Wandering DMs

Paul & Dan discuss dice in D&D and other TTRPGS: Where did they come from, and what was the historical imperatives that dictated their current use? Would it be preferable to use all classic six-siders? How close was D&D to being a game of just d6's and d20's (and would that be more elegant)? What manufacturers have really made a unique stamp on the hobby? Are custom dice really useful at the table, or only an aesthetic choice?

Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.

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Dan & Paul discuss Ability Scores for D&D player characters across the editions -- Options for how they're generated, what modifiers they produces, what in-game effects they have, and different ways to make an ability check. Considering all the different methods, do you prefer straight-roll, drop-lowest, point-buy, or standard array? Does the best choice differ if you have experienced players vs. newcomers? Bell-shaped or linear check systems? And when should raw ability outweigh experience level?

Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.

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The gang returns to Kemperbad only to discover their pal Sergei doesn't have the quantities of product being demanded by Franc. A last minute plan is formulated to make a big score to get them out of their jam.

Join us in the latest installment of our Original Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy mash-up, and delight in the shenanigans of a group of so-called adventurers continuously find themselves in over their heads.

Dan & Paul discuss Grappling rules in D&D and other TTRPGs over the years and editions. Should it be simple or complex? How much detail do you want included? Does it warrant a unique subsystem, or should it connect to the core mechanic for other combat maneuvers, like swordplay? Where's the sweet spot? We dig deep into the texts for 5E, 3E, 1E, and Original D&D, as well as Boot Hill, Top Secret, Savage Worlds, d20 modern, and more.

Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.

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Fearing the creepy castle that seems to inevitably call them towards it, the gang instead heads off to Altdorf to unload their cargo and try and learn a little more about the mysterious Von Wittgensteins. They also reconnect with their old pal Franc, share some laughs, and once again themselves in over their heads with notorious criminal elements.

Join us in the latest installment of our Original Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy mash-up, and delight in the shenanigans of a group of so-called adventurers continuously find themselves in over their heads.

Paul and Dan discuss running City Adventures in D&D and other RPGs. So many different mechanics have been tried over the years. What do the original texts say about cities -- or did they leave them entirely off-screen? What's the best way to map out a city: by individual buildings, streets, districts, or leave it theater-of-the mind? How can you run a chase scene in a city: use the street-level map, or keep it more abstract? Lessons from various books, modules, and other games: Warhammer, Call of Cthulhu, Top Secret, and more.

Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.

Subscribe to Wandering DMs for new episodes

The gang returns to Kemperbad and plots their next step. There they meet up with an old friend, before setting off to the tower in hopes of finally putting use to Dagmar's balls.

Join us in the latest installment of our Original Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy mash-up, and delight in the shenanigans of a group of so-called adventurers continuously find themselves in over their heads.

Dan & Paul speak with special guest Shannon Applecline -- author of the 4-volume series (and counting!) Designers & Dragons, the most encyclopedic overview to date of RPG companies, products, and history across the decades. Plus he wrote all of the retrospective backgrounds for classic D&D products on the DM's Guild, DriveThruRPG, and D&D Classics websites. We caught up with him on the numerous books he's in the process of writing now: more updates and deep-dive to Designers & Dragons, the TSR Codex, a compendium on the works of Michael Moorcock (Elric and Stormbringer!), thoughts on publishing for TTRPGs today, and a whole lot more.

Designers & Dragons at DriveThruRPG

Advanced Designers & Dragons monthly column

Shannon's Lost Histories Patreon

Wandering DMs Paul Siegel and Dan “Delta” Collins host thoughtful discussions on D&D and other TTRPGs every week. Comparing the pros and cons of every edition from the 1974 Original D&D little brown books to cutting-edge releases for 5E D&D today, we broadcast live on YouTube and Twitch so we can take viewer questions and comments on the topic of the day. Live every Sunday at 1 PM Eastern time.

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Special surprise for Halloween 2020 -- the Wandering DMs host our friends from Web DM for a horrifying delve into the Lost Tomb of Ra-Hotep. It's the adventure that predated and inspired Gary Gygax's infamous Tomb of Horrors. Is this older tomb even MORE dangerous than that legendary, dreaded place? Tune in and find out. IF YOU DARE!

#DnD #WebDM #TombOfHorrors #Halloween

Visit Web DM here

Get Dan's house rules for OD&D here

We've all been slavering for a dive into old-school gaming with Original D&D, and DM Dan's custom Original Edition Delta house rules. How fast will the bodies pile up? It's live and an unscripted one-shot, so no one knows.

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Announcing our new official full time fourth cast member: Andy Grimaldi! Andy joins us as Mina, the hapless apprentice of Etelka Herzen, just as the gang interrupts their strange ritual in a cave deep in the Barren Hills. Are they friends or foes? Who will find Dagmar's Third Ball? And who else will the have to contend with?

Join us in the latest installment of our Original Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer Fantasy mash-up, and delight in the shenanigans of a group of so-called adventurers continuously find themselves in over their heads.