If you’re looking to explore the great beyond in your next Dungeons & Dragons campaign, WizKids has you covered with the Replicas of the Realms: Spirit Board. Based on the classic occult artifact (essentially the D&D equivalent of a ouija board), this real-world prop is designed to turn your gaming area into a full-blown séance parlor.

The board is slated to release in October 2026, but you can pre-order it now from your local game store, WizKids and Amazon. Below, we call upon the spirits to summon up all the details.

What is the new WizKids D&D Spirit Board?

The new WizKids Spirit Board is a life-sized replica of the iconic magic item which has appeared in a number of D&D supplements over the years. The board has the letters of the alphabet printed on one side, alongside the words “Yes” and “No” and symbols representing “Weal” and “Woe.”

It includes the standard board (which is painted and made out of polymer) and a planchette (the device you move around the board to spell out various words and answer specific questions). The idea is that it’s something that you’d use in a game of D&D, and it would work particularly well with the recently released Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

How much is the new WizKids D&D Spirit Board?

The box set retails for $79.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). It’s comparable to other premium, life-sized props on the market which are designed to be both interactive props for D&D as well as collector’s items.

When is the WizKids D&D Spirit Board coming out?

The new Spirit Board is scheduled to hit retail shelves in October 2026 (we’ll update this page with an exact date once it’s been confirmed). Notably, this release window seems pretty deliberate given its close proximity to Halloween.

What is a Spirit Board in D&D lore?

A Spirit Board is essentially the D&D version of a ouija board and is categorized as a Wondrous, Very Rare magic item. In the lore of Ravenloft, they were often employed by spiritualists known as the Keepers of the Feather, serving as the focal points of séances and attempts to contact worlds beyond.

In the new D&D 5.5E rules, the board has 3 charges and regains 1 expended charge daily at dawn. While touching the planchette, you can take 1 minute to cast the Augury or Commune spells. As you cast the spell, you call on the spirits of the dead to guide the planchette across the board’s surface, answering your questions by pointing to the letters or words on the board.

Notably, the magic item first appeared in the appendix to Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft in 2021, with the idea that you could print out the image and attach it to a wooden board to create a real life version. It was later added as a treasure item to the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see WizKids continuing to expand their Replicas of the Realms line into functional props that Dungeon Masters can actually use to terrorize… err, immerse their players in the game. Between this and their recent influx of Ravenloft accessories, it looks like late 2026 is shaping up to be a spooky season for D&D fans.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new replica in the days ahead and will do a review closer to launch in October 2026. In the meantime, you can pre-order it now from your local game store, WizKids and Amazon.

See Our Other WizKids D&D Coverage

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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This past February, Wizards of the Coast announced Dungeons & Dragons Fan Expo: London 2026, a two-day live event scheduled to take place in August at the O2 Arena in London. The event would include actual plays, live panels and on-site gaming, all under the banner of celebrating the global D&D community.

According to a recent press release from organizer AEG Presents, however, the event has officially been cancelled. No specific details were given as to why it was shuttered just a few months before it was scheduled to take place on August 21-22. AEG has, however, said that the event will be rescheduled for September 2027 and that full refunds will be provided.

Below, we take a closer look at what the event was going to be about and why it was likely cancelled.

What was planned for D&D Fan Expo 2026?

Dungeons & Dragons Fan Expo London 2026 would have been a two-day live event running from August 21st to 22nd, 2026 that was designed connect with fans and promote the larger D&D brand as a whole. The primary focus was going to be on several high-profile actual play performances, but there would also have been live panels, D&D tables, merchandise and cosplay events.

Actual Play Performances

• High Rollers (August 21st): The first day would have featured a stage show performance at the Indigo venue at the 02 Arena from the High Rollers; the long-running British actual-play series built around D&D 5E. If you’re not familiar with the High Rollers, the group was founded in 2016 and was launched under the Yogscast umbrella. The show is typically run by DM Mark Hulmes and features a regular cast including Chris Trott, Katie Morrison, Kim Richards, Rhiannon Frost and Tom Hazell. The group has run numerous campaigns over the past decade, including the popular Altheya: The Dragon Empire, and streams weekly on Twitch and YouTube while also releasing episodes in podcast form.

• BG3 Cast (August 22nd): The second day would have featured an actual play stage show starring voice actors from Baldur’s Gate 3 and a number of other well known D&D live performers. The DM for the session will be Jasmine Bhullar (who is perhaps best known for her appearances on Dimension 20, Critical Role and Acquisitions Incorporated) with the full cast including: Neil Newbon (the voice of Astarion from BG3), Devora Wilde (the voice of Lae’zel in BG3), Samantha Béart (the voice of Karlach in BG3), Theo Solomon (the voice of Wyll in Baldur’s Gate 3), Anjali Bhimani (from the Ms. Marvel TV show and Critical Role) and Jasper Cartwright (from Dimension 20 and Not Another D&D Podcast) Notably, Jasmine Bhullar, Devora Wilde and Neil Newborn also appear in the new official D&D Dungeon Masters actual play series.

• Roll Britannia: The multi-award nominated comedy D&D 5e Podcast was also scheduled to perform. If you aren’t familiar with them, Roll Britannia is a long running UK-based series with over 400 episodes to their name and is known for their blend of humor and homebrew rules.
• It’s Your Role: A troupe of professional actors who regularly performs live, It’s Your Role was going to perform a comedic take on D&D and bringing audience members on stage.

Live Panels

• DnD Shorts: Popular British YouTuber DnD Shorts (creator of Power Word Meal and the Ryoko’s Guide series) was scheduled to host a live panel with audience Q&A.
• Johnny Chiodini: A Lond-based YouTuber (best known for their video game, miniatures and TTRPG content) and the DM for popular UK-based actual play series The Oxventure, the Johnny Chiodini was also going to be hosting a panel with Q&A
• RPG Taverns: A panel was also planned with members of RPG Taverns, a UK-based brand that runs in-person TTRPG games. They were going to be be running a “GM Masterclass” with advice on how to run more effective D&D campaigns.

Additional events

Beyond the actual play events, there was also going to be a variety of additional events and activities taking place, including:

• Gaming tables: Multiple tables were slated to run D&D sessions, with options to both play and watch.
• Traders & merch: The event was going to feature both official Wizards of the Coast D&D merchandise, plus items from independent UK brands.
• Cosplay meet‑ups: Cosplay was encouraged and the event was also going to include meet‑ups and photo opportunities.
• Meet & Greets: For an additional cost, fans would also have been able to meet up with the various D&D performers and panelists attending the event.

What’s planned for D&D Fan Expo 2027?

According to AEG, the rescheduled event will take place next year from September 4-5, 2027 at The O2 Arena in London, UK. Notably, the O2 is one of Europe’s largest entertainment complexes, known for hosting major concerts, esports events and large-scale live productions.

AEG has not confirmed if any of the same guests from the cancelled 2026 show will be attending, noting only that: “The headline event on Sunday 5 September 2027 will feature a Live Actual Play show with some of the biggest names in D&D on stage at The O2. There will also be a wide range of D&D themed activities during the day, including panels, Q&As and gaming tables, as well as access to all the bars, shops and restaurants that The O2 has to offer.

Across The O2’s campus, there will be a variety of things to do and see all included in your show ticket. There will also be the opportunity to purchase extras for the event, including meet and greet and photo ops – more information on this and other things to do and see will be released soon.”

Final Thoughts

It’s disappointing that Dungeons & Dragons Fan Expo was cancelled, as it seemed like major milestone event for the game and the actual play scene as a whole. It’s not entirely clear what happened, although it’s possible that ticket sales were lower than expected or that there were significant logistical issues to sort out in in a short period of time. It remains to be seen if the event will continue in 2027 as planned.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available. In the meantime, you can learn more and sign up for notifications on the official D&D Fan Expo website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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If you’ve been looking to add a little more Soulsborne action to your Dungeons & Dragons, you’re in luck. Wizards of the Coast has officially rolled out the Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt Player Pack on D&D Beyond.

Originally created by third-party publisher (and noted Patreon designer) MonkeyDM (aka Evan Mascaro), the new digital version introduces a grimdark setting that blends Lovecraftian horror with the tactical combat of games like Dark Souls and Blood Borne.

Below, we hunt down all the details on this horrifying new addition to D&D Beyond.

What’s the original Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt?

The original Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt was launched in 2022 as a highly successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $2.6 million USD and becoming one of the most funded D&D 5E compatible projects on the platform.

Later released to the general public in 2023, the sourcebook provides a complete campaign setting focused on the twisted gothic metropolis of Luyarnha, a city plagued by an eldritch disease known as the Scourge and beset on all sides by rival factions competing for power.

The original 491-page book includes:

• 12 new species: This includes options such as the Demidritch, Manikin and Scourgeborne.
• 15 new subclasses: Including the Circle of Symbiosis Druid, Living Nightmare Fighter, Oath of the Eldritch Hunt Paladin and Scion of Madness Sorcerer.
• A new class: The Jaeger, a martial class that features five distinct operational subclasses known as “Chapters.”
• New mechanics: Including rules for madness, eldritch moon phases and firearms (including blackpowder weapons).
• New spells: Including a new type of bone-based magic known as Osteomancy.
• 50 new monsters: These range in CR and creature type, and also include rules for combining monster types and severing limbs.
• Five adventures: These can be run individually or as part of a larger campaign.
• World-building and campaign tools: This includes the history and lore of the city of Luyarnha and its surroundings, with a unique blend of steampunk and gothic horror.

What’s included in the Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt Player Pack?

The D&D Beyond version is not a reprint of the original sourcebook bur rather a separate product that features a variety of player-focused content. It includes:

• 7 Subclasses: Including the Circle of Symbiosis Druid and the Torturer Ranger.
• 2 Species: The Manikin (porcelain marionettes powered by golden nervous systems) and the Scourgeborne (individuals partially transformed by creeping eldritch madness).
• 9 Trick Weapons & Firearms: Specialized weapon mechanics, including mid-battle transformations that allow martial weapons to switch forms on the fly (reminiscent of classic Soulsborne trick weaponry).
• 16 Spells: All taken from the Osteomancy school of magic.
• Revised Firearm Rules: Redesigned black-powder mechanics, including rules for character-driven cannons.
• 3 Backgrounds & 4 New Feats: Custom options tailored for dark fantasy characters, including specialized monster hunters and heroes permanently marked for death.

Notably all of the material is updated for D&D 5.5E.

How much is the Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt Player Pack?

On D&D Beyond the digital only pack retails for $14.99 USD. That’s not actually a bad price point considering that a PDF version of the complete D&D 5.5E sourcebook retails for $34.99 USD if you purchase it directly from MonkeyDM.

For contrast, the Grim Hollow Player’s Guide retailed for $39.99 USD on D&D Beyond and included 21 species, 40 subclasses, 1 new class, 25 backgrounds, 41 feats and 102 spells.

Who is MonkeyDM?

MonkeyDM (real name Evan Mascaro) is a popular French game designer currently based in Romania who is best known for his homebrew content for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition, including a range of subclasses, optional rules and campaign concepts.

Over the years, MonkeyDM has grown a significant following, primarily through his Patreon, although in more recent months he has expanded his YouTube channel. Following the success of Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt, he also established his own publishing company, which is also known as MonkeyDM.

Final thoughts

The Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt Player Pack is yet another instance of Wizards of the Coast bringing popular third-party content onto D&D Beyond. It’s something the company should be commended for, especially considering this new horror-themed supplement is a potential competitor to the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement.

That being said, if you’ve already picked up the original supplement, there probably isn’t much of a need to get it now. If you’re a D&D Beyond user looking to add a little Soulsborne-style gameplay to your campaign, then you may want to give it a look. You can snag the Player Pack now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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This coming September, Wizards of the Coast will be releasing a brand-new D&D supplement with a focus on high magic entitled Arcana Unleashed. And while there’s still much we don’t know about the book, we have received some new information courtesy of the Dungeon Masters actual play series.

In a recent article from Variety, it was revealed that the upcoming second season of the show will include four new subclasses from Arcana Unleashed. Specifically, these are the Arcane Archer Fighter, Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk, Transmuter Wizard and Vestige Warlock, all of which have appeared in recent Unearthed Arcana playtests.

Below, we take a closer look at everything we know about these new magically delicious D&D subclasses.

What are the new subclasses in Arcana Unleashed?

The four confirmed subclasses are listed below (for ease of reference, we’ve indicated whether it’s new class or an update of something we’ve already seen in previous D&D 5E materials):

Arcane Archer Fighter (Updated)

Originally appearing in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in 2017, the new Arcane Archer later appeared in the June 2025 Arcane Subclasses playtest and was further refined in the September 2025 Arcana Subclasses Updated. Changes included providing Magical Ammunition that also works out of combat (such as creating vines, darkness, or unlocking doors) and retooled features like Curving Shot and Masterful Shots. At higher levels, you also now regain Arcane Shots more frequently and can unleash forceful bursts when using Indomitable, plus counterattack when foes miss you.

Transmuter Wizard (Updated)

First appearing in the 2014 Player’s Handbook, the Transmuter was also part of the Arcana Subclasses playtest we saw in 2025. The new version of this subclass allows you to create a Transmuter’s Stone that grants resistances, darkvision or saving throw proficiency and can now serve as a spellcasting focus. You also always know Alter Self and Polymorph, each of which also provides unique benefits (such as extra disguise powers, concentration bonuses or retaining mental stats while transformed). Higher-level powers include improved Transmutation spells and a Master Transmuter ability that lets you reshape objects, heal allies, raise the dead or even restore youth.

Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk (New)

This brand new subclass is really a spellcasting version of the Monk, blending Sorcerer magic with traditional martial combat in a way that feels closer to a gish than any prior Monk subclass. The subclass uses full spell slots and prepared spells, drawing from the Sorcerer spell list and keying off Wisdom. Its Mystic Focus feature allows spell slots and Focus Points to be converted back and forth, giving a surprising amount of flexibility. Later features like Mystic Fighting Style also let you weave cantrips and low-level spells directly into physical attacks.

Vestige Patron Warlock (New)

The new subclass introduces a companion-focused Warlock whose power is derived from a forgotten, dying god desperate to reclaim its relevance. At the heart of the subclass is the Vestige Companion, a customizable Celestial, Fiend or Undead entity that acts as both a familiar and a combat asset, scaling directly with your Warlock’s level. The subclass also blends summoning support, granting domain-based spell access and powerful aura effects at higher levels. You can also tap into Cleric-like abilities that can shield allies, prevent death and allow you to temporarily assume the form of a powerful summoned creature.

Who are the new characters in Dungeon Masters season 2?

We’ll get to see a closer look at the new subclasses in the second season of Dungeon Masters. In the meantime, on a blog post on D&D Beyond it was revealed that the characters are as follows:

•  Neil Newbon is an actor best known for voicing the character of Astarion from the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game, but has also appeared in a number of other actual play series. He will be playing Aasimar Warrior of the Mystirc Arts Monk named Sailor.
•  Devora Wilde is an actress and motion capturer performer best known for voicing the character of Lae’zel from BG3, and has also made frequent appearances in other D&D actual play series. She will be playing a Goliath Arcane Archer Fighter named “Princess” Hobnip.
• Mayanna Berrin is an actress best known for her voice work in the video game Dispatch as well as appearing in the StoryQuest actual play. She will be playing a a High Elf Vestige Patrol Warlock named Sapphira Horayas.
• Christian Navarro is an actor best known for the TV series 13 Reasons Why, but also played in the official D&D actual one shot Forgotten Realms: Tears of Selune. He will be playing a Human Transmuter Wizard named Cadmus Pennypetal.

Final thoughts

We’ll see the complete line up of new subclasses when Arcana Unleashed arrives in September and will be doing a complete deep dive then.

In the meantime, you’ll be able to see the subclasses in action for yourself soon when Season 2 of Dungeon Masters launches. Below is also a teaser trailer of what to expect.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Recently, White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast announced they were collaborating on a new D&D 5.5E compatible supplement entitled Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood, with design work being contracted out to third-party publisher Ghostfire Gaming.

And while the digital-only product will be coming out later in July, you can pre-order it now on D&D Beyond. Below, we sink our teeth into all the details of this new blood-soaked blending of brands.

What’s included in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood on D&D Beyond?

This D&D Beyond exclusive product includes:

• The Kindred Class: A full Leve 1 to 20 vampire class with D&D 5.5E rules adapted from Vampire: The Masquerade mechanics including Blood Points, Disciplines and the Beast.
• Six Clan subclasses: The Clans of Vampire: The Masquerade are transformed into subclasses, with players able to choose from the Brujah, Gangrel, Lasombra, Nosferatu, Toreador or Ventrue.
• An adventure: Based on the Vampire: The Dark Ages setting, this adventure takes place in Northern Britain in 700 CE and is designed for Level 4 characters. It’s entitled “One Last Goodbye” and is described as “a four-night adventure of grief, suspicion, and a climactic clash of blood and fury.”
• New Backgrounds & Feats: Five Kindred-adjacent Backgrounds along with 25 Origin and Kindred Feats.
• Six new monster statblocks: These are all horror-themed and taken from the World of Darkness
• Three Maps: Which can be used with the D&D Beyond Maps VTT.
• New equipment and items: This includes 49 mundane items/weapons, pus 1 magic item (including drinkable vampire blood known as Kindred Vitae).
• Two new mechanics: This includes D&D 5.5E rules for Masquerade Level and Narrated Feeding (both of which are taken from the current edition of Vampire: the Masquerade).

The D&D Beyond digital only product will also include new illustrations by artist Micah Ulrich (several of which have been previewed already).

In a blog post, White Wolf Creative Director Jess Lanzillo notes that the supplement is designed to “bring a piece of the World of Darkness to a table that already lives in 5E D&D.”

Notably, Lanzillo is the former VP of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast before leaving the company in June of 2025 to take the position at White Wolf, but it appears there isn’t any bad blood between her and her former employer.

When will Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood be released?

Bound by Blood will be available on D&D Beyond on July 28th, 2026. You can, however, pre-order it now. Unfortunately, you won’t receive the product any earlier, but you will get two free D&D Beyond Character Sheet Backdrops inspired by the World of Darkess and Vampire: The Masquerade.

Notably this is one of the few times that Wizards of the Coast has offered pre-orders for a product that was exclusively available on D&D Beyond, and it’s not clear if either WotC, White Wolf or Ghostfire Gaming will ever produce a PDF or print version.

How much is Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood?

On D&D Beyond the book will retail for $29.99 USD. This may seem a little expensive for a digital only title, but is fairly comparable to what we’ve seen from other major third-party books.

For example, the recent Griffon’s Saddlebag expansion also retails for $29.99 USD.

Have White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast worked together before?

While there has never been a Vampire: The Masquerade D&D crossover until now, Wizards of the Coast and White Wolf actually share a surprisingly deep history dating back several decades, when Wizards of the Coast officially licensed the entire D&D Ravenloft campaign setting to White Wolf.

In fact, from 2001 to 2005, White Wolf acted as the sole steward of the Demiplane of Dread, publishing dozens of popular D&D 3E sourcebooks before the rights eventually reverted back to Wizards of the Coast.

This latest D&D crossover, however, represents a significant return to form for White Wolf, which had been retired as a publisher in 2018 following the controversial launch of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition. At that time, White Wolf faced significant fan backlash and media scrutiny for publishing content that was considered racist and homophobic. Parent company Paradox Interactive later dissolved White Wolf as a standalone publishing entity, stripping its ability to develop tabletop material in-house. Since then, new World of Darkness TTRPG products (including Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse) have been developed by third-party publishers such as Renegade Game Studios.

It wasn’t until May 2025 that Paradox decided to relaunch White Wolf as a publishing imprint, with former Wizards of the Coast D&D Vice President Jess Lanzillo stepping in to shepherd the new studio, which is currently based in Sweden, where their parent company Paradox is also located. This means that despite being produced by Ghostfire Gaming, Bound by Blood is actually the first product to come out of White Wolf publishing in almost a decade.

Final Thoughts

Vampires are of course nothing new to Dungeons & Dragons, having appeared in some of the earliest versions of the game. In fact, they’re front and center in recent supplements like Ravenloft: The Horrors Within and Astarion’s Book of Hungers, both of which feature the playable species known as the Dhampir.

That being said, we haven’t seen anything like this new D&D crossover with Vampire: The Masquerade and there’s likely a lot riding on this new product for both companies. For Wizards of the Coast, it’s a way to test new partnerships and connect with a wider audience. For White Wolf, it’s a chance to rebuild its brand, with rumors also suggesting we may soon see Vampire: The Masquerade 6th edition unveiled at this year’s Gen Con.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on Bound by Blood in the days ahead and will update this page with new information (and a complete review) closer to launch on July 28th. In the meantime, you can pre-order it now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Penguin Random House imprint DK Books has just announced a new deep dive into the D&D multiverse with the official Dungeons & Dragons Encyclopedia. Developed by a team that includes longtime TTRPG historian Jon Peterson, the book explores some of the game’s most popular campaign settings, including Greyhawk, Dragonlance, the Forgotten Realms and Ravenloft. The encyclopedia also includes write-ups on a variety of iconic characters, creatures, locations and magic items.

The 320-page hardcover book will be officially coming out in October 2026, but you can pre-order a copy now from local game stores, bookstores and on Amazon. Below, we go through the A-Z of this latest D&D tome.

What is the Dungeons & Dragons Encyclopedia?

The official book page synopsis is as follows:

Pack your Bag of Holding and get ready for an expansive, official tour through the myriad settings of the D&D multiverse.

From the familiar fantasy lands of the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance to the broodingly gothic planes of Ravenloft and star-hopping voyages of Spelljammer, Dungeons & Dragons Encyclopedia will uncover every facet of the world’s most popular tabletop role-playing game.

Every page is packed full of information on D&D’s myriad settings, including the monsters that roam the realms and menace adventurers, legendary locations full of eventful histories, the heroes and villains that protect and plague the different dimensions, and the iconic items that enable the machinations of players, NPCs and big-bads.

For the first time ever in an official title, Wizards of the Coast has brought together more than half a dozen of its legendary settings – stretching all the way back to Greyhawk – to showcase the elements that make them unique, and Dungeons & Dragons the most diverse, exciting and unpredictable game in the world.

Who are the authors of the D&D Encyclopedia?

The book is written by a number of veteran RPG and Wizards of the Coast D&D collaborators, including:

• Jon Peterson: One of the most well-known TTRPG historians and author of Playing at the World, The Elusive Shift, and Game Wizards.
• Matt Forbeck: A New York Times bestselling author and game designer with more than thirty novels and countless games published to date.
• Michael Witwer: An author on numerous official D&D books, including Art & Arcana, the two Heroes’ Feast cookbooks and The Legend of Drizzt Visual Dictionary.

How much is the new D&D Encyclopedia?

The physical hardcover version of the book will retail for $60 USD (not including shipping ahd handling), which is comparable to other similar releases that we’ve seen in the past from DK, which has published larger format coffee-table style books like the 2025 D&D Book of Dragons.

Notably an e-book Kindle edition is also available for $19.99 USD, if you download it directly from Amazon.

When will the new D&D Encyclopedia be released?

The book will officially be available on October 20th, 2026, at which point you should be able to find it at most online and physical book retailers.

You can, however, pre-order it now from most major online and physical retailers.

Final Thoughts

Over the past few years, Penguin Random House has been producing a number of D&D tie-in books, including the recent DM’s Workbook of Worldbuilding and Player’s Workbook of Epic Adventures. We’ll also soon be seeing a complete line of new titles that tie in to Baldur’s Gate 3.

We’ll be doing a complete review of the Dungeons & Dragons Encyclopedia closer to launch in October. In the meantime, you can pre-order your copy now from your local game store, bookstore and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New D&D Encyclopedia Coming from Penguin Random House appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen Dungeons & Dragons make its way from the tabletop to the wardrobe, with a number of major collaborations with fashion and apparel brands like Converse, Reyn Spooner, Blackmilk and KOI.

Now, US retailer Hot Topic has unveiled a new line of official D&D clothing. It’s part of a long relationship between Wizards of the Coast and Hot Topic, which has released a wide range of D&D-branded merchandise over the years. You can check out the latest items in-store or on the official Hot Topic website.

Below, we unzip all the details on this new D&D clothing collab.

What’s included in the new Hot Topic D&D clothing line?

The new collection (which Hot Topic also announced via social media) features three items:

The D&D Ranger Hoodie

Inspired by the Ranger class, this green-washed hoodie features a number of icons, d20s and leaves. It also includes a kangaroo pocket in the front with a faux leather patch on the back featuring the D&D ampersand. It retails for $59.90 USD (not including shipping and handling).

Get it from Hot Topic

The D&D Druid Cold Shoulder Dress

Based on by the Druid class, the dress features embroidered florals, woodland motifs and druidic symbols across the bodice, plus chiffon sleeves and a skirt overlay printed with leaves and an embroidered D&D ampersand. It also includes back smocking, side pockets and a back zipper closure. It retails for $66.90 USD (not including shipping and handling).

Get it from Hot Topic

D&D Wizard Velvet Cape

If you’re looking for something more cosplay than couture, then this cape may have you covered. Based on the Wizard class, it features embroidered arcane symbols down the front and silver foil rune constellations scattered across a starry night backdrop. It also includes an oversized hood and clasp at the top. It retails for $89.90 USD (not including shipping and handling).

Get it from Hot Topic

Final thoughts

There was a time when the closest D&D ever got to high fashion was the occasional t-shirt, so it’s interesting to see the brand continue to offer some more fashionable options for fans.

And while these new Hot Topic clothing items definitely aren’t for everyone, if they’re something you want to add to your wardrobe, you can pick them up now in-store or from the Hot Topic website.

See Our Other D&D Accessories Coverage

Visit our D&D Accessories page for more reviews and news.

Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Hot Topic Unveils New Official D&D Clothing Line appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

WizKids is heading back to the Forgotten Realms and digging up one of D&D’s newest and most unique dragons. The upcoming Adult Spirit Dragon miniature is part of the long running Icons of the Realms product line and is based on the new monster stat block and artwork featured in the recently released D&D supplement, Forgotten Realms: Adventurers in Faerûn.

The large format mini will be coming out in December 2026, but you can pre-order it now from your local game store, WizKids and Amazon. Below, we take a closer look at these majestic monsters.

What is the new WizKids Adult Spirit Dragon D&D Mini?

The new Adult Spirit Dragon comes on a 75 mm base, making it significantly larger than typical miniature. It’s also fully pre-painted and designed for table use with D&D 5.5E, but would also work great as a display piece.

Notably, an unpainted version of the Adult Spirit Dragon is also available as part of the Nozlur’s Marvelous Miniatures line, which is fully primed right out of the box.

How much is the Adult Spirit Dragon D&D mini?

The box set retails for $79.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). It’s a hefty price tag for a single miniature, but is on part with what we’ve seen with past WizKids releases, like the recent Amethyst Dragon and Black Draoclich.

When is the Adult Spirit Dragon D&D mini coming out?

The mini is currently scheduled for release in December 2026, at which point it should be fully available online and from physical retailers (we’ll update this page with an exact date once it’s been confirmed).

What is a Spirit Dragon in D&D lore?

A Spirit Dragon (also known as a Song Dragon) is a unique draconic entity that is directly linked to a lost civilization. They are formed when a dragon egg is left buried among ancient rubble, at which point it can hatch into a Spirit Dragon wyrmling that becomes intrinsically tied to the ruins it originated from.

Unlike chromatic dragons (which are typically evil) or metallic dragons (which lean toward good), Spirit Dragons generally maintain a neutral disposition. Their only goal is to learn as much as possible about the dead society which created them and they are particularly fascinated by music, art, poetry and culture. While they generally remain aloof, in some cases they will hire adventurers to uncover new knowledge for them.

In terms of their appearance, Spirt Dragons often have unique physical characteristics inspired by the lost civilization they stem from. This can include horns shaped like majestic stag antlers or ancient runic symbols etched into their wings. All Spirit Dragons, however, possess wings and natural elements like stone and foliage are often integrated directly into their scales.

Spirit Dragons tend to dwell almost exclusively in ancient ruins, which they remain extremely protective of. In battle, however, they are incredibly deadly, with the ability to breathe both pure necrotic energy as well as time warping magic that can slow enemies down to a crawl.

Final Thoughts

WizKids has been absolutely killing it lately when it comes to their large format D&D minis, which double as both display-ready collector’s items and something you can actually use at the table. The new Adult Spirit Dragon definitely looks like it fits in that category.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new mini in the days ahead and will do a review closer to launch in December 2026. In the meantime, you can pre-order them now from your local game store, WizKids and Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post WizKids Gets Spirited Away With New Dragon Mini appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

As a Dungeon Master, handing out hard-earned loot is one of the most satisfying parts of running a game. Yet all too often sessions can grind to a halt when players start asking questions like how much water actually comes out of A Decanter of Endless Water or whether an Immovable Rod really is immovable.

The good news is that Wizards of the Coast is officially rolling out two brand-new sets of D&D Magic Item Cards. Designed to give players instant access to all the details on newly acquired treasure, the cards are all taken from the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide and feature the updated D&D 5.5E rules. It’s worth noting, however, that the cards only cover Common, Uncommon, Rare and Very Rare magic items, so we’ll have to see if WotC deals out any future decks containing Legendary items and Artifacts.

In the meantime, the physical sets will be available later this August, but you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon. Below, we attune to all the details.

What are the new D&D 5.5E Magic Item Cards?

The new magic item cards consist of two sets, each of which is sold separately. All of the cards contain art and details taken from the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. They are as follows:

Magic Items: Common and Uncommon

Designed for early-to-mid-game progression, the cards feature a variety of more well-known and relatively low-powered items.

The deck includes 183 cards in total:

• 59 common magic item cards
• 117 uncommon magic item cards
• 6 customizable cards
• 1 instruction card

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

Magic Items: Rare and Very Rare

Built for higher-level adventurers, this deck includes a number of more powerful items, some of which require attunement to properly use.

This deck includes 225 cards in total:

• 124 rare magic item cards
• 95 very rare magic item cards
• 1 stat block card
• 4 customizable cards
• 1 instruction card

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

How much are the new D&D 5.5E Magic Item Cards?

Each deck retails for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), which may feel a little on the pricey side, but is also on par for similar magic item card sets.

When will the new D&D Magic Item Cards be released?

Both decks will be released on August 18th, 2026, at which point they’ll be available at local game stores and online retailers. If you pre-order now from a game store that’s opted into Wizards’ early access program, however, you’ll be able to get them earlier on August 4th, 2026.

What other D&D Magic Item Cards have been released in the past?

D&D magic item cards have been around for decades, mostly as fan-made accessories, but also in a number of third-party products. Over the years, however, Wizards of the Coast has released a few official products for D&D 5E, including:

• Magic Item Cards
• Deck of Many Things

Final thoughts

Wizards of the Coast is definitely going all in on physical decks and is also releasing D&D spell cards and D&D monster cards. They’re a great idea in theory, but it remains to be seen if fans who have been using digital tools like D&D Beyond will make the shift. It’s also a bit disappointing that the sets don’t include higher-level magic items, but hopefully, we’ll see new expansions later down the line.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on these decks in the days ahead and will do a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order the new D&D magic item card sets now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon.

See Our Other D&D Accessories Coverage

Visit our D&D Accessories page for more reviews and news.

Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New D&D Magic Item Cards Put the Hoard in Your Hands appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

As a Dungeon Master, flipping through the Monster Manual to find a specific stat block mid-combat can sometimes be a major pain in the dice, slowing the game to an absolute crawl. Luckily, just as players will soon be getting new sets of D&D 5.5E spell cards to manage their magic, DMs will be able to snag some much-needed table utility of their own.

Wizards of the Coast is officially rolling out three brand new Monster Card decks. Designed to give DMs instant access to creatures featured in the 2024 Monster Manual, the cards cover a wide range of creature types, while also featuring updated stat blocks and mechanics from the D&D 5.5E rules. It’s worth noting, however, that the cards do only cover Challenge Ratings 0-5 (so if you’re looking for higher-level foes, you’re out of luck).

The physical sets will be available later this August, but you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon. Below, we roll for initiative and break down everything included in these new encounter-building cards.

What are the new D&D 5.5E Monster Cards?

The 2026 D&D Monster Cards consist of three sets, each of which is sold separately. All of the cards contain art and the complete stat blocks taken from the 2025 Monster Manual. They are as follows:

D&D Monsters: Animals & NPCs (CR 0-5)

This card deck is focused around everyday encounters, with a range of more typical allies and foes.

It contains 112 cards in total (87 beast cards and 25 humanoid cards). It also includes 1 instruction card with tips on how to use the deck.

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

D&D Monsters: Mystical and Menacing (CR 0-5)

If you’re looking to bring more magical foes to the table, this deck includes cards for a variety of otherworldly beings.

It contains 126 stat cards (8 celestial, 22 elemental, 20 fey, 30 fiend and 46 monstrosity cards), along with 1 instruction card.

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

D&D Monsters: Fearsome and Ferocious (CR 0-5)

Built for more challenging encounters, this deck features a variety of more terrifying and unusual beings.

It includes 100 stat cards (20 aberration, 14 construct, 17 dragon, 6 giant, 5 ooze, 13 plant and 25 undead cards).

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

How much are the new D&D 5.5E Monster Cards?

Each physical monster card deck retails for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), which is relatively close to what we’ve seen for similar sets for D&D 5E in the past.

When will the new D&D Monster Cards be released?

All three D&D monster card decks will be released on August 18th, 2026, at which point they’ll be available at local game stores and online retailers. Players who pre-order now from stores that are part of Wizards’ early access program, however, will be able to pick them up earlier on August 4th, 2026.

What other D&D Monster Cards have been released in the past?

D&D monster cards have been around for decades, mostly as fan-made accessories. When it comes to D&D 5E, however, we’ve seen several official sets released by Wizards of the Coast since 2014, including:

• Creature & NPC Cards
• Epic Monster Cards
• Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes Monster Cards
• Monster Cards (CR 0-5)

It’s worth noting, however, that all of these sets use the D&D 5E 2014 rules.

Final thoughts

While new digital innovations such as D&D Beyond and other online sources have made it easier to look up monsters on the fly at the table, it can still be an annoying and time-consuming task. Having a complete range of creature cards at the table feels like a simple and elegant way to keep the game moving, showcase art to the players and generate random encounters on the fly. It does, however, seem like we may have to wait a bit longer to get higher CR creatures (which feels like a bit of a miss on the part of Wizards of the Coast). It’s also worth noting that these aren’t the only DM-facing decks we’ll be seeing, with WotC also unveiling new D&D magic item cards.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on these sets in the days ahead and will be doing a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon.

See Our Other D&D Accessories Coverage

Visit our D&D Accessories page for more reviews and news.

Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New D&D Monster Cards Let You Deal Out the Damage appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Playing as a magic user in Dungeons & Dragons can be challenging, with players often having to flip through multiple pages to find the perfect spell. Which is why it’s not surprising that over the years Wizards of the Coast has released numerous sets of official D&D spell cards. The goal is for players to be able to quickly and easily reference all the info they need at the table without having to consult any hefty tomes or dig through online resources.

Now, players will be able to stack the deck with spells using the latest D&D 5.5E rules, with Wizards of the Coast releasing three new spell card sets. An official tie-in to the upcoming D&D Season of Magic, the cards are based on spells featured in the 2024 Player’s Handbook, and cover level 0 cantrips all the way to more powerful level 5 spells (unfortunately, we’ll have to wait for Level 6+ spells, which is a bit disappointing, but hopefully something WotC will sort out in the months ahead).

The physical sets will be available later this August, but you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon. Below, we shuffle up all the details on what’s included.

What are the new D&D 5.5E spell cards?

The 2026 D&D Spell Cards consist of three sets which are sold separately. All of the cards are fully illustrated and contain complete details on specific spells taken from the 2024 PHB. They are as follows:

Levels 0-1 Spell Cards

Includes individual cards for 34 cantrips (level 0 spells) and 64 level 1 spells. The set also contains 1 instruction card and 6 customizable cards you can use for your own creations.

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

Levels 2-3 Spell Cards

Includes 63 level 2 spell cards, 52 level 3 spell cards, 8 stat block cards (to cover situations such as summoned creatures), 5 customizable cards and 1 instruction card.

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

Levels 4-5 Spell Cards

Includes 41 level 4 spell cards, 48 level 5 spell cards, 13 stat block cards, 5 customizable cards and 1 instruction card.

Get them on D&D Beyond or Get them on Amazon

How much are the new D&D 5.5E spell cards?

Each physical set of spell cards retails for $19.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), which is actually surprisingly affordable (previous sets released in 2014 had a similar price point).

When will the new D&D spell cards be released?

All three sets of D&D 5.5E spell cards will be released on August 18th, 2026, at which point they’ll be available at local game stores and online retailers. Players who pre-order now from stores that are part of Wizards’ early access program, however, will be able to get their hands on the cards on August 4th, 2026.

Notably, the release is designed to coincide with the Season of Magic, which runs from July to September 2026 and will include organized play events and other tie-in products related to the new Arcana Unleashed supplement and Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall adventure.

What other D&D spell cards have been released in the past?

D&D spell cards have actually been around since the earliest days of the game, mostly as fan-made accessories. In the D&D fifth edition era, however, we’ve seen a number of official and unofficial decks. Past releases from Wizards of the Coast include:

• Cleric Spell Cards
• Druid Spell Cards
• Ranger Spell Cards
• Arcane Spell Cards
• Martial Races & Powers
• Xanathar’s Guide to Everything Cards

Notably all of these sets are for the 2014 D&D 5E ruleset.

Final thoughts

While looking up spells has become less of an issue in recent years thanks to D&D Beyond (and even a simple Google search), there’s definitely still something appealing about having physical cards in your hands that you can quickly reference at the table. And while it is a bit of a let down that Wizards of the Coast isn’t releasing cards for Levels 6 to 9 spells, hopefully we’ll see those in the near future. It’s also worth noting that these aren’t the only decks available, with WotC also releasing official D&D monster cards and D&D magic item cards.

We’ll also be keeping a close eye on these new sets in the days ahead and will be doing a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and Amazon.

See Our Other D&D Accessories Coverage

Visit our D&D Accessories page for more reviews and news.

Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New D&D Spell Cards Coming for the Season of Magic appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragons is heading back to the dark side with its latest Unearthed Arcana playtest. Entitled the Villainous Options Update, this is actually the third playtest in the series, following Villainous Options and Villainous Options 2 (both of which were UAs released in April 2026).

This latest drop, however, serves up heavily revised versions of three previously playtested subclasses: the Circle of the Titan Druid, the Hell Knight Fighter and the Demonic Sorcery Sorcerer. The packet also contains brand-new material featuring a range of infernal Origin Feats and Epic Boons.

As with the other two Villainous Options UAs, it’s still not clear what D&D sourcebook the materials are designed for (although all signs point to a new version of The Book of Vile Darkness). Below, we pick apart all the demonic details.

What’s included in the new Villainous Options Update?

This latest UA contains both updates to several previously revealed subclasses as well as new Feats as follows:

Subclass Updates

There are three modified versions of subclasses that were first presented in the original Villainous Options playtest. They are as follows:

• Circle of the Titan (Druid): These druids can tap into primal powers that allow them to assume towering, monstrous forms. At Level 3, instead of standard Wild Shape beasts, you can adopt a kaiju-like “Titan Form” (choosing between a Behemoth, Leviathan or Insectoid) for up to 10 minutes. As you gain Druid levels, this form grows drastically in power and scale. You can eventually become Huge at Level 10 and Gargantuan at Level 14. Once Gargantuan, you even gain the ability to swallow grappled enemies whole, trapping them in your stomach to take Acid damage.
• Hell Knight (Fighter): Hell Knights are the champions of archdevils and other high-ranking fiends of the Nine Hells. At Level 3, you receive a Diabolical Gift, granting you Devil’s Sight and fluency in Infernal. You can also imbue your weapons with hellfire to forge a Hell-Forged Weapon, allowing you to deal your choice of Cold, Fire or Necrotic damage. Later levels allow you to apply devastating effects to these wounds, such as caustic pus or Stygian gangrene.
• Demonic Sorcery (Sorcerer): These magic users tap into the corrupting, arcane energy of demons and the Abyss. At Level 3, activating Innate Sorcery creates an Abyssal Rupture, which fills a 10-foot-radius Sphere with Abyssal energy. At Level 6, you can pull direct influence from specific Abyssal layers to force enemies to move erratically or succumb to the Poisoned or Charmed conditions. At Level 18, you can unleash an Abyssal Explosion, filling a 30-foot-radius Sphere with force damage that incapacitates non-Fiends.

New Origin and Epic Boon Feats

The playtest also introduces four new Origin Feats and four new Epic Boons (which are also technically feats) as follows:

Origin Feats

• Atoner’s Grace: Grants a disarming air that prevents Hostile attitudes from imposing Disadvantage on Persuasion checks, and allows you to grant Advantage to nearby allies when you negotiate with hostile forces.
• Raised by Cultists: Allows you to take a Reaction to gain Heroic Inspiration when Bloodied, and gives allies Advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain Concentration.
• Trapper: Grants an eye for detail on Investigation checks, swift tracking abilities and the power to set a Hunting Trap as a Bonus Action.
• Underhanded: Makes you elusive by allowing 10 feet of movement right after rolling Initiative, and lets you fight dirty by knocking larger enemies Prone when they miss an Opportunity Attack.

Epic Boon Feats (Prerequisite: Level 19+)

• Boon of the Bandit King: Increases an ability score by 1, grants Advantage on Sleight of Hand checks to pick pockets and makes you uncatchable by preventing Opportunity Attacks when leaving a creature’s reach.
• Boon of the Cleansed Heart: Increases an ability score by 1, lets you cast Dispel Evil and Good without expending a spell slot and grants Immunity to Necrotic damage alongside a radiant reflection counter-attack.
• Boon of the Hunter’s Eye: Increases an ability score by 1, allows quick capture of low-health enemies and reveals a creature’s Immunities, Resistances or Vulnerabilities upon rolling Initiative.
• Boon of Unwavering Devotion: Increases an ability score by 1, grants automatic success on saving throws against possession and visual illusions, and allows you to force enemies to reroll successful Wisdom saves against your effects.

Final Thoughts

Over the past year we’ve seen Wizards of the Coast begin to scale up their Unearthed Arcana playtests, and it’s always great to see the company respond to player feedback. Of course, it’s worth remembering that all of the content is a work-in-progress and things could still change. We’ll be keeping a close eye on future UAs in the days ahead and will likely be learning more soon about the new book that will feature these villainous options.

In the meantime, you can check out all the material for yourself via the Unearthed Arcana page or download the PDF directly. Player feedback opens on June 25th, 2026.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Gets Down & Dirty With New Unearthed Arcana Villainous Options appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dice maker FanRoll is rolling out a new box set inspired by one of the most famous (and fabulous) Dungeons & Dragons wizards of all time. The new Fizban’s Fortune Dragon D20’s feature the official D&D license and are named after the titular sorcerer of Dragonlance fame.

Each blind box contains a single oversized D20 constructed from high-end materials, with a variety of random rarities available. Notably, the sets were released earlier this year, but sold out over 50,000 sets in a relatively short period of time. The company has since restocked their supply and you can snag these new versions now from your local game store and FanRoll.

So are these high-end math rocks worth adding to your Dice Bag of Holding? Below, we roll up all the details.

What are the new Fizban’s Fortune Dragon D20s?

Each blind box contains a single oversized 25mm twenty-sized die (for reference, a standard D20 is about 20mm). The dice that are included are completely randomized and feature a wide range of materials, ranging from gemstone and liquid core to hollow metal and solid cast alloys. 

There are 34 dice in total across 6 different levels of rarity (in order of least to most rare there are 5 common, 10 uncommon, 5 legendary, 8 rare, 5 epic and 1 mythic). Each die also has engraved numbers on the faces and the 20 is the iconic D&D ampersand.

Notably, the dice are also inspired by the D&D sourcebook Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, which included commentary from the eccentric wizard along with new rules, stats and magic items related to dragonkind. Each of the new FanRoll dice is based on a specific dragon type found in the book.

How much are the new Fizban’s Fortune Dragon D20s?

Each blind box retails for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). That may seem a little pricey for a single D20, but it isn’t a bad price point when you consider the quality of the materials, the collectability (including the official D&D license) and the fact that they’re oversized dice.

When were the Fizban’s Fortune Dragon D20s released?

An initial run of the dice was released in early 2026, but quickly sold out. FanRoll has since produced a new batch of the dice, which are now available online and at most major retailers.

Who is Fizban the Fabulous?

Fizban the Fabulous is a bumbling but incredibly powerful wizard who first appeared in the Dragonlance campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons. On the surface, he seems absent-minded, clumsy and prone to causing chaos with his spells and eccentric behavior. In reality, however, Fizban is actually Paladine, the platinum dragon god of good. As Fizban, he wanders the world in mortal form to guide and protect the heroes of Krynn and played a crucial role in shaping events during the legendary War of the Lance.

In terms of his publication history, Fizban debuted in Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman’s Dragonlance Chronicles novels in 1984 and has since appeared in numerous other books and D&D campaign supplements. More recently in 2021, Wizards of the Coast revived the character for Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, a D&D 5e supplement that included commentary from the legendary wizard.

Who is FanRoll?

FanRoll (formerly known as Metallic Dice Games) is a US-based company specializing in premium dice and tabletop gaming accessories. Founded in 2014 by Adam Hackett, the company originally built its reputation on high-quality metal dice before expanding into polymer, glass and gemstone sets.

In 2023, an investor group led by toy industry veteran Neal Hoffman acquired the business and rebranded it as FanRoll. The company has since expanded significantly and now includes hundreds of different dice and accessory products, moving far beyond the company’s metallic roots.

In recent years, FanRoll has secured licensing agreements with a number of major brands, including a partnership with Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast to produce official Dungeons & Dragons dice, as well as working with Paizo to release Pathfinder products. They have also produced custom dice for a number of major TTRPG Kickstarters and crowdfunder campaigns.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen FanRoll take on Fizban. In fact, the dice maker released a similar set called Fizban’s Treasure D20s in late 2025. These new versions, however, are designed to pick up where the previous set left off, featuring a variety of new high-end materials and designs.

You can get fabulous yourself and pick up these new D20s now from your local game store and the FanRoll website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New FanRoll Mystery Dice Pay Homage to a D&D Legend appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

D&D Beyond is officially journeying to one of Dungeons & Dragons’ oldest and most iconic cities, with the latest entry in the Legends of Greyhawk organized play program.

Entitled Secrets of the Free City, this digital collection consists of three adventures that take place in the iconic City of Greyhawk. All of the adventures were developed by publisher Baldman Games with support from Wizards of the Coast, and have been run at several conventions and organized play events over the past year. Now, however, you can run them for yourself online via D&D Beyond.

Below, we open the gates and take a closer look at what secrets await in the heart of the Free City.

What’s included in Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City?

Secrets of the Free City is a digital bundle containing three interconnected adventures first developed by Baldman Games as the City of Greyhawk Trilogy, which debuted last summer at Gen Con 2025.

As the name suggests, all three take place in the legendary Free City of Greyhawk and each adventure is designed for Level 1 to 4 characters, taking roughly 3 to 4 hours to complete. The adventures (which can be run individually or as part of a mini-campaign) are as follows:

• Shadows Over the Free City: An attempted heist occurs at the Great Library connected to an ancient and forbidden magical tome. A local cleric hires the players to uncover the library’s secrets and untangle the mystery.
• Sword in the Shadows: Rumors spread in the city about a mysterious package originating from the Temple of Elemental Evil. Players must navigate back-alley deals and cryptic notes to secure the relic before the darker forces do.
• Murder Among Thieves: Turmoil grips the underworld after a high-ranking figure in the Thieves’ Guild is slain. Two young rogues offer the party a substantial payout to unmask the killer.

What is Legends of Greyhawk?

Legends of Greyhawk is an official Dungeons & Dragons organized play program run by third-party organizations including Baldman Games and GameConclave, with approval and support from Wizards of the Coast. The program officially launched in the summer of 2025 at Gen Con and uses the new D&D 5.5E rules. The adventures used in the program are primarily designed to be run at conventions, although materials are released to the general public several months afterwards.

Adventures are also designed to be interconnected, helping to shape a larger narrative that influences the whole of the modern Greyhawk setting. Any convention attendee can play in a Legends of Greyhawk adventure, so long as they have created a character in D&D Beyond (using the rules from the 2024 D&D 5.5E Player’s Handbook). Players can also earn physical rewards in the form of tradable magic item cards and other certificates at the end of each play session.

Wizards of the Coast has also released a Legends of Greyhawk Guide which provides more information on character creation, including guidelines on which region of Greyhawk your character can come from, how many magic items you can have based on your level, and how trading magic items with other players works. This document is also regularly updated as new official D&D supplements are released.

Wizards of the Coast has also begun to package and release Legends of Greyhawk adventures as digital “play bundles” on D&D Beyond. So far, there have been two such play packs: Elemental Evil Rising (which was also developed by Baldman Games and released on D&D Beyond in April 2026) and Tales from Turtleback Cove (which was developed by GameConclave and released on D&D Beyond in May 2026).

Who is Baldman Games?

Baldman Games is one of the largest official Dungeons & Dragons organized play providers in the world. Operating as an official Partner Organization for Wizards of the Coast, it runs numerous multi-table D&D events at major conventions like Gen Con, Origins and PAX.

Beyond the physical convention floor, Baldman Games also hosts monthly “Virtual D&D Weekends” via Discord and VTT platforms, which are designed for online play.

In addition to managing and organizing D&D convention events, Baldman also designs and publishes official D&D organized play storylines. While it has historically contributed content to the Adventurers League (including the Dreams of the Red Wizards and Moonshae Isles campaigns), they are now one of the primary partner publishers for the new Legends of Greyhawk program.

Final Thoughts

As the first and arguably the most famous metropolis in Dungeons & Dragons lore, the Free City of Greyhawk has been around for over 50 years. If you haven’t visited before or if you missed out on the Legends of Greyhawk organized play events, this new D&D Beyond digital play bundle offers a solid way to experience it for yourself.

You can pick up the Legends of Greyhawk: Secrets of the Free City now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Beyond Heads Back to the Free City of Greyhawk appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

The most terrifyingly tubby dragon in all of D&D lore is back and bigger than ever, with Sirius Dice recently unveiling a new “chonky” Themberchaud d20.

Approximately 55mm in size (making it over twice the size of an average twenty-sided die), the new mega-sized math rock is made of clear resin and features the well-fed wyrm in the center. This oversized D&D D20 will be coming out later in July, but you pre-order it now from your local game store, Sirius Dice and Amazon.

So is this giant die worthy of everyone’s favorite large-and-in-charge dragon? Below, we roll up all the details.

What is the new Themberchaud oversized D20?

The new Themberchaud 55mm Gargantuan D20 is a sharp-edged dice that includes a pre-painted miniature of the iconic red dragon in the center (with him making hilarious “heart hands” with his claws). It also includes the official Dungeons & Dragons license and comes in a limited edition box.

Notably, Sirius has released several dice in this “chonky” format, including a Black Lotus spindown die for use with Magic: The Gathering, but this is the first product that can actually be used during D&D gameplay (as a spindown die features a different order of numbers on it than a typical, randomized D20).

How much is the Themberchaud oversized D20?

The die retails for $54.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). That may seem like a fairly hefty price for a single D20, but bear in mind this isn’t a typical die and is really more of a collector’s item than anything else.

When will the new Themberchaud D20 be available?

The die will be released on July 14th, 2026, at which point you should be able to purchase it online and from most local game stores (although pre-orders are available now).

Who is Themberchaud?

In official D&D lore, Themberchaud is a legendary adult red dragon who resides in the Underdark. Known by titles like “The Wyrmsmith of Gracklstugh,” he entered into a tenuous alliance with a local Duergar clan, using his powerful fire breath to fuel their massive forges. In exchange, they constantly overfed him treasure and food, resulting in his famously overweight, chonky physique.

In the real world, Themberchaud first appeared as an encounter in the 2015 Out of the Abyss campaign book for D&D 5E, later stealing the show in the 2023 film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. He’s since received his own Magic: The Gathering card, inspired a D&D Nerf gun, had his own Funko Pop, been turned into a Christmas ornament and been immortalized as a cuddly plushy.

Who is Sirius Dice?

Sirius Dice is a Brooklyn-based RPG accessory creator founded in 2019 by tech entrepreneur Lax Chandra and business consultant Tina Trenkler. In 2023, the company signed a licensing deal with Wizards of the Coast and has since released a number of products using the official Dungeons & Dragons brand, including cups, pins and dice sets.

Most notably in June of 2024, Sirius collaborated with Wizards of the Coast to release their D&D Pride Month set, with proceeds donated to the Trevor Project, an organization that helps at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

Final Thoughts

Themberchaud may be one of the most unique dragons in all of D&D history, so it’s great to see this tubby titan continue to steal the spotlight at the tabletop.

You can pre-order the Themberchaud 55mm Gargantuan D20 now from your local game store, Sirius Dice and Amazon.

Below is also a clip of the legendary monster himself in action from Honor Among Thieves.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D’s Chonkiest Dragon Is Getting His Own Oversized D20 appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

This past May, Wizards of the Coast officially unveiled D&D Beyond Drops, which are free digital content packs available to Hero and Master tier subscribers that include maps, encounters, cosmetic perks and character options.

One major criticism that quickly surfaced after the launch, however, is that subscribers can’t share Drop content with other players, which is something you can currently do with other paid D&D Beyond content.

After facing over a month of fan backlash online (including a fairly contentious Reddit AMA), Wizards of the Coast has now reversed this decision and will be making Drops available for sharing. This new feature will be available only to Master Tier subscribers starting on June 18th. Below, we take a closer look all the details.

Why is Wizards of the Coast walking back D&D Beyond Drop sharing?

Shortly after D&D Beyond Drops were launched on May 7th, executive producer Brian Perry and program manager Jay Jani hosted an Ask Me Anything on the official D&D Beyond sub-Reddit. During the online event, many users questioned why Drops were unavailable for sharing. In several responses, Perry essentially stated that the reason was primarily financial in nature.

“We need to pay the great designers, artists, and developers working on D&D Beyond Drops,” Perry said in a Reddit comment during the AMA. “We also really think it’s important to make the entire subscriber content library accessible to Hero Tier subscribers (as well as Master Tier). Not making Drops content eligible for content sharing was a necessary tradeoff to hit these goals.”

At the time, Perry said they were actively looking at alternative solutions noting in a Reddit comment that: “I hear and really appreciate the feedback on being able to share Drops content with players in your group that don’t have the disposable income for a Hero Tier subscription. The team is taking another look at the tradeoffs and considering other solutions.”

Fast-forward a month, and on June 3rd Brian Perry released a blog post on D&D Beyond indicating that Wizards of the Coast is reversing course on the ability to share Drops. In the post he notes: “We made the business decision to not make Drops content eligible for Master Tier content sharing. It’s clear that was not the right decision and we need to find a way to give Master Tier subscribers the ability to content share Drops. We have been taking another look and expect to have an update on the feasibility of content sharing in the next few weeks.”

On June 11th, Perry posted another blog on D&D Beyond, writing: “Today, all D&D Beyond Drops player options and monsters are now enabled for Master Tier content sharing. By next Thursday (June 18), all D&D Beyond Drops Maps content will also be enabled for Master Tier content sharing.”

Final Thoughts

While it seems like a significant oversight on the part of Wizards of the Coast to exclude sharing with Drops, the comapny should also be commended for acknowledging and acting quickly on fan feedback. Things have been contentious between fans and the D&D publisher since the OGL scandal, so it’s a smart move in order to appease existing subscribers and continue to mend fences with the larger community.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the weeks ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Beyond Drops Sharing is Now Available appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

The Mists have cleared once again over the Domains of Dread, with Wizards of the Coast releasing the new D&D supplement Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is available now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

The book features a variety of horror-themed player options, including new Ravenloft subclasses, new backgrounds, new feats and four new horror-themed species: the Dhampir, the Hexblood, the Lupin and the Reborn. The term “new,” however, may also be overly generous, as among these only the Lupin is a completely original, with the other three appearing in past D&D content.

So just what can players expect with these terrifying new and returning species? Below, we scare up all the details.

What are the new D&D species in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

Below are details for each of the four new Ravenloft species, including a description of what they are and their mechanics for D&D 5.5e. For each species we’ve also noted whether it’s new or updated (including notes on which previous D&D book it can be found in).

Dhampir (Updated Species)

Dhampirs are living beings with the powers and unholy hunger of a vampire. While most dhampirs thirst for blood, some can also feed on dreams, life energy or other vital sources that existing within their prey. Some dhampirs are the flesh-and-blood descendants of a powerful vampire, while others are partially transformed by a vampire’s bite or the result of a bargain with unnatural, necromantic beings.

Key Features:

• Spider Climb: You have a Climb Speed equal to your Speed. When you reach level 3, you can also move up, down and across vertical surfaces and ceilings while leaving your hands free.
• Trace of Undeath: You have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
• Vampiric Bite. When you deal damage with an Unarmed you can choose to bite with your fangs. You deal Piercing damage equal to 1d4 plus your Constitution modifier. During this attack you can also choose to Drain (you regain Hit Points equal to the Piercing damage dealt) and Strengthen (you gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you make within the next minute, with the bonus being equal to the Piercing damage you dealt).

Notably, the Dhampir first appeared as a playable species in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and was updated for the 2025 D&D Beyond supplement Astarion’s Book of Hungers. This latter version of the Dhampir is exactly the same as what’s featured in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

Hexblood (Updated Species)

Hexbloods are individuals who have been infused with dark and powerful fey magic. Many hexbloods are transformed after making a deal with a powerful hag, but Hexbloods can also be the result of tampering with eldritch energies or cursed rituals.

Key Features:

• Eerie Token: As a Bonus Action, you can create a magical token that lets you use one of two abilities: Distant Message (you can send a telepathic message of 25 words or less to a creature within 10 miles who is carrying the token) or Remote Viewing (you can see and hear from the token if it’s within 10 miles).
• Hex Magic: You always have the Disguise Self and Hex spells prepared. You can cast each spell once without a spell slot, use Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma to cast it and you regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest.

Like the Dhampir, the Hexblood also first appeared in 2021 Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and is more or less unchanged (aside from the general change that was made to Species in the D&D 5.5E rules).

Lupin (New Species)

Lupins are beings who have been bitten by a werewolf and yet were able to avoid the most harmful effects of lycanthropy. Unlike true werewolves, lupins can’t transform between wolf and humanoid form but are instead stuck as hulking hybrids. Because of this, they are exceptionally strong, have enhanced instincts and can unleash a fear-inducing howl.

Key Features:

• Feral Pounce: Once per turn, your Unarmed Strikes deal Slashing damage instead of Bludgeoning damage. In addition, when you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can use both the Damage and the Shove options.
• Howl: As a Bonus Action, you let out an unearthly howl. Each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Constitution modifier and Proficiency Bonus) or have Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn.
• Werewolf Instincts: You have proficiency in the Perception, Stealth or Survival skill.

Reborn (Updated Species)

Reborn are individuals who have died and been brought back to life through magic or science. In many cases, they are stitched together from multiple corpses or have their minds transferred into their newly reanimated bodies. Essentially, they’re the Frankenstein’s monster of D&D.

Key features

• Strange Endurance: You have Resistance to your choice of Cold, Necrotic or Poison damage.
• Escaped Death: You have Advantage on Death Saving Throws.
• Everlasting: You don’t gain Exhaustion levels from dehydration, malnutrition or suffocation. You also don’t need to sleep, magic can’t put you to sleep and a long rest only takes 4 hours.
• Knowledge from a Past Life: You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice. In addition, when you fail an ability check, you can roll 1d6 and add the number rolled to the d20, potentially turning the failure into a success. You can do this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

As with the Dhampir and Hexblood, the Reborn also first appeared in 2021 in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and the updated version is mostly the same (with only a few mechanical tweaks).

Final thoughts

It’s great that Ravenloft: The Horrors Within features four playable species . Unfortunately, it’s also a bit disappointing that they’re mostly options we’ve seen before. Still, if you’re looking to add a bit of horror to your next character, they are solid options.

You can learn more and see all the details on the new species in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is available for purchase now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

More D&D News Coverage

For more from the world of Wizards of the Coast, visit our D&D News page.

Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The 4 New Species in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

As one of the most popular Dungeons & Dragons settings of all time, Ravenloft isn’t just a single world, but rather a nearly endless number of twisted pocket dimensions created by a mysterious force known only as the Dark Powers and surrounded on all sides by the inescapable Mists. These unique realms ultimately serve as both prisons and playgrounds for the foul Darklords who are trapped within them.

Now, D&D is heading back into the Mists with a brand new supplement entitled Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. In addition to a variety of player and DM-facing content, the book also includes new backgrounds, adventure hooks and maps for 16 unique Domains of Dread. You can pick up your copy now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

While all but one of these Domains have appeared in past editions of D&D, there have been some changes to both the lore and the settings themselves. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect when it comes to this new take on these terrifying territories.

1. Barovia

Darklord: Strahd Von Zarovich

Genre: Gothic horror

Description: The first and oldest of the Domains of Dread, Barovia is the ultimate horror setting for Dungeons & Dragon. Once a small, peaceful valley, the idyllic lands and its inhabitants were pulled into the shadowy, nightmarish demiplane of the Shadowfell by the mysterious entities known as the Dark Powers. It now serves as a permanent, mist-encircled planar prison for Count Strahd Von Zarovich, Barovia’s once benevolent ruler who has since been transformed into a vampire and now dwells within the brooding towers of his ancestral home, Castle Ravenloft.

Learn more about Barovia

2. Borca

Darklords: Ivana Boritsi and Ivan Dilisnya

Genre: Gothic horror and psychological horror

Description: Loosely inspired by the Borgia Family that ruled in Renaissance-era Italy, Borca is a seemingly lush, pastoral land with sprawling vineyards and opulent noble estates. Beneath the surface, however, is moral rot, cruelty, decadence and political scheming. It is one of the few Domains of Dread that has two Darklords: Ivana Boritsi (a beautiful killer who favors poison and plants) and Ivan Dilisnya (a ruined husk of a man and master of magical clockwork technology). The two cousins share an intense, mutual loathing of one another, enlisting the pampered nobility in their endless machinations, while the peasants of Borca starve and eke out a miserable existence.

Learn more about Borca

3. Darkon

Darklord: None (formerly Azalin Rex)

Genre: Dark fantasy and disaster horror

Description: A sprawling realm of gothic cities, ancient ruins and undead-haunted wilderness, Darkon is an iconic Ravenloft Domain. Once ruled by the undead wizard Azalin, in the recent D&D lore presented in The Horrors Within it was revealed that during a disastrous event known as the Hour of Ascension, Azalin’s citadel, Castle Avernus, was destroyed, and a mysterious golden star called the King’s Tear appeared in the heavens. Since then, no one has seen Azalin, and the Mists have begun to devour the domain.

Learn more about Darkon

4. Dementlieu

Darklord: Saidra d’Honaire

Genre: Dark fantasy and psychological horror

Description: Loosely inspired by Renaissance France and the iconic Edgar Allan Poe short story “The Masque of the Red Death,” Dementlieu is a realm of seeming grandeur and prosperity centered on the shining city of Port-a-Lucine. In reality, however, it is a domain built on lies, with its inhabitants struggling to mask their suffering and terror beneath flowery pleasantries and obsequious smiles. It is ruled by the perpetually masked and wraith-like Duchess Saidra d’Honaire, who hosts weekly masquerade balls, destroying those who displease her. At night, Saidra removes her mask transforming into a figure known as the Red Death who stalks the streets, feeding on those who would dare to shatter the illusion of her “perfect” society.

5. Falkovnia

Darklord: Vladeska Drakov

Genre: Disaster horror

Description: A once peaceful country, Falkovnia is now a land besieged, with only a few desperate pockets of civilization surviving in the ruins of crumbling settlements. That’s because every moon, a zombie legion emerges from the surrounding Mists and kills any living thing in its path. The survivors cowering behind the walls of the capital city of Lekar also find themselves under the tyrannical rule of the Domain’s Darklord, General Vladeska Drakov. A ruthless warrior who leads a military force known as the Talons, she sees traitors everywhere and is willing to sacrifice her own dwindling number of civilians if it means victory against the seemingly unstoppable army of the dead.

6. Har’Akir

Darklord: Ankhtepot

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Description: Inspired by ancient Egypt, Har’Akir is an unforgiving desert domain of shifting sands, ancient secrets and long-forgotten gods. The land is ruled by the mummy lord Ankhtepot, who dwells atop his golden pyramid in the City of the Dead, surrounded by a loyal cadre of high priests who serve his every whim. Ankhtepot, however, is not concerned with the needs of the living. His only goal is to find his “ka,” a lost piece of his fractured soul that he believes is located somewhere in the ancient sand-swept deserts, which are infested with monsters, the undead and the ruins of countless past civilizations.

7. Hazlan

Darklord: Hazlik

Genre: Dark fantasy and disaster horror

Description: A barren wasteland drained of almost all life, Hazlan is a Domain of Dread constantly wracked by magical disasters and overrun with monstrous abominations. It is ruled by the Darklord Hazlik, a wizard-overlord obsessed with uncovering new magical secrets, regardless of the cost to the populace. Paranoid and controlling, Hazlik constantly spies on those in his domain, revelling in the fear of his people, encouraging rivalries between his sorcerous apprentices and constantly searching for new magical innovations he can claim as his own.

8. Innsmouth

Darklord: Cthulhu

Genre: Cosmic horror

Description: Inspired by the fictional New England town of Innsmouth which appears in the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the new D&D version of this iconic horror locale is not of our own world, but is rather a lone island surrounded by jagged rocks and terrifying, inescapable waters. Once, it was home to what appears to have been a thriving fishing settlement known as Innsmouth, but all that exists now are crumbling ruins, with no signs of inhabitants or life of any kind. Its barren, rocky surface, however, is dotted with other remains from a ancient and far more powerful civilization, with the eldritch power of the island luring cultists looking to resurrect and serve the ancient Old One known only as Cthulhu. Notably, this is the only new Domain of Dread to appear in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within (with the 15 other settings all having previously appeared in 2021 in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft).

9. Kalakeri

Darklord: Ramya Vasavadan

Genre: Gothic horror and dark fantasy

Description: Inspired by the real world folklore of India and Southeast Asia, Kalakeri is a land of verdant rainforests and interconnected rivers and lakes. Once a thriving center of art, commerce and religion, today it is a Domain of Dread trapped in an endless cycle of war and bloodshed. The people of Kalakeri live in fear of Maharani Ramya Vasavadan, the domain’s Darklord, as well as her treacherous siblings, Arijani and Reeva, with all three nobles vying for power and wielding terrible armies that litter the lands with the dead.

10. Kartakass

Darklord: Harkon Lukas

Genre: Dark fantasy and gothic horror

Description: A seemingly peaceful land of festivals and frivolity, in Kartakass art and culture reign supreme, with singers and performers all vying to prove their worth and doing anything to stand out. Yet during the full moon, the land is transformed into an inescapable hellscape where lycanthropes stalk the countryside, killing all those in their path. The Domain is ruled by the charming Darklord werewolf Harkon Lukas, a skilled musician who is cursed by the Dark Powers to be forgotten by his audience after each performance.

11. Lamordia

Darklord: Viktra Mordenheim

Genre: Body horror and gothic horror

Description: A bleak land of jagged mountains, frozen swamps and icy seas, Lamordia is a land whose inhabitants revere science over magic, relying on steam-powered technology and clockwork inventions to survive the harsh elements. Its depraved scientists also conduct grisly experiments on creature of all types, unleashing horrific abominations into the snows. The greatest of these minds is the Darklord Viktra Mordenheim (essentially D&D’s version of Dr. Frankenstein), a ruthless scientist whose obsessive quest to conquer death itself (and reclaim her lost love) has unleashed some of the domain’s most terrifying monstrosities.

12. Mordent

Darklord: Wilfred Godefroy

Genre: Ghost stories

Description: A foggy, rain-swept land of endless moors and dark forests, Mordent is a domain where the past refuses to die. The living inhabitants – hardworking farmers, fishers and aristocratics – cling to their traditions, ignoring the supernatural horrors that surround them. Unbeknownst to most, the dead of Mordent rise as lingering spirits. The most infamous of these restless souls is the domain’s Darklord, the ghostly Lord Wilfred Godefroy. Ruling from his haunted estate atop Gryphon Hill, Godefroy seeks to dominate both the living and the dead.

13. Shadowlands

Darklord: Ebonbane

Genre: Gothic horror

Description: Once a peaceful land of chivalrous knights, the Shadowlands is now locked in an endless struggle between the forces of good and evil. To the west lies the haunted wilderness of Avonleigh, dominated by the shifting, dreamlike Phantasmal Forest. To the east is Nidala, a realm of artificial harmony where people are forced to smile under the tyrannical rule of a zealous knight. Caught in the middle are the knights of the Circle, cursed warriors who sacrifice everything to battle evils that endlessly return to seek vengeance. And at the heart of it all is the Darklord Ebonbane, a sentient, corrupted sword hungry to devour the souls of both heroes and villains alike.

14. Sithicus

Darklord: Lord Soth

Genre: Dark fantasy

Description: One of the infamous Domains of Dread, Sithicus is a dark reflection of the world of Krynn. Ruled by the Darklord Loren Soth (who was a primary antagonist in the Dragonlance setting before being trapped by the Mists for his treachery), it is a world of sprawling forests and ancient ruins, with most of the inhabitants being elves who live in misery under the yoke of Soth. At night, the terrified inhabitants of Sithicus take shelter as the lands are filled with writhing animated shadows who hunt the living, recreating the moments of Soth’s greatest betrayals.

15. Tepest

Darklord: Mother Lorinda

Genre: Folk horror

Description: At first glance, Tepest appears to be an idyllic, pastoral haven. Fields overflow with bountiful harvests and the cheerful residents of Viktal (the domain’s only surviving village) welcome strangers with open arms and colorful festivals. Beneath this cheery facade, however, hides a desperate, rural cult built on fey bargains and secret sacrifices. The villagers devoutly worship a nature deity they call Mother, using their traditions to cloak their complicity in a cycle of brutal murder. That’s because in truth, “Mother” is the ancient hag Lorinda, a treacherous Darklord who protects her flock from the dangerous fey lurking in the surrounding wilderness only so they can continue to feed her monstrous, hidden offspring.

16. Valachan

Darklord: Chakuna

Genre: Gothic horror and slasher horror

Description: A dangerous, overgrown jungle filled with countless predators, Valachan is an unforgiving domain where only the strongest survive. Bloodthirsty hunters, carnivorous plants and roaming packs of displacer beasts stalk the trees, ensuring the land itself is hostile to strangers. But the ultimate apex predator is the domain’s Darklord, the sadistic and undying shape-shifter Chakuna. Delighting in the hunt, she forces helpless victims to participate in the Trial of Hearts, a brutal battle royale where the line between predator and prey is washed away in blood.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The 16 Domains of Dread in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

The Bhaalspawn are back, baby! According to a recent article from PC Gaming, Wizards of the Coast is planning to remake the Baldur’s Gate 1 and Baldur’s Gate 2 video games, which were first released in 1998 and 2000. The project is reportedly being overseen by Kevin Martens, who was one of the original lead designers on BG2 and more recently has been working with WotC on the upcoming Exodus video game.

It’s not clear what platforms the games will be available on and when they’ll be released, but the news isn’t surprising given the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the confirmation from Wizards of the Coast that a BG4 is coming at some point the future. Below, we take a closer look at everything we know so far.

What are the original Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 video games about?

The original Baldur’s Gate video game takes place in the Forgotten Realms and is focused on Bhaal, the former God of Murder who was killed during the Time of Troubles. In the first game, players take on the role of a seemingly ordinary orphan raised in the fortress-library of Candlekeep. After your foster father, Gorion, is mysteriously murdered, you are thrust into a conspiracy involving an iron shortage and regional warfare across the Sword Coast, eventually discovering that you are a “Bhaalspawn” (a mortal being carrying a fragment of the dead god’s divine essence).

Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn picks up the story, with players once again taking on the role of the character known as Gorion’s Ward. Captured and tortured by the sinister, power-hungry elven mage Jon Irenicus, you must journey across the western nation of Amn, descend into the drow-infested depths of the Underdark, and eventually venture into the Nine Hells to reclaim your soul and decide whether to embrace or reject your dark divine heritage.

Developed by BioWare and published by Black Isle Studios, the original Baldur’s Gate debuted in 1998, quickly followed by its sequel Shadows of Amn in 2000. Both titles were released primarily on PC and Mac, and were almost universally praised by both critics and fans the games for their complex tactical mechanics (which used the AD&D 2nd edition rule set), sprawling narrative and unique characters (including introducing now-iconic heroes like Minsc and Boo).

Over the years, the games have achieved cult status, eventually receiving “Enhanced Edition” remasters by the studio Beamdog in the 2010s, which expanded accessibility to modern platforms including iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. The success of these early games also lead to the direct release of Baldur’s Gate 3, which was developed by Larian Studios and released on PC, Mac and consoles in 2023.

What are the Baldur’s Gate remakes?

According to the PC Gamer article, it’s highly likely that both Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 are getting the remake treatment, given how closely the games are in terms of their development, base code, gameplay and narrative.

The project will be overseen by Kevin Martens, a former BioWare developer and the original Baldur’s Gate 2 co-lead designer. Martens boasts an impressive industry CV, having previously served in lead design roles for Throne of Bhaal, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect and Blizzard’s Diablo 3.

It’s not clear what the gameplay and visuals will be like or how they’ll differ from past iterations. In fact, video game developer Beamdog previously put together several well-received, high-definition remasters. So the bar is fairly high for what to expect and what these remakes will offer that we haven’t already seen before.

When Will the Baldur’s Gate Remakes Come Out?

Currently, there is no official word on a release window, and the projects could still be several years away. As a modern comparison, it took developer Virtuos four full years to pull off Oblivion Remastered, which trended heavily toward remake territory rather than just a simple enhanced edition.

Wizards of the Coast, however, is likely to move as quickly as possible, given that the company is looking to continue to capitalize on the runaway success of BG3. Video games also continue to be a major focus for the company, which has several projects in the works, but has yet to find success and his hit a few roadblocks, including the recent cancellation of a new D&D video game from studio Giant Skull. So getting a much needed win (and some much needed revenue) is likely going to drive the project.

Final Thoughts

The decision to remake Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2 feels like a smart move on the part of Wizards of the Coast. Baldur’s Gate 4 is likely at least five years or more away from seeing the light of day, and interest (and licensing profits) from BG3 are waning. By tapping into the existing foundation BioWare’s original Baldur’s Gate games, WotC can keep momentum going and buy time for the future of the franchise. Of course, when it comes to video game development nothing is certain, at it remains to be seen as to whether or not any fresh Bhaalspawn are in the cards.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Werewolves have been a staple of Dungeons & Dragons since the earliest editions of the game. For the most part, however, they’ve existed as moon-mad monsters for characters to battle, rather than as fully fleshed-out character options.

That’s about to change, however, with the new Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement allowing players to take on a lighter form of lycanthropy courtesy of the new Lupin species. Halfway between a humanoid and a werewolf, these rare hybrids are renowned for their physical prowess and terrifying, unearthly howl.

So are these hairy heroes worth playing in your next D&D 5.5E campaign? Below, we claw out all the details.

What is the Lupin species in D&D 5.5E?

Towering creatures that appear physically similar to werewolves, Lupins also possess humanoid characteristics and are not as wild and uncontrollable as full lycanthropes. They are typically created when an individual is attacked by a werewolf, yet for whatever reason the curse doesn’t fully take hold. This makes them somewhat similar to the new D&D 5.5E Dhampir species, which is also a kind of supernatural hybrid between a vampire and a humanoid.

Unlike true werewolves, however, Lupins can’t shift between wolf and humanoid form and are instead permanently stuck between man and beast. This cursed, wolf-like physiology gives them enhanced strength, sharpened instincts and a howl that can stop enemies in their tracks. They also don’t have the same weaknesses as full-blooded werewolves in terms of the effects of silver and the moon, and retain full control of their intelligence and free will.

What are the Lupin species traits in D&D 5.5E?

As a Lupin, you have the following traits:

• Creature Type: Humanoid
• Size: Medium (about 4–7 feet tall) or Small (about 2–4 feet tall), chosen when you select this species.
• Speed: 30 feet
• Darkvision: You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
• Werewolf Instincts: You have proficiency in the Perception, Stealth or Survival skill.

Lupins also gain the following special abilities:

Feral Pounce: Your Unarmed Strikes deal Slashing damage instead of Bludgeoning damage. In addition, when you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can use both the Damage and the Shove options. You can use this benefit only once per turn.

Howl: As a Bonus Action, you let out an unearthly howl. Each creature of your choice within 15 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 plus your Constitution modifier and Proficiency Bonus) or have Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

Has the Lupin been in previous D&D editions?

As a monster, the Lupin goes back to some of the earliest editions of Dungeons & Dragons, first appearing in the 1981 adventure module Castle Amber. In that iteration, however, they appeared as creatures with the heads of dogs and the bodies of humans, rather than as werewolf hybrids. They later appeared in a number of modules for the Mystara setting, and were predominately good-aligned creatures.

Over the years, the Lupin has been briefly mentioned in a few minor publications (including an issue of Dragon Magazine in 2004), but hasn’t really had any major exposure until emerging as playable species in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within in 2026.

Is the new Lupin species worth playing?

The concept of the Lupin is interesting and they do pack a punch mechanically. It’s just a bit disappointing that Wizards of the Coast wasn’t willing to take the extra step and actually allow players to become werewolves (something you can actually do in third-party D&D 5E supplements like the recent Grim Hollow Transformed supplement). The result is something that feels a bit neutered and doesn’t lean into any of the lore that makes werewolves so compelling. For that matter, Lupins also don’t feel quite as interesting as the Shifter, a similar lycanthrope-inspired species for D&D 5.5E that appeared in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer and has far more mechanical and narrative meat.

Still, if you like the idea of playing a werewolf without having to worry about pesky side effects like howling at the moon and tearing your party apart limb by limb, then you might want to give the Lupin a look.

You can find the complete rules for this new species in Ravenloft; The Horrors Within, which is available now in local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The Ravenloft Lupin (D&D 5.5E Species Guide) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragons has officially made its way back into the Mists and finally released Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. A follow up to the popular 2021 sourcebook Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, this latest supplement scares up new character options, monsters, NPCs and magic items, plus new Domains of Dread and accompanying Darklords to go along with them.

Notably, the book will be officially released to the general public on June 16th (with pre-orders having already arrived on June 2nd), but you can order your copy now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

So does this new book dig up any fresh frights or is it just the reanimated corpse of previous content? Below, we scare up all the details.

(NOTE: In the interest of full transparency we have received both a physical and digital review copy from Wizards of the Coast, but have otherwise not been compensated for this review).

Table of Contents

• What’s included in Ravenloft: the Horrors Within?
• What are the new Ravenloft subclasses like?
• What are the new Ravenloft species like?
• What are the new Backgrounds & Feats like?
• What are the new Domains and Darklords like?
• What are the adventures like?
• What are the new monsters like?
• What are the Tarokka deck mechanics like?
• What is the art and design like?
• When was The Horrors Within released?
• How much is The Horrors Within?
• Is there an alternate cover available?
• What other tie-in products are there?
• Is The Horrors Within worth picking up?
• Final thoughts & review score

What’s included in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

The book is 288 pages in length and contains the following:

Chapter 1: This chapter introduces seven Ravenloft subclasses (two of which are new and five of which are updates of existing subclasses), four new Species (one of which is new and three of which are updates), four new horror-themed Backgrounds, two new Origin Feats, and 9 Dark Gifts (which are essentially Feats).

Chapter 2: Domains of Ravenloft This chapter details 16 individual Domains of Dread and their associated Darklords (with full stat blocks). Notably, there is only one new domain (Innsmouth) and one new Darklord (Cthulhu). Each domain also includes one short adventure (which range from Levels 2 to 16).

Chapter 3: Ravenloft Adventures This chapter provides guidance for Dungeon Masters on managing horror campaigns, offering advice on utilizing Darklords, atmosphere and roleplaying. It also includes some brief suggestions for Bastions and how players can enter and escape the Mists.

Chapter 4: Creating Domains of Dread: This chapter provides guidance for Dungeon Masters on how to create your own Domain of Dread and Darklord by tapping into one of 10 specific genres of horror.

Chapter 5: Denizens of the Mists This chapter offers stat blocks for 51 new monsters, complete with new stat blocks. These range in CR and creature type and all have a unique horror theme (and in the case of 10 of them, association with a specific Domain of Dread).

Appendix: This final section includes rules for using the Tarokka Deck, as well as a pronunciation guide for the various locations, creatures and characters found in the Domains of Dread.

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What are the new subclasses like?

The book includes seven brand new Ravenloft subclasses. These consist of: the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcery Sorcerer, Undead Patron Warlock, Hollow Ward Ranger and Reanimator Artificer. Of these, however, only the last two are new to D&D 5.5E, with the other five subclasses previously appearing in either Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. 

Of the seven options, the Reanimator Artificer, Hollow Warden Ranger and Phantom Rogue feel the most unique both mechanically and thematically, while the other four have some interesting abilities, but don’t exactly stand out from the wide range of other official subclasses we’ve seen in recent releases like Heroes of Faerûn.

What’s perhaps most disappointing, however, is that Wizards of the Coast is recycling five of the seven subclasses instead of giving us something genuinely new and interesting. Considering how unique Ravenloft is as a campaign setting, it feels like a missed opportunity.

One other issue is that to use the Reanimator requires having the Eberron: Forge of the Artificer sourcebook. If you did purchase The Horrors Within on D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast has said you’ll get a free digital copy of the Artificer, but if you bought a physical copy of the new Ravenloft book, you’re out of luck. This is going to continue to be an issue for WotC with future books featuring Artificer subclasses, but is something they could also easily address by making the Artificer class an à la carte purchase on D&D Beyond or better yet, offering it up for free.

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What are the new Ravenloft species like?

The Horrors Within contains four new playable Ravenloft Species for D&D 5.5E: The Dhampir, Hexblood, Reborn and Lupin. Of these, only the Lupin is brand new, with the other three having appeared in past D&D 5E supplements. In fact, in the case of the Dhampir, it’s an update to what previously appeared in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft and is identical to the version that appeared in the November 2025 D&D Beyond supplement Astarion’s Book of Hungers.

And while mechanically the updates do feel like a slight improvement (particularly in the case of the Reborn), and the Lupin is a genuinely interesting species with some unique narrative and mechanical potential, the main issue here is again, these are mostly species we’ve seen before in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.

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What are the new Backgrounds & Feats like?

The Horrors Within includes four new Backgrounds to choose from: Haunted One, Investigator, Mist Wanderer and Spirit Medium. All of them are solid, if not particularly innovative, but do a decent enough job of tapping into the theme of Ravenloft.

For the Feats, there are two new Origin Feats: Sharp Eye (which essentially provides bonuses to investigation) and Survivor (which provides a buff to initiative and allows you to re-roll saving throws versus fear). There are also 9 new Feats known as “Dark Gifts.” All 9 of these are identical to the Dark Gifts that were included in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, and other than being reskinned as Feats and some minor mechanical tweaks are mostly the same in terms of their functionality.

Again, it’s disappointing that the Dark Gifts (which have been an iconic part of Ravenloft for almost as long as the setting has existed) are essentially a reskin of content that we’ve already seen in a book that’s only five years old.

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What are the new Domains and Darklords like?

The Horrors Within features 16 Domains of Dread, each of which has a detailed write up that includes domain background info, key locations (along with a world map), DM advice on running games in that Domain and a sample campaign arc (with short adventure write ups and associated maps). More importantly, each domain also includes details on the associated Darklord (or Darklords in some cases), with background lore and a full stat block. This latter element is something we didn’t see in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, which included plenty of details on each Darklord but no details on their stats.

Notably, in The Horrors Within, the 17 Domains of Dread are as follows: Barovia, Borca, Darkon, Dementlieu, Falkovnia, Har’Akir, Hazlan, Innsmouth, Kalakeri, Kartakass, Lamordia, Mordent, Shadowlands, Sithicus, Tepest and Valachan.

It’s worth noting that 15 of these appeared in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The only two domains which were not in that book are Sithicus (although it’s been well documented in past editions of D&D) and Innsmouth, the latter being the only truly original new Domain and is home to the newest Darklord in the form of Cthulhu himself.

The book also includes 24 additional Domains, with just a few paragraphs for each. The domains featured here are: The Agency, Bluetspur, Carnival, Cyre 1313, the Mourning Rail, Forlorn, Ghastria, G’henna, I’Cath, Invidia, Kalidnay, Keening, Klorr, Markova, Nightmare Lands, Nova Vaasa, Odair, Richemulot, Rider’s Bridge, Risibilos, Scaena, Sea of Sorrows, Souragne, Staunton Bluffs, Tovag, and Zherisia.

All of these 24 Domains previously appeared in Van Richten’s Guide (either as full or partial write ups) with the exception of Kalidnay, which has appeared in past D&D lore and is a domain associated with the world of Athas (lending further credence to the theory that we’ll likely be seeing a new Dark Sun book in the near future).

Again, the biggest complaint with the Domains and Darklords is that almost all of it is recycled from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. Even “new” entries like Sithicus have been well documented in previous D&D materials, and Cthulhu isn’t entirely new to D&D, having appeared in both early editions of the game and newer D&D Beyond releases like Cthulhu by Torchlight.

Admittedly, the book does do a great job of providing DM advice on how to create your own Domain of Dread, but this too is more or less the same type of material that was presented in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. It’s well written and useful, but so is what was featured back in 2021.

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What are the adventures like?

As noted previously, within each Domain there is a single standalone adventure that ranges in difficulty from Levels 2 all the way to Level 16. These follow the same format we saw in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide in that each is about a page in length and includes a situation, a hook and suggested encounters, along with an accompanying dungeon or wilderness map. They’re short but effective wotj have some genuinely unique ideas and solid narratives that tie into each Domain.

Where the book really shines though is in its suggestions for Campaign Arcs that are associated with each domain, with the section outlining a possible path that would take characters from Levels 1 to 8. Even if you don’t run them exactly as written, they pack a lot of ideas in a small amount of text and a great for offering DMs inspiration on how to customize the Domain to your own style and group.

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What are the new monsters like?

In total there are 51 monster stat blocks, which range in challenge from minor CR 1/2 threats like Death’s Heads all the way to world destroying CR 21 horrors like the Greater Star Spawn Emissary.

Of this total, however, virtually all of the monsters appeared in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The exception is a handful of new entries associated with the Cthulhu mythos, with creatures like the Shoggoth and Gug (which will be familiar to fans of Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu).

And while returning creatures have been given some mechanical upgrades and new abilities, it’s still a bit disappointing to see so much of the monster material recycled from Van Richten’s.

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What are the new Tarokka deck mechanics like?

One of the most unique elements of The Horrors Within is how it approaches the new Tarokka deck. The appendix of the book includes the complete instructions on using the deck to do a reading and predicting the future (something used to great effect in the Curse of Strahd campaign book), offering a unique atmospheric element to play (particularly if you are using the new physical deck, which is absolutely gorgeous to look at).

A new mechanic, however, is that each Tarokka card is now associated with one specific Domain of Dread. If a character has one of these rare decks and draws that card, they can actually travel to that domain. The catch, however, is that each domain also has an opposing card. If a character draws this card it means that the Dark Lord of the domain becomes aware of their presence. It’s a smart and fun way to act some narrative depth to the deck beyond what we’ve seen before.

What is the art and design like?

It’s not hyperbole to say that Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is easily the most beautiful book that Wizards of the Coast has ever produced. Art Director AJ Hanneld and her team have knocked it out of the park, with each image dripping with atmosphere and drama. In many ways, it’s as much of an art book as a rulebook. It’s that good.

The graphic design also does a few things we haven’t seen before from a Wizards of the Coast product, including all black pages and a psychedelic palette of greens, purples and reds that often repeats itself throughout the book, adding a kind of unique visual connectivity that really adds to the experience of flipping through the pages. It’s truly a remarkable accomplishment and sets a new bar in terms of what a TTRPG book can look like.

When was Ravenloft: The Horrors Within released?

The Horrors Within will officially hit shelves on June 16th, 2026. D&D Beyond digital pre-orders, however, were released to Master Tier subscribers on June 2nd and Hero Tier subscribers will get their copies on June 9th. If you pre-ordered from a local game store who has opted into the Wizards Play Network (WPN) early release program, you’ll also receive your physical copy on June 9th.

Notably, the book is also the centerpiece for D&D Seasons, which is a new concept that connects new books and community events around a specific theme. In the case of the Horrors Within, it’s part of the Season of Horror which runs from April to June 2026 and includes various tie-in products, special releases and organized play events tied to Ravenloft.

How much is Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

The physical hardcover retails for $59.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), which is comparable to other recent releases we’ve seen. The D&D Beyond version retails for $39.99 USD, although you can also purchase a Digital + Physical Bundle for $79.99 USD or the Ultimate Bundle for $149.99 USD (the latter of which also includes a tarokka deck, DM screen and map pack).

Notably, if you pre-ordered the digital version on D&D you’ll also get the Mists of Ravenloft Digital Dice Set, Ravenloft Play-Along Pack, and D&D Encounters: Shadows of Sithicus mini-adventure.

Is there an alternate cover of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

Yes, as with other recent D&D books, there is an alternate cover of The Horrors Within. The price is exactly the same as the regular version and it’s also available for purchase online and at local game stores. Notably, the alternate cover is illustrated by Seattle-based artist Pam Wishbow (who also designed the new Tarokka deck) and features a stylized black, white and red version of Strahd.

It’s also worth noting that the primary cover is by Polish artist Anna Podedworna, who has contributed to several other Wizards of the Coast D&D products over the past few years.

What other tie-in products will be released?

In addition to the main sourcebook, there are actually a number of other products related to The Horror Within, all of which will be released in June 2026. This includes:

• Ravenloft: Tarokka Deck  ($24.99 USD): This physical set includes 60 Tarot-style cards designed to enhance storytelling, character creation and gameplay. Notably, the Tarroka deck has long been a staple of Ravenloft lore, having been mentioned in numerous supplements over the years.
• The Horrors Within DM Screen ($24.99 USD): This four-panel DM screen will include new Ravenloft artwork and is designed specifically to work with The Horror Within.
• The Horrors Within Map Pack ($24.99 USD): This includes five double-sided poster maps and two token sheets, which are also designed for the new supplement. 

It’s worth noting the Beadle & Grimm’s is also releasing a Strahd’s Silver Edition box set that contains additional maps, player hand outs, cards, accessories, booklets and a bonus adventure, all of which is designed to tie-in to Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. The set will be likely coming out in the late summer or early fall of 2026 and is retailing for $225 USD (not including shipping and handling).

WizKids is also releasing a new Ravenloft miniatures set featuring monsters from The Horrors Within, while Sirius has a whole new collection of Ravenloft dice that tie directly into the new sourcebook.

Is Ravenloft: The Horrors Within worth picking up?

Pros

• Stunning Visual Presentation: The book is arguably the most beautiful D&D product Wizards of the Coast has ever produced, with stunning illustrations, unique new graphic design elements and a custom color palette that creates an immersive atmosphere positively dripping with dread.
• Useful Campaign Inspiration: The book provides a ton of great guidance for Dungeon Masters, particularly the suggested campaign arcs that bring each Domain to life.
• The return of the Tarokka: The deck is beautifully designed, features all new rules and has a unique new mechanic that provides the ability for players to hop between Domains and potentially run afoul of Darklords.
• Comprehensive DM Advice: The book does a great job of walking Dungeon Masters through how to actually run a Ravenloft campaign, and the framework of the ten specific horror genres is a particularly smart design choice.

Cons

• Heavy Reliance on Resurrected Content: Way too much of the book’s content (including subclasses, species, monsters and domains) is a rehash of Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, a book that’s still only a few years old.
• Trapped in the Mists of D&D Beyond: It is disappointing that players who choose to buy a physical copy of the book won’t be able to actually use the Reanimator Artificer subclass without first purchasing Eberron: Forge of the Artificer.
• Monstrously Uneven Mechanics: Some of the design concepts in the book are fantastic (even when applied to subclasses, monsters or feats), we’ve already seen before, but as with many D&D books there’s also material that feels like an afterthought, particularly when it comes to some of the lackluster subclasses.
• A Terrifying Lack of New Lore: Unlike other D&D settings like the Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance that are locked into decades of well-established lore, Ravenloft can literally consist of an endless number of Domains and Darklords. The sky (or rather the Mists) is endless, but we get just one net new Domain that isn’t even technically new to D&D.

Final thoughts & review score

Almost 40 years after it was first introduced, Ravenloft remains incredibly popular, with recent releases like the Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd novel and the new Ravenloft comic book from Dark Horse showing the setting still has plenty of life left in it. In fact, March 2026 will also mark the 10th anniversary of the popular Curse of Strahd campaign, which for many fans remains one of the best D&D campaigns ever made.

When it comes to The Horrors Within, however, there’s far too much legacy and not enough innovation on display. The heavy reliance on recycled content from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft is a significant disappointment, especially for long-time players looking for original material.

The saving graces, however, are the incredible art, the solid DM advice, the unique campaign frameworks and a fresh take on the Tarokka deck. The result is a beautiful, albeit all too familiar, journey into the Mists.

Final review score: 15 out of 20

You can order your copy of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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Back in July 2025, Wizards of the Coast officially announced that they would be creating a D&D Community Advisory Group, which would be composed of industry professionals, influencers and retailers who would provide feedback on the overall direction of the Dungeons & Dragons brand.

Now, after almost a year, the official advisory group has been unveiled. The panel, which will be rotated on an annual basis, consists of 12 individuals, with a mix of YouTubers, designers, event organizers, TTRPG advocates and publishers.

Below, we take a closer look at who’s involved and what it means for D&D.

What is the D&D Community Advisory Group?

In a blog post on D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast VP Dan Ayoub notes that the group is tasked with looking at “early product concepts and D&D Beyond tools, and to challenge our approach. Alongside feedback we were hearing more broadly from players, creators, and the community, they pushed on the lack of a roadmap, which led us to revisit our plans before sharing the 2026 roadmap timeline in March. Some topics are still far out, and this gives us a chance to adjust earlier. That’s part of the point: this group engages early, while there’s still time to change course.

In the post, Ayoub also notes that the team was actually formed in December 2025, with members meeting with D&D team leads and being compensated for their time as consultants.

Ayoub also adds that recommendations from the advisory group “doesn’t replace Unearthed Arcana, surveys, research, conventions, or the many other ways we listen. It’s one more channel built for consistent, candid input from people deeply involved in the game.”

Who is on the D&D Community Advisory Group?

The 12 members of the current advisory group (as of June 2026) are as follows:

• Teos Abadía: A Colombian-American game designer who co-wrote the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D 5E sourcebook and is the co-host of the popular Mastering Dungeons podcast.
• David Christ: The founder of Baldman Games and organizer some of the biggest conventions, D&D events and organized play programs in the world, including Legends of Greyhawk.
• Zac Clay: A professional Dungeon Master and organizer of D&D youth programs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo: A writer and veteran online Dungeon Master who has also worked on TV shows including The Legend of Vox Machina and Final Space.
• Scott DeBoard: Owner of the Arizona-based Silver Dragon Games game store and winner of the 2026 GAMA Retailer of the Year.
• Jennifer Kretchmer: An award-winning game designer, author, actual play performer, television actor/producer and disability consultant, as well as the creator of the Accessibility in Gaming Resource Guide.
• Monty Martin: Co-host of the popular Dungeon Dudes YouTube channel and co-creator of the award-winning Drakkenheim setting.
• Kelly McLaughlin: The co-creator/co-host of the Dungeon Dudes YouTube channel and the Dungeons of Drakkenheim campaign.
• Donna Ricci: Owner of the Geeky Teas & Games store located in Burbank, California.
• Michael E. Shea. Founder of Sly Flourish and writer of Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, Forge of Foes and the City of Arches campaign setting. He also hosts the popular Lazy RPG Talk show.
• Ted Sikora: Creator and host of the popular Nerd Immersion YouTube channel.
• Nala J. Wu: A freelance art director, sensitivity/cultural consultant, illustrator and actor working full-time in tabletop RPGs.

On the D&D Beyond blog post, the advisory group also released the following official statement:

As the first D&D Advisory Group, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves. As a diverse group of professionals from across the RPG industry, long-time players of the game, and members of the community, we care deeply about the future of D&D and tabletop gaming.

We all joined this panel with both a sense of responsibility and a fair share of skepticism. We are here to offer honest, independent feedback to Wizards of the Coast, ask hard questions, and raise concerns directly. We share our perspective, but what they choose to act on is ultimately up to them.

Since we began, Wizards of the Coast has actively listened and engaged in good-faith discussions with us, which has created a productive exchange of ideas.

We’re grateful to be part of this community and look forward to continuing this work and the conversations ahead!

The D&D Community Advisory Group

Has Wizard of the Coast run D&D Advisory Groups in the past?

The closest we’ve come to this kind of advisory group was the D&D Creator Summit, which was held online and in-person in April 2023 at Wizards of the Coast’s headquarters in Renton, Washington. The event featured a select group of almost 100 influential D&D YouTubers, bloggers, third-party publishers and social media pundits. The goal of the summit was to connect with these creators and answer concerns in the wake of the OGL scandal.

Notably, attendees to the summit were not required to sign a non-disclosure agreement prior to attending the event, and the entire summit took place in a little under 9 hours (including breaks), with presentations and Q&A from a variety of highly-placed Wizards of the Coast employees and Dungeons & Dragons team members.

Final Thoughts

In many ways, Wizards of the Coast is still recovering from the black eye it suffered during the OGL scandal, so making an effort to mend fences and bring in respected members of the D&D community feels like a smart move on their part.

Of course actions speak louder than words, so it remains to be seen whether or not Wizards of the Coast will actually act on the advice of this new community group.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the weeks ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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Last year saw the launch of the first-ever Dungeon Master University, a two-day symposium featuring a range of courses taught by professional DMs, actual play stars and tabletop RPG designers. The event, which also uses the official Dungeons & Dragons license from Wizards of the Coast, is operated by Tabletop Vacations, which is best known for its ongoing D&D in a Castle events.

Now, after a successful first year, Dungeon Master University is opening the books once again, having recently announced its new syllabus for 2027. The upcoming two-day event will once again take place in Atlanta, Georgia, and will run from March 12-13, 2027. It will also feature a new lineup of instructors, including well-known designers like Chris Perkins, Jeremy Crawford, Keith Baker and Monte Cook. You can learn more and register now on the DMU website.

So just what can students expect when the first bell rings for DMU? Below, we study up on all the details.

What is Dungeon Master University?

Dungeon Master University (also known as DMU) is a two-day, in-person, conference-style retreat focused on the art of running Dungeons & Dragons. The symposium is designed to help both beginner and experienced DMs elevate their skills in terms of worldbuilding, improvisation and managing play. It also includes advice on how to develop a long-term career in the TTRPG space.

Notably, the event uses the official Dungeons & Dragons brand license from Wizards of the Coast and is produced by Tabletop Vacations (which also operates D&D in a Castle).

There are four streams of learning:

• Skill Building: Covers the fundamentals of running D&D sessions, including player management, combat pacing, action economy and collaborative storytelling.
• Campaign Building: Focuses on designing long-form campaigns with strong narrative arcs, dynamic factions and evolving NPCs. The stream also includes tips on how to balance pacing and player agency.
• World Building: Dives into how to build immersive worlds with their own history, geography, cultures and magic systems. The stream also covers how to integrate lore into long-term campaigns.
• Career Building: Details how to design and publish original TTRPG content, including self-publishing, working with publishers, licensing, contracts, freelance rates, invoicing and intellectual property rights.

Courses are taught by a range of experienced professional DMs and TTRPG designers and run for two hours each morning and afternoon, for a total of 8 hours of instructional time. Seminars are 45 minutes, and are offered throughout both days of the event. Game Lab events take place in the evening and allow students to run D&D games with faculty in order to receive feedback. Students can also sign up for faculty-led

Who is Dungeon Master University for?

While the event is billed as a learning experience for DMs all levels of experience, the curriculum is geared more toward already established DMs looking to up their game and possibly get into the publishing, paid DMing and actual play streaming side of the game (given the cost and travel time involved, it’s hard to imagine someone who doesn’t have at least some experience with Dungeons & Dragons signing up for the program).

That being said, it’s definitely not a typical academic experience and is also meant to capture the same vacation vibes of events like D&D in a Castle.

Who are the instructors for Dungeon Master University 2027?

The DMU 2027 program includes the following faculty:

• Jeremy Crawford: A renowned game designer who served as the lead rules designer and managing editor for Dungeons & Dragons 5E (including the 2024 revisions) before joining Critical Role’s Darrington Press as Game Director.
• Chris Perkins: A legendary 20-plus year veteran of Wizards of the Coast and long-time Game Architect for Dungeons & Dragons, widely celebrated as the principal story designer for major modules like Curse of Strahd and as a prominent actual play Dungeon Master.
• Elisa Teague: A 24-year veteran of the TTRPG and board game industry, Teague has worked on hundreds of products, including Dungeons & Dragons.
• B. Dave Walters: A popular actual play DM, Walters has also worked for Wizards of the Coast and written and developed multiple TTRPG products.
• Kelly Lynne D’Angelo: A writer and professional actress for film and television, D’Angelo has also appeared as a professional DM in numerous actual play series.
• Beth the Bard: An award-nominated, platinum-selling TTRPG author (She is the Ancient) and professional, therapeutic Dungeon Master who has hosted over 1,000 sessions and founded TTRPG University.
• Keith Baker: Best known as the creator of the Eberron D&D setting, Baker has also worked for Atlas Games, Goodman Games, Paizo, Green Ronin and Darrington Press.
• Monte Cook: An industry veteran with over 30 years experience, Cook has worked on hundreds of TTRPG products and is the founder of Monte Cook Games.
• Steve Wrigley: An award-winning stand-up comedian and actor who has successfully bridged comedy and tabletop gaming with viral D&D content, live comedy-TTRPG shows, and regular professional DMing appearances.
• Mike Tinney: A veteran game designer who has been in the TTRPG industry since the 90s, he is best known as the former CEO of White Wolf Publishing.

Notably the “Dean” of the program is veteran designer Jason Carl, who has been in the industry for decades and has worked at TSR, Wizards of the Coast, White Wolf and Exile Game Studio.

How much is Dungeon Master University?

There are three tiers of attendance:

• Sliver Tier Registration ($995 USD)
  • One full two-day Academic Course
  • Access to the evening Game Labs (on a space available basis)
  • Access to open Faculty-led forum discussions on key DMing topics
• Gold Tier Registration ($1,500 USD)
  • One full two-day Academic Course
  • Premium access to evening Game Labs
  • Access to open Faculty-led forum discussions on key DMing topics
  • Admission to the VIP welcome reception the evening prior to the Academic Days
  • Gold Tier registration includes exclusive Gold Tier merchandise, not otherwise available in 2027 ($250 value)
• Platinum Tier Registration ($2,500 USD)
  • One full two-day Academic Course
  • Premium access to the evening Game Labs
  • Access to open Faculty-led forum discussions on key DMing topics
  • Admission to the VIP welcome reception the evening before the academic days.
  • Game Lab Review – run one game during Game Labs for 5 players PLUS one Faculty member as a player who will play in your game and give you professional notes/ coaching afterwards
  • Platinum Tier registration includes exclusive Platinum Tier merchandise, not otherwise available in 2027 ($375 value)

When does Dungeon Master University take place?

DMU will take place from March 12th to 13th, 2027. For those registering with the Gold or Platinum options, there is a Welcome Reception with faculty on the evening of March 11th. Students should plan to be at the event from Thursday, March 11th to Sunday, March 14th in order to be present for all programming.

Where does Dungeon Master University take place?

Dungeon Master University takes place Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia. All Courses, Seminars, Presentations, Meals and Game Labs will take place on Campus. The Welcome Reception, for all students registering at the Gold or Platinum Tiers, as well as Registration Check-in for all students. All students will receive a train pass allowing them to travel freely between the hotel and the campus throughout the event.

Final Thoughts

While this type of event definitely isn’t for everyone given the subject matter and the costs involved, there’s clearly been enough interest to run DMU for a second year.

If you’re interested in attending the event this upcoming March, you can register now on the official DM University website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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If you aren’t familiar with it, Exploring Eberron is a third-party D&D sourcebook written by Eberron creator Keith Baker and first published on DMsGuild in 2020. It’s since become one of the the platform’s most popular titles and one of the few Adamantine best-sellers (the highest ranking tier on DMsGuild).

More recently, in January 2026, the book was officially updated to the 2024 D&D rules and brought onto the official D&D Beyond platform as a new product entitled Exploring Eberron 5.5E. Now, this updated version is also available in PDF format on DMsGuild.

So is this new take on Eberron worth exploring? Below, we take a closer look at all the details.

What’s included in Exploring Eberron 5.5E?

Exploring Eberron 5.5E is a 259-page supplement written by Keith Baker, with layout and design from Visionary Productions, a third-party company that has helped develop a number of other high-profile DMsGuild releases.

For the most part the book is a reprint of the 2020 version of Exploring Eberron, with the the layout and art largely remaining the same (with the exception of a new cover). The majority of changes are text-based and designed to bring the content in line with the new D&D 5.5E mechanics, particularly in relation to subclasses and species (both of which have changed significantly).

The book is also meant to be a companion piece to the 2019 book Eberron: Rising from the Last War (which was officially published by Wizards of the Coast and which Baker co-wrote) as well as the 2025 Eberron: Forge of the Artificer (for which Baker served as a consultant). The latter product officially brings the Artificer class and subclasses into the D&D 5.5E rules.

The book contains the following chapters:

Chapter 1: Discovering Eberron: This chapter offers a high-level view of the lore and history of the continent of Khorvaire.

Chapter 2: Races of Eberron: This looks at the settings unique species, including Changelings, Kalashtar, Shifters, Warforged and the elves of Aerenal. This section has been updated from the 2020 version, relfecting that in the D&D 2024 rules there are no half-elves and there are no longer racial ability modifiers.

Chapter 3: Faiths of Eberron: This chapter explores the major gods and religious organizations in the setting.

Chapter 4: Uncharted Domains: This chapter expands beyond the Five Nations (which are covered in-depth in previous materials) and looks at rarely explored regions such as Droaam, the Mror Holds, goblinoid civilizations and the aquatic civilizations that exist under the Thunder Sea.

Chapter 5: Planes of Existence: This looks at Eberron’s cosmology, focusing on how it interacts with the Material Plane through manifest zones and planar cycles.

Chapter 6: Character Options: This chapter includes new backgrounds, species variants, feats and subclasses. It also includes new options for Dragonmarks and Artificers. Notably this draws on recent content from Forge of the Artificer, in terms of the new Artificer class/subclasses and Dragonmarks (which are no longer specific only to certain species).

Chapter 7: Treasures: The content here lists a variety of magic items, equipment and treasure (which is largely unchanged from the 2020 version).

Chapter 8: Friends and Foes: This final chapter presents stat blocks for a variety of new monsters. These have been tweaked to take into consideration the design of the new D&D 2024 monster stat block.

How much is Exploring Eberron 5.5E on DMsGuild?

The premium hardcover retails for $69.95 USD, while the standard hardcover retails for $57.95 USD (notably both are 8.5 x 11-inches and full color, with the premium version using a better, studier printing process).

The PDF retails for $29.95 USD. You can also snag a premium physical + PDF bundle for $99.99 USD or a standard physical + PDF bundle for $87.99 USD. All versions of the book are fulfilled by DMsGuild.

Notably, the pricing is the same as the 2020 version, and it’s worth noting that if you did purchase that version you are not automatically entitled to the new 5.5E version. It’s also worth noting that the D&D Beyond version also retails for $29.99 USD.

Is Exploring Eberron 5.5E worth picking?

If you’re a fan of Keith Baker’s work and the world of Eberron, and don’t already own the 2020 version of Exploring Eberron, then it’s definitely worth grabbing what’s arguably one of the best third-party D&D supplements in recent years.

If, on the other hand, you already have a copy of the book, it’s probably not worth snagging, as in theory the 2020 version of the book can be updated to D&D 5.5E with a little bit of work on the part of a DM.

Final Thoughts

While Exploring Eberron 5.5E isn’t technically a new product, it is likely the last time we’ll see any kind of Eberron book from Keith Baker. That’s because of his previously announced plans to step away from the setting (which is owned entirely by Wizards of the Coast), following the release of Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone.

Baker has also since gone on to join the Daggerheart team to work on a new campaign setting with his wife Jenn Ellis, which means this D&D 5.5E update may be the last chance to see a new product from the setting’s original creator.

You can pick up a copy of Exploring Eberron 5.5E now on DMsGuild.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Wizards of the Coast has just released a free D&D adventure for the upcoming International Day of Play, an annual event created by the United Nations to raise awareness and promote play as a fundamental human right for children. Entitled Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger, the adventure is now available as a free download on D&D Beyond.

The content will also be featured in upcoming D&D International Day of Play events, which run from June 9th to 30th at participating game stores in the US. These all-ages events are designed to introduce younger players to D&D and are co-sponsored by Dominos, which is offering $50 gift cards to select stores that join in the program. Notably, last year WotC ran a similar program, including releasing the free adventure Borderlands Quest: Goblin Trouble.

So just what kind of danger and adventure awaits with this celebration of play? Below, we take a look at all the details.

What is Borderland Quest: Dagger Danger about?

Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger is a short one-shot adventure for four to five Level 1 characters that can be run in about 1 to 2 hours and is designed to teach new players the basics of Dungeons & Dragons using the new 2024 rules (now referred to as D&D 5.5E). It’s also meant to serve as a tie-in to the Heroes of the Borderlands D&D starter set, which was released in September 2025.

The adventure kicks off at the legendary Keep on the Borderlands. Players are hired to journey to Kobold Cave (a dangerous section of the infamous Caves of Chaos) to recover a valuable heirloom dagger that was recently dropped there by a local adventurer. As the name suggests, the cave is infested with kobolds, along with a variety of other monsters, traps and bizarre creatures.

The adventure features a classic five-room dungeon, along with a map, three new pieces of art and monster stat blocks. Notably, the adventure was written by veteran D&D designer Shawn Merwin, who recently joined Wizards of the Coast as a full-time contractor.

What is International Day of Play?

International Day of Play is an annual event started by the United Nations in 2024 and now held each year on June 11th. The event is described by the UN as being designed to “preserve, promote, and prioritize playing so that all people, especially children, can reap the rewards and thrive to their full potential.” It’s also focused on raising awareness of play as a fundamental human right under Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Wizards of the Coast (and parent company Hasbro) have participated in International Day of Play since it was first started, running a number of events and providing significant donations and volunteer efforts in both 2024 and 2025.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see Wizards of the Coast and the D&D brand continuing to support International Day of Play and releasing a free adventure as a way to connect with both new and existing fans.

You can download Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger for free now on D&D Beyond and register for upcoming 2026 D&D International Day of Play events in the US via the Wizards Play Network.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Resolution Games has officially launched the latest free content update for their Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked VR title. This time, however, the game is getting a crossover with Acquisitions Incorporated, the legendary adventuring party created by Penny Arcade, which has since spawned comics, multiple actual play series and its very own D&D supplement.

Players are tasked with joining Acq Inc. CEO Omin Dran for a series of corporate schemes that prioritize profit over high heroics, ensuring that even the most well-laid plans are bound to spiral into chaotic good comedy. Below, we outline the path to gold, glory and gross revenue margins.

What’s in the Demeo x D&D Acquisitions Incorporated update?

The free update brings a significant amount of new content and system-wide refinements to the Battlemarked, including:

• “A Golden Opportunity” Adventure: A new standalone questline featuring Omin Dran, voiced by Penny Arcade co-founder Jerry Holkins. This “B-plot” story arc consists of five side quests that can be integrated into Campaign 1 or played as a continuous 2–4 hour experience for seasoned veterans.
• Exclusive Rewards: Players who successfully navigate these questionable business ventures can unlock the “Golden Opportunity Die” and various “Golden Weapons.”
• Campaign Difficulty Settings: The customization options which were previously limited to One-Shot dungeons are now available for full campaigns. This includes difficulty scaling (Normal, Hard, Very Hard), elite enemy variants and the ability to toggle respawning enemies.
• Multiplayer Quality-of-Life: Finding a party is now more efficient with an improved Room Browser, allowing players to filter by difficulty, language preference and specific gameplay focuses.
• New One-Shot: The dragon boss encounter from the “Embers of Chaos” campaign, Fastness of Green Shadows, is now available as a standalone One-Shot dungeon.

What is Penny Arcade’s Acquisitions Incorporated?

Acquisitions Incorporated (often abbreviated to “Acq Inc”) started out in 2008 as a Dungeons & Dragons actual play series starring the team behind the Penny Arcade webcomic. The show follows the exploits of a group of heroes in the Forgotten Realms setting who literally treat adventure as a corporate venture, with episodes blending fantasy tropes with office humor.

The original show featured Wizards of the Coast designer Chris Perkins as Dungeon Master with a primary cast that included:

• Jerry Holkins as Omin Dran: The ruthless, penny-pinching Half-Elf Cleric and CEO of Acquisitions Incorporated. His loyalty lies firmly with the company balance sheets.
• Mike Krahulik as Jim Darkmagic: A flamboyant, narcissistic Human Wizard from the prestigious Darkmagic family. He loves dramatic flair, stage magic tricks, and regularly shouts his own name.
• Scott Kurtz as Binwin Bronzebottom: A short-tempered Dwarven Fighter/Paladin who loved beer and axes. He was a core member of the early seasons until the character’s dramatic death.
• Patrick Rothfuss as Viari: A swashbuckling Rogue who functions as the team’s agile, chandelier-swinging “intern”.
• Anna Prosser as Evelyn Marthain: A fiercely optimistic and intensely loyal Human Paladin of Lathander.
• Jasmine Bhullar as Certainty Dran: A powerful Aasimar Bard and the “absolutely flawless” daughter of CEO Omin Dran.
• Wil Wheaton as Aeofel Elhromane: An Elven Avenger whose tragic death in an acid pit became one of the show’s most infamous early running jokes.

Over the years, Acquisitions Inc. has expanded significantly, with the characters appearing in various Penny Arcade web comics and resulting in numerous episodes, including a popular spin-off The “C” Team. They’ve also held a variety of live, sold-out performances at major venues and conventions, including PAX.

In 2019, the characters officially became part of Dungeons & Dragons canon with the Acquisitions Incorporated D&D 5th Edition sourcebook from Wizards of the Coast. More recently, Acq. Inc has transitioned from D&D, with a new actual play series that will use the Daggerheart core mechanics.

Final thoughts

The new Acquisitions Incorporated update marks another major milestone for Battlemarked, and one that taps into a hilarious and much beloved part of D&D lore. The release also comes hot on the heels of the Warlock update that rolled out in March 2026, with publisher Resolution Games also confirming that there will be more DLC for the game in the near future.

In the meantime, you can learn more about the free update on the Battlemarked website. Below is also a teaser trailer with more info on what to expect.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Wizards of the Coast announced their plans for the upcoming Gen Con 2026 being held from July 30th to August 2nd in Indianapolis, Indiana. As part of their attendance to the largest and oldest TTRPG event in the world, the company will be taking over an entire six-story building and turning it what they describe as a “D&D Tower,” which will feature numerous performances, events and activities for participants.

The news comes just a few months after Wizards of the Coast VP Dan Ayoub announced that Gen Con would be the home of future D&D announcements after the company largely avoided the event over the past few years. This year’s Gen Con will likely be a big one for the Dungeons & Dragons brand with a possible new book announcement and more reveals on the upcoming Season of Champions. Below, we roll up all the details on what to expect.

What official D&D events are taking place at Gen Con 2026?

This year, Wizards of the Coast will be booking all six floors at the Indiana Repertory Theatre (which is located near the Indiana Convention Center where Gen Con takes place). In addition to a number of panels and announcements, official D&D events will include the following (for ease of reference we’ve broken everything down into a single table):

What is the D&D connection to Gen Con?

For decades, Gen Con and D&D were practically synonymous, with the annual convention being instrumental in the development of the game. The first Gen Con was organized by Gary Gygax in 1968 and was held in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Initially, it was focused entirely on war gaming, but this changed in 1974 with the official launch of Dungeons & Dragons.

In 1976, then D&D publisher TSR purchased Gen Con, with D&D quickly becoming the primary focal point, even as the convention was moved to various locations around Wisconsin. In the following decades, Gen Con continued to be incredibly important to D&D, with TSR using the event for major announcements and organized play tournaments. While Gen Con was largely unprofitable due to its massive operational costs, it was seen as a necessary investment for TSR, who pumped significant resources into the event, including famously creating a life-sized castle on the convention room floor.

In 1997 when TSR was acquired by Wizards of the Coast, Gen Con was packaged along with it (although notably, the event remained a massive financial burden for the company, as it rarely, if ever, turned a profit). In 2002, Gen Con was officially sold to former Wizards of the Coast owner Peter Adkison who ran the event as a private business that was no longer associated with any one publisher.

Despite the fact that D&D no longer had a financial or organizational stake in Gen Con, the game remained a major focus of the convention throughout the early 2000s, during which time it grew to encompass the larger TTRPG hobby as a whole and saw widespread attendance from numerous other publishers. In subsequent decades, however, attendance from Wizards of the Coast and the official D&D brand largely dried up, with the publisher often not having a booth or making any major announcements at the event.

Final thoughts

2026 looks like it will be a major return for D&D to the convention that helped create it. It also appears to be part of a larger push to reconnect with the community and promote the brand in ways we haven’t seen in recent years. Whether or not fans will embrace Wizards of the Coast’s new six-story strategy, however, remains to be seen.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on major D&D news coming out of this year’s Gen Con. In the meantime, you can learn more about the official Wizards of the Coast events on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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D&D Beyond is charting new waters on the world of Oerth, with the latest entry in the Legends of Greyhawk organized play program. Entitled Tales from Turtleback Cove, it marks the second official play bundle to land on D&D Beyond following Elemental Evil Rising, which was released in April 2026.

The three nautical-themed adventures included in the bundle have been developed by organized play provider GameConclave in conjunction with Wizards of the Coast and were previously run in person at several conventions. If you missed out, however, you can pick them up and run them for yourself via D&D Beyond.

Below, we batten down the hatches and chart a course for all the details.

What’s included in Legends of Greyhawk: Tales from Turtleback Cove?

The D&D Beyond play bundle includes three interrelated D&D 5.5E adventures that have been run by GameConclave at Legends of Greyhawk organized play events over the past few months. Each adventure is designed for Level 1 to 4 characters and can be completed in about 3 hours. They can be run alone or as part of a larger campaign.

Notably, all of the adventures take place in the Lordship of the Isles, an archipelago of tropical volcanic islands located between the Aerdi Sea and the Oljatt Sea off the southeastern coast of the Flanaess. The three adventures are:

• Shadows Beneath the Skull: Players are hired by a high-ranking member of the Daughters of Syrul (a local thieves guild) to investigate and infiltrate their rivals, the Brinejacks. You must do whatever it takes to gain the attention of the ego-driven gangsters.
• Echoes of Betrayal: Your security in Turtleback Cove has been shattered as one of your known contacts in the city’s underground has been murdered. The Daughters of Syrul have asked you to investigate whatever leads you can find and help them seek justice.
• Havoc and the High Seas: Players embark on the vessel known as the Tallyho, which sets sail into dangerous uncharted waters with an untested crew.

What is Legends of Greyhawk?

Legends of Greyhawk is an official Dungeons & Dragons organized play program run by third-party organizations including Baldman Games and GameConclave, with approval and support from Wizards of the Coast. The program officially launched in the summer of 2025 at Gen Con and uses the new D&D 5.5E rules. The adventures used in the program are primarily designed to be run at conventions (although materials are released to the general public several months afterwards).

Adventures are also designed to be interconnected, helping to shape a larger narrative that influences the whole of the modern Greyhawk setting. Any convention attendee can play in a Legends of Greyhawk adventure, so long as they have created a character in D&D Beyond (using the rules from the 2024 Player’s Handbook). Players can also earn physical rewards in the form of tradable magic item cards and other certificates at the end of each play session.

Notably, Wizards of the Coast has also released a Legends of Greyhawk Guide which provides more information on character creation, including guidelines on which region of Greyhawk your character can come from, how many magic items you can have based on your level, and how trading magic items with other players works.

Who is GameConclave?

GameConclave is a convention services company that specializes in organizing and managing tabletop RPG events by creating adventures and providing Game Masters who manage the tables. It is most notably active within the Legends of Greyhawk organized play community, providing structured D&D 5.5E adventures and tie-in events.

The organization was co-founded in 2014 by Thomas Valley and Teddy Benson, and now supports over 50 conventions across North America, including GameHole Con, Gary Con, Gen Con and Origins.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see more Legends of Greyhawk material make its way onto D&D Beyond; although surprisingly, Wizards of the Coast hasn’t really promoted the content, simply releasing it onto the marketplace with no major announcements via their social media channels, website or email program.

In any event, we’ll be keeping a close eye on future play bundles in the days ahead. In the meantime, you can pick up the Legends of Greyhawk: Tales from Turtleback Cove now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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If your current D&D campaign has been feeling a little too warm and cozy, you may want to bundle up and take a look at the latest third-party expansion to hit D&D Beyond. The release includes two digital sourcebooks from Kobold Press for their icy Viking-inspired setting: The Northlands Worldbook (which provides a range of new character options and location details) and Northlands Sagas (which provides a series of adventures for Levels 1 to 12).

Both books originally launched as a part of a highly successful Kickstarter in late 2025 are available in physical and PDF format for both D&D 5.5E and Tales of the Valiant. These latest D&D Beyond versions, however, mark yet another series of third-party Kobold Press products that have made their way to Wizards of the Coast’s once-closed-off digital platform.

So just what dangers await in the cold depths of the Northlands? Below, we head to the land of ice and snow to find out.

What’s in the D&D Beyond version of the Northlands Worldbook?

This new version is essentially a reprint of the original Northlands Worldbook while also integrating with D&D Beyond’s Maps VTT and Character Builder features. The book includes:

New subclasses

There are eight new subclasses, including:

• Path of the Titan Barbarian: Warriors whose Rage comes from the mighty Jotun giants, allowing them to grow in size and deal extra damage.
• Skald Bard: Performers who manipulate and inspire with battle sagas and Norse-inspired poetry.
• Nornbound Cleric: Individuals who can tap into the power of Fate itself to replace die rolls with pre-determined results.
• Circle of Fenris Druid: Defenders of the wilds who draw upon the spectral powers of the Great Wolf god.
• Viking Fighter: Skilled warriors who raid and plunder on both land and at sea.
• Oath of Valhalla Paladin. Protectors of the spirits of those who perished honorably in battle.
• Spirit Caller Sorcerer: Conjurers who can summon spirits to protect and harm enemies.
• Trickster Warlock: Servants of gods like Loki who warp reality to their whims.

New playable species

There are nine new species, including

• Bearfolk: Powerful ursine humanoids of iron resolve and deep nobility.
• Beastkin: Humanoids with animal features from creatures based on the categories of Avian, Agile, Aquatic or Sturdy.
• Giantkin: Humanoids with giant blood and unique powers based on the specific type of giant they descend from.
• Trollkin: Those with the blood of trolls, ogres, or fey in their veins, and who are capable of regeneration.
• Werekin: The descendants of lycanthropes who can tap into primal powers.

New monsters & NPCs

There are 55 new monsters and 19 NPCs of various Challenge Ratings. These include iconic Norse-inspired creatures like glacial trolls and lightning giants, as well as more powerful beings like Fafnir the shapeshifting dragon, the world-serpent Jormungandr and the monstrous Grindle (the latter being inspired by Grendel from the Beowulf saga).

New spells & magic items

The worldbook features 78 new spells, including options for Runic Magic (the latter of which also inspired it’s own deck of cards). There are also 100+ magical and non-magical items, including Fabled Items that grow in power alongside the player.

New factions

The book features 9 factions (with 5 Heroic options and 4 Dire factions), with DM advice on how to integrate them into your campaign. These include:

• Blood Reckoning: A group of giants seeking revenge on the gods for the death of the first giant who spawned them.
• Cult of Ragnarok: A collection of followers seeking to bring about the end of the world and the final battle of the gods.
• Fellowship of Wyrm Slayers: A guild of glory-seeking monster hunters and dragonslayers.
• Glorious Order of Giant Killers: A guild of protectors who hunt giants in the frozen wastes.
• Lodge of the Dancing Bear: A faction of veteran guides, explorers and scouts skilled in surviving the hostile North.
• Shield-Maidens of Sif: A faction of all-female clerics, paladins and fighters who follow goddesses of battle.
• Skaldic Brotherhood: A guild of bards, heralds and performers who are of vital cultural importance in the North.
• Steadfast Company of Mile-Steppers: A faction of skilled navigators who transport cargo and protect travelers.
• Storm Reavers. A sect of pirates, pillagers and raiders who hunt the frozen seas for plunder.

New regions and locations

There are 11 unique regions (each containing a variety of locations). These include:

• Agnalan: Headlands of the Giantkin
• Bjarmia: Flying Island of the Cloud Giants
• Bjornrike: Kingdom of Bears
• Blodejord: Halls of the Fire Giants
• Kaldrgard: Frost Giant Jarldoms
• Sengajordensblod: Land of the Jotun
• Skaldholm: Island of Bards
• Trollheim: Kingdom of Two Trees
• Thursrike. Frozen Expanse of the Hill Giants
• Vargrike: Kingdom of the Wolf
• Wolfheim: the Reaver’s Hold

New mechanics & GM tools

The book also features a variety of new rules and options to help DMs flesh out their adventures, including:

• Random tables for for prophecies, omens and weather-based survival challenges.
• A downtime system that ties into Viking culture and reputation.
• Rules for ritualized duels known as Holmganga.
• Rules for an insult contest known as Flyting.
• Rules for managing raiding and sea combat.

What’s included in the D&D Beyond version of the Northlands Sagas?

This new D&D Beyond version is essentially a reprint of the original Northlands Sagas. It features 11 adventures that can be run individually as one-shots or connected together into a single campaign that takes players from Levels 1 to 12. The adventures include:

• Down the Wolf Barrow: Players uncover dark forces within the depths of a twisting barrow.
• Ogre’s Run: Players launch a rescue mission into the land of ogres and hill giants.
• Among the Norns: Players must climb the World Tree and survive the frosts of Jotunheim.
• Assault on Hvalfell: Players must rally a town to defend against an army of giants and cultists.
• Trials of the Lost Skald: Players challenge an island of bards to a contest of wit, bravery and prowess.
• Descent of Cloud Castle: Players must survive a falling cloud giant castle and the cultists who brought it down.
• The Redspear Trail: Players venture to the Isle of Loki to confront the dragon Fafnir.
• Murder at the Moot: Players are accused of murdering an important giant leader and must prove their innocence.
• Attack on Birgkrona: Players join the assault on the stronghold of the Cult of Ragnarok.
• Storming the Den of Fenris: Players race against the cult’s leadership to stop them from releasing the end of the world.
• Ashes of Asgard: Players must rescue the gods themselves and battle the great wolf Fenrir.

How much are the Northlands sourcebooks on D&D Beyond?

The Northlands Worldbook retails for $39.99 USD (notably the PDF version from Kobold Press retails for $29.99 USD, so what you’re really paying for is the integration with D&D Beyond). The D&D Beyond version of Northlands Sagas also retails for $39.99 USD (notably the PDF version from Kobold Press is just $24.99 USD).

You can, however, also purchase the Northlands Bundle for $69.99 USD on D&D Beyond (which is a savings of $10 USD versus the cost of purchasing both books separately).

Final Thoughts

Norse mythology has had a huge impact on Dungeons & Dragons since the earliest editions of the game, but we haven’t really seen any new content for D&D fifth edition. Kobold Press, however, has definitely remedied that situation, offering up a massive amount of new Viking-inspired content for the D&D 5.5E rules, so it’s great to see Wizards of the Coast bringing onto D&D Beyond.

Of course, if you’ve already picked up the books in print or PDF, you can probably skip these new digital versions. On the other hand, if you’re a hardcore D&D Beyond user looking to add a little Valhalla to your campaign, then this may be in your dragonship wheelhouse.

You can pick up the new books now individually or as the Northlands Bundle on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Beyond Goes North With Two New Kobold Press Supplements appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Back in June of 2025, Wizards of the Coast announced that a new D&D video game was in development from Giant Skull, the studio co-founded by Stig Asmussen, who has been a director on a number of popular video games, including God of War III and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

A recent Bloomberg article, however, has reported that the game was actually canceled earlier this year, with the news only now being announced to the public. It marks yet another casualty in a long line of D&D video games that have gone through significant development, only to have the plug pulled, with Hasbro even going so far as to cancel five D&D games in one fell swoop back in January 2023. More recently, Swedish video game developer Starbreeze scrapped a D&D game they were working on, citing a potential loss of revenue.

Below, we take a look at what happened to Giant Skull’s project and what this may mean for future Dungeons & Dragons video games.

What was the Giant Skull D&D video game about?

According to the Variety article published in June 2025, the untitled D&D video game from Giant Skull would have been a single-player action-adventure set within the D&D universe.

At the time, Giant Skull co-founder Stig Asmussen wrote that “Our goal is to craft a rich new ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ universe filled with immersive storytelling, heroic combat and exhilarating traversal that players will fully embrace.” Asmussen had even gone so far as to recruit a number of industry veterans who had worked with him in the past to develop the project.

Why was the Giant Skull D&D video game canceled?

According to the Bloomberg article published on May 19th, 2026, Wizards of the Coast pulled out of their publishing deal with Giant Skull earlier this year, with a spokesperson simply stating: “We assess concepts at every stage of development” and that “While we decided not to pursue an early concept from Giant Skull, we have great respect for Stig Asmussen and his team and value our ongoing relationship.”

They did, however, add that they are still taking new pitches from Giant Skull and in the same Bloomberg article, Asmussen noted that he had enjoyed working with Wizards of the Coast and that he was still talking to people at the company about future publishing deals.

It’s not uncommon for video games to be canceled, given the high production costs involved, with some estimates suggesting at least a 50% attrition rate.

Who is Giant Skull?

Giant Skull is a triple-A video game studio that was co-founded in 2023 by Stig Asmussen, who has previously served as the game director of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for Respawn Entertainment and EA. Asmussen had also previously worked as the game director on God of War III at Sony Santa Monica. In addition to Asmussen, the Giant Skull leadership team also features a number of major video game veterans, including lead producer Lauren McLemore, art director Patrick Murphy, CTO Jon Carr and design director Jeff Magers.

The new Dungeons & Dragons video game would have been the first official title launched by Giant Skull, although based on what was presented in the Bloomberg article it appears the company will continue to exist and will be working on other projects.

What other D&D Video Games Are in the Works?

Currently, there are a number of D&D video game projects in various stages of development, including:

• Untitled Hasbro Game: Wizards of the Coast has also indicated that an in-house studio at Hasbro is currently developing a currently unnamed D&D game, although little information has been revealed about what it will consist of.
• Untitled D&D survival sim: In development from Gameloft Montreal, the studio best known for the popular Disney Dreamlight Valley, this new D&D title will be an action-focused survival-life sim set in the Forgotten Realms.
• Untitled Saber Interactive game: The developers of the popular Space Marine 2 video game are also working on a new Hasbro title that may be D&D related.
• Baldur’s Gate 4: Wizards of the Coast has recently confirmed that a BG4 is in the works (although a studio and release date has not yet been announced).

Final Thoughts

Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast has been increasingly focused on video game development over the past few years, putting significant resources into projects like the upcoming Exodus sci-fi RPG and also beginning to develop their own internal projects. It’s likely executives (and shareholders) are looking to recreate the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, which netted Hasbro over $90 million in licensing fees alone.

Of course, creating a highly profitable triple-A video game is easier said than done, even if it’s using a popular IP like Dungeons & Dragons, so it’s likely Giant Skull’s game won’t be the only D&D project to face cancelation in the years ahead.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story and will update this page with more information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Giant Skull D&D Video Game Gets the Axe appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Sirius Dice is about to combine two of the most terrifying aspects of Dungeons & Dragons: the world of Ravenloft and the potential to roll a Nat 1. That’s because the company has just unveiled four separate dice product lines that use the official D&D license and tie into the the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook.

The collection includes the new Mists of Ravenloft Treasure Packs (each of which contains a set of dice, a metal coin and collector’s bag), the Darklord Adventure Dice (with sets inspired by iconic villains from the Domains of Dread), Class-themed Adventure Dice Sets (inspired by the new 2026 Ravenloft subclasses) and Ravenloft Mini Dice Cups (featuring a full set of mini dice and cups with sculptures of classic villains and monsters).

You’ll be able to pick up all four product lines from July to September 2026 from local game stores, the Sirius website and Amazon. Below, we roll a saving throw versus fear and check out all the details.

What are the D&D: Mists of Ravenloft Treasure Packs

Coming in July 2026, with a retail price of $19.99 USD, these new packs are a follow-up to the recently released Castle Ravenloft Treasure Packs.. Each of the packs contains a set of dice, a collectible metal coin and an embroidered dice bag inspired by characters and locations from the Domains of Dread. In total there are:

• 50+ dice designs (ranging in rarity)
• 25 collectible metal coins (composed of various metals and featuring unique engravings)
• 7 embroidered bags

What are the D&D Darklord Adventure Dice Sets?

Coming in July 2026, each of these new sets contains 7 sharp-edge dice with unique icons and color schemes inspired by the Darklords of Ravenloft. There are two sets in total:

• The Strahd von Zarovich Dice Set is based on the infamous vampire lord of Barovia and features a black-and-gray swirl with blood-red droplets, gold numbering and matching icons. The set will be retail for $39.99 USD.
• The Viktra Mordenheim Dice Set is based on the the twisted mad scientist from the realm of Lamordia. It features formaldehyde green and yellow tones with red lettering and icons The set will be available for $17.99 USD.

What are the D&D Class-Themed Adventure Dice Sets?

Also launching in July 2026 for $24.99 each, these 14-piece dice are inspired by the standard D&D classes and feature new icons taken from the 2024 D&D 5.5E Player’s Handbook. They also include new artwork and colors inspired by the subclasses from Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, including:

• The Grave Domain Cleric
• College of Spirits Bard
• Hollow Warden Ranger
• Shadow Sorcerer
• Undead Patron Warlock

What are the Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft Mini Dice Cups

Launching in September 2026 for $19.99 each, these new mini cups featuring full-color and metallic sculpts of notable Ravenloft figures. Each cup also comes with a 7-piece mini dice set. Featured characters include:

• Strahd von Zarovich
• Dr. Viktra Mordenheim
• Azalin Rex
• Esmerelda d’Avenir
• Lord Soth (Unhelmed)
• Mother Lorinda
• Rudolph Van Richten
• Saidra D’Honaire

Who is Sirius Dice?

Sirius Dice is a Brooklyn based RPG accessory creator founded in 2019 by tech entrepreneur Lax Chandra and business consultant Tina Trenkler. In 2023 the company signed a licensing deal with Wizards of the Coast and has since released a number of products using the official Dungeons & Dragons brand, including cups, pins and dice sets.

Most notably in June of 2024, Sirius collaborated with Wizards of the Coast to release their D&D Pride Month set, with proceeds donated to the Trevor Project, an organization that helps at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

Final Thoughts

Sirius has produced some solid D&D dice sets over the years, so the quality of these new sets is likely going to be quite high. We’ll be keeping a close eye on these new product lines in the days ahead and will update this page with new information (and new images) as they’re made available.

In the meantime, you can learn more about the new products on the Sirius website and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Sirius Heads Into the Mists of Ravenloft With New D&D Dice Sets appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, there are few undead as iconic as the Death Knight. The ranks of these unholy warriors are filled with deserters, traitors, cowards and oath breakers who have been raised from the grave and granted dark powers. Over the years, Death Knights have also appeared in countless D&D game supplements and novels, with the most infamous example being Lord Soth, who has been a staple in both the Dragonlance and Ravenloft settings (including the upcoming Horrors Within supplement).

And while for decades these cadaverous champions have existed solely to challenge high level characters, a recent Unearthed Arcana actually allows players to become Death Knights. Entitled Villainous Options, the playtest material introduces the Path of the Death Knight, a series of Feats that when completed allow characters to transform into one of these dread defenders.

So is this terrifying new path worth going down? Below, we face down all the dark details.

What is a Death Knight in Dungeons & Dragons?

Death Knights are powerful undead warriors who are resurrected by dark magic, evil gods or foul otherworldly beings to serve as champions and battlefield commanders of undead and monstrous armies. In life, they were primarily elite warriors chosen to become Death Knights after committing a grave and unforgivable sin. While physically they appear as rotting corpses with pinpricks of light for eyes, they are also incredibly powerful, wielding blades enchanted with necromantic energy and possessing the ability to control nearby undead. They can also summon phantom steeds (such as a Nightmare or other undead mount) and can also wield hellfire and other powerful magic. Even if destroyed, a Death Knight will reform days later with a new body, and only by atoning for their sins can they truly end the cycle of death and resurrection.

Across the D&D multiverse, multiple worlds have been terrorized by Death Knights. Among the most infamous is Lord Soth, a fallen paladin from the world of Krynn who was eventually cursed by the Dark Powers to become a ruler of the Domain of Dread known as Sithicus. In the lands of Faerûn, notable Death Knights include Vanrak Moonstar (a noble explorer from the city of Waterdeep cursed by the dark goddess Shar), King Imbrar (a fallen paladin who ruled the land of Impiltur with a skeletal fist), Miltiades (a disgraced servant of Tyr from the lands of Phlan), Hekaton (the transformed king of the storm giants) and Olanthius (a death knight who stalks the fiery pits of Avernus). In the world of Oerth, one of the most infamous examples is Saint Kargoth, a former nobleman who was cursed by the demon prince Demogorgon.

What is the Path of the Death Knight?

The Path of the Death Knight is a character option for D&D 5.5E currently in playtest. It’s built around completing sequential Feats and involves the following steps:

Step 1: The Path starts by you choosing a Death Knight Journey. This represents the ultimate sin you committed that will lead to your transformation. There is no level requirement for this and it’s really meant to provide a narrative framework for the path.

Step 2: At Level 4, you must then take the Death Knight Initiate Feat.

Step 3: At any point from Levels 5 to 11 you must then choose at least one more Feat from the options of Dread Authority, Harbinger of Doom, Deathly Presence or Unholy Steed (notably, for the latter two Feats you must be level 8 or higher).

Step 4: At Level 12 or higher you take the Death Knight Ascension feat which completes your transformation.

What are the Path of the Death Knight Feats?

Death Knight Journeys

While each death knight is unique, every death knight’s descent into villainy begins with a significant and dishonorable act—a deliberate wrongdoing or shameful mistake that marks their disgrace. You can roll on or choose from the Death Knight Journeys table to determine why your character has chosen to walk this path.

Death Knight Initiate

Prerequisite: Level 4+, Weapon Mastery Feature

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Death Points. Your dedication to the path of the Death Knight gives you access to profane powers of undeath. Your ability to use such powers is represented by Death Points. You have a number of Death Points equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You regain all expended Death Points when you finish a Long Rest. You can expend Death Points to use certain Path of the Death Knight benefits. This feat gives you one such benefit: Dread Strike.
• Dread Strike. You always have the Wrathful Smite spell prepared. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can cast it without expending a spell slot by expending 1 Death Point. When you expend Death Points to cast Wrathful Smite, the target has Disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws to avoid or end the spell’s effect. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have.

Dread Authority

Prerequisite: Death Knight Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Constitution or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Dread Command. You always have the Command spell prepared. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can cast it without expending a spell slot by expending 1 Death Point. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have. When you expend Death Points to cast Command, Undead targeted by it have Disadvantage on the saving throw against the spell.

Harbinger of Doom

Prerequisite: Death Knight Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Ill Omen. You always have the Bane spell prepared. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can cast it without expending a spell slot by expending 1 Death Point. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have. When you expend Death Points to cast Bane, affected targets subtract 1d6 from attack rolls and saving throws instead of 1d4.

Deathly Presence

Prerequisite: Level 8+, Death Knight Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength, Constitution, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Awful Presence. You always have the Fear spell prepared. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can cast it without expending a spell slot by expending 1 Death Point. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have. When you expend Death Points to cast Fear, you deal 7 (2d6) Psychic damage to each creature that fails its saving throw against the spell, in addition to the spell’s normal effects.

Unholy Steed

Prerequisite: Level 8+, Death Knight Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Spectral Steed. You always have the Find Steed spell prepared. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell. You can cast it without expending a spell slot by expending 1 Death Point. When you expend Death Points to cast Find Steed, the summoned steed is a Fiend, and targets you choose have Disadvantage on the Wisdom saving throw against its Fell Glare. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have.

Death Knight Ascension

Prerequisite: Level 12+, two Path of the Death Knight Feats

Your path to becoming a death knight is complete. You gain the following benefits:

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Strength or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Undead. Your creature type is Undead.
• Unholy Anatomy. You have Resistance to Necrotic and Poison damage. You don’t gain Exhaustion levels from dehydration, malnutrition, or suffocation.
• Hellfire Orb. As a Magic action, you can expend 1 to 5 Death Points to throw an orb of pure hellfire at a point you can see within 120 feet. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius Sphere centered on the chosen point makes a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 plus your Charisma modifier and Proficiency Bonus). On a failed save, a target takes 2d6 Fire damage and 2d6 Necrotic damage per Death Point expended. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage.

Is the Path of the Death Knight worth taking?

The Path of the Death Knight is still in playtesting so we could see some significant changes before it’s finally released. It’s also worth noting that Wizards of the Coast hasn’t confirmed what book (if any) the Path will appear in (although the most likely candidates seem to be a new version of The Book of Vile Darkness), so we’ll be keeping an eye on this character options in the months ahead.

In the meantime, you can learn more and download the Path of the Death Knight for yourself now via the “Villainous Options” Unearthed Arcana playtest.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The Path of the Death Knight (D&D 5.5E Deep Dive) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In a recent interview with entertainment news website GamesRadar+, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said that Dungeons & Dragons fans should “expect more crossovers inside of D&D”, with the game tapping into licenses for major pop culture IPs in the near future.

And while the news was met with some skepticism by fans, it’s not entirely a new concept, with former D&D Vice President Jess Lanzillo also discussing crossovers at length in a 2024 interview with ComicBook.com. With D&D recently switching to a more aggressive franchise model, however, it’s possible there may be more impetus to generate these types of products.

Cocks’ statement is also likely inspired by the massive success of Magic: The Gathering’s Universes Beyond, which has seen the trading card game release crossover sets for IPs like Fortnite, Warhammer 40K, Fallout, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Final Fantasy (the latter of which reportedly generated over $200 million in the first day of is release).

So, will we actually see a “Universes Beyond” for D&D? Below, we take a look at why it’s happening and which IPs will likely be on board.

Why D&D crossovers could actually be in the works?

The business logic is simple: Hasbro wants D&D to be a brand rather than just a game. And structurally, it’s flexible enough to work with just about any genre and setting. In fact, in his interview with GamesRadar+, Cocks notes: “I mean, we’ve had such a fantastic experience with [crossovers] with Magic: The Gathering. D&D is a fantastic play system that I think is very open-ended. You already have a fairly wide spectrum with things like Spelljammer to Curse of Strahd. So you already kind of have the DNA for it handled inside the system.”

Three specific franchises stand out as the most D&D-ready, two of which Hasbro has already called out as being potential candidates for RPG products:

D&D Harry Potter

In February 2026, Hasbro inked a lucrative deal to make the company the primary toy licensee for the world of Harry Potter and the upcoming Harry Potter HBO series. In a press release, they note: “Hasbro’s innovative team will bring the Harry Potter universe to life through a range of film and HBO Original series-inspired products featuring dolls, role play, action figures & collectibles, interactive plush, board games and more to be revealed later this year.”

Wizards of the Coast has already tested the waters here back in 2021 with Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos. While it’s based on a Magic: The Gathering set of the same name, it’s most definitely an homage to Harry Potter. We’ve also seen a range of fan-made homebrew Harry Potter D&D 5E systems, including the popular Wands & Wizards system, so it’s likely there’s already an audience of existing players – not to mention new players WotC could pull into the D&D ecosystem.

D&D K-Pop Demon Hunters

In October 2025, Hasbro inked a lucrative deal for the toy license to the popular Netflix animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters. In a press release they note: “Netflix’s combined partnerships with Mattel and Hasbro will introduce a full portfolio of toys, collectibles, games, role-play products and more that will allow fans of all ages to drink up the characters, music, and world of the film in new and fun ways.”

Not surprisingly given the nature of the movie, we’ve already seen a number of K-Pop Demon Hunters inspired D&D 5E products, including Idols of the Neon Dark, which generated almost $200K funding on Kickstarter. Given that level of interest, it’s likely an official D&D K-Pop Demons Hunters product would do extremely well, potentially bringing in a number of new players to the game.

D&D Fourth Wing

The “Romantasy” literary sub-genre has become increasingly popular, thanks in large part to series like Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (also known as The Empyrean trilogy). The books have become a smash hit (and were even recently optioned as a TV series for Amazon Prime), so fan interest is definitely high. It also seems perfect as an RPG given that it’s all about 20-somethings attending an elite military college where they learn to ride dragons.

More importantly, Hasbro already has the license in place, and has released a number of games for it, including Fourth Wing versions of Monopoly, Monopoly Deal and Priorities. And while Hasbro hasn’t explicitly mentioned potential RPGs like they have with Harry Potter and K-Pop Demon Hunters, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a D&D product.

Final Thoughts

The idea of Dungeons & Dragons versions of pop culture franchises isn’t as far fetched as it might seem, with modern D&D crossovers with shows like Stranger Things and Rick & Morty, not to mention massive video game IPs like Minecraft and Fortnite.

Wizards of the Coast may already be stress testing the concept with the new Exodus TTRPG; which is a tie-in to an upcoming video game developed by Hasbro-owned studio Archetype Entertainment and is the first Wizards of the Coast RPG to be developed in decades that wasn’t Dungeons & Dragons.

And while a Universes Beyond version of D&D may be horrifying to some existing players, it may also be a potential draw to new players (something Wizards of the Coast is definitely interested in doing). Regardless, if Wizards of the Coast’s Chris Cocks is to be believed, D&D crossovers are something we’ll likely be seeing them sooner, rather than later.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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On May 2nd, 2026, North America celebrated yet another Free Comic Book Day, which saw local stores offering a variety of books from dozens of publishers. As part of the event, publisher Dark Horse Comics released Dungeons & Dragons: Magefall, a short standalone comic written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, and illustrated by Alessandro Miracolo, with a short story featuring the legendary D&D wizard Mordenkainen.

The good news is that if you missed out on Free Comic Book Day, you can still pick up a copy at no cost, albeit in a completely digital form on D&D Beyond. Below, we flip through at all the details.

What is the Dungeons & Dragons: Magefall comic book about?

Magefall is a short, 10-page comic book that follows the legendary Archmage Mordenkainen (of Greyhawk fame) who is now dwelling in an isolated sanctuary in the frozen north of the Forgotten Realms. He is soon confronted by a powerful female orc monk named Zael, the Grandmaster of Flowers and a servant of the benevolent dragon god Bahamut, who states that Mordenkainen is at the heart of a prophecy which threatens to destroy all of the multiverse.

It’s a short but sweet encounter, and the end of the issue has a single preview page at the very end that suggests we’ll be seeing the rest of the Dungeons & Dragons: Magefall series later this Fall (although no further details have been released by either Wizards of the Coast or Dark Horse).

Who is the creative team on the D&D: Magefall comic?

The team working on the Free Comic Book Day issue (and presumably the larger Magefall series slated for release this year), consists of the writing duo of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, both of whom have worked on a variety of comics together for publishers including DC, Marvel, Boom Studios! and IDW. In 2023, they were nominated for the “Best New Series” Eisner Award for Star Trek. Both also appeared in the sci-fi actual play series Vast, which aired on Geek and Sundry back in 2016, so the two clearly have a love of TTRPGs.

The primary artist on the book is Alessandro Miracolo, who is best known for his work as a penciller for Dynamite and Marvel, including working on the series Phoenix, Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Coloring is by Italian artist Valentina Taddeo (who has worked extensively for publishers such as IDW and DC) and lettering is from Eisner-winning artist Haley Rose-Lyon.

Final Thoughts

Releasing a free comic book on D&D Beyond is a first for Wizards of the Coast, but isn’t surprising given the more aggressive franchise model Wizards of the Coast has adopted. It also marks the fourth D&D comic book series from Dark Horse following their acquisition of the license back in July of 2024, with upcoming books including The Fallbacks series (based on the D&D novels of the same name), Total Party Killers (which follows a group of down-on-their-luck dungeon-dwelling monsters) and a Ravenloft series.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the upcoming D&D Magefall comic book in the days ahead. In the meantime, subscribers can download the Free Comic Book Day preview now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Sirius Dice is heading through the Mists and into the Domains of Dread with a new set of dice inspired by one of Dungeons & Dragons’ most terrifying settings. The recently released D&D Castle Ravenloft Treasure Packs are limited edition products, with each one containing a complete polyhedral dice set, a matching embroidered dice bag and a collectible metal ability coin, all inspired by the realm of Barovia and the legendary vampire lord Strahd Von Zarovich. You can order them now from you local game store, the Sirius website and Amazon.

Notably, the Domains of Dread have recently been drawn back into the spotlight thanks to the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook and the current D&D Season of Horror, which is running from April to June 2026. Below, we roll up all the details on these new malevolent math rocks.

What’s included in the D&D Castle Ravenloft Treasure Pack

Each of the new Sirius Dice packs includes the following

• A dice set: This includes seven dice in total (a D4, D6, D8, D12, D20 and two D10 percentile dice). There are there are 55 dice sets in total, which come in the following rarieties: Common (18 variants), Uncommon (14 variants), Rare (16 variants) and Legendary (5 variants) and Artifacts (2 sets).
• An embroidered dice bag: There are 7 possible options, which are all inspired by Barovia, Strahd and the Domains of Dread. They include a Spider, a Goblet, Castle Ravenloft, Bats, a Raven, the Holy Symbol of Ravenkind and the creepy jester doll Pidlwick
• Metal coin: There are 31 coins that vary in material and shape. Each is associated with D&D spells, abilities and monsters, as well as iconic Ravenloft characters such as Strahd, Tatyana, Baba Lysaga and Rudolph van Richten.

How much are the Castle Ravenloft Treasure Packs?

Each Ravenloft dice pack retails for $19.99 USD (not including taxes, shipping and handling). This is comparable to other recent sets we’ve seen from Sirius Dice, including their recent Yawning Portal Treasure Pack, Xanathar Treasure Pack and Baldur’s Gate 3 Treasure Packs.

When were the Castle Ravenloft Treasure Packs released?

The packs came out in early April 2026, at which point they were released to local game stores and available for online purchase. These types of Sirius Treasure Packs do, however, tend to sell out quickly, so current availability may vary depending on your location.

Who is Sirius Dice?

Sirius Dice is a Brooklyn based RPG accessory creator founded in 2019 by tech entrepreneur Lax Chandra and business consultant Tina Trenkler. In 2023 the company signed a licensing deal with Wizards of the Coast and has since released a number of products using the official Dungeons & Dragons brand, including cups, pins and dice sets.

Most notably in June of 2024, Sirius collaborated with Wizards of the Coast to release their D&D Pride Month set, with proceeds donated to the Trevor Project, an organization that helps at-risk LGBTQ+ youth.

Final Thoughts

Ravenloft is officially back in a big way, so it’s no surprise that Sirius has chosen to take on the Domains of Dread with their latest dice set. In fact, they join a number of other third-party creators releasing new D&D Ravenloft products, including the upcoming Horrified D&D Ravenloft board game expansion, a range of new WizKids minis and a Silver Edition Strahd box set from Beadle & Grimm’s.

You can pick up the Castle Ravenloft Treasures Packs now from your local game store, the Sirius website or Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Wizards of the Coast has officially rolled a new content program known as D&D Beyond Drops. Available at no cost to Hero and Master tier subscribers, these digital content packs will be released on a weekly and monthly basis and include materials such as maps, adventures, digital dice and new character options.

The official first drop (which was released on May 7th) also contains five new spells for D&D 5.5E, four of which are actually updates of classic spells from older D&D editions. Below, we conjure up all the details on these new additions to your digital spellbook.

What are the new spells in the first D&D Beyond Drop?

The five new spells (which you can access exclusively via D&D Drops) are as follows:

Astral Flood

Astral Flood is a 3rd-level Evocation spell for Bards, Clerics, Sorcerers and Wizards. You unleash a 30-foot cone of energy, forcing a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, targets take 4d10 Cold or Radiant damage. Cold damage also gives the target Disadvantage on its next D20 Test, while Radiant damage limits their vision to 15 feet (imposing the Blinded condition beyond that distance). A successful save, however, results in no damage. This is a completely new spell that has not appeared in D&D before.

Buzzing Bee

Buzzing Bee is a 1st-level Conjuration spell for Druids, Rangers, Sorcerers and Wizards. You summon a spectral bee to hover around a target within 120 feet. For the duration (up to 1 minute, Concentration), the target has Disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and Constitution saving throws made to maintain Concentration. The target cannot benefit from the Invisible condition, and there is no saving throw to avoid the effect. Notably, this is an updated spell that first appeared as Mordenkainen’s Buzzing Bee in the 2003 Miniatures Handbook for D&D 3.5 and was later renamed to Buzzing Bee in the 2005 Spell Compendium.

Insidious Rhythm

Insidious Rhythm is a 1st-level Enchantment spell for Bards. You target one creature within 120 feet that must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be plagued by a repeating, catchy tune for up to 1 minute (Concentration). While affected, the target has Disadvantage on Intelligence checks and on Constitution saving throws made to maintain Concentration. The target repeats the save at the end of each of its turns. Using a higher-level spell slot allows you to target one additional creature for each level above 1st. Notably, this is an updated spell that first appeared in the 2001 D&D 3.5 supplement Song & Silence: A Complete Guide to Bards and Rogues, and later appeared in 2005 in both the Spell Compendium and Complete Adventurer supplements.

Leomund’s Lamentable Belaborment

Leomund’s Lamentable Belaborment is a 6th-level Enchantment spell for Bards, Sorcerers and Wizards. You proclaim an inflammatory statement, forcing creatures in a 10-foot-radius sphere to make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure, they are Charmed for up to 1 minute (no Concentration required). While affected, a target has a Speed of 0 and is Blinded and Deafened to everyone except you and other affected targets, as they must spend their turns arguing about your statement. Notably, this is an updated spell, and while the character Leomund originated in the Greyhawk setting during 1st Edition (and is perhaps best known for the spell Leomund’s Tiny Hut), this particular spell actually first appeared in the 1989 AD&D 2nd Edition Player’s Handbook.

Sticks to Snakes

Sticks to Snakes is a 4th-level Transmutation spell for Clerics, Druids and Rangers. You target up to four nonmagical wooden objects (like sticks, torches or spears) within 90 feet to transform them into Venomous Snakes for up to 1 minute (Concentration). If a creature is holding the object, they must succeed on a Charisma saving throw to prevent the transformation. The snakes are friendly, act on your initiative and can be commanded with a Bonus Action. Higher-level slots allow for two additional objects per level. Notably, this is an updated spell that first appeared in the 1974 original D&D box set in the pages of the Volume 1: Men & Magic booklet. It later appeared in the 1989 AD&D 2nd Edition Player’s Handbook as well as again in 1999 for the Priest’s Spell Compendium: Vol. 3. Famously, it was also a key spell for the Cleric character in the 1996 arcade game D&D: Tower of Doom and it’s sequels.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see Wizards of the Coast releasing new spells, particularly ones that are available at no charge to existing paid subscribers. It’s also great to see them updating some classic spells to the new D&D 5.5E ruleset. Hopefully we’ll see more new and updated content like this in upcoming Drops.

You can download the five new spells and try them for yourself now via the May 7th Drop, which is available on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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Wizards of the Coast recently hosted an online press conference to introduce a new subscription feature called D&D Beyond Drops. These new digital content packs will be released on D&D Beyond at no extra cost to Hero and Master tier subscribers, and will include maps, encounters, character options, cosmetic perks and longer form adventures. Drops will also essentially be evergreen in nature, meaning that even new paid subscribers to D&D Beyond will gain access to all previously released content.

The first Drop will be released today (May 7th, 2026) on D&D Beyond, with future Drops rolling out on both a weekly and monthly basis. Below, we take a closer look at what’s included and how this new subscription-based content may impact both D&D Beyond and the larger community.

What are D&D Beyond Drops?

According to Wizards of the Coast Technical Product Manager Jay Jani, D&D Beyond Drops are an “ever growing, evergreen content library.” Drops will be delivered in two different formats, each of which features specific content types:

• Monthly Drops: These will be released on the first Thursday of every month and are larger updates providing what Jani describes as “building blocks” for the game. For players, this includes options like new spells, Feats and Backgrounds. For DMs, they’ll include maps, monsters, digital stickers and adventures, all primarily for use with the D&D Beyond Maps VTT.
• Weekly Drops: These will be released every Thursday and will consist mostly of modular “drop-in encounters.” For example, a single bandit ambush that can be launched via the D&D Beyond Maps VTT and includes pre-placed tokens, digital stickers and DM notes, so they can be run with little prep.

Drops will also include legacy material updated for the new D&D 5.5E ruleset. In particular, Jani noted that an upcoming drop will feature a new version of AD&D 2nd Edition spells such as Sticks to Snakes and Leomund’s Lamentable Belaborment. In addition, it will include more unusual and experimental options.

Who can access D&D Beyond Drops?

At launch, Drops will be only available to D&D Beyond Hero and Master tier subscribers. Users who subscribe to the free version of D&D will not have access.

The program, however, is intended to be highly responsive to player needs, with Jani noting that it is “very, very community forward” and will include monthly surveys. “We can react almost in real time to really serve what DMs and players want to see from us,” he added.

Notably, unlike digital books on D&D Beyond which can be shared among subscribers, Drops do not support content sharing, meaning you must be an individual subscriber to access the full content library.

Why is D&D Beyond releasing Drops?

During the recent online press conference, D&D Executive Producer Brian Perry indicated that this is something users have actively been requesting. “We asked non-subscribers ‘what would you want out of subscriptions on D&D Beyond?’ and this is the number one thing they asked us. So the real thing is how can we make substantially more valuable content to non-subscribers?”

According to Jani, Drops are also meant to address the gap that exists in D&D Beyond, which often releases bonus content only for short periods of time before taking it down. “We wanted to remove that aspect and make it so that if a person subscribes like two years from now, they’ll get access to everything up to that point and they’ll get access to the future drops as well for as long as they remain subscribed,” says Jani.

Drop content is also meant to serve different needs and provide variety outside of official book releases. Jani pointed out that while current D&D products are focused on the new Season of Horror “not every group wants to engage with that theme.” Drops allow the D&D Beyond team to release content that “can pull from all over like varying themes and sort of pieces of D&D”.

When will D&D Beyond Drops launch?

D&D Beyond Drops officially launched on Thursday, May 7th, 2026. All existing and new Hero and Master tier subscribers will automatically gain access. The Day 1 launch content (which is a Weekly Drop) includes over 500 items as follows:

• 125 Maps: These come primarily from D&D fourth edition (with a handful from third edition) and will be added directly to your Maps browser. You’ll see a new Subscription Library section, with maps categorized by area & biome.
• 250 Image Reveals: These also are for use with the Maps VTT and can be used to reveal specific NPCs or locations for your campaigns. The images are all taken from existing D&D 5E materials.
• 10 Stickers: These digital assets can be dragged and dropped into the maps VTT. The initial batch is themed around Nature and Terrain Features.
• 1 Background: The Pact Seeker background lets you strike a deal with extraplanar entity (without being a Warlock), as well as providing access to a new type of Feat called Planar Pact feats.
• 5 Feats: There are Planar Pact feats: Fey Pact and Infernal Pact. Both give you some of the strength reminiscent of those beings. You’ll also have the option to deepen your connection with General feats that will build upon that pact.
• 5 Spells: This includes Astral Flood, Buzzing Bee, Insidious Rhythm, Leomund’s Lamentable Belaborment and Sticks to SnakesSticks to Snakes.

Final Thoughts

The introduction of D&D Beyond Drops feels like a smart move from Wizards of the Coast and it’s one that fans will likely welcome, given that it provides new content without an added cost to subscribers.

It also speaks to some significant changes on D&D Beyond, with plans for a complete overhaul of the platform and the recent reintroduction of a la carte purchases. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new content Drops in the days ahead. In the meantime, you can download the Day 1 release now from D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Beyond Introduces New Evergreen Content Drops appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In early March 2026, the Peacock TV show Ted (based on the Seth McFarlane movies of the same name) aired an episode that featured the characters playing a high-stakes game of Dungeons & Dragons, with real-life actual play star Brennan Lee Mulligan taking on the role of a drug-dealing Dungeon Master.

As part of this crossover, D&D Beyond has recently released the Ted: Premade Characters pack, which consists of five pre-generated characters based on the episode and designed for D&D 5.5E. You can download the pack now for free on D&D Beyond. Below, we take a closer look at how these legendary Thunder Buddies play at the table.

What was the Ted D&D episode about?

Dungeons & Dealers is the third episode of Season 2 of the Ted television show and aired on March 6th, 2026 on the NBC Peacock online streaming platform. The episode (which takes place in 1993 in the city of Framingham, Massachusetts) follows sixteen-year old John Bennett (played by Max Burkholder) and his loveable, foul mouthed talking teddy bear Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane), both of whom are searching for weed. They soon enlist the help of John’s older sister Blaire (played by Giorgia Whigham) who learns that a local drug dealer may have a hidden stash.

The dealer (played by Brennan Lee Mulligan of Dimension 20 and Critical Role fame) offers to give them the drugs if they’re willing to play in his D&D game, which he’ll DM. Shortly after the begin, however, John and Blaire’s parents Susan and Matty (played by Alanna Ubach and Scott Grimes) arrive and join in the game, thinking it could be a chance for them to spend time together and unaware of the kids’ real reason for playing.

Notably, the episode cuts back and forth between the table and the game world, with each family member taking on a different role in a classic D&D adventuring party.

What’s included in the Ted: Premade Characters pack on D&D Beyond?

The free pack includes five pre-made characters based on the episode (with the descriptions below taken directly from D&D Beyond):

• Blaire the Rogue (Level 3: Human Rogue): A sharp-tongued thief who’s always three steps ahead. She treats every quest like a competition she fully intends to win.​
• John the Wizard (Level 3: Human Wizard): Armed with big spells and confidence, he approaches every problem like it can be solved with a dramatic incantation and a little overthinking.
• Matty the Cleric (Level 3: Human Cleric): Keeping the party alive whether he wants to do so or not. He’s practiced in healing wounds and pretending like he’s not exhausted.​
• Susan the Fighter (Level 3: Human Fighter): A no-nonsense fighter who wants to broker peace before wielding her trusty sword. If she must, she’s mastered the art of combat – especially when her party gets out of line.
• Ted the Bard (Level 3: Halfling Bard): A foul-mouthed bard who believes every battle can be avoided through wit. He thrives on attention, turning the smallest victory into a full- blown performance.​

Final thoughts

The “Dungeons & Dealers” episode of Ted continues to show just how mainstream D&D has become and feels reminiscent of the infamous “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” episode of the Community TV series which aired back in 2011.

It also appears to be an example of the growing D&D franchise model spearheaded by VP Dan Ayoub, as the episode of Ted has officially cross branded with D&D. This involved actor Max Burkholder participating in a one shot with the cast of the new Dungeon Masters actual play and also voicing over a video officially promoting the D&D Beyond platform.

You can pick up the Ted pre-gen characters for yourself now D&D Beyond. Below is also a video from the official Peacock channel showing more details on what the episode includes.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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WizKids is officially heading into the Domains of Dread, with the company recently unveiling a new line of Ravenloft miniatures that tie-in to the upcoming D&D supplement Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

The figures are based on six monsters that will be appearing in the supplement, which themselves are based on creatures created by HP Lovecraft (notably both Cthulhu and a new Mythos-associated Domain of Dread will also be appearing in the book). The sets will be coming out in late 2026, but you can pre-order them now from your local game store, WizKids and Amazon. Below, we take a closer look at these new tiny terrors.

What are the new WizKids Ravenloft D&D Minis?

Two sets have been announced so far, which contain six pre-painted and table useable miniatures for D&D 5.5E. They are as follows:

• Maddening Monsters of Ravenloft: This set includes the Gug (a huge, demonic entity that uses its claws and fangs to tear its victims apart) a Yithian (terrifying beings bent on universal domination and capable of absorbing the minds of other beings) and the Nightgaunt (gargoyle-like creatures that haunt the wilds and swoop down on their prey).
• Eldritch Enemies of Ravenloft: This set includes an Elder Thing (tentacled, alien beings with colonies stretching across countless worlds), a Mi-Go (strange, mantis-like monstrosities that remove the brains from their victims) and a Shoggoth (originally created by the Elder Things for dangerous labor, they now haunt the dark places of the world).

How much are the Ravenloft D&D minis?

Each of the new sets retail for $49.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). That may seem a bit pricey, but it is worth noting that both the Gug and the Elder Thing are larger format minis that come on 50 mm bases (rather than the 25 mm standard size). It’s also not bad considering they’re pre-painted and the sets are comparable in price to other recently released D&D WizKids minis.

When are the Ravenloft D&D minis coming out?

The new Ravenloft minis are scheduled to hit store shelves late 2026 (we’ll update this page with an exact date once it’s been confirmed). Notably, Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is slated for release on June 16th, 2026, so you’ll have to wait a few months to use the figures at your table if you are planning on integrating them into your game.

Final Thoughts

It’s interesting to see that WizKids is focusing entirely on the Lovecraftian monsters featured in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, so we’ll have to wait and see if other creatures from the supplement will also be coming out in the days ahead.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new series and providing a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime you can pre-order them now from local game stores, WizKids and Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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In early March 2026, longtime D&D miniature and accessory maker WizKids announced that their popular HeroClix skirmish game was launching a crossover featuring characters and creatures from the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. D&D HeroClix: Series One is currently slated for release in October 2026 and will include over 60 full individual minis, with several new figures recently being unveiled.

The new figures include a band of adventurers, a mimic, the Red Wizards of Thay and even a giant space hamster. You can pre-order them now from local game stores, WizKids and Amazon. Below, we click into all the details.

What is HeroClix?

HeroClix is miniatures-based tabletop wargame where players build small teams of 3 to 5 figures. One key element that differentiates it from other mini-based skirmish games however is the use of a Combat Dial system located in the base of each figure (a concept first introduced in the Mage Knight miniatures game). This dial tracks all of a character’s vital statistics, such as Speed, Attack and Defense, essentially eliminating the need for any print materials. As a character takes damage from an opponent they “click” the dial clockwise. The rules are relatively simple, with all actions resolved on pre-made, gridded scenario maps that are 35 mm x 35 mm in size.

The game was first published in 2002 by WizKids and over the years has developed a solid fan base, with over 750 million figures sold worldwide. The game has also expanded to include a wide range of pop culture franchises, including expansions for video games like Halo, Street Fighter, and Gears of War as well as popular IPs like Star Trek, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the WWE. Figures come in blind boxes which feature rarity types including: Secret Commons, Primes and extremely rare “Chase” variants.

Notably, Dungeons & Dragons did briefly collaborate with HeroClix for the Eye of the Bolder, Cave of the Owlbears and Den of the Displacer Beast sets, which were released in 2024 and 2025 as part of the HeroClix Iconix line. Each contained a few miniatures and a dice. These were, however, really meant more as collectibles rather than the full expansion for the game that’s now taking place in late 2026 with D&D HeroClix: Series One.

What’s included in the new D&D HeroClix sets?

D&D HeroClix: Series One set will contain 60 different pre-painted miniatures that are designed to be fully compatible with existing HeroClix lines. In terms of rarities, the set includes Secret Commons, Primes and Chase miniatures, the latter of which features new Chromatic Dragon Wyrmlings. Each booster pack contains three regular miniatures, one oversized miniature on a larger combat dial, an object token with its corresponding card and a One-Shot card featuring well-known D&D spells such as Fireball and Magic Missile.

Recently revealed sets include:

• Adventuring Party 1: This includes a Dwarf Monk, Elf Ranger, Halfling Warlock and Gnome Cleric
• Red Wizards of Thay: Inspired by the infamous villains from the Forgotten Realms, this set includes a Zombie, Cultist, Red Wizard and Human Sorceror
• Giant Space Hamster: This oversized mini is based on the bizarre creatures found in the Spelljammer setting (and popularized by the characters Minsc & Boo).
• Tavern Trouble Scenario Pack: This set includes an Elf Wizard, Dwarf Fighter, Gnome Bard and Cask Mimic. It also includes two Scenario cards, terrain marker and a full-color, double-sided map.

How much are the D&D HeroClix sets?

WizKids is releasing the new figures in a standard Booster Brick format, which contains 8 individual boosters and has a suggested retail price $223.92 USD. Individual standard boosters will be going for $34.99 USD, while the larger format figures will retail for $39.99 USD and the Scenario packs will retail for $44.99 USD (with the added price due to the maps, terrain pieces and scenario cards).

When is D&D HeroClix: Series One coming out?

D&D Dragons HeroClix: Series One is scheduled to hit store shelves in October 2026 at which point all 60 figures and associated scenario packs will be available. We’ll update this page with an exact date once it’s been confirmed.

Final Thoughts

WizKids is pretty much synonymous with D&D miniatures, thanks to both their pre-painted figures and unpainted variants (such as the recent Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures). Bringing D&D into their HeroClix system, seems like a no brainer.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new series in the weeks ahead and will share some of the upcoming figures as they’re announced. In the meantime you can pre-order these early sets now from your now from local game stores, WizKids and Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post WizKid Turns Up the Dial on More D&D HeroClix Sets appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

For years, one of the most popular features of D&D Beyond was the ability to purchase digital content “a la carte.” If you only wanted to play a Circle of Stars Druid, for example, you didn’t have to buy all of Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Instead, you could simply drop $1.99 and unlock that specific subclass.

That changed in early 2024 when Wizards of the Coast removed piecemeal purchases, requiring users to buy full digital rulebooks to access a single class, subclass, spell or Feat. Now, however, it seems that WotC is going back to the a la carte option, with D&D Beyond officially introducing Class & Species Starter Packs. It’s a return to smaller, more affordable content chunks for players who don’t want to shell out for a complete book.

Below, we take a closer look at what’s included in these new Starter Packs and what it means for the future of D&D.

What are the Class Starter Packs on D&D Beyond?

For the initial launch of these new a la cart options there are 12 Class Starter Packs (all taken from the core classes featured in the 2024 Player’s Handbook). Each pack contains the class rules for D&D 5.5E, three subclasses (featuring options that aren’t available in the free Basic rules), seven Feats and two Species taken from the 2022 sourcebook Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. Each pack also includes a. pre-made Level 3 character and bonus digital dice associated with that particular class. Specific details are as follows:

• Bard Starter Pack: Includes the College of Dance, Glamour and Valor subclasses alongside the Charlatan and Entertainer backgrounds and seven Feats such as Actor and Musician. The two species are the Hobgoblin and Satyr, and the pack includes the Aurora Borealis Digital Dice Set.
• Barbarian Starter Pack: Includes the Path of the Wild Heart, World Tree and Zealot subclasses, the Entertainer and Farmer backgrounds, and seven Feats such as Sentinel and Mage Slayer. The two species are the Bugbear and Goblin, and the pack includes the Elder Flame Digital Dice Set.
• Cleric Starter Pack: Includes the Domain of Light, Trickery and War subclasses, the Guard and Hermit backgrounds, and seven specialized Feats, such as War Caster and Shield Master. The collection is rounded out by the Githzerai and Tortle species, along with the Mythic Digital Dice Set.

• Druid Starter Pack: Includes the Circle of the Moon, Sea and Stars subclasses, the Farmer and Guide backgrounds, and seven Feats such as Chef and Ritual Caster. The two species are the Eladrin and Triton, and the pack includes the Flourishing Digital Dice Set.
• Fighter Starter Pack: Includes the Battle Master, Eldritch Knight and Psi Warrior subclasses alongside the Guard and Sailor backgrounds, plus seven Feats such as Great Weapon Master and Tavern Brawler. The two species are the Duergar and Minotaur, and the pack includes the Red Dragon Digital Dice Set.
• Monk Starter Pack: Includes the Warrior of Mercy, Shadow and Elements subclasses alongside the Guide and Hermit backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Tavern Brawler and Mage Slayer. The two species are the Harengon and Lizardfolk, and the pack includes the Sanguine Digital Dice Set.

• Paladin Starter Pack: Includes the Oath of Glory, Ancients and Vengeance subclasses alongside the Artisan and Noble backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Mounted Combatant and Sentinel. The two species are the Aarakocra and Githyanki, and the pack includes the Scholar’s Dice Digital Dice Set.
• Ranger Starter Pack: Includes the Beast Master, Fey Wanderer and Gloom Stalker subclasses alongside the Sailor and Scribe backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Sharpshooter and Crossbow Expert. The two species are the Centaur and Sea Elf, and the pack includes the Space Guppy Digital Dice Set.
• Rogue Starter Pack: Includes the Arcane Trickster, Assassin and Soul Knife subclasses alongside the Artisan and Wayfarer backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Poisoner and Skulker. The two species are the Deep Gnome and Tabaxi, and the pack includes the Leather Armor Digital Dice Set.

• Sorcerer Starter Pack: Includes the Aberrant Sorcery, Clockwork Sorcery and Wild Magic Sorcery subclasses alongside the Charlatan and Merchant backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Elemental Adept and Spell Sniper. The two species are the Fairy and Kenku, and the pack includes the Researcher’s Dice Digital Dice Set.
• Warlock Starter Pack: Includes the Archfey Patron, Celestial Patron and Great Old One Patron subclasses alongside the Merchant and Wayfarer backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Shadow Touched and Spell Sniper. The two species are the Kobold and Yuan-ti, and the pack includes the Cauldron Digital Dice Set.
• Wizard Starter Pack: Includes the Abjurer, Diviner and Illusionist subclasses alongside the Noble and Scribe backgrounds and seven Feats, such as Keen Mind and Telekinetic. The two species are the Firbolg and Shadar-Kai, and the pack includes the Archmage’s Favor Digital Dice Set.

What Species Starter Packs are available on D&D Beyond?

Each of these packs will feature a unique species that isn’t included in the free D&D 5.5E basic rules and is not in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. As of this writing, there is only one of these products available on D&D Beyond, which is entitled the Eberron: Species Pack. It uses content from the 2025 sourcebook, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer.

This new pack includes complete D&D 5.5E rules for five species: the Changeling, Kalashtar, Khoravar, Shifter and Warforged. It also includes The Airships of Eberron Digital Dice Set.

How much are the Starter Packs?

Each of the Class and Species Starter Packs retails for $4.99 USD on D&D Beyond, which seems reasonable for new players who haven’t necessarily picked up the 2024 PHB and don’t want to shell out $50 for the hardcover of $30 for the digital version.

Final thoughts

While these new D&D Beyond Starter Packs aren’t a total return to the “buy-anything” model of the past, they feel like a smart move on the part of the Wizards of the Coast. Of course, it’s hard to tell just how large of a market this actually is, given that the D&D 5.5E rules are now over two years old, so this may be a case of too-little-too-late, even if it is a good idea.

It also remains to be see if WotC will introduce similar Starter Packs for existing products (such as the recent Heroes of Faerûn supplement) or for upcoming products. For example, it would be fantastic to be able to pick and choose specific subclasses or species from the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead. In the meantime, you can check out the initial run of 13 Starter Packs now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New Starter Packs Bring A La Carte Purchases Back to D&D Beyond appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

The virtual dungeons of D&D Beyond are about to get a little more colorful (and tastefully furnished) thanks to a brand new product. The Tom Cartos: Essentials Stickers Bundle features over over 1,200 drag-and-drop digital assets for use with the Maps VTT, covering everything from weapons and vehicles, to traps and treasure chests. Notably, the set is based on four existing digital sticker packs, each of which is associated with a specific environment, but the bundle is available for the first time now on D&D Beyond.

As the name suggests, all of the digital stickers have been designed by Tom Cartos, who is best known for his third-party TTRPG battlemaps and art assets. It marks yet another collaboration between Wizards of the Coast and external creators, while also continuing WotC’s larger promotion of the growing Maps VTT platform.

So are these stickers worth slapping on your players? Below, we peel back all the details.

What is the Tom Cartos: Essentials Stickers Bundle?

The bundle is a collection for D&D Beyond that contains almost 1,300 digital “stickers” hand-drawn by designer Tom Cartos. These range from dungeon dressings such as furniture and equipment to more complex objects like siege engines and sailing ship. The assets are specifically designed for drag-and-drop use with the D&D Beyond Maps VTT, and can be resized, rotated and quickly switched out, allowing DMs to create dynamic scenes, such lighting a town or fire springing a trap.

The bundle is organized into four themed packs (each of which is also sold separately on D&D Beyond):

• Bandits & Brigands: This collection features watchtowers, walls, and palisades; chests, cages, and barrels; tents, beds, and furnishings; banners, pelts, and totems; and various weapons, armor and equipment.
• Castles & Keeps: The library includes trebuchets, battering rams, and siege engines; crates, barrels, and pots; weapons, armor, and shields; regal beds, tables, and furnishings; and torture devices, cages and chains.
• Tombs, Traps & Temples: The selection features traps, puzzles, and levers; tombs, crypts, and coffins; relics, statues, and shrines; treasure, statues, and chests; and ruined walls and pillars.
• Transport & Travel: This pack offers sailboats, barges, and rafts; wagons, carts, and trailers; tents and camping gear; cannons, anchors, and cranes; plus shipwreck debris.

Who is Tom Cartos?

Tom Cartos is a professional cartographer and artist specializing in tabletop RPG battlemaps and digital assets (most of which are flexible enough to be used for just about any VTT and fantasy-themed TTRPG). Cartos actually comes from a background in architecture and set design, but over the past five years has become a prominent figure in the TTRPG community, primarily through social media and his Patreon. During that time he’s produced a library of more than 3,500 hand-drawn maps.

Cartos’ work is characterized by high detail and modularity, often providing “unfurnished” versions of maps that allow DMs to customize the layouts. He’s also developed a wide range of other TTRPG assets, including custom tokens and a collection of one-shot adventures for D&D 5E, all of which have been well received by the community. The fact that Cartos’ work has been selected for D&D Beyond speaks to just how widespread and influential he’s become.

How much is the Tom Cartos: Essentials Stickers Bundle ?

The bundle is currently sells on D&D Beyond for $24.99 USD. Notably, each pack sells separately on D&D Beyond for $6.99 USD, so getting the bundle works out to a savings of about 10% (or roughly $3 USD).

It’s worth noting, however, that the stickers are exclusively for use within the D&D Beyond Maps environment and are not available for download as image files or VTT assets that can be used with platforms like Roll20, Foundry or Fantasy Grounds.

Final thoughts

Over the past year, we’ve seen an increased focus from Wizards of the Coast on the D&D Beyond Maps VTT (particularly after the colalpse of the much-touted Sigil VTT). Bringing in digital assets from a well regarded designer like Tom Cartos feels like a smart way to both expand what Maps can deliver, while also reaching a much wider audience who might not already be aware of his excellent work.

You can pick up the Tom Cartos: Essentials Stickers Bundle now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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The Mists of Ravenloft are rising once again, thanks in large part to Wizards of the Coast’s recently introduced D&D Seasons. This new initiative features three month periods focused around a unique theme designed to promote new products and organized play events. Kicking off the new program is the Season of Horror, which officially started in April with the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook as its centerpiece.

So just what can fans expect now that the mists have parted and were well into the Season of Horror? Below, we break out all the terrifying details.

When does the D&D Season of Horror take place?

The Season of Horror officially runs from April through June 2026. This does seem a bit odd given that Halloween and early fall would have been more a suitable period of time for horror, but key dates include:

• April 13th: Pre-orders open for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.
• June 2nd: Early Access to Horrors Within for D&D Beyond Master Tier subscribers.
• June 9th: Early Access to Horrors Within for D&D Beyond Hero Tier subscribers.
• June 16th: Wide global release for all Season of Horror products.

What D&D products will be included in the Season of Horror?

So far we have confirmation on four official products that will be linked to the season.

• Ravenloft: The Horrors Within: A new player and DM-facing sourcebook with new lore and character options for the Domains of Dread.
• Tarokka Deck: An updated 60-card deck used for in-game fortune-telling and procedural quest generation.
• DM Screen: Featuring new Ravenloft art and quick-reference tables for horror mechanics like Fear and Stress.
• Map Pack: Five double-sided poster maps that tie in to the The Horrors Within.
• Strahd Silver Edition Box Set: Beadle & Grimm’s is also releasing a deluxe box set version of The Horrors Within that includes bonus content, maps, accessories and player hand outs.
• D&D Horrified Ravenloft: An expansion for the popular D&D Horrified board game, this expansion will be released in July (a few weeks after the Season ends), but is available for pre-order now.
• WizKids Ravenloft miniatures: While full details have not yet been revealed, WizKids has confirmed that they will be releasing a pack of pre-painted minis inspired The Horrors Within (including a new figure based on Cthulhu).

What D&D events will be taking place during the Season of Horror?

• D&D Encounters: This is a new version of a program that was previously run in the early days of D&D fifth edition, with local game stores provided with free adventure material they can run on a weekly basis (although notably, this material will also be made available online for use at home). Each Encounter is a short, three-hour, low level adventures that can accommodate 20 players at one time. Stores will also be given awards for players and DMs. Game stores who are members of the Wizards Play Network (WPN) and part of the early access program will be able run D&D Encounters from June 5-14, 2026. Stores without early access, however, won’t be able to D&D Encounters until June 19-28, 2026.
• Dungeon Masters: This new official D&D actual play series is also part of the Season of Horror as it takes place in Ravenloft and uses content taken from the new Horrors Within supplement. In addition, the show will also release weekly “Play-Along-Packs” (such as the Zombie Clot pack), which is based on monsters, events and NPCs from the show.

Final Thoughts

As the Mists recede in late June, D&D will transition immediately into the Season of Magic, which runs from July to September and is anchored by the Arcana Unleashed sourcebook and the Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall adventure. In the meantime,, you’ll want to sharpen your stakes and prepare your silvered weapons as the Season of Horror approaches.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on updates around D&D events and new products days ahead and will update this page with new information as it becomes available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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The post The New D&D Season of Horror Is Officially Underway appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

At this year’s annual GAMA Expo in early March, Wizards of the Coast VP Dan Ayoub officially introduced the concept of D&D Seasons; a new marketing strategy in which official books, accessories, local game store activities and organized play events will be all focused around a single theme for a three or four month period.

The goal is to generate buzz around a specific key product and create a stronger sense of community and connectivity among the D&D playerbase. Since that time, we’ve already started the first official D&D Season of Horror, with other seasons coming up fast. More recently, as part of the annual Game Store Week, Wizards of the Coast unveiled even more information on what fans can expect, particularly when it comes to in-store promotions, breaking out the three “phases” associated with the events.

So just what can fans expect now that D&D Seasons are upon us? Below, we take a closer look at all the details.

What are the D&D Seasons for 2026?

Each D&D Season will take place over 3 to 4 months, with a major book release serving as the centerpiece. As a larger marketing event, however, a season is broken down into three phases:

• Preview phase: This kicks off when the season’s products are revealed and preorder opens
• Celebration phase: This happens when a product hits shelves and retailers runs adventures from the recently restarted D&D Encounters program (although notably, these adventures will also be made available for use online and at home). Encounters can technically be scheduled the first weekend after a season begins and each session involves short, three-hour, low level adventures that can accommodate 20 players at one time. Stores will also be given awards for players and DMs.
• Play phase: This involves retailers running weekly play sessions for D&D Encounters. Wizards of the Coast will provide stores with enough content for four weeks of adventures via a digital play kit. Stores in select regions can also receive physical play kits (limited to 1,000 copies in total). Each kit contains five printed copies of all the D&D Encounters seasonal adventure material, 25 premade characters, five printed tactical maps, player rewards for up to 25 players, rewards for up to 5 DMs and printed instructions for the store organizer.

With these phases in mind, the specific Seasons for the remainder of 2026 are as follows:

• Season of Horror: Running from April to June 2026, the season will be anchored by the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement (which is being released on June 16th). Supporting products will include a new Tarokka card deck, DM Screen and Map Pack, all of which are tied to Ravenloft. The first campaign of the new Dungeon Masters actual play series also ties in as it takes place in Ravenloft using the Horrors Within and will featuring official Play-Along Packs (such as the recently released Zombie Clot pack). Game stores who are members of the Wizards Play Network (WPN) and part of the early access program will be able run D&D Encounters from June 5-14, 2026. Stores without early access, however, won’t be able to D&D Encounters until June 19-28, 2026.
• Season of Magic: Running from July to September 2026, the season will be anchored by Arcana Unleashed and its companion adventure Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall. Supporting products will include D&D Reference Card Decks, all tied to the high-magic themes introduced in the books. Organized Play events will also be held which link back to the materials.
• Season of Champions: Running from October to December 2026, the season will be anchored by a major product that has yet to be announced (some speculation is that it could be a new Dark Sun book, given that we’ve seen recent Unearthed Arcana playtest material that’s focused on the world of Athas).

Wizards of the Coast has also announced that the D&D Legends of Greyhawk organized play program (which is typically run at conventions by Baldman Games) will also be linked to the D&D Seasons (although it’s not yet clear how this will work).

Final Thoughts

The concept of D&D Seasons is something we’ve never really seen before with the game, and it feels like a step in the right direction in terms of building community among fans and offering more than just one-off product releases. Whether fans embrace these Seasons and the strategy pays off, however, remains to be seen.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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A new line of official Dungeons & Dragons terrain has just been unveiled by Wizards of the Coast and wargaming accessory maker Archon Studio (creators of the popular Dungeons & Lasers line). The terrain is designed for use at the table with standard miniatures and comes fully pre-painted. The first set is focused on the Underdark and includes walls, ledges, a bridge and the ruins of a Drow outpost, all of which can be assembled in a variety of different ways. It will be coming out in early June, but you can pre-order it now from your local game store, Archon Studio and on Amazon.

It’s a surprising collaboration, as while there are officially licensed Dungeons & Dragons miniatures from companies like WizKids, in reent years we haven’t really seen any official D&D terrain. Below, we assemble all the details.

What’s included in the new D&D Terrain?

In a blog post on the Archon Studio website, the company notes that they’ll be releasing a complete line of official Dungeons & Dragons terrain, starting with the Underdark. Each piece of terrain will be manufactured using their PrismaCast technology, which is an advanced form of UV printing that uses high-quality HIPS plastic.

All of the sets will be pre-painted, scratch-resistant and feature a “Dock & Lock” modular system that allows pieces to be quickly and easily connected. In the blog post, Archon also notes that “as an official Dungeons & Dragons product, it is designed to match the current D&D universe and upcoming releases.” So it’s possible we’ll see set that do tie in to future official D&D products.

The first Underdark set in Archon’s new D&D terrain line includes the following pieces, which can be assembled in a variety of different ways:

• 14 × Single floor
• 4 × U-wall
• 8 × Curved wall
• 4 × Single wall
• 4 × Short wall
• 11 × Corner
• 14 × Ledge
• 8 × Ledge Inner Corner
• 1 × Bridge (25 pieces)
• 1 × Drow Ruin (28 pieces)

How much is the new D&D Terrain?

The Underdark set will retail for $139 USD (not including shipping and handling). That’s actually not a bad price point considering that the set is pre-painted, comes with a decent amount of pieces and uses the official D&D license.

When will the new D&D Terrain be available?

The first Underdark set will be released on June 9th, 2026, at which point you should be able to order in online and from local game stores that carry Archon Studio products.

Final thoughts

It’s interesting to see Wizards of the Coast working with a brand like Archon Studios to create official D&D terrain. From the initial images, the design looks great and the price point is surprisingly competitive (especially compared to more expensive terrain products like Dwarven Forge). The only limitation is that it is focused on the Underdark, although some of the pieces do look modular enough that you can repurpose them for a general dungeon environment.

It remains to be seen, however, just how well this new terrain plays at the table (we’ll try and get our hands on a set to do a complete deep dive review closer to launch). In the meantime, you can pre-order the new Underdark set now from your local game store, Archon Studio and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Recently, publisher Penguin Random House announced that they were releasing a new line of Baldur’s Gate 3 books, inspired by the poplar video. The first is a new novel entitled Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion, written by New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher (the pen name of noted fantasy and horror author Ursula Vernon).

The book will be a prequel to the events from the BG3 video game, following Astarion during his formative period under the control of the vampire lord Cazador Szarr. The novel will be released in late September 2026, but you can pre-order it now from your local book store, game store and on Amazon. Below, we sink our teeth into all the details.

What is Baldur’s Gate 3 Astarion about?

The new novel by T. Kingfisher is 288 pages in length and follows the roguish and sarcastic vampire spawn Astarion Ancunin as he seeks to break free from centuries of servitude under the control of his cruel master, the vampire lord Cazador Szarr. When a twisted competition offers a rare chance at freedom, Astarion embarks on a treacherous quest beneath the streets of Baldur’s Gate to secure the legendary blood of a dead god.

To succeed, he must defy his master’s wishes and forge an unlikely alliance with Hahn den Suriel, a golden-eyed Aasimar paladin who challenges Astarion’s cynical nature. Risking a second death for the sake of his freedom, Astarion must navigate a web of betrayal and forbidden attraction to finally end his long-standing nightmare.

Notably, the book takes place several years before the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, and fleshes out the character with new lore that hasn’t been explored before in any official materials.

While the book is written by T. Kingfisher, in a press release Penguin Random House notes that it was developed in consultation with Larian’s Stephen Rooney, who was one of the senior writers of Baldur’s Gate 3 and instrumental in creating Astarion.

The press release also notes that an audiobook version of the novel will be narrated by actor Neil Newbon, who provided both the voice and motion capture for the character of Astarion in the BG3 video game (and has reprised the character in several D&D actual plays).

Who is author T. Kingfisher?

T. Kingfisher s the pen name of American author and illustrator Ursula Vernon, who is best known for work in fantasy and horror. Her novel Nettle & Bone won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2023, and she has also been the receipient of the Nebula, Locus, and Mythopoeic Awards.

Beyond her darker adult fiction, as Ursula Vernon she has written a number of books for young readers, including the popular Dragonbreath and Hamster Princess series,

How much is Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion novel?

The hardcover version of the novel will retail for $30 USD, while the Kindle version will sell for $14.99 USD. An Audiobook version will also be released on Audible for around $25 USD.

When will the Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion novel be released?

The book will be officially available on September 29th, 2026, at which point you should be able to find it at most online and physical book retailers.

Who is Astarion?

Astarion Ancunín is a high-elf rogue and vampire spawn from the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game. For two centuries he served the sadistic vampire lord Cazador Szarr, until he was abducted by mind flayers and infected with an illithid tadpole. Ironically, that affliction also lets him ignore some classic vampire limitations, such as sunlight, running water and crossing thresholds uninvited. Since the release of BG3, Astarion has quickly become a fan favorite companion, thanks in no small part to the performance of voice actor Neil Newbon.

Outside of Baldur’s Gate 3, Astarion has appeared in a variety of other Dungeons & Dragons media. Most notably, Neil Newbon revived the character in an actual play session featuring the cast of BG3 which took place at Magic Con Chicago in 2025. Astarion also made an easter egg apperance in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.

More recently, he was also the star of the D&D 5.5E supplement Astarion’s Book of Hungers, which was released in November 2025 as an D&D Beyond digital exclusive, and featured a variety of adventures and player character options that specifically tie-in to the titular vampire spawn.

What other D&D novels have been recently released?

While we haven’t seen the same volume of Dungeons & Dragons books that once existed in the 1990s, over the past few years we have still seen a number of new releases, including:

• Dragonlance: Dragons of Deceit (August 2022)
• Dragonlance: Dragons of Fate (August 2023)
• Dragonlance: Dragons of Eternity (August 2024)
• The Fallbacks: Bound for Ruin (March 2024)
• Spelljammer: Memory’s Wake (June 2024)
• Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd (May 2025)
• The Fallbacks: Dealing with Dragons (July 2025)
• The Finest Edge of Twilight (October 2025)
• The Feywild Job (June 2026)

Final Thoughts

Astarion remains one of the most popular characters from Baldur’s Gate 3 (if not the most popular). In recent years, he seems to have become even more of a star, spawning his own D&D supplement, high-end toys and actual play appearances. So it’s only fitting that he also get his own novel. Whether this new books lives up to the legendary bloodsucker, however, remains to be seen.

We’ll be doing a complete review of the new novel closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion now from your local book store, game store and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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The post Astarion is Getting His Own Baldur’s Gate 3 Prequel Novel appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Publisher Penguin Random House just announced a series of four new books based on the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game franchise and the larger Dungeons & Dragons universe. The titles (which will be released by four different publishing imprints over the remainder of 2026), include a new novel starring the vampire spawn Astarion, a notebook inspired by an iconic BG3 magic item, a coloring book and a cook book.

The titles will also be the first wave of a new line up of Baldur’s Gate 3 fiction and non-fiction titles, with additional books planned for 2027. The announcement shows just how popular the BG3 video game remains, despite the fact that it’s now almost three years old. Below, we take a closer look at these new literary take on a D&D classic.

What new Baldur’s Gate 3 books are coming out?

The four BG3 books coming in 2026 from Penguin Random House are as follows:

Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion

Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion is a novel written by New York Times bestselling fantasy author T. Kingfisher (a pen name for author Ursula Vernon). A prequel to the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, the book will follow Astarion during his time in servitude to the vampire lord Cazador Szarr. Notably, Stephen Rooney, one of the senior writers of Baldur’s Gate 3, was consulted on the story and the audiobook will be narrated by actor Neil Newbon (who voiced Astarion in the game).

The book will be released September 29th, 2026, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon.

Baldur’s Gate 3: The Necromancy of Thay Notebook

Baldur’s Gate 3: The Necromancy of Thay is a blank, grid-paper notebook that is meant to be an accurate reproduction of the Necromancy of Thay; an important story-driven quest item found in the game. The notebook will feature an embossed skull on the cover, foil stamping and illustrated “clasps” on the sides.

It will be released on July 21, 2026, but you can order it now on Amazon.

The Official Baldur’s Gate 3 Coloring Book 

The Official Baldur’s Gate 3 Coloring Book features 40 black-and-white line drawings of characters, creatures and locations from the game. Notably, all of the illustrations are by artist Jaki King (creator of the webcomic Ladykillers).

The coloring book will be released on August 11th, 2026, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon

 A Feast for a Tenday: The Official Baldur’s Gate Cookbook

A Feast for a Tenday: The Official Baldur’s Gate Cookbook features 65 recipes organized by course and camp location. The book will also have original chapter-opener illustrations and 45 photographs of the various dishes. It’s also written by longtime Wizards of the Coast contributor Andrew Wheeler, who helped pen the D&D Young Adventurer’s Series and the D&D Puncheon’s and Flagons cocktail recipe book.

The cookbook will be released on November 3rd, 2026, but you can pre-order it now on Amazon

Final thoughts

It’s amazing that several years after it first arrived, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains as a popular as ever. In fact, we’ve recently see news surrounding a potential Baldur’s Gate TV series along with a BG4 sequel also officially announced by Wizards of the Coast. Whether these new titles live up to fan expectations, however, remains to be seen.

We’ll be doing a complete review of these books as they’re released, so stay tuned for more information.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Something wicked this way comes from Wizards of the Coast, with the publisher releasing yet another Unearthed Arcana D&D leaning into the Chaotic Evil side of things. Entitled Villainous Options 2, this latest playtest is a follow-up to the first Villainous Options which was released on April 2nd, 2026 and featured four new subclasses along with the Path of the Lich and Path of the Death Knight options. This new playtest pack contains three additional new subclasses that skew towards the sinister and which have not appeared in any previous editions of Dungeons & Dragons.

As with the first Villainous Options UA, it’s not clear clear what upcoming D&D sourcebook the materials will be appearing in (although our bet is that it will be a new version of The Book of Vile Darkness). Below, we take a closer look at all the demented details.

What’s included in the new Villainous Options playtest?

The new UA contains three new subclasses as follows:

• Path of Lament (Barbarian): Barbarians of this Path channel deep emotional trauma and haunting memories into a supernatural fury, often gaining gifts from beyond the grave. The Banshee’s Wail feature for example, allows you to emit a doleful cry while Raging that inflicts psychic damage and the Deafened condition on nearby enemies. At higher levels, you can use Horrifying Strike to frighten foes or utilize Otherworldly Anguish to instantly drop low-health targets to 0 Hit Points. Finally, the Sorrow Form feature transforms you into an Undead being immune to exhaustion, allowing you to drain the life from those you strike to heal yourself.
• Warrior of Venom (Monk): These strange monks can harness their own internal toxicity to poison enemies through touch or blood. A key feature is Envenom Weapon, which allows you to expend Focus Points to coat weapons in toxins that slow enemies or deal extra poison damage. TheToxic Touch feature further expands your arsenal, allowing you to inflict conditions like Unconscious, Charmed or even force a creature to tell the truth via magical toxins. Upon reaching higher levels, you also gain immunity to poison and access to the Toxic Blood feature that harms those who strike you in melee, while Hallucinogenic Breath allows you to send enemies fleeing in terror.
• Primordial Patron (Warlock): Drawing power from the Inner Planes, these Warlocks act as heralds for ancient forces such as the dreaded Elemental Princes. A core mechanic is Elemental Node, a sphere of magic that deals element-specific damage and can be moved across the battlefield as a Bonus Action. At higher levels, you can access the Elemental Haven feature, which grants you an AC bonus and the ability to teleport into your node. Finally, the Elemental Harbinger feature allows you to pull enemies into your node’s vortex and summon powerful Patrons using the Planar Ally spell without expending a spell slot.

Final Thoughts

In recent years we’ve seen some unusual Unearthed Arcana playtests, but none that have offered the kind of evil player-facing options as these latest. two packages. Between the two Villainous Options UAs, we now have seven subclasses (covering the Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Sorcerer and Warlock) so chances are we’ll see at least one more packet that includes the Artificer, Bard, Paladin Ranger and Wizard.

In the meantime, you can check out the three new subclasses via the Unearthed Arcana page or download the PDF directly. Player feedback opens on April 30th, 2026.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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Longtime D&D production artist and social media influencer Meagan Kenreck was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and has just launched a GoFundMe to help offset the costs of her extensive treatments. Kenreck has been an employee of Wizards of the Coast for the past five years, working primarily as a graphic designer on a number of D&D products. In addition, she has also starred in several D&D actual play series and producing online videos focused on the TTRPG space. She is also the wife of former Wizards of the Coast videographer and popular D&D content creator Todd Kenreck.

The crowdfunder will help the Kenrecks (who are based in the Seattle, Washington area) to offset the costs of doctor appointments, MRIs, biopsies, consultations and medication. The campaign has already had the backing of a number of fans and major D&D influencers and celebrities, including Critical Role’s Matt Mercer. The costs for cancer treatment in the US, however, can easily stretch into hundreds of thousands of dollars or more (even with insurance), so the support here is definitely needed

You can sign up now to support the Kenrecks on GoFundMe.

Who is Meagan Kenreck?

Meagan Kenreck is a graphic designer and artist who has had a significant impact on D&D and the TTRPG industry as a whole. Her career includes a tenure working as a production artist at Wizards of the Coast, where she contributed to both Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering.

In addition to her behind-the-scenes design work, Kenreck is a popular online personality within the D&D streaming community. She frequently participates in actual plays, podcasts and videos, often collaborating with her husband, prominent D&D content creator Todd Kenreck. Over the years, the Kenrecks have launched several video series, including the well-regarded “Meagan & Todd on D&D.” Both Kenrecks also starred in the 2022 official D&D actual play series Legends of the Multiverse, with DM Brennan Lee Mulligan and players including Deborah Ann Woll, Aabria Iyengar , B. Dave Walters and Gina Darling.

Final Thoughts

The need to turn to crowdfunding to offset medical costs has become a sad reality for millions of Americans. Yet if the D&D community has taught us anything, it’s that it’s always willing to rally around those in need.

You can learn more and support Meagan and Todd Kenreck now on GoFundMe.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Help D&D Artist Meagan Kenreck in Her Battle With Breast Cancer appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast has just released a free adventure on D&D Beyond as a tie in to their new actual play series. Entitled the Dungeon Masters: Zombie Clot Play-Along Pack, it features a short standalone encounter inspired by the first episode of the new show. It also offers a sneak peek at two news monster stat blocks that will be featured in the upcoming sourcebook Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

This marks the first of several new Play-Along Packs that will be released in the coming weeks as tie-ins to episodes of the Dungeon Masters actual play (although future packs will require you to pre-order The Horrors Within on D&D Beyond to be able to access them). In the meantime, you can snag the new zombie clot encounter for free on D&D Beyond. Below, we rip apart all the details.

What’s included in the Dungeon Masters: Zombie Clot Play-Along Pack?

The new play pack is designed for level 5 characters and takes place in Sithicus, the Ravenloft Domain of Dread ruled by the Darklord Soth of Dragonlance fame. The encounter kicks off in the village of Hroth, which is facing an undead outbreak after a local doctor attempted to resurrect his family using a nearby magical bog.

The encounter involves a bit of social interaction along with combat and can be wrapped up in an hour or so. It includes a map that’s designed to be used with the D&D Beyond Maps VTT, along with general DM notes. It also includes stat blocks for two new monsters that will be included in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. They are the Zombie Clot ( A huge undead entity formed from a rotting corpses) and a Swarm of Zombie Limbs (a collection of independent, reanimated appendages).

Notably, the material in the Play-Along-Pack is inspired by concepts created by Dungeon Masters series DM Jasmine Bhullar, with the first two episodes having just aired on April 22nd, 2026.

Final Thoughts

It’s interesting to see Wizards of the Coast finally rolling the dice on it’s own D&D actual play series and including bonus playable content feels like a smart move. It also seems to tie-in nicely to the new D&D franchise model, with fans also able to get a preview of new content coming out in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

You can check out the Dungeon Masters: Zombie Clot Play-Along Pack for yourself now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Free Dungeon Masters Zombie Adventure Shambles Onto D&D Beyond appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragons will soon be returning to the Domains of Dread with Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, a new player and DM-facing supplement coming out in June and available for pre-order now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

A major part of the book, however, is the inclusion of seven new Ravenloft subclasses, all of which are steeped in horror. One of these new entries is the Hollow Warden Ranger, a terrifying wanderer of the wilds who can tap into the darker forces of nature to transform their body into an unspeakable killing machine. It’s an interesting concept and one we haven’t really seen before in D&D 5E.

So are these new wretched Rangers worth venturing into the deep woods with? Below, we track down all the details.

What is a Hollow Warden Ranger?

Hollow Warden Rangers are mysterious and rarely seen figures who haunt the deepest and darkest corners of the wilds. These relentless hunters draw their power from unspeakable, bloodthirsty entities of thorn, bark and root who dwell within the fallow soil of these forgotten places. A Hollow Warden Ranger’s communion with these beings allows them to literally transform their bodies, granting them razor sharp claws, bark-like hides and a terrifying, otherworldly presence. They use these abilities to take on anyone foolish enough to try and enter their shadowy domains.

It’s essentially a folk horror take on the classic Ranger trope from D&D, moving away from the typical defender of the wild and instead tapping into a darker part of nature steeped in decay, death and rot.

What are the main features of the Hollow Warden Ranger?

Below are all the features that the new subclass is given. Please note that this information is taken from the Horror Subclasses Unearthed Arcana playtest which was released in May 2025, so some of these Features may change when Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is finally released (we’ll update this page with a complete list once the book is available).

Level 3: Hollow Warden Spells

When you reach a Ranger level specified in the Hollow Warden Spells table, you thereafter always have the listed spell prepared.

Level 3: Wrath of the Wild

You draw on the strange and ancient horrors of the land for power. When you cast Hunter’s Mark, you transform, gaining the following benefits for the duration of the spell:

Ancient Armor. You gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1). Your body is wreathed in rotten bark or beastly bristles.

Unnerving Aura. When an enemy starts its turn within a 10-foot Emanation originating from you, it makes a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, it can take either an action or a Bonus Action on this turn, not both. Your shadow lengthens and twists around you, or you sprout unnatural growths like bloody antlers or putrid fangs.

Level 7: Hungering Might

You gain a bonus to Constitution saving throws equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1).

In addition, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack roll while you are transformed using Wrath of the Wild, you regain a number of Hit Points equal to 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier, provided you are Bloodied when you hit.

Level 11: Rot and Violence

Your dedication to eldritch forest beings alters you further. When transformed using Wrath of the Wild, you gain the following additional benefits:

Eerie Aura. When a creature fails its saving throw against your Unnerving Aura, it also takes Necrotic, Poison, or Psychic damage (your choice) equal to your Ranger level. This damage ignores Resistance.

Strangling Roots. When you hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon, you can activate the Sap or Slow mastery property in addition to a different mastery property you’re using with that weapon.

Level 15: Ancient Endurance

You become wholly suffused with the forest’s ancient power, granting you the following benefits:

Persistent Hunt. If you drop to 0 Hit Points while transformed using Wrath of the Wild and don’t die outright, you can expend a level 4+ spell slot (no action required). Your Hit Points then instead change to an amount equal to five times the level of the spell slot expended.

Timeless. You have Immunity to the Exhaustion condition.

Is the Hollow Warden Ranger worth playing?

The concept of the Hollow Warden Ranger is definitely an interesting one, and the idea of gaining powers from dark and bloodthirsty woodland entities has a ton of roleplaying potential. That being said, the actual mechanics feel a little shallow and uninspired, highlighting a lot of the problems that already exist with D&D 5.5E Ranger (namely an over reliance on Hunter’s Mark). The end result is a subclass that offers a bit of an AC buff and the ability to frighten enemies, but doesn’t feel like it packs much of a punch otherwise. Of course, it’s possible, that we may some tweaks before the new subclass is finally released into the wild, but for now it definitely feels more than a little hollow.

You’ll soon be able to see the new subclasses for yourself in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is coming out in June and available for pre-order now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D’s New Hollow Warden Ranger is An All-Natural Nightmare appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In yet another unusual collaboration for the Dungeons & Dragons brand, popular energy drink company Sneak has announced that they’re working with Wizards of the Coast to create a new official D&D energy drink. This marks another major collaboration between Sneak and Hasbro, with the two brands recently unveiling a new series of Transformers-themed beverages.

The new line up of D&D energy drinks, however, is slated for release in October 2026, with official flavors and packaging designs to be released in the next few months. Below, we crack open and chug down all the details.

What are Sneak Energy Drinks?

Sneak is a UK-based brand that produces a line of low-calorie energy drinks that allegedly increase focus and alertness without the typical crash associated with sugar-heavy beverages. The drinks contain natural caffeine along with a wide range of vitamins and minerals. They’re also usually sold in powdered form inside plastic containers, although they have also released some canned beverages.

First launched in 2018, the company has since grown in popularity (particularly among the video game community) and has done a number of collaborations with major IPs, including most recently launching a series of drinks as a tie-in to the new season of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again TV show on Disney+. In September 2025, the company also released their Rings of the Elderbunny line, which was inspired by Lord of the Rings, D&D and the fantasy genre as a whole and also featured tie-in products such as a a wizard-themed drink shaker and a computer mousepad shaped like a fantasy map.

What are the new Sneak D&D Energy Drinks?

So far, details have not yet been released as to what flavors will be included in the collaboration and what the final product will look like. We do know that they will be released in October and will likely be in the usual powder and will Sneak’s iconic bunny mascot as well as the official D&D logo.

Sneak and Wizards of the Coast are expected to make a larger announcement sometime by the end of this spring (we’ll update this page once we know more).

Have there been any previous D&D Energy Drinks?

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first energy drink to feature the D&D brand. In fact, in 2024 Boston America Corp (which produces a wide range of branded beverages and candy) produced a cherry lime energy drink known as the Dungeons & Dragons Hero’s Potion of Power.

These particular drinks were sold in two-packs and featured the new iconic “Ancient Red” painting by Larry Elmore from the 1983 D&D Basic box set.

Final thoughts

In recent years, we’ve seen some pretty odd D&D brand collaborations, including officially licensed Hawaiian shirts, mystery meats, press on nails and beer, so adding energy drinks into the mix isn’t that big of a stretch.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new D&D collaboration with Sneak in the days ahead and will try and get our hands on a taste of the new energy drinks closer to launch. In the meantime, you can learn more on the official Sneak website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Forget Healing Potions – D&D is Getting Its Own Energy Drink appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

One of the greatest and most terrifying monsters of all time is about to enter the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. Wizards of the Coast has revealed that Cthulhu will officially be in the D&D 5.5e ruleset, courtesy of the upcoming supplement Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. The ultimate eldritch BBEG will be a Darklord for a new Domain of Dread, in addition to getting a complete stat block, adventure hooks, associated magic items and lore.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until June to gaze upon all his sanity shattering glory, with the Horrors Within available for pre-order now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and Amazon. Wizards of the Coast has, however, released new art and a few other additional details. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect when this greatest of Great Old Ones makes his triumphant debut in modern D&D.

What is Cthulhu?

Cthulhu is a terrifying, god-like entity of unfathomable cosmic power. He is depicted as being several hundred feet tall with an octopus-like head, a scaly humanoid body and rudimentary wings. Birthed eons ago in the vast depths of space, he was eventually imprisoned on Earth in the ancient sunken city known as R’lyeh located deep beneath the Pacific Ocean. While slumbering in a dormant state, over the eons Cthulhu has exerted his psychic influence over humanity, shaping civilizations and often attracting the attention of cultists seeking to awaken him and usher in a new epoch on Earth.

In the real world, Cthulhu is the creation of legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, appearing for the first time in the 1928 short story “The Call of Cthulhu” for the pulp magazine Weird Tales. And while Lovecraft himself never achieved mainstream success during his lifetime, his friend and fellow writer August Derleth expanded the setting into what is now known as the Cthulhu Mythos. Over the following century, Cthulhu has become a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring countless official and unofficial books, TV shows, films, video games and comic books, as well as TTRPGs including the popular Call of Cthulhu game from publisher Chaosium.

Has Cthulhu appeared in official D&D content before?

Yes. Cthulhu has actually been in previous editions of Dungeons & Dragons. His first appearance was in the initial print run of the 1980 AD&D 1st edition supplement Deities & Demigods. In the book, then D&D publisher TSR included a full “Cthulhu Mythos” chapter featuring complete stats and lore for him, much of which was based on an article entitled “The Lovecraftian Mythos in Dungeons & Dragons,” written by designer Rob Kuntz and appearing in issue #12 of The Dragon magazine in February 1978.

Unfortunately, a copyright dispute quickly arose as publisher Chaosium had already secured the TTRPG rights to Lovecraft’s works for their own Call of Cthulhu game. Eventually the two companies reached an agreement that allowed Cthulhu to remain in the second printing of the Deities & Demigods, although all reference was subsequently removed in the third edition.

Since that time, Cthulhu has not received an official core stat block in any subsequent edition of D&D (although he has appeared in unofficial 5E supplements, such as Sandy Petersen’s 2018 sourcebook Cthulhu Mythos for 5E). Cthulhu has, however, been mentioned briefly from time to time in official D&D content, including in the 2024 Player’s Handbook as a potential Patron for Warlocks of the Great Old One subclass. More recently, he appeared on D&D Beyond in July 2025 in Cthulhu by Torchlight, a third-party D&D 5E supplement, which was produced for Wizards of the Coast by Chaosium.

How is Cthulhu presented in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

So far details are still under wraps in regards to Cthulhu’s modern update for the D&D 5.5E rules. We do know that he is the Dark Lord of a new Domain of Dread known as Innsmouth; a nod to a fictional New England town that first appeared in the iconic H.P. Lovecraft short story “The Shadow Over Innsmouth.”

Third-party D&D publisher Beadle & Grimm’s also recently revealed new art of Cthulhu which will appear from the Strahd Silver Edition Box Set version of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. In addition they also showcased a physical artifact know as the Cthulhu Mist Talisman, which ties in to the supplement (and is presumably one of the magic items associated with the elder god).

D&D miniature and toy manufacturer WizKids has also recently posted a picture of a new Cthulhu D&D miniature on Bluesky, which they said will be part of an upcoming set of new minis for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

This mini gives us a much better look at the revised D&D version of Cthulhu, which differs slightly in appearance from his depictions in other media over the years. It’s not clear, however, what powers he has or what specific D&D 5.5E mechanics will be associated with him.

Final Thoughts

The official arrival of Cthulhu to Ravenloft marks a major milestone, both for the mythos of H.P Lovecraft and Dungeons & Dragons as a whole. Whether or not this latest iteration is worthy of the Great Dreamer of R’lyeh, however, is something we’ll have to wait and see.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on The Horrors Within in the weeks ahead and will be doing a complete review closer to launch (including looking at the new content around Cthulhu). In the meantime, you can pre-order the book now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Wizards of the Coast Confirms that Cthulhu is Coming to D&D appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragon’s official mini producer WizKids has just revealed the latest wave in their’ popular Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures line. Slated for release in August 2026, the set contains almost two dozen new miniatures, featuring a range of creatures, classes and characters taken from the 2024 D&D 5.5E core rule books. As with previous waves, all of the minis are unpainted, but are pre primed so they’re ready to go right out of the box. You can check out the complete collection and pre-order them now from your local game store, the WizKids website and on Amazon.

Notably, this marks the 29th Wave of Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures, with the series going strong for almost a decade and WizKids remaining the only manufacturer to have the official Dungeons & Dragons miniatures license from Wizards of the Coast. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect.

What’s included in this latest Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures wave?

There are 23 minis which range in price from $5.99 to $39.99 for larger figures. Collectively, they’re broken out into Character Classes, Monsters and NPCs. It’s also worth noting that some contain two figures in a single pack. They are as follows:

Character Classes

These are all 6 sets all based on the new class/species art featured in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.

• Dwarf Fighter & Orc Paladin
• Elf Ranger & Dragonborn Monk
• Gnome Warlock & Aasimar Wizard
• Goliath Barbarian & Halfling Rogue
• Human Druid & Elf Sorcerer
• Tiefling Bard & Dwarf Cleric

Monsters

There are 11 monsters that are all taken from the 2025 Monster Manual.

• Axe Beak
• Chuul
• Dao
• Green Dragon Deceiver
• Guardian Naga
• Lamia
• Nimblewright Hulk
• Nimblewright Steed with Rider
• Phaerimm Agent
• Polar Serpent
• Spore of Moander

NPCs & Enemies

There are six sets of mins that can be used as neutral or hosticle NPCs. Notably, many of these lean heavily into the Forgotten Realms setting.

• Black Gauntlet & Zhentilar Paladin of Bane
• Culltist of Bane & Zhentilar Solider
• Drow Elite Warrior & Drow Priestess of Lolth
• Cultist of Bhaal & Cultist of Myrkul
• Knight & Mage Apprentice
• Town Guards

What is the Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures line?

Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures is the ine of unpainted plastic minis from WizKids that uses the official Dungeons & Dragons license from Wizards of the Coast. Each figure comes factory-coated in primer, meaning technically no prep work is required and you jump straight into painting. They are designed primarily for use at the table during D&D, and the scale means they work particularly well with gridded battlemaps.

First launched in 2017, the line is organized into “Waves” that are designed to tie-in to recent official D&D product launches, using official Wizards of the Coast art and designs as a starting point. Notably, many of the designs from Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures are also repurposed for WizKids’ D&D Icons of the Realms line, which consists of pre-painted minis constructed out of more flexible polymer material.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to miniatures for Dungeons & Dragons, there’s no shortage of unofficial sources. When it comes to quality and using official D&D designs from Wizards of the Coast, however, it’s hard to beat WizKids and the Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures sets.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new wave closer to launch, but in the meantime you can pre-order the minis now from your local game store, the WizKids website and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post WizKids Rolls Out a Major New Wave of D&D Minis appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

A new version of one of the most iconic Dungeons & Dragons modules of all time has just landed on D&D Beyond. Elemental Evil Rising is the first official adventure bundle for the Legends of Greyhawk organized play program and, as the name suggests, is a modernized D&D 5.5E update of the classic Temple of Elemental Evil campaign written by Gary Gygax in 1985.

The play bundle has been developed by Baldman Games in conjunction with Wizards of the Coast, and the adventures featured within it have already been run in person at several conventions. With its release on D&D Beyond, however, you can now play it at your own home table. Below, we take a closer look at this return to Oerth.

What’s included in Legends of Greyhawk: Elemental Evil Rising?

On D&D Beyond the play bundle includes three interrelated D&D 5.5E adventures that have been run by Baldman Games at Legends of Greyhawk organized play events over the past few months. Each adventure is designed for Levels 1 to 4 characters and can be completed in about 3 hours. They can be run alone or as part of a larger campaign, which roughly emulates the original Temple of Elemental Evil campaign from 1985. The adventures in the play bundle are as follows:

• A Village Called Hommlett: Written by veteran D&D designer Eric Menge, the adventure takes place in the Realms of Ferrond. The character are tasked with investigating the disappearance of caravans in the area around the titular village which may be linked to a growing darkness that threatens the entire region.
• Ruins of the Moathouse: Written by long-time D&D designer Greg Marks, players are tasked by the elders of the village of Hommlet to investigate an old crumbling tower that has recently begun to show signs of inhabitation and which may herald the return of an ancient evil.
• Darkness in Nulb: Written by current Wizards of the Coast designer Shawn Merwin, the adventure takes place in the seedy village of Nulb, with players trying to uncover information on dark forces that inhabit the area.

What is the original Temple of Elemental Evil module?

The Temple of Elemental Evil (Module T-14)is an adventure for AD&D 1st edition published in 1985 and written by Gary Gygax. It is an expansion of the 1979 module The Village of Hommlet that was also written by Gary Gygax.

The plot begins in Hommlet, a remote village in the Viscounty of Verbobonc, which years earlier was the site of a major against an army of evil cultists. When players arrive, they find the area has seen a resurgence in monsters and strange forces, which may herald the return of this ancient evil. Players must explore the village, a ruined moathouse on the outskirts, and the seedy nearby town of Nulb. Eventually, they’re drawn to the mysterious Temple of Elemental Evil, a sinister fortress housing elemental cults that worship the destructive forces of earth, air, fire and water. The cults within the temple are plotting to unleash elemental chaos upon the region, using the power of a hidden, ancient evil as their ultimate weapon.

Notably, the module was groundbreaking at the time for introducing more of a narrative structure, a cast of NPCs and sandbox style of play, while also fleshing out the lore of Greyhawk. Over the years, it’s also spawned a video game series and a board game. It was followed up in 2001 with the adventure Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil for D&D 3.5 and in 2021, Goodman Game also release a D&D 5E update (which was since sold out). More recently, in October 2024, Wizards of the Coast released a free adventure entitled Scions of Elemental Evil which was designed to showcase the new D&D 5.5E rules and has players returning to the iconic location.

What is Legends of Greyhawk?

Legends of Greyhawk is an official Dungeons & Dragons organized play program run by Baldman Games, with approval and support from Wizards of the Coast. The program officially launched in the summer of 2025 at Gen Con and uses the new D&D 5.5E rules. The adventures used in the program are created entirely by Baldman Games and are designed to be run primarily at conventions (although materials are released to the general public several months afterwards).

Adventures are also designed to be interconnected, helping to shape a larger narrative that influences the whole of the modern Greyhawk setting. Any convention attendee can play in a Legends of Greyhawk adventure, so long as they have created a character in D&D Beyond (using the rules from the 2024 Player’s Handbook). Players can also earn physical rewards in the form of tradable magic item cards and other certificates at the end of each play session.

Notably, Wizards of the Coast has also released a Legends of Greyhawk Guide which provides more information on character creation, including guidelines on which region of Greyhawk your character can come from, how many magic items you can have based on your level, and how trading magic items with other players works.

Final Thoughts

Its great to see the Temple of Elemental Evil still going strong almost 50 years after it was first created. And with the Legends of Greyhawk play bundle now available on D&D Beyond, a whole new generation of players will be able to experience it for their first time and their own home tables.

If you’re interested in visiting Hommlet for yourself, you can pick up the Legends of Greyhawk: Elemental Evil Rising play bundle now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Beyond Brings Back a Classic Greyhawk Module appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast has recently unveiled new information on its upcoming sourcebook Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is coming out in June, but available for pre-order now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

Designed for both DMs and players, the book also includes seven brand new subclasses. These consist of: the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcery Sorcerer, Undead Patron Warlock, Hollow Ward Ranger and Reanimator Artificer. Of these, however, only the last two are new to D&D 5.5E, with the other five subclasses previously appearing in either Xanathhar’s Guide to Everything, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. It’s also worth noting that all of them recently appeared in the Unearthed Arcana Horror Subclasses playtest which was launched in May 2025.

So are these new Ravenloft character options worthy of the Domains of Dread? Below, we dissect all the grizzly details.

What are the new subclasses in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

Below are all seven of the new 2026 Ravenloft subclasses. Where applicable we’ve called out which are new and which are updates of already existing subclasses from the existing D&D 5E rules. Notably, the features listed are taken from the 2025 Horror Subclasses UA, so may change in The Horrors Within (will update this page with a complete list once the book is released).

Reanimator Artificer (New)

Reanimators are essentially the Dr Frankensteins of D&D, defying the laws of nature and creating undead Companions stitched together by science and sorcery who release an explosion of necrotic energy when destroyed. Notably this is a brand new subclass, having never before appeared in any D&D sourcebook.

Key Features

• Strange Modifications: When creating your Companion, you can grant it specialized traits such as acting as an arcane conduit for your spells or attacking with increased ferocity.
• Improved Reanimation: You can further evolve your Companion to be bloated for crowd control, gaunt for superior mobility and fear, or wet for aquatic combat and acid defense.
• Promethean Reanimation: You master the science of life, halving the cost of revival components and gaining the ability to siphon your Companion’s magic to heal yourself.
• Reanimator Spells: You always have a thematic list of prepared spells, including False Life, Animate Dead, and Raise Dead.
• Jolt to Life: You can modify the Spare the Dying cantrip to revive a target with 1 Hit Point while releasing a burst of lightning damage to nearby creatures.

College of Spirts Bard (Update)

Bards of this College use occult trappings to conjure legendary spirits from beyond the grave to influence the world. These entities can, however, be cruel and untrustworthy, and the effects they produce are not always entirely under your control. This is an update of a subclass that appeared in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.

Key Features

• Spirits from Beyond: By expending Bardic Inspiration, you channel a random spirit to provide immediate magical effects such as healing, teleportation, or psychic damage.
• Mystical Connection: You gain greater mastery over your summons, allowing you to roll twice on the spirits table and choose your preferred effect.
• Channeler: You gain the Guidance cantrip and proficiency with playing cards, which you can use as a spellcasting focus.
• Empowered Channeling: You gain a bonus to your damage and healing rolls and can cast a modified version of Spirit Guardians that provides cover to allies.

Grave Domain Cleric (Update)

Clerics of the Grave shepherd spirits to the afterlife and maintain the boundary between life and death. They often seek to destroy the undead while staving off death for those who still have work to accomplish in the world. This is an updated subclass that first appeared in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.

Key Features

• Divine Reaper: You can target two creatures with certain necromancy spells and heal nearby allies whenever an enemy dies.
• Circle of Mortality: You deal extra necrotic damage to bloodied creatures and automatically use the highest possible rolls when healing a creature at 0 Hit Points.
• Grave Domain Spells: Your connection to this domain provides always-prepared spells like Bane, Revivify, and Hold Monster.
• Path to the Grave: You can use Channel Divinity to curse a foe, giving them disadvantage on rolls and making them vulnerable to a massive burst of extra damage.
• Sentinel at Death’s Door: You can use your reaction to halve the damage of an attack hitting yourself or a nearby bloodied ally.

Hollow Warden Ranger (New)

Hollow Wardens draw power from ancient, bloodthirsty terrors lurking in the dark, deep places of the earth. They can also transform themselves into monstrous guardians capable of tearing their foes apart. This is a brand new subclass for D&D 5E and 5.5E.

Key Features

• Wrath of the Wild: Casting Hunter’s Mark triggers a monstrous transformation that increases your AC and creates an aura that hinders enemy actions.
• Rot and Violence: Your transformation deals extra necrotic, poison, or psychic damage and allows you to apply multiple weapon mastery properties simultaneously.
• Ancient Endurance: You become immune to exhaustion and can expend spell slots to stay conscious when your Hit Points drop to zero.
• Hollow Warden Spells: You gain access to a specific list of nature and horror-themed spells, including Wrathful Smite and Spike Growth.
• Hungering Might: You gain a bonus to Constitution saving throws and heal yourself when hitting enemies while you are bloodied.

Phantom Rogue (Update)

Phantom Rogues walk the veil between life and death, infusing their strikes with necrotic energy and stealing secrets from the souls of the departed. This is an updated subclass that first appeared in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.

Key Features

• Tokens of the Departed: You manifest soul trinkets from the dead that grant defensive bonuses and can be expended to cast spells or power your features.
• Wails from the Grave: When you deal Sneak Attack damage, you can cause a second nearby creature to take necrotic damage from the wails of the dead.
• Death’s Friend: Your wails of the dead become more powerful, and you automatically regain soul trinkets when rolling for initiative.
• Whispers of the Dead: You can consult a ghostly presence after a rest to temporarily gain proficiency in any skill or tool you lack.
• Voice of Death: You gain the ability to cast Speak with Dead without using a spell slot or requiring components.
• Ghost Walk: You can assume a spectral form that grants flight, makes you harder to hit and allows you to move through solid objects.

Shadow Sorcery Sorcerer (Update)

These sorcerers claim lineage from the Shadowfell or have been transformed by its sinister energies. Their magic allows them to command darkness and undeath itself. This subclass first appeared in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.

Key Features

• Umbral Form: You can transform into a shadowy figure with damage resistance, incorporeal movement and the ability to survive fatal blows.
• Eyes of the Dark: You gain superior darkvision and blindsight, and you can see through the darkness created by your own spells.
• Shadow Spells: You have a list of always-prepared spells like Darkness, Summon Undead, and Greater Invisibility.
• Spirits of Ill Omen: You can cast Summon Undead for free and can modify it to last without requiring your concentration.
• Shadow Walk: While in dim light or darkness, you can use a bonus action to teleport up to 120 feet to another dark area.

Undead Patron Warlock (Update)

These Warlocks serve and gain their powers from terrifying undead Patrons (such as liches or vampires). It’s worth noting that this is an update of a subclass that first appeared in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.

Key Features

• Form of Dread: You transform into a terrifying avatar, gaining temporary hit points and the ability to frighten creatures you hit.
• Superior Dread: Your transformation is enhanced with a fly speed, component-free spellcasting and the ability to heal when dealing necrotic damage.
• Undead Spells: You always have prepared a suite of necrotic and psychic spells, including Speak with Dead and Cloudkill.
• Grave Touched: Your necrotic damage ignores resistance, and you no longer need to sleep, eat, or breathe.
• Necrotic Husk: You gain resistance to necrotic damage and can trigger a massive explosion that heals you when you are reduced to zero hit points.

Final Thoughts

The seven new Ravenloft subclasses seem intriguing and fit well within the Ravenloft aesthetic. That being said, it is a bit disappointing that five of them are existing subclasses we’ve already seen before and it feels a bit like Wizards of the Coast is retreading familiar ground in the Domains of Dread.

The final version of these new players options will be coming out in June within the pages of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which you can pre-order now from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Scares Up New Subclasses for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast has just announced the launch of a new official Dungeons & Dragons actual play series. Entitled Dungeon Masters, the show will debut on YouTube on April 22nd, 2026, with a two-episode premiere. It be produced entirely by Wizards of the COast and feature official content from a number of upcoming D&D products.

The cast includes several popular figures from the TTRPG and D&D actual play scene, with Jasmine Bhullar serving as as the Dungeon Master, alongside actors Mayanna Berrin, Christian Navarro, Neil Newbon and Devora Wilde (the latter two being best known for their voice acting work in the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game).

While Wizards of the Coast has spearheaded a number of official actual play series over the years, most have been one-offs and none have ever reached the level of popularity of series like Critical Role and Dimension 20. This new iteration, however, promises a high production value, the official D&D license and a number of popular figures, meaning it could potentially reach a massive audience.

Below, we take a closer look at all what to expect when the Dungeon Masters D&D actual play hits YouTube.

What is the new Dungeon Masters D&D actual play series about?

The first campaign arc will take place in Ravenloft and will feature content taken directly from the upcoming sourcebook Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. It will also be a tie-in to the ongoing D&D Season of Horror running from April to June which features a number of related products and events.

The series will also feature a variety of high-end, custom bilt sets along with the use of miniatures and terrain, with initial footage suggesting it will have relatively high production values

In an official press release, Senior Vice President and Head of Dungeons & Dragons Dan Ayoub notes that: “Dungeon Masters brings a truly authentic and original experience to our fans, with all of the fun, high-tension moments, drama and adventure built from official D&D material. In many ways, Dungeon Masters is our love letter to the actual play shows that have introduced so many to D&D. Our aim with Dungeon Masters is to crystallize all that’s great about actual play – the tension, drama, and unpredictable nature – and put our stamp on it with upcoming official source material. We’re so excited to see how Dungeon Masters can inspire even more adventure from our players, and in turn, see how they inspire us to make the show better and better.” 

The series also appears to be part of the new D&D franchise model which Ayoub has spearheaded and is designed to bring all of the D&D brand under one umbrella, rather than fragmenting it between the game, media tie-ins and licensing.

Who is the cast of the Dungeon Masters D&D actual play?

The cast includes the following:

• Jasmine Bhullar will serve as DM. She is perhaps best known for her appearances as a player in episodes of DesiQuest and Dimension 20
• Mayanna Berrin is an actress best known for her voice acting in the video game Dispatch as well as appearing in the StoryQuest actual play. She will be playing a Grave Domain Cleric named Wesley.
• Christian Navarro is an actor best known for the TV series 13 Reasons Why but also played in the official D&D actual one shot Forgotten Realms: Tears of Selune. He will be playing a Winter Walker Ranger named Eloin.
•  Neil Newbon is an actor who is best known for voicing the character of Astarion from the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game, but has also appeared in a number of actual play episodes. He will be playing a Reanimator Artificer named Crem.
•  Devora Wilde is an actress and motion capturer performer best known for voicing the character of Lae’zel from BG3, and has also made frequent appearances in several D&D actual play episodes. She will be playing a Hexblood Shadow Sorcerer named Zora.

Notably, the series will also feature an original score from five-time, Grammy-nominated composer David Arkenstone.

When will the episodes air and how can you watch them?

The first two episodes of Dungeon Masters will air on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:30pm PT on the official D&D YouTube channel. Subsequent episodes will then air weekly (although it’s not clear how many episodes there will be in total).

Notably, all of the episodes will be available for free (which hasn’t been the case with recent actual play series, such as Critical Role, which does require a subscription to watch episodes when they’re first released).  

What other tie-in products are also available?

Wizards of the Coast is also releasing what they refer to as “Play Along Packs” that provide content featured in the show that Dungeon Masters can use to run their own encounters. For Dungeon Masters they’ve developed a Ravenloft Play-Along Pack that will be released on a weekly basis with ready-to-run encounters and quickplay maps inspired by the episode.

You’ll be able to claim the first encounter in the Ravenloft Play-Along Pack for free on D&D Beyond starting April 23rd, and subsequent packs will continue to be released weekly on Thursday mornings.

Final thoughts

Dungeons & Dragons owes much of its recent success to actual play series like Critical Role and Dimension 20. Yet until now Wizards of the Coast has never really taken the right steps to create their own show to tap into this audience. The inclusion of new content, however, makes the concept even more appealing. Whether or not this new series becomes a critical hit with fans, however, remains to be seen.

You can watch the first two episodes of Dungeon Masters on Wednesday, April 22nd at 6:30pm PT on YouTube.  Below is also a trailer with more info on what to expect.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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If you’ve ever felt that D&D needs less dragons and more dinosaurs, then you’re definitely in luck. The popular third-party supplement Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs is now available on D&D Beyond.

Originally published by indie TTRPG publisher PalaeoGames in 2023 after a highly successful Kickstarter, the book is written by Dr. Nathan T. Barling and Dr. Michael O’Sullivan, two real world palaeontologists who decided to blend scientifically accurate dinosaurs with the Dungeons & Dragons 5.5E ruleset.

So just what can fans expect in this blend of magic and the Mesozoic? Below, we dig up all the details.

What’s in the original Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs?

The original 2023 version of Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs is a 300-page supplement designed for the 2014 D&D 5E rules (with a later version ported over to Pathfinder Second Edition). The book includes

• 57 new Mesozoic creature stat blocks, plus 55 magical variants
• 20 new Mesozoic plant species with in-game rules
• 20 new palaeontology-themed NPCs
• 6 new playable species
• 3 new subclasses

• 3 new backgrounds
• 4 holistic environments with in-game effects
• 8 new feats
• 30 new items
• Tables for evolutionary mutations, realistic behaviours and dinosaur names
• Rules for taming and riding dinosaurs

What’s included in Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs on D&D Beyond?

The D&D Beyond version of Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs appear to be a slightly cut down version of the original book and includes the following:

• 6 new species: The Pluvenn (raptor-folk with a culture reminiscent of Edwardian England), the Manyhorn (urban ceratops-folk known for their urban guilds), the Jeholrak (small, skulking dino-folk who rely on stealth and subterfuge), the Ankylier (hulking ankylosaur-folk known for their armor and metal work), the Limukin (reclusive dino-folk who use poison and cunning to take down their enemies) and The Children of Seth (flying pterosaur-folk travel the world as traders, explorers and wanderers)
• 3 new prehistoric-themed subclasses: The Big Game Hunter Ranger (inspired by classical pith-helmeted hunters, who use melee weapons, magic and special ammunition to take down their prey), the Bonesmith Fighter (a gory combat blacksmith who can construct armor and weapons from the carcasses of slain foes) and the Circle of Cylces Druid (spellcasters who tap into the impact of time and evolution on nature).
• 57 dinosaur and pterosaur stat blocks: This includes familiar creatures like the Velociraptor, Spinosaurus and Quetzalcoatlus, as well as more obscure dino variants like the Garjainia and Tanystropheus.

• 4 detailed environments: This includes The Yixian Formation (a chilly high-altitude volcanic environment populated by fuzzy dinosaurs, frigid forests and volcanic lakes), The Bahariya Formation (a coastal mangrove environment teeming with life and filled with an abnormally high number of giant predators), Hațeg Island (a remote area populated by miniature dinosaurs that lived in the shadows of giant flying predatory pterosaurs) and The Crato Formation. (an arid scrubland hides along with dark waters inhabited by deadly predadtors)
• 20 real prehistoric plants:  Each comes with its own Optional Magical Rules that allow players to interact with them. Notably, all of the plants illustrated by palaeobotanist Julianne Kiely, several of which had never been reconstructed before.
• 30 magic items, including enchanted tools that can be used for scientistic research or to take down dinosaurs in combat.
• 8 Feats: These are all palaeontology and geology-themed, with options such as Behaviourist and Volcanologist
• 3 Backgrounds: This includes the Time-Lost, Palaeontologist and Geologist, each of which also includes personality tables.

It’s important to note the book does in fact use the new D&D 2024 rules (which were recently reclassified as D&D 5.5e by Wizards of the Coast).

How much is Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs on D&D Beyond?

The supplement retails for $29.99 USD on D&D Beyond., which is fairly comparable to other recent D&D third-party products that have been released in recent months.

Notably, the PDF version of the book retails for about $35 USD on the PaleoGames website, while the physical version is going for around $65 USD (not including shipping and handling) with the PDF included, so the price point isn’t too bad as far as D&D Beyond is concerned.

Final Thoughts

Dinosaurs have actually been in Dungeons & Dragons for almost as long as the game has existed. Yet for the most part they’ve been treated as mindless monsters that can be dropped into the occasional jungle setting. With Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs, however, these unique creatures have been given a much more nuanced, creative and scientifically accurate treatment, so it’s great to see the book reach an even wider audience.

You can pick up Dr Dhrolin’s Dictionary of Dinosaurs now on D&D Beyond.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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Third-party D&D publisher Beadle & Grimm’s is officially heading back to the Domains of Dread with their new Strahd’s Silver Edition Box Set of Ravenloft the Horrors Within. The deluxe collection will feature maps, cards, player handouts, booklets and accessories that tie-in to the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook. The set will be coming out later this summer but you can pre-order your copy now via the B&G website.

So just what can B&G and D&D fans expect from this set of high-end horror? Below, we dig up all the dreaded details.

What’s included in the Strahd’s Silver Edition Ravenloft: The Horrors Within box set?

The new box set contains the following:

• The complete Ravenloft: The Horrors Within book, broken down into a series of five smaller booklets for easier use at the table
• Tarroka Deck: This is the same Tarokka deck which is also officially being sold seperately by Wizards of the Coast.
• Bonus Adventure: Designed for Level 5 characters, the module is exclusive to the B&G set and takes place in Barovia, with players hired by the legendary Rudolph Van Richten call to put a powerful undead force to rest by bringing a murderer to justice.
• 17 Oversized Encounter Cards: Each card is based on one of the Darklords featured in the pages of The Horrors Within.
• 37 Standard Encounter Cards: These are based on the new monsters found in the Appendix of The Horrors Within.

• 16 Battle Maps: These are associated with the one-shot adventures listed in The Horrors Within and are gridded for use with miniatures.
• 22 Domain and Area Maps: The maps are each 8.5″ x 11” in size and detail key locations of the 16 Domains of Dread featured in The Horrors Within.
• Cthulhu Mist Talisman: This is a metal skull and tentacle amulet focused on Cthulhu (who is a new Darklord added to The Horrors Within supplement).
• 11 In-world handouts : These include letters, notes and in-game content (notably, one of the handouts is for the bonus adventure included in the B&G sest).
• 11 Dark Gift and Magic Item Cards: These are also based on the new character options featured in The Horrors Within.
• Haunted Bastion Player Aid: This fully-mapped haunted church Bastion was created exclusively for the B&G set.

How much is the Strahd’s Silver Edition Ravenloft: The Horrors Within box set?

The Premium Map collection box set retails for $225 USD (not including shipping and handling), which is comparable to some of the other recent Beadle & Grimm’s sets we’ve seen. Notably, the B&G website does also offer interest-free instalments via their ShopPay program, if you don’t want to pay everything up front.

When is the new Beadle & Grimm’s Ravenloft box set coming out?

An exact date has not yet been announced, but it will likely be sometime later this summer or in the early fall of 2026. Notably, the base D&D sourcebook for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is slated for released on June 16th, 2026, so you may have to wait a few months before you’re able to use the box set.

Final Thoughts

The new Strahd’s Silver Edition box set isn’t the first time Beadle & Grimm’s has ventured into Ravenloft. In fact, back in late 2020 the company actually released a Legendary Edition Curse of Strahd box set that’s arguably one of its most popular products. Whether this new set will pack the same level of deluxe dread, however, remains to be seen.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new set in the days ahead and will try and get our claws on a review copy. In the meantime, you can pre-order the set now via the B&G website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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The Mists have officially parted on a new accessory for the darker side of D&D. Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Map Pack, includes 10 new locations for the Domains of Dread along with a variety of tokens and terrain pieces. The product is available in both digital and physical formats and, as the name suggests, is a tie in to the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook. It will be coming out later this June, but you can pre-order it now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

So just what terrifying new locales await players and DMs? Below, we map out all the details.

What’s included in the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Map Pack?

There are two different versions of the map pack, which includes new locations for the Domains of Dread ranging from a graveyard to a haunted manor and mad scientist’s laboratory.

Physical Version

• 5 physical double-sided poster maps (22” x 30”)
• 93 physical monster tokens, traps and terrain pieces

Digital Version

• 10 digital maps for D&D Beyond
• 10 digital stickers

It’s worth noting that the physical version only contains half of the total maps of the digital version, which seems like a bit of an odd move on the part of Wizards of the Coast (although you do get the printed tokens).

How much is the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Map Pack?

The physical version of the map pack retails for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), while the D&D Beyond digital version is $9.99 USD. Notably, you can also purchase a Digital + Physical Bundle that retails for $34.99 USD.

When is the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within Map Pack coming out?

Both the physical and digital version will be released on June 16th, 2026 to coincide with the release of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. It will also be a featured accessory for the new Season of Horror that’s running from April to June.

Final thoughts

It’s been a few years since Wizards of the Coast has released a D&D map pack like this, with the most recent being the Tactical Maps Reincarnated from 2019. And while the horror theme means you might not be able to use them for every campaign, if you are planning on running a new Ravenloft at the table or on D&D Beyond, they might be worth picking up.

We’ll be providing a full review of both the print and digital versions closer to launch, but in the meantime, you can pre-order the map pack now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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The post New Domains of Dread Revealed in Upcoming Ravenloft Map Pack appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

This past February, board game and puzzle creator Ravensburger teased a new expansion for their popular Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons game. At the time, very few details were released, but based on a cryptic image from their Instagram account, many fans believed that the expansion would be focused on Ravenloft.

We now have confirmation that the new product will indeed be set in the Domains of Dread, with the product officially known as Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons – Ravenloft. The box set will require the base Horrified D&D game to play, but introduces five new playable characters and four new monsters, all of which are based on Ravenloft lore.

The expansion will be coming out in July 2026 but is available as an online pre-order exclusive from Target. Below, we take a closer look at to what to expect in this latest blood soaked board game add-on.

What is the original Horrified D&D board game about?

Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons is a co-operative board game designed for one to five players and is based on the popular Horrified: Universal Monsters game, which has since released several other versions, including Horrified: World of Monsters, Horrified: Greek Monsters and Horrified: American Monsters.

The D&D version is set in Undermountain, the sprawling, monster-filled mega dungeon located beneath the streets of the city of Waterdeep in the Forgotten Realms. Your goal is to work with other players to defeat four different D&D monsters (the Beholder, the Mimic, the Displacer Beast and the Red Dragon) by solving a specific mini-game style puzzle associated with that creature.

Players take on the role of one of five different iconic D&D classes: The Rogue, The Wizard, The Fighter, The Cleric and The Bard. On your turn you can choose from a variety of actions, including: moving, collecting an item, directing NPCs to safety, solving a monster’s puzzle, battling a monster or using a class ability (this latter action involves rolling the D20 that comes with the game, which is a first for the Horrified series).

The fun comes from attempting to outmaneuver monsters and working collaboratively with other players by stringing together various actions and abilities. There’s also an element of unpredictability in that after each player turn you draw from a random monster deck, and monsters themselves also have their own abilities which are determined using the game’s D20. In many ways, Horrified is quite similar to the popular board game Pandemic, in that players work together, have a wide range of actions to choose from and are essentially racing against the clock to complete objectives.

What is the Horrified D&D Ravenloft expansion?

The new Horrified Ravenloft box set is designed for use with the existing D&D Horrified board game. As an expansion it introduces five new Heroes, each inspired by on the character classes from D&D and possessing unique skills and an associated cardboard standee token.

The expansion also introduces four new monsters taken from Ravenloft lore. These are: the Vampire Strahd Von Zarovich, the murderous living doll known as a Carrionette, the witch Baba Lysaga and her walking hut, and the evil sentient Gulthias Tree. Each of the monsters also gets its own miniature.

When is the Horrified D&D Ravenloft expansion coming out?

Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons Ravenloft will be released on July 19th, 2026, at which point it will be available online and at local game stores.

How much is the Horrified D&D Ravenloft expansion?

The expansion will retail for $34.99 USD (not including shipping and handling), but has a pre-order price of $29.99 USD from Target.

Final thoughts

The original Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons is a solid game that’s been generally well received by both board game and D&D fans, so it’s no surprise that an expansion has been developed. The timing also makes sense as this June will see D&D returning to the Domains of Dread with a new supplement entitled Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is also part of a larger Season of Horror initiative running from April to June 2026.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will do a complete deep dive and review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order the new expansion now from your local game store and on Target.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The Horrified D&D Board Game is Officially Heading to Ravenloft appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast has just revealed a brand new Dungeon Master Screen, which also serves as a tie-in to their upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement. Slated for release later this summer, the new DM screen features brand new artwork, plus several tables that are specifically designed for running D&D horror campaigns. You can pre-order the screens now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

Notably, this marks the first official Dungeon Master’s screen from Wizards of the Coast in almost two years, following the previous version that was released back in November 2024 as part of the D&D 5.5E rules update. Below, we head behind the screen and take a closer look at what’s included.

What’s included in the new Ravenloft Dungeon Master’s Screen?

The new DM screen uses the standard four-panel, fold out design. The front features brand new artwork featuring a group of adventurers (including one that appears to be Doctor Rudolph van Richten) making their way through various Domains of Dread.

The interior consists of a list of all D&D 5.5E Conditions (on panel 1), a list of Actions and Damage charts (on panel 2), assorted tables related to skill checks, object AC/HP, DC ranges, light and cover (on panel 3) and a table of random horror-themed encounters (on panel 4).

How much is the new Ravenloft DM screen?

The new DM screen retails for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). This puts it on par with the 2024 DM screen, which retailed for $24.99 USD at the time of its launch (although you can now pick them up for a bit cheaper).

When is the new Ravenloft DM screen coming out?

The screen will be released on June 16th, 2026 to coincide with the release of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within. Notably, this is also the time period during which the new Season of Horror will be taking place.

Final thoughts

The new Ravenloft DM screen doesn’t necessarily feel like a must-own accessory, but it is a nice touch if you do decided to run a Ravenloft campaign. It’s also part of a much larger push around the Domains of Dread, which also includes a new Tarokka deck set and Map Pack.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new screen in the days ahead and will offer a full review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order them now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New Ravenloft: The Horrors Within DM Screen Unveiled appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast has officially dealt out more details for the new Tarokka deck. The physical set of cards is a tie-in to the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement coming out this summer and will include new art and a wider range of usability. You can pre-order the set now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

If you’re not familiar with the Tarokka deck, it’s essentially the D&D version of Tarot Cards and within the lore of Ravenloft are used by Vistani fortune tellers in the Domain of Dread known as Barovia to predict the future. The cards have appeared in virtually every edition of D&D over the years, most recently playing a major part in the 2016 D&D 5e campaign Curse of Strahd.

So are these new cards worth braving the Mists for? Below, we shuffle them up and see what the future has in store for D&D fans.

What is a Tarokka deck in D&D lore?

In the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, a Tarokka deck is mystical fortune-telling tool from the Ravenloft setting that’s used by the Vistani, a group of Roma-like wanderers who live in the realm of Barovia. Like real world Tarot Cards, the Tarokka deck is used to divine fate and reveal hidden truths. They can also only be created by those with Vistani blood using blood-mixed pigments during a full moon ritual, essentially making them a magic item. The finished cards are then stored in silk within a wooden box to preserve their power.

Mechanically, the Tarokka deck contains 54-cards split into the Lesser Deck of Fate (40 cards across the four suits of Coins, Swords, Stars and Glyphs) and the Fortuna Magna (14 “High Deck” cards that can override or sharply redirect a reading). Readings commonly use a simple cross pattern: a face-up focus card represents the subject, followed by cards for past, present, future and journey. During gameplay in D&D, this layout is essentially a story engine the DM can use to connect reveal clues and connect players to specific locations, NPCs and magic items.

In the real world, Tarokka cards were first mentioned in the iconic 1983 Ravenloft: I6 module for AD&D. A physical printed deck (nicknamed the “Red and Black” deck by fans) was later included in the 1992 Forbidden Lore box set for AD&D 2E. In 2003, a physical 66-card Tarokka deck was also released for D&D 3E, as part of a larger rollout of Ravenloft supplements. These decks are now long out of print and tend to go for several hundred dollars on eBay and the secondary market.

More recently, Tarokka cards were featured in the 2016 D&D 5e campaign Curse of Strahd. In that particular adventure, the cards are used by the DM to randomly determine the location of the primary antagonist Strahd von Zarovich, the location of a number of powerful magic artifacts and the identity of an NPC who can aid the party. In fact, the deck was so integral that Wizards of the Coast also released a physical version of the deck that you could purchase with the book.

What is the new D&D Tarokka deck?

The new 2026 deck contains 54 cards, with brand new art that’s never before appeared in any D&D material. The cards can be used by DMs to foreshadow Darklord encounters or even creating entirely new Domains of Dread at random (notably, the set also includes a booklet with details on how to use it).

The deck is designed as a direct tie-in to the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, although it’s not yet clear if that particular supplement will also have new rules or suggestions for how to integrate the cards into an existing D&D campaign.

How much is the new D&D Tarokka deck?

The new card set will retail for $24.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). That price point puts alongside other D&D accessories, such as spell cards and reference decks. Notably, Wizards of the Coast has also previously released an official D&D Tarot Card deck, which also retails for around $24.99 USD.

When is the new D&D Tarokka deck coming out?

The cards are scheduled to release in June 16th, 2026 in order to coincide with the relaase of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is also coming out at that time. The deck will also be part of the new D&D Seasons, which are three-month periods of time in which new books, accessories and organized play events will be all focused around a single theme. The Season of Horror in particular runs from April to June 2026.

Final thoughts

The Tarokka deck was been a staple of D&D and Ravenloft for over 40 years, with physical versions of the cards produced for virtually every edition of the game. As such, it’s only fitting that a new version be rolled out to coincide with the release of a new Ravenloft supplement. Whether this new deck will be embraced by fans, however, is something even the cards can’t predict.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new accessory in the days ahead and will do a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime, can pre-order the new Tarokka Deck now from your local game store, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New Tarokka Deck Revealed for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Recently, Wizards of the Coast quietly listed a job post on LinkedIn that may herald a surprising new approach for how the company publishes official Dungeons & Dragons products. The role is listed as TRPG Publishing Lead – D&D and chief responsibilities include to “Serve as the creative lead for externally developed D&D content, including adventures, campaign materials, guides, and artwork.”

In other words, this person would be responsible for overseeing the development of new official D&D material that isn’t actually being created by Wizards of the Coast. If this is the case, it represents a massive strategic shift for new D&D content, which over the past ten years has largely been developed internally by a design team at WotC.

Below, we take a closer look at what this could mean for fans and the future of Dungeons & Dragons.

Why is D&D moving to a third-party publishing model?

It’s not entirely clear why this change in publishing is taking place, but there are likely a few good reasons:

Team restructuring

In the past few years, the internal D&D team has undergone some dramatic changes, including the high-profile departure of Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford. And while there have been some new recent hires and promotions of internal staff like Justice Arman, for the most part the team is running fairly lean.

Franchise Model

Last year, Wizards of the Coast promoted VP Dan Ayoub, ushering in a new franchise model that would see Dungeons & Dragons managed as a complete brand, rather than segmented between the game itself and licensing through video games, novels, film and television. This new holistic model likely also makes the concept of working with third-party publishers much more attractive.

More Third-Party Collaborations

After purchasing D&D Beyond in 2022 for a whopping $149 million USD, Wizards of the Coast carefully guarded its new acquisition, featuring only official D&D products and ignoring the slew of popular third-party D&D 5E products. That’s changed in recent years, however, with WotC now actively featuring third-party products on the D&D Beyond marketplace. These types of relationships naturally open the door to using outside designers for future D&D products.

Precedence

The idea of outsourcing official D&D products to third-party publishers isn’t actually a new one. In fact, in the early days of D&D 5E, WotC actively relied on third-party publishers to create their content. Hoard of the Dragon Queen for example, was released in 2014 as the very first supplement for D&D 5E. It was, however, was actually designed by Kobold Press. This is also the case with Princes of the Apocalypse in 2015 (which was designed by Sasquatch Game Studio) and Out of the Abyss and the Sword Coast Adventure’s Guide (both of which were released in 2015 and designed by Green Ronin).

This practice of outsourcing was abandoned in 2016 (with subsequent D&D campaigns and sourcebooks being developed in-house), but WotC has undoubtedly learned some lessons from the process.

Final Thoughts

Wizards of the Coast has had an on-again-off-again relationship with D&D third-party publishers. From actively working with them in the early days of D&D 5E, to alienating many of them during the OGL controversy, to more recently welcoming them onto D&D Beyond. Now, it seems a new chapter is about to begin in this complicated history.

Of course, there are still many unanswered questions and it’s not yet clear when this new strategy will be implemented and what books will remain in-house and what will be outsourced. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this story in the days ahead and will update this page with new information as it’s made available. In the meantime, you can learn more about the new D&D Publishing Lead role on LinkedIn.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Future D&D Books Will Be Outsourced to Third-Party Publishers appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In Dungeons & Dragons there are few monsters more feared than a Lich. Undead sorcerers who have traded their souls for pure arcane power, they’re the ultimate undead BBEG, often testing the heroic resolve of characters.

That’s about to change, however, thanks to the latest Unearthed Arcana playtest. Entitled Villainous Options, the material introduces the new Path of the Lich, a sequential series of Feats that, when completed, allow high-level characters to actually become a Lich.

So is this new transformation a shortcut to ultimate power or a one-way trip to the Nine Hells? Below, we break down all the soul-shattering details.

What is a Lich Dungeons & Dragons?

In the lore of D&D, Liches are powerful spellcasters who have conquered death by undergoing a horrific transformation known as the Ritual of Becoming. This dark process requires the caster to craft a spirit jar (also known as a phylactery) which is typically an every day object, such as an amulet or bottle, to house their soul. They then brew a lethal “lichnee potion” often made from the blood of innocents, which they drink during the ritual. The caster’s mortal body then dies and is reanimated as an undead husk. This state grants them immense powers, including functional immortality for as long as their spirit jar remains intact. Beyond their eternal life, liches possess a mastery of high-level magic, a paralyzing touch that can freeze the blood of the living and a terrifying aura that causes the weak-willed to flee in fear.

Notably, the D&D multiverse has been terrorized by several legendary liches. Among the most infamous is Vecna, an arch-lich who eventually ascended to godhood. Acererak is another dreaded name, known for constructing deathtrap dungeons like the Tomb of Horrors to harvest the souls of adventurers. In the land of Thay, the Zulkir of Necromancy Szass Tam rules with an iron, skeletal fist, while the ancient Netherese lich Larloch remains one of the most powerful beings in existence within his lair at Warlock’s Crypt. Other notable examples include Sammaster, the founder of the Cult of the Dragon, and Valindra Shadowmantle, a formidable elven lich who has plagued the North for centuries.

What is the Path of the Lich?

The Path of the Lich is a character option for D&D 5.5E currently in playtest. It’s built around completing sequential Feats and involves the following steps:

Step 1: The Path starts by you by choosing a Lich Rite that must be completed (there is no level requirement for this and is really meant to provide a narrative framework for your push to lichdom).

Step 2: At Level 4, you must then take the Lich Initiate feat.

Step 3: At any point from Levels 5 to 11, you must then choose at least one more Feat from the options of Arcane Restoration, Transfer Life or Undead Grasp

Step 4: At Level 12 or higher you take Lich Ascension Feat, which completes your transformation.

What are the Path of the Lich Feats?

Lich Rites

The path to lichdom is unique to each who walks it. To complete the transformation, aspirants must fulfill a personal and often profane ritual. This must be chosen before you take your first Path of the Lich Feat.

Lich Intitiate

Prerequisite: Level 4+, Spellcasting or Pact Magic Feature

You take the first steps toward lichdom, which involve creating your spirit jar, a magical vessel that anchors your soul to the world of the living. You gain the following benefits:

• Ability Score Increase. Increase your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
• Creating Your Spirit Jar. Choose a Tiny object of great significance to you. You spend a Long Rest anchoring your soul to this object. You can have only one spirit jar at a time; if you create a second, the old one is destroyed.
• Spirit Jar Destruction. Your spirit jar’s AC equals your spell save DC, and it has HP equal to your spellcasting ability modifier + your character level. If destroyed, you gain 2 Exhaustion levels and cannot use Soul Siphon until you create a new one.
• Soul Siphon. When you or someone within 10 feet of you reduces a Humanoid enemy to 0 HP, you can consume its soul (no action required). On your next turn, the first creature you hit with an attack takes extra Necrotic damage equal to 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier. A soul consumed this way can only be restored by True Resurrection or Wish.

Spirit Jars

Below are options for what your spirit jar could consist of.

Arcane Restoration

Prerequisite: Lich Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (max 20).
• Essence Rejuvenation. When you use Soul Siphon, you can choose to recover expended spell slots with a combined level no greater than 4. Once used, you must finish a Short or Long Rest to use it again.

Transfer Life

Prerequisite: Lich Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (max 20).
• Soul Transference. When you use Soul Siphon, you can choose a creature within 60 feet to gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Proficiency Bonus + your spellcasting ability modifier (minimum 1).

Undead Grasp

Prerequisite: Lich Initiate Feat

• Ability Score Increase. Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (max 20).
• Paralyzing Touch. You learn the Chill Touch cantrip. When you deal damage with it, you can expend a spell slot (level 1+) to deal an extra 1d10 Necrotic damage per slot level. The target must succeed on a Constitution save or be Paralyzed until the start of your next turn.

Lich Ascension

Prerequisite: Level 12+, at least two Path of the Lich Feats)

Your path to lichdom is complete. You gain the following benefits:

• Ability Score Increase. Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (max 20).
• Undead. Your creature type is Undead.
• Unholy Anatomy. You have Resistance to Necrotic and Poison damage. You don’t gain Exhaustion from dehydration, malnutrition, or suffocation.
• Frightening Gaze. You learn Fear and always have it prepared. You can cast it without a spell slot a number of times equal to your spellcasting ability modifier per Long Rest.
• Rejuvenation. If you die, you re-form in 1d10 days in the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of your spirit jar, provided it is intact.

Is the Path of the Lich worth taking?

It’s important to note that the Path of the Lich is still in playtesting and could change based on player feedback. It’s also not entirely clear what future supplement it will appear in (although our money is on a new Book of Vile Darkness). Regardless, actually taking steps to become a lich is obviously something that’s not going to work in every D&D campaign and definitely requires DM approval first.

You can learn more and submit feedback on the new Path of the Lich via the latest Unearthed Arcana playtest.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post The Path of the Lich (D&D 5.5E Deep Dive) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

As part of its ongoing licensing deal with Wizards of the Coast, Dark Horse Comics has just announced another new Dungeons & Dragons comic book – this time with a focus one of the game’s most beloved campaigns settings.

Simply entitled Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft, the four-issue mini series is written by by Bram Stoker Award–winning horror author Amy Chu and illustrated by Ariela Kristantina (best known for her series The Girl Who Draws on Whales). The book will be coming out in August 2026 which, not coincidentally, will be just a few months after a major return to the Domains of Dread with the new D&D supplement Ravenloft: The Horrors Within.

Below, we take a closer look at what to expect in this new comic book journey through the Mists.

What is the Dungeons & Dragons Ravenloft comic book about?

On a recent blog post on the official Dark Horse Comics website the series is described as follows: “Ravenloft is falling apart, and nobody knows why. Fortunately, monster hunter Ez D’Avenir is on the case! She’s searching the frozen wasteland of Lamordia for an undead creature that may hold the key to Ravenloft’s fate. But when Darklord Viktra Mordenheim catches wind of her quest, Ez is suddenly the one being hunted!”

Notably, Lamordia is one of the lesser known Domains of Dread in the lore of Ravenloft and is a barren coastal region famed for its blizzards. The antagonist of Viktra Mordenheim appears to be a new character, but is most likely related to Victor Mordenheim (an infamous Darklord and Ravenloft’s equivalent to Doctor Frankenstein).

It’s an interesting approach and surprising given that most Ravenloft media tie-ins have been focused more on the realm of Barovia and the vampire lord Count Strahd von Zarovich (including the recent D&D novel Heir of Strahd).

Who is the creative team on the D&D Ravenloft comic?

The team working on the mini series consists of writer Amy Chu (who is best know for her horror novels Carmilla: The First Vampire), with interior art by Ariela Kristantina (who has worked with a number of major comic publishers), coloring by Arif Prianto (who has recently worked on Absolute Batman) and lettering from Eisner-winning arist Haley Rose-Lyon.

The series will also feature a number of variant covers by artists including Guillem March, Riley Rossmo, Francesco Francavilla, Todor Hristov, and Angela Wu (all of whom will be drawing alternate covers for issue #1, with additional alternate covers appearing for future issues).

Final Thoughts

Dark Horse has put out a surprising number of D&D comic books in just a short period of time, having only acquired the license back in July of 2024. Their key books include a new Fallbacks series (based on the D&D novels of the same name) and the recently series Total Party Killers (a tongue-in-cheek mini series that follows the adventures of a group of down-on-their-luck dungeon-dwelling monsters).

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the series in the days ahead, with the first issue coming out on August 19th, 2026. In the meantime, you can learn more on the Dark Horse website.

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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post New D&D Ravenloft Comic Book Coming Soon from Dark Horse appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Recently, Wizards of the Coast released their latest Unearthed Arcana playtest. Entitled Villainous Options, as the name suggests it introduced new options for “evil” player characters. This includes four new subclasses: the Pestilence Domain Cleric, the Circle of the Titan Druid, the Hell Knight Fighter and the Demonic Sorcery Sorcerer. It also includes two new Feat-driven “Paths” that when completed allow high-level players to transform into a Death Knight or Lich.

The playtest is a surprising release given that modern D&D has tended to lean into heroic fantasy rather than allowing players to embrace their inner Chaotic Evil alignment. One big question, however, is just what upcoming supplement these new character options will appear in?

Based on what we’ve seen with recent Unearthed Arcana playtests and the current D&D release schedule, however, our belief is that we’ll be seeing the return of one of D&D’s most iconic items: the Book of Vile Darkness. Below, we offer up all the evidence that points to a new D&D 5.5E variant of this terrifying tome.

What is the Book of Vile Darkness?

Within the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, the Book of Vile Darkness is a legendary artifact so evil it’s mere presence has the power to destroy the souls of the righteous. Its exact origins are often debated, but most scholars from across the various Planes of Existence believe that it began as a scroll of dark rituals penned by an ancient spellcaster of the Vashar (one of the earliest races in the multiverse). This initial manuscript was later discovered on the world of Oerth (of Greyhawk fame) and expanded upon by a priestess of the evil goddess Nerull. After passing through the hands of various evil clerics and fiends over the centuries, the collection was finally transcribed into a bound codex by the arch-lich Vecna, who fashioned the cover with the skin of a human face and demon bones and infused it with arcane energy, officially creating the first edition of the Book of Vile Darkness.