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Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons
Mastering Dungeons
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459 episodes

  • Mastering Dungeons

    James Introcaso on Crows, Draw Steel, and MCDM! Live from Gamehole Con!

    2026-10-21 | 52 mins.
    Episode 313 of Mastering Dungeons!

    Main topic: James Introcaso on Crows, Draw Steel, and MCDM! Live from Gamehole Con!

    The incredible James Introcaso discusses the last six years at MCDM, including the creation of Draw Steel and Crows, plus insights into being a creator in the industry.

    (No separate News segment this week!)

    Contents
    00:00 Live from Gamehole!
    01:36 Excited for Dark Sun?
    03:16 If Universes Beyond is Most Poplular?
    05:16 Knitting Like the DMs Guild?
    08:30 James Introcaso and MCDM's Transformation
    12:12 Designing for Hope & Fear
    14:51 Advantages of Full-Time Employment
    16:52 Product Line and Enjoying Victories
    20:59 Crows RPG
    23:28 Crows Gameplay
    26:05 Motivation in Crows
    28:02 Crows as a Big MCDM Change
    31:03 Playtest and Revision Approach
    34:34 Adventure Design Rut?
    38:05 Stretching Crows and an OGL?
    40:18 Mechanics vs Narrative for New RPG?
    45:44 Playtesting Higher Levels?
    49:35 New RPGs and Flexibility?

    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.
  • Mastering Dungeons

    Remonstered! Keith Ammann Updates The Monsters Know What They’re Doing!

    2026-10-14 | 1h 41 mins.
    Episode 312 of Mastering Dungeons!

    Main topic: Remonstered! Keith Ammann Updates The Monsters Know What They’re Doing!

    Keith joins Teos to discuss his innovations for running great monsters, how 5.5 monsters have changed, and the best new and updated monsters!

    News: D&D and Magic Joining Union, PH 5.5 Errata, Star Wars and Dark Sun Previews, Project Lamordia Review, and more!

    Contents
    00:00 Rapping with Keith
    02:29 Sirrangia Update
    03:04 Is Turn-Loss Educational?
    11:25 D&D and Magic Joining Union
    19:42 Project Lamordia Launched
    24:14 5.5 PH Errata Update
    25:25 Star Wars and Dark Sun News
    29:46 D&D Staff DMing at Gamehole
    31:26 Ohlen Launches Malborn
    34:06 Encounter Organization
    40:53 Microscope 2E
    42:51 Threats of the Timescape
    44:33 Job Trail
    45:52 Keith Ammann
    47:45 Keith's Origin Story
    49:40 Why Books?
    53:50 Has Success Changed Keith's Game?
    56:55 What Remonstered Offers
    01:00:42 New Innovations
    01:07:56 Shenanigans
    01:17:56 Best New and Updated Monsters
    01:21:55 Monster Type Changes
    01:27:05 The Flumph and Alignment
    01:33:04 Where to Buy Keith's Books
    01:36:39 Shout-Outs
    01:41:11 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.
  • Mastering Dungeons

    Best of Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and the 3rd Starter Set!

    2026-10-07 | 1h 37 mins.
    Episode 311 of Mastering Dungeons!

    Main topic: Best of Dragons of Stormwreck Isle and the 3rd Starter Set!

    5E’s 3rd Starter Set brings fewer components, a lower price point, and all the dragons! See why we harpy about why this is ghoul enough for you.

    News: Free Warcraft D&D Adventure, D&D Professions and Factions in WoW, Lamordia Modern Ravenloft, and more!

    Contents
    00:00 Swim Any Day in November
    03:28 Designer Peer Group?
    12:05 Impact of Creator's Voice?
    20:24 Free World of Warcraft Adventure
    21:09 First Look at Wow Professions
    25:03 WoW Factions and Renown
    26:08 Ravenloft Project Lamordia
    27:40 October D&D Drops Review
    31:55 Disability Pride Dice
    33:03 Renegade Loses Wolf Gains Hasbro
    34:30 Critical Role Grunge Video Game
    35:00 WizKids Hiring Marketing
    35:43 Draw Steel Hooked on Crafting
    36:49 Blacksmith's Guild and Iridoss Campaign
    38:18 Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
    39:14 Product History
    43:33 '80s Tie-In
    46:30 Other 2022 Products
    48:12 Premise and Approach
    50:29 Personal Goals
    55:04 First Encounter Consequences
    01:04:12 Zombie Resurgence
    01:06:33 Quest Overviews
    01:09:44 Exploration Encounters
    01:13:13 Seagrow Caves
    01:15:47 Cursed Shipwreck
    01:20:01 Clifftop Observatory
    01:28:10 Conclusion
    01:32:42 Shout-Outs
    01:36:50 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.
  • Mastering Dungeons

    Best of Dragon of Icespire Peak and the Essentials Kit!

    2026-09-30 | 1h 38 mins.
    Episode 310 of Mastering Dungeons!

    Main topic: Best of Dragon of Icespire Peak and the Essentials Kit!

    5E’s second Starter Set brings huge innovation, from Sidekicks to Quest Boards and Initiative Cards! Our review is more fun than a mimic in a gnome home.

    News: Wizards Fires and Hires, Warcraft Monsters First Look, Dragonlance Book White Board, and more!

    Contents
    00:00 Sirrangia and Encounters
    02:40 Our Art Preference?
    10:30 Warcraft First Look: Monsters!
    14:08 LaTia Jacquise Departs Wizards
    17:23 Wizards Hires Celeste Conowitch
    19:20 Dragonlance Book Brainstorm
    22:24 100 D&D Novels Return
    25:40 Daggerheart and D&D at Lucca
    27:59 One Ring's Huge Backerkit
    29:52 Dragon of Icespire Peak
    31:39 Starter Set History
    36:59 What's In The Box?
    43:42 Digital Codes on DDB
    46:15 Other 2019 Products
    48:20 Premise and Approach
    58:20 Introducing Sidekicks
    01:00:58 Quest Board and First Quests
    01:13:09 Follow-Up Quests
    01:21:27 Other Locations
    01:25:39 Ending the Adventure
    01:32:51 Shout-Outs
    01:38:16 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.
  • Mastering Dungeons

    Creating Mistborn and the Cosmere RPG with Lyla Fujiwara and Lydia Suen!

    2026-09-23 | 1h 43 mins.
    Episode 309 of Mastering Dungeons!

    Main topic: Creating Mistborn and the Cosmere RPG with Lyla and Lydia!

    Lyla Fujiwara (Cosmere RPG Director) and Lydia Suen (Cosmere Lead Designer) of Brotherwise Games join us to share what it took to create the Mistborn Setting for the Cosmere RPG! Learn about Plotweaver, time-swap adventures, freelancing, and much more!

    News: Warcraft 5E First Look, Draw Steel Encounters, Free Stuff, Jedi in 5E Star Wars, and more!

    Contents
    00:00 Best Podcast Ever
    03:01 Jedi in 5E Star Wars?
    12:02 Warcraft 5E First Look!
    16:05 DMAP Goes to Azeroth
    17:08 Seeker's Guide to Dread Demigods
    18:33 Draw Steel Encounters
    22:50 Building Cities Like Theme Parks
    25:16 Treska on RPG Freelancing
    27:41 Tomb of the Heretics for Shadowdark
    28:29 Eidolon: The Night Market
    29:26 Free Draw Steel Intro
    30:30 Creating Mistborn and Cosmere
    31:21 Lyla Fujiwara and Lydia Suen
    38:38 What is the Cosmere and Plotweaver?
    44:18 Record-Setting Crowdfunding Impact
    49:29 Types of Stories Cosmere Tells
    52:14 Plot Die and Character Goals
    59:21 Mistborn's Design
    01:01:32 Heroic and Invested Paths
    01:07:38 Kandra and Other Novel Options
    01:09:21 Managing All the Lore
    01:15:18 Adventure Design in Mistborn
    01:21:39 Time Swapping Two Eras
    01:30:05 What's Next for Mistborn and Cosmere?
    01:31:05 How to Design for Cosmere?
    01:38:54 Shout-Outs
    01:42:41 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.
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About Mastering Dungeons
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!
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