Like Dragon Like Son

Welcome back to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences.

We have come out of retirement for a very special update: Jack interviews Jay about his recent experiences from playing the fabled D&D in a Castle event at Lumley Castle in England in the Fall of 2024.

He describes it as being transported to another plane of existence! And explains how his DM and fellow players made it into some of the best D&D he has ever played. They discuss ways that you too can re-create this experience at your home game.

With Jack heading off to university, this will be the last episode of Like Dragon Like Son for the foreseeable future. This podcast has provide an opportunity for us to grow as players and as GMs -- and share our growth with you. We hope you've enjoyed the journey. Before we go, we leave you with a few more thoughts on what the future of TTRPG looks like for us, and maybe for you too.

This podcast has been hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway, where they've discussed everything D&D (and beyond), from character builds to personal experiences. Please, take some time to explore the back catalog -- it is full of gems.

We hope you've loved Like Dragon Like Son as much as we have.

Off to new adventures!

If you are like us, you've probably built more characters than you will ever play. But what if you had to play a character to build them? The idea is that as a 0 level character, you play in a short mini-campaign that showcases an influential time in your character's life that shaped who they would become. We discuss how this work with starting with only 2d6 in each ability score, gaining stats, skill, languages and spells as your character blossoms. We also discuss some fun ways to take the levels out of leveling up, and look at ways exciting ways to motivate players to lean into the role play of character development.

We also discuss the idea of "rolling with emphasis" -- taking the most extreme result from rolling two d20s.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

Spoiler Alert: We are discussing our take-aways from the new D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves. We talk about rule of cool, druid abilities, and how those red wizards are probably part of some grand plan that's been in the works since the dawn of 5th edition. So grab your popcorn -- we're going to the movies!

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

Using a clock or counter system can dramatically overhaul how encounters play out. They can introduce a puzzle-like complexity, and increase the number of ways to win besides just doing damage. And they can add a dynamism to the active evolving world of your campaign setting. If you need some help getting clocks working in your game, now's the time!

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

We've all seen spells explode on the big screen and thought, "I want my character to be able to do that!" Then gone looking in the Player's Handbook only to find the closest thing to it is some 3rd level spell with a ridiculous number of restrictions. The World's Greatest RPG shouldn't be so disappointing. So the solution is simple: steal some magical ideas from other sources. We look at Ars Magica, Push Powered, as well as some of our own homebrew to find ways to create a new full spectrum of magical powers full of the sort of risks and rewards that makes the TTRPG hobby so much fun.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

Ever get the feeling that, as a DM, the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders alone? That your players just show up expecting to be entertained? That there is a lot of pressure on you to look after everyone's feelings? But then who is looking after you? Join us as we look into how to deepen player involvement in the game, the story, and the mutual enjoyment at your table.

We discuss a solution hidden in the back pages of the DMG (who knew?): Plot Points. Join us as we talk about how to increase the responsibilities of the players, and in the process, make the game more enjoyable for all.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

Join us as we knock down the barriers to wall spells. Sure they can be tricky to figure out, difficult to place, and sometimes feel underwhelming -- but with a bit of creative thinking, they can do a lot more than you think. From making bathtubs to microwaving bad guys, listen in as we go off-the-wall.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

This episode began as a sneak peek into the upcoming Dragonlance release for 5e. We started talking about how the Squire of Solomnia feat looked like what we have been seeing in the One D&D playtest material around feats. And then, unexpectedly, we started talking about the important ways the game has evolved since Dragonlance first hit the scene, and how the game of D&D has grown. And then we got very excited discussing how we as DMs have continued to expand our playstyle, continue to push outside the boundaries of RAW, inspired by new RPG experiences. Join us for a rollercoaster discussion that includes Blightheim, Blades in the Dark, and, also a bit of Dragonlance.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!

Ghost stories are always fun to play -- especially around Halloween. Ghost hold a special status among D&D monsters. They aren't just sacks of HP that need to be smashed with an axe. They are creatures with unsettled business that requires deeper player involvement in order to truly vanquish the ghost. We look at some of the tools provided in Van Richten's guide and elsewhere that can turn your apparition into the haunting tale of adventure that no one will soon forget.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you love Like Dragon Like Son and want to help us out, you can support us by sharing this podcast with your friends. It's the support of listeners like you which motivate us to put out more episodes, so thank you!