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The Lazy RPG Podcast - D&D and RPG News and GM Prep from Sly Flourish (mike@slyflourish.com)

Explore every episode of The Lazy RPG Podcast - D&D and RPG News and GM Prep from Sly Flourish

Dive into the complete episode list for The Lazy RPG Podcast - D&D and RPG News and GM Prep from Sly Flourish. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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1–50 of 580

Pub. DateTitleDuration
17 Jan 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 100:58:11
Welcome to the DM's Deep Dive with Mike Shea, a monthly podcast where veteran Dungeon Master Mike Shea - known as Slyflourish to many - sits down with a friend and fellow DM to have an in-depth discussion on a specific topic. This month he is joined by Enrique Bertran, aka NewbieDM, to discuss tips and advice for new DMs in this digital era. For more info on this show, visit www,dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com
03 Mar 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 201:13:35
Mike Shea - aka Slyflourish - discusses organized and convention play, and how it differs from home games. Joining him Teos Abadia, an experienced DM with thousands of hours running organized play games. Watch more episodes live at https://www.twitch.tv/dontsplitthepodcast
31 Mar 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 301:00:58
Mike Shea - aka SlyFlourish - is joined by adventure writer and long-time Dungeon Master Shawn Merwin, to discuss how to run the most effective 1 hour adventure.
28 Apr 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 401:04:15
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - discusses the storied history of Dungeons and Dragons and its several editions with D&D scholar David Hartlage (DM David).
30 May 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 501:17:23
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - discusses Dungeons & Dragons and Full-Time DM'ing on Twitch with Will from EncounterRP!
28 Jun 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 601:25:49
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Tom Lommel, the Dungeon Bastard, to discuss improvisation in Dungeons & Dragons, both as a DM and as a player.
26 Jul 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 701:04:06
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Matthew Mercer, noted voice actor and Dungeon Master for the Dungeons & Dragons series Critical Role and Force Grey: Giant Hunters!
30 Aug 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 800:57:24
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by James Introcaso to talk about Virtual Table Tops and how they're affecting RPGs in the modern age.
30 Sep 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 901:05:27
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by game designer and Ennie winning Podcaster Robin D. Laws to discuss Story Beats in RPGs.
30 Oct 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1001:03:41
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined Dwarven Forge Guru and artist Stefan Pokorny to discuss how to best use 3D Terrain in your Dungeons & Dragons game
24 Nov 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1101:04:44
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined Wizards of the Coast writer and Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition lead designer Mike Mearls! They discuss 5E and how things have been going since the game's launch in 2014.
29 Dec 2017DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1201:12:46
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Teos Abadia, an experienced DM and adventure writer, to discuss Encounter Building in D&D 5E.
03 Feb 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1301:19:57
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - talks to Emily Dresner about financial economics in Dungeons & Dragons.
27 Feb 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1401:06:56
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by fellow DSPN Podcast host Enrique Bertran - aka Newbie DM - to discuss everything miniatures!
08 Apr 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1501:09:20
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Sharon Dudley to discuss accessibility in Dungeons & Dragons games.
30 Apr 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1601:03:06
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by the "D&D Bad Boy" Grant Ellis to discuss RPG streaming and the state of the industry today.
05 Jun 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1701:05:14
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Dragon Con organizer and Adventurer's League Veteran Paige Leitman to discuss what lessons in-person RPS sessions can learn from streaming shows, and vice versa.
31 Jul 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1801:08:25
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by Dungeons & Dragons Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford to discuss monster design for D&D 5E, along with answering your questions!
17 Oct 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 1901:08:08
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - meets with Lysa Chen to discuss the Adventurers League, the official organized play campaign for Dungeons & Dragons!
13 Dec 2018DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2001:06:51
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - chats with Dungeon World creator and DM extraordinaire Adam Koebel about narrative storytelling and its influence on 5th Edition D&D.
27 Jan 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2101:06:05
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - chats with writer and game designer James Haeck to discuss running Dungeons & Dragons set in cities.
19 Apr 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2201:23:49
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - chats with writer and game designer Wolfgang Baur of Kobold Press to discuss Worldbuilding.
27 Jul 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2301:05:21
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - is joined by David Christ, creator and owner of Baldman Games, to discuss how to run an organized play company and the process and thought that goes into the logistics of organizing so many dungeon masters.
11 Sep 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2401:17:07
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - sits down with D&D Designer and writer Teos Abadia to discuss level appropriate adventures, from starting levels to end-game!
19 Nov 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2501:10:55
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - sits down with Dr. Megan Connell to discuss how to move on from a bad game or session of an RPG.
01 Dec 2019DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2601:13:19
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - sits down with Keith Ammann to discuss how monsters could behave based on their stat blocks and lore!
03 Jan 2020DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2701:06:53
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - chats with D&Duet blogger and D&D designer Beth Ball to discuss one of the recent popular ways to play Dungeons & Dragons - one-on-one!
10 Mar 2020DM's Deep Dive - Episode 2901:09:45
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - chats with Professional GM and writer The GM Tim to discuss professional game mastering.
24 Mar 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 101:41:28
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - runs a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
29 Mar 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 201:35:25
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
05 Apr 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 301:24:06
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
12 Apr 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 401:28:41
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
19 Apr 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 501:44:32
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
26 Apr 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 601:22:09
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
03 May 2020DM's Deep Dive - Episode 3001:07:54
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - talks to Lauren Urban about online gaming, and making the best use of D&D Beyond.
10 May 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 700:54:46
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
17 May 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 801:16:34
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - continues a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
24 May 2020Dragon of Icespire Peak 901:09:19
Mike Shea - aka Sly Flourish - concludes a one-on-one D&D game with Enrique Bertran - aka NewbieDM! It’s the Dragon of Icespire Peak in podcast form!
02 May 2021Frostmaiden Session 11: A Beautiful Mine Part 200:46:09
20 Dec 2020Eberron Session 40 – Sly Flourish’s Lazy DM Prep01:04:33

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

Original Youtube Video

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

13 Feb 2023Forge of Foes KS, City of Arches Updates, Kyle Brinks Interviews, KS Spotlights – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:53:14

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter 1 March
  • 03:28 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Updates
  • 10:58 Commentary: Kyle Brinks and the Future of D&D from Wizards of the Coast
  • 28:31 Kickstarter Spotlight: Escape from Undergarden by JVC Parry
  • 30:58 Kickstarter Spotlight: Encyclopedia 2 by Studio Agate
  • 38:25 Patreon Question: Overwhelmed Running Big Published Campaigns
  • 42:02 Patreon Question: Players Voting on Campaign Adventures to Run
  • 44:30 Patreon Question: How Long to Prep Games and Generate Ideas?
  • 48:03 Patreon Question: Running Shorter Sessions
Links
17 Jan 2021Eberron Session 44 – Sly Flourish’s Lazy DM Prep01:01:50

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

Original Youtube Video

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

10 May 2020Eberron Session 8 – Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep01:06:48

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game in which he prepares for a session zero. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

16 Sep 2024Four Histories of D&D – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:11:30

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00:00 Show Start
  • 00:01:16 Kickstarter Spotlight: Worldographer 2025 by Inkwell Ideas
  • 00:03:36 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadow City Mysteries
  • 00:04:53 Product Spotlight: Level Up Advanced 5e on Bundle of Holding
  • 00:10:46 D&D & RPG News: MCDM's License for Draw Steel
  • 00:17:33 Product Spotlight: Shadowdark Guide to Monster Statistics by Matt Dietrich
  • 00:22:14 Commentary: Four Sources of D&D History
  • 00:44:16 DM Tip: Instant Monsters for 5e
  • 00:59:02 Patreon Question: Handling Back Seat Driving Veteran Players
  • 01:03:17 Patreon Question: Running the City of Arches with Shadowdark
  • 01:05:40 Patreon Question: Managing Secrets with Multiple Paths Ahead
  • 01:08:09 Patreon Question: Building Single-Session Episodic Adventures
Links
06 Oct 2022Numenera Campaign Finale – Tips, Final Thoughts, Player Feedback00:48:48

Mike talks about his campaign finale for his Numenera Fourth Emperor Campaign, offers tips for D&D DMs and those interested in running Numenera, and discusses feedback from his players!

13 May 2024D&D 2024 Rules in the Creative Commons – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:49:45

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:48 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Announces the Upcoming Release of 2024 Rules in the Creative Commons
  • 05:28 D&D & RPG News: Black Flag SRD Released Under ORC
  • 09:57 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant Released to Backers
  • 16:13 Kickstarter Spotlight: Oracle Monster Generator by Nord Games
  • 17:53 Kickstarter Spotlight: 13th Age version 2
  • 19:00 D&D & RPG News: Nine Perfect Things for Your D&D Games
  • 20:48 D&D & RPG News: Why Cults Are Awesome
  • 23:10 Commentary: Why Open Licenses Matter to GMs
  • 38:49 Patreon Question: Games Getting Too Complex Above 10th Level
  • 42:18 Patreon Question: Getting Players Excited for Homebrewed Campaigns
  • 45:11 Patreon Question: What Drains Your Energy In Your Games?
Links
28 May 2021Ranking WOTC's D&D Adventures00:50:45

Mike discusses and ranks nearly all the hardcover WOTC-published D&D adventures.

Video Contents
  • 00:00 Beginning
  • 03:52 Lost Mine of Phandelver
  • 06:17 Dragon of Icespire Peak
  • 08:47 Curse of Strahd
  • 12:10 Ghosts of Saltmarsh
  • 16:05 Tomb of Annihilation
  • 22:23 Storm King's Thunder
  • 26:15 Tyranny of Dragons (Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat)
  • 29:52 Waterdeep Dragon Heist
  • 33:32 Out of the Abyss
  • 36:07 Rime of the Frostmaiden
  • 42:01 Princes of the Apocalypse
  • 44:13 I've enjoyed ALL of these adventures
  • 45:25 Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
  • 48:04 Even rough adventures can be great fun
Amazon Associate Links for these adventures...
24 Dec 2021Frostmaiden Retrospective00:47:59

After finishing his Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, Mike offers his thoughts and advice for the adventure and describes the epic conclusion to his campaign.

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Intro
  • 01:14 Experiences and Tips for Running Rime of the Frostmaiden
  • 02:07 Be ready to modify a lot of this adventure
  • 04:01 Cut quests liberally from chapter 1. It's far too big.
  • 05:46 Add quests, adventure paths, and keys to tie chapter 2 to the rest of the adventure
  • 07:38 Modify the timing of the Chardalyn dragon's attack to suit your story
  • 09:47 Add trials of Auril based on the characters' backgrounds and drives
  • 11:23 Tie Grimskalle and Ythryn together as requirements to end the Endless Night
  • 13:03 The Conclusion to Mike's Frostmaiden Campaign
  • 18:49 The Final Battle - Waves of Nasty Monsters and Lightning Rods!
  • 28:21 The Final Sacrifice
  • 32:03 One Year Later...
  • 41:06 The End of my 18th campaign in seven years
  • 44:45 Preview of the Witchlight campaign: Dreadful Incursions!
Links
21 Oct 2024One Year with Shadowdark00:38:38
29 Sep 2023Wardenwood Caverns – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 5 Lazy GM Prep00:42:22
08 Dec 2023Empire of the Ghouls Deep Dive00:40:37

Mike shares his experiences with Empire of the Ghouls!

Links Show Contents:
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 00:51 This Adventure Is Awesome
  • 04:26 Top Tips for Running Empire of the Ghouls
  • 04:37 Tip 1: Deal with the Loads of Travel
  • 11:19 Tip 2: Prepare for Dark and Mature Content
  • 14:20 Tip 3: Add Upward Beats to the Final Two Chapters
  • 15:41 Tip 4: Change Things to Suit Your Game
  • 16:50 Tip 5: Use the Whole Kobold Press Midgard Library as Source Material
  • 21:08 Tip Summary
  • 21:37 A Deeper Chapter by Chapter Guide
  • 22:15 Dread Chambers of the Undercity
  • 24:20 Holy Robes of Sister Adelind
  • 27:33 The Blood Marriage
  • 30:45 Catacombs of the Ghul King
  • 32:40 Into the Fuligin Realm
  • 36:08 The Pure City of Vandekhul
  • 38:34 Final Thoughts -- It's Awesome
05 May 2022Numenera Session 12 – Lazy GM Prep00:36:16
28 Aug 2023Bigby’s Glory of the Giants Spotlight – The Lazy RPG Talk Show01:05:29

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:12 D&D & RPG News: Baldur's Gate Gazateer Free on D&D Beyond
  • 03:55 Product Spotlight: Bigby's Glory of the Giants
  • 27:57 Patreon Spotlight: Uncovered Secrets Volume 2
  • 35:55 Product Spotlight: Adventure Crucible - Building Stronger Scenarios for Any RPG
  • 46:24 Commentary: Read Books Instead of Social Media
  • 48:15 DM Tip: Adventure Models from the Lazy DM's Companion
  • 54:53 Patreon Question: Handling Multiple 5e Systems
  • 58:55 Patreon Question: Challenging Differently Powered Characters
  • 01:02:45 Patreon Question: Encouraging Party Talk and Banter
Links
22 Jul 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show - Witchlight, Fizban's Dragons, Strixhaven, Dread Metrol, Izkandar00:59:29

Mike talks about all things D&D! Click Show More for notes and links.

Table of Contents

  • 00:00 Intro
  • 02:13 Wild Beyond the Witchlight
  • 04:16 Fizban's Treasury of Dragons
  • 08:44 Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos
  • 13:53 Running D&D In Person Again
  • 18:39 Dread Metrol: Into the Mists by Keith Baker
  • 34:18 The Dogs of War Adventure Generator with Dread Metrol
  • 36:59 Iskandar City Sourcebook by MT Black
  • 45:29 Miniatures, too expensive for new DMs?
  • 54:14 Sad WOTC didn't make Planescape? Buy the Old One
Links
07 Jun 2024Nighthaven – Shadowdark Gloaming Session 31 Lazy GM Prep00:30:38
17 Jun 2024More Purple More Better – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:54:54

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:18 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Begins Posting to EN World
  • 04:15 Product Spotlight: Solodark for Shadowdark RPG
  • 09:10 Product Spotlight: More Purple More Better Character Builder for 5e
  • 22:43 Patreon Spotlight: 5e Artisanal Monster Database
  • 27:23 DM Tip: Finding Players and Building a Resilient Group
  • 41:24 Patreon Question: Allowing Alternative Character Options
  • 44:18 Patreon Question: Uses for Generative AI and RPGs -- Is it Cheating?
Links
30 Aug 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show – Return of Kobold Fight Club, Arbys Dice, Esper Genesis, Non-Focal Random Encounters, Patreon Questions00:51:40

Mike talks about all things D&D!

Contents
  • 00:00 Intro
  • 00:55 Kobold Fight Club Returns!
  • 02:12 Esper Genesis Quick Look
  • 14:27 Finally, Arby's Dice!
  • 17:12 Alexandrian on Non-Focal Random Encounters
  • 23:58 Taking Patreon Questions
  • 25:53 Patreon - Sean H on Balanced vs. Situational encounters
  • 36:46 Patreon - Raymond C on Deviating from Plotted Campaigns
  • 44:11 Patreon - Eloy C on Rolling in the Open
Links
27 Aug 2021Thinking Through the Eyes of your NPCs00:03:47
03 Sep 2021The Case for Average Monster Damage00:02:50
18 Oct 2020Eberron Session 31 – Sly Flourish’s Lazy DM Prep01:02:22

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game in which he prepares for a session zero. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

Original Youtube Video

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

27 Dec 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show: Lighting Rods, Player Campaign Survey, 1,100 Awesome D&D Pages, Patreon Q&A00:57:14

Mike talks about all things D&D!

  • 00:00 Show Intro
  • 00:23 DM Tip: Lightning Rods in Boss Fights
  • 09:04 Player Campaign Survey Results
  • 17:16 1,100 Pages of Awesome 5e Third-Party Books in One Day
  • 27:21 Patreon Questions
  • 28:18 Patreon Question: What Lazy DM Material Do I No Longer Agree With?
  • 34:14 Patreon Question: Help Struggling Players Explore
  • 39:26 Patreon Question: Organizing Campaigns in Notion, OneNote, and Other Tools
  • 45:35 Patreon Question: Character Options in One-Page Campaign Guides
  • 48:41 Patreon Question: Game Intro Rituals
  • 51:01 Patreon Question: Concluding a Campaign with Limited Time Left
  • 52:47 Patreon Question: Point Crawls with Geographic Maps
Links
13 Sep 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show: Lazy DMs Companion Kickstarter, AL rule changes, Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands01:00:29

Mike talks about all things D&D!

Contents
  • 00:00 Intro
  • 01:03 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Coming 28 September!
  • 05:26 New Adventures League Rules! Yay!
  • 15:17 Alignments on Monsters are back
  • 20:51 WOTC published monsters are often took weak and its not getting better
  • 27:39 Interesting Third Party Products
  • 30:56 Raging Swan's Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands
  • 41:40 Lazy DM Prep and Running West Marches
  • 46:28 Getting Games Back On Track
  • 49:50 Can All the Characters Roll an Ability Check?
Links
11 Feb 2022Lazy D&D Prep: Wild Beyond the Witchlight Chapter 1 Tips and Chapter 2 Prep01:09:27

Mike offers tips and discussion for chapter 1 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight and prepares to run chapter 2!

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:20 Top Three Tips for running Chapter 1 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight
  • 11:25 Other Tips for Running Wild Beyond the Witchlight
  • 14:30 What Did I Do in Chapter 1 in My Game?
  • 23:36 Adding Dreadful Incursions - Not Good for Every Witchlight Campaign
  • 28:41 Thoughts about Chapter 2
  • 35:13 Prepping my Next Session in Chapter 2
  • 48:16 Building a Dreadful Incursion
  • 58:38 Finishing Up our Session Prep
Links
23 Aug 2020Eberron Session 23 – Sly Flourish’s Lazy DM Prep00:59:12

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game in which he prepares for a session zero. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

20 Jul 2021Running Small D&D Battles in the Theater of the Mind00:03:30
23 Oct 2023Defining Adventure Types – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:58:35

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:22 D&D & RPG News: Black Flag System Reference Document
  • 07:37 Commentary: A Comparison of Cult Fanatics
  • 20:53 DM Tip: Lazy Tricks for Making Great Magic Items
  • 33:05 Commentary: Defining Adventure Types
  • 50:29 Patreon Question: Running Battles in the Background (again)
  • 53:42 Patreon Question: Running Ravenloft with Shadowdark
Links
01 Jul 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show - 27 June 202100:51:22

Another episode of the Lazy D&D Talk show. Topics include how to steer damage away from the boss, the Mercer effect, yam-shaped adventures design, and reviews of Grymmworld and the Oath of the Frozen King.

Contents
  • 00:00 Intro
  • 00:36 Finding a D&D group
  • 05:07 How did my Keep of the Black Gate game go?
  • 07:05 Player tip: Always have a ranged attack
  • 08:36 DM Tip: Redirect damage away from the boss
  • 13:30 The Mercer Effect
  • 24:21 Grymmworld by Grant Ellis and Ryan Servis
  • 33:40 Oath of the Frozen King by Absolute Tabletop
  • 40:32 Too many quests in chapter 1 of Frostmaiden
  • 43:49 Yam-shaped adventure design
Links

 

25 Sep 2023D&D Beyond’s ”Maps” Virtual Tabletop – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:59:30

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:03 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wanderer's Guide to Enchanted Emporiums
  • 03:21 D&D & RPG News: VTT "Maps" in D&D Beyond
  • 18:41 D&D & RPG News: Monstrous Compendium 4: Eldraine Creatures
  • 28:57 Patreon Spotlight: Mire's End 4th Level Adventure
  • 30:36 DM Tip: Adventure Structures
  • 50:04 Patreon Question: Shaking Up Castle Ravenloft
  • 53:14 Patreon Question: Three Weeks of GM Improvement
Links
12 Sep 2022Wastes of Chaos, Anatomy of an Adventure, Path of the Planebreaker - Lazy D&D Talk Show00:52:10

Mike talks about all things D&D!

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 00:52 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wastes of Chaos by Kobold Press
  • 05:41 Sly Flourish News: New Lazy D&D Talk Show Topic Database for Patrons
  • 10:01 Kickstarter Spotlight: Anatomy of an Adventure by MT Black
  • 13:11 Product Spotlight: Path of the Planebreaker by Monte CookGames
  • 45:44 Patreon Question: Dealing with Secret Truths of a Campaign World
  • 48:04 Patreon Question: AI-generated Art and the Lazy DM
Links
03 Feb 2025D&D 2025 Monster Manual First Look – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:04:18

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 00:02:11 Product Spotlight: Horizon Magazine
  • 00:07:31 D&D & RPG News: Alphastream on 2025 D&D Monster Manual Math
  • 00:09:31 Commentary: D&D at Madison Square Garden
  • 00:13:28 D&D & RPG News: Mike Mearls and Ray Winninger on the Past and Future of D&D 5e
  • 00:15:42 Product Spotlight: 2025 Monster Manual Initial Thoughts
  • 00:27:56 Product Spotlight: D&D 2025 Monster Manual Lich
  • 00:32:28 DM Tip: Avoid Getting Caught in the Zeitgeist
  • 00:44:13 Patreon Spotlight: Talk Show and Patreon Q&A Databases
  • 00:47:13 Patreon Question: What D&D Classes and Features Do I Ban?
  • 00:52:19 Patreon Question: Making Flat Paper Character Minis
  • 00:54:34 Patreon Question: Dealing with Agency-Stealing Effects like Stun
  • 01:00:32 Patreon Question: Basic Rules or 5.1 SRD for New Players
Links
14 Feb 2021Rime of the Frostmaiden Session Zero - Lazy DM Prep00:55:00

This week Mike prepares for his session zero of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden!

 

07 Jan 2022Blades in the Dark Prep – Session 100:45:59
30 Jun 2022Numenera Session 18 – Lazy GM Prep00:38:40
03 Feb 2021DM's Deep Dive: Dave Chalker on D&D Combat Styles01:09:38

Mike talks with Dave Chalker about the various combat styles we can bring to D&D including gridded combat, abstract maps, and theater of the mind.

This is a rebroadcast of the show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

Original Youtube Video

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

 

03 Jan 2022Lazy D&D Talk Show: Notable 3rd Party D&D Products of 2021, Final 2021 Patreon Questions01:03:43

Notable 3rd party D&D products of 2021 and Patreon Questions!

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Intro
  • 00:12 Mastering Dungeons for D&D News
  • 01:14 Lazy DM Companion Art Previews
  • 04:44 Notable 5e Third-Party Products in 2021
  • 06:02 Arcadia by MCDM
  • 08:54 The Book of Fiends by Robert Schwalb and Green Ronin
  • 10:11 Complete Kobold's Guide to Monsters by Kobold Press
  • 11:43 Iskandar by MT Black
  • 12:32 Level Up Advanced 5e by EnWorld Publishing
  • 14:08 Ptolus 5e by Monte Cook Games
  • 16:12 Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press
  • 18:16 Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands by Raging Swan Press
  • 19:22 Southlands by Kobold Press
  • 20:19 Vault of Magic by Kobold Press
  • 21:49 Where the Machines Wait by Monte Cook Games
  • 24:56 Patreon Questions
  • 25:22 Patreon Question: Epic and Meaningful Deaths
  • 28:58 Patreon Question: Handling Petrification and Flight
  • 30:40 Chamber of Secrets - Worst Harry Potter Movie
  • 33:19 Patreon Question: Rolling Secret Rolls for Characters
  • 35:29 Patreon Question: Organizing Digital Products
  • 40:18 Patreon Question: Tying Hooks to Characters in Published Adventures
  • 42:55 Patreon Question: Separating Treasure, Traps, and Locations in Prep
  • 43:46 Patreon Question: Thoughts on 1st Level Adventures
  • 45:37 Patreon Question: Revealing Pointcrawl Maps to Players
  • 49:46 Patreon Question: Tying Characters to Linear Adventures
  • 51:31 Patreon Question: Gaslighting Players and the False Hydra
  • 55:05 Patreon Question: Tracking In-World Time
  • 57:24 Patreon Question: Go-To Reskinnable Monsters
  • 59:31 Patreon Question: Preparing GM Intrusions with Cypher System
Links
28 Apr 2023Scarlet Citadel Session 22 – Lazy GM Prep00:38:28
04 Apr 2025Path to Blackspire – Dragon Empire Prep Session 1800:42:19
18 Aug 2022Numenera Session 23 – Lazy GM Prep00:41:49
04 Dec 2023What We Want from WOTC and D&D Beyond – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:09:18

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:17 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding!
  • 03:15 Product Spotlight: Raging Swan 2021 5e Megabundle
  • 05:01 Product Spotlight: Drake Koboldson's Exotic Weapons and Gadgets
  • 06:00 Patreon Spotlight: Dyson Royalty Free Maps Gallery
  • 08:59 Commentary: Other 5e Publishers on D&D Beyond
  • 13:18 Commentary: What Can We Do to Strengthen 5e?
  • 18:49 Commentary: Is it Good for Publishers?
  • 22:55 Commentary: Why It Matters to GMs
  • 28:32 Commentary: What Can Wizards Do For the 5e Community?
  • 34:02 Commentary: What Can We Do for a Resilient 5e Hobby?
  • 40:16 Commentary: You Can Get Involved
  • 41:11 Commentary: WOTC's Role in the Community
  • 45:35 DM Tip: High Value Prep Activities
  • 57:52 Patreon Question: Helping Players Discover Secrets and Clues
  • 01:00:10 Patreon Question: High-Level Monster Tactics
  • 01:02:57 Patreon Question: Alignment for Factions
  • 01:04:42 Patreon Question: Running Ariel Combat
  • 01:06:03 Patreon Question: Revealing Lots of Campaign Info as Secrets and Clues
Links
16 Jan 2023WOTC, the OGL and Us – and Ten RPGs that Aren’t D&D00:34:20

Mike talks about the OGL fiasco and offers up ten awesome RPGs that aren't D&D.

  • 00:00 Show Intro
  • 01:09 This Matters to All Of Us
  • 03:35 WOTC's Excuses Hold No Water At All
  • 07:53 What's Happening Now
  • 08:45 We Can Never Trust WOTC Again
  • 09:58 What Can We Do About This?
  • 12:37 Ten Awesome RPGs that Aren't D&D
  • 13:19 13th Age
  • 15:56 Blades in the Dark
  • 17:31 Fantasy Age
  • 19:01 The Non-OGL Fantasy Bundle of Holding
  • 19:38 Fate Condensed
  • 21:41 Index Card RPG
  • 23:44 Ironsworn
  • 25:26 Level Up Advanced 5e
  • 26:49 Numenera
  • 28:59 Old School Essentials
  • 30:55 Shadow of the Demon Lord

Links

09 Dec 2024High-Use RPG Products – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:04:21

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:12 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Gateway Alpha Released
  • 07:42 Product Spotlight: A5e.Tools
  • 10:36 D&D & RPG News: Lord of the Rings 5e Not Independent
  • 14:59 D&D & RPG News: So You Wanna Roleplay
  • 16:48 Commentary: The Products We Continually Use at the Table
  • 40:15 Sly Flourish News: 20% off Sly Flourish Books!
  • 41:38 Sly Flourish News: New Quarterly Patreon Q&A
  • 44:33 Patreon Question: Worldbuilding Off-Screen Towns and Settlements
  • 47:33 Patreon Question: Relating CR to the Monster's Fiction
  • 51:23 Patreon Question: Will "Update Available" overwrite my D&D Beyond Stuff?
  • 55:29 Patreon Question: What Do You Think of the 4th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide?
  • 01:00:42 Patreon Question: Full-Power Characters Showing Up Deep in Dungeons
Links
22 Oct 2021Let‘s Make an Adventure with the Lazy DM‘s Companion Part 200:48:43

Mike uses material from the Lazy DM's Companion to continue his preparation for a single-session D&D game!

Back the Kickstarter!

28 Mar 2021Frostmaiden Session 6: Holed Up Finale00:56:33
15 Dec 2023Saving Barborog– Shadowdark Gloaming Session 14 Lazy GM Prep00:30:58
24 Feb 2021DM Deep Dive: Fairness vs. Being Fans of the Characters with Ryan Servis01:07:44

Mike talks with Ryan Servis of 2C Gaming about the role of the DM and debating objectivity versus a bias towards the characters in our D&D games.

07 Aug 2024Let's Make a D&D 2024 Character!00:58:14

Mike builds a character with the new D&D 2024 Player's Handbook

Show Start
    • 00:00 Video Start
    • 01:17 Disclaimers
    • 01:44 Making a Character Sheet
    • 03:15 Creating a Character First Steps
    • 04:08 Choosing a Class
    • 07:51 Most Important Character Building Tip
    • 09:44 Spells
    • 19:56 Choosing a Background
    • 26:09 Equipment
    • 32:25 Species
    • 36:41 Character Backstory Stuff
    • 37:27 Languages
    • 38:45 Determine Ability Scores
    • 42:09 Appearances
    • 44:41 Passive Perception
    • 47:37 Calculating Weapon Attacks and Damage
    • 51:03 Other Details
    • 53:34 Final Thoughts
26 Dec 2022One D&D OGL 1.1, Alternative Objectives for 5e, Favorite 2022 RPG Product – Lazy D&D Talk Show01:03:54

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:13 D&D & RPG News: 13th Age Bundle of Holding
  • 05:28 Commentary: How to Skip Content you Don't Want to Hear
  • 06:52 Commentary: The WOTC OGL 1.1 Announcement
  • 28:54 Product Spotlight: Alternate Objectives by Sneak AttackPress
  • 33:14 Commentary: Favorite Product of 2022
  • 37:27 Patreon Question: Connecting Published Adventures
  • 41:12 Patreon Question: When to Use Which Dials of Monster Difficulty
  • 46:10 Patreon Question: Thoughts on Owlbear Rodeo 2.0
  • 50:35 Patreon Question: Making Failure Interesting with Ability Checks
  • 53:58 Patreon Question: Performing Mid-Campaign Check-Ins
  • 56:33 Patreon Question: Revealing a Pointcrawl Map
  • 59:11 Patreon Question: Using AI Generators like Chat GPT and Midjourney
Links
07 Jun 2021Three Quest Models for D&D00:02:38

Mike offers three simple quest models you can keep in your toolkit when preparing your D&D games.

02 Dec 20242024 RPG Gift Guide – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:59:32

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:23 D&D & RPG News: Scott Gray on Points of Interest
  • 03:11 Sly Flourish News: Mike's Going to the Philidelphia Area Game Expo!
  • 04:24 D&D & RPG News: Lord of the Rings on D&D Beyond
  • 10:11 Commentary: Building a Resilient Hobby when Elon Musk Threatens to Buy It
  • 12:01 D&D & RPG News: Half-Off Lord of the Rings from Free League
  • 13:58 Commentary: More Thoughts on a Resilient TTRPG Hobby
  • 16:06 Sly Flourish News: 20% Off Sly Flourish Books
  • 17:49 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant Pocket Editions
  • 19:07 D&D & RPG News: Free League Sales
  • 20:31 D&D & RPG News: Old School Essentials Sale
  • 23:16 D&D & RPG News: Free League Bundle of Holding
  • 24:12 D&D & RPG News: Heroforge Custom Flat Acrylic Miniatures
  • 26:36 Commentary: The Best Value in TTRPG Accessories
  • 31:38 DM Tip: The Dangers of Crafting Magic Items in the D&D 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide
  • 43:18 Patreon Question: Organizing and Tracking Monsters in 5e Combat
  • 47:54 Patreon Question: Getting Into Alien Minds
  • 50:24 Patreon Question: The Resolution of Fantastic Locations
  • 53:16 Patreon Question: Understanding Scenes and Locations
Links
16 Jun 2021Worldbuilding for Lazy Dungeon Masters: PAX Unplugged, December 201900:56:27

The lost recording of the Worldbuilding for the Lazy Dungeon Master panel at Pax Unplugged, December 2019, hosted by James Haeck with Makenzie De Armas, Mike Shea, Morrigan Robbins, and Renee Rhodes.

James Haeck @jamesjhaeck

Makenzie De Armas makenzielaneda

Mike Shea @slyflourish

Morrigan Robbins @MorriLoremother

Renee Rhodes @raedeanner

27 Sep 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show: Companion Kickstarter, Planebreaker, Witchlight, D&D Celebration, Dungeoncraft Adventurers00:55:06

Mike talks about all things D&D!

Contents
  • 00:00 Intro
  • 00:24 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Coming Soon!
  • 02:34 Planebreaker Kickstarter
  • 04:43 Dwarven Forge Reliquaries Kickstarter
  • 08:02 Wild Beyond the Witchlight Thoughts
  • 13:11 D&D Celebration
  • 15:29 DM's Guild Dungeoncraft Adventures
  • 20:03 DM's Panel on Immersion
  • 24:51 New Adventurer's League Rules (They're Awesome)
  • 28:41 Sharon C. Are Hybrid Conventions Here to Stay? (Yes!)
  • 35:23 Tracking villains in published adventures
  • 39:18 Questions about the Kickstarter
  • 43:16 Running Wilderness Exploration
  • 46:49 Non-combat Strong Starts for Adventures
  • 50:22 Tips for Running NPCs and Giving Away Secrets
Links
24 Nov 2020Descent into Avernus Chapter 3: A Sly Flourish Guide00:30:58

Mike covers tips and tricks for running chapter 3 from Descent into Avernus. 

Original Youtube Video

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

Table of Contents

00:00 Start00:34 Mike's #1 Recommendation for Descent into Avernus01:22 Run Fall of Elturel02:05 James Introcaso's Top Tips for Chapter 305:58 Alternative Takes on Descent into Avernus08:33 The Themes of Descent into Avernus10:05 On Soul Coins. Use Demon Ichor as well.12:07 All Roads lead to the Bleeding Citadel13:00 Build Your Own Path through Avernus13:21 The Path of the Hellriders19:41 Alternative Paths: Tiamat and Gargauth22:11 Dropping in the Hellwasp Nest23:11 Filling Out the Crypt of the Hellriders23:37 The Wandering Emporium. Players Hate Contracts!26:15 Traveling Through Avernus28:28 Descent into Avernus as a Toolbox28:51 Chapter 1 as a Stand Alone Aventure Sans Avernus

Further Reading

 

26 Feb 2024The Many Right Answers of TTRPGs – Lazy RPG Talk Show00:50:10

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:01 D&D & RPG News: Rascal.News for TTRPG News
  • 03:19 D&D & RPG News: Ginny Di on D&D with ADHD
  • 05:50 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Released
  • 08:50 DM Tip: The Benefits of Character Factions
  • 16:35 Commentary: The Many Right Answers of TTRPGs
  • 32:53 Patreon Question: WOTC and Table-Usable Maps
  • 38:06 Patreon Question: Selling Magic Items -- Info and Inventories
  • 39:57 Patreon Question: Tying Backgrounds to Curse of Strahd
  • 42:34 Patreon Question: How do I Feel about AI in TTRPGs?
Links
26 Aug 2024D&D Beyond Removes D&D 2014 Material – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:00:18

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 02:30 D&D & RPG News: D&D Designers of All Editions Talk About and Play D&D
  • 06:05 D&D & RPG News: Kelsey Dionne of Shadowdark on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop RPG Podcast
  • 07:04 Commentary: WOTC Removes 2014 Spells, Items, and Rules from the D&D Beyond Character Builder
  • 28:06 DM Tip: Track the Characters
  • 42:07 Patreon Question: Running Short Games for Large Groups
  • 46:14 Patreon Question: Favorite D&D 2024 Rule?
  • 48:47 Patreon Question: Running Mastermind and Dark Nemesis Bosses
  • 51:49 Patreon Question: Releasing the Forge of Foes Generic Monster Stats into the CC
  • 57:47 Patreon Question: What's In your DM - GM Kit?
Links
21 Feb 2021Frostmaiden Session 1: Foaming Mugs - Lazy DM Prep00:57:30
05 Aug 2024WOTC Made Me Blur My D&D 2024 Videos – Lazy RPG Talk Show01:01:33

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 01:07 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Kickstarter!
  • 02:18 Kickstarter Spotlight: Victoriana 5e by Cubicle 7
  • 05:12 Commentary: WOTC Made Me Blur My D&D 2024 Videos
  • 25:09 D&D & RPG News: Shadowdark Wins Four ENNIES!
  • 26:34 Commentary: Survive a Future Digital D&D
  • 43:21 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Campaign Outlines
  • 51:31 Patreon Question: Maps and Mapping At the Table
  • 54:23 Patreon Question: What Makes the City of Arches Unique?
  • 58:29 Patreon Question: Awarding Treasure to Specific Characters
Links
11 Oct 2021Lazy D&D Talk Show: New D&D Core Book Thoughts, Monster Design, the Many D&D Communities, Fudging Hit Points00:59:58

Mike talks about all things D&D!

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Start
  • 00:40 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter
  • 03:24 Mastering Dungeons Live on Twitch
  • 05:12 More New D&D Core Book Thoughts
  • 05:41 This is Different from Other D&D Revisions
  • 09:48 Thoughts on New Monster Design
  • 11:57 Thoughts on the Different D&D Communities
  • 22:28 On Fudging Hit Points
  • 30:43 Patreon Questions
  • 31:54 How do you handle the number of monsters with the lazy benchmark?
  • 38:21 How do you keep a 20th level party going?
  • 41:38 Making Your Own Encounter Tables
  • 45:15 Better Support for Tier 3 and 4?
  • 56:34 Can't Remember Spell Details? That's ok!
Links
14 Dec 2021Strixhaven Spotlight01:19:59

Mike does a spotlight look at the new Wizards of the Coast hardcover D&D sourcebook and adventure, Strixhaven, a Curriculum of Chaos.

Contents
  • 00:00 Show Intro
  • 02:16 Digital vs. Physical. Why not both?
  • 04:08 A Different Kind of Sourcebook
  • 05:57 Magic University
  • 07:15 Three Facts about Strixhaven
  • 17:39 A Place You Want to Go
  • 26:42 Character Options
  • 44:06 School is in Session
  • 52:31 Mike Hates the D4. Worst Die Ever.
  • 56:20 Let's Look at Monsters
Links
29 Mar 2020Eberron Session 2 – Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep01:03:12

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game in which he prepares for a session zero. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

04 Oct 2020Eberron Session 29 – Sly Flourish’s Lazy DM Prep01:04:39

Mike's latest episode of Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep for his homebrew Eberron game in which he prepares for a session zero. This is a rebroadcast of Mike’s Lazy DM Prep show broadcast live on Twitch and reposted to YouTube and here in podcast form.

This episode is brought to you ad-free by the patrons of Sly Flourish.

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