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
7 days ago
7 days ago
Episode 234 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Hundred Dungeons and the OSR!
Graham Ward joins Teos to discuss his RPG, Hundred Dungeons, and how it blends OSR and other games to create awesome play!
News: WotC Sigil Team Laid Off, Convention Air Quality, Node-Based Design, and more!
Contents
00:00 Graham Ward!
01:50 Bring Back Class Roles?
05:55 Encourage Not to Rest?
12:07 Org Play Tied to Current Releases?
18:24 90% Sigil VTT Team Laid Off
27:52 Forge of Foes on Audible
29:01 Monster Vulnerability is Bad
36:45 Convention Air Quality
39:42 D&D and Housing Justice
41:25 Node-Based Design
46:18 Creator's Guide to Shipping
47:48 Hundred Dungeons
48:44 Why Hundred Dungeons?
52:45 An Interest Shift?
58:18 Actionable OSR Design
01:00:27 Hundred Dungeons Basics
01:06:29 When Math Strikes
01:13:11 Modes of Play
01:18:22 Centering the Home
01:22:34 Recuperation
01:28:03 Advice for Creators
01:30:10 Graham's Creations
01:33:00 Find Graham
01:33:58 What Are We Gonna Do Now?
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.
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Episode 233 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Let’s Build Encounters!
We build encounters based on goblin and pirate monster groups as found in the revised Monster Manual. See our process for creating fun and engaging encounters!
News: Electric State on Netflix, SVP Leaves WotC, Origins Award Finalists, and more!
Contents
00:00:00 Duke Ranks Higher Than Our Show
00:01:17 D&D at ECCC
00:05:52 D&D vs PBtA Story Loop
00:14:55 Removing D&D Subclasses?
00:17:40 Favorite Settings or Genres?
00:22:00 Digital and Licensing SVP Departs WotC
00:24:38 Electric State on Netflix
00:26:14 LoG Battle of Emridy Meadows
00:29:25 Origins Award Finalists
00:31:03 Running D&D for Kids
00:32:33 Florida Judge Cites D&D Not Making Him Satanic
00:33:57 Shadowdark Western Reaches
00:37:52 Jeff Stevens Villains & Lairs
00:38:30 LATAM RPG Jam
00:39:32 Let's Build Encounters
00:40:30 What's Our Process?
00:42:47 When Do We Care About Math?
00:46:07 Adventure Rhythm
00:48:15 What Makes an Encounter Fun?
00:55:19 What Is Our Story?
00:58:13 Let's Build a Goblin Encounter!
01:12:13 Let's Build a Pirate Encounter!
01:21:28 Rewards
01:23:52 Shout-Outs
01:27:07 What Are We Gonna Do?
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.
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Wednesday Mar 12, 2025
Episode 232 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Making Your D&D or RPG World Dangerous!
Shawn Merwin is joined by Ben Byrne to create the true number one show in all the realms… where that show covers the news and then discusses how to make D&D feel dangerous to players!
News: Starter Set News, Chris Cocks on More Than AI, DriveThru Print Prices, and more!
Contents
00:00 Who is Ben Byrne and What Did He Do with Teos?
02:28 So Little Onboarding for Players?
06:57 Best Ways to Make New Players Comfortable?
12:00 Specific Resources for New Players?
14:07 Practical ways to introduce newbies?
16:08 New Starter Set Updates
24:42 DriveThru Print Prices Increase
28:12 Chris Cocks on More than AI
32:45 Making D&D and RPG World Dangerous
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.
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Episode 231 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Monster Groups and Encounters!
The 2025 Monster Manual provides a variety of monster groupings, such as several goblins or bandits. How well do those monster groupings work to establish a theme, provide a DM with options, and provide for useful encounters?
News: Sigil VTT is Live, Starter Set Preview, MtG Movie and TV Show, D&D Game Canceled, and more!
Contents
00:00 ECCC Cometh
01:49 Video Game-Like Rules?
11:26 Intrigue for Convention Play?
17:42 Sigil VTT is Live!
22:37 Starter Set Previewed
26:52 MtG Movie and TV Shows
28:29 Revised Artificer UA
37:44 Smuggler's Secrets on Beyond
41:03 WotC Cancels Video Game
42:42 Ernie Gygax Passes
43:08 Mr Potato Head Beholder
45:47 Monster Groups and Encounters
45:58 The Conundrum of CR and Encounters
51:50 Monster Grouping Goals
52:51 2024 Monster Errata
01:00:52 Goblin Groupings
01:02:19 Monster Synergies?
01:03:11 Goblin Encounter Examples
01:10:53 Naming Monsters
01:12:09 Pirate CRs
01:15:27 Pirate Encounter Examples
01:19:52 CRs and Story
01:31:37 Shout-Outs
01:35:18 What Are We Gonna Do Now?
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.
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Wednesday Feb 26, 2025
Episode 230 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Listener Corner Catch Up!
So many awesome listener questions, we devoted the show to them!
News: Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results, New D&D Video Game, New Magic D&D Crossover, and more!
Contents
00:00:00 Santa Clara is Celestial
00:02:43 Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results
00:08:47 How Big is D&D after 2024?
00:14:26 Hasbro Playing to Win Strategy
00:17:35 D&D at Gen Con News
00:21:07 New AAA D&D Video Game
00:24:25 Tom Dunn 2024 MM Analysis
00:32:48 Lorwyn-Shadowmoor D&D MtG Crossover
00:35:07 Hexploration Decks & Explorer's Kit
00:36:03 Outer Seas Black Coral Citadel
00:37:52 Listener Corner Catch-Up
00:38:17 Creating RPG Surveys?
00:48:05 Change 1 Thing in the '24 MM?
00:58:36 Use the DMG Tracking Sheets?
01:04:43 Satisfying Game Prep?
01:07:08 3rd Party Compatibility?
01:10:58 Always Play New Edition?
01:15:59 RPGs with Changing Ability Scores?
01:23:03 Stagger 2 Organized Play Stories?
01:30:16 Shout-Outs
01:34:32 What Are We Gonna Do?
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.
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Episode 229 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: New Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard Subclasses!
We examine the Winter Ranger, Rogue Scion, Spellfire Sorcerer, and Bladesinger Wizard – new subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide.
News: Netflix D&D TV Show, Kickstarter Recovers, Evil Hat Shares Finances, and more!
Contents
00:00 I'll Do Anything for Podcasts
01:16 Advice on Plot and Story?
13:25 Games without Levels and HP Gain?
20:01 Playtesters are Wrong About Fix?
27:21 Netflix D&D TV Show!
30:09 Baldman Games Awards
33:46 Evil Hat Shares Finances
36:54 Kickstarter Reports 2024 Growth
40:01 Dark Sun Lost Cities of the Trembling Plains
41:21 Keith Ammann's Making Enemies
42:29 D&D Version of Horrified
44:08 Unearthed Arcana
45:17 Shawn's Subclass Crisis
52:20 WotC's Role vs 3rd Parties
55:23 Winter Ranger Concept
59:14 Winter Ranger Features
01:08:04 Subclass Challenges
01:09:46 Rogue Scion of the Three Concept
01:12:06 Rogue Scion Features
01:23:08 Spellfire Sorcerer
01:27:58 Bladesinger Wizard Subclass
01:33:29 Shout-Outs
01:37:44 What Should We Do Know?
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.
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Wednesday Feb 12, 2025
Episode 228 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Purple Dragon Knight and Oath of Genies Paladin!
We take a look at new fighter and paladin subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. How do lore changes impact the design?
News: Free D&D Adventure, D&D on Netflix, WotC Hires Worldbuilding, and more!
Contents
00:00 Winter Fantasy Key Cards
05:57 Flipping Campaign Script?
11:54 Goal of Organized Play?
31:24 Free Adventure Hold Back the Dead
36:40 D&D Movie to Netflix US
37:17 Daggerheart End of May
39:13 WotC Hiring Worldbuilding Designer
40:57 What World Should D&D Create?
43:53 D&D Free Rules Adds MM
45:03 Tangled in Shrouds
46:53 Unearthed Arcana part 2
47:28 Survey is Up
48:16 Purple Dragon Knight Lore Change
54:51 Purple Dragon Knight Features
01:11:54 Oath of Noble Genies Paladin Lore
01:13:30 Paladin Oaths
01:16:20 Noble Genies Features
01:35:35 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.
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
Wednesday Feb 05, 2025
Episode 227 of Mastering Dungeons!
Main topic: Forgotten Realms Unearthed Arcana!
New subclasses are out for playtest feedback and will be part of the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide out this November. We take a look at playtesting and the first two subclasses for Bard and Cleric.
News: D&D Movie Licensing, New D&D Books and Settings, Sigil VTT Changes, and more!
Contents
00:00 Winter Fantasy Cometh
02:57 What RPG Jobs Do?
20:36 Running Interesting NPCs?
28:33 D&D Movie and TV Licensing
34:10 Battlemarked Game
35:05 New D&D Books Announced - Eberron
38:59 Dragon Delves and Borderlands Starter
40:18 FR Player's and Adventure Guide
41:10 New Settings Coming
42:20 Sigil VTT Changes
45:05 New Fallbacks Novel
45:27 Universal D&D Fan Fest Tickets Available
46:01 Ethan Yen Launches PREQUEL
47:39 Punch Nazis on Bundle of Holding
48:25 Jared Rascher Hangs Up Review Hat
49:34 Brandon Sanderson Lectures
50:25 New Unearthed Arcana
52:09 What is Helpful Feedback?
01:03:44 Bard College of the Moon Concept
01:06:24 Bard Subclass Benefits
01:20:10 Cleric Knowledge Domain
01:32:42 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.
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