Taylor Navarro Joins Wizards of the Coast as D&D Designer

Wizards of the Coast has hired yet another D&D game designer - this time UK-based designer Taylor Navarro. Navarro announced that she was joining the D&D team this week on BlueSky. Navarro notably was a winner of the Diana Jones Emerging Designer Award back in 2024 and has worked for Ghostfire Gaming and Evil Hat in addition to working on several DMs Guild projects. Some of her most notable works was contributing to the DMs Guild publication Journeys Beyond the Radiant Citadel and publishing Not Yet: A Romantic Duet TTRPG.

Navarro is the fourth D&D game designer to join Wizards of the Coast in recent weeks, with James Haeck, Leon Barillaro, and Erin Roberts also announcing that they've joined D&D in a similar game designer capacity. Additionally, Justice Ramin Arman was promoted to Game Design Director of the group.

 

[Lalato]

And updating the list...

Dan Ayoub, Sr VP, Head of D&D Franchise
Justice Ramin Arman, Director of Game Design
Josh Herman, Head of Worldbuilding

Greg Bilsland, Executive Producer

F. Wesley Schneider, Principal Game Designer
James Wyatt, Principal Game Designer

James Haeck, Senior Game Designer
Makenzie De Armas, Senior Game Designer
Patrick Renie, Senior Game Designer
Jason Tondro, Senior Game Designer
Amanda Hamon, Senior Designer
Leon Barillaro, Game Designer
Carl Sibley, Game Designer
Erin Roberts, Game Designer
Taylor Navarro, Game Designer

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Me too, although I'm not sure what I'd like them to do.

Pick one of the worlds and set a book length adventure there.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Radiant Citadel doesnt have a great reputation.

Amongst crusty old racists who make a lot of noise on the internet it doesn’t, but if you enjoy quality writing and imaginative fantasy beyond the generic it’s excellent.

 

[Uta-napishti]

Congratulations Taylor, looking forward to seeing your work!

 

[MichaelSomething]

I can't endorse this hire because it appears Taylor has fallen short on the metric I deem most important; lack of EnPublishing credit!

 

[Zardnaar]

Amongst crusty old racists who make a lot of noise on the internet it doesn’t, but if you enjoy quality writing and imaginative fantasy beyond the generic it’s excellent.

Doesn't have a great reputation anywhere though.

Its not the worst I bought it for $15 iirc. I haven't bought a lot of post Tashas bigger adventures.

I highly magical Citadel in ethereal plane isnt exactly a popular concept imho.

None of the adventures looked particularly exciting even Candlekeep has 3 or 4.

One can compare with Golden Vault as well.

Infinite Staircase better adventures but potentially flawed starting location. Many worlds on tap probably wont appeal that much.

This and Strixhaven seemed to struggle to sell. I didnt buy Strixhaven even deeply discounted. I'll buy pretty much anything as well (price was $0 at one point)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Doesn't have a great reputation anywhere though

You really aren’t listening, are you? There have been dozens of people singing its praises on this forum. It has an outstanding reputation in some places, including at least one that you frequent.

I highly magical Citadel in ethereal plane isnt exactly a popular concept imho

Most of the objections have been from cynical people who can’t cope with the lack of cynicism. It has nothing to do with it being a magical thing in a magical place in a magical game.

None of the adventures looked particularly exciting

To you. Look, we get that you like combat heavy grimdark. So do a bunch of other older players. But that’s not appealing to the younger (and female) players who WotC are trying to reach with these hires.

 

[Zardnaar]

You really aren’t listening, are you? There have been dozens of people singing its praises on this forum. It has an outstanding reputation in some places, including at least one that you frequent.

You can say that about any 5E adventure though.

I dont think its a hot take to say that WotC adventure ms are generally mid with only 2 great APs and some good shorter adventures.

 

[Matrix Sorcica]

Amongst crusty old racists who make a lot of noise on the internet it doesn’t,

You can do better than that.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

You can do better than that.

Not without breaking forum rules. Maybe I can get away with adding “and sexist”?