Wizards of the Coast Reveals New D&D Starter Set Class Boards
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Dungeons & Dragons’ upcoming Heroes of the Borderlands starter set represents a novel new approach to introducing D&D to first time players, introducing physical components such as tokens, cards and other game pieces that haven’t really been used in previous starter sets. The goal is to bridge the conceptual gap between board games and tabletop role playing games and make it easier for new players to jump in.
One major part of the experience will be what Wizards of the Coast refers to as “Class Boards,” which are designed to lay out all the essential elements of a D&D character, with card slots and token trackers making it easy to organize and understand specific class features. Below, we take a closer look at all the details.
What are the new DnD Starter Set Class Boards?
The new D&D Class Board is really a streamlined alternative to the traditional Dungeons & Dragons character sheet. Each board is designed for a specific class and lays out all the essentials (including Armor Class, hit points, saving throws, abilities, spells and class features). The boards also incorporate physical components such as tokens and card slots for weapons, armor and spells, making the game feel more tactile and board game-like. The idea is to reduces the need to flip through rulebooks or scan a cluttered character sheet, allowing new players to jump right into the game with minimal preparation and being overwhelmed with information.
Notably, the boards are also built to evolve as characters progress and are double-sided to allow for updates from Levels 1 to 3, with new abilities, features and subclasses presented at each stage. One limitation, however, is that the really are only designed for lower tiers of play and there isn’t really a way to scale them at higher levels. Still it’s a great way for new players to grasp the basics of play and character optimization.
Final Thoughts
One of the biggest barriers to entry for new D&D players is how complicated and abstract the game can seem. Including physical elements such as the new Class Boards is a smart way to help players make the jump from board games to TTRPGs. It remains to be seen, however, just how both new and experienced players will respond to this new feature.
You can pre-order your copy of the Heroes of the Borderlands starter set now on D&D Beyond and Amazon.
Below is a recent teaser trail on the official Dungeons & Dragons YouTube channel offering a sneak peak at the new starter set.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
