Over the last couple of years, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) game shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 have skyrocketed in popularity. This is for a handful of reasons, but at its core, it’s because they perfectly capture the chaotic charm that is D&D, and that’s collaborative storytelling with your friends. With that being said, Wizards of the Coast is now trying to get in on the action with its own show, Dungeon Masters. Even though it hits the mark on many things, the show still falls short in a few areas.
Dungeon Masters is an official Actual Play from Wizards of the Coast with Jasmine Bhullar (Dimension 20: On a Bus) as the Dungeon Master, accompanied by Devora Wilde (Baldur’s Gate III), Neil Newbon (Baldur’s Gate III), Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why), and Mayanna Berrin (Dispatch) as players, with them using the newly announced Ravenloft: The Horrors Within set. That can be watched for free on the official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel.
For those who are unaware, there is a bundle available on D&D Beyond that includes everything you’d need to run the Ravelnoft campaign, both virtually and physically. In many ways, Dungeon Masters serves to promote the set scheduled to release on June 15.
Now that you know what the show is and everything it offers, let’s talk about what it does right. It’s fantastic at teaching newcomers everything they need to know about playing the game. This is because it’s filled with infographics that explain the nitty-gritty of D&D, like modifiers and how hard a specific roll is. As well as a quick description of what certain spells do. The last part is something that I especially enjoyed. As someone who’s been playing D&D as both a Dungeon Master and player, I’ve always enjoyed having a quick explainer on hand of what certain abilities do, because it keeps the gaming flowing, and that’s what these graphs feel like.
As cheesy as this may sound, it does, in many ways, Dungeon Masters feels like a true D&D experience, and that’s because the entire cast ignores the camera throughout the course of the show. Although this may seem like a very small thing, it carries a lot of weight and helps when it comes to immersing yourself into the story being told. Sure, at the end of the day, this is a way for Wizards of the Coast to promote their product, but there’s never an awkward moment when the cast addresses the viewer directly. Seeing them use unreleased D&D Beyond features is a lot of fun because it gives potential buyers a good idea of what the final product looks like in action.
It also helps that everyone on the show is a well-known figure in the D&D community. It should go without saying they’re all a blast to watch. Bhullar has proven time and again that she’s a phenomenal DM who can create a fun, engaging world for everyone to get lost in.
But of course, a good DM is nothing without its players. Over the years, Wilde and Newbon have thrown themselves into the world of D&D and become extremely knowledgeable about the game. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of their performances was seeing them as completely new characters and how different they are from their Baldur’s Gate III counterparts. In the vein of keeping things fresh, Navarro and Berrin work extremely well together, and seeing them bounce off one another throughout the episodes I watched was always fun. Each person brought something different to the table that really made the story stand out.
Even though I enjoyed Dungeon Masters, it has a few things that are worth criticizing. The biggest one is its production value. That’s not to say it’s horrible in terms of camera quality or anything like that. But it is a bit odd to see an official Actual Play from Wizards of the Coast not go all in. This is reflected in the show’s presentation and quality of miniatures. Shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 both knock it out of the park and make a point of keeping the show flashy and fun. It’s a bit disappointing to see Wizards of the Coast drop the ball on this, because it’s very clear they have the money (just look at any of its Magic: The Gathering collaborations) to do it right. Hopefully, this is something they fixed in future seasons of the show.
That’s where a lot of my complaints about the actual play begin and end. At the end of the day, this is a free show you can watch on YouTube. Overall, Dungeon Masters is a lot of fun to watch. It has a phenomenal cast that meshes extremely well with one another in an iconic D&D campaign that everyone should experience for themselves if the opportunity presents itself. On top of all of that, it’s extremely educational for veterans and newcomers to the hobby. While at the same time being a great starting point for people who are curious about playing the game for themselves.
