A Look At The Three Pillars Of One D&D

Games A Look At The Three Pillars Of One D&D Rob Wieland Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I am an author and game designer writing about tabletop RPGs. New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Aug 18, 2022, 12:20pm EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The next evolution of Dungeons & Dragons begins today with new playest materials, D&D Beyond . . .

[+] integration and a look at a brand new vurtual tabletop. Wizards of the Coast, LLC A lot of fantastic things were announced during Wizards Presents today. The company established the roadmap over the end of 2022 and 2023 for signature products Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.

What set the internet ablaze was the announcement of One D&D , the latest evolution of the D&D rules set. Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition came out in 2014. There had been rumors that new rules would be out in 2024 just in time for the game’s 50th anniversary.

The announce ment of One D&D proved those rumors to be true, but also part of a greater initiative. One D&D consists of three parts; new rulebooks, new features for D&D Beyond , and a virtual tabletop where players can play online directly through Wizards of the Coast. These plans are set to come together in two years but the process to get there begins today.

Dungeons & Dragons is changing and these are the first steps on the path. Updated Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual The current edition has offered fans of Dungeons & Dragons a chance to shape the game for years. It began during the D&D Next era and has continued throughout thanks to the regular release of materials through their Unearthed Arcana program.

The company publishes proposed rules, takes feedback from players and then publishes finished rules based on the surveys they collect. MORE FOR YOU ‘Demon Slayer’ Season 2 Finally Has An Actual 2021 Release Date Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Not A Sure Thing, Says Director ‘Genshin Impact’ Still Refuses To Increase Anniversary Rewards, Despite Fan Outcry One D&D continues this trend with core rules for new versions of the core books. Players can download new rules today, try them out at their table and then tell the designers what they like and what they dislike.

The company has monthly playtest drops scheduled through the end of 2023 allowing fans who want to preview any new rules a chance to have their say in what might change in the new core books. The playtest out today includes rules propsals such as: New and updated races with different ancestry options that affect the special abilities available at character creation. Expanded uses of Inspiration and new ways to generate it Revamped Backgrounds that give players ability bonuses and feats to support their character backstories.

D&D Beyond Direct Integration When D&D Beyond launched in 2017 it seemed like a risky proposition. Dungeons & Dragons had tried virtual toolsets in the past and some worked, some didn’t. Now, in an era where smartphones and tablets are commonplace, D&D Beyond has proven very popular with fans of the game, so much so that Wizards of the Coast acquired it from its partner earlier this year.

MORE FROM FORBES Hasbro Acquires D&D Beyond For $146. 3 Million By Rob Wieland One of the big requests from fans has been to be able to buy hardcopy books and digital editions together. Feeling like buying the same product twice is one of the most common reasons why fans don’t try the program.

Moving forward, D&D Beyond has made this happen, starting with one of the most beloved settings in the game. Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen will be available on December 6th, but those who order one of the combination physical and digital bundles will be able to access the digital content on November 22nd. The standard bundle comes with the physical book and unlocks the digital book on D&D Beyond .

The deluxe bundle adds in the Warriors of Krynn board game, which can be used on its own or as part of a Dragonlance campaign. Virtual Tabletop Most folks think of D&D as played in basements, rec rooms and hobby shops but virtual tabletops have come into their own over the past few years. Companies like Roll20 have given Dungeon Masters the tools to run games on their home computers like video chat, battle map support and online rules compendiums.

Not only has it proven useful over the past few years but it also allows friends that have moved away to stay in touch and keep games going long distance if everyone is into the idea. MORE FROM FORBES Roll20 And OneBookShelf Join Forces For Better Online Gaming By Rob Wieland Today’s announcement didn’t amount to much more than a preview of the virtual tabletop, but shows Wizards of the Coast is moving into new spaces. One stop shopping for physical books, digital editions and online accessories should appeal to many fans of the game.

One D&D looks to bring many aspects of Dungeons & Dragons back under one roof. Rob Wieland Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.