Recommend a Virtual Tabletop (VTT), 2022 Edition

[CleverNickName]

A couple of years ago when I did that "Recommend a VTT" poll, FantasyGrounds and Roll20 were far and above the most popular platforms with over 86% of the total votes combined....and FoundryVTT got only a single vote. It was at the start of the pandemic, when we were scrambling to find ways to keep playing D&D and other tabletop games.

Well it's been 2 long, hard years of the pandemic, and I wondered how different that poll might look today.

So I pulled up that same list of available virtual tabletops that I used before. The "greatest hits" are there, like Roll20 and FantasyGrounds, and a few of the rising stars like Arkenforge and Astral...but I'm sure that some of these have been abandoned and new products have entered the scene...so please make generous use of the "Other" option.

Please vote for the VTT that you currently use, or one that you have used and would recommend to the rest of us. What programs do you like to use and why? Which ones are great for beginners, and which ones are more suitable for veterans? Are there other tools that you use or recommend for video, chat, or character sheets? Share your experiences as a virtual newcomer or seasoned veteran as we all step out of the shadows of the pandemic.

 

[CleverNickName]

Over the last 2 years, my gaming groups and I have used Roll20, FantasyGrounds, and FoundryVTT.

FantasyGrounds was impossible for us, because the software installation requirements meant that some of our players weren't able to use the platform at all (trying to install, and then connect, FantasyGrounds on two ChromeBooks, one WinBook, an iPad, and two Dell PC laptops was impossible.) Which was a shame. I imagine that if everyone in my group had the same computers and the same OS, it would have been wonderful. But without reliable cross-platform support and emulation, it was a non-starter.

Roll20 is still my favorite, because they have the widest product support for the games we play. When we switched to Eberron from Storm King's Thunder, it was just a quick visit to the Marketplace to purchase the materials we need, and we were off to the races. The game was up and running before everyone on the call could finish Venmo'ing me their part of the cost. But one of my Dungeon Masters wanted to use animated battle maps for his campaign, and Roll20's servers couldn't handle the file sizes. So we switched to...

FoundryVTT is the one we are currently using. It runs smoothly, but it is really frustrating if you want to use materials from newer, published sources. It seems like not all new WotC products get released for FoundryVTT, or they don't get released as quickly. There are gaps in the materials, and the quality and consistency varies widely between products. Running our game from my own computer instead of from a server is nice, but it also involves setting up a VPN and dealing with additional layers of security, permissions, and firewalls...only to end up using a Discord channel to handle voice, video, and screen sharing anyway.

Next month, it will be my turn to sit in the DM's chair for a while, and I'm leaning hard in the direction of Roll20. It's my favorite so far...but I'm open-minded enough to consider new and exciting products. Especially the ones that don't require me to also be an IT Specialist, data entry technician, and/or AV Engineer in addition to Dungeon Master.

 

[Morrus]

Use and recommend are two different questions! I use one because that's what the rest of my group uses, but I'd recommend a different one!

 

[Guest 7034872]

^^ I think that's right. My own preference would be for Foundry, but everyone uses Roll20, so I use Roll20.

 

[CleverNickName]

Use and recommend are two different questions! I use one because that's what the rest of my group uses, but I'd recommend a different one!

Hmm, that's a good point.

Well, it's a multiple-choice poll, so...why not vote for both when applicable, and leave a comment to clarify?

 

[beancounter]

AboveVTT

D&D 5E - Above VTT and D&D Beyond

I thought I'd mention this for those that are interested in VTTs. This is actually a Chrome extension (free). With it, as GM, you get a button on your campaign page in D&D Beyond to open a VTT. It has full access to the character sheets, D&D Beyond dice roller, etc. It has the basics, fog...

www.enworld.org

 

[Retreater]

If you're a new, casual user, Roll20 would be my vote. If you're wanting automation and are willing to put in the work to customize, Foundry VTT.

 

[Malmuria]

Owlbear Rodeo

A more bear-able virtual tabletop

www.owlbear.rodeo

 

[AverageMojito]

Owlbear Rodeo

A more bear-able virtual tabletop

www.owlbear.rodeo

Definitely missing in the list. I've used it to great length and benefit.

 

[darjr]

Owlbear Rodeo I keep going back to. Does a simple job well and nothing more. Fantastic.

If I wan't to leverage something from DNDBeyond or use those fancy video backgrounds/battlemaps I'll use AboveVTT that works on top of the tools of DnDBeyond and can use youtube videos for battlemaps.