D&D Beyond Releases New Free D&D Adventure Featuring 1980s Cartoon Characters

D&D Beyond has a new adventure featuring the cast of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon as playable characters. Today, D&D Beyond released Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn as a free adventure for all D&D Beyond subscribers. The adventure, which was originally released at PAX West as a part of D&D's 50th anniversary celebration, is a Level 4 adventure. As part of the adventure, players can use pre-made character sheets for the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon characters, now grown up. A seventh character, Niko, is also in the adventure as a new character who came from a different set of real-world adventurers stuck in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn also features a grown-up Uni and Kelek of League of Malevolence and D&D toy fame.

You can take a look at the grown up cast of the D&D cartoon (plus Niko) below:

 

[DaffCon1]

This adventure further adds to my puzzlement, considering the cartoon. We've recently had the kids in the movie, we've had action figures and statues of them, art of them has been on other D&D releases, there's the comic, and now we have character sheets for them and an adventure based around stuff from the cartoon -- with all of this leaning into the cartoon stuff, why haven't they re-released it in some format?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

We've recently had the kids in the movie

Those are lookalikes, unless Bobby has been magically turned into a dwarf!

with all of this leaning into the cartoon stuff, why haven't they re-released it in some format

Evil lawyers.

 

[Zaukrie]

This adventure further adds to my puzzlement, considering the cartoon. We've recently had the kids in the movie, we've had action figures and statues of them, art of them has been on other D&D releases, there's the comic, and now we have character sheets for them and an adventure based around stuff from the cartoon -- with all of this leaning into the cartoon stuff, why haven't they re-released it in some format?

I doubt the designers have any influence over the cartoon. But we know at least one really likes it. It's just a one shot. Not first level for some reason, but I think we're over thinking things here.

 

[DaffCon1]

I doubt the designers have any influence over the cartoon. But we know at least one really likes it. It's just a one shot. Not first level for some reason, but I think we're over thinking things here.

It's not just the designers, since we're also talking action figures and artwork and appearing in the movie. Someone at WotC is pushing hard to keep these characters out there.

 

[cranberry]

If this is an intro adventure, the characters will mean nothing to the typical new player in their teens and twenties.

It should have been directed at grognard nostalgia.

 

[Parmandur]

This adventure further adds to my puzzlement, considering the cartoon. We've recently had the kids in the movie, we've had action figures and statues of them, art of them has been on other D&D releases, there's the comic, and now we have character sheets for them and an adventure based around stuff from the cartoon -- with all of this leaning into the cartoon stuff, why haven't they re-released it in some format?

They have re-released it.

Dungeons & Dragons Adventures | The World's Greatest Roleplaying Game

The official home and digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons. Dive into D&D books, create a character, and more!

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This adventure further adds to my puzzlement, considering the cartoon. We've recently had the kids in the movie, we've had action figures and statues of them, art of them has been on other D&D releases, there's the comic, and now we have character sheets for them and an adventure based around stuff from the cartoon -- with all of this leaning into the cartoon stuff, why haven't they re-released it in some format?

They presumably went with the weird free D&D channel on Amazon Prime/Freevee because someone at Hasbro ran the numbers and found it wouldn't have made as much money if the series could be purchased in digital/DVD/Blu-Ray form and no one was offering them enough money for streaming rights.

Outside of a very small community, it's a pretty obscure cartoon.

 

[DaffCon1]

They have re-released it.

Dungeons & Dragons Adventures | The World's Greatest Roleplaying Game

The official home and digital toolset for Dungeons & Dragons. Dive into D&D books, create a character, and more!

www.dndbeyond.com

I don't see it among the listed shows

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If this is an intro adventure, the characters will mean nothing to the typical new player in their teens and twenties.

It should have been directed at grognard nostalgia.

They are going to throw them into as many things as possible, in an attempt to help make them a "thing" again as they continue to try and license their IP.

It's the same reason we're going to keep hearing about many of the same settings, IP monsters and major NPCs over and over again -- they're trying to license this IP to make money in other ways, but that requires identifiable unique characters, places and concepts.

 

[DaffCon1]

They presumably went with the weird free D&D channel on Amazon Prime/Freevee because someone at Hasbro ran the numbers and found it wouldn't have made as much money if the series could be purchased in digital/DVD/Blu-Ray form and no one was offering them enough money for streaming rights.

Outside of a very small community, it's a pretty obscure cartoon.

I won't argue that it's obscure -- but they're pushing it really hard for something obscure.

And obviously there was money enough in it for statues and action figures.