It’s the long-awaited return to the world of Azeroth, but this time, with a D20.

As Universes Beyond promises to thrust D&D into far yet familiar realms, Wizards of the Coast prepares to make its debut in new worlds, and when it comes to universes that are ripe for a crossover, few make for such a seamless transition as the world of Azeroth. For those in search of a raw, by-the-numbers expansion with favorite features such as new classes, monsters, or adventures, the newly announced D&D: World of Warcraft is set to provide everything players might want to refresh their gameplay around the table. For those who already belong to the world of Azeroth, D&D: World of Warcraft promises a return to the MMORPG’s #1 setting, but this time, from a completely different perspective. One that calls for a pen and paper rather than a keyboard and mouse.

Coming November 17th, Wizards of the Coast’s biggest collaboration to date hits the shelves with rules fine-tuned for the 5.5e engine, classic raids and dungeons reimagined for the TTRPG, new classes, species, and more. Whether you’re just looking to bring a little dWoW-factor into your ongoing campaigns, or to leave the world of Faerûn behind for Azeroth, come November 17th, you’ll find there’s nowhere better to begin than Roll20.

Translating MMORPG Classes to D&D

The first factor when designing D&D’s first official crossovers with one of the MMORPG world’s most popular franchises is the glaring commonality between them: fantasy. When it comes to delivering fleshed-out, multifaceted worlds driven by wars between ancient factions and deities mad with power, both Blizzard and Wizards of the Coast have been undefeated champions in their respective spaces. For over 20 years, Azeroth has easily been the setting of choice for fantasy fans’ ideal MMORPG experience, and in that time, Faerûn has only tripled in popularity as the definitive setting for fans of TTRPG’s.

In order to make these worlds cross over in a way that feels meaningful, WotC takes care to do more than just reskin the overlapping elements between Azeroth and Faerûn. Instead, with D&D: World of Warcraft, Wizards introduces a wealth of options, from hallmark classes of WoW history updated to perform in 5.5e to entirely new classes built from the ground up.

The New:

Six new subclasses make their debut with this release, each mapped to a WoW archetype that familiar players will recognize immediately.

• Oath of the Ebon Blade & Oath of the Holy Paladin — two distinct Paladin paths mirroring WoW's Death Knight and Holy Paladin fantasies
• Demon Hunter Ranger — a mobile, aggressively offensive subclass that channels the Illidari's fel-fueled combat style
• Shadow Domain & Discipline Domain Cleric — splitting the Priest class into its two most iconic specializations
• Path of the Elements Barbarian — drawing on Shaman-adjacent elemental fury to reframe rage as raw natural power

The “Revised”:

Three familiar subclasses make a return in D&D: World of Warcraft, this time, retooled to benefit from the 5.5e ruleset. The Swashbuckler Rogue, Path of the Spiritual Guardian Barbarian, and Warrior of Mystic Brews Monk have each been revised from the ground up.

Bringing Roleplay to the Raid

D&D: World of Warcraft brings seven of Azeroth's most beloved dungeons to the tabletop, transforming familiar raid nights into deeply personal, story-driven adventures.

For returning Azeroth adventurers, easily the most enticing factor of D&D: World of Warcraft is the return to many of D&D’s most iconic dungeon maps. There are a long list of “instances” which have been cleared dozens of times by the diligent MMORPG player, but few have done so with a d20.

D&D: World of Warcraft includes seven iconic dungeons:

• Azjol-Nerub
• Blackfathom Deeps
• Deadmines
• Dire Maul
• Onyxia's Lair
• Scarlet Monastery
• Shadowfang Keep

From their names alone, the list carries a strong sense of nostalgia. But how does that nostalgia present itself in a way that feels refreshing and new for tabletop players? What was once a lair hiding only endgame gear and mount cosmetics suddenly becomes a hub for deeply personal roleplay and narrative exploration. An entirely new degree of play that promises to unleash or unravel Azeroth with nothing more than a roll of the dice.

To tie it all together? Legendary monsters and familiar boss encounters act as a lynchpin, centering iconic settings around equally iconic villains, while compelling newcomers to immerse themselves deeper into the lore behind Azeroth. For over two decades, players have come toe to toe with WoW’s most iconic adversaries; only now, D&D: World of Warcraft promises to reinvigorate that threat with personal stakes fueled by a narrative that is truly and uniquely crafted by you and your players.

The Grind on a Grid Map

If the MMORPG experience could be defined by one thing only, it would be the grind. Any experienced MMORPG vet knows that the true MMORPG experience is more than just a few hours of gameplay, but full immersion and commitment to a degree that would otherwise resemble the commitment required for a full-time job. So how did MMORPG’s get like this? How did MMORPG’s become games that call for an undying sense of responsibility and commitment that keeps you returning every single day? It’s called the grind.

So how does Wizards of the Coast bring the grind to the TTRPG? The secret has been under our noses all along. With the 2014 DMG, Wizards of the Coast introduced the Renown system, an optional rule Dungeon Masters can use to track an adventurer's standing with regard to a particular faction or organization. Ever since the introduction of the renown system, players have had a linear progression to earn ranks within select organizations, granting them access to special powers and new gear at each level. A system that benefits when laid atop the progression path of the WoW veterans who are familiar with the loop: complete quests, earn favor with a faction, unlock rewards, repeat.

Reimagining the Horde & Alliance

World of Warcraft has long been a system defined by its incredible faction depth. If it isn’t the decision of who to support between the Horde and the Alliance, the many smaller factions of Azeroth provide unique boons and opportunities to players, from the defensive benefits of The Argent Crusade to the nature-based boons of the Cenarion Circle. D&D: World of Warcraft is set to launch with over 20 familiar factions from the world of Azeroth.

The factions of WoW present a natural opportunity for push and pull: as players build renown with one faction, they’ll likely strain relationships with their rival, creating a tension that should drive sessions and define adventures organically. It's yet another way that the structure of Azeroth naturally complements the systems already at play within Faerûn.

But when it comes to the Horde & Alliance, faction tensions reach entirely new heights. In WoW, choosing your faction allegiance is a major part of character creation, so rather than ignoring that important dynamic or treating it as background flavor, WotC chooses to lean into the mechanics that already work, rather than reinventing the wheel. With D&D: World of Warcraft, players will be asked to choose their faction allegiance during character creation. Your characters hit the scene at level one with a set of principles and ideals that will drive party tension, shape NPC relationships, and create moral dilemmas right out of the gate.

Bringing the Desktop to Your Tabletop with Roll20

D&D: World of Warcraft is primed to introduce some of the most mechanically rich character options, adversaries, and adventures the game has seen in some time. Carefully managing that transition from Azeroth to Faerûn is where Roll20 earns its keep as the number one browser-based VTT with a built-in marketplace, digital tools, compendiums, and more.

When it comes to navigating new subclasses and character builds, Roll20’s dynamic character sheets stay synced across all devices, whether you’re reviewing your Demon Hunter Ranger build during your lunch break or rolling at the table on game night. Plus, for those looking to simulate the true MMORPG experience, dynamic character sheets let players use and deploy their abilities with a simple click, straight from their sheet. For WoW vets with long-lived characters from the early days of Blizzard’s revolutionary MMORPG, Roll20 tools such as the Token Manager mean players can import their characters directly from their game to the tabletop.

On the GM-side, the Roll20 Marketplace offers countless sourcebooks and supplements that can complement their Azeroth-set campaigns. From adventure modules to digital rulebooks, sourcing content through the Roll20 Marketplace means your maps, compendium entries, and NPC stat blocks are wired directly into your VTT, so entering the world of Azeroth is as simple as logging in and launching your game.

November 17th is closer than it looks! Build the foundation of your Azeroth campaign now and browse available content on the Roll20 Marketplace so your group can hit the ground running on day one.