PODCAST · leisure
Like Dragon Like Son
by Jay and Jack Oatway
Father and son team, Jay and Jack Oatway, bring together two generations of Dungeons and Dragons experience. They discuss fun, offbeat ways to bring more to the table. From how to create characters that challenge expectations, to building a more well-rounded campaign: tune in for fresh perspectives for players and DMs, whether you are new to the game, or are a seasoned veteran.
Episodes
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What It Is Like To Play D&D In A Castle for Four Straight Days
Welcome back to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. We have come out of retirement for a very special update: Jack interviews Jay about his recent experiences from playing the fabled D&D in…
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Riding Into the Sunset
With Jack heading off to university, this will be the last episode of Like Dragon Like Son for the foreseeable future. This podcast has provide an opportunity for us to grow as players and as GMs -- and share our growth with you. We hope you've enjoyed the journey. Before we go, we leave you with…
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Changing the Way We Build Characters
If you are like us, you've probably built more characters than you will ever play. But what if you had to play a character to build them? The idea is that as a 0 level character, you play in a short mini-campaign that showcases an influential time in your character's life that shaped who they…
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What We Can Steal From The D&D Movie
Spoiler Alert: We are discussing our take-aways from the new D&D movie, Honor Among Thieves. We talk about rule of cool, druid abilities, and how those red wizards are probably part of some grand plan that's been in the works since the dawn of 5th edition. So grab your popcorn -- we're going to…
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Rock The Clock Mechanic: Going Beyond The Timer
Using a clock or counter system can dramatically overhaul how encounters play out. They can introduce a puzzle-like complexity, and increase the number of ways to win besides just doing damage. And they can add a dynamism to the active evolving world of your campaign setting. If you need some…
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True Magic: How to Make Spellcasting Work Like It Does In The Movies
We've all seen spells explode on the big screen and thought, "I want my character to be able to do that!" Then gone looking in the Player's Handbook only to find the closest thing to it is some 3rd level spell with a ridiculous number of restrictions. The World's Greatest RPG shouldn't be so...
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How To Make Players More Invested
Ever get the feeling that, as a DM, the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders alone? That your players just show up expecting to be entertained? That there is a lot of pressure on you to look after everyone's feelings? But then who is looking after you? Join us as we look into how to…
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Why Wall Spells Kinda Suck, But You Should Use Them More Often
Join us as we knock down the barriers to wall spells. Sure they can be tricky to figure out, difficult to place, and sometimes feel underwhelming -- but with a bit of creative thinking, they can do a lot more than you think. From making bathtubs to microwaving bad guys, listen in as we go...
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Changing the Way We Play
This episode began as a sneak peek into the upcoming Dragonlance release for 5e. We started talking about how the Squire of Solomnia feat looked like what we have been seeing in the One D&D playtest material around feats. And then, unexpectedly, we started talking about the important ways the…
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How To Tell Haunting Tales
Ghost stories are always fun to play -- especially around Halloween. Ghost hold a special status among D&D monsters. They aren't just sacks of HP that need to be smashed with an axe. They are creatures with unsettled business that requires deeper player involvement in order to truly vanquish the...
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How Good Is Rolling With Advantage?
Everyone loves rolling dice. And rolling twice seems even more fun! But how does that really change your odds of success and by how much? The answer might surprise you. Rolling with advantage is more than a simple +5, it radically alters the likelihood of success. This week we dig into the...
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Brewing Better Healing Potions
Does a little bottle of 2d4+2 seem a bit boring? Want to add a bit more buff to the healing drinks that you or your players concoct? Then this episode is for you. Grab your herbalism kit, your brewers supplies, cook's utensils, or alchemy set -- we are going to make healing tonics that take your...
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Weighing the Future of D&D
After the announcement of One D&D, a new Unearthed Arcana has been released, this time showcasing how 5E character building will evolve. We evaluate the races, backgrounds and feats that will be the core of D&D's future. Join us as we fill out the survey! We encourage you to also fill out the...
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Is Spelljammer a Bit of a Thin Update?
As much as we love all things D&D, there are moments when we stop and ask: "Is that all you are giving me?" As experienced DMs we do a lot of homebrew, but that's not the case for everyone. And there is something nice about having a ruleset that is standardized between tables. So when we are...
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How To World Build Together
Collective storytelling can begin long before everyone sits down to play at the table. Join us as Jack walks us through his homebrew setting, Blightheim, a dark gothic setting in which all the classes have been rebuilt for the setting -- and for the characters. Learn the secrets to make your own...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 8
We have arrived! Our celebration of our 100th episode milestone culimates with the final 10 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! While not neccessarily the top 10 (who could pick just 10) these are definetly 10 BIG things. Join us as we discuss advanced actions and reaction, adding diversity to…
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 7
Celbrating 100 episodes of Like Dragon Like Son, the Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown closes in on number 1! This week we are counting down from 20-11. Join us as we talk about how to make sure you are playing your best game ever. From better feats to player handouts, from...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 6
Like an ever smoking bottle, our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown just keeps going! From 31-21, we start putting a bit more of the "Advanced" into D&D, and recommend you give it a try: playing with encumbrance, rules for moving diagonally, 20th level boss fights, using…
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 5
The summer celebration of our 100 episode milestone continues! Join us as we count down 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we focus on an area that sparked this podcast: building unusual characters. From 45-32 on our list, we will look at many of the different ways you can play...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 4
To celebrate our 100 episode milestone, we are counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 59-45. Join us as we discuss hot tips on adding pets to the party, marrying NPCs, making your own crafting system, using XP, and even playing other RPGs...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 3
The Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die countdown continues in celbration of 100 episodes of Like Dragon Like Son! This week we are counting down from 73-60. Join us as we discuss hot tips on customizing character sheets, playing with different party sizes, watching Critical Role, and...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 2
We continue our celebration of our 100th episode milestone by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 89-74. Join us as we discuss hot tips on homebrewing monsters (and the weapons to kill them), hosting a player-vs-player battle, fighting...
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101 Things to Do In D&D Before You Die: Part 1
We've reached the 100 episode milestone and are celebrating by counting down our Top 101 Things to Do in D&D Before You Die! This week we are counting down from 101-90. Join us as we discuss hot tips on playing campaigns all the way to the end, building worlds from scratch, introducing new…
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Don't Let Combat Become a Boring Math Problem
We look at a number of ways to spice up your combat, from streamlining play so players get to act more frequently, to adding just the right type of crunchy table rules to provide extra excitement. Join us as we discuss the best ways to strike a balance between speeding up combat rounds, and…
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Saying Goodbye to Old D&D Rules
As the fifth edition of D&D continues to evolve (can we say that it's 5.5e, yet?), we see two books being "de-listed" on DnDBeyond this week: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, and Volo's Guide to Monsters. And while it's clear that some of what these books offered now feel out of date, what we loved...
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Back to Class! Armor Class...
This week we discuss everything Armor Class. From how to calculate the old THAC0 to the bounded accuracy of 5E's system. We dive into the spells, feats, and races that can boost AC. And we take cover and dodge around to find more ways to keep from getting hit -- we even come up with a way to…
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How to Improve Your Conditions
Conditions are a fundamental component to D&D, but are often misunderstood, or poorly applied. We discuss better ways to use everything from grappling to poisoned, from incapacitated to invisible -- and we even offer a couple of new conditions. Don't be stunned by our unrestrained conversation…
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What is Spelljammer?
We take a look into the newest announcement of D&D settings: Spelljammer. While we don't yet know all the details of how 5e will be different from 2e (the last time we saw official Spelljammer content) there are a few things we do know. Join us as we unpack this setting and look at some of its…
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Beyond Oathbreaker: Making Edgy Paladins
Sometimes we get misled by the name of a subclass, and probably none more so than Oathbreaker. We discuss where this unusual subclass comes from, the weird quirks it offers, and how to build something better. We also clear up the old javelin vs. spear debate (and why your Paladin might want to...
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Adventures at Sea
From the decks of a ship to the bottom of the ocean, nothing says adventure like the life at sea. This week we look at ways that players and DMs can create characters and environments well adapted to water-borne combat. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway…
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What Lurks Below? A Look at Aberrations, Old and New
With the release of the adventure, Call of the Netherdeep, D&D has a few new aberrations to check out. Generally as a cohort of creatures, Aberrations probably don't get looked at as much as Dragons, Giants, Fey or Fiends. But there is plenty of interesting ideas for unusual settings, or strange...
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Great Teachers: 4 Types of NPCs that Can Help a Party Improve
Good DMs tell their players how to improve, but GREAT DMs use NPCs to show their PCs how to live up to their true heroic potential. But there are many NPC pitfalls to avoid. This week we look at a few different types of NPCs that can change the dynamic, and maybe help the PCs in a less obvious…
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How to Make Character Death Meaningful
Death can be a real bummer -- especially if you didn't see it coming. While it has always been a part of the D&D experience, how you handle that experience as a DM or a player can be the difference between tears or cheers. Join us as we explore how to make death meaningful to players and the...
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The Joys of World Building
One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a DM can be the time you spend creating a world for your players to adventure within. For those considering building a setting for a campaign, or even those who have done this before but want to up their game, we offer enthusiastic words of advice from…
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Bigger on the Inside: A Guide to Extradimensional Space
Ever needed to carry more stuff than your strength allows? Looking for a place to hide your party for an hour? Maybe your need to imprison a dozen of your enemies? Or store 27,000 cubic feet of gold coin? Whatever your storage needs, we've got you covered this week with our guide to...
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Spice Up Your Combat Encounters
Sometimes we find ourselves grinding through battles only to reduce our foes to zero hit points -- and frankly, that can get a bit boring. So this week we look at different ways you as either DM or player, can spice up combat by re-focusing the combat objectives away from simply killing…
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What to do if you give out too much treasure
Sometimes as DMs we tend to over do it. And when it comes to treasure, it's easy to shovel out mountains of gold. But then what do you expect players to do with it? What if they start spending it in ways that de-rails the game? This week we look at some creative options for reducing player…
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Season's Greetings: How to Give the Perfect Artifact
'Twas the night before Mid-Winter Fest and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a Brigganock. Join us for our annual look at the magic items we hope to see under the tree this year -- with a special focus this season on the best items in the game: Artifacts! Jack discusses...
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New Feats, Background Feats, Epic Feats and More Feats
There are so many interesting feats that you will never get to play. Well you could, if you didn't value an ability score bump more. So here's our hot take: with more and more feats being introduced into the game, why not let everyone take one or even two more just to round out their character?...
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How To Bring a Campaign to Its End
If you are really lucky, maybe you will get a chance to play a long campaign with the same group of players over months, maybe even years. Through countless adventures, the PCs have become seasoned heroes, and now they must face one last challenge: how to say goodbye. This week we look at what...
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Be the Support Hero Your Party Needs
While many players try to optimize their damage output, we find ourselves asking: How do we optimize our support output? It's not as glamorous to take the help action, or dodge action on your turn -- but if done well, and combined with a few object interactions, you might soon find yourself...
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How To Create Your Own Amazing Dragon
Having spent some time digesting Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, we set out to put the book to the test: cooking up our very own Brass Dragon. We show you how to roll up the characteristics and features that quickly lead not just to a unique boss monster, but to an enticing NPC that a whole…
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Revised Monk: Beyond the Flurry of Blows
We believe that class design should be about archetypes not stereotypes. Currently, however, all monks kind of look the same, and it takes real effort to style them into something less obvious. That means taking a step back and looking at the whole class differently, and in particular how to use…
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Top 10 Scary Monsters for Your Halloween Adventure
It's that time of year when we launch our adventurers into the realm of horror to confront the creatures that we love -- love to scare them with at Halloween that is! Join us as we count down our favorite fright night beasts of the season. Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay...
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Excited for Campaign 3: Is it Thursday Yet?
Bidet, fellow critters! We are super excited about the new season of Critical Role that begins today. And in anticipation, we have gone and had a look at Marquet, the continent on which the campaign is set. As well as looking back on some of the exciting contributions that Critical Role has made…
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To Infinity and Beyond: New Science Fantasy Races
This week we take a journey beyond our Crystal Sphere, out into the multiverse -- bolding exploring new races being playtest in the latest Unearthed Arcana release. Join us for Giff, Plazmoids, Autognomes and more! We look at our favourites among the stars, and discuss what the realease of the...
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Into the Fey: Domains of Delight
With the recent release of new Feywild source books, we look at the highlights that we love about this new dimension of D&D. We dig into new races, new monsters, new magic items -- and a new way to build a fey campaign setting that is very similar to how the Domains of Dread were laid out in Van...
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Finding You Own Feywild
With the new Feywild camapign setting just around the corner, we look at some of the existing mythology of the Feywild, of the Seelie Court and the Gloaming Court, of the Archfey who make up each court, and of the popular culture (and folklore) you can draw upon to make this your own setting…
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Character Origins: Which D&D Race is Best?
So, you've decided to make a new character. Though you might be tempted by the simplicity and comfort of human, we encourage you to take a look at all of the possibilities out there in the Forgotten Realms (and beyond!). This week, we discuss which race gives you the best setup for early game...
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The Best Way For Characters To Gain Levels
The age old question: is it better to award XP, or to gain levels at set milestones? Is there a way to do it so that it doesn't go too fast? Or too slow? To encourage richer style of play, or encourage better attendance at the table? These are the carrots of progress the DM must weigh, and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Father and son team, Jay and Jack Oatway, bring together two generations of Dungeons and Dragons experience. They discuss fun, offbeat ways to bring more to the table. From how to create characters that challenge expectations, to building a more well-rounded campaign: tune in for fresh perspectives for players and DMs, whether you are new to the game, or are a seasoned veteran.
HOSTED BY
Jay and Jack Oatway
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Like Dragon Like Son have?
Like Dragon Like Son currently has 123 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Like Dragon Like Son about?
Father and son team, Jay and Jack Oatway, bring together two generations of Dungeons and Dragons experience. They discuss fun, offbeat ways to bring more to the table. From how to create characters that challenge expectations, to building a more well-rounded campaign: tune in for fresh perspectives...
How often does Like Dragon Like Son release new episodes?
Like Dragon Like Son publishes regularly with 123 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Like Dragon Like Son?
You can listen to Like Dragon Like Son on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Like Dragon Like Son?
Like Dragon Like Son is created and hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway.
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