Thinking Critically: A D&D Discussion Danilo Vujevic

In this meta-episode we find ourselves discussing "Podcasts". I'm joined by Mike Hibbert (@MikeHDnD), who has been in the TTRPG and board game space for 40 years, and had 1000 listeners on his first podcast 15 years ago. We approach the topic from both general and D&D perspectives, discussing them as a creative medium alongside the gotchas of producing actual-plays and the responsibility of celebrity status it might bring. If you've thought about DMing or podcasting before, listen to the irony of us "umm"ing and "errrr"ing through a discussion on filler words and feel much better about yourself!



03:02 - The value of podcasts
06:33 - How podcasting has(n't) changed
11:09 - The "joys" of editing
19:11 - Concessions of actual-play podcasts
27:26 - What defines the quality of actual-plays and how they differ from private games
46:55 - Improvised versus scripted
54:49 - Alternative shows

Find Mike (@MikeHDnD) on:


His website (https://mikehdnd.carrd.co/)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/MikeHDnD)

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

Referenced Podcasts:


Dice and Desire
Roll the Damn Dice
Dice & Die
Roll Britannia
Intelligence Check
Not Another D&D Podcast
Dads & Dragons
Bellingcat
"Tunnel 29" episode of Intrigue by BBC Radio 4

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode is all about homebrew, and once again we manage to squeeze a surprising amount into a single hour. I'm joined by Kyle Wagner-Totty (@MrBakudan), a DMs Guild author with seven published products! If you've ever had any questions about homebrewing for D&D 5e then this is the episode for you. From balance to publishing, you're bound to find something in here. Kyle is kind enough to share his wisdom and perhaps the biggest curveball, that subclasses are the easiest thing to make!


02:41 - Differences between "private" and "public"
14:17 - The tribulations of publishing
19:54 - Balancing homebrew
32:44 - Design approach: bottom up or top down
48:40 - Spell and item creation
59:20 - Homebrewing subclasses

Find Kyle on:


Twitter (https://twitter.com/MrBakudan)
DMs Guild (https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Kyle%20Wagner-Totty)

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Back on home turf with Tim Hill who plays Ulrik in our actual-play podcast Dungeons, Dice, and Dudes. In this episode we discuss not only the mechanical impact of time in-universe on topics such as split parties, but also all the way up to the metaphysical ramifications of our endless march towards entropy. Hey, bet you never thought you'd get that from a D&D podcast!


06:24 - Time: the rubber band resource
18:53 - Should you skip the boring parts?
22:43 - Reconciling a split party
28:33 - Gaining experience by spending time together
38:00 - Character age and class disparity
45:31 - Alternative rules for rests & levelling
57:58 - Entropy; how to spend your time wisely

Find the gang on:


Tim on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timlington737/
Simon (Frederick & Gideon in DD&D) features on the Happiness episode
Nathan (the DM of DD&D) features on the Macro episode

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

The first European episode! Despite the relatively benign sounding topic of "Structure", Ian (@thefoolishswamidm) and I discuss many thoughtful and deep topics, such as empathy, care, and responsibility. In this episode you can learn how to structure both your one shots and longer-form campaigns, how to set player expectations both "in-universe" and at the table, and how both those approaches serve different needs. If you want to hear me have quite a candid introspection, then this is the episode for you!


05:05 - How to tell a compelling short-form story through structure
15:16 - Structure & care: two sides of the same coin
20:41 - Using structure to prepare players for a long-form story
30:58 - Having a meta-structure to facilitate different types of players
40:26 - Improvisation while foreshadowing
46:14 - Why holding up the game structure is a joint responsibility
53:52 - Rules to support your structure, and not the other way around

Find Ian (@thefoolishswamidm) on:


Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thefoolishswamidm/)
'The Nine of Himdal' on DMs Guild (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/337972/The-Nine-of-Himdal)

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

'The Ultimate Guide to 5 Room Dungeons' by Johnn Four
'Honey Heist' by Grant Howitt
Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

This episode I talk about all the big things with Nathan Briggs, my DM from our Dungeons, Dice, and Dudes actual-play podcast. We discuss how Dungeons & Dragons has changed over the years, from "nerds in the basement" to prime-time, multimillion dollar productions, and what that means for the hobby. The second half is all about prepping and planning at a high level, away from all the muck of combat encounters and fudging dice rolls.


02:39 - D&D in popular culture and the effect of Critical Role
23:53 - D&D as a hobby
33:57 - Macro world/story building
57:00 - Planning a long-form campaign

Find Nathan on:


Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheBriggzy)
Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/thebriggsy)
Dungeons, Dice and Dudes (https://linktr.ee/DDandD)

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod

Another international episode! I found my "Dungeon Master Friend" in Manny, a.k.a Growed Up Geek, who's enthusiasm is infectious. We cover the gamut from DM loneliness and anxiety, all the way up to eliciting those emotional responses from your players. A topic we've talked about plenty before, is the the positive feedback loop in D&D where the more you put in, the more you get out, and Manny puts it really well in this one. I can't effectively communicate it kind of nuance of human experience that we cover in this session. If you're feeling lonely or frustrated with your game, take a listen and find comfort in the fact you're not alone.


03:23 - D&D - an intrinsically human experience
07:40 - Player emotions
15:28 - TTRPGs versus VGRPGs
24:44 - Emotion in combat
30:40 - Why people play; scratching that itch
37:55 - No DM is an island - emotional responsibility
45:46 - Published adventures - emotional investment
53:39 - Subverting expectations to surprise and enthral
58:47 - Differences in player desires

Find Manny (@Growedupgeek) on:


Twitter (https://twitter.com/Growedupgeek)
Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/growedupgeek)
Mysteries in the Dalelands on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/wilyhobbit)

Find me on:


Twitter @Danilo_DnD (https://twitter.com/Danilo_DnD)
Instagram thinking_critically_dnd (https://www.instagram.com/thinking_critically_dnd/)
Facebook ThinkingCriticallyDnD (https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingCriticallyDnD)

Intro Music: 'Local Forecast' by Kevin MacLeod
Intermission Music: 'Chill' by Kevin MacLeod
Outro Music: 'Local Forecast - Elevator' by Kevin MacLeod