Whether you’re a seasoned GM or you’re just creating your first character, Dungeons and Dragons YouTube channels are the perfect way to get even more from your tabletop RPG experience.
Dungeons & Dragons is complex, exciting, and full of endless possibilities. If your games are getting way too predictable or your character needs an epic backstory, it’s time to turn to YouTube for inspiration and advice.
No time for a lengthy D&D campaign? Try out some tabletop games for quick, yet strategic games for you and your friends.
Dungeon Dudes
Dungeon Dudes – just the name alone sounds fun. Not only is it an entertaining channel, but the titular “dudes” actually know their stuff. Everything’s focused around D&D 5e with detailed breakdowns of DM tips, advice on classes and subclasses, tactics and strategies, and so much more. Whenever new books are released, the duo dives right in to explain everything clearly.
If you’re looking to master game mechanics, such as managing HP or complex multi-class characters, and how to create immersive campaigns that aren’t just about hitting monsters as hard as possible, this is the channel for you. It really is one of the best D&D channels for both DMs and players thanks to the variety of rule explanations, character tips, and DM tips.
All Things DnD
Every D&D player probably has their share of epic tales that become legendary for that particular group of players. All Things DnD is dedicated to telling those stories, inspiring both dungeon masters and players. The channel does an amazing job of bringing D&D stories to life using fun animations. Some of the ‘videos’ are just narrations with text, but those are ideal for putting on and just listening to while you relax.
Learn what not to do as a DM, such as creating NPCs that won’t stop killing. Pick up some truly badass lines for your character. You’ll laugh, you’ll groan, and you’ll be eager for your next game after watching this channel. You just might also feel inspired to create even better campaigns or change the way your character approaches different situations. Also, check out the Dads, Daughters, and D&D playlist to see how Dungeons & Dragons can bring families together.
Dungeon Craft
Dungeon Craft is probably one of the best D&D YouTube channels for dungeon masters. Videos come to you courtesy of Professor Dungeon Master of Dungeon University. Get ready for a straightforward, sometimes very blunt approach to learning the rules, what not to do, and how to handle various situations, such as characters dying.
Learn how to enhance your games, such as getting tips from watching James Bond movies. Discover ways to improve your narration for better games. You can even get love advice from DeathBringer, a beloved channel character. It’s an entertaining channel with tips on everything DMs need to know, including creating terrain, painting minis, and dealing with horrible characters.
Don’t Stop Thinking
D&D stories, tips for beginners, and thorough explanations of rules, classes, weapons, and more are presented in fun animated videos on Don’t Stop Thinking. Even the channel host, CJ, is animated. You can’t help but be entertained by the way he tells various D&D stories, such as his tale of murderhobos.
While he has a few occasional videos that aren’t directly about D&D, most are, such as his series on How to Dungeon Master for Complete Beginners. Or if you’re just starting out as a player, you have to watch How to Play Dungeons and Dragons 5e. It’s one of the easiest to understand “how to play” videos you could ever hope for. The only downside is there haven’t been any new videos for about a year, but it’s still a great repository to get you up to speed on the most recent ruleset.
Critical Role
As arguably the most well-known D&D YouTube channel, Critical Role is also one of the most entertaining. Even if you’re not a D&D player, you’d still enjoy the group’s adventures. In fact, the channel’s web series even led to the Amazon Prime series The Legend of Vox Machina. You can check out the campaign that inspired it with this playlist. The group’s currently on campaign three (Exandria Unlimited).
Critical Role is a group of professional voice actors that do an incredible job of bringing the characters to life under Game Master Matthew Mercer. While there’s not much in the way of tips, simply watching and listening to this group will definitely inspire both DMs and players to make their own campaigns more engaging. What’s really unique here is you can catch them playing live every Thursday at 7 P.M. Pacific time.
Zee Bashew
What’s better than D&D? D&D animated of course! Zee Bashew brings his videos to life with animations. Even something as simple as talking about his favorite first-level D&D spell is rendered in a beautiful animation. His channel is part tips and part his own experiences. You’ll quickly find there’s more of a focus on spells and wizards, which might not appeal to all players and DMs. Bashew doesn’t show himself outside of his dwarf or gnome animated counterpart.
Some videos are more about story though, with a little less animation, such as his D&D story The Cold Road. He’ll also provide tips for DMs from time to time, such as explaining his methods for how he himself DMs games. Even if you’re not into spells, you’ll still find the channel enchanting.
Web DM
Join Pruitt and Jim Davis as they come to the rescue with D&D tips for both players and dungeon masters on Web DM. The duo are lifelong friends and their love for the game shines through in every video. You’ll find tips and advice for almost any aspect of D&D. In fact, there are even live videos that showcase tips and tricks in real-time, such as Jim’s process of designing dungeons.
The channel answers any question players might have, such as how to create multi-class characters. The duo can even help first-time DMs get through their first session with ease. There aren’t a lot of stories here so much as guidance and tips. So, if you’re learning D&D or have questions, make Web DM your first stop.
Between sessions, sink your teeth into some of these MMORPGs, one of which is set in the D&D universe. Practice better storytelling in your campaigns by listening to story and fiction podcasts to see how to bring stories to life with just your voice.
Image credit: CompLady via Pixabay
