101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 6

Episode  |  July 25th, 2022  |  1 hr 4 mins

things to do

Like an ever smoking bottle, our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown just keeps going! From 31-21, we start putting a bit more of the "Advanced" into D&D, and recommend you give it a try: playing with encumbrance, rules for moving diagonally, 20th level boss fights, using downtime, learning voices and building websites -- plus a whole lot more!

101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 5

Episode  |  July 15th, 2022  |  1 hr 11 mins

adding flavor, background occupation, dm tips, steal this character, subverting tropes, things to do, weirdness

The summer celebration of our 100 episode milestone continues! Join us as we count down 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we focus on an area that sparked this podcast: building unusual characters. From 45-32 on our list, we will look at many of the different ways you can play against trope, step out from stereotypes, and play a character that is more interesting and rewarding than anything you've played before.

101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 4

Episode  |  July 5th, 2022  |  1 hr 8 mins

things to do

To celebrate our 100 episode milestone, we are counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 59-45. Join us as we discuss hot tips on adding pets to the party, marrying NPCs, making your own crafting system, using XP, and even playing other RPGs to make your D&D game better -- plus a whole lot more!

101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 3

Episode  |  June 26th, 2022  |  54 mins 30 secs

things to do

The Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown continues in celbration of 100 episodes of Like Dragon Like Son! This week we are counting down from 73-60. Join us as we discuss hot tips on customizing character sheets, playing with different party sizes, watching Critical Role, and finding inspiration in Dragon magazine and other supplements-- plus a whole lot more!

101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 2

Episode  |  June 17th, 2022  |  1 hr 11 mins

things to do

We continue our celebration of our 100th episode milestone by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 89-74. Join us as we discuss hot tips on homebrewing monsters (and the weapons to kill them), hosting a player-vs-player battle, fighting dragons, and exploring dungeons -- plus a whole lot more!

101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 1

Episode  |  June 8th, 2022  |  58 mins 35 secs

101 things to do

We've reached the 100 episode milestone and are celebrating by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 101-90. Join us as we discuss hot tips on playing campaigns all the way to the end, building worlds from scratch, introducing new players to the game, and playing with old school pen & paper -- plus a whole lot more!

Don't Let Combat Become a Boring Math Problem

Episode  |  May 21st, 2022  |  53 mins 40 secs

adding flavor, combat, dm tips, game prep, session zero, table rules

We look at a number of ways to spice up your combat, from streamlining play so players get to act more frequently, to adding just the right type of crunchy table rules to provide extra excitement. Join us as we discuss the best ways to strike a balance between speeding up combat rounds, and making it still feel meaningful and carefully considered.

Saying Goodbye to Old D&D Rules

Episode  |  May 13th, 2022  |  57 mins 10 secs

As the fifth edition of D&D continues to evolve (can we say that it's 5.5e, yet?), we see two books being "de-listed" on DnDBeyond this week: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, and Volo's Guide to Monsters. And while it's clear that some of what these books offered now feel out of date, what we loved about these books was all the deep lore and storytelling found between the covers. Join us as we turn the pages of history, looking back and what made these books both good and bad.

Back to Class! Armor Class...

Episode  |  May 6th, 2022  |  1 hr 1 min

armor class, character build, dm tips, game mechanics

This week we discuss everything Armor Class. From how to calculate the old THAC0 to the bounded accuracy of 5E's system. We dive into the spells, feats, and races that can boost AC. And we take cover and dodge around to find more ways to keep from getting hit -- we even come up with a way to boost AC to 30, if only for 6 seconds. Stick around to the end for the actual maths on which class will give you the best AC.

How to Improve Your Conditions

Episode  |  April 29th, 2022  |  1 hr 8 mins

adding flavor, conditions, dm tips, game prep

Conditions are a fundamental component to D&D, but are often misunderstood, or poorly applied. We discuss better ways to use everything from grappling to poisoned, from incapacitated to invisible. Don't be stunned by our unrestrained conversation that is prone to being charming.

What is Spelljammer?

Episode  |  April 25th, 2022  |  1 hr 2 mins

adding flavor, cosmic horror, dm tips, game prep, monsters, spelljammer

We take a look into the newest announcement of D&D settings: Spelljammer. While we don't yet know all the details of how 5e will be different from 2e (the last time we saw official Spelljammer content) there are a few things we do know. Join us as we unpack this setting and look at some of its new monsters.

Beyond Oathbreaker: Making Edgy Paladins

Episode  |  April 15th, 2022  |  1 hr 1 min

oath of conquest, oath of vengeance, oathbreakers, paladins, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, warlocks, weirdness

Sometimes we get misled by the name of a subclass, and probably none more so than Oathbreaker. We discuss where this unusual subclass comes from, the weird quirks it offers, and how to build something better. We also clear up the old javelin vs. spear debate (and why your Paladin might want to switch to spears). And we do some comparisons with Warlock, noting how Paladins are about the oath they make, and Warlocks are about who they make the oath to -- and how that affects the way you might want to roleplay them.

Adventures at Sea

Episode  |  April 4th, 2022  |  51 mins 34 secs

adding flavor, pirate, sailor, sea elf, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, triton, weirdness

From the decks of a ship to the bottom of the ocean, nothing says adventure like the life at sea. This week we look at ways that players and DMs can create characters and environments well adapted to water-borne combat.

What Lurks Below? A Look at Aberrations, Old and New

Episode  |  March 25th, 2022  |  58 mins 33 secs

aberrations, aboleths, boss monster, call of the netherdeep, dm tips, flumph, horror, slaad, sorrowfish, star spawn

With the release of the adventure, Call of the Netherdeep, D&D has a few new aberrations to check out. Generally as a cohort of creatures, Aberrations probably don't get looked at as much as Dragons, Giants, Fey or Fiends. But there is plenty of interesting ideas for unusual settings, or strange and terrifying twists thanks to the alien nature of these creatures. Join us to unpack some Aboleths, Flumphs, Slaads and Star Spawns -- plus a few new creatures you've never heard of before.

Great Teachers: 4 Types of NPCs that Can Help a Party Improve

Episode  |  March 20th, 2022  |  42 mins 2 secs

adding flavor, dm skills, improv, npcs, preparation, social interaction, three pillars, tips, weirdness

Good DMs tell their players how to improve, but GREAT DMs use NPCs to show their PCs how to live up to their true heroic potential. But there are many NPC pitfalls to avoid. This week we look at a few different types of NPCs that can change the dynamic, and maybe help the PCs in a less obvious way. Join us as we delve into Sidekicks, Rivals, Survivors and Adversaries.

How to Make Character Death Meaningful

Episode  |  March 11th, 2022  |  52 mins 25 secs

comabt, death, dm skills, improv, preparation, social interaction, three pillars

Death can be a real bummer -- especially if you didn't see it coming. While it has always been a part of the D&D experience, how you handle that experience as a DM or a player can be the difference between tears or cheers. Join us as we explore how to make death meaningful to players and the campaign.