RPG Podcasts - Which Ones Are Worth A Listen?

[Olaf the Stout]

Now that I've upgraded my internet download limit I can finally start downloading podcasts on a regular basis. The question is now, which ones should I listen to?

Previously I have listed to just the WotC D&D podcast, apart from a couple of podcasts from Green Ronin and Gamer's Haven from Gen Con about a year ago.

Lately though I have found the WotC D&D podcast less interesting as I am still playing 3.5E, rather than 4E. So I want to branch out in to other podcasts.

I've had a look at charlesatan's list of podcasts but there's so many that I don't know where to start!

I listened to one of the recent Fear the Boot podcasts and thought it was ok, but they talked about things like comic books for a fair bit of the show, which was of minimal interest to me. Is that usual for their podcast? I liked the bit where they gave advice on introducing new players into the game. Even as a long time player I found their advice useful.

To give you an idea of my interests, I currently only play D&D 3.5E. I run a fortnightly campaign putting my group through the Shackled City AP. I've played other RPG's such as Feng Shui, Paranoia and other fantasy RPG's but 90% of my gaming experience would be in D&D of one edition or another. I haven't really played any other RPG (other than a one-shot) apart from D&D in the last 5 years.

I'm not really interested in comic books and although I do a bit of computer gaming, I don't have a huge interest in it.

I like getting advice about gaming. Live play podcasts are ok (I've listed to the WotC Penny Arcade podcasts and enjoyed them), but I don't know if I would want to listen to a podcast regularly that was solely live play recordings. I like hearing about gaming news as well.

My other main hobby at the moment would be Blood Bowl, a tabletop fantasy football game made by Games Workshop. I listed to 2 Blood Bowl podcasts already but I think any podcasts that included a bit of Blood Blood or tabletop wargaming along with RPG's would be ok.

So with that in mind, what podcasts would people suggest?

Olaf the Stout

 

[Henrix]

Here are my favourites. I've choosen them because they are, above all, nice and interesting:

First a couple of really good general RPG casts, veering into indie games but really about all playing and GMing. Both really recommended.

• 2d6 Feet in a Random Direction
• Canon Puncture

And here are a couple of mainly D&D casts, but not just D&D4

• Radio Free Hommlet
• The Tome Show
• Open Design Podcast (Wolfgang Baur's cast)

And a general gaming (not just RPGs) cast, with a bit of news and stuff

• The Game's The Thing

And if you'r into minis (and a little boardgames). No GW stuff, though.

• Meeples and Miniatures is very good - Neils Schuck's good naturedness always makes me feel good.

I also recommend some non-gaming podcasts -

• EscapePod
• PseudoPod (with the inimitable Alaisdair Stuart) and
• PodCastle

for well read novels (SF, horror, and fantasy, respectively).

 

[Paul_Klein]

I highly recommend Radio Free Hommlet.

 

[lrsach01]

Save or Die Radio
3.5 Private Sanctuary

 

[babomb]

I quite enjoy the WotC Penny Arcade D&D podcasts, despite my mixed feelings on 4e.

I'd also recommend Paul Tevis's ENnie-winning Have Games, Will Travel. It covers a lot of indie RPGs that I know nothing about outside of the podcast, and in most cases will probably never play, but I find a lot of what he says intriguing nonetheless. A lot of the material is applicable to RPGs in general. He also covers board games, which for me is a plus, but for you may not be.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Lately though I have found the WotC D&D podcast less interesting as I am still playing 3.5E, rather than 4E. So I want to branch out in to other podcasts.

The WotC podcast is pretty poorly produced, but it has good moments in terms of background info and the Acquisitions, Inc. podcasts.

I listened to one of the recent Fear the Boot podcasts and thought it was ok, but they talked about things like comic books for a fair bit of the show, which was of minimal interest to me. Is that usual for their podcast? I liked the bit where they gave advice on introducing new players into the game. Even as a long time player I found their advice useful.

Fear the Boot tends to have a banter topic (which is why they talked comics) at the front, then they get into the RPG topic(s). A great podcast for general RPG advice for any RPG.

Someone already mentioned the Tome Show, which is a good in-depth look at various RPG products. Again, though, the production values could be a bit better (audio levels need to be evened out, and they need to cut out the pauses).

RPG Countdown is a lot of fun. Think Casey Kasem's American Top 40 for RPGs.

 

[Pseudopsyche]

I highly recommend Radio Free Hommlet.

I would recommend Radio Free Hommlet to 4E players largely interested in discussion of WotC crunch, from a somewhat power-gaming perspective. They have recently added some system-neutral segments on world-building, though.

 

[Pseudopsyche]

Consider the Open Design podcast, brought to you by Wolfgang Baur and which features regular features by Skip Williams and Monte Cook. It's very DM-oriented, but not explicitly specific to any edition or even to D&D. I would say that a preponderance of the content is OGL, however. In case it matters to you, note that the podcast does tie into (promote?) products such as Kobold Quarterly and Open Design.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

There's an Open Design podcast? Cool, I didn't know that. As a previous patron to Kingdom of the Ghouls I think that it would be worth a listen.

I'll try out a couple of the other podcasts suggested as well.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Rechan]

At the same time I'm wondering what good 4e podcasts are out there (outside of the Penny Arcade ones).