Crown of Madness 5e - D&D 5th Edition Spell Book

Crown of Madness 5e
Crown of Madness 5e Image

Crown of Madness 5e Spell Effects

2nd-level enchantment


Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute


One humanoid of your choice that you can see within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by you for the duration. While the target is charmed in this way, a twisted crown of jagged iron appears on its head, and a madness glows in its eyes.


The charmed target must use its action before moving on each of its turns to make a melee attack against a creature other than itself that you mentally choose.


The target can act normally on its turn if you choose no creature or if none are within its reach.


On your subsequent turns, you must use your action to maintain control over the target, or the spell ends. Also, the target can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, the spell ends.


All information about Crown of Madness 5e comes from the DnD Player's Handbook.

Crown of Madness 5e DnD Spell

Classes That Can Cast Crown of Madness 5e

The following classes gain access to casting Acid Splash 5e as part of their normal class spell availability:

  • Bard
  • Sorcerer
  • Warlock
  • Wizard


Crown of Madness Spell Effectiveness

Damage 3rd-Level 5th-Level 7th-Level 9th-Level 11th-Level 13th-Level 15th-Level 17th-Level
Average Fighter DPR 15 19 23 27 30.5 34 37.5 41
Total Value 30 38 46 54 61 68 75 82

Table Values

In the table above, "DPR" indicates damage per round, in this case, not accounting for hit chance. The numbers provided are very rough calculations of the average damage a fighter might do, per round. The fighter class is used as an example for the spell effectiveness of crown of madness because ideally, you would charm a powerful melee unit with the spell. Furthermore, the "Total Value" column in the table shows the value of not only not being attacked by a charmed fighter, but of them attacking an ally - so, double the effect, by target level.


Crown of Madness Usefulness

Crown of Madness 5e is such a cool spell because it's a charm effect that actually allows you to take over your charmed target's actions, and cause them to attack their own allies. Though crown of madness has some drawbacks, it also has terrific potential. Use crown of madness 5e in the following situations to make the most from the spell.

  • Cast crown of madness 5e against enemies with low Wisdom saving scores, to maximize your chances of succeeding with the spell.
  • Prioritize crown of madness 5e on enemies who deal a ton of melee damage, since your charmed effect only allows for you to have the target melee attack. The more damage the target does with melee attacks, the more you should prioritize casting this spell.
  • For the love of god, make sure that when you cast crown of madness on a target that there is another enemy within 5-feet of your target. If you stop attacking with your target at the start of their round, your target gets to act normally on that turn. Though this situation doesn't end the spell altogether, it does make it very likely that you won't get anything out of it at all as the target can simply run away from their own allies.
  • Since crown of madness requires concentration to maintain its effect, make sure that you're far away from enemies who can attack you. If possible, cast the spell from the full 120-foot range, away.
  • Make sure that you don't have any other super high-priority spells that you need to cast or actions that you need to take because maintaining this effect requires an action each round.





Combine Crown of Madness with the Following Spells

There are some spells such as burning hands or call lightning that, since they can target multiple units, or in other cases, get a sort of multiplying effect, they can become almost game-breaking. Crown of Madness certainly fits into the "potentially game-breaking" category, as you can not only prevent a powerful enemy from attacking you, but you can even turn that same enemy against their own allies.


Before casting Crown of Madness, in order to maximize its potential multiplying effect, try setting up the combat encounter by mixing in some of the following spells:

  • Bane: though I typically don't consider bane to be a very powerful spell, when combined with crown of madness 5e, it certainly can be. Since bane lowers the targets' saving throws by 1d4, it's a must-have for maintaining the charmed effect on crown of madness victims.
  • Banishment: have an ally cast banishment so that you keep more enemies away from attacking you. Alternatively, have an ally cast cause fear on any enemies getting too close to you for comfort.
  • Cloud of Daggers: normally, I also view cloud of daggers as a pretty suboptimal spell, but if the map features a choke point, consider casting this spell as a way of preventing other creatures from attacking you. Since crown of madness 5e requires concentration, you must do everything possible to avoid being hit.
  • Color Spray: if you can blind targets with this spell or even Blindness/ Deafness, you can give enemies disadvantage on their attack rolls, which ultimately helps you keep concentration for crown of madness.
  • Haste: using this spell (which an ally would need to maintain on you since you can't concentrate on a second spell), you can gain +2AC and double your movement speed. Combine this spell with mage armor and you can significantly increase your AC, and keep moving away from any enemies who might break your crown of madness 5e concentration.


Crown of Madness 5e Counters

The easiest ways for your crown of madness run to end are when an enemy silences you, bolsters their affected ally's Wisdom saving throw with Bless, or deals damage to you to break your concentration. When it comes to damaging spells, something like cloud of daggers, which automatically hits, is especially troublesome, so be wary of effects of that nature by keeping your distance and knowing what your enemies are capable of casting.


Crown of Madness-Type Spells in Eternity TTRPG

Effects where you control another character's actions, or generally go berserk and sometimes attack allies, are some of my favorite in any TTRPG. I've included a couple examples of crown of madness 5e-type spells below, from the Eternity TTRPG Game System.

Revenant Class Icon

Revenant - Core Class Spell

Wicked Heart (Magic): weapon Range, -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience, if this spell hits, take control of the target’s Action for 1turn.

When you take control, you may not

have the target use a critical, use a spell or ability with a 1Day Recharge, or dispel any of their own maintained effects. However, you may have them take any other action (including attacking themselves), and you may know the target’s HP, Wisdom, and all other stats and maintained effects for the duration of the control.

If you hit the target with “Spellbound”

while they are affected by “Wicked Heart,” you may instead have them use a Critical.

(Double-Hit): also deals 1damage.

  • If this Spell hits, it also deals 1damage and you gain either +6Strike Bonus or +6Faith for 1turn.
  • If this Spell hits, the target also has either -6Strike Bonus or -6Faith, at your choice.
  • Up to 3 enemies in Weapon Range -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or up to 3 enemies in 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience. *Double-Hit with this critical only allows one of the attacks to control for an additional turn.

Revenant - Core Class Spell

Wicked Heart (Magic): weapon Range, -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience, if this spell hits, take control of the target’s Action for 1turn.

When you take control, you may not have the target use a critical, use a spell or ability with a

1Day Recharge, or dispel any of their own maintained effects. However, you may have them take any other action (including attacking themselves), and you may know the target’s HP, Wisdom, and all other stats and maintained effects for the duration of the control.

If you hit the target with “Spellbound” while they are affected by “Wicked Heart,” you may

instead have them use a Critical.

(Double-Hit): also deals 1damage.

  • If this Spell hits, it also deals 1damage and you gain either +6Strike Bonus or +6Faith for 1turn.
  • If this Spell hits, the target also has either -6Strike Bonus or -6Faith, at your choice.
  • Up to 3 enemies in Weapon Range -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or up to 3 enemies in 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience. *Double-Hit with this critical only allows one of the attacks to control for an additional turn.

Revenant - Core Class Spell

Wicked Heart (Magic): weapon Range, -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience, if this spell hits, take control of the target’s Action for 1turn.

When you take control, you may not have the target use a critical, use a spell or ability with a 1Day Recharge, or dispel

any of their own maintained effects. However, you may have them take any other action (including attacking themselves), and you may know the target’s HP, Wisdom, and all other stats and maintained effects for the duration of the control.

If you hit the target with “Spellbound” while they are affected by “Wicked Heart,” you may instead have them use a

Critical.

(Double-Hit): also deals 1damage.

  • If this Spell hits, it also deals 1damage and you gain either +6Strike Bonus or +6Faith for 1turn.
  • If this Spell hits, the target also has either -6Strike Bonus or -6Faith, at your choice.
  • Up to 3 enemies in Weapon Range -3Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or up to 3 enemies in 4Range, -3Faith vs. Resilience. *Double-Hit with this critical only allows one of the attacks to control for an additional turn.
Alchemist Class Icon

Alchemist - Core Class Ability

Crour Formula: you create an “item” that you or other characters can use.

When used, 4Range, the target deals an

additional +1damage when they hit with physical attacks (non-magic) that deal damage, and they also gain +2Resilience, +2Dodge, and +2Will. Each affected target can only deal additional damage from this ability once per turn.

The target must also roll d20 every

turn. If they roll 1-5, they go berserk for that turn and must do everything possible to kill their nearest ally (not including the use of criticals). If no allies are present when the target goes berserk, they must attempt to damage themselves.

Summoned units cannot benefit from

“Crour Formula’s” effect. You can make a number of “Crour Formulas” per day equal to your Intelligence value.

  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that the target only goes berserk on rolls of 1-4.
  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that when your user drinks it, they also gain immunity to all damage and negative effects the next time they are attacked. This effect also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). This critical does not count as contributing “Crour Formula” for using “Chimaera.”
  • You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 3Intelligence (and 0Wisdom), making it an Instant Action use on yourself at the start of every battle.


Whereas "Wicked Heart" is almost exactly the same as crown of madness 5e, except that it provides more flexibility for its use, "Crour Formula" actually enhances your own allies' strength, while also making them a liability. Both effects have quite a bit of nuance to them, and many more options when you choose to Critical with them, but they are definitely within the spirit of crown of madness, and make for wildly entertaining spells.


Curious to learn more about the Eternity TTRPG Game System? Check out the Eternity TTRPG Core Game PDF!

Alchemist - Core Class Ability

Crour Formula: you create an “item” that you or other characters can use.

When used, 4Range, the target deals an additional +1damage when they hit with physical

attacks (non-magic) that deal damage, and they also gain +2Resilience, +2Dodge, and +2Will. Each affected target can only deal additional damage from this ability once per turn.

The target must also roll d20 every turn. If they roll 1-5, they go berserk for that turn and

must do everything possible to kill their nearest ally (not including the use of criticals). If no allies are present when the target goes berserk, they must attempt to damage themselves.

Summoned units cannot benefit from “Crour Formula’s” effect. You can make a number of

“Crour Formulas” per day equal to your Intelligence value.

  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that the target only goes berserk on rolls of 1-4.
  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that when your user drinks it, they also gain immunity to all damage and negative effects the next time they are attacked. This effect also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). This critical does not count as contributing “Crour Formula” for using “Chimaera.”
  • You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 3Intelligence (and 0Wisdom), making it an Instant Action use on yourself at the start of every battle.


Whereas "Wicked Heart" is almost exactly the same as crown of madness 5e, except that it provides more flexibility for its use, "Crour Formula" actually enhances your own allies' strength, while also making them a liability. Both effects have quite a bit of nuance to them, and many more options when you choose to Critical with them, but they are definitely within the spirit of crown of madness, and make for wildly entertaining spells.


Curious to learn more about the Eternity TTRPG Game System? Check out the Eternity TTRPG Core Game PDF!

Alchemist - Core Class Ability

Crour Formula: you create an “item” that you or other characters can use.

When used, 4Range, the target deals an additional +1damage when they hit with physical attacks (non-magic) that deal

damage, and they also gain +2Resilience, +2Dodge, and +2Will. Each affected target can only deal additional damage from this ability once per turn.

The target must also roll d20 every turn. If they roll 1-5, they go berserk for that turn and must do everything possible to

kill their nearest ally (not including the use of criticals). If no allies are present when the target goes berserk, they must attempt to damage themselves.

Summoned units cannot benefit from “Crour Formula’s” effect. You can make a number of “Crour Formulas” per day

equal to your Intelligence value.

  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that the target only goes berserk on rolls of 1-4.
  • You infuse the “Crour Formula” so that when your user drinks it, they also gain immunity to all damage and negative effects the next time they are attacked. This effect also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). This critical does not count as contributing “Crour Formula” for using “Chimaera.”
  • You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 3Intelligence (and 0Wisdom), making it an Instant Action use on yourself at the start of every battle.


Whereas "Wicked Heart" is almost exactly the same as crown of madness 5e, except that it provides more flexibility for its use, "Crour Formula" actually enhances your own allies' strength, while also making them a liability. Both effects have quite a bit of nuance to them, and many more options when you choose to Critical with them, but they are definitely within the spirit of crown of madness, and make for wildly entertaining spells.


Curious to learn more about the Eternity TTRPG Game System? Check out the Eternity TTRPG Core Game PDF!

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Jacob Tegtman Eternity TTRPG Creator

Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


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A fantasy illustration of adventurers battling a large dragon
By Jacob Tegtman March 13, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N3isve9svc Transcription Wizards of the Coast just brought back a piece of D&D history… and longtime players are doing a double take. After nearly a decade gone, D&D Encounters is officially returning to local game stores . If you’ve never heard of it, D&D Encounters was a weekly organized play program where people could drop into their local game store and play a short, one-session Dungeons & Dragons adventure —no long campaign commitment required. It was basically D&D’s version of Friday Night Magic . Show up. Grab a character. Roll some dice. But the program disappeared back in 2016. And now Wizards of the Coast is bringing it back… which raises a few interesting questions. Is this just a nostalgic revival to bring new players into the hobby? Or is something bigger happening behind the scenes? Let’s break down everything we know. Welcome back to Eternity TT RPG , your party’s source for the latest Dungeons & Dragons news, updates, and community info . And today we’re talking about the surprising return of the classic organized play program . Back in 2010 , during the D&D 4th Edition era , Wizards of the Coast launched something called D&D Encounters . The idea was simple. Local game stores would host weekly D&D sessions where anyone could drop in and play a single short adventure . Each session even revolved around a 60–90 minute encounter , meaning you didn’t need a full campaign commitment. It was perfect for: • brand new players • busy schedules • or anyone who just wanted to roll some dice after work. And Wizards supported stores with exclusive materials , including: • adventure booklets • posters and maps • character sheets • and sometimes even custom miniatures . But in 2016 , the program disappeared. It was replaced by Adventurers League , which shifted organized play toward longer, interconnected campaigns instead of single-session adventures . At that time, D&D Encounters didn’t really fail. Wizards shut it down in 2016 when they reorganized everything under Adventurers League. But now that organized play has gotten complicated again—and new players struggle to get started—Wizards might be bringing back the exact entry point that they removed.” Which, speaking of, on the topic of the D&D Adventurers League. It’s still technically a thing , but its status is also a bit… complicated. · It still exists and people still play it. · But official support from Wizards of the Coast has been much lighter in recent years on that front, as well. So that program itself hasn’t been shut down. But the catch is that support has slowed. · There have been fewer new official adventures produced recently. · Wizards has been experimenting with other organized play initiatives , like we’re talking about today, and seasonal events. · Much of the Adventurer’s League infrastructure is now community-run or maintained through Discord and fan sites . That’s why the return of D&D Encounters is raising eyebrows — some fans wonder if Wizards is shifting toward shorter, store-focused events rather than the larger shared campaign model. Right now speculation in the community is that: · D&D Encounters will serve as an easy entry point for new players, which Wizards of the Coast is likely keen to acquire. · Meanwhile the Adventurers League will remain with ongoing campaign play for long-term, dedicated players But – and as with many things – Wizards hasn’t officially clarified their long-term plan yet. Ok, so all of that background aside, let’s fast forward to 2026 . D&D Encounters is coming back. The announcement happened during this year’s GAMA Expo , one of the tabletop industry’s biggest trade shows. And this new version of it sounds very similar to the original concept. Short… Accessible… Single-session adventures designed for drop-in play. Which honestly makes a lot of sense. D&D has exploded in popularity, but getting new players into their first game is still one of the biggest barriers . A weekly store event could potentially solve that problem. At least in theory, and I’ll get back around to this in a minute. But the basic thought is that new players can show up. Grab a pre-generated character, so they don’t need to worry about min-maxing or even understanding character creation rules. Roll initiative. Boom—you’re playing D&D. So, now the problem with that. This is the same concept that Wizards of the Coast uses with like Magic: the Gathering. I don’t know what your local game store’s like, but when’s the last time you saw a new player come to drop in at your weekly league night? Or even starter deck tournaments, for other games or events? In my experience, the in-person player base is slowly dwindling for most games. And, I think that’s actually pretty sad. D&D is clearly a social game, and I think you can something from the overall experience without in-person play. Not that I mind digital play, and I realize digital also comes with its own advantages. But, the bottom line is that I’m not really sure just opening a weekly D&D Encounters night at local game stores will actually pull in a lot of new players to the game. Ok, so a little bit more framework into this. The new D&D Encounters program will also tie into something that Wizards recently introduced, called D&D Seasons . These are three-month themed releases built around a particular concept. For example, the upcoming three sets will be: • Horror themed adventures • Magic-heavy campaigns • and finally, Champion focused stories D&D Encounters will help kick these seasons off by providing stores with Opening Weekend Play Kits , we think, based around these themes. The kits released for reach segment of the year will launch alongside major D&D book releases . These kits will most likely include: • prewritten encounters • promotional materials • store support tools • and possibly exclusive content. Wizards also mentioned weekly play support , though they haven’t revealed exactly what that includes yet. And they’re planning coordinated community events tied to each release. Basically… They’re trying to turn D&D launches into mini events at local game stores . So why is Wizards of the Coast bring back D&D Encounters now? A big part of it seems to be Wizards refocusing on local game stores . Over the past few years, a lot of D&D play has moved online. Between: • D&D Beyond • Virtual tabletops • and streaming games Many players never step into a physical store anymore. Traditionally, stores have been the lifeblood of tabletop gaming communities . I’m not so sure that’s true anymore. There seems to be a BIG shift away from many traditional models, in the tabletop gaming space. However, D&D Encounters does give stores something extremely valuable: consistent weekly events that make it easy for new players to come in the door. According to Wizards leadership, this move is part of a broader push toward a franchise-style model for D&D releases , led by VP Dan Ayoub . Instead of one-off books… They want ongoing seasonal engagement . Whether or not Wizards is really in-touch still with the D&D community, and this is an accurate call, remains to be seen. But, you can see based on what they think is happening, how they would feel that D&D Encounters would fit that model. So, of course that brings up another pretty big question., which is: w hat happens to the D&D Adventurers League? Because, as I’ve mentioned, the organized play program has been… pretty quiet lately. Like, for a while. There hasn’t been much new official content in recent years, in fact. And Wizards hasn’t said whether D&D Encounters will replace , supplement , or revive parts of the Adventurers League. So, right now, there’s no official answer. But many fans are speculating that D&D Encounters might become the easier entry point , while Adventurers League remains the deeper campaign system. But my impressions at the moment are that unless D&D Encounters really takes off, and creates a need for the Adventurers League to grow, then I don’t think it will be getting any more support from here than what it’s been getting. So, here’s the thing. D&D’s a great game. For many of us, it was the first TTRPG we heard of, and got us into the hobby. It’s... no longer the best TTRPG out there, and hasn’t been for some time. I created a whole multi-article series on this, comparing the top games, on the Eternity TTRPG site – and even that list needs updating. But I think for most of us, we’d love to see the hobby grow. If you’ve ever played TTRPGs in person, around a real table , you know that the dice rolling, the Miniatures clattering, and watching someone dramatically failing a persuasion check – in person, are all magical moments. Short low-commitment sessions like D&D Encounters is offering may be one of the best ways to introduce new players. And that is exactly what D&D Encounters is designed for. If Wizards executes this well… It could become a gateway program that brings the next generation of players into the hobby . Do I want to be pessimistic about this new program working the way Wizards intends? No. Am I though..? Yeah. I think new players will continue to find the hobby, but I think D&D will continue to lose market share. For new players who get into the hobby specifically through D&D, I think this D&D Encounters program will only be generating a very small percentage of those new people. Will I try out a D&D Encounters session at my local game store? ...maybe. Like many of you, I’ll probably wait to see what the buzz is around it first, to see if I might enjoy dropping in. But I do hope that is amazing, and that everything Wizards of the Coast is trying to do with it actually provides what their main audience has been asking for. So what do you think? Is the return of D&D Encounters exactly what local game stores, and the tabletop roleplay game community needs… Or is this a sign that Adventurers League and the overall organized play may be fading out in one final effort ? Let me know in the comments. And if you want more weekly D&D news, community info, and tabletop updates , make sure you like the video and subscribe. Because the dice never stop rolling here.
A vampire sits on a dark throne holding a wine glass, with the text
By Jacob Tegtman March 11, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z2fTaAQS3g Transcription For months the D&D community has been asking the same question… “Where are all the new books?” Well—Wizards of the Coast finally answered. 2026 is bringing Ravenloft horror, high-magic arcana, a Feywild heist romance, and… a crochet owlbear. Yes. Really. Today we’re breaking down every single Dungeons & Dragons book announced for 2026 —what they are, who they’re for, and which ones might actually change your campaign. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your party’s reliable source for Dungeons & Dragons news, lore, and tabletop chaos. Today we’re going through the entire 2026 D&D release schedule . There’s quite a few books, so this list is meant to give you the quick, clean, and minimal filler low-down. If anything sounds good, you have something to start on for your own in-depth research. So, let’s get started. The biggest announcement so far for 2026 is: Ravenloft: The Horrors Within , Releasing June 16th, 2026. This new sourcebook expands the Domains of Dread , the gothic horror setting originally ruled by Strahd. For Dungeon Masters, the book adds: • new Darklords • new monsters • and expanded guidance for running horror-themed campaigns . That includes subgenres like: • gothic horror • cosmic horror • and psychological horror. Players get new options too: • horror-themed subclasses • new species and backgrounds • and expanded Dark Gift feats . The book also expands the fear and dread mechanics , which could add some serious tension to horror campaigns. And yes… Legendary monster hunter Rudolph van Richten is making another appearance. Preorders begin April 13th , and digital versions hit D&D Beyond early in June . So horror fans—Is Ravenloft your favorite setting, or are you still loyal to Curse of Strahd? Then in September 2026 , we get one of the most mysterious releases: Arcana Unleashed. Wizards of the Coast calls it a “high-magic sourcebook.” What we know so far is that it introduces new arcane subclasses from earlier Unearthed Arcana playtests. Plus: • new spells • magic items • artifacts • and expanded customization options. But the biggest addition might be a new “evolving magic item” system . That means magical gear that levels up alongside your character, which if done properly – could be pretty cool. This kind of thing could also change how treasure progression works in campaigns. We also know though that if this idea is done poorly… Well… could lead to certain things from this book being banned at some tables. Launching alongside Arcana Unleashed is an adventure expansion called: Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall. This adventure ties directly into the main Arcana Unleashed book and features the infamous Red Wizards of Thay . The story reportedly involves a massive magical war , with new lore about the organization. And interestingly… A Red Wizards adventure was originally teased way back in 2023’s D&D Direct event , so this might finally be that storyline. We don’t yet know if this will be: • a full physical book • or only a digital D&D Beyond adventure . But if you like Forgotten Realms villains… The Red Wizards are about as dangerous as it gets. Next up is something aimed at specifically Dungeon Masters : the Dungeon Master’s Workbook of Worldbuilding, releasing May 5th . This one is all about building better campaigns. The book includes exercises designed to help DMs: • design campaign worlds • create memorable NPCs • build maps • and improve improvisation skills. Which honestly might be the most important DM skill of all. Because no matter how much you prepare… Players will always find a way to kick down the door that has nothing behind it. At least until you create something on the fly, that is. So, this workbook aims to help DMs build living worlds instead of static storylines. I got some really great advise when I first started DMing, which was to steal everything. I think these kind of thought-provoking books help synthesize great material into something that’s also – at the same time – entirely your own. Alongside the DM book, and launching the same day, is something aimed at new players and storytellers . This is an interactive companion to the D&D 5.5e Player’s Handbook . Instead of rules, the book focuses on guided character creation . It includes prompts that help you: • build backstories • connect your character to the party • and design personal motivations that actually matter in the campaign. Think of it like a creative writing workbook for D&D characters. If you’ve ever stared at a blank character sheet thinking… “Uh… I guess I’m an edgy rogue with amnesia? Oh yeah, and I’m an orphan – definitely, always an orphan.” This book might actually help. And I mean that in a kind way. Nearly everyone benefits from a bit of help thinking through interesting character creation, without relying on the same tropes that Final Fantasy characters have been relying on for a few decades. Then, we have something completely different. The Feywild Job releases June 30th . And this one is actually a D&D novel , not a game book. It’s written by C.L. Polk , a Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning author. The story follows two former lovers turned thieves hired to steal a magical artifact from the Feywild. So imagine: • magical heist story • romantic tension • with chaotic Feywild politics. Basically romantasy meets D&D crime caper. Which honestly feels like the most Feywild thing possible. Every now and then I can get into a D&D novel. Maybe you’re like me and it’s been enough time to give a new novel a try. Finally, we have Dungeons & Dragons Crochet: A Book of Many Patterns. Yes—this is a real official D&D book. Written by longtime D&D contributor Stacy King , it includes 20 crochet patterns inspired by the D&D multiverse . We’re talking: • Owlbear cub plushies • Mini beholders • And even a handmade Bag of Holding So, this obviously isn’t a rules book. It’s basically crafting for D&D fans who want to bring the monsters to life—literally in yarn. Kind of like D&D cook books, but crafts version. Which, by the way, I’ve seen a lot of these kind of things selling like hot cakes at local conventions, so you know it’s going to be in-demand. Buy it for the ladies in your weekly D&D group who are into crochet. Ok, so I lied. There’s a bonus round here, which is one possible future release. There are strong hints that Dark Sun might be returning, which I shared about a couple months ago in a previous video. Recent playtests included subclasses tied to the setting like: • Gladiator Fighter • Defiler Sorcerer • and Sorcerer-King Warlock. Those are classic Dark Sun themes . So, while nothing is officially confirmed… It’s very possible we’ll see a new Athas sourcebook in 2027. And if that happens? It would be the first major Dark Sun release in decades. I’d be super into seeing something like that come down the pipeline. That’s the full Dungeons & Dragons book roadmap for 2026. From crochet monsters… To gothic horror… To evolving magic items. It’s actually a pretty diverse lineup. But, now I want to hear from you: Which of these books are you most excited for? And which one are you skipping entirely? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you want more weekly D&D news, lore, and tabletop chaos— Make sure you subscribe. Until next time… May your dice roll high and your players never step through the door that you never prepared for.
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By Jacob Tegtman March 4, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vE0niUm8vU Transcription Wizards of the Coast has finally done it. After years of calling it “One D&D(?)”… then “D&D 2024”… and pretending it wasn’t a new edition, while kind of also insisting that it was… They’ve now officially named it what I had assumed the community at-large has been referring to it as now for probably at least a year, which is: D&D 5.5e. Was this the right call? Did, in fact, the community already decide this for them? And does this mean we’ve now officially entered into an edition war era again? Let’s talk about it. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG — your go-to source for all things Dungeons & Dragons. Today we’re breaking down Wizards of the Coast’s official confirmation that the latest, 2024 rules update is now officially known as D&D 5.5e , what it means for the community, and whether this name change actually does anything. So, after years of brand confusion, Wizards of the Coast has indeed officially confirmed via a detailed FAQ that the 2024 rules update will now be called: Dungeons & Dragons 5.5 Edition. On D&D Beyond, all 2024 material will carry a “5.5e” tag, while legacy 2014 content will simply remain labeled “5e.” According to the FAQ, the reasoning is simple: Players mixing 2014 and 2024 content were confused about which rules applied. Which, yeah. No kidding. And honestly? If you’ve ever tried building a character using mixed subclasses, spells, and feats… you know that confusion is real. For years this thing – this edition – has had an identity crisis. First it was called One D&D — for some reason – positioned as “the future of D&D.” Then marketing shifted heavily toward “D&D 2024.” And now? We’re back to the old-school edition numbering convention. Wizards of the Coast says using “5e” and “5.5e” makes it quicker and easier to tell what rules you’re using — especially on digital platforms. Which, I agree. I actually got my start into D&D during the 3.5e era, so nothing crazy there for my generation. From a UX standpoint I think this also makes sense, especially as D&D continues to push their online gaming and presence. D&D Beyond has kind of always been a bit of a mess, to be honest. So any naming convention upgrade to simplify is kind of a win in itself. But here’s where it gets interesting… Wizards claims that “5.5e” matches how the community already talks about the game. But, to my surprise, it turns out the data tells a slightly different story. According to Google Keyword Planner data (March 2, 2026) — filtered across the US, Canada, UK, and Australia — here’s how the search terms stack up: “dnd 2024” – 6,600 monthly searches (+50% Year over year growth) “dnd 5.5e” – 1,300 monthly searches (+19% Year over year growth) “dnd 5.5” – 1,000 monthly searches “d&d 5.5e” – 140 monthly searches So while “5.5e” and its variant search options is growing… “D&D 2024” absolutely dominates search volume — almost 2.5x higher, and growing substantially faster, it turns out. Now, that doesn’t mean 5.5e won’t become standard over time. Especially with this “official switch,” it will. But this is an interesting choice since – this admittedly limited data, shows – that people were perhaps by-and-large finally beginning to actually adopt the “D&D 2024” title. So, I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this on the channel, but my main profession is marketing. One small thing that immediately comes to mind is social media hashtags. You can’t use a period in hashtags. That means: #dnd5.5e – that’s out So is it #dnd55e then (?) #dnd2024, however, totally fine All this to say is that from a modern branding and searchability standpoint, “D&D 2024” is cleaner. It’s more searchable. More social friendly. Maybe a little easier to type. So this decision feels less like a marketing move… and more like a database clarity move. This is about tagging systems. Cataloging. Digital sorting. I think D&D is still having a bit of an identity crisis, basically. And with all this, here’s the bigger philosophical question. If it’s called 5.5e… Does that mean it’s officially a half-edition? Historically, we’ve seen this before. Like I’ve referred to a couple times already, Wizards of the Coast released 3.5e back in 2003 — and that absolutely felt like a mechanical overhaul. But 5.5e? Is... more like a systemic refinement. Core math remains largely intact. Bounded accuracy is still king. Monsters hit differently, classes are tuned, spells adjusted… But I’m not sure I’d say it’s such a huge departure from 5e, like perhaps 3.5e was from 3e. The community sentiment is mixed. Some players are relieved there’s finally more clarity. Others feel like the branding mess could have been avoided entirely, and I certainly agree with that. And then there’s the group that’s been calling it 5.5e for two years going, saying: “I told you so.” Ultimately though? The name doesn’t change the gameplay. By most metrics, the 2024 rules have been widely adopted and actively played. Which means whether you call it: 5.5e 5e 2024 One D&D Or “The Patch Update” The dice still roll the same. This move feels like an administrative correction. Maybe it’s helpful for clarity, but isn’t really what D&D needs to move forward right now after all of the mixed feelings people have had about D&D, Wizards, and Hasbro. Wizards of the Coast is aligning the digital ecosystem with how people track rules versions internally. Will 5.5e stick? Probably. Will people still Google “D&D 2024” for years to come? Absolutely. You know they will. But at the end of the day… A game by any other name still crits on a 20. So, what are you calling 5.5e at your table? Thanks for watching today! If you want more weekly D&D news, rule updates, and community deep dives — make sure you like, subscribe, and ring the bell. Otherwise, I’ll see you next session.
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