The 15 Best Dnd Actual Play Podcasts (2026)

Critical Role is the show that turned a group of professional voice actors rolling dice around a table into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. What started as a home game between friends like Matthew Mercer, Laura Bailey, Travis Willingham, and Sam Riegel has grown into something with over 410 episodes, four major campaigns, and a dedicated streaming platform called Beacon. The format is straightforward: long-form, unscripted D&D sessions where the cast plays completely in character, often for three to four hours at a stretch. These are trained performers, so the emotional range is staggering. One moment you are laughing at Sam Riegel's absurd ad reads, and the next you are genuinely tearing up over a character's sacrifice. Campaign 4 shook things up in a big way by bringing in Brennan Lee Mulligan as Game Master, stepping away from the familiar world of Exandria into Mulligan's own setting of Araman. The cast expanded too, adding Robbie Daymond, Aabria Iyengar, Whitney Moore, and Alexander Ward alongside the original crew. Episodes now drop in two parts each week. The production quality is top-tier, with professional sound mixing that translates surprisingly well from the video format to audio-only listening. If you have never experienced actual play D&D before, this is the gold standard that everyone else gets measured against. Fair warning though: each campaign is a massive time commitment. Start with Campaign 1 or jump straight into Campaign 4 for a fresh entry point.

The McElroy family turned a bonus episode of their comedy advice show into one of the most beloved actual play podcasts ever made. Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy play alongside their dad Clint, and the result is this wonderful collision of genuine family dynamics and absurd fantasy storytelling. The first campaign, Balance, is widely considered a masterpiece of the genre. Griffin's DMing builds from goofy monster-of-the-week adventures into this sweeping emotional epic that had listeners openly sobbing by the finale. It is genuinely one of the best stories told in any medium, and the fact that it emerged from improv dice rolls makes it even more impressive. Since Balance, the show has become more experimental. They have rotated DM duties, tried different game systems, and explored shorter arcs. Recent campaigns include Versus Dracula, a vampire hunter story, and various Marvel-inspired crossover adventures. Not every arc hits as hard as Balance, but the family chemistry never gets old. Clint McElroy rolling terribly and then somehow saving the day is a recurring joy. The podcast drops biweekly on the Maximum Fun network and has racked up over 400 episodes and 35,000 Apple Podcasts ratings. The tone leans heavily comedic with genuine heart underneath. If you want actual play that prioritizes story and character over rules accuracy, and you do not mind a dad who still confuses his spell slots, this is your show. The Balance arc alone is worth the listen even if you never touch another episode.

NADDPOD, as fans affectionately call it, is one of the funniest D&D actual play shows out there. Brian Murphy runs the game as DM while Emily Axford, Jake Hurwitz, and Caldwell Tanner play characters who consistently find the most chaotic possible solution to every problem. The comedy background of the cast -- they all come from the CollegeHumor and Headgum orbit -- means the improv chops are razor sharp. But here is what makes NADDPOD special: underneath all the jokes is genuinely solid D&D. Murphy builds intricate worlds and memorable NPCs, and the players engage with the mechanics in smart, creative ways. Emily Axford also composes and performs the show's original music, which adds a surprising amount of emotional weight to key moments. The show launched in 2018 and has completed three major campaigns, each with its own distinct flavor. New episodes drop every Thursday, and with over 400 episodes in the archive, there is a mountain of content to work through. The pacing is tight for an actual play -- episodes rarely drag, and the editing keeps things moving. One-shots and shorter side adventures break up the longer campaigns nicely. If you want a show that respects the game but never takes itself too seriously, NADDPOD hits that sweet spot better than almost anything else in the genre.

Dungeons and Daddies has one of the best elevator pitches in podcasting: four dads from our world get transported into a fantasy realm and have to rescue their sons. That premise alone is funny, but the execution is where this show really shines. Anthony Burch serves as DM, joined by Freddie Wong, Matt Arnold, Will Campos, and Beth May as players who lean way more into comedy and character work than strict rules adherence. And honestly, that is what makes it so good. The show barely follows D&D mechanics half the time, treating the game system more as a loose framework for collaborative improv storytelling. Season one follows the dads on their rescue mission and builds to a genuinely emotional conclusion. Season two flipped the script with the dads' kids as protagonists. Season three departed from D&D entirely, using Call of Cthulhu rules for a horror-comedy campaign. The newest season, Grandpas and Galaxies, launched in early 2025 and sends grandfathers into space using the Dark Matter sci-fi D&D conversion. Each season works as a standalone story, so you can jump in anywhere, though starting from season one gives you the full emotional payoff. With a 4.9 rating from over 10,000 reviews, the audience clearly agrees this is something special. The episodes release semimonthly and are tightly edited compared to most actual play shows, keeping the pacing snappy. If you want actual play that treats D&D as comedy scaffolding rather than a strict ruleset, this is your best bet.

High Rollers is Europe's biggest independent TTRPG stream turned podcast, and it has been running strong since 2016 with over 650 episodes. Mark Hulmes serves as Dungeon Master, guiding his players through the homebrew world of Altheya: The Dragon Empire. The show takes its lore seriously. Hulmes builds intricate political landscapes, divine pantheons, and interconnected storylines that reward long-time listeners with layered callbacks and reveals. The current cast includes Trott, Kim, Rhi, and Katie, each bringing distinct roleplaying styles that create a nice balance between combat tactics and character-driven drama. Tom Hazell handles the sound design, which adds atmospheric weight to key moments. New episodes drop on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with live streams happening every Sunday at 5pm UK time on Twitch and YouTube. That is a lot of content, which can feel intimidating for newcomers, but the community is welcoming and there are good starting points for each major campaign arc. The production is handled by Pickaxe, a UK-based podcast network that also manages several other TTRPG shows. What sets High Rollers apart from the American-dominated actual play scene is its distinctly British sensibility. The humor is drier, the pacing more deliberate, and the worldbuilding leans into high fantasy with a grounded tone rather than comedy. If you have burned through the big American actual play shows and want something with a different flavor, High Rollers is an excellent pick with a massive back catalog to explore.

Tales from the Stinky Dragon started at Rooster Teeth but went independent in 2024 when the company shut down, and the transition actually made the show stronger. The cast includes Gustavo Sorola as Game Master, with Barbara Dunkelman, Blaine Gibson, Chris Demarais, and Jon Risinger as players. What makes Stinky Dragon stand out in the crowded actual play space is the production quality. This is not a raw recording of people sitting around a table. Every episode features fully voiced NPC characters, immersive sound design, original music, and careful editing that keeps the pacing tight. It feels closer to an audio drama that happens to use D&D rules than a typical let's-play podcast. The show is rated clean, which is unusual for the genre and makes it genuinely accessible to younger listeners or anyone who does not want explicit content mixed into their fantasy adventure. With around 208 episodes released biweekly, the back catalog is substantial but not overwhelming. The independent team launched a Patreon to fund production and also partnered with Critical Role Productions to distribute through Beacon. That partnership makes sense given the overlap in audience. The comedy leans on the cast's natural chemistry, which goes back years to their Rooster Teeth days, and the stories balance humor with enough dramatic stakes to keep you invested. If you are looking for a family-friendly actual play show with professional-grade audio production, this is one of the best options available.

The Dungeon Dudes -- Monty Martin and Kelly McLaughlin -- are best known for their D&D advice YouTube channel, but Dungeons of Drakkenheim is where they put their money where their mouth is. This actual play campaign uses D&D 5e and takes place in the meteor-blasted ruins of a fantasy city, which is a wonderfully specific setting that avoids the generic medieval Europe problem a lot of D&D campaigns fall into. Monty DMs while Kelly plays alongside Jill Danaitis and Joe O'Gorman, forming a party that includes a brash prince, a streetwise survivor, and a meddlesome mage. The show streams live on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 PM EST on Twitch, with podcast episodes following on the usual platforms. The campaign was designed for characters level 1 through 13, giving it a defined scope that keeps the story focused rather than sprawling endlessly. What makes this show particularly interesting is that the Dungeon Dudes understand the rules deeply -- their YouTube content is literally about explaining D&D mechanics -- so the gameplay feels informed and intentional. The Drakkenheim setting eventually became a published adventure module through Ghostfire Gaming, which speaks to the quality of the worldbuilding. If you enjoy D&D played by people who really know the system and appreciate tight, setting-driven campaigns, this is a strong choice.

Jesters of Ravenloft has one of the best hooks in actual play podcasting: a group of improvisers and comedians discover that they are the characters in a D&D campaign, and their sketch comedy troupe has to escape the nightmare realm of Ravenloft. It is a meta premise that actually works because the cast -- Tyler Hewitt, Del Borovic, Guy Bradford, and Adam McNamara, with Ryan LaPlante as DM -- are legitimately skilled improvisers who can sell the bit. The show is part of the Dumb-Dumbs & Dice network, which operates under the Fable & Folly umbrella, and they produce eight different TTRPG shows. Jesters stands out as their flagship. Two new episodes drop every week, recorded and streamed live on Twitch every Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET, which is an aggressive release schedule that keeps momentum high. The podcast has racked up over two million downloads and regularly lands in the top 50 fiction podcasts on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts, which is impressive for a show that leans hard into comedy. The Ravenloft setting gives the show a horror-comedy tone that works surprisingly well -- think improv comedians trapped in a gothic horror campaign where nothing goes according to plan. The D&D 5e rules provide structure, but the comedy always comes first. If you like your tabletop gaming with a heavy dose of sketch comedy energy and do not mind some chaos at the table, this one is worth your time.

The name says it all, really. Girls Who Don't DnD started with three women -- Indy, Stacey, and Alana -- who had never touched a d20 in their lives, plus a DM named Cory who owned all the rulebooks but had not exactly read them cover to cover. That starting point of genuine inexperience gives the show a charm that polished actual play podcasts sometimes lack. You get to hear real discovery happening at the table as the players figure out what their characters can do, make gloriously questionable tactical decisions, and stumble into moments of accidental brilliance. Indy plays Freya the rogue, Stacey plays Kaa'Riin the druid, and Alana plays Morrigan the sorcerer, adventuring through the world of Kalee. The show comes out of Australia and releases monthly on the first Tuesday after the 20th AEST, which is an unusual schedule but gives the episodes room to breathe. The comedy is natural and unforced -- it comes from genuine reactions rather than practiced bits. The Australian sensibility adds a distinct flavor that sets it apart from the largely North American actual play scene. As the show has progressed, the players have grown noticeably more comfortable with the rules, but they have kept that playful beginner energy that made the early episodes so appealing. If you have ever wanted to get into D&D but felt intimidated by shows where everyone seems to know everything, this is the podcast that says it is okay to learn as you go.

Greetings Adventurers has been running since November 2012, making it one of the longest-running D&D actual play podcasts in existence. Originally called Drunks and Dragons -- a name they dropped in 2019 because it gave newcomers the wrong impression -- the show is built on a foundation of improvised comedy filtered through D&D 5e rules. Michael DiMauro serves as Dungeon Master while Tim Lanning, Mike Bachmann, Jennifer Cheek, and Nika Howard round out the current cast, playing characters like T'Chuck, Screech Echo, Selene Von Esper, and R'Oarc. The show has accumulated over 670 episodes across nine seasons, which is a staggering amount of content. They won the Academy of Podcasters Award for Best Gaming Podcast in 2017, and the quality has stayed consistent through the years. What keeps Greetings Adventurers fresh despite its long run is the cast's genuine enjoyment of each other's company. The humor is collaborative rather than competitive, and DiMauro builds campaigns that give each player room to shine. The GeeklyInc network produces the show, and they have built a loyal community around it. Weekly episodes mean there is always something new, and the improvised nature keeps things unpredictable. For listeners who want a podcast with deep roots and hundreds of hours of established lore, this is one of the originals that helped define what actual play D&D could be.

Can We Level Up Yet? is a newer entry in the D&D actual play space, created by Jo Steel, Vee Harris, Noah Lance Holcomb, and Kael Steel. The title captures a feeling every tabletop player knows: that impatient itch to gain your next level after a long session of adventuring. This smaller, independent podcast has the energy of friends genuinely having fun at the table rather than performing for an audience, which gives it an approachable, relaxed vibe. The cast brings a mix of comedy and earnest roleplay to their sessions, and the dynamic between the players feels natural and unscripted. Hosted on Transistor, the show is still building its audience and catalog, which means new listeners can get in on the ground floor without facing the daunting back-catalog problem that plagues longer-running shows. The production is clean and listenable without being overly polished -- you can hear the dice rolls and the table talk, which adds to the authenticity. The comedy leans into the absurd situations that D&D naturally generates when a group of friends makes questionable decisions together. There is something refreshing about a show that is not trying to be the next Critical Role and is instead just focused on having a good time with the game. If you enjoy discovering new actual play podcasts while they are still finding their voice, Can We Level Up Yet? is worth adding to your rotation.

You Meet In a Tavern takes its name from the most classic D&D opening of all time, and the show delivers on that promise of straightforward, fun tabletop gaming. Hosted by JOEtheDM with players Doobs, Tinz, and Bryan (known online as @doobsnax, @Tinznasty, and @Withacay), the podcast started as a D&D 5e actual play and has since expanded into broader TTRPG territory. The original campaign followed Tug, Derf, and Karl through their first 5e adventures, and the show has grown through multiple campaigns and systems. The third season, titled NOIR, shifted to the Call of Cthulhu system, showing the group's willingness to explore beyond the D&D framework. Sessions are recorded live on Twitch, which adds an interactive element -- viewers can watch in real time at twitch.tv/YMIATavern before the episodes hit podcast feeds. The community around the show is active on Discord, Twitter, and Reddit, and the hosts engage with listeners regularly. The tone is comedy-forward with a group of friends who clearly enjoy each other's company at the table. JOEtheDM balances narrative ambition with player freedom, letting the party's chaotic decisions drive the story rather than railroading them into predetermined outcomes. The show has been running since 2017 and has built a solid library of content across different game systems and tones. If you want a TTRPG podcast that is not afraid to experiment while keeping things fun and loose, this is a reliable pick.

How Friends Roll takes a different approach from most actual play podcasts by focusing on micro-campaigns with a rotating cast. DM Sully -- who listeners might recognize from the Fun, But Why? podcast -- wrangles a fresh group of friends every couple of months to hack and slash through a new chapter of his ongoing homebrew adventure. This structure is genuinely clever because it means you are never stuck with character dynamics that are not working, and new players bring new energy to the table regularly. The show started with a charmingly modest goal: Sully wanted to learn how to make a podcast. The result is a beginner-friendly show that lives by a standing Pirates Code -- the 5e rules are treated as guidelines, never let a rules question kill the momentum, and always prioritize having a good time. Part of the Darkmore Podcast Network, How Friends Roll makes a conscious effort to be accessible. The DM and players explain their actions clearly, so even listeners who have never rolled a saving throw can follow along. The homebrew world Sully has built grows with each micro-campaign, creating a shared universe that rewards long-term listeners while still being easy to jump into at any point. Kayla, who plays Daisy "Buckles" Buckley, is a standout among the recurring cast. If you are looking for something lighter and more approachable than the epic-length campaigns that dominate the genre, How Friends Roll is a refreshing alternative.

Halfway to Heroes follows the story of four graduates from the Scrimore Academy, a school built to train warriors against an Illithid invasion that has not been seen in over 30 years. The funding has dried up, the school is closing, and these recent graduates are about to discover that the world of Modras might not be as peaceful as everyone thought. Created by Adam DeWees and featuring a cast that includes Shaun DeWees, Dustin DeWees, Johnny, and Barry, this is very much a family-and-friends affair, and that closeness translates into comfortable table chemistry. The characters are memorable -- Shaun plays Ubo, a Tortle Artificer, while Barry pilots Ultrex, a Warforged Paladin, and the party dynamic of underprepared academy graduates bumbling into real danger provides both comedy and genuine tension. Part of the Majestic Goose Network, the show releases every other Tuesday, giving the creators time to craft episodes that feel purposeful rather than rushed. The homebrew setting is well-thought-out, with the Illithid threat providing a compelling backdrop that slowly comes into focus as the campaign progresses. The Lore and Pour bonus episodes, where the cast discusses D&D lore over drinks, add extra context for listeners who want to go deeper. The name says it all -- these characters are not legendary heroes yet, and watching them grow toward that status is half the fun.

DnD RAW stands for Rules As Written, and the podcast is built around a simple but distinctive premise: play D&D 5e while actually following the rules as they are printed. That might sound obvious, but anyone who has listened to other actual play shows knows that most groups bend, break, or straight-up ignore rules when it suits the story. This group leans the other direction, embracing the mechanics as part of the fun rather than an obstacle to it. The show features two separate adventuring parties -- Serviceable Plots and Rumble Squad -- which gives listeners variety in character dynamics and storytelling styles within the same podcast. New episodes drop every other Wednesday, and the two-party structure means the show stays fresh by alternating perspectives. Beyond the actual play episodes, the team produces a companion show called Rules As Written, where they invite other podcasters to debate and discuss the finer points of 5e rules. These discussion episodes dig into edge cases and mechanical interactions that most tables argue about for five minutes and then house-rule away. The show includes Unearthed Arcana material alongside the core rules, so you get to see playtest content in action. The community is active on Discord and Twitter (@RulesAsWritten), and the hosts clearly enjoy engaging with rules discussions beyond the table. If you have ever argued about whether a spell works a certain way or felt frustrated when a DM handwaves a mechanic, DnD RAW is the actual play podcast made for you.