Mysteries | Running Frustration Free D&D Whodunits | Wandering DMs S07 E03
In this episode of Wandering DMs, Dan and Paul explore the art of running mysteries in Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs. From crafting compelling clues and red herrings to balancing player agency with narrative tension, they share tips and…
Critical Failures | What’s the Worst that Can Happen? | Wandering DMs S07 E02
Dan & Paul chat about the role of critical failure and fumble systems in TTRPG systems. Do they add appropriate surprise, unpredictability, realism, and danger to the adventure? Are they more punishing to the players or their opponents? Or are…
Splitting the Party | When Your D&D Group Can’t Keep it Together | Wandering DMs S07 E01
Paul & Dan are back for Season 7, this time diving into the age-old debate: splitting the party. When is it a clever strategy? When is it a recipe for disaster? And what can DMs do to keep the game…
2024 Year in Review | Wandering DMs Season 6 | Wandering DMs S06 E41
Paul & Dan look back on the year 2024 for the Wandering DMs. It’s been a momentous year: The 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, a new version of the D&D game, the Chinese Year of the Dragon, in-depth looks…
Crafting Villains | Creating Satisfying Foils for Your Players | Wandering DMs S06 E40
Dan and Paul discuss ways to create satisfying recurring villains in your D&D campaign. How do you balance the desire for epic, climactic showdowns with the unpredictable, open-ended nature of a TTRPG campaign? Should your villain be the untouchable mastermind…
Original vs. Basic D&D Part 3 | Combat! | Wandering DMs S06 E39
Dan & Paul revisit the Original vs. Basic Dungeon & Dragons collision. This time: As similar as the early editions are, a fundamental place where they differ is the combat turn sequence. Moldvay’s B/X rules have a unique turn sequence…
Dungeon Design Dash #5 Part 2 | Infested Perch of the Mammoth Egg | Wandering DMs S06 E38
Dan and Paul return to complete the dungeon design dash for the “Infested Perch of the Mammoth Egg”. Unfortunately one hour was just not enough this time around, so they’re coming back to complete the adventure, and reveal some of…
Dungeon Design Dash #5 | Creating a D&D Adventure in One Hour | Wandering DMs S06 E37
Dan and Paul are back at it again, creating an entire D&D adventure in just one hour! Armed with only their D&D source books, Matt Finch’s excellent Tome of Adventure Design, and the input from live viewers, they’ll create a…
Ghouls in D&D | Hungry for More | Wandering DMs S06 E36
Dan and Paul reflect on the many changing faces of ghouls in D&D and fantasy literature. How did they become one of the most feared monster types? What flavor is best: the one from Lovecraft, Howard, Leiber, Gygax, or Romero?…
Scaling D&D Adventures | Tips for Handling Any Group Size | Wandering DMs S06 E35
This week on Wandering DMs, Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins dive into one of the most common challenges DMs face: scaling D&D adventures when the number of players doesn’t match what the adventure was designed for. Whether you’re running…
