Dragon Mind - Mindful TTRPGs

A common stumbling block for new GMs is to think of their TTRPG as a story rather than a quest. Write Quests, not Stories. Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to dis...

How do you recognize a distortion in your design, and what can you do about it? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming. Gamin...

How do the design elements of your game harmonize into an ideal experience? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming. Gaming do...

In today's episode, John and Stephanie revisit the Seven Baby Steps to Masterful Game Mastering after refining them for the past year. In order, the Seven Baby Steps are: 1) Close the Loop 2) Test a Chain 3) Lengthen the Chain 4) Tend the Garden 5) Intentionally Cultivate a Particular Culture 6) Tune the System 7) Foster Empowerment In this segment of the Dragon Mind TTRPG Podcast, John and St...

No, I'm not kidding. Trigger Warning: Death of a Child Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming. Gaming doesn't have to just be an escape. It can help revolutionize your reality.

What's holding you back from running your first game? And what should you prioritize to run a great experience? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Today's episode was inspired by Cal Newport's Deep Questions podcast episode "Start with Disci...

In today's follow up episode to Five Level Leadership, John, Stephanie, and Ken dive into the Momentum Learning Systems formula for content organization so that your players will have an easier time falling in love with your game. In this segment of the  Dragon Mind  TTRPG Podcast, John and Stephanie borrow brilliance from our world's most insightful minds to become better game masters, pl...

What are the Agreements you've made with yourself and your table? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming. Gaming doesn&#3...

Today we're taking a break from our normal deep ponderings to talk about my impressions of the direction of One D&D, along with some thoughts I have about the material from Playtest Packet 6. Overall, I'm really happy to see how the design team has utilized the community's feedback in the revisited classes, and I'm hoping that trend will continue for the others. To support this...

What do you find rewarding about playing TTRPGs? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt To read Richard Bartle's article, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades: Players Who Suit MUDs , head to: https://mud.co.uk/richard/hcds.htm Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion p...

Why do you think TTRPGs are such a special gaming medium? Let us know by sending us an email at dragonmindpodcast@gmail.com or posting in the Dragon Mind channel in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord at https://discord.gg/DAJcutMt Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming. Gaming doesn't have to...

In today's episode, John and Stephanie sit down with Ken, Stephanie's business partner in their consulting company, Momentum Learning Systems, and how the Momentum Learning Systems leadership method can improve your skills as a GM and leader in your own life. There are a lot of good books to read which inspired Ken and Stephanie's Five Level Leadership model. We're prioritizing thr...

We have something a little bit different for you today! In this pilot episode, we at Dragon Mind are trying out a new, quick format so that we can be more responsive with news and announcements in the TTRPG and broader gaming industries. There's a lot of possibilities of things we can do with this format, so let us know your thoughts in the Darkmore Podcast Community Discord, linked below. Dra...

In today's episode, we discuss our thoughts and experiences playing Pathfinder Second Edition, one of D&D's largest competitors. In this segment of the  Dragon Mind  TTRPG Podcast, John and Stephanie borrow brilliance from our world's most insightful minds to become better game masters, players, and people. This podcast is produced in association with Incendium RPGs. For more TTRPG...

In today's episode, John is joined by Kerina, a professional Game Master that works with younger players. They discuss some of her criticisms of 5e as a system, creating meaningful villains for kids’ games, and alternative systems that offer their own unique game design insights. Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best...

In today's world building episode, John is joined by Raymond O'Connor from the TTRPG Podcast Running off the Rails to discuss different writing philosophies, constructing your world to deliver on a promise to your players, and how World Building is secondary to Plot and Character. To hear more from Ray and Ariel at Running off the Rails , head to: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ALLVYC7hWRC...

In today's world building episode, Stephanie from Borrowing Brilliance flips the script to ask John questions on what he's learned about world building so far, and how ultimately, the world building doesn't matter as much as prioritizing your players. Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite lenses of TTRPGs to discover our best selves through gaming...

"We cherish the old stories for their changelessness. Arthur dreams eternally in Avalon. Bilbo can go "there and back again,"and "there" is always the beloved familiar Shire. Don Quixote sets out forever to kill a windmill... So people turn to the realms of fantasy for stability, ancient truths, immutable simplicities. And the mills of capitalism provide them. Supply meets...

In today's world building episode, we have on Joe, the DM from the D&D Audio Drama Advantage , to discuss how worldbuilding is done through asking deeper and deeper questions, how lore can be used to justify functional design decisions, and the design origins of Advantage’s custom world, the Cusp. To see this world for yourself, you can head to: advantagednd.com/world Dragon Mind is a TTRP...

In today's episode, we have on Michael from our Playtest Panel Discussions to continue our mini series on world building. We discuss "found world design", the value of discovering constraints in your world's design, and the power of designing your world to be personal, even if it doesn't feel original. Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infini...

Today's episode is the first in a mini-series on World Building, a topic much too big to cover in a single episode. For this first episode, John and Ian discuss suspension of disbelief, finding the balance between hard and soft world-building, and how TTRPGs as a medium allow players to interview a world’s creator directly. For additional content to listen to, check out Hello Future Me's v...

How did they roll? In this Playtest Panel Discussion, John, Ian, Stephanie, and Michael discuss their thoughts and speculations about the newest One D&D playtest classes, Druid and Paladin, which present some polarizing changes to the Druid's Wildshape and Paladin's Divine Smite. Check out the new Playtest for yourself at: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/one-dnd/druid-paladin Dragon Mind is...

That is the question. In today's episode, John is joined by Michael, a Game Master from Dragon Mind's Playtest Panel Discussions. They talk about what makes a great story, how that relates to a character's build, and how optimization (or intentionally creating a suboptimal character) affects the dynamics at the table. Dragon Mind is a TTRPG discussion podcast where we look through the infinite len...

In today's Playtest Panel Discussion, John, Ian, Stephanie, and Michael discuss Kobold Press's Project Black Flag and Design Diary #1. Get ready for things to get a little...critical. To download Playtest Packet #1 for yourself, head to: https://koboldpress.com/project-black-flag/ And for Celeste Conowitch's Design Diary #1, head to: https://koboldpress.com/project-black-flag-friday-design-diary-1...

In today’s episode, we discuss the book The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, which is famous for its recognition of capital “R” Resistance, an ethereal force that keeps us from producing the art we’re meant to. If you're interested in checking out the book for yourself, you can purchase it with the link below: https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1S...