Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons
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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!

  1. 21/05/2025

    Draw Steel and Introducing New RPGs! (MD242)

    Episode 242 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Draw Steel and Introducing New RPGs! James Introcaso joins Teos to discuss the challenges any new RPG has in attracting an audience, explaining what makes it fun, creating starter sets, and much more! We draw heavily on Draw Steel, the MCDM RPG coming out later this summer! News: Daggerheart Media Blitz, Diana Jones Emerging Designers, Storytelling Through Violence, and more! Contents 00:00 It's James Introcaso! 02:07 Nautical for AL vs Home? 08:10 Underwater Armor House Rules? 17:06 Diana Jones Emerging Designers 19:50 Daggerheart Media Blitz 25:13 Brotherwise Hiring RPG Director 26:44 Storytelling Through Violence 34:47 Draw Steel and Introducing New RPGs 35:14 Summer of Draw Steel 36:37 A Challenge for All RPGs 38:37 Barriers to Entry 42:05 Getting Group Buy-In 45:20 Finding an Audience 50:41 Communicating What the Game Is 55:40 Role of Stores and Distributors 01:00:21 A Great Starter Set 01:02:56 Supporting Conventions 01:06:01 Great Pregens 01:13:00 MCDM's Next Products 01:16:26 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.

    1h 17m

  2. 14/05/2025

    Creating Nautical Encounters! (MD 241)

    Episode 241 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Creating Nautical Encounters! We build encounters based on our nautical campaign arc, including storm survival, submerged shipwrecks, battles on the high seas, and more! News: Horror UA Subclasses, Eberron Preorder Info, Gen Con Events, and more! Contents 00:00 Teos vs the Lorecast 02:09 Teaching Tactics? 10:50 Purpose of GM Currencies? 20:31 Eberron Preorder Info 24:40 Unearthed Arcana Horror Subclasses 28:14 Symbaroum and CZPEKU on DDB 30:26 Sigil VTT Update 31:07 PAX East Eberron Surprise 32:53 Gen Con Events Released 36:37 Playing at the World v2 37:48 Tariff News 39:40 Neon City Outlaws 41:56 Creating Nautical Encounters 43:05 Our Campaign So Far 45:16 Character Roles on the Ship 48:52 Storm Survival? 54:25 Types of Encounters 58:39 Multiple Dimensions 01:03:42 Encounters to Start the Campaign 01:07:24 Building on Campaign Hook 01:10:24 After 4th Level 01:11:21 Hiring Crew 01:12:45 Sunken Shipwreck 01:15:40 Underwater Allies 01:16:45 Island Exploration Encounter 01:18:18 Campaign-Concluding Encounters 01:20:27 Shout-Outs  01:24:13 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.

    1h 25m

  3. 07/05/2025

    Creating a Nautical Campaign! (MD240)

    Episode 240 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Creating a Nautical Campaign! Shawn and Teos dive into creating a cool nautical campaign, from themes to arcs and beyond! News: We Review Sage Advice, Polygon Sold, Diamond and Alliance Bombshells, and more! Contents 00:00 Still the Captain 01:08 Multiple Modes of Play? 13:02 2024 Creator Pitfalls? 19:59 Diamond and Alliance Bombshells 26:23 Sage Advice is Live 29:06 Interesting Sage Advice 39:00 SRD 5.2.1 Released 41:09 Polygon Sold Off 44:56 DM David on 5E Speed of Play 49:45 EN5ider Relaunched 50:56 Distal RPG 51:54 Creating a Nautical Campaign 54:17 Session Zero 01:00:20 Swimming and Underwater Rules 01:04:07 Starting at Level 1 01:09:25 Using Themes and Plot Arcs 01:13:59 Top Down vs Bottom Up 01:15:58 Leveling 01:18:27 Evolving Themes? 01:21:25 Sources of Inspiration 01:23:51 Shout Outs  01:27:28 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.

    1h 28m

  4. 30/04/2025

    Embarking on A Nautical Campaign (MD 239)

    Episode 239 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Embarking on A Nautical Campaign ! Nautical campaigns offer exciting options different from other campaign types. Join us as we voyage into the strengths and challenges of these campaigns! News: WotC’s Strong Q1, SRD 5.2 Review, Alliance Rejects Diamond, Best Campaign Setting, and more! Contents 00:00 Play Every Day 03:03 Digital Response to Tariffs? 10:11 Changes for Exhausted Players? 19:12 Hasbro Q1 2025 23:04 How Big is D&D? 26:23 Hasbro and Tariffs 30:36 SRD 5.2 Released 35:36 SRD Localizations 38:50 Best Campaign Setting 40:39 Alliance Drops Diamond 42:45 Tariff Update 44:53 Andrew B on Writing Process 49:00 Fury of the Forsaken 49:51 Newbie DM's Iomandra 51:05 Embarking on a Nautical Campaign 53:38 Strengths of a Nautical Campaign 01:00:31 Campaign Differences 01:09:39 Challenges 01:15:29 Themes 01:18:05 Ship Combat 01:20:35 Shout-Outs 01:24:37 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.

    1h 26m

  5. 23/04/2025

    Using the Environment in Encounters (with Dragons)! (MD 238)

    Episode 238 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Using the Environment in Encounters (with Dragons)! Make the most of elevation, difficult terrain, cover, lighting, and more. And to tie into Monster Week: Dragons, we apply them to dragon encounters! News: New SRD 5.2, Errata Returns, Holy Grail Turns 50, and more! Contents 00:00 Postal Service 02:06 Shawn Peaks 02:36 Easiest Official Adventure to DM? 28:57 Peril in Pinebrook challenge? 31:54 Nobody Left the D&D Team? 32:23 New SRD 5.2 April 22 37:40 New Basic Rules 41:21 New Errata and Sage Advice 45:53 Tariff Impacts 47:24 Neverwinter Brings D&D Movie Stories 49:01 50 Years of Holy Grail 49:47 Monster Week: Dragons 50:25 Using Environment in Encounters 50:44 One Cool Thing 54:09 Watch for Time Impact 59:29 Overly Punitive Environments 01:06:20 Environment and Terrain: Cover 01:09:13 Difficult Terrain 01:15:03 Elevation 01:21:24 Moving Parts 01:25:42 Lighting 01:29:43 Beneficial and Harmful Terrain 01:32:53 Entrances and Exits 01:37:44 Shout-Outs 01:40:57 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.

    1h 42m

  6. 16/04/2025

    Teaching a New Generation! (MD 237)

    Episode 237 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Teaching a New Generation! We ponder how learning RPGs has changed over the years and the best way to teach new players and DMs today. News: Jeremy Crawford Leaves WotC, Dragon Delves 1-on-1 Play, Atlas Games Recycling, and more! Contents 00:00 Get Outside 02:22 Make Equipment Matter? 12:48 Which Upcoming Release Excites Us? 16:38 Jeremy Crawford Departs WotC 25:02 James Wyatt on Dragon Delves Solo Play 32:47 Tariffs - Who Knows? 36:49 Atlas Games' Recycling Plastics 38:42 Exploring Creative Play 41:20 Hits the Fan 43:10 Teaching a New Generation 45:39 How We Learned to Play and DM 56:22 How Teaching Has Changed 01:07:53 Tips for Teaching New Players 01:19:27 Tips for Teaching New DMs 01:30:16 Shout-Outs 01:33:38 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.

    1h 35m

  7. 09/04/2025

    Rules-Light D&D Characters! (MD 236)

    Episode 236 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Rules-Light D&D Characters! We consider how D&D can be simplified and the goals and tradeoffs involved in creating a rules-light version. News: Chris Perkins Retires, Greg Bilsland Returns, Tariffs and Tabletop, and more! Contents 00:00 Reflecting on Sorrow 02:41 2 Campaigns in Same Setting? 13:03 Convert 4E Monsters to 5E? 16:08 Chris Perkins Retires 23:57 Greg Bilsland Returns to D&D 27:08 Tabletop and Tariffs 35:37 GAMA is Broken 37:47 Monte Cook Narrative vs Math 45:03 Rules-Light D&D Characters 47:34 Motivation for Lighter Rules 52:48 Mathematical Side 01:02:14 Ease for New Players and DMs 01:04:25 What to Keep 01:06:48 Arora Trait System 01:09:56 Iterative Approach 01:11:49 Choice Menus 01:15:55 Spellcaster Complexity 01:17:47 Healing and Resting 01:20:49 Shout-Outs 01:24:35 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.

    1h 25m

  8. 02/04/2025

    Forever DMs and Dynamics of an RPG Group! (MD 235)

    Episode 235 of Mastering Dungeons!  Main topic: Forever DMs and Dynamics of an RPG Group! Teos and Shawn discuss Matt Colville’s take on Forever DMs, and look at how the dynamics of an RPG group can shape awesome play. News: Shadowdark Sales, Anjali Bhimani Adventure, Foolish Listener Ideas, and more! Contents 00:00 Return of Shawn 01:00 Foolish Listener Ideas 10:42 Environmental Effect CR Impact? 24:09 Anjali Bhimani Adventure 26:10 New Sigil VTT Minis? 29:09 Robin Laws is Pelgrane Creative Director 31:52 D&D for Environmental Education 32:57 28 Convention RPG Tips 46:45 GaryCon Report on Shadowdark Sales 49:51 Dungeon Drop-Ins 50:33 Free5E: Open Source D&D 51:35 Free Popup Paper Building Roof 52:25 Dynamics of an RPG Group 54:05 The Forever DM 54:48 Gaming Dynamics in the 80s 58:06 Our Recent Dynamics 01:01:47 Selflessness and Empathy 01:08:20 Convention Play 01:10:55 How to Be a Great Player 01:14:37 Create PCs that Play Well with Others 01:17:27 How to Get Players to DM 01:23:32 Great to Have DMs as Players? 01:33:23 Shout-Outs 01:37:14 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.

    1h 38m
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About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    Mastering Dungeons
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    559
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Mastering Dungeons

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