Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons

RPG veterans and game designers Teos Abadía and Shawn Merwin look at the game and the hobby of D&D from a variety of viewpoints: reporting the news, understanding the business, reviewing the products, and illuminating the design. Whether you’re a fan, a player, a DM, or a designer, Shawn and Teos cover topics of interest to you! read less
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Episodes

Recent Game Design Lessons (MD 219)
2d ago
Recent Game Design Lessons (MD 219)
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 MagicCon 00:25:28 AI Takes Down Itch.io 00:26:57 12 Days of Beyond 00:29:06 Everyone's Talking Exploration 00:31:49 2024 Magic Item Changes 00:33:39 Kickstarter Project Finances 00:37:19 Recent Game Design Lessons 00:39:16 Form and Function 00:44:05 Know the Medium 00:46:08 The Audience 00:50:58 Xendrik Expeditions 00:55:09 Living Forgotten Realms 00:59:19 Ashes of Athas 01:03:01 Getting Noticed 01:04:34 Playtesting and New Editions 01:05:56 Understanding Companies 01:09:19 D&D Encounters 01:12:09 Full-Time Work 01:13:09 Balancing Freelance and Self 01:16:02 Other Paths 01:17:25 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Lessons Learned from Our Early Projects (MD 218)
Dec 4 2024
Lessons Learned from Our Early Projects (MD 218)
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 Game Gets RPG 30:45 Lord of the Rings on DDB 34:57 MCDM's Illrigger on DDB 38:19 D&D at PAX Unplugged 39:20 Combo Encounters 40:59 Mearls Teaching at UW 41:29 Monstrous Menagerie II 43:21 Lessons Learned from Early Projects 44:31 Build a Community? 49:47 Starting in 2000 and the LG Era 52:54 Organized Play Lessons 56:57 Learning is Investment 01:00:02 Changing Social Media 01:02:59 Clear and Concise Language 01:04:01 Understanding Industry Pay 01:05:27 Great Success is Rare 01:07:30 There is No Perfection 01:13:58 The Product that Isn't 01:16:31 Edition Change Challenges 01:18:31 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Qualities RPG Companies Look for in an RPG Designer (MD 217)
Nov 27 2024
Qualities RPG Companies Look for in an RPG Designer (MD 217)
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 Sue Hasbro 27:10 Social Media Changes 32:31 Post Office D&D Flyer 33:30 Winter Fantasy 34:13 Goodman Games Con 35:10 Roll20 Bastion Contest 35:58 DM David's D&D Wish List 39:39 Cupcake Dragon Card Game 40:56 Iskandar Explorer's Journal 41:50 What Publishers Look For 42:51 Standardized Job Descriptions? 45:25 Wide Skill Range 49:53 Reliability and Communication 58:32 Curiosity 01:01:23 Style Guides 01:04:06 Excitement 01:05:45 Mindfulness and Compassion 01:09:11 Big Bold Ideas 01:11:28 Courage 01:17:30 2 Designers 01:23:37 Praise 01:24:48 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
What Publishers Want in a D&D Designer (MD 215)
Nov 13 2024
What Publishers Want in a D&D Designer (MD 215)
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 Like Lazy DM? 14:41 D&D Beyond on Campaigns and Adventures 18:11 Critical Role Minis Canceled 20:23 DMG Preorder Debacles 23:13 Weapon Masteries 101 30:49 PAGE Convention Near Philly 33:05 State of the Mongoose 35:20 Lessons from Meetup 37:43 Jeff Stevens Steals Christmas 38:40 What Publishers Want in a D&D Designer 40:27 Growing Into a Position 42:13 D&D Designer - What You Do 56:08 Representing the Company 58:55 What You Bring 01:02:47 D&D Product Architect 01:11:22 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Looking Back on Gamehole Con ‘24 (MD 214)
Nov 6 2024
Looking Back on Gamehole Con ‘24 (MD 214)
Episode 214 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Memories of Gamehole Con! Shawn and Teos look back on all of the events they attended and lessons from attending conventions. Hear why Gamehole is so special. News: Claim Elemental Evil, Maps Adds Encounters, Audio-Only Drizzt, and more! Contents 00:00 Stealing Credit Cards 03:08 Cleric Subclasses Setting Only? 09:21 Good Design Not Obvious? 13:57 Claim Scions of Elemental Evil 16:26 D&D Maps Adds Encounters 19:26 Audible-Only Drizzt Novel 20:32 Discord D&D Collection 21:41 Ars Magica Definitive Collection 23:25 Rodney Thompson List and Games 25:04 MT Black World War Weird 26:08 Thunder Road Vendetta RPG 27:36 Draconis Peaceful 5E 28:57 Gamehole Revisited 29:32 Whether to Attend Conventions 33:05 Wednesday Pre-Con Gatherings 38:15 Thursday's Events 47:32 Making the Most of Friday 59:27 Packed Saturday 01:04:28 Thankful Sunday Finish 01:06:39 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Want to Be a Professional Game Designer? (MD 213)
Oct 30 2024
Want to Be a Professional Game Designer? (MD 213)
Episode 213 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Want to Be a Professional Game Designer? Shawn and Teos tackle a question they hear often. Do you truly want to be a game designer, and if so, the steps to take to make meaningful progress. News: Hasbro Q3 and Layoffs, D&D 1-Shots, CR and Dimension 20 Arena Shows, and more! Contents 00:00 Post-Gamehole Buzz 03:03 Skills are Exploration? 11:06 The Adventure is the Game? 16:46 Campaign Without Gods or Planes? 20:50 Layoffs and Q3 Hasbro Results 32:47 D&D is Down 34:17 How Big is D&D? 35:22 DMG Lore Glossary 36:41 DMG Encounter Design 40:13 DM Screen Preview 41:35 PH and DM High Demand 43:19 D&D One-Shot Store Events 44:51 Scions of Elemental Evil 46:41 Critical Role and Dim 20 Arena Shows 48:15 Be a Professional Game Designer? 49:22 Do You Actually Want It? 53:41 Mix Games with Occupation 57:13 What Skills to Hone? 01:05:12 Team Skills 01:07:22 Making Patient Progress 01:12:11 Know the Current Media 01:13:05 Possible Paths 01:15:17 Help People Solve Problems 01:17:36 Know Your Worth and do Work 01:19:26 Become a Great GM 01:21:06 The Role of Conventions 01:27:35 Having "It" 01:29:48 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Horizons Magazine with Hannah Rose! (MD 211)
Oct 16 2024
Horizons Magazine with Hannah Rose! (MD 211)
Episode 211 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Horizons Magazine with Hannah Rose! Hannah Rose shares how she and Clara Daly are creating Horizons Magazine and what we can expect from this issue and future quarterly issues. News: London Gets DMGs, D&D Movie Netflix Success, DMG Toolbox Previews, and more! Contents 00:00 Happy Rebranding Day 01:33 Character Consequences? 13:48 Pivot from Curse of Strahd? 20:54 First DMGs at London MCM 23:38 DMG Toolbox Previews 32:58 D&D Movie Big on Netflix 35:38 Greyhawk 101 36:52 Cultural Backgrounds 2024 38:33 Trapped on Cyre 1313 39:46 Dungeons Reforged 42:09 Grim Hollow Transformed 43:11 Hannah Rose 44:43 Hannah and Clara 55:12 Why a Magazine? 58:34 Lessons from Arcadia 01:01:53 Playtesting 01:04:59 Mix of D&D and Other RPGs 01:09:03 Desk of Many Thoughts 01:11:48 How to Get Horizons 01:13:07 Patreon vs Site? 01:14:24 Issue 1 Contents - Travel 01:18:23 Star Dragons 01:19:43 Cloud City 01:23:55 NPC Atraxis 01:28:57 Future Plans 01:34:05 Find Wildmage Press 01:35:12 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Wardens of the Eastern Marches! (MD 210)
Oct 9 2024
Wardens of the Eastern Marches! (MD 210)
Episode 210 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Wardens of the Eastern Marches! Alex Kammer tells us all about Wardens of the Eastern Marches, the new organized play program from Gamehole Publishing. News: 2024 DMG Previews, Commander Rules Committee, Bastion is for Players, and more! Contents 00:00 No Vaccine for Ladders 02:19 Remove Mechanics for Setting? 15:08 D&D Made for Conflict? 31:28 DMG Previews! 41:26 Bastions Preview 42:04 Player Rules in the DMG? 44:04 New D&D Licensed Products 45:19 Commander Rules Committee Disbands 50:31 Gamehole's Organized Play 51:11 Real Castle Floor Plans 51:46 The Best LLM is Your Brain 52:58 Sorcerer's Return 54:00 Grim Hollow Transformed Update 55:56 Alex Kammer and Eastern Marches 58:19 Importance of Organized Play 01:01:35 AL at a Crossroads 01:04:51 The Eastern Marches 01:09:06 Setting and Alliances 01:12:42 Where to Play 01:13:15 3rd Party PC Options 01:19:58 Exploring the Unknown 01:21:08 Saying Yes to Creators 01:22:59 Magic Item Certs 01:26:22 Releasing Adventures 01:29:16 Gamehole and 50th 01:34:57 What Makes Gamehole Special 01:38:39 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
5E Stat Block Changes and Building the Perfect Campaign Guide! (MD 209)
Oct 2 2024
5E Stat Block Changes and Building the Perfect Campaign Guide! (MD 209)
Episode 209 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 5E Stat Block Changes and Building the Perfect Campaign Guide! We look at how 2024 5E changes stat block format, while also modifying monsters themselves. We then turn to creating the perfect campaign setting guide. News: 2024 5E Sales, Uni Finds Beyond, Grim Hollow Transformed, and more! Contents 00:00 Go Broncos! 00:56 Divine-Powered Goals? 19:35 2024 5E Sales 33:01 D&D on Vinyl 34:06 Uni on Beyond 36:40 Baldur's Gate 3 Minis 38:10 Horizons Magazine 41:15 Frontiers of Eberron's Creation 43:08 Grim Hollow Transformed 48:26 2024 Monster Stat Blocks 50:03 Design Goal 58:22 2024 Layout Changes 01:03:03 Changes to the Ape 01:10:34 Changes to the Imp 01:14:32 Other Creature Changes 01:20:45 Building the Perfect Campaign Guide 01:21:37 Constraints and Assumptions 01:22:40 Length 01:23:55 What to Include: The Pitch 01:26:25 Player Knowledge 01:27:29 The World 01:33:23 New Rules to Support Play 01:35:56 What Might Be Included? 01:39:15 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
2024 5E’s Gods and Multiverse! Final Greyhawk! (MD 208)
Sep 25 2024
2024 5E’s Gods and Multiverse! Final Greyhawk! (MD 208)
Episode 208 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 2024 5E’s Gods and Multiverse! Final Greyhawk! 2024 5E PH banishes all the gods and reduces the multiverse to one page and one image! We look at how this changes 5E for new players. Our final look at Greyhawk reimagines the setting format and looks at how gods and powerful organizations create interesting play. News: MtG Netflix Revivified, the D&D Bologna Scale, Knowing Vecna, and more! Contents 00:00 Emptying Nests 02:53 Boss Battle Origins? 06:23 Codified vs Loose Rules? 15:40 Sage Advice Fixes? 19:37 Rest of World Healing? 29:18 MtG Netflix Show Revivified 31:32 What Do We Know About Vecna 35:24 D&D Bologna Scale Tested 39:17 Daggerheart Preorders 41:10 Enter the Labyrinth 43:07 2014 vs 2024 Gods and Multiverse 44:45 Design Goals 47:35 Planes and Gods in Older Editions 52:30 2014 and 2024's Gods and Planes 56:48 Is Less Information Good? 01:05:07 Wrapping Up Greyhawk 01:06:32 Encyclopedic Approach is Dated 01:08:03 Why Greyhawk is Different 01:14:32 Geography of the Flanaess 01:15:45 Greyhawk's Powerful Organizations 01:19:49 Greyhawk's Gods 01:21:03 The Living Greyhawk Campaign 01:22:26 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
2024 5E’s Resting Rules and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 207)
Sep 18 2024
2024 5E’s Resting Rules and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 207)
Episode 207 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 2024 5E Resting Rules and Greyhawk’s Regions! Discover the subtle changes 2024 5E makes to short and long rests and how they compare to previous editions. We assess the potential campaigns behind the design of Greyhawk’s Rovers of the Barens, Scarlet Brotherhood, Sea Barons, Sea Princes, and Shield Lands! News: 2024 5E and the AL, New Ravenloft Novel, When to Explain a Crime, and more! Contents 00:00 LEGO Mini Mania 04:20 D&D Epic vs Open? 09:47 Empire of the What? 11:17 Explaining a Crime? 15:19 Why is Medicine Useless? 21:24 2024 and Adv League 31:38 New Ravenloft Novel 33:23 D&D Cartoon Theme Found 35:18 Un Millón de Monedas 40:22 Oleumancer for Draw Steel 41:29 How to Create in 2024 42:46 2024 vs 2014: Healing and Resting 43:08 Value of Conditions 44:45 Design Goal for Recovery 48:44 Recovery in AD&D 52:17 3.5 Rest and Recovery 54:05 4E Rest and Recovery 57:53 2024 Long Rest Changes 01:03:04 2024 Short Rest 01:09:39 Rovers of the Barrens 01:13:42 Scarlet Brotherhood 01:18:20 Sea Barons 01:20:43 Sea Princes 01:24:05 Shield Lands 01:28:01 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
2024 5E Conditions and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 206)
Sep 11 2024
2024 5E Conditions and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 206)
Episode 206 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 2024 5E Conditions and Greyhawk’s Regions! We examine the design goals of conditions and how they have changed for 2024. We visit Greyhawk’s Paynims, Perrenland, Pomarj, Ratik, and Rel Astra to see how to make the most of kingdoms and rulers. News: 2024 PH Errata, Draw Steel License, Shadowdark Hex Crawl, and more! Contents 00:00 Tastes Like Introcaso 01:43 Alignment Problems? 16:21 Preferred Tools VTT or Table? 25:33 2024 PH Errata 30:15 Time Mag on D&D 33:37 BMG Organized Play Survey 34:49 Draw Steel Creator License 37:34 Shadowdark Hex Crawling Rules 41:17 Grim Hollow Valikan Clans 44:30 Jeff Stevens on PWYW 46:18 Frontiers of Eberron PreOrder 50:47 Conditions in 5E 2024 vs 2014 51:40 Design Goals 01:00:07 4E and Do We Need Conditions? 01:02:50 2014's Conditions 01:06:43 2024 vs 2014 01:30:24 Greyhawk's Plains of the Paynims 01:35:17 Perrenland 01:37:23 Pomarj 01:39:48 Ratik 01:41:27 Rel Astra and Solnor Compact 01:45:02 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
PC Creation in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 205)
Sep 4 2024
PC Creation in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 205)
Episode 205 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: PC Creation in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! 2024 changes the order for character creation… for the better? We review Greyhawk’s North Kingdom, Nyrond, Onnwal and the Pale, looking at how to make settings interesting for players. News: PH in Stores, PAX West Report, Greg Tito Leaves WotC, and more! Contents 00:00 PAX West Report 04:08 Hate Balance? 06:32 Balance with Flavor? 09:26 Weapon Mastery Compensation? 14:17 D&D Direct 15:54 2024 DMG and MM 18:07 Translations Delayed and Changed 19:18 Jess Lanzillo 21:46 New Releases 27:46 Sigil VTT 33:39 Traveller Sold to Mongoose 35:16 NPR Covers D&D 36:54 Greg Tito Leaves WotC 42:08 2024 PH in Stores and Beyond 42:49 Free 2024 Rules 46:19 2024 Really Bigger? 48:00 Character Creation 2024 vs 2015 52:25 2024 Starts with Rules 57:27 Class 57:48 Origin After Class 01:03:31 Mechanical Order vs Narrative 01:05:13 Ability Scores 01:10:37 Alignment and Details 01:18:46 Greyhawk's North Kingdom 01:24:58 Nyrond 01:30:23 Onnwal 01:33:11 The Pale 01:36:59 Shout Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
5E Weapon Mastery and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 204)
Aug 28 2024
5E Weapon Mastery and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 204)
Episode 204 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Weapon Mastery in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! 2024 brings exciting Weapon Master options. We discuss the design, then turn to Greyhawk and review Ket, Lendore Isles, and Lordship of the Isles. Surf and turf! News: D&D Clarifies Beyond, D&D’s  Secret Level and Universal Plans, and more! Contents 00:00 Time and Friendship 03:22 Conventions with Most AL? 11:37 Is Passive Perction Wrong? 19:32 D&D Direct 21:11 Beyond Clarifications 28:24 D&D Hiring Game Designer 31:39 D&D on Amazon Prime 32:27 Paizo Reverses Community Policy 34:33 Universal D&D FanFest 35:02 D&D at Rochester's Strong Museum 36:00 Goodman Launches Organized Play 37:03 Giantsbane Covers Planescape 37:43 Cosmere is Nr 1 38:36 2024 Weapon Mastery 39:11 Design Goals 43:20 Weapon Mastery Properties 54:56 DM vs Players 01:01:03 Overall Thoughts 01:07:59 Greyhawk and Triads 01:13:13 Ket 01:23:20 Lendore Isles 01:27:27 Lordship of the Isles 01:31:22 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Search in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 203)
Aug 21 2024
Search in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 203)
Episode 203 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Search in 2024 5E and Greyhawk’s Regions! D&D codifies the Search and Study actions in 2024. How does this impact gameplay? We then dive into how Greyhawk regions do or don’t create actionable history, looking into Highfolk, Ice Barbarians, Irongate, Empire of Iuz, and Keoland! News: Uni Adventure at PAXW, Deborah Ann Woll Teaches, Motley Fool on 2024 D&D, and more! Contents 00:00 ODnD Mini Review 02:55 What is Modularity? 10:26 First Multi-Table Event? 23:31 Deborah Ann Woll Teaches D&D 28:18 Alt Cover PH Delayed Outside US 29:21 2024 Tonal Shift? 38:42 Motley Fool on D&D 2024 43:40 Uni Adventure at PAX West 45:38 Norrøngard Tales of the Valiant 46:40 Horror at Devil's Run for Foundry 47:27 Search Action in 2024 49:22 Ludonarrative Dissonance? 55:29 Search in 2014 57:33 2024 Search and Study Actions 59:12 Feat and Spell Interactions 01:04:45 The Cost of Searching 01:06:59 DM Behavior 01:13:30 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 01:13:59 Highfolk 01:18:58 Ice Barbarians 01:21:11 Irongate 01:24:44 Empire of Iuz 01:30:02 Keoland 01:39:37 Gamehole Con Events 01:40:21 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
2014 vs 2024 Exhaustion and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 202)
Aug 14 2024
2014 vs 2024 Exhaustion and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 202)
Episode 202 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: 2014 vs 2024 Exhaustion and Greyhawk’s Regions! Does 2024’s change to Exhaustion improve gameplay? Our new 2024 mini-review series has begun! We then dive into how Greyhawk regions showcase politics and history, looking into the Frost Barbarians, Furyondy, Gran March, and Teos’ favorite, Geoff! News: WotC New Influencer Policy, We Playtest Draw Steel, Satanic Panic Podcast, and more! Contents 00:00 Draw Steel and Film 07:32 Best Way to Celebrate Anniversary? 17:23 Run a Complex Setting? 24:14 WotC New Influencer Policy 31:01 New D&D MtG 32:39 Jess Lanzillo Interview 39:57 Satanic Panic Podcast 43:33 Story Hooks 44:40 Encounter Difficulty Math 46:08 Amazing Encounters & Dungeons 46:53 2024 Mini-Review on Exhaustion 54:56 2024's Changes 01:02:36 Greyhawk's Regions! 01:03:23 Frost Barbarians 01:07:29 Furyondy 01:09:24 Good Hook Example 01:11:51 Duchy of Geoff 01:15:35 Combat and Politics 01:17:09 Gran March 01:19:42 Wheels Within Wheels 01:22:04 City of Greyhawk 01:28:50 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Setting Design and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 201)
Aug 7 2024
Setting Design and Greyhawk’s Regions! (MD 201)
Episode 201 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Setting Design and Greyhawk’s Regions! Does a standoffish elven nation make for great play? We ponder setting design and the 2024 DMG while summarizing Greyhawk’s regions of Bissel, Blackmoor, Bone March, Bright Lands, Celene, Dyvers, and Ekbir. News: PH Debut and Gen Con News, Blurry Video Debacle, Cosmere Stormlight RPG, and more! Contents 00:00 Gen Con Haul 04:21 Playing in Established Settings? 07:00 RAW vs Homebrew for Designers? 09:19 Questions for Organized Play? 19:21 Gen Con Sells Out 20:36 2024 PH Debuts and News 32:37 Video Blur Debacle 42:32 Diana Jones and ENnies 43:12 Dark Horse DnD Comics 43:54 LEGO Minifigs 44:42 City of Arches by Sly Flourish 45:34 Brandon Sanderson Cosmere RPG 46:39 Making the Most of Greyhawk Regions 48:04 What 2024 May Bring 49:42 Useful Design 52:20 Politics vs Adventure 59:02 Our Approach 01:00:38 Bissel 01:05:44 Blackmoor 01:09:33 The Bone March 01:11:14 The Bright Lands and Rary 01:14:13 Celene the Elven Kingdom 01:17:38 Dyvers 01:20:40 Calliphate of Ekbir 01:25:16 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.
Greyhawk’s Regions: Ahlissa and BK! (MD 200)
Jul 31 2024
Greyhawk’s Regions: Ahlissa and BK! (MD 200)
Episode 200 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Greyhawk’s Regions! The 2024 DMG will include the setting of Greyhawk. Shawn and Teos examine how the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer covers its nations and regions, using Ahlissa and the Bandit Kingdoms to ponder what makes a setting great. News: What is D&D’s Tabletop Revenue, Hasbro Q2 Breakdown, Why RPGs Have Mistakes, and more! Contents 00:00 200th Birthday 02:13 Reproduce Living Greyhawk? 18:40 Why Does WotC Make Mistakes? 27:18 Hasbro Q2 Results! 35:13 D&D and Digital 41:31 2024 and VTT? 44:38 DD Beyond Grows to 18M 46:16 Calculating D&D's Revenue 51:00 MCDM RPG is Draw Steal 51:48 Greyhawk Regions 53:57 What Do We Want in a Setting? 59:13 Gazetteer Approach 01:10:13 Kingdom of Ahlissa 01:13:00 Every DM's Setting the Same? 01:19:11 Resources, Coins 01:21:02 Peoples, Alignments, Religions 01:23:45 Allies, Enemies, Overview 01:26:59 History 01:30:38 Conflicts and Intrigues 01:37:22 The Bandit Kingdoms 01:41:22 BK and Casey Brown 01:47:40 Shout-Outs Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon. Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/  Our intro and outro music is Metropolis Fanfare, provided royalty-free by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com) under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). MP3 file metadata populated with Online MP3 Podcast Chapter Editor, built by Dominik Peters. https://mp3chapters.github.io/ and customized for Mastering Dungeons by Vladimir Prenner from Croatia.