Mastering Dungeons

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**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!

Latest Episodes:

The Future of the DMs Guild? (MD 272) Dec 31, 2025

Show notes

Episode 272 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The Future of the DMs Guild?

Teos and Shawn look at the decline of the 10-year-old DMsGuild and lessons for all platforms, such as D&D Beyond!

News: KC Chiefs Play D&D, Mythic Crowdfunding Disaster, Foundry Hiring for New RPG, and more!

Contents
00:00 Our Trees Were Fortunate
03:04 National Comedy Center
05:10 Crowdfunding Replaced DMsGuild?
10:18 Can We Stop Platform Decline?
19:14 New D&D Workbooks from PRH
25:49 Best-Selling RPGs on Fantasy Grounds
28:15 KC Chiefs Play D&D
30:06 WA Sec of State on Gaming
32:24 Foundry Hiring for New RPG
35:14 Mythic Games Crowdfunding Disaster
38:20 Books Leaving Grocery Stores
42:48 Moonshae Isles Omnibus
45:03 Crack the Sun Final Days
46:03 DMsGuild Turns 10
47:22 Keith Baker Era
50:10 Print on Demand and Quality Jumps
52:43 Race to the Bottom
54:56 Guild as Stepping Stone
58:29 What Killed the Guild?
01:10:13 WotC as Competitor
01:15:49 Looking to the Future
01:34:48 Shout-Outs
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.

The DMs Guild’s Complex History! (MD 271) Dec 24, 2025

Show notes

Episode 271 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The DMs Guild’s Complex History!

Teos and Shawn enjoy a video by Trekiros and think on the incredible history of the 10-year-old DMsGuild!

News: James Ohlen’s Exodus, Cosmere’s Roadmap, New Legends of Greyhawk Region, and more!

Contents
00:00 Happy Holidays!
02:25 Non-Combat Enctr Objectives?
17:44 Dungeons Best for 1-on-1 Play?
25:32 Diamond Distributors Bankrupt Again
28:31 New Legends of Greyhawk Region
30:27 Gen Con Participation Grants
31:30 Cosmere Announces Roadmap
36:31 James Ohlen and Exodus Change
44:00 DMsGuild Turns 10
44:41 Trekiros Video
46:12 Our History with the Guild
47:28 History of Licensing Pre-Guild
49:26 The OGL and 3E
51:30 Shawn's DMsGuild First Day
52:57 AL's Huge Early Sales
55:58 Early Days and Royalties
01:07:13 Launching Creators
01:11:00 Struggle for Quality
01:15:41 Adepts Program
01:26:28 Creator Expectations
01:34:18 Shout-Outs
01:38:33 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/

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.

Heroic Sacrifice and Campaign Building with Prequel and Ethan Yen (MD 270) Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Episode 270 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Dying and Campaign Building with Prequel and Ethan Yen

Ethan Yen joins Shawn and Teos to discuss Prequel, the amazing game where you know you will die to the big bad… but get to create a campaign defined by the secrets these heroes discover!

News: D&D Beyond’s New Goals, Crack the Sun’s Big Start, Big Staff Changes, and more!

Contents
00:00 Conventional Wisdom
03:34 Teaching with RPGs?
13:00 Easy to Convert?
18:26 D&D Beyond's New Goals
24:52 Warlock Video Game Announced
27:57 Justice Arman Promoted
29:05 Jason Carl Departs World of Darkness
32:25 Perkins and Crawford on Acq Inc
35:47 Crack the Sun's Huge Start
39:59 Ikea D&D Book
42:47 Draw Steel Quick Reference
43:17 Quests from the Keep on the Borderlands
44:06 Ethan Yen and Prequel
45:34 Ethan's RPG Path
49:45 Creative Influences
58:45 All About Prequel
01:06:10 Phases of Play
01:12:39 The Big Fight
01:20:53 Campaign Building Conclusion
01:23:53 Zine Format Tips
01:30:46 Gamehole PoC Programs
01:37:58 Find Ethan
01:38:55 Shout-Outs
01:43:18 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/

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.

How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration) Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

How is an RPG Book Made? (Alphastream Collaboration)

While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording Teos made with Scott F Gray, sharing the intricacies of the process for creating an RPG book. This recording appeared in two parts on the Alphastream YouTube channel and we are sharing it here for your enjoyment.

Contents
00:00 Intro
00:46 About Scott
04:15 Who this video is for
09:09 Starting with an idea
12:54 When is my idea ready?
26:53 What to know when I start writing
39:04 Understanding words per page
43:00 After writing and types of editors
01:02:22 Development
01:04:10 Sensitivity Reading
01:07:10 Proofreading
01:10:11 Layout
01:14:47 Initial Layout Design
01:19:05 Flowing Copy and Word Processor Choices
01:24:39 Art and Art Orders
01:36:46 Bleed
01:39:26 Rewriting After Initial Layout
01:45:27 Don't Write in Layout
01:49:24 Final Proofread and Layout
01:55:34 PDF vs PoD vs Offset Printing
02:11:25 Offset Printing and Timeline
02:15:20 Crowdfunding
02:18:55 Rising Tide on Manufacturing and Shipping
02:21:12 On Collaboration
02:26:27 Support the Show

Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/

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.

The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025) Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

Gamehole Con 2025 and Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: The Beautiful Mess of 5E! (Gamehole Con 2025)

While Shawn and Teos are away, we share with you a recording of a panel at Gamehole con where Mike Mearls, Mike Shea, Shawn, and Teos discuss the many forms of 5E available both officially and through third party companies. We look at how D&D 5E was designed in a open way and how this impacts our hobby.

Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/

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.

Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror (MD 269) Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Episode 269 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Brindlewood Bay’s Cozy Horror

Cozy on up with our review of Brindlewood Bay. Being an elderly widow, cutting to commercial, detailing our cozy home, and drawing on classic TV? Sign us up!

News: Eberron Forge of the Artificer, MCDM’s Summoner and Blackbottom, Cosmere Actual Play, and more!

Contents
00:00 Clue Advent and Alien Evolved
03:32 Player Goals First?
12:34 Crawford Perkins Critique and Praise?
16:45 Eberron Forge of the Artificer is Out
21:15 MCDM Releases Summoner
21:42 Fall of Blackbottom Adventure
23:40 Initiative D&D in NYC
26:10 Cosmere Actual Play
27:23 Jubensha Grows Internationally
30:47 Nominate Most Anticipated RPG of '26
31:43 Brindlewood Bay
32:16 Game and its Vibes
35:30 Elderly Widows as PCs
37:57 Game Play Basics
39:44 Why the GM Can Push Hard
42:33 Gear as Your Cozy Home
45:08 PbtA Moves
56:35 Maven Moves
58:45 Being a Keeper or GM
01:00:24 Clues and Void Clues
01:02:42 One-Shots vs Campaign
01:08:09 Shout-Outs
01:12:15 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/

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.

Can We Fix 1-Player Dragon Delves? (MD 268) Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Episode 268 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Can We Fix 1-Player Dragon Delves?

While a full fix would take more work, we do quickly test a fix and find it is a ton more fun as we conclude our 1 DM and 1 Player adventure!

News: Daggerheart’s Big Expansion, Acq Inc Switches, D&D’s Digital Releases, Leaked Financials, and more!

Contents
00:00 Shawn is Horrified
02:46 D&D Version of Andor or Office?
11:18 Must Fun Single-Class Party?
15:18 Lorwyn First Light Released Digitally
20:32 Daggerheart New Expansion
24:26 Daggerheart PAX News
27:46 Acq Inc Switches to Daggerheart
30:48 Leaked 5E Sales Data
37:28 Free Fantasy Grounds
38:51 If RPGs Adjusted for Inflation
40:13 Temple of the Lightbringers
40:37 Stabracadabra
41:32 Crack the Sun for Draw Steel
42:12 Drakkenheart
43:00 Kickstarter Union Prevails
43:35 Baker's Doesn't Conclusion
44:07 Our Test So Far
46:59 1 on 1 Play as a Concept
55:25 Shawn's Proposed Changes!
01:04:21 Underground Jail
01:10:34 Yummy Mummy
01:14:29 Our New Solo Combat
01:25:48 When Mummy is Daddy
01:31:00 Facing Nibblecheeks
01:35:39 The Heroes We Made Along the Way
01:41:25 Final Thoughts
01:48:15 Shout Outs
01:52:04 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/

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.

Does 1 Player Really Work with Dragon Delves? (MD 267) Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Episode 267 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Does 1 Player Really Work with Dragon Delves?

Shawn runs Teos through Dragon Delves and they find out whether the adventure’s rules for one player work. Spoiler: no, listener, they do not work!

News: Mighty Nein on Amazon, D&D Challenging for Netflix, Draw Steel Codex, 5E on Demiplane, and more!

Contents
00:00 FR Goodness
01:03 DnD Bologna Contestants - Die Egg Cup
02:32 DnD Press-On Nails
03:54 People Mag and DnD Wedding Cakes
06:17 What Should WotC Design?
18:01 Demiplane 5E Support
23:14 Mighty Nein on Amazon Prime
25:27 D&D on Netflix is Challenging
30:45 Draw Steel Codex
32:51 Codex Draw Steel Marketplace
33:32 Crack the Sun!
35:54 Amazon Warhammer 40k Shows
38:03 Baldur's Gate Adventure Jam Released
39:38 D&D Municipal Ethics Adventure
40:56 Beast RPG
43:55 Alpha Star Magazine
44:33 Darrington Press Seeks Creators
45:38 Dungeons of Drakkenheim for Daggerheart
46:20 DM and Player Gaming
50:06 Story So Far
52:00 Forest and Candy Trail
56:10 Investigating the Outside
01:07:05 Exploring the Interior
01:10:01 Taffy and Bugbears
01:14:22 Discussing 1 Player Combat
01:17:57 Secret Passage
01:22:10 Critical Hit!
01:33:57 Reflecting on 1-on-1 Combat
01:35:27 Saving Asger
01:39:23 Additional Thoughts
Thank you for listening! Get the full show notes with links on Patreon.

Show Search Engine: https://mdsearch.alphastream.org/

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.

Solo Actual Play with Dragon Delves! (MD 266) Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Episode 266 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Solo Actual Play with Dragon Delves!

Can solo play work? Shawn runs Teos through Dragon Delves. See their ridiculous antics and what they think about the design!

News: Daggerheart’s New Bloodhunter, Moonbeam Shuts Down, WotC Restores Educator Resources, HeroForge and Daggerheart Dilemma, and more!

Contents
00:00 Playing All the Games
04:08 Reasons Why PCs Have New Features?
12:18 Lost Art of Dungeon Design?
22:47 Favorite Community Program?
27:54 Moonbeam Shutting Down
30:01 Organize Play Adds FR Options
32:58 DnD EU and AP Release Dates
34:26 WotC Restores Educator Resources
35:51 Daggerheart Playtests Blood Hunter
37:37 HeroForge and Daggerheart Dilemma
41:21 Solo Play with Dragon Delves
42:55 Using Maps VTT
45:58 Solo Play Rules in Dragon Delves
50:27 Adventure Starts with Fire
57:01 Saving the Halfling
01:01:41 Investigating the Fire
01:09:58 Golden Lizards
01:14:21 Mischief at the Bakery
01:28:41 Behind the DM Curtain
01:30:08 Shout Outs
01:33:38 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/

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.

Shannon Appelcline and Designers & Dragons Origins! (MD 265) Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Episode 265 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Shannon Appelcline and Designers & Dragons Origins!

Renowned RPG historian Shannon Appelcline joins Teos and Shawn to discuss his new 4-book series capturing the amazing stories behind every D&D product from OD&D, AD&D, and Basic!

News: New Daggerheart folio, Tales of Woodcreek starts with a bang, Free FR preview, and more!

Contents
00:00 Thankful for community
03:44 Draw Steel allows roleplay?
06:38 Get players to make stuff up?
19:32 Netflix and Hasbro KPop Demon Hunting
20:48 Hasbro Q3 report
22:54 WotC Q3 results
24:07 Videogame costs
26:49 Hasbro's 45-50 shows and movies
29:34 WotC explains D&D well, actually
35:34 How big is D&D?
42:13 Are we getting a Dragonlance show?
45:15 Sigil will be no more
52:06 Daggerheart on class design
54:41 PAX Unplugged BIPOC demo days
55:37 Drakkenheart
57:07 Draw Steel recoveries and respites
57:52 Ending combat
01:03:02 Balancing adventuring days
01:06:23 Recoveries
01:08:12 Resting and victories
01:11:23 Respites and downtime
01:21:52 Project roll
01:23:34 Project events
01:28:13 Rewards and downtime
01:32:52 Shout-outs
01:37:19 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/

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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