We have some big updates in this week’s StartPlaying RPG News! After taking a break from Dungeons & Dragons news last week, two big stories hit our radar. But the third-party space is not to be left behind!
Our top TTRPG news this week: Kobold Press unveils a cottagecore RPG, DnD has a new way of handling evil drow stat blocks, Netflix and Hasbro are in early development of a DnD show, and WizKids previewed its new Black Dragon mini based on DnD 2024 art.
Kobold Press Enters The Cottagecore Space With Riverbank RPG
Well known third-party DnD publisher Kobold Press is stepping out of the dungeon and into polite society with its new TTRPG. Called Riverbank, it will hit BackerKit in April for crowdfunding. Kobold Press gives Riverbank the label of “Cozy RPG” and describes gameplay as roleplaying using d4, d6, and d12 dice to balance Animal and Poetry sides. Player characters go to tea parties, village fairs, balls and the like. The creation and design was done by Nebula Award winner Kij Johnson.
Drow Statblocks To Appear In Forgotten Realms 2025 Books
Wizards of the Coast appears to be adopting a new strategy for including traditionally “evil races” like drow in the 2024 rules: put them in setting-specific books. The first example will be the drow of Menzoberranzan, often used as antagonists in Forgotten Realms stories. As such, statblocks for these notably evil drow will be put in the upcoming Forgotten Realms setting guides coming out later this year. The reasoning, according to Jeremy Crawford, is that they wanted the Monster Manual 2025 to focus on creatures that DMs could drop in any setting.
Netflix DnD Show In Development
There’s still a chance for a live-action DnD tv show, as Deadline reports that Netflix is working on something with Shawn Levy of Stranger Things fame and WeCrashed writer Drew Cavello. The current title is The Forgotten Realms–giving no mystery as to the setting–yet early reports say it is not related to the movie Honor Among Thieves. Even so, Deadline claims that this could be the start of a DnD cinematic universe. Neither Netflix or Hasbro have commented on the development.
Detailed View Of DnD 2024 Black Dragon Mini
WizKids has given StartPlaying a good look at its upcoming miniatures line featuring DnD 2024 monsters. The Adult Black Dragon Corrupter is the first to get the new art glow-up, sporting a new skull-pattern face and bright green accents that display its association with death and decay. This D&D Icons of the Realms: Adult Black Dragon Corruptor will be first to hit store shelves in March and is also available for pre-order on https://www.dndmini.com/collections/2024-dragons.
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The arrival of that sinister dragon marks the end of this week’s news! Thanks for reading, and may your dice be kind.