Spiritual Weapon 5e Tactics

Spiritual Weapon 5e is the choice spell for players who want to deal effective force damage to enemies from a distance — a great spell that (surprisingly) isn’t concentration based, and only costs a bonus action.


Picture this scenario: you’re a cleric exploring the grimy streets of the kingdom’s destitute reaches. You see a woman being cornered into an alley, the brigands planning to beat her and take her money. They ignore your shouts, so you instead cast a powerful evocation spell. When the woman opens her eyes, she sees you and a floating broadsword — and the brigands lying unconscious (or dead) on the ground. 


What did you do? You cast Spiritual Weapon 5e, a classic 2nd-level evocation spell that lets you make a ranged attack. If you’re a new player to TTRPGs or a dungeon master in training, I’ll share a guide about the Spiritual Weapon 5e effect and how you can use it to your advantage in this 5e strategy guide.

Spiritual Weapon 5e Villain

What Is the Spiritual Weapon 5e Spell?

According to the D&D 5th Edition Handbook, these are the official stats of the Spiritual Weapon 5e spell: 


  • Level: 2
  • School: Evocation
  • Casting Time: 1 bonus action
  • Range: 60 feet
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: 1 minute


You create a floating, spectral weapon within range that lasts for the duration or until you cast this spell again. When you cast the spell, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of the weapon. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.


For a bonus action, you can move the weapon up to 20 feet and repeat the attack against a creature within 5 feet of it.

The spectral weapon can appear however you want it to. If your character is a cleric of a deity that is known for a specific weapon or weapon style, the spell can resemble that weapon. 


Casting Spiritual Weapon using a 3rd Level or higher spell slot increases the damage by 1d8 for every two slot levels above the 2nd.


The spell’s range of 60 feet is usually enough to attack a wide range of enemies, including flying creatures. The range also works for those who have limited movement. However, you may not be able to cast the spell while restrained, given how it requires somatic and verbal components.

How Spiritual Weapon 5e Works

Spiritual Weapon belongs to the cleric spell list and lasts for only one minute. It’s best used for melee attacks against creatures within five feet of the spectral weapon, but it's basically perfect for almost every RPG campaign.


I want to emphasize that the spell only works on creatures – including humans and humanoids – and that technically, you can’t use it on objects like doors or walls. If your dungeon master is kind though, you should be able to get around this technicality.


In terms of damage, Spiritual Weapon applies a 1d8+ ability modifier. Since clerics usually have a higher Wisdom modifier, you should get in solid damage on every hit. 


Of course, you don’t have to focus all of your attacks on a single enemy. The advantage of the Spiritual Weapon 5e spell is that it can attack a different target on each bonus action. Plus, you can move it 20 feet further on every turn, as part of that same Bonus Action 5e.


The good stuff doesn’t end there. If you cast Spiritual Weapon with a high-level spell slot, the damage increases significantly. You can reduce your enemy’s hit points dramatically while you’re staying well away from their reach!


What Classes Can Use the Spiritual Weapon 5e Spell?

By default, clerics have the unique ability to cast Spiritual Weapon — a fitting spell for their divine magic. However, other classes can also pick up, learn, or acquire the spell:


  • College of Lore: Bards, in general, can eventually learn Spiritual Weapon as they learn bits and pieces of magic through Magical Secrets. Lore bards have additional secret choices at the 6th Level, so you can choose Spiritual Weapon as a new spell.
  • Divine Soul: Sorcerers under the Divine Soul subclass have access to either the cleric or sorcerer spell list (hence, why the subclass is extremely popular, but that’s just my personal observation). A Divine Soul sorcerer can learn Spiritual Weapon 5e as early as a cleric, at Level 3.
  • Oath of Conquest: Paladins belonging to the Oath of Conquest subclass can learn Spiritual Weapon at Level 5. This addition makes sense because Oath of Conquest paladins are often combative in nature. However, you still have to wait two more levels before your character can fully exploit the spell. Giving a paladin a ranged attack makes them even better at offense. 
Spiritual Weapon 5e

Spiritual Weapon For Players

As a spell that deals force damage, Spiritual Weapon is an ability to be reckoned with. Most other classes cannot resist force damage, making it effective at reducing the hit points of enemies, even if they have numerous other resistances. 


As a non-concentration-based spell, Spiritual Weapon also allows you to cast other long-duration spells along with it, such as Bless 5e or Haste 5e. Similarly, you can also cast cantrip spells like Sacred Flame.


Since Spiritual Weapon is a bonus action, you’re free to use spell slots to further increase your damage against enemies, or provide protection and healing to allies, such as with Cure Wounds 5e. Thanks to these combinations, your character becomes a formidable opponent that your enemies will tremble to behold.


Though Spiritual Weapon 5e may have a little less of a "surprise" factor if you're playing single player DnD, it's also the type of spell that's valuable even if you aren't playing with a gaming group, or adventuring in a party.


Can Spiritual Weapons Critical Strike? 

Seeing how the conjured weapon is spectral in nature, I understand why this is a frequent question among players. The short answer? Yes! Spiritual Weapon can critically strike since, by all technicalities, it’s still a melee spell attack. If you roll a natural 20, you’ll be able to hit with double damage. This condition applies even to subsequent attacks.


Ending the Spell

Each cast of Spiritual Weapon only lasts for a minute. But even though the duration is short, the conjured weapon cannot be destroyed. It doesn’t have hit points, nor can it take damage. In addition, Spiritual Weapon doesn’t stop if the caster is incapacitated or unconscious. The spell only ends after the set duration, or if it moves far enough away from the caster.


Counters to Spiritual Weapon 5e

As with virtually every spell in D&D, there are possible counters to the Spiritual Weapon effect. For example, if you are affected by Silence 5e, you won't be able to cast the spell to begin with. If you're affected by Cause Fear 5e or Charm Person 5e, similarly, you won't be able to attack your intended target, even if you have Spiritual Weapon already active.

Use Your Spiritual D&D Bag

Whether you're a player or a dungeon master, check out this awesome carrying bag designed for tabletop roleplaying. These bags have separate pouches for holding minis, dice, books, character sheets, space for maps, and even laptops.


If you're like me, you sometimes have a lot of things that you use for your tabletop gaming, and it's extremely convenient to have and carry everything in one compact space. You can also carry your DnD campaign planner in the bag to make your tabletop gaming experience complete.


Make your games stylish and easy to manage with a bag made for you, and that comes in custom colors that fit your play style.

Spiritual Weapon 5e For Dungeon Masters

As far as Dungeon Master tools go, you can grant the use of a Spiritual Weapon or use the spell to boost the destructive capabilities of any monster or foe. Because Spiritual Weapon is such a versatile spell, and naturally comes with many applications, it’s a sure value-added to any villain or their henchmen.


Allowing Players to Flank with Spiritual Weapon

It may seem like the Spiritual Weapon spell can serve as a tool for flanking, or when two allies are within five feet of an enemy’s opposite sides.


Flanking is a great way to get a melee attack advantage. However, this strategy requires creatures to be on either side of the opponent. Some players may argue that the Spiritual Weapon, sent by the caster to the opposite side of the enemy, counts as flanking. I’ll be clear though: it’s not. Technically.


You need allied creatures to get the melee attack advantage from flanking. Technically. Seeing as Spiritual Weapon is simply a weapon, it doesn’t meet the qualifications. If your players attempt to get extra damage through “flanking” with the spell, don’t grant it unless you plan to allow Spiritual Weapon to quite significantly increase in power.

Epic World Builder

Spiritual Weapon Aesthetics

The type of weapon a cleric or Divine Soul sorcerer can summon adds flavor to your DnD characters and DnD campaign ideas. Since these classes primarily use Divine Magic and are associated with a religious figure, you can make it so that their Spiritual Weapon manifests into something associated with their religion. For example, a cleric that follows Thor can have a Spiritual Weapon that looks like his hammer.


For Lore bards who eventually learn the spell, the weapon could deal thunder damage when used with other spells innate to the caster. You can also include demigods, divine emissaries, and lesser gods who can cast Spiritual Weapon.


Allowing Enemies to Cast Spiritual Weapon 5e

Consider challenging your players by including enemies that can cast Spiritual Weapon 5e.


In some of the official settings, you have characters that can perform the spell like the Mummy Lord, Choldrith, and Sahuagin Priestess. If you need some DnD quest ideas or ideas for DnD one shots, you can also add similar characters to your campaign and have them cast Spiritual Weapon too, for an added surprise to your players.


Utilize Spiritual Weapon for Additional Excitement

Spiritual Weapon is a great ranged spell attack, hitting enemies as far as 60 feet away. Since it’s also cast with a bonus action, Spiritual Weapon can be used with cantrips and other spells to enhance either one’s effects. This spell is thus a handy skill to learn for clerics, Divine Soul sorcerers, Lore bards, and Oath of Conquest paladins.


Since the spell can effectively attack from a range (from the player's perspective), it's also excellent for helping to avoid a TPK DnD.


With the details and strategies I shared, you can hopefully take advantage of this versatile spell for your upcoming campaigns. Your character, depending on the class, needs to only be at least Level 3 to cast it — which should be easy enough to achieve in longer campaigns.

Spiritual Weapon 5e Combat

Spiritual Weapon in D&D 5e vs. Eternity TTRPG

Though Spiritual Weapon is a distinctly D&D 5e spell, the Eternity TTRPG Game System offers many spell and ability effects that closely resemble Spiritual Weapon 5e.


In D&D 5e, Spiritual Weapon creates a magical weapon that floats around according to the caster’s will, and strikes at enemies every round when a Bonus Action is expended. Similarly, in the Eternity TTRPG Game System, numerous spells and abilities may be “maintained,” which allow for extra attacks or damage each round of combat.


What Classes in Eternity TTRPG Use Spiritual Weapon?

There are many core classes and expansion classes that can use spiritual weapon-like effects, and many more classes that also gain similar effects through their spell and ability critical options.


Though most of these spell and ability effects are not the exact same as spiritual weapon, you’ll notice how similarly they act, as far as mechanics go – creating a mobile attacking unit, effectively.


Dragon Knight – Core Class Ability

Dragon Heart: you forever soul-bind with a dragon, becoming its lifelong companion.

The “Dragon” and dragon knight share

HP and Wisdom, and the “Dragon” has stats otherwise the same as the dragon

knight. However, due to the immense effort it requires to maintain mental connection with the “Dragon,” you permanently have -10Initiative.

On the “Dragon’s” turn, it may use any

Action, spell, or ability, available to the dragon knight. The “Dragon” acts on the

same turn as the dragon knight. 

The “Dragon” always has the same stats

as the dragon knight, whether from level increases, buffs, or debuffs. If the “Dragon” or dragon knight receives a buff or debuff, it also affects the other. “Dragon” does not count as a summoned unit. Once this ability is chosen it becomes a passive effect, always active, and cannot be dispelled.

  • (Winged Death) You instead have only -9Initiative. You can choose to maintain this critical for 2Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Knight of the Blood Oath) You also gain +3Resilience, +3Dodge, and +3Will. You can instead choose to maintain this critical for 3Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Memories of Tarscisia) If either the dragon knight or “Dragon” is Dazed, Afraid, or Taunted, the other is not affected. You can instead choose to maintain this critical for 3Inspiration (and 0Wisdom). 
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Druid – Core Class Ability

Spirit Animal: you summon an animal companion with 1HP and Stats otherwise the same as the druid’s, except with -5Resilience, -5Dodge, and -5Will. On “Spirit Animal’s” turn, choose an enemy in 1Range, and roll d20. If you roll 18-20, “Spirit Animal” attacks, automatically dealing 1damage. “Spirit Animal” may also use “Charge” (see Chapter 14, “Additional Actions” - you may use Faith vs. Resilience to do so, if you so choose), but doing so reduces the druid’s Wisdom. “Spirit Animal” acts on the same turn as the druid.

“Spirit Animal” always has the same

Stats as the druid, whether from level increases, buffs, or debuffs. If the druid

receives a debuff, it also affects the “Spirit Animal.” However, “Spirit Animal” is immune to both Wisdom damage and debuffs that cause recurring damage.

It takes 15minutes to summon/ tame a

“Spirit Animal,” so a new “Spirit Animal” cannot be created during Combat. You

can only have one “Spirit Animal” active at a time. You continually maintain “Spirit Animal” for 3Inspiration.

(Dazed): while you are Dazed, “Spirit

Animal” is also Dazed.

  • (Nature’s Wrath) You instead have two (2) “Spirit Animals” active at a time, and they each only have -1Reslience, -1Dodge, and -1Will. You continually maintain this Critical for 5Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).
  • (Nature’s Healing) Your “Spirit Animal” instead has 2HP. The next time you or an ally take damage while adjacent to your “Spirit Animal,” roll d20. If you roll 6-20, your “Spirit Animal” instead takes that damage.
  • (Primal) Your “Spirit Animal” instead has 2HP, and has +4Strike Bonus when using “Charge.” You continually maintain this Critical for 5Inspiration (and 0Wisdom).

 

Nether Knight – Core Class Spell

Phantom Image (Magic): 1Range, creates a “Phantom Image” of yourself. Allies and enemies are able to tell which is you and which is your “Phantom Image.”

If a “Phantom Image” is attacked, it is

automatically dispelled. “Phantom Images” have the same Speed as the nether knight. In order for a “Phantom Image” to attack, it must be within a number of spaces of the nether knight equal to the nether knight’s Speed value. If that condition is met, on “Phantom Image’s” turn, choose an enemy in 1Range, and roll d20. If you roll 18-20, “Phantom Image” attacks, automatically dealing 1damage. “Phantom Images” act on the same turn as the nether knight.

If the nether knight receives a debuff, it

also affects “Phantom Images.” However, “Phantom Images” are immune to both

Wisdom damage and debuffs that cause recurring damage.

You can create and control an

unlimited number of “Phantom Images.”

(Dazed): while you are Dazed,

“Phantom Images” are also Dazed.

  • (Fallen Star) Creates two (2) “Phantom Images.”
  • (Phantom Soul) Move up to your Speed value before or after casting this spell. You can also move up to 4Speed before or after casting this spell, for Battle Duration.
  • (Elemental Chaos) Also, any time any of your “Phantom Images” is attacked, roll d20. If you roll 16-20, they are not dispelled. This critical effect stacks with the effect from “Phantom Mists.” 


Summoner – Core Class Spell

Summon (Magic): you create a wondrous beast of your choice with 1HP and Stats otherwise the same as the summoner’s, except with -5Resilience, -5Dodge, and -5Will. On the “Summon’s” turn, choose an enemy in 1Range, and roll d20. If you roll 18-20, the “Summon” attacks, automatically dealing 1damage. “Summon” may also use “Charge” (see Chapter 14, “Additional Actions” - you may use Faith vs. Resilience to do so, if you so choose), but doing so reduces the summoner’s Wisdom. “Summon” acts on the same turn as the summoner.

“Summon” always has the same Stats

as the summoner, whether from level increases, buffs, or debuffs. If the summoner

receives a debuff, it also affects the “Summon.” However, “Summon” is immune to both Wisdom damage and debuffs that cause recurring damage.

“Summon” uses at least 3Intelligence to

maintain. For every additional 3Intelligence used to individually maintain a

“Summon,” the “Summon” roll 3 numbers lower to deal damage, and gains +1HP.

It takes 15minutes to create a new

“Summon,” so a new “Summon” cannot be created during Combat. You can only have one “Summon” active at a time, until you reach 21+ Intelligence used.

(Dazed): while you are Dazed, your

“Summon” is also Dazed.

  • (Summoning) All “Summons” also have 2Range with their attacks. You can instead choose to continually maintain this Critical for 1Inspiration (plus the base Intelligence used per “Summon,” and 0Wisdom).
  • (Mystic Infusion) Every turn, one of your “Summons,” at your choice, rolls a d20. If you roll 18-20, they either heal you (at any distance), themself or one ally in 4Range +1HP, at your choice. This Critical allows affected targets to heal 1HP above their normal max HP. Healing from this effect also Fatigues the target, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). You can instead choose to continually maintain this Critical for 2Inspiration (plus the base Intelligence used per “Summon,” and 0Wisdom).
  • (Enhanced Gateways) This Critical can only be used if one of your “Summons” drops to 0HP or is dispelled. Instant Action. Create another “Summon” within 12Range of you that has 1HP left. This effect still applies if you intentionally dispel your “Summon.” 1Day Recharge.
Spiritual Light

Strategies for using Spiritual Weapon-Like Effects

In D&D, Spiritual Weapon 5e is technically not a “summoned unit,” like its likeness is in the Eternity TTRPG Game System. With the Eternity TTRPG equivalents being summons, however, they come with a host of beneficial options, when it comes to combat (and more).


Cause Additional Damage

The most obvious way to utilize summons is to position them near enemies so that they can attack them with you every round. It Eternity TTRPG, summons also deal “pierce damage,” meaning that targets of their attacks do not get to make a defensive roll to dodge the attack.


Summons are also therefore especially wonderful choices for healers or support characters in a team, as their summons can move around and deal damage in a fight, without the need for any attack-based stats on the summoner.


Daze Enemies with a Charge

One of the absolute best parts of summons is their ability to “Charge” enemies. On a successful Charge, the summoned unit not only moves adjacent to the enemy they’re attacking, but they also “Daze” them for 2turns.


While Dazed, character’s effects are generally interrupted, and they aren’t generally able to move, attack, or cast spells, but only defend (or in some cases, use items).


If you can have your summon successfully Charge an enemy for you, then you can meanwhile spend your turn dealing damage to that enemy, or using other vital spells or abilities that benefit your group.


Soak Up Damage for the Group

One of the other big benefits of using summons is that you can position them in the way of enemies. Rather than yourself or an ally taking damage in an important fight, why not have your summon soak up some damage instead?


Utilize Summons for Scouting

Finally, any sentient being can provide scouting, especially if they are “expendable” summons. Though this point wouldn’t be applicable in D&D 5e, as Spiritual Weapon isn’t itself a conscious being, summons in Eternity TTRPG may run recon for the adventuring group, or even sacrifice themselves down a hallway of traps.

 

Interested in the Eternity TTRPG Game System?

If you’ve been playing D&D for years, and have been thinking about checking out a new tabletop RPG system, take a look at Eternity TTRPG.


The Eternity TTRPG Game System probably falls somewhere between D&D 5e and D&D 4e, in terms of game mechanics and how it’s played. The game features highly tactical combat encounters, and allows groups the options (rules included) for multiple DMs.


Eternity TTRPG is also currently getting an upgrade to the core rulebook’s graphic design and artwork. If you purchase today, we’ll be sure to send you the latest version as soon as it’s ready (should be around Christmas time this year). Happy gaming!

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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.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


If you love the site, please share it with others! I have lots of gaming-related material for you to peruse and use in your own gaming sessions. If you have any questions about the site or want to contribute, just send me a message using the "Contact" page, which you can find in the site's footer.

Gargoyles in armor stand on a stone roof at night under a blue moon

Stoneborn of Crooked Moon: D&D Gargoyles

By Jacob Tegtman • April 13, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMnHDV9p7hk Transcription What if your next D&D character was carved instead of being born? And what if their entire purpose was decided the moment they were made? Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG. Today, we’re returning to Crooked Moon to explore the playable monstrous races that this awesome campaign setting provides. Next on list are the Stoneborn from Pholsense – I hope you’re ready, as this race is really fun.  Stoneborn are carved from – well, from stone – by the ruler of their land—and they’re brought to life through a divine force called the Silver Path. In Pholsense, Stoneborn don’t come from families. They literally start as blocks of stone. The ruler of the province, Archbishop Danton Alexandre Renault (a name you may have heard from some of my other Crooked Moon videos – particularly the ones based on specific adventures), oversees their creation. A body is carefully carved into shape—usually with wings and a humanoid form. So, think gargoyle statue. At some point during this process, the Silver Path—a divine power—brings that body to life. Based on the lore of Crooked Moon, we don’t really know exactly what “the Silver Path” is. It’s not like buried somewhere obscure, later on in the campaign book. I think it’s left open-ended so your group, or DM, can sort of play it up as they’d like. Mystery is, after all, a big part of the Crooked Moon setting. It’s worth starting here with the Stoneborn though because the Silver Path is the process of how this carved statue of stone awakens. The Silver Path is clearly stated in the lore as A divine force or guiding power associated with order, light, and purpose. In the Crooked Moon setting, whether you’re playing a Stoneborn or want to highlight them as a DM, the Silver Path functions as: A religious belief system (what people worship) – as the whole process of Stoneborn creation is either overseen, or even performed, directly by the Archbishop A real source of power (it actually does things, like awaken inanimate stone) And is a standard for morality (what’s considered “good” and “right” in the lands of Crooked Moon) In short, the Silver Path is the god-like force that defines “order and good” specifically within the lands of Pholsense. It’s also worth noting that the Silver Path is not described as a spell, and it’s clearly not some form of hidden technology. It is like a divine power. So, moving on, the Stoneborn are made of whatever stone they were carved from. That determines their color and texture. Their shapes can vary a lot, depending on their creator’s artistic choices. This means that your Stoneborn could be a gargoyle, like I mentioned before. But, they could also have features similar to animals, dragons, or angels. You can also have a lot of fun with it and mix different traits rather than having just one clear form. All Stoneborn do have wings, but they’re heavy. And they can fly—but just not quickly or easily. When it comes to the land of Pholsense it’s a strict and orderly place. Rules are taken seriously, and roles are clearly defined. Stoneborn are usually created to actually serve a very specific function within their society. Common roles include: Guards Enforcers of the law Or protectors of important places, such as religious buildings (perhaps even locations where the Silver Path takes place) Because they are created rather than raised, many Stoneborn strongly believe in following their assigned purpose. But – and this makes for great roleplay opportunities – not all of them agree with their assigned paths, forever. Some eventually start to question: Why they were made Whether their role in life is fair And whether the Archbishop—or the Silver Path—is always right Mechanically, Stoneborn are durable and flexible. They’re classified as Constructs. You can choose to be Small or Medium-sized. They also have a flying speed equal to half their normal movement. When it comes to abilities, Stoneborn come with: Argent Gleam Once per long rest, you can use a bonus action to choose one of two effects: 1) Path’s Grace You cast Bless without needing components. 2) Zealous Charge You take the Dash action, and your next attack deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage—even if the attack misses. Next, they have Silver Bulwark When you take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, You can use your reaction to gain resistance to those damage types until your next turn. And then lastly, Watchful Senses gives you proficiency in either: Insight Perception or Survival When it comes to roleplaying, Stoneborn characters are mainly about purpose. You might think about: Why your character was created Whether they still believe in their assigned purpose now And how they feel about the person who made them Some Stoneborn fully trust the system they come from. Others might not. You can also explore their relationship with the Silver Path: Do they see it as a real guiding force? Or just something they were told to believe in? Finally, Stoneborn don’t die of old age, in quite the same way as most creatures. After a long life—around 300 years—they physically break down and return to rubble. Personally, I think it would be kind of cool if they just permanently petrified, returning to their state before the Silver Path – almost like every Stoneborn graveyard isn’t just filled with creepy gargoyle statues like in most fantasy games... but the graveyard is the gargoyles... providing a glimpse into each stoneborn’s life, and what mattered to them. So what do you think? Would you play a Stoneborn, or have you played one already? And more importantly—Would you follow the Silver Path… no matter where it leads, or what it asks of you? Or would you be a black sheep among the gargoyles? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I think next up I have planned to cover the Plagueborn. But if you have another Crooked Moon race on your mind that you want me to dive into, let me know. See you guys next time!
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Lost Gary Gygax MegaDungeons Crowdfund

By Jacob Tegtman • April 9, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ut7R3J2m0 Transcription Lost megadungeons from Gary Gygax himself are hitting crowdfunding this week. This is unpublished content from the father of D&D that's been sitting in archives for decades. Plus, the community is reacting strongly to what this might mean for old-school gaming.  Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG - your go-to source for all things D&D and tabletop RPG news. Today we're diving into what might actually be the most significant piece of D&D history to surface in years. So here's the scoop that's got the “old school renaissance” community in a frenzy. The Gygax Trust has announced they're bringing previously unpublished megadungeons created by Gary Gygax to crowdfunding platforms. Now, before you ask "wait, didn't Gary pass away in 2008?" - yes, he did. But here's the thing that makes this absolutely incredible. These aren't reconstructions or "inspired by" content. These are actual, honest-to-Mordenkainen unpublished works that Gygax created but never got to release during his lifetime. Here’s what We're Actually Getting: According to the announcement, we're looking at multiple megadungeons that showcase Gygax's legendary dungeon design philosophy. And when I say megadungeons, I mean the real deal - we're talking about sprawling, multi-level complexes that could keep your party busy for literal years of gameplay. The Gygax Trust is being pretty tight-lipped about specific details, but they've confirmed these materials were found in Gary's personal archives. Think about that for a second - these are dungeons designed by the original dungeon master. They are effectively classic D&D dungeons... that were never released. Also, I will be putting links for these megadungeons in the video’s notes, so be sure to check there to back them and get your copies if you’re interested! And with this... Community Reaction Is Off The Charts The D&D OSR (old school renaissance) subreddit is absolutely exploding right now. One user posted: "This is like finding lost Beatles recordings. Gary's dungeon design was unmatched - geometric, deadly, but fair. If these are authentic Gygax creations, this could be the most important RPG release in decades." But it's not just the old school gamers who are getting excited. Even 5e players are recognizing the historical significance. Over on r/DnD, another user wrote: "Even if you never run OSR games, owning actual unpublished Gygax content is like having a piece of D&D's DNA. This is our hobby's history." Now, here's where it gets interesting from a business perspective. The Gygax Trust is going the crowdfunding route rather than partnering with Wizards of the Coast or another major publisher. This makes total sense when you think about it. Crowdfunding gives them complete creative control, and honestly - The OSR community has proven they'll throw serious money at quality old-school content. Just look at the success of campaigns like Rappan Athuk or Barrowmaze. Here’s What This could mean For The Hobby: These dungeons matter beyond just nostalgia. Gary Gygax wasn't just the co-creator of D&D - he was a master of dungeon ecology and design philosophy that modern game design still draws from. These megadungeons could provide incredible insight into how he approached long-form campaign design. We're talking about seeing the evolution of ideas that influenced everything from the Temple of Elemental Evil to modern 5e adventures. Plus, let's be real - in an era where a lot of published adventures hold your hand every step of the way, getting pure, unfiltered Gygax dungeon design could be exactly what some tables are craving. D&D has effectively – shall we say, lost its soul(?) – in recent decades. This represents a return to what D&D was at its core, from one of the gentlemen behind the game. There are some Questions with these adventures though, that Everyone's been Asking Of course, the community has concerns too. The big question is authenticity and presentation. How complete are these materials – that is, is there a reason they weren’t published to begin with? Will they be published as-is with Gary's original notes, or will they be "updated" for modern sensibilities? One user said: "I hope they preserve Gary's original voice and design philosophy, even if it means the content feels dated by today's standards. That's literally the point - we want to see how the master actually designed dungeons." So that's this week's big news! The return of Gary Gygax content through crowdfunding is honestly something I never thought we'd see. What do you think? Are you excited for authentic Gygax megadungeons, or do you think some things should stay in the past? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. If this video got you hyped for some classic dungeon crawling, smash that like button and subscribe for more TTRPG news every week. I’m certain these will be some dungeons that I’ll be covering in the future, once they’re available. Until next time, keep those dice rolling!
A high-angle shot of a crowded Gen Con event

Does DnD Actually care about Gen Con Again? Return to DnD's Roots

By Jacob Tegtman • April 5, 2026
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvxI1GXJerE Transcription Dungeons & Dragons is finally returning to the convention that made it famous… Well, to be clear – D&D has been at Gen Con. It’s just, they haven’t really had much of a presence there in recent times, have they? Even small indie games have had substantially larger booth space than D&D, which I saw last year basically tucked into a back part of the convention, with pretty much only like a 20ft by 10ft space, or so. If even that, to be honest.  And, I don’t know for sure if D&D hosted many events even at Gen Con while we were there last year. Maybe a few intro games? But if I had to guess, I would’ve said that third parties may have run more games of D&D than Wizards of the Coast D&D actually did. But, after years of near silence… Wizards of the Coast is planning to go all-in on Gen Con again. The real question is—why now? We’ve seen a lot of relatively big moves from D&D recently, back towards its roots. So, what could this move mean for the future of D&D? Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to news channel for all things D&D and tabletop roleplaying. Today we’re diving into some pretty cool news, hopefully a big positive for the direction of D&D: Wizards of the Coast is officially heading back to Gen Con with D&D in a big way. And honestly… it’s kind of a full-circle moment. Let’s rewind for a second, because – as I’m sure you know – Gen Con isn’t just any convention. Gen Con was founded back in 1968 by Gary Gygax, which to be honest, I didn’t know prior to researching for this video. If you aren’t aware, Gen Con is now the largest convention for tabletop gaming, I believe in the world. It pretty much takes over Indianapolis for, what I can confidently agree, is probably indeed the best 4-days of gaming each year. At the time they started Gen Con, it was just a small gathering of wargaming fans in Wisconsin. But in 1974… Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons. And, of course, Gen Con became ground zero for spreading the game. People would attend… pick up a copy… and bring it back to their hometowns. That’s how D&D went viral—before the internet even existed. It turns out, hanging out with cool people in person and telling them about cool things – in person – was the OG way to go viral. Go figure! So, fast forward a few decades… Gen Con became the D&D event, and the tabletop gaming event. We’re talking massive tournaments, huge reveals… Even a life-sized castle built on the convention floor. Yeah. That actually happened. But then something changed. In recent years, Wizards of the Coast has been… mostly absent. No big booths. No major announcements. Just a quiet, minimal presence—if anything at all. I can tell you, seeing them last year, like I mentioned, was not only unimpressive... it was actually even a bit sad. I remember thinking like, “why are you guys even here? Why bother with a booth like this, it just makes D&D look bad.” And other fans have definitely noticed, as well. At this point, you might be wondering: why did D&D pull away from Gen Con, anyways? Well, a few key things: First—vision. Wizards started treating D&D less like a game… and more like a global entertainment brand. You’ve seen the somewhat recent movie, and then they’re pushing hard towards digital tools now, trying to make D&D more of a money-making tool, and truthfully, less like the D&D we all grew up with. Second—control. Instead of third-party events like Gen Con, Wizards of the Coast has focused more on their own events. Things like MagicCon – for Magic: the Gathering. And third—cost. Giant booths and live events are expensive, and brand-awareness is not the same as actual sales. In the past, the cost of large-scale live events like Gen Con was a no-brainer investment for D&D. However, with D&D moving towards online income, live spaces didn’t fit the online vision as much. So, for years… Gen Con became more of a community-run D&D space rather than an official one. But now—that’s changing. Wizards vice president recently confirmed that Gen Con is about to become a major part of D&D again. Starting this year: Annual D&D product roadmaps will be revealed at Gen Con They’ll have more organized play events And there will be more direct and “official” community engagement Like so many of the things Wizards of the Coast is doing to push live community spaces for D&D again, this could be a big deal – but it will depend on how well Wizards follows through. Still though, this is the first time in years that Wizards is showing up where the players are. And this could be a great sign for the game. With all of this in mind, we now finally come to the question: “why is this happening now?” There are a few clues. First—D&D has lost major momentum in the TTRPG space, let’s be real. Wizards is, perhaps, finally recognizing the loss of their community, and is trying to reconnect with the people who built the community to begin with. We’ve seen: The return of classic settings – which is ok. I’d rather see – as one recent viewer put it – new stuff. Done in the classic way, but some actual new content would be x1,000 times better. And they are creating new seasonal content, with a return to D&D modules and “official” weekly play at local gaming stores. Second… Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The OGL controversy. You may remember: The Open Gaming License controversy, when Wizards of the Coast tried to change D&D’s open license in a way that would restrict creators and potentially take a cut of their earnings—sparking massive backlash and boycott calls from the community. That moment seriously damaged trust with fans. And while things have cooled down… This Gen Con push feels like a very intentional move to rebuild goodwill. Because if you want to win back hardcore players—You show up at Gen Con. That’s all there is to it. Show up, and make it fucking awesome. Make your audience actually want to play D&D again. For a lot of fans, D&D skipping Gen Con has felt… weird. It’s the place where the fire started. It’s been the biggest name in tabletop ghosting the biggest tabletop event in the world, in favor of creating online subscription models that very few people actually want. But now? This feels like a return to D&D’s roots. A reconnection with the community that built the game’s legacy in the first place. So the real question is—Is this just good PR… Or the start of a new era for D&D? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you enjoyed this coverage, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and roll for initiative on the next video. See you next time!
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