Detentions and Dragons

School is out for summer!!! With empty desks and empty classrooms, Josh and Matt sit back and recount adventures from their D&D games in club. No rules, No lesson plans, just two teachers telling stories about the fun they had playing D&D with their students over the 2022 - 2023 school year. Did these two teachers help you finish the greatest D&D story ever played? Help them out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

Our Longest Lesson Title Yet!  On this special lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Matt and Josh interview Adam Davis of Game to Grow about his new book Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games The Game to Grow Method.  If you were ever interested in what is happening at Game to Grow, therapeutic applications of TTRPGS, or how to integrate some or all of these techniques into your own club then this interview with Adam is a must listen.  If you are interested in purchasing this book, you can find it for sale here:  https://www.amazon.com/Therapeutically-Applied-Role-Playing-Elizabeth-Kilmer/dp/1032251859/ref=sr_1_1?crid=370N4F354YJ6O&keywords=Therapeutically+Applied+Role-Playing+Games+The+Game+to+Grow+Method&qid=1684724395&sprefix=therapeutically+applied+role-playing+games+the+game+to+grow+method%2Caps%2C925&sr=8-1 You can learn more about Game to Grow and their mission by visiting their website at: http://gametogrow.org/ For more information, you can reach Game to Grow via email at: contact@gametogrow.org Did this interview inspire you further your understanding of therapeutic TTRPGs?  Then please rate and subscribe to Detentions and Dragons! Or help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about how to level up player characters. They discuss what leveling up is, what is changed and what stays the same when a character levels up, and demonstrate how to update a player's character sheet.  Did these two teachers help you reach a new level at your own club or table ? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about Short and Long Rests. They discuss what these are, mechanics and requirements for resting, and yes, they even demonstrate restoring HP and spells slots through semi-scripted role play. Did these two teachers help you to understand the minutiae of resting in D&D ? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about using reactions in combat. They discuss what the reaction action is, when and why a player might use them, and demonstrate reaction through semi-scripted role play. Note: Some characters gained access to spells that they typically don't have for the sake of the demonstration. And... because I forgot level 3 wizards don't get level 3 spells. Did these two teachers help successfully counter any potential problems in your next D&D game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about bonus actions in combat. They discuss what bonus actions are, when and why a player might use them, and demonstrate bonus actions through semi-scripted role play. Did these two teachers help successfully add a bonus to your next D&D game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the improvised actions in combat. They discuss what improvised actions are, when and why a player might use them, and how a DM can fairly and collaboratively integrate these into the story. And of course, Matt and Josh demo improvised actions through semi-scripted role play. Did these two teachers help successfully add more improv to your game ? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the other combat actions. Characters can cast spells and make melee attacks, but those aren't the only ways they can participate in battle They discuss the basics of actions like dodge and disengage, why a player might use them, and demo these actions magic through semi-scripted role play. Did these two teachers help you vary up your combat verbs? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the basics of using magic combat. They discuss the basics of spells, the requirements of spell casting, and demo combat magic through roll play. Did these two teachers help you cast your next great spell? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

The holiday tradition returns once more! To celebrate the holiday season, Matt gives Josh the present he wants most in life: a chance to talk about fun stories from his D&D games. Listen as Josh and Matt ramble on and embellish their  stories and inside jokes from their personal campaigns around the fireplace! Music: Brother Christmas by Lemon Yellow Hayes (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lemon_Yellow_Hayes/) Fireplace Sound Effects: hansende (https://freesound.org/people/hansende/sounds/263994/) Happy Holidays!! And thank you for all of your support throughout the year!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the basics of combat. They discuss how set up combat, roll for initiative, and the demo through roll play some basic combat. Did these two teachers help you roll above your opponents armor class? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about how to do an ability check. They discuss what an ability check is and then role model ability checks in a mini-session of D&D.  Did these two teachers help you pass your ability check?  Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Atmospheric town audio provided by Tabletop Audio. https://tabletopaudio.com/ Music provided by Komiku. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Komiku  

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about how to fill out a character sheet. They discuss what needs to be considered before making a character and then take a step-by-step approach to filling out the stats and abilities portion of the aforementioned character sheet. This is a great tutorial for new players! It also provides a model for experienced Dungeon Masters looking to help rookie players with character building at their own table. Did these two teachers teach you how to make your first character? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this special crossover lesson, Matt and Josh join Neal on the Dungeon Master's Block podcast to interview Senior Brand Manager of D&D and Co-host of the Dragon Talk podcast Shelly Mazzanoble and veteran teacher Kade Well. The topic of this interview: Bringing D&D into Education!  Checkout this link for more D&D education resources from Wizards of the Coast here: https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/educators You can find Shelly Mazzanoble on Twitter @shellymoo You can find Kade Wells' YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIXU_T8F8qtsz4q5M2b5SUQ Did this interview inspire you to bring D&D into your school? Then please rate and subscribe to Detentions and Dragons! Or help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support!

Detentions and Dragons is back and ready to kickoff their 6th season of the podcast! Josh and Matt have always focused on making D&D fun and accessible for new players and new teacher DMs. However, at the start of the 6th year of the podcast, they thought they would start the new season by establishing a theme. That theme: Roll Models! Specifically, this season's lessons will focus on three major topics: 1. Modeling actual D&D play. 2. Reviewing model modules and materials. 3. Interviewing role models in the community. On this lesson, they also talk about how to get the ball rolling on at the beginning of a new campaign! Did these back-to-school mentors help motivate you for the new year? Help them out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts! Additional Music in this Lesson's Podcast: Music by Komiku  

School is out for summer!!! With empty desks,empty classrooms, and empty Zoom meetings, Josh and Matt sit back and recount adventures from their D&D games in club and in the classroom. No rules, No lesson plans, just two teachers telling stories about the fun they had playing D&D with their students over the 2021 - 2022 school year. Highlights from their adventures include: -Girl Scout Cookies -Mattress Surfing -Lord Chalupa Summer Note: Josh and Matt are taking a little break to recharge after a long school year. Detentions and Dragons will be back on around mid-August with a new episode. Thanks again for all the support from all listeners, teachers, players, DMs, and students. We couldn't have made it through our first two years without you! Did these two teachers help you finish the greatest D&D story ever played? Help them out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about running in campaign social interaction. They discuss the official published rules for running social interactions, when to role play and when to roll play conversations, and ways to determine possible outcomes of NPCs with their on agency. Did these two teachers inspire you to be a run social interaction in a different way? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the controversial topic of splitting the party. They discuss what it is, why most DMs advise against it, and thoughtful ways to integrate this narrative device into your D&D campaign. While splitting the party often leads to disastrous results, a conscientious scenario can lead to unique game play opportunities for all people at the table! Did these two teachers inspire you to follow a new path in your D&D game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about vintage magical items for your D&D campaign. D&D 5E has many fantastic published and homebrewed items. However, why should we limit ourselves to just the current edition? Go find some old volumes of TSR's Encyclopedia Magica (or use the ones discussed in this lesson) and add some vintage artifacts to your next session! Ambient tavern music provided by Tabletop Audio. You can find out more about them here: https://tabletopaudio.com/ Did these two teachers inspire you visit your fantasy thriftshop and purchase some new-to-you items? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about advanced ability checks. They discuss the variant ability check rule, some examples of checks using the variant rules, and pros and cons of utilizing this into your own D&D game. They also demonstrate these ability checks in a short D&D game with (some) SOUND EFFECTS! Ambient tavern music provided by Tabletop Audio. You can find out more about them here: https://tabletopaudio.com/ Did these two teachers inspire you to try some new ability checks in your game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about downtime. They discuss what downtime can look like in a game of D&D, published rules on running downtime activities, and how including these tangents can improve the overall experience at the table. Did these two teachers encourage you to explore a new downtime activity in your game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about riddles. They discuss the nature of riddles in D&D, how they can be annoying, and how they can be used more effectively. The humble riddle is a mainstay of dungeon design. However, with a bit of extra effort, the riddle can enhance rather than simply stump your players. Did these two teachers help you question your preconceived notions of dungeon design? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about a narrative driven way to play out a scene in D&D, the skills challenge. They discuss the basic mechanics of skills challenges, rules for the challenge and model one themselves. There is also bonus music and sound effects! Some people we'd also want to credit in this lesson. D&D 4th edition for introducing the skills challenge mechanic. Rodrigo D. Lopez for his upgraded rules for skills challenges. You can find more of his GMing work on the Critical Hit Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/critical-hit-a-major-spoilers-rpg-podcast/id327725953 www.kassoon.com for their table on skill challenge DCs. You can find the table here. https://www.kassoon.com/dnd/5e/skill-challenge-narrative-encounter/ *Note: I did say and spell their name wrong on the lesson. My apologies. Did these two teachers show you a new way to engage your players in the storytelling? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about their D&D New Year's Resolution. They review what their goals are and their motivations for achieving them. Hopefully, their resolutions will help inspire you to set your own goals in the 2022 year! Did these two teachers inspire you to start of the new year with a revived ambition? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

To celebrate the holiday season, Matt gives Josh the present he wants most in life: a chance to talk about fun stories from his D&D games. Listen as Josh and Matt ramble on and embellish their  stories and inside jokes from their personal campaigns around the fireplace! Music: Brother Christmas by Lemon Yellow Hayes (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lemon_Yellow_Hayes/) Fireplace Sound Effects: hansende (https://freesound.org/people/hansende/sounds/263994/) Happy Holidays!! And thank you for all of your support throughout the year!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the special action known as the reaction. They discuss the basics mechanics of reactions, common player character reactions, classes and feats with reactions, and the importance of encouraging players to build at least one reaction into their character. Did these two teachers inspire you to use your action, bonus action, AND reaction? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about running Side Quests. They discuss what they are, why they are important, themes for basic side quests, and make their own holiday themed side quest on the podcast. The main campaign is important. However, sometimes, the DM, the players, or both need a deviate from the critical path to explore new facets of the game! Did these two teachers inspire you to start your own side quest? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this special lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Matt and Josh interview Adam Davis and Dr. Elizabeth Kilmer of Game to Grow about tips for creating an environment that promotes positive mental health! This school year may be particularly difficult for many students. However, with some thought and routine, educators can do a lot to help student acclimate to life back in the class and back at D&D club. If you are interested in learning more about Game to Grow and their mission, you can visit their website at: http://gametogrow.org/ For more information, you can reach Game to Grow via email at: contact@gametogrow.org Did this interview inspire you to establish new routines in your D&D game? Then please rate and subscribe to Detentions and Dragons! Or help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!  

On this special interview lesson, Matt and Josh are joined by Theatre Teacher and Dungeon Master Keith Rollins. The topic: Integrating D&D into the Theatre classroom. If you are not a drama teacher, please do not worry! Keith provides many excellent tips and insights for anyone introducing D&D to new players. If you enjoyed listening to Keith, why not check him out on Twitter: @Dramateacher79 Did this interview inspire you to unleash all of your character voices in your next session of D&D? Then please rate and subscribe to Detentions and Dragons! Or help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about running Zero Sessions. D&D is a collaborative storytelling game. However, what if the collaboration didn't start at the first session? What if the Dungeon Master and the players worked together to build characters, backstories, and world themes to make the first session even better? The Zero Session is the answer! Listen as Matt and Josh discuss what a Zero Session is, pitfalls to avoid, and what they do to make this session fun and meaningful. Did these two teachers help inspire you to run a Zero Session for your new campaign? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about experienced players or returning players and ways to make the start of their new game a fun one. At Detentions and Dragons, we provided insights on how to start off a campaign for players brand new to the game. However, experienced players don't need to run your Tutorial Dungeon for the 6th time. This lesson focuses tips to start a spectacular campaign for those who have a few campaigns under their belt. Did these two teachers help hook you on a new idea for a campaign or D&D club? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about quick character creation exercises. Players should always have agency in the development of their character's personality and backstory. However, for brand new players, deciding what a character's actually characteristics are may be intimidating and time consuming. This lesson reviews ways to speed up this process so new players jump in to their newest D&D adventure! Did these two teachers inspire you to help your new players build rich characters? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

Detentions and Dragons is back and ready to kickoff their 5th season of the podcast! In this first lesson after summer vacation, Matt and Josh are review tips and tricks for those Dungeons Masters that are going back to school, club, or the table. They discuss things they learned from running D&D in the past and provide tips for being even more flexible as a DM in the future. Did these back-to-school mentors help motivate you for the new year? Help them out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

School is out for summer!!! With empty desks,empty classrooms, and empty Zoom meetings, Josh and Matt sit back and recount adventures from their D&D games in club and in the classroom. No rules, No lesson plans, just two teachers telling stories about the fun they had playing D&D with their students over the 2020 - 2021 school year. Highlights from their adventures include: -Lil' Slugger  -Frozen inspired characters -Dining and Dashing (Sort of...) Summer Note: Josh and Matt are taking a little break to recharge after a long school year. Detentions and Dragons will be back on around August 1st with a new episode. Thanks again for all the support from all listeners, teachers, players, DMs, and students. We couldn't have made it through our first two years without you! Did these two teachers help you finish the greatest D&D story ever played? Help them out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt ask each other some difficulty, fun, and silly questions about Dungeons and Dragons. Will they help you become a better Dungeon Master? Maybe not. But there is (probably) some benefit to taking a break from lesson planning to explore some hypotheticals of D&D. Did these two teachers inspire you to ask your fun and unusual D&D questions? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

As a DM, your players either use them all the time or not at all. Regardless, is there a way to use them more purposefully? On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about perception checks, what they are, the pitfalls of perception checks, and how to make perceptions checks more meaningful to your players. Did these two teachers help you perceive a way to improve your DMing? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the artificer class. The artificer is the only new official D&D class released since the debut of 5th edition. Even though it is new, is it worth playing? Josh and Matt will answer that by looking at what the artificer is, what skills they possess, and triumphs and challenges of this class. Did these two teachers help you infuse some excitement into your next game of D&D? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about D&D Virtual Play Weekends. For many people, a game of D&D may not be accessible. However, with a computer, an Internet connection, and around 15 dollars, anyone can jump into online game of D&D in a virtual setting. Josh and Matt participated in one of these weekends as players want you the listener to learn about the pros and cons of the experience! You can find more information about these D&D Virtual Play Weekends here: https://yawningportal.dnd.wizards.com/ Did these two teachers help you find a new way to play D&D? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about using plot twists to adapt your D&D game to the benefit of your players. We get it. D&D campaigns run long, Players get distracted by NPCs you didn't think to write a back story for, and people rather punch goblins that role-play in your nuanced corporate espionage campaign. You don't have to scrap the story. Instead add a plot twist to adapt or reinvigorate the game! Did these two teachers convince you to add your own plot twist to your next D&D game? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about homebrewed magical school items. Schools of magic and wizardry are a common setting in D&D. So why not add some additional magically enhanced school supplies to your campaign?! These won't be most serious or powerful items your player's will add to their character's inventory but they will result in some extra drama and humor to the story. Did these two teachers inspire order new magical supplies for your D&D world? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

Survival and Thrival! On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt take a minute to reflect on their D&D clubs. They discuss what is working well, what are obstacles they are facing, and what actionable steps they want to take to make the second half of the school year even better for their D&D students! Did these two teachers inspire you reflect on your own DM experience this year? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

While optimizing a character to be overpowered can take the fun out of the average game of D&D, having a underwhelming characters can limit player agency and turn an epic adventure into an uninspiring one. On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the Metagaming for beginners, what metagaming is, why it isn't all bad, and actionable steps novice players can do to give their characters an edge without comprising the tone of their character. Did these two teachers inspire you to help your new players reach their full potential? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

It is a week later than expected but the holiday tradition returns! To celebrate the holiday season, Matt gives Josh the present he wants most in life: a chance to talk about fun stories from his D&D games. Listen as Josh and Matt ramble on and embellish their  stories and inside jokes from their personal campaigns around the fireplace! Music: Brother Christmas by Lemon Yellow Hayes (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Lemon_Yellow_Hayes/) Fireplace Sound Effects: hansende (https://freesound.org/people/hansende/sounds/263994/) Happy Holidays!! And thank you for all of your support throughout the year!

On this lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Josh and Matt talk about the new source book Tasha's Guide to Everything. Wizards of the Coast releases about one book each year that focuses on updates to things like classes, game mechanics, spells and monsters. The question is whether you should buy this one! Spoiler: There are some good things and there are some disappointing things. However, if you are considering purchasing this title, hopefully Matt and Josh's insights will help you make an informed decision! Did these two teachers help you decide what new book to add to your D&D library? Then help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!

On this special lesson of Detentions and Dragons, Matt and Josh interviews Adam Davis and Dr. Elizabeth Kilmer of Game to Grow, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the use of games of all kinds for therapeutic, educational, and community growth. While you may know them for for using TTRPGs to help teens develop social skills, they are now offering a multi-track, comprehensive training program to provide quality training in The Game to Grow Method of Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games. If you dream about helping people through gaming, listen and learn more about these unparalleled training opportunities. If you are interested in learning more about Game to Grow and their mission, you can visit their website at: http://gametogrow.org/ For more information, you can reach Game to Grow via email at: contact@gametogrow.org If you are interested in enrolling in their training programs, you can go here: https://gametogrow.org/training/gtgmethod/ Did this interview inspire you to seek out new educational opportunities? Then please rate and subscribe to Detentions and Dragons! Or help Josh and Matt out by recommending Detentions and Dragons to a friend, teacher, or student. New listeners are the best way to help us grow as a podcast. Thanks again for all of your support! Detentions and Dragons is a proud member of the Block Party Podcast Network! Check out our show and other great D&D and gaming podcast at https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/ or where ever you download podcasts!