Deborah Ann Woll Teaches Jon Bernthal Dungeons and Dragons

Deborah Ann Woll introduces Jon Bernthal to Dungeons & Dragons. She explains the game's basics, demonstrating character creation and a simple scenario. Woll discusses how D&D influences her acting and serves as a creative outlet. The conversation explores the game's impact on her life and career.
#realonespodcast #jonbernthal #deborahannwoll #dungeonsanddragons
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[@dropkick79]

With Jon's first question, he is a natural. "How far away?"

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Awesomely tactical! I just want a Punisher in DnD!

[@ChaoticScholarTX]

@@genghisgalahad8465 Barbarian or Ranger? Or Fighter?

[@THEMADDMAXX67]

​@@genghisgalahad8465 not hard. Have a bad guy who hurts children. Every party member turns into the punisher. Even the lawful good will say, let's bring him in, But not in one piece.

[@matthiashavrez]

what was REALLY interesting was his "Do I know what's an Owlbear?" ? Like, he WAS playing D&D ! And without being really taught anything about how it's done. He was his character, and theplayers asked the DM if the character knows what an Owlbear is. This sentence, taken out of context, nobody in the know would have guessed he was in his 20th second of playing. That's so cool. And also a true testament of how masterful Deborah is.

[@Girthquake]

@@matthiashavrez I feel like this is natural for someone who is used to getting into a character for things. He probably has to ask a director a handful of pertinent questions before a scene to engage better, which would translate over well to D&D.

[@PedroFPardo]

-"But is the goal to win?" -"No." -"What's the goal?" -"To tell a great story." Deborah Ann Woll just taught me Dungeons & Dragons.

[@mr.e3010]

Yeah, that was the moment that made me admire her. I've been playing for 30 years, and while I wouldn't say the goal is to "win" I would say the goal is to do well. The idea that the goal is to tell "a great story" is eye-opening and wonderful to me, even as an old grump.

[@michaelkelley7826]

My favorite memories of dnd when inplayed was never when my friends and i finished a campaign. Always the shenanigans that happen along the way

[@CBDuRietz]

@@mr.e3010 You should try out "Fiasco". In short, the goal is to fail, but fail in a spectacular way. It's always one-shots, so you'd never have to care about your character improving for the next session.

[@castille2]

One of my favorite campaigns ever was when we were the villains, and the heroes/cities were organizing against us.

[@96Logan]

It's so simple, but I've played for a decade and sometimes I lose sight of it. You can get really into crunching numbers, maximizing character builds, even planning out backstories that you forget it's truly about getting together with some friends and playing make believe as adults with rules. Embrace the story and what is thrown at you, both players and Dungeon Masters/Game Masters/Narrators.

[@whitestoneandy797]

I love that Deborah just immediately put Jon into a simplified game session. That was absolutely such a smart and boss move. It's so easy to over explain D&D. What she did immediately sloves that problem.

[@BrandonWestfall]

Extremely well played on her part. It put a huge ass grin on my face. You know she's an excellent DM.

[@RvBDopp]

I had a buddy do this one time to a friend. Very similar situation. Walking down a patch and a goblin jumps out with a sword pointed menacingly toward you, what do you do? And it went just like this. That friend joined a game not too long after. I have done this as well from his example and the incredible Deborah Ann Woll does it way more masterfully than I ever could. It's inspiring.

[@mione134]

Agreed! It was the perfect way to explain

[@ttuarmyjag84]

Very impressive!

[@DavidWilliams-nm5jv]

It was perfect. And you saw it just start clicking for Jon. He was almost instantly in it - "holding the bow and looking into the woods..."

[@julesschoony812]

The way she asks “Do you want to play D&D?” with so much excitement, gives me so much joy. I don’t even play D&D.

[@Red80008]

Do you want to play D&D?

[@Newtperc]

You totally should. It’s the best game ever

[@tommyblade8093]

​​@@Newtperchow do u play it? it's not an online game right? edit: sry I realized how dumb comment this is after I kept watching 😅

[@Wolta]

@@tommyblade8093 To be fair, there are websites where you can host sessions. I live in Europe and I got friends in NZ and America that I play with using it.

[@davidparkes7741]

​@@Red80008Yes please, lol.

[@OdjnSIN]

Jon would absolutely crush a one-shot campaign. Asking questions that make long time players go, "oh shit, he's a natural."

[@thienpool]

I'd love to see him at an actual play table with Deborah DM'ing !

[@BlueArsedGibbon]

I thought the same thing. The fact his 1st instinct wasn't to just "slay the monster" is also VERY encouraging to see. Genuinely, not only do I think he'd be amazing I think he'd really enjoy it also. On top of all of that, if he likes spending time with his kids its a perfect way to do it, he could DM a game for his kids and their friends or something. D&D truly, is a wonderful game

[@PGWilson007]

Yeah and when you think about it, this little simplified session must be a lot like a director who explains the scene to the actor and the actor asking information about what is happening and what his character has gone through in his life to better impersonating the reaction of his character. I think it would be a great exercise for actor to play dnd

[@Kasino80]

Bernthal, Cox, Willard with Woll as DM

[@dander2312]

Can you explain the meaning of he's a natural? What natural means?

[@maxwelldavidson4157]

"Sir Bernthal, you can't just kill these goblins, they've surrendered!" "Man, let me ask you somethin'-"

[@FireKnight96]

😂

[@timestamper9589]

sum

[@xvs8675]

oh fuck 😂

[@automaticcreation2271]

Mask u sum Deb

[@renanartworks8349]

Absolute Cinema!

[@ThaFaks]

His face, he's instantly transported into that place, and instantly he's like, wtf isnthe deal with this owl bear, oh shit

[@pamsp]

at 2:07 he instinctively pulls an imaginary bow

[@simonegufoni321]

She is a GREAT storyteller

[@faultycommodity]

Pure fuckin' magic right then and there

[@sharogengaming7716]

The way his eyes light up at 3:30 when he asks "What is the goal, to win?" is amazing.

[@jondspen]

Would you rather meet a woman or an owl bear in the woods?

[@ubiquidade]

Jon nailed it when without any preparation, he ASKED if he knew what an owlbear was. Many experienced players don't even do roleplay at this level. He's a natural.

[@LunarEclipsism1]

I mean, he is a professional actor, after all. He's asking the writer/director for clarifications about his character's given circumstances, something he does at work every day.

[@garethjones2447]

The potential for story telling with actors like Jon at a DnD table is HUGE

[@jollyrogers408]

I was just going to write this and then scrolled to see if someone commented on it. It was exactly what I asked the first time I ran up against goblins.

[@dajtoad1]

@@LunarEclipsism1 An actor would not generally have to ask. It would be in the script, and he would also know what his actions were going to be.

[@eastvandb]

@@dajtoad1 Actually, good actors ask questions like this all the time. And not everything is in the script. Actors will invariably come up with questions the writers didn't think of. (Good, creative actors, anyway.) Yes, the script might say he talks to the Owlbear, but the actor's still going to ask if he knows what he's doing, or if he's scared of the Owlbear, or any number of othr questions (even if only to himself).

[@diddyjohn6872]

You can see on Jon's face how much he respects Deborah and is enthralled by what she's saying. A testament to their friendship and the kind of people they are. Someone get Jon on a live play

[@Elwaves2925]

Indeed. She pulled him in straight away and made him think, which intrigued him more. She could have easily gone the usual route of overexplaining the stats, the die rolls etc and bored him within a minute, but she didn't.

[@gerry54]

I think it's 100% because she talks about it with such passion that it's impossible not to be engaged. The level of passion she clearly has for Dungeons and Dragons is rarely never appreciated!

[@murphieslaw6932]

Agreed - also I would die to see Jon play in a campaign. Don´t know, I see him in the role of some lower-class folk hero, maybe a ranger for example. Seeing how he reacted here, and given his special charisma, I think this could be hella entertaining. And Deborah looks to me like a very passionate and cool DM. Man, I´d pay to see that ^^

[@flippinkamikaze8738]

@@gerry54 If you watch the entirety of the interview, she's talking about some really heavy stuff about her professional and younger life. But here, in the section where Jon gives her space to talk about the thing she loves, you can see how she lights up... and simultaneously shies away at the end. "I love it... and I will do it until I die." She can't even look at him as she says it, like she's already prepared for Jon's face to say something disparaging or dismissive. And Jon gives her the best thing he as an interviewer, as a peer, and clearly, as a friend can: "Fuck yeah, dude."

[@owenleal]

Theres something that makes me very emotional about an open minded and thoughtful person explaining their hobbies to another thoughtful and open minded person.

[@mbg4681]

This is how cultures flourish.

[@thedudeabides3138]

Get out of my head.

[@bladeshred01]

it's super rare good energy

[@josephhein9497]

It's also very attractive in a potential partner. My green flag-O-meter would be going off like crazy if I went out with someone and they were talking to me so passionately about something they love.

[@krisgarcia7847]

Jon was captivated so fast 😁

[@Neurodivergent-j1f]

Not that I would pay Premium money to see Jon play a D&D session…..but I would!!

[@Muppet-kz2nc]

Shes a really good teacher/guide. Jon should do it. His eyes lit up like a kid.

[@grantpowell4135]

I was hooked from moment she started her speech

[@nuxx.a9251]

@@Neurodivergent-j1f Jon Bernthal Critical Role one shot ???

[@Kaykath-yd1ss]

We all were captivated i bet

[@fusionaddict]

I demand Deborah run a game for Jon, Charlie, Vincent, Elden & Rosario. This must happen.

[@Wiwcharizard]

I would watch this for sure.

[@DerArvel]

@@Wiwcharizardthere‘s already one with Charlie from years ago

[@Rezan01]

Rosario Playing!!!

[@roncarter8079]

I would for sure watch that!

[@jackcogswell7800]

Vincent in D&D would be too powerful

[@intothezombieapocalypse]

The look on Jon's face when he is visualizing an Owlbear coming towards him is priceless. It's actors like that that need to be hired to play characters in a serious Dungeons and Dragons film series.

[@elvinvillamor472]

Goddamn I want to see this.

[@jmcnuggets7302]

We already had a good D&D movie! Sequel can feature new characters with Jon and Deborah!

[@intothezombieapocalypse]

@@jmcnuggets7302 nah. Thats a goofy movie. I want a serious movie thats more alike to The 13th Warrior than slapstick cheese where everyone is dumb except for the Paladin... who was literally just a walking joke.

[@XpVersusVista]

​@@jmcnuggets7302it was an ok movie, but it was faaaar from great. It was the fast and furious of fantasy. Light entertainment, but nothing thought provoking.

[@pedroalmeida1456]

@@XpVersusVista that is why the movie seems so much like an actual D&D adventure

[@tomcascaddan8319]

I've been playing D&D for 41 years, running games as a DM for most of that and this is hands down the best method I've ever seen to show someone how to play D&D.

[@BLACKSMITH85]

I agree. I never got into it unfortunately, because my friends from back than overcomplicated it for my little brain so much. And Deborah just showed me in 5 minutes what I've been missing. :D

[@fzyk3907]

I absolutely think this simple explanation will change how many people play the game. She gave DMs everywhere a simple tool to bring the curious in. Also inspired many a wannabe DM like me!

[@DanielTr3sD]

The sheer joy in her eyes when she is storytelling is absolutely magical

[@robmartin9782]

The way Deborah explained D&D to Jon was super smart and captivating. She's a great DM.

[@nelsikegaming]

💯💯💯

[@JeffKelly03]

No doubt. I've never played D&D but the way she explained it I was like, "Oh, I totally get why so many performers are into this, it's basically just improv acting and storytelling."

[@robmartin9782]

@@JeffKelly03 Absolutely. Those are the heart and core of it. If you're interested in watching good D&D sessions I'd recommend checking out the content of "Critical Role" , here on YT or Twitch. I think it doesn't get better than what the guys are doing there, when it comes to playing pen & paper rpgs.

[@kingleech16]

@@JeffKelly03 And dice for the Dice Throne!! 😁

[@MrCoolcatJr]

@@JeffKelly03 Even non-performers are heavily into it 🙂 (Because we can't all be actors, voice-overs, stand-up comedians and the like). The good thing about it, is that you don't have to do a performance; you simply describe what you want to do instead of acting it out. It's what you feel the most comfortable with.

[@lorissajowers1766]

Damn! As a 15 year vet of D&D, I was amazed at how quickly Jon was asking the right questions. He has the instincts of a great D&D player. DAW is a treasure to the TTRPG world, what an amazing teacher.

[@billyrigby4839]

She is a queen for sure. Her love of the game and how she is so fearless as a DM is inspiring.

[@jacobbeaumont1529]

Seriously lmao. Immediately asking questions that would give checks instead of videogaming it and shooting the bow at the first second

[@MisterMacky]

Seriously, I have players in my campaign that started last year who still haven’t learned to ask the right questions😅😂

[@yoki_isthename9456]

Massive credit to Deborah, too. She really made it super simple for Jon to understand the game by giving a very detailed, yet easy story he can run with.

[@DevinJHiggins]

@@yoki_isthename9456 You can tell they have history because all she had to do was look at Jon and immediately put him in a situation that fits who he is as a person. Talk about perception checks. She natural 20'd that like a BAMF.

[@Fledermausmann]

Can immediately tell what a great dungeon master Deb is. She had Jon captivated within seconds. Frankly, I think the audience would be keen to hear an entire campaign.

[@simonegufoni321]

Yes I am

[@neylax7885]

Her Relics and Rareties campaign is on youtube :)

[@basebassguy]

FRANK(Castle)ly?

[@garethjones2447]

It has huge potential, them being actors and being able to create their own character they want to play could be super interesting

[@heftyfunseeker9987]

Yes please!!!

[@shoddyseven6194]

dude is a natural. He immediately asked all the right questions.

[@Rengah]

Hearing her talk and sharing her vulnerable moments, instantly made me think of her as the coolest person there.

[@joshtiscareno1312]

I wouldn't call her cool in the traditional sense. I'd say she's "adorkable"... that combination of being both dorky and supremely likeable. She's always got a sort of awkwardness and that's a HUGE part of her charm. It makes her characters feel real and down to earth in a way that most actresses can't touch. She also just radiates "niceness", and that's a rare quantity in Hollywood where ego reigns supreme.

[@FabienMariauxdeSerres]

Two things: 1. Deborah Ann Woll's description of the game had me in tears. At its peak, a role-playing game is soul-consuming and enchanting. I'm so fortunate to have found friends I play with regularly. 2. I love Jon's childlike look when Deborah throws him in the middle of the forest and asks him what he does next. I wish this is not the last time Jon gets to play. I also wish to see him play at her table. in my eyes, both of you are cool. Strange cool.

[@TennesseeMule]

How cool would it be if he joined Joe Manganiello's game? I think he would fit in so well with that group.

[@kraknjaws3882]

Best kind of cool

[@bobbyleeacn]

Jon's look of bewilderment every time Deb explains something or asks him a D&D question had me dying hahah

[@cynthiaoliveras]

He looked like he was ready to do a full campaign

[@eps3154]

I've always loved her, now I'm in love with her!! Hope Jon starts playing. As a classically trained theater person, he'd take to it like a fish to water. Love that more actors and professionals in Hollywood are discovering the magic that is DND ❤

[@David_Blake91]

You can genuinely see THAT glint in Jon's eye, when he just GOT IT what this game actually is! Props to Deborah too, to explain it really well, but man, after this I really want to see him play in a game!

[@Pixelists]

Yes! It was so fun seeing it "click" for him. I love seeing someone discover the magic of D&D.

[@kingxavierlovely]

"what do you mean history check?" Caught. He's hooked. She's a great DM, no wonder she gets paid for it sheeesh.

[@stevensmith8313]

Deborah is SUCH a great GM. The way she let the word "crack" hang there for a second was masterful, I could HEAR it. And Jon, as everyone picked up on, is clearly a natural. He was immediately engaged, asking such good questions. Get that man some dice and a character sheet ASAP and let Deborah host the game!

[@KronnangDunn]

That's probably the fastest, yet most clear and accurate depiction of D&D I have ever heard...

[@matthiashavrez]

Deborah just dming with about 3 seconds notice is amazing. What made me laugh out loud of happiness was Jon being like "So do I know what's an Owlbear ?", and wanting to continue the scene when Deborah was like "So that's what D&D is. Oh you wanna continue ? You'd make a History check ..." So wholesome to see Jon being so invested in about 3 seconds also, while he felt like he was skeptical of the whole thing not a minute before. That's cool man.

[@sfreemanoh]

Jon's just a DnD nerd who doesn't realize it yet. Deborah's going to get him there though I think.

[@IcarusATB]

I think it's probably easy for him to slip into RPing, though he doesn't call it that-he calls it acting. He just falls right into it, like he was improv acting without a script. He's just playing a role like he would in a movie or something, and asking the director what his next line is. (Deborah being the director.) ... at least, that's how it kinda looks to me.

[@96Logan]

​@@IcarusATB I did small theater productions as a kid through teenage years and found DnD in college. The two blend very well.

[@Helldog6]

@@96Logan I was gonna say, Matt Mercer and Joe Mango (idk his name or how to spell it) have an entire group of actors playing D&D. Big Show, Vince Vaugn, James Gunn, etc. There's gotta be some huge overlapping traits for both of them lol

[@96Logan]

@@Helldog6 Yeah, I heard about that! I think it's awesome and a great way to sharpen your acting. It's way more fun than improv drills. Tabletop Role-playing Games are awesome for so many different types of people. You don't have to be an actor or have done theater to enjoy your own style of role-playing.

[@sitbtitw]

Could we get a real ones D&D show?! could be dope.

[@thatHARVguy]

On Relics and Rarities once Charlie Cox realized you're allowed to be silly and fail, he relaxed and started to have fun. It's a great exercise in creative thinking and improv.

[@pretentiousname01]

With how locked in he got, its not out of the question

[@bast713]

Yesssssssss. That would be amazing

[@facetankhank]

I second this, third this and fourth this all at once.

[@captainsparrow622]

I FIFTH THIS!

[@fantasmmo]

I had no idea she did so much D&D, thats honestly so cool she's great at setting the scene and letting it play out even for someone with no prior experience

[@operative2136]

Yeah Deborah's quite experienced. She even had an actual play show for a while called "Relics and Rarities". She's also been a staunch advocate for the game as well.

[@fantasmmo]

@@operative2136 thats awesome

[@joncarroll2040]

Apparently she's been playing since Joe Manganiello introduced her to the game when they were on True Blood.

[@vialived]

She's been on Critical Role :)

[@StanNotSoSaint]

There was a fascinating moment when she had Kevin Smith as a guest player for her DND session, and she reminded him that he was a writer who came up with some stuff that happened to Deborah's character in Daredevil comics and now she's Game Master who can do stuff to Kevin's DND character. That was really exciting to feel.

[@timcrawford6555]

40 yrs of DnD and Im still gaming with my friends from 40yr ago. Were all old and grand parents and still together

[@TheDrexxus]

What I really love about this is that Jon seems genuinely interested. Not asking questions just to move things along or because it's expected or to be polite, but genuinely curious.

[@TennesseeMule]

That's what makes John a real one. He doesn't just jump straight to. "That's stupid. That's for nerds". He sees how passionate she is about it and that lights him up. I don't think she like sold him on it. Like he's not going to join a campaign tomorrow. But he kinda just loved hearing her talk about something she loved. That's so cool.

[@surgeyou123]

I mean acting is inherently the same. It's all about building a character and using your imagination to fill in the gaps.

[@TennesseeMule]

@@surgeyou123 Sure, but you still have to be down for the mechanical aspects of the game too. That wouldn't necessarily be for everyone, even if you are an inherently creative and artistic person. You could kinda hear it in the questions: "Why wouldn't you just make yourself great at everything." I think if she started deep diving into how you roll your stats during character creation, etc., instead of putting it in the perspective of "flaws are interesting" she would have lost him in a second lol

[@LeMayJoseph]

@@TennesseeMuledepends on the game. There are plenty where the mechanics get out of the way.

[@jpobi9880]

​@@TennesseeMuleshe could have just said that the "stat points are limited" which, tbh they usually are with most methods of stat picking

[@Luke101]

Idk man he seemed pretty sold immediately. He was asking all the right questions and even acted out the motions of his character. He was IN the scene within 30 seconds. Asking if his character has encountered that creature before is so clever, I certainly wouldn’t have gone there first

[@LarsJ1977]

I was the Owlbear and I was not squawking! I was telling Jon that I loved him in Punisher!!

[@Muppet-kz2nc]

We just gotta spend some time and understand each other 😂

[@OPbball]

He's the greatest punisher ever

[@milkduds8701-hm7ff]

Lars the Owlbear, the greatest of all time

[@internettevarolanadam]

Bad history check. Never met a druid in his life.

[@johnnychopsocky]

Owlbear and Jon's Punisher have a 'roar-off'. Who wins?

[@gemodemplay415]

She has this way of speaking, almost magical, that made me stay throughout the video. I clicked the video and never left. This is her gift I feel like.

[@Mebschmidty]

It was 8 minutes. Calm down. While I'll agree with you, it wasn't hard to watch the video.

[@Chartered_idiot]

​@@MebschmidtyBuddy it's really sad but the attention span people like us have this days, 8 minutes is a full movie

[@tobiaseaton200]

a good voice is one of the most powerful things ever. man or woman. just watching people listen intently to you when they can walk away easily is amazing.

[@afonsosnow]

Me, as a non native english speaker, I'll tell you one thing: she has one of the most beautiful ways of speaking. Her diction is so perfectly good and clear that I can understand every word she says. And she does have a captivating aura, so to speak.

[@sonablom]

@@Mebschmidty I don’t know, man I’ve been under a lot of stress lately and find it really hard to focus. I’ve even been watching three minute videos on 2x speed like OK hurry up get to the point, but I agree with OP. When she started “your in a forest and this is happening” I was locked in. And to be honest, that’s from someone who hasn’t found her super compelling in daredevil.

[@lostinalbion4223]

Deborah is just the best ambassador for tabletop role-playing games.

[@mmarchani]

Deborah is just like me once I grew up, and Jon is 100% the jock buddies i made as an adult that I was able to introduce to gaming. The joy on his face as he played along? That's a thing most men in our country don't get to experience very often. You both made my heart smile a lot today!

[@dngjr]

This is hands-down the best explanation and demo of D&D I've ever seen. Holy shit, hats off to Deborah.

[@zohaabashraf]

Made me wanna buy the game and play with my kids.

[@Eggsecuter]

@@zohaabashrafguarantee there are ways to avoid spending cash with free modules online. Print em out some character sheets, maybe the only thing you would need to buy are dice. I recommend watching Matt Colville’s running the game series.

[@jonschlinkert]

@@zohaabashraf Same!!

[@smallscalestudio7520]

@@zohaabashraf you can find the rulebook online for free

[@mbg4681]

@@zohaabashraf You can, but there are plenty of great free TTRPG-Table-Top Roleplaying Games, of which D&D is just one-out there. And RPGs are great for kids!

[@gabemorris6692]

She absolutely crushed this with zero hesitation.

[@kwith]

"I'll play it until I die" I couldn't agree more Deborah! Been playing since I was 17 and I'll be 80+ years old in a nursing home and playing every week for as long as I'm able. If the staff wants to join then absolutely they can and anyone who wants to play is welcome at my table.

[@evanbeinstein5102]

Hell yeah

[@3327Tbird83ii]

Uff... I can barely handle six people... Maybe separate games...

[@riculfriculfson7243]

In my mid fifties now. Got into it 'late' (mid 1980's). Roll until I can't, and then hope I can find someone who can for me.

[@user-go4vz2ir6r]

I tried to form a group in retirement homes, two diff. it was 50/50.

[@GregPappasJr]

As a long time Dungeon Master, I love her simple explanation of the game and way of getting him to 'play.' Sheer brilliance.

[@MultiSapMan]

I love how open John was to the idea of trying it out and he seemed genuinely curious and interested to explore something he had no idea about. Such a cool interaction.

[@MrDavidKord]

The way she said "It's the greatest game ever created," exactly the same way I do. I love this woman.

[@Fybre0ptix]

His mind being blown when he takes his hat off, and when he asks what the point of the game is and she says to "tell a great story" that expression right there is magical. When he mirrors "to tell a great story," and the nod. My god, the nod! You can see his interest, his wonder at how he missed out on this game his whole life. Best interview moment I have ever seen right there.

[@gabelarsen4375]

Wow she's fuckin fantastic! She needs a D&D channel. She pulled me right in, her voice is so warm and inviting too. ❤

[@oOPPHOo]

In case you don't know, she often runs game for shows and special events. I believe WotC has featured her in live games as both a player and a DM to promote new product.She even had her own episodic show, Relics & Rarities, on G&S which is very much in the spirit of what you see here.

[@InkyPetrel]

If you want to see more of Deb's DMing there's a bunch of it on KZbin! She runs a lot of one-shots, and there's also a full campaign which is fantastic called Children of Éarte (yes that's the correct spelling) with a brilliant cast!

[@TpDgreat]

she made her own adventure D&D book titled - Saving the children's menu :)

[@gabelarsen4375]

Awesome thank you guys for the suggestions! I'm definitely going to to look em up.

[@IdriveKITTnyc]

Her own online short campaign is called relics and rarities. Charlie guested on one.

[@farn451]

they're two of my favourite humans. John is super intense and blokey but vulnerable and open and Deborah is just so nice and warm and kind. I like that moment where she sums up that even though they're from different backgrounds, jock and artsy nerd, they both share the same experience of the world in terms of feeling like outsiders. just because you're athletic doesn't automarically mean you're cool and just because you're creative doesn't automatically mean you're cool. a really nice conversation. i tried playing D&D many years ago, i just can't do it.

[@Jmdeleeuw-]

Jon is in absolute awe. The way Deborah hooked him is incredible.

[@serrelentless]

For literal YEARS i have heard of Dungeons and Dragons, I even googled it a few times through the years, But NEVER did i understand the premise of the game. Until Deborah put it this simply. So its basically what me and my sister played as kids? Seems awesome with the right company.

[@darmakx99]

Yeah, it's basically that! It just has some rules for times when you want to attempt something that has a chance of failing, but essentially it's just friends telling a story about some characters they've created in their imaginations. It can be a story about saving the world from evil, or about traveling to new places and helping the locals with their problems, or uncovering a cosmic mystery, or whatever you can come up with!

[@ericwollaston5654]

Yep. Play time with some rules and guided randomness.

[@drivers99]

Right. If you succeed you feel great and celebrate and if you fail you have a great time because that’s where the story gets interesting. If there’s no chance of failure it’s not interesting. Especially when you don’t know when it will and won’t happen.

[@serrelentless]

@@drivers99 Now that i am curious, What would be the requirements to play this? Like a notebook? a Dice? anything that i don't have spent big money on? Just wanna know entry level requirements.

[@yaya-mk3nn]

@@serrelentlessif you’d be willing to play using a device, roll20 is a good online service! otherwise you’ll need a set of dice and a character sheet for each player. you should probably own a copy of the player’s handbook, and you’ll need someone to DM. if you want to learn to DM, having a copy of the dungeon master’s guide is great, and purchasing a “module” (a pre-made adventure) is a good idea for beginners!

[@graeshadow]

Every time she talks about this game I'm floored. The way she gently and easily pulled Jon into a moment right there. There are actors and then there are storytellers, and she is a gifted, gifted storyteller.

[@Ylyrra]

I agree with your points about her being a great storyteller, but watching her Relics & Rarities campaign made me realise just how much the shows she's been on have criminally underutilised her acting talents too.

[@kufitop]

Jon is a storyteller character actor. Who am I, what do I know, what is my past, what are my goals are all good actor stuff. He was just being present and listening, heard "collaborative storytelling" and he was there. What a great interaction. She's wonderful.

[@jorgeramirez5606]

her smile at 1:02 as the cogs are turning in her head. She's in her element, and expertly introduces a newbie into what dnd is about!!!

[@frederiklund7693]

This was honestly one of the greatest conversations about dungeons & dragons ever, the way she presented the simplest yet immersive interaction with an understanding of how to approach a new player and Jon just naturally asking "how far away is it?". I think they together could be part of a very captivating session!

[@gimjyu]

Ok I know nothing about DnD but... She seems like an absolutely awesome dungeon master 🤯

[@David_Blake91]

She is! She has been playing for a long time, DM-ed and played in several streamed games and is one of the consultants for the upcoming new edition of the game!

[@SpySkater1]

She’s one of my favorites to watch. She’s soooo good at it.

[@mbtt86]

This is awesome. I never played D&D, I just hear about the game, in 1 minute, with both of them playing"mini" game and her explaining the dynamic of the game, make me more curious about D&D.

[@kalannadae3173]

I’m not super well versed in everything Deborah’s done, but she was a guest on Critical Role, a D&D show (campaign 2, episode 45, called The Stowaway). It’s been cited by numerous CR fans as an excellent bottle episode to show to people new to the game. Free to watch here on KZbin!

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

Do it…follow the call…

[@darklorddysart]

Now can we get Jon on a streamed game please. Him playing with friends and Deb running would be the sweetest treat ❤

[@JawadBhuiyan]

I don't follow Jon and I'm not a dnd fan. But I was just as captivated by that explainer as Jon and liked that he was so respectful and didn't try to mock her for being nerdy. Cool clip!

[@Hatmatter]

She is amazing! The video ends on such an introspective note, with her mentioning her introversion, yet she is an excellent communicator and exuding charm.

[@H.K.5]

Jon has better chemistry with Deborah than any actress I’ve seen him on screen with.

[@VDA19]

Well he has been on screen with her, quite a bit

[@H.K.5]

@@VDA19 I meant from an acting standpoint, I’ve already seen them both in Daredevil and The Punisher.

[@chand911]

They are just chatting man, chill.

[@TigerGreene]

For sure they hooked up after the camera crew left

[@storyoptics4964]

​@@TigerGreene I can tell that you have never touched a woman.

[@WOWMonsterShow]

The first four minutes of this is the best explanation of D&D ever and this is why she's my favorite DM. The look on Jon's face as he understands how this works is so great.

[@wh1skeybud]

the look in her eyes and expression when she said “fantastic! you speak to it?” was so wholesome. that was absolute passion coming out of her. i’ve never played and i honestly prob never will but i love seeing anyone passionate about something. seems like she would be so much fun to play with! love how grounded she is as an actress

[@submortimer]

I have had such a crush on Deborah Ann Woll forever, and this solidified it so much more.

[@joaoericocaldasdelima7735]

I always wanted to play those D&D games but never quite understood it. The way she presented it makes me want to try it even more!

[@JnEricsonx]

I finally got to play this year. Oh man.....lemme tell you something I love it.

[@DJEzraLive]

I watched this entire interview yesterday, once of the most real conversations I've heard in a long time and I'm a huge fan of Deborah! The courage it takes to be that open about trauma and anxiety is unreal, won't lie, may have shed a tear or two.

[@Satch_4_Hogs]

D&D is dinner theater where you are the writers, and the actors, and the diners, and the dinner is probably Dominoes and Mt Dew.

[@Undercoverfire]

In my family, pizza, meat snacks, and root beer are the d&d foods

[@thoronthol1175]

You had me at Mt Dew.

[@lorissajowers1766]

😂😂😂😂

[@hellouthere8800]

That's one of the true joys of playing DnD as an adult, you can upgrade the food to some pretty excellent fare. Several folks in my groups enjoy cooking, including me, so we get to have all sorts of amazing food. We've even come up with food based on what we were doing at the time, in game.

[@frannylicuous5650]

For anyone who doesn’t know, Deborah is a fantastic dungeon master and storyteller. Search for her show Relics and Rarities and be ready to be amazed. It’s my all time favourite dungeons and dragons series ever ❤

[@JnEricsonx]

Twiggy and the Happy Fun Ball!

[@frannylicuous5650]

@@JnEricsonxOmg! My fellow R&R kindred spirit 🎉 thank you for being here!

[@M4ruta]

I love how overjoyed she looks while throwing this impromptu D&D session. True passion.

[@avb19d6]

This video should be sent to everyone who doesn’t fully get DnD. That was so wholesome and smooth

[@Pixeleyes]

Jon Bernthal is gonna end up as a hardcore TTRPGer after this, I can see that glint in his eye, I have seen it many times before.

[@totallymojo]

I wanna see him play Delta Green. He would be perfect.

[@corasings5580]

​@totallymojo oh my god he absolutely would be!! Alternate systems don't really get enough love, a Delta Green-esque type game with Jon Bernthal would be incredible

[@totallymojo]

@@corasings5580 "Alternate"? You and I live in different worlds I think lol DnD5e and its design philosophy is something I actively stay away from. It's like Fortnite to me. Popular but not necessarily good.

[@VinceValentine]

I want to see him play Call of Cthulhu. He'd be perfect as a tough guy who is used to real-life monsters, then suddenly discovers supernatural horrors and slowly descends into madness.

[@MyCarnageExtreme]

1:55 Jon's face when she is describing the Owlbear is fantastic, shit got real REAL fast 😂

[@saskiakramer850]

I love how truly engaged they both are in this conversation. It looked like John's imagination was sparked big time with this small and beautiful dnd introduction. Lovely

[@ZulqarnainAidil]

I love how Deborah just sets him up with a scenario and guides him through it step by step and even though he was still grasping the concept, you could tell he was immediately drawn in. And when she hits him with the "The goal is to tell a great story" you can see it kinda clicked and his eyes really lit up

[@Lurreable]

Now this is a real real one. That story about ending up doing dishes with the caterers melt my heart away. Can absolutely relate to the nervousness and feeling like not belonging. She really has nothing to be afraid of though, she's great!

[@lazyliam7402]

I think the best way you acn explain this to an actor is: the DM is the writer/director and the players are improv actors

[@IcarusATB]

That's *absolutely* it! I was just saying upthread that Deborah's the director, and Jon is just doing what he does naturally, acting and asking the director for his motivation and his next line kind of thing. He doesn't call it RPing, he calls it improv acting!

[@shannonlopez2295]

Jon would be awesome to watch in a D&D campaign with Deborah as DM! I feel like he would thrive.

[@mewgiah8057]

Deborah should seriously run her own D&D podcast. I’ve listened to numerous shows. And this is the first time I’ve been this quickly hooked into a story. I was actually answering her questions in my head. She has a gift for drawing you into the story.

[@Ziaotic]

right here on KZbin, Relics and Rarities

[@kaytoomuchsalt5100]

In addition to Relics and Rarities, she also had a full campaign that wrapped up earlier this year called Children of Éarte! It’s available on KZbin

[@martinvelasquez9888]

Ive never played DnD and always thought it was boring just from hearing small parts in movies, but the way Deborah just explained it and took me into the game ... I'm in.

[@Noodliest]

Oh man. Seeing a DnD game with these two and whoever else would be amazing

[@name_change_coming]

That was a wonderful interview. Watched the entire conversation yesterday. Deborah's description of what acting is was truly a masterclass in their artform. If you are reading this comment but haven't watched their entire conversation, do yourself a favor and go watch it.

[@luckybear20]

Deborah is a prescious gift to this world. She's so relatable and easy to listen to. You can feel the passion she has for the things she loves it's great.

[@DoneBrokeDatBack]

She is amazing. I'm so glad she's back for Daredevil: Born Again. She deserves plenty of work.

[@jacobpaint]

Apart from seeing her in Daredevil I knew nothing about her before seeing this and I feel this short video gave some good insight into who she is (as much as it could). Getting someone like Deborah to explain DND to you is hitting the DND jackpot, she demonstrated how good she is with the basic scene she created and then responding to Jon’s questions with such a depth of knowledge and experience that she could roll with what ever he said and immediately think of how it should all work. She is very natural and seems like a lovely person, I won’t leave the next video I find of her on my watch later list for so long.

[@toninhopavan2]

Now THAT is a Dungeon Master. What an awesome way to teach someone. Jon was INSANTLY playing it and doing the right questions.

[@MilestonePlay]

7:07 The function of Role Playing Games in social interactions as a shared activity to take the focus off of "you" and onto "this thing we are doing" is invaluable. As a closed offed kid with extreme social anxiety, the stability of having a game was the main way I learned to interact with my peers. Now, as a professional game master, my job is using that same crutch as a means of letting other people connect with strangers is amazing.

[@tylerford5720]

Jon is such an active listener with so much intent in understanding others and seeing him just drop into dnd is just an example of how captivated he gets into his conversations

[@keokiw2353]

aaaaannnnnnndddd We got another one folks. Well done Deborah

[@Zacizuzu]

This is my favourite KZbin video I have watched in years.

[@Lordsuhn]

I've watched this 3 time. I never really found her interesting - but I can see who she is here and I like her a lot now. Also, I have played D&D for 35 years and this was the most succinct description and perfect introduction I have ever seen. - Well done.

[@HeyitsShaun]

I just started playing Baldur's Gate 3 recently and it was my first serious dive into the D&D world even though I've been surrounded by people that play the game. This interaction is the most inspired I've been to actually seek out a campaign and finally try it out for real. I appreciate Deborah so much for this approach and the way you could just see joy and intrigue spark in both of you. It was beautiful.

[@gregoryrousseau5155]

Deborah is a real master. As a fellow DM, I respect that little intro to D&D. She makes it look so easy.

[@cephquepheas]

One of my favorite interviews to drop on this podcast. Deborah is a true artist when it comes to her craft and I am so glad yall chose to highlight her and allow us the chance to see a glimpse into what it is that she does, whether its acting or Dnd! As a new DnD player myself, seeing just how quickly she came up with this encounter on the spot was fascinating to see. Again, this interview was probably my favorite to date! Love Deborah, Love Jon, and everyone else who works hard to put these interviews out!

[@bank9111]

Two great people just talking about things in life is always such a nice thing to listen to.

[@Birdman_LIVE]

She just did the best ever job of explaining DnD. Bar none.

[@brandobjj]

YES! this is the best D&D conversation I've ever witnessed.

[@stephenporter101]

I never knew this much about D&D but watching this guy so damn locked in and seeing her doing such an incredibly charismatic job of demonstrating something... wow! Hats off to both, here.

[@Eternal_Songbird]

It was so awesome to see you IMMEDIATELY get taken into this tiny little peek into the world of Tabletop Role Playing. It really is the perfect tool for actors in the industry, and hope that this glimpse into this world of gaming interests you enough to fully play in some capacity!

[@JoeStoryteller]

Deborah is such a light and inspiration for D&D, so fortunate she's part of our beautiful community

[@dukkimoon7235]

This is the most amazing clip ever. I have never played, but this has captivated me so much. I am immediately googling to be able to play with my daughter.

[@Andresc506]

Hope to see a future ep of DnD on here! (Jon would definitely be a barbarian/fighter)

[@Kevc00]

Any mention of Russo causes uncontrollable rage

[@fbgmduck]

@@Kevc00 and advantage on any attack roll?

[@Kevc00]

@@fbgmduck and +2 strength if wearing the skull of punishment

[@Enigma2K99]

@@fbgmduck YES.

[@EnragedDancer]

Or a Paladin because of his charisma

[@DarkEnigma91]

Holy cow Deborah seems like an amazing DM. Those few minutes felt like another world.

[@ffreed]

I love the look on his face when she described an owlbear. “What do you do?” He looked like he was about to ask, “is ‘sh*t my pants’ an option?”

[@JnEricsonx]

Frank would be like "A bow is NOT BIG ENOUGH."

[@smithsonian2464]

"So you shit your pants? Roll for Intimidation."

[@DarkParagon]

INSTANTLY I was in that fiction myself, of walking through the woods and hearing an Owlbear creeping up. Deborah is wonderful. Anyone with even a TINY interest in D&D should be forwarded this video, but Deborah demonstrates it with literally nothing. No dice, just beautiful imagination and eloquence of speech.

[@GuillaumeLeclerc]

“Have I ever met an owl bear before” Thats such a smart question. “Is the goal to win?” Most people would ask How do I win, he knew it was beyond winning and losing already that’s amazing. I was left wanting to see an actual table with these two