6 Ways to Up Your Dungeons & Dragons Game

Dungeons & Dragons has firmly established itself into mainstream culture and the lives of many, thanks in part to a global catastrophe that drove the vast majority of people into their homes and a dire need for escapism (and a certain group of self-proclaimed “nerdy a-- voice actors”).

But an uptick in interest doesn’t always mean that a game is the most accessible or engaging when you’re first starting out—especially when playing remotely. I encountered this issue first-hand entering the D&D community during such a fraught time, and I doubt I was alone. 

Which is what inspired this list.

This article covers resources that will improve your game experience, remote or not, in a variety of ways. In trying to make a balanced, and by no means comprehensive, list, I’ve included resources that each touch on a particular aspect of the game, such as character creation or communication between players. Also, apologies in advance if your favorite tool didn’t make it on here; the D&D fandom and its contributions grow every day, and it's hard to keep track! Please feel free to let me know your D&D go-tos in the comments below.

With that said, let’s get rolling.

D&D Beyond

One of the most popular resources currently out there, D&D Beyond is an official partner of Wizards of the Coast and labels itself as a complete digital toolbox for the game. And, to be honest, it lives up to its description extremely well. With comprehensive guides, an interactive character builder and sheet creation system, an encounter builder for dungeon masters (DMs), and digital access to books you can purchase, D&D Beyond is user-friendly and filled to the brim with helpful content for new players and old. And that’s just the free version.

If you’d like to further up your game, the app’s two subscription plans (starting at $5.99 per month) have extra perks, such as access to homebrew content created by other users, the ability to share materials with your players, unlimited character slots, and more. Note that when creating characters with this app, certain character options are locked unless you buy the book they appear in or purchase them à la carte, which may be a turn-off for some. But even if you don’t pay to play, the free offerings available more than prove D&D Beyond’s worth as a tool.

Roll20

D&D is inherently a tabletop game, and when playing remotely…well, tables are kind of out of the picture. Enter Roll20, a virtual tabletop that supports not only D&D but many other systems such as Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and World of Darkness. The site boasts an impressive interactive grid with easy ways to upload game assets such as maps and character tokens. Additionally, built-in dice rollers include modifiers for easier combat, journal tabs for your character sheet, text and voice chat capabilities, and a jukebox function for musical immersion that's linked to programs like the renowned Tabletop Audio. You can also find a group to play with by searching the listings on Roll20’s Join a Game board, which has filters for refined search options if, say, you don't want to play a game with mature content.

Roll20 currently is free to use, but should you want to expand your storage, cut out ads, find more games listed than the two included in the standard free version, and access other perks, subscription plans range from $4.17 to $8.33 per month. (Check it out.)

Beyond20

In love with the character sheet you’ve created on D&D Beyond, but also want to use Roll20 or other virtual tabletop programs? No problem! Created by Youness Alaoui (more commonly known as KaKaRoTo), Beyond20 is a free browser extension that links the two seamlessly. Just install the extension to your Chrome toolbar and fire up both websites while making sure the plugin is active. You should then see a roll button added to D&D Beyond’s character sheet sidebars. It lets you roll directly in your game’s chat or display an item or spell’s characteristics to the rest of your group.

Artbreeder

After the death of Flash dress-up doll games, my fellow artistically challenged players and I let out a collective cry of despair. How would we make character tokens now? How could we show off original monsters beyond mere verbal description? Then we discovered Joel Simon’s Artbreeder and the community heaved a collective sigh of relief.

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Artbreeder lets you merge or “breed” images together from five categories that range from portraits to landscapes, elevating the concept of face morphing to another level. In addition to browsing the large catalog of community images, you can upload your own files and customize them using different filters or “genes” you can introduce. When you’re done tweaking, just save the image to your account. That rainbow-haired elf with a nasty facial scar you wanted to create? Go on and make them! You’ve got nothing to lose except all the hours you’ll be spending creating fantasy people, which you clearly already enjoy doing if you’re into D&D.

Donjon

Random generators can be a writer’s best friend, and what is playing D&D but helping to write and guide a collaborative story with your buddies? Donjon is a collection of random generators that span the gamut from spitting out names to entire dungeons, maps, and encounters based on your party’s size and current level. Lists detailing stats for monsters, spells, and magical items are also available, should you not want to dig through the Player’s Handbook. For players, an excellent array of reference sheets cover trickier aspects of combat, such as action economy and conditions, as well as an initiative tracker for keeping tabs on what order players and NPCs take their turns in.

World Anvil

DMs, this one’s for you! If you want a space to exercise your creative muscle and craft a world where your players can thrive, World Anvil is something to seriously consider. With more than 25 article templates for you to create a lore book for your world, space for interactive maps to link story events to specific locations, and a timeline function for charting out historical events, the program encourages you to delve into the details and embrace your inner world builder.

If you can’t get enough of the free plan, higher-level paid options, such as the Master, Grandmaster, and Sage plans provide added benefits like relationships charts and diplomatic webs, the ability to add co-authors, discussion boards, and even monetization options should your world and the antics within it grow popular enough.