7 Essential D&D Podcasts for Any Adventurer
There are many ways to find yourself in the land of Dungeons and Dragons. Maybe you watched Stranger Things, or your friends are getting a game together, or you’ve been a big, big nerd all along (welcome, we’ve been waiting for you). Lucky for you, the podcast landscape is chock full of D&D podcasts, just waiting for you to get lost in. So, where do you start?
If you’re looking for a narrative in your fantasy roleplaying, you want a “real play” podcast. That is exactly what it sounds like — players are really playing the game and set up microphones to record themselves. It’s as if you’ve sat down at the table and are listening in to the banter, the action and the fun.
I co-founded the real play & audio drama podcast Join the Party after listening to tons of D&D shows. Here are five of the best out there — plus two bonus shows to beef up your Dungeon Master knowledge.
The Adventure Zone
You cannot talk about D&D podcasts without mentioning The Adventure Zone. Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy — the hosts of My Brother, My Brother and Me — roped their dad into playing D&D on mic. What started as family bonding time turned into a sprawling narrative of bugbears that sound like Kelsey Grammar, interplanar adventure, and so many jokes about magic missiles. The podcast is a behemoth in nerdom (search “TAZ fanart” or “TAZ cosplay” on Tumblr sometime) and on their network Maximum Fun.
Venture Maidens
Some real play podcasts stand out on the power of their relationships, an intangible feeling that the players are comfortable enough to work together and crush it. Venture Maidens got that feeling down pat. But DM Celeste, Brittany, Sage and Naseem aren’t just making one of the most entertaining real play podcasts out there; they’re streaming it live on YouTube. With no editing! Which is terrifying! Watch them on YouTube or wait for the podcast episodes to come out a few days later.
Dames and Dragons
The Dames embody everything we love about playing D&D with our friends. They’re silly and bother each other constantly like gaming friends are supposed to do. Their podcast is a constant source of light and fun, never taking themselves too seriously.. Example: one character’s outfit prominently features a boob window — and he’s a guy. Shoutout to their DM for constructing Estra, an idyllic floating island in the sky with deep lore and an even deeper pantheon of gods.
The Dungeon Rats
This podcast may seem like a normal “players with evil characters being goofy” kind of game, but the show’s roots in live-streaming give it an extra twist: you are the co-DM. Listeners can submit an encounter or challenge right to the show, and it may show up for the Rats to fight off.
Join the Party
Come on, I gotta recommend us. We have gargoyles, robots, queerness, political intrigue, and a whole lot of sound design. Not only that, we have introductory episodes to teach new listeners how to play D&D, we talk about the gameplay behind each episode, and conduct interviews with innovators pushing the game forward. We just started our second arc, so there’s enough episode to binge, but not too many that it’s overwhelming. The party’s just getting started.
And two bonus D&D shows outside the real play space:
The Dungeoncast
If you want to start playing D&D but the manuals feel too daunting, look no further than the Dungeoncast. Will and Brian walk you through every element of the game, one episode at a time. They’re always informative and never condescending, which is all you need from a game teacher.
Dragon Talk
This podcast is produced by Wizards of the Coast, the company that produces D&D. You could say it comes right from the dragon’s mouth. Haaaa. The pod may veer into very nerdy territory from time to time, but Greg and Shelly shine when they bring celebrities into the studio to talk games. Look for episodes with John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, professional movie big man Joe Manganiello, and Griffin McElroy of The Adventure Zone.
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