Making Enemies in D&D | With Keith Ammann | Wandering DMs S07 E36
Dan & Paul get to chat with Keith Ammann -- renowned author of The Monsters Know What They're Doing -- about his newest book on D&D monsters, Making Enemies. This time Keith explores everything that goes into creating monsters from the ground up: size, number, and level of challenge; monster habitats; monster motivations; monsters as metaphors; monsters and magic; the monstrous anatomy possessed by real-world organisms; and how to customize monsters for your own tabletop roleplaying game adventuring party to confront. Not just for 5E, but any edition of D&D, and other TTRPGs as well! Get ready to surprise and delight your players—and terrify their characters—again and again.
Paul & Dan unwrap the state of Mummies in Dungeons & Dragons. What makes them unique compared to other undead monsters? How have they changed over the editions? What's the best way to use these ancient horrors in your games?
Read Dan's blog on Mummies Through the Ages here
Dan & Paul chat with D&D historian Shannon Appelcline -- who's back with his most ambitious work to date. A sprawling 4-volume Origins set, providing a detailed look at every single product created in the early days of official Dungeons & Dragons publications. Including all of Original D&D, Basic D&D, and Advanced D&D 1st Edition, everything is here! We'll join forces with Shannon to see what was good, bad, and ugly in those most adventurous days.
Check out Shannon's visual timelines here
And join the Backerkit for Origins here
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Pitching Classic D&D in 2025 | Old School for the New Generation | Wandering DMs S07 E33
It’s been 50 years since Dungeons & Dragons first appeared — and today’s players are discovering it through Critical Role, Dimension 20, and a sea of streaming shows. But what happens when you introduce them to the classic game? Dan and Paul talk about why old-school play still shines in 2025: simple rules, fast turns, meaningful choices, and a unique sense of discovery. How do you pitch Classic D&D to a modern audience with no nostalgia — and maybe win them over for life?
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R.A. Salvatore | The Finest Edge of Twilight | Wandering DMs S07 E32
Paul & Dan get to chat with NY Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore -- and his about-to-drop newest Dungeons & Dragons novel, THE FINEST EDGE OF TWILIGHT. You better not call Catti-brie Do'Urden "Drizzt's daughter", because she's a deadly monk, warrior, and shadow-walker with an attitude and determined to make her own way in the world. Can she fight her way to become a Master of Dragons at the Monastery of the Yellow Rose? And can she contend with the horrific Dahlia Sin'felle as she incubates her vampiric powers to become invincible? Plus, we'll get Salvatore's thoughts on the current state of D&D, dark elves, and a whole lot more.
South Africa