Kill Every Monster

Games #142

Kill Every Monster is an award-winning Dungeons and Dragons podcast about every monster in the manual. Co-hosts Dylan and Aram are joined by a guest for a DM-deep-dive into a classic D&D monster. The first part is a discussion, and the second is a one-shot actual play where our guest takes on the role of the monster.Dungeons & Dragons is many things to many people, but at its heart lies a system that rewards players for killing monsters. In each episode we ask three central questions:What is this creature?Are they really a monster?How would you change them in Dungeons and Dragons?Each episode of Kill Every Monster is a contained story, so you never have to worry about being caught up or listening out of order. Pick any monster you like and dive right in!The show is free and available anywhere you get your podcasts. We are supported by listeners like you via Patreon where you can get ad-free versions of each episode a week early, and Patreon-exclusive bonus episodes like our DM Notes and and Cutting Room Floor series.

Recent Episodes

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Recent Reviews

Brutal Jimi

Definitely recommend all new GM’s to listen

Definitely an entertaining listen. The show follows a 3 step process Step 1: Identifies the monster Step 2: is it an monster/what would you change Step 3: Pvp with the monster in a one shot While I’m not a new GM, the step 3 for planting ideas on how to use a monster you haven’t used before is super helpful.
Vros_Nightwing

Aram and Dylan are visionaries

After hearing their lovingly antagonistic dynamic featured in Unprepared Casters as player characters, I craved more of that dynamic. It's Luckily, these fellas had their own DnD show- one that I could pick up and get into at my own pace. Every episode is incredibly informative about the "monster", incredibly thoughtful in regards to cultural influences on its portrayal, and wildly entertaining with flavorful editing and tabletop segments built around the monster of the episode. However, the written word from my pen is not something that can do this show justice. You just need to listen for yourself.
Tom Goss

Masterful Storytelling

As always, Aram and company picks apart the facade of traditional tropes, revealing a far more insightful, and nuanced world. This time, from the perspective of the bad guys. It makes you think about monsters in a way you never have before. 👏👏👏
Jack Delotte

The Only D&D Pod I Consume

I love TTRPGs- but I have a hard time with the Nerf style pastiche of identical magic killing machines that the game has come to be. Aram and Dylan bring a verisimilitude, common sense and humanity to the game that is nothing short of a sea change for the material they working from. WOTC needs to put these guys in charge of creative development. Amazing, thoughtful, compassionate and intense. Thanks guys!
deadenedglow

A glorious podcast

This podcast has given me so many good ideas for one-shots. In which, I did run one of them at convention. This is an ingenious podcast. Aram and Dylan are great hosts for this show.
definitely.ish

Fantastic, entertaining, thought provoking

Pure delight. I love the backstories for every monster, as well as the thoughtfulness of the breakdown of the pros and cons of how each one is written in 5e. The hosts and their banter is maybe the best part. Love these folks!
Travellin2013

Spoiler alert: [be killed by] every monster?

I adore this podcast. Especially as (mild spoilers) it seems like every episode the consensus is that X is not a monster, and their charming guest has me rooting for the not monster, who typically (would have to run numbers here, as this is just based on my anecdotal impression and may not actually be typical) ends up dealing with the hero without dying. In some of my favorite episodes they end up teaming up <3 The guests are great, and the both the role play, tactics, and philosophical discussions are thoughtful, delightful, and always leave me wanting more! Also, the host are just good people who are investing in other good people in the space, and you love to see that!
SuiSyche

Logged into Apple Podcasts to write this

Discovered this podcast after listening to Dylan and Aram on the “How Not to DM” podcast and have been binging off and on since. I had to log into Apple Podcasts for the first time in at least 2 years to write a review after listening to the doppelgänger episode as it just cured my DM’s writer’s block. I’ve considered making Doppelgänger’s possibly good in the past, but just realized that the NPC with amnesia who is based off River from firefly (can read surface thoughts and was trained to be an assassin) is a doppelgänger who forgot who she is. Five stars!
whdirnxnaladidfbcak

This is important

After listening to episode 6 with Noir, I had to write a review. The role play in this podcast is consistently top-tier, with believable characters telling amazing stories, but the best part of the podcast is the opening discussion, where the hosts and guest deal with the (often problematic) text from the monster manual and work it into something that fits the monster and belongs at gaming tables in 2022. They are doing great work, and hope they keep doing it.
Adze eking

CrosstieJedi

This is super handy to anyone who’s running campaigns and looking to add more life to it. The insight into to often used monsters, makes them feel new and different. The role playing is top notch, and I am constantly looking forward to the next episode
piraterob

Thoroughly entertaining D

I’m the kind of insufferable indie RPG fan that dismissively refers to “The Dragon Game”, but this podcast is wonderful. Each episode dives into the cultural resonance of a creature from the Monster Manual, what works about it, what doesn’t, and rounds out with an excellent actual play segment that manages the impossible task of making D
RJVaden3

Fun and Helpful

Even if you don’t run games with D&D, this show still gives you a lot of ideas to chew on when it comes to using monsters and otherworldly creatures in your game. Also love the level of queer rep in this show. Thanks, y’all!
Richard KL

Polished and Practical

This show examines monsters out of the D&D monster manual and asks how they could be improved. It's a great resource for how to make the monsters in your games more interesting, and on top of that it's extreely entertaining. The hosts have a bit of playful antagonism with each other, and bring on guests who love the particular monster the episode is covering. Beyond the tactics and roleplaying advice you'd expect for each monster, they've also run into some more in-depth information on some of the monsters that they didn't expect (many of the monsters in the monster manual were stolen whole-cloth from existing myths and legends that have long histories you may not know about). A real delight!
VozElDiablo

A great resource and a fun listen

I’m really enjoying the show. I think it’s honestly a great resource for how to think when adding an encounter to your campaign. Giving the monsters more weight in the story instead of feeling like a Jrpg random encounter. Really looking forward to more episodes.
Iris Spine

Gorgeous Deep Dives!

Aram, Dylan, and their guests are absolutely incredible! They are know the lore, the stats, everything you want for a deeper look at the world. We have been binging these shows like crazy people over here. Can't wait for more!! -The Call of the Void Team
Gingerreckoning

Long overdue

Kill Every Monster is one of those shows where you read the pitch and think “isn’t that a thing already?” Then you listen to an episode and realize that even if someone else has tried this concept, no one will ever do as great a job as Dylan and Aram. This show combines passionate and knowledgeable guests with my favorite genre of podcasting: people being friends. They have a thought-provoking discussion about the history, problems and stats of each monster, followed by a brief actual play session showing off what it can (or should) do. The mix of thoughtful critique, expert advice, and gleeful murder between best friends is a true delight.
Unique Exemplar

Grade A-mazing

Aram, Dylan, and their guests give us better in-depth discussions and lore than you can find in the source books. A must-hear for DMs.
Lenkerz2

Kill Every Review

Has anyone done that title yet? Anyway - I am an Aram fan from Rise of the Demigods, and I love this new project! Digging into the racism/anti-Semitism/homophobia etc etc of D
Beers and Baddies

An Entertaining Must For DMs

Equally funny and informative! Not only do these guys know their stuff, but they also provide extensive monster details and provide you new ideas on how to plan monster encounters beyond the typical hack-and-slash or fight to the death.
Avador

Destroy Every Recommendation

When I found this gem I was hoping for some insightful discussions around D&D monsters and boy oh boy did I find that and much more. Not only do the hosts invite amazing guest and passionately talk about the awesome parts and flaws of monsters but they also dive into the myth that inspired them. If needed they reinvent the monsters making them so much more interesting. But the best part, which I wasn’t expecting, is that they don’t just tell you these ideas on how to run the monsters, they also run them themselves! The guest normally plays as the monster while one of the host is a PC and the other host the GM. It’s amazingly done and beautifully edited adding an extra layer of immersion. More people NEED to listen to this because it’s truly that good.
HitomiDajan

Author Every Monster

Similar to the idea of “Kill the Author”, yet inverted- Take the “official” story of the monster, and go on a journey beyond the D&D rules, to the original stories and tales, and what is it about the being that sticks in the heart of the guest. Then step into a story of a hunt, and ask just how monstrous are the humans, and what’s the humanity of a monsters. In the same way that each episode is a two-sided coin of the discussion and RPG session, they are also a treat to listen to and a nice reminder of the problems that exist in some of official D&D materials.
Hilgendwarf

Captivating and delightful

Dylan and Aram have created my favorite podcast. Their thoughtful approach to each monster is helpful for me as a dungeon master to create a world with more depth and better stories. The numerous guests have been incredible and bring such fresh takes on the monster of the week. And the sessions at the end of each episode are absolutely wonderful. I cannot recommend this podcast enough! I regularly listen to episodes two or three times because I enjoy them so much.
Love an informative 'cast.

Equal parts fun and thought-provoking

One of my favorite new podcasts. Aram, Dylan, and their guests dive into the lore, history, and context (cultural context as well as D
Stobert87

Amazing

A brilliant concept executed perfectly. The first half of the episode the hosts and guest chat in depth about a D&D monster. VERY in depth. FOR THE SECOND HALF, they play a game of D&D where the guest is the monster playing against Aram. The best part is you are pretty much always rooting for the monster to win. It’s a podcast I didn’t know that needed to exist. Give it a try!
d00kee

Aram does it again!

I have been listening to GODSFALL for quite some time and just came across this show today. I have already listened to three episodes and will listen to every episode moving forward. Aram is a wizard at production and the creativity of the guests is tops! (I want to be your guest for a Shambling Mound episode😎)
superdillin

Something New

There is a sea of Dungeons and Dragons podcasting out there, ranging from phenomenal to pretty bad. Not only is this something completely new, breaking the mold from both actual plays and theory driven D&D content, this is a beautifully produced show. The use of sound effects and music is enhancing without being overwhelming. Every guest so far has brought new ideas, fresh takes on old concepts, and the short form one shots squeeze a metric ton of drama into small windows beautifully. I wish this podcast had existed when I was new to D&D!
Sharang-utan

Thought-provoking and fun

Kill Every Monster’s dual format—social/historical discussion of monster myths followed by fun actual play—is intriguing! The guests often go really deep into the cultural significance of the monsters that we include in our roleplaying games: fascinating stuff!
Jethro Thrul

Delightful and Insightful

An absolutely stellar podcast that delves deeply into the real world lore and inspiration for many of the enemies we love to hate. Cannot recommend it enough!
Jacob C Wheeler

Informative and fun

I stumbled onto Kill Every Monster while researching the banshee for my campaign. What good luck! I found some great ideas to try out with my players and reconsidered how I saw the banshee in my story. I really liked how you have an AP segment after the discussion to put your ideas into practice. Can’t wait for more episodes!

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