D&D Beyond

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On average, it takes parties 15 to 20 sessions to finish The Wild Beyond the Witchlight.

How long does it take to finish The Wild Beyond the Witchlight?

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is designed to take characters from Level 1 to Level 8.

What level is The Wild Beyond the Witchlight?

While The Wild Beyond the Witchlight does not give a set time for when the adventure takes place, it does let us know that the Witchlight Carnival only visits any given planet once every 8 years.

When does The Wild Beyond the Witchlight take place?

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is set in the Feywild, one of the planes of existence in Dungeons & Dragons. The adventure is set in the Prismeer, a realm of the Feywild that has been divided into three parts: Hither, Thither, and Yon.

Where does The Wild Beyond the Witchlight take place?

The Witchlight Carnival is one of the main settings for The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. It is a planes-faring carnival originating from the Feywild, owned and operated by two shadar-kai named Mister Witch and Mister Light.

The best D&D module for people who love roleplay, chaos, fantasy, and fun!

Had the pleasure to be a part of a Witchlight campaign a few years ago and was one of the best ways that I was able to get into the digital TTRPG space! It's a great story, with a lot of lore and a world that is both solid enough for a new player and open enough for experienced players to find enjoyment in the exploration! 10/10 would recommend!

Ryan

A lovely romp through the Feywild.  Definitely far more social / political and far less combat than most published modules.  I've heard it can be completed with zero combat if that's what a party opts for, but I have a hard time seeing how even a mildly "good" aligned party can avoid combat at a few key points.  Still a lovely change of pace and incredibly well written.

Jason

very fun to run, and can be very whimsical

War_Priest

If you are looking for a RP heavy campaign, this is it. As written this campaign will treat the players to the whimsy of the faewild with plenty of fun and exciting npcs and places to enjoy. I suggest using some of the suplemental material out there to really flesh out some of the areas, but I highly suggest this adventure to anyone looking for more RP (and potentially less combat) at their table.

Belle

This is not your average D&D campaign of fantasy heroics, but boy is it fun. Prepare to take a trip down the rabbit hole into an Oz-like Fey realm that feels like a character in and of itself. This campaign is best suited for players who enjoy roleplay (a lot of it) and are looking for a fresh, very whimsical, take on enjoying D&D. I absolutely loved it, and would have given it 5 stars, if not for some writing issues in the adventure itself – if you are a gamemaster, your should probably rewrite the final chapter of the book… Other than that, it was a lot of good fun for myself and the players!

Danil and Dragons

The Feywild is as delightful as it is dangerous. This adventure captures that whimsy perfectly. No combat required—if players are clever enough. The carnival alone is worth the price of admission, but it’s the NPCs that steal the show. Every session feels like a fairy tale.

Noralf

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight gives you the perfect setting for some weird, fun, fey, shenanigans. And who doesn't like helping a unicorn, or a talking dandelion? And it all starts with a carnival.

Colton Mayo

Such a fun setting! I've played this one part of the way through, and I love how rich this module makes the experience for a player! Out of all the modules, this is probably one of the best for creative DMs!

JakeAstounding

This module is one of my favorite if not the number 1. With some tweeks and adjustments it can easily be included to any homebrew world of questline.

Dm Tolis

This is by far my favorite campaign setting that I have run in D&D 5e. The entire world is so immersive and lends itself well to being a guideline for the players without railroading them into doing things in a particular order. I love that they spend a good long while exploring the Witchlight Carnival itself and picking up hints and clues about what is amiss and it's done in a way that they can go *wherever they want* at the carnival in any particular order.

Anya

This adventure is wonderful. I've DMd it multiple times and will keep doing it. It's the first adventure that takes place in the Feywild, and it has a lot to offer, but also a lot of room for improvisation, and additional content to be added. DMsGuild is bursting with ideas to make it different. This is an iconic campaign.

Gabe

I'm reading this one now and it has all the elements that my players love! Can't wait to run it!

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is probably the most whimsical D&D module out there. From the starting carnival to the many regions of Prismeer, the Feywild domain where most of the story takes place, the world, monsters, and NPCs are all bursting with creativity and interesting flavor. Each region has its own theme, and I am especially impressed with how well everything in each region stays on-brand and makes it feel like its own little world.

As a DM, my favorite part of this story is how subtly and believably the story shifts. You start with one of two plot hooks—searching for something you lost at a carnival or helping out a warlock friend—and dive into Prismeer to follow that thread, but as time goes on you realize that something is seriously wrong with this world. When the party inevitably decides to set things right, it always feels like their idea rather than something the plot forced on them. That's hard to pull off in a module, and Witchlight accomplishes it beautifully.

If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted adventure full of fairytale whimsy, look no further! It's said that you can play this entire game without swinging a sword, and that is absolutely true—though it may take a bit of extra finesse at some points. There are also a lot of references to classic fairy tales sprinkled throughout the book and it's always fun to see players pick up on those.

I would recommend this adventure to new DMs looking to get their feet wet, D&D veterans looking for a new kind of game, and anyone who loves fairy tales and fey.

Pros:
⟢ The world is beautiful. The maps are stunning and the written descriptions vivid.
⟢ Every region feels unique, so when your players travel, it really feels like they're traveling someplace new.
⟢ The villains are truly fairy-tale evil. If you want to learn how to DM a hag, study this book! They're delightfully chilling.
⟢ The more your players engage with the world, the more they get to make the story their own. It isn't a sandbox, but it doesn't feel like a railroad, either.
⟢ As a DM, you can pretty much run this adventure as-is without spending a lot of time on prep work.
⟢ The grand finale truly feels grand! Your players will walk away knowing they have accomplished something great.

Cons:
⟢ While the maps are beautiful, there aren't many of them. Battle map supplements from the Dungeon Masters Guild are a must unless you make your own.
⟢ Each region has points on the map that look like they should mean something, but there's no reference to them anywhere in the text. If your players say, "What are those floating islands?" you'd better be prepared to make up an answer. You can buy supplementary adventures for these places, but that's more money from your pocket.
⟢ A couple of quests have weak plot hooks that you'll definitely want to improve before you run them for your players.
⟢ There is one fey court here, and it's very silly. However, I've had players take this as an opportunity to create their own court, which was a ton of fun. Your mileage may vary.
⟢ Hack-and-slash players may not enjoy the whimsical nature of this story. Make sure your players are on board before diving in!

SG Winter

What a delightful module this is. I love how it can be run as a whimsical fairy tale or a more gritty, grim adventure or anywhere in between. It can be as combat light or heavy as your table wants it to be. The NPCs can be as charming or as dastardly as you like and I really love the roleplaying cards appendix. My players absolutely loved the NPCs and were fully prepared to kill for the ones they liked or absolutely destroy the ones they hated. 

There are quite a few extra things for the GM to track in this adventure, but the provided story tracker helps quite a bit. The hooks are great, but may need some reinforcement as the campaign goes on and the player characters start achieving their individual goals. Fortunately, this is rather easy if you get your players invested in the NPCs whether they love or hate them. 

If you want a change of pace from a typical fantasy world adventure, the Feywild is a great place to do that. There are no major cities where you can find taverns and shops which makes for a very different feel for the campaign.

Copperheade (Robert)

Wild Beyond the Witchlight can be a near-perfect D&D adventure– for the right group. The core story is a quest to recover "lost things" at a magic carnival. These can be as creative as one's height or as simple as a cherished childhood toy. The party soon learns that there's a whole fae conspiracy afoot and beings a topsy-turvy journey to unravel it all. 

How much the "lost thing" angle appeals to you is a good indicator of how you will enjoy Witchlight. If the notion gets your creative juices flowing with backstory ideas and RP potential, then you'll likely love what the story has in store. If you see the premise as something to do until you get to the fighting and looting, you shouldn't play this campaign. Combat is very much not a priority while roleplay is heavily rewarded. 

Witchlight also has a shorter length than most other campaigns. This is great for groups that have scheduling issues as it makes it more likely you'll finish. I found my runs to be extremely fun, funny, and truly emotional with some late-game reveals. Combat enthusiasts will be better served with something else, however.

Sergio 

Absolutely chock-full of fun and whimsy, with more guidance provided for the DM than the average WotC module! Really great for groups that enjoy roleplay, exploration, and nonviolent conflict resolution; not a good fit for groups that are combat-focused. Very beginner-friendly for both DMs and players. 

As with many modules, I think Witchlight can really benefit from some fleshing out, to make the world feel a little more lived-in and sandboxy, instead of just a very linear adventure. There are lots of great third-party published and community expansions for this purpose. But watch out—having so much room for roleplay means that parties may progress *very* slowly through the adventure. My first Witchlight group spent more than six (6) real-life months at the carnival, thus more than six real-life months at level 1! 

All in all, a module I thoroughly enjoy DMing.

DM Emi

I absolutely adored playing through the Wild Beyond the Witchlight. My personal experience was full of fun RP and tons of Fae deal, and a good portion of getting in over our heads with Hags!

Highly recommend it for a group that wants something unique and full of puzzles and options to play a campaign to never draw a weapon.

Jacob Y.

This is one of my favorite adventures by WotC and it kickstarted a fun Adventurer's League season as well! I love that there are built in options to avoid combat - although some of them are more difficult than just fighting, paired with some combats which really *should* be avoided. So if you just want hack & slash D&D, this isn't for you.
I ran this with AL rules the first time, so I had to stick to the book as written. For the most part that was great, but I do really want to run it again without restrictions so I can really lean more into the Feywild flavor and flesh out some of the storylines I think need more time at the table.
Advice for DMs: run the Prelude!! It really helps bring the story together and help folks choose/build their characters. Lean into the weird and whimsy, don't try to logic your way through the Feywild.
Advice for Players: If you find yourself wanting to talk your way out of combat or initiating wild, plot relevant shenanigans - this is the module for you! Also, don't fast forward your way through the Carnival. Enjoy it! Play the games, it might help you later ;)

Celticdenefew

Wild beyond the Witchlight is a wonderful mix of fairytale inspiration—from Alice in Wonderland, the Grimm’s fairy tales, Peter Pan, and Wizard of Oz for example. It’s a whimsical story with some darkness via the villains, and bursting with curious nonplayer characters ranging from children to talking animals and monsters with heart. It is the perfect campaign for theater nerds and those seeking a character-centric campaign, because one of the hooks (“lost things”) revolves around the player characters recovering something precious from their childhood that they lost. This can create some very interesting narratives of heroes who are unable to lie, missing a key sibling, or cursed, who are then able to overcome these obstacles and develop as characters. 

There are some minor flaws: the campaign arc is largely linear, and you will need to put in work to change combat balance if you want to allow players to flexibly choose where to go in the Feywild (though there is some choice in each individual Feywild realm). Not all the narratives land quite well—there is a band of villains who show up near the end who could be far better integrated into the story with a little work. Similarly, the vast number of NPCs can sometimes mean a fun NPC disappears as quickly as they appear, and consolidating NPCs might be best if you want them to develop alongside the player characters (who may naturally develop fondness for some of them). In addition, some of the combat is quite challenging, as the module is designed around the principle that most encounters could be resolved without combat. GMs will need to modify the module for combat-loving groups so that combat appears more often. Beginner GMs may also be overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to remember or key up for busy areas like the Witchlight Carnival, which is bursting with story threads and mini-games. 

Overall, Wild beyond the Witchlight is one of the best prewritten modules for D&D 5th edition, partly because of its evocative fey theme.

Justinian

A very different adventure with the fey. This distinctiveness makes it stand out as one of the best 5e adventures - it is really fun but will be marmite in terms of love it or hate it. One comparison has been a fey/happy version of Strahd which if you squint a bit makes sense.

This suits adventurers who enjoy role-play and are maybe less combat focused or fancy a change, combat can often be avoided but is likely to occur at some points. Could work for new players but would suggest an experienced GM to bring it to life.

GMs who want to run it for people who don't want quite such a whimsical feel could reskin into a dark circus feel (spooky clowns etc.)

Robin BLZ

At first glance, this module looks like a fun time—but you have no idea what you’re in for! The sheer whimsy and staggering creative genius behind it will knock you right out of your chair. And yes, I’m talking to you, the DM.

Running this adventure was an almost overwhelming experience—in the best possible way. While I had to add my own depth at times, the foundation is so strong that I’d wager this might be the absolute best piece of work ever released under the D&D brand—at least, if this kind of creativity is your style.

Dragon Master Roy

Looking for some whimsy, with a bit of the strange or twisted thrown in for good measure? I've run "Wild Beyond the Witchlight" for 4 groups, who loved the new discoveries. 

A carnival comes to town and you step through a portal to become entwined in an adventure that brings you to a corner of the Feywild which needs rescuing. As you discover new things, meet odd creatures, and learn about this strange land, you can find ways to rescue an archfey and save this land. In an unusual first for published adventures, groups can choose negotiation instead of combat as you navigate the world.

"Wild Beyond the Witchlight" pulls you out of your daily life and drops you in a strange new world worth exploring.

Allison - Ajax DM

This game, this module, is excellent.  A clear winner.  It's a lower combat module than most. But wheeling and dealing across the fey realm is super fun.  Role players and rollplayers will like all the tables and dealings you have as you navigate a carnival of delights and a coven of witches.  Culminating in a wonderfully crafted final dungeon that is sure to surprise and delight fans.  It's levels 1-8 and not terribly long.  Perfect for a new player with a somewhat seasoned GM.

Adam

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a whimsical, roleplay-focused adventure that takes players from level 1 to 8, exploring the Feywild, a realm of magic, wonder, and mischief. Unlike most D&D 5e adventures, Witchlight offers a non-combat path, making it an excellent choice for roleplay-heavy groups who enjoy solving problems through creativity, negotiation, and clever thinking rather than just brute force.

The adventure begins with the Witchlight Carnival, a traveling magical fair full of bizarre attractions, quirky NPCs, and hidden secrets. The carnival acts as a portal into the Prismeer, a fractured domain of the Feywild ruled by the Hourglass Coven, three wicked hags who have usurped the realm’s true ruler, Zybilna. The players must explore the three distinct Feywild regions, uncover lost memories, and restore balance to the land.

One of Witchlight’s biggest strengths is its fairy tale atmosphere. The Feywild is beautifully realized, with Alice in Wonderland-style weirdness, dreamlike landscapes, and memorable NPCs like Clapperclaw the scarecrow, Sir Talavar the tiny knightly dragon, and Squirt the oil-can construct. Every interaction feels magical, making this one of the most unique adventures in D&D 5e.

The roleplaying opportunities in this adventure are outstanding. Unlike most D&D modules, Witchlight allows players to solve nearly every challenge without combat. Encounters focus on social intrigue, exploration, and clever problem-solving, making it an ideal adventure for players who prefer diplomacy and trickery over swords and fireballs.

However, the combat-light structure may not appeal to all groups. While there are battles, they often feel secondary to roleplay and puzzle-solving. D&D groups who prefer dungeon crawls and tactical combat may find Witchlight too lighthearted or lacking in mechanical depth.

Another potential drawback is that Prismeer’s open-ended structure can make it difficult for some DMs to maintain pacing. Players have a lot of freedom in how they tackle each region, which is fantastic for sandbox storytelling but may lead to narrative drift if not carefully managed.

For DMs and players who love whimsical, story-driven adventures, The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is one of the best Feywild experiences ever published. It captures the essence of fairy tales, folklore, and wonder, making it perfect for both new and veteran players looking for a different kind of D&D adventure.

Pros:
✅ Beautiful, fairy-tale-inspired setting – The Feywild is a unique and magical realm
✅ Non-combat solutions encouraged – A rare D&D adventure where diplomacy and creativity can win the day
✅ Memorable NPCs and encounters – Wonderfully bizarre characters and situations
✅ Great for new players – Low-stakes, lighthearted approach makes it beginner-friendly
✅ Roleplay-heavy and exploration-driven – Ideal for storytelling-focused groups

Cons:
❌ Combat-light – Not ideal for groups that love tactical battles
❌ Sandbox pacing issues – Requires a DM who can guide the narrative without railroading
❌ Not as dark or dangerous – Lacks the high-stakes tension of other D&D 5e campaigns

Final Verdict:
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a wonderfully unique and refreshing adventure that stands out from typical D&D 5e campaigns. It thrives on roleplay, whimsy, and storytelling, offering a memorable trip into the Feywild that feels straight out of a fairy tale. While its non-combat focus may not appeal to all players, it is one of the best adventures for groups who love social intrigue, exploration, and character-driven narratives.

Darren

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a fantatic module for players and GMs both new and old. It is fun, whimsicle, lighthearted and overall a genuine blast if you're interested in feywild excursions. The module has a couple of notable downsides - the included backgrounds and species don't actually work well with the premise of the module but they are easily ignored; also, many people's complaint is that it doesn't actually delve much into the lore of the previously established canon of the Feywild in the Forgotten Realms - instead delving into the subdomain of Prismeer. But for what it is, it's a fantastic. 10/10

Rhett Khan

Looking for HIGH Roleplay and Whimsy. This is it! Play in the Carnival for hours and all your decisions impact your adventure. This incorporates a lot of NPCs, a lot of fun loot and trinkets, and different playstyles all wrapped in a feywild ribbon. I have really enjoyed running this and foresee it taking much more sessions than described as it can be so immersive and fun!

RPG Mama

Pass through the silvery mist and into the Feywild—a place of wonder and whimsy ruled by unfettered emotion. With strange customs, fantastical creatures, uncanny bends in time and space, and colorful characters as capricious as they are charming—in the Plane of Faerie, you should expect the unexpected.

The first official Dungeons & Dragons adventure to be set primarily in the Feywild—The Wild Beyond the Witchlight is an enchanting, frolicsome adventure for characters levels 1–8.

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

Dungeons & Dragons 5e

Why wait for magic items when you can build your own? The Artificer makes use of tools and science to make magic. This gives you a grab bag of abilities from healing to damage dealing to quickly making a necessary tool. Artificers can enchant normal items to take on magical properties, outfitting their team with powered-up gear or giving themselves a fantasy Iron Man suit. 

Artificer

This one’s for those who love to play the undying tank in video games. Barbarians use their rage to perform great feats of strength and halve incoming damage. You can also channel the protection of the world tree, bond with animals, or just kick butt like Grog from Vox Machina. It’s a simple but rewarding playstyle, one that’s perfect for new players who don’t want to get into the complexities of magic. 

Barbarian

Your inner theatre kid probably brought you to the Bard. This class uses a variety of performance styles to cast spells and inspire other characters. Let your imagination run wild as you unleash your power through dance, song, spirit calling, or sword dancing, to name a few. You’ll be charming enough to talk your way out of a fight, but tricky enough to hinder opponents once the fists start flying. 

Bard

MMO players might see Cleric and think dedicated healer, but that’s not the case. While a Cleric can harness powerful healing magic, their full suite of abilities depend on their god. As such, they can wield damaging radiance, craft illusions bestowed by trickster gods, or become the hammer of a war deity. Clerics end up with a nice balance of damage, utility, and sturdiness. 

Cleric

When you gotta have an animal companion (or twenty) in every game, Druid is for you. Druids draw upon nature’s fury to heal allies, bind enemies, and transform into animals themselves. You can also summon a pet or many deadly pets at higher levels. Become a feral freedom fighter by playing a Druid. 

Druid

If your power fantasy is being the big guy with a big sword, look no further than Fighter. This classic DnD class gives you all the weapons and straightforward rules for using them. Just hit the bad guys a lot. If you want to get tactical, some Fighters can use fancy maneuvers or magic. Whether you want to be swift like Legolas, strong like Guts from Berserk, or versatile like Link from Legend of Zelda, Fighter’s got you covered. 

Fighter

The martial arts fantasy is alive and well in the Monk. While Fighters often rely on heavy armor and lots of weapons, the Monk is meant to move swiftly and strike with many blows. DnD Monks wield an inner power that’s not quite magic but still lets you perform all sorts of gravity-defying maneuvers. As more abilities unlock, you can become a shadowy assassin, heal with your hands, or wield all four elements like the Avatar. 

Monk

The image of a knight in shining armor is iconic to medieval fantasy, and the Paladin delivers with magical flair. They wear armor like the Fighter and can heal like the Cleric, but pack an extra punch with their signature smite. This attack lights your weapon up with divine power and lets you roll extra dice which always feels nice. You can design your Paladin as a holy warrior of justice, guardian of nature, or tortured warrior of vengeance. 

Paladin

Become a lone warrior of the wilds, a wandering blade that protects the fringes of society from evil. The Ranger commands nature magic with pure survival skill to guide the party on long journeys. In battle, they wield weapons with precision to hunt down targets. With level ups, you can boost your Ranger’s abilities with fey powers, shadow magic, or give them a beast companion. 

Ranger

A good stealth character can tear enemies apart from the shadows or discover secrets that stop the battle before it even begins. The Rogue is where you go to get that fantasy. You can choose from a variety of skills to customize your Rogue, such as poisoning your blades to become an assassin, learning magic for illusions, or just being a crafty thief. 

Rogue

The Sorcerer class leans into the glass cannon build popular in video games. Their health is on the lower side and they don’t wear armor, but they cast some of the most powerful spells in the game. Sorcerers also have magical mutations that let you empower your spells beyond those of other spellcasters. You also get to choose the source of your magic, be it eldritch mystery, pure chaos, or the blood of dragons. 

Sorcerer

If you like your magic creepy and mysterious, check out the Warlock. These characters get magic from a patron, which can range from a demonic pact to an unknowable elder god. This unique approach to magic grants warlocks a few spells that they specialize greatly in. When a Warlock takes their turn in combat, everyone notices. Warlocks are also fantastic for roleplay as they have a built-in storyline with their patron. 

Warlock

The original spellcaster, and the one who gets all the spells. Wizards don’t get divine help or a mysterious patron, so they have to learn magic the old-fashioned way: by reading. This allows Wizards to gain more spells than any other class as long as they can find books. Wizards can come to the rescue in almost any situation, as their magic can save allies, fool enemies, boost physical abilities, learn secrets, and blow things up. 

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Reviews (27)

Frequently asked questions about The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

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The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight Reviews (27)

Frequently asked questions about The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

How long does it take to finish The Wild Beyond the Witchlight?

What level is The Wild Beyond the Witchlight?

When does The Wild Beyond the Witchlight take place?

Where does The Wild Beyond the Witchlight take place?

What is the Witchlight Carnival?

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