Crypt of Knowledge: Recent Episodes
Crypt of Knowledge
Crypt of Knowledge is a podcast designed to help players and DMs be more comfortable with the game. Starting a new hobby can be intimidating. Goose and Ash try to break down the parts that can be scary and discuss sensible ways to approach them.
Many players never cross over to try being a DM because they’ve heard how difficult it is. The truth is, many DMs overprepare and cause more stress than they need to. We’ll provide tips and tricks to help you be the best DM and player and hopefully relieve those fears.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 12 - Beyond the Basics: Understanding Conditions
Conditions in D&D can be confusing. There are many of them, and several overlap and build on previous ones. Despite this, conditions can have a major affect on your characters and the game. From going blind, being stunned, or even petrified, we'll break down all the nasty things that can happen to you on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:17 - What are conditions in D&D?
04:30 - Listing conditions and their effects
38:00 - Exhaustion
44:01 - The long goodbye
We want to thank each and every one of you for joining us on this journey. We hope that we've been able to teach you a few things and enrich your enjoyment of this wonderful hobby. Continue to learn and grow, and may the dice rolls forever be in your favor!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 11 - Class Act: The Rage and Fury of Barbarians
This week we take a deep dive into our favorite raging warrior, the barbarian. 5th Edition has done a wonderful job with adding diversity to the play styles of the barbarian, as well as most of the other classes. No longer are you destined to only smash everything, now you can smash everything with lightning or the help of your ancestors. We'll give you all the tips you'll need to build the best Conan of your dreams, along with breaking down all the subclasses, on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
02:11 - What is a Barbarian?
03:21 - Who would enjoy playing one?
05:15 - Important barbarian stats
07:29 - Things every barbarian have
27:42 - Path of the Berserker
34:29 - Path of the Totem Warrior
43:48 - Other Primal Paths
53:50 - Possible feats that work well with the class
58:04 - Our top 3 Primal Paths
1:02:18 - Coming up on the next episode
Did you miss our conversation on feats? Be sure to check it out here to learn how to improve your character builds.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 10 - DM Speak: Controlling Unruly Players
If you've played D&D for long, you've probably been at a table that had at least one player that caused problems. It's becoming an increasing problem as more games move online and tables aren't just made up of friends. We'll take a look at seven different types of unruly players and give you our ideas on how to handle them at your tables on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:20 - Stories of unruly players
11:28 - Players with different expectations
13:41 - PVP players
21:45 - Meta gamers
26:33 - Murderhobo
30:09 - Rules lawyers
32:23 - Lone wolves
36:29 - Distracted players
42:27 - Coming up on the next episode
Session Zeros are an important start for any table. If you missed our conversation about them, check it out here!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 9 - Beyond the Basics: Understanding Feats in D&D
Since 5th Edition was released, people have argued over whether it was better to improve your ability scores or take a feat every 4 levels. Feats are powerful changes to the way your character plays, sometimes even adding increases to your ability scores themselves. While sporting a list that includes over 60 published feats, they still seem to be under-utilized in 5th Edition. We'll discuss why they're important to your character build, when the best time to take them is, and give you our list of must haves on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
02:22 - What is a Feat?
05:13 - The different kinds of feats explained
14:44 - ASI vs Feats
20:50 - Our list of must have feats
35:03 - Coming up on the next episode
Did you miss our discussion on the Fighter class? We went in depth during that discussion about feats that fight that class.
In this previous UA discussion, we talked about changes to some of the feats, including Alert.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 8 - UA Unboxing: Druids and Paladins
Wizards has released another playtest UA for One D&D. This time they're covering druids and paladins. Both classes get lumped in with the cleric to form the Priests subgroup, which might give you some idea as to what they're trying to focus these three classes on. This UA definitely brings some big changes that completely change the way these classes are played, especially the druid. So listen in as we break down everything that changed on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:44 - Druids are now priests
33:27 - Circle of the Moon changes
40:52 - Paladin's get smited
52:58 - Oath of Devotion rework
58:09 - Spell reworkings
1:06:40 - Coming up on the next episode
Did you miss our episode on how martial classes work? No worries, you can find it here!
Want to know more spellcasters like the druid? We've got you covered with this review episode.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 7 - Class Act: Rolling For Divinity With Clerics
Clerics often get the bad rep of only being healers. But with the addition of subclasses in 5E, the cleric has a wide array of play styles to choose from. This week we'll take a deep dive into everything that makes a cleric tick. We'll discuss which stats are most important, the abilities every cleric gets, and break down how each divine domain works on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:33 - What is a cleric?
08:05 - Most important stats for clerics
10:31 - Abilities all clerics receive
32:52 - Describing divine domains
36:40 - Life domain
43:54 - War domain
51:35 - Trickery domain
55:45 - Other domains
1:04:43 - Goose and Blake's top 5 domains
1:07:39 - Coming up on the next episode
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 6 - DM Speak: Integrating Backstories
Every DM dreams of their players coming to the table with a well thought out backstory. But what happens if they're not comfortable with that type of writing? We'll take a look at how you can help your players write deep backstories that fit into your world, how you can use their background to get started, and why it's important to integrate their backstories into the main story line on this episode.
00:00 - Introduction
06:39 - What is the difference between background and backstory?
10:21 - Why use character backstories?
23:11 - Give players the freedom to fit into your world
35:52 - Try to find connections between backstories
49:27 - Check in with players as their backstories might evolve
54:53 - Coming up on the next episode
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 5 – Hack & Slash: Playing A Martial Class
We reviewed the entirety of the spellcasters recently. Now it’s time to discuss their counterparts, the martial classes. Since as far back as I can remember, D&D fans have debated who was better, the martial classes or spellcasters. The argument has diminished somewhat since there’s no clear distinction in 5E, but it’s still relevant. We’ll take a look at each class and give our insight on what stats are best for each build, what roles they fill in the party, and rank them based on how easy each one is to play on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 – Introduction
02:45 – What is a martial class?
03:25 – Martial vs spellcaster argument
13:27 – The fighter
18:29 – The barbarian
24:05 – The rogue
33:47 – The paladin
43:45 – The monk
51:11 – The ranger
1:00:18 – The bard and artificer
1:06:19 – What roles can martial classes fill?
1:11:25 – Coming up on the next episode
Did you miss our episode on spellcasters? Go back and listen to it here!
Want to know more about the fighter? We did an entire breakdown of the fighter class you can listen to here!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Class Act: Attacking The Fighter Class
The fighter class in D&D is your quintessential martial character. But they're more than just sword and board. Depending on your subclass choice, your fighter can take control of the battlefield on horseback, use maneuvers to overwhelm your foes, or use magical runes to enhance your power. We'll take a look at what it takes to create the perfect fighter by reviewing the most important stats, discuss the many skills every fighter gets, and then give our top five subclass picks on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:37 - What is a Fighter in D&D?
06:11 - Why would you play a Fighter?
11:09 - Most important stats during creation
13:17 - Skills every Fighter gets
31:31 - Fighter subclasses
57:00 - Our Top 5 Subclasses
1:03:15 - Coming up on the next episode
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 3 - DM Speak: How To Start Being A DM
People jump into the DM seat for many different reasons. From not being able to find a DM to just wanting to give it a try, running the game can be a scary proposition. Andrew is joining us this week on the podcast to give his unique perspective on this issue. We'll discuss why he choose to DM, what obstacles he's had to overcome, and how his preparation has changed in the few games he's run. Then we'll break down the usual pitfalls that new DMs face and give our tips on how to avoid them on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - Meet our guest: Andrew Reed
02:42 - How did Andrew get involved in D&D?
29:29 - What is a DM?
31:48 - Common mistakes most DMs make
49:44 - Tips to help DMs quickly improve
1:06:24 - Psychic Damage
1:09:53 - Coming up on the next episode
We talked a lot about making decisions relating to combat in this episode. If you missed our episode on balancing combat, you can find it here!
Miss our discussion on Session Zero's? Find it here!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 2 - Wizarding 101: How To Be A Spellcaster
What do you think of when you hear the word spellcaster? Many think of Harry Potter or Gandalf, but that's not necessarily the case. Spellcasters in D&D can be varied and have many uses depending on the needs of the group. We'll take a look at what a spellcaster really is, give some examples of the kind of roles they fill in parties, and discuss which martial classes can choose subclasses to cast spells. Then we'll rank all five pure spellcasting classes by how easy they are to play on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
03:26 - What is a spellcaster?
04:33 - Difference between spellcasters and martial classes
07:31 - Warlock's are easy... kind of
13:40 - Cleric's do more than heal
22:24 - Druid's can shapeshift!
31:12 - You're a wizard, newbie!
35:52 - Sorcerer's aren't for first time players
44:44 - Martial subclasses can cast spells
47:04 - Defining party roles for spellcasters
1:01:41 - Coming up on the next episode
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Season 2 Episode 1 - Puzzle Quest: Using Puzzles In D&D
Puzzles in D&D can be hit or miss. No matter how simple you think a puzzle is, players can make it seem like the Davinci Code. To start Season 2, we're going to take a look at some of the most common puzzles used in D&D - like one of our favorites, the mirror room. But why are puzzles so difficult to implement? It usually boils down who you're trying to challenge - your players or their characters. We'll give you some suggestions on how to make them fit your table by being more centered around character's strengths on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
00:00 - Introduction
01:50 - Love/Hate Relationship with Puzzles
03:08 - Three typical D&D puzzles
14:18 - Why are they so hard to make work in D&D?
25:29 - If they're that difficult, why even use them?
33:40 - How do you make puzzles do work in D&D?
48:47 - Coming up on the next episode
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 25 - One D&D: Clerics and Species
Wizards has once again released an Unearthed Arcana for One D&D to playtest. Instead of giving us three classes to dissect, they've narrowed it down to just one: the cleric. The original 5E cleric was already a pretty well balanced class, but they're changing things to keep it more in-line with other classes. We'll look at why they moved the cleric's subclass to 3rd level and what small adjustments were made to the Life Domain subclass. Then we'll dive into the controversy surrounding some major spell changes and the switch from race to species. All that and more, on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge!
00:00 - Introduction
03:11 - Race or Species?
07:34 - Ardling aren't so celestial
13:47 - Dragonborn doing Dragonborn things
18:40 - Introducing the Goliath
27:30 - The new streamlined cleric
42:30 - Life Domain subclass changes
49:09 - Spells and glossary updates
56:56 - Coming up on the next episode
Want to take a look at the One D&D playtest for yourself? Check it out here!
We'll be taking a break for the holidays. Thank you everyone for a fantastic season one! The next season will bring more guests, more rules and concept breakdowns, and more tips to help everyone enjoy D&D better. We look forward to seeing you for the start of season two on January 13!
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 24 - Tool Time: Using DNDBeyond
DNDBeyond is one of the best places to create D&D characters and run campaigns. Originally formed as a wiki site by Curse LLC, it's now directly owned by Wizards of the Coast. The improvements that have been made over the last few years have brought tools like the encounter builder, while future features will include its own virtual tabletop. On this episode, we'll show you just how easy it is to create a character using their simple menus. We'll also walk you through many of the other features including the encounter builder and creating homebrew items.
00:00 - Introduction
03:17 - DNDBeyond's History
06:24 - What's it cost?
11:38 - How easy is character creation?
33:49 - Using DNDBeyond to run your campaign
39:22 - Creating homebrew items
47:12 - Coming up on the next episode
You can find DNDBeyond by clicking this link!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Rational Rations: Using Limited Resources
Limited resources in D&D can make for interesting scenarios and some tough choices from the players. But some resources listed in the Players Handbook can mean little to actual game play and are annoying for players to keep up with. On this episode, we'll look at several of these resources that can easily be amended or removed for your games entirely. Some tables enjoy a more gritty and realistic type game and we've got you covered there as well. We list some reworks and changes you can add to keep things fresh and exciting.
00:00 - Introduction
02:55 - Financing your lifestyle
14:20 - Arrows versus Bullets
20:48 - Resources in the wild
30:04 - Getting crafty
37:59 - Giffyglyph's Darker Dungeons
42:35 - Action-Oriented Monsters
49:54 - Coming up on the next episode
Want to add more grit, realism, and darkness to your campaign? Check out Giffyglyph's Darker Dungeons!
Listen to Matt Colville explain his action-oriented monsters and surprise your players next session!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 22: Pace Yourself - Three Stages of Story Pacing
DMs can often struggle with correctly pacing the game for their players. Even when the DM feels they have the pacing right, the players can throw it off. This week we take a look at the three different areas of game pacing in D&D. We'll break down how each of them are affected by both DM and players, how you can adjust and learn to improve pacing, and how NPCs can play a part in that. Lastly we'll discuss overland pacing and when you should use montages versus playing it out.
*00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - What is pacing?
04:42 - How can you tell when pacing is off?
15:28 - Combat pacing
25:38 - Session pacing
36:18 - Plot pacing
46:25 - Overland travel pacing
55:13 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 21: Toll Of The Dead – HP And Death In D&D
Everyone has heard horror stories of bad TPKs. Can they be avoided? This week we dive into HP and death in D&D. Goose and Blake look at all the nuances of losing your precious life force, talk about the differences between resistance and immunity, and tell you how to knock someone unconscious. We’ll also discuss what death saving throws are and how you can bring yourself back from the brink of death. Listen up and save your soul from the Nine Hells!
*00:00 – Introduction
07:38 – What is HP?
13:46 – How many types of damage are there?
25:30 – What happens at zero HP?
45:13 – Death and TPKs
58:19 – Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 20: Why You Should Teach Your Kids D&D
Do you remember the first time you heard about or played D&D? For some of us, we were well into adulthood before experiencing the hobby. How would things have been different for us if we'd started much younger? This week we're discussing what we think the right age to get kids involved in D&D is. There are several life skills that can be learned in the fun environment that the game presents. We'll take a look at why more kids aren't introduced to the game, and then give some options on how to overcome them.
*00:00 - Introduction
12:12 - Teaching children math with D&D*
*19:42 - D&D teaches cooperation
36:30 - Are there disadvantages to starting young?
48:31 - What stops kids from playing D&D?
1:05:04 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 19: Bring Out Your Dead - Horror in TTRPGs with Luke Piechowski
This week we're joined by the Arcane Keeper himself, Luke Piechowski. Adding horror to your TTRPG, especially D&D, can be difficult and intimidating. Luke brings his love of horror games to the discussion as we talk about what truly makes a setting spooky. We also take a look at whether jump scares can work in a TTRPG, how fun campy horror is, and discuss the advantages to having players be lower levels in order to build tension. So sit back and enjoy this spine-tingling episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
*00:00 - Introduction
00:51 - Welcome Luke Piechowski!
17:05 - What makes good horror in TTRPGs?
25:49 - Do jump scares work in TTRPGs?
39:27 - Is horror more effective at lower levels in D&D?
47:22 - Psychic Damage: 5 Questions in 60 Seconds
47:14 - Where can you find more from Luke Piechowski
50:27 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find Luke Piechowski doling out horror advice on his Instgram.
You can find the replay of his time raising money with Roll For Good on their Twitch Channel.
Looking for a good horror game to run? Check out these options from the DMs Guild.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 18: Roguish Musings – Unearthed Arcana Part 2
Last week we began reviewing all the information from the One D&D Unearthed Arcana that was recently released. If you missed it, be sure to check out our review of the Bard and the Ranger.
This week, we look at the last class from The Experts group, the Rogue. This sneaky boy received the least amount of changes of any class, but the Thief subclass did receive some unfortunate nerfs. We also spend time checking out the changes to level four feats, which was a mixed bag of goodness and sorrow. And finally, we discuss the mostly positive rules changes in the second of many more UAs before the 50th anniversary rebranding.
*00:00 – Introduction
01:12 – Can the Rogue still be sneaky?*
*05:52 – Thief subclass gets a high-end nerf
19:15 – Changes with feats
28:51 – Spells, duel wielding, and boons, oh my
46:39 – New and useless actions
1:01:27 – Coming up on the next episode*
If you missed our discussion on the first One D&D Unearthed Arcana, you can check it out at this link.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 17: D&D Experts – Unearthed Arcana Part 1
Wizards have released their second Unearthed Arcana for One D&D. This release starts the focus on classes beginning with the group they’re calling “The Experts.” Bards, Rangers, and Rogues fall into the category currently, but Wizards has said that Artificers will eventually be in this group as well.
In Part 1, we take an in-depth look at the Bard and Ranger classes. We discuss all the changes, including moving level 20 skills to level 18 so they can add Epic Boons at level 20. One subclass for each class has been revamped as well in this Unearthed Arcana. The Bard with its College of Lore and the Ranger’s Hunter subclass have both received major updates. We give our opinions on if they’ve moved in the right direction.
*00:00 – Introduction
01:15 – What’s the new UA about?
07:50 – Who are “The Experts”?
15:02 – The Bard – Healing Included
38:28 – College of Lore subclass breakdown
41:37 – The Ranger – They Have Range
58:58 – Hunter subclass breakdown
1:09:55 – Coming up on the next episode*
If you missed our discussion on the first One D&D Unearthed Arcana, you can check it out at this link.
Be sure to join our Discord! We answer any questions you might have about DMing, rules, or playing in general. Follow us on our socials for more Dungeons and Dragons discussion, polls, memes, and more.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 16: Building Memorable NPCs with Trevor Payne
Do you struggle to create NPCs that your players care about and want to return to? Making memorable NPCs can be one of the hardest parts of being a DM. We take a look this week at how you can learn to use NPCs to drive narrative, create drama, and even bring a splash of comedy to your grim dark setting. We're joined this week by a wonderful DM, Trevor Payne.
Trevor is the DM of the podcast Roll for Intent, a Pathfinder 2E actual play podcast working their way through Paizo's Abomination Vaults adventure path. New episodes air every Monday. They also have Roll for Intent Creator's Corner which focuses on highlighting content creators and their work. Those episodes are released every Wendesday.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:52 - Who is Trevor Payne?
17:08 - How did Creator's Corner come to be?
24:34 - What are NPCs for?
28:52 - What qualities make memorable NPCs?
47:53 - How many NPCs make a world feel lived in?
1:01:00 - Psychic Damage - 5 questions in 60 seconds
1:04:57 - Where to find Roll for Intent
1:07:32 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find Trevor and the whole Roll for Intent cast on any of your favorite podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
Be sure to check out the Casa De Colores Fundraiser which will be raising funds for transgender refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Trevor will be playing at 6pm ET on October 14th on the GamerMomLuna Twitch Channel.
If you're feeling overwhelmed making NPCs, check out our Tools Section for some helpful generators.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 15: Random Encounters
Travel in the worlds of D&D can be a dangerous endeavor. Sometimes your players won't camp in a guaranteed safe place. Or you might just need to get your players back on track when they go astray. That's where random encounters can be handy. But how do you prepare yourself for every eventuality? We dive into how to make random encounters easier for DMs to pull off. We discuss why random encounters are useful, give out several tools that can make them easier, and talk about how random encounters aren't always combat.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:15 - What is a random encounter?
09:50 - Making a travel gazette
18:24 - DMG, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and other tools*
*30:26 - Don't ruin your planned content with randomness
41:05 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find Kobold Fight Club online to help quickly put together random combat.
This spreadsheet lists 404 travel complications that can help you make travel more fun. Make a copy for yourself so you can roll on it.
Here's a link to some Reddit random tables that can be useful and a link to the D100 lists from DNDSpeak.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 14: Balancing Combat
Balancing combat is one of the hardest things for both new and seasoned DMs. Using the CR system from Wizards can get you set up initially, but things like powerful items and good team tactics can render this guideline useless. Blake joins me to take a look at how we think CR can help, what you need to do to easily adjust combat on the fly, and some useful tools that can make your table's combat more enjoyable for everyone.
00:00 - Introduction
01:10 - Better Backstories Giveaway
03:25 - Start with a guess
05:26 - What is CR?
18:22 - It's not just combat that needs balancing
21:49 - Adjusting on the fly
40:42 - Tools that can help balance combat
52:35 - Coming up on the next episode
You can find Kobold Fight Club at this link.
DnDBeyond's encounter creator can be found on their website under tools.
This link will get you to the DonJon set of tools.
You can watch BrettUltimus run his Dark Souls campaign on his Twitch Channel.
Be sure to check out Better Backstories on their website.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 13: XP vs Milestone
Gaining experience points after ever battle can be fulfilling, but has the game of D&D evolved past this quick adrenaline rush? That's what we'll try and figure out on this week's episode. The game of D&D was created as a war game. This concept and style of play paired perfectly with awarding experience after every combat. But the game has evolved over its nearly 50 years to be about much more than just combat. Tables can go multiple sessions without seeing combat, instead choosing to roleplay even mundane parts of their lives. Enter the option to level up using milestones. This option gives the DM much more control over the pacing of the sessions. So which one fits best at your table? Listen in for the pros and cons to each system and then make the decision for yourself.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:22 - What's the difference?
03:45 - Pros and cons using XP
12:54 - Pros and cons of Milestone
26:04 - Hybrid leveling styles
32:11 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 12: Understanding Table Culture
The game of D&D has seen an enormous influx of players over the last few years. Cultural phenomenons like Stranger Things and Critical Role have broadened the reach of the game to a whole new audience. Along with this, D&D has adapted its core rules to be more understanding and culturally friendly. Creating a safe space at your table is important to a long-term and fun game. This week we take a look at some red flags you can look for in both your players and the DM. Remember though, all tables are different. While some of the things we mention might be red flags for some, they might be acceptable at your table. The most important thing is to have a group discussion to set your boundaries so everyone can have an enjoyable time.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:07 - September Giveaway
02:58 - What is table culture?
11:14 - How do you handle table issues?
13:59 - Red flags to look for in players
24:56 - Red flags to look for in DMs
35:32 - How do you remove bad players or yourself from a game?
45:28 - Coming up on the next episode*You can listen to our Session Zero episode if you're wanting to find out more about consent forms.
Be sure to join our Discord! We answer any questions you might have about DMing, rules, or playing in general.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 11: Running An Actual Play Podcast with Kae Wilson
We're joined tonight by the DM of a new actual play podcast called Call Us Casters. Kae helps us talk about the ins and outs of running an actual play podcast. Podcasts have become mainstream over the last few years, with over 1 million unique individual podcasts out now. But how easy is it to actually get one started? We discuss the equipment, programs, and time it takes to create, record, and then market your podcast. Kae also talks about converting standard D&D rules to fit superheroes, how they got involved in D&D, and long-term plans for Call Us Casters.
*00:00 - Introduction
00:58 - September giveaway
03:12 - DM of Call Us Casters - Kae Wilson
13:36 - What is Call Us Casters?
15:07 - Twitch and Owlbear Radio
23:50 - Running an actual play podcast
29:52 - Who are the Call Us Caster players?
33:50 - Psychic Damage
38:22 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find this month's giveaway product, Better Backstories, at this link.
You can find Call Us Casters on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts.
You can find Kae Wilson's personal twitter at this link.
Owlbear Radio's Twitch channel can be found here.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 10: One D&D and New Unearthed Arcana
Wizards had some big announcements on August 18th. The future of D&D will be called One D&D a combination of rules changes, digital and physical bundles, and a digital D&D experience. Small blocks of Unearthed Arcana(UA) will be released over the next two years, allowing players to test the new rules before the official release in 2024. The first UA released deals with races, backgrounds, and changing the way some major system work. Goose and Ash will break down all the changes and give you their thoughts on the big announcement.
*00:00 – Introduction & August Giveaway
02:35 – One D&D Announcement
04:17 – Three Pillars of One D&D
14:03 – Race changes
26:06 – Background changes
34:25 – Glossary changes
38:09 – Crit changes
59:57 – Next UA speculation
1:09:20 – Coming up on the next episode*You can download Above VTT for your Chrome browser by following this link.
We reviewed Above VTT on a previous episode which you can listen to here.
If you want to join in on testing One D&D, click on this link and download the UA from D&DBeyond.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 9: Virtual Party - Foundry VTT with The Crowned DM
This week we dive into Foundry VTT with our guest The Crowned DM. We spend some time getting to know The Crowned DM and learning about the multiple games he runs on Twitch. He discusses how he found the game of D&D, his regret for not getting involved earlier, why he doesn't use old characters as NPCs, and why he suggests newer DMs should start with modules. Foundry VTT is a one-time purchase of $50 that allows you to set up a personal server to run your games on. This can alleviate issues that other VTTs have with becoming overloaded and not running well. Its many features and add-on modules make the tabletop versatile and useful for most any genre of game. We round out the episode by inflicting some psychic damage with our 5 Questions in 60 Seconds segment.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:06 - August Dice Tower Giveaway Reminder
02:19 - Who is The Crowned DM?
17:42 - Secrets of Erest campaign
19:44 - Cometh the Fall campaign
24:59 - Features and selling points of Foundry VTT
33:16 - How hard is setting up a server?
41:46 - Foundry VTT cost and additional items
47:41 - Map making with Inkarnate
55:22 - 5 questions in 60 seconds
1:01:58 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find The Crowned DM on his Twitter, his Discord, and on his Twitch Channel where he streams Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights.
You can also catch more of his games on Momo's Twitch Channel on Sundays.
Foundry VTT can be purchased from their website by following the link here.
Our next episode has been changed due to all the news released on August 18th by Wizards about One D&D. Next week we'll be discussing those announcements along with all the new information in the first UA as well.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 8: Worldbuilding - Starting Big Or Small
This week we dive into the wonderful pastime of worldbuilding. Many burgeoning DMs can become paralyzed by the thoughts of creating an entirely new world for their players to explore. They often try to build too large too fast and get overwhelmed. While there are many different ways to worldbuild, we advise you to start off small. We'll also discuss a few map making tools that can help you properly visualize how your new world looks. Lastly we'll talk about campaign management tools and if they're necessary.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - August giveaway
02:44 - Worldbuilding can be overwhelming
03:52 - You should probably start small
07:37 - Starting big is possible
09:02 - Things aren't set in stone
16:23 - Macro building
18:34 - Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator
23:19 - Campaign Management tools
31:56 - Coming up on the next episode*
If you're interested in the wonderful map maker we discussed in this episode, you can click here to find Dungeon Master's Diary.Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator is great free program to design beautiful and full maps.
Goose uses Trello to keep all of his campaign notes together in one place.
We are excited to announce that we'll be joined next week by the wonderful Crowned DM. You can catch him on his Twitch channel mapping maps in Inkarnate and running multiple campaigns in his homebrew world. We'll be discussing how he got into DMing and why he chooses to use Foundry VTT.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 7: What's The Best Starting Level For New Players?
We're join this week by the lovely Carolyn Coney. She discusses her journey into D&D, her large group of players, and how she integrates pop culture into the game. The group then discusses what is the best starting level for a campaign whether you're a new player, experienced player, or just wanting to challenge yourself. Level two or three seems to be the consensus best starting level, especially for new players, but there are other feasible options. We even discuss starting high level campaigns and what benefits and obstacles that can cause. We round off this episode with a rapid fire D&D-based question and answer round. Thank you so much to Carolyn Coney for joining us, and be sure to visit her at the link below!
*00:00 - Introduction
00:58 - August giveaway
03:00 - Who is Carolyn Coney?
24:58 - One-shot vs. campaign starting levels
31:17 - Is level one too low?
35:47 - Can level two be better?
40:40 - The sweet spot is third level
42:10 - Are higher levels feasible?
48:52 - Learning curve at 10 and above
1:00:00 - 5 Questions in 60 Seconds
1:02:48 - Coming up on the next episode*
You can find Carolyn on her Reddit at by clicking this link.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 6: Virtual Party - One More Multiverse and AboveVtt
We continue our VTT review series by looking at One More Multiverse(OMM), a unique and cute option for your table. The 8-bit graphic style is a throwback to old-school RPGs. There are wonderful roleplay features like cinematic mode, tons of options for character creation, and the ability to allow players the freedom to explore maps that are linked together. We also review the browser plugin AboveVtt. Finally, a virtual tabletop has true integration with DNDBeyond. With the ability to have all of your purchased materials transferred straight to your VTT, is it the most complete option available? Find out on this episode.
*00:00 - Introduction
02:58 - What is One More Multiverse?
05:44 - Character creation
16:26 - Changing the way you DM in VTTs
19:44 - Small things that can be improved in OMM
22:56 - AboveVTT - all one word
26:36 - Integration with DNDBeyond character sheets
36:28 - Coming up on the next episode*
Next week we'll be joined by the wonderful Carolyn Coney to discuss the best level to start a campaign at. She brings her years of experience running homebrew games for larger groups, so be sure to check her out next week!
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 5: Session Zeros, Red Flags, And More
This week, Goose and Ash dive into table etiquette. Session zero is a perfect time for the DM to discuss anything that might happen during the game with the players. Whether that be people missing sessions, use of cell phones while playing, or even PVP between players, rules need to be established beforehand to prevent things from getting out of hand. They also discuss red flags and how you can use consent forms to ensure that everyone at the table has a good time.
*00:00 – Introduction
06:37 – What is a session zero?
08:10 – One on one vs group session
12:42 – Red flags
14:46 – Consent Forms
24:23 – Other session zero topics
27:40 – Coming up on the next episode*
You can follow the link here and then here to find RPG Consent forms to use at your table.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 4: Virtual Party - Roll20 and Astral VTT
*On July 13, 2022, Astral VTT announced they will soon be closing for good. OneBookShelf(DriveThruRPG/DMsGuild) had been maintaining the servers, but have decided to join with Roll20 adding their large list of PDFs and increasing the offerings on the Roll20 Marketplace by 20 times.
Virtual tabletops have grown exponentially over the past seven or eight years. We start our VTT review series by looking at Roll20, one of the original and most popular VTTs. Many people's first experience was choosing between paying monthly to play on Fantasy Grounds or playing free on Roll20. While Roll20 might have its issues, it's a solid workhorse that does most things well. We also look at Astral VTT, a clean virtual tabletop that unfortunately isn't in active development anymore. However, that fact hasn't stopped its loyal fans from continuing to use the innovative platform. Listen to see our full reviews of each on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.
*00:00 - Introduction
03:48 - What is a Virtual Tabletop
07:52 - DNDBeyond VTT rumors
12:18 - Roll20 pros and cons
24:18 - Astral VTT review
32:36 - Organizational tools
39:08 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 3: Monsters of the Multiverse and Upcoming Releases
This week we look at the newly released Monsters of the Multiverse book. This compendium takes the 30 monstrous races that have been released in several different books and compiles them in one place. It also adds over 250 reworked monsters to boot. Goose and Ash preview both the Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel book and the Spelljammer release coming up over the next few months and make some wild speculations about possible changes in the future.
*00:00 - Introduction
02:38 - Monsters of the Multiverse review
11:46 - Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel preview
16:18 - Spelljammer preview
20:30 - Pre-made modules vs. homebrew
25:43 - 50th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons speculation
29:12 - DNDBeyond bought by Wizards of the Coast
34:00 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 2: Who Is Your Character And What Does He Do?
With hundreds of combinations, character creation in D&D can be daunting to new players. Goose and Ash break down the steps involved in character creation and give their advice on overcoming decision paralysis. From choosing a race and class to fleshing out your backstory, you'll be able to confidently tackle character creation by this episode's end.
*00:00 - Introduction
03:48 - How character creation has evolved
10:02 - What inspires your characters?
11:54 - Race or class first?
15:54 - Backstory & background
19:53 - HP style
22:28 - Ability stats
28:23 - Alignment
36:36 - Bonds, ideals, and flaws
40:36 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 1: Welcome To The Crypt
Your adventure begins as Goose and Ash introduce themselves and their background with Dungeons and Dragons. They have continuously played in multiple campaigns since 2018, with Goose starting in the hobby in the late 1990s. They use their expertise and love of the game to help ease new players into the game and move past the intimidating parts.
*00:00 - Introduction
01:15 - What is the Crypt of Knowledge?
04:42 - When did Ash begin playing?
08:20 - Goose's storied D&D past
14:08 - What's it like DMing?
18:08 - What makes a good D&D group?
23:04 - Tips for finding a good group
26:16 - What does it take to play?
31:36 - Coming up on the next episode*
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.