The Best DND Podcasts

Summary

• Discover how D&D lore and mechanics intertwine in podcasts like The Dungeoncast.
• Get a dose of comedy and absurdity with Rude Tales of Magic’s unique storytelling.
• Keep up with DM tips, news, and reviews on podcasts like The Lazy RPG for your next session.

Sometimes, just playing D&D isn’t enough: you need every waking moment of your existence to revolve around Dungeons & Dragons. Other times, the stars just don’t align for a game of your own, and you need to live vicariously through others. Either way, it’s easy to understand the appeal of D&D podcasts.

It’s no secret that the podcast market is oversatuated with actual plays, so we’ve narrowed it down to some of the most entertaining campaigns we’ve found. We’ve also included a few podcasts that aren’t actual plays, such as reviews and lore discussion. Here are some of the best D&D podcasts worth listening to.

Updated January 17, 2025 by Rowan Cardosa: There’s a few great D&D podcasts we missed last time, so we’ve added them to the list. A few of the podcasts that were mentioned last time also finished their run, so we’ve added notes where appropriate on any completed podcasts.

14

The Dungeoncast

Shoutout To Demogorgon

The Dungeoncast discusses the lore and mechanics behind pretty much everything in D&D, from meddling mephits to ancient artifacts. The first half of each episode has our hosts covering the lore of the episode’s subject as it’s appeared through the different editions, while the second half has them discussing the game mechanics behind the story. They’ve also briefly touched on D&D’s newest edition along with other TTRPG systems.

This premise seems simple enough, but it’s amazing how much the scope of the podcast has grown since its inception. At this point, it’s hard to find an entry in the Monster Manual that hasn’t been covered in one of The Dungeoncast’s many episodes. Just about every class has also been covered, with the different planes and characters in D&D lore also getting the occasional mention.

Currently, The Dungeoncast has ended its run. However, all the episodes are still available for listening.

13

Dungeons And Daddies

The Daddiest Podcast On This List

Imagine this: you’re taking your son to soccer practice. Suddenly, you find yourself sucked into a world full of fantasy and adventure, and your son is missing. This is the reality faced by the cast of Dungeons and Daddies, one of the few isekai campaigns we’ve seen in the world of actual play podcasts.

Unfortunately, things haven’t quite worked out entirely in the world’s favor by the time the first campaign draws to a close. Season 2 of Dungeons and Daddies follows the story of the first group’s grandkids, who are tasked with fixing the world their grandfathers messed up. Season 3, The Peachyville Horror, is ongoing and takes place in 1950s America.

12

The Lazy RPG Podcast

From Creators Sly Flourish

• Type of Podcast: News, reviews, & discussion of DMing techniques
• Website: Podbean

Nearly every DM has the experience of coming home from an exhausting day of work or errands and realizing they’re supposed to run a D&D session later that night. It’s not easy to run a game on little prep time, but The Lazy RPG is a podcast that aims to make your job a little easier.

Sly Flourish has been in the TTRPG business for years, specializing in helping DMs improv their way to greatness. If you’re not in dire need of assistance, there’s also D&D news and reviews to help keep you updated on the latest developments in tabletop gaming.

11

Dimension 20

The Hit Stream, Now In Audio Form!

• Type of Podcast: Actual Play
• Website: Dropout

Dimension 20 is easily one of the most popular D&D streams right now, but tuning in to a stream (or even just watching the VODs) can be difficult to schedule around. Luckily, Dropout also releases episodes of Dimension 20 in pure audio form, enabling you to take the series with you on the go. It’s not as if you weren’t leaving the stream open in another tab while doing something else, anyway.

With over 20 seasons of Dimension 20, picking an entry point can be intimidating, but we have a few recommendations. The Unsleeping City is an urban fantasy campaign set in New York City, A Crown of Candy gives you Game of Thrones-style intrigue set in a Candyland-esque setting, and Dungeons and Drag Queens is great if you want just a little more sparkle in your life.

10

Three Black Halflings

Roll For Melanin

• Type of Podcast: A little bit of everything
• Website: Headgum

Three Black Halflings is a lighthearted D&D podcast that has something for everyone. In one episode, the hosts (our halflings) might treat us to a oneshot. In others, they’ll be intervewing one of your favorite content creators. Others still will have the halflings discussing the latest developments in the gaming world, from reviews of new book releases to roasting people for their atrocious takes.

Recently, the halflings have moved to having some high-profile TTRPG creators on their show, such as Connie Chang, Travis McElroy, and Ginny Di. They’re one of the most insightful and refreshing podcasts out there if you’re looking for new perspectives on all your favorite games. If you want to find hidden gems while also getting a critical look at the latest projects, this is the podcast for you.

9

The Adventure Zone

Balance, Ethersea And Dracula Arcs

The McElroy Brothers of ‘My Brother, My Brother and Me’ fame have their fingers in a lot of pies. As part of their podcast empire, The Adventure Zone is one of the most notable actual plays out there. Each arc has a different brother DMing as the others (and their dad) play through a variety of weird and wonderful worlds.

Perhaps the best starting point for those looking for 5e actual plays is the Balance arc, which is the podcast’s most iconic season. There’s also Ethersea, which provides some of the most interesting worldbuilding in the podcast. The Dracula arc is currently ongoing, and it offers pretty much exactly what it says on the tin (Dracula and all your favorite Monster Mash ghoulies).

8

Critical Role

You’ve Probably Heard Of This One

Critical Role is easily the most popular actual play on the planet, to the point where the ‘Matt Mercer effect’ is named after its DM. Like Dimension 20, Critical Role has all of its episodes available in audio form. Now you can listen to everyone’s favorite D&D stream while cleaning the house, commuting to work, and any other situation where visuals just aren’t an option.

The first campaign is iconic in itself, regaling us with the adventures of the adventuring party Vox Machina. We recommend the second campaign as a starting point, but if you’re not interested in checking out the exploits of the Mighty Nein, then the third campaign is good too. There’s also an animated series based on the first campaign to watch when you’re done listening to all the episodes.

7

Mastering Dungeons

D&D From A Variety Of Perspectives

• Type of Podcast: News, reviews, and advice.
• Website: Podbean

Dungeons & Dragons is a game that’s experienced through many points of view. There’s the dungeon master, who’s trying to make a fun experience for everyone. There are players, for whom there could not be a game without. But there are also countless content creators, adventure writers, artists, and other creatives giving this hobby their all.

Mastering Dungeons covers just about every possible perspective it can, from product reviews to news of Hasbro’s most recent misdeeds. It’s a great podcast if you want to keep abreast of news regarding D&D as well as the greater TTRPG industry, as well as other subjects of interest pertaining to the hobby.

6

Rude Tales Of Magic

“It’s Me! The Gravefreaker!”

While there are plenty of comedic actual plays out there, none of them have quite the same frightening absurdity that comic artist and all-around weirdo Branson Reese brings to the table. With a complete disregard for the fundamentals of worldbuilding and some of the weirdest NPC names you’ve probably seen, Rude Tales is a great podcast if you want something wild.

Two campaigns, ‘Class Dismissed’ and ‘Weird Times in Piss Harbor’, have already concluded, but the crew’s Underdark campaign ‘Nethermurk’ is currently ongoing. Unlike the previous campaigns, it’s co-DMed by Christopher Hastings and Branson Reese. That being said, we recommend the mini-adventure ‘Come At the King’ as an entry point to see if this series is for you.

5

Not Another D&D Podcast

It Is, In Fact, Another D&D Podcast

Not Another D&D Podcast is one of the biggest D&D podcasts out there, and it’s certainly got an impressive cast of characters. DMed by former College Humor personality Brian ‘Murph’ Murphy, Not Another D&D Podcast follows the adventures of Jake Hurwitz, Caldwell Tanner, and Emily Axford.

The podcast has five campaigns under its belt, with Ba-Two-Mia being its most recent. There are also several oneshots, bonus episodes, and side adventures, so give those a try if you want to get into the podcast but aren’t sure if you’re ready for the commitment.

4

Greetings Adventurers

Formerly ‘Drunks & Dragons’

• Type of Podcast: Actual Play
• Website: Geekly

Greetings, Adventurers is one of the longest-running D&D podcasts, having released in 2012 (a full two years before the debut of D&D Fifth Edition). Over that time, they’ve rebranded from Drunks & Dragons and grown from their gimmicky past into serious storytellers.

New episodes drop weekly, which is impressive given the lengthy run of the show. There have been two campaigns since the podcast’s rebrand, with the second still ongoing. The podcast also releases occasional recaps, so don’t feel bad if life happens and you miss a few episodes

3

The Slaywrights

The Epic Tale Of Five Thirtysomethings

Back in the days of 2018 and 2019, it seemed like just about everyone was starting their own actual play. However, this is an effort easier said than done, and people quickly realized that performing for an audience is very different than playing a game with your friends.

Enter the Slaywrights, cast of one heck of a hidden podcast gem. What sets this podcast apart from other amateur shows is the amount of experience behind every player, as well as a willingness to roll with the punches and forget about taking themselves too seriously.

2

Worlds Beyond Number

Featuring Some Familiar Faces

Brennan Lee Mulligan is a big name in the tabletop podcast space, mostly known for his work on Dimension 20. However, this isn’t the only podcast he’s in: in Worlds Beyond Number, he teams up with Erika Ishii to provide listeners with another unique D&D experience.

Instead of long campaigns, Worlds Beyond Number follows either one-shots or short adventures that span a handful of episodes. While Mulligan has DMed the majority of episodes so far, Ishii was the DM for the podcast’s latest adventure.

1

Monster In My Podcast

AD&D Has Always Been Weird

The older Monster Manuals were full of regrettable entries, filled with useless filler text and lore that aged like milk. While that’s not great for dungeon masters, it’s absolutely fantastic for comedy. Monster In My Podcast might have ended, but the episodes are still available for your listening pleasure.

In each episode, hosts Gary Butterfield and Kole Ross cover a different monster from monster manuals of the past. They make fun of the various tropes that have been overused through the years, as well as some of the weirder takes TSR has had in the past.