Explore every episode of the podcast Player's Spellbook

Forgot to pick Dragonborn as your species? No problem, now just breathe whatever kind of elemental damage you want! Derek and Tim discuss who might want to take it and how it stacks up with Dragonborn's breath weapon.

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Great, another spell for players to easily learn their DMs plots. Well, not exactly. Derek and Tim discuss how to use the spell in game and ways to handle it is as a DM.

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100 Secret Thoughts Revealed through Detect Thoughts

Does your character already have Darkvision? It's statistically likely! But is the range 150 ft? Now it can be thanks to the range boost in the 2024 Player's Handbook! Derek and Tim discuss why this change is necessary and share some homebrew magic items based on the spell.

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Derek and Tim discuss some ways to take advantage of Darkness. Hint: being a warlock helps. They also share their homebrew magical items based on Darkness

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With Crown of Madness you can take control of any creature, unless one of the many ways to end the spell or make it ineffective happens. Derek and Tim discuss how to best use the spell and share their homebrewed magical items based on it.

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Rest easy with a Cordon of Arrows guarding your camp at night or catch something to eat. Whatever you do you're probably going to have to be a Ranger to do it. Derek and Tim discuss the ways they might use Cordon of Arrows and share their Legendary magic items based on the spell.

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If you're one of those adventurers with extra ruby dust lying around then this might be the spell for you! Best for casters who can prepare it when needed, Continual Flame can light your way and save you from having to take that pesky Light cantrip.

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It's all the name, like a swarm of mosquitoes, but it hurts more. Derek and Tim discuss how the 2024 edition improves on the spell and share their homebrew items inspired by it.

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The spell that forces you to relax. We could all use a casting or two of this every day. Derek and Tim discuss how this charm resistant spell isn't a charm spell and share homebrew magic items based on Calm Emotions

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Now you see me, now you still see me, but not quite as well. It's the Blur spell and it makes you harder to hit. Derek and Tim discuss which characters benefit from the spell most (it's always the Eldritch Knight Fighter) and share their homebrew magic items that are somehow not the Cloak of Displacement.

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This awkwardly named spell gives you the choice between inflicting two conditions. Derek and Tim discuss which conditions to use and when. They also share their homebrew magic items based on the blindness conditions and give free advertising to the blind fighting feature.

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The spell that turns any beast into your spy, with consent of course. Which beasts are best? Derek and Tim have some answers and some homebrew magic items inspired by Beast Sense.

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Beef up your druid or ranger for combat with Barksin. Somehow providing a better armor class than regular trees. Derek and Tim also share their homebrew magic items based on the spell, which both turn out to be armor, of course.

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The first in a series of spells to game the system by forcing your DM to give up their secrets. Some notable changes to the spell in the PHB have made it easier, but slightly less fun. Find out why and stick around when Derek and Tim share their homebrew magic items inspired by the spell.

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A brand new spell in the 2024 Player's Handbook that's got lots of great flavour for arcane casters. Derek and Tim share their thoughts on which classes this spell might benefit the most and create magic items inspired by this brand new spell.

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Is the wording in the new PHB clearer? Tim doesn't think so. We try to figure out what you can actually do with this spell and share some homebrew magic items inspired by it to help keep your things and ships safe.

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What could be more Druid than charming a tiny animal into delivering a brief message in your own voice? Derek and Tim discuss different ways to use the spell, including, getting around the 25 word limit. It's the perfect spell for that Disney Princess build you have in your back pocket.

Change your appearance with this versatile spell and find out if spells like Truesight will find you out. Tim designs a cursed locket and Derek has some owlbear claws to help out your unarmed strikes.

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We've arrived! Kicking off 2nd level spells with Aid. Tim shares why he loves it and Derek and Tim share homebrew magic items based on the spells.

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We've finally reached the last 1st level spell in the PHB! Derek and Tim discuss why you haven't taken Ice Knife before and why you should give it a try.

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If you're thinking that Divine Smite isn't a spell then you're in for a rude welcome to the 2024 Player's Handbook. Derek and Tim dive into the major change to Paladins and why you might love it or hate it.

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It's almost the same spell as Thunderclap, but listen to find out why we like Word of Radiance a lot more!

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Just a single dolorous bell to let you know you have the opportunity to embrace sweet death. Derek and Tim discuss why there's no material component or when you would ever cast this with d8s.

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Xanathar loves getting his spells in the new player's handbook. So this thunder-damage dealing cantrip could be the perfect fit for your storm-themed character.

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Another brand new cantrip for, you guessed it, the classic combination of Druids and Bards. Should you add this to your spell list? Derek and Tim will help you figure it out.

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A brand new cantrip for 5.5e! And it's a fantastic spell with just enough variation to not feel like you're just blasting every turn.

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Just like a regular splinter this spell isn't deadly, but it is quite annoying. Fun to cast and frustrating to have cast upon, like any good spell should be.

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Everything you need to know about this brand new spell from the 2024 Player's Handbook. It's a lot of flavour, but also breaks down an entire pillar of play.

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From Grease to Wrathful Smite we have all the changes to every spell in the new 2024 Player's Handbook.

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Hit your enemies and frighten them with Wrathful Smite! It's got a unique saving throw/check mechanic that makes it hard to overcome and is the inspiration for this week's homebrew monster, the Fearful!

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Channel your inner Sith lord into this spell and deal that automatic damage! Derek cheated and made a trap instead of a monster. It's called the Room of Aerial Evil!

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We have all the changes to the 2024 1st-level Player's Handbook Spells. In this episode we've covered everything from Alarm to Goodberry!

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All the changes to all the cantrips originally in the 2014 Player's Handbook. Look out for upcoming episodes covering the new cantrips in the 2024 PHB.

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Ever felt like your Mage Hand was missing a body? Now you can cast Unseen Servant and have all the limbs you could ever want in an invisible force. Derek's homebrew monster is the Paranorm, but good luck finding it with all of its unseen servants running around.

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The perfect spell for the character who doesn't want anyone to get too close to them. Derek's homebrew monster this week is the Thunderfury Minotaur, with the perfect push and charge combo.

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Here's all the rule changes affecting spellcasting in the 2024 Player's Handbook. Stay tuned for every change from every 2014 PHB Cantrip and 1st-level spell.

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Bonus Action forced movement. What else do you need to know? Not to mention the thunder damage and prone condition. Derek's homebrew monster is the Legion Giant that can target two creatures in melee.

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Who doesn't want to chat with a chipmunk, confer with a canary, or shoot the breeze with a brachiosaurus? This week's homebrew monster is the Wererat Spymaster.

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Great for low levels, but you should probably ditch the Sleep spell with your high level characters. You won't be getting much rest at that point anyways. This week's homebrew monster is the Sandman, Derek's terrifying interpretation of a beloved children's character

Silent Image is as much about what it shows as what it hides. Tim shares a stealthy warlock character build. And Derek's homebrew monster is the Soffin, a feywild trickster.

10% of the time Shield of Faith works every time! If you like those odds or are just trying to make some friends, definitely prepare this spell. Tim's saga continues with Shiela who has a great chance to sell out a star witness. And Derek's homebrew is a Guardian Angel. Pair it with the Gloryhound to give your player's some whiplash.

The worst thing about the Shield spell is that it's too good. Tim's shares his abjuration wizard with an ethical dilemna and Derek's hombrew monster is the Pokemon-inspired Dire Porcupine.

What could be better than setting your enemies on fire? Tim shares his searing smite build and Derek's homebrew monster is the Immolant Swarm. They force you to do fire damage, which they are immune to. Good luck!

Derek and Tim sift through the various qualifiers of the Sanctuary spell. Tim shares his bodyguard build inspired by the spell. And Derek's homebrew monster is the Warden Unicorn, carefully worded to follow the qualifiers of the Sanctuary spell, while dealing multiple levels of exhaustion.

Derek and Tim try to find another school of magic for Ray of Sickness. Tim share his poisoner character build. And Derek has a Plague Wight as his homebrew monster, in case you're looking to turn your players into ghouls.

You're going to want to fill your world with tepid water and questionable berries and mushrooms if you want your players to use this spell. Tim shares his Oath of Redemption Paladin whose seeking the culprit behind a poisoning plot. And Derek's hombrew monster, the Royal Drake, is the perfect aesthetic for an eccentric baron or paranoid royal.

Derek and Tim fix the name of the spell and discuss how great it is if you can get it to work. Tim shares his character build for beating aberrations. And Derek's homebrew monster, the Exorcist, is the perfect NPC to show how great this spell is to inspire your characters to sometimes take it.

You can never miss if you cast Magic Missile. Tim share his Order vs Chaos - inspired Eladrin Clockwork Soul Sorcerer. And Derek's Concurdant will hunt down your PCs for even the tiniest infraction of the laws of the universe.

Mage Armor is a great spell, so naturally, Derek's not a fan. It's just such an easy spell to take and even easier to use. Tim shares his College of Swords build that employs fate as its armor. Derek's homebrew monster this week is the Shadow Armorer, a creature that forces creatures to use mage armor instead of their own armor.

Want to keep up with your rogue and monk friends? Try longstrider and somehow increase the amount of movement it takes you to stand up. Tim's character this week needs the extra movement to get in the perfect combat positions. And Derek's monster, the Quicksilver Ooze, gains speed with every hit until it explodes!