The Mana Pool

Latest Episodes:

A Spooooky Dorks Just Chatting Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

We are Brianless this week, so we're doing a Dorks Just Chatting. Chewie talks about what he's been watching for his 31 Days of Spooky project, watching a horror movie every day and writing it up on BlueSky and the TMP Discord. This leads into tangents about Betty White, the Five Nights at Freddy's games, and pretentious jerks from college. Oh yeah, we're all over the place here.

The random conversation continues with car problems, the roguelike mode in Cross Blitz, and Mike's Halloween music selections before heading into a discussion about scary video games (and our troubles playing them). Then somehow we end up talking about roller coasters, good and bad ones.

Let us know what you've been doing to celebrate the spooky season!

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Become a Lifeguard on Patreon! – patreon.com/themanapool Podcast RSS Feed: themanapool.libsyn.com/rss YouTube: youtube.com/TheManaPool The Deep End: youtube.com/@TheDeepEndTMP TMP Streams Archive: youtube.com/@TMPStreams Twitch: twitch.tv/themanapool Discord: discord.gg/7da7T6s BlueSky: themanapool.bsky.social Instagram: TheManaPool Threads: @TheManaPool Email: dorks@themanapool.com

Now With 100% Less Suffering! - Reality Fracture | The Mana Pool #762 Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

The dorks take a look at the new Magic: the Gathering set, Reality Fracture, because why not? Jace wants to create a new multiverse without suffering, so of course everything is all screwed up in all kinds of ways. Jace may or may not be a bit of an idiot.

Mechanics: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/reality-fracture-mechanics Gallery: https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/reality-fracture/card-image-gallery

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Rise of the Midnight Dorks | Dorks Just Chatting Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

The dorks are Dirkless this week so we're Just Chatting. We talk about Brian's recent tumble that made us take an unexpected week off, it was pretty brutal. Then Chewie spends way too much time talking about Marvel's Midnight Suns, a game he's spent a ridiculous amount of time on recently. After that we bounce around to Final Fantasy Resonance, the new Darkwing Duck, a game called Cross Blitz that Chewie has been streaming lately, small (mostly free) puzzle games by FLEB, and the guilty pleasure that is getting angry while watching Paranormal: Caught on Camera.

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

The Bards Tale | The Mana Pool #761 Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Like we did with Rogues back in episode 746, the Dorks are taking a look at bards and bard-like characters across all of media! From the very obvious and standards like Edward from Final Fantasy 4 and Jaskier from the Witcher to more speculative possibilities, we're digging around to see who we can find. What actually makes a character a bard? We're starting at D&D and going from there! Be sure to let us know who we missed and why we're wrong!

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Who's a Good Boy? | The Mana Pool #760 Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

The dorks are talking about our favorite pets and animal companions in games! The dogs, dragons, horses, and whatever else that keep the player company or help out in some way need to be celebrated, and who better to do it than us? Let us know your favorites that we missed!

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Dorks Talk The Legend of Zelda (part 2) | The Mana Pool #759 Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

The dorks return to The Legend of Zelda to talk about our feelings on the next three games! We're hitting Link's Awakening (both the original Game Boy and the Switch remake), and the two Nintendo 64 games - Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. The weird little handheld one, the iconic jump to 3D, and the completely bizarre time loop fan favorite. Let us know how you feel about this batch of Zelda games!

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Judging Old Stuff (and How Not To Do It) | The Mana Pool #758 Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

The dorks discuss evaluating older video games, television, and movies in modern times. A lot has changed since the early days of each of these forms of media, from technological advancements to cultural shifts to changes in how each one is consumed. It's not just four old nerds rambling about the way things used to be, because we're not saying anything was better before. But we do want everyone to understand that things were different in ways you might not think about and that shaped why older media is the way it is.

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Dorks Talk The Legend of Zelda (part 1) | The Mana Pool #757 Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

The dorks take a look at the beginning of The Legend of Zelda! We're taking our time with this one since we have a lot to say, especially the early ones that laid so much of the groundwork for the series. On this one we're covering the two games on the NES - The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and the one on the SNES - A Link to the Past. Let us know what you love (and hate) about these classic games and any of the others in the series!

Also, Chewie finished his two articles about playing 30 game demos in the Steam Next Fest! Be sure to give them a read, there are a lot of awesome indie games in there.

Next Fest article 1: https://www.patreon.com/themanapool/posts/chewie-played-30-163900762 Next Fest article 2: https://www.patreon.com/themanapool/posts/chewie-played-30-164181132

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

Last Minute Pivot! | Dorks Just Chatting Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Due to a sudden medical...issue, and yes you'll hear all about it on this episode, we decided at the last minute to do a low pressure DJC. Listen to the Dorks discuss music, Brian's eye, co-op gaming with one of the children, the stupid state we live in, what we've been playing lately, and an old story from the stand-up days. Enjoy, and don't worry - Brian's fine.

Check out Jourdain Fisher's new stand-up special! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWMUM_myE38

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

NOT Through the Omenpaths (Marvel Super Heroes MTG) | The Mana Pool #756 Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

The dorks take a look at the new Marvel Magic set, because why not.

Marvel Super Heroes Mechanics - https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/marvel-super-heroes-mechanics Card Image Gallery - https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/marvel/marvel-super-heroes/card-image-gallery

Come join us in the future! The show is live on Thursdays around 8pm(ish) Eastern time on Twitch.

Intro & Outro Music: Diamond by Swift – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vAs5HIBkUPbuoN5b5GWTE

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