We’ve had our third session of Dragonbane, and have been enjoying every minute. It was a rough start as we learned and adjusted to the new rules, but things are running more smoothly.
What has made the transition easier has been playing on Foundry VTT using the official module. You don’t need the module to play Dragonbane. All you need is the quick start guide and some dice. You don’t even need the official module if you’re using Foundry, but it makes things so easy that you’re doing yourself a disservice by not using it.
I’ve written about why you should use Foundry VTT as your virtual tabletop, so make sure you read that post if you haven’t done so already. Foundry VTT is easy to use, it has tremendous community and dev support, and it has a lot of the features you want from a VTT for only $50. There is also a demo you can try if you need more convincing.
The Dragonbane module costs $27.22 with everything you need to play the game. You get:
144 Actors.
28 Journal Entries.
370 Items.
164 Rolltables.
20 Scenes.
5 Macros.
6 Card Stacks.
Starting a game has never been so simple. The module splits up everything you need into easy-to-search journal entries and chapters. You can choose to play one of the ready-to-play pre-generated characters. But if you want to make your own, the module walks you through the simple process of character creation where you can roll your stats, and drag and drop everything you need.
Running the prewritten adventure is even easier because you have everything you need at your fingertips. It splits up the adventure into manageable sections with quick links to help you navigate decisions. You have tables to roll from, monster stats you can easily drag onto maps, and you can roll for the monster abilities. Maps come with all the lighting effects, walls, doors, and hidden areas which is sure to impress your table. I’ve never had an easier time prepping running a game. Now this will change if you want to run your own adventure, but if you want to start with the prewritten content, the module is a boon!
The only issue I’ve been having is getting used to the system. While the system is easy to learn, my table is full of busy dads who somehow manage to make time for our weekly games. It’s been fun, and getting better as we grow more comfortable with the system.
If you’re playing Dragonbane, or thinking about running your first game online, I recommend you get this module. You’ll get more than your money’s worth, especially if it ends up being your tables main RPG.
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I’ve started prepping to run my first campaign of Dragonbane and am very excited to try a new system. My group is scattered across the U.S., so we play online through a virtual tabletop. We’ve done theater of the mind and used Roll20, but nothing has scratched the itch for running a game like FoundryVTT. I am not affiliated with Foundry, but I wanted to share my experience with the product in hopes of helping those of you who are still shopping around for something better.
I started with Roll20, and it’s not a bad option, but it left a lot to be desired. I haven’t used it in a while, but when I did, the setup was slow, the client was clunky, and a lot of the cool features were behind a subscription. I did some digging, and the alternatives at the time were Tabletop Simulator, Owlbear Rodeo, Fantasy Grounds, and FoundryVTT.
Tabletop Simulator
Tabletop Simulator is fantastic if you play board games. While it is a little clunky, you’ll have access to just about any tabletop you can think of. I’ve used it for card games and Warhammer, but it felt a little too clunky for D&D. I didn’t want to make people buy anything a new program, and some people in my group didn’t have the hardware to run it.
Owlbear Rodeo
Owlbear Rodeo is free, and a solid choice. It has everything you’ll need to run a campaign, but you’ll be limited in how much you can upload unless you pay the subscription. When I first looked at Owlbear Rodeo, the client was a lot more basic. It looks like they’ve made improvements and added features since, and it looks good. I recommend you check it out for a free alternative.
Fantasy Grounds
Fantasy Grounds was the VTT I was considering the most at the time. It had official integration of D&D, some cool automation, and a very cool UI. The problem I had with Fantasy Grounds was the price. The license is $149 for the Game Master license, and you have to buy all the books. I already own a few, and I didn’t want to buy them again. You only need the Game Master license to run a game. Players can join for free. You can split the cost with your group, and this option becomes a bit more manageable. This is a solid option if you and your group are playing together for a long time, and want a VTT that isn’t much of a hassle. There is a demo available that you should try before you spend any money. My group was relatively new, and I didn’t want to ask for money.
Foundry VTT
The only option I had left was FoundryVTT, which was new and up-and-coming. FoundryVTT seemed to have everything I needed. I could add walls on my maps for vision, roll in the client, and run it through a browser. With a few modules, I could achieve the automation and customization I wanted for a more manageable cost. FoundryVTT is $50 for a lifetime license. Only one person needs this license to run the game. There is a demo available I recommend you try.
Your game is hosted locally, so the only limitation is your hardware. If you have a slow connection or computer, you can create your own server through something like a Rasberry PI, or throw it up on one of the many paid server options. I’ve been running it off my computer without issue, but it is something to consider.
After a lot of research and demos, I took the plunge and bought my FoundryVTT license. I have no regrets. It has everything I need, and it’s only gotten better since. FoundryVTT continues to receive support from its developers and its amazing community. They work tirelessly to add new features and systems to the client. Although D&D seems to be receiving the most love, support for other systems is getting better by the day. There is even official support from a growing list of publishers. With enough modules, you can customize FoundryVTT to be exactly what you need. We use D&D Beyond, and some modules let me import characters and let my players roll from D&D Beyond into the client.
If you are looking for a new virtual tabletop, I recommend Foundry VTT. The client is easy to use, learn, and teach. Games are easy to set up, and sessions run great. I know there are more options for VTTs now than when I first started. There are some very flashy cool ones out there that deserve some attention, and an official D&D Beyond one that I still need to try, but for my needs, Foundry has been very good to me. I’ll continue to recommend it.
Now that I am getting ready to run my first game of Dragonbane, I turned to FoundryVTT to make the transition as easy as possible for my players. I am very fortunate and was sent the official module for review, so stay tuned for that. You can pick up the official Dragonbane module for $24.41 from the Free League Publishing website. You don’t need the module to play Dragonbane. Importing everything you need is a simple task, but the module makes it much simpler. The module gives you access to all the core rules. These can be shared and referenced easily through the client. You also get access to the prewritten adventure and everything you need to run it, such as the maps, pre-generated characters, monsters, and loot. When you are ready to run your own campaign, you’ll have access to all the classes, spells, traits, etc. so you won’t have to create them yourself. If you know you’re going to play Dragonbane for a while, you’re going to need to pick up this module.
I’ll be running my first game of Dragonbane in a few weeks and will be posting my impressions. Stay tuned for that. I’ll be covering a bunch of systems on my blog, so make sure you show me some love by leaving a like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends. You can always buy me coffee.
Dragonbane just released. You can pick up your copy of the core book and everything you need from the official Free League Publishing website. I recommend you check them out if you want to experiment with a new system. They have some neat and award-winning content that might be worth a gander.
I’ve written about my excitement for Dragonbane before, I have been following the development as closely as my time allows. I believe the system introduces some neat mechanics, and the book is beautifully illustrated.
If you would like to try the system, there is a free Quickstart PDF you can download from DriveThru RPG. The guide comes with a basic rule set, pre-generated characters, and an adventure you can run through to get you started. I am still working on convincing my playgroup to try it out, but the tools are available for those who are ready. I’m hoping it can be our next campaign, even if it’s a short one.
If you would like to see live gameplay, options are a bit limited until Dragonbane gets a bit more traction. Proficiency Bonus is currently running a Dragonbane campaign on Twitch, and you can find the VODs on their Youtube channel. The first episode has some sound issues, and there is some fumbling on the rules, but I am not expecting anyone to be an expert. I like that the game doesn’t feel scripted and that I got to see the mechanics in action.
Dragonbane introduces some interesting battle mechanics and races that I would love to mess around with. Definitely check it out if you are looking for a new system, or just need a break from D&D. At the very least you will have a very pretty rule book, and maybe some cool game pieces you can use for your other RPGS.
This is the digital only version for those of us who can only play online. This version is 60% off if you buy it with the a physical copy of the rules. I use Foundry VTT for all my D&D campaigns and can’t recommend it enough if you want to play it online. Even if you don’t buy into this system, you should definitely buy into Foundry VTT.
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