Welcome to Tavern Talk Thursday! This is a weekly column where we chat with a member of the TTRPG (tabletop role-playing game) community to learn more about how they found themselves at the table, what they love about tabletop gaming, and other fun things. Think of it as a little sneak peeks into the minds of our fellow players and DMs.
Settle in adventurers because we are back with another fireside chat. This week we are chatting with the legendary Paul Wight, or for fellow WWE wrestling fans – the Big Show. Many know him for his time in (and outside) of the ring and from movies and TV, but Paul is also a big member of the TTRPG community. Keep reading to discover how he found himself at the table and what he loves about the community and Dungeons and Dragons.
Keep up with Paul Wight on his social media! (Twitter/Instagram)
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Paul Wight
Julia Roth: Let’s chat your TTRPG backstory! How did you find yourself at the table?
Paul Wight: I, of course, like most, was introduced to D&D when I was about 10/11 years old. There was a buddy of mine’s mom who was a part-time substitute teacher. Mrs. King saw that her son’s rowdy friends were up to no good, as young boys will tend to do when bored. She introduced us to D&D and let our imaginations free.
My most recent introduction was in 2018. I had done an interview for a video gaming site in which I mentioned my love for D&D. Through a myriad of friends, Joe Manganiello reached out to me and invited me to play in a live stream. I thought to myself, “Why the hell not? “I am thankful every day I accepted Joe’s invitation and sat at the table.
JR: Favorite world to adventure in?
PW: D&D 5E Fantasy. I’ve tried a few different game worlds. I prefer magic and melee: good friends and hot dice rolls.
JR: Favorite one-shot adventure?
PW: Gambling night at the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep. This adventure was a special adventure created by our DM Joe Manganiello as a break from the intense adventuring our group, “The Firewatch Knights,” had been through. Players were able to compete in dice rolls against the house, and I got to do a little pit fighting for gold. Trust me; it was exactly the fun adventure our group needed.
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JR: You are an entertainer through and through, from wrestling to movies and tv. How does all of this experience translate to the table?
PW: I think it’s easier for me to get into the character mindset. Also, I believe it allows me to understand the overall script of the adventure. The DMs go through so much prep work to create a fun, challenging adventure with likely options to pursue. The dice rolls like life; make everything random. Dealing with other egos in a professional capacity also gives me a better patience quotient to accept other players’ decisions or the DM’s harsh rulings……. mostly. LOL, immersing yourself in the adventure is the whole point.
JR: Backstory or class first?
PW: I prefer class first. I like to know what I am working with to then build a creative back story. The stats and class are what you see. The backstory is how you ended up like this. I get inspiration from imagining the character. Then as I develop that, I chose my play style.
JR: Favorite spell and why?
PW: I have two favorite spells: Feather Fall and Shield.
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JR: Who has been your favorite character to play?
PW: Ullac Jotunn, my Eldritch knight fighter
JR: Now we’ve seen some pictures of you playing in Joe Manganiello’s epic RPG room floating about the internet. What was that experience like? Have you gone back for more?
PW: The most immersive setting imaginable. You will have an incredible adventure and will be tested like nothing else. You will laugh, cry, and you will sweat up your dice if you hold them too long, lol. Joe is a fair DM. That being said, he is waiting for you to make a mistake and punish you for that mistake.
Dolph Lundgren literally says, “If he dies, he dies, ” which I love. Mistakes should have consequences. If I wanted all happy, I’d play Chutes and Ladders. I live in Florida and will fly to LA just to play at that table. Yes, it’s absolutely worth it.
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JR: Do you have a particular race/class you enjoy?
PW: I currently run a fighter class/Eldritch Knight. I’m a frontline fighter with a little magic to get through some tough spots. Mike Mearls created my race. Ullac is half Stone-Giant from the Dark Sun universe. He is 13′ tall and weighs 900 lbs. The size makes for interesting situations. I can relate!
JR: Is there something that you build into every character? A fun trait or a special item?
PW: Loyalty to my party above everything else. That is me.
JR: If you could run your own fantasy tavern, what would be your signature drink?
PW: Whiskey, of course. Wait….. Milkshakes!!! Hell yeah, I’d clean up profit-wise!!
JR: What is your favorite system to play within?
PW: D&D 5e with Roll20 if I can’t be at the table.
JR: Tell us about the wildest adventure you have been on?
PW: During Covid, everyone was scrambling to stay sane and safe. Joe was running adventures over Zoom 3-4 times a week. There was one particular stretch our group had run through a dungeon surrounded by a dragon army and lost one of our team. The intensity was palpable. We had the ability to resurrect our fallen comrade but couldn’t retrieve his body. WE HAD TO FLEE! One of our rouges was successful in retrieving his hand only.
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All of us tuned in the next night to see what character our brother-in-arms would roll. Joe had set up a creative dice roll with D100 to see what race he would get. His character that died was a Goliath. There might have been some wagers to see if his Goliath spirit rolled a GNOME! He was able to secure a human that now sported a Goliath’s hand. Fun crazy battles, almost no hp, no spells too many bad guys. It was epic and fun.
JR: Favorite dice to use?
PW: Kraken dice. Dwarven Forge for big rolls.
JR: Would you rather face off against an entire dungeon of undead or charm your way through a royal court?
PW: Dungeon of undead without hesitation. Doing something useful for the world. Royalty should grab a shovel and help!
JR: Favorite TTRPG Monster?
PW: Dragons! The older, the better. I like a huge fight I might not win. Victory is more precious when it’s earned.
JR: Good luck charms or rituals before a game?
PW: I carry my Death Saves mini ULLAC.
JR: Who is sitting at your dream table?
PW: I’m very fortunate. I already am—my friends.
JR: What are you most looking forward to within the TTRPG world?
PW: Immersive virtual reality. I’d love to see where technology takes us.
Thanks for chatting with us, Paul Wight!
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/tavern-talk-thursday-becky-of-homie-and-the-dude/
Who I Am: A nerd by the strictest definition. I enjoy diving straight into my favorite fandoms without a care in the world. I live on video/board games, fantasy movies and TV, and all things geeky.
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