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.

 

[Charlaquin]

I think for some people simply having lots of colors means that there cannot be bad things.

That, and, you know, it is said to be ethnically diverse, to have a cooperative and egalitarian society, a public, transparent, participatory government, and a universal basic income, as well as accessible healing priced according to one’s needs. In other words, it’s a social democracy. That is not actually synonymous with “utopia,” but some critics call it a utopia in order to avoid calling it socialist.

To be clear, I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing, @Zardnaar. But some particularly vocal critics of the book absolutely do that.

 

[Imaro]

Online discussion.

What adventures stood out for you that you've played or would you recommend?

ENworld gave me 4 for Candlekeep Mysteries. I've ran two the last year or so and another penciled in for 10th lvl or so. 4th will have to wait for another campaign

Golden Vault theres around 6. I paid attention to what people talked about here.

Just had a quick flick through. Radiant Citadel cartographer is also ugly. Compared with GV and Staircase. All were published close to each other. I can post pictures if you like.

Look you seem intent on sticking with your incorrect assumptions about the book and seem to truly believe it's bad. You're asking for a recommendation on a book you have stated you own & have read... at this point why would a recomendation change your mind or even get you to consider your assumptions and vibes might be wrong. In other words I'm not sure what the point of asking me what I would recommend is when we've reached point of...oh yeah, and the art is ugly too.

 

[Zardnaar]

That, and, you know, it is said to be ethnically diverse, to have a cooperative and egalitarian society, a public, transparent, participatory government, and a universal basic income, as well as accessible healing priced according to one’s needs. In other words, it’s a social democracy. That is not actually synonymous with “utopia,” but some critics call it a utopia in order to avoid calling it socialist.

To be clear, I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing, @Zardnaar. But some particularly vocal critics of the book absolutely do that.

I grew up in a Social Democracy. Radiant Citadel went further than that. Didn't last because grumble grumble won't go there

Its not the biggest issue anyway. Cartography looks likaecass, what good stuff there is is to brief. They should have done 7 adventures vs 13 imho and fleshed things out more.

 

[Zardnaar]

Look you seem intent on sticking with your incorrect assumptions about the book and seem to truly believe it's bad. You're asking for a recommendation on a book you have stated you own & have read... at this point why would a recomendation change your mind or even get you to consider your assumptions and vibes might be wrong. In other words I'm not sure what the point of asking me what I would recommend is when we've reached point of...oh yeah, and the art is ugly too.

I just think its a typical mediocre WotC adventure book. Its on the high side of mediocre vs worse stuff.

Ive been consistent for years about WotC adventures. Generally stopped buying them around tge waterdeep ones except for Anthologies. Ive got some of the others via gifts, really cheap or free.

For a "hater ive bought enough product it seems. I suspect more than a few here. Money, mouth and all that. Generally I rewrite, mine them or flesh them out. Helps if its a better adventure to begin with.

 

[Charlaquin]

I grew up in a Social Democracy. Radiant Citadel went further than that.

In what way?

 

[Zardnaar]

In what way?

NZ vastly more liberal than USA. WotC not good at various things. PM me if you like I cant really cover it here.

 

[Charlaquin]

NZ vastly more liberal than USA. WotC not good at various things. PM me if you like I cant really cover it here.

I’m pretty sure the ways in which the setting presented in Radiant Citadel “goes further” than social democracy is topical and appropriate for public discussion. I’m not asking for your real-life political opinions, I’m asking what specifically about the fictional society presented in the book comes across to you as unlike a social democracy.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Answer me this: if she really was a good TTRPG writer, why doesn't she have any ENNIEs??? How can a TTRPG writer be considered great if they don't have the greatest honor one can achieve in the TTPRG world, an ENNIE??

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Answer me this: if she really was a good TTRPG writer, why doesn't she have any ENNIEs??? How can a TTRPG writer be considered great if they don't have the greatest honor one can achieve in the TTPRG world, an ENNIE??

She has something greater: She apparently lives rent-free inside the heads of a bunch of people who just recently heard of her.

 

[Zardnaar]

I’m pretty sure the ways in which the setting presented in Radiant Citadel “goes further” than social democracy is topical and appropriate for public discussion. I’m not asking for your real-life political opinions, I’m asking what specifically about the fictional society presented in the book comes across to you as unlike a social democracy.

Im a Social Democrat irl. I'll leave it there. I prefer more gritty ascetic generally. BG3, Darksun. New FR and Eberron product i liked them as well.

Its not a major problem in the Citadel. I bought the adventure as it was cheap and I can mine it. Theres always a few decent adventures in anthologies.

I'll probably use the Citadel as a higher level bastion or location and villains lair.