Like Dragon Like Son

Welcome back to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. We have come out of retirement for a very special update: Jack interviews Jay about his recent experiences from playing the fabled D&D in a Castle event at Lumley Castle in England in the Fall of 2024. He describes it as being trans...

With Jack heading off to university, this will be the last episode of Like Dragon Like Son for the foreseeable future. This podcast has provide an opportunity for us to grow as players and as GMs -- and share our growth with you. We hope you've enjoyed the journey. Before we go, we leave you with a few more thoughts on what the future of TTRPG looks like for us, and maybe for you too. This podcast...

If you are like us, you've probably built more characters than you will ever play. But what if you had to play a character to build them? The idea is that as a 0 level character, you play in a short mini-campaign that showcases an influential time in your character's life that shaped who they would become. We discuss how this work with starting with only 2d6 in each ability score, gaining stats, s...

Spoiler Alert: We are discussing our take-aways from the new D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves. We talk about rule of cool, druid abilities, and how those red wizards are probably part of some grand plan that's been in the works since the dawn of 5th edition. So grab your popcorn -- we're going to the movies! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they disc...

Using a clock or counter system can dramatically overhaul how encounters play out. They can introduce a puzzle-like complexity, and increase the number of ways to win besides just doing damage. And they can add a dynamism to the active evolving world of your campaign setting. If you need some help getting clocks working in your game, now's the time! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hoste...

We've all seen spells explode on the big screen and thought, "I want my character to be able to do that!" Then gone looking in the Player's Handbook only to find the closest thing to it is some 3rd level spell with a ridiculous number of restrictions. The World's Greatest RPG shouldn't be so disappointing. So the solution is simple: steal some magical ideas from other sources. We look at Ars Magic...

Ever get the feeling that, as a DM, the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders alone? That your players just show up expecting to be entertained? That there is a lot of pressure on you to look after everyone's feelings? But then who is looking after you? Join us as we look into how to deepen player involvement in the game, the story, and the mutual enjoyment at your table. We discuss a solu...

Join us as we knock down the barriers to wall spells. Sure they can be tricky to figure out, difficult to place, and sometimes feel underwhelming -- but with a bit of creative thinking, they can do a lot more than you think. From making bathtubs to microwaving bad guys, listen in as we go off-the-wall. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss ever...

This episode began as a sneak peek into the upcoming Dragonlance release for 5e. We started talking about how the Squire of Solomnia feat looked like what we have been seeing in the One D&D playtest material around feats. And then, unexpectedly, we started talking about the important ways the game has evolved since Dragonlance first hit the scene, and how the game of D&D has grown. And the...

Ghost stories are always fun to play -- especially around Halloween. Ghost hold a special status among D&D monsters. They aren't just sacks of HP that need to be smashed with an axe. They are creatures with unsettled business that requires deeper player involvement in order to truly vanquish the ghost. We look at some of the tools provided in Van Richten's guide and elsewhere that can turn you...

Everyone loves rolling dice. And rolling twice seems even more fun! But how does that really change your odds of success and by how much? The answer might surprise you. Rolling with advantage is more than a simple +5, it radically alters the likelihood of success. This week we dig into the statistics, and discuss ways that you can use the odds to your advantage. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a...

Does a little bottle of 2d4+2 seem a bit boring? Want to add a bit more buff to the healing drinks that you or your players concoct? Then this episode is for you. Grab your herbalism kit, your brewers supplies, cook's utensils, or alchemy set -- we are going to make healing tonics that take your game to the next level! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where...

After the announcement of One D&D, a new Unearthed Arcana has been released, this time showcasing how 5E character building will evolve. We evaluate the races, backgrounds and feats that will be the core of D&D's future. Join us as we fill out the survey! We encourage you to also fill out the survey, as this is the best way to help the game's designers decide what lives and what dies in th...

As much as we love all things D&D, there are moments when we stop and ask: "Is that all you are giving me?" As experienced DMs we do a lot of homebrew, but that's not the case for everyone. And there is something nice about having a ruleset that is standardized between tables. So when we are looking at a scant 60 pages of Astral Adventurer's Guide, there's a lot more we need to bring to Spellj...

Collective storytelling can begin long before everyone sits down to play at the table. Join us as Jack walks us through his homebrew setting, Blightheim, a dark gothic setting in which all the classes have been rebuilt for the setting -- and for the characters. Learn the secrets to make your own interwoven masterpiece of collective world building. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted...

We have arrived! Our celebration of our 100th episode milestone culimates with the final 10 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! While not neccessarily the top 10 (who could pick just 10) these are definetly 10 BIG things. Join us as we discuss advanced actions and reaction, adding diversity to your table, pushing the limits of character creation -- and even killing a Tarrasque! Welcome to Like...

Celbrating 100 episodes of Like Dragon Like Son, the Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown closes in on number 1! This week we are counting down from 20-11. Join us as we talk about how to make sure you are playing your best game ever. From better feats to player handouts, from Tarokka decks to spell points -- take your game to the next level! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a...

Like an ever smoking bottle, our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown just keeps going! From 31-21, we start putting a bit more of the "Advanced" into D&D, and recommend you give it a try: playing with encumbrance, rules for moving diagonally, 20th level boss fights, using downtime, learning voices and building websites -- plus a whole lot more! Welcome to Like Dragon Like...

The summer celebration of our 100 episode milestone continues! Join us as we count down 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we focus on an area that sparked this podcast: building unusual characters. From 45-32 on our list, we will look at many of the different ways you can play against trope, step out from stereotypes, and play a character that is more interesting and rewarding...

To celebrate our 100 episode milestone, we are counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 59-45. Join us as we discuss hot tips on adding pets to the party, marrying NPCs, making your own crafting system, using XP, and even playing other RPGs to make your D&D game better -- plus a whole lot more! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podc...

The Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown continues in celbration of 100 episodes of Like Dragon Like Son! This week we are counting down from 73-60. Join us as we discuss hot tips on customizing character sheets, playing with different party sizes, watching Critical Role, and finding inspiration in Dragon magazine and other supplements-- plus a whole lot more! Welcome to Like D...

We continue our celebration of our 100th episode milestone by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 89-74. Join us as we discuss hot tips on homebrewing monsters (and the weapons to kill them), hosting a player-vs-player battle, fighting dragons, and exploring dungeons -- plus a whole lot more! Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podca...

We've reached the 100 episode milestone and are celebrating by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 101-90. Join us as we discuss hot tips on playing campaigns all the way to the end, building worlds from scratch, introducing new players to the game, and playing with old school pen & paper -- plus a whole lot more! Welcome to Lik...

We look at a number of ways to spice up your combat, from streamlining play so players get to act more frequently, to adding just the right type of crunchy table rules to provide extra excitement. Join us as we discuss the best ways to strike a balance between speeding up combat rounds, and making it still feel meaningful and carefully considered. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted...

As the fifth edition of D&D continues to evolve (can we say that it's 5.5e, yet?), we see two books being "de-listed" on DnDBeyond this week: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, and Volo's Guide to Monsters. And while it's clear that some of what these books offered now feel out of date, what we loved about these books was all the deep lore and storytelling found between the covers. Join us as we tur...