The new Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set includes a 32-page rule book for playing low-level characters, a set of dice, and five ready-to-play characters. The character sheets, available for free to all players, are pre-made heroes with easy-to-read progression from levels one through three, and even include artwork. These characters are perfect for use in the Starter Set’s 48-page adventure booklet, included in with the $20 purchase.
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The D&D adventure itself is called Dragons of Stormwreck Isle, and takes players to third level. Though the short adventure can be completed in just a few sessions, it is surprisingly deep, with many opportunities for role playing, exploration, and combat. Active volcanoes, ancient draconic wars, and kindly kobolds await players who gather their parties and venture forth.
The art included in the Starter Set and Dragons of Stormwreck Isle include many Easter eggs for Dungeons and Dragons fans. Many of the characters featured in the splash art are direct references to the heroes from the old Dungeons and Dragons cartoon show, a fact that delighted those who watched the show when they were younger.
This Starter Set is technically the second Wizards of the Coast has released. The first, released back in 2014, is still available for purchase. However, the adventure within, Lost Mines of Phandelver, is available for free on D&D Beyond. This adventure is lauded as one of the best in 5th Edition’s history, due to its open-ended nature and ease of approach. Its popularity caused Dungeons and Dragons to revisit the town of Phandalin again in the Dragons of Icespire Peak adventure from the 2019 D&D Essentials Kit, and will once more in the currently-unnamed 2023 Phandelver Campaign.
In the meantime, Dungeons and Dragons is playtesting One D&D, the next evolution of the popular roleplaying game. Rather than creating a “6th Edition,” Dungeons and Dragons is updating 5th Edition to become an evergreen system. This means Dungeons and Dragons will build upon its existing framework from now on, rather than inventing a whole new system to replace the old one. One D&D is expected to officially release in 2024 for the 10-year anniversary of 5th Edition, but will be releasing active playtest material, called Unearthed Arcana, to hammer out the details until then.
One D&D is in development.
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