Podcast Lineup

I bet most visitors to this site are quite familiar with the assortment of podcasts out there, but I know a few people who aren’t aware of that part of the community and wouldn’t know where to start. Zarhym posted a list of Fansites and Other Resources not too long ago, but if you just wanted one podcast, which one should you choose? Here is a brief description, based loosely on Zarhym’s original list, of what each one is so new listeners can choose based on what aspects of the game appeal to them.

All Things Azeroth

One of the oldest WoW podcasts around. Medros has been doing this for years, and keeps it simple. During Cataclysm, he got a bit disenfranchised (so it seemed) with Warcraft, and mostly relied his cohost to talk about game content, while he commented on news topics. These days he has jumped back into it and has a couple of new and exciting cohosts helping him out. Expect knowledgeable long-term players to go extremely, yet pleasantly, off topic. A casual listen.

Arcanum of Azeroth
This two-part podcast features round-table discussion or advice on collecting, depending on what week it is. If you are a collector, their 15-minute guides are certainly worth a listen for pets, mounts and achievements.

Convert to Raid
Raiding for raiders. If you are a raider or have any interest in raiding whatsoever, this is your podcast. Expect high-production value while Pat Krane leads his crew into misadventures involving bosses, wipes… and fortune cookies. Solar Flair is the only elitist on this panel, but he is countered by the asparagus-muching mage, Koltrane, so don’t be afraid to dive into this funny podcast… even if the only raid you’ll ever see is LFR.

Darkmoon Herald 
This one hasn’t been out a year yet, but has had a promising start. From their very first episode, Kevin and Apsana have put out great casts with interesting music, funny voices and exciting segments. They encourage audience participation in their weekly questions, and their guests are a who’s who of the podcast community. Possibly the best part is the Dunk Tank Trivia, which will have you screaming answers at your iPod.

Girls Gone Wow
Sil doesn’t edit. That is probably the only reason this podcast is rated “explicit", so don't let that label scare you off.  The ladies and their male punching bag, the ever-late Rob, don’t take anything all that seriously, except for boobies. Their weekly guest could be a podcaster or a WoW Insider writer, but usually it’s an everyday (usually female) player. They keep close tabs on their community via Twitter and emails, and their community loves them. Bi-factional altaholics and raiders they are, and a good, casual podcast this is.

Horde for Life
Horde? Screw em’

The Instance
The podcast to end all podcasts. The keystone of Scott Johnson’s Frogpants network has been around as long as the game has. The tight format and high production of The Instance coupled with the chemistry between the three-man panel makes this cast entertaining and satisfying. This is a popular show, and occasionally attracts high-profile guests. (Stop whatever you are doing and go download the Russell Brower interview) These guys are heavy on the current events, so it is good if you just want to catch up on what’s going on and get a giggle at the same time.

Tauren Think Tank

If you like game drama, you should check this out. The format is simple: listeners send in their problems and Rem and Jules dole out advice. It’s the Dear Abby of podcasts, and they have found a unique place in the community. The issues range from typical guild/raid stuff to more serious topics like “coming out” to your guild or harassment. They just celebrated episode 30, and that means they have helped at least 60 people and that doesn’t include the listeners that probably gleaned good ideas as well. Advice to the advice givers: bring in Fit as a regular host. He is gold.

WoW Insider 
Nobody knows Warcraft news better than the people that write it, so if you want to know the who/what/when/where/why, this is where to go. Anne Stickney, who provides levity, and Matt Rossi can go on and on about lore, and that’s not a bad thing. To my knowledge there is no other podcast that can claim it has two lore experts.



See you on Friday,

*Sal