Mystery Train – Making Magic Into Technology in D&D 5e

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1. 

   E182 · 15 Feb 2026 · 59 min

   The Magic Man – Building a D&D 5e Wizard in Boomtown

   We continue to build upon Boomtown - our real-time worldbuilding experiment - armed with the comments of our listeners. Having been playing through the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, we’ve experienced firsthand how alterations to the classes available for players really helps to lend a unique and immersive quality to the campaign setting – setting it apart from all others. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss the class that is most effected by the inciting incident of Boomtown – namely, that arcane magic is derived from ancient technology being recovered in the…

2. 

   E181 · 1 Feb 2026 · 58 min

   Prophets of Doom – Reworking the D&D Cleric for Boomtown

   We continue to build upon Boomtown - our real-time worldbuilding experiment - armed with the comments of our listeners. Having been playing through the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game , we’ve experienced firsthand how alterations to the classes available for players really helps to lend a unique and immersive quality to the campaign setting – setting it apart from all others. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss Clerics in a world where all the magic that is known seems to be technologically-based. We take them from 1st to 3rd level and, along the way, discuss the…

3. 

   E180 · 18 Jan 2026 · 58 min

   A Thief in the Night: Building a D&D 5e Rogue in Boomtown

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. Having been playing through the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game , we’ve experienced firsthand how alterations to the classes available for players really helps to lend a unique and immersive quality to the campaign setting – setting it apart from all others. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss what a Rogue would look like in our Boomtown campaign setting. We take him from 1st to 3rd level and, along the way, discuss the changes that reflect our…

4. 

   E179 · 21 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

   The Gunslinger: Building a D&D Fighter in Boomtown

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. Having been playing through the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game , we’ve experienced firsthand how alterations to the classes available for players really helps to lend a unique and immersive quality to the campaign setting – setting it apart from all others. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to build the most classic D&D class, the Fighter, in our Boomtown campaign setting. We take him from 1st to 3rd level and, along the way, discuss the changes that…

5. 

   E178 · 7 Dec 2025 · 49 min

   Crafting Your Unique Realm: Build the Best Factions in D&D

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. One of the best things you can build for your campaign to feel real and immersive is by creating factions. Groups and organizations that have their own motives and goals that are distinct from the players. This creates inciting incidents, backstory fodder, and moving parts that conflict with the characters and create impetus for adventure. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave finally begin discussing the biggest faction, and the inciting incident for the Boomtown setting,…

6. 

   E176 · 9 Nov 2025 · 48 min

   This Old Town: Craft A Captivating Starting Town For Your D&D Adventure!

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave return to the conversation started in Episode 174 and begin to build out the town that will be the start of most adventures in our Boomtown Campaign Setting. Make sure to Join the Conversation! 1:55 Where are we now? We asked, you answered! Boomtown #1 is known as Gallow Springs! 3:40 What’s in our border town? 6:05 What’s NOT in the town? Religion and Churches, per our last episode. 9:35 Our archetype for Boomtown was Wyatt Earp’s…

7. 

   E175 · 26 Oct 2025 · 48 min

   If I Was the Priest: How Do Clerics Work in Your D&D Campaign?

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave finish out the discussion of how magic will work in our crowdsourced “Boomtown” campaign setting by asking “Where does divine magic come from?” Make sure to Join the Conversation! 1:40 “Where Are We Now”: the Boomtown campaign setting, as it currently stands. 5:20 Discovering the Lost Gods? 6:00 Will this be monotheistic or polytheistic? What about the Cleric Domains? 10:00 Could Divine Magic be just advanced forms of technology or…

8. 

   E174 · 12 Oct 2025 · 48 min

   Why D&D Towns Matter: Transform Your Town Design With a Simple Secret

   We continue to drive down deeper into our real-time worldbuilding experiment armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave begin to ask the most basic question when building a town: why is the town there? In our D&D Tombstone idea, we realize the short answer is money. And what drives that money? Magic. Make sure to join the conversation as we build a Wonderful World with our 3WD community! 2:25 The “Elevator Pitch” for our new campaign setting. 4:05 Review our discussion of magic. 9:06 Our Sci-Fi, D&D Tombstone. 10:50 Why do towns exist? The short answer:…

9. 

   E173 · 28 Sep 2025 · 42 min

   : Revitalize Your Imagination: 3WD is Back for Real Time D&D World Creation!

   Following on the heels of our last episode , we drive down deeper into our continued exploration of real-time worldbuilding armed with the comments of our listeners. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss how magic might work in this new world, how the environment helps to create the setting, and stumble into an idea for a setting that has us really excited. Make sure to join the conversation as we build a Wonderful World with our 3WD community! 2:20 We asked and you answered: A Brand New World! 6:40 A little context for this experiment: we really just want to see how we all might…

10. 

    E172 · 14 Sep 2025 · 43 min

    Join the Ultimate D&D Experience: Real-Time World Building!

    Worldbuilding. It’s one of the most talked about aspects of running TTRPGs, as it is the sandbox into which you will throw your party to adventure in. We’ve talked about tips and tricks in past episodes and articles, and have come down on both sides of the debate surrounding how much to do with a focus totally on your specific table and party. However, in this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave have decided to become a bit more involved with a new experiment that we cooked up. Something that has never been done on 3WD before – we’re going to start building a new world live! In real time, we…