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!
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Worldbuilding Tips and Tricks (MD 179)
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Wednesday Feb 28, 2024
Episode 179 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Worldbuilding Tips and Tricks!
How do we create worlds that reflect the RPGs used to play them? How do we serve our readers, GMs, and players? Let’s talk worldbuilding!
News: Surviving Strangehollow,| No D&D in Portuguese, D&D Off-Broadway, and more!
Contents
00:00 Dark Weekend
01:01 Running Factions?
12:51 Mechanic Struggles?
21:51 Surviving Strangehollow
22:42 No D&D in Portuguese
26:01 Off-Broadway D&D
28:22 Star Trek 2E Announced
30:30 Emerging Designer Submissions
31:09 Weird Wizard Available
32:22 BX Inspired 5E
33:07 EN World Covers Evil Genius
35:36 Worldbuilding
35:48 Shawn's Worldbuilding
39:48 Build with Words
41:54 Show vs Tell
44:58 When to Get Detailed
47:10 Reality Matters
49:45 RPG-Based Fiction
55:55 Top-Down vs Bottom-Up
01:04:59 Microscope RPG
01:07:58 Surviving Strangehollow
01:15:32 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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.
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Shadowdark RPG – Combat, Travel, and Downtime (MD 178)
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Episode 178 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Shadowdark RPG’s Combat, Travel, and Downtime!
Teos shares the exploits in a recent Shadowdark game, adding context as Shawn and Teos review Shadowdark’s rules for combat, travel, and downtime.
News: Hasbro’s D&D Finances and Strategy, 2024 Release Info, Humblewood on Beyond, and more!
Contents
00:00 More Dragons
01:26 Counterproductive Playtesting?
07:39 Designer Responsability?
15:17 D&D Release Schedule
15:44 2024 Conventions
17:31 Vecna Eve of Ruin
20:48 Making of OD&D
25:26 Infinite Staircase
26:34 Core Books
28:45 Converse Lego and Pop-Tarts
31:21 Roll20 Character Sheet
32:21 Humblewood on Beyond
34:30 Hasbro Q4
36:55 DnD Finances
40:58 Hasbro's D&D Strategy
43:10 Universes Beyond
45:27 Shadowdark Gameplay
45:56 Playing with Meaghan J
50:59 Hiding in Shadowdark
55:50 Surprise and Initiative
59:13 Actions
01:02:58 Rulings Not Rules
01:06:35 Damage
01:09:55 Morale
01:15:48 Death
01:20:01 Overland Travel
01:24:53 Downtime
01:29:33 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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.
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Shadowdark RPG – Gameplay (MD 177)
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
Wednesday Feb 14, 2024
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&D 50th Thank You
00:19:33 Joe Manganiello Speaks
00:26:28 Pelgrane Press Blog
00:27:33 Sorcerer's Fate
00:29:15 Shadowdark
00:29:58 Crawlers
00:35:58 Rolling Dice
00:39:39 Luck Tokens
00:43:24 Abilities and Checks
00:49:30 Time and Initiative
01:04:43 Resting and Surprise
01:06:05 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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.
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
News with Graham Ward! (MD 176)
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
Wednesday Feb 07, 2024
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 Playtest Survey Results
00:30:49 D&D Novels and Journals
00:34:25 D&D Foundry Partnership
00:35:54 Kickstarter Up Down?
00:39:11 Associate D&D Event Manager
00:40:46 The Park Job
00:41:25 18 RPG Luminary Interviews
00:41:58 Release from OGL Vault
00:43:28 Adventures That Teach
00:45:27 5E Attack Variability
00:48:54 Graham on Shadowdark
00:53:15 Find Graham
00:56:07 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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/).
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Shadowdark RPG – Characters and Magic (MD 175)
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
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 Face
00:01:19 Compelling Hooks?
00:11:43 RPGs for New GMs
00:19:02 D&D Turns 50
00:21:56 D&D VR Game
00:26:35 Beyond Stats
00:29:33 Real Dungeon
00:31:01 50th Minis
00:32:48 Mathemagician Rituals
00:34:38 Zweihander Reforged
00:35:22 Hacking Across Editions
00:39:03 Shadowdark Characters
00:40:48 Ancestries
00:46:14 Classes - Fighter
00:48:35 Talents
00:50:12 Stat Boosts
00:51:46 Wizard and Priest
00:53:30 Thief
01:00:29 Backgrounds
01:02:08 Alignment and Deities
01:05:16 Titles
01:07:24 Gear and Slots
01:10:36 Cohesive Game Elements
01:13:27 XP
01:17:41 Magic
01:32:05 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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/).
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Shadowdark RPG - Reviewing the Basics (MD 174)
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
Wednesday Jan 24, 2024
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
00:02:16 Stale RPGs?
00:09:09 BladeThulu?
00:18:54 An RPG's Heart
00:25:32 New Random DnD
00:29:02 Fighting AI
00:32:54 Post-WotC Endeavors
00:35:57 L5R
00:38:47 Ingredients for Fun
00:42:14 Shadowdark
00:44:04 What is Shadowdark
00:54:32 Overview
01:02:54 Book Intro
01:06:50 Shadowdark's Assumptions
01:10:01 Character Design
01:14:38 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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/).
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Blade Runner Starter Set – Electric Dreams Adventure Review (MD 173)
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
Wednesday Jan 17, 2024
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 Jennell Jaquays, D&D Meta Plots, Evil Hat Shares Finances, and more!
Contents
00:00 Mike Shea!
07:22 Fun Downstroke?
17:14 Party Boost?
22:10 5E Metaplot?
31:07 Remembering Jennell Jaquays
34:40 Evil Hat Q4
44:46 Andy Stuns
46:06 Roll20 Versions
47:58 Surviving Strangehollow
50:02 Electric Dreams Adventure
52:06 Intro and Plot
57:11 Options and Events
1:01:06 The Story
1:10:53 Final Confrontation
1:13:56 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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/).
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Blade Runner Starter Set – Rules Review (MD 172)
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
Wednesday Jan 10, 2024
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 Creative Actions?
33:45 RPG Sales Mixed
34:55 Winter Fantasy Signups
37:19 2023 Review
39:10 Golden Ages
50:11 The Forged Dragons
50:53 Weapons of Legend
51:58 Lore24
53:21 Lamordia The God Engine
54:19 MCDM RPG $4.6M
54:57 Blade Runner Starter Set
56:11 Setting Overview
58:51 Starter Set Contents
1:01:55 Rules Overview
1:04:25 Specialties
1:04:49 Health and Resolve
1:06:08 Downtime
1:08:24 Humanity Points
1:15:13 Game Loop
1:21:25 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.
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/).
Mastering Dungeons
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