The biggest D&D news podcast welcomes their newest Co-Host! Critical Role plans for their future while WotC is yet to reveal any D&D books for 2026.
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @dailydael
Todd: @ToddKenreck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @jberrt
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
03:34 - Todd Kenreck's new job!
05:45 - D&D's plans in 2026
13:03 - Stranger Things S5 (spoilers)
17:46 - Future of Critical Role
32:45 - Adhoc and Crit Role video game
36:00 - Industry passings
37:09 - Stat Block integrity
The Eldritch Lorecast says another sad farewell! We try deciphering our own Spotify wrapped while pondering whether systems of magic inherently make it impossible to balance a TTRPG, and is that a bad thing?
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @dailydael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: Danny Camilleri
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
04:23 - Lorecast's terrible analytics
20:51- Another sad farewell
24:03 - Systems of magic
34:25 - Balancing spellcasters
46:06 - Is balancing the party important?
56:16 - Favorite poems
What was the BEST game released in 2025? What stories reshaped the TTRPG industry? The Eldritch Lorecast celebrates another year of D&D and tabletop gaming with the Elly Awards!
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @dailydael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @jberrt
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:23 - Biggest news of 2025
12:01- Best TTRPG release
16:56 - Best TTRPG related release
22:59 - Best Con of 2025
27:46 - Guests of the year
30:01 - A sad farewell
35:04 - New Years resolutions
45:29 - Best Lorecast moments 2025
Paying your DM can change the dynamic at your D&D table, but do paid dungeon masters ruin the TTRPG hobby for everyone? Meanwhile, WotC makes a pact for the next D&D video game: Warlock!
LAST CHANCE to Late Pledge to Grim Hollow: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ghostfiregaming/grim-hollow?ref=5z40qv
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @jberrt
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Divinity trailer
04:24 - Warlock D&D game
19:43 - Jason Carl departs White Wolf
24:30 - New head of D&D!
26:59 - Holiday stream schedule
28:55 - Finding regular players
40:54 - Paid GMing
The Cosmere RPG set the record for TTRPG crowdfunding and then vanished? So where did it go? Meanwhile D&D Beyond plans for the future and why is Jubensha the best roleplaying game you've never heard of?
Enter the Enchanting Emporiums with 30% off (use EE30): https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_ELEE_2025_12_219 People Make Games Jubensha documentary: https://youtu.be/6_dlxbGUNNQ?si
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Brooks: @brookstho
Editor: Jess Berthelsen-Murray
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:50 - Is Cosmere over already?
14:46 - Jubensha (scripted murder)
28:43 - An Italian 5e adventure
31:40 - Future for D&D Beyond
39:38 - Enchanting Emporiums
43:09 - Evil Hat Production pitches
45:05 - Make 5e combat challenging
D&D sales figures expose the REAL popularity of 5e 2024, we're give our gift giving guide for the TTRPG fan in your life, and discuss how to bring adventure campaigns to that satisfying conclusion!
Transform your wardrobe at the Ghostfire merch store: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_Store_2025_11_204
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:13 - TTRPG gift guide
05:09 - D&D sales lies!
19:02 - Restarting a Campaign after hiatus
30:28 - Satisfying campaign endings
Has Daggerheart conquered Pathfinder as the #2 most popular TTRPG? Is D&D 5e next on the chopping block? Or is the success of Darrington Press all smoke & mirrors?
FINAL WEEK of Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart - https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DKDH_2025_10_210
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Adam: @RetroArchetype
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:45 - 2nd most popular TTRPG?
09:03 - Is Daggerheart new #2?
18:09 - Daggerheart: Hope & Fear
22:21 - Daggerheart adventure module
25:21 - Ed Greenwood rewrites Forgotten Realms
28:44 - TTRPG player skill types
42:24 - Skill challenges (that actually work!)
The Mighty Nein animated show gets pulled from YouTube ahead of it's Amazon release! The D&D Netflix series could be in trouble, and is there a difference between game crunch and 'control', and which camp do 5e, Daggerheart or Draw Steel fall into?
Transform your wardrobe at the Ghostfire merch store: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_Store_2025_11_204
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Too many stat blocks?
08:17 - Mighty Nein animated series
12:11 - D&D Netflix
22:01 - Forgotten Realms books delay
23:10 - D&D Nexus rebrand
29:30 - Kickstarter strike ends
31:08 - Ghostfire Gaming merch
33:30 - rules crunch & control
49:18 - System agnostic adventures
Hero Forge divides fans with a licensing agreement, the Fantasy Grounds VTT goes Free-to-Play, and should D&D bring Prestige Classes back to 5e 2024?
Check out the Ghostfire merch store: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_Store_2025_11_204
Delve into the Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart - https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DKDH_2025_10_210
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Evil player-characters
08:40 - Dark Sun?
11:03 - Moonbeam wanes
19:43 - Hero Forge controversy!
37:48 - Fantasy Grounds goes FTP
42:36 - Prestige classes in 5e 2024
Daggerheart launches its first adventure module Kickstarter set in the eldritch city of Drakkenheim! The Blood Hunter also finds its way into Daggerheart while D&D revives Xanathar's subclasses through Unearthed Arcana.
Delve into the Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart - https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DKDH_2025_10_210
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Min/Maxing combos
06:32 - Daggerheart's first adventure
16:43 - Blood Hunter in Daggerheart
21:38 - Unearth Arcana: Subclasses
38:17 - D&D's new T&C's
45:32 - Tariff relief?
46:42 - Making Con adventures fun
Sigil has failed its final death save! Is D&D Beyond Maps a good enough replacement? Dragonlance gets resurrected, 5e 2024 could be the most successful edition yet, and what level should you start your campaign?
Delve into the Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart - https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DKDH_2025_10_210
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:20 - Games of paranoia
05:27 - Critical Role goes mainstreamer
09:03 - Daylight savings
09:47 - Sigil laid to rest
15:09 - Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart
17:32 - Dragonlance returns?
26:34 - 5e 2024 is D&D's fastest seller
30:56 - Best D&D starting level?
48:39 - Narrative leveling
D&D 5e makes magic a group activity with new Circle Casting, Critical Role pushes actual play further as a performance art, and we debate whether a TTRPG is a Shared Story or an Interactive Narrative.
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
03:17 - D&D's new circle casting
14:10 - Critical Role pushes the industry
23:48 - Passing of Rob Wieland
24:33 - Tariff warning
25:49 - Shared storytelling vs Interactive narrative
How is a D&D Liveplay different from your home game? Diana Fay and Adam Carnevale help explain what makes a TTRPG Liveplay good! Also, should you tinker with 5e monster rules? How do you play test your own homebrew? Do we need to evacuate?
Check out 'Elder Gods And Dragons' & Scryglass Studio: https://www.egnd.com.au/
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Adam: @RetroArchetype
Diana: @DianaOfTheRose
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:05 - DON'T start a liveplay
10:34 - Scryglass Studio
11:15 - PAX Aus recap
17:03 - Critical Role cartoon updates
22:00 - Players surprising GM's
29:31 - Should you homebrew monsters?
38:01 - Evacuation!
42:44 - How to playtest homebrew
58:51 - Changing D&D's cosmology
Darrington Press attracts HUGE 3rd party talent like the Dungeon Dudes, who announce Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart. The Mighty Nein on Amazon gets a launch date, WotC want MOAR D&D video games, and a new 5e 2024 Psion drops in Unearthed Arcana.
Delve into the Dungeons of Drakkenheim: Daggerheart - https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DKDH_2025_10_210
Sign up to play at PAX Aus: https://ghostfiregaming.odoo.com/events
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
James: @jamesjhaeck
Monty: @montycmartin
Kelly: @kaiinreallife
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:18 - Writing TTRPG worlds
10:56 - Daggerheart in Drakkenheim!
27:00 - Mighty Nein launch date
38:57 - PAX Aus & Gamehole Con
41:12 - MORE D&D video games
43:00 - Kickstarter United strike
44:32 - Unearthed Arcana: Psion
Do the Fey of Lorwyn fit into the Forgotten Realms? Is there a better MtG crossover for 5e 2024? The Grim Hollow Campaign Guide erupts onto D&D Beyond, Stranger Things gets a new box set, and we ponder what power is in a True Name?
Get the Grim Hollow Campaign Guide on D&D Beyond! https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_GHPG_2025_2_204
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
LaTia: @latiajacquise
Adam: @retroarchetype
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:04 - Dream MtG crossovers
09:29 - Lorwyn First Light
24:52 - Grim Hollow Campaign Guide
32:42 - D&D Beyond updates
38:19 - D&D Starter Set
42:44 - Stranger Things Box Set
46:26 - True Names of the fey
Is Unearthed Arcana becoming a problem for WotC? Has 5e 2024 finally gotten the Arcane Archer right? Which D&D edition is the most expensive? What are your thoughts on homebrew?
RACE to get Torque Borg by clicking THIS LINK! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/977140613/torque-borg-a-wasteland-rpg?ref=1fwvx3
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Reasons to play TTRPG's
06:29 - Unearthed Arcana (again!)
18:19 - Torque Borg
22:48 - Most expensive D&D edition?
33:04 - TTRPG in the EU retail market
39:57 - Thoughts on homebrew?
What are the best adventures for introducing new players to D&D 5e? Does the new Starter Set, Heroes of the Borderlands, truly have it all?
UNLOCK the Dark Fantasy Construction Kit from Arkenforge: https://bit.ly/Darkenforge
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
07:34 - D&D's new Starter Set
17:45 - Dark fantasy construction kit
21:32 - Witcher Watch
23:26 - Do evil gods matter?
40:58 - Should GMs help players?
48:28 - Breaking in as a freelancer
Wizards of the Coast chart their future D&D plans as a franchise, we explore whether a TTRPG should be balanced or fun, and there's IMPORTANT late-breaking Critical Role news!
LAST CHANCE to Set Sail on the Aetherial Expanse: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_AEDG_2025_7_933Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
03:53 - Aetherial Expanse ENDING soon!
07:54 - Critical Role play with puppies
08:44 - WotC plans for the future
23:29 - Is AI actually the future?
33:37 - Adventures with TOO MANY choices
43:25 - Does game balance matter?
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