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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The post Five New Spells Drop On D&D Beyond (And You Can Get Them Free) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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

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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.

See Our Other WizKids D&D Coverage

Visit our WizKids page for more D&D-related 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

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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.

See Our Other WizKids D&D Coverage

Visit our WizKids page for more D&D-related 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 WizKid Turns Up the Dial on More D&D HeroClix Sets appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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

Notably, this is the first D&D Fan Expo of its kind and is being organized by live music and entertainment company AEG Presents in partnership with Wizards of the Coast. The event will will take place from August 21st to 22nd, 2026, with tickets on sale now via the D&D Fan Expo website. Recently, more details have also been released, including new performers and guest apperances. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect.

What is D&D Fan Expo 2026?

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

Actual Play Performances

• High Rollers (August 21st): The first day will feature 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 will also feature 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 (which this performance does not appear to be related to).

• Roll Britannia: The multi-award nominated comedy D&D 5e Podcast will also be performing. 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 will be performing a comedic take on D&D and will also be bringing audience members on stage at the event as part of the performance.

Live Panels

• DnD Shorts: Popular British YouTuber DnD Shorts (creator of Power Word Meal and the Ryoko’s Guide series) will be hosting 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 will also be hosting a panel with Q&A
• RPG Taverns: We’ll also be seeing a panel from members of RPG Taverns, a UK-based brand that runs in-person TTRPG games. They’ll be running a “GM Masterclass” with advice on how to run more effective D&D campaigns.

Additional events

Beyond the actual play events, there will also be a variety of additional events and activities taking place at Fan Expo, including:

• Gaming tables: Multiple tables will be running D&D sessions, with options to both play and watch.
• Traders & merch: The event will feature both official Wizards of the Coast D&D merchandise, plus items from independent UK brands.
• Cosplay meet‑ups: Cosplay is encouraged and the event will included meet‑ups and photo opportunities.
• Meet & Greets: For an additional costs, fans will also be able to meet up with the various D&D performers and panelists attending the event.

Where is D&D Fan Expo 2026 being held?

D&D Fan Expo 2026 will be held 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. The fact that a live D&D event is taking place in such a massive venue shows just how popular the game and live actual plays has become over the past few years.

How much are tickets to D&D Fan Expo?

Tickets to opening night on August 21st featuring the High Rollers run for around £30 to £50 (or roughly $40 to $60 USD). On the second day (August 22nd), tickets go for considerably more to see the evening BG3 cast show, with a cost of roughly £100 to £400, depending on where you sit. There will also be a variety of pricing options, including Opening Night tickets, Main Event tickets, Hot Seat VIP Packages, Bundle Ticket & Hotel Packages and Premium Ticket & Hotel Experiences.

Notably, if you purchase the ticket for the August 22nd evening show, you will also free gain access to daytime activities (including the panels, Q&As, gaming tables and merchandise), subject to capacity.

Final Thoughts

Dungeons & Dragons Fan Expo: London 2026 feels like a major milestone event for the game and the actual play scene as a whole. As one of the largest live venues in D&D history there’s going to be a lot riding on its success and a lot of fans watching to see how it all shakes out.

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post Wizards of the Coast Offers New Details on How D&D Seasons Work appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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

The post Official D&D Terrain is Coming Soon from Archon Studio appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Over the past few months, Dungeons & Dragons fans and industry watchers have been asking the same question over and over again: where are all the new D&D books? Now, we finally have an answer, with Wizards of the Coast revealing the complete D&D roadmap for 2026.

So just what can we expect to see next for the world’s most popular TTRPG? Below we take a closer look at the complete DnD release schedule, breaking out all the new and upcoming books for the remainder of the year, including the return of Ravenloft and new Arcane Unleashed titles. For ease of reference, we’ve also included a full break down of past tiles that were released in both 2025 and 2024.

Table of Contents

• New DnD Books Coming in 2026
• Past DnD Books Published in 2026
• Past DnD Books Published in 2025
• Past DnD Books Published in 2024

New DnD books coming in 2026

Below are all the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons titles (including novels, tie-ins and adventure supplements) coming in 2026. Notably, this has been an unusual period for Wizards of the Coast, with the company only announcing major titles in February 2026.

Player’s Workbook of Epic Adventures

Coming: May 5th, 2026

What is it: Described as an “interactive companion book” to the 2024 Player’s Handbook, this new sourcebook from Penguin Random House is designed to walk both new and experienced players through the character creation process, offering useful prompts and activities to help choose a class/subclass, connect a character to their fellow party members and plan out backstories and origins that fit within a larger campaign.

Get it on Amazon

Dungeon Master’s Workbook of Worldbuilding

Coming: May 5th, 2026

What is it: A detailed companion book to the 2024 DMG, this new sourcebook from Penguin Random House is all about helping new and veteran DMs alike build out a detailed campaign structure and flesh out a living breathing world. It includes a series of brainstorming and writing exercises that are designed to get the creative juices flowing, plus includes advice on essential DM skills such as improvising, roleplaying and map making.

Get it on Amazon

Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Release Date: June 16th, 2026

What is it: This new Ravenloft sourcebook is designed for both players and Dungeon Masters. On the DM side, it expands the Domains of Dread with new Darklords, new monsters and new advice for running horror-based D&D campaigns across multiple sub-genres. The book also includes a number of NPCs, including legendary monster hunter Rudolph van Richten.

Player-facing options include new horror-themed subclasses which were first unveiled in a May 2025 Unearthed Arcana playtest, which saw the return of a number of character options first released in 2021 in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The book will also include new species and backgrounds, new Dark Gift feats and expanded rules for fear and dread

Note that pre-orders will begin on April 13th and D&D Beyond digital versions will be available to Master Tier subscribers on June 2nd and Hero Tier subscribers on June 9th.

Get it on D&D Beyond or on Amazon.

The Feywild Job

Coming: June 30th, 2026

What is it: This new D&D novel is written by Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author C.L. Polk and is radical departure from past Dungeons & Dragons works in that it’s a romantasy with a touch of heist action thrown in for good measure. The story involves two thieves who were once romantically involved who are hired to steal a rare magic item from the Feywild.

Get it on Amazon

Baldur’s Gate 3: The Necromancy of Thay Notebook

Coming: July 21st, 2026

What is it: This 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 Baldur’s Gate 3 video game. The notebook will feature an embossed skull on the cover, foil stamping and illustrated “clasps” on the sides.

Get it on Amazon

The Official Baldur’s Gate 3 Coloring Book 

Coming: August 11th, 2026

What is it: As the name suggests, this is a coloring book features 40 black-and-white line drawings of characters, creatures and locations from the Baldur’s Gate 3 video game. Notably, all of the illustrations are by artist Jaki King (creator of the webcomic Ladykillers).

Get it on Amazon

Arcana Unleashed

Release Date: September 2026

What is it: Described by Wizards of the Coast as a “high-magic sourcebook,” Arcane Unleashed introduces a number of new Arcane subclasses which were featured in a September 2025 Unearthed Arcana playtest. It also include new magic items, artificats, spells and customization options.

The book will also include rules for a new a “evolving” magic item system, that allows magic items to grow in power as characters level up.

While there’s still much we don’t know about the content, given the price point it is likely going to be around the 100-page mark.

Learn more about Arcana Unleashed

Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall

Release Date: September 2026

What is it: Described as an “adventure expansion,” it’s not clear if this will be a physical print product or a D&D Beyond digital only supplement. What we do know is that it will be a tie-in to the larger Arcana Unleashed supplement and will be an adventure featuring the Red Wizards of Thay. The plot will apparently involve a massive war and will also offer new lore and info on the dreaded magic users.

Notably, a Red Wizards of Thay adventure was first announced way back in March 2023 at D&D Direct, but it’s not clear if this is the same content or something completely different.

Learn more about Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall

Baldur’s Gate 3: Astarion

Release Date: September 29th, 2026

What is it: Part of a new line up of BG3 books from Penguin Random House, this novel (which is a prequel to the events from the video game) is written by Hugh Award-winning fantasy author T. Kingfisher and chroncles the early days of 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).

Get it on Amazon

A Feast for a Tenday: The Official Baldur’s Gate Cookbook

Release Date: November 3rd, 2026

What is it: This cookbook features 65 recipes inspired by Baldur’s Gate 3 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.

Get it on Amazon

Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk

Coming: TBD

What is it: Written by Luke Gygax (son of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax) this upcoming supplement will consist of both setting info and several adventures set in the popular setting of Greyhawk. The book will be narrated by legendary elven archmage Melf, a character first created by Luke Gygax in some of the earliest D&D campaigns of all time. It also includes new maps by cartographer, Anna B. Meyer, content from Greyhawk community contributor Jay Scott, and cover art from legendary illustrator Jeff Easley.

Learn more about Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk

Dark Sun Sourcebook (Unconfirmed)

Coming: TBD

What is it: While Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed this release, there are some signs that a new Dark Sun book is in the works, including the release of playtests for a new Psion class and Apocalyptic subclasses that contains the Gladiator Fighter, Circle of Preservation Druid, Defiler Sorcerer and Sorcerer-King Warlock, all of which are related to the Dark Sun setting. That suggests there’s a good chance we’ll see a new Athas sourcebook in 2027.

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Past DnD Book Releases in 2026

Below are all the books that have been published for the year-to-date.

Dungeons & Dragons Crochet: A Book of Many Patterns

Coming: March 31st, 2026

What is it: Combining litches and stitches, this new D&D crochet book features twenty new patterns inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, with everything from an Owlbear Cub plushie to your very own handmade Bag of Holding. The book itself is written by longtime D&D contributor and professional artist Stacy King.

Get it on Amazon

Dragonlance Legends Collector’s Edition

Coming: February 10th, 2026

What is it: Reprinting the Dragonlance Legends trilogy which was first published back in 1985, this new collector’s edition also includes new behind-the-scenes material from writers Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, who discuss the early days of Krynn at TSR. The book itself also comes in a new high-quality hardcover format and is the second release in the new “Dragonlance Classics” imprint.

 Get it on Amazon

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Past DnD Book Releases in 2025

Below are all the books that were published in 2025.

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Release Date: December 9th, 2025

What is it: Returning to the world of Eberron, the book will include new backgrounds and expanded rules for airship travel and combat. The book also makes significant changes to both lore and rules, including removing species requirements for Dragonmarked Houses and updating the Koravar elf-elf species. As the title suggests, the book will also feature the new Artificer class and include three adventures that can be reworked to create a complete campaign.

Get It On Amazon

Tyranny of Dragons Legendary Edition

Release Date: November 21st, 2025

What Is It: Created by Beadle & Grimm’s, this new premium D&D box set collects the original Tyranny of Dragons campaign (first released in 2024 as Hoard of the Dragon Queen and The Rise of Tiamat) plus introduces a ton of other features, including new artwork, a DMs guide, player handouts, maps and miniatures.

Get it from Beadle & Grimm’s

Dragons of the Realms D&D Coloring Book

Releaes Date: November 18th, 2025

What Is It: The latest entry in a long line of D&D coloring books, Dragons of the Realms features over 80 pages of detailed black and white art on high-quality print pages that are designed specifically for coloring. Perfect for kids or adults, as the title suggests, the book also explores the many dragons which dwell in the Forgotten Realms.

Get it on Amazon

Lorwyn: First Light

Release Date: November 18th, 2025

What Is It: This short digital D&D Beyond sourcebook brings the Magic: The Gathering plane of Lorwyn–Shadowmoor into DnD 5e. Aimed primarily at Dungeon Masters but with some player options, it offers two new backgrounds (Lorwyn Expert and Shadowmoor Expert), two Origin feats (Child of the Sun and Shadowmoor Hexer), two new species (Lorwyn Changeling and Rimekin) and guidance for adapting existing species like Boggarts, Kithkin and Flamekin to the setting. The bulk of the book is a gazetteer of more than 25 locations across Lorwyn’s eternal daylight, Shadowmoor’s twisted twilight and the realms between, along with eight new monsters and two short adventures set in the kithkin village of Burrenton that showcase both the whimsical and darker sides of the plane.

Get it on D&D Beyond

Netheril’s Fall

Release Date: November 11th, 2025

What Is It: This short digital D&D Beyond supplement serves as both a mini-gazetteer and adventure anthology focused on the ancient Netherese Empire at the height of its power. The book provides an overview of Netheril’s history alongside detailed write-ups of the flying city of Eileanar and the ground-bound city of Conch. It also includes five time-travel adventures that send modern-day Forgotten Realms characters back into Netheril’s past, eight new magic items and eight monster stat blocks (including new phaerimm and magen variants), plus a series of detailed maps.

Get it on D&D Beyond

Astarion’s Book of Hungers

Release Date: November 11th, 2025

What is It: A short, digital supplement available only on D&D Beyond, Astarion’s Book of Hungers is a vampire-themed themed sourcebook featuring Baldur’s Gate 3’s fan-favourite rogue. The book introduces three new backgrounds (Carouser, Vampire Devotee and Vampire Survivor), a Dhampir species option and a suite of vampiric-themed feats ranging from blood-fuelled combat boosts to infernal bargains. Dungeon Masters also get five new monster and NPC stat blocks, plus a detailed guide to Rat’s Run, Astarion’s favourite Baldur’s Gate tavern, complete with maps, hooks and two adventures that explore his bloody past and confrontations with his vampiric “family.”

Get it on D&D Beyond

Forgotten Realms “Adventures in Faerûn” DM Expansion

Release Date: November 11th, 2025

What Is It: Designed solely for Dungeon Masters, Adventures in Faerûn is a sourcebook that goes beyond the familiar and oft-explored Sword Coast region to focus on five key settings in Faerûn: Baldur’s Gate, Calimshan, the Dalelands, the Moonshae Isles and Icewind Dale. The book will also include adventure hooks, new monsters and new magic items.

Get in on Amazon

Forgotten Realms “Heroes of Faerûn” Player Expansion

Release Date: November 11th, 2025

What Is It: Heroes of Faerûn is a new player-focused DnD book that returns to the Forgotten Realms, offering a ton of new rules options, including new subclasses, feats, backgrounds and spells. In addition it includes more lore and setting details and information on noteworthy factions like the Harpers, Zhentarim and Red Wizards of Thay.

Get it on Amazon

Young Adventurers: The Warriors & Wizards Compendium

Release Date: November 4th, 2025

What Is It: The latest entry in the popular Young Adventurers series of book designed for middle school readers, this book provides details on creating a character for Dungeons & Dragons, without really getting into any rules. Instead it covers the lore of various classes and species, with inside information weapons, spells and magic items. The goal is to be a gateway for young readers interested in getting into D&D.

Get it on Amazon

Drizzt’s Daughter: The Finest Edge of Twilight

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

What Is It: The latest entry in the legend of Drizzt saga, this book follows the exploits of Briennelle “Breezy” Zaharina, the daughter of Drizzt Do’Urden and Cattie-Brie. The story follows her attempts to enter the prestigious Monastery of the Yellow Rose, even as an old foe of her parents emerges from the shadows. It’s the 40th novel from fantasy author R.A. Salvatore who remains one of the most prolific and popular D&D novel writers of all time.

Get it on Amazon

DnD Stranger Things “Welcome to the Hellfire Club”

Release Date: October 7th, 2025

What Is It: This box set, which is the second official DnD tie-in to Netflix’s Stranger Things TV series, will include four adventures that connect to the first four seasons of the show, a new quickstart guide using the new DnD 2024 rules, and five pre-generated character sheets. It will also include character stands up, monster tokens and cards, printed player handouts (including letters and maps), four poster-sized maps (one for for each adventure) and a double-sided poster map of the realm of “Greyhawkins” (which is where the adventures take place).

Get it on Amazon

DnD Starter Set “Heroes of the Borderland”

Release Date: September 16th, 2025

What Is It: Like past DnD starter sets, this will be designed for new Dungeon Masters and players to learn the basics of the game. The box set will include dice, character sheets and a complete adventure based on the classic Keep on the Borderlands adventure module from 1979. The new adventure is entitled Heroes of the Borderlands and will be divided into three separate booklets: one focused on the titular keep, one exploring the Wilderness and one centred around the dreaded Caves of Chaos.

Get it on Amazon

D&D: Book of Dragons

Release Date: August 19th, 2025

What is It: Released by publisher DK, this draconic coffee table book is billed as the definitive guide to the lore and legends of Dragons in the D&D multiverse. Don’t expected any stat blocks of adventures, however. Instead, it offers rich descriptions and artwork for a variety of species and is written by longtime Wizards of the Coast contributor Michael Witwer.

Get it on Amazon

Dragon Delves Anthology

Release Date: July 8th, 2025

What is It: This new collection of 10 short adventures will be the first book to use the new DnD 2024 rules. As the name suggests, each adventure is focused around one particular dragon. The adventures will be suitable for a range of character tier levels and can be played together or run as individual one-shots.

Get it on Amazon

New Monster Manual

Release Date: February 18th, 2025

What Is It: The third part of the 2024 Core Rules update for fifth edition, the new 2025 Monster Manual will feature over 500 individual creatures, with tweaks made to better incorporate the new 5e rules updates and many of the elements included in third-party DnD monster books. In addition to changes to monster Challenge Ratings (CR), the book will also feature new monster lore and backgrounds, new artwork and the introduction of new monster “families.”

Get it on Amazon

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Past DnD Book Releases in 2024

Below are all the books that were published in 2024.

New Dungeon Master’s Guide

Release Date: November 12th, 2024

What Is It: Another key part of the ongoing One D&D Playtest, the new 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is designed to help both new and experienced DMs get up and running more quickly. The book features an enhanced content structure, new features (such as the Bastion system) and even a complete campaign world based on the legendary Greyhawk setting. It also includes detailed tips and tricks for novice DMs looking to cut their teeth on their very first adventure.

Get it on Amazon.

Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn

Release Date: October 29th, 2024

What Is It: Worlds & Realms is a 368 page illustrated book that explores some of the many locations in the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, including Dragonlance, the Forgotten Realms,, Planescape, Spelljammer and Ravenloft. The book is narrated by the archmage Mordenkainen and features both new and existing artwork from various D&D sourcebooks, along with several new short stories written by a number of different game designers and fantasy authors.

Get it on Amazon.

Heroes’ Feast: The Deck of Many Morsels

Release Date: October 1st, 2024

What Is It: This unique box set is a tie-in to the Heroes Feast cookbooks and contains 50 D&D recipe cards for a variety of drinks, snacks and desserts inspired by the creatures, characters and locations of Dungeons & Dragons lore. Recipes include an Underdark Forage Board, Halfling Tea Sandwiches and Exploding Cheese Puffs, all of which can be made using easily accessible real-world ingredients.

Get it on Amazon

New Player’s Handbook

Release Date: September 17th, 2024

What is It: Based on new rules materials from the ongoing One D&D Playtest, the new Player’s Handbook is a major retooling of the existing DnD fifth edition rules and is designed to make the game easier to learn and faster to play. The new PHB includes the 12 standard classes, along with 48 subclasses and 144 character background options. While it remains completely backwards compatible with existing 5e materials, there are a number of new rules, including tweaks to classes, spells, races and the introduction of a new “weapons mastery” system that’s designed to make combat more cinematic.

Get it on Amazon

Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Release Date: July 16th, 2024

What Is It: Much like the adventure anthology Tales from the Yawning Portal, Quests from the Infinite Staircase features a collection of six classic DnD adventures updated to the new 5th edition rules. The book also details additional lore around the legendary “Infinite Staircase,” which allows individuals to traverse the multiverse. Notably, the book also introduces a new character named Nafas, a powerful genie who hears wishes made throughout the multiverse and recruits heroes to fulfill them.

Get it on Amazon

The Making of Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1977

Release Date: June 18th, 2024

What Is It: Billed as a “retrospective historical account” of the early days of Dungeons & Dragons, this non-fiction book features original artwork, playtest materials, manuscript annotations and never-before-seen correspondence between DnD co-creators Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The book was produced by noted game historian Jon Peterson and alsos feature a complete version of the original rules, including random tables, page scans and concept art .

Get it on Amazon 

Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Release Date: May 21st, 2024

What Is It: Drawing on one of DnD’s most iconic villains, the Vecna: Eve of Ruin takes players from Levels 10 to 20 as they journey through the multiverse and eventually face down the dreaded arch-lich himself. The campaign features famous locations and characters from past and present DnD history, including visits to the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance and Eberron.

Get it on Amazon.

The Book of Many Things

Release Date: January 5th, 2024

What Is It: Based on the legendary Deck of Many Things (a magical artifact that has destroyed its fair share of campaigns over the years), The Book of Many Things is a complete DnD 5e box set that contains a deck of 66 specialty cards, an 80-page reference guide and a new 192-page sourcebook. Notably, the physical product was originally supposed to be released in November 2023, but was pushed back to January 2024 due to printing errors. The digital version is also available on D&D Beyond.

Get it on Amazon

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Final Thoughts

It’s important to note that the DnD release schedule for the remainder of 2025 may see changes in the coming months (in fact, we saw several major releases in 2024 shift due to printing and supply chain issues). That being said, Wizards of the Coast has been more efficient in recent launches, so it’s likely this release schedule won’t see any major significant shifts.

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

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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).

The post The DnD Release Schedule: All Upcoming Books for 2026 appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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.

See Our Complete D&D Book Coverage

Visit our D&D Books page for more reviews of the latest novels and game books.

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 Baldur’s Gate 3 Books Coming from Penguin Random House appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Over the past few years, the Dungeons & Dragons rules have seen some fairly significant changes, culminating in the new DnD 2024 core books. A key part of this transformation, however, has been Unearthed Arcana (also known as “UA”), a collection of playtest materials Wizards of the Coast publishes online and opens up to user feedback. These playtest packages have introduced new classes, species and games mechanics such as Bastions and Weapon Mastery. In many cases, player feedback has also directly changed how certain rules appear in their final published form. For example, Wizards of the Coast removed the Ardling species after poor reception following a 2022 playtest.

With new UA coming out all the time (and Wizards of the Coast often removing older content), we thought it might be a good idea to start keeping track of these updates. For ease of reference, we’ve also saved PDF copies directly onto our website, which you can download below. We’ll also be updating this page regularly as new UA is released.

What 2026 Unearthed Arcana Playtests have been published so far?

Below is the complete list of all UA published to date in 2026.

Villainous Options 2

Published: April 23rd, 2026

Feedback End: May 6th, 2026

What was in the UA: A follow-up to the previous Villainous Options UA, this playtest package introduces three new subclasses that allow players to embrace their inner Chaotic Evil alignment. The options are: the Path of Lament Barbarian (who uses their own trauma and the haunted voices of the past to fuel their Rage), the Warrior of Venom Monk (who uses their body’s own toxicity to poison their foes) and the Primordial Patron Warlock (who can draw on the dark powers of Elemental Evil to fuel their abilities).

Wizards of the Coast has not indicated what sourcebook these three subclasses will be appearing in (but our bet is that we’ll be seeing them in the pages of a new version of The Book of Vile Darkness).

Download the PDF

Get it on D&D Beyond

Villainous Options

Published: April 2nd, 2026

Feedback End: April 14th, 2026

What was in the UA: The Villainous Options UA introduces four brand new subclasses steeped in chaos and evil: the Pestilence Domain Cleric (who taps into magic associated with plague and vermin), the Circle of the Titan Druid (who can transform into towering kaiju-like monsters), the Hell Knight Fighter (a champion of archdevils who can imbue their weapons with Hellfire) and the Demonic Sorcery Sorcerer (who taps into the power of the Abyss and at a later levels can summon a demonic servant).

The book also includes new “Paths,” that are a series of sequential Feats that when completed allow a character to transform into a powerful new archetype. In the case of the playtest, there are two Paths, one of which allows you to transform into a Death Knight and the other allowing you to transform into a Lich.

Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed what supplement these new subclasses will appear in, but the concept of playing as villainous characters is a radical departure from the heroic high fantasy style of play that has traditionally dominated D&D 5E.

Download the PDF

Get it on D&D Beyond

Mystic Subclasses

Published: January 15th, 2026

Feedback End: February 3rd, 2026

What was in the UA: The first UA of 2026 introduces four brand new, never before published subclasses: the Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk (a spellcasting Monk that blends Sorcerer magic with martial combat, converting spell slots and Focus Points to fluidly weave spells into attacks), the Oath of the Spellguard Paladin (a defensive, anti-mage Paladin built to intercept spells, protect allies, and punish enemy spellcasters through reactions, auras and counter-magic), the Magic Stealer Rogue (a spell-hunting Rogue who siphons magical energy from enemy casters to empower Sneak Attacks, disrupt spells and counter magical advantages) and the Vestige Patron Warlock (bound to a dying god and wielding its fading divine power through a scalable companion, potent auras and summoning-based abilities).

It’s not clear what book these new subclasses will appear in, but speculation is that we may see some kind of Xanthar’s Guide to Everything style book for the new D&D 2024 rules.

Download the PDF

Get it on D&D Beyond

What Unearthed Arcana playtests were published in 2025?

Below are all of the UA releases for 2025 (notably, this was a big year for D&D, with a number of major products in the works).

Subclasses Update

Published: October 30th, 2025

Feedback End: November 30th, 2025

What was in the UA: This playtest revisits five of D&D 5e’s most popular martial subclasses that originally featured in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and the 2014 Player’s Handbook. Referred to as the Subclasses Update by Wizards of hte Coast, the playtest package includes revisions to the Oathbreaker Paladin, Cavalier Fighter, Path of the Ancestral Guardian (now known as the Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian), Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian and Way of the Drunken Master (now renamed the Warrior of Intoxication Monk).

Key changes include The Oathbreaker Paladin now gaining Conjure Undead in place of Control Undead and a reworked Aura of Hate that affects only Fiends and Undead. The Cavalier Fighter now also gets unlimited uses of Unwavering Mark and a much more flexible Ferocious Charger. The Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian expands beyond ancestral spirits to also include nature and animal spirits, while its Vengeful Spirits feature now rewards crits. The Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian sees its Storm Aura scale with Rage Damage bonuses. And finally, the Way of the Drunken Master replaces its traditional dodging antics with magical brews that provide unique combat and exploration bonuses.

It’s not clear what book (if any) these revised subclasses will appear in and whether or not the suggested revisions will resonate with fans.

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Arcane Subclasses Update

Published: September 18th, 2025

Feedback End: October 5th, 2025

What was in the UA: This playtest is actually an update of the June 2025 Arcane Subclasses playtest. This new package has taken player feedback into consideration and features changes to six of the previously featured subclasses.

In particular, it introduces new features for the Arcane Archer, Tattooed Warrior Monk, Enchanter, Necromancer and Transmuter. Noticeably absent are the Arcana Domain Cleric, Ancestry Sorcerer and Hexblade Warlock Patron (all three of which appeared in the previous playtest).

It’s still not clear what book (if any) these new character options will appear in, but it’s encouraging to see Wizards of the Coast addressing player feedback and making some solid iterative improvements.

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Apocalyptic Subclasses (Dark Sun)

Published: August 21st, 2025

Feedback End: September 11th, 2025

What was in the UA: This playtest introduces four new subclasses that have never before appeared in any edition of D&D: the Circle of Preservation Druid, the Gladiator Fighter, the Defiled Sorcerer and the Sorcerer-King Patron Warlock. While the world of Dark Sun isn’t explicitly mentioned in the playtest materials, these new player options are absolutely steeped in the lore of Athas (with mention of setting-specific terms like Preservers, Defilers and Sorcerer Kings). Notably, the playtest also includes the use Psionics, which was a hallmark of Dark Sun and also recently unveiled in the Psion class playtest.

Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed that a new Dark Sun book is in the works, but given the content of this UA it seems highly likely.

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Arcane Subclasses

Published: June 26th, 2025

Feedback End: July 3rd, 2025

What was in the UA: The Arcane Subclasses playtest introduces nine new subclasses, 7 of which are updates of previously published DnD 5e subclasses, and two of which are completely new.

The seven updated subclasses are the Acana Domain (Cleric), Arcane Archer (Fighter), Hexblade Patron (Warlock), Conjurer (Wizard), Enchanter (Wizard), Necromancer (Wizard), and Transmuter (Wizard). The two new subclasses are the Tattooed Warrior (Monk) and Ancestral Sorcery (Sorcerer). Notably, the Hexblade Patron also appeared in the May 2025 “Horror Subclasses” UA, but has been further tweaked based on player feedback.

Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed what upcoming book the subclasses will appear in and it’s possible they’ll change before their final release.

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The Psion

Published: May 27th, 2025

Feedback End: June 3rd, 2025

What was in the UA: This playtest introduces a brand new DnD Psion class (the first new class to appear since the Artificer in 2019). These mind-bending magic users tap into the power of psionics to cast their spells. Mechanically, they use a new “Energy Dice” pool to power their abilities, choosing for a range of Psionic Disciplines for specific abilities.

In addition to the rules for the core Psion class, this UA playtest also includes four new subclasses: The Metamorph (which uses psionics to alter their physical appearance), the Psi Warper (who can teleport and move around the battlefield), the Psykineitc (who can create powerful psionic barriers or unleash attacks on enemies) and the Telepath (who use their mental abilities to augment allies or manipulate the thoughts of enemies).

It’s not clear what official publication the materials will appear in, with some speculating that it my herald a return to the controversial Dark Sun setting, which is known for its psionic based species and classes.

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Horror Subclasses

Published: May 6th, 2025

Feedback End: May 13th, 2025

What was in the UA: This playtest contains eight new Horror-themed subclasses, six of which are updates of existing versions and two of which are brand new.

Returning subclasses include the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcerer, Hexblade Warlock and Undead Patron Warlock. All of the subclasses have been rebalanced or expanded with new features. For example, the Grave Domain Cleric gains improved healing for the dying and a damage boost against weakened foes, while the Phantom Rogue gets more access to soul trinkets and spectral powers.

Two entirely new subclasses also appear in the UA: the Reanimator Artificer and the Hollow Warden Ranger. The Reanimator uses a combination of science and magic to creates an undead companion that grows in power as they advance in levels. The Hollow Warden Ranger taps into ancient wild horrors, transforming during combat to become a terrifying predator with mutated traits.

It’s not clear what official publication the books will appear in, with some speculating that a new Ravenloft sourcebook may in fact be in the works with an October 2025 release date.

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Eberron Updates

Published: Feb. 27th, 2025

Feedback End: Mar. 18th, 2025

What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest introduces the Artificer Cartographer, a brand-new subclass that combines magic and map making to help link party members together and utilize a range of effects, including battlefield teleportation.

The playtest also features substantial quality-of-life improvements to the base Artificer DnD 5e class, bringing it in line with the updated rules from the 2024 Player’s Handbook. This includes changes to features like Replicate Magic Item, Tinker’s Magic and the Soul of Artifice ability. Notably, these changes were made following player feedback to the Artificer UA playtest which was released in December 2024 (see below).

Additionally, this UA includes a new suite of Dragonmark feats for Eberron campaigns, which now allows characters to take on Dragonmarks regardless of their species (something that wasn’t possible in the 2014 rules). Each feat is thematically tied to a Dragonmarked House and grants a range of spells and powers, including “Greater” and “Potent” versions for higher-level characters.

Finally, the playtest includes a handful of new magic items and Artificer-compatible spells which will likely be appearing in the new Eberron: Forge of the Artificer sourcebook slated for release in August 2025.

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Forgotten Realms Subclasses

Published: Jan. 28th, 2025

Feedback End: Feb. 17th, 2025

What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest introduces eight subclasses rooted in Forgotten Realms lore, with three being revised versions of existing 2014 DnD subclasses and five being entirely new.

The updated subclasses include the Knowledge Domain Cleric, Purple Dragon Knight Fighter and Bladesinger Wizard. Each has received significant mechanical and thematic revisions. The Knowledge Cleric now features a telepathy-based Unfettered Mind ability and more powerful spellcasting via Mind Magic. The Purple Dragon Knight gains a psionically bonded amethyst dragon hatchling companion, which grows in size and power over time. The Bladesinger gains access to improved weapon casting abilities, using Intelligence for attack rolls and a reworked Bladesong feature that includes mobility, defense and offensive boosts.

The five new subclasses features in this UA are the College of the Moon Bard, Oath of the Noble Genies Paladin, Winter Walker Ranger, Scion of the Three Rogue and Spellfire Sorcerer. These subclasses draw from iconic Forgotten Realms settings such as Icewind Dale, the Moonshae Isles and Baldur’s Gate. Highlights include the Spellfire Sorcerer’s radiant burst abilities and magic absorption, the Scion of the Three Rogue’s connection to the Dead Three gods, and the Winter Walker’s cold-based defenses and ice form. All eight of the subclasses will appear in the Forgotten Realms Player’s Guide, which is slated for release in November 2025.

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What Unearthed Arcana playtests were published in 2024?

2024 was a pretty slow year for UA, with only one playtest package published over the course of the year. This is because much of the focus during this time period was on the new DnD 2024 rules, which had been developed extensively over the previous few years as part of the larger One D&D Playtest.

The Artificer

Published: Dec. 17th, 2024

Feedback End: Jan. 5th, 2025

What was in the UA: This Unearthed Arcana playtest presents a first pass a new Artificer class for DnD 5e, aligning it with the revised 2024 Player’s Handbook rules and reworking both core features and all four original subclasses: Alchemist, Armorer, Artillerist and Battle Smith.

Key class updates include a redesigned Replicate Magic Item system, which now allows Artificers to choose from a growing list of actual magic items as they level up. Other changes include improved Magical Tinkering, the ability to swap cantrips after a long rest and a buffed Soul of Artifice feature. Flash of Genius is also now triggered after a failed roll and Spell-Storing Item can now hold 3rd-level spells.

Each subclass has also been revamped. The Alchemist creates more and stronger elixirs and gains access to a new spell, Tasha’s Bubbling Cauldron. The Armorer adds a new “Dreadnought” armor model, while Guardian and Infiltrator receive upgrades to damage and utility. Artillerists can aso now wield two eldritch cannons and can detonate them as reactions, while Battle Smiths gain a sturdier Steel Defender, improved healing and a more powerful Arcane Jolt.

The UA also introduces new magic items and spell options, including Homunculus Servant as a full spell rather than an infusion. Collectively, the content from this UA will form the backbone of the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer book.

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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).

The post All Unearthed Arcana Playtests in 2026 (An Updated List) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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.
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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

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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.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

The post D&D Rolls the Dice On New “Dungeon Masters” Actual Play appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

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 various 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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Wizards of the Coast has just unveiled more information and never-before-seen artwork for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, the new D&D sourcebook slated for release this June and now officially available for pre-order from local game stores, D&D Beyond and on Amazon.

The book will feature new character options, monsters, NPCs and magic items, plus over a dozen Domains of Dread and accompanying Darklords to go along with them. Below, we take a closer look at all the terrifying new details and artwork.

What’s included in Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

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

• 16 Domains of Dread: It’s worth noting that 15 of these have appeared in past D&D supplements, but the book does also include Innsmouth, a brand new domain based on the famous location from the work of H.P. Lovecraft.
• 17 Darklords: This includes stat blocks and lore to go along with them (notably, Cthulhu appears for the first time as a Darklord).
• 7 New Subclasses: These are taken from the Horror Subclasses Unearthed Arcana playtest that was launched in May 2025. Of these, the Reanimator Artificer and Hollow Warden Ranger are brand-new subclasses, while the College of Spirits Bard, Grave Domain Cleric, Phantom Rogue, Shadow Sorcerer, and Undead Patron Warlock are updated versions of subclasses the originally appeared in 2021 in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft.
• 4 species: These have not yet been announced and it’s not yet clear if they’re revised version of existing species or completely new to D&D.

• 4 Backgrounds: These are all themed around horror and the Mists of Ravenloft.
• 11 Feats: This includes a range of new options that can be used by all classes.
• 68 Monsters: These include full stat blocks along with “domain denizens” that are specific to a particular Dark Domain.
• 47 maps: These are included in the book, but a separate map pack is also available for purchase.

• 9 Dark Gifts: These are essentially curses that also provide players with additional powers.
• 10 genres of horror: These cover everything from gothic and cosmic horror to dark fantasy.
• 17 One Shots: These use the new one-page format that was first used in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide.
• New Rules: These including updated mechanics around Fear and Despair that are designed for D&D 5.5E

Notably, the book is also being overseen by longtime D&D designer F. Wesley Schneider, who was also instrumental in developing Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. Speaking of which, the book also includes a number of new NPCs, including the return of legendary monster hunter Rudolph van Richten.

When will Ravenloft: The Horrors Within be released?

The Horrors Within will officially hit shelves on June 16th, 2026. Pre-orders began on April 13th and D&D Beyond digital versions will be available to Master Tier subscribers on June 2nd and Hero Tier subscribers on June 9th. If you pre-order from local game store who has opted into the early release program, you’ll also received your physical copy on June 9th.

Notably, the book will also be a centerpiece for the new 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 will be part of the “Season of Horror” which runs from April to June 2026 and will include various products, special releases and organized play events tied to Ravenloft.

How much is Ravenloft: The Horrors Within?

The physical hardcover book will retail 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-order 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 alternate cover of The Horrors Within. The price is exactly the same as the regular version and it will be available online and at local game stores. Notably, the alternate cover is illustrated by Seattle-based artist Pam Wishbow 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 Wizars 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 se 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 also possible we will see products released as part of the new D&D Seasons, which are specific periods of time in which new books, accessories and organized play events will be all focused around a single theme. The“Season of Horror” runs from April to June 2026. We may also see tie-ins for the recently restarted D&D Encounters program, which is designed to bring more players into local game stores.

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).

Final Thoughts

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 DnD campaigns ever made. As such, it’s not too surprising to see the return of Ravenloft to D&D. Because if there’s one thing the Domain of Dread has shown us, it’s that it doesn’t stay dead for very long.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on The Horrors Within in the weeks ahead and will also doing a complete deep dive and review closer ot launch. 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

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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.
Follow him on Bluesky or on Instagram

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.

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 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

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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.

In terms of powers, the book is considered to be semi-sentient and acts as a parasitic force. In its presence plants wither, animals flee in terror and even stone can crack and turn to dust. Any creature that isn’t a Fiend or Undead who tries to attune to the book risks being magically transformed into a demonic Larva (reversible only by a Wish spell), and anyone who dies while attuned to the book has their soul claimed by an entity of great evil, rendering resurrection impossible. After 80 hours of study, a master of the book gains a range of powers, including Immunity to Exhaustion and the ability to cast devastating spells like Finger of Death. The tome, however, is also a fickle master. If the user fails to perform an evil act within ten days (or willingly performs a good one) the book vanishes instantly. The book is also essentially indestructible and even if a god-like power were to destroy its pages, it would eventually reform a century later in another random location in the dark depths of the multiverse.

In the real world, the Book of Vile Darkness has been a staple of Dungeons & Dragons since the earliest days of the game, originally appearing in the 1979 Dungeon Master’s Guide for D&D 1st edition. It was later mentioned in numerous other supplements and adventures over the years, most often being associated with Vecna.

It’s most famous iteration, however, is likely as the D&D 3.5 supplement The Book of Vile Darkness, which was released in 2001 and written by Monte Cook. At the time, the sourcebook stirred up significant controversy as the first D&D product ever to carry a “Mature Audiences,” label as it was specifically designed to allow players to take on the role of chaotic evil characters and included mention of drug use, torture, slavery and ritual sacrifice (notably, unlike other D&D books from the 3.5 era, Wizards of the Coast has never released the book on DMsGuild due to its controversial nature).

Wizards of the Coast later released a toned down version in 2011 for D&D 4E that was written by Robert J. Schwalb. That particular supplement included a DM screen and was focused more on “anti-hero” themes rather than outright evil. More recently, the Book of Vile Darkness appeared as a magic artifact in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide, with a number of updated powers and new visuals.

Beyond the tabletop, the tome appeared in 2012 in a now largely panned and mostly forgotten direct-to-video film entitled Dungeons & Dragons 3: Book of Vile Darkness. It was also a featured card in the Magic: The Gathering “Adventures in the Forgotten Realms” set from 2021.

Why the Book of Vile Darkness is likely coming to D&D 5.5E

There are a few few reason why we’re likely to see this iconic grimoire in the latest 2024 edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Past precedence

Both the 2001 and 2011 Book of Vile Darkness supplements were all about providing player options evil characters, so it makes sense that if Wizards of the Coast was going to release a similar evil supplement for D&D 5.5E (which seems likely given their April 2026 Villainous Options playtest) they’d go with a similar title to build off old school fan awareness and pay homage to two classic sourcebooks.

Similar Subclasses

The D&D 3.5 version of the Book of Vile Darkness includes several Prestige Classes that are strikingly similar to the four subclasses included in the recent Villainous Options UA. And And while the rules between D&D 3.5 and D&D 5.5E are very different, thematically these character options have a lot in common. The 2001 Cancer Mage for example, spreads magical plagues, much like the Pestilence Domain Cleric. Similarly, the Disciple of Mephistopheles serves demonic forces and uses internal powers much like the new Hell Knight Fighter. And the various Thralls of Demon Lords share much in common with the Demonic Sorcery Sorcerer.

A darker tone for D&D

While most of the modern D&D 5E era has been fairly light in tone with more heroic high fantasy, we have seen recent suggestions that the game is taking a darker direction in the new D&D 5.5E era. In particular, we’ve seen a return to the Domains of Dread with the new sourcebook Ravenloft: Horrors Within, which will be the primary product for the new the Season of Horrors. There are also signs that Wizards of the Coast may be returning to the controversial setting of Athas with a new Dark Sun book. It all points to a D&D brand that’s creating darker and more morally complex content than we’ve seen in the past decade, which would make a new version of the Book of Vile Darkness far more likely.

What might be in a new 5.5E version of the Book of Vile Darkness?

If we are indeed about get a new Book of Vile Darkness in 2027, we’ll likely see the following within the supplement:

• New subclasses: The four subclasses featured in the Villainous Options Unearthed Arcana playtest.
• New Paths: It’s possible we may see additional options beyond the Path of the Death Knight and Path of the Lich.
• New equipment: Past versions of the Book of Vile Darkness featured “evil” equipment (such as torture devices and cruel alchemical experiments), so we may see something similar.
• New spells: A large component of past Books of Vile Darkness included a range of chaotic evil spells, so this seems like a natural inclusion.
• New magic items: Like the book itself, we’ll likely see new magic items leaning into darkness and moral ambiguity.

Final Thoughts

While there’s no guarantee that a new version of the Book of Vile Darkness is in the works for D&D 5.5E, given the brand’s history and the recent Villainous Options Unearthed Arcana, it seems more than likely. Of course, if the infamous book has taught us anything, it’s that nothing in life (or in death) is certain and it’s still entirely possible that Wizards of the Coast may close the book on this controversial tome once and for all.

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

The post Why D&D Is About to Bring Back the Book of Vile Darkness appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

During a panel at this year’s annual Gary Con in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Wizards of the Coast announced a brand new official Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook. Entitled Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk: Borderlands of Iuz, the upcoming supplement is being written by Luke Gygax, son of late D&D co-creator Gary Gygax. Notably, as a child, Luke Gygax originally played the character of Melf in his father’s early D&D games, with the elven wizard going on to inspire several now iconic spells that have appeared in every edition of the game.

The news is somewhat surprising given that the Gygax family has had a relatively rocky relationship with Wizards of the Coast over the past few years, but speaks to the WotC’s attempt to both mend fences with both the Gygax estate and the larger fan community.

So just can players expect when Melf makes his triumphant return to D&D? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What is “Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk: Borderlands of Iuz” about?

Currently, details are fairly sparse on what the book will be about. We do know that the book is meant to further expand Greyhawk as part of D&D 5.5e edition following the setting’s return in the pages of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. We also know that the book will include new maps from original Greyhawk cartographer Anna B. Meyer and additional design work from Jay Scott, a longtime contributor to the Greyhawk fan community. It also features cover art from legendary illustrator Jeff Easley (with the original painting being sold at Gary Con to actor Vince Vaughan to raise funds for charity, with Vaughan later gifting it back to Luke Gygax).

During the press conference at Gary Con 2026, Luke Gygax also noted that the book was originally conceived as a third-party release (likely published on DMsGuild), but after speaking with Wizards of the Coast VP Dan Ayoub last year it was decided to release it as an official D&D product.

At one point, Luke Gygax did say that product was going to be called Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk: The Shield Lands, but in a recent post on ENWorld, designer Jay Scott confirmed that it would in fact be called Borderlands of Iuz. Scott also confirmed that the project features additional writers, including Stephen Radney-Macfarlan and Les Reno, and will not have any direct involvement from Wizards of the Coast beyond publishing the book.

Notably, in the lore of Greyhawk the Shield Lands is a confederacy of noble states that serves as a vital defensive “shield” for the south against the evil forces of Iuz and the Horned Society. Ruled by the Knights of the Holy Shielding, the nation is defined by its rigid adherence to honor and its devotion to martial deities like Heironeous. Following their devastating defeat and occupation during the Greyhawk Wars, the region remains a scarred, war-torn frontier where survivors lead a grim struggle to reclaim their ancestral lands.

When is “Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk: Borderlands of Iuz” coming out?

Wizards of the Coast has not yet confirmed when the book will be released. Notably, 2026 has seen the start of new D&D Seasons, with April to June marking the Season of Horror, July to September being the Season of Magic and October to December marking the Season of Champions. It’s not clear if the book will fit into any of these Seasons or will see a later release in 2027.

It’s also not yet clear if the book will be a physical release or will be a D&D Beyond exclusive, which has been the case with other titles in recent months.

Who is Luke Gygax?

Luke Gygax is the son of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax and is perhaps best known as one of the few people to playtest D&D in the original Greyhawk campaign. Notably, the younger Gygax spent over 30 years in the US Army, but during this time also remained actively involved in the D&D fan community, including founding Gary Con in 2009 in honor of his father.

The younger Gygax also created the TTRPG publishing company Gaxx Worx in 2018, which has published a number of OSR adventures since then. More recently, in 2025 Gygax and Troll Lord Games launched a successful BackerKit entitled Castle Zagyg, a mega dungeon based on a project Gary Gygax had been working on prior to his death in 2008.

Who is Melf in D&D Lore?

Melf, also known as Prince Brightflame, is an elven arch-mage of incredible power from the world of Oerth who is best known for two iconic spells which bear his name Melf’s Acid Arrow and Melf’s Minute Meteors. In the lore of Greyhawk, he is an ally to the legendary wizard Mordenkainen and a former member of the Citadel of Eight. He is also the cousin of Queen Yolande, ruler of the elven realm of Celene and commander of the Knights of Luna. Throughout his adventuring career he is often depicted as battling the forces of Iuz and the Scarlet Brotherhood.

In the real world, Melf is one of the first player characters in the history of Dungeons & Dragons and was created by Luke Gygax in his father’s early home mages. His name is literally an amalgam of “Male Elf.” He has been mentioned in numerous D&D supplements and novels over the years (as well as getting his own action figure in 1983), and most recently appeared as a playable character in the D&D mobile game Idle Champions.

Final Thoughts

The announcement of Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk feels like a full circle moment for Dungeons & Dragons, and returning to the roots of the game in terms of both the Gygax family and the world of Greyhawk feels like a smart move on the part of the company. Whether or not the upcoming sourcebook will live up to its legacy, 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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The post New D&D Book “Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk: Borderlands of Iuz” Coming from Luke Gygax appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

While dwarves, elves, halflings and humans may be the most familiar Dungeons & Dragons races to most players, they’re also not exactly the most original choices. Fortunately, over the years D&D has introduced a growing list of weird and wonderful playable races. From sentient slime people and reanimated corpses to humanoid owls and clockwork constructs, there’s an off-the-wall option for just about any player.

To help sort out some of these bizarre player options, we’ve put together this list looking only at official Wizards of the Coast D&D 5e races. One thing to also bear in mind is that if you’re playing with the new D&D 2024 rules (which WotC relabeled as D&D 5.5E), older races no longer provide Ability Score bonuses (instead you get them from your Backgrounds). Other than that, all the racial features you get are exactly the same.

With all that in mind, prepare to take a walk on the stranger side of character creation as we break out… 10 weirdly amazing playable D&D species.

10. Owlin

Sourcebook: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

Why They’re Worth Playing: Distantly related to giant owls from the Feywild, this unique D&D species is most commonly found in the plane of Arcavios, but has migrated to other planes in the multiverse. They also possess a number of stand-out mechanical features, including Proficiency in the Stealth skill, 120-foot Darkvision (which is double the range that most species get) and the ability to Fly. This makes Owlin a particularly great option for Rogues. At the same time, this quirky species also offers a ton of roleplaying potential, with everything from obvious builds like the wise old wizard owl to more unique offerings like an Owlin Barbarian. They also come in a variety of colors, sizes, facial characteristics and wing shapes, letting you base your character on one of the many types of unique owls that exist in the real world.

See Their Stats

9. Leonin

Sourcebook: Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Why They’re Worth Playing: Originating from the Greek-inspired realm of Theros (first introduced in Magic: The Gathering), the Leonin are a great choice for martial classes thanks to their powerful Claw Attack and Daunting Roar ability that can literally frighten enemies into submission. They also open up some interesting roleplaying opportunities as, despite their ferocious appearance, they’re actually noble species who are dedicated to preserving the peace and using violence as a last resort.

See Their Stats

8. Loxodon

Sourcebook: Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica

Why They’re Worth Playing: Elephant-like humanoids who exist on the plane of Ravnica, this bizarre D&D species packs a ton of features, including a massive carrying capacity, advantage against being Charmed/Frightened and natural armor due to their leathery hides. Their prehensile trunk is also essentially another appendage that you can use as a snorkel and has a keen sense of smell that grants advantage on a number of skill checks. And while you could build out a Loxodon martial class that’s an absolute wrecker, the species seems way more fun if you lean into their nature as gentle giants who are deeply meditative and at peace with their surroundings.

See Their Stats

7. Harengon

Sourcebook: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Why They’re Worth Playing: Rabbitfolk native to the Feywild, Harengon are generally a peaceful and free spirited species that dwells in harmony with nature. They also possess some impressive abilities, including a Hare-Trigger feature that allows you to add your Proficiency bonus to initiative rolls. In addition, they gain Proficiency in Perception and the Lucky Footwork feature that allows you to use a reaction to add a D4 to a failed Dexterity saving throw roll. If that wasn’t enough, they can also use the Rabbit Hop ability to jump a number of feet equal to five times your Proficiency bonus without provoking an opportunity attack. They’re an amazing species for classes like Monks and Rogues, but also have a ton of unique roleplaying potential.

See Their Stats

6. Tortle

Sourcebook: Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Why They’re Worth Playing: The ultimate D&D tanks, Tortles’ Natural Armor gives them a base AC of 17, making them a perfect choice for spellcasters looking for a little protection. If things get too dangerous, you can also use their Shell Defense feature to retreat into your carapace for an additional +4 bonus to your AC. Beyond their stats, Tortles are natural born adventurers as nomadic philosophers who carry their entire world on their backs and are constantly exploring new horizons.

See Their Stats

5. Reborn

Sourcebook: Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft

Why They’re Worth Playing: From Frankenstein-style constructs to souls that simply refuse to leave their body, Reborn come in many forms and offer a unique style of play that goes beyond traditional D&D undead. Mechanically, you gain the Deathless Nature feature, which means you don’t need to eat, drink, breathe or even sleep, and get advantage on death saving throws. The real highlight is Knowledge from a Past Life, which allows you to add a d6 to a skill check a few times a day (representing flickers of memory from the person you were before you died). They’re a fantastic choice with a ton of narrative meat if you’re looking to add a little existential horror to your next character..

See Their Stats

4. Grung

Sourcebook: One Grung Above (Extra Life 2017)

Why They’re Worth Playing: These small, colorful frog-folk are as dangerous as they are adorable. One of their stand-out features is Poisonous Skin which offers a solid tactical advantage as any creature that touches you or hits you with an unarmed strike risks becoming poisoned. You can also apply this poison to your own piercing weapons as a bonus action. They are incredibly mobile with a Standing Leap that ignores the need for a running start and the ability to breathe both air and water. In the lore of D&D, Grung tend to be a little on the evil side, but they’re also highly structured as a society, opening up some weird and wonderful options for your character backstory.

See Their Stats

3. Simic Hybrid

Sourcebook: Guildmasters Guide to Ravnica

Why They’re Worth Playing: If you can’t decide on one species, why not go with several at once? That’s exactly, what you get with Simic Hybrids, bizarre bio-engineered experiments that combine a number of different life forms into one powerful being. Mechanically, you choose from Animal Enhancements at Level 1 and again at Level 5 that provide a ton of gonzo options, with everything from manta wings and giant claws to whipping tentacles, and the ability to spit acid. While they’re definitely not a species that will work in every campaign, if you’re looking for something truly off the wall, then the Simic Hybrid is a fantastic choice.

See Their Stats

2. Autognome

Sourcebook: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Why They’re Worth Playing: Sentient clockwork constructs created by space-dwelling rock gnomes, Autognomes are definitely one of the weirder D&D species. Look under their hood, and you’ll find Constructed Resilience, giving you a suite of resistances and immunities. The standout feature, however, is Built for Success, which lets you add a d4 to an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw after you see the roll. Most interestingly, if someone casts the Mending cantrip on you, you can spend a Hit Die to heal, making you the only character in the party who can be “repaired” for free.

See Their Stats

1. Plasmoid

Sourcebook: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

Why They’re Worth Playing: Taking the top spot is the Plasmoid: D&D’s first official sentient slime species. In terms of features, they’re considered entirely Amorphous, meaning you can squeeze through gaps as narrow as 1 inch wide (as long as you aren’t wearing gear). You can also use a bonus action to extend a Pseudopod to manipulate objects up to 10 feet away. Whether you’re a rogue dripping through a keyhole to unlock a door from the inside or a fighter who literally can’t be restrained, the Plasmoid is the pinnacle of weird and offers creative solutions in play that few other species can match.

See Their Stats

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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 November 2025, legendary RPG designer, author and Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood announced that he was working on a new series of D&D 5E sourcebooks set in the Dalelands; the iconic area n in northeastern Faerûn which has appeared in numerous D&D novels and supplements over the years. The books will be published on DMsGuild under a new third-party creative imprint called RealmsBound, which is being spearheaded by indie publisher Mythmakers Studio with a team of professional TTRPG artists, writers and designers.

We now have more details about the first supplement in the series. Entitled Ed Greenwood Presents: Forgotten Realms: Guide to the Dalelands, the sourcebook is meant to expand on previously published official and unofficial materials about the Dalelands, offering a deeper dive into the popular region. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect in this new take on a classic Forgotten Realms locale.

What is “Forgotten Realms: Guide to the Dalelands” about?

In a recent blog post on the official RealmsBound website, they describe the book as a comprehensive expansion for D&D 5.5E.. As the name suggests the book is designed to offer a detailed overview of the Dalelands, ranging from the mystical glades of Cormanthor to the pastoral fields of Mistledale.

The guide is built for both players and Dungeon Masters, offering info on key locations, factions and NPCs. It also includes new monsters, magic items and random encounter tables. To help groups jump into the action, the book also includes three adventures designed for Levels 1-4 to PCs.

The post also notes that the book is being developed under the guidance of Ed Greenwood, with primary writing and design duties overseen by other team members.

How much is “Forgotten Realms: Guide to the Dalelands”?

As of this writing, a price has not yet been confirmed. It’s also not clear if it will be available in both print on demand and PDF via DMsGuild, which will have separate price points.

When will “Forgotten Realms: Guide to the Dalelands” be released?

According to RealmsBound the book will be released sometime in June 2026. Notably, the book was slated for launch earlier this year, but has since been pushed back.

What other Dalelands books are being released by RealmsBound?

As mentioned previously, Guide to the Dalelands will be just one of four planned supplements coming out in 2026. The other three titles are as follows:

• Inn Sites of the Dalelands: Focused on social encounters, as well as the inns and NPCs of the Dalelands. It also includes a range of mini-games, as well as details on local holidays, festivals and regional tournaments.
• Delves of the Dalelands: Focuses on the legendary dangers of the Dalelands, covering ruins, dungeons and potential adventure sites.
• Adventures in the Dalelands: An anthology featuring Dalelands adventures for Levels 1 to 12, with guidance for expanding into higher-level play.

What other D&D supplements are there about the Dalelands?

Over the past 40 years the Dalelands have been documented in dozens of official D&D supplements, including most recently in the Adventures in Faerûn expansion which was released by Wizards of the Coast in November 2025. Other past supplements of note include:

• FRS1: The Dalelands (1993): Considered by many fns to be most comprehensive guide for the region, covering history, maps and iconic locations.
• The Ruins of Myth Drannor (1993): The definitive guide to the elven ruins which remain one of the most important sites in the Dalelands.
• Volo’s Guide to the Dalelands (1996): An in-universe travelogue providing flavor, specific tavern descriptions and local rumors.
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (2001): Includes a massive section updating the Dalelands timeline to 1372 DR.

Final Thoughts

While the Dalelands have been well documented before, this new book still feels like it has the potential to blaze new ground, thanks to the oversight of Ed Greenwood and the possibility of bringing the region into the modern Forgotten Realms timeline of 1501 DR.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this project in the days ahead and will do a complete deep dive closer to launch. In the meantime, you can learn more on RealmsBound.

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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 has just released its newest Unearthed Arcana D&D playtest. Entitled Villainous Options, it features four never before released subclasses that lean into chaos and evil, along with new rules that provide the ability for characters to transform into either a lich or death knight.

It’s not entirely clear what new sourcebook the materials will be appearing in but it seems unlikely they’ll be released anytime soon, given the current D&D release schedule. It’s also not clear if they’ll tie in to the recently announced D&D Seasons and there isn’t an obvious connection to any other recent Unearthed Arcana playtests.

The concept of playing evil characters, however, is very much a radical departure from D&D 5E materials, most which have tended to lean into heroic high fantasy rather than allowing players to indulge their inner chaotic evil urges. Below, we take a closer look at these nefarious new options.

What’s included in the new Villainous Options playtest?

The new UA is a fair bit bigger than other past playtest packages, containing both brand new subclasses and new “Villainous Paths.”

New Villainous Subclasses

There are four new subclasses which have not appeared in any previous D&D 5E materials. They are as follows:

• Pestilence Domain (Cleric): This subclass allows Clerics to harness supernatural decay and plague to battle their enemies. The Blight Weaver feature provides resistance to necrotic and poison damage while allowing your Cleric’s spells to ignore those same resistances. Similarly, with the Plague Blessing feature you can expend Channel Divinity to create an emanation that inflicts levels of exhaustion on nearby enemies. At higher levels, you can also tap into the Virulent Burst feature to incapacitate foes when an enemy dies and eventually even gain the ability to shape-shift into a swarm of pests with the Vermin Form feature.
• Circle of the Titan (Druid): These Druids assume towering, monstrous forms to enact cataclysmic retribution against those who violate the natural world. Upon using Wild Shape, you can adopt a Titan Form, choosing from Behemoth, Leviathan or Insectoid stat blocks. The Dire Impact feature further expands the Titan Form concept, letting you deal elemental damage and create shock waves that can knock enemies prone. As your Circle of the Titan Druid progresses, you can also grow your Titan Form to Huge or Gargantuan sizes, eventually gaining the Swallow ability which lets you devour smaller creatures in a single bite.

• Hell Knight (Fighter): Narratively similar to the Illrigger class created by MCDM, Hell Knights serves as champions of archdevils, using infernal magic to crush their enemies and harvest their souls. One of the key features is the ability to imbue a weapon with Hellfire that deals extra damage. This core mechanic is further expanded with Infernal Wound, which lets you inflicts ongoing damage from your Hellfire Weapon that can be enhanced with secondary effects like poison or force damage. At higher levels you can also access the Hellfire Condemnation feature which lets you transform a slain enemy’s soul into a Lemure trapped in the depths of the Nine Hells.
• Demonic Sorcery (Sorcerer): These sorcerers act as conduits for the corruptive magic of the Abyss, which manifests through gruesome physical changes. By spending Sorcery Points, you can trigger Abyssal Ruptures that pull enemies closer with demonic lashes or cover yourself with a defensive demonic carapace. The Abyssal Aura feature also allows you to warp reality in a localized area, producing random chaotic effects such as sticky webs, caustic ooze or enervating bones. At higher levels, you can also cast Summon Fiend allowing you to acquire your very own demonic servant.

New Villainous Paths

The playtest also introduces new “Paths,” which are essentially a group of Feats that when completed in sequence allow your character to embrace a larger thematic archetype (in this case either a Death Knight or a Lich). You begin by taking an “Initiate” feat at level 4 or higher, which establishes your connection to the path and grants core abilities. At later levels, you have to take an additional Feat from the same path to deepen your transformation. Finally, once you reach level 12 or higher (and have the required prerequisite Feats), you can take the Ascension Feat. This completes the Path, allowing you to gain powerful new abilities and fully transforming your character.

• Path of the Death Knight: This path represents a martial descent into villainy, typically beginning with a significant and dishonorable act. You begin with the Death Knight Initiate Feat, which grants Death Points which are used to fuel other attack abilities. As your knight descends further, you can gain a Spectral Steed and exercise Dread Authority over the undead. Upon reaching Death Knight Ascension, your character officially becomes Undead, granting you resistances and the ability to hurl a devastating Hellfire Orb.
• Path of the Lich: This path focuses on characters who conquer death by binding their soul to a Spirit Jar through a profane ritual (notably you don’t have to be a spellcaster to access the Path, as any character who has the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature can access it). The Path begins with the Lich Initiate feat, which enables the Soul Siphon ability to consume the souls of fallen enemies for extra necrotic damage. Subsequent feats allow for Arcane Restoration of spell slots upon soul consumption or the use of a Paralyzing Touch. Achieving Lich Ascension fully transforms your character into an Undead entity that can utilize a Frightening Gaze and automatically re-form near your spirit jar if your physical body is destroyed.

Final Thoughts

The idea of playing evil characters is something we haven’t really seen before in recent D&D materials and potentially represents a darker thematic tone to the game. It remains to be seen, however, just what supplement these chaotic new character options will appear in how the community will respond to them.

In the meantime, you can check out the four new subclasses and villainous path via the Unearthed Arcana page or download the PDF directly. Player feedback opens on April 9th, 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.
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The post D&D Releases “Villainous Options” Unearthed Arcana Playtest appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In 2018, professional graphic designer and illustrator Griffin Macaulay launched a unique project on Reddit: he would create one new magic item for D&D 5E every day for an entire year. The result was The Griffon’s Saddlebag, a project that has since seen the launch of several million dollar Kickstarters, a thriving online fanbase and two complete books featuring hundreds of magic items.

In fact, the franchise has become so popular that in December 2024 the The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book Two landed on D&D Beyond, which at the time made it one of the few third-party books to appear on Wizards of the Coast’s closely guarded digital platform.

Now, over a year later, The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book One has finally made its way to D&D Beyond, offering up 365 unique magic items, not to mention new player character options and DM-focussed setting material. Below, we take a closer look at what’s inside.

What is “The Griffons Saddlebag: Book One”?

The result of a successful Kickstarter from 2020, The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book One is a sourcebook for D&D 5E that was later picked up for publication by Hit Point Press. The book is 208-pages in length and includes the 365 magic items which were created and illustrated by Griffin Macaulay as part of his original Reddit challenge (which has since become a highly popular subReddit).

The book also includes 12 new character subclasses, 4 new settings and a new playable species – all of which were designed for the D&D 5E 2014 rule set.

What’s included in “The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book One” on D&D Beyond?

The D&D Beyond version of The Griffon’s Saddlebag is essentially a digital version of what has been previously published by Hit Point Press in 2021. It includes the following:

• 12 new subclasses: This includes one for each base class: the Path of the Glacier Barbarian, College of Dance Bard, Astral Domain Cleric, The Unbroken Circle Druid, Couatl Herald Fighter, Way of the Celestial Monk, Oath of the Hearth Paladin, Winter Trapper Ranger, Runetagger Rogue, Frost Magic Sorcerer, Pact of the Astral Griffon Warlock and Material Magic Wizard.
• A new playable species: This is the The Feathren, a race of humanoid griffons.
• 365 magic items: Each item is individually illustrated and ranges in use, with everything from powerful weapons like the Bow of Mind Thievery (which deals extra damage and allows you to dominate the victim) to Frefil’s Jolly Oozebean Sugarbombs (magical jellybeans that grant the eater a range of abilities).
• 4 Settings: These consist of The Everglacier (a treacherous, shifting landscape of eternal ice and hidden ancient frost) The Festerwood (a subterranean forest defined by bioluminescent fungi and a cycle of decay) Hearth (a cozy, fortified sanctuary centered on community and warmth) and The Fight Against Dendallen (a combination of setting and mini-campaign focused on battling a powerful lich).

It’s worth noting that the biggest difference between this new digital offering and the original is that all of the content is fully integrated into D&D Beyond’s toolset, meaning Dungeon Masters will be able to hand out the 365 magic items while players will be able to access the 12 new subclasses and the Feathern species.

It’s also important to note, that the book has been converted to the D&D 2024 rules (which Wizards of the Coast has recently renamed to D&D 5.5E)

How much is the D&D Beyond version of “The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book One”?

On D&D Beyond the new book retails for $17.99 USD, which is actually a pretty decent price given that the physical copy of the book from Hit Point Press goes for $49.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). There is also no PDF version available, which means that D&D Beyond is currently the only place to get a digital version. It’s also worth noting that the original copies from Hit Point Press are still using the D&D 2014 rules.

Final Thoughts

When Griffin Macaulay set out to create and illustrate a year’s worth of new D&D magic items, he also inadvertently launched one of the most popular third-party supplements in recent years, so it’s great to see it finally get a chance to reach a new audience on D&D Beyond. If you don’t already own this unique supplement, then it’s definitely worth considering adding to your Bag of Holding.

You can pick up the digital version of The Griffon’s Saddlebag: Book One 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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Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting is heading back to D&D Beyond with the second instalment of the popular third-party sourcebook now available on D&D Beyond. First created in 2022 by Loot Tavern and later published by Hit Point Press after a hugely successful Kickstarter, the original book featured a ton of new player character options, including new subclasses, species and backgrounds.

Notably, part one was released on D&D Beyond back in March of 2025, so this final instalments round out the material with even more DM and player-facing content. Below, we take a closer look at what’s included.

What’s in the original “Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting” book?

The original version of Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting is a sourcebook for D&D 5e that was created by publisher Loot Tavern and later distributed by Hit Point Press after earning a record $1.8 million in funding via Kickstarter. The book is 600 pages in length and includes

• 75 new monster stat blocks
• 69 new spells
• 14 maps
• 11 monster hunt adventures (for multiple levels)
• 10 new species
• 9 new subclasses
• A new “Monster Tamer” class (with 4 associated subclasses)
• New rules for Harvesting, Crafting and Cooking with monster parts

If you purchased the physical copy from Loot Tavern and Hit Point Press you also get the following digital elements:

• PDF version of the book
• 44 additional monster encounters
• 10 “Bard Recording” music tracks
• 25+ monster sound effect audio files
• 10 ambient soundscapes audio files

What’s included in “Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting: Part Two” on D&D Beyond?

As noted previously, the original Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting book has been split into two parts on D&D Beyond. Part Two contains the following:

• 5 Subclasses (College of Cuisine Bard, Hunt Domain Cleric, Trapper Ranger, Skinshifter Sorcerer and Parasite Patron Warlock.)
• 5 playable Species (the salamander-like Lotol, the corpse-reanimating Mycelian, the shadowy Ombrask, the gelatinous Oozekin, and the moth-like Opteran).
• 53 Monsters for use with D&D Beyond Encounters
• 84 Magic Items
• 63 spells
• 5 adventures

It’s important to note the book does NOT use the new D&D 2024 rules (which were recently reclassified as D&D 5.5e by Wizards of the Coast). That being said, it is completely compatible.

How Much is “Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting: Part Two” on D&D Beyond?

Part Two retails for $29.99 USD on D&D Beyond. You can also pick up a bundle containing both Part One and Part Two for $64.99 USD. If you already purchased Part One, you’ll also get a $4.99 USD discount on Part Two at checkout.

Notably, the PDF version of Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting (which includes both Part One an Part Two) retails for $34.99 USD on Hit Point Press site. It’s also worth noting that the physical version of the book (which includes the PDF and both Part One and Part Two) retails for $79.99 USD (not including shipping and handling).

Final Thoughts

Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting is an absolutely stellar third-party D&D 5E product. In fact, it’s spawned a series of other books featuring Heliana, including most recently a new Kickstarter collaboration with DnD shorts. This final instalment on D&D Beyond, however, is likely going to introduce Heliana to an even wider audience.

You can pick up Part Two now on D&D Beyond or grab the bundle which contains both parts at a discounted rate.

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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 “Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting: Part Two” Lands On D&D Beyond appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Back in August of 2024 we first reported that a new trilogy of Dragonlance novels was in the works from original authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman entitled Dragonlance Legacies which would be published under a new “classic Dragonlance” label.

We now have more details on the first book in the series. Entitled War Wizard, the book will focus on Huma and Magius, two legendary heroes from the lore of Krynn who lived over a thousand years before the events of the War of the Lance. The book will be coming out in early August 2026, but you can pre-order it now from local game stores, book stores and on Amazon.

So what can fans expect with this new take on an old tale? Below, we break out all the details.

What is “Dragonlance: War Wizard” about?

War Wizard will focus primarily on the character of Magius, an incredibly powerful wizard who rose to prominence during the Third Dragon War (roughly 1,400 years before the War of the Lance). The book, however, will chronicle the early days of Magius’ life as a young man growing up in Solamnia; a region known for its powerful order of knights and its mistrust of all things magical.

Possessing a keen mind and an innate gift for the arcane arts, Magius faces discrimination and heartbreak as he struggles to become a powerful War Wizard. His only companion is Huma, a young recruit who will also become of the greatest warriors in all of Krynn.

The book follows the unlikely duo as they try and find their place in the world while also facing the looming threat of the dragon goddess Takhisis.

How much is “Dragonlance: War Wizard”?

The hardcover version of the book 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 new Dragonlance novel be released?

War Wizard will be officially available on August 4th, 2026, at which point you’ll be able to pick it up online and at physical retailers.

What other Dragonlance novels have been recently released?

Until 2022, it had been over a decade since a Dragonlance novel had been published. This was due primarily to an protracted lawsuit between Wizards of the Coast and authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman over a contract dispute. The legal issue, however, was eventually resolved and Weis and Hickman released the Dragonlance Destinies trilogy which consists of the following books:

• Dragonlance: Dragons of Deceit (August 2022)
• Dragonlance: Dragons of Fate (August 2023)
• Dragonlance: Dragons of Eternity (August 2024)

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see the literary side of Dragonlance continuing on over 40 years after it was first created. It’s also interesting to see original authors Margaret Weis and Tracy HIckman offering a fresh take on two legendary figures in the lore of Kyrnn (both of whom have been featured in previous books). Notably, in October 2025, both Weis and Hickman appeared at Wizards of the Coast headquarters along with actor and D&D super fan Joe Manganiello, although it’s not clear whether it was related to the new trilogy of books or some other upcoming project.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on War Wizard in the days ahead and will offer a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime, you can pre-order a copy now from local game stores, book stores 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 Dragonlance Novel “War Wizard” Coming This Summer appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dungeons & Dragons owes much of its existence to Gen Con, an annual event that was started in the late 1960s by D&D co-creator Gary Gygax as a tiny gathering of likeminded wargaming fans and has since evolved into one of the largest TTRPG conventions in the world.

Over the past few years, however, an official D&D presence has been conspicuously absent from Gen Con. In fact, for the most part Wizards of the Coast has largely avoided operating a booth, running games or making major announcements at the event.

That looks like it’s about to change, however, with Wizards of the Coast Vice President Dan Ayoub recently announcing that going forward Gen Con will play a much larger role for the D&D brand. This will include unveiling the annual D&D product roadmap at each Gen Con, as well as hosting more community outreach and organized play events. Below, we look at what this means for fans and the game as a whole.

What is the D&D connection to Gen Con?

The first Gen Con was organized by Gary Gygax in 1968 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin as a way to connect war gaming enthusiasts in the Midwest United States. When Gygax later launched Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 with co-creator Dave Arneson, Gen Con played a pivotal role in introducing D&D to new players. In fact, many attendees were visitors from outside the Lake Geneva area who then purchased copies of the game and introduced it to players in their own communities, helping D&D to organically spread and grow in popularity.

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 a major focus of the D&D brand, with huge organized play tournaments and significant resources being pumped into the event, including famously, a life-sized castle.

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

Why has WotC been absent from Gen Con in recent years?

For the past decade or so, Wizards of the Coast has rarely attended Gen Con in an official capacity, and when they have it’s been a largely subdued presence. There are likely a few reasons for this:

• Corporate Rebranding: In recent years, WotC (and parent company Hasbro) has increasingly viewed D&D as more of a global lifestyle brand than a game. They’ve also focused more on reaching fans via their own digital platforms or proprietary events like MagicCon, rather than using third-party cons which they don’t directly control.
• High Operational Costs: The massive expense of building landmark booths and housing large staff teams likely yields a lower return on investment than digital advertising or working with social media influencers.
• Outsourced Organized Play: Most D&D gaming sessions at Gen Con are now managed by third-party partners like Baldman Games, allowing WotC to maintain a presence without direct staffing.

One notable exception was 2024, which Wizards of the Coast did attend as part of their 50th anniversary and the release of D&D 5.5e, although even this was a fairly subdued presence compared to the glory days of TSR and its giant castle booths.

Why is D&D focusing on Gen Con now?

The new focus on Gen Con seems to be part of a larger franchise strategy spearheaded by Wizards of the Coast VP Dan Ayoub to return D&D to its roots. This includes the launch of new D&D Seasons, the return of D&D Encounters and even mending the fractured relationship with the Gygax family by launching the new sourcebook, Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk.

It’s also worth noting that it’s now been several years since the OGL scandal resulted in significant reputational damage to the D&D brand (with some fans at the time openly calling for a boycott of WotC products). With the scandal now in the rearview mirror and tempers now somewhat cooled, a more significant Gen Con presence may be seen as a way to further rebuild trust with the diehard player community.

Final thoughts

Wizards of the Coast’s limited presence at Gen Con in the past few years has been seen by many fans as being somewhat myopic at best and downright arrogant at worst (after all, it is a bit odd that the biggest player in the TTRPG space isn’t actually showing up to the largest TTRPG convention). This new emphasis going forward, however, seems like it has the potential to change this perception while connecting the D&D brand to the iconic convention that helped make it the game it is today.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on what happens at this year’s Gen Con (which will be taking place from July 30th to August 2nd, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana) and will update this page with new information as we learn more.

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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 is Heading Back to Gen Con in a Big Way appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

At this year’s annual Gary Con in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Wizards of the Coast Vice President Dan Ayoub announced that Dungeons & Dragons modules will soon be coming back. These short, bite-sized adventures represent a fairly significant departure from WotC’s traditional D&D publication format, which has tended to favor larger campaign books that can take months or even years to play through.

So what exactly will these modern modules look like and when can we expect them to arrive? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What exactly is a D&D module?

If you’re not familiar with the term, “module” is the original name used from the early 1970s to the late 1990s to refer to D&D’s numerous short, pre-published adventures. Each was also given an alphanumeric designation to indicate which edition and series it belonged to (for example, B2: Keep on the Borderlands). After the introduction of D&D 3rd edition in the early 2000s, however, the term was largely abandoned by then-publisher Wizards of the Coast in favor of the designation “adventure” and today is largely an anachronistic term (although it is still occasionally used in the OSR scene).

And while there is some debate as to the exact definition of a module, in general they’re regarded as single, self contained adventures that can be wrapped up in a few sessions; although some modules were connected together to make a larger campaign arc (for example the “super module” consisting of The Temple of Elemental Evil, Scourge of the Slave Lords and Queen of the Spiders). In this sense, modules are really the precursor to modern D&D one shots.

What will the new D&D modules consist of?

While there’s much we still don’t know about what this new version of modules will entail, according to D&D VP Dan Ayoub they will be part of Wizards of the Coast’s upcoming D&D Seasons initiative, which are three-to-four month time periods built around a single theme (such as the Season of Horror, the Season of Magic and the Season of Champions).

It’s also possible these new modules may be part of the upcoming D&D Encounters program, which is designed to promote short, single session adventures for use at local game stores. It’s not clear, however, if these will be available in print or available only as digital formats on D&D Beyond (although the latter option sounds more likely).

Technically, Wizards of the Coast has produced a number of adventures that fit the old school definition of a module (including recent examples like Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn, Hold Back the Dead and Scions of Elemental Evil) but these tend to be few and far between and for the most part modules we have seen are often adventures taken from existing campaign books or larger adventure anthologies.

Final Thoughts

It’s interesting to see modules fit into the new D&D franchise model and the idea of producing more bite-sized adventures and less sprawling campaign books sounds like a smart move on the part of Wizards of the Coast. Whether this is a legitimately novel approach, however, or simply a new name for an old idea, remains to be seen.

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

More D&D News 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

The post Wizards of the Coast Announces the Return of D&D Modules appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

We break out of every official Dungeons & Dragon fifth edition book published to-date by Wizards of the Coast

First introduced in 2014, the fifth edition of D&D (better known as DnD 5e) has since spawned dozens of books from publisher Wizards of the Coast. For new players and Dungeon Masters, this can often be overwhelming, and it’s hard to know where to start.

Below, we break out the complete list of all DnD 5e books published to date. For ease of reference we’ve categorized them by Core Rules, Supplements, Campaign Settings and Adventures. For each book we’ve also indicated the date when it was released and noted whether the book is geared towards players or Dungeon Masters. In addition, we’ve included the abbreviation for each book, as you may see these used by fans and publishers to refer to a specific title online.

Finally, we’ve also included upcoming books that have been announced by Wizards of the Coast, and will update this list as new books are published, so check back regularly for new titles.

Table of Contents

• Core Rule Books
  • Player’s Handbook (2014)
  • Dungeon Master’s Guide (2014)
  • Monster Manual (2014)
  • Player’s Handbook (2024)
  • Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024)
  • Monster Manual (2024)
• Supplements
  • Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  • Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  • Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
  • Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
  • Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
  • Monsters of the Multiverse
  • Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
  • The Book of Many Things
  • Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn
  • Astarion’s Book of Hungers
  • Netheril’s Fall
  • Lorwyn: First Light
  • Eberron: Forge of the Artificer
• Campaign Settings
  • Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
  • Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
  • Acquisitions Incorporated
  • Eberron: Rising from the Last War
  • Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
  • Mythic Odysseys of Theros
  • Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
  • Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
  • Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
  • Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
  • Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn
• Adventures
  • Starter Set: Lost Mine of Phandelver
  • Hoard of the Dragon Queen
  • The Rise of Tiamat
  • Princes of the Apocalypse
  • Out of the Abyss
  • Curse of Strahd
  • Storm King’s Thunder
  • Tales from the Yawning Portal
  • Tomb of Annihilation
  • Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
  • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
  • Stranger Things: The Hunt for Thessalhydra
  • Ghosts of Saltmarsh
  • Essentials Kit: Dragon of Icespire Peak
  • Baldurs Gate: Descent into Avernus
  • Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty
  • Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
  • Candlekeep Mysteries
  • Wild Beyond the Witchlight
  • Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep
  • Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel
  • Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
  • Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
  • Tyranny of Dragons Re-release
  • Keys from the Golden Vault
  • Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
  • Vecna: Eve of Ruin
  • Quests from the Infinite Staircase
  • Dragon Delves Adventure Anthology
  • Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set
  • Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club
• Upcoming Books
  
  • Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
  • Arcana Unleashed
  • Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall
  • Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk
  • New Dark Sun Sourcebook (Unconfirmed)

Core Rule Books

Three core rule books form the basis of the DnD 5e system. If you’re interested in being a Dungeon Master, you’ll need all three books to get started. If you’re interested in playing, however, The Player’s Handbook will have everything you need to make a character and learn the basic rules of the game. It’s worth noting that while the original DnD 5e core rule books have been around since 2014, new versions will be coming out in 2024 as part of the One D&D update.

Player’s Handbook (PHB)

Published: August 2014

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

This complete guide for players contains all of the DnD 5e core rules, covering everything from character creation and combat, to exploration and class features.

Get it on Amazon

Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG)

Published: December 2014

Who is it for: Dungeon Masters

This reference guide for DMs includes additional information on the rules included in the Player’s Handbook, as well as tips and advice for running adventures and building out your own unique campaign world.

Get it on Amazon

Monster Manual (MM)

Published: September 2014

Who is it for: Dungeon Masters

A compendium of creatures for DnD 5e adventures, the book includes classic D&D monsters like dragons, giants and beholders, as well as new monsters which are unique to fifth edition. Notably, this book has also inspired a variety of other third-party DnD monster books.

Get it on Amazon

Player’s Handbook (2024)

Published: September 17th, 2024

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

The 2024 Player’s Handbook marks a major update of the existing DnD fifth edition rules, introducing significant changes to classes, subclasses, backgrounds, species, spells, feats and more. It also introduces a new Weapon Mastery system, a revised page structure, new character sheet format and variety of tweaks to existing rules such as Exhaustion, Surprise, Inspiration and Crafting. In short, it represents a major new system for the game which players and Wizards of the Coast are now referring to simply as “DnD 2024.”

Get it on Amazon

New Dungeon Master’s Guide

Published: November 12th, 2024

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

The new 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide is also part of the rules update that was made to the DnD 5e system. The book offers reorganized content, making it easier to use by both new and existing DMs to get started and find what they’re looking for. The new DMG also features a sample campaign set in the world of Greyhawk, introduces new rules for crafting magical items and offers Bastion rules that allows players to build and manage a homebase.

Get it on Amazon.

New Monster Manual

Published: February 18th, 2025

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

According to Wizards of the Coast, the primary purpose of the new 2025 Monster Manual will be to introduce a number of new creatures, address player concerns and work with the changes being made to the DnD 5e rules. Additionally, the book will integrate with content from other related publication, including Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and Volo’s Guide to Monsters.The book will also include changes to monster Challenge Ratings (CR), along with new monster lore and backgrounds, new artwork and the introduction of new monster “families.”

Get it on Amazon

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Supplements

These particular DnD 5e books include additional rules to help expand your game play experience. The content itself includes new DnD 5e classes, monsters, spells, magic items and optional rules which can be dropped into your existing adventure or campaign setting.

Volo’s Guide to Monsters (VGtM)

Published: November 2016

Who is it for: Dungeon Masters

Narrated by the legendary explorer Volo, this sourcebook offers a variety of new and exotic monsters, breaking out information on their stats, ecology and behavior. While the monsters listed primarily live in the Forgotten Realms world, they can easily be adapted for almost any DnD setting.

Get it on Amazon

Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (XGtE)

Published: November 2017

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Narrated by the Beholder crimelord Xanathar, this comprehensive book features a variety of player options, including new subclasses, spells and feats. It also offers a bit of additional advice for DMs on how to run adventures and establish ongoing campaigns.

Get it on Amazon

Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (MToF)

Published: May 2018

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Narrated by the powerful wizard Mordenkainen of Greyhawk fame, this sourcebook includes a number of new playable DnD races, as well as a large selection of monsters and detailed lore on various factions and forces in the DnD 5e multiverse.

Get it on Amazon

Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything (TCoE)

Published: November 2020

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Narrated by the archmage Tasha, this supplement introduces a number of new subclasses, spells, magic items and optional rules, as well as providing guidance to players for creating more unique characters.

Get it on Amazon

Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons (FToD)

Published: October 2021

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Narrated by the wizard Fizban the Fabulous of Dragonlance fame, this sourcebook focuses on the world of dragons, including new draconic subclasses, spells, and magic items, as well as DM advice on running dragon-focused campaigns.

Get it on Amazon

Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse (MPMotM)

Published: May 2022

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Another book narrated by the sorcerer Mordenkainen, this book includes a number of monsters from across different D&D settings and plane of existence. It also features a variety of new player races and offers clarifications on some of the previously established DnD 5e rules from the Player’s Handbook.

Get it on Amazon

Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants (BPGotG)

Published: August 2023

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Narrated by Bigby, a powerful wizard from DnD lore, this supplement explores the unique world of giantkind. The book also provide players and DMs with new rules, spells and magic items, as well as new giants and giant-related creatures to encounter. (Read our review).

Get it on Amazon

The Book of Many Things (TBoMT)

Published: January 2024

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

The Book of Many Things is a new DnD 5e collection that’s actually three items in one. First, it contains a deck of 66 specialty cards that feature the original 22 cards in the Deck of Many Things, along with 44 new cards. The set also contains a 192-page sourcebook detailing the lore and history of the Deck of Many Things, including adventure hooks and how to integrate the artifact into a campaign. Finally, the set contains an 80-page card reference guide that provides instructions on how to use the deck in a game.

Get it on Amazon

Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn

Published: November 11th, 2025

Who Is it For: Players & Dungeon Masters

What Is It: Heroes of Faerûn is a new player-focused DnD book that returns to the Forgotten Realms, offering a ton of new rules options, including new subclasses, feats, backgrounds and spells. In addition it includes more lore and setting details and information on noteworthy factions like the Harpers, Zhentarim and Red Wizards of Thay.

Get it on Amazon

Astarion’s Book of Hungers

Published: November 11th, 2025

Who Is it For: Player’s & Dungeon Masters

A short, digital supplement available only on D&D Beyond, Astarion’s Book of Hungers is a vampire-themed themed sourcebook featuring Baldur’s Gate 3’s fan-favourite rogue. The book introduces three new backgrounds (Carouser, Vampire Devotee and Vampire Survivor), a Dhampir species option and a suite of vampiric-themed feats ranging from blood-fuelled combat boosts to infernal bargains. Dungeon Masters also get five new monster and NPC stat blocks, plus a detailed guide to Rat’s Run, Astarion’s favourite Baldur’s Gate tavern, complete with maps, hooks and two adventures that explore his bloody past and confrontations with his vampiric “family.”

Get it on D&D Beyond

Netheril’s Fall

Published: November 11th, 2025

Who Is it For: Dungeon Masters

This short digital D&D Beyond supplement serves as both a mini-gazetteer and adventure anthology focused on the ancient Netherese Empire at the height of its power. The book provides an overview of Netheril’s history alongside detailed write-ups of the flying city of Eileanar and the ground-bound city of Conch. It also includes five time-travel adventures that send modern-day Forgotten Realms characters back into Netheril’s past, eight new magic items and eight monster stat blocks (including new phaerimm and magen variants), plus a series of detailed maps.

Get it on D&D Beyond

Lorwyn: First Light

Published: November 18th, 2025

Who Is it For: Player’s & Dungeon Masters

This short digital D&D Beyond sourcebook brings the Magic: The Gathering plane of Lorwyn–Shadowmoor into DnD 5e. Aimed primarily at Dungeon Masters but with some player options, it offers two new backgrounds (Lorwyn Expert and Shadowmoor Expert), two Origin feats (Child of the Sun and Shadowmoor Hexer), two new species (Lorwyn Changeling and Rimekin) and guidance for adapting existing species like Boggarts, Kithkin and Flamekin to the setting. The bulk of the book is a gazetteer of more than 25 locations across Lorwyn’s eternal daylight, Shadowmoor’s twisted twilight and the realms between, along with eight new monsters and two short adventures set in the kithkin village of Burrenton that showcase both the whimsical and darker sides of the plane.

Get it on D&D Beyond

Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

Published: December 9th, 2025

A companion book to Eberron: Rising from the Last War, the book will include new backgrounds, new Bastion options and expanded rules for airships. The book will also feature some significant changes to both lore and mechanics that are specific to Eberron, including removing species requirements for Dragonmarked Houses and updating the Koravar elf-elf species. The book will also feature the new Artificer class and include three adventures that can be reworked to create a complete campaign. Notably it will also feature a shorter page count and a new price point.

Get It on Amazon. 

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Campaign Settings

While Dungeon Masters can create their own campaign worlds, Wizards of the Coast has also produced a number of detailed pre-made campaign settings that include background, history, lore and player character options. This includes classic campaign settings like the Forgotten Realms (which has appeared in both past editions and newer DnD 5e books), as well as worlds such Exandria (based on the Critical Role podcast) and the city of Ravnica (based on the popular Magic the Gathering card game).

Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (SCAG)

Published: November 2015

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A sourcebook focused on the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms (which includes popular locations such as the cities of Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter), this book provides lore, monsters, player subclasses, spells and adventure hooks for DMs.

Get it on Amazon

Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica (GGtR)

Published: November 2018

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A crossover with the Magic: The Gathering card game (which is also owned by Wizards of the Coast), this sourcebook introduces the city-plane of Ravnica and its various guilds, as well as providing a variety of new player subclasses, spells, monsters and magic items.

Get it on Amazon

Acquisitions Incorporated (AI)

Published: June 2019

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A sourcebook focused on the titular adventuring company popularized by the Penny Arcade podcast, this book offers background info on the Forgotten Realms, as well providing rules and guidelines for including corporate shenanigans into your existing DnD 5e campaigns.

Get it on Amazon

Eberron: Rising from the Last War (ERftLW)

Published: November 2019

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A sourcebook focused on the world of Eberron (a world filled with magic, pulp adventure and steampunk technology), the book offers a ton of background information, including the history, cities, races and lore. It also introduces a variety of new subclasses and adventure ideas for DMs interested in running a campaign in the setting.

Get it on Amazon

Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount (EGtW)

Published: March 2020

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

This book details information on the continent of Wildemount, set in the world of Exandria (the setting featured in the Critical Role podcast). The book includes a variety of subclasses, spells, magic items and monsters, as well as a several introductory adventures designed for Dungeon Masters looking to start a campaign in Wildemount.

Get it on Amazon

Mythic Odysseys of Theros (MOoT)

Published: July 2020

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Another tie-in with the Magic: The Gathering card game, this campaign sourcebook is focused on the world of Theros, a land inspired by ancient Greek mythology. The book provides extensive background on the history, locations, monsters and gods of Theros, as well as presenting new subclasses, spells, magic items and adventure hooks.

Get it on Amazon

Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft (VRGtR)

Published: May 2021

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A sourcebook focused on the Domains of Dread popularized in past DnD editions and inspired by the classic Ravenloft setting, this book is narrated by the scholar and vampire hunter Rudolph van Richten, and offers new lore, subclasses and campaign ideas for players looking to experience DnD 5e in a world of gothic horror.

Get it on Amazon

Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos (SACoC)

Published: December 2021

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

Another crossover with Magic: The Gathering, this sourcebook introduces the magical college of Strixhaven, a kind of DnD version of Hogwarts where individuals from various realms of existence travel to study the arcane arts. This particular book provides background information on the five Colleges of magic which make up Strixhaven’s core faculty, and provides new subclasses, spells, magic items and campaign ideas.

Get it on Amazon

Spelljammer: Adventures in Space (SAiS)

Published: August 2022

Who is It for: Players & Dungeon Masters

A 5e update the Spelljammer campaign setting that has appeared in past DnD editions, this book introduces the concept of magical ships that allow players to explore the vast wilds of space. It includes information on various locations (such as dwarven asteroid cities), as well as introduces a wide range of creatures, spells, magic items and subclasses. Notably, the box set also includes a complete campaign as well as additional adventure ideas.

Get it on Amazon

Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse (PAitM)

Published: October 2023

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

The first DnD 5e update to the popular Planescape setting, this collection actually contains three separate books. The first is a 96-page sourcebook entitled Sigil and the Outlands which provides background on the world and lore of Planscape. The second book is Morte’s Planar Parade, a 64-page collection of various monsters that inhabit the city of Sigil and the nearby regions. Finally, the last book is a 96-page adventure entitled Turn of Fortune’s Wheel which takes the players on a journey through the multiverse to uncover a “glitch” behind reality itself. The new three-box slipcase set will also include a DM screen and a poster map.

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Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn

Coming: November 11th, 2025

What Is It: Designed solely for Dungeon Masters, Adventures in Faerûn is a sourcebook that goes beyond the familiar and oft-explored Sword Coast region to focus on five key settings in Faerûn: Baldur’s Gate, Calimshan, the Dalelands, the Moonshae Isles and Icewind Dale. The book will also include adventure hooks, new monsters and new magic items.

Get in on Amazon

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Adventures

These DND 5e books are either focused on complete campaigns (which follow a story arc and take players over multiple levels) or are collections of standalone DnD one shot adventures (that can be added to existing DnD 5e campaigns or played in a single session). Notably, there are also adventures included in the various Campaign Settings. For example Spelljammer campaign box set contains the adventure Light of Xaryxis. That being said, the books below are all purely focused on campaigns or adventures, and as such are designed to be read solely by Dungeon Masters.

Starter Set: Lost Mine of Phandelver

Published: July 2014

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A starter set designed for new players, this kit includes a simplified rule set, pre-generated characters, and the popular adventure The Lost Mine of Phandelver, which is set in the Forgotten Realms and takes the players from Level 1-5. The story finds the players on the hunt for a fabled dwarven kingdom, while battling goblins, bandits and a devious villain working from the shadows.

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Hoard of the Dragon Queen (HotDQ)

Published: August 2014

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

This campaign takes players from Levels 1 to 8, with the story focused on the payers stopping the dreaded Cult of the Dragon from releasing the evil dragon goddess Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells. The adventure itself takes players to a variety of different locations throughout the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms where they encounter numerous monsters, magic items and factions.

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The Rise of Tiamat (TRoT)

Published: November 2014

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

The sequel to Hoard of the Dragon Queen, this campaign takes players from Levels 8 to 15 and is focused on the final battle against the forces of Tiamat and the Cult of the Dragon. Players must choose which forces to ally themselves with or battle against in order to take on a variety of incredibly powerful NPCs and monsters.

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Princes of the Apocalypse (PotA)

Published: April 2015

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

An epic campaign set in the Forgotten Realms, Princes of the Apocalypse is designed to take characters from Levels 1 to 15 and is focused on the players battling four elemental cults who have been unleashing a string of natural disasters. The story largely takes place in the North of Faerûn and the lore also borrows heavily from the classic AD&D adventure module The Temple of Elemental Evil.

Get it on Amazon

Out of the Abyss (OutA)

Published: September 2015

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the Underdark of the Forgotten Realms, a vast subterranean world popularized in the Legend of Drizzt books, this campaign is designed to take characters from Levels 1 to 15. The adventure begins with players captured by dark elves and eventually leads to numerous other locations throughout the Underdark, with players encountering the various monsters and races which inhabit the deadly nocturnal realm.

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Curse of Strahd (CoS)

Published: March 2016

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Based on the original Ravenloft module for AD&D published in 1983, this revamped DnD 5e campaign takes place in the realm of Barovia, a land of gothic horror ruled by the dreaded vampire lord Count Strahd von Zarovich. Players are taken form Levels 1-10 as they explore Barovia, battle undead creatures and terrifying monstrosities, and eventually take on Strahd himself in an epic showdown.

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Storm King’s Thunder (SKT)

Published: September 2016

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the Forgotten Realms, this adventures takes players from Levels 1-10. The plot involves the characters investigating the cause of an uprising of monstrous giants that threatens the Sword Coast. Focused heavily on giant lore, the adventure takes players to numerous locations including ancient ruins and flying castles, where they must battle powerful monsters in a quest to uncover the secret of the giant invasion.

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Tales from the Yawning Portal (TftYP)

Published: April 2017

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A collection of seven classic DnD adventures updated to the 5e rule set, this book is geared towards players looking for a dungeon crawling experience. The adventures themselves can either be played individually or as part of a larger story arc and cover a wide variety of player levels. Notably, the collection includes some of the most popular (and challenging) old school DnD adventures, including The Sunless Citadel, Tomb of Horrors and White Plume Mountain.

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Tomb of Annihilation (ToA)

Published: September 2017

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the jungles of Chult (a remote continent located in the Forgotten Realms), this campaign takes players from Levels 1 to 11. Inspired by the 1975 DnD adventure module Tomb of Horrors, the adventure sets players on a dangerous quest to find and stop the source of a deadly curse. Along the way, they’ll face countless traps, monsters, unscrupulous NPCs and ancient magical forces.

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Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (WDH)

Published: September 2018

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the city of Waterdeep in the Forgotten Realms, this adventure takes players from Levels 1-5 as they set out on a quest to recover a stolen hoard of gold hidden somewhere inside the City of Splendors. The campaign is notable for offering a variety of different ways to complete the quest, and features an array of different optional villains that are tied to specific seasons in the city.

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Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (WDotMM)

Published: November 2018

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

The follow-up to Dragon Heist, this series of adventures is designed for players of levels 5-20 and takes place in Undermountain, an infamous, sprawling dungeon created centuries ago by the powerful sorcerer Halaster Blackcloak. Players must navigate the various levels of the dungeon, each with its own unique challenges and monsters. Along the way, they’ll encounter powerful enemies, traps, and puzzles, all while trying to uncover the mystery of the Mad Mage himself.

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Stranger Things: The Hunt for Thessalhydra

Published: April 2019

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Based on the popular Stranger Things Netflix show, this starter set adventure is designed for new players and features pre-generated characters and a simplified DnD 5e rule set.

Get it on eBay

Ghosts of Saltmarsh (GoS)

Published: May 2019

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the world of Greyhawk, this series of nautical-themed adventures can be played in sequence as a campaign or run individually as DnD one shots. Designed for players of Levels 1-11, the action kicks off near the seafaring town of Saltmarsh, with players eventually exploring the area and facing off against pirates, sea monsters and other dangers on the high seas.

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Essentials Kit: Dragon of Icespire Peak

Published: September 2019

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Designed to teach new players the ropes of DnD, the Essentials Kit also contains character sheets, dice and a complete campaign entitled the Dragon of Icespire Peak. The adventure takes players from levels 1 to 7, with the action focused on the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms. The objective is to hunt down a rogue dragon that has been terrorizing the area, with the materials walking both new players and new Dungeon Masters through the basics of how to run an adventure.

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Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus (BGDiA)

Published: September 2019

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

This epic campaign takes players on a journey to stop a plot to unleash demonic forces into the Forgotten Realms, taking players from level 1 to 13. The series of adventures starts out in the city of Baldur’s Gate and eventually leads into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, which is ruled by the twisted Archdevil Zariel.

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Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty (DDvRM)

Published: March 2019

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A tie-in with the popular Rick and Morty animated TV series, this series of adventures combines an old school DnD dungeon crawling experience with the twisted humor and over-the-top violence the show is known for. The adventures themselves take players from Levels 1-3.

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Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden (IDRotF)

Published: September 2020

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the frozen north of the Forgotten Realms in the region of Icewind Dale, this campaign takes players on a quest to stop an ancient evil and restore order to the land in the wake of a never-ending winter. The adventures feature a mix of exploration and combat encounters and take players from level 1 to 12.

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Candlekeep Mysteries (CM)

Published: March 2021

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A collection of 17 short, mystery-themed adventures designed for characters of levels 1-16, this unique anthology can be played either in sequence or individually within an existing campaign. The action centers around the library of Candlekeep in the Forgotten Realms, with the adventures ranging from DnD murder mysteries to criminal investigations, each of which is based around a particular magical book.

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The Wild Beyond The Witchlight (TWBTW)

Published: September 2021

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the Feywild, a whimsical plane of fairy tale creatures, carnivals and powerful magic, the campaign itself takes characters from Levels 1 to 8. The story takes place in the land of Prismeer, where characters are tasked with finding out why a dark presence has invaded the once peaceful realm. In addition to the campaign, the book also features several new races, subclasses and magic items.

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Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep (CRCotN)

Published: March 2022

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Inspired by the campaigns featured in the Critical Role podcast, this adventure takes place in the land of Exandria, with players tasked with uncovering the secret behind an ancient underwater realm known as the Netherdeep. The campaign itself is designed to take characters from Level 3-12 and also explores a large area of the continent of Wildemount.

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Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel (JTtRC)

Published: July 2022

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

An anthology containing 13 individual adventures designed for players from Level 1 to 14, this DnD 5e book is unique in that it explores a variety of lands inspired by real-world cultures. This includes worlds based on the mythologies and histories of Central America, Vietnam and even the American South.

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Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle (DoSI)

Published: October 2022

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A beginner-friendly adventure designed for characters of levels 1-3, this module takes place on a remote island off the Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms and finds the characters caught up in a deadly conflict between two factions of warring dragons. Notably, the game does include pre-generated characters, although players can make their own if they choose.

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Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen (DSotDQ)

Published: December 2022

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Set in the world of Dragonlance (a popular setting that has appeared in numerous previous editions of DnD), this campaign book takes players from Levels 1 to 11 and finds them caught up in a devastating war between the forces of Krynn and an army lead by the ruthless dragon goddess Takhisis. The campaign book also includes new world info, subclasses, races and magic items.

Get it on Amazon

Tyranny of Dragons Re-release (ToD)

Published: January 2023

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

This relatively new DnD 5e book is essentially a reprint that collects the Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat campaigns into a single hardcover edition, taking players from Levels 1 to 15. The book does contain some minor updates, but is otherwise unchanged from the original editions which were released over a decade ago.

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Keys from the Golden Vault (KftGV)

Published: February 2023

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

This anthology collects 13 standalone heist-themed adventures designed for players of Levels 1 to 11. As with other DnD 5e anthologies, these adventures can be played consecutively or run as individual one shots. Each adventure focuses on a particular heist, with players having the flexibility to plan and carry out their mission as they see it. The book also introduces The Golden Vault, a secretive organization dedicated to protecting the multiverse from dangerous magical artifacts.

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Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk (PaBTSO)

Published: September 2023

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

A remake of the popular The Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure, this new Phandelver campaign is designed to take players from Levels 1 to 12 and combines a classic D&D story arc with a touch of horror. The story also explores the strange Black Obelisks that have appeared in other D&D campaigns, and introduces a number of new magic items and monsters.

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Vecna: Eve of Ruin

Published: May 21st, 2024

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Venca: Eve of Ruin is a high-level campaign for DnD 5e designed for Level 10 to 20 characters. The story focuses on the legendary arch-lich Vecna (a legendary BBEG from DnD lore) who is attempting to complete a dark ritual that will obliterate the gods and subjugate all worlds to his will. To stop Vecna before can remake existence in his image, players will have to work with three of the multiverse’s most famous archmages, travel across the planes of existence themselves and rebuild the legendary Rod of Seven Parts. The adventure begins in the Forgotten Realms, with players then traveling to Planescape, Spelljammer, Eberron, Ravenloft, Dragonlance and Greyhawk as they race to stop Vecna’s ritual.

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Quests from the Infinite Staircase

Published: July 16th, 2024

Who is It for: Dungeon Masters

Quests from the Infinite Staircase is similar to Tales from the Yawning Portal in that it’s a collection of six classic DnD adventures from older editions that have been updated for the new DnD 5e rules set. These can be played individually or as part of a connected campaign that features the powerful genie Nafas (a new character to NPC lore) who grants the wishes of those in need via the Infinite Staircase, a multiverse-spanning portal to numerous planes of existence.

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Dragon Delves Anthology

Published: July 8th, 2025

Who Is it for: Dungeon Masters

This new Dragon Delves anthology is collection of 10 short adventures designed for Levels 1 to 12 (three of which can be played with one player and one DM). As the name suggests, each adventure is focused around one particular dragon and can be played together or run as individual one-shots.

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DnD Starter Set “Heroes of the Borderland”

Coming: September 16th, 2025

What Is It: Like past DnD starter sets, this will be designed for new Dungeon Masters and players to learn the basics of the game. The box set will include dice, character sheets and a complete adventure based on the classic Keep on the Borderlands adventure module from 1979. The new adventure is entitled Heroes of the Borderlands and is divided into three separate booklets: one focused on the titular keep, one exploring the Wilderness and one centred around the dreaded Caves of Chaos.

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DnD Stranger Things “Welcome to the Hellfire Club”

Coming: October 7th, 2025

What Is It: This box set, which is the second official DnD tie-in to Netflix’s Stranger Things TV series, will include four adventures that connect to the first four seasons of the show, a new quickstart guide using the new DnD 2024 rules, and five pre-generated character sheets. It will also include character stands up, monster tokens and cards, printed player handouts (including letters and maps), four poster-sized maps (one for for each adventure) and a double-sided poster map of the realm of “Greyhawkins” (which is where the adventures take place).

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Upcoming DnD 5e Books

Below are new titles which were announced by Wizards of the Coast and are scheduled for the remainder of 2026, as well as potential unconfirmed titles we may see soon based on recent playtests.

Ravenloft: The Horrors Within

Release Date: June 16th, 2026

Price: $59.99 USD

This new Ravenloft sourcebook is designed for both players and Dungeon Masters. On the DM side, it expands the Domains of Dread with new Darklords, new monsters and new advice for running horror-based D&D campaigns across multiple sub-genres. The book also includes a number of NPCs, including legendary monster hunter Rudolph van Richten.

Player-facing options include new horror-themed subclasses which were first unveiled in a May 2025 Unearthed Arcana playtest, which saw the return of a number of character options first released in 2021 in Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. The book will also include new species and backgrounds, new Dark Gift feats and expanded rules for fear and dread

Learn more about The Horrors Within

Arcana Unleashed

Release Date: September 2026

Price: $49.99

Described by Wizards of the Coast as a “high-magic sourcebook,” Arcana Unleashed introduces a number of new Arcane subclasses which were featured in a September 2025 Unearthed Arcana playtest. It also include new magic items, artificats, spells and customization options.

The book will also include rules for a new a “evolving” magic item system, that allows magic items to grow in power as characters level up.

While there’s still much we don’t know about the content, given the price point it is likely going to be around the 100-page mark.

Learn more about Arcana Unleashed

Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall

Release Date: September 2026

Price: $29.99

Described as an “adventure expansion” it’s not clear if this will be a physical print product or a D&D Beyond digital only supplement. What we do know is that it will be a tie-in to the larger Arcana Unleashed supplement and will be an adventure featuring the Red Wizards of Thay. The plot will apparently involve a massive war and will also offer new lore and info on the dreaded magic users.

Notably, a Red Wizards of Thay adventure was first announced way back in March 2023 at D&D Direct, but it’s not clear if this is the same content or something completely different.

Learn more about Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall

Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk

Coming: TBD

What is it: Written by Luke Gygax (son of Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Gary Gygax) this upcoming supplement will consist of both setting info and several adventures set in the popular setting of Greyhawk. The book will be narrated by legendary elven archmage Melf, a character first created by Luke Gygax in some of the earliest D&D campaigns of all time. It also includes new maps by cartographer, Anna B. Meyer, content from Greyhawk community contributor Jay Scott, and cover art from legendary illustrator Jeff Easley.

Learn more about Melf’s Guide to Greyhawk

New Dark Sun Sourcebook (Unconfirmed)

Coming: TBD

What is it: While Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed this release, there are some signs that a new Dark Sun book is in the works, including the release of playtests for a new Psion class and Apocalyptic subclasses that contains the Gladiator Fighter, Circle of Preservation Druid, Defiler Sorcerer and Sorcerer-King Warlock, all of which are related to the Dark Sun setting. That suggests there’s an extremely good chance we’ll see a new Athas sourcebook in 2027.

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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.

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The post All DnD 5e Books: A Complete List (Updated for March 2026) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Over the past decade, Critical Role has been a major contributor to the growing popularity of Dungeons & Dragons. The actual play series has also helped to shape the game itself, with several of their homebrew classes and subclasses making the leap from the small screen to the official D&D ruleset.

With Campaign 4 of Critical Role now in full swing and using the new D&D 5.5E rules from 2024, Matt Mercer has stepped out from behind the DM screen to play Sir Julien Davinos, a Fighter-Rogue who also happens to showcase a brand new subclass: The Daredevil Fighter.

So just what does this new fearless format include and when can fans try it for themselves? Below, we break out everything we know so far.

What is the D&D Daredevil Fighter Subclass?

The core philosophy of the Daredevil can be summed up in four words: High risk, high reward. While most Fighter subclasses focus on stability and martial mastery, the Daredevil is designed for players who want to push their luck with the potential to deal more damage balanced out by some serious penalties if they fail.

According to Mercer, the subclass was developed in collaboration with former D&D creative leads Christ Perkins and Jeremy Crawford, both of whom left Wizards of the Coast in 2025 and later joined Critical Role’s Darrington Press. Below are the key features of the subclass:

• Modified Second Wind: Instead of the standard 1d10 + Fighter level healing, the Daredevil uses Second Wind to gain temporary hit points. This reinforces the subclass’ theme of staying in the fight rather than fully recovering from it.
• Daring Strike: This is the subclass’s signature offensive move. By spending a use of Second Wind, you can add 1d10 extra damage to an attack.
• The Penalty for Failure: The “risk” comes into play if you miss. If a Daring Strike fails to connect, the target gains advantage on its next attack roll against you.
• Bloodied Synergy: The subclass is designed to thrive in the Bloodied state (50% HP or lower). It also interacts heavily with Campaign 4’s Desperate Measures mechanic, allowing players to trade resources (like death saving throws) for massive damage output.

Will we see the Daredevil Fighter in future game materials?

While the Daredevil is currently being “playtested” live on stream by Mercer himself, its official release seems almost certain, particularly given that the subclass has had the blessing of D&D icons Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford.

Whether that means we’ll see the subclass in a new D&D 5E supplement from Darrington Press or whether it ends up as an official option on D&D Beyond remains to be seen. But it’s a safe bet that we’ll see it at some point in the near future, particularly if Mercer’s Sir Julien Davinos character is well received by the Critical Role and D&D fan communities.

Final Thoughts

Over the years, we’ve seen a number of Matt Mercer’s Critical Role character options make their way from the live steam to the official D&D rules, with the Blood Hunter class and the Gunslinger subclass, being two of the most popular. Whether the Daredevil Fighter also manages to make it’s mark, however, remains to be seen.

It’s also worth noting that the Daredevil may not be quite as original as it seems, with Paizo recently rolling out a Pathfinder 2e playtest for a new Daredevil class that shares many of the same characteristics (although this is likely a case of great minds thinking alike, rather than any kind of overt plagiarism).

In any case, you can check out Matt Mercer’s new D&D Dardevil Fighter Subclass for yourself in the latest episodes of Campaign 4.

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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 Critical Role Introduces New Daredevil Fighter D&D Subclass appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Resolution Games has just announced the first official update for Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked, the VR game which was released six months ago in October 2025. Referred to as the “Warlock Update,” the download content includes a new playable character, an expansion adventure and a few significant changes to the game’s mechanics.

Notably, Demeo x D&D: Battlemarked has been generally well received among both critics and fans, with a current 80% rating on Metacritic (although the game’s VR nature means it doesn’t have quite the same reach as more traditional console titles, as it’s currently only playable on Steam VR, PS VR2 and Meta Quest.)

So just what’s included in Battlemarked’s new Warlock update? Below, we Eldritch Blast apart all the details.

What is included in the new Demeo x D&D Update?

The Warlock update was officially released on March 17th, 2026 and introduces several major gameplay elements to Battlemarked.

The New Warlock Hero

The most significant addition is a new hero named Azruss Drevontir, a female Pact of the Blade Warlock human. Azruss marks the seventh playable hero for the game, joining Ash (a Tiefling Rogue), Vkriss Bolthrax (a Dragonborn Paladin), Jessix Copperleaf (a Human Ranger), Tibby Hopplebock (a Halfling Sorcerer), Tharok Kuldelver (a Dwarf Fighter) and Lyria Nimara (an Elf Bard).

To unlock Azruss, however, you’ll first have to complete a new side quest entitled “The Shard’s Shadow” which can be found in Crown of Frost (one of the game’s two avaiable campaigns). Once completed, Azruss can be used in any other adventure and game mode.

New One Shot Adventure

The Battlemarked update also introduces a new one-shot adventure entitled “Auril’s Cradle.” It is, however, only available to players who have unlocked the ancient Netheres ruins of Ythryn in the Crown of Frost campaign.

This alone is fairly impressive, given that the adventure is fully available in the free update (something we rarely see from new titles).

Gameplay & Quality of Life Improvements

The update also includes a number of changes to gameplay and accessibility.

• Hirelings no longer available: Previously, hirelings served as temporary party fillers and did not gain experience. This feature has now been removed based on player feedback and now only heroes can be in a player’s roster.
• Expanded language support: The game also now includes options for Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional).
• Bad Luck Protection: The update also introduces a new Bad Luck Protection system. When a player misses an attack roll, they are granted a temporary blessing from the goddess Tymora that allows the player to roll two dice in their next combat attempt and takes the higher result. This feature can be toggled off at any time.
• ‍Stronger Foes: Battlemarked has also expanded one shot difficulty options. Elite enemy variants now appear across Normal, Hard, and Very Hard settings. Bosses in One Shots feature different versions depending on the selected difficulty, and players can now enable or disable respawning enemies.

Final Thoughts

Seeing Demeo x D&D Battlemarked get a major update so soon after launch is a good sign for the game’s longevity. With a new class, a new adventure and some major quality of life enhancements, it’s a solid move in terms of supporting existing fans and potentially grabbing a few new ones at the same time.

You can learn more about the Warlock Update on the official Demeo x D&D 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 Demeo x D&D: Battlemarked Rolls Out New Warlock Update appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

In early March of this year, Wizards of the Coast finally presented their D&D Roadmap, listing all of the new books, accessories and organized play events for the remainder of 2026. One intiative that caught the attention of many fans was the introduction of new D&D Seasons, which are three-month periods built around a unique theme.

So far, we have confirmation on three seasons: the Season of Horror (running from April to June with a focus on the upcoming Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement) and the Season of Magic (running from July to September with a focus on the new Arcana Unleashed supplement).

Also on the roadmap was the Season of Champions, which will be running in the winter of 2026. Wizards of the Coast, however, hasn’t revealed a ton of information on what to expect when the seasons rolls out (although there’s been plenty of speculation among the fan community)? Below, we take a look at everything we know so far.

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

The Season of Champions will run from October through December 2026. Key dates have not yet been fully revealed, but the general timeline is a s follows:

• Early October: Pre-orders open for new untitled D&D book.
• Early November: Early Access to the new book for D&D Beyond Master Tier subscribers.
• Late November: Early Access to the new book for D&D Beyond Hero Tier subscribers.
• Early December: Wide release for the new D&D book and any related accessories.

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

So far we don’t know what the main book and accessories will be for the Season of Champions. Some have speculated that it will be a new Dark Sun book (based on a recent playtest that featured a Gladiator Fighter subclass). However based on the timing and recent Unearthed Arcana playtests, our belief is that it will be a new martial class sourcebook. This will likely consist of updates to five existing subclasses from past D&D 5e supplements: the Oathbreaker Paladin, Cavalier Fighter, Path of the Ancestral Guardian Barbarian, Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian and the Way of the Drunken Master.

We also believe it will contain three brand new subclasses: the Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk, the Oath of the Spellguard Paladin and the Magic Stealer Rogue, all of which we’re featured in a late 2025 playtest. We’ll know more in the weeks ahead if this theory is correct.

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

So far, Wizards of the Coast has not yet released an events schedule for the Season of Champions. We do, however, know that the season will be a key part of the recently revived D&D Encounters program. This program offers exclusive game material, accessories and organized play events at local game store.

t’s not clear what other accessories or adventures will be released as part of the Season of Champions, but we’ll update this page with all the details once we know more.

Final Thoughts

As of this writing there’s still a lot of unanswered questions around the Season of Champion. Based on what we’ve seen so far for the first two seasons, however, a good bet is that’s we’ll be getting a lot of new material for martial classes.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on updates around the new D&D seasons 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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The post The New D&D Season of Champions (Everything We Know So Far) appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Dark Horse Comics is continuing its partnership with Wizards of the Coast and will be rolling out a brand new Dungeons & Dragons comic book. The series, however, won’t be following the typical heroic D&D adventuring party and instead will be focusing on a group of misfit monsters struggling to get by in the lower depths of a dungeon.

Officially entitled Dungeons & Dragons: Total Party Killers, the four-issue series is written by Christopher Hastings (creator of the popular Dr McNinja comic), illustrated by Denis Medri (who has worked on a number of major Marvel and DC titles) and will be coming out in July 2026. Below, we take a closer look at what to expect from all the creature-filled comic chaos.

What is “D&D: Total Party Killers” about?

Total Party Killers is a tongue-in-cheek series that flips the traditional D&D script on its head, following a group of monsters who were enslaved in a dungeon by an evil wizard named Custos. When the story begins, Custos has recently been slain by a party of adventurers and, with the monsters now free, they must band together to protect the dungeon and its loot while avoiding the hack n’ slash happy heroes who have stumbled into their lair.

The “Total Party Killers” or TPK for short (a term every DM knows and loves) consists of five iconic D&D creatures:

• A Werewolf
• A Gelatinous Cube
• A Mind Flayer
• A Death Knight
• A Baby Beholder

Who is the creative team on “Total Party Killers”?

The creative team behind the new series consists of writer Christopher Hastings (who also penned Marvel’s Gwenpool series) with interior art by Denis Medri (perhaps best known for his work on Marvel’s Spider-Verse), coloring by Dan Jackson (best known for his work on Stranger Things and Star Wars) and lettering from Lucas Gattoni (whose previous credits include Absolute Green Lantern).

The series will also feature a number of variant covers by artists including Elizabeth Beals, Michael Walsh and Lukas Ketner. Collectors and D&D fans may also be interested to know that Dark Horse will be releasing a limited-edition blank character sheet variant cover.

Final Thoughts

Dark Horse seems to be finding its groove with the D&D license (which they acquired back in July 2024). In fact, the partnership has been pretty successful, with recent releases like the Fallbacks series (based on the D&D novels of the same name) being generally well received by both comic and D&D fans. With Total Party Killers, Dark Horse is now introducing its own original characters and exploring the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse in a way we haven’t really every seen before.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the series in the days ahead, with the first issue coming out on July 22nd, 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.
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The post New Dark Horse D&D Comic Book Puts the Monsters in Charge appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

After months of silence, Wizards of the Coast recently released their D&D 2026 roadmap, which has featured new books, accessories and events built around unique themes known as D&D Seasons. One big question, however, is what will be included in an unnamed book slated for release in the Winter of 2026. We do know that it will be focused around a “Season of Champions” taking place between October and December, which has lead some to speculate this it will in fact be a new Dark Sun book.

Based on what we’ve seen with recent Unearthed Arcana playtests over the past year, however, our belief is that we’ll be seeing a new D&D martial class supplement, with new player focused content for the Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Rogue, Paladin and Ranger. Below, we break down all the evidence.

Why a martial class sourcebook is likely coming to D&D

There are a few good reasons what a new supplement will be focused on martials:

New martial subclasses featured in Unearthed Arcana playtests

In October 2025, Wizards of the Coast rolled out the Subclasses Update playtest. The packet updated five D&D martial subclasses that originally appeared in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything and the 2014 Player’s Handbook. Specifically: the Oathbreaker Paladin, Cavalier Fighter, Path of the Ancestral Guardian (now known as the Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian), Path of the Storm Herald Barbarian and Way of the Drunken Master (now renamed the Warrior of Intoxication Monk).

This was followed up in January 2026 with the Mystic Subclasses playtest that also includes three brand new martial classes: the Warrior of the Mystic Arts Monk (a spellcasting Monk that blends Sorcerer magic with martial combat), the Oath of the Spellguard Paladin (a defensive, anti-mage Paladin built to intercept spells) and the Magic Stealer Rogue (who can counter casters and channel magic into sneak attacks).

Wizards of the Coast has not confirmed what book (if any) these eight new and revised subclasses would appear in, but they all share one thing in common: they’re all martial in nature.

A Season of Champions sounds perfect for martial classes

While it is possible that the Season of Champions will indeed be related to Dark Sun (perhaps due to the Gladiator Fighter subclass), that does seem a bit of an odd choice (the Dark Sun Unearthed Arcana was referred to as the Apocalyptic Subclasses playtest, so the “Season of the Apocalypse” seems more likely). From a marketing standpoint, the Fighter Champion is an iconic D&D martial class, so “Champions” seems to fit the combat-focused theme nicely.

We also have some precedence to draw on in the form of the Season of Magic, which is built around the Arcana Unleashed supplement, featuring a range of new magic subclasses. Thematically, moving from magic to martial, makes logical sense given that these are the two core categories of class play.

The timing fits other Unearthed Arcana playtests

The Arcane Subclasses playtest was launched in late June 2025, with an Updated playtest coming out in September 2025. The Arcana Unleashed sourcebook featuring those subclasses will be coming out in early September 2026, so we’re looking at about a year from the last playtest to the launch of the book. This was also the case with the Horror Subclasses playtest, which launched in May 2025 and will appear in the new Ravenloft: The Horrors Within supplement coming out in June 2026 (again, a little over a year). Notably, it’s part of the Season of Horror running from June ot August.

The Subclasses Update, which featured the five martial subclasses, was released on October 31st, 2025 . This would put it squarely in line with the new Season of Champions, which runs from October to December 2026.

What might be included in a new martial class sourcebook?

If indeed the upcoming book is geared towards martials, it’s likely we’ll see the following:

• New subclasses: The eight subclasses featured in the Subclasses Update and Mystic Subclasses playtests will likely be included.
• New Weapon Mastery: It’s possible we may see additional Weapon Mastery options given that this is a core part of the D&D 5.5e rules for martials.
• New equipment: With an emphasis on martial classes, we’ll likely see new combat-focused weapons and gear.
• New rules: The new Arcana Unleashed supplement introduces several new mechanics (including magic items that level up with their owners), so it’s possible we’ll see similar rules for martials.

Final Thoughts

While the upcoming “Season of Champions” and its core book remain a mystery, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that martial classes will be the primary focus. Of course, things can always change, and if nothing else Wizards of the Coast’s publishing schedule can be chaotic.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new mystery book 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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The post Why the Next D&D Book Is A Martial Class Supplement appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

One of the biggest issues with Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition has been the power difference between martial classes and magic users. For many martial players, the game can often feel like just repeatedly hitting something with a big stick, while casters can draw on dozens of unique spells and abilities to meet just about any tactical situation.

That’s an issue that Wizards of the Coast attempted to correct in the D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook with the introduction of Weapon Mastery, a new mechanic that provides martial classes with additional effects for ranged and melee attacks. The idea is to make every swing or shot into a crunchier tactical decision.

So does Weapon Mastery actually work? With D&D 2024 now several years old (and WotC officially classifying the rules as D&D 5.5e), we’re now able to better answer that question and identify which properties are actually worth your time and how to inflict maximum damage. Below, this guide breaks down the meta, the math and the best combos for your next martial character.

Weapon Mastery Tier List: Which Properties Are Best?

Not all Weapon Masteries are created equal. When crunching the numbers it’s important to look at DPR (Damage Per Round) calculations and overall battlefield control utility. With that in mind, below is our selection for the best to worst properties, including listing why it wins and which weapons are associated with each property.

The “Nick” Property: A Game Changer for the Action Economy

The most misunderstood Weapon Mastery is the Nick property. In the 2014 rules, dual-wielding required your Bonus Action to make an off-hand attack. In the D&D 5.5e rules, however, if you use a weapon with the Nick property (such as a Dagger or Scimitar), that extra attack becomes part of your main Attack Action.

Why this matters:

• Rogues: Can now use a Bonus Action to Dash, Disengage or Hide while still getting two chances to land Sneak Attack.
• Rangers: Can now cast Hunter’s Mark and still get an off-hand attack on the same turn.

“Weapon Golfing”: How to Chain Masteries

Because the D&D 5.5e rules allow you to equip or unequip one weapon as part of every attack, high-level Fighters can now “cycle” through weapons to trigger multiple effects in one turn. Fans have coined the phrase “weapon golfing” to describe the technique of swapping out multiple weapons. This opens up a few new combos. For example:

1. Attack (Maul): Trigger Topple. If the enemy falls Prone, all subsequent attacks have Advantage.
2. Swap to Shortsword: Since they are Prone, you already have Advantage, but hitting with the Vex property ensures you have Advantage on your next turn too.
3. Attack (Nick Scimitar): Use your free Nick attack to finish them off, keeping your Bonus Action free for a Tactical Shift.

Combining Feats & Weapon Masteries

Weapon Mastery doesn’t exist in a vacuum. You can also maximize properties by connecting them to the new D&D 5.5e Feats. Below, are a few solid combinations of Feats and Weapon Mastery properties:

• Great Weapon Master + Graze: Even if you miss your heavy swing, Graze ensures the enemy still feels the sting.
• Polearm Master + Topple: Use your Reaction attack when an enemy enters your reach to Topple them. They are now Prone and have 0 movement left to get closer to you.
• Sentinel + Slow: If they try to run, you hit them, their speed becomes 0 (Sentinel), and even if they escape that, they are slowed (Slow).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Weapon Mastery?

Weapon Mastery is a new feature found in the D&D 5.5e rules that allows martial classes to specialize in a specific type of weapon in order to deliver unique combat effects known as mastery properties. Each weapon in the new 2024 Player’s Handbook lists a mastery property next to it. For example, a battleaxe has the “Cleave” property, which allows you to target another nearby creature after you make a successful attack. Properties can apply to both melee and ranged weapons. A crossbow, for example, has the “Slow” property, which allows you to reduce a target’s movement speed.

Notably, different mastery properties have different triggers. For example, the “Graze” property triggers when you miss a creature with an attack roll, while the “Topple” property only triggers when you hit a creature.

Unlike some abilities, there’s no limit to how many times mastery properties can be used per Short or Long Rest. So in theory, you could use the same mastery property every single time you attack without any limitations.

Learning a mastery property also isn’t permanent. During a Long Rest, you can swap out one of your mastery properties, provided your class is able to use it.

Which classes can access Weapon Mastery?

Weapon Mastery is not available to all DnD 5e classes. Instead it can only be accessed by the martial classes of Barbarian, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger and Rogue. Each class, however, is limited in the number of mastery properties they start with and are able to learn as they progress in level (all of which is described in the Features section for each class in the new 2024 Player’s Handbook).

Rogues, Rangers and Paladins for example, can only access two mastery properties at a time. Barbarians and Fighters start with two and three properties, respectively, but eventually gain access to more mastery properties as they level up.

At level 1, all martial classes get access to the mastery properties for certain types of weapons, as listed below:

• Barbarian: Simple and Martial Melee weapons
• Fighter: Simple and Martial weapons
• Paladin: Based on weapon proficiencies (Simple and Martial weapons)
• Ranger: Based on weapon proficiencies (Simple and Martial weapons)
• Rogue: Based on weapon proficiencies (Simple and Martial weapons with the Finesse or Light property)

Some subclasses allow you to access more mastery properties. For example, the Soulknife Rogue can use the Vex mastery property with their Psychic Blades and it doesn’t count toward their learned Weapon Mastery limit.

If you choose to multiclass, you can access Weapons Mastery, as long as you second class is a martial one.

What are the Weapon Mastery Properties?

In the new D&D 5.5e rules there are currently 8 weapon mastery properties, as follows:

Can you use two Mastery properties on the same attack?

No. You can only use one property per attack, even if you have multiple ways to access them. However, if you have Extra Attack, each individual attack can use a different property if you switch (equip/unequip) weapons.

Does Weapon Mastery work with Unarmed Strikes?

By default, no. Weapon Mastery requires the “Weapon” requirement. Monks generally do not benefit from this unless they are using dedicated Monk weapons that have these properties.

Can I change my Masteries?

Yes. You can swap one of your known Masteries every time you finish a Long Rest. This allows you to adapt your “golf bag” to the monsters you expect to face.

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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 Weapon Mastery Guide: The Best Properties & Tactical Builds appeared first on Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics.

Wizards of the Coast recently rolled out their complete D&D 2026 Roadmap, featuring a number of new books, accessories and organized play events. A key part of the rollout, however, is the introduction of new D&D Seasons – three-month periods built around a unique theme. The summer and early fall of 2026 in particular will be officially known as the Season of Magic, which will tie-in to the theme of high magic and feature the new Arcana Unleashed supplement and Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall adventure as core products.

So just what else can we expect when the Season of Magic casts its spell upon us? Below, we conjure up all the details.

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

The Season of Magic officially runs from July through September 2026. Key dates have not yet been fully revealed, but the timeline is a s follows:

• Early July: Pre-orders open for Arcana Unleashed and Deadfall.
• Early August: Early Access for D&D Beyond Master Tier subscribers.
• Late August: Early Access for D&D Beyond Hero Tier subscribers.
• Early September: Wide release for all Arcana Unleashed products.

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

So far we have confirmation on three official products that will be released as part of the season.

• Arcana Unleashed A player-facing supplement with new character options, spells, magic items and new rules focused on high magic.
• Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall: An tie-in adventure focused on a massive “wizard war” taking place among the infamous Red Wizards of Thay.
• D&D Spell Cards: A selection of new reference decks for spells, magic items and monsters taken from the new D&D 5.5e rules published in 2024.

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

Wizards of the Coast has not yet confirmed what official events will be taking place. We do, however, know that the Season of Magic will be a key part of the recently relaunched D&D Encounters program. This program will include exclusive game material, accessories and organized play events at local game stores. For the Season of Magic, Wizards of the Coast has said this we’ll see short, drop-in adventure materials and exclusive store-only materials that tie in directly to the two Arcana Unleashed products.

It’s not clear what other accessories or adventures will be released as part of the season, but we’ll update this page with exact details once we know more.

Final Thoughts

The Season of Magic will actually be the second of its kind, following the inaugural Season of Horror which runs from April to June 2026, with the new Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook as its centerpiece. Whether players will be legitimately spellbound by this new initiative, however, remains to be sesen.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on updates around the new D&D seasons 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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Popular miniatures skirmish game HeroClix is officially tapping into the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, with publisher WizKids recently unveiling D&D HeroClix: Series One. The upcoming sets will feature a brand new line of 60 pre-painted minis featuring monsters and characters taken from the world of D&D. The series is scheduled for release in October 2026, but you can pre-order them now from your local game store and the WizKids website.

Notably, HeroClix has featured sets for a number of popular IPs, including Marvel, DC Comics, Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. Apart from a handful of collector sets, however, Dungeons & Dragons has never really appeared as a full series in HeroClix, which is a bit surprising given that WizKids produces a ton of D&D miniatures and accessories. As such, this marks the first major collaboration between the two brands.

So what can fans of both games expect when D&D HeroClix: Series One hit shelves later this Fall? Below, we take a closer look at what to expect.

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 a full expansion for the game.

What’s included in D&D HeroClix: Series One?

The 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. Figures include monsters such as goblins, kobolds and orcs, as well as adventurers featuring a mix of species and classes, including an Elf Wizard, Human Paladin, Halfling Warlock and Dwarf Cleric.

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.

How much are the D&D HeroClix sets?

WizKids is releasing this series in the standard Booster Brick format. A Booster Brick contains 8 individual boosters and has a suggested retail price $223.92 USD. Individual boosters will likely also be available at local game stores for around $27.99 USD each.

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

D&D Dragons HeroClix: Series One is scheduled to hit store shelves in October 2026. We’ll update this page with an exact date once it’s been confirmed.

Final Thoughts

The introduction of a full D&D series seems like a natural fit for HeroClix and it’s surprising we haven’t seen something like this until now. Whether the new minis will click with fans of both games, however, is something that remains to be seen.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the new series in the days ahead, but in the meantime you can pre-order them now from your local game store and the WizKids 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