Episode 10 (May 2007)

Episode 10 (May 2007)
Magic Items

Don't just read about D&D's latest news and announcements--listen to them as well! And where better to find inside information than from the very halls of Wizards of the Coast? Presenting Episode 10: Magic Items! In this podcast, hosts Dave Noonan and Mike Mearls discuss the use, creation and placement of magic items, along with Andy Collins.

Episode 10

00:15: Episode 10 focuses on the Magic Item Compendium, previews of which can be read at:

The Design & Development series can be read at:

01:50: Fungible: essentially, interchangeable (hey, this humble producer had to look it up, having never taken Economics 101).

03:30: Stormbringer: Elric’s sword, from the works of Michael Moorcock.

05:20: MacGuffin: a plot device, embodied in some fictional object; a term popularized by Alfred Hitchcock (such as the statue in his Maltese Falcon).

07:39: There is, unfortunately, no truth to the D&D Monopoly: There and Then edition, promoted in our April Fool’s article.

09:00: When it comes to magic items, the Magic Item Record Sheet can be found with the Character Sheets.

09:55: Nerull’s epic level stat card can be found here.

11:38: Other rules regarding bags of holding, portable holes, and extradimensional spaces can be found in the Rules of the Game: Carrying Things Part 3 article.

13:06: Bastion of Broken Souls, by Bruce Cordell.

14:45: When it comes to magic item shops, back in episode 4 the podcast referenced Fritz Leiber’s infamous Bazaar of the Bizarre.

18:10: Weapons of Legacy.

18:28: Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl was the second adventure in the 1st edition G1 series Against the Giants. Mike Mearls’ updated Steading of the Hill Giant Chief was detailed in the Lunchtime Campaign notes. Crumbling Hall of the Frost Giant Jarl was also a later adventure written by podcast guest Andy Collins.

20:55: Magic item placement was further covered in the Sibling Rivalry article: Loot, discussing how to get the items you really want from your games.

23:55: Heroes of Battle.

26:10: As a player, which would you rather receive?

30:20: Send topic requests to: dndfeedback@wizards.com.

32:25: Updated treasure tables can be found in the Magic Item Compendium excerpts.

34:20: What is your preferred campaign style (to play or to run)?

37:00: Conan created by Robert E. Howard. As generally agreed here in the office, the 1982 Conan the Barbarian movie (with writing credit by Oliver Stone!) has one of the most entertaining commentary tracks, courtesy of star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

40:37: Guenhwyvar Drizzt’s panther, a figurine of wondrous power, from the works of R.A. Salvatore.

43:22: Send your questions to: dndfeedback@wizards.com. Again, just send in your question, your name (and how to pronounce it), and your hometown.

Download

Download it now! (35.4 Mbs, 44:16 minutes) Click on the link to listen to the file in your browser, or right-click Save As to download to your computer.

To subscribe to the D&D podcast, follow these easy steps.

What is Podcasting?

Podcasting is delivering audio and video content on demand so that it can be enjoyed at the user's convenience. The main benefit of podcasting is that listeners can sync content to their media player and take it with them to listen whenever they want to. But they're not just for iPods...the files are ready to watch or listen to on just about any computer.

Go to http://www.apple.com/podcasting/
Download iTunes version 6
Launch iTunes.
From the dropdown menus, select Advanced --- Subscribe to Podcast
When prompted for a URL, enter http://www.wizards.com/dnd/rsspodcast.xml and click OK.

Once you subscribe to the podcast, iTunes will automatically check for new files and download them to your computer. To ensure that you get timely updates, set your Podcast Settings to check for new episodes every hour (the Settings button is in the lower-right corner of the iTunes window, or you can find it under Edit --- Preferences --- Podcast).

About the Podcast Hosts

David Noonan is a designer/developer for Wizards of the Coast. His credits include co-designing Dungeon Master's Guide II, Heroes of Battle, and numerous products for the Eberron campaign setting. He lives in Washington state with his wife, son, and daughter.

Mike Mearls is the dark hope of chaotic evil: young, handsome, well endowed in abilities and aptitudes, thoroughly wicked, depraved, and capricious. Whomever harms Mearls had better not brag of it in the presence of one who will inform the Demoness Lolth!

Evil to the core, Mearls is cunning, and if the situation appears in doubt, he will use bribery and honeyed words to sway the balance in his favor. He is not at all adverse to gaining new recruits of any sort, and will gladly accept adventurers into the ranks, but he will test and try them continually. Those who arouse suspicion will be quietly murdered in their sleep; those with too much promise will be likewise dealt with, for Mearls wants no potential usurpers or threats to his domination.