Dungeon Master's Apprentice (Theodore Giesen)

In this long awaited for sequel to episode 3, we've got more guests than ever before to brainstorm a new setting for our next main campaign. Our regular adventure is winding to an end and it's time to start thinking about what sort of world we would all be interested in playing in, and we eventually land on a very intriguing and unique idea that could easily be incorporated into your own home games. We also talk about what it's like taking long breaks from certain campaigns, fighting Tiamat, resurrecting characters as revenants for that "one last mission," and getting pelted in the face by snowballs.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

On this week's episode Mike and I play a couple of silly goofy games. We start off by playing Would You Rather with questions relating to D&D and then move into playing 20 Questions (also related to D&D). Although it's more of a casual episode, you can find nuggets of solid advice sprinkled throughout.

Also, I put more time into editing this episode than any in the past, including the one where I remix Luke's voice into a song about sound checks. Your appreciation is appreciated.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Happy 3 years to DMA! In this episode Mike and I talk about what it would be like to run a campaign with a good party and an evil party. Though it may seem a bit complicated, we talk about the ways that it could be successfully pulled off. Look forward to updates as we test this theory.

We also take a crack at some D&D 20 questions because why not?

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This episode, we're happily joined by Neil Robertson who has been in British Columbia for the past couple months with lots of fun stories to tell, and Andrew. We start this one off talking about Cyberpunk, but eventually transition into the second One D&D play-test UA which has some juicy new level 20 feats. We also watch the Island of the Sea Wolves trailer narrated by Will Arnett before we begin our weekly fiction fixation.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Let's face it - D&D is full of theatrics, which is why we brought in actor, playwright, and longtime friend Alex to give us his interpretation of how to put on a show at your table. We also get into some very serious debates on salt vs peanuts, dive into some new segments, talk about our origins as performers, and test Alex's vast movie knowledge.

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! If you think you know more about movies than Alex, let us know on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Explaining the rules and regulations of D&D to anyone who has no prior knowledge can be difficult, especially if that person is your parent, but we're going to try anyways! In this episode George and I set up the studio on a Mexican rooftop patio and talk about our shared and separate interests, our recent ocean fishing trip, and George's potential D&D character. It was a really fun episode to record, and if you liked it too make sure to leave us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts!

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Nathan is back and we're talking new characters whilst we listen to NADDPOD music by the talented Emily Axford. Unfortunately we could not do the music justice, as Zoom automatically mutes one's audio when they aren't talking, so the tunes are a little choppy. Once a minor adjustment is made for next time, we will give these songs the quality they deserve. It's a work in process, folks. In the mean time, thanks for listening!

Reach out on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod with any questions, requests, or tips of your own!

This week we're blessed to be joined by my girlfriend Lexy (yes, you read that right). Seeing as this probably won't be her last guest appearance, we take our time to introduce you to her history with fiction, fantasy, and D&D. We then spend most of our Fiction Fixation giving our review of the movie Barbarian, which didn't exactly blow us away. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

New guest alert! This week we're joined by my good friend Mitch to talk about being a guest DM, seeking approval from your players, and whether Halo is considered fantasy. This is one of my favourite episodes to date, so please enjoy and don't forget to give us a follow @dungeonmasterpod on Instagram. As always, thanks for listening!

After a bit of a hiatus, DMA is back with highly esteemed guest Justin Dudtschak for some cousinly chitchat that is all over the map. In this episode, Justin and I talk about the genre of adventure fiction and how it has evolved from world exploration to intergalactic sci-fi exploration. Also, we open up a D&D sourcebook I found at a comic book store and try to get a gist for its complicated plot line, we talk about the politics of archaeology, and I experience an allergy attack.

It's always a blast to have amazing guests like Justin on and I hope you all enjoy this show.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram if you want to be our next guest @dungeonmasterpod!

This episode I talk about the process of creating a setting for your player characters, creating likeable NPCs, and my new character concept!

It's been too long since we've talked to John, which is why we had to bring him back for this week's show. In this episode, John talks about a Brazilian RPG he's been very fixated on called Ordem Paranormal that he plans on teaching to myself and our friends. Listen in as he walks through the game's lore, its mechanics, and the intense moral quandaries it places on its players. 

Check out the first episode of the show on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uplnCYc0fDg if you wish to learn more about this intriguing RPG.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Nathan and I borrow a segment from another podcast (again). This time, we're comparing and contrasting our top 8 D&D classes to see which one comes out on top. Listen as we debate these very important decisions and let us know on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod whether you agree or disagree.

As always, thanks for listening, and thank you to the brilliantly talented Billy and Adam from the No Joke podcast for the inspiration. 

In this episode Mike and I talk all things moving, both D&D related and not. Listen as we talk about Mike's recent move from an apartment to a house and how it has affected our personal life and our D&D life. New table, new seating arrangement, new commutes... all factors that contribute to the D&D experience in interesting ways. We also decided to play some more 20 Questions, so look forward to that in the second half of the episode. As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to⁠ https://newsly.me/⁠ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription. And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

We got the whole squad (minus Dave) here to talk about our upcoming campaign with a specific focus on who Brett's character is, where they're from, and what got them banished from their underground civilization. We also flex our Dragon Ball Z and Naruto knowledge for this week's fiction fixation. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

You best start believin' in ghost podcasts, Miss Turner, yerr in one! This week we're back with Emily to talk about conspiracy theories, haunting encounters, and Ouija boards! In the first half we dive into the dos and don'ts of using a Ouija board before we make and use our own in the second half. We also talk about writing children's books, Minecraft x Grumpy Cat, and our spin on Ted Talks! Later on we're joined by Addie and Hazen, our mischievous and curious step-siblings, who are quite skeptical of our ghostly communications.   

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

We've been blessed with another new guest this week along with some old favourites. In this episode, Andrew, Luke, Neil, and I talk about character optimization, rotating DMs, and inclusion in D&D, with Maxine Nightingale sprinkled in along the way. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

What better way to enjoy your Saturday night than to sit around with some pals and record a podcast about D&D? This week we're joined by two prolific guests to talk about level 20 builds, Nathan's new barbarian subclass, an upcoming campaign/ one-shot, coffee, and a great round of fiction fixation.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Whether you're making new friends or strengthening the ones you already have, D&D is a great way to get to know someone, and we've got Brett on the show to prove it to you. Of course we get off topic along the way, but I had a wonderful time and cannot wait to have Brett on again. 

As always, give us a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod and thanks for listening!

This week Nathan and I talk about what's going right with the campaign we're playing, and what's going left. There's no such thing as a perfect campaign, and a great way to improve your game is to talk about it with your players.

Give us a follow on our brand new Instagram account @dungeonmasterpod and we'll shout you out on the next episode! As always, thanks for listening.

For the first time ever, DMA hits the road for a remote recording at Neil's place! In this episode, Brett, Neil, and I talk about our love for fiction as a whole, what initially drew us to D&D, and the most important things to consider when making a character.

It was an honour and a pleasure to record in the Robertson-Waterbury household; we had a blast with this episode and I hope you guys do, too!

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Almost a month later (sorry) we're back with Lexy to talk about switching from DM to player, trying out new TTRPGs, crying during anime, and terrible British accents.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

We got him hooked, folks! Dave's one-shot has turned into our main campaign and he's here to talk about his approach to being a dungeon master the second time around. This one's chalked full of some good pointers, so make sure to listen and tell your friends!

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

DMA hits the road again, this time coming at you from London, Ontario with longtime friend and new player Hunter! In this episode we talk about just how easy it is to start playing D&D and how to do so on a budget. We also talk about D&D's representation in media, dice collections, and the character creation process!

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Hope you didn't forget about us! But we're back again in Nova Scotia with Mike to talk about how he's taken his homebrew setting and made it feel like it belongs to both the DM and the players. We also talk about long road trips, Skyrim, and broken washing machines.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Mr. Adiem and I talk about a whole variety of topics, including player autonomy, anxieties as a DM, and the appropriate number of beers to have during a session.

Email us at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com with your theme songs, questions, or cease and desist letters.

Ever wonder what the best D&D dice is but realized you didn't have an effective way to reach a conclusion? DMA has got your back! This week we're with Mike and Andrew to rank the best kind of dice through an elimination-style bracket tournament. Listen to us intensely debate, say, the difference between a d4 and a d8 based on frequency of use, shape, and roll-feel. Who will win? The answer might surprise you (but it probably won't.)

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In one of our best episode to date, very good friend Joe Bish joins the podcast to discuss living in a trailer, his first ever D&D character, ideas for a new podcast co-hosted by the two of us, and his worst nightmare ever. 

We have a lot more episodes for Dungeon Master's Apprentice planned, including an episode with my sisters after their first D&D session! I've also been working on creating some new subclasses for our upcoming campaign, so look out for a play-test episode soon.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

If you could hand-select a party, which classes would you want represented? In this episode, we roll for initiative and then go through a snake-draft-style selection with Brett and Nathan to see what class is going first overall and what class is being neglected. Follow along as we go through four rounds of selections to determine what makes up the ideal party and why. This one was a lot of fun to record and we hope you enjoy every pick in the draft.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Let us know who you think had the best party on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

For this very special 50th episode, we've brought on a new friend, Matt, to talk about his experience as a DM. Oh, and I guess Brett is here too... We start off with some dice breakers to get to know one another a bit better before diving into some DM topics, such as handling parties of 8+ people, session planning essentials, and running effective combat. It was a pleasure to chat with Matt (and Brett) and we hope you enjoy this week's episode.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Defenestration is a fun little word that I found online that means to throw something or someone out the window. On this week's episode, we're joined by Nathan and Dave to talk about a session where I had to throw everything I had planned out the window and come up with an entire session on the fly. It's always a bummer when hours of planning a session go to waste, but those improvised sessions can be some of the most memorable. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Neil is back for a very special, once-in-a-lifetime episode 69 in which we cover every topic under the Sun, including CFL football in Nova Scotia, stealing clothes from your friends, the Cyberpunk TTRPG, one-shots, and plenty more.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Nathan is back in the house and we're here to answer one simple question: can D&D be played with just 2 people? We put it to the test and turns out, it's actually pretty awesome! This episode follows the adventures of Nathan AKA Crayton, a resourceful and powerful ranger who investigates an orcish hideout in a deep, mysterious jungle. We had a lot of fun recording this one, so be sure to give it a listen and please tell us your 1on1 D&D session stories!

As always, thanks for listening and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod.

After months of ordering the wrong cords, I finally figured out how to play music through my mixer. This episode is a celebration of that minor accomplishment and a tribute to the generous creators of Runescape who let unpopular content creators such as myself use their beautiful soundtrack for free. Listen along as I wax nostalgic and spend some time coming up with a character I may never play.  Tell us about your old school Runescape memories @dungeonmasterpod on Instagram!

Long time listener and first time podcaster Nick Lavery joins us this week to discuss our past, present, and futures involving fiction, creativity, and channeling your artistry in a professional setting. We also talk about overcoming disappointment, Nick's intro to D&D, and the current state of the show.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Our very own hall of famer Dave Adiem is back and he's ready to run a one-shot for our friends! Having your players run a one-shot is a great way to get to finally roll up that character you've been thinking about, and who knows, maybe the one-shot turns into a full-on campaign! Join us for this very fun episode where we bounce around a few interesting ideas and discuss what makes a good one-shot.

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a holler on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In this episode John and I talk about the process of making our favourite characters, and then we take one more crack at the NPC generator.

Email new episode segment ideas to dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com

After his long hiatus from the show, Mitch Hearn is back in the house (Brett is here too)! This week the lads discuss how great it is to play D&D and record podcasts in person, making real world references in your campaign, one-shots, food in Toronto, Cyberpunk, and of course a fiction fixation.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Nathan's back to help me talk about homebrewing (and balancing) magic items, classes, and encounters. We also give a little debrief of our most recent session, and then do a new spin on an old segment.

If you liked this episode, email me at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com. If you didn't like it, email me anyways! 

We're back with two highly anticipated guests for a destination podcast in Mexico! My sisters join me to talk about their colourful D&D characters before we go into a lengthy discussion about what we've been reading lately and our aspirations to someday sit down and write. We also talk about anime, Taylor Swift, and imposter syndrome. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Moments before Brett's first time DMing, we hop on the Zoom with Nate to get the jitters out, talk about our new characters, what it feels like to DM for the first time, and answer some last-minute questions. This episode was just as fun as the session that followed, and we'll definitely have Brett on to update us on how he think it went.

As always, thanks for listening and give us a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod, PLEASE!

(Minor Lost spoilers)

This episode we are joined by DMA legend and super fan Hot Neil to talk about contractual obligations in your campaign, improvising vs planning, and Superbad-esque campaigns before we play our favourite game, XCOM 2.

Oh, and thanks Newsly.

In this episode John and I talk about anime and how it has influenced various D&D characters we have played. If you don't like anime this might not be the episode for you. We are also going to follow it up with a part 2, which could be good or bad news for you. Oh well!

I won't use my airpods for the next episode because apparently they suck for audio.

Be on the look out for something special for Episode 100!!!!

Thanks newsly.

We talk about Baldur's Gate. But more importantly we talk about our lovely sponsor Newsly, which has done quite the pivot since we last checked in with them. Listen along as we discover the deep depths of the crypto world via Newsly.

There's no point in posting the code to get Newsly premium because they no longer provide that service.

This week (month? year?) Mike and I talk in the dark.

This episode was recorded back in March so I have no idea what we talk about, so this description won't be very helpful. Looks like you guys are in the dark too.

Also shoutout newsly.

Brett is back in the "studio" this week to discuss what kind of character he'll be playing for our upcoming campaign. Listen as we talk about subterranean gnome societies, our character naming strategies, figuring out voices, and making selections out of our comfort zones. We also dig through a box of old books I found at work. I promise it's more interesting than it sounds. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In preparation for a very special Sci-Fi themed campaign, Brett and I talk about how to merge interplanetary space travel with boss-level dragon fights. Is it possible to merge futuristic themes with the fifth edition of D&D, or are you better off finding a different TTRPG altogether?  We will be following up on how this campaign went in future episodes, so be sure to stay tuned. And of course, as always, thanks for listening. Our Instagram is @dungeonmasterpod, but you already know that.

In this episode we bring Lexy in to talk about the idea I've landed on for her first long-term campaign. After scrapping the idea from last episode I hit the drawing board again and landed on something that should be intriguing to both our new and experienced players. Lexy briefly describes what she's thinking about for her character before we do a Fiction Fixation in the second half!

You got questions? Well we got answers! Brett's back in the house to talk about some common conundrums that may pop up in your game. 

Additionally, we have a brand new sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription! 

And as always, thanks for listening, and be sure to send us your questions to @dungeonmasterpod on Instagram!

In this episode I debrief my unfortunate ending to my homebrew campaign and talk about the valuable lessons I learned.

Send me an email dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com. Or don't.

In this week's episode, we chat with our good pal John about our upcoming campaign. First, we sort of set the scene for what this world is going to look like before diving into the character that John is going to be playing. We also talk about making your table more inclusive, the new Pokémon game, and daylight savings time in Brazil. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

One-shots are self-contained mini adventures that usually span a couple hours and typically designated for those weekends where your resident DM needs a break. One way to get the most out of these sessions is to crank up the intensity and let your players play at the highest level. This week I'm joined by Mike to talk about a handful of the level 20 one-shots we've been doing lately and why we're having so much fun with them. We also talk about Minecraft, eldritch horror, and working in a cheese store.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

After a week off we're back with a special episode of DMA featuring two esteemed guests. Andrew and Mike have crafted a team of four CR 1/2 monsters to face off in a bracket-style tournament refereed by myself. Tune in to find out who becomes the ultimate winner of Monster Madness!

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Some of the best advice for a new DM is to run what you know, whether it's sci-fi, high fantasy, or even eldritch horror. However, doing the same thing over and over can get repetitive. With a new campaign on the horizon, we sit down with Mike to talk about the creative struggles that come with world-building. We also talk about Demon Slayer, Blink-182, and Two and a Half Men.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

To celebrate 500 listens, the boys came together to record a one-shot episode that may end up being more of a two-shot. We had a lot of fun with this episode and want to thank you all for listening. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Don't forget to drop a review and give us a follow @dungeonmasterpod on Instagram.

Having Neil back on the show was bitter-sweet; on one hand it was amazing to have him back and feed off the energy he brings, however, we only had an hour to record this episode before we had to leave for trivia. So while we would have loved to keep going, we present to you the most rushed podcast to date.

In this hectic hour we catch up with our old friend alongside part-time co-host Mike where we talk about Neil's first time DMing, King's Dilemma, the new Deck of Many Things campaign, Daredevil, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

As you know, we're big advocates for creativity here on DMA, so who better to talk to about the creative process than singer/ songwriter/ good friend Tom O'Leary? In this episode, Tom and I talk about collaboration and improvisation in both music and D&D and how much fun it is to sit around with your friends and just wing it! Of course, we get off topic and stumble ourselves into unrelated topics, but I'm sure you've come to expect that at this point. Look forward to more episodes with Tom as he creates his first character and experiences D&D for the first time.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

We're back with everyone's favourite guest to discuss a brand new subclass that John and I have created for our upcoming campaign. Before we talk about our creation process, John walks us through his character's backstory and I read the opening paragraphs for my third main homebrew campaign. We still have to try out the new class, so be on the look-out for a potential play-test episode soon!

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! If you want access to this new subclass, give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

You all know how much we love to goof around on DMA, and what better guest to help let that shine than Mike Cook? This episode, Brett, Mike, and myself have some in depth conversations about a session Mike DM'd for me recently, different DMing styles, Mike's interesting history with LARP, and how to balance play-time and side conversations during your sessions. We also have a newsworthy Fiction Fixation for this week, so keep your eyes (ears?) peeled for an upcoming collaboration.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In this episode Lexy, Mike, and I give some life updates, talk about the campaign we're all involved in, and dive into the importance of NPCs. Should they travel with the party, should they strictly be helpful, or can they bully your players around a bit?

We also do a new take on fiction fixation where Lexy and I talk about our new fish Caesar and the wonderful home we've built for him in our living room.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

You wanted more Giesens? Well you got em! This week I'm joined by my two younger sisters to talk about our collective history with fantasy and improvisation, our recent D&D session, and the absolutely amazing character of Kevin the were-platypus from New Jersey. I truly cannot remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did this episode, so I hope you all give it a listen and enjoy as much as we did! As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription. And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

We're back with the familiar voice of Nathan Wentzell to discuss his recent total party kill, a successful PvP tournament with a twist, and personality quizzes! First, we find out what fantasy race we are, and then we do a surprise bonus quiz at the end, both with shockingly accurate results. 

As always, give us a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod and thanks for listening!

What is it about D&D that separates itself from all other forms of storytelling? Is it the collaboration, the improvisation, or the randomness of the dice? This week, we're with Luke, Neil, and Brett to discuss how D&D is unlike any other narrative structure. We also discuss board games, memorable moments from our sci-fi campaign, and everyone's favourite children's series: Charlie Bone. This one's full of chuckles and haha's as well as some great pointers, so be sure to give it a listen! 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This week, one of my closest friends joins the show, having never played Dungeons & Dragons, to talk about what is at the core of the game and discuss the influences the fantasy genre had on our upbringings. 

An Instagram page may be in the works, so look forward to that soon! As always, thanks for listening.

DMA hits the road again, this time walking all the way down the street to my (second) cousin Rachel's house to talk intros to D&D, lavender cookies, tattoos, shared heritage, learning new slang, and clutch nat 20s.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Let us know what your spirit plant is on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

For our 20th episode, we're joined by my cousin Justin as we discuss the misadventures of our childhoods, our first D&D sessions together, and the power of teamwork! 

Give us a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe. 

The announcement of One D&D and the accompanying Unearthed Arcana has D&D fans in all sorts of polarizing debates, covering everything from breaking down new character creating mechanics to analyzing the new critical hit rules. For this very important episode, we brought on a man well-versed in the past, present, and future of D&D, Kevin Schofield, along with our good pal Andrew. We cover a lot of the proposed changes to D&D, talk about Kevin's extensive history with the game, and many other fantasy-related topics.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This episode I talk about my passion for writing and how to develop or incorporate your writing skills in your sessions. Then, I read a few passages from my own campaign before playing Who's That NPC?

Whether you liked it or hated it, let me know by emailing dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com!

On October 9, 2020, the first ever episode of Dungeon Master's Apprentice was recorded alone in my apartment and then sent as an .mp3 to my friends in our iMessage groupchat. One year later, we've got big Nate on the pod to reflect on a year of content creating. We discuss our early projects, listen back to the very first episode, talk about my recent intro to Warhammer 40k, and get a surprise visit from a brand new guest!

Thank you to everyone who's been around since Day 1 and to those who have joined us since. An extra special thanks to my friends and family for all their support. It's been a hell of a ride and we can't wait to see what the future has in store for us! Feel free to send us your favourite DMA moment to us on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

This week I talk about how to handle pacing through a session, through story arcs, and through campaigns. Additionally, I talk about communication outside of the game, as well as some of my favourite types of combat scenarios.

Email your questions, suggestions for episode themes, or harsh critcisms to dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com.

It's been a while since our last episode, so John and I are back to debrief our last episode and discuss the peaks and valleys of our last few home sessions while dispensing our wisdom throughout. Additionally, I figured out I had my mic on the wrong settings and I was speaking into the wrong part of it, so enjoy the improved sound quality and look forward to more musical upgrades coming soon. 

Topics this week include new homebrew magic items, new fighting styles, new stylin' outfits, and new adventures in new planes! Keep your eyes peeled for part 2 of our actual play series, and thank you everyone for listening!

Give us a follow @dungeonmasterpod on Instagram. Please!

This week the boys link up to record a podcast about the campaign we are about to finish and talk about our favourite moments, regrets, and then create a couple of goofy NPCs.

Feel free to let us know how bad the audio is on this ep by emailing the show at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com.

This episode Nathan and I do some debriefing and talk about reigniting the spark in your home games. Then, we shamelessly rip off a segment from another show. Sue us. Also, I'll try to be a little quieter setting down my coffee mug next time. All cease and desists can be sent to our new Instagram page: @dungeonmasterpod. Also give us a rate and review, it really helps! As always, thanks for listening.

If you are about to listen to this podcast for the first time, I kindly ask you to first check out a more recent episode. Bear with me here as I record my first ever podcast. This episode I discuss my intro to D&D, DMing for the first time, and improvising long sessions!

Not only is it fun to take a break from DMing and play a few sessions every so often, but it can also open your eyes to how life is on the other side of the screen. We brought in expert player Brett Clark to help explain the importance of being both a player and a dungeon master at your table. This one's chalked full of some good tips for players and DMs, so be sure to give it a listen!

Thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly! Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code DUNGE0N2021 (that's a zero not an o) to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This week we finally get to reconnect with our good friend John, who very recently moved back to Brazil. Once we catch up with him, we delve into whether it's okay for a party to have rotating main characters, or if the spotlight should always be shared equally. 

As always, thanks for listening, and make sure to send us a DM on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This week Nathan and Kyrie Irving join the podcast to discuss the player vs dungeon master experience. Also, Into the Spider-Verse spoilers in the first 5 minutes.   If you wanna see Kyrie back on the podcast, email us at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com

The simplicity of Dungeons and Dragons allows the DM to reskin character classes and races to fit almost any setting, but there are instances where it is better to just play a different TTRPG altogether. In this episode, we are joined by Kevin and Mike to discuss our favourite mechanics from Cyberpunk RED including Night Markets, Cyberpsychosis, fashion, critical injuries, humanity and therapy, and organized crime. Cyberpunk has a completely different set of rules from D&D, but there are certainly things we have learned from our time playing Cyberpunk that will make us better DMs, and we hope that you can sift through our conversation and learn something as well!

In addition, I almost delete about 10 hours of Nuzlocke gameplay while recording, so listen in as I realize the consequences of a misclick.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Special guest Dave Adiem joins the Apprentice to discuss small vs large campaigns, creative inspiration, and reminding our halfling friends to reroll their 1s!

In this episode I talk about how to make your sessions full of emotion via character development and alignment shifts before introducing a new segment!

Whether you want to submit theme songs, suggest your own segment ideas, or tell me to stop releasing content, email me at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com.

Got any games? Well we do! In this episode we talk to Luke Waterbury about video games, difficulty settings, public lobbies, and how our love of gaming has ties to our love of D&D.

As well, despite making a joke early on about my lack of editing, I actually put a decent amount of time into the post-production for this episode. You'll quickly find out why.

Also, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Here on Dungeon Master's Apprentice, we usually talk about... well, dungeon masters. This episode, however, Andrew, Kevin, Mike, and I talk about what it's like for the four of us to finally all be in the same party. We each take turns talking about our new characters, what inspired our mechanical builds, and what we're thinking of our campaign so far. Naturally, we get quite off topic, but that's our specialty. 

Also, shoutout to our fantastic DM, Keegan!

We've received some updates from RPGBOT since this recording, so look forward to a potential collaboration with those lads in the near future!

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

This episode John and I sit back, relax, and work through his monk subclass, breaking down what works and what doesn't. If you like this sort of format, email me at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com. 

Our good buddy Tom is back this week for some casual chit-chat. We touch on D&D a few times throughout the episode, but we thought it would be fun to start a conversation and see where it took us. Throughout we talk about writing to different kinds of music, the classic summer vs winter debate, and sing Rough Trade's "High School Confidential."

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Let us know if you enjoy these more casual podcast episodes on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In this episode Nathan and I discuss what skills make a talented player and how to get the most out of your characters,  then we host a friendly competition. 

Use the email dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com to send in your segment ideas, or use it when you need to sign up for an account and don't want spam mail. 

We're back with a back-to-back appearance from Mike Cook to talk about getting invested in your characters, getting invested in other people's characters,  and the benefits and joys of playing D&D on a regular basis.

We also had a Fiction Fixation that may or may not have slightly diverted into a "let's play" of Spider-Man for PS5. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

(Episode title by Mike Cook)

Brett's back after a long week of work to discuss how long you should spend in each setting in your campaign. Should you settle into one location or bounce around a roulette of demi-planes? Also, we finally land on a new name for an old segment! This was a funny and informative episode, and it's always a pleasure to be in such great company!

As always, thanks for listening, and please give us a rate on Apple Podcasts and a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod.

This week I'm back on my own to discuss how to get the most out of being a DM while I enjoy my morning coffee in a closet.

If you liked this podcast leave a 5 star review or send me an email at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com. If you didn't, then don't even bother.

Being the DM week after week, session after session can get a little tiresome. That's why we got the boys back to discuss ways that you can take a little off your DM's plate. Trust me, they'll appreciate it. We also wax about basketball, Lost, and Mars (the planet), so you won't want to miss out!

As always, thanks for listening, and give us a follow on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod, I promise I'll start posting more :)

Nathan joins me for an in-person podcast in which we unbox a mystery dice set, talk about whether you should spare your party's lives in a tough encounter, and delve into the seven subsections of the icy plane of Frostfell.

As always, thanks for listening and please give us a follow in Instagram @dungeonmasterpod

DMA is back in our secondary studio AKA Neil and Luke's apartment, and although we couldn't book Luke (his demands were too high), we were able to get Mr. Robertson himself! Join us as we talk about pacing your campaigns, how in-depth to go into your character's backstory, trusting your DM, and not being a jerk at your table! We also discuss the current campaign we play with Luke and Neil, the vampiric one-shot we just ran, and a fiction fixation which features a LOT of Tom Clancy. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In the fourth installation of the World Building saga, Nathan and I discuss what our new campaign is going to look like. We've sidelined the Maze campaign for now in favour of a much more interesting idea, and we can't wait to get it started. We also talk about a recent reincarnation in our party, fantasy sports, and why Nathan's character Moredar has been intentionally rubbing people the wrong way. 

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

In the second instalment of the Dudtschak series, Simon joins the podcast to discuss the joys of being a player and the satisfaction of being a DM. Simon talks about his many (dead) characters and gives some great advice for new DMs.

If you wanna hear part three of the Dudtschak saga, let us know on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod.

This week John is back to help me discuss the inner workings of the campaign I will be starting the day after recording! 

Send me an email at dungeonmasterpod@gmail.com if you think you can take on Nimbus!

In the third instalment of the World Building series, Brett and I are here to talk about the campaign that's on our horizon: the Maze Campaign. Not only do we discuss what this new world is going to look like, but we also go through what every DM should have in mind before entering a new adventure. Of course, we dip into a few other unrelated subjects such as homecoming, birthdays, and inventing our own subclasses.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Feel free to give us a shout on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

The rise of artificial intelligence, for better or for worse, has been highly prevalent on social media as of late. While there are many ways in which it could be detrimental to artists and their livelihood, we thought it would be fairly harmless to use it to generate a character's backstory. In this episode, our guest Hunter, who is new to the game of D&D, generates a new backstory for his character after accidentally deleting his old one, and the final product is worth checking out. Of course, it wouldn't be an episode of DMA if we didn't have a quick round of Fiction Fixation at the end.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.

And of course as always, thanks for listening! Let us know your stance on AI in D&D on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod!

Are you tired of the same old combat scenarios? Well Brett and I are here to discuss how you can throw a nasty curveball at your players and keep them on their heels. We also debrief Brett's first time DMing and a very intense boss battle. 

As always, thanks for listening, and don't forget to give us a follow on Instagram @dungonmasterpod!

We're back with everyone's favourite guest who has never played D&D, Bryat, to talk all things fantasy. Topics include the origins of common tropes in fiction, the Pokémon generation 4 remakes, anime, and horror in video games. 

Let us know whether you prefer the name "fantasy fixation" or "fiction fixation" on Instagram @dungeonmasterpod.

As well, thank you to this week's sponsor, Newsly. Go to https://newsly.me/ and use promo code MASTER2021 to get a one month free subscription.