Dungeons & Dragons are experiencing a never-before-seen renaissance, with more people than ever to choose and enjoy the first hand-made game. Published ads are easy to pass up, and you can even find launch and dice sets on the shelves at your big box retailer. But did you know that D&D now offers prices for downloaded content, some of which you can get for free? Here's how it works, and a selection of some of the best downloads available.
The D&D Publisher Wizards of the Coast offers something called System Reference Document, or SRD. It contains just about everything you need to play the basic D&D version, and you can download it for free on the company's website. However, it is not really intended to be a first set. Wizards makes SRD available under the Open-Gaming License (OGL) to provide a template for other companies to publish games and additions using D&D Ruleset.
One of the things SRD does is that whatever you do with it, it is not allowed to exist within the legitimate D&D world. However, the same rules do not apply to Dungeon Masters Guild, a collaboration between Wizards and OneBookshelf that launched in 2016. DMs Guild is an online marketplace where you can post content made by lovers, and that content can use the game's standard canon. In DMs Guild you can find items that are compatible with Wizards settings & # 39; Forget Wizards, but also Ravenloft, Eberron, even Magic: GatheringRavnica flight.
Vance Kelly / Wizards of the Coast
"The Dungeon Masters Guild was a vision I had back in 2010," said Chris Lindsay, founder of the DMs Guild. "The goal has been to create an environment with little or no barrier to entry for fans who want to make content and show it to the world, and maybe make a few dollars for their creations."
The wizards publish templates to make everything look like official books selling on store shelves. The result is a whole library of new content – everything from one magical stuff in order hundreds of new races at play – It's easy to integrate into your home campaign.
My first proper introduction to the DMs Guild came when I was looking for a quick one-shot adventure for my friend's birthday. That's where I stumbled Wild Sheep, a simple module with a hilarious comedy hook and great playing opportunities. Best of all, it is available for free.
You can even search for DMs Guild by preparing for a campaign that is currently running. One of the biggest options the town of Waterdeep, the preparation of 5 official final modules. Recently I used $ 10 to download the floor plan for version 5 of the icon Castle Ravenloft. It has made my life so much easier as a DM trying to lead a team by counting Strahd von Zarovich & # 39; s deadly lair. I took some pieces and placed them in a piece of black foam for easy use on the table.
Lindsay says the best things at the DMs Guild come from her memories Guild Adepts, which doubles as the Wizards farm team itself.
"These are the people who have had the most impact on the Dungeon Masters Guild," Lindsay said. "I've assembled a digital writer's room and given them an enhanced view of our content and let them go crazy."
Recovery Adepts include M.T. Black, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Rich Lescouflair, Ginny Loveday and Ashley Warren. New additions in 2020 include Stacey Allan, Celeste Conowitch, Ashley Michaela “Navigator” Lawson, and Hannah Rose. Searching for their names in the DMs Guild will bring back many good modules to add to your game.
Here are the highlights, hand-selected by Lindsay herself:
- Down came Blackbird By Stacey Allan is a four-hour adventure for characters below level 5. Imagine if Alfred Hitchcock had written a superhero thriller and was on the right track.
- College of Opera it gives Dard's special Dard class a fun and powerful new feature that uses the artist's voice as the focus of the cast. Written by Hannah Rose and Kelli Butler, it is also available in Spanish.
- When you jump into the settings of the new Wizards campaign, Baldur's Gate: From Avernus, Recommends Lindsay Roads, Delicacies, and Thobile: Hell. Written by DropTheDie, Blinne Emersyn, Celeste Conowitch, and James Woodman, it also includes many new locations ready to take sides while passing through Nine Hell on a super-powered war machine.
- If you are looking for something more specific, recommend Lindsay The Complete Adventures of M.T. The Darkness Vol. Me. It brings together 14 different moments from one of the Guild's best and most experienced writers.
- In the end, the Wizards created a series of playlists known as The D&D Adventurer & # 39; s competition. You can find all of their 5th edition content online, at a reasonable price. It is among the best featured content in the DMs Guild, with gaming provided by gaming customers worldwide.
