Podcast Recommendations

As a DM, I like listening to discussions about world building, player management, encounter creation and other meta topics. When I listen to actual play, I like it to be entertaining and edited for time.

The Glass Cannon Podcast

[Pathfinder, Mature, Actual Play]

They're rules nerds (Pathfinder, amirite?), but these guys do a great job of making the mechanics into narrative. Good roleplay, good production quality.

The Adventure Zone

[DnD, PbtA, Actual Play]

Famous for good reason. The three McElroy brothers and their father engage in as much storytelling as RPG, and the result is funny and entertaining. Years-long plot arcs include "Balance" (5e) and "Amnesty" (PbtA). My kid loves it as much as I do. Start at the beginning with this one.

Creature Club Podcast

[DnD, Gameplay Topics]

They are working their way alphabetically through the Monster Manual. Great analysis of each monster, its stat block, and place in both the ecology and economy. Recommended for DMs.

Bonus Experience

[RPG, Mature, Gameplay Topics]

These two hosts cover the theory of RPGs, issues in writing and running games, table dynamics and more. They’re irreverent and funny, and their practical advice will help you run your game better..

Game Master's Journey

[DnD, Gameplay Topics]

I recommend the Dungeon Master's Guide episodes from this podcast. It's the next best thing to sitting down and rereading the DMG, but in the car.

Vox Arcana

[DnD, Gameplay Topics]

These three hosts cover various topics from rules and mechanics to player group dynamics. The three DMs each have different experiences to bring to the mic.

Total Party Thrill

[DnD, Gameplay Topics]

The two appealing hosts have a polished, conversational style as they cover classes, alignments, play styles and more. Each episode in the Character Forge they build a character to emulate some figure from popular culture.

GM Word of the Week

[General]

This isn't technically about gaming, but it's a deep dive into fantasy- and RPG-related topics in both the real world and mythology. The host dissects one trope each episode and looks into etymology, history, and relationships between fact and fiction.

Total Party Kill

[DnD, Actual Play]

This probably comes closest to an actual game at your actual table. The setting and players change over time.

If you’ve got some good RPG-themed podcasts in your queue, tell me about them in the comments.