Live Interview
And why does that matter?
This is how a Mato agent talks. Take the other seat: answer a few and feel it follow the thread.
Podcast charts
Published by Justin Lewis
Learn how to be a better DM (Dungeon Master) so you can tell better stories for yourself and your friends. Learn things like how to start a campaign, how to create realistic NPCs, how to move the plot along, and how and why to use session 0's for your party. Join hosts Justin Lewis, Cayden Ottley and Tanner Weyland as they distill all the DM tips, tools and resources for the beginner DM, for the DM with a few years of experience and for the Forever DM who's been playing for 20 years. If you're sick of searching for things like, "How to create a homebrew DND campaign?", click the play button and listen to become the best dungeon master you ever could be! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/betterdungeonmaster Discord Server: https://discord.gg/g77qt8quM2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howtobeabetterdmpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@session0studios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@session0studios Professional Dungeon Master Services: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ DM Coaching: https://session0studios.com/coaching/
On the charts
Every published chart this podcast appears in, in the snapshot behind this page. Each one links to the chart it came off.
From the feed
The latest episodes published to this podcast’s own RSS feed. Titles and descriptions are the publisher’s.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the three levers every DM has to fix frustrating table behavior without turning into the bad guy: structural changes to your game, direct asks you’re probably avoiding, and the mindset shifts that matter more than either one. If you’ve ever resented your players without knowing how to say so, this one’s for you. Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Is it possible to build a combat encounter quickly while also making it interesting? After all, most quickly-planned encounters end up just being a bunch of random enemies thrown at the players. But that's not as interesting as an encounter that has a concept, unique terrains, and monsters to match (which is the formula Tanner will be exploring in today's episode). Let's roll initiative!
Welcome to the Season Finale of Creative Contraband! Today Danny Barrett helps us deal with slow sessions or stuck campaigns. With these 4 different techniques, you will be able to make things move again whether you are a Dungeon Master or a Game Master. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
In the third and last interview of the season, we join the very productive DM Neal, and talk about everything from Mimics and subverting expectation, to IT work and business practices. Grab a pen, open a beer and enjoy this talk filled with useful information! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof Listen to DMs Block here: https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/ Listen to me on DMs Block here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6208_OKMKk Listen to Whelmed: The Young Justice Files here: https://open.spotify.com/show/7bReOYZSSmJQBXkm8A2FjF Read From LP to RP here: https://www.thestruggleisneal.com/ If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
You know the trope: the DM who builds an unwinnable encounter, or a puzzle so clever it’s basically unsolvable — not because the story needed it, but because somewhere underneath, they needed to feel untouchable. In this episode, Justin unpacks the inner work behind that trope: a concept he calls “okness,” the diamond-level self-security that keeps insecurity, jealousy, and thin skin from leaking into your games. You’ll get four practical exercises — the Negative Feedback Loop, the Gratitude Journal, the Worst Case Scenario, and Subtraction — to build the kind of okness that lets you take criticism, welcome chaos at the table, and run better games because of it, not in spite of it. Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Welcome back to Creative Contraband, dear Dungeon Masters! Today Danny Barrett tells us about Your Last Day on Earth, a free contemplative solo NanoRPG. We then use that as a pivot to discuss the role of TTRPGs in therapy, and how we can apply some of that knowledge at our tables, while staying safe and caring. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof Find Heltung Storytelling's work at: https://heltung-storytelling.itch.io/your-last-day-on-earth If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Do you ALSO feel the crushing need to homebrew if you want to be a good DM? Well you're not alone! While one of the best aspects of D&D is the capacity to create a world, an adventure, or even classes and spells out of pure imagination, it's also a LOT of work... but is the adventure better in the end for it? That's what Tanner discusses in this episode.
Welcome back, Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today Danny Barrett talks about the importance of being present and focusing on our players. We discuss different kinds of performance art, and the differences in replicability between paintings, music, improvisation, TTRPGs and others. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Welcome back, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today Danny Barrett tells us how the order of the information influences the conclusions we draw. We discuss examples from TV shows, and you will be able to learn how to use the Kuleshov Effect to help (or not) your players. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Scheduling conflicts aren’t really about calendars — they’re about priorities. Justin shares the story of nearly losing three close friendships (and Session 0 Studios’ own actual play show, The Pact and Boon) before realizing that every scheduling conflict falls into one of two categories: Capabilities Problems (miscommunication, logistics, missed texts) or Priorities Problems (misaligned commitment levels). The first is easy to fix. The second is the one nobody talks about — and the one actually killing most campaigns. In this episode: • The Pact and Boon story: how misaligned commitment nearly cost three friendships • The two categories every scheduling issue falls into — and why only one of them is a “logistics” problem • Three steps to get your group’s priorities aligned before it becomes a crisis • A rundown of scheduling tools (Google Calendar, When2Meet, Doodle, the “everyone marks unavailable days” method) — and why none of them matter if priorities aren’t aligned first Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Welcome, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today Danny Barrett shows us how reskinning can optimize effort and enhance success at the table. Do you have some more examples we missed? Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Your party just walked into a magic item shop — and at least one of them is already casing the room for guards, cameras, and an exit route. Are you ready? This episode breaks down how to run magic item shops that actually hold up under player scrutiny: how to protect items players will try to steal, how to stock a shop so it feels earned rather than random (crafters, trade routes, and discovery), and why you should always price higher than your gut tells you to — especially if you’re letting players haggle. Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Welcome once again, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today we talk about how the Lord of the Rings trilogy can be described mostly as DnD checks and situations. In this episode you will learn how to take a movie and analyze it in DnD terms, maybe even translating some situations into the table. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Railroading has a bad reputation in the TTRPG world — but is it actually the villain DMs think it is? In this live panel from FanX 2025, Justin Lewis, Tanner Weyland, and Cayden Ottley dig into what railroading really means, why every DM does it whether they realize it or not, and where the line sits between guiding a story and steamrolling player agency. Expect real talk on good railroading vs. bad railroading, how to course-correct when you've leaned too hard on the tracks, and how player perception shapes whether a table even feels railroaded at all. Thanks for listening to today's show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Welcome once again, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today we talk about suspense and surprise from Alfred Hitchcock's movies and Game of Thrones. In this episode you will learn how to make the most impact by managing the knowledge your players have about each situation. Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Players (and DMs) have many unchecked assumptions for what they want out of a D&D adventure: they want "powerful loot," easy NPC interactions, and a cinematic, epic story for them to experience... right? Or is that just the surface level? Do they actually crave something more integral to D&D, like collaboration, creativity, and real consequences? Tanner discusses 5 hidden wishes that players have and DMs would benefit from addressing.
In our second interview episode, we sit down with Sacred, and talk about Solo TTRPGs, intention, immersion and getting to know yourself. Sit back and enjoy this light-hearted talk about all things tabletop! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof Find Sacred on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sacred_Art_of_Gaming If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
What happens when a group of Dungeon Masters get on a panel at FanX and start riffing about improv? Exactly what you’d expect — a lively, unscripted conversation about the skill every DM needs but almost nobody practices on purpose. In this live panel episode, Justin sits down with three fellow DMs to talk about improv at the table — what it looks like, why it’s hard, and how to get better at it without freezing up when your players go completely off the rails. Topics we touched on: • Building improv confidence before you ever sit behind the screen • What to do in the moment when players throw you for a loop • How to keep your players involved so improv feels collaborative • Recovering gracefully when something comes out of your mouth and you immediately regret it Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/ Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
(Thanks to Zach for letting me know about the audio issues!) Welcome once again, dear Dungeon Masters and Game Masters! Today we steal from rappers and producers: How do they take good ideas and make them theirs? In this episode you will learn how to get the best of your favourite Dungeon Masters while staying authentic! Creative Contraband is a segment designed and hosted with love by Danny Barrett for How to Be a Better DM. Find Danny at: https://www.instagram.com/gamemaster.hof If you want more content for Dungeon Masters and Game Masters alike, you can find related projects and sponsored links here: Worldsmith: http://session0studios.com/worldsmith Roll and Play Press: http://session0studios.com/rollandplay Phantasm Studios: https://session0studios.com/fantasms Monument Studios: session0studios.com/monumentstudios Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord Patreon: https://session0studios.com/patreon Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter
Ever feel like one shots get off the rails, out of control, and become a wild beast for you to wrangle back into some semblance of a story in the limited time you have? These 5 guidelines will help you avoid overstretching, overthinking, and overstaying a one shot's welcome!
Ranking source
Apple Podcasts rankings via the Mato Topic Intelligence Platform.
Observed September 20, 2026.
Apple and Apple Podcasts are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Pairs with
Bring this source into Mato to read its transferable patterns, then turn them into an original show for your own audience.