Episode 22: Mail Bag of Holding

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Matt and Rob get around to their month-log backlog of listener questions (sorry) and dispense some dubious, but explicitly wanted advice.

(3:03) Gordon writes in asking about how to find a D&D group to play with. Matt and Rob have some suggestions, some of which might even be useful!

(9:30) Adrian writes in about how to reduce prep time and for advice on being comfortable improvising. We wisely advise Adrian to stop doing so much work.

(18:15) Brian asks about dealing with a *Gob Bluth voice* huge mistake with his wide-reaching homebrew world.

(30:22) Sid's got a 3-part question (that's cheating Sid) that deals with metagaming, tuning the challenge of encounters, and learning when to let go.

(46:00) David wants to know how to make his human and humanoid NPCs more diverse. Matt and Rob try not to be racist!

Episode 20: Fixing the Mystic and Artificer

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Let’s homebrew some classes!  Wizards has set their sights on two iconic classes: the Mystic (aka the Psion) and the Artificer.  These classes are essential for running games in Dark Sun or Eberron. However, the playtest classes for the Mystic and the Artificer are not quite there yet.  We dig into why these proposed classes fall short and how we would fix them.  Our “crunchiest” episode yet!

Links:

Rob’s Artificer homebrew.

Matt’s Psimple Psion (Mystic) homebrew.  

Episode 19: History Doesn't Work Like That — Authenticity and Gaming

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Matt and Rob put on their dueling gloves and throw down with a couple of games that claim to be historically accurate — but are in fact, nothing of the sort (also, uh, "historically accurate" isn't really a thing, but we'll get to that).

Your fearless DMs get to the root of what people are REALLY talking about when they talk about authenticity and historical accuracy, and as you might imagine, it's not what they say it's about. Come for a frank discussion of Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its RPG counterpart, stay for the part where we both get unreasonably worked up about the misuse of history. 

Episode 18: Couatls Conquer Europe

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In "Couatls Conquer Europe" Matt and Rob discuss the re-launch of the Dragons Conquer America Kickstarter.  Your DMs plunge headfirst into the jungle of, uh, problems that arose during the kickstarter's initial failed run.  After tackling the basics of "How to Train Your Dragon to Conquer America," the DMs get into successes, challenges, and opportunities of setting a fantasy game during the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs.  Come for a summary of the game's glaring historical omissions, stay for Matt and Rob's bewilderment at Burning Games' inability to make meaningful changes in response to some very reasonable suggestions from critics.  Matt and Rob then grapple with the complexities of writing an anti-colonial or post-colonial RPG. 

Bonus! If you are are game designer, this kickstarter is a masterclass in how NOT to respond to criticism.  

Link to Dia Lacina's article on Vice: https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/a37a34/it-takes-more-than-a-tolerance-mechanic-to-make-an-anti-colonial-rpg

Episode 17: The Forgettable Realms vs. Eberron

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Matt talks about how to handle intra-party disputes by ending your sessions at the right time (00:30) and Rob shares tips on how to run games for a large number of players (05:00).  

Then, the duo discusses campaign settings.  Specifically, why D&D’s “default” setting in 5th edition, the Forgotten Realms, a.k.a. Faerun, is so frustrating and boring (14:00).  Matt and Rob break down the bad (and good) of Elminster's favorite reality. Then, stick around to hear why the Eberron campaign setting, another official WotC world, is great place to run and play D&D (33:00).  Fact: All good campaign settings ask an interesting question about the world and have a strong theme.  Fight us!

Finally, we close out with some thoughts about what we don’t like about Eberron and how to start porting it over to 5th edition. (54:15)

Episode 14: Unwanted Advice 3

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We’re starting a side-project, “Now This is Podcasting!” to complain about Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi powers (this is totally not a joke).   Rob and Matt review the recent RPG kickstarter news (4:40).  Big daddy Matt Colville’s new book “Strongholds and Followers” has more than 1 million dollars pledged.  Check it out!  There are only 5 days left!  Then, we make ourselves sad by remembering the “epic bacon fail” of Pathfinder’s sad, sad MMO kickstarter.   Matt and Rob have a quick chat about “Into the Wild,” the new Unearthed Arcana from WotC. (15:00)

On to the main event: Unwanted Advice!  We save your game from yourself in D&D's only podcast advice column. 

  • “I’ve got dyscalculia (difficulty doing arithmetic) is it reasonable to ask for an accommodation at the table?” (21:25)

  • “I suspect my Dungeon Master of cheating.  Can I ask my DM to make all their rolls in the open?” (25:30)

  • “I love running in-person games, but I hate running online.  How can I make running online less exhausting and more fun?” (40:20)

  • And finally, our first “wanted” question from David!  “I played a lot of D&D back in the late 80s. I'm getting back into D&D to teach my nephews, who are 6 and 8.  Any tips on helping kids to learn and grow (as gamers and as people) via D&D?” (49:20)

Episode 13: A Quick and Dirty Guide to the Campaign Bible

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If you want to sell your adventure, campaign, or home-brew world to your potential players, you need a “Campaign Bible.”  When TV writers and directors create a new series, they often have a “show bible” -- this document not only helps keep everyone on the same page, but serves as a sort of mission statement, establishing tone, theme, and the direction of the show, often serving as a selling point to producers and investors. This is also a good way to think about your game.  You can introduce your players to your campaign by writing a “campaign bible” and we’re here to help you do it well!

Master DM and WotC designer Chris Perkins shared one of his campaign bibles for a setting that never got off the ground, “Valoreign.”  We’ve decided to use his excellent campaign bible as an example and guide for how to create your own guide.  Link to Chris Perkins’ campaign bible for “Valoreign.”  A must-listen episode for DMs who want to start a new campaign!  

Matt and Rob’s “Guide to Making a Campaign Bible,” a guide and checklist for creating a document to introduce your players to a new setting or adventure!

Rob’s campaign bible for “Thunder on the Steppe,” an epic setting on horseback inspired by the history of the Mongol Empire.

Matt’s campaign bible for “Shattered Stars,” a swashbuckling age-of-sail setting inspired by Spelljammer!

Episode 12: Worldbuilding Jam Session

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The Dynamic DM Duo chat about the new Matt Colville Kickstarter, “Strongholds and Followers” (2:23).  Then, on the main meat of the convo, how to start thinking about worldbuilding for an RPG (5:25).    Worldbuilding is hella important, even if you run a pre-written module or use a published campaign setting!

If you don’t want to go into the deep end of homebrewery, your options (at least in 5e D&D) are limited to Forgotten Realms (10:00).  Matt and Rob talk about why you might want to get beyond this campaign world and some of the other less obvious options that are available to you as a DM or player!

Then, Matt and Rob talk about how to get started on your own homebrew campaign setting for your players (16:10).  Your DMs of None are in the same place as you are!  Listen to Matt and Rob begin to flesh out their new worlds and worldbuild right alongside you.

Episode 11: Edition Wars and Ending Gatekeeping

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Matt and Rob discuss the edition wars (bad) and gatekeeping (also bad). Learn why nerds were mad on the internet for nearly five straight years and how to avoid being a weird jerk to people when they come to play D&D for the first time. More people playing D&D is good people! It’s good!

Edition Wars (00:00:30)
Gatekeeping in D&D (00:24:15)

Link to Matt and Rob’s data visualization of D&D player data: https://imgur.com/gallery/L1kNu

Episode 10: Unwanted Advice II

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There are new sub-classes out for 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons from the fine folks of Wizards of the Coast.  Matt and Rob review the [00:59] Brute Fighter (good...maybe, too good), the [06:25] Inventor Wizard (will some invent some better abilities?), and the [10:18] Shroomancer (a.k.a. the Circle of Spores Druid).  Then, it’s on to the most popular radio program in D&D history: Unwanted Advice!  We answer the questions that you didn’t ask to save your damn game from itself.  

[11:00] How do I get my players to role-play?  Why don’t they like anything but combat?

[20:25] My players befriended the wrong NPC!  I don’t know how to run their new hireling wizard! Help!

[25:55] Quote: “Is it good idea to let player be medusa???”

[29:05] How do I scam my party with cursed magic items?

[33:10] My players can’t play!  How do I help my players learn the rules?

Episode 9: Session One

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It's our most important episode for new DMs yet!   How do you structure your the first session of a D&D campaign? Like writing the first page of a book, preparing the start of a campaign is intimidating.  If you're a new Dungeon Master, then this episode is a must-listen! 
But first, Matt and Rob chat about WotC's awesome new hire--Kate Welch--and correctly predict the next Dungeons and Dragons release.  Your hosts do a deep dive on the goals and purpose of the "session one."  Finally, we go over three basic ways of varying difficulty and engagement to start your campaign before we workshop Matt's upcoming first session!

Episode 8: Merc'd by Mercer: Learning from Critical Role

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We all love Critical Role! But can you become a better Dungeon Master or a better player by watching the show?  Absolutely! 

Learn why Matt Mercer is such an amazing Dungeon Master!  (Hint: it’s NOT because of his voice acting.)  Can you play D&D as well as Ashley, Laura, Liam, Marisha, Sam, Taliesin, and Travis do?  Yes, you can!  Discover how to tap into your "RP-Generosity" and how to avoid the "grimdark" disease that plagues so many of our characters. 

DMs Matt and Rob chat about what you can take away from the new season of Critical Role and what is best left to the professionals.  A must-listen for Critters who want to run their own game of Dungeons and Dragons! 

Notes:
Listen to or watch Critical Role
The Alexandrian, "Three Clue Rule"

Episode 7: Unwanted Advice I

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You’ve got D&D problems?  We’ve got D&D answers.  Dungeon Masters Rob and Matt are here to answer common tabletop questions and solve those sticky RPG situations that you have gotten yourself into.

 

(2:00) Problem Player in Poughkeepsie asks, “How do you deal with players who wander off on their own?  How do you recover when you make a rules mistake?”

(9:44) Forever DM asks, “I’m always the DM.  Is it okay for me to insert a Dungeon Master run Player Character (DMPC) into my party?”

(16:07) Weakling Woes asks, “Can a player keep trying a failed Strength roll until she succeeds?”  Oh boy, we get real deep on this one.  

(26:08) Gauntlet Guy or Gal asks, “How do I hook my players into my first story?”  
After some confusion about the multiple meanings of the world “gauntlet,” we say, “Por que no los dos?!”

Episode Four: I'm Not Here to Make Friends

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Matt and Rob both bring nothing into the Drift (TM) to discuss the nerd news of the day before they help you master the fine art of character creation.  

Breaking: Bad Boy Billionaire Bezos Buys Bilbo Baggins Biography!  Can Amazon actually make a good Lord of the Rings TV show?  Someone else always has to, like, carry on the story, we guess.

Next, Matt and Rob talk about how to take your characters from zeroes to heroes.  As a Dungeon Master, you can encourage and trick your players into making characters that they will love playing and that you will love refereeing.  Learn Matt’s patented “Three Tiers of Character Depth.”  If you are tired of brooding loners and psychopathic thieves ruining your game, then follow our advice and your next adventuring party will be full of memorable characters that work together!

Episode Three: Session Zero (and some other things)

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Matt and Rob talk Xanathar’s, downtime activities, and perhaps the MOST important session your RPG group will ever have -- session zero.  Learn how to head off some of the most common game problems before you campaign even begins!  Help your players make the best characters they've ever made.  This one is a must listen if you are new DM or player and need help getting started!