In this episode we talk about different ways to spice up your D&D combat, make your battles more dynamic, and keep your players on their toes. We talk about using flavorful descriptions, unique monsters, and tactical thinking to keep your playe

All is Fair in Love and Surprise Rounds

Mar 24th, 2021 29m 22s

Kagan recently brought in a guest player to infiltrate the party, gain their trust, and ultimately attempt to assassinate one of the PCs. It ended up being one of the most memorable moments in his DMing career and in this week’s episode we dig

Objectives, Pirates, and Payoff

Mar 10th, 2021 33m 29s

In this episode we plan an upcoming adventure full of pirates, dragons, and merfolk. We dig into how to lay down subtle, optional side quests for your players to discover and how to place clear objectives in their path. We also discuss how to s

Tuning Your Game’s Challenge Level

Mar 3rd, 2021 32m 38s

In this episode we explore how to find the right balance between challenge and frustration for your D&D game. D&D is supposed to be fun, but sometimes the greatest rewards come from feeling like you overcame an immense challenge. Finding the ri

Giving a Voice to Your NPCs

Feb 24th, 2021 23m 57s

This episode is all about getting into character and bringing your NPCs to life through vocal qualities, dialects, and physicality. We also give tips on getting over the nervousness that many people have with acting, discuss the different ways

Digital Dungeons and Virtual Dragons

Feb 17th, 2021 43m 7s

In this episode we talk about playing D&D online. Since the onset of Covid, tons of games have moved online. Luckily there are a TON of great resources out there to help you make the most out of playing virtually. We discuss the different tools

5e Doesn’t Care About Your Physics

Feb 10th, 2021 29m 37s

This episode is all about physics in 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons (or lack thereof). We discuss rules like falling, jumping, and encumbrance and talk about whether it bothers us that they’re so ridiculous. We also talk about how to handle s

One Shot Adventures

Feb 3rd, 2021 26m 6s

This episode is all about running one shot adventures. One shots are great for introducing people to D&D, trying out creative ideas, mixing things up from your normal games, and most importantly are a ton of fun!We dig into what makes one shots

Collaborative Storytelling

Jan 27th, 2021 36m 22s

This week’s episode is all about taking your hands off the wheel and letting your players take control of the story.As dungeon masters we invent storylines, plant secrets, and build up anticipation for them to experience our awesome content! Bu

Guest Players

Jan 20th, 2021 33m 12s

This episode we discuss guest players in D&D. Guest players are a great way to mix things up, get a fresh voice, or introduce the game to a new player. But there’s a lot to think about when you’re considering throwing someone into your game! We

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything: How Do You Want to Brew This

Jan 13th, 2021 44m 58s

In this episode we discuss the latest addition to the D&D 5e library, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. We discuss the bevy of new options available to players, brew up a spicy conversation on the rules for customizing your origin, dig into the A

Over the Hills and Far Away: Travel in D&D

Jan 6th, 2021 30m 40s

In this episode we discuss the wide variety of options out there for travel in D&D. Skip it? Montage it? Immerse yourself in the details? So many choices! We talk about how to enhance your travel through thematic encounters, opportunities for r

Dysfunctional D&D

Dec 30th, 2020 30m 35s

This episode we discuss a couple of difficult questions: how do you improve a dysfunctional D&D table and when is it time to call it quits? We focus on the importance of communication before and during a campaign and share stories of times we w

Refining a Villain

Dec 23rd, 2020 43m 15s

In this episode we continue our discussion from last week’s episode, Crafting a Villain. We dig deeper into the origins and motivations of the "Boogeyman" villain, invent an order or wizards connected to him, and brainstorm creative ways to sta

Crafting a Villain

Dec 16th, 2020 31m 2s

Villains are key to almost every D&D campaign, and they’re at the core of a lot of adventure planning. So what makes a good villain? This episode we dive into that topic, discussing some of our favorite villains from D&D, comic books, and movie

Bringing Your Cities to Life

Dec 2nd, 2020 30m 50s

This episode we talk about planning adventures in cities! Cities can be overwhelming to plan, with their abundance of history, points of interest, and endless ways for your party to get into trouble. We talk about how to focus your planning for

Writing and Integrating Backstories

Nov 25th, 2020 29m 58s

This episode we discuss the foundation for your adventurer’s origins and motivations: their backstory. We look at backstories both from the perspective of the player and the DM, getting into what makes a good backstory, how a longer backstory d

Handling the Unexpected

Nov 18th, 2020 30m 29s

This episode we talk about what to do when your best laid plans go completely out the window.One of the best parts about D&D is the freedom to creatively solve problems. The joy of being able to try just about anything, say whatever you want, a

Session Recap: Brains and Devils

Nov 11th, 2020 21m 48s

This episode we circle back to the adventures we planned in Campaigns Arcs & Mind Flayers and the one-on-one sessions we planned in A Devilish Encounter. Hear what went great, what didn’t go as expected, and the surprising decisions the players

Role Playing

Nov 4th, 2020 34m 35s

This episode we dive into the wonderful world of role playing!From ordering your first drink, to berating the rogue for getting in trouble again, role playing is the magic sauce that separates role playing games like D&D from other tabletop gam

Campaign Arcs and Mind Flayers

Oct 28th, 2020 32m

Joe calls out for assistance as he begins building his next story arc full of creepy villagers, brains with legs, and mind flayers! We discuss creative ways to sow the seeds of future adventures, how to steal your players’ brilliant ideas, and

Joe the Shield Lander

Oct 21st, 2020 26m 17s

This episode we dive into Joe’s backstory and hear about his experiences growing up playing convention style D&D. Starting out as a wee 10 year old, Joe “The Boy” Crook went to conventions with his dad playing in the Living Greyhawk campaign se

Halloween Adventures

Oct 14th, 2020 35m 16s

Halloween is just around the corner, and that means it's time to dress up as your character and go on spooky adventures! Hear about Kagan’s past Halloween games and listen in on the creative process as Joe and Kagan brainstorm ideas for this ye

Bending the Rules

Oct 9th, 2020 29m

Making up monsters and carefully bending the rules. When is it okay to bend the rules as the DM? How do you avoid players feeling like you’re not “playing fair”? How do you figure out how and where to bend the rules as a new DM?

A Devilish Encounter

Oct 9th, 2020 26m 29s

Kagan and Joe brainstorm ideas for a devilish encounter. How do you slowly build up a villain and give the party fun options to interact with them? Running one on one sessions are fun! The difficulties of running super powerful villains.Minor s