Hello orcs! We’re back. Our recent hiatus was both unplanned and unavoidable, but the siren’s song of RPG blogging and podcasting can be resisted for only so long. And don’t worry, we do have something to show for our time away.Our very own S

38 - D&D 5e PHB Errata!

Jun 21st, 2015 42m

We go over the latest errata released for the 5e Players Handbook! http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/ph_errata

37 - Town And Tank

Jun 15th, 2015 30m 39s

Never split the party?! How to handle (and avoid) a split party as a DM. Also what's the best tank build in the land?

36 - Double Episode! D&D 5e Unearthed Arcana and More!

May 26th, 2015 48m 27s

Double the fun with this double episode! The gang (minus Tom) discusses the new D&D 5e Unearthed Arcana and more in this double feature.

35 - D&D 5e Crowd Control

May 12th, 2015 30m 52s

5e spellcasters, still the masters of crowd control? Monks a good early option? How the power curve has changed for Wizards.

34 - Modifying Classes!

May 5th, 2015 21m 7s

This episode we discuss the recent Wizards article on modifying classes! https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/modifying-classes

33 - Elemental Evil Player's Companion!

Apr 22nd, 2015 23m 32s

We're back and talking about the Player's Companion - Elemental Evil!

32 - Listener Questions!

Mar 31st, 2015 20m 45s

Today we answer a couple listener questions!Jak asks-1) Do you have general advice about which class to take first when multiclassing? I was thinking about Bard/Warlock when I get to create a character. But I don't know the order in which

31 - DMing Combat!

Mar 17th, 2015 32m 38s

Keep your combat fresh! Don't just make it an arms race of numbers. Surprise the players. Steve helps a friend with some tips on how to run interesting combat and tells tales from our own campaigns. Matt also has the creepiest intro voice...

30 - D&D 5e Challenge Ratings (Follow Up)!

Mar 9th, 2015 22m 4s

Thanks to all our listeners for their feedback on our first Challenge Ratings podcast! Turns out we were wrong to declare the system unusable... or at least absent. This episode we explore how usable it actually is.

29 - D&D 5e Builds (Fan Question)!

Mar 2nd, 2015 1h 10m

This episode we tackle a listener question! It's a long one (over 1 hour!) so settle in. We discuss best race and background combo's for a variety of builds.

Orc Labs 28 - Darkest Dungeon

Feb 24th, 2015 37m 38s

Today we don't talk about D&D!? What? You say?! It's true. We are talking about a new favorite game of ours, Darkest Dungeon, a roguelike RPG out now on Steam early access. This game will mess you up. Heroes die all the time so get attached at

27 - D&D 5E Party Tactics 2!

Feb 17th, 2015 26m 12s

We continue to explore the "ideal" party. Four Druids... No but seriously. How about the classic, Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue? Bard, Warlock, Druid, anything? And other winning combos.

26 - D&D 5e Challenge Ratings (or not)...

Feb 10th, 2015 22m 20s

All about how to calculate CR's for enemies with PC classes... Oh wait you can't, because, uhh, potato? If you try you will find yourself sucked into some evil infinite circular logic loop of the DMG. Try it, we dare you! (Oh and if you do figu

25 - D&D 5e Party Tactics!

Jan 30th, 2015 28m 2s

Did all the players roll Fighters?... Balance! Tank, Caster, Healer, Thief! Co-ordination is king. How to defeat an Evil sorcerer of higher level. Bard/Warlock tag teaming and other stories.

24 - DM'ing styles and tales!

Jan 22nd, 2015 24m 45s

This episode we talk about styles of DM'ing a game. Are you more open world or linear quest? I know one thing we all agree on is that the players always ruin everything! Killing vital story NPC's? Check. Murdering each other? Check. Chasing shi

23 - D&D 5e Dungeon Masters Guide(Tippyverse)!

Jan 16th, 2015 21m 46s

We debate campaign setting balance. How much magic is in the world? Apex predators. The tippyverse?! How to create an internally consistent game world. Trap invaders with a banquet! What are your thoughts on the issues?

22 - D&D 5e Bow vs. Axe!

Jan 14th, 2015 16m 20s

I don't need math to tell me Orc with Axe wins... See companion post for pretty charts/graphs.

21 - D&D 5e Dungeon Masters Guide(Just the Beginning)!

Jan 9th, 2015 22m 34s

Finally we get around to the Dungeon Masters guide... We talk magic items, optional rules, and how to lose an eye. Steve is fond of the critical wounds table (be warned he reads the whole thing). Tom likes the toned down nature of magic items.

20 - D&D 5e Warlock/Rogue Min-Maxing!

Jan 5th, 2015 20m 1s

How to get the most damage out of your Warlock, your Rogue, or your Rogue/Warlock?! Some disagreement between Steve and Matt. Eldritch spear sniper! Tom says there is more to the game than damage dice... Druids are still OP.

19 - 5e Dark Sun Campaign(Session 1 Recap)!

Dec 30th, 2014 22m 56s

Starting to mix it up a bit and today the guys (Steve and Matt) talk about the new campaign they are playing in. Matt has chosen his favorite setting Dark Sun where battling thirst and sandstorms is as much as struggle as any combat is! So list

18 - D&D 5e Wizard (Master of the Arcane)!

Dec 20th, 2014 31m 1s

Finally we discuss the Wizard, staple of fantasy RPG's, and icon of Dungeons & Dragons. Playing a Wizard feels like being home to all of us at Orc Labs. We may stray into the other classes but we always return to the Wizard. No party feels comp

17 - D&D 5e Bard (Dungeon Guitar Solo)!

Dec 17th, 2014 23m 12s

Want to be a bard? First take 5 levels of 'Fighting Man', now take 5 levels of 'Thief', finally sprinkle in some 'Druid', and voila, a Bard is born! Hold on... I'm being told you can just start as a Bard now... Dungeon guitar solo! Waaawawaweee

16 - D&D 5e Cleric (Goaltender of the party)!

Dec 10th, 2014 22m 31s

I feel for you clerics. You're like the goalies of the party, when things go wrong all eyes are on you. Sure after a victory the Fighter and the Wizard gloat about how many enemies they killed. Do you gloat about how much HP you healed? No, tha

OrcLabsPodcast15 - D&D 5e Druid (DrOod)!

Nov 17th, 2014 21m 53s

A great philosopher once asked, "Does a bear poop in the woods?". We now know that bears do indeed poop in the woods. How do we know you ask? Druids. That's how. They told us. Today's episode we explore the D&D 5e Druid! Possibly the most overp