D&D 5E D&D PODCASTS: Any good Podcasts out there for DMs?

[Technoloid]

Does anybody listen to or know of any good D&D focused podcasts that somebody brand new to DM/GM'ing could listen to to get some helpful tips and new ideas? I know theres Dragon Talk but I was kind of hoping somebody would have first hand knowledge of any others.

I have some time during the work day to listen to a few shows or podcasts and I was hoping to sprinkle in a D&D based one or two here and there.

Let me know what you think! I'm open to ANYTHING.

Thanks!

 

[NerdyBird]

Sorry - double post

 

[NerdyBird]

Dungeon Master's Block is good.

Dungeon Master of None can be good when they're not trying to show how cooler-than-you they are.

Fear the Boot is focused on TTRPG-ing in general, but there's a lot for a new or experienced DM/GM to take away from their discussions.

Adventuring Academy is by far my favourite. Ther host, Brennan Lee Mulligan deep dives into what it means to be a DM/GM and what it means to be a player. He brings in guest hosts and talks about specific topics like player agency, how to plot twist, what goes into good campaign design... etc. Brennan is very energetic and it can be a bit overwhelming at times, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

I'll also recommend searching 'Dungeon Master' in you favourite podcast app and see what comes up. You might find something really interesting.

 

[Technoloid]

Dungeon Master of None can be good when they're not trying to show how cooler-than-you they are.

This is exactly the kind of insight I was hoping to get on some of these podcasts. You can look them up on a google search and theres a ton of lists of different pods but a lot of times there is no real review on the pod. Just more of a general summary of the pod.

Adventuring Academy is by far my favourite.

I'm definitely going to give this one a listen. I read good things but like I said, it's hard to find a real honest review.

Thanks for the insight!

 

[NerdyBird]

Thanks for the insight!

My pleasure.

To give a little more detail on Dungeon Master's Block... They have a variety of series: they do a straight up GM advice series, a how to incorporate lore (mostly Forgotten Realms) series, a worldbuilding series, a monster spotlight series... etc. And they bring in guests, much like Adventuring Academy. Their approach is accessible and likeable.

 

[TheLibrarian]

I'll second NerdyBird's recommendation for Fear the Boot.

 

[tommybahama]

Brennan is very energetic and it can be a bit overwhelming at times, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

I'm glad you pointed this out. The few times I saw him as a guest he seemed almost manic and I was wondering if it was just me.

 

[Quickleaf]

Does anybody listen to or know of any good D&D focused podcasts that somebody brand new to DM/GM'ing could listen to to get some helpful tips and new ideas? I know theres Dragon Talk but I was kind of hoping somebody would have first hand knowledge of any others.

I have some time during the work day to listen to a few shows or podcasts and I was hoping to sprinkle in a D&D based one or two here and there.

Let me know what you think! I'm open to ANYTHING.

Thanks!

If there's one video that I'd recommend to a motivated new DM to 5e – really any DM looking to hone their craft – then it's this one from Jonathan and Jim at WebDM about "When to Roll Dice." This is a foundational skill that there (understandably) isn't much written on, but is so critically important to maintaining a good flow of play.


EDIT: Also, once you've watched some more beginner-oriented videos, I highly recommend the stuff from Dael Kingsmill (MonarchsFactory on YouTube) and ZipperonDisney (also YouTube). They're putting out very thoughtful videos that tend to target specific issues DMs run into.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff is a phenomenal podcast to listen to for gaming. Now, their advice isn't always D&D related, but you will find plenty of interesting information that might give you ideas. Because of them (Ken Hite and Robin Laws, long time game designers), for example, I learned about Robert Fortune, a 6' tall redheaded Scotsman that managed to pass himself off as Chinese in order to smuggle tea out of China. THAT'S a deception check and a half I'd say

 

[NerdyBird]

I'm glad you pointed this out. The few times I saw him as a guest he seemed almost manic and I was wondering if it was just me.

Nope, not just you. Whenever a guest on AA makes even the smallest joke, you can hear him slapping his leg in the background. Makes me roll my eyes so hard I give myself a headache. But the guy's a brilliant DM and very insightful about the art of playing/running a game so it's easy to forgive.