Tag: dungeons & dragons

Dungeons & Dragons wants to breathe new life into the game with their new core rulebooks

Beyond Good and Evil 2 has been announced for many years, but we know very little about it, and it doesn’t seem like we’ll learn much more anytime soon.

Dungeons & Dragons is already 50 years old. For being 50 years old, it’s doing very well, let’s not fool ourselves. In addition to publishing excellent books explaining how it was born, on this anniversary they are taking the opportunity to revisit and rethink what shapes the game. What is its essence, its form, and how players immerse themselves in it. And that means, of course, it’s time to go back to the basic manuals.

One of the ways they have decided to celebrate this fiftieth anniversary is by publishing a new series of basic manuals. A new Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. But while historically this has meant that we are entering a new edition, this time it is not. On this occasion, they wanted to do something different: consolidate everything they have done over the past ten years with Dungeons & Dragons, refining the experience.

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D&D Beyond is an application that, in general terms, aims to bring together a wide variety of tools related to Dungeons and Dragons, one of the most famous role-playing games of all time and which will soon release its fifth edition.

Some classes are going to change radically. Some subclasses are going to be completely new. And you’re going to have more possibilities than ever before. That’s the premise of this new trio of Dungeons & Dragons core books. Being the fifth edition that you already know and love, but much more refined. That means that some concepts that have been worked on in some supplements here and there are officialized here as main ones, while others are completely new ideas created for the occasion. Seeking to give a fresh air to this edition that has given them such good results for a whole decade.

However, these books are not only focused on mechanics. They also represent a change in form. This change is something that less experienced players will especially appreciate, although more experienced players will also value it. Because now the books will be much more visual and easy to navigate.

For example, the Player’s Handbook will now start with a chapter explaining what it’s like to play role-playing games and replicating a Dungeons & Dragons session, explaining step by step everything that happens. A way to make sure it’s clear what we’re facing before diving into the rules. Similarly, the Dungeon Master’s Guide will first explain how to create and adapt existing campaigns, with specific examples, so that we don’t have to start from scratch or work with abstract ideas.

Moreover, the most interesting thing is how the masters will now have the possibility to simply refer to the book to reference a specific world, which also seemed forgotten by Wizards of the Coast: Greyhawk. The book will include Greyhawk as an example of how to develop stories and campaigns, giving weight to this setting for those players who want to use it in their games.

At the same time, the monster manual is the one that will have the least changes, but that doesn’t mean it won’t change. Most monsters will see changes in their stats and, in addition, some popular monster classes will gain variants. If you are a lover of vampires, demons or tritons, you’re in luck, this new edition of the basic books will give you exactly what you wanted: more classes of these iconic creatures. And let us tell you a secret. The Tarrasque is no longer the only cataclysmic creature we will find in this book.

If you like what you’ve read, you’ll still have to wait a bit. The Player’s Handbook will arrive in September, the Dungeon Master’s Guide will be released in November, and we’ll have to wait until February 2025 for the Monster Manual.

D&D Beyond DOWNLOAD
4.4
D&D Beyond is an application that, in general terms, aims to bring together a wide variety of tools related to Dungeons and Dragons, one of the most famous role-playing games of all time and which will soon release its fifth edition.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of D&D, Dead by Daylight adds a killer that will enchant Stranger Things fans

One of the most feared villains from Dungeons & Dragons and Stranger Things arrives to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the terrifying world of Dead by Daylight.

Dead by Daylight continues to grow, periodically announcing new killers and victims. This time it’s a collaboration with Wizards of the Coast to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. The new killer in the game will be familiar not only to the most ardent fans of the role-playing game, but also to fans of Stranger Things.

Vecna, a human wizard who decided to become an undead to achieve eternal life and unimaginable power is going to receive a new campaign soon, arrives in the game to terrorize the players. With the ability to fly, cast spirits capable of harming us, and block our ability to use certain skills, he is one of the most fearsome characters that have recently arrived in the game. This is the reason to introduce two new survivors, Aestri Yazr and Baermar Uraz, an elf bard and a human bard respectively.

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The most interesting thing is that along with these three characters, a new map will arrive: Forgotten Ruins. Composed of a tower rising above the ruins of a dungeon, there are seven chests in it that, when opened, will grant us different items. If we get 2 or 3, it will be a normal item. From 4 to 19, it will be a magical item. If we get 20, we will obtain one of the two relics of Vecna, which will give us great power, in exchange for losing life every time we use them. And if we get a 1? Well… Something terrible will happen.

Dead by Daylight: Dungeons and Dragons will be officially released on June 3rd, but it can already be played through the public test build on Steam. Just keep in mind that any progress you make now will not be transferred to your regular game and that Vecna always, always, returns.

Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.

Wizards of the Coast is making a new video game of Dungeons & Dragons but not the one you think

Wizards of the Coast has announced that they are working on more Dungeons & Dragons games, and at least one will not take place in the Forgotten Realms.

Wizards of the Coast has one of the most revered licenses in the world with Dungeons & Dragons. That has become more than clear with Baldur’s Gate 3. That’s why it’s not surprising that their upcoming video games adapting it will be related to the world where the 2023 GOTY takes place, the Forgotten Realms. Except that it seems they haven’t forgotten that they have other worlds where their stories can take place.

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In a recent interview with GameSpot, the head of digital product development, Dan Ayoub, has been discussing the $1 billion investment in AAA games, focusing on existing Hasbro IPs and new ones, such as the already announced Exodus. Among other things of interest, Ayoub was asked if there were any plans to make a Dungeons & Dragons video game set outside of Faerun, the land where Baldur’s Gate 3 takes place. To which he replied with a resounding “yes”.

Are you ready for a New Universe?

Of course, they were asked to elaborate on their response. Their response was that, even though Faerun is the most well-known setting in Dungeons & Dragons and what a large part of the audience expects, they are working on going beyond expectations.

Although Ayoyb has not clarified exactly what he is referring to, we have some clear candidates among the game settings. Wizards has already stated in the past that they wanted to expand their presence in the world of video games, pointing out examples such as Eberron, a steampunk world with touches of adventure in the style of Indiana Jones, and Dragonlance, a classic fantasy setting that revolves around dragons and struggles between kingdoms, as possible candidates for this. In addition, Ayoyb has stated in the interview that he is involved in an Eberron game as a player, which may not imply anything, but it shows that it is not a forgotten setting by Wizards.

As we have already mentioned, there is still no concrete plan that they have wanted to share with the public. Even if this would not be the first time they make a video game outside of Faerun and the Forgotten Realms, as it already happened in the acclaimed Planescape: Torment, celebrated as one of the best RPGs of all time. That is why, although we will still have to wait to know more, we are sure that Dungeons & Dragons fans will not stop having reasons to enjoy the game.

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Larian confirms that they will not make Baldur’s Gate 4, but that shouldn’t make us worry about the future of Dungeons & Dragons… or of Larian

Despite its overwhelming success, there won’t be more Baldur’s Gate, at least not from Larian Studios, who are already working on a mysterious new game.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the biggest successes of 2023. Not only within the world of video games, but in general. A dense game, full of complex mechanics, from a genre that has rarely been popular, managed to captivate the general public thanks to charismatic characters, a fascinating story, and, let’s not deceive ourselves, the ability to make an excellent game overall. But if you’re expecting more Baldur’s Gate 3, we’re afraid we have bad news for you.

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According to Swen Vincke, founder of Larian Studios, the studio behind the development of Baldur’s Gate 3, they will not be producing any more content for Dungeons & Dragons. This closes the door to any kind of DLC as well as a hypothetical Baldur’s Gate 4, which, if it happens, will be done by another studio.

That doesn’t mean that was the plan from the beginning. At Larian Studios, they were considering the possibility of making some kind of DLC that would expand the game, but they finally decided that it wasn’t a good idea. According to Vincke, the game has a beginning and an end, with a well-closed story, and it’s fine that way. Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t need anything more than what it already has, and they prefer to leave it as it is. A decision that, although it may sadden us, is perfectly reasonable and very contrary to what we usually see in an industry obsessed with squeezing every success to the limit.

However, that doesn’t mean they will stop actively working on the game. As they have already announced, they are working on a mod support system for the game, and they will also continue to work on fixing errors and bugs to create the perfect version of Baldur’s Gate 3. Something they don’t plan to stop doing in the near future.

Meanwhile, it is worth remembering that Larian Studios are not the only ones working on Dungeons & Dragons. The license belongs to Wizards of the Coast and, as we know, they are working on new video games based on it. With at least one of them taking place in the same universe as Baldur’s Gate 3, from the developers of Disney Dreamlight Valley, it doesn’t seem like we’re going to run out of Dungeons & Dragons games. At least not in the short term.

Especially because, if they wish, Wizards of the Coast can continue to use the characters from Baldur’s Gate 3. As Vincke has confirmed, the characters still belong to Wizards, so if they wish, they can create stories, adventures, or even new video games where they appear or are the protagonists. If they want to do it without Larian after the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, that’s a different story. After all, they risk not reaching the level of quality and delicacy with which they have managed to captivate us at Larian.

Because the success of Baldur’s Gate 3 is due to Larian and the fact that they have been working on dense, fascinating, and very interesting RPGs for several decades. With Baldur’s Gate 3 giving them the opportunity to show what they are capable of. Something that seems to have not yet reached its full potential.

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Vincke has wanted to emphasize that, from Larian, they have been working on a new project, at least, since January. Pointing out that it is not at all what we expect, he has stated that now the team has grown a lot thanks to the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, and that he is looking forward to us seeing what they are capable of now with even more resources. Something that makes us feel a tremendous curiosity to know what will be the next mysterious step of this studio that has shown that they are, today, among the best in the world.

Hasbro has stated that they have a great interest in AI, but the owners of their main franchises disagree

According to the CEO of Hasbro, generative AI is the future, but given the consequences of his words, it doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case.

Many large companies want to maximize their profits at any cost. Something that they have found in generative AIs that benefits them particularly. If we don’t pay attention to any kind of ethical or artistic value, as long as their use is not more strictly regulated, many CEOs and executives will see them as a way to generate cheap content. That’s what has recently happened with Hasbro. With as negative opposition as one would expect in this situation.

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It all started on March 1st, when Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks gave an interview to Venture Beat where he made some potentially controversial statements. The worst of them was that with 50 years of Dungeons & Dragons stories and 35 years of Magic: The Gathering cards, Hasbro has a very deep and interesting vein to mine to feed generative AI. Literally tens of millions of words and over 15,000 cards that, in his own words, “we can exploit.”

Of course, these words did not sit well with fans of both Wizards of the Coast franchises, owner of Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, and a subsidiary of Hasbro. Something that was noticed on social media in a radical way, but that ended up reaching further.

According to Denman Rooke, an artist working on Magic: The Gathering, he and other artists from the company wrote an open letter to Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro expressing their strong opposition to Generative AI. They state that if they were to feed the AI with their work, they would immediately stop working for Wizards of the Coast. This is something they do not wish to do, as they are passionate about their work, but they are willing to do it for the sake of their own art.

Wizards of the Coast’s response was not long in coming. Shortly after, the company replied that Wizards is also against the use of generative AI for any form of art. This has been demonstrated when, in the recent past, they worked to remove an illustration generated in this way that managed to pass their quality filter.

Unfortunately, the matter did not end here. Because some dissatisfied social media users took the opportunity to resurface a comment from the head designer of Magic: The Gathering, Mark Rosewater.

On his Tumblr page where he answers user questions, Blogatog, Rosewater was asked about his opinion on using artificial intelligence specifically to assist with game design and balancing. To this, Rosewater replied that he believes artificial intelligence will be a tool that will be used one day, but that there is still a long way to go until that moment arrives. Some users decided to interpret this in the worst possible way, associating it with Cocks’ position on AI.

https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/720140714202267648/hey-mark-bit-of-an-oddball-question-what-do-you

Of course, there are clear differences between what Rosewater and Cocks say. The former does not say that it is desirable to use AI nor is it in his power to make the final decision of whether it is used or not. Something that does not happen with the latter. Similarly, not all uses of AI are harmful to workers and the public. Graphic designers, artists, scientists, and programmers have been using AI for years to assist them in their work, and it would be reasonable if there came a point where it was also possible for board game designers. Because while all generative AIs are AIs, not all AIs are generative AIs. And only the latter are harmful.

In any case, the pressure on Hasbro seems to have worked. On March 19th, the American company issued a statement stating that they are responsible for using these generative AIs in a way that does not harm artists. That is why they have given their teams the ability to decide if these tools are beneficial for the business, the fans, and the community.

All this shows the extremely turbulent moment we are living in. Generative AIs seem to be here to stay, at least until they are regulated by governments, but the reaction to the CEO of Hasbro’s words shows that it doesn’t have to be something that happens if we don’t want it to. Now we just need to not demonize an entire technology because of one harmful aspect of it.

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Wizards of the Coast makes use of generative AI after promising not to do so… more or less

Wizards of the Coast is using generative AI despite promising not to do so… more or less. They’ve somewhat hidden behind the claim that it wasn’t directly them… more or less.

There has come a point where it is starting to be difficult to avoid AI. At least when you are a multinational company. A large part of the reference software uses AI, many people try to pass off the work of the machine as their own, and even the best practices manuals and requests not to use it do not seem to be enough. And if not, just ask Wizards of the Coast.

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The history of Wizards of the Coast, owners of the Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering licenses, and AI, is not new. A few weeks ago, they had a controversy because they published an image created by AI, which turned out to be an artist passing off such illustration as their own work. After those, and other minor incidents, Wizards of the Coast made their position clear: they will not use AI in their products, neither in the present nor in the future, under any circumstances. Something that users have been, at the very least, skeptical about.

To fuel that skepticism, recently the Twitter account of Magic: The Gathering posted an image to promote a new collection of cards that seemed to be produced by AI. With a steampunk style, although the cards were real, the rest of the image was suspiciously inert and lifeless. Although Wizards of the Coast consistently denied that there was no human element involved in the creation of this art.

Until yesterday. In an official statement, Wizards of the Coast have confirmed that, using Photoshop tools, at least part of the image created for marketing was made through AI. Something they apologize for and state that they will create clearer guidelines in the future to prevent such things from happening again.

Although Wizards of the Coast has been the one who has suffered from this, it is likely that this is a story we will see repeated throughout 2024. Management and art departments denying the use of AI only for the marketing departments to use them anyway. Therefore, from here, we can only wait and see how this first new trend of the year develops among the communication problems between different departments of companies.

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The most promising anime of 2024 already has a trailer

The most promising anime of 2024 already has a trailer, promising us the most delicious food animation we’ll see in a long time.

In its attempt to gain a piece of the anime market, Netflix is working closely with certain animation studios. In addition to the most obvious one, such as Science Saru, there are also other studios they work very frequently with. Like Trigger, for example. Their collaborations have resulted in successes like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and works that have passed with more discretion, like BNA: Brand New Animal. Although the next joint work of both companies seems to be more like the former than the latter.

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Dungeon Meshi in its original version and Delicious in Dungeon in its English translation, is the upcoming anime from Studio Trigger that will premiere on Netflix. Now they present us with its trailer, showing us spectacular animation, delicious designs, and absolutely beautiful colors for what promises to be one of the anime of the year. Because if a series has everything to succeed, it’s this one.

This anime is the adaptation of the homonymous manga by Ryōko Kui that was published in the Harta magazine between February 15, 2014, and September 15, 2023. Its premise is that, in a fantasy world where dungeon exploration is a common job, a group of adventurers decide to venture into the depths of a particularly dangerous dungeon after the leader’s sister is devoured by a dragon. Hurrying to rescue her before the dragon’s stomach acids consume her, their misadventures begin from the moment they enter the dungeon unprepared and with scarce resources.

The manga has been a worldwide success for its constant references to Dungeons & Dragons-style fantasy, its sense of humor, and its spectacular character design. As its name implies, much of the humor revolves around what the characters eat. Because although most of them would love nothing more than to eat a good plate of anything, they have hardly any supplies and their leader is obsessed with knowing what monsters taste like. This leads them to delirious and constant situations where they must defeat monsters and then eat them.

Given the growth of Dungeons & Dragons in recent years and the success of the manga itself, it is difficult to see a situation where this anime is a failure. Especially with a studio like Trigger behind it, synonymous with quality. In any case, we won’t have to wait long to know more. Delicious in Dungeon premieres on February 4th on Netflix to make the post-Christmas binge more digestible.

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Dungeons & Dragons expands with its own deck for fortune-telling

The deck of many things is used to read the future, to make magical effects and many other things, and now you can have it in your hands.

Dungeons & Dragons is a universe that accommodates all forms of unimaginable fantasy. As long as it involves magic, swords, and dungeons, there’s a place for it within the most famous multiverse in popular culture. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that among the upcoming releases from the renowned Wizards of the Coast franchise, there are some very interesting books, including one that is much more than just a book.

Wizards of the Coast will soon release The Deck of Many Things. A book that delves into the real and fictional history of one of the most famous objects in the history of the world’s most famous role-playing game: the Deck of Many Things.

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For those who may not be familiar, the Deck of Many Things is a 22-card deck that exists within the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Each of these cards produces a different magical effect, many of them rivaling the powers of gods, not all of them positive for the one drawing the cards. This book focuses precisely on this deck and all the possibilities it offers, including its history, how it can be used to create a campaign, provide background for characters, or, of course, be an item used by the players themselves.

But what makes it truly special is that Wizards of the Coast has decided to print the actual deck. Because the book comes with a Deck of Many Things.

With 66 cards in total, the book also includes a second book that explains various ways to draw the cards and how to interpret them for various purposes. To read the future, of course, but also to create stories on the fly, decide encounters, treasures, or, of course, create all sorts of magical effects. Some of them completely unexpected.

Due to production issues, the physical edition of The Deck of Many Things has been slightly delayed and currently lacks a specific release date. However, it can be pre-ordered in the Dungeons & Dragons store, just as the digital edition of the same is available for purchase, which will be released on November 14th.

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Final Fantasy XIV makes the leap to the analog format by announcing its own pen-and-paper role-playing game

Final Fantasy XIV continues to expand, this time entering the world of pen and paper role-playing games, Dungeons & Dragons style

Final Fantasy XIV is one of the longest-running and most played games in the world, which you might have barely heard of. Being an MMO, an online role-playing game, it has a dedicated community that has been nurtured over the years, but it has also created a high entry barrier. It’s no wonder that delving into a game of this kind is challenging, especially one that has been active for as long as Final Fantasy XIV. Now, Square Enix has decided to expand it in a way that can serve as a gateway for newcomers while also providing something new for its veteran players.

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“Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy XIV will have its own role-playing game, this time in analog format. The game will transition to pen and paper with a tabletop role-playing game in the style of Dungeons & Dragons, as revealed at the past Tokyo Games Show. They have now confirmed that it will also have a translation, at least in English.

So far, they have revealed a handful of products related to this game. Called Final Fantasy XIV Online TRPG, it will be available for purchase on their official store, and in fact, pre-orders for the beginner’s set are already open. This starter box includes a player’s handbook sheet, a game master’s handbook sheet, several character sheets with pre-made characters, six 20-sided dice, ten 6-sided dice, a map, character tokens, and skill markers.”

Priced at €59.99, this role-playing game will be released in May 2024. For those who want to extend their adventures in Eorzea, they have already announced a game master’s book and a player’s handbook, which will be released at a later date yet to be announced, expanding on the rules of the beginner’s set. This promises that even the most veteran players of Final Fantasy XIV can expect to spend another thirteen or fourteen years in its world, if they wish. Only this time, they can also tell their own stories.

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Dungeons & Dragons comes to Minecraft in the form of DLC

Minecraft is going to have a new Dungeons & Dragons themed DLC that will include a lot of material with which to enjoy new adventures.

Minecraft is a game that never runs out of steam. It is in its DNA. Its grace is that it wouldn’t matter if its developers never do anything with it, the community would continue to keep it alive. It is a game that never runs out of steam, because its definition is to do whatever you want with it. But, moreover, its developers are far from abandoning it to its fate. As its next DLC proves.

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If after Baldur’s Gate 3 you need more similar experiences, Minecraft has you covered. That’s because, in collaboration with Everbloom Games and Wizards of the Coast, they’re releasing a Dungeons & Dragons-themed Minecraft DLC.

This DLC will not only include what you would expect, such as new scenarios and monsters, but also a new set of role-playing mechanics such as class systems, features and dice-based combat that seek to capture the true Dungeons & Dragons experience. Something that will also include a more complex and elaborate soundtrack than is common in Minecraft, which will change organically as we change scenarios, and a story that will start as a buddy movie to go into closer to the epic grounds as it progresses. Something that will bring it closer to the experience of playing a classic role-playing game.

In any case, the claim is that the game is still Minecraft. Not a Dungeons & Dragons sim. This DLC is not going to be a role-playing game within Minecraft, but aims to offer key elements that allow to shape the specific experience of Dungeons & Dragons within Minecraft that each player wants within the game itself. Which is precisely what makes Minecraft special. What makes its community of it. Its infinite possibilities. Make the game your own.

If all this catches your attention, this DLC is coming to the Minecraft Marketplace on September 26.

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