3 Wise DMs

The 3 Wise DMs
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3 Wise DMs is a podcast for dungeon masters (for Dungeons & Dragons) and game masters (any other RPG) with problems. And when we say problems, we don’t mean the kind of things you find answers for in the gamebooks. Think of it as a gaming philosophy show with a strong emphasis on applied knowledge. We all want to be great DMs, so what do we do to try to get there?

  1. 21/12/2025

    The Gunslinger: Building a D&D Fighter in Boomtown

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. Having been playing through the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, we’ve experienced firsthand how alterations to the classes available for players really helps to lend a unique and immersive quality to the campaign setting – setting it apart from all others. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to build the most classic D&D class, the Fighter, in our Boomtown campaign setting.  We take him from 1st to 3rd level and, along the way, discuss the changes that reflect our weird west setting. Make sure to Join the Conversation! 3:28 1st level, first things first… what’s their name? 4:10 Rolling out Roland’s stats. 6:00 Saving Throws and Proficiencies. 8:20 Six-shooters and Leather Dusters… cowboys didn’t have full plate armor. 10:50 The Frontier Pack. 11:30 Assigning Roland’s attributes. 16:00 Two changes to the skills list in Boomtown. 26:45 Equipment and weapons. 29:45 Fighting Styles. 40:20 2nd Level… we add to Action Surge. 46:15 3rd Level… the Martial Archetypes of Boomtown. 54:10 Final Thoughts.

    1h 1m

  2. 07/12/2025

    Crafting Your Unique Realm: Build the Best Factions in D&D

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. One of the best things you can build for your campaign to feel real and immersive is by creating factions. Groups and organizations that have their own motives and goals that are distinct from the players. This creates inciting incidents, backstory fodder, and moving parts that conflict with the characters and create impetus for adventure. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave finally begin discussing the biggest faction, and the inciting incident for the Boomtown setting, the shadowy conglomerate from the east coast of the world that is the driving force behind gathering the newly discovered ancient magical technology.  Make sure to Join the Conversation! 4:05 We begin with some possible ways this conglomerate might be formed and their motives. 6:45 It’s important to create the floor for the overall campaign setting. 10:00 The concept of the theocracy of the “Divine State” begins to take shape. 12:35 The main fulcrum of your campaign setting. DM Dave posits the struggle between religion and faith. 17:50 The beginning of the idea of the conglomerate as a “Triumvirate”: Religion, Commerce, and Military. 21:24 The need for a break in time in history: The Cataclysm, The Calamity, The Doom of Valyria, etc. 23:50 The internal struggles of the Triumvirate create more adventure hooks. 25:10 Factions that develop because of opposition to the Triumvirate. 35:45 Answering who these other factions are changes the campaign setting: Technological Magic vs Inherent Magic and Power. 40:25 The Triumvirate is human-centric. Boomtowns are plural societies. 6:35 Final Thoughts.

    49 min

  3. 23/11/2025

    Mystery Train – Making Magic Into Technology in D&D 5e

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. Science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke formulated three adages known as Clarke’s Laws that he expounded on in his writings. The third of these is the most famous, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave begin to unpack this idea of ancient technology being what makes magic in the ever-evolving, crowdsourced Boomtown Campaign Setting.  Make sure to Join the Conversation! 0:24 DM Dave’s audio homage to the famous “slapback” effect of Sam Philips’ Sun Studios. 4:33 The current state of technological advancement in Boomtown. 6:40 How much magic is discovered at 1st level? Where is the floor for magic in the campaign setting? 10:15 Magic is being used to build and power the world. 11:25 We love the idea of Masterwork and Weapons of Quality handling anything that is +1. 15:30 What can you find in a general Boomtown? How damaging are run-of-the-mill firearms? 16:30 Leaning into the idea of Misfires and Wild Magic. We also discuss adjusting Attunement. 33:00 Building and creating magic – giving agency to the players in rediscovering magic. 40:50 Flaws ands vulnerabilities in the characters and the world are what make the greatest stories. 41:45 Final Thoughts.

    49 min

  4. 09/11/2025

    This Old Town: Craft A Captivating Starting Town For Your D&D Adventure!

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave return to the conversation started in Episode 174 and begin to build out the town that will be the start of most adventures in our Boomtown Campaign Setting.  Make sure to Join the Conversation! 1:55 Where are we now? We asked, you answered! Boomtown #1 is known as Gallow Springs! 3:40 What’s in our border town? 6:05 What’s NOT in the town? Religion and Churches, per our last episode. 9:35 Our archetype for Boomtown was Wyatt Earp’s Tombstone. So, what was actually there at the time? 12:15 Name the 110 saloons! 12:35 How small is a small town? Between Hommlet and Waterdeep. 16:10 The split between Uptown and Downtown and the Law. 19:55 The point of the Boomtowns: Recovering Tech – our “Gold Rush.” 22:06 Dueling and Gunfights: How Lawless is Gallow Springs? 29:30 The Haves and the Have Nots: The rich get richer! 31:00 Buying Magic in Gallow Springs? 38:50 Final Thoughts.

    48 min

  5. 26/10/2025

    If I Was the Priest: How Do Clerics Work in Your D&D Campaign?

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave finish out the discussion of how magic will work in our crowdsourced “Boomtown” campaign setting by asking “Where does divine magic come from?” Make sure to Join the Conversation! 1:40 “Where Are We Now”: the Boomtown campaign setting, as it currently stands. 5:20 Discovering the Lost Gods? 6:00 Will this be monotheistic or polytheistic? What about the Cleric Domains? 10:00 Could Divine Magic be just advanced forms of technology or Artificial Intelligence? 13:45 #FightForTheColonyShip 14:45 One God: Many Names. 16:50 What does this tech-based magic look like compared to the ordinary folk? 20:30 How does religion fit into this world? 29:45 The struggle between the Corporations, the Prophets, and the Boomtowns. 40:45 Final Thoughts.

    48 min

  6. 12/10/2025

    Why D&D Towns Matter: Transform Your Town Design With a Simple Secret

    We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave begin to ask the most basic question when building a town: why is the town there? In our D&D Tombstone idea, we realize the short answer is money. And what drives that money? Magic. Make sure to join the conversation as we build a Wonderful World with our 3WD community! 2:25 The “Elevator Pitch” for our new campaign setting. 4:05 Review our discussion of magic. 9:06 Our Sci-Fi, D&D Tombstone. 10:50 Why do towns exist? The short answer: money. 14:55 Economy, commerce, and the Gold Piece Problem. 17:40 Power, Influence, Money, and your Standard of Living 23:50 Magic is a memory. The adventure is in rediscovering it. 29:35 Leveling magic differently to play to the setting? 40:15 Final Thoughts.

    48 min

  7. 28/09/2025

    : Revitalize Your Imagination: 3WD is Back for Real Time D&D World Creation!

    Following on the heels of our last episode, we drive down deeper into our continued exploration of real-time worldbuilding armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss how magic might work in this new world, how the environment helps to create the setting, and stumble into an idea for a setting that has us really excited. Make sure to join the conversation as we build a Wonderful World with our 3WD community! 2:20 We asked and you answered: A Brand New World! 6:40 A little context for this experiment: we really just want to see how we all might come together to build a new world and setting. 7:55: Magic: How it works and how we might make it special. 15:00 DM Dave really loves the idea of a colony ship… 17:55 Our first big change in this setting: we remove the Wizard class entirely. 19:55 What is the environment that we find in this new world and setting? 21:55 We drive down more to the area that the adventurer’s will encounter first. 26:15 The idea for our overall setting starts to take shape: D&D and Sci-Fi meet Tombstone! 34:20 Final Thoughts.

    42 min

  8. 14/09/2025

    Join the Ultimate D&D Experience: Real-Time World Building!

    Worldbuilding. It’s one of the most talked about aspects of running TTRPGs, as it is the sandbox into which you will throw your party to adventure in. We’ve talked about tips and tricks in past episodes and articles, and have come down on both sides of the debate surrounding how much to do with a focus totally on your specific table and party. However, in this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave have decided to become a bit more involved with a new experiment that we cooked up. Something that has never been done on 3WD before – we’re going to start building a new world live! In real time, we begin asking the questions that will shape our new creation. As this is a show by DMs for DMs, we’re adding another aspect. YOU! We’re asking you to share in the brainstorm and offer ideas. So, tune in now as 3WD starts building a whole new world! 1:40 Introduction of our new experiment. Reach out to 3wisedms@gmail.com with your ideas and votes! 3:40 Low Fantasy? High Fantasy? Low Magic? High Magic? What do we mean by this. 7:40 Is our world completely new or a version of Earth (i.e. Middle Earth, The Dying Earth, Shannara)? 9:50 DM Tony’s idea of “High Magic” – a return to Greyhawk. 11:50 The concept of “starting small.” 13:35 What type of story does this world support? And can a world support ANY story? 16:35 Building a world that was our Earth (at some point) lends a sense of familiarity when you’re building your new world. 18:40 Towns? Cities? States? Kingdoms? 22:53 The archetypes and Tropes of stories. We ALL steal. 28:30 People will eventually congregate. The history of the world can’t always be “Mad Max”. 31:35 Looking to history. 36:00 Final Thoughts.

    43 min
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About

3 Wise DMs is a podcast for dungeon masters (for Dungeons & Dragons) and game masters (any other RPG) with problems. And when we say problems, we don’t mean the kind of things you find answers for in the gamebooks. Think of it as a gaming philosophy show with a strong emphasis on applied knowledge. We all want to be great DMs, so what do we do to try to get there?

Information

  • Creator
    The 3 Wise DMs
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    180
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 The 3 Wise DMs
  • Show Website
    3 Wise DMs

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