Stay ConnectedBen Byrne, Dael Kingsmill, Shawn Merwin, and Todd Kenreck bring you the latest tabletop hobby news, discussions on roleplaying game design, ideas for players and GMs, and share their passion for tabletop roleplaying games and the community!
For More info be sure to check out ghostfiregaming.com.
Copyright: © Ghostfire Gaming
Arora: Age of Desolation has arrived, and Shawn is here to unleash all the details about his beloved project! Unfortunately shardscale has started infecting Ben's microphone this week, resulting in a very slight audio quality dip.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Pledge to survive 'Arora: Age of Desolation' here: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AR01_2022_5_033
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
06:23 - Shawn details all in 'Arora: Age of Desolation'
33:18 - D&D Beyond pulls Volo's and Mordenkainen's from sale
56:44 - Acquisitions Inc. and Lost Mines of Phandelver Free on D&D Beyond
This week a geyser of new D&D miniatures from Wizkids rains down upon us and sparks a conversation about battle maps vs theatre of the mind. Shawn teases Arora: Age of Desolation, and Ben invents his best segues yet.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Discover more about Arora: Age of Desolation here: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AR01_2022_5_032
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
04:42 - 'Arora: Age of Desolation' teaser
07:25 - New Wizkids miniatures for Spelljammers and Bells Hells
11:35 - Theatre of the mind vs miniatures and battle maps
19:56 - Do you plan sessions entirely around minis?
31:28 - Should GMs delegate tasks to players?
49:04 - Capturing a specific genre or tone to your campaign
This week we try to break some news, pondering whether a 'Metaverse' is coming for 5e which could include third party campaign settings? James is as excited as ever for Episode 5 of Fables, and Dael teaches us the word skeumorphism.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Check out the latest episode of Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun here:
https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_FB01_2022_5_031
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:14 - Fables, Episode 5: City of Decadence
04:58 - Urban D&D Adventures
12:48 - Is a D&D 5e 'Metaverse' coming?
22:41 - Colbert's new adventure, legacy media, and Skeumorphism
28:26 - Does party composition matter?
43:15 - Running sophisticated social encounters in 5e
We dive deep into the Dungeons & Dragons news from D&D Direct, including Spelljammer, Dragonlance, Baldur's Gate, campaign cases and more! Plus we dissect the implications (good and bad) of Wizards of the Coast purchasing D&D Beyond!
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Check out Ghostfire Gaming's website here: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_ALL1_2022_4_030
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
07:35 - D&D Beyond acquired by Wizards of the Coast
20:34 - Goon balloon
22:02 - D&D Beyond data in WotC hands
26:40 - Will D&D become more complex with digital tools?
28:29 - Videogamification of D&D
37:51 - D&D Direct (Spelljammer)
54:51 - Rapid fire D&D Direct roundup
This week's episode of The Eldritch Lorecast is a deep dive into our mail bag, answering questions about party followers, sidekicks and familiars, D&D as an educational tool, and could you run Bridgerton as a 5e adventure?
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Check out Ghostfire Gaming's website here: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_ALL1_2022_4_029
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:29 - Are party followers ever a good idea?
13:44 - Run party followers your players won't hate
37:00 - D&D and TTRPGs as educational tools?
47:45 - Bridgerton style D&D adventures
This week's news is Hasbro's stealth announcement of a new D&D starter adventure, 'Dragons of Shipwreck Cove', and the next chapter of Fables is revealed to be more open world! James is inspired by The Legend of Zelda, Dael rolls for initiative against a giant spider, Shawn recounts more of 5e's beginnings, and Ben doesn't like Skyrim.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
00:17 - Dael's battle with Australian fauna
01:18 - Our first D&D 5e Adventures
07:28 - New D&D 5e starter box: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
22:49 - Fables Episode 4: Land of Despair
35:20 - Zelda dungeons are fantastic for TTRPG design!
43:57 - Designing adventures: is everything a dungeon?
52:34 - Game design ideas and resources
It's no April Fool's joke, Paizo are publishing a Pathfinder module as a 5th Edition adventure! Meanwhile WizKids are making a skirmish wargame with D&D: Onslaught. Dael brings her Golarion expertise, Shawn fears the reality-slayer-sword, James is gaga-googly eyes, and Ben lets his wargamer flag fly!
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
06:40 - Paizo releasing a Pathfinder module for D&D 5e!
20:15 - Should other TTRPG publishers release 5e supplements?
27:03 - 'Dungeons & Dragons: Onslaught' is announced!
33:11 - Wargames vs roleplaying games
44:09 - Encouraging player-characters to explore your campaign world
This week we're hyped for 'Arora: Age of Desolation', 'Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel', and Stephen Colbert teaming up with Critical Role again in April! Dael and James reminisce over their favorite Crit Role guest stars, Shawn gives sneaky clues about his new campaign world, and Ben turns EVERY game into an rpg.
Discover 'Arora: Age of Desolation': https://ghostfiregaming.com/arora/
Help Choose Stephen's Adventure (Again): https://tiltify.com/@criticalrole/choose-stephen-colberts-adventure-again
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
07:37 - Arora: Age of Desolation
14:07 - Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel
20:34 - Stephen Colbert teaming up with Critical Role
30:48 - Critical Role vs Legacy Media
36:27 - Introducing "Normies" to TTRPGs
43:29 - The Legacy of Dungeons & Dragons
52:51 - Incorporating other hobbies into your D&D game
This week we get hyped for the Dungeons & Dragons movie with Chris Pine and Hugh Grant, and debate whether it feels good to level up in 5e. Ben just keeps his players at level 1, Dael is kinder to leveling than she's been in the past, James is on Witcher Watch this week, and Shawn is glad it's not like earlier editions.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
05:00 - The upcoming D&D movie!
15:10 - Is Hugh Grant villainous enough?
20:47 - What kind of adventure will the D&D movie be?
22:25 - Leveling up in D&D 5e
29:39 - Milestone vs XP - which is better?
45:13 - Leveling system in Fables: Citadel of the Unseen Sun
50:34 - Defining what spells are "legal" in your campaign
This week we dive deep into Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep, discussing Critical Role Easter eggs, rival parties, and what we're most excited for! James and Shawn give insight into working in the TTRPG industry, and Dael doesn't think that's how lunar magic works while Ben crosses his arms in thoughtful disagreement.
Email questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @Melb_DM
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
04:34 - Working on D&D adventure books and other industry insights
17:08 - What comes first? The stat block or the artwork?
22:19 - Diving into Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep!
31:54 - Tearing apart Unearthed Arcana: Heroes of Krynn
46:36 - Dael is unsatisfied by lunar magic
01:01:49 - Thank you and farewell to Rob, our editor!
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
