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Artwork for Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons

Mastering Dungeons
Dungeons & Dragons
Shadowdark RPG
Role-Playing Games
Planescape
Shadowdark
RPG Game Design
Blade Runner Starter Set
World Building
D&D
Player Engagement
Village Setting
NPC Development
Dungeon Mastering
Adventure Design
Wizards Of the Coast
Adventure Hooks
Game Mechanics
5th Edition
Blade Runner RPG
Game Design

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!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes539Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GamesLeisure

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Artwork for Mastering Dungeons

Latest Episodes

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 produc... more

Episode 264 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Draw Steel – Resting and Downtime! (MD 264)

The Draw Steel RPG has a unique and deliberate approach to what it takes to rest and what you can do during your rest. Respites become a key element, bridgin... more

Episode 263 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Live from Gamehole Con -  Complexity in RPGs!

We discuss complexity with our live audience!

News: Asmodee Controls Lord of the Rings, Circle Magic, Biggest Industry Surprise, New Kobold Hires, and mor... more

Episode 262 of Mastering Dungeons!

Main topic: Draw Steel Combat Encounters!

Teos and Shawn examine how the Draw Steel RPG handles player turns, including forced movement, damage, and dying!

News: D&D Hellfire at Target, Free Daggerheart Roll20 Qu... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Justice Ramin Arman
Managing game designer on the D&D game design team
Wizards of the Coast
Episode: Inside Heroes of the Borderlands: Justice Arman on creating D&D’s new starter set! (MD 258)
Chris Honkala
He's known as Treantmonk, a popular YouTuber focusing on D&D content.
Treantmonk's Temple
Episode: Treantmonk and Mike Balles! (MD 256)
Mike Balles
Co-founder of Latin Lounge, focuses on integrating Latin cultural elements into gaming.
Latin Lounge
Episode: Treantmonk and Mike Balles! (MD 256)
Shelly Mazzanoble
Author and former Senior Brand Manager for Dungeons and Dragons
Wizards of the Coast
Episode: How to DM Parenting with Shelly Mazzanoble! (MD 253)
James Introcaso
Game designer and lead designer for MCDM's Draw Steel RPG
MCDM
Episode: Draw Steel and Introducing New RPGs! (MD242)
Graham Ward
Creator of 100 Dungeons
Episode: Hundred Dungeons and the OSR! (MD 234)
Dr. Jamie Madigan
Psychology PhD, author of The Psychology of Dungeons and Dragons
psychologyofgames.com
Episode: The Psychology of D&D with Dr. Jamie Madigan (MD 221)
Ben Byrne
Creative Content Director at Ghostfire Gaming and co-host of the Eldritch Lorecast
Ghostfire Gaming
Episode: Embracing Dark Fantasy (MD 216)
Hannah Rose
Game designer and editor, co-founder of Horizons Magazine
Wildmage Press
Episode: Horizons Magazine with Hannah Rose! (MD 211)

Hosts

Shawn Merwin
Co-host and RPG game designer with extensive experience in Dungeons & Dragons, bringing insights from his multiple roles in the gaming industry.
Teos Abadía
Co-host and RPG game designer known for his work within the Dungeons & Dragons community, providing valuable context and industry insights.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 392 ratings
  • In-depth commentary and reviews

    Shawn and Teos have been in the industry for decades and have lots of experience under their belts. Their in depth review of rules and games and adventures always explore both the good and the bad. It is great to keep up to date with them and hear about the current state of RPGs

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    the Shepster
    United Statesa month ago
  • The #1 TTRPG Podcast

    if you like TTRPG discussions, Mastering Dungeons is head and shoulders above all the others. So many TTRPG podcasts have too much banter and not enough fact. MD always does their homework first, and they often take deep dives into new game systems. Plus the hosts, Shawn Merwin and Teos Abadia, are working designers who have written for Wizards of the Coast, Ghostfire Gaming, MCDM, and other large publishers, so their opinions come from a well of deep experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mister Lou
    United States3 months ago
  • Great show!

    I love this show and their approach to explaining the DM process to me. I’m a new player and a never DM. I’m certainly DM curious and I have found that listening to these two over the past few months has been extremely insightful. Like everyone else I’m Daggerheart intrigued and this recent episode on the Spotlight was very helpful to understand. I’m actually listening for the third time as it’s hard to understand without playing it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Thorlik
    United States4 months ago
  • Great Content, but…

    First off, both Hosts are knowledgable and full of RPG stories, but please STOP apologizing so profusely for the 50 year old content that neither of you even wrote. We all know that the industry is changing to be more inclusive and diverse, but one simple trigger warning when the show starts would suffice. On the Greyhawk episodes Shawn spent over 5 minutes apologizing for the term “Race” and for the fantasy Greyhawk civilizations expansionism. I would rather have those 5 minutes hearing about G... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Wormholer_joe
    United States5 months ago
  • My favourite D&D podcast

    Smart, levelheaded, experienced… this show is my “comfort food”.

    Thank you Shawn and Teos!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rimsh0t
    Canada7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback highlights a welcoming community atmosphere that encourages diverse perspectives in gaming discussions.
Listeners appreciate the insightful analysis into game design and industry trends, praising the hosts for their depth of knowledge.
Critics have suggested minimizing certain apologies during discussions while remaining informative. Many appreciate the dialogue's balance between humor and substantial content.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#63
United States/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#122
Canada/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#129
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#52
France/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#219
Australia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#222
Italy/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Draw Steel Combat Encounters! (MD 262)
Q: What's your process to get up to speed on lore mechanics and design style?
Play one, run one, write one, to learn a new game.
Inside Heroes of the Borderlands: Justice Arman on creating D&D’s new starter set! (MD 258)
Q: Did you look solely at B2 for the original version or pull from other editions?
The guiding source was the original module, Keep on the Borderlands, but we also looked at other versions for context.
Inside Heroes of the Borderlands: Justice Arman on creating D&D’s new starter set! (MD 258)
Q: What were the goals for the new D&D starter set?
The goals included using components to teach players how to play and DM, decreasing the time it takes to start playing, allowing players and DMs to switch roles, and presenting the adventure in a way that highlights exploration, combat, and social interaction.
Draw Steel Character Generation! (MD 257)
Q: What are your thoughts on Daggerheart?
Teos expresses uncertainty about its simplicity and the long-term appeal of character options.
Treantmonk and Mike Balles! (MD 256)
Q: What makes a good subclass?
A subclass should provide both originality and interesting mechanics, along with being engaging in gameplay.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Mastering Dungeons

What is Mastering Dungeons about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Covering a wide range of topics in the tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) landscape, discussions are largely centered around Dungeons & Dragons and various RPG systems. The hosts analyze game design, provide insights from industry veterans, and explore both classic and new gaming experiences. Notably, there's an emphasis on community engagement and player experience, making the content accessible for newcomers yet profound enough for seasoned gamers. This podcast uniquely blends news reporting with in-depth product reviews, offering listeners a well-rounded perspective on the evolving world of tabletop gaming.

Where can I find podcast stats for Mastering Dungeons?

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How many listeners does Mastering Dungeons get?

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What are the audience demographics for Mastering Dungeons?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Mastering Dungeons has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Mastering Dungeons are there?

Mastering Dungeons launched 10 years ago and published 539 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Mastering Dungeons?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Mastering Dungeons?

Recent guests on Mastering Dungeons include:

1. Justice Ramin Arman
2. Chris Honkala
3. Mike Balles
4. Shelly Mazzanoble
5. James Introcaso
6. Graham Ward
7. Dr. Jamie Madigan
8. Ben Byrne

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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