B011 DnD Chat with Bryan Wuest

> "*Play like no one's watching*"
> ― Bryan Wuest
>
>

**DnD Chat with Bryan Wuest** is the eleventh bonus episode of Queens of Adventure. It features a conversation between DM Matt, James, and Bryan Wuest about Dungeons and Dragons. Bryan had previously appeared in bonus episode seven, The Lost Treasure of the Neverglades, where he played Grady Reineke.

## Summary

### Around the Mic

* DM Matt
* DM James
* Bryan Wuest

Bryan, a professor in Los Angeles, has previously played DnD with Matt and was in town for Emerald City Comicon and an academic conference.

They discuss the queens of adventure set up in front of them, including figures drawn by Terry Blas before turning to Bryan's most recent campaign. He is playing a half-druid in Tomb of Annihilation who is dating a weretiger and how this game, compared to his last one, allowed him to enjoy playing DnD more. Bryan is also running games as a DM, mostly one shots. He has recently set up a game where time resets over and over.

He explains he started he reveal with a long paragraph about their return to a town they had been to before, complete with a song, while secretly he had a grid keeping track of time. When they reached a certain time, they all died, with a horrifying experience. Then he played the song again while repeating the opening paragraph, "and they lost their shit." Bryan explains he was inspired by a similar plot in the Adventure Zone.

James wonders if that was the start or the end of a session. Bryan says it was a long day of gaming, and he asked them if they could play one more hour to get to a good end point. They agreed, and he ended with the reveal.

The trio talk about how after finishing a long session, they can be overwhelmed with emotions.

They discuss how fifth edition of DnD made the game less 'crunchy', and the rules more flexible. Matt says the adventure zone inspired him to pick it up again after one time playing in the 90s. This brings them to talking about the new ways pop culture has reinvigorated the game: Dan Harmon's HarmonQuest, the D&D episode of Community, Stranger Things, Critical Role.

James asks how Bryan decided to go from player to Dungeon Master. Learning the rules tickles Bryan's brain, and he found learning about spells comforting. This evolved from wanting to learn the rules to wanting to adjudicate the rules with a small group of friends.

They discuss how as DMs they want to be fans of, and root for their players. While it is nice to have surprises, it is better to be doing something meaningful together with their players.

They worry about being good enough of players, before realizing, everyone's a fraud, and wrap up.

## Behind the Queens

* This episode is described as a bonus, bonus episode as it was the second bonus episode released in March 2019.
* This interview was recorded for another of Matt Baume's podcasts, Cozy Pants, which is released to Patreon backers of his, and includes weekly discussions with James about their lives. As the conversation with Bryan was all about Dungeons and Dragons, they decided to release it to the Queens of Adventure backers as well.

**Greetings From Fire Island**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Show Must Go On**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Operation Watersport**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - Ch7 - **Trials**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Ghosts of the Coast**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - **The Devil's Due**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Special**: The Story So Far
**The Beautiful Place**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **A Dance in the Dark**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4
**Drama in the Deep**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6 - **Whispers From the Heart**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Danger Rangers!**: Ch1 - Ch2 - Ch3 - Ch4 - Ch5 - Ch6
**Mist Connections**: Ch1 - Ch2
**Unreleased**
Lost: Camp Crystal Light - Pax West 2018 --  vs the Lizard People
Live Shows: Seattle Style -- Minneapolis Style