Reviews
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“Very recent listener here (came here from a recommendation from another TTRPG podcast) I believe, I’ve been loving listening to Achilliea’s story in Zaysha and I am drawn to TOTM’s unique and compelling style of storytelling. Although this is is the first solo-player TTRPG podcast I’ve...”Read full review »
Humanoid Clay via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
11/08/24
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“You got my creative juices flowing, I love the flow of your show. Going to go back and check out season 1 & 2!”
Brad butin via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/14/24
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“This is an absolutely fantastic podcast that captures the true D&D 'heart', and OSR feel and values, and is fantastic inspiration for any one doing Fantasy RPG solo play or being a Dungeon/Game Master! Amazingly well done and presented.”Read full review »
Mycenius via Apple Podcasts ·
New Zealand ·
08/14/24
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“We are absolutely obsessed with this podcast - both seasons 1 & 2. Jon does such an excellent job weaving dark narrative, absolutely terrifying details, and fantastic character development. We feel nothing but gratitude to listen to this podcast every week. Thank you, Jon!”
DisplacedHoosier via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/22/24
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“I can feel season two coming to a close and it is amazing! The long build to the climax of the campaign grew out of the sandbox play and the expert world building! I am so excited to see how it ends, but devastated that we will soon say goodbye to another group of characters that we’ve seen...”Read full review »
Medium-Sized Dog! via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
07/02/24
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“I’m pacing myself into TOTM’s Second season and loving every episode. The host does a great job of balancing the differing aspects of this truly unique game and strives to make every episode enjoyable. The character and world building is real. I can smell the gutters of Simoral and feel...”Read full review »
casmo205 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
05/23/24
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“I’ve listened to a lot of actual play podcasts and for me, solo > group, and TOTM is the best of the solo. Thank you for making this engaging, quality and free content John!”
Golden119 via Apple Podcasts ·
Great Britain ·
03/19/24
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“This podcast draws you in with the story elements, but then the dice, oh the dice. The dice are sometimes cruel and lead the story in new directions. That is what makes it so fabulous! Thanks for sharing your creative energy will all of us. <3”
valzagamer via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/14/24
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“Jon and cast do an excellent job at balancing action with roleplay and exposition. Cole’s fate still hits hard and The Goddard Estate will always hold a special place in my heart. I look forward to whatever the next chapter will be and however the dice land. Love this show! Thanks for your hard...”Read full review »
Powerkor via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/09/24
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“Manticore is a podcast I found late, binged hard and now wait for every two weeks! I’ve found myself walking the dog a little further to finish an episode or two or taking another lap around the block after dropping the kid off at school to try and finish the episode before work.
I don’t have...”Read full review »
Orc of the Lake via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/13/24
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“Even though I’m over 50 and began playing D&D with the 1981 boxed set, I never really “got” the appeal of OSR gaming. Thanks to this podcast, I not only get it but went out to buy some OSR games to play with friends.
This is an absolutely terrific storytelling and gaming podcast to consume,...”Read full review »
Magic JMS via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/01/24
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“Man, I’m only a dozen or so episodes in, and this has been astounding storytelling. Good job thus far!”
Mr. Pizzle via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
12/22/23
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“So upset that I’ve finally caught up. Historically I’ve avoided Actual Plays like the plague, but this is the fantasy podcast I didn’t know I needed. The tone, world you want to dive into and level of focus are all on point. Add in the loving production values and manageable episode length and...”Read full review »
Into the Weird Blue Yonder via Apple Podcasts ·
Great Britain ·
11/05/23
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“I’ve never been into d&d. Never even considered it. Someone recommended this podcast to me on Reddit and I put it off thinking it wouldn’t be my thing. Out of boredom at work while my waiting for new episodes from my normal podcasts I decided to check it out. I was instantly hooked. Binged...”Read full review »
Krreed88 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/16/23
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“Great pod. Taking back to the 80s. Happened on it from The Grognard files. Hope you keep at it.”
BARLTCR via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/13/23
“Also, thanks to The Iron Realm for inspiring Jon to do this. Gonna check that out next now that I’m all caught up.”
Carl B... via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
09/01/23
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“Ok. Pod-addicts. Put this in your ears.
The host of the show would tell you to start with season 2. Trust me. You’ll be so addicted that you’ll binge through it too fast to be satisfied. You will go back to season 1 anyways, so just start there.”
Corny dog8765 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/23/23
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“Streamlined to the point of near perfection. Great characters, palpable tension, and not a wasted moment. I usually fall off AP's pretty quick but this is something special.”Read full review »
OldDirtyBasilisk via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/20/23
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“Really enjoy the unique format, and it’s cool to see the podcast grow and develop as the series progresses. Jon seems like a thoughtful and generous creator so I had to take the time to actually write a review :)”
Pliers20 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
06/24/23
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“Love this podcast.
Reminds me of those old D&D sessions I played as a teenager.
The dark and gritty reality and the “death around every corner” feel keep me engaged and wanting to listen to “just one more”.
Brilliant”
Rikdog72 via Apple Podcasts ·
New Zealand ·
06/23/23
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“Podcast status: 5 out of 5 Stars. A storyteller’s fertile imagination is supplemented by rattling dice rolls - even he does not know what is on the next page in this brilliant fantasy series akin to “The Black Company” novels by Glen Cook and accompanied by an atmospheric, minimalist soundtrack...”Read full review »
Johndhagan via Apple Podcasts ·
Great Britain ·
06/10/23
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“I’ve never played DND nor gave it much thought. I wanted a podcast that was story driven and in the realm of fantasy. Your title intrigued me. I jumped on board and hated the combat system but the story left me wanting more. Now I can’t decide what part I like more the story or the combat. I...”Read full review »
Fdsgucrfytfderrd via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
06/09/23
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“This is an excellent combination of old school D&D solo play (B/X rules) combined with well done storytelling and voice acting. It’s not only compelling and entertaining (I’ve been binge listening from the beginning), but has also really given me a lot of great ideas for how to improve my own...”Read full review »
dulac3 via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
04/07/23
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“I’ve listened to 20 episodes thus far and I am absolutely hooked! The story, the setting and the characters are all incredibly well crafted, and the narration just sucks you in!
The fact that there’s no premade plot keeps me at the edge of my seat fearing for the characters’ lives at every turn....”Read full review »
tiny elven mitten via Apple Podcasts ·
Japan ·
03/20/23
“I’ve been playing D&D since 1988 and I wish my campaigns were this good. From such a simple premise such a rich story has emerged with characters you care about up to ep55 - don’t spoil it for me if anyone dies before the current arc dies!). Really enjoyed seeing how the world creation...”Read full review »
TheWarmasterHorus via Apple Podcasts ·
Australia ·
02/23/23
“I played D&D starting with the basic set, then moving on into AD&D, way back in my youth. The storytelling here mixed with the actual gameplay really brings back fond memories of those days of long ago. Thank you!”
Filler willer via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/31/23
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“I honestly think this podcast is pretty amazing just recently found it and I’m already caught up to the newest episode so that can tell u how much I’ve enjoyed listening to this.”
SeptimoRayos via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
12/05/22
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“I wasn’t looking for a “serious” D&D podcast when I ran across Tale of the Manticore. Personally, I’m a big fan of the comedic ones (when they are done well). In fact, I resisted listening for a long time after hearing the trailer. So imagine my surprise, upon finally giving it a shot, to...”Read full review »
Puddington III via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
11/14/22
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“I got onto tales of the Manticore podcast by way of the 13-sided die podcast. I love how no character is sacred, the melodious tone of the narrator, how chaos rules! The story is so well told and thought out. I can’t wait to listen to the next episode. Thank you for all you do!!”
Listener174 via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
11/08/22
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“Super host, his voice is soothing for night owls looking for some D&D content. The story is well brought and we don’t get entangled in the rulings, the characters are great and we can identify to them. Keep up this amazing work! Roll well, roll often!”
pmforget01 via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
11/03/22
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“This is a unique actual play, styled as a radio show. John takes old school role-playing to the next level using the dice to decide the actions of most of the characters most of the time.The action is riveting, the story is very engaging, and the concept is one of a kind. I am absolutely hooked...”Read full review »
RoyalFishGames via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/29/22
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“Great podcast. Excellent quality and engaging storyline. Story keeps moving with unexpected developments while still keeping continuity of episodes over time. Also gives some insight into the choices/mechanics he is using.”
StatsScott via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
10/24/22
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“This is — by far — the greatest old-school RPG podcast, or audio drama. I’m still listening to season one and it is truly fantastic!
The audio quality is top notch, and episodes are of a very manageable length (rarely over a half hour).
I truly can’t recommend this podcast highly enough.”
BasicDM via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
09/29/22
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“My Dad (who introduced me to D&D as a child recommended this to me. And I’m currently working my way quickly through season 1. The show is thoughtfully put together and excellently told. The story is at times beautiful and brutal, the characters are well rounded and never safe.”
jaketooth via Apple Podcasts ·
Australia ·
09/25/22
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“This is a wonderfully done combination of real play and storytelling. Season 2 is shaping up to be as good if not better than Season 1. If you haven’t, make sure to listen to Season 1 as well, totally different story arc and characters and definitely worth the (binge) listen!”
AncientHealer via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
09/17/22
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“This guy has nailed it - RPG combined with narrative fantasy, no jokes or banter, just straight ahead D&D. Very compelling story, and the real time tension created with live dice rolls ups the stakes and ratchets up the anxiety. Nice work man.”
Davidacooper via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
08/31/22
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“Thank you for producing this fantasy Roleplaying storygame! This has helped me look into older style D&D. Bravo!”
Jongrahar via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/15/22
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“Season 1 was amazing, I highly recommend for people to listen to it.
I’m going to let a few episodes pass for season 2 before listening in hopes that the story picks up.”
RM Vice via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
07/06/22
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“This is the only podcast I listen to religiously. I am always excited when the next episode comes out. The narrator does an amazing job keeping neutral not steering the PCs away from danger keeping them from harm, and can you feel the genuine excitement in his voice as epic battles unfold. The...”Read full review »
t-wiz2 via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
07/04/22
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“If you like the emergent narrative potential of tabletop roleplaying games, this is a great show for you. It’s solo play so there’s no banter or goofing off between players, just a solid dice-driven, dark fantasy story. The sound design is particularly stand-out––it’s well crafted and additive to...”Read full review »
Andyseus via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
06/28/22
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“I recently started this and listened to almost 20 episodes during a very long car ride. This isn’t my first D&D podcast, but it has become my favorite. The combination of story telling, between the lines discussion and the theater of the mind with the dice rolls comes across as compelling...”Read full review »
mcwelsh311 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
05/23/22
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“Each episode is a compelling story with characters that you can identify with and surprising plot twists. These episodes remind me of a cross between the thrills of learning Moldvay D&D when it was new and my favorite fantasy novels. I listen both ways during my 55 minute commute to work and...”Read full review »
Brent and Ellen via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
05/14/22
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“Caught the trailer for this podcast and was intrigued by the premise. It’s an excellent idea well executed. It captures some of the flavour of the old school Basic D&D adventures, but with a tense narrative that keeps you guessing. The random element creates some great plot twists. Can’t wait...”Read full review »
draquanaut via Apple Podcasts ·
Great Britain ·
03/02/22
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“Hands down, THE best Old School podcast I’ve found. If you want to know what playing B/X D&D is like, look (well, listen) no further.
This is the only ‘actual play,’ I’ve ever been able to listen to. Characters have compelling and believable backstories that emerge in flashbacks, world...”Read full review »
jwarfive via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
02/13/22
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“Tale of the Manticore is my go to D&D podcast. It is the perfect blend of old school D&D and grim dark literature. The DM is fantastic at the pacing of his story telling. The average runtime feels right (around a half hour) with the story progressing enough to be gratifying but always...”Read full review »
Johnny Dicfore via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/13/22
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“I was DM and had a player befriend a manticore and so I went in search of information. While I have not learned much of manticores in this story (yet) I have found a most excellent adventure. The suspense is palpable and quickly addictive. This story gets under your skin in a real way.”
WoxySlar via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/04/22
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