Do players EVER actually have choices in prewritten adventures? Is the sandbox purely an illusion? How do TTRPG game designers ensure characters have agency choosing their path forward?

An Aetherial Expanse adventure is coming to Kickstarter: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

James: @jamesjhaeck

Erin: @nirele

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

00:58 - The Faithless Wench of TTRPG's

04:55 - Dreams of the Drowned God

21:00 - ANOTHER another D&D video game

26:51 - 5e returns to Brazil

27:45 - Are ALL adventures linear?

Why NOBODY predicted Critical Role would choose D&D over Daggerheart! And what does a West Marches style campaign mean for Campaign 4? We also invoke the dreaded name of Dark Sun!

Get the Grim Hollow Player's Guide on D&D Beyond! https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_GHPG_2025_2_204

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

James: @jamesjhaeck

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

01:16 - A Lorecast actual play?

05:16 - Critical Role choose D&D!

18:20 - Critical Role and West Marches

32:06 - Grim Hollow launches on D&D Beyond!

35:52 - Unearthed Arcana hints at Dark Sun

In the OGL aftermath and the full release of D&D 2024, is the game better or worse than it's ever been? Is 5e 2024 actually better than 5e 2014?

An Aetherial Expanse adventure is coming to Kickstarter: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

James: @jamesjhaeck

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Mike: ⁨@SlyFlourish⁩

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - The Aftermath of the OGL

17:51 - Is D&D 2024 better than 2014?

36:15 - Baldur's Gate 4?

40:07 - New 5e Adventure module!

45:03 - How to plan campaign narratives

Todd Kenreck helps us to ponder which community members should WotC choose for the D&D Advisory Panel? Gen Con hits record attendance! Then we settle in to build cozy homes and grimdark worlds for your TTRPG adventures.

An Aetherial Expanse adventure is coming to Kickstarter: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Todd: ⁨@ToddKenreck⁩

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

01:34 - The future for Todd Kenreck

17:53 - D&D advisory panel

24:22 - Gen Con record attendance

29:15 - Cozy bastions

46:05 - Dark fantasy adventure building

Brennan Lee Mulligan takes over Critical Role, Ghostfire Gaming launches an Organized Play campaign, MCDM releases Draw Steel, and Paizo puts a 5e adventure on D&D Beyond! It's been a long Gen Con...

Learn more about the Grim Hunt: https://ghostfiregaming.com/resources/

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Hannah: @AmazingSpidrHan

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:00:00 - Intro

01:59 - Gen Con 2025

10:35 - Draw Steel goes live

13:43 - Brennan to DM Critical Role

19:47 - Paizo now on D&D Beyond!

24:42 - D&D's new direction

33:45 - Faerun sneak peaks

47:09 - Tariffs impacting overseas games

50:32 - Listener appreciation

D&D Beyond teases digital DLC for the Forgotten Realms setting books, while Nott the Brave teases town guards in the new Critical Role animated series. We also celebrate 200 episodes of this here podcast!

A new Aetherial Expans adventure is coming to Kickstarter:https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

James: @jamesjhaeck

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

02:52 - Forgotten Realms book reveals

10:40 - D&D Beyond DLC

18:01 - Stranger Things starter set

24:25 - Aetherial Expanse adventure

27:04 - New Critical Role animated seasons

32:31 - 200th Episode quiz

Critical Role announces their first video game, WotC boasts the BIGGEST D&D starter set ever, Eberron is delayed, and is "D&D in a Castle" offering a new career path?

Unlock the Grim Hollow Player's Guide, today! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ghostfiregaming/grim-hollow?ref=3hjfbf

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Ben: @TheBenByrne

Dael: @DailyDael

James: @jamesjhaeck

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

01:12 - TTRPG from video games

06:41 - Starfinder video game

10:28 - Critical Role's video game

17:08 - Grim Hollow: The Player’s Guide releases

19:35 - D&D's BIGGEST ever starter set

27:42 - New Stranger Things D&D box set

33:54 - Eberron book delayed

35:54 - Green Ronin vs Diamond

40:05 - Draughts worker strike

41:16 - D&D DM University

Big changes for D&D as Wizards of the Coast step towards a franchise model, while Darrington Press take their next big steps as a TTRPG publisher! Also, what exactly IS a Warlock or a Rogue?

Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com

Dael: @DailyDael

James: @jamesjhaeck

Shawn: @shawnmerwin

Logan: ⁨@Runesmith⁩

Editor: @ZsDante

Topics:

00:00 - Intro

07:01 - D&D becoming a "franchise"

21:19 - Darrington Press levels up!

27:31 - Gen Con update

32:32 - D&D Classes core fantasy

52:37 - Obsolete design ideas