Inside the GM Studio
By Matt and David
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Episodes: 279
Description
Welcome to Inside the GM Studio, your go-to source for all things tabletop RPG! Whether you’re a seasoned game master, a curious newcomer, or a dice goblin always chasing that next nat 20, we’ve got something for you. Every week, we dive into the latest TTRPG news, share practical advice to level up your games, and answer questions from our amazing community. From deep dives into game mechanics and world-building tips to hot takes on industry trends, we’re here to keep your campaigns fresh and your creativity rolling. Grab your dice and let’s roll initiative!
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
|
Side Question: Helping the players to be more proactive and more narrative
|
Jun 08, 2026 |
|
The Hidden Strategies That Keep Long Campaigns Engaging for Years
|
Jun 01, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Playable Guide or Omniscient GM?
|
May 25, 2026 |
|
There's More Than Death
|
Apr 06, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Push the Rules Aside
|
Mar 31, 2026 |
|
Phandelver Emails
|
Mar 31, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: What Books to Read and How to Read Them
|
Mar 23, 2026 |
|
Actual Plays
|
Mar 23, 2026 |
|
Mounted Combat
|
Mar 16, 2026 |
|
When Players Leave
|
Mar 09, 2026 |
|
What's Your Fantasy?
|
Mar 05, 2026 |
|
Religions, Dietys, and Theocracies
|
Feb 28, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Is He Being Derailed?
|
Feb 19, 2026 |
|
Rests and Downtime
|
Feb 16, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: How to Lie
|
Feb 13, 2026 |
|
Listener Emails
|
Feb 09, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Pulling Rank as a GM?
|
Jan 31, 2026 |
|
Why Medieval Fantasy
|
Jan 26, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Do you Have a Tail in Low Fantasy?
|
Jan 22, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Be a Better Story Teller
|
Jan 19, 2026 |
|
Table Horror Stories
|
Jan 19, 2026 |
|
XP and Progression
|
Jan 12, 2026 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Another Adventure in the Sandbox?
|
Jan 08, 2026 |
|
Feats are Better than Subclasses
|
Jan 05, 2026 |
|
2025 Year in Review
|
Dec 22, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Working the GM Muscle
|
Dec 19, 2025 |
|
Initiative, Which Fits Best for You?
|
Dec 15, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Expecting the Power Gamer
|
Dec 12, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Framing a Faction
|
Dec 12, 2025 |
|
Do We Really Need A GM?
|
Dec 08, 2025 |
|
Does Multiclassing Suck?!?!?!
|
Dec 01, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Making a Module for the PCs
|
Nov 28, 2025 |
|
Cultures of Play
|
Nov 24, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Cyberpunk Bad?!?!?!?
|
Nov 21, 2025 |
|
GM Tools
|
Nov 17, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Don't Let the Players Know
|
Nov 14, 2025 |
|
GM Myths
|
Nov 10, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: OSR Love
|
Nov 06, 2025 |
|
Designing Your Dungeon Crawl
|
Nov 03, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: RP in Combat
|
Oct 30, 2025 |
|
Writing for a PC
|
Oct 27, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: PCs Loosing Memories
|
Oct 23, 2025 |
|
Our GM Mistakes
|
Oct 13, 2025 |
|
Games for Daves
|
Oct 06, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Prophesy?
|
Oct 03, 2025 |
|
Yes And... With Dice?
|
Sep 30, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: What Should be Asked?
|
Sep 25, 2025 |
|
It's All About Timing
|
Sep 23, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Raw vs Rai
|
Sep 18, 2025 |
|
Get to Know David
|
Sep 15, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: What Makes Horror Really Scary?
|
Sep 10, 2025 |
|
Inside the GM Workshop
|
Sep 09, 2025 |
|
Forging Character Relationships
|
Sep 01, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Stealth is Unfair?
|
Aug 28, 2025 |
|
Inside the Character Studio
|
Aug 25, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Long Intro
|
Aug 21, 2025 |
|
All Day Gaming
|
Aug 18, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Main Campaign Getaway
|
Aug 14, 2025 |
|
Tier Lists
|
Aug 12, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Ambushing Player Agency
|
Aug 07, 2025 |
|
The Differences of Story and Plot
|
Aug 04, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-ion: Notes and Story
|
Jul 31, 2025 |
|
What We Miss Through the Editions
|
Jul 28, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: How to Murder Mystery
|
Jul 24, 2025 |
|
Our Favorite Mechanics and Homebrews
|
Jul 21, 2025 |
|
Choose Your Own Adventure Games
|
Jul 14, 2025 |
|
Side Question: Speed Up Combat
|
Jul 10, 2025 |
|
Homebrew and Player Agency
|
Jul 08, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: How to Start a One Shot
|
Jul 04, 2025 |
|
(Dot) .Dungeon Review
|
Jun 30, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Survival Campaign
|
Jun 26, 2025 |
|
How to Homebrew
|
Jun 23, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Ballroom Quiz
|
Jun 19, 2025 |
|
Rolling with Purpose: Why Mechanics Matter in TTRPGs
|
Jun 16, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Don't Give a PC a Kingdom
|
Jun 12, 2025 |
|
Inner Demons
|
Jun 09, 2025 |
|
Who are Vampires and What Do They Do?
|
Jun 02, 2025 |
|
Recaps are the best Icebreakers
|
May 12, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Should I Let My Players Write Their Own Ending?
|
May 08, 2025 |
|
May the Fourth Special
|
May 05, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: How Important is Theme
|
May 01, 2025 |
|
Introduction of the Main Villain
|
Apr 28, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: What's Your Process?
|
Apr 24, 2025 |
|
How to Warlock
|
Apr 21, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Fluid Narration
|
Apr 17, 2025 |
|
Horror Stories, at and between the Table
|
Apr 14, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Does Skill of the GM or Mechanics Make the Game?
|
Apr 10, 2025 |
|
Testing Homebrews and Fleeing the Plot
|
Apr 07, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Should I Do This, You May Ask?
|
Apr 03, 2025 |
|
Skill Challenges
|
Apr 01, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Heist Night!
|
Mar 27, 2025 |
|
Keep That Spark Alive
|
Mar 24, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Lost the Magic
|
Mar 20, 2025 |
|
Aerial, Underwater, and Mounted Combat
|
Mar 17, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: How to One Shot
|
Mar 13, 2025 |
|
What Makes the Movie?
|
Mar 10, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: How to Write My Story
|
Mar 06, 2025 |
|
News Week
|
Mar 03, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Know Your Roll
|
Feb 27, 2025 |
|
Character Development
|
Feb 24, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Wrap it Up
|
Feb 20, 2025 |
|
Goals and Motivations
|
Feb 17, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Is Failing Really That Bad?
|
Feb 14, 2025 |
|
Cloudbreakers Alliance Review
|
Feb 10, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Random Encounters
|
Feb 06, 2025 |
|
Reusing Adventures
|
Feb 03, 2025 |
|
Cliches and Avoiding them
|
Jan 29, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Players Notes
|
Jan 23, 2025 |
|
Plot Armor
|
Jan 20, 2025 |
|
Side Quest-Navigating Character Driven Campaigns
|
Jan 16, 2025 |
|
What is Storytelling
|
Jan 13, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Epilogues
|
Jan 09, 2025 |
|
2024 Year in Review
|
Jan 06, 2025 |
|
Side Quest: Our Favorite Dice Mechanics
|
Jan 03, 2025 |
|
Good Character Deaths
|
Dec 30, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Old School Players and the Connection to Their Characters
|
Dec 19, 2024 |
|
Stormlight Review
|
Dec 16, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Speed Up Large Dungeons
|
Dec 12, 2024 |
|
Bastions? Home?
|
Dec 09, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Attacking an Outpost!! How to Run It
|
Dec 05, 2024 |
|
Espionage...
|
Dec 02, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Turn Up the Tension
|
Nov 30, 2024 |
|
Meta Currencies and OSR's
|
Nov 25, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: How Many Sessions Should You Plan Ahead?
|
Nov 21, 2024 |
|
Impromptu Social Scenes
|
Nov 18, 2024 |
|
Hirelings!!!
|
Nov 11, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: What Makes a Good Role Playing Game?
|
Nov 07, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Fear and CR Management
|
Nov 04, 2024 |
|
What Would We Do?
|
Nov 04, 2024 |
|
Rules Over Rulings
|
Oct 28, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Too Many Puzzles?
|
Oct 24, 2024 |
|
Why Do We Love Horror Games?
|
Oct 21, 2024 |
|
Low Magic Setting!
|
Sep 30, 2024 |
|
Redemption Arcs
|
Sep 23, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Tournaments!
|
Sep 22, 2024 |
|
TRAPS!!
|
Sep 16, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Sentient Weapon
|
Sep 12, 2024 |
|
We're Back with RPG News
|
Sep 09, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Endearing my Villain
|
Aug 29, 2024 |
|
The Final Fantasy 14 TTRPG Review
|
Aug 26, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Adventure on a Global Scale
|
Aug 24, 2024 |
|
The Darkest Hour
|
Aug 19, 2024 |
|
Teasing out Flavor from the Players
|
Aug 12, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Work those Backstories
|
Aug 08, 2024 |
|
Dungeons and Drama
|
Aug 05, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Extending Quests
|
Aug 01, 2024 |
|
Raising the Stakes of the Story
|
Jul 30, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Low Magic Settings
|
Jul 25, 2024 |
|
Define the Stakes
|
Jul 22, 2024 |
|
New Crafting Rules and the Future of D&D
|
Jul 15, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Magic Law and Order
|
Jul 13, 2024 |
|
Fantasy Age System 1st Edition Review
|
Jul 08, 2024 |
|
Side Quest: Spell Component Shenanigans
|
Jul 05, 2024 |
|
Plot Devices
|
Jul 01, 2024 |
|
Community Question: My player can't pick up on plot hooks!!
|
Jun 30, 2024 |
|
Dilemmas Part 2 and some RPG Horror Stories
|
Jun 24, 2024 |
|
The Art of Creating Dilemmas for your Players
|
Jun 17, 2024 |
|
Community Question: NEXT!! How to role play Rank
|
Jun 14, 2024 |
|
Character Secrets
|
Jun 10, 2024 |
|
Exposition
|
Jun 03, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Wrapping Up A Campaign
|
Jun 02, 2024 |
|
Episode 100!!!!
|
May 28, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Give "ALL" info when casting identify?
|
May 23, 2024 |
|
Tools that could be a Punishment?
|
May 20, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Make the Party Love a New City
|
May 19, 2024 |
|
Ryuutama Review
|
May 13, 2024 |
|
Inside the GM Game Show Special
|
May 07, 2024 |
|
Creating Expansive Lore
|
May 06, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Lack of Feelings
|
May 02, 2024 |
|
Going from short campaigns to longer forms
|
Apr 29, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Highlights from the Past
|
Apr 26, 2024 |
|
The Problem with Notes and how to take them effectively
|
Apr 22, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Players and their Money
|
Apr 18, 2024 |
|
Power Gamers
|
Apr 15, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Linear to Sandbox
|
Apr 11, 2024 |
|
Ups and Downs of Published Adventures
|
Apr 08, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Long Combats
|
Apr 05, 2024 |
|
For those First Times
|
Apr 02, 2024 |
|
Plot Twists!!
|
Mar 25, 2024 |
|
Daggerheart Beta Review
|
Mar 24, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Scripting?!?!?!?!
|
Mar 21, 2024 |
|
The GM Curveball
|
Mar 18, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Epic Battle Skill Challenge
|
Mar 15, 2024 |
|
Having GMs at the Table
|
Mar 11, 2024 |
|
Community Questions: Hard Choices
|
Mar 07, 2024 |
|
Why we GM
|
Mar 04, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Travel Options
|
Feb 29, 2024 |
|
Atmosphere
|
Feb 26, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Help bring sports into the game
|
Feb 23, 2024 |
|
Death of NPC’s and the Impact it has
|
Feb 19, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Player Stress
|
Feb 15, 2024 |
|
Mail Bag
|
Feb 12, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Dungeon of the Mind
|
Feb 01, 2024 |
|
Initiative and the ways to use it
|
Jan 30, 2024 |
|
Community Question: First Fight Balance
|
Jan 25, 2024 |
|
Spell Points and Variant Rules
|
Jan 22, 2024 |
|
Community Question: Players Can't Take it Seriously
|
Jan 18, 2024 |
|
Dungeon Delves and the Women who love them
|
Jan 15, 2024 |
|
Fudging the Rolls
|
Jan 09, 2024 |
|
Our Year in Review!!
|
Jan 01, 2024 |
|
Running Large Scale Encounters
|
Dec 18, 2023 |
|
Memorable NPCs
|
Dec 12, 2023 |
|
Character Intros
|
Dec 04, 2023 |
|
Managing NPCs
|
Nov 27, 2023 |
|
Pulling Rank in Play
|
Nov 20, 2023 |
|
RPGs and Whiskey
|
Nov 14, 2023 |
|
Designing Homebrew Monsters
|
Nov 06, 2023 |
|
Rounding out Battle with other mechanics
|
Oct 30, 2023 |
|
State Your Case: Rules Lite is Better for Combat
|
Oct 23, 2023 |
|
The Mechanics of Traps
|
Oct 09, 2023 |
|
Welcome to Mechanics Month
|
Oct 02, 2023 |
|
Using description to liven up combat encounters
|
Sep 26, 2023 |
|
State Your Case: Railroading
|
Sep 18, 2023 |
|
Plot Hooks
|
Sep 11, 2023 |
|
Players Comeuppance
|
Sep 04, 2023 |
|
Shoe Leather
|
Aug 29, 2023 |
|
Incorporating Backstory
|
Aug 21, 2023 |
|
Setting Tone
|
Aug 14, 2023 |
|
High Tier Play
|
Aug 07, 2023 |
|
Creating a Good Villain
|
Jul 31, 2023 |
|
New and Old GM Mistakes
|
Jul 24, 2023 |
|
Making a good Ally
|
Jul 17, 2023 |
|
Plot Point Campaigns
|
Jul 03, 2023 |
|
House Rules. How and When to Use Them
|
Jun 27, 2023 |
|
Why we play the roles / classes we play
|
Jun 19, 2023 |
|
Story Items
|
Jun 12, 2023 |
|
TPK! TPK! TPK!
|
May 29, 2023 |
|
Teaching the Rules, is there a right way?
|
May 22, 2023 |
|
The new DM, Chris
|
May 15, 2023 |
|
Initiative! What is it good for?
|
May 08, 2023 |
|
Cinematic Descriptions
|
May 02, 2023 |
|
Marvel Superhero Special
|
Apr 24, 2023 |
|
Difference Between Railroad and Sandbox
|
Apr 17, 2023 |
|
Troubleshooting an Adventure
|
Apr 11, 2023 |
|
What we miss about being players
|
Apr 03, 2023 |
|
Recurring NPC's
|
Mar 29, 2023 |
|
Dave Makes a Movie
|
Mar 22, 2023 |
|
Creating a One Shot
|
Mar 13, 2023 |
|
Rotating Gm's
|
Mar 06, 2023 |
|
Keeping the Players Invested
|
Feb 27, 2023 |
|
The Balance of Encounters
|
Feb 22, 2023 |
|
The Right Reward for the Right Quest
|
Feb 13, 2023 |
|
Giving Permission
|
Feb 06, 2023 |
|
Dealing with that "Problem Player"
|
Jan 30, 2023 |
|
The Spotlight Quest
|
Jan 23, 2023 |
|
WTF is an OGL?
|
Jan 16, 2023 |
|
Gritty Realism
|
Jan 09, 2023 |
|
5 Bad Rules
|
Dec 26, 2022 |
|
Gifts for Gamers
|
Dec 19, 2022 |
|
Dave's Quiz
|
Dec 12, 2022 |
|
Infusing RP into combat encounters
|
Dec 05, 2022 |
|
Game of the Month
|
Nov 28, 2022 |
|
Spicing Up Downtime And Travel
|
Nov 21, 2022 |
|
Minis vs TotM
|
Nov 14, 2022 |
|
The Rule of Cool
|
Nov 07, 2022 |
|
All About the Players
|
Oct 31, 2022 |
|
Halloween Special
|
Oct 31, 2022 |
|
The “Transfer” between stories. Going from one bad guy to the other.
|
Oct 25, 2022 |
|
The Importance Of Creating A Character
|
Oct 17, 2022 |
|
The Most Difficult Things To Balance As A GM
|
Oct 10, 2022 |
|
Time Management And Moving The Adventure Along
|
Oct 03, 2022 |
|
Building Party Cohesion
|
Sep 26, 2022 |
|
Table Etiquette
|
Sep 19, 2022 |
|
Things You Learn GMing That Make You A Better Player
|
Sep 15, 2022 |
|
RPG Horror Story's
|
Sep 05, 2022 |
|
Make the world as alive as the characters
|
Aug 29, 2022 |
|
How to create scenarios to test the party temperament
|
Aug 22, 2022 |
|
The Apocalypse!!
|
Aug 21, 2022 |
|
Heroic Moments and Player Egos
|
Aug 01, 2022 |
|
We answer your emails
|
Jul 31, 2022 |
|
So you're new to the hobby
|
Jul 18, 2022 |
|
Mechanics & Homebrew
|
Jun 29, 2022 |
|
Player Power
|
Jun 29, 2022 |
|
All about Notes
|
Jun 29, 2022 |
|
Episode 5: Spelljammer and other new settings
|
Jun 03, 2022 |
|
Episode 4: Creating a good villain
|
May 24, 2022 |
|
Episode 3: Creating flavor through challenges
|
May 09, 2022 |
|
Episode 2: New racial modifiers in D&D
|
May 01, 2022 |
|
Episode 1: Cyberpunk
|
Apr 23, 2022 |