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% The Best Apps and Software for D&D, Pathfinder, Etc. Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter!
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Roleplaying in the Digital Age: The Best Apps for Pen and Paper Games
The RPG has gone digital with virtual tabletops and character sheet apps
By Daniel Nations Daniel Nations Writer University of Texas at Arlington Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator.
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 11, 2020 Reviewed by Chris Selph Reviewed by
Chris Selph Chris Selph is a CompTIA-certified technology and vocational IT teacher. He also serves as network & server administrator and performs computer maintenance and repair for numerous clients.
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apps Best Apps Payment Services Role-playing games have come a long way since the days when we gathered around a table with character sheets scribbled on notepaper. Back then, the most technologically advanced gaming aids consisted of different sided dice, a cardboard screen to allow the game leader some privacy, and perhaps a calculator. Lifewire / Lara Antal Pen and paper RPGs engage the most powerful creative device known to mind—the human brain.
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Still, it doesn't hurt to have a few apps and websites that help with the process. Here are some of the best digital aids available for your next tabletop gaming session. 01
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Fantasy Grounds
What We Like Supports a variety of games.
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Automates much of the ruleset. Offers a free demo. What We Don't Like The website is slow to respond.
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There's a learning curve. A clunky interface. Perhaps the ultimate virtual tabletop, Fantasy Grounds lets the game leader automate much of a campaign's ruleset.
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It also lets them set up the map and encounters in advance, while players can store their character sheets. This means the roll of the dice can take into account a player's bonuses and the creature's armor class to help determine the battle's outcome.
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This includes tracking damage, making saving throws, and many of the other pieces of information that come up during a session. Fantasy Grounds can be purchased outright or through a monthly subscription. It's available as standalone software for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
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A demo lets you check out a set of limited features for free. The Ultimate version hosts games for players on the free demo version; this way, only one player in the group has to pay.
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Download For: Windows Mac Linux 02
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Roll20
The Orr Group What We Like It's web-based. Mobile apps are available.
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Marketplace offers pre-made adventures. What We Don't Like The mobile app has several issues. Joining a gaming session can be tough.
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The other big name in virtual tabletops, Roll20 nearly matches Fantasy Grounds' feature set. It covers the basics that any roleplaying group needs, including access to maps, creating custom maps, and keeping track of character sheets. Roll20 is web-based, so you can use it on any PC. There are also apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. It's available as a subscription with month-to-month and year-to-year options.
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It also has a free version. Download For: iOS Android 03
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Game Master by Lion' s Den
Lion's Den What We Like Makes combat easier by tracking many stats.
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Encounter builder lets you create encounters quickly. Campaign manager lets you juggle multiple campaigns. What We Don't Like The free version is limited to one adventure with three encounters.
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Manually entering info can get tedious. Stability issues. Is managing combat getting you down? One of the most tedious aspects of being a game leader is keeping track of all the numbers during combat.
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That's where Game Master comes into play. This awesome app by Lion's Den lets you set up encounters, keep track of initiative by automatically rolling for the monster side and inputting the player rolls, and keep track of the health of all players and creatures. It also sets up to-hit and damage rolls for the monster. The encounters can be saved to a campaign, and you can have multiple campaigns saved.
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Game Master is available on iOS, iPadOS, and Android. It supports 5th, 4th, and 3.5 editions for Dungeons & Dragons as well as Pathfinder. The free versions of the app are limited to one campaign with three encounters.
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In-app purchases are available if you want more. Download For: iOS Android 04
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Realm Works
What We Like Good for managing your campaign's setting.
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Import and pin maps. Fog of war encourages exploration.
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What We Don't Like No mobile version. It seems to be abandoned by the developers.
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While Game Master does a great job of managing combat encounters, Realm Works is more about managing your campaign and your world as a whole. The software allows you to keep track of your NPCs, world locations, plot lines, and more.
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While it doesn't include any map making, you can import maps made in other software and place pins on important areas such as encounters and traps. It also helps facilitate the fog of war, so you can let your players explore through the map.
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Realm Works is compatible with almost any RPG and is available for Windows. It comes in two varieties: the game leader version (about $60) and the player version (about $5).
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Download For: Windows 05
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Campaign Cartographer
Pro Fantasy Software What We Like Great for mapping your game world. Huge selection of mapping symbols, styles, and types. Friendly community.
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What We Don't Like No mobile versions. Software and modules can get pricey. While it's possible to do mapping in image editing software like PhotoShop, Paint.Net, and GIMP, dedicated mapping software can save time and energy.
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Campaign Cartographer by Pro Fantasy is for the serious game leader that wants to map out an entire world and fill it in with castles, towers, dungeons, and other objects. The basic pack (about $23) gives you the ability to draw out the campaign world. With some add-on packs, you can create dungeons, caves, and other adventuring areas.
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Download For: Windows 06
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Battle Map 2
Razeware What We Like Works across multiple iOS devices using iCloud support. Display your maps using Airplay.
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Import your artwork. What We Don't Like Hasn't been updated since 2015.
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Online features may no longer work. Battle Map 2 (about $10) is a handy tool for iOS devices that lets you create battle maps or small areas, fill them up with monsters, and let your players explore.
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You can add hidden traps and openable doors, along with objects taken from a default library or your artwork. Battle Map 2 also has a dice roller built-in, so you don't need to switch back and forth between your favorite dice roller.
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Plus, it includes iCloud and Airplay support. Download For: iOS 07
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Syrinscape Fantasy Player
Syrinscape What We Like Movie-like soundtracks for tabletop gaming sessions. Uses adaptable libraries of sound files to improvise soundscapes.
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It's free. What We Don't Like No significant updates since 2018.
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Doesn't run in the background, so it can't be used with other iOS apps. Sound library could use some filters. Syrinscape is more of a game enhancement than a game leader aid.
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This software produces sounds ranging from a fire-breathing dragon attacking a town to the background of a forest. These sounds are multi-layered, so you can control the screams of the peasants as the dragon swoops down or the grumble of an orc hiding behind the trees, which is sure to make your next gaming session extra immersive.
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Download For: iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS X 08
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Fight Club 5th Edition
What We Like Keeps track of character stats. Built-in spellbook with a large list of fully detailed spells.
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Built-in dice roller. What We Don't Like The free version is limited to one character only.
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The free version contains ads. Developed by the same people behind Game Master, the Fight Club series of apps keep track of all your stats.
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You can also do automatic dice rolls for combat, ability checks, and saving throws. Best of all, it includes inventory management and a spellbook to view known spells and manage memorized incantations.
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Fight Club supports the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as Pathfinder. The free app is limited to one character with ads. Upgrades require an in-app purchase.
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Download For: iOS Android 09
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Fifth Edition Character Sheet
Walter Kammerer What We Like Cuts down on character creation time. It's free (with ads). The premium version includes auto-leveling.
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What We Don't Like You can't copy a character. Creating a character can easily take a half-hour or more. However, with the Fifth Edition Character Sheet app, this task can take a minute or two.
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The rolling of the dice and the racial and class adjustments only take a few seconds. As you progress, the app helps keep track of your changing armor class, hit points, damage, skill proficiencies, spells, and lets you take notes. The free version contains ads, but the ads aren't too obtrusive.
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The premium upgrade removes ads and includes an auto-leveling feature, which is nice but not a necessity. Download For: iOS Android 10
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Sheet Yourself
SparkNET Interactive What We Like Works with a variety of tabletop games.
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Can save dozens of characters. Built-in dice rolling. What We Don't Like Dropbox syncing isn't great.
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Some bugs. If you want to go beyond D&D and Pathfinder, check out Sheet Yourself (paid version only). This app has many of the same features as the other character sheet apps, but it works with a larger range of RPGs, including Call of Cthulu, Magic: The Gathering, Vampire: The Masquerade, Dungeon World, and various d20 games.
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Download For: iOS Android 11
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d20 Calculator
What We Like Save and label frequently used rolls. Various themes are available. It's free (with ads).
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What We Don't Like Frequent crashes. No support for the iPadOS split screen.
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You might be surprised by the lack of really good 3D dice rollers on the Apple App Store, but you don't need anything more than d20 Calculator. This app doesn't have the thrills of a 3D roller.
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However, it does allow you to create a complex formula with multiple dice, including dice of different sizes. You can also add in various bonuses to the roll.
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In-app purchases include the option to remove ads. Download For: iOS Android 12
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DiceShaker D& D
Pallosalama What We Like Simple to use.
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Can roll multiple styles of dice. Realistic sounds and physics.
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What We Don't Like Only available on Amazon. Can't roll multiple dice at once.
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Can't add bonuses to the rolls. There are a few negatives to DiceShaker. First, you cannot roll multiple dice at the same time beyond rolling two ten-sided dice to get a 1-100 roll. You also cannot add bonuses to the roll.
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While many dice rollers are free, you pay $3 for this one. But if you want a dice roller that feels like you are rolling dice, $3 isn't that much to pay. And DiceShaker feels like you are rolling the dice.
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Download For: Android 13
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Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller
Wizards of the Coast What We Like It's free. It's web-based. What We Don't Like It's pretty bare-bones.
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Who needs a fancy app when Wizards of the Coast provides one for us? There's nothing fancy here. It's a spreadsheet-style dice roller that lets you choose the number, sides, and modifiers.
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It also tracks multiple rolls in the notes field. Best of all, it's free. Visit Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller Was this page helpful?
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