In today’s Dungeons and Dragons Direct video, excited fans were introduced to the upcoming Minecraft + Dungeons and Dragons crossover event. There’s a lot to unpack, and we had the chance to get more information in an interview with the teams bringing this vision to life. There are two parts to this event. In the first, the Minecraft downloadable content (DLC) brings DnD inside the Minecraft Universe. The second lets DMs bring Minecraft into Dungeons and Dragons.
Read on for our deep dive into Minecraft and Dungeons and Dragons, or check out our highlights article for the entire Dungeons and Dragons Direct.
Minecraft DLC
Minecraft is going to receive an update that allows players to buy a downloadable update to their game. This video features 10 hours of strict gameplay, not counting all the exploring you might want to do along the way. Mojang, Wizards of the Coast, and Everbloom Games are collaborating to make this immersive experience available to all players, hopefully on all devices.
Players of the new story will start out using their Minecraft character who is hanging out in a basement, surrounded by snacks, books, and friends, just like any other DnD adventure. Quickly, you move into the game as a character, and unlock abilities and spells never before seen in Minecraft.
When Can I Buy It?
Fans looking to buy the DLC will be excited to learn that the plan is to release Minecraft Dungeons and Dragons this quarter, so we won’t have to wait long for the content to be available.
Do I Roll Dice?
Yes. In an interview yesterday, Riccardo Lenzi (Mojang Studios) and Tom Sargent (Wizards of the Coast) confirmed that dice rolls and skill checks will be important parts of the experience.
Is it Open-Ended?
Unlike traditional DnD, there aren’t infinite options. There’s a linear story with 10-12 quest hubs and about 10 hours of story. You choose how to go through that story, however. You can try to talk your way through things before fighting, use skill checks to move along, or just start casting spells until everything is dead.
What Classes Are Available?
Only the four most common starting classes are available, being Paladin, Barbarian, Rogue, and Wizard. If fans are excited, engaged, and asking for more, Mojang says that they’re interested in bringing all the Player’s Handbook classes in eventually. Each of the included classes has unique abilities, spells, and features, along with stat blocks that incorporate the DnD playstyle into the game.
Can I Look Like My Class?
Yes! There are unique skins for each class – not just the four currently included in the game, but for all classes in the Player’s Handbook. These skins can be used in any Minecraft content without restriction, so you can take your roguish leathers onto the server or solo instance of your choice.
Can I Use These Assets on My Own Server?
You can use… only the skins. This is likely the most disappointing part of the interview, as there are many new assets that would be great fun to use in other settings. Monsters, Items, Spells, and even voice acting are all assets that are locked to the adventure story.
Are There DnD Monsters?
Yes! Perhaps the most exciting feature of the new DLC is the inclusion of many iconic monsters from the DnD multiverse. We saw previews with Displacer Beasts, Beholders, Mimics, Giants, and even a Sphinx.
Why Are There Three Studios?
Unlike traditional Minecraft gameplay, this story is full of depth, and requires voice acting, sound effects, animations, and other features that aren’t what we typically think of when we look at the Minecraft landscape. The three teams seem to share a similar vision, however, with Tom Sargent noting that the teams have a lot of knowledge and passion for Dungeons and Dragons, which always makes for a good licensing project.
How Do I See My Stats/Spells/Gear?
Minecraft usually has very simple menus, but for this story, there will be a new collection of menus that are tabbed together. Here, players will find their abilities, spells, armor, stats, and everything else they need to know to play DnD in Minecraft.
Are There Any Famous Locations/Characters?
If you’re hoping to run into Mordenkainen, you will be disappointed. All characters in the story are original and unique. That said, there are 10-12 locations, and players will find familiar places to visit, such as the Candlekeep Library, as they move through their story.
Does Each Class Have Its Own Story?
Unfortunately, there is only one story. Playing through as different classes will give you different choices and abilities to conquer your challenges, but there are no story differences of note between the classes. You can play whichever class you prefer without feeling the need to play it four different times to get the whole story.
What Platforms Are Compatible?
The DLC is for the Minecraft game, so it should be playable on most platforms that currently support Minecraft. That said, mobile devices with small screens may not be able to display the menus effectively, so your game experience may suffer on those devices.
Dungeons and Dragons Monstrous Compendium Volume Three: Minecraft Creatures
This free resource is available through DnDBeyond, and provides stat blocks and information for Dungeon Masters to bring various monsters to life. We don’t have official assets to share at this time, but we did get a peek at what is included. Here’s a preview of what you can find.
Creepers
The Creeper is now part of the DnD multiverse. This monster doesn’t use the initiative system, and reflects its in-game behaviors from Minecraft. Notably, the Anatomy of a Creeper clearly shows a block of TnT inside, making one wonder if Creepers are born or made.
Ender Dragon
The Ender Dragon is a new dragon creature to face. However, it has made its welcome appearance alongside some unwelcome friends: The End Crystals. Players will be forced to choose between focusing on the crystals first, or trying to defeat the dragon despite it being healed by its magical artifacts.
Endermen
The Endermen are chaotic creatures which teleport erratically and steal like a malevolent Kender. Endermen have their own language and implode when they die, sometimes destroying their held items in the process.
We’re very excited to see what comes out of this collaboration, as both Mojang and Wizards reps have expressed interest in developing this crossover mini-franchise further over time. Even if it’s just more classes to play, or new stories, it promises to be full of rich rewards for some time to come, provided the fans like it as much as we expect they will.
