The Dungeoncast
Two friends deep-dive into Dungeons & Dragons lore, from monster manuals to planar geography, in a show that ended in August 2024.
A comprehensive audio encyclopedia for Dungeons & Dragons lore. Each week, hosts Will and Brian would select a single topic—a god, a monster, a magic item, or an entire plane of existence—and explain its history and mechanics across various D&D editions. The show alternates between these deep dives and long-form interviews with prominent figures in the TTRPG community, such as authors and other podcasters.
“Unlike actual-play podcasts, The Dungeoncast focused on the 'textbook' knowledge of D&D, acting as a conversational lore guide. Its strength was the hosts' ability to synthesize decades of game material into an accessible and entertaining discussion, complete with tangents and friendly banter.”
Who hosts this show
The Dungeoncast was a Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition podcast hosted by Will Stark and Brian McDonald. The duo explored D&D lore, game mechanics, and creative concepts in a casual, educational, and humorous format. The show ran for 406 episodes, concluding in August 2024 due to what was described as an "irreconcilable difference in opinion on how to properly conduct business." The back catalog remains available, and the hosts have moved on to separate projects.
Other ventures
- D&D Legends and Lore (Will's new podcast)
- Starseeker's Guide to Draken Star (5E Campaign Setting book)
- Superquest Saga (D&D Liveplay series)
- Baba Yaga's Yard Sale (Merch store)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Deities & Demigods: Elistraee - The Dungeoncast Ep.406Aug 28, 2024 · 1h 11m
- 02Interview With Jess Parks Of I Seduce The Dragon - The Dungeoncast Ep.405Aug 27, 2024 · 1h 05m
- 03Atlas Exterus: The Elemental Plane of Magma - The Dungeoncast Ep.404Aug 13, 2024 · 55 min
- 04Interview With Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - The Dungeoncast Ep. 403Aug 6, 2024 · 42 min
- 05D&D 2024 Cleric and Bard Breakdown!! The Dungeoncast Ep. 402Jul 30, 2024 · 1h 21m
- 06D&D 2024 Monk and Sorcerer Breakdown!! The Dungeoncast Ep. 401Jul 23, 2024 · 1h 44m
- 07D&D 2024 Ranger and Wizard. Breakdown!! The Dungeoncast Ep. 400Jul 15, 2024 · 1h 36m
- 08NEW Druid, Rogue and Warlock from the Upcoming 2024 PHB!!Jul 9, 2024 · 2h 09m
Notable episodes
- 01Deities & Demigods: Elistraee - The Dungeoncast Ep.406
The official final episode of the podcast, where the hosts announce the end of the show and discuss their future plans.
- 02Interview With Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - The Dungeoncast Ep. 403
An interview with the legendary creators of the Dragonlance setting, showcasing the hosts' deep respect and knowledge of TTRPG history.
- 03Atlas Exterus: The Elemental Plane of Magma - The Dungeoncast Ep.404
A quintessential example of the show's primary format: a deep, humorous, and detailed dive into a specific piece of D&D lore.
What you'll be asked on this show
The interview format is conversational and respectful, with the hosts often opening with a heartfelt tribute to the guest's impact on them and the community. They structure the conversation chronologically, starting with a guest's origin story before moving to their current projects. The hosts allow guests to speak for long, uninterrupted stretches and build their follow-up questions naturally from the guest's answers, creating a peer-to-peer dialogue rather than a rigid Q&A. [5XFcjMWOviw, PzT2GHjpAHA]
The show is co-hosted by Will, the primary lore expert, and Brian, who acts as a knowledgeable co-host and audience surrogate, asking clarifying questions. Episodes are structured around a single topic, with occasional interviews breaking up the format. The show officially ended in August 2024, but the full back-catalog remains available.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
2- Q.01
“What was the impetus for creating your setting/project?”
Usually asked at the beginning to establish the origin story of the guest's work.
- Q.02
“What inspired you to get into the actual play podcast business?”
A key opening question for fellow podcasters to understand their journey.
craft
4- Q.01
“What sets your work apart from other fantasy settings?”
This question prompts guests to define the unique identity of their intellectual property.
- Q.02
“What were the inspirations for the iconic characters in your stories?”
Used to delve into the creative process behind character development.
- Q.03
“Does recording for an audience affect how you'd play a normal session?”
This explores the performative aspect of actual-play podcasting versus a private home game.
- Q.04
“Can you give us a spoiler-free preface for your new book/project?”
Used near the end of an interview to create a hook for the audience.
process
3- Q.01
“What is your co-authoring or collaborative process like?”
Asked to understand the mechanics of a creative partnership.
- Q.02
“How much do you stick to the source material versus deviating from it?”
A common question for Dungeon Masters running published modules to explore their creative freedom.
- Q.03
“Were you involved in the creation of the new 5th Edition D&D book for your setting?”
A specific question to clarify a creator's connection to modern adaptations of their work.
personal
2- Q.01
“What was the most challenging and rewarding part of returning to this world?”
Aimed at authors returning to a beloved series, this question surfaces personal and professional reflections.
- Q.02
“Who are your favorite characters you've created?”
A personal question to engage guests on an emotional level about their own work.
money
1- Q.01
“Where is the best place for people to find your books/work?”
A standard closing question that serves as a call to action for the audience.
Signature segments
- · "Hey everybody, welcome to The Dungeoncast"
- · "I'm Brian. And I'm Will."
- · "Let's take a short rest"
- · Shout out to Demogorgon
- · Tavern Talk
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically creators in the D&D and TTRPG space. This includes legendary authors of the genre like Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, as well as contemporary producers of actual-play podcasts like Jess Parks. [PzT2GHjpAHA, 5XFcjMWOviw]
- Jess Parkson Interview With Jess Parks Of I Seduce The Dragon - The Dungeoncast Ep.405
- Margaret Weison Interview With Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - The Dungeoncast Ep. 403
- Tracy Hickmanon Interview With Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - The Dungeoncast Ep. 403
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show was primarily supported by its Patreon community. The hosts would frequently encourage listeners to join the Patreon for access to bonus content and to have a say in future episode topics.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
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People also ask
- What are the hosts' full names?
- The hosts are William Stark and Brian McDonald.
- Is The Dungeoncast still running?
- No, the podcast ended in August 2024. The final episode was #406.
- Why did The Dungeoncast end?
- The hosts cited "an irreconcilable difference in opinion on how to properly conduct business" as the reason for ending the show.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The full back catalog of episodes remains available on YouTube, Soundcloud, and other podcast platforms.
- What are the hosts doing now?
- Will Stark has started a new lore podcast called 'D&D Legends and Lore'. Both hosts were also involved in creating the 'Starseeker's Guide to Draken Star' 5E campaign setting.
- What is the format of the show?
- The show is a mix of deep-dive episodes where the two hosts discuss a specific D&D lore topic, and occasional long-form interviews with creators in the TTRPG space.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]The Dungeoncast Final Episode Announcementyoutube.com
- [02]Reddit thread on The Dungeoncast shutting downreddit.com
- [03]Reddit post identifying host Will Starkreddit.com
- [04]Reddit post identifying host Brian McDonaldreddit.com
- [05]Starseeker's Guide to Draken Star Official Sitedrakenstar.com
- [06]Will Stark's New Channel: D&D Legends and Loreyoutube.com
- [07]The Dungeoncast Merch Pagethe-dungeoncast.myspreadshop.com
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