Mastering Dungeons

Start a New Campaign for the New Year (MD 274)

Episode 274 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Start a New Campaign for the New Year

It’s a new year, the perfect time to think on how to launch an awesome campaign, even if you have never DMed before!

News: Stranger Things Effect? Matt Mercer Simpsons Crossover, D&D Romantasy Novel, Ed Greenwood’s RealmsBound, and more!

Contents
00:00 Full of Fear
02:05 What is a Gameplay Loop?
11:10 Teaching Game Design?
14:38 Stranger Things Effect
19:27 Stranger Things' ET Ending
22:09 Leon Barillaro Hired at WotC
24:14 New D&D Romantasy Novel
26:06 Ed Greenwood's RealmsBound
31:22 Matt Mercer Simpsons Crossover
33:58 D&D and Moral Imagination
38:20 D&D Loungefly Backpacks
39:08 The Bridgewell Chronicles
40:21 Merryshire Detective Club
41:19 A New Campaign for the New Year
41:59 New Gamemaster Month
43:22 Where Can We Learn to DM?
51:52 Why Should You DM?
01:02:04 Not Knowing the Rules
01:11:13 Planning Your Campaign
01:22:59 Establishing a Theme
01:25:00 Shout-Outs
01:28:53 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.

The Future of RPGs in 2026? (MD 273)

Episode 273 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The Future of RPGs in 2026?

Teos and Shawn look at 2025’s huge impacts on RPGs and what 2026 might hold for our hobby!

News: Daggerheart’s Executive Success, James Haek and Introcaso Changes, City 26, and more!

Contents
00:00 Intro
00:59 Mastering DnD the RPG?
07:55 How to Get Noticed?
17:08 Tim Kask Passes
19:38 Daggerheart's Executive Success
25:17 James Haek Joins WotC
25:55 Who Replaces James on Lorecast???
27:25 James Introcaso Focuses on Crows
29:11 D&D and Court Rooms
30:06 Seniors and Dragons
30:56 City '26 Challenge
32:38 Jeff Stevens on 2025 2026
33:30 Crack the Sun Success
35:32 Looking Back at D&D in 2025
40:02 WotC's Positive Moves
42:13 Crawford and Perkins Join Critical Role
45:14 Economic Uncertainty
49:12 AI Slop
50:03 Cosmere, Daggerheart, Draw Steel
55:28 What Might 2026 Offer for D&D?
01:06:30 Will the Hobby Grow?
01:09:21 More Big RPGs?
01:11:05 If We Had 1 Wish!
01:15:10 Shout-Outs
01:19:34 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.

The Future of the DMs Guild? (MD 272)

Episode 272 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The Future of the DMs Guild?

Teos and Shawn look at the decline of the 10-year-old DMsGuild and lessons for all platforms, such as D&D Beyond!

News: KC Chiefs Play D&D, Mythic Crowdfunding Disaster, Foundry Hiring for New RPG, and more!

Contents
00:00 Our Trees Were Fortunate
03:04 National Comedy Center
05:10 Crowdfunding Replaced DMsGuild?
10:18 Can We Stop Platform Decline?
19:14 New D&D Workbooks from PRH
25:49 Best-Selling RPGs on Fantasy Grounds
28:15 KC Chiefs Play D&D
30:06 WA Sec of State on Gaming
32:24 Foundry Hiring for New RPG
35:14 Mythic Games Crowdfunding Disaster
38:20 Books Leaving Grocery Stores
42:48 Moonshae Isles Omnibus
45:03 Crack the Sun Final Days
46:03 DMsGuild Turns 10
47:22 Keith Baker Era
50:10 Print on Demand and Quality Jumps
52:43 Race to the Bottom
54:56 Guild as Stepping Stone
58:29 What Killed the Guild?
01:10:13 WotC as Competitor
01:15:49 Looking to the Future
01:34:48 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.

The DMs Guild’s Complex History! (MD 271)

Episode 271 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The DMs Guild’s Complex History!

Teos and Shawn enjoy a video by Trekiros and think on the incredible history of the 10-year-old DMsGuild!

News: James Ohlen’s Exodus, Cosmere’s Roadmap, New Legends of Greyhawk Region, and more!

Contents
00:00 Happy Holidays!
02:25 Non-Combat Enctr Objectives?
17:44 Dungeons Best for 1-on-1 Play?
25:32 Diamond Distributors Bankrupt Again
28:31 New Legends of Greyhawk Region
30:27 Gen Con Participation Grants
31:30 Cosmere Announces Roadmap
36:31 James Ohlen and Exodus Change
44:00 DMsGuild Turns 10
44:41 Trekiros Video
46:12 Our History with the Guild
47:28 History of Licensing Pre-Guild
49:26 The OGL and 3E
51:30 Shawn's DMsGuild First Day
52:57 AL's Huge Early Sales
55:58 Early Days and Royalties
01:07:13 Launching Creators
01:11:00 Struggle for Quality
01:15:41 Adepts Program
01:26:28 Creator Expectations
01:34:18 Shout-Outs
01:38:33 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.

Heroic Sacrifice and Campaign Building with Prequel and Ethan Yen (MD 270)

Episode 270 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Dying and Campaign Building with Prequel and Ethan Yen

Ethan Yen joins Shawn and Teos to discuss Prequel, the amazing game where you know you will die to the big bad… but get to create a campaign defined by the secrets these heroes discover!

News: D&D Beyond’s New Goals, Crack the Sun’s Big Start, Big Staff Changes, and more!

Contents
00:00 Conventional Wisdom
03:34 Teaching with RPGs?
13:00 Easy to Convert?
18:26 D&D Beyond's New Goals
24:52 Warlock Video Game Announced
27:57 Justice Arman Promoted
29:05 Jason Carl Departs World of Darkness
32:25 Perkins and Crawford on Acq Inc
35:47 Crack the Sun's Huge Start
39:59 Ikea D&D Book
42:47 Draw Steel Quick Reference
43:17 Quests from the Keep on the Borderlands
44:06 Ethan Yen and Prequel
45:34 Ethan's RPG Path
49:45 Creative Influences
58:45 All About Prequel
01:06:10 Phases of Play
01:12:39 The Big Fight
01:20:53 Campaign Building Conclusion
01:23:53 Zine Format Tips
01:30:46 Gamehole PoC Programs
01:37:58 Find Ethan
01:38:55 Shout-Outs
01:43:18 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.

How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration)

How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration)

While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording Teos made with Scott F Gray, sharing the intricacies of the process for creating an RPG book. This recording appeared in two parts on the Alphastream YouTube channel and we are sharing it here for your enjoyment. 

Contents
00:00 Intro
00:46 About Scott
04:15 Who this video is for
09:09 Starting with an idea
12:54 When is my idea ready?
26:53 What to know when I start writing
39:04 Understanding words per page
43:00 After writing and types of editors
01:02:22 Development
01:04:10 Sensitivity Reading
01:07:10 Proofreading
01:10:11 Layout
01:14:47 Initial Layout Design
01:19:05 Flowing Copy and Word Processor Choices
01:24:39 Art and Art Orders
01:36:46 Bleed
01:39:26 Rewriting After Initial Layout
01:45:27 Don't Write in Layout
01:49:24 Final Proofread and Layout
01:55:34 PDF vs PoD vs Offset Printing
02:11:25 Offset Printing and Timeline
02:15:20 Crowdfunding
02:18:55 Rising Tide on Manufacturing and Shipping
02:21:12 On Collaboration
02:26:27 Support the Show

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.

The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025)

Gamehole Con 2025 and Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025)

While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording of a panel at Gamehole con where Mike Mearls, Mike Shea, Shawn, and Teos discuss the many forms of 5E available both officially and through third party companies. We look at how D&D 5E was designed in a open way and how this impacts our hobby. 

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.

Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror (MD 269)

Episode 269 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror

Cozy on up with our review of Brindlewood Bay. Being an elderly widow, cutting to commercial, detailing our cozy home, and drawing on classic TV? Sign us up!

News: Eberron Forge of the Artificer, MCDM’s Summoner and Blackbottom, Cosmere Actual Play, and more!

Contents
00:00 Clue Advent and Alien Evolved
03:32 Player Goals First?
12:34 Crawford Perkins Critique and Praise?
16:45 Eberron Forge of the Artificer is Out
21:15 MCDM Releases Summoner
21:42 Fall of Blackbottom Adventure
23:40 Initiative D&D in NYC
26:10 Cosmere Actual Play
27:23 Jubensha Grows Internationally
30:47 Nominate Most Anticipated RPG of '26
31:43 Brindlewood Bay
32:16 Game and its Vibes
35:30 Elderly Widows as PCs
37:57 Game Play Basics
39:44 Why the GM Can Push Hard
42:33 Gear as Your Cozy Home
45:08 PbtA Moves
56:35 Maven Moves
58:45 Being a Keeper or GM
01:00:24 Clues and Void Clues
01:02:42 One-Shots vs Campaign
01:08:09 Shout-Outs
01:12:15 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.