New D&D Minecraft DLC Is Now Available
Story-driven video game add-on seeks to combine the best of both worlds
Originally announced back in the spring of 2023, the new D&D Minecraft downloadable expansion is now available on consoles and PCs. Created in partnership between Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast and developer Everbloom Games, the new DLC is a story-based action-adventure that combines the gameplay of Minecraft with the basic mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. This includes the DnD 5e classes, stats and dice-based combat, as well as taking place in the popular Forgotten Realms campaign setting.
The new D&D Minecraft DLC is currently via the online Minecraft Marketplace. Below we take a closer look at what’s included.
What’s included in the new D&D Minecraft DLC?
If you’re a fan of either Minecraft or Dungeons & Dragons chances are you’ll dig at least a few of the elements in the new DLC, including:
- A complete branching storyline: Unlike other Minecraft DLCs that are simply skins for the existing open world game, the new D&D Minecraft DLC is a complete adventure that includes a full story with branching narrative choices. What’s more the game includes a surprisingly large amount of voiceover and custom music that’s triggered by specific locations and events.
- D&D Mechanics: While the game isn’t a complete D&D simulator like Baldur’s Gate 3, it does include a number of basic mechanics taken from the fifth editions of the TTRPG. This includes the familiar classes of Barbarian, Paladin, Rogue and Wizard, along with the base stats and resolving combat via dice roles.
- D&D Spells & Magic Items: The new DLC also includes a ton of familiar spells, with everything from Magic Missile to Fireball. Longtime D&D players will also likely recognize a number of the iconic weapons and magic items, including Potions of Healing, Boots of Elvenkind and even a Vorpal Sword or two.
- D&D Locations: Set in the world of the Forgotten Realms, the DLC takes players across Faerûn, visiting a number of familiar locations along the way. This includes the library of Candlekeep and Icewind Dale (the frozen wilderness that’s also home to the legendary dark elf ranger Drizzt Do’Urden).
- D&D Monsters: While monsters are a staple of Minecraft, in the DLC they’re given the Dungeons & Dragons treatment, with the game featuring a number of recognizable creatures, including beholders, gelatinous cubes and mimics, to name just a few.
Wizards of the Coast Releases Tie-In Adventure
While the DLC is definitely aimed at gamers, as part of the release Wizards of the Coast has also released a new tie-in adventure entitled Lightning Keep, which is designed for Level 3 characters and can be wrapped up in about three to four hours. The adventure (which is clearly geared towards newer and younger players) is set in unnamed fantasy world but features creatures from Monstrous Compendium Volume 3: Minecraft, which was originally released in the spring of 2023.
Final Thoughts
While, the new D&D Minecraft DLC doesn’t really capture the fully immersive experience of a video game like Baldur’s Gate 3, it’s great to see Wizards of the Coast using the franchise to reach a new audience who might be interested in picking up some real world dice in the near future.
Below, you can also check out a recent video from Wizards of the Coast with more details on the Minecraft DLC.
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Cameron Nichols is a Senior Editor who lives in Boston, Massachusetts, and has been playing D&D since the early 90s, when he was introduced by his older brother and cut his teeth on AD&D 2nd Edition. Since then he’s played virtually every RPG he could get his nerdy little mitts on (including a weird Goth phase in the early 2000s when he rocked Vampire: The Masquerade pretty hard). His favorite D&D campaign setting is the Forgotten Realms and his favorite character to play was a Half-Orc Barbarian named Grug (who was unfortunately devoured by a gelatinous cube).
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