawyer Edwards

    Welcome to Character Build! This week Sawyer Edwards (he/him) and I dive into playing D&D with your dad, relating to your character’s trauma, and violence as a storytelling tool. Below is a small glossary of terms referenced in this episode and below that is a content warning. But first, here’s your reminder to follow Character Build on Twitter at @CBwithKDP so you don’t miss our great conversations (almost) every Thursday! Glossary: -Editions- Since 1974 there have been multiple editions of Dungeons and Dragons like 2nd edition or 2E (released in 1989) up to the most recent 5th edition or 5E (released in 2014); both referenced in this episode. (Source: Dicebreaker) -Dump Stat- A stat that is intentionally chosen to be the lowest when deciding which stats to improve for a character. For example, in D&D 5E there are 6 primary stats. When focusing on Strength and Charisma, Intelligence or Wisdom may be left to be the dump stat. -Pelor- The god of the sun and summer in the D&D pantheon Content Warning: -References to death, violence, peril, fire -Conversations about trauma -Language Level: PG-13

16. 

    1 Jun 2023

    CB#1 Gabriella Ashlin

    Welcome to the inaugural episode of Character Build! A podcast where I, your host Kyle David Perry, will speak to interesting people each week about how much of our humanity goes into the characters we create and play. Then we look at how those characters, if at all, have affected our identify or perspective on real life. During this first episode I speak to Chicago-based actor and creator Gabriella Ashlin (she/her) about character archetypes, the importance of family (less Fast & Furious, more Royal Tenenbaums), and optimization vs. de-optimization. Content warnings for this episode include: -Death of a loved one -Grief and mental health Language Level: PG-13 equivalent You can find Gabriella Ashlin on Instagram at @gabriellaashlin as well as at @nonsense_theatre_co on Instagram to stay up to date on her first production in Chicago going up this fall! It’s one that will put us all in a holiday humor! Finally, make sure you follow Character Build on Twitter at @CBwithKDP for teasers and announcements on new episodes (almost) every Thursday this summer!

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.