Professor DM is one of the longest-running YouTube creators in the hobby. He has carved out one of the most distinctive voices in the hobby; it’s a no-frills, honest platform built around independent TTRPGs rather than the 5e mainstream. Now, his Deathbringer RPG is launching its crowdfunding this month (July). With it, he’s branching out from spotlighting other people’s great ideas to putting his own into the world. Not only that, he’s got a roster of all-star contributors and a design philosophy that can be summarised simply: no limit on the metal.
Professor DM on The Indie Scene
Your YouTube channel Dungeon Craft has become dedicated to spotlighting independent games in the hobby. Why focus on these gems instead of chasing the mainstream 5e centre?
Because 5e has enough coverage. Very few big channels focus on games other than D&D. Seth Skorkowsky and Questing Beast are the only channels I can think of with 100k subs that don’t cover D&D. But also, I cover the games I like best. The most creative, original stuff is being done by smaller creators. I am thinking of Mothership, Aith Cliath, Dolmenwood, Land of Eem—just to mention a few. These are the games that are pushing the hobby forward, and I am interested in that.
Is there an indie game you’d like to give a shout-out to that doesn’t get quite the attention it deserves? One that you think a lot of groups would enjoy rotating into their gaming sessions?
EZD6 by DM Scotty from Runehammer Games. Brilliant game. Powered by the Apocalypse seems to have captured the d6 crowd and while that game is cool and I’ve played it, EZd6 is better by every metric. I have no idea why more designers don’t use it as a game engine.
On YouTube
Dungeon Craft is one of the longest-running TTRPG channels on YouTube—a big tip of the hat for still going strong. Also, a huge thank you for uploading gold like the Ultimate Dungeon Terrain; it changed my approach to encounter design (video link here if you haven’t seen it). What are you proudest of in how the channel has evolved over the years?
Ultimate Dungeon Terrain will probably be my legacy. I walk around conventions and see it being used and it blows my mind. Creating the Deathbringer RPG has also been cool. I think I’m proudest of the fact that before I started this channel, I didn’t know anything about film, YouTube, sound, or editing. But somehow I made a channel that has survived for 8 years and is still going strong. I’ve always tried to improve—I just bought a new computer yesterday and got a new audio system last week. My editing has gotten sharper. I realized that to survive, you have to keep evolving your content and style.
The Road to Deathbringer
You’re gearing up to crowdfund the Deathbringer RPG on BackerKit in July (the prelaunch page can be reached here). Why choose Shadowdark for the foundation of the game over other systems, including an original ruleset?
Great question. D&D is not a game—it’s a language. Shadowdark is a dialect of that language: AC, HD, HP, Dmg, et al. Shadowdark’s audience overlaps with my audience. I didn’t want to force the audience to make a choice between two games when our mechanics are so similar. If I had been faster, Shadowdark is what Deathbringer would have been.
So last year it occurred to me—why I am I trying to reinvent stat blocks? Why not use Shadowdark’s stat blocks? For Shadowdark GMs, those stat blocks are part of their muscle memory. By making Deathbringer compatible with Shadowdark, we can grow the Shadowdark ecosystem in the same way Pirate Borg has grown the Mörk Borg ecosystem.
An All-Star Design Team
The project has some of the most influential creators in the hobby involved. Kelsey Dionne (Shadowdark), Mark Seifter (Pathfinder), Luke Stratton (Pirate Borg), Brandon Gillam (aka Runehammer and Hankerin Ferinale; Index Card RPG and Crown & Skull), Justin Alexander (The Alexandrian), the list goes on and on. How was coordinating so many creative talents and making sure the Deathbringer flavour stayed true throughout?
Every one of the contributors is a friend of mine and they all wanted to be involved. All of them get the vibe and tone of Deathbringer. They all love the movies Heavy Metal and Conan and TV shows like Thundarr The Barbarian. These are the best writers in the business—the key is to let them create and get out of their way. It’s like being in all-star band. If you’re jamming with John Frusciante, you let him do his thing. He knows how to play a guitar solo. All writers were instructed to be original, but make it as metal as possible. Plus, Mark Seifter is editing Deathbringer, so it’s his job to make sure the scenarios have a consistent feel.
Professor DM on Keeping The Vibes Tight
On a personal note, the art is a massive draw for me (see above for one example. It’s like the artist tapped into Golden Axe and round-house kicked it into 2026). It’s a huge call back to the old D&D Dragon and Games Workshop White Dwarf magazines. Notably, Shadowdark, Pirate Borg, Mörk Borg, and Mothership all have a laser-focus on matching aesthetics with atmosphere. In contrast, it feels like the mainstream has walked away from evocative design in favour of sanitised products. Why have Deathbringer and these other titles kept art at the core of their design?
Mainstream games are like mass-produced pop music—built to appeal to the widest possible demographic and not offend anyone. Deathbringer is niche. It’s not Bon Jovi—it’s the Ramones or Lou Reed. It’s grimy and dirty and not clean. (I realize I’m using a lot of music metaphors, but they work). I can only create what I love. When I was a kid I loved Savage Sword of Conan and Heavy Metal Magazine. THAT’s what’s cool to me. So that’s what I wanted from the Deathbringer art. My instructions were “You can’t go over-the-top. With Deathbringer, there IS no top.” It won’t be for everybody; that’s okay. If you try to make art for everybody, you’ll end up pleasing nobody.
An Evolving Hobby
Looking towards the future, how do you see both indies and the wider hobby developing over the next five years?
I’m hoping it grows. Over five years, I predict more games will hit the $1 million mark through crowdfunding. I’m hoping the indie game scene gets bigger and attracts more enthusiasts. More games make the world a better place. The popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things has expanded interest in fantasy gaming. I hope that continues. I’d like to think the kids playing games today will be the designers of tomorrow, and they will grow the hobby the same way the movie or video game industries have grown.
Treasure & The Best Kind of Armour
MGS is building a treasure chest of d100 random loot. What useless magic item or cursed relic would you like to add?
The Poisoned Pen. It looks like a normal pen and writes like a normal pen. But when the paper/letter is sealed in an envelope the letters re-arrange themselves in the most threatening, menacing, and offensive way possible.
Finally, and very importantly, would you rather take into battle Deathbringer’s Chaos Armour or your trusty +1 Vest of Protection?
The +1 Vest of Protection. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I always identified with Bilbo at the Battle of Five Armies—I don’t want to fight—just let me get out of here alive!
A massive thank you to Professor DM for taking the time to do this interview, especially during such a busy period. Between convention appearances, the imminent Deathbringer launch, and his regular channel commitments, it was genuinely kind of him to spare the time. As an aside, if “Make it as metal as possible” doesn’t end up on a t-shirt somewhere, it will be a missed opportunity.
Where to Find Professor DM
Dungeon Craft is great for anyone interested in what’s happening beyond the 5e mainstream; there’s GM advice, indie system breakdowns, and honest, well-informed takes on products and the direction of the hobby. Professor DM’s Patreon has extended video cuts, live plays, GM notes, interviews, and other bonus material. The Deathbringer BackerKit prelaunch page is live now and the campaign will kick off this month. Lastly, if you haven’t yet watched the Ultimate Dungeon Terrain video, it’s an easy recommend.
– YouTube channel: @DUNGEONCRAFT1
– Patreon: DungeonCraftYouTube
– Deathbringer RPG: Launch Party
The MGS Treasure Chest Grows
- Bag of the Lost Left Socks – Seth Skorkowsky
- Buzzing Brooch – Bob World Builder
- Poison Pen – Professor DM
