Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a viral fantasy role-playing game that has entertained audiences since the early 70s. Many people were alarmed when their beloved Tabletop RPG was affected by recent pandemic shutdowns, but many alternatives are available to help them continue playing D&D with friends. Here, we will look at some of the 21 5e tools alternatives for 2023 that players can use to make their gaming smooth and rewarding.
Current Status Of 5E Tools in 2023
The current status of 5e tools is a mix of good and bad news; At the same time, they have become more popular than ever before thanks to people staying in quarantine during the pandemic; there are now dozens upon dozens of alternatives to the original toolset that can help you put your spin on the classic game.
Technological advances allow people to play video games almost anywhere they can access a computer; many gamers turn away from physical pieces and dice when playing Dungeons & Dragons. Some embrace technology-based tools to enrich their gaming experience, while others prefer traditional RPG supplies like books, paper maps, and pens or pencils.
Best Alternatives For Upgrading Your Game – 21 5e Tools
Here is a list of the top 21 unique tools that you may need to upgrade your Dungeons & Dragons game in 2023:
D&D Beyond
This web-based suite of tools designed specifically for Dungeons and Dragons version 5 has become one of the most popular alternatives over recent years. Here, you can find everything from digital sourcebooks to character sheets, adventurers’ texts, accurate monster stat blocks and more. Moreover, it offers a comprehensive virtual gaming platform to connect with other role-players for an immersive D&D experience easily.
Roll20
Another excellent 5e tools alternative is Roll20, a browser-hosted game creation tool that allows users to create as many campaigns for the Dungeons & Dragons world as they like using high-quality maps, artwork and backgrounds. It has a vibrant community of players who can come together to play D&D adventures or build entire worlds for their characters.
RPG Bot
This dedicated database platform offers an extensive collection of hand-crafted RPG adventures that have been explicitly coded for version 5 of Dungeons & Dragons and are loaded with fully interactive components and illustrated maps that allow players to craft stories within the game at a whim. Moreover, it gives the Dungeon Masters the power to run multiple sessions simultaneously with high minimal effort.
AideDD
The AideDD is an open-source Internet application designed to help Dungeon Masters create and manage campaigns for 5E D&D games. It provides all the tools needed to customize adventure settings, build weapons, develop characters and NPCs, and host games with its real-time web hosting capability.
Beyond Tabletop
Beyond Tabletop is a browser-based virtual tabletop designed for Dungeons & Dragons. With this suite of tools, you can easily manage turn orders, create custom maps with drawing and painting tools, and import 3D modules to breathe new life into your 5e adventures.
Fantasy Grounds
Considered one of the best virtual gaming environments, FantasyGrounds offers everything from detailed combat rules to theme-based maps and fully integrates 5E practice sets. Moreover, it also has a built-in voice chat system and character sheets to make running D&D campaigns easier for everyone involved.
MasterScreen
If you’re looking for an immersive story adventure game experience, MasterScreen is a perfect choice; this web platform offers players advanced digital tools that help them create their original fantasy stories and manage characters right off the page with plenty of visual effects and sounds.
DnD Wiki
For an exhaustive library of resources to help you craft your 5e world, look no further than the DnD wiki – an unofficial yet comprehensive collection of all things related to Dungeons & Dragons. Anything from spells, magical items and monsters to detailed rules and game mechanics can be found here in one convenient repository.
The Homebrewery
This web-based platform allows users to craft, customize and share their homebrew 5e adventures with other gamers. It has plenty of unique tools, such as an interactive spellbook, a monster generator, battle maps and more, that make creating original stories in Dungeons & Dragons simpler than ever.
Kobold Fight Club
Suppose you’re looking for a friendly place to find your original 5E campaigns, head to Kobold Fight Club. With its state-of-the-art interface and automated combat engine explicitly built for Dungeons & Dragon’s fifth edition, this online community offers gamers the perfect outlet to develop and share custom adventures with others worldwide.
Donjon
This cloud-based RPG game builder allows users to create large-scale and small-scale adventures in multiple genres, such as medieval fantasy settings or post-apocalyptic lands. Along with a robust dice system, Donjon includes everything from fully featured character sheets to combat encounters and more to help you craft unique stories for your 5e game.
Improved Initiative
This online tool helps players make the best out of their combats by keeping track of initiative items and turn orders and giving each particular combatant action they can take when it’s their time on the battlefield. And with built-in random dungeon generation tools and intuitive creature stat blocks, this platform is the perfect gaming aid for any 5e adventure.
D&D Spellcards
These spell cards come in handy for players looking to streamline their D& D campaigns, allowing users to print out combined information about all spells from levels one through nine directly onto physical cards that can then be quickly sorted and referenced during games without fumbling through thick handbooks.
D&D Compendium
This web-based directory of all things related to Dungeons & Dragons offers players a massive library of RPG information like combat aids, spell data and even downloadable mods. Moreover, it also has its in-built adventure creator with an impressive set of tools for creating richly detailed stories for almost any genre imaginable.
D&D Monster Maker
If you’re looking to expand your collection of 5e monsters, then this monster-making application is the perfect option for you. It comes loaded with a comprehensive library of libbed monsters from across all levels, each meticulously designed and detailed for maximum realism during fights so that no adventure falls short on scares.
D&D Speak
This online platform allows users to craft custom D&D campaigns without forgetting text points, character dialogue or NPCs’ weapons. As one of the more comprehensive construction tools in the 5e universe, D&D Speak includes everything from a powerful AI auto-generator to pre-made templates and custom multimedia aids.
D&D Adventure Lookup
For those who need quick access to detailed textual descriptions for their favorite creatures and encounters, this online platform can help you with that; with its dynamic adventure lookup system, players can easily access entry points, plot twists and narrative endings on the fly to add more color and excitement to their 5e campaigns.
D&D Beyond Encounter Builder
This sophisticated Dungeons & Dragons application allows users to set up custom encounters without worrying about legal issues or complicated registration processes. It also has a comprehensive collection of standard creatures per encounter and detailed suggestions for how best they should be used during playtime.
D&D Beyond Character Builder
This character-building companion allows players to craft their custom 5e characters and access detailed item lists from across all planes with a button. Moreover, its intuitive interface makes it surprisingly easy for anyone — beginner or expert —to create detailed avatar profiles that match perfectly with any latest books and manuals released by Wizards Of The Coast LLC.
D&D Beyond Marketplace
For die-hard fans of Dungeons & Dragons who want to show off their love for the game with premium merchandise, this web platform offers a wide array of custom accessories. It has something special for everybody, from comfortable clothing items and stylish backpacks to limited-edition action figures and collector’s pieces.
FAQs
1. How do I get started with creating my own 5e campaign?
The easiest way to start creating your adventure is using a web-based tool like D&D Beyond or Donjon, which offers easy access to detailed character sheets and modules. Once you’ve made the bones of your story, set up battle maps in Roll20 and build out your encounters with monsters from RPG Bot or Kobold Fight Club.
2. What tools should I be using for running Dungeons & Dragons?
For running games, you’ll need a few different tools. Roll20 is excellent for building maps and sharing them with players during the match; Improved Initiative has all the dice rolling needs covered. Donjon or D&D Beyond are excellent resources for finding creatures’ stat blocks or crafting detailed storylines.
3. Are there any free 5e tools available?
Yes! There are plenty of great free 5e tools available. RPG Bot, The Homebrewery and MasterScreen are excellent resources for creating custom worlds. Fantasy Grounds has a complete Starter kit with plenty of in-game modules without paying money.
4. Will I need any actual dice when playing Dungeons & Dragons?
You won’t strictly need actual physical dice if you don’t want to, but it is recommended as there can be slight differences in the outcomes produced by a classic set vs. an online dice generator. That being said, there are plenty of different tools like Roll20 or Improved Initiative out there that allow you to make use of virtual die when playing.
5. What 5e tool will give me access to the latest published adventures?
The D&D Beyond Marketplace is the best resource for finding new and original fantasy adventures crafted for the 5e rule set. They constantly create new stories and modules and add premium items such as clothing, collectibles and 3D figures to their inventory.
Conclusion
Playing Dungeons & Dragons in 2023 doesn’t mean you have to do without anymore. With these 21 unique tools, you can craft your immersive worlds filled with exciting combat encounters and unforgettable moments, setting yourself up with the perfect gaming environment to enjoy. So put away your physical dice and get ready to experience Dungeons & Dragons like never before!
