

The Eldritch Lorecast
Ghostfire Gaming
Ben Byrne, Dael Kingsmill, Shawn Merwin, and James Haeck bring you the latest tabletop hobby news, discussions on roleplaying game design, ideas for players and GMs, and share their passion for tabletop roleplaying games and the community!
For More info be sure to check out ghostfiregaming.com.
For More info be sure to check out ghostfiregaming.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 10, 2023 • 1h 7min
#84. D&D Beyond Misplaces Monsters for Charity!
We celebrate the release of Misplaced Monsters for a great cause, discuss what a 3rd Party D&D Beyond marketplace would look like, and explore the multiverse!
Find your Misplaced Monsters: https://www.dndbeyond.com/marketplace/sourcebooks/misplaced-monsters-volume-one
Get updates on the Aetherial Expanse: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/977277590/the-aetherial-expanse-setting-guide
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:02 - Removing an Ability Score?
09:06 - Aetherial Expanse Tease
09:53 - D&D Community Update
16:43 - D&D Beyond 3rd party marketplace
31:01 - The next creator summit
33:00 - Misplaced Monsters for Extra Life
36:48 - Jasper's Game Week (Aus Edition)
38:25 - Eberron publisher closing down
40:48 - Adventuring in a Multiverse
54:44 - GMs role in character creation

May 3, 2023 • 1h 2min
#83. Are D&D Classes System or Content?
While breaking down the latest D&D 5e playtest packet, we ponder whether classes are indeed system or content?
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
00:56 - Spell school quiz
06:53 - Are player classes system or content?
36:05 - Reviewing the D&D playtest packet 5
55:23 - Tales of the Valiant playtest packet
01:01:07 - Pathfinder 2e refresh

Apr 26, 2023 • 1h 10min
#82. Is Critical Role Finished With D&D?
We decide what should be in the new 5e DMG, before gauging our hype levels for Daggerheart and Illuminated Worlds from Darrington Press!
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Mike: SupergeekMike
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro04:24 - When to call in the Pinkertons13:54 - 2024 Dungeon Masters Guide sneak peak40:49 - Word's largest D&D game44:30 - Matt Mercer's Dimension 20 campaign49:01 - Critical Role announces their own TTRPG

Apr 19, 2023 • 1h 8min
#81. Marisha Ray And Never Giving Up!
This week Adam Carnevale ("D&D is for Nerds") gives us his best D&D puzzle ideas, we ponder the roll out of 5.5e on D&D Beyond, and celebrate Marisha Ray's amazing throw down at Creator Clash 2.
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Discover "D&D is for Nerds": https://www.sanspantsradio.com/podcasts/dd-is-for-nerds/
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Adam: @RetroArchetype
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Naming the D&D 5e rules refresh
06:11 - Rollout of the 5e rules refresh
14:47 - Future of D&D live plays post 5.5e
20:58 - Should the GM roll every dice?
29:16 - Marisha Ray at Creator Clash 2
37:57 - TTRPGs that influence our game design
50:10 - Do puzzles suck in TTRPGs?

Apr 12, 2023 • 1h 13min
#80. The D&D Creator Summit's Unmet Expectations
Teos Abadia reports from the field at the D&D Creator Summit, where tensions got a little heated as the future of 5e was revealed!
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Teos: @Alphastream
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
04:56 - D&D Creator Summit recap
06:43 - Mismatched expectations
15:40 - D&D VTT hands on
41:31 - Tales of the Valiant
43:43 - Reviewing the ORC first draft
59:30 - D&D 5e rules revision for 2024

Apr 5, 2023 • 60min
#79. Will the D&D VTT Change Tabletop Gaming?
All the news from the D&D Direct is dissected while a Ghostfire spy feeds us information from the Digital D&D Creator Summit!
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
05:07 - Honor Among Thieves review (No Spoilers!)
06:41 - D&D Direct
07:42 - Minecraft x D&D DLC
13:06 - Hasbro toy showcase
14:09 - MTG movie secret lair
16:00 - Neverwinter: Menzoberranzan
17:49 - Wizkid's mimic and baby owlbear
25:09 - D&D VTT discussion
47:54 - Upcoming WotC book releases

Mar 29, 2023 • 1h 1min
#78. Pondering our 'D&D Direct' Predictions
Timely as always, this week's episode predicts the D&D Direct event only hours before it goes live! We ponder what the core books of One D&D might look like, and the give advice to folks starting out as game designers.
Email the podcast: podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrneDael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: @ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
02:56 - Pre D&D Direct predictions
14:15 - What will One D&D core books look like?
35:20 - D&D Coffee Club
41:57 - Getting started as a game designer

Mar 22, 2023 • 57min
#77. First Look at Black Flag's Fighter & Wizard
We scrutinize the second Project: Black Flag playtest packet from Kobold Press, finally get some insight from the One D&D survey results, and ponder how a GM can 'humble' troublesome players.
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
05:25 - Black Flag playtest packet 2
30:14 - One D&D survey results
40:18 - Chaosium announce Basic Roleplaying Universal Game Engine
42:05 - Till the Last Gasp and competitive roleplaying
46:45 - "Humbling" players and campaign setbacks

Mar 15, 2023 • 1h
#76. Wine & Dine Me, Wizards of the Coast!
Some thoughts on the D&D Content Creator Summit, Wizard of the Coast's apparent strategy for the community moving forward, and how to DM climactic boss encounters! Meanwhile Ben and Dael got to see Honor Among Thieves a little early.
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Join the Valikan Clans Kickstarter: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_GHVC_2023_1_069
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
James: @jamesjhaeck
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
04:00 - Honor Among Thieves first reactions (spoiler free)
09:06 - WotC's community update
26:50 - D&D Content Creator Summit
41:37 - Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel nominated for a Nebula Award
43:06 - Valikan Clans final days on Kickstarter
46:50 - How to DM climactic boss battles in D&D

Mar 8, 2023 • 58min
#75. Did WotC just Spoil Honor Among Thieves?
'Tabletop News' producer Adam Rady joins the Lorecast to discuss the state of news and entertainment in the TTRPG industry! Also, did the characters' stats from Honor Among Thieves spoil the D&D movie?
Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com
Join the Valikan Clans Kickstarter: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_GHVC_2023_1_069
Follow Tabletop News: https://twitter.com/watchtabletop
Ben: @TheBenByrne
Dael: @DailyDael
Shawn: @shawnmerwin
Adam: @HatlessWizard
Editor: ZsDante
Topics:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - 1 Must Die: TTRPG's, card games, board games, war games?
06:00 - The new home of Tabletop News
29:00 - Titancraft miniature maker
37:00 - D&D Movie character sheets and fan theorizing
43:30 - Black Flag playtest packet 2 sneak peak
53:00 - Grim Hollow: Valikan Clans raiding