The 10 Best Free DnD Apps for Fifth Edition
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While Dungeons & Dragons may have started as a simple pen and paper RPG, over the past few years it’s become increasingly digital, leading to the rise of a number of DnD apps that allow players and DMs to tap into their smart phones to manage characters, create NPCs and make virtual dice rolls. And while there are a number of these app that require upfront costs, there are plenty of incredible options for D&D fifth edition that won’t cost you a single copper piece.
With that in mind, we’ve plunged into the endless dungeons of the app stores to uncover… the 10 best free DnD apps for iOS and Android.
10. Game Master Fifth Edition
An incredibly useful DnD app for DMs, Game Master Fifth edition is an easy way to manage campaigns and includes the ability to manage players, build out encounters and keep track of important treasure, story elements and NPCs. The app also has the option to build our quick random encounters and has an impressive compendium filled with monsters, magic items and spells. It’s a handy reference app that makes it easy to organize your ongoing campaigns.
9. RPG Sounds: Fantasy
If you’re looking to add a little ambiance to your next gaming session, then you might want to give RPG Sounds: Fantasy a try. This free app lets you add music, sound effects and ambient background noise that works for just about any situation. Whether you want dramatic music for combat, howling wind to simulate a character’s trek up a frozen mountain, or simply need the quick sound of a swinging blade, this app has you covered. One downside is that the free version is a little limited in terms of being able to stream to WiFi devices and looping sounds, but still has a lot to love.
8. Fifth Edition Character Sheet
If you’re looking for a digital version of traditional printed DnD character sheets, than this app might be your best bet. It’s a streamlined tool that lets you create and update your PC without having to wade through a lot of the rules and interface found in more complicated tools like D&D Beyond. You can also manage your inventory, track hit points and flesh out your background. It’s something that new players in particular will likely find handy, but even old pros will find a lot to love with this simple but effective DnD app.
7. Reroll
While a lot of DnD players turn to websites like Hero Forge to create a visual representation of their character, Reroll is a free app that lets you create a pixel version of your PC. While you do need to create an account to get started, the app is free to use, with a paid version offering a few more bells and whistles. Regardless of which option you go with, it’s a fun and quirky way to bring your character to life.
6. DungeonScrawl
While this isn’t an app per se, we had to include it on this list simply because of how awesome it is. This simple and intuitive website works great on both desktop and mobile and lets you quickly and easily design a wide variety of dungeons in just about any terrain. You can add notes, customize the layout, and save your creations for easy importing and exporting. The end result is an absolute game changer when it comes to simple but powerful dungeon design.
5. D&D Spellbook 5e
Let’s face it, the sheer number of spells available in DnD can be overwhelming for both DMs and players, and even veteran gamers have a hard time remembering the components, range, saving throws and damage for any given spell. Fortunately, the D&D Spellbook 5e app makes it easy to sort your spells. Using the app you can look up virtually any spell on the fly or assign them to a specific character’s favorite, known and prepare lists. The best part is that everything is stored within the app, with no internet or WiFI connection required. It’s a handy app that saves time flipping through reference books or using printed spell cards.
4. NPC for Hire
If you’re a DM and need to whip to quickly whip up an NPC, then this app has you covered. With a few simple taps you can choose a custom image, along with a DnD 5e class, race and backstory for pretty much any NPC you can think of. You can either customize your newfound NPC or generate one at random, plus you have the ability to create custom groups and organizations for later use. The artwork is also absolutely stunning and the user interface is incredibly slick. While the app is free to use, you can also purchase pre-made character packs which are around a dollar or so and feature a variety of NPCs that can be dropped into just about any campaign setting. It’s an amazing resource that’s become a go-to DnD app for t a ton of players.
3. Magwa’s Magic Item Compendium
Created by the same developer as NPC for Hire, Magwa’s Magic Item Compendium lets DMs quickly generate magic items on the fly. You simply select the rarity of the item, the type (including weapons, potions and armor) and the code takes care of the rest. While the app is free to use, you can also purchase pre-made magic items for use, which are only a dollar or two and contain detailed write ups, art and stats. It’s an amazing resource that’s a lifesaver for DMs who are sick of flipping through random magic item tables.
2. 5E Companion App
This all-in-one DnD app has pretty much anything a player or DM could want, including character sheets, a party tracker, a terrain builder, a built-in monster’s manual, a homebrew resource tracker, and a combat manager that lets you sort through turn orders, hit points and conditions. There’s a ton of information and time-saving tools packed into this single app, making it a must-have for any fifth edition group. Best of all, it’s completely free to use.
1. D&D Beyond
The one DnD app to rule them all, D&D Beyond is more than just a piece of software, it’s become a cornerstone of the entire Dungeons & Dragons ecosystem (which is why Wizards of the Coast paid over $140 million dollars for it). The app lets you create characters, manage campaigns and access virtually every piece of official D&D fifth edition content in existence. The basic app is free to use, but if you want access to the true power of the platform you’ll have to shell out $6 a month for a subscription. For D&D fans though, this is an absolute game changer that’s likely going to continue to be an important pillar of the world’s greatest roleplaying game.
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Paige Stuart is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where she majored in English Literature at Northwestern University. She’s relatively new to Dungeons & Dragons having started playing 5th edition several years ago. Her favorite D&D campaign setting so far is the Forgotten Realms and her favorite character to play is a Wizard named Felician who hurls both bad puns and fireballs with equal ease.
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