EN World: D&D & Tabletop RPG News & Reviews

Recent & Upcoming Releases

September 17 2024

D&D Player’s Handbook (2024)

(Dungeons & Dragons)
Revised 2024 Player's Handbook.
Replies (162)
September 26 2024

Dungeon Master's Screen (2024)

(Dungeons & Dragons)
4-panel screen revised for the 2024 rules.
Replies (68)
November 12 2024

D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide (2024)

(Dungeons & Dragons)
Revised 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide.
Replies (524)
December 3 2024

Monstrous Menagerie II

(Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition)
The sequel to the acclaimed monster book!
Replies (69)
February 18 2025

D&D Monster Manual (2025)

(Dungeons & Dragons)
Revised 2025 Monster Manual.
Replies (91)
July 1 2025

D&D Dragon Anthology

(Dungeons & Dragons)
A book of 10 dragon-themed adventures.
Replies (40)
October 1 2025

Heroes of the Borderlands

(Dungeons & Dragons)
New D&D starter set.
Replies (609)
November 1 2025

Forgotten Realms Player Guide

(Dungeons & Dragons)
First 5E player's guide for the setting.
Replies (319)
November 1 2025

Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide

(Dungeons & Dragons)
DM’s book digs into different parts of the Realms.
Replies (11)

As many of you know, the Escapist has recently run a 3-part series on the past, current and future of Dungeons & Dragons. The ENWorld coverage begins here. I contributed some insights to that column and wanted to take this opportunity to expand and clarify some of my thoughts on this topic. Who Is This Guy Anyway? I [Ryan Dancey] have been involved on the business side of hobby game...

Dec 29, 2011 262

Review of Karma Deck & Booster Pack: Requiem by Creation’s Edge Games

This is a fine review, but I do have to say that I'm sad to see that this is a direction that 3PP are moving with 4e. I was fine with the 'card' system presented in 4e. I thought it was just a new way for players to organize and track their abilities. But, when WotC started producing booster packs of cards of abilities, then I think they're moving far away from a DnD game that I want to...

Dec 22, 2011 7

Review: The Book of Vile Darkness by Wizards of the Coast

Pre-Release Review: The Book of Vile Darkness by Wizards of the Coast In what must be one of the oddest choices for a Holiday Season release, the 4E version of The Book of Vile Darkness is hitting the shelves just in time for Christmas. While certainly more fitting as a Halloween release, admittedly there is something perversely amusing, in a sort of Tim Burton-esque “The Nightmare before...

Dec 15, 2011 3

Mega-Double Review / Interview Special: Gauntlgrym & Neverwinter by R.A. Salvatore

When I attended GenCon 2011 this past August, and got the chance to sit down with the Wizards of the Coast Brand Manager Laura Tommervik, I had no idea that the conversation would lead to some amazing opportunities for me as a game reviewer this fall. Not only did I end up getting a pre-release paperback review copy of the new Neverwinter novel by R.A. Salvatore, but I also got the chance to...

Dec 15, 2011

4 Hours w/ RSD

4 Hours w/RSD: Run Away!

“The party is currently split ... in two different dimensions. Mei Ling is "mostly dead" and being dragged like a meat balloon through zero gravity tunnels by Marteen and Bog. Temper is very badly injured and "Dimissed" herself back to the Prime Material Plane a melee round before being turned into Shoggoth kibble.” -- Paul Jaquays Unwinnable Does Not Mean Bad One of the complaints that I...

Dec 12, 2011 3

Review of Heroes of the Feywild by Wizards of the Coast

I'm surprised your view of the Skald is so negative. I think it does a great job of "essentializing" the original Bard. It gets to use Charisma for its basic attacks, which means those at-will powers will be as effective at hitting and dealing damage as regular bard powers. The skald's aura is a cool twist on healing in my opinion, since the bard doesn't have to use actions in order to let...

Dec 2, 2011 8

Review of Advanced Encounters: Terrain Toolbox by Sneak Attack Press

A great idea for a product! That's something I could use.

Nov 3, 2011 5

Review: Pathfinder Beginner Box

As a committed 4e player, WOTC should be standing up and taking notice of what their competitors are doing and doing a million times better. I get the impression that Pathfinder is a heavy load for a DM, but this seems to be inspired in helping them get onto that road faster than before. The steep learning curve just got a lot less steep. Congrats Paizo, WOTC please take note.

Oct 27, 2011 22

Streets of Zobeck by Open Design

Isn't this actually a pretty old format? I'd argue a bunch of the Judges Guild books from the 1970s would qualify for the adventure setting format, as described.

Oct 27, 2011 7

Review of Goblins of Golarion by Paizo

I really don't understand how a 32 page full color book is 'over priced' at $10.99... especially with as much custom art as this book includes in it, and especially considering the quality of the writing in it. How much /should/ a 32 page full color book cost? Cause I don't see anything being offered much cheaper anywhere else.

Oct 20, 2011 5

4 Hours w/ RSD

4 Hours w/RSD: Undermountain Update

Undermountain Update Since my last column we have played 4 sessions of Undermountain and I am happy to give folks an update. If you’re unfamiliar with the Undermountain concept you can read more about it in my last column, but in summary it’s a stripped down version of Pathfinder optimized for simple dungeon crawling and light rules. There Is No Ruler The first major change I’ve made since...

Oct 18, 2011 3

PATHFINDER REVIEW: GameMastery Chase Deck & Condition Cards Deck

We tried out the chase cards to resolve a situation in our Griffins & Grottos game just recently and they worked well enough. We've been playing a narrative game, sans minis, this time around, but when one of the players picked up the Chase card deck, we wanted to try them out. We had to fudge things a little because it wasn't quite the terrain in play at the time and we weren't using the PF...

Oct 17, 2011 5

Review of Kobold Quarterly Issue #19 (Fall 2011) by Open Design

As the seasons change, and with the year of 2011 nearly done in, it’s time for the final issue of Kobold Quarterly for this calendar year! Open Design’s flagship periodical has been going strong these past couple years, covering a wide range of role-playing material for not only D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder, but also D&D 4E, and the relative newcomer to the FRPG market, the DragonAge RPG. The...

Oct 10, 2011 3

Review of Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Emporium by WotC

So after gushing about this book for several paragraphs, you gave it 3.75 because of the availability constraints? Really? How about you add that in a post-script, but not have it affect the score? I'm sorry you had to drive and get the book, and maybe WotC will learn from this fiasco, but in a month's time are any of us going to remember or give a crap about this roadblock? Remember, there...

Sep 29, 2011 22

Pathfinder Review: Tome of Horrors Complete

I loved the d20 version of this book and am proud to have it on my shelf. I am very interested in a Pathfinder version. My only complaint is that no one has redone the rock and crystal living statues from BECMI. I would love to see them in a Necromancer Games book one day. Again, great work and an accomplishment in which you should be justifiably proud.

Sep 21, 2011 5

Review of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine by THQ

Having almost completed the singleplayer mission I have to say that what impresses me the most is the visual aspect of the game. While it may not be the most cutting edge graphics (at least according to some reviews I've read), the folks at Relic have managed to catch the very specific atmosphere of the 41st millennium. As I guided Captain Titus through the missions and objectives, I really...