Shows
DoubleDMMake your TTRPG Villains dumber!Today, we are discussing the villains we create in our D&D settings. Especially making them intelligent. We are talking about how to make them intelligent and howintelligent to actually make them in the end? Is there something too intelligent?We think so, your villains aren't all-knowing like you, the DM, and sometimes we catch ourselves realizing that we are using meta-knowledge or making them smarter than they actually should be. So here are some reasons why your villains deserve to be dumber.Check here for all further information:You can...
2026-01-2655 minDoubleDMThe 2026 TTRPG BucketlistHAPPY NEW YEAR!!!Let's talk about 2026 in this episode, what we plan to do in TTRPGs and Podcasting this year! We talk about our Bucketlist für cool things to do and what we want the year to have in store for us! What is on your Bucketlist, and what do you want to do with TTRPGs in 2026?Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/doubledm.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de https://ko-fi.com/dou...
2026-01-0541 min
DoubleDMRealm Forge: I'm Sorry did you say Street Magic?Welcome back to another episode of Realm Forge. This time, we focus on a city, a traveling, flying, magical city. To create and build this city, we are using "I'm sorry did you say Street Magic?" Through the different phases we create and build an interesting city that enriches the setting of Omen.You can check out the game right here: https://seaexcursion.itch.io/street-magic Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/doubledm.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de ...
2025-12-2959 minDoubleDMPicking back up after a breakIn today's episode, we discuss the busy schedules that control our D&D and TTRPG happy times, more specifically, we talk about what to do after we have taken a break from playing and how we can get back into the seat in the right way!We discuss how to deal with the break and what to do with it, what to do right after the break to ensure a great game feeling, and make sure we, as a group, stay together to play the amazing games we played before.Check here for...
2025-12-2256 minDoubleDMEmbracing Randomness at your D&D tablesAnd this time, we talk about the Randomness that TTRPGs and D&D provide. Especially on how you can embrace that randomness at your tables in the right moments to make your game so much better.We talk about Rolling Dice and Improvisation and how TTRPGs are the only medium where you have the most control while not knowing what comes next and why that is the best thing ever!Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ ...
2025-12-1554 minDoubleDMHow do you explain TTRPGs?Today is another meta discussion. On how to get new players into the hobby, or more exactly, what you need to do to explain TTRPGs to someone, and how the best way is not to try and explain them, but actually just to show them!With this episode, we want to talk about the difference between actually playing and talking about playing as well as what it means to be ready to play. Everyone has different expectations, and some don't even have any. So what do you do to get them all playing?...
2025-12-0153 minDoubleDMHow To Make Combat HarderToday we are discussing the topic of making your D&D combats harder and what things you can do to actually achieve the effects you want to have at your tables. Sometimes the easiest option isn't always the best one, sometimes it helps to think about what you are actually adjusting.Join us as we discuss homebrewing new stats and abilities for combats to achieve certain outcomes, we discuss making a combat take longer or be more dangerous, we discuss what sense the combat actually needs to have and what you can do to always get...
2025-11-2459 minDoubleDMNot Everyone Is A Game MasterToday we talk about something that needs to be said: Not everyone is a Game Master! I mean its obvious, we have 4 players and only 1 game master! But jokes aside its important to talk about this as it highlights important reasons why we as people play TTRPGs and how we enjoy them!Lets talk about making TTRPG fun, interesting and engaging for everyone at the table even when you're not seated behin the DM screen and just want to enjoy some good D&D as a playerCheck here for all further information:
2025-11-1757 min
DoubleDMRealm Forge: KingdomWelcome back to another episode of Realm Forge. Today, we are focusing on a single Kingdom, the first Kingdom of our Fantasy World, Omen, a world ruled by Celestial Bodies and their Signs, which foretell the future. We talk about the problems and challenges this world poses to the kingdom and what living in this world must be like.For this episode, we are using: https://lamemage.itch.io/kingdom by Ben RobbinsCheck here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/...
2025-11-031h 05DoubleDMAre TTRPG Playstyle Mismatches bad?Today, we discuss TTRPG Playstyle Mismatches, particularly what can happen when parts of your group derive their D&D and TTRPG enjoyment from different aspects of the games and playtime.We discuss where these mismatches can occur and how you can address them at the table, making compromises to accommodate everyone's enjoyment and prioritize the group's fun.Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/doubledm.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de https://ko-fi.com/doubledm...
2025-10-2755 minDoubleDMHow to deal with TTRPG BurnoutToday, we talk about TTRPG system burnout, we discuss what you can do to spot it, to counteract it, and also, if it comes to it, how you can recover from it. It is no joke and needs to be taken very seriously so let's talk about it and find the best way out of it.TTRPG System Burnout is when you are feeling worn out by playing TTRPGs, sometimes just with a specific system, and we discuss the best ways to help you spot it fast, and then what can be done about it.
2025-10-2055 minDoubleDMHow to play D&D more collaborativelyOn this episode, we discuss collaborative play in D&D and TTRPGs. Not just having fun together, but also having systems, rules, guidelines, or other elements that facilitate play and encourage our players to help each other out during play.We discuss The Help Action, what we can do with it, and why you should do more with it. We talk about communication and facilitating an environment where everyone wants to immerse and participate as well as systems that make sure players care for each others characters.Check here for all further information:
2025-10-1357 minDoubleDMMaking sure our players can play the gameToday, we discuss why we as Game Masters need to be careful with what we say and how we say it at our D&D/ TTRPG Tables. We control the player's eyes, ears, and senses inside the game. They ask questions and expect answers.We talk about Objectivity and Perception and how we can better guide players to make informed decisions, or ask for more information, and how you, as a game master, can do so as well.Our great friends over at Homie and The Dude are currently running their 3rd Successful...
2025-10-061h 01DoubleDMTalking to our friends Homie And The Dude about Scorched BasinToday we talk to Tom and Bodhi of the Homie and the Dude Content Creation Power Duo that is them, Tom and Bodhi. They are our great TTRPG friends and the first returning returing guests. This time we talk about their TTRPG system agnostic Settingn guide to the Socrched Basin.We discuss what their journey to this point looked like, what they plan for the future and how it is going for them right now. We discuss the TTRPG Roots and the futrue we are heading towards all while disucssing the creativity, work and passion that...
2025-09-221h 30DoubleDMCrafting Systems don't work in D&DIn today's episode, we discuss Crafting Systems in TTRPGs, D&D especially, and why... they just don't work... or at least why they don't really work well. We discuss what it means to add crafting to D&D and what you would need to do to make it fun.We discuss it in proxy for all other TTRPG Systems too, and often come to the conclusion that crafting needs to either be a crucial mechanic to the game or just an afterthought to round your game off, and then it's often just not discussed cause it...
2025-09-1554 minDoubleDMAll Paths Lead to RomeToday we talk about Game Mastering, what a surprise, and a special way of Game Mastering, that we dubbed "All Paths Lead to Rome" wherein gamemasters lead their players to the right outcome all the time and make sure they arrive there together.This provides some problems if done excessively, in moderation, this is not bad practice, but if done too much, it can quickly lead to a stale game where creativity is stifled, so how do we stop ourselves from GMing like that?Check here for all further information:You...
2025-09-081h 03
DoubleDMRealm Forge: The Celestial Bodies of OmenToday, we have another episode of our worldbuilding Show, Realm Forge, for you! And this time we are talking about the crucial parts of Omen, It's Celestial Bodies and the Religions and Cults that revolve around them. We discuss some of the many celestial bodies in the sky and what they represent, who they are and what they do. And then we focus on the people on Omen that worship and fear these bodies in the sky that dictate their life.We are using two games in this episode and you can check out both of...
2025-09-011h 05DoubleDMChanging the rules of D&DIn today's episode, we talk about other ways to change the D&D Rules that we thought up and would like/not like to see in our games. We muse on different rule changes we thought about implementing, but haven't actually done. We don't mean homebrew rules that change on little aspect of the game, but rules that fundamentally change the game we are playing, and we talk about if that is a good or a bad thing to do. Join us as we discuss things we would like to see and think about that could...
2025-08-2559 minDoubleDMHow to make D&D combat worse, or not?In today's episode, we are dissecting an Article published by The Gamer about 8 Rules we should do away with D&D Combat... And we have opinions about these rules... Most of the tim,e we disagre,e and we will explain for what reasons to,o but for some of these rule,s we see a reason and an explanation, but still think that maybe dnd's rules are there for a reason.The Article can be found here: https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-dragons-dnd-dungeon-masters-dm-rules-combat-dont-use/. We do criticize the article, The Gamer, and the author of this article...
2025-08-1158 min
DoubleDMRealm Forge: The History of OmenToday, we have another episode of our worldbuilding Show, Realm Forge, for you! And today, we focus on the history of our fantasy world of mystery and celestial alignments, Omen. However, we aren't doing so simply by writing down random information. We are focusing on the Time of Revelations, the time the world changed from its old ways to the new, and we are using Microscope for it!! So let's get right into it.If you want to check out Microscope, you can do so right here: https://lamemage.com/microscope/Check here...
2025-07-281h 04DoubleDMWhat makes a D&D Experience?Today, we're talking about D&D, but not exactly. We're discussing the D&D Experience and what it entails. What does D&D stand for? (Aside from Dungeons & Dragons) And what makes certain things an experience of D&D and what does not?This episode was sparked and came from an article from Rascal News Lin Codega about the D&D Experience, we do discuss parts of the article and its central question "What is a D&D Experience anyway?" but do not read passages from it, if you wish to read the article and i...
2025-07-1455 minDoubleDMCreating long-term Consequences for our D&D PlayersToday is about consequences and how we, as Game Masters, can set them up perfectly to crash down onto our player characters when they least expect it. At least that is the idea behind Long Term Consequences, but they aren't always that easy to manage.That is exactly what today is about, we are here to help you manage and create those long term consequencesCheck here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/doubledm.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de ...
2025-07-0755 minDoubleDMPopulating your D&D World easy and quickToday is all about making our D&D and TTRPG worlds feel alive and how do we do that incredibly quickly? Thats exactly what today is about, we talk about all the simple and easy ways we make prepping our worlds a whole lot easier. What ways are you using to make your worlds feel alive and full of stuff, people and more?Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://bsky.app/profile/doubledm.bsky.socialhttps://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de ...
2025-06-3059 minDoubleDMEverything thats Overrated in TTRPGsToday marks 200 Episodes of DoubleDM Podcast, 200 Episodes where we discuss TTPRGs and bring you the best advice, tips and tricks for your Dungeon Master. Today is no different (well maybe a little bit)We are talking about the most overrated stuff in TTRPGs, like the wish Spell, False Hydras or Curse of Strahd! Yes we think these things are overrated and the opinions presented in this episode are totally 100% true and not hyperboleCheck here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/...
2025-06-161h 01DoubleDMHow to create Urgency for your TTRPG playersSome times we need our TTRPG players to deal with an issue immediately... and we need to put pressure on them inside of the game, but how do we even do that? Making an Issue and Situation urgent for resolution by adding Limits and Timers is a great way to put pressure on the players and their characters!!Today we talk about exactly that and how you can master urgency to create a crunch but not too much of it... we always want to have a bit of extra time for roleplay and shenanigans, but still...
2025-06-0254 minDoubleDMHow PvP Makes your TTRPG Games betterCharacters in Video Games are tools to enjoy the game and some people enjoy killing other characters, that is what is usually called PvP in Gaming but is that true for TTRPGs? Yes and No. The Player Characters can still fight each other but in TTRPGs like D&D this can also mean so much more. As we immerse ourselves in these characters we can play out verbal arguments, confrontations and yes also physical fights.But PvP needs to be done right, if not it can lead to big problems around the table and maybe discomfort...
2025-05-2658 minDoubleDMWhen your D&D players should failTTRPG Characters, especially D&D characters, should win and overcome most of the challenges and threats you put in front of them. There is fun in being the winner and succeeding. But failure is important too!! We need to have setbacks, failures, and losses so that our players can grow, learn, and play out these fun and exciting situations!!But how do we navigate the players failing, how often should they fail, and what should failure look like without it feeling forced and wrong? That's all on today's episode of DoubleDM!Check here...
2025-05-1242 minDoubleDMMaking D&D Character Development easyCharacter Development is an integral part of playing TTRPGs, we all come to the table to play a game using a character to tell a story. And in that story our character develops, changes and grows. But how do we make sure players feel comfortable developing their character? How do we as Game Masters give them to opportunity to do so?This is exactly what today is about, how we as Game Masters can help our players develop their D&D characters, how we can encourage growth and set the stage for our players to have...
2025-05-0559 minDoubleDMHow Honesty makes you a better D&D DMGame Masters have so many tools to work their stories and play the game, and yet in our opinion the greatest one you can have is Honesty and really its as simple as that!But how does that work? Well, that's what this episode is about on how to be more honest as a game master, why this is so important, and how you can still be lying and deceiving without being dishonest in the context of TTRPGs.Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web...
2025-04-2857 minDoubleDMThe Beauty of Folklore ft. Neil from FeyEarthToday we meet Neil, he is an Irish TTRPG Content Creator with a nice obsession about Folklore and the Fey. He has spent hours upon hours researching them and creating a TTRPG called FeyEarth where all the stories are real!Today he talks to us about Folklore and the Fey and how they actually were, but also he talks to us about his newest Book "Hidden Folk of the Feywild" a 5e Bestiary with a ton of amazing creatures for you to use and play the real folklore and sagas. The Kickstarter is...
2025-04-071h 16DoubleDMHow to "fix" a stale and halting gameIt's something that happens to every TTRPG table at some point. The game might feel like it's in a slump, players don't know what to do next or they are just waiting for something to happen that might never happen.How can we, as Game Masters and Players, keep our D&D Games from getting stale and grinding to a halt? How can we ensure the game keeps moving and stays fresh and exciting for all around the table? Thats what we are here to answerInfinibrix is out right now!!!!!!!!!!! https://www...
2025-03-3157 minDoubleDMLet your Players cast Wish in D&DWish is the most overpowered and unbalanced spell in D&D! That's Great! Now, let your players achieve and cast that ultimate power! Why? Wel, cause it's fun and we love fun!To be a little more serious, wish is just one way to showcase ultimate power, and many TTRPGs are about overcoming obstacles and what better way is there to do that with ultimate power? So why not give your players that power and see what they do with it? This has many great aspects that will make your game more engaging, trust us :D
2025-03-1759 minDoubleDMWhy Worldbuilding is weirdMany TTRPG Rules have many weird aspects when you start thinking about their implications. Take the Immovable Rod from D&D. it says it's unaffected by gravity, so does that mean it stays affixed to that space while the planet is spinning? Or is your world a flat disk without any real space around it?This and more random little tidbits of information can make your world incredibly weird... And we are here to tell you: THAT'S GOOD!You can check out Nathan's Game Dream Investigators right here: https://lurzblurbz.itch.io/dream-investigator
2025-03-0354 minDoubleDMInfinibrix is the game for creativty and storytelling ft. Michael LowToday we are joined by Michael Low, storyteller, teacher, designer, and father! Michael is not just the first guest of our push to talk to more people in the TTRPG space, Michael is the perfect person to challenge the usual complex and intricate deep dives DDM does. He talks to us about creative writing, storytelling, and how the core should always be to have fun.Michael is a Teacher and runs courses to teach kids of all ages about creative writing and collaborative storytelling. Part of that is his newest upcoming game Infinibrix, a Toybashing Game...
2025-02-241h 20DoubleDMThe State of DoubleDMIt's been 4 years of DoubleDM!!Thank you to everyone who has listened and joined us on this journey!We have some stuff to talk about now, let's sit down and discuss the last 4 years, the current state of DDM, and the next 4 years ahead!Check here for all further information:You can find us on the Web under these Links: https://www.doubledm.com/ https://twitter.com/DoubleDMpod https://www.instagram.com/doubledmpod/?hl=de https://ko-fi.com/doubledmIf you want to reach out to us via E-Mail use: doubledmpod@gmail.comOur Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
2025-02-0354 minDoubleDMThe Amethyst Dragons Hoard of Everything really has everything your D&D Heart desires!Today we are joined by the Amethyst Dragon, also known as Nathan, who is creating The Amethyst Dragons Hoard of Everything, a D&D Supplement of Homebrew Content for literally every game, the book has nearly 600 pages worth of content from the more normal Homebrew Content of Spells and Subclasses to Poisons, Diseases, new Homebrew Rules, new Loot Options and so much more. It really has something for everyone.And we talk to Nathan about his homebrew process, the design philosophy, his favorite content and so much more so you can get the inside scoop on...
2024-11-041h 08DoubleDMHow to make great TTRPG HandoutsEveryone loves it when the GM hands you an old letter from an NPC or gives you a physical puzzle to touch. But what more is there to Props and using them?Handouts and Props are a great addition to playing TTRPGs, but how can we design these handouts to fit our table and needs to evoke immersion, help share information and create a better sense of play.Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativec...
2023-12-1154 minDoubleDMEvoking Character Development in your TTRPGsCharacter Development is a crucial aspect of playing and enjoying a Tabletop Roleplaying Game. It's what Characters revolve around, yet how do we create moments for it at the table?Let's discuss that today. We feature stories of how development works in our games and give a ton of advice on setting the stage for development and creating characters that are open for development.Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/...
2023-12-0457 minDoubleDMCreating Conflict and Evil CampaignsEvil Campaigns are a big old fascination of the TTRPG space, but what do they actually mean, and if we need them?We also discuss Character conflict and why Campaigns using a denominator like "Good" or "Evil" might not be that great in the end and why just playing campaigns with strong themes and even better defined characters will still lead to the same outcome just in a more natural better way for storytelling.Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative...
2023-11-2755 minDoubleDMHow to involve Pets in playPets are often a minor thing in TTRPGs and yet everyone wants to have an Owlbear Baby (Thank you Baldurs Gate) or a Dog, Cat, Bird, Snake, Arachnid and so on.We think pets are as stated a minor thing but still believe this is a great topic to talk about since pets can do great things at the table for roleplay and even mechanical reasons, however at the end its really up to you what you do with pets. Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)...
2023-11-2055 minDoubleDMDo we really need Realism in TTRPG?A discussion that always makes the rounds in the TTRPG Space is the discussion about Realism and how it can help you or hinder you in play.As you might already guess, we think it's neither and both simultaneously. We discuss what Realism can do for you, how discussions around Realism are sometimes not what they are and how you can use Realism in your games to the degree you want to!Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
2023-11-1355 minDoubleDMMaking Marvelous Magic ItemsMagic Items are some of the coolest parts of playing D&D and TTRPGs, cool items to give your players an edge over your monsters and villains? Yes please! But what goes into making these good magic items?That is todays topic and we talk about making magic items, what magic items we've created, errors we've made and lessons we learned. We talk about Inspiration and the Creative Process going into items, so you get a great grasp on making even better ones for your games later.Our Midroll...
2023-10-3044 minDoubleDMCreating High Stakes Situations in TTRPGsToday we discuss the topic of raising the stakes at your TTRPG tables and dealing out consequences for your Players actions and what's the best way for you to have fun doing it.For us, stakes are mostly the threat of a consequence for a character's actions coming to be, it's not the threat itself but just that that threat is likely to happen, so how do we play this unseen gambling game in our TTRPGs? This episode answers that question and many more!Our Midroll Music is "Midnight...
2023-10-231h 02DoubleDMInviting More Chaos in the GameToday we have an incredible topic and episode for you that discusses chaos at the D&D and TTRPG tables. But what does that mean and why do you want more of it?What we understand as chaos is the innate randomness and creativeness of TTRPGs that allow for truly unexpected things to happen. Living in the Moment of the Game and Experiencing it is what you want from most games and today we're here to help you understand how you can invite more and let loose when playing....
2023-10-1653 minDoubleDMThe Fundamentals of WorldbuildingWe've talked a lot about Worldbuilding so far and today we focus on Worldbuilding Places and Locations but even more so we highlight fundamentals in our worldbuilding and how you can lay your own.Our discussion focuses on locations and what you need to create in order for your locations to work, geography, economy, people and so much more, but we also focus on more general aspects of worldbuilding and what makes worldbuilding a great foundation for play.Our Midroll Music is "Midnight Tale" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under...
2023-10-0956 minDoubleDMAdding Layers to your Monster LairsThis time we're talking about Lairs in D&D and other TTRPGs. Lairs are places your Monsters, Villains and just Entities are at home and feel safe, but how do we make these places actually interesting and not just a place for another combat?Our discussion focuses on all aspects of a lair, be it the vibe you want to evoke, the combat you want to hold in it, or the Personality and Facettes of the Villain it should portray. Lairs are more than just a place, they are a reflection of whatever lives...
2023-10-0257 minDoubleDMHow to create evocative locations with Albyon AbseyThis time we're joined by Leigh also known as the creator of Albyon Abseys Geographical Almanac, a D&D 5e Supplement that provides you with some of the most interesting and evocative locations for your home games!We discuss where Leigh and his team get their ideas from, what inspiration they use for creating their content and what that creation process looks like. We talk about the absurd, bizarre, and unconventional locations they've created and what you can do with all the information provided to you. They also had a Kickstarter Run successfully funded...
2023-09-251h 12DoubleDMCan Baldurs Gate 3 teach us any D&D?Today we're finally talking about the biggest Gaming Hype of this year. I don't know if that's true but it sure felt like that in the D&D Space. And for good reason, Baldurs Gate 3 is one of the best video games I've ever played, and it's based on a TTRPG... but how can the video game relate back to the TTRPG and how does it bridge the medium gap?Today we discuss the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Baldurs Gate 3 and how this incredibly immersive RPG Video Game can help us...
2023-09-1859 minDoubleDMHow to start your own Actual Play!Today we talk about Actual Plays again, could this be a sign for something coming soon? This time around we talk to Ben Newbon of Cybertopia, a new Actual Play, about creating and running your first Actual Play.Ben and We've been friends for years and when he started to produce his own new show we got talking about the hurdles and problems in starting an actual play. Today you will find out everything about starting your first actual play, what you need to do beforehand, what goes on in recordings, and what editing...
2023-09-111h 14DoubleDMLet's talk to the best GM in PodcastingToday we talk to Eric Silver of Multitude Productions and specifically the Actual Play Show Join the Party. Eric has the self-proclaimed title of "Best GM in Podcasting" and has the 5 Tools of every GM, the 4 Pillars of a Bad Show, the 3 Campaign Experience, the too (2) great laugh, and the 1 personality to prove it.We discuss Actual Play Creation, Production, and Hosting as well as the Artistic Medium that is TTRPGs and Actual Play Podcasting and how the medium is developing, where it's headed, and a whole lot more....
2023-09-041h 19DoubleDMEvoking Horror in TTRPGs ft. Elli of DoubleDMHorror is a topic that is being talked about all the time in TTRPG spaces and has been on DoubleDMs Showroom before, but today we get a new perspective from DoubleDMs resident Horror DM.We discuss running a horror scenario for D&D and TTRPGs and what it means to truly create a horror environment that goes beyond just having a few spooky vibes. We give advice on handling horror as a GM and as a player, we discuss what makes horror actually horrific and what that means for you running this game, and...
2023-08-281h 06DoubleDMUsing Festivals and Tradtions to WorldbuildIn a game of slaying dragons, dispelling evil curses, and saving the land from impending doom you need to make a place for celebrations. And that is what we're discussing today.We discuss creating and running festivals for your games of D&D and TTRPG where players can experience a more jovial side of your world and it's people. They can eat food from all around the world, play fun games and meet new friends. But why do all this for your games? There are a ton of benefits festivals and traditions have, they...
2023-08-2152 minDoubleDMCreating impactful curses for D&DCurses are one of the fantasy tropes you just cannot avoid. They are part of every world that has magic in them and for good reason. Dark Twisted Magic used to make someone's Day miserable is a perfect fit for the fantasy genre.That is what we are discussing today. We will discuss what makes curses fun to use for your D&D and TTRPG games and how you can create the best curses for your players to deal with and perish under. We also highlight how to deal with curses in a sensitive...
2023-08-1453 minDoubleDMPlease start Min-Maxing in D&DThere are a few Discourse topics that always come up in TTRPG Discussions, especially in D&D Circles, one of these topics is Optimised vs. Unoptimised Characters often also referred to as Min Max Discourse.That is what we are discussing today. We want to shine a light on why this is in our opinion a pointless discussion and why saying one side is clearly better than the other feels disingenuous to what it actually means to build a character. We give Game Masters helpful advice on "dealing with a min-max player" and how...
2023-08-0755 minDoubleDMThe Fight of Evil vs. Good in D&DWhen we create stories for TTPRGs we often like to think of the Player Characters as the Good Guys. They are the Protagonists but that does not make them Automatically "Heroes".That is what we are discussing today. We talk about the Balance between Good and Evil in your Games and Stories in D&D and TTRPG. We talk about what it means to be good and what it means to be evil and why you as a GM should look at stories not just in this evil vs. good mentality. It can be...
2023-07-3150 minDoubleDMSometimes Simplicity is just betterAs a GM we often make decisions in prep and play often weighing how they will affect play. And sometimes when we put something in we create moments of frustration and game halting.That is what we are discussing today. We talk about complexity and simplicity and how you can balance them in your D&D and TTRPG Sessions. How complex and hard should a D&D puzzle be? Why do players take so long with puzzles for 5th graders? Why do my players not know what to do? We answer all of these...
2023-07-2455 minDoubleDMSandbox Gaming in TTRPGWhen talking about different types of D&D and TTRPG campaigns people often have a certain campaign style that is referred to as "Sandbox Campaigns", but what does that mean?That is what we are discussing today. We talk about what we perceive as Sandbox Gaming, why we think the term Sandbox might not be a perfect fit, and what it means to play creatively free (or more free than usual), is it good, or is it bad? We cannot make that judgment but we can discuss what we hear, see, and feel the...
2023-07-1752 minDoubleDMHow to challenge High Level PCsPlayer Characters get progressively stronger and more powerful as they level up in games like D&D, that means that we also have to level up the world around them to still provide a challenge to them, but how do we do this to make it not feel like a video game?That is what we are discussing today. We highlight a few different techniques you can use to challenge Player Characters that have reality-altering abilities and magic at their disposal while not just making the threats bigger and meaner. We talk about types...
2023-07-1059 minDoubleDMHow do i even get inspired?TTRPGs run on inspiration, it's like the fuel to the fire of the games we play. So how do we get inspired to write that intricate world, that gripping NPC, that captivating story?That is what we are discussing today. We know inspiration looks different for everyone so we can't tell you exactly what you have to do to get inspired, especially cause its different from day to day even. But what we can advice you on are a few tricks that have helped us and others to grip their inspiration and turn it...
2023-07-0356 minDoubleDMHow to start a New WorldWhen we play TTRPGs we need a place to set the adventure in and often it's the GMs job to keep track of and play the world around the Player Characters, but how do we make sure to have a world to set the adventures in that feels like it allows that adventure to flourish?That is what we are discussing today. We talk about the process of worldbuilding and especially how you can start when building your first one or what steps you can take to improve your current world. We talk about...
2023-06-2658 minDoubleDMHow do we get nail-biting combats in D&D?When playing D&D, a very heavy combat-focused TTRPG, and we set our players out to face off against the Big Bad of our Campaign we don't want the combat to be over in just a single round with one side triumphing over the other in a flash. But how can we create combats that leave our players wondering if their character will even survive?That is what we are discussing today. We talk about combat and especially what you can do to make a single combat an experience that your players won't forget...
2023-06-1947 minDoubleDMUsing Magic to Build Better D&D WorldsWhen worldbuilding our own worlds for our TTRPG Campaigns and Games we often look to our real world for inspiration, but there are a ton of elements in games that do not exist in our real world, like magic. How do we make magic work when we don't even understand it?That is what we are discussing today. We discuss magic in worldbuilding and how someone being able to throw a fireball around would completely shatter reality as we know it. We talk about ways to understand and explain magic just enough to create...
2023-06-1251 minDoubleDMStarting a new corporate job with Triangle AgencyToday we talk to Caleb one of the Lead Designers of Triangle Agency at Haunted Table Games and what this new, exciting, and intricate TTRPG has to offer. Spoiler: It's very Meta, It's very much designed around decisions and agency and features a lot of cool twists and ideas. Or in short, we both love it!!Caleb talks to us about the design philosophies that lead to triangle agency, the approach they took in designing it, and what they looked for when creating their unique and unconventional system. We talk about the mechanisms of the game and what drives characters...
2023-06-051h 10DoubleDMMaking TTRPG Characters feel uniqueSomething that we've heard and said ourselves quite often is that TTRPG and D&D Characters are supposed to be special in regard to the world around them, but what does that mean, how do we achieve that and what consequences can we draw from it?That is what we are discussing today. We talk about Players and their Characters being unique in the context of TTRPGs. We talk about how the fact of characters being a unique presence and the knowledge of that fact can help you in your games, your prep, and...
2023-05-2953 minDoubleDMConquering the Skies with Homie and the DudeHave you ever dreamed of swashbuckling action among the skies, battling across flying airships? Then this episode and this Kickstarter is right for you!!Today we talk to Tom and Bodhi from HomieandtheDude, the Father and Son Podcast for all things MMA and TTRPG, Tom and Bodhi are long-time great friends of the show and we are so thrilled to have them with us again to talk about their latest project, their Sky Zephyrs Kickstarter which will allow you to build and board Airships in an easy and yet tactical way in your D...
2023-05-221h 20DoubleDMHow do you deal with Murderhobos in D&D?Murderhobos are a specific subset of players everyone has heard about in TTRPGs. They murder everything, violence is the solution to all the problems and they just don't learn from the consequences. But how do we deal with them? Should we just kick them from the table? Should we show them new ways? That's what we discuss in today's episode! We talk abut much more than just murderhobos in D&D and TTRPG but more generally playstyle differences and how to communicate across different playstyles to create an amazing and engaging table experience for...
2023-05-1557 minDoubleDMCreating Unique Challenges for TTRPGswhen playing TTRPGs we want the challenges to be hard but beatable. We want something that gives us that feeling of actually having overcome a challenge but how can we do that in a more creative and engaging way instead of just making the combats deadlier, the limits higher and the rolls harder?That's what we discuss in today's episode! We talk about creating unique new challenges for your D&D and TTRPG tables and campaigns to allow players to use their creativity, their characters features, and teamwork to beat the challenges we throw...
2023-05-0853 minDoubleDMEliminating Boredom from TTRPGsTTRPGs are like a Movie, TV Series, or Video Game but they are something entirely of their own. They are a medium of Entertainment and Creation at the same time. But in creation, we often hit hurdles things like writer's block where we don't know how to move the fiction forward. This can be due to any number of reasons but sometimes it happens that TTRPGs grind to a halt and a table sits in silence not knowing what to do. These moments mean nothing is happening which arguably is a bad thing to happen to a TTRPG Table...
2023-05-0153 minDoubleDMCreating Player-Focused D&D AdventuresPlayers are the Protagonists of the TTRPG and D&D Campaigns we play. But often times they can be a little detached from the World and Plot of our Campaigns, we can easily mitigate and erase this feeling by having players create backstories that connect them to the world, NPCs, and plot. But how do we use these Backstories to create awesome adventures and give the character and player the resolution to their story? That is the topic of today!We discuss what makes a great and engaging Player-Focused chapter to give each character...
2023-04-2456 minDoubleDMPutting the Dangerous into D&DDanger is an ever-present Theme in Tabletop Roleplaying, constantly Characters face off against Mages, Demons, and Dragons in stories that put the fate of an entire world on the line. Player Characters put themselves on the line to fight off a villain, save a town from destruction, and destroy a magical artifact, they face danger every day in TTRPGs, but why is that?That is exactly what we answer today. We discuss why it is dangerous situations that put everything on the line that we crave so much when playing D&D and TTRPGs...
2023-04-1756 minDoubleDMDo you need lore?Lore is an interesting topic for TTRPGs, it creates an immersive world filled with rich places and people. Lore can give your world its heart and its character. The past influences the present and while the future will be influenced by your player's actions the lore will inform the way the world reacts to your players. So lore is pretty important to TTRPGs, right?Well, kinda. Lore can give you all of those things but it often is not that relevant to actual play and to your players, they can invest themselves in it...
2023-04-1057 minDoubleDMShooting your Shot ft. Russell E. Welsh III from D20TalesAs a Content Creator, you face many unique and interesting challenges and Russell joins us today to talk about some aspects of Content Creation, What he has been up to, and how he was able to build meaningful relationships with other brands and creators so you can do the same and shoot your shot!Russell is the Game Master for the TTRPG Actual Play Channel that is D20Tales where they go on amazing adventures in outer space and fantasy realms. They create incredibly well-polished content and Russel joins us again to give you...
2023-04-031h 19DoubleDMCreating Compelling Villains for D&DYour Villains are one of the big building blocks your D&D and TTRPG Campaign runs on and making them compelling, grand, and villainous is crucial to feel of a Campaign with a Villain. But how do you make that Personality, the Acts they commit, and their Motivation actually matter? You need to bring them to the players so they can be a present force in the game. And that's what we'll discuss today!We discuss about what it means to make your villains a present driving force in your Campaigns and how to...
2023-03-2755 minDoubleDMThe Art of Exposition for D&DExposition can be tedious and boring to sit through but it is needed to make sure your audience can fully buy into the immersion of your narrative and world and TTRPGs are no different, however, exposition works differently in such an interactive medium and we are here to help you make your next D&D Campaigns Exposition an Engaging, Interesting and Immersive experience that will lay the first stones for your awesome D&D campaign.We talk about exposition as a whole from a writing and filming point of view, what it is for...
2023-03-2053 minDoubleDMGMs, Take Your Time!Time is a Resource that we don't have much of in our lives so how can we make sure that every moment of that time that we use for TTRPGs can be used to create the most joy and fun around our tables? That is exactly what we are here to talk about and discuss today.We talk about how you as a Game Master can improve every single aspect of GMing by using time effectively. From taking a few seconds in the game to think about reactions and outcomes to taking needed week-long...
2023-03-1350 minDoubleDMShould you Split the Party?In this episode, we talk about if you should split your D&D and TTRPG Parties. This is a meme as old as Tabletop Roleplaying itself and came from the first Editions of D&D where characters would run through dungeons and splitting the party just increased the difficulty of each encounter. But TTRPGs evolved since then, so is it still true to never split the party?We discuss everything around Splitting your D&D and TTRPG Party. Spoiler Alert: We believe you should and sometimes will have to split the party. So we talk about when...
2023-03-0655 minDoubleDMMaking D&D Combats engaging using Monster TacticsToday we talk about ways you can make your D&D and TTRPG combats more interesting, difficult, and engaging by using monster and enemy tactics.In this episode, we talk about what it means to use tactics and how even the most simple tactic can already have a great impact at your tables. We also discuss how you can come up with tactics easily for every single monster and enemy by just using them the way they are already designed.We discuss and advise on creating tactics and the most simple ways to spice up...
2023-02-2752 minDoubleDMHere is why you play TTRPGsToday we talk about the reason why TTRPGs are becoming bigger and bigger and more and more mainstream. Obviously, there are many reasons working together here but we are here to talk about the aspect that experience plays.In this episode, we talk about the difference between consuming content and experiencing content and why our world has evolved from just wanting to consume specific content to make the experience of said content unique and exciting. This is where TTRPGs play a crucial part for us since they are a way to experience, create and explore our own...
2023-02-2059 minDoubleDMHere is how to hand out the right magic items in D&DToday we talk about how you can hand the right magic items to your D&D and TTRPG players to reward them, spotlight them and level them up. We also answer questions like: "What Magic Items should i give out?" or "How many D&D magic Items are too many?"In this episode, we talk about magic items in D&D and how generous you should be in handing them out to your players to not boost their power too much but to still make them feel rewarded and powerful. If you ever asked yourself the question...
2023-02-1358 minDoubleDMThe Game Masters Journey and how to always improveWE'RE FINALLY BACK!!Join us today as we start Season 2 of DoubleDM, where not much changed and we are still doing the same discussions in the same format!This time we talk about how to always improve as a Game Master, that you are never the perfect Game Master and can always seek to improve your skills to weave even greater stories, craft even grander worlds, or roleplay even better villains. There is always something you can do and improve on but it's important to look back once in a while too to appreciate where...
2023-02-061h 01
DoubleDM100 Episodes of a TTRPG Talkshow, a Recap of 2 Years of DoubleDMIt's been 2 years since we started DoubleDM. Thank you for joining us on this incredible life-changing journey into TTRPG Content Creation. This episode is us looking back at the amazing 2 years we had and what we learned about Content Creation, TTRPG Game Mastering, and just us as Human Beings. We talk about how our lives, our Game Master Style, and our Content changed in those 2 years and talk about what it means to us that we have been able to produce content for you all this time. (I'm getting a little teary-eyed writing this Description)T...
2023-01-0246 minDoubleDMHow To Help New D&D PlayersIn this episode of DoubleDM we are starting our countdown to episode 100 of DoubleDM. We will be revisiting some of our older topics and adding some new content, ideas, and inspiration to them we learned over the years since creating those episodes. This is the first episode of this countdown and what better episode to start than episode 2 where we talked about accommodating new TTRPG players at your tables? So in this episode, you will hear lots of advice focused on creating a safe, fun, and helpful environment around new players. We talk about how to handle character creation, how...
2022-10-2456 minDoubleDMDoubleDM #76: Why You Should Pay Attention To EnvironmentsEpisode 76 of DoubleDM discusses the Topic of Using Environments for your D&D and TTRPG Sessions and Campaigns.We discuss a lot of different ways Environments can be used to create Immersion, Challenges, and so much more.For Example, we discuss how they are Influential Factors in Worldbuilding and how you need to pay attention to a settlement's environment when creating it as it will have a lot of influence on its infrastructure, people, and appearance. Another way is how they are needed for great Encounter Design as not just a Backdrop for your great...
2022-07-1851 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #55: The Value of Cloak and Daggerin this week's Episode of DoubleDM we discuss the value of Cloak and Dagger. Cloak and Dagger as a Term is defined here as a Stealth Adventure with a lot of Uncertainty but a Clear Goal in mind. We use this to work our way through a handful of interesting talking points on how to work out a great Stealth Session for your next DnD or TTRPG Game.In this episode, we will discuss how to fix Group Stealth Checks or more generally Group Checks to make them feel like those with higher values get t...
2022-02-2052 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #54: It's our Anniversary EpisodeThis Episode is the 1-year Anniversary Episode of DoubleDM, Emil and Nils talk about their first year as Podcasters and what they learned and saw over this whole year.THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTED US IN THIS FIRST YEARWe talk about what we learned, how we started out, thank a whole bunch of people for their help, support, guidance and so much more and look into the future of what is is the Stars for DoubleDM. We try to give advice we learned on how to do a Podcast, especially a Tabletop Roleplaying...
2022-02-1338 min
DoubleDMWelcome to the DoubleDM Podcast | DoubleDM Trailer and HighlightsThis is the Trailer for the DoubleDM Discussion Podcast, where Nils and Emil discuss GM Practices and give Guidance, Advice, and Inspiration so you can grow your own style. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2022-01-1202 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #47: All the AnswersMerry Christmas dear Listener.This is the long-promised DoubleDM Q&A, where Nils and Emil discuss themselves and their Opinions on different Subjects. This was part of our 2000 Twitter Follower Celebration and now it's finally out... when we have reached 3500... it takes time okay??Next week you will once again have a regular scheduled DDM Episode as usual but this week because of Holiday Preparations we did not have the time to edit a full episode of DoubleDMOur Links:WebsiteTwitterInstagram
2021-12-2657 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #45: Social HubsYou can vote for DoubleDM here: EnWorldIn this week's episode, we talk about Social Hubs and why they are needed in TTRPGs.Social Hubs are all the Places people go to socialize and meet. This can be the sole reason for that place to exist or just one of many, but that is exactly the reason why you will need them in TTRPGs, because we need them in our real world as well. A Social Hub can be many things but the favorites include a Tavern, a Market Place or a Temple....
2021-12-1251 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #44: GM TricksYou can vote for DoubleDM here: EnWorldIn this week's episode, we talk about GM Tricks. Tricks we like to use to achieve certain outcomes at the table, certain things we do to convey a certain feeling for a scene or Character. Having eye contact with a certain player while talking, pausing while talking, or anything else can be considered a trick. Often it's the things we don't think about too much and with this episode, we want to make you aware of what you already do or what you can do to create...
2021-12-0554 min
DoubleDMWhy Your World Matters 2Why Your World Matters is a Project organized by Jason Zollinger and Emil from DoubleDM and hosted by SteamSage! It's a Project to showcase that there are unlimited approaches to Worldbuilding for your TTRPG Games and that you should never be discouraged from creating by what other people tell you. You are creating, you are building, you are making something wonderful with your Worlds and your world is special just like you.
Your Worldbuilding Approach is just as valid as everyone else's and we invite 5 different voices from the TTRPG Community to discuss their approaches and worlds...
2021-11-102h 25
DoubleDMDoubleDM #39: Horror ft. Sergio from MDRPIn this Halloween Episode of DoubleDM we talk to Sergio from Mayday Roleplay about Horror, Tension, and Suspense. Sergio is the Handler for MaydayRoleplays Doomed 2 Repeat Delta Green Campaign a Campaign dealing with Horror and Tension and Sergio is an expert at making his Players and his Audience feel shivers run down their spines.In this episode, we talk about how to gamemaster horror elements in your games, what practices are best for it and what preparations you need to make. We talk about that you can't constantly try to scare your players but also have to...
2021-10-311h 02
DoubleDMDoubleDM #37: ProgressionIn this episode, we talk about Progression and everything around it.Progression is used to showcase to your Players that they are actually moving in a Story, they uncover Clues, they reach stronger Enemies, their Names become known to People are all ways of Progression and especially Showcasing Progression. You need to Showcase Progression to your Players and in this Episode, we will give you an overview of how to do that. We talk about Threat Level, Class Or Experience Point Progression, Story Progression and Pacing, Character Development and the Difference between Hidden and Obvious P...
2021-10-1752 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #36: Taking NotesThis week we talk about taking Notes for TTRPGs. Notes help people remember Information and paint Mental Images for themselves, They are pretty useful in a lot of Aspects for TTRPGs, but there is one Major caveat there: Note Taking shouldn't be a barrier to play TTRPGs for us.Note Taking is not necessarily for everyone but this Episode talks at length about what we use our Notes for as DMs and as Players, how we take them and how to get better at taking notes, while always remembering that Notes are a tool to help you...
2021-10-1058 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #35: Creating a Show ft. Russell from Spawn of ChaosIn this episode, we talk to Russell E Welch III about producing a Show in DnD (and general TTRPG), Russell is a Producer and decided one day to use that knowledge to create an Immersive DnD Show. He also is the DM for Spawn of Chaos and the CEO of the Company behind the Show and is with us today to share his knowledge from his Background and from the Show.Russell talks to us about, the Work that goes into one single Episode, what is important to actually produce a TTRPG/DnD Show, and the Challenges...
2021-10-031h 10
DoubleDMDoubleDM #34: Everyone Games Charity EventIn this episode, Sam and Phil join us to talk with us about the Everyone Games Charity Event and Accessibility in Gaming. The event is meant to highlight that every one games, we are all One Community, everyone here games while raising money for Charities that help further the Accessibility in Gaming. Sam and Phil also talk about what we as People, Shows, and Publishers can do to help make our Tables, Games and Documents accessible to more people.Check out the Everyone Games Event using these Links:Everyone Games Website: https://everyone-games.com/schedule/
2021-09-2648 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #33: Character Creation ft. CCdotdotIn this week's episode, we talk about Character Creation with our Guest CCdotdot but especially focused on the Gesture-forward way of creating characters. If you do not know what this means, give the Episode a listen, CC goes in-depth into how Gestures create a Character instead of how people "normally" or "traditionally" create Characters with a Historical Background.CC talks about his Session 0 System-agnostic Mini-Game: The DMPC is dead, which is supposed to help players understand and discover impressions of fateful moments in their past adventures and how that ties into Gestures creating a Character....
2021-09-1959 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #32: Downtime ft. Role Play ChatIn this episode we talk to Mat from Role Play Chat about Downtime, especially the roleplay aspect of Downtime, what possibilities does downtime provide to GMs and Players to further enhance their Roleplay? We talk at length about how Downtime changes the Stakes of the Game to help newer players or shy players to get a better grip of roleplaying, we talk about how it can also help your players and their characters process the dangers of the Adventure.We also talk a lot about the Changing Environment of the Hobby itself and about Ammo Tracking
2021-09-121h 10
DoubleDMDoubleDM #31: The Prep ProcessIn this episode of DoubleDM, we talk about our Prep Process and what it means to do good prep. Prep is done so a DM can run a game comfortably, that's mostly why newer DMs do more Prep than experienced DMs, but even Experienced DMs have highly different Levels and Ways of Prep all going back to them being able to run the game comfortably.We answer questions in what helps us do our Prep, what we actually Prep, and what we think of the Quantum Challenge, if you don't know what the Quantum Challenge is, you...
2021-09-0544 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #20: One-Shot vs. Campaign DesignIn this Episode of DoubleDM we talk about One-Shots and Campaigns.How do both differ from each other in Play, Prep, and Design. The Discussion focuses on Major Differences we see between the two.What are the Strongsuits of both Sides and what are their Weaknesses, what they allow you to do as a DM, and what as a Player.How One-Shots provide a Training and Test Ground for a lot of Things, like new Systems, new Rules, or new People while Campaigns give you the time to develop Stories, Characters, and Twists.
2021-06-1359 min
DoubleDMDoubleDM #19: Drawing Inspiration 2: Video GamesThis Episode of the DoubleDM Podcast focuses on Drawing Inspiration as part of our Mini-Series on how and where we find Inspiration.This time we talk about the Inspiration we found from 2 Videogames: Greenhell and Greedfall. Both are very good Video Games on their own but we talk about how to draw Inspiration from them for a TTRPG Campaign, One-Shot, or even a System.We talk about what the Games actually are, what the Key Aspects from those Games are, and how to portrait them in a TTRPG, we talk about what of the Game...
2021-06-061h 08