Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons 157: DM’s Workshop – Firearms, Plot Points, Initiative and Action Variants!

Episode 157 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: DMG Chapter 9 part 2: Firearms, Plot Points, Initiative and Action Variants!
The 2014 DMG provides many optional rules. Which ones would we use, and what should the 2024 DMG bring forward or change?
News: Latest Playtest Backtracks, Prison Wish Lists, D&D Upcoming Release News, and more!
Contents00:00 Chainsaw Runner02:59 What’s Up with Mounts?11:11 WotC Non-D&D?15:55 Slog Tactics?23:14 Daisy Goes Missing28:57 Perkins Secrets of DMing30:36 Roll20 Adding Dungeon Scrawl33:09 DM David Ranks Controversies 37:28 Acq Inc Murders Babies38:54 Thunder Road at Gamehole40:43 Festival of Tombs41:50 Bone Stone and Obsidian42:57 DMG Chapter 9 part 244:08 Firearms, Explosives and Alien Tech49:58 Plot Points56:00 Initiative Variants1:03:56 Action Options1:14:44 Injuries1:15:59 Morale1:18:50 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons 156: DM’s Workshop - Optional Rules!

Episode 156 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: DMG Chapter 9: Dungeon Master’s Workshop!
The 2014 DMG provides many optional rules. Which ones would we use, and what should the 2024 DMG bring forward or change?
News: Latest Playtest Backtracks, Prison Wish Lists, D&D Upcoming Release News, and more!
Contents00:00 Dark03:51 Poisoner?12:52 2024 Adventure?19:45 UA 7 Released31:46 Upcoming Releases35:58 Prison RPG Wishlist37:43 Aberration Board Game39:41 Crowdfunding 40:17 Getting Started Writing40:46 DMG Chapter 946:11 Skill and Check Options59:06 Hero Points1:03:23 New Ability Scores1:07:35 Fear and Horror1:09:33 Healing Options1:18:30 Rest Variants1:21:24 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons 155: Running the Game – Initiative, Chases, Siege Weapons, XP!

Episode 155 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: DMG Running the Game part 3!
How well does the DMG help us track initiative, improvise damage, run chases, fire siege weapons, and give out XP? Shawn and Teos have some good laughs as they investigate the 2018 DMG.
News: Demiplane 5E Surprise, Phandelver Previews, Hiring and Pay, and more!
Contents00:00 PAX03:36 Too Many Products?09:19 Everything Else?17:01 Phandelver Previews18:23 Demiplane 5E Nexus Surprises 21:06 EN World Freelance Pay Survey25:28 Pelgrane Hiring Project Editor32:23 Choices, Information, and Meaning 34:38 Weapons of Legend35:19 The Folk from Harrowthorpe36:26 DMG Chapter 8 Part 337:16 Tracking Initiative40:29 HP and Conditions45:56 Crits and Improvising Damage48:44 AoE and Mobs54:11 Chases57:11 Siege Equipment1:01:20 Disease, Poison, Madness1:04:24 XP1:07:40 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons 154: Running the Game – Adjudicating Rolls, Social, Exploration!

Episode 154 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 8 – Running the Game, part 2!
Shawn and Teos continue examining Chapter 8 of the 2014 DMG. From optional ways to handle close die rolls, to social interactions, to exploration, we look at fascinating topics.
News: D&D Movie Really Losing Money? Free Gazetteer, BG3 Reviews, Phandelver Sneak Peeks, and more!
Contents00:00 Working for the Weekend02:36 Setting Products?24:23 Phandelver and Below26:59 Baldur’s Gate 3 Reviews28:58 Free Gazetteer 29:52 Movie Losing Money? 33:14 Greenwood’s Vampires35:52 DMG Ch8 Running the Game 36:21 Advantage and Disad 40:02 Resolutions and Consequences 47:34 Do the Rob54:52 Exploration59:04 Social Interaction1:08:06 Objects1:13:38 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Shadow of the Weird Wizard with Rob Schwalb!

Episode 153 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: Shadow of the Weird Wizard with Rob Schwalb!
Rob Schwalb talks about his fantastic Kickstarter for Weird Wizard, his days at Wizards and insights into 5E’s creation, and what makes for a fantastic RPG.
News: Tal’Dorei Reborn is the first 3rd party product on D&D Beyond, WotC Playtest Experiments, New D&D Beyond Survey, and more!
Contents00:00 Mr. Funny01:39 Weird Design?07:15 Design for Streams?10:23 Short Design?13:12 Prescription vs Teaching?23:14 Tal’Dorei on Beyond28:06 Crawford on Playtest Experiments38:24 Beyond Survey40:45 Eldritch 10041:23 Seize the Means43:39 Weird Wizard!45:06 Glorious Rob48:50 Exorcising Demons50:06 5E’s Compromises54:27 Preparation1:00:01 Session Length1:03:24 Why Weird Wizard 1:08:25 Project Rewards 1:14:51 Weird Setting1:19:34 Find Rob and Weird Wizard 1:21:10 Kim Mohan’s Impact1:24:26 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - 2014 DMG Chapter 8 – Running the Game!

Episode 152 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 8 – Running the Game!
Seven chapters later, the DM finally is told how to run the game! Was the wait worth it? Shawn and Teos review which parts hit the mark and which fall short.
News: Hasbro’s Rough Q2, Gen Con Breaks Records, Crawford on Settings, 2024 More Like 2014, and more!
Contents00:00 Gooooooool02:02 Lite DnD?07:25 Level vs Custom?12:08 Redo Lost Mines?16:16 Free Art?19:23 Downtime Minigame?23:47 Hasbro Q2 Report35:23 WotC Updates AI Policy37:10 Gen Con Attendance Record38:41 Baldman at PAX39:55 BG3 Play Data41:33 2024 Playtest Survey Results46:11 Crawford on Settings53:02 Shadow of the Weird Wizard53:43 Aberration board game55:49 DMG Running the Game57:23 Table Rules1:02:23 Prescriptions vs Teaching1:04:11 Table Talk1:06:41 Die Rolling 1:11:28 Metagaming1:14:33 Missing Players1:15:50 Role of the Dice1:19:03 Ability Scores1:31:09 DC and Proficiency1:37:01 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Treasure in the DMG!

Episode 151 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 6 – Treasure!
Shawn and Teos ponder treasure. How much to give out, and how often? What is the role of treasure and its implications? From attunement to sentient items, we dig into the 2014 5E DMG and what we might want to see in 2024.
News: A giant problem for D&D, Free League rocks ENnies, Cthulhu Saved, and more!
Contents00:00 Gen Con Glow04:19 Subclass Variance?10:45 Higher Level Complexity?17:06 Valiant Playtesting?20:56 Know Rules to Break Them?28:54 Psychological Horror?30:42 Giant Freebies32:04 Giant AI Debacle45:07 Free League Rocks ENnies48:27 Storytelling Collective49:45 Where Evil Lives50:29 Cthulhu Saved 52:18 DMG Ch7 Treasure55:17 Role and Impact of Treasure59:09 Across Editions1:02:21 How Much Treasure?1:08:11 Swingy Results 1:10:05 Xanthar’s1:11:06 No Magic?1:14:52 Attunement1:22:33 Resilience1:24:25 Special Features1:30:40 Artifacts and Sentient Magic1:35:26 Other Rewards1:37:05 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Downtime!

Episode 150 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 6 – Downtime!
Shawn and Teos are huge fans of Downtime, introduced in the 2014 5E DMG. However, the material in Chapter 6 has been changed greatly by Xanathar’s and Acquisitions Incorporated. What would Shawn and Teos want from the 2024 DMG?
News: Translated SRD, Sales Figures for D&D, D&D Movie Sequel, Top Crowdfunders, and more!
Contents00:00 Head Check 02:33 DMG Strategy?09:55 DM Focus?17:57 Tech Writing?20:56 Agents of X?22:15 Horror Appeal?32:12 Translated SRD!35:06 Movie Sequel38:46 Gen Con D&D Update41:05 Guild AI Policy43:22 Top Crowdfunders47:41 D&D Big Box Store Sales55:51 DMG Ch6 Downtime58:21 Downtime’s Introduction1:01:32 Downtime’s Potential1:11:39 Story Aspects1:16:40 DMG Activities1:30:59 Running Downtime1:36:04 On the Clock1:39:24 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Between Adventures!

Episode 149 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 5 – Urban and Unusual Environments!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG by following Chapter 5. The rest of the chapter covers Urban and Unusual Environments, plus Traps. What would Shawn and Teos add to the 2024 DMG?
News: WotC closes eOne in the UK, Paizo closes office, D&D Gen Con events sort of, and more!
Contents00:00 Swiftness02:10 Wrong Hook?07:55 Replay Characters?12:40 Low High Level Play?16:41 Editions Inevitable?24:55 Dungeon Generator!26:46 Gen Con Events33:55 Hasbro Closes UK eOne37:16 Paizo Closes Redmond Office39:29 KP Hiring Media Manager40:28 Shadow of the Weird Wizard 41:30 Jungles of Kuauhtla42:10 Where Evil Lives42:41 DMG Ch6 Between Adventures45:56 5E vs Older Approaches50:03 Overarching Story57:36 Adventure Seeds and Foreshadowing1:03:34 Campaign Tracking1:13:07 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Urban, Water, Sky, Traps!

Episode 148 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 5 – Urban and Unusual Environments!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG by following Chapter 5. The rest of the chapter covers Urban and Unusual Environments, plus Traps. What would Shawn and Teos add to the 2024 DMG?
News: Critical Role heads to London, Free HeroQuest, D&D at SDCC, and more!
Contents00:00 Italian PHB02:57 Effective Clues?10:42 Not Enough Coverage?17:32 Session Highlight?19:55 Campaign Planning?24:51 D&D at SDCC26:26 Critical Role in London!28:59 Blog Comeback31:11 Aquatic Campaigns31:40 Wandering Monsters32:37 One-Shot Worldbuilding33:24 Free HeroQuest 35:22 Gloomhaven RPG40:42 Urban Environments47:28 Law and Order53:42 Underwater1:00:21 The Sea1:06:05 The Sky1:08:46 Traps1:23:23 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - James Introcaso on Custom RPGs vs 5E Content!

Episode 147 of Mastering Dungeons
This week's main topic: James Introcaso of MCDM joins Shawn to discuss the difference between writing a custom RPG vs creating for 5E!
News: Owlbear Love, ENnies, Gen Con Online, and more!
Contents00:00 James Introcaso!01:57 Creating for WotC06:22 Success Failure Spectrum?13:29 Character Arcs?22:26 True Owlbears?24:41 New Systems?29:41 Ennies35:16 Gen Con37:40 Bear Love in BG342:18 Dragonlance Shadow44:06 Aetherial last call!44:34 Flee Mortals Comes48:48 5E Content vs Custom RPGs51:47 Business Considerations56:13 Does 5E Fit Bear Romance?58:04 Audience1:01:59 Setting and Genre1:06:28 Conflict Resolution1:12:11 Character Creation1:17:07 Story Flow1:23:41 Game Loop1:34:10 Pillars1:38:48 Jim’s Question1:41:15 Shout-Outs1:42:49 Find JamesThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Mike Shea on Organized Play vs Home Games!

Episode 146 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: Mike Shea joins Shawn to compare the benefits of Organized Play vs Home Games!
News: D&D Playtest 6,  Baldur’s Gate Date, Final ORC License, and more!
Contents00:00 Swimming01:07 5E Splinter?10:24 Adventure Design?27:45 Playtest Packet 630:26 Final Orcs39:06 Beadle & Grimm’s44:16 Baldur’s Gate Date45:39 Savage Worlds46:39 Aetherial Expanse47:30 Forge of Foes!48:30 Home vs Org Play49:18 Mike’s Experience51:01 Comparing the Two59:21 Skill Differences1:02:55 Variance1:05:32 Teachers1:07:21 Fan of Players1:09:10 Learn from Home1:14:50 Writing1:22:39 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Wilderness and Settlements!

Episode 145 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 5 – Wilderness and Settlements!Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG by following Chapter 5. Do they get lost in creating and traversing a wilderness? Do they find the worst settlement table ever?
News: America is Neutral Good, Blood in Baldur’s Gate, Origins Awards, Diana Jones Finalists, and more!
Contents00:00 Origins05:13 Slowing the Game?22:00 Blood in Baldur’s Gate25:27 Origins Awards26:35 Diana Jones Finalists31:48 NG Americans34:24 Art Costs39:29 Congrats Kobolds40:28 Aetherial Expanse41:29 DMG Wilderness 43:12 Montage vs Hourly44:58 Hemingway vs. Faulkner49:22 Key Questions56:55 Mapping Wilderness1:00:55 Wilderness Features1:04:55 Wilderness Survival1:07:21 Settlements1:11:33 Buildings1:13:52 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Adventure Environments!

Episode 144 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 5 – Adventure Environments!Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG by following Chapter 5 and rolling up a random dungeon. Is the result satisfying or does it fall apart?
News: Reddit Woes, Renegade Oversteps, Freelancer Pay Survey, Gamehole Events, and more!
Contents00:00 Whole Enchilada02:11 Memorable Campaign?08:42 Swingy d20? 15:43 Dice Design?20:40 Shine as a Player?24:35 Favorite RPGs?25:54 Raiding Mechanics?27:27 Gamehole Events29:08 Reddit Woes24:38 Renegade Oversteps38:56 Freelancer Pay Surveys41:38 Aetherial Expanse42:48 DMG Adventure Environments44:52 Dungeons49:07 Let’s Roll55:55 Inhabitants58:33 Ecology1:02:15 Mapping a Dungeon1:06:55 Left Out1:12:35 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Designing Tales of the Valiant with Celeste Conowitch!

Episode 143 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: Celeste Conowitch on Designing Tales of the Valiant!
What does it take to design a new variant of D&D? Hear the valiant tales of Celeste Conowitch, Senior Game Designer at Kobold Press! 
News: Upper Deck Sues Ravensburger, 2024 Update, Final Rivals Stream, Creator Spotlight, and more!
Contents00:00 Shawn Issues00:55 DM Fiat?04:59 2024 Concern? 11:10 Go-To Adventure?14:15 Community Update and Video18:54 AL Stream20:34 Upper Deck Lawsuit22:27 Final Rivals Stream24:02 Creator Spotlight24:38 Core20 RPG25:52 Last Caravan27:07 Curse of Vecna28:25 Celeste Conowitch!35:12 Valiant Kickstarter37:00 Project Inception43:38 Playtest Lessons49:00 Teamwork51:25 Goals and Targets55:54 Kickstarter Success59:01 What Comes Next?1:05:42 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - 2014 DMG: Creating NPCs!

Episode 142 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 3 – Creating Nonplayer Characters!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG. From ideals and bonds tables, to hirelings, to villain motives, does this tell a would-be-author how to craft a great NPC? 
News: Candela Obscura, Valiant Kickstarter, Sharkadia, D&D Pride Gear, and more!
Contents00:00 Across the Masterverse03:42 Other Genres?10:00 Martial vs Spell? 19:02 DriveThru to Roll2023:50 D&D Pride Gear24:19 Sharkadia25:54 Astral Ethereal 27:35 Valiant Surges32:20 Girl by Moonlight 33:55 Illrigger 34:25 Candela Obscura39:44 DMG Chapter 4 NPCs41:09 NPCs as DM Tools42:17 History of NPCs46:52 Characterization49:28 Designing NPCs01:08:18 Hirelings and Patrons01:18:54 Villains 01:27:02 Shout-OutsThank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - 2014 DMG: Creating Adventures, Part 2!

Episode 141 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 3 – Creating Adventures, part 2!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG. From event-based adventures to the encounter building rules, does this tell a would-be-author how to craft a great adventure? 
News: D&D Marketing Summit, 2023 Product Reveals, Price Increases, Planescape Hopes, and more!
Contents00:00 Geeky Guardians01:42 Limit or Oversight?11:23 Homebrew vs Published? 17:42 D&D Marketing Summit23:50 Demographics27:32 5E is 2E30:23 Staggering for Printers32:04 Price Increases37:35 Bigygnome Presents39:07 Guide to Dragons40:36 Phandelver41:49 Planescape49:52 Deck of Many Things50:46 DMG Chapter 351:22 Event-Based Adventures59:09 Mysteries 01:05:00 Intrigue01:08:05 Complications01:09:51 Creating Encounters01:21:23 Random Encounters 01:30:20 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - 2014 DMG Chapter 3: Creating Adventures!

Episode 140 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 3 – Creating Adventures!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG. We look at Creating Adventures. Does this tell a would-be-author how to craft a great adventure?
News: UA Survey, D&D Producer Job, Russ Nicholson Remembered, Flummox, Dungeon Secrets, and more!
Contents00:00 Speaking of Geeks02:19 Automating Complexity?07:33 Weapon Persona? 14:26 Weapon Templates?26:04 UA Survey and Videos37:47 D&D Producer Job39:34 Russ Nicholson RIP40:47 Secrets to Dungeon Fun41:35 Jeff Stevens Flummox Heist43:26 Crowdfunding Round-Up45:18 DMG Chapter 346:10 Creating Adventures Intro51:03 Great Elements54:53 Published Adventures56:48 Adventure Structure58:47 What is a Story?01:03:54 Location-Based 01:14:58 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - 2014 DMG Chapter 2: The Multiverse!

Episode 139 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: The 2014 DMG Chapter 2 – The Multiverse!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG. We look at Creating a Multiverse and whether it even belongs in Chapter 2. If it does, what should it look like in the 2024 DMG? 
News: Unearthed Barbarians, New Hasbro eOne Streaming Channel, Critical Role Launches New Stream and RPG, and more!
Contents00:00 Hydration00:57 Rejoin at Level 1?06:22 Golf Bag? 17:03 2024 Barbarian29:56 Community Update39:04 D&D Streaming Channel45:17 CR New RPG and Stream47:57 Crowdfunding Round-Up48:57 DMG Chapter 2 across Editions51:09 Creating a Useful Multiverse01:02:23 Planar Travel01:04:25 Astral and Ethereal01:06:56 Feywild and Shadowfell01:09:30 Inner Planes01:10:47 Outer Planes01:12:26 Other Planes01:13:58 Closing Thoughts01:16:20 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Mastering Dungeons - Reading the 2014 DMG Chapter 1!

Episode 138 of Mastering Dungeons! 
This week's main topic: Looking Back at the 2014 DMG – Chapter 1!
Shawn and Teos revisit the 2014 5E DMG. How well does it help DMs and what would we change for 2024?
News: Weapon Mastery analysis, Keith Baker closes KB Presents, Diana Jones awards, Crowdfunding Spotlight, and more!
Contents00:00 Kids Am I Right?01:52 Valiant Resistance?06:07 Polymorph Woes? 13:20 Weapon Mastery46:01 D&D Movie in Digital46:34 Diana Jones Emerging Designers47:20 Keith Baker Closes KBP49:17 Crowdfunding Round-Up52:29 2014 DMG Chapter 155:07 Worldbuilding57:04 Core Assumptions 58:04 Utility? 01:03:53 World vs Encounter01:10:36 Session Focus01:15:15 Shout-Outs
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.