The Dm's Deep Dive With Mike Shea

Mike prepares for his first full Blades in the Dark game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Notable 3rd party D&D products of 2021 and Patreon Questions! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:12 Mastering Dungeons for D&D News 01:14 Lazy DM Companion Art Previews 04:44 Notable 5e Third-Party Products in 2021 06:02 Arcadia by MCDM 08:54 The Book of Fiends by Robert Schwalb and Green Ronin 10:11 Complete Kobold's Guide to Monsters by Kobold Press 11:43 Iskandar by MT Black 12:32 Level Up Advanced 5e by EnWorld Publishing 14:08 Ptolus 5e by Monte Cook Games 16:12 Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press 18:16 Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands by Raging Swan Press 19:22 Southlands by Kobold Press 20:19 Vault of Magic by Kobold Press 21:49 Where the Machines Wait by Monte Cook Games 24:56 Patreon Questions 25:22 Patreon Question: Epic and Meaningful Deaths 28:58 Patreon Question: Handling Petrification and Flight 30:40 Chamber of Secrets - Worst Harry Potter Movie 33:19 Patreon Question: Rolling Secret Rolls for Characters 35:29 Patreon Question: Organizing Digital Products 40:18 Patreon Quest

Mike prepares for his session zero of Blades in the Dark! Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike talks about all things D&D! 00:00 Show Intro 00:23 DM Tip: Lightning Rods in Boss Fights 09:04 Player Campaign Survey Results 17:16 1,100 Pages of Awesome 5e Third-Party Books in One Day 27:21 Patreon Questions 28:18 Patreon Question: What Lazy DM Material Do I No Longer Agree With? 34:14 Patreon Question: Help Struggling Players Explore 39:26 Patreon Question: Organizing Campaigns in Notion, OneNote, and Other Tools 45:35 Patreon Question: Character Options in One-Page Campaign Guides 48:41 Patreon Question: Game Intro Rituals 51:01 Patreon Question: Concluding a Campaign with Limited Time Left 52:47 Patreon Question: Point Crawls with Geographic Maps Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Player Campaign Survey Results Grim Hollow Monster Grimoire Grim Hollow Monster Grimoire Lairs Dungeons of Drakkenheim Remarkable Inns Remarkable Shops Remarkable Cults

After finishing his Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, Mike offers his thoughts and advice for the adventure and describes the epic conclusion to his campaign. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:14 Experiences and Tips for Running Rime of the Frostmaiden 02:07 Be ready to modify a lot of this adventure 04:01 Cut quests liberally from chapter 1. It's far too big. 05:46 Add quests, adventure paths, and keys to tie chapter 2 to the rest of the adventure 07:38 Modify the timing of the Chardalyn dragon's attack to suit your story 09:47 Add trials of Auril based on the characters' backgrounds and drives 11:23 Tie Grimskalle and Ythryn together as requirements to end the Endless Night 13:03 The Conclusion to Mike's Frostmaiden Campaign 18:49 The Final Battle - Waves of Nasty Monsters and Lightning Rods! 28:21 The Final Sacrifice 32:03 One Year Later... 41:06 The End of my 18th campaign in seven years 44:45 Preview of the Witchlight campaign: Dreadful Incursions! Links Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden N

Mike prepares for his final session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:45 Lazy DM's Companion Art and Maps Preview 03:53 D&D Errata and Feedback 17:39 Kickstarter and Blockchain - Ugh. 25:48 D&D Beyond Combat Tracker Automatically Includes Character Initiative! 31:45 Dungeon Craft Reviews Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master 33:45 RPG Spotlight on Index Card RPG 40:48 Patreon Questions 41:07 Patreon Question: Filling Empty Rooms 46:05 Patreon Question: Homebrewing Rest Mechanics 49:28 Patreon Question: One-line 5e Monster Stat Blocks? 51:44 Patreon Question: What's In the Lazy Player's Guide? 53:37 Patreon Question: Adding Fate-style Aspects to D&D Games 56:12 Patreon Question: Advice for Adventurer's League DMs? Links D&D Errata Kickstarter on Blockchain Kickstarter Announces Blockchain Future, Doubles Down After Users Say 'No Thank You' D&D Beyond Combat Tracker Auto-Tracking Character Initiative Dungeon Craft Ultimate Dungeon Terrain Dungeon Craft review of Return of the La

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike offers some thoughts and shares some experiences on the topic of what it takes to "make it" in the D&D and RPG industry. No magic bullets here but hopefully some useful thoughts on the topic. Contents 00:01:03 What does "Making It" Mean to You? 00:04:30 Advice is Bullshit 00:06:28 The Duality of Optimism and Pragmatism 00:09:46 Practical Advice (oops) 00:13:07 Use Lots of Platforms 00:14:38 The Marketing Funnel 00:21:33 The Value of Email Newsletters 00:28:09 Getting Attention - Go Wide 00:28:42 What About Podcasting? 00:32:17 What About Conventions? 00:33:59 Consistency + Visibility. Both Are Important. 00:38:13 40% Find Me Through YouTube 00:43:17 What Products Should One Make? 00:54:37 RPG Writer's Workshop 00:56:22 Where Do You Sell Your Stuff? 01:08:37 Final Thoughts (NOT ADVICE!) Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon John Baldessari and the Three Rules for Artists Washington Post article about

Mike does a spotlight look at the new Wizards of the Coast hardcover D&D sourcebook and adventure, Strixhaven, a Curriculum of Chaos. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 02:16 Digital vs. Physical. Why not both? 04:08 A Different Kind of Sourcebook 05:57 Magic University 07:15 Three Facts about Strixhaven 17:39 A Place You Want to Go 26:42 Character Options 44:06 School is in Session 52:31 Mike Hates the D4. Worst Die Ever. 56:20 Let's Look at Monsters Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Mike talks about all things D&D! Open up these notes for video contents and links. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:33 Lazy DM's Companion Update 04:09 Tips for High CR Monster Damage 13:10 Product Spotlight: Southlands by Kobold Press 37:59 DM Tip: Don't Punish Characters Taking Initiative 42:47 Patreon Questions 43:16 Patreon Question: Restarting an Old Campaign 45:42 Patreon Question: Transitioning a Game to a New DM 48:02 Patreon Question: Unconnected Fronts 51:31 Patreon Question: What's the Problem with Twilight and Peace Clerics? 59:16 Patreon Question: Breaking Up with a Player or Game Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Southlands by Kobold Press

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Lazy DM Companion update, Polls on Fudging HP, Silvery Barbs and Opting-In for Non-Core books, Blades in the Dark, and Patreon Questions! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:39 Lazy DM's Companion Update 07:55 Fudging Hit Point Polls for DMs and Players 11:06 Silvery Barbs and Opting-In for Non-Core Books 23:16 Blades in the Dark Spotlight 38:32 December Patreon Questions 39:08 Patreon Question: Too Much Hoarding of Physical Books? 42:13 Patreon Question: Options for Zombie Characters? 44:47 Patreon Question: Procedures for Dungeon Crawls 47:49 Patreon Question: Balancing the Campaign Theme and Six Truths in Spiral Campaign Development 51:43 Patreon Question: High Charisma "Face" Characters Stealing the Show in RP Scenes Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Fudging HP Poll (Players) Fudging HP Poll (DM) Think DM: Why Are DMs Banning Silvery Barbs Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark

Mike chats about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Intro 00:01:12 Lazy DM Companion Update 00:03:59 The Sly Flourish After-School RPG Grant 00:06:22 D&D Beyond Usage Poll 00:11:45 Patreon Q&A 00:12:16 Patreon Question: Tuning Encounters Around Your Group 00:19:30 Patreon Question: Noir-Style Adventures in Tier 2+ 00:24:00 Patreon Question: Running Fun High-Level (Level 16+) Campaigns 00:30:36 Patreon Question: More Stuff for Martial Characters 00:34:11 Patreon Question: Players Hoarding Relics and Magic Items 00:38:34 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Use High Level Spells 00:39:54 Patreon Question: Balancing Custom Monsters 00:45:26 Patreon Question: Completely Improvising a Session 00:49:02 Patreon Question: Making Use of Tool Proficiencies 00:52:55 Patreon Question: Avoiding Plot-Armor for Character-Focused Plots 00:55:45 Patreon Question: Rewarding Magic Items While Avoiding Overpowering Characters 01:01:53 Patreon Question: Incorporating Character Secrets 01:05:50 Ch

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 01:02 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Update 02:30 Mastering Dungeons on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 08:14 Improvising Monsters With Stat Tables 18:16 Using Different Monster Books for Different Areas 19:52 Sharing Experiences - Not Offering Advice 23:26 Patreon Questions 23:42 Patreon Question: The Non-Core Books with the Biggest Impact on D&D 27:44 Patreon Question: Running Games at a Game Store 31:48 Patreon Question: Using Old School Essentials to Teach D&D? 36:17 Patreon Question: Challenging both Optimized and Non-Optimized Characters 41:52 Patreon Question: Guidelines for Alternative Systems 45:02 Patreon Question: Thinking About Villains Early On 47:17 Patreon Questions: Managing PC Home Bases 48:38 Patreon Question: Managing Character Creation for New Players 51:26 Patreon Question: Is D&D Become Less Flexible? No. Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish New

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:34 Patreon Update: Sly Flourish's Uncovered Secrets Volume 1 & 2 02:59 Lazy DM Companion Update 03:55 DM Prep with Obsidian.md 13:19 Kickstarter: Expedition to the Mysterious Peaks 15:16 Kickstarter: cy_borg 20:05 Product Spotlight: Mork Borg Feretory 27:18 DM Tip: Beefing Up 5e Vampires 31:05 Using Fizban's Treasury of Dragons in Play 34:14 Patreon Question: Setting the Mood 39:10 Patreon Question: Planning Upward and Downward Beats 42:42 Patreon Question: Has Character Death Become Taboo? 50:57 Patreon Question: Satisfying Conclusions for Weak Villains Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Obsidian.md Nicole van der Hoeven's video on using Obsidian with D&D Prep Kickstarter: Expedition to the Mysterious Peaks Kickstarter: cy_borg Mork Borg Feretory Descent into Avernus: Fall of Elturel Campfire Story Prom

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:44 Preorder Page for the Lazy DM's Companion 00:03:21 Thoughts on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 00:12:43 WOTC's Problem with High CR Damage 00:20:45 Kickstarter: Planegea by Atlast Games 00:23:05 Kickstarter: Skyraiders of Abraxis by Laura and Tracy Hickman 00:25:06 Kickstarter: Rewards and Rarities by 2C Gaming 00:27:13 Kickstarter: Reliquaries by Dwarven Forge 00:32:04 Transitioning to 70% Online Play 00:35:39 Spotlight: Vault of Magic by Kobold Press 00:44:19 Patreon Questions and Answers 00:45:14 Patreon Question: Transitioning to Published Adventures 00:47:46 Patreon Question: Worrying about Subverting Expectations 00:50:37 Patreon Question: Character Deaths and New Characters 00:53:21 Patreon Question: Keeping Track of Characters' Knowledge 00:55:02 Patreon Question: Handling NPC to NPC Conversations 00:56:34 Patreon Question: Adding Details to Fantastic Locations Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish