Mastering Dungeons

Episode 177 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Shadowdark RPG – Gameplay (MD 177) From initiative and darkness to checks and luck tokens, Shawn and Teos examine the rules that distinguish the game. News: D&D Thanks You, Manganiello Speaks, Pelgrane Blog Rocks, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Winter Fantasy for One 00:01:35 Shadowdark Balance? 00:10:50 Shadowdark Readthrough Review? 00:17:40 D&amp...

Episode 176 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: News with Graham! With Shawn fighting off a cold, Graham joins us to take a look at the news. Back to Shadowdark next week! News: Foundry Gets 2024 5E, Kickstarter Growth, Adventures that Teach, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Graham Ward! 00:02:55 Player-DM Trust 00:10:20 D&D Stewardship 00:23:00 2024 Glimpses 00:25:22 Bigger Books? 00:27:16 Playtes...

Episode 175 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Shadowdark RPG – Characters and Magic With Shadowdark’s simplicity, how do ancestries, classes, and class features distinguish themselves? Shawn and Teos examine the classes, alignment, and magic systems to see how this game manages to be so good. News: D&D Turned 40, D&D in VR, a Real Fortress Dungeon, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Rub Your Fa...

Episode 174 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Shadowdark RPG – Reviewing the Basics Shawn and Teos delve into Shadowdark. While their torchlight holds, they examine the first chapters of this tome. Learn the basics of Shadowdark’s design and what sets it apart from other similar RPGs. News: New D&D from Random House, How to Have Fun, Fighting AI, and more! Contents 00:00:00 Powerless 00:02:1...

Episode 173 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Blade Runner Starter Set – Electric Dreams Adventure Review Mike Shea joins Shawn while Teos hunkers down without power. In the main segment, Shawn and Teos take a look at the adventure included in the Blade Runner starter set by Free League. We review the amazing value and how it provides for open play and interesting choices. News: Remembering Jenn...

Episode 172 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Blade Runner Starter Set – Rules Review Shawn and Teos take a look at the packed contents of the Blade Runner starter set by Free League. We review the amazing value and provide an overview of the rules. News: MCDM Raises $4.6M, Golden Ages, Winter Fantasy Signups, and more! Contents 00:00 Renewed 01:10 Half on Miss? 10:24 Stun Condition? 21:49 Creat...

Episode 171 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 2023 Review and 2024 RPG Outlook Shawn and Teos look back at the rollercoaster year of 2023 and what excites us about the coming year. News: Drakkenheim on DDB, LotR Stars Play BG3, Valiant Adventures, and more! Contents 00:00 Renown 01:12 Setting Customizations? 14:21 Affordable Expectations? 29:22 LotR Stars Play BG3 30:33 CORE20 RPG 32:34 Drakkenh...

Episode 170 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Planescape’s Adventure: The Conclusion! The final two chapters of Turn of Fortune’s Wheel! We look back on how DMs can make the most of the adventure. News: Understanding WotC Layoffs, Netflix Talks BG3, Greatest RPG Adventures, and more! Contents 00:00 Rollercoaster 2023 02:19 Resource Management? 10:33 Lazy Barbarian? 17:58 WotC Layoffs 37:15 BG3 o...

Episode 169 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Planescape’s Adventure: Outlands and Spire! We expect big payoffs as the adventure reveals it's biggest secrets. Is the payoff worth it? Find out how the answer isn’t yes, as we review Chapters 12 and 13 Turn of Fortune’s Wheel. News: MCDM Breaks Records, Roll20 Overhaul, GaryCon Epic, and more! Contents 00:00 Malled and Mauled 01:30 Impossible DC? 1...

Episode 168 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Planescape’s Adventure: Gate Towns! Seven gate towns must be visited! How well does the 4-page format work, and what would we change? Find out as we look at Chapters 5-11 of Turn of Fortune’s Wheel. News: Ghostfire and Dungeon Dudes on DDB, D&D 50th Anniversary Products, D&D Stamps, and more! Contents 00:00 Holiday and PAX Miracles 05:05 Prog...

Episode 167 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Turn of Fortune’s Wheel: Casino and Outlands! Casino games are more fun when player goals align. This and the villain present challenges for the DM, if not the players. We venture into the Outlands and experience a castle out of a Miyazaki film. News: D&D Move Sequel, Peril Design, Gygax Shoes, PAX U Events, and more! Contents 00:00 Holiday Syste...

Episode 166 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Turn of Fortune’s Wheel! A tale of two chapters! A spoiler-filled discussion reviews the key twists to the adventure and finds a great disparity between the play experience in the first two chapters! News: Free D&D for Teachers, Maps Adds Features, Running Towns, and more! Contents 00:00 No Grandparents Harmed 02:26 Black Friday Deals? 05:24 Mons...

Episode 165 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Monsters in Morte’s Planar Parade! We take a look at Planescape’s monster book. We get traits to add to monsters, faction agents, and creatures from across the planes. Hear what we like and what we would change. News: Free Inspiration Deck, VTT at PAXU, GameHole Panels, and more! Contents 00:00 Explore the Space 01:34 Unsafe Gate Towns? 08:34 Best Pl...

Episode 164 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: The Outlands! Outside of Sigil are the Outlands, marked by fantastic and intense gate towns reflecting the plane beyond. Find out why we would change these up and how! News: D&D TV Launches, Chains of Asmoeus, Biggest Crowdfunders, and more! Contents 00:00 Scary Candy 01:58 Span the Ages? 07:23 Reduce HPs? 14:01 Session Length? 21:13 Buck Stops H...

Episode 163 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Planescape: Sigil’s Factions and Wards! The City of Sigil’s factions can be hard to grasp, but they play a critical role and shape the city itself, turning the city’s neighborhoods into reflections of their philosophies. News: WotC Recalls Many Things, Rough Hasbro Q3, D&D Anthology, and more! Contents 00:00 Back from GameHole! 03:28...

Episode 162 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Live at Gamehole 2023 – Setting Products! We discuss settings with our live audience! What do you want from a setting? Paper or digital? And is it Sigil or Sijil? Contents 00:00 Live at GameHole! 00:47 Sigil or Sijil? 05:09 What Do We Want from Settings? 06:23 Adventure Atlas: the Mortuary 10:20 Another Mortuary? 13:11 Audience Interest 1...

Episode 161 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Planescape: City of Sigil! The City of Sigil is a sci-fi conundrum. Let’s learn what makes the city so intriguing and how a DM can make the most of it. News: WotC hiring, Baldman at PAXU, Unforgettable Villains, and more! Contents 00:00 D&D Tutor 03:16 Class Sales? 08:33 Bigger Books? 10:28 Reskinning? 15:50 Dungeon Tropes? 19:54 Bald...

Episode 160 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse! 5E finally has Planescape! We take a look at Sigill and the Outlands, the first book introducing the setting and offering character options. News: The End of Everything, D&D Adds Bastions, WotC Drops Penguin, and more! Contents 00:00 Alex Kammer! 01:15 What is Gamehole Con? 09:30 Our Gamehole...

Episode 159 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Modiphius 2D20 RPGs! We take a look at the Modiphius 2D20 RPG system, including a close look at Star Trek Adventures and Dune: Adventures in the Imperium. News: Evil Genius Sues Netflix, Planescape Previews and Downloads, Free Lightning Keep, and more! Contents 00:00 Boosted 01:42 Modules? 11:21 New or Modify? 17:09 Planescape Previews 28...

Episode 158 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: DMG Conclusion: Creating Monsters, Spells, Magic Items. Appendices! The 2014 DMG ends with teaching DMs how to create rules and tries to inspire DMs. We then look back on the whole of the DMG and what 2024 might bring. News: What the D&D Community Update Forgot, New Eldraine Monsters, Maps VTT, and more! Contents 00:00 Lakeside 01:14...

Episode 157 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: DMG Chapter 9 part 2: Firearms, Plot Points, Initiative and Action Variants! The 2014 DMG provides many optional rules. Which ones would we use, and what should the 2024 DMG bring forward or change? News: Latest Playtest Backtracks, Prison Wish Lists, D&D Upcoming Release News, and more! Contents 00:00 Chainsaw Runner 02:59 What’s Up...

Episode 156 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: DMG Chapter 9: Dungeon Master’s Workshop! The 2014 DMG provides many optional rules. Which ones would we use, and what should the 2024 DMG bring forward or change? News: Latest Playtest Backtracks, Prison Wish Lists, D&D Upcoming Release News, and more! Contents 00:00 Dark 03:51 Poisoner? 12:52 2024 Adventure? 19:45 UA 7 Released 31:4...

Episode 155 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: DMG Running the Game part 3! How well does the DMG help us track initiative, improvise damage, run chases, fire siege weapons, and give out XP? Shawn and Teos have some good laughs as they investigate the 2018 DMG. News: Demiplane 5E Surprise, Phandelver Previews, Hiring and Pay, and more! Contents 00:00 PAX 03:36 Too Many Products? 09:19...

Episode 154 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 8 – Running the Game, part 2! Shawn and Teos continue examining Chapter 8 of the 2014 DMG. From optional ways to handle close die rolls, to social interactions, to exploration, we look at fascinating topics. News: D&D Movie Really Losing Money? Free Gazetteer, BG3 Reviews, Phandelver Sneak Peeks, and more! Content...

Episode 153 of Mastering Dungeons!  This week's main topic: Shadow of the Weird Wizard with Rob Schwalb! Rob Schwalb talks about his fantastic Kickstarter for Weird Wizard, his days at Wizards and insights into 5E’s creation, and what makes for a fantastic RPG. News: Tal’Dorei Reborn is the first 3rd party product on D&D Beyond, WotC Playtest Experiments, New D&D Beyond Survey, and more! C...