I tried hard to like it but they kept talking about politics. It’s like a basic rule of society to not talk politics and religion but they just wouldn’t stop.

This is a great podcast!!! Sure am missing new episodes. ☹️. Lots of inspiration for your own campaign and play. Going on my third round of listening to all the episodes again. Again thanks to the hosts for putting there time in putting these together over all those years. You can run over and listen to Save for Half and get an awesome podcast by Some of the former hosts. Thanks again! Rob

This podcast is a must have in your playlist if u are an OG red box kid like myself. Great cast, content, & extremely entertaining.

Love the podcast you guys are great. I’m glad I can find some good old fastRed Box podcasting. Need a couple episodes on companion box set and setting up pc domains. Just started a Basic game with my 7yr old twin girls, had to make a home-brew how to train your Dragon.

I recently came across this podcast and have listened to most of the first 100 epsiodes. The provide very good information about the OSR and I have really enjoyed the many interviews with D&D Legends. I have to admit that for a lot of the early episodes I was put off by the constant hate and disrespect to all D&D produced after 1981, which incidentally was the year I was born. I was an early adopter to RPG thanks to my parents and brother and have been playing since I was 5. We started with 1st edition and stuck it out in 2nd edition until the release of the 5th edition. For a long time it was my opinion that too much hate was pushed to gamers of my era and age. I stuck it out because I enjoyed the views of Mike, Liz, and Glen and it paid off as the early host faded out. I am at around episode 115 and look forward to finally catching up. I am also very interested in listening to RFI and THAC0s hammer as I believe those will be more friendly to my interests and experiences. I kind of wished I would have started there!! Keep it up.

So I MAY be a tad biased having recorded with 3 of the 4 and highly admiring the 4ths work in general... But that won't stop me from saying I am digging the new line up on Save or Die! I wanna thank Liz and Jim and Mike for their time and wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors! It was SoD who got me listening to Wild Games family of podcasts. Through the cast changes they always tried to improve and bring the listeners quality. I thank them and appreciate their work. With new Captains at the helm now, I like the chemistry which seems to be organic and a bit laid back. They are having fun and it's showing. I can honestly say I'm waiting impatiently to hear the next episode. Thanks to ALL the SOD SQUAD for your work past, present and future!

I have listened to this podcast for several years now, starting with the first issues, and catching up on morning comutes, and have been a true fan of the hosts. DM vince has since moved on to the roll for initiative podcast, but DM's Mike, Liz, Jim (Wampler, of Marvin the Mage fame) and Glen make the podcast both entertaining and informative. Even their guest hosts bring new perspectives to our favorite game. Well the old hosts have retired to other things, but James Spahn, Vince, and Erik Tenkar have taken over. While the old hosts will be missed, I expect the new hosts to keep this train running. Keep up the great work gentlemen! DM mike brings a professorial take on the game, his insight on the original editions, including suppliments like Greyhawk and Blackmore, along with his overall expertise of the earlier basic editions are informative and enjoyable. DM Liz a true Holmes version fan, and lover of all things Kobold, brings an interesting female perspective, it is good to hear her side from a fresh angle. DM Jim is a more recent addition, and brings a wit and experience to the show that was missed during the earlier shows. He is a fresh and welcomed voice to the crew. DM Glen, well what can I say that he wouldnt probably tell you himself. The hosts used to kick him down the stairs to get the mailbag, I think damage was done to him on the way down, but his unique brand of humor, quick responses and honesty are appreciated even if it takes ten or so episodes to get used to him. I really enjoy his diatribes about his games with his grandson and their group, and secretly wished that my grandfather had introduced me to the game in that way. It helps to know that the game is being presented to a new generation of gamers. I too play with my 6 and 8 year old children. They cover a wide variety of OSR games with emphasis on the original editions of Basic and Classic D&D. The old school reniasance lives in these podcasts!! Whether you are a grognard in your thirties, fourties or fifties (dare I add sixties!), or a fledgling rookie to the classic editions of "the original roleplaying game" you will find a spot at the tavern board with the SODers here on the Save or Die!! podcast. Pull up a chair, ignore the cloaked guy in the dark corner (Glen! :p), order up a drink, and a leg of mutton and listen as they slash their way through the inns (pun intended) and outs of Dungeons and Dragons (dont sue me WotC). (Note: all criticizims of the hosts are purely lighthearted in nature. I feel I can poke fun because the podcast brings the audience in and emerses each listener, making the whole experience very enjoyable.)

After Liz, Mike, and Jim moved on, somebody thought bringing DM Vince back was a good idea. He may know 1e but just bloviates about Classic. If you don't mind stream of consciousness rambling, he, James, and Eric will not disappoint—but they will not live up to the quality of the old show. Glenn would be better, but doesn't gel with the others (probably because he has a positive bonus in Charisma).

This is my go to gaming podcast. The hosts have a fantastic rapport. They are knowledgeable and bring on amazing guests on for interview.

I always enjoy this podcast even when they're reviewing some product I'll never contemplate buying (5e player here). The hosts are just fun to listen to.

You like Blue Box, Red Box, basic oldschool editions of D&D? Subcribe now!

I stopped listening for a while and finally came back. I was slapped in the face with how much this show has changed. Glen was gone..okay. With the loss of Glen, so went the good humor. Now it's just lame DM Jim jokes, and name dropping. Mike has great wisdom of the ancients to share but sometimes can barely get it out, due to DM Jim constantly having to get the last word.

I’ve listened to every episode as I am a new listener. This podcast was highly recommended to listen to from the various people in the Old school community, along with Roll for Initiative. So I started by listening at episode 1. Rough start, but hey, its episode 1. The show got better as they brought in more hosts to fill the dead air due to DM Liz and Mike barely saying anything or taking a long time to respond. DM Glen was funny at times and added to the entertainment of the show. Then the main host left, which I can’t blame him, he was doing another show. The show took a dip as Mike took over the hosting chair, but not his fault as he tried and kicked it up a notch and settled in to doing a decent job. We brought on another new co-host, Jim. He seemed like a good fit. Then suddenly, Glen slowly faded from the show and not even mentioned, until he was basically gone. I don’t remember if it was explained, I am sure it was, but I normally walk my dog and listen, so its possible I could have missed it while hitting play and stopping..etc. Now I noticed a trend in the show of Jim over powering Mike and Liz while talking, always having to get the last word it seemed and overly dropping names of people he knows. This turned me off, I hate people who do the, “Well I was talking to blah blah blah last night.. <pause waits for people acknowledge it like its a big deal>”. This happened often, enough that I couldn’t listen to most of the shows. I found myself fast forwarding to get to things that were interesting. The one thing that also annoyed me was this hot tub time machine email stuff, wow really annoying email show. I am done, I give this show 2 stars because of Mike and Liz trying to keep this show on life support, alive. Jim and guests like John Peters or whatever his name is, the author that keep coming on the show as a guest is an utter dull boring person.

Greetings SoDcast, So I've been a fan of the show from episode 45 and have followed you and caught up on the backlog and even when I don't agree with your views I've always found you entertaining. Even when Vince was around. I have to implore you, please please please for the love of Loki, STOP with the email shows. Nothing is more annoying that email shows. Jim & Liz Are why i started listening. I stayed because of the entertainment. Also I'd like to say that I find that Glenn is a missed voice. I don't know why he got dumped from the show. I will spare the negativity but as far as constructive critique, Jim we get it. You're a "name" in the game world? The name dropping can stop now. If we don't know the names you drop, be sure to tell everyone who they are and how important they are in the game world. Thanks for letting me vent. And please, no more email shows!

I’ve listened to this show since day one and I really enjoyed the show. I was sad when Vince left the show, but got over it as DM Glen really stepped it up a notch as Mike stumbled through his new hosting abilities and Liz barely said a word. I am happy to say both have GREATLY improved, Mike sounds better and Liz is great! Then Jim Wampler came along and you could slowly see the chemistry drop, as you could feel his ego trying to take over the cast. Talking over people, telling lame jokes and then finally pushing DM Glen off the show. Yes, anyone that’s listened to any show DM Glen has been on could piece together what happened. I am not sure what exactly happened, but I know DM Glen is very bitter. Jim on the other hand has full control over the show, and his ego expanding each day until his giant head is the only one in this podcast. Could he even name drop anymore? Sad.

I have listened to all of the Save or Die podcast twice and I have a few observations. First I thank you. No one else was making this type of podcast and it has really changed my gaming. That being said the episodes have kind of lost steam lately. I feel the show is best when it has 4 host because it leads to more robust discussion. Also I wish they would cover more Moldvay/ Cook and stop mentioning the 1e DMG so much. After all its Save or Die and not Roll for Initiative

I love this podcast - the reviews, the interviews, the topics - all old school gaming goodness. I've listened to many episodes multiple times and enjoy not only the sujects, but the hosts' light banter as well.

A wonderful mix of great personalities and material. Takes me back to the days when I first sat behind the screen and shared the fruits of my imagination with friends old and new. Though I cut my teeth on 1st edition I plundered the modules of the basic and original sets for my campaign. I loved your review of the Arduin Grimoire as it was the first non-D&D material I ever bought. I am in the process of listenning my way through your earlier podcasts and I am pleased to see the quality was in the mix from day one. Keep it great, keep it weird, and may the players never realize what you've done until the door slams shut behind them.

The hosts are all top shelf. SOD is not only a great place to get excellent information about different modules, & rules, but this is 1 of the best podcasts to get entertained. Top shelf podcasts is what you come to expect from WGP!!

I’m about halfway through catching up to the current episodes, but I really enjoy this show. Awesome topics and great guests. Any derailment or off topic ramblings only remind me more of how it is when I play D&D. Always having to reel it in because people are having too much FUN. Love what you guys are doing keep it up.

If you like dead air and listening to people laugh uproariously in response to marginal jokes and obligatory geek references, I can recommend this. The dead air and laughing is occasionally interrupted by good D&D discussion.

I'm an avid podcast listener and this is my favorite. The host's easy going style, clear audio, and overall chemistry really work to bring a really entertaining and informative show. If you like any version of D&D you can get good information to better your DM'ing or play from Mike, Liz, Glenn, and Jim. Please give us more! BuckBackup

This podcast is absolutely incomparable for insights and pure fun about the original and basic versions of D&D. I started playing back in 1978 with a mashup of rulebooks (e.g., we had Greyhawk, Supplement I, but no LBBs), so I probably get the most enjoyment from hearing the hosts’ own “back in the day” stories. But D&D is a living game, and the "Save or Die" crew does a fantastic job of showing all of us how classic D&D is alive and well. The DMs (Vince, Mike, Liz, Glenn) have great chemistry and keep each episode moving along. My favorite subjects include their reviews of the B- and X-series modules, and the interviews with the TSR veterans (Mentzer, Kask, Marsh, Wells). They also review rules sets, supplements, articles from The Dragon, and discuss the various ways to interpret rules or scenarios. It’s great fun, especially on commutes. Keep it up. I look forward to every episode. There is another Keith who emails every now and then, and wanted to avoid confusion by mentioning that I am not he. I am the one who goes by “Keith the Thief” on Dragonsfoot and The Acaeum.

I don't have as much time as I'd live for all the podcasts out that I want to listen to. I make time for this one. I love hearing about D&D the way we played it back in the day. These guys do it justice. Keep it up!

I love this show. I love AD&D the most.

Feels like I'm listening to my group sit around and discuss games. Please keep it going!

This is one of the most enjoyable podcasts out there. Host DMs Liz, Mike, Glen, and Jim have a great chemistry and provide fascinating insights into 0 edition and basic D&D. I particularly enjoy their product reviews and look forward to more. The most recent podcast, "Eldritch Wizardry" with Jon Peterson, author of "Playing at the World," as guest host, was their best yet. The only thing missing was Glen. Highly recommended!

Deep in their lair, DM's Mike, Liz, Glenn and Jim await your party, in their hands the most dangerous tomes of knowledge in the history of role playing games: Classic Dungeons and Dragons! (Jarring chord!) The Save or Die crew understand the first rule of Classic D&D is a DM can't be bargained with. can't be reasoned with.a DM doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And they absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead Now to the actual review! Save or Die is a podcast devoted to D&D in it's primordial form, from the White Box Little Brown Books to the Rules Compendium. While most of us jumped onto the the Advanced version of the game (why? Well, it was Advanced!) the SoDCaster remind us how FUN it was play to play without a rule for everything including the outhouse. The hosts are articulate, humorous and well versed in the game they love. They are not afraid to take you back to the historical roots of the game without bogging you down in with who did what to whom. With an eye toward the function and form of the game and it's supplements, they breath life into the original product and keep you current on the newest clones. Their banter is fun, relevant and Glenn's non sequitures run JUST a hint of "blue" while still keeping the podcast family friendly. Of all the Wild Games Productions podcasts, the Save or Die crew is the group I would most like to sit at the table with while behing killed by Tim Kask. Even if you Basic set is still in a box in your parents basements, listen to Save or Die. You will remember the joy of the Box Set, and that is an awesome thing to remember. I give Save or Die Five Dragons and remind you that Crown Royal is the Official Dice Bag of the OSR Movement! Dave Bledsoe (Sadly not related to the founder of Judges Guild) AKA DavetheModerate

I just discovered Save or Die. I am currently going through their back catalogue, but what I've heard so far is a great show with great hosts and great interviews.

Great crew, fun guests, and covers a game that we all know and love. Even if you are not into the game, (though how you couldn't, I can't fathom) the cast are very experienced and full of many humorous stories about gamimg and gaming life. The show gives great advice and reviews on all the variations of the Basic/ Expert D&D game and it's many modern clones, as well as a great overall view of old school gaming. So grab your dice bag (Crown Royal preferred) and roll those dice to SAVE OR DIE!

As a gamer who started with D&D4E and worked my way back, Save or Die has a ton of great content both in the form of specific tips and musings on various aspects of the game/modules. They're pretty consistent getting the episodes out, and I've been listening to them in random order for the past few weeks. I might say that the more recent episodes are a little better (certainly the sound quality anyhow). However: you need a certain sense of humor to enjoy this show. They'll get off topic, Glenn will make extremely cheesy jokes, Chrispie will talk about Pathfinder, Mike will make Doctor Who references, and Vince, well I'll just say his hirelings probably aren't very loyal :p To me, this doesn't detract from the show though, it usually makes it more interesting, and in after a few episodes, none of this bothered me at all. Oh, and that's not even mentioning the interviews, they manage to get some great guests lined up! Anyhow, this is a definite recomendation from me for any oldschool-style gamers, younger gamers looking for perspective, or nostalgic old-timers. Looking forward to new episodes! -Downing Crown Royal for more dice bags, Sean. Game on!

I'm completely new to d and d and the save or die crew do an amazing job of shedding light on what I've been missing. Great show!

Love your podcast. Even if I am a d20 gamer/3.5 edition RPGer, I still draw inspiration from others game systems out there, and this podcast brings up so many wonderful memories and ideas that I am so glad I found it! Love it keep it up.

These wonderful people get together and speak about my favorite hobby, Dungeons and Dragons, and not that kiddified new version that caters to the 12th place ribbon crowd. No! These upstanding citizens play hardcore old school Dungeons and Dragons. Save or Die isn't just a catchy podcast name, its a philosophy on living. Taking risks and paying the consequences. This is the way they roll! The symmetry of the crew is well established. They are a wealth of knowledge and provide a lot of insight about Dungeon Mastering the original and basic Dungeons and Dragons games. I've gotten many ideas listening to the show. It isn't a common occurrence in my real life to be able to sit down with another DM and discuss the finer points of dungeon creation, etc. It's hard enough to find a group to play with. I also enjoy their product reviews and it has led to many purchases of old and new game related products. Anyway, give them a listen. Rotten of OSR Forums

A fun group that is dedicated to the cause of spreading the fun! I started listening about a month ago and started from adventure 1. The crew have fun interactions, guest hosts, and a lot of good interviews. They value listener interaction but aren't afraid to disagree with them or each other. Great podcast!

I started out with the Holmes Blue Book in the late 70s and moved on to B/X and AD&D 1e before going off to the Army and other avenues in life. Finding this podcast has resparked my interest and imagination and I am back to playing and dming regularly. I thank you all for the time and effort you put into every single one of your podcasts.

If you had told me in 1979 that I would one day be listening to a radio-show quality broadcast about my favorite game, I would have shouted “I disbelieve the illusion.” DM’s Vince, Mike, Liz (and others) deliver a show that’s more fun than a bag full of icosahedrons and more informative than a Book of Infinite Spells. If you love original or basic D&D in all it’s incarnations, you will enjoy this efficacious exchanges from this enlightened ensemble.

This podcast helped me reconnect with my childhood by taking me back to those days as a teenager, arguing with my buddies about rules variations in our basic Dungeons and Dragons game books. The cast has a great raport and they are very knowledgeable in the subject matter. Keep up the great work!

Just wanted to say that this podcast has given this Moldvay/Cook D&D fan some great shows. It's nice hearing about the variety of play that is available in this type of D&D. A few suggestions I'd like to give for the show would be to: 1. Have more podcasts! 2. Review more B/X modules. 3. Monster and adventure suggestions for B/X adventures. 4. Maybe an interview or two with some of the "old school" writers of D&D who are still around. Keep up the good work and look forward to hearing more shows in the future. The Geekpreacher

I am a huge fan of RFI, D&D, and OD&D. I have been listening to bot SOD and RFI (roll for initiative) for about 2 years now and both are a great resource for people who love to play it old school. Save or Die has a great cast of regulars (Mike, Vince, Liz, and Glen), and with that you get a really good mix of opinions and outlooks on basic D&D. Glen and Liz are the most fun to listen to (Glen and his dirty old man humor, and Liz makes me laugh anytime Koblods come into the converstion). Keep up the great work and I hope to be listening in two or more years from now. If you have not listened in and are a fan of Old or Basic D&D you are missing out.

Ahhh got to love the old school here. Only complaint is sometimes DM Glen sounds like he is too low or too loud.

If you played in the 70's or 80's or wish you had this is the podcast for you. I enjoy it immensely and listen to it while I exercise daily (still going through the archives). I find the show to be a good mix of nostalgia, fun, and informative. I especially liked the episodes with the early employees of TSR were interviewed. Very inside baseball -or D&D actually. Anyway if OSR is your thing, this is a can't miss podcast.

Hi Gang, Love the podcast. I played OD&D very briefly in about 1985 when I first played the game, then moved on to 1st edition, but your podcast brings me back to those first days when I started playing and had no idea how the game worked, but loved the sense of adventure and story. Since Liz said that SoD needs to catch up on downloads, tell Liz that I downloaded all of the SoD podcasts over the past few weeks. This should increase your numbers. Between this podcast, as well as RFI and THACO's hammer, I'm ready to go for the next few months. It makes my 1-hour drive up and back to work every day a pleasant experience. Life has been too busy for me to get back into gaming at this time; but in the interim, your podcasts keep the fires burning inside and gives me that D&D fix that I need. Thanks! Dan S.

I love the pod cast!!! I have been playing DnD since 1987 when I was 6 years old, and haven't stopped since. I found THACOs Hammer podcast and it opened up a whole new world for me into the RPG podcast I then found you and RFI and i am now hook, addict, junkie for all of these shows waiting on the edge for the next one. If you are new to the game these guys help answer so many questions even for a LVL 17 GM. I highly recommed this podcast!!! It is a natural 20

Such a great podcast. They cover all classic editions well and have a wide variety of hosts who each have their own preferred game of choice so you always have some pretty even conversation. The hosts all fit together well and the podcast is a lot of fun. The audio quality is good too. I always enjoy it everyone, keep up the good work!

Save or Die is nicely put together. Its bumpers and organization elevate it beyond amatuer but it's not quite as polished as a professional radio show. The end result feels like a labor of love that I think reflects the do-it-yourself attitude of the old school D&D crowd. I do wish that the hosts would do a little more research before hand and give us a bit more depth on a given subject. Save or Die isn't often telling you something you don't already know, at least if you're a rabid D&D fan like myself. However, the show makes up for detailed insight with a great deal of charm and some fantastic interviews with the movers and shakers of retro D&D and its modern clones. If you're a fan of older D&D, definitely check out Save or Die. The various hosts are a lot of fun and seem like the kind of people I'd love to sit around and talk about D&D with. I also greatly appreciate the frequent updates. These guys are doing this for a love of the hobby, and it really shows.

I prefer the older editions of D&D so I was very happy to discover this podcast. I’ve listened to all of the episodes (like I said, I really do want to like the show) but mostly I have been disappointed. The show does have some strong points. They have interviewed a good number of prominent people from the early days of the RPG industry. It can't be overstated that these people’s memories and experiences are irreplaceable and as time goes on, harder and harder to find. The show is produced regularly and has excellent production values. Bumper music, well organized, etc. I would not be surprised if someone on the cast has professional experience in radio or tv. And finally they have assembled a large cast of hosts (more on that later) and I like the fact the make-up changes from show to show because the mix creates an interesting dynamic. As far as negatives go, the main problem is that show is thin on actual content. It has so many segments that it doesn’t seem like they have time to deal with any one topic in much depth. Every once in a while they’ll share some new insight, but for the most part their advice is the same old tropes we’ve known about for 30 years (perhaps that is simply a consequence of playing a 30 year old game). Along similar lines, I wish they would relate more stories and advice from their own experiences. For instance, they spent quite a few shows reviewing classic modules /they didn't even play/. Seriously folks, *I* can read a module all by myself too - that's not why I'm listening. In a way, it gives the impression that the hosts have spent more time reading rule books and modules rather than actually playing through them, leading to a lack of credibility. Also, when opinions are stated, the basis for them is frequently (and frustratingly) not explained. The point is that they probably know what they are talking about but it doesn't come across that way. My final downside relates to the cast itself- if only I had a Ring of Three Wishes... I wish they would go back to using only clean language so I could listen to the show in front of my kids. I wish the older gentleman would skip the dirty innuendo, it just comes off as creepy. And finally, I wish they would stay on topic - the main host frequently needs to pull the rest of the cast back in line. Many times the result is an abrupt end to the segment. I don't hate the show, it just seems like much wasted potential. Other podcasts discuss the topics ahead of time before recording, creating more developed thoughts and better content. In the future I plan to download the interviews (they really are priceless) but skip everything else. The show is not awful, perhaps I am just expecting it to be something it is not intended to be.

Simply the best old school podcast out there, these guys have the formula down, and entertain me each week. What I love about this podcast, is that they don't take it like 100% stupid nerd geeks. The show is very nicely done, and the cast is wonderful, with two gal co-hosts thrown in for the lady side of things and adding in a new generation gamer, who didn't grow up playing this game, who is learning the old school ways.. its perfect. I simply enjoy listening to their stories and experiences from when they played back in the prime life of this game. Simply the best!

For those of you who remember growing up playing the original D&D, there are a few podcasts out there to listen to, but for me Save or Die is the best I've found because it's not just a nostalgic look back at how much fun we used to have but a group of active gamers who are still playing. Their extensive knowledge of role playing as well as the lore specific to D&D make each episode a treasure trove of information for both players and DMs. The hosts all have excellent interplay and play off of each other well. Definitely give them a listen.

If you are looking for a "old school" basic D&D game discussion this is the podcast.Entertaining and informative. Interviews of some of the original creators are a must listen.