Mastering Dungeons

Mar 19 2025 376 ep. 67 mins 704
Mastering Dungeons Podcast artwork

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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Let’s Build Encounters! (MD 233)

Mar 19 2025 87 mins  
Episode 233 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Let’s Build Encounters! We build encounters based on goblin and pirate monster groups as found in the revised Monster Manual. See our process for creating fun and engaging encounters! News: Electric State on Netflix, SVP Leaves WotC, Origins Award Finalists, and more! Contents00:00:00 Duke Ranks Higher Than Our Show00:01:17 D&

Making Your D&D or RPG World Dangerous (MD 232)

Mar 12 2025 52 mins  
Episode 232 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Making Your D&D or RPG World Dangerous! Shawn Merwin is joined by Ben Byrne to create the true number one show in all the realms… where that show covers the news and then discusses how to make D&D feel dangerous to players! News: Starter Set News, Chris Cocks on More Than AI, DriveThru Print Prices, and more! Contents00:00

Monster Groups and Encounters! (MD 231)

Mar 05 2025 96 mins  
Episode 231 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Monster Groups and Encounters! The 2025 Monster Manual provides a variety of monster groupings, such as several goblins or bandits. How well do those monster groupings work to establish a theme, provide a DM with options, and provide for useful encounters? News: Sigil VTT is Live, Starter Set Preview, MtG Movie and TV Show, D&D

Listener Corner Catch Up! (MD 230)

Feb 26 2025 95 mins  
Episode 230 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Listener Corner Catch Up! So many awesome listener questions, we devoted the show to them! News: Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results, New D&D Video Game, New Magic D&D Crossover, and more! Contents00:00:00 Santa Clara is Celestial00:02:43 Hasbro 2024 Q4 Results00:08:47 How Big is D&D after 2024?00:14:26 Hasbro Playing to Win Strategy

New Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard Subclasses! (MD 229)

Feb 19 2025 98 mins  
Episode 229 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: New Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard Subclasses! We examine the Winter Ranger, Rogue Scion, Spellfire Sorcerer, and Bladesinger Wizard – new subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. News: Netflix D&D TV Show, Kickstarter Recovers, Evil Hat Shares Finances, and more! Contents00:00 I'll Do Anyth

Purple Dragon Knight and Oath of Genies Paladin! (MD 228)

Feb 12 2025 99 mins  
Episode 228 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Purple Dragon Knight and Oath of Genies Paladin! We take a look at new fighter and paladin subclasses coming in November to the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide. How do lore changes impact the design? News: Free D&D Adventure, D&D on Netflix, WotC Hires Worldbuilding, and more! Contents00:00 Winter Fantasy Key Cards05:57 Fl

Forgotten Realms Unearthed Arcana! (MD 227)

Feb 05 2025 97 mins  
Episode 227 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Forgotten Realms Unearthed Arcana! New subclasses are out for playtest feedback and will be part of the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide out this November. We take a look at playtesting and the first two subclasses for Bard and Cleric. News: D&D Movie Licensing, New D&D Books and Settings, Sigil VTT Changes, and more! Cont

Monster Manual Design Changes! (MD 226)

Jan 29 2025 106 mins  
Episode 226 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Monster Manual Design! We review the latest monster previews and continue to examine how 2024 has changed monster design. News: ENNies Changes AI Policy, Dimension 20 Rocks Garden, Kickstarter Breakdown, and more! Contents00:00 Dimension 20 Rocks Garden03:11 How Restart Campaign?10:23 Emergency Takeoff Scenario?20:46 Do You Fudge Di

Monster Manual Comparison! (MD 225)

Jan 22 2025 102 mins  
Episode 225 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: Monster Manual Comparison! We review the recent monster previews. How do 2024 5E monsters compare to 2014, and what do we think of the design? News: Diamond Files Bankruptcy, Ray Winninger on 5E History, Student Trains AI on CR, and more! Contents00:00 Deadlands and Playtests02:16 Handout Prep Worth It?10:52 Rolling Under Pressure?2

The Monster Overhaul! (MD 224)

Jan 15 2025 96 mins  
Episode 224 of Mastering Dungeons! Main topic: 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. News: Critical Role Publishing Deal, Chaosium $500 Convention Pack, Morale Rules, and more! Contents00:00 Back to Normal01:57 Desert Island RPG?06:26