Wisdom of the Masters: Architectural Philosophy and the Five Room Dungeon
This article was first broadcast in Episode Two Hundred and One on 3rd March 2022. Lennon: All right, I've gathered you all here because I'm afraid we have to let something go. Ostron: Okay, first of all there's only myself and Ryu, and I'm not 100% sure Ryu's not an HR clone, so it may just be the two of us. Lennon: How do you know I'm not an HR clone? Ryu: I'm pretty sure HR would not allow anything associated with it to start off with an idea that's this silly. Lennon: I haven't even told you what it is yet! Ostron: Your track record...
Wisdom of the Masters: Intelligent Villains
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Eighty Eight on 10th November 2021. Lennon: Okay, so I don't think Acererak needs gold...
Wisdom of the Masters: OP Mitigation
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Seventy Two on 7 July 2021. Lennon: Okay, so I've called everyone together to discuss protocol. Ryu: Stop worrying; I donate all of your gold to charity. Ostron: I don't think a Gold Fund Me titled "Ryu needs a dragon" counts as charity. Ryu: I have a totally legitimate parchment from the local king saying it does. Lennon (legitimately confused): Not what we're talking about. I just...
Wisdom of the Masters: I would skulk 500 Miles: Dungeon corridors
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Sixty Eight on 9 July 2021. Ryu (attacking): All right, hands up and drop everything you're carrying or I'll paint the walls with...
Wisdom of the Masters: Whyfor The Locked Door?
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Sixty Five on 12 May 2021. Ryu: Aaaand done. Vault is open, all of the treasures are mine, I win again. Lennon (sighing): Well so much for the vaunted house of Kundark. You're fired, by the way. (angry dwarf sounds) Ryu: I do feel kind of bad; I hope it wasn't too expensive to bring him in from Eberron? Lennon: Oh what does it matter, you would have stolen the gold anyway. I just...
Wisdom of the Masters: Clear and Present Danger
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Sixty Two on 21 April 2021. Lennon: Really? You know I thought we were on the same page with this kind of thing but noooooo. Ostron: Look, it's like I said, the best information comes from experts and...
Wisdom of the Masters: Managing NPCs
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Fifty Six on 10 March 2021. Libby (indignantly): Book! Lennon: Come on, it's just a little sign, it can go on, what about that eyestalk? Ryu: Lennon, what are you doing to Libby? Lennon: Well...
Wisdom of the Masters: Zero Triggers
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Fifty Four on 24 February 2021. Lennon: No, I'm not doing it. Ostron: Look, we all understand you're having issues with the transition but the reality is that your new...
Wisdom of the Masters: Wishmasters: Comparison Shopping
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Twenty Four on 24th June 2020. Killer DM: They want to be happier in life, so they're given an object that permanently curses them with Tasha's Hideous Laughter. Ostron: Umm...
Wisdom of the Masters: Interpreting Wishes for Pain & Misery
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Twenty Three on 17th June 2020. Ryu: Why are you making that face? Lennon: Well...
Wisdom of the Masters: New Players and Combat
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Nineteen on 20th May 2020. Killer DM: Come on, it's only a small horde. Ryu: Of gnolls! KayDee they're new! *Goblins* are a problem for them. Killer DM: Throwing someone in the deep end so they learn to swim builds character. Ryu: No, no in this case it kills characters. All of them. Lennon: It still completely unnerves me when you do that. Killer DM: Well fear not limey, I'm done here. Ryu simply refuses to listen to my suggestions. Lennon: I'm okay with that, I think. Suggestions about what? Ryu: What kind of combat to run for the new players. Ostron: You asked the KDM for help with that? Ryu: I didn't ask...
Wisdom of the Masters: Epilogues
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Fourteen on 15th April 2020. Ostron: Well, I’m officially out of spell slots. And I’m going to be mumbling the incantation for water breathing in my sleep now. RaeRae: Did anyone actually double check that the gnome was the only one who could fix Lennon’s bike? Ostron: What, you think he made that up? RaeRae: I just, you know, find it hard to believe he made Lennon to go get him a bunch of meteoric iron. At the bottom of a lake. With nesting Hydras. I do this for him after he nearly breaks my scrying pool. He’s lucky it was his...
Wisdom of the Masters: Winging It
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Thirteen on 1st April 2020. Ostron: I thought you said this wasn't ever going to happen? Ryu: Yeah, I did, but then he taught me some stuff about Thieves’ Cant and here we are. Ostron: I thought you already knew Thieves’ Cant? Ryu: Hmm? Oh, uh, yeah. I meant I taught him. He definitely didn’t teach me. Nope. I mean, can you imagine it? Me, a rogue, who doesn’t know Thieves’ Cant? Ostron: Yeah, that’s highly unlikely, statistically speaking Ryu: Anyway, stuff and things, here we are. No! Peaches, stay. (grumbling sound) Ryu: Yes, you can play with KayDee's nightmare after, I just need you to stay. Lennon: Okay! Bike...
Wisdom of the Masters: Infections
This article was first broadcast in Episode One Hundred Eleven on 18th March 2020. Killer DM (drawn out and threatening): Oh Lennon… Lennon: No! Killer DM: No? Lennon: Yes? What answer keeps me alive? Killer DM: Oh we’re way past that point, but before I start showing you what your own spleen looks like, I was just curious why you tried to issue a notice saying Ryu shouldn’t be associating with me for the foreseeable future? Lennon: Well...
Wisdom of the Masters: The Tone of your Campaign
This article was first broadcast in Episode Ninety Eight on 27th November 2019. Mikey: Okay what about this one ...
Wisdom of the Masters: PvP in D&D
This article was first broadcast in Episode Ninety Six on 13th November 2019. Killer DM: Mmmmm that felt almost too good. Lennon: I don't think I want to know Killer DM: Of course you do, Lennon; we both know you're constantly living vicariously through me and loving every minute of it. Lennon: I'm really not. Killer DM: Well keep lying to yourself then, but I just managed to get a TPK without any work at all. Ostron: Well, you are a big fan of the random rock fall. Killer DM: Oh no, it's even better than that; the party killed each other! PvP combat in fifth edition is so easy and it's great! Lennon: That's...
Wisdom of the Masters: Crafting Confusion
This article was first broadcast in Episode Ninety Five on 6th November 2019. Lennon: So, what do you think would happen if I tried to make some modifications to ROSTRO? Ryu: I think KayDee would probably harvest all your organs and then stuff you into it. You know how she is about that thing. Lennon: As with most subjects where she's involved, I try not to think about it. Ryu: Why do you want to fiddle around with that monstrosity anyway? Lennon: I was hoping to figure out a better way to get magic items made. The regular process is just...
Wisdom from the Masters: Maintaining Villainy
This article was first broadcast in Episode Eighty on 17th July 2019. Mikey: Oh thank goodness. Given the topic I thought the Killer DM was going to be here again. She always seems to show up when I come out of the cave. Ostron: How bad was this fight? Does this mean you put the hat away for good? Ryu: What? No! We patched things up days ago. This time she's just sitting out from contempt. How did she put it? Killer DM: If other DMs don't know how to keep their best characters alive that's not my problem. They should just call me in to help. Ostron: I've been halfway...
Wisdom from the Masters: Realizing Villainy
This article was first broadcast in Episode Seventy Nine on 3rd July 2019. Lennon: Well the topic is “villainy”, but I don’t see the Killer DM hat. Ryu: Yeah, after I showed you how to break in to the vault last week, Ostron decided it wasn’t safe to keep the hat there. Lennon: Oh, so did he manage to hide it somewhere you couldn’t find it? Ryu: Not really. Ostron’s good, but...
Wisdom from the Masters: Non-combat Roles
This article was first broadcast in Episode Seventy Eight on 26th June 2019. Ostron: Ryu? Why are you teaching Lennon how to pick the lock on the vault? Ryu: Oh, well, I'm going to be DMing a bunch of new players so I wanted to brush up on how to teach people new skills. Ostron: I thought we have a policy against you DMing new people? Ryu: You have a policy against KayDee DMing new people. It's just going to be me. Ostron: What's that bunch of white and red fuzz I can see in your pocket? Ryu: What? Lint! I'm sure it's just lint. I washed these pants with some fuzzy towels....
Wisdom from the Masters: The Blushing DM
This article was first broadcast in Episode Seventy Six on 12th June 2019. Ostron: Okay, that's a researching case, that's less urgent. Ryu: I think this one...
Wisdom from the Masters: You Signed Up For This
This article was first broadcast in Episode Seventy Five on 5th June 2019. Ostron: I realize what I'm asking here but could the KDM help? Lennon: Does she ever? Ryu: Oh come on, you know she does! But I don't think so in this case; I'm pretty sure KayDee doesn't get nostalgic about stuff like that, and everyone she DMed for in her first game is probably gone. Ostron: Yeah, people move away, get older, you lose touch...
Wisdom from the Master: Actual Stealth Missions
This article was first broadcast in Episode Sixty-Nine on 17th April 2019. Lennon: This doesn’t bode well for my idea of having my players run a stealth mission. Ryu: What does that have to do with anything? Lennon: Well the whole party isn’t made up of Rangers, Rogues, and people who can cast “Invisibility” so they’re going to make it what? One, maybe two rounds before the guardhouses are alerted and we’re on the express train to murdertown. Ostron: Well, that depends on how you set up the encounter. If the hype and excitement around the release of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist showed us anything, it’s...
Wisdom from the Master: Yes, DM: You, too, can Metagame
This article was first broadcast in Episode Sixty-Six on 20th March 2019. Lennon: No Killer DM today? I figured she'd want to see Ostron since she missed him last time. Ostron: Oh darn, so sorry about that. Ryu: She had a problem with the topic Lennon: Well she was arguing with Mikey about it last time, I thought she had more to say. Ryu: Yeah...
Wisdom from the Masters: Puzzling Issues
This article was first broadcast in Episode Sixty-One on 13th February 2019. Lennon: Ugh, Ostron! Oh where is he? Ryu: Something wrong? Lennon: The lock on the vault is messing me up again. Ryu: Oh, well, give me a few minutes with it...
Wisdom of the Masters: Longer Resting
This article was first broadcast in Episode Fifty-Eight on 23rd January 2019. Ryu: Ugggh do we seriously only get an hour to rest? Lennon: What do you think "Short Rest" means? Ryu: I don't know, can't it just...
A Short Rest: Wisdom of the Masters: Superheroes
This article was first broadcast in Episode Fifty-Six on 9th January 2019. Ryu: Ugh, again with this. I swear these players are one session away from dealing with Kay-Dee full time Lennon: Players giving you lip? Ryu: Not...
Wisdom of the Masters: Madness and Insanity
This article was first broadcast in Episode Fifty-Five on 2nd January 2019. Lennon: Hi...
Wisdom of the Masters: Decking your Campaign
This article was first broadcast in Episode Fifty-Three on 19th December 2018. Ryu: Wow Lennon, that's...
Wisdom of the Masters: Population: Evil
This article was first broadcast in Episode Forty-Seven on 31st October 2018. Killer DM: Ahh good, that was an annoying long wait. Ostron: Have to wait a while for Ryu to fail her saves? Killer DM: And there I was thinking you didn’t have a sense of humor… Oh, you’re serious? You think she still tries to make the saves? You dear thing. Lennon: Um...
Wisdom of the Masters: Campaigning for Evil
This article was first broadcast in Episode Forty-Six on 24th October 2018. Lennon: Really? Again? Ostron: We're talking about running evil campaigns, who's at the top of *YOUR* subject matter expert list for that? Lennon: Whatever, they're your kidneys Killer DM: It's so nice that you all invite me around for the holidays. It almost makes me forget that you didn't do that last Halloween. Lennon: In our defense, we hadn't actually started broadcasting yet. Killer DM: I just hear excuses but I suppose I might let it pass if we're talking about something fun. Ostron: Running an evil campaign Killer DM: Oh Ostron! I knew there was hope for you. Now, let's talk about unfair encounters...
A Short Rest: Wisdom from the Masters: Background Races
This article was first broadcast in Episode Thirty-Seven on 22nd August 2018. [squeaky contraption going by] Ostron: Lennon, what are you doing...
Massive Battles
This article was first broadcast in Episode Twenty-Six on 30th May 2018. Lennon: Ok, so two plus two is four, minus one that’s three Ryu: What on earth are you doing? Other than quick maths? Lennon: I’m doing a dry run of a thing for a game. See, I may have painted myself into a corner a bit… or rather into a wide open-field that’s about to be filled with 25,000 creatures on 3 sides, each vying for control of the county RaeRae: And, let me guess, you’re trying to figure out the damage received during a single round of combat? Lennon: Combat? I’ve not even gotten as far as...
Alternate Rewards
This article was first broadcast in Episode Twenty on 18th April 2018. Ryu: So yeah, that last time the Killer DM killed Ostron pretty much wiped us out. The Cleric upped his rates Lennon: I told Ostron we’d have some gold for him because of the whole kidney thing Ryu: Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. Not all characters are played in the same way. That’s sort of a given unless the same person is controlling all of them, but we’re mostly talking about how characters deal with their bank accounts. While some characters will be able to stockpile money, looking for the chance...
Custom Creature Creation
Greetings, brave adventurers! You've stumbled upon one of our guest blogs! If you've been burning to put quill to parchment over an idea, be sure to send it in to us, sendingstone@heroesrisepodcast.com and your ideas could be featured here! "Hah, it's just a kobold!" Halvor laughed, "And to think we were worried!" "As well you should be," noted the kobold before incinerating him with a fiery exhalation. One of the core aspects of D&D is monsters. From goblins to orcs, undead to celestials, and wild beasts to dinosaurs, D&D has a long history of wonderful and fantastic creatures for players to encounter, fight,...
Character Backstories Are A Gamemaster’s Glimmering Treasure Hoard!
Are your players getting sick of rescuing princesses and searching for lost swords? Maybe what you need is a new source for story plots, and what better source than your characters' own backstories!...
To Add A Dragon
This article was first broadcast in Episode Sixteen on 21st March 2018. Raerae: So were you guys debating dragons this week? Ryu: No Raerae: Why not? Ryu: Because there isn't a debate. Ostron: No, the point is that we're asking if you should add dragons to a campaign or not. Ryu: I don't understand the question. Ostron: I'm not sure how to rewrite that Ryu: Look, here, guys, why don't we just read over this paper I wrote up on dragons instead, huh? Dragons are probably the most iconic creatures in the entire D&D mythos. I mean, they're the second "D" in the name; it's hard to argue they...
Weather in D&D Part 3: Advanced Weather
This article was first broadcast in Episode Nine on 20th January 2018. Raerae: Huh, so this is what it looks like back here Lennon: You mean you’ve never been backstage? Raerae: Well I’m not usually on stage to go behind it Ostron: Good point Raerae: Oooh, is this where Ryu keeps that hat? Ostron: Well, not quite, this is where we always go after the news for a Short Rest Raerae: Gotchya. So, what do you do when you take a Short Rest? Lennon: Oh, mainly we try and keep Ryu out of the Gnomish Workshop. Although the last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about the weather...
Weather in D&D Part 2: Weather as a Story Element
This article was first broadcast in Episode Eight on 17th January 2018. Ryu: Ok, I’ve fixed the spell, try the lights again Lennon: *click* Ahh, that’s bett--gah! *a crack of thunder, the sound of rain* Ostron: Hmm. That’s… ominous… although now I can barely see the script Ryu: Let me just cast the Light spell...
Weather in D&D Part 1: Weather as an Encounter
This article was first broadcast in Episode Seven on 10th January 2018. Ostron: It’s raining bears and frogs out there Lennon: Okay, the expression is cats and dogs and plate armor isn’t good in rain- Ostron: I’m going to stop you right there - look out the window. Weather: everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it. To be fair, most people can’t do anything about it...
Dying Players Everywhere
This article was first broadcast in Episode Three on 15th December, 2017. Lennon: Just to check, Ostron, you mean "Dying Characters", right? Ostron: ...