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masteringdnd.bsky.social
RPG veterans and game designers Teos Abadia and Shawn Merwin look at the game and the hobby of D&D from a variety of viewpoints. 🎤 https://masteringdungeons.podbean.com/ 📺 https://youtube.com/@masteringdungeons 🥰 https://www.patreon.com/MasteringDnD
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Inspired by this episode, I made an all-purpose 2024 #dnd subclass for ANY class: L3: When you do a thing, choose one: ally gains temp. HP, or enemy gains Frightened condition. L6: L3, but more targets. L13: You gain your choice of 1 buff you already have, which doesn't stack. L20: L3, but both!

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

I have been thinking more about the recent episode of Mastering Dungeons @masteringdnd.bsky.social where @alphastream.bsky.social and @shawnmerwin.bsky.social are talking about the new Forgotten Realms subclass and are wondering if it is “too soon” for new subclasses. I would agree.

submitted 8 days ago • 5 comments

@masteringdnd.bsky.social Watched ur latest episode from this AM. Excellent as usual. One thing I will say re: the Netflix D&D show, having Shawn Levy on this as a producer very much means it's a go-show; unlikely it gets abandoned with 21 Laps in the mix. NF wants & needs to keep Levy happy.

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

New Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard Subclasses! The Winter Ranger, Rogue Scion, Spellfire Sorcerer, and Bladesinger Wizard – new subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5pW... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 4 days ago • 2 comments

News: Netflix D&D TV Show, Kickstarter Recovers, Evil Hat Shares Finances, Baldman Games Awards, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=kebi... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

We almost behaved on this episode. Almost. Oh purple dragon knight, how you tested us.

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

Crossing the (alpha)streams, question for @masteringdnd.bsky.social inspired by Teos' awesome #dnd vid: What - if anything - should we AS CUSTOMERS expect from third party publishers when they advertise monster books as 2024-compatible? Is it fair to expect the new math/CR calcs to be acknowledged?

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

Purple Dragon Knight and Oath of Genies Paladin! New fighter and paladin subclasses are coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. How do lore changes impact the design? Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

News: Free D&D Adventure: Hold Back the Dead, D&D Movie on Netflix, WotC Hires Worldbuilding, Flipping Your Campaign Script, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS7A... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

Monster Manual Design Changes! We review the latest monster previews and examine how 2024 has changed monster design. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=nv3T... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 25 days ago • 1 comment

News: ENNies Changes AI Policy, Dimension 20 Rocks Garden, Kickstarter Breakdown, Do You Fudge Dice, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuz... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

@masteringdnd.bsky.social this week got me thinking about high-value handouts. Here's a proto-type dragon's hoard for my #Shadowdark game. Beats the heck out of reading the loot list to my players multiple times. I can just hand it out and go grab a beer while they hash it out : ) #ttrpg

submitted 29 days ago • 1 comment

2024 Monster Manual Comparison! How do 2024 5E monster previews compare to 2014, and what do we think of the design? Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=os5d... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 32 days ago • 1 comment

News: Diamond Files for Bankruptcy, Ray Winninger @winningerr.bsky.social Reveals 5E's History, Student Trains AI on Critical Role, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OfJ... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

New Critical Role Publishing Deal, Chaosium $500 Convention Pack, Morale Rules, Does 2024 Distrust DMs, and more! Listen or Watch the News: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fehw... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

The Monster Overhaul! Shawn and Teos review the Monster Overhaul, a book that irreverently aims to become an indispensable tool at your table, providing tons of ideas for fun monsters. masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNiE... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 39 days ago • 1 comment

Listening to @masteringdnd.bsky.social talk about some morale rules. It sounds like the rules kinda make a death save for the combat to die or not.

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

Thinking about CoC campaigns listening to @masteringdnd.bsky.social ep 223, & I think there is another story type (not everyone's cup of tea) that CoC is good at: stories about the depth of choices people make to survive & stop evil (questionable allies made, corrupting items, sanity shaking magic)

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Monster Manual Previews! Previews have begun for the 2025 D&D MM! Shawn and Teos discuss the preview and just how hard it is to create monster books. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

News: Pinball Wizards, Most Anticipated RPGs, Singapore GMing, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzQh... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 47 days ago • 1 comment

Looking Back on 2024, Forward to 2025! Shawn and Teos revisit the year’s biggest stories, the show’s main topics and guests, and look forward to what will impact our hobby in 2025. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py8K... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 53 days ago • 1 comment

News: Bigger Monster Manual, CNBC has stats on D&D’s Financial Success, Beyond Ranked Skills, Vancian Magic Limiting Narrative, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=zflN... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 53 days ago • 0 comments

If you don't listen to the Mastering Dungeons podcast, now here's your excuse to start! I had a great time recording this. We talked about the week's TTRPG news and of course my book, The Psychology of Dungeons & Dragons.

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

Follow Jamie here!

submitted 60 days ago • 1 comment

The Psychology of D&D with Dr. Jamie Madigan! Dr. Jamie Madigan joins Teos and Shawn to explain that their dice aren’t cursed, the benefits of online vs in-person gaming, hot hand fallacy, and much more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 60 days ago • 3 comments

News: Kobold Press Finances, Artificer on Unearthed Arcana, Goodbye Dark Alliance, Draw Steel, Secret Level Review, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

Was honored and tickled to just finish recording a guest appearance on the @masteringdnd.bsky.social podcast to talk about my book The Psychology of Dungeons & Dragons and a bunch of other fun TTRPG news. I'm a fan of their podcast so it was fun. Should be releasing later this week!

submitted 62 days ago • 1 comment

Cool! on today's @masteringdnd.bsky.social they mentioned @risingtide.bsky.social . Thanks!

submitted 68 days ago • 1 comment

Listener Question Mega-Show! Improv anxiety? Player vs character skill? Find playtesters? Easy RPG entry point? Tricks for creativity? Find out why this show was so fun for us! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=O51T... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

News: Moonbeam Launches Alpha, New Maps Features, D&D Immersive Quest, Jail-Compliant RPGs, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwmV... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Just finished recording a great episode of @masteringdnd.bsky.social with @alphastream.bsky.social. Lots and lots of game design talk that I just love.

submitted 69 days ago • 2 comments

Recent Game Design Lessons! Shawn and Teos share what they learned as designers from projects during late 3E, 4E, and beyond. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 74 days ago • 1 comment

News: New Legacy of Greyhawk OP Campaign! AI Takes Down Itch. io, Talking Exploration, Redesigning Gnomes? And more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=UURq... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 74 days ago • 1 comment

Lessons Learned from Our Early Projects! Shawn and Teos share what they learned from the days when they started as designers, back in the 2000s and the 3E era. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com youtube.com/@masteringdu... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

News: Exodus is Hasbro’s Newest RPG, Lord of the Rings and Illrigger on Beyond, PAX Unplugged, and more! Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZUv... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

Qualities RPG Companies Look for in an RPG Designer! Shawn and Teos speak to other companies to hear what they say they look for in an RPG designer. Listen or watch: masteringdungeons.podbean.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAy8... #DnD #TTRPG

submitted 88 days ago • 0 comments