A Veteran Gamer’s Plea: Where’s the Large Print Option for TTRPG Rulebooks?

[Eyes of Nine]

BUT WHAT ABOUT DIGITAL?
I hear you: “Why not just use the digital version?”

And yes, PDFs, apps, and digital reference tools are amazing. But they’re not a complete replacement.
• Not every gaming table allows devices (some DMs still enforce the “no phones at the table” rule).
• Tablets and phones can die mid-session.
• Reading long passages on a backlit screen causes eye strain of its own.
• There’s something irreplaceable about flipping through a physical book—highlighting, bookmarking, the tactile sensation, the way a well-loved rulebook becomes part of your gaming identity.

Digital is a tool. Print is an experience.

And if the industry insists on pushing players toward digital, that’s a different conversation—one that many fans, myself included, are already wary of.

We don’t want to be forced into a digital-only future. We just want to keep using physical books—comfortably.

Two points:
DnD Beyond doesn't allow you to scale their interactive character sheet. There is a default resolution, which sure - you can do the Cmd+ or Cmd- or use your fingers to scale the page or whatever; but in this modern age with relatively easy a11y (accessibility, "a" - 11 characters - "y", aka "a11y") coding libraries, this should be easy enough to manage - IF an organization wanted to pay money OR avoid costs. Big IF, in the past.

Which brings me to second point. The US president's current administration has been very active in enforcing online a11y regulations, especially web requirements. These enforcement actions may encourage WotC to begin providing accessible web pages, even interactive form parts on their dndbyond site.

It'll be interesting to see where this conversation is at this time in 2027.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

One last thing for me personally - I would take larger print and fewer images, just saying. So the book could be the same size.

 

[Esme_Bancroft]

One last thing for me personally - I would take larger print and fewer images, just saying. So the book could be the same size.

Not a bad idea, I could get behind this.

 

[dragoner]

Indeed I did do large-ish readable print because I am old, wear bifocals.

 

[MGibster]

And don’t get me started on the “micro books” TSR released in the 80s. Cute? Sure. Readable? Absolutely not.

I think those were reprinted AD&D books produced in the 1990s and they were more for novelty than practicality. A friend of mine was delighted to collect them even though he already owned the original books. I had completely forgotten about them until you brought it up.

I'm in the same boat as you. While I don't need large print, yet, I'm at the point where I a well lit room to comfortably read most game books. Even though I wear contacts, I put on my reading glasses to read. I'm probably going to want larger print within the next few years.

 

[billd91]

I'm not yet a candidate for extra-large text, but I can sure say that the readability of the 5e.2024 rules was a nice perk of buying the new books over 5e.2014.

I can understand an argument that doing a whole print run of large text rulebooks might be a tough sell with most game companies - but maybe a print on demand version where they do the layout work but leave it to the buyer to print. I would expect a large company could eat the expense of the layout work and sell at a price point where POD wouldn't break the buyer's bank.

 

[MGibster]

Any ablest GM who refuses to allow players use of an accessibility device should be shunned and no one should ever grace their table until they learn the error of their ways. And if you need your device to read the rules, it's an accessibility device.

Yeah. The no device rule is typically put in place to avoid distractions, but I don't think you'll find many GMs who would refuse a player the use of a device designed to allow them to access the game. Such a person should be shunned.

Have you sent your request to the game publishers? In the US, there is the Americans with Disabilities Act. Businesses have to accommodate folks with disabilities to some extent. Poor vision is one of those things.

That's not how the Americans with Disabilities Act works. The ADA was designed to ensure Americans had equal opportunities to access public accommodations, employment, education, etc., etc. requiring employers and others to make reasonable accommodations for their use. There is no interpretation of the ADA that would require a publisher to produce large print versions of their products.

 

[Sacrosanct]

That's not how the Americans with Disabilities Act works. The ADA was designed to ensure Americans had equal opportunities to access public accommodations, employment, education, etc., etc. requiring employers and others to make reasonable accommodations for their use. There is no interpretation of the ADA that would require a publisher to produce large print versions of their products.

Indeed. The ADA is why we have a JAWS software suite that reads text on our screens at work. It's not to ensure every product is modified for people with disability. Otherwise we'd have braille on every cereal box and can of soda.

 

[Moving Pictures]

I feel you.

As an aside, I remember taking over as the editor for a community newspaper that used a non-serif font at about nine points. I changed that puppy the very first day... management freaked .... and then some of our older readers called to thank us.

People don't think about these things.

Any ablest GM who refuses to allow players use of an accessibility device should be shunned and no one should ever grace their table until they learn the error of their ways. And if you need your device to read the rules, it's an accessibility device.

^^^
This.

I shouldn't have to use my glasses and a magnifying glass to read from a book. My mom has the situation when she reads the newspaper.

Dude, I'm using 2X cheaters to read this very screen. I'd be lost without 'em. Get used to it.
(I'm 60.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

At 58, I’m horribly nearsighted and have been wearing progressives for at least a decade. But I’m more likely to remove or lift my glasses when reading intensely- like when using RPG books.

I haven’t done it yet, but if it became a real problem, I’d probably consider getting pdf versions of my favorite resources and read them on an iPad or Kindle with larger text.