Play More Games in 2024
Central Coast Game Community
Hi everyone, and welcome to the latest updates for gaming and geekdom on the Central Coast of California. Seeing as the holiday season is over now, everyone is probably looking to get their game group schedule started back up, or find a gaming group to get started with finally after hearing about it from your brother in law non stop over Christmas.
So I’m packing into this everything you need to connect with gamers near you, some exciting announcements, and maybe even some hints at what 2024 has in store later this year.
Table of Contents
Organized Play & Community
Central Coast Clubs & Shops
Upcoming Events
Central Coast Open Table Schedule
Upcoming Conventions
Podcast Incoming
Thank You for Your Support
Organized Play & Community
In tabletop gaming there are many different playing formats, and within each game there might even be lots of separate formats and play options. Like Magic The Gathering, which has a plethora of formats to play, some varying the number of cards in the deck or varying the cards which are ‘legal’ to play with, or Dungeons & Dragons which has different campaign settings and custom homebrew options. All of these format types can sometimes be confusing for new players, so I’m going to try to steer new players into the right direction here.
Regardless of the specific game or game type, there is something called organized play that you’ll typically find at the center of a gaming community, and it’s usually where new players will get introduced to things like Dungeons & Dragons, Magic the Gathering, Warhammer, Pokémon, and more. In fact, this is how I started playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Sometimes organized play takes on the guise of a specific game format, sometimes it doesn’t seem like a specific format at all and just looks like a club or a single event, and it’s usually organized by a game store or a community organizer like myself. They're more than just events or clubs or routine game nights at the local game store though; they're catalysts for friendships, friendly competition, and forging deep roots for the game community to rest on. Organized play is the best way to get involved in gaming, or reintroduced to it after a long break, or getting involved in a new town.
Organized play for Dungeons & Dragons is typically called Adventurers League, for Magic the Gathering it’s usually a Friday Night Magic event organized by a game store, for Warhammer, Battletech and other wargames it might be an Escalation League or a Tournament event, Pokémon has the Pokémon League, Pathfinder has the Pathfinder Society and most other games will either use one of these terms or simply call itself Organized Play.
Friday Night Magic (FNM)
Friday Night Magic often shortened to FNM is a tournament held at game shops and card stores on Friday nights. They are open to any player and are designed to be a user-friendly introduction to competitive events for beginners. It takes on different formats at different stores, and sometimes stores will oscillate between formats depending on the week of the month. But it’s always a great way to meet people and learn the ropes of MTG.
Adventurers League: Dungeons & Dragons
Here, organized play takes the form of a club that plays structured game sessions. What differentiates Adventurers League from regular D&D is there is typically a larger player base and multiple Dungeon Masters who will split the club evenly for each game event. Hosted by game stores or community spaces, these clubs typically provide the most welcoming community for roleplaying because of their ease to drop-in and drop-out of games. If you have difficulty finding a classic D&D group, or you’re not sure where or how to start, and Adventurers League is hands down the best option for getting involved with D&D.
And that’s true for every game really. If you’re looking to get involved with local Pokémon players you can look for a Pokémon League, and you’ll find that most gamers are happy teach and share their passions. If you’re interested in playing a another game take a look at your local game stores gaming schedule to find opportunities for Yu-Gi-Oh! Warhammer, Weiß Schwarz, Pathfinder, Shadowverse, Lorcana, Battletech. And, if what you’re looking for isn’t there, maybe you can help start it!
In my experience these communities have been very inviting, so if you’re on the fence about leaping into one of these hobbies and you’re waiting for words of encouragement wait no longer; do it. Check out your local game store's events calendar, find the organized play format that suits your gaming taste, and just show up. Trust me, the community is waiting to welcome you with open arms, a set of dice, and maybe a few board game recommendations.
So, what are you waiting for? Take that step, join an organized play event, and let the games begin! Below I’ve compiled a list of ways you can get connected right now on whatever device you’re using.
Interested in community building or getting involved with your gaming communities? Join the Local Game Community Discord server. A project to make tabletop gaming more accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Central Coast Clubs & Shops
Recommended communities that support organized play are in bold, community focus is in (parenthesis), though many of these communities support multiple game types. If you’re unsure where to start, click on a Game Store near you and join the conversation or ask in the comment section of this post.
Monterey County Communities
Monterey D&D Discord
Monterey Area Gamers Discord (Board Games)
Heart of Arcana Discord (D&D)
Kern County
Paladin's Game Castle Discord (Game Store)
D&D Adventurer's League Bakersfield Facebook
Bakersfield Esports Discord (D&D Smash)
Bakersfield CA Dungeons & Dragons Facebook
RPG Bakersfield Facebook
San Luis Obispo County Communities
SLO-Gaming Discord (Everything Game Related)
SLO Gaming Facebook (Everything Game Related)
PolyCon Discord (Everything Game Related)
PolyCon Facebook (Everything Game Related)
Cal Poly Magic Players Discord
SLO Smash Discord
Seven Sleeping Dragon's Discord (Live Action Roleplay)
Seven Sleeping Dragon’s Facebook (Live Action Roleplay)
Prism CCG Discord (Game Store)
Central Coast Tabletop Gaming Discord (TTRPGs)
Cal Poly SLO Chess Club Discord
SLO Steam Facebook (LARP)
Anime Five Cities Facebook (Cosplay)
Santa Barbara County Communities
Santa Maria Valley Adventurer's League Discord (D&D)
Santa Barbara Warhammer Discord (Wargaming)
Leisure Time Games Discord (Game Store)
Central Coast Collectibles Discord (Game Store)
UCSB Magic The Gathering Discord
Duelists of Santa Maria Facebook (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Black Rose Designs LLC Discord (D&D, Maker)
UCSB Gaucho Gaming Discord (HUB)
UCSB Tabletop Gaming Discord (Mojang)
UCSB Smash Bros Discord
UCSB Anime Club Discord
Leisure Time Games Miniature Wargaming Facebook
Metro Entertainment Facebook (Game Store)
Modern MtG Santa Barbara Facebook
Ventura County Communities
Conejo Valley Adventurer's League Discord (D&D)
Conejo Valley Adventurer's League Facebook (D&D)
Zander's Game House Discord (Game Store)
Game Ogre Discord (Game Store)
World of Din Discord
Ventura County Star Wars Group Discord (Wargaming)
Dream Catcher Gaming Discord (Smash)
Game Ogre MtG Facebook
Game Ogre Fantasy Flights Facebook
D&D and RPG Gamers of Ventura County Facebook
Upcoming Events
May the fourth be with you
This year the fourth of May is landing on a Saturday, which means everyone and their mother will be planning an event of some kind. And because I am not one to miss an opportunity to be a part of fun geeky stuff, I will likely be involved in some upcoming plans. Some of them are already in the works in fact, while others are still tentative. So stay tuned, there are exciting announcements to come for those of you who missed
and want to see another gaming convention on the Central Coast.Santa Maria Valley Adventures League
The Santa Maria Adventurers League has been growing quickly. I think we have over 20 players now in only a few months and just got our 3rd DM. We only meet once a month, so if you're wanting to dip your toes in this is the perfect setting. There are tons of new players, and the atmosphere is very friendly and inviting. For more information join their Discord
Santa Maria Youth D&D
If you have kiddos in the Santa Maria Valley, the Abel Maldonado Center hosts D&D Saturdays 1p - 4p. (Upcoming dates: January 13th, February 10th, March 9th, April 6th)
Game Theory by PolyCon
San Luis Obispo, 1 Grand Ave Building 8 Fridays at 5pm. This is a game night organized by the student club at Cal Poly every Friday. You don’t have to be a student or alumni, just show up. Typically pizza, drinks, and snacks are available for purchase. Parking is free after 5:00pm and is accessible from N. Perimeter Rd. for more information join their Discord.
Conejo Valley Adventurer's League,
AL every Saturday night at Zander's Game House in Camarillo or The Game Ogre in Westlake Village; for more information join their Discord.
Atascadero Board Game Meetup
Board Games at Round Table Pizza RSVP HERE
Monday 5:30pm - 9:30pm 6915 El Camino Real · Atascadero, CA
San Luis Obispo Board Game Meetup
Board Games at Captain Nemo Games & Comics RSVP HERE
Tuesday 5:00pm - 9:00pm 563 Higuera Street · San Luis Obispo, CA
Central Coast Open Gaming Schedule
Please check with the shop if you have questions about the schedule.
Prism CCG
Paso Robles, 631 Creston Rd, (805) 284-2086
Wednesday - Open Gaming
Thursday - Open Gaming
Friday - Open Gaming
Saturday - Yu-Gi-Oh! 1pm
Sunday - Pokémon League 1pm
Tuesday - Open Gaming
Gordon’s Good Games
Atascadero, 5830 Traffic Way, (805) 538-5007
Wednesday - Open Gaming
Thursday - D&D Adventurer’s League 6pm
Friday - Friday Night Magic
Saturday - Warhammer
Sunday - Infinity
Monday - Battletech
Tuesday - Open Gaming
Captain Nemo’s
San Luis Obispo, 563 Higuera St, (805) 544-6366
Wednesday - Open RPG Gaming
Thursday - Open Miniature Gaming
Friday - Friday Night Magic
Saturday - Open Gaming
Sunday - Open Gaming
Monday - Magic Commander
Tuesday - Open Board Gaming
Leisure Time Games
Santa Maria, 159 Town Center, (805) 614-4263
Wednesday - One Piece 5pm - 8pm
Thursday - Games Workshop 1pm - 8pm
Friday - Friday Night Magic 5:30 - 10pm
Saturday - Special Events
Sunday - Yu-Gi-Oh 1:30 - 6pm
Monday - Pokémon League 5pm - 8pm
Tuesday - Magic Commander 5pm - 8pm
On The Play Gaming
Santa Maria, 208 W Main Suite B, (805) 478-9574
Wednesday - Magic Draft 6:30 - end, Yu-Gi-Oh! 7pm - end
Thursday - Open Gaming, Battletech 6pm start
Friday - Friday Night Magic 7pm - end, Pokémon League 6:30 - end
Saturday - Open Gaming
Monday - Yu-Gi-Oh! 6:30 - end, One Piece 6:30 - end
Tuesday - Magic Commander 5:30 - close
Central Coast Collectibles
Lompoc, 1321 N H Suite A, (805) 743-4211
Wednesday - Open Play
Thursday - One Piece / Shadowverse 5pm
Friday - FREE Magic Draft 6pm - end
Saturday - Pokémon 4pm - 9pm
Sunday - Magic Commander 5pm Lorcana League 4pm
Monday - Yu-Gi-Oh! 6:30pm
Tuesday - Open Play
Metro Entertainment
Santa Barbara, 6 W Anapamu St, (805) 963-2168
Friday - Friday Night Magic (Commander) 6pm - end
Saturday - Magic Lessons 12pm - 12:30, Pokémon Lessons 12:30 - 1pm
Saturday - Pokémon League 1pm - end, Dungeons & Dragons 5pm - end
Sunday - Yu-Gi-Oh! Tournament 11:30 - end
Sunday - Magic Draft (3 pack) 3pm - end
Monday - Magic Commander 6pm - 9pm
Zander’s Game House
Camarillo, 2270 Ventura Blvd, (805) 383-9983
Open Gaming Every Tuesday - Sunday
Tuesday - MTG 6pm
Wednesday - X-Wing 6pm / Lorcana 6pm / Go! 6:30pm
Thursday - Super Smash Bros 7pm - 10pm
Friday - Friday Night Magic 6pm - 9pm
Saturday - Yu-Gi-Oh! 11am / Open Board Gaming 2pm - 6pm / Pokémon (Adults) 3pm
Sunday - Mini Painting 11am / Infinity / Battletech / Lorcana 12pm & MTG 3pm
Tuesday - Magic Training 7pm - end (details above)
Game Ogre
Westlake Village, 1145 Lindero Canyon Rd Unit D4, (818) 852-7270
Wednesday - Lorcana 3pm
Thursday - Magic Commander 12pm - 7pm, Marvel Crisis Protocol 5pm - 8pm
Friday - Pathfinder/Starfinder 2pm - 7pm, Friday Night Magic 7:30 - 11:30
Saturday - Warhammer 40k Rouge Trader Tournament 10am - 8pm
Sunday - Warhammer Age of Sigmar All Day
Monday - Board Game Night 4pm - 7pm
Tuesday - Magic Commander 12pm - 7pm, Pokémon League 4pm - 7pm
Upcoming Conventions
Mouse-Con disneyana fan convention January 27th Bakersfield, CA
Strategicon game convention February 16-19 Los Angeles, CA ()
StocktonCon geek culture convention February 24-25 Stockton, CA
Collectibles Convention May 4th at the Santa Maria Fairpark, more TBA
KublaCon game convention May 24-27 Burlingame, CA
Podcast Incoming
Check 1 2, check 1 2. A couple of us on the Central Coast have been talking about producing podcast for well over a year now, and I have put quiet a bit of thought into it in fact. So much so, that I have effectively talked myself all the way into it, and have built a mobile recording kit. My goal is to record conversations with local geeks and gamers and capture the relatively unknown but rich history of gaming on the Central Coast. Did you know that PolyCon is one of the oldest game conventions in the world? Or that the Santa Maria Valley and San Luis Obispo region collectively have 4 different Live Action Roleplaying groups? Seems like a small town area though right?
With this project I hope to sit down with game store owners, event organizers, game developers, makers and creators, Gamers and the community members to capture a cultural snapshot of the Central Coast from my own point of view. And, I’m very interested in hearing from all of you. So, if you have a story you’d like to share with the public, advice on learning how to DM for your kids, or want to talk about an exciting project you’re working on reach out to me at localgamecommunity@gmail.com.
A Word From Our Sponsor
Hello everyone. Black Rose Designs is a local dice and tabletop gaming accessory company born and operated in Santa Maria, CA (headquartered at Dargarrd Keep, Nightlund). The
cultcompany was born from a small community of players and are happy to support the growth of the community as a whole. Check out our Instagram and follow so you can keep up to date with everything Black Rose is unleashing! Also, mycaptivesemployers said that for every new follower, I would get an extra minute of outside time. Thanks and hope to see you soon. I am told interns find "new opportunities" fairly often around here!
Sincerely,
The Intern
note, the Intern is a paid employee of Black Rose Designs and a sworn vassal of Lord Soth, CEO. Don't concern yourself with his well being.
Thank you for your support
Thank you all for joining us on this journey of uniting our communities to create camaraderie through gaming and hobbies.
And let's not forget to support the Friendly Local Game Stores that host organized play. If they can't stay in business, your place to go and have fun will disappear into the wind.