Mastering Dungeons

Episode 239 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Embarking on A Nautical Campaign ! Nautical campaigns offer exciting options different from other campaign types. Join us as we voyage into the strengths and challenges of these campaigns! News: WotC’s Strong Q1, SRD 5.2 Review, Alliance Rejects Diamond, Best Campaign Setting, and more! Contents 00:00 Play Every Day 03:03 Digital Response to Tariffs?...

Episode 238 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Using the Environment in Encounters (with Dragons)! Make the most of elevation, difficult terrain, cover, lighting, and more. And to tie into Monster Week: Dragons, we apply them to dragon encounters! News: New SRD 5.2, Errata Returns, Holy Grail Turns 50, and more! Contents 00:00 Postal Service 02:06 Shawn Peaks 02:36 Easiest Official Adventure to D...

Episode 237 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Teaching a New Generation! We ponder how learning RPGs has changed over the years and the best way to teach new players and DMs today. News: Jeremy Crawford Leaves WotC, Dragon Delves 1-on-1 Play, Atlas Games Recycling, and more! Contents 00:00 Get Outside 02:22 Make Equipment Matter? 12:48 Which Upcoming Release Excites Us? 16:38 Jeremy Crawford Dep...

Episode 236 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Rules-Light D&D Characters! We consider how D&D can be simplified and the goals and tradeoffs involved in creating a rules-light version. News: Chris Perkins Retires, Greg Bilsland Returns, Tariffs and Tabletop, and more! Contents 00:00 Reflecting on Sorrow 02:41 2 Campaigns in Same Setting? 13:03 Convert 4E Monsters to 5E? 16:08 Chris Perkin...

Episode 235 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Forever DMs and Dynamics of an RPG Group! Teos and Shawn discuss Matt Colville’s take on Forever DMs, and look at how the dynamics of an RPG group can shape awesome play. News: Shadowdark Sales, Anjali Bhimani Adventure, Foolish Listener Ideas, and more! Contents 00:00 Return of Shawn 01:00 Foolish Listener Ideas 10:42 Environmental Effect CR Impact?...

Episode 234 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Hundred Dungeons and the OSR! Graham Ward joins Teos to discuss his RPG, Hundred Dungeons, and how it blends OSR and other games to create awesome play! News: WotC Sigil Team Laid Off, Convention Air Quality, Node-Based Design, and more! Contents 00:00 Graham Ward! 01:50 Bring Back Class Roles? 05:55 Encourage Not to Rest? 12:07 Org Play Tied to Curr...

Episode 233 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Let’s Build Encounters! We build encounters based on goblin and pirate monster groups as found in the revised Monster Manual. See our process for creating fun and engaging encounters! News: Electric State on Netflix, SVP Leaves WotC, Origins Award Finalists, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Duke Ranks Higher Than Our Show 00:01:17 D&D at ECCC 00:05:52...

Episode 232 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Making Your D&D or RPG World Dangerous! Shawn Merwin is joined by Ben Byrne to create the true number one show in all the realms… where that show covers the news and then discusses how to make D&D feel dangerous to players! News: Starter Set News, Chris Cocks on More Than AI, DriveThru Print Prices, and more! Contents 00:00 Who is Ben Byrne a...

Episode 231 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Monster Groups and Encounters! The 2025 Monster Manual provides a variety of monster groupings, such as several goblins or bandits. How well do those monster groupings work to establish a theme, provide a DM with options, and provide for useful encounters? News: Sigil VTT is Live, Starter Set Preview, MtG Movie and TV Show, D&D Game Canceled, and...

Episode 230 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Listener Corner Catch Up! So many awesome listener questions, we devoted the show to them! News: Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results, New D&D Video Game, New Magic D&D Crossover, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Santa Clara is Celestial 00:02:43 Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results 00:08:47 How Big is D&D after 2024? 00:14:26 Hasbro Playing to Win Strategy 00:17:35 D&am...

Episode 229 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: New Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard Subclasses! We examine the Winter Ranger, Rogue Scion, Spellfire Sorcerer, and Bladesinger Wizard – new subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. News: Netflix D&D TV Show, Kickstarter Recovers, Evil Hat Shares Finances, and more! Contents 00:00 I'll Do Anything for Podcasts 01:1...

Episode 228 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Purple Dragon Knight and Oath of Genies Paladin! We take a look at new fighter and paladin subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. How do lore changes impact the design? News: Free D&D Adventure, D&D on Netflix, WotC Hires Worldbuilding, and more! Contents 00:00 Winter Fantasy Key Cards 05:57 Flipping Campaign Sc...

Episode 227 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Forgotten Realms Unearthed Arcana! New subclasses are out for playtest feedback and will be part of the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide out this November. We take a look at playtesting and the first two subclasses for Bard and Cleric. News: D&D Movie Licensing, New D&D Books and Settings, Sigil VTT Changes, and more! Contents 00:00 Winter Fan...

Episode 226 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Monster Manual Design! We review the latest monster previews and continue to examine how 2024 has changed monster design. News: ENNies Changes AI Policy, Dimension 20 Rocks Garden, Kickstarter Breakdown, and more! Contents 00:00 Dimension 20 Rocks Garden 03:11 How Restart Campaign? 10:23 Emergency Takeoff Scenario? 20:46 Do You Fudge Dice? 29:50 New...

Episode 225 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Monster Manual Comparison! We review the recent monster previews. How do 2024 5E monsters compare to 2014, and what do we think of the design? News: Diamond Files Bankruptcy, Ray Winninger on 5E History, Student Trains AI on CR, and more! Contents 00:00 Deadlands and Playtests 02:16 Handout Prep Worth It? 10:52 Rolling Under Pressure? 22:26 Diamond F...

Episode 224 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: The Monster Overhaul! Shawn and Teos review the Monster Overhaul, a book that irreverently aims to become an indispensable tool at your table, providing tons of ideas for fun monsters. News: Critical Role Publishing Deal, Chaosium $500 Convention Pack, Morale Rules, and more! Contents 00:00 Back to Normal 01:57 Desert Island RPG? 06:26 Is 2024 5E Dea...

Episode 223 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Monster Manual Previews! Previews have begun for the 2025 MM! Shawn and Teos discuss the preview and just how hard it is to create monster books. News: Pinball Wizards, Most Anticipated RPGs, Singapore GMing, and more! Contents 00:00 Rip Off the 2025 Band-Aid 02:50 New Crafting Rules? 11:29 Games for Campaigns vs One Shots? 27:08 Pinball Wizards 30:2...

Episode 222 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Looking Back on 2024, Forward to 2025! Shawn and Teos revisit the year’s biggest stories, the show’s main topics and guests, and look forward to what will impact our hobby in 2025. News: Bigger Monster Manual, CNBC on D&D’s Financial Success, Beyond Ranked Skills, and more! Contents 00:00 Happy New Year! 02:37 Vancian Magic Limits Narratives? 12:...

Episode 221 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: The Psychology of D&D! Dr. Jamie Madigan joins Teos and Shawn to explain that their dice aren’t cursed, the benefits of online vs in-person gaming, hot hand fallacy, and much more! Check out Jamie’s new book: https://www.psychologyofdnd.com/ News: Kobold Press Finances, Artificer on Unearthed Arcana, Goodbye Dark Alliance, and more! Contents 00:0...

Episode 220 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Listener Question Mega-Show! What do we do when we have tons of listener questions? Shawn and Teos dedicate the main segment to answering some truly awesome questions. Find out why this was the most fun we’ve had in months! News: Moonbeam Launches Alpha, New Maps Features, D&D Immersive Quest, and more! Contents 00:00 Bad Movie Season 02:14 Maps...

Episode 219 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Recent Game Design Lessons! Shawn and Teos share what they learned from recent projects, from late 3E, 4E, and beyond. News: New Greyhawk OP Campaign, AI Takes Down Itch.io, Talking Exploration, and more! Contents 00:00:00 We're 93! 00:01:38 Redesign Gnomes? 00:10:08 Encourage in Character? 00:17:10 Adventure Opening? 00:22:14 Legends of Greyhawk and...

Episode 218 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Lessons Learned from Our Early Projects! Shawn and Teos share what they learned from the days when they started as designers, back in the 2000s and the 3E era. News: Exodus is Hasbro’s Newest RPG, Lord of the Rings and Illrigger on Beyond, PAX Unplugged, and more! Contents 00:00 Snow Job 02:24 DM Types? 08:57 Exciting Sandbox Pace? 18:55 Exodus Video...

Episode 217 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Qualities RPG Companies Look for in an RPG Designer! Shawn and Teos review the qualities companies say they look for in an RPG designer. News: Investors Sue Hasbro, Hasbro Abandons Movies, Juggling Teenagers, and more! Contents 00:00 Hello World 02:11 Adopt Rules More Quickly? 13:22 Juggling Teenagers? 21:01 Hasbro Shifts from Movies 24:43 Investors...

Episode 216 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Embracing Dark Fantasy! Ben Bryne joins Shawn to discuss what makes dark fantasy such a compelling genre and how to create for dark games. Teos meanwhile hopes to recover from his technical horror as his desktop bites the dust. News: AL Update, Kobolds Make Mistakes, and more! Contents 00:00 Introduction 40:54 Dark Fantasy Campaigns 59:00 Find Ben By...

Episode 215 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: What Publishers Want in a D&D Designer! Shawn and Teos review two D&D job postings and break down the skills and job functions a publisher looks for in a D&D Designer and Product Architect. News: DMG Preorder Debacles, Weapon Masteries 101, PAGE Convention, and more! Contents 00:00 Surviving 00:53 Writing Same Old Stuff? 08:02 Teaching Li...