There’s a ton of cool animals in the real world that should be your companion or familiar. Dogs, cats, and owls are tiring. Instead go with tiny little ‘saurs that look like flying porgs.
Embrace NPCs that have bad vision. Orne Willowrush is ready for your campaign. He’s a dude that’s bad at fishing, but likes it. Wearing glasses Willowrush crafts fine barrels and can be found buying his friends beverages.
Official D&D Product Releases and Reviews
D&D Virtual Weekend This Weekend
This weekend’s Virtual Play includes games in Portuguese, but stay tuned as there are often options in Spanish with some other languages also featured. As a reminder these are paid events. The DMs are the primary recipient of those funds. Dragon+ has more about Virtual Play.
Dungeons & Dragons Movie News
Paramount is delaying the D&D movie by a year-and-a-half. This is almost certainly due to the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic and how crowded the big-budget movie release schedule will be in 2022. The wide slate of TV shows has no announced delays. Derek Kolstad’s project is the only one with an announced showrunner at this time.
Regé-Jean Page was nearly in an upcoming Superman project. One of the hottest (in demand) actors in Hollywood these days Page will be in the D&D movie. He won’t be in that Superman project, because some idiot seemed to think that Superman can’t be related to a Black man.d
He’s also a popular pick as the next James Bond. Dude is in demand. He’s in D&D.
eOne is also launching a gob of reality programming, none are D&D, yet.
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft Previews
The latest Lore You Should Know is all about one of the reworked Domains of Dread.
Third-Party Products
Venture Maidens is the latest podcast to release their world as a sourcebook. Their DM is also the head of the book project, and that bodes quite well for the quality of the product. Celeste Conowitch has credits with Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, and is now with 2C Gaming. The Kickstarter is up through May 10.
Solasta is nearly a ‘finished’ product. The D&D OGL video game is leaving early access. Solasta is more focused on the 5e D&D rules than the official games.
Tribality reviews the upcoming character and scenery art generator Neverending. Finding a tool that you can use, that helps non-artists changes your table atmosphere. Toss those creators some money, because they earned it.
Advice for Dungeons & Dragons Payers and DMs
Every week Alphastream and Shawn Merwin go deeper and deeper into what Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything empowers players to do. Their podcast might be the only digital enterprise still talking about the dramatic story and rules expansion from last fall.
Want to add the themes from Phillip K. Dick’s stories to your games? Screen Rant guides you through mashing up sci-fi with your fantasy.
Game Rant goes over how to use Feats in 5th edition. For me, in my world, I enjoy granting Feats at first level. But I drop the power-gamey ones from the list of options. There is a lot of story creep available in 80% of Feats.
Playing D&D in Civic Spaces During the Pandemic
Whereas most libraries are hosting games to play, at the Topeka Library the focus is on teaching people how to play the game. They have a monthly series that focuses on specific aspects of play. Up next is Character and Combat.
The Johnston Public Library, in upstate New York, is reopening to the public, and continuing virtual D&D for teens in two age groups.
Saratoga Springs Public Library, in Florida, is hosting virtual D&D.
Dungeons & Dragons is Mainstream Now
D&D character art can be more than a hobby these days. | Fan art feature: Leilani Perriera and D&D – Savannah College of Art and Design Connector
The ability to become a hero, no matter what holds you back in real life, is part of the powerful call of roleplaying. | Dungeons and Dragons Helps Me Live Without Duchenne for a Moment – Muscular Dystrophy News
Other Geek Stuff
If you missed Coyote & Crow’s Kickstarter, they have a late backer option now.
We live in the future – and in the future there are lightsabers that work.
Polygon’s board game shopping guide is a great reminder that Summer should involve games with friends on a deck or patio.
The City of Dragons is celebrating the birth of Erasmus. Downtown Renton, the home of Wizards of the Coast, is celebrating hatchday on April 17.
Shadow and Bone is the latest fantasy series to get a TV deal. Go behind the scenes in this story that discusses how the books were translated to screen.
Washington State is flooded with RPG designers, don’t ignore the talent in the board game side of our hobby.
The best board games of 2021, according to American designers.
As Always, Maps
Add fjords and mountains carved by gods to your game.
This map has an old school styling to it. I want to move to this town.
Full Moon Storytelling 