The Eldritch Lorecast #231. D&D Beyond FINALLY Fixes the 5.5e Confusion!
Mar 4, 2026
Brian Perry, Executive Producer driving D&D Beyond's roadmap and rebuild. Zac Cohn, Maps Product Manager shaping simple, powerful VTT and DM prep tools. They discuss formalizing 5.5 terminology, rebuilding the platform to support modern mechanics, Maps’ design philosophy, quick and next-gen character builders, and plans for extensibility and third-party support.
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Maps Shows What A Modern Stack Enables
- Zac Cohn contrasted Maps as a new product built on a modern stack with older parts of D&D Beyond that must interface with legacy systems.
- He described Maps as nimble and faster to iterate because it wasn't tied to the older architecture.
Add Features Only If They Fit The Product Philosophy
- Prioritize feature fit and ease of setup over raw completeness to avoid user frustration.
- Zac used dynamic lighting as an example: prefer an ultra-simple, low-configuration version aligned to Maps' Honda-Accord philosophy.
Refocusing On Helping Players Play Together
- D&D Beyond refocused on its core mission: making it easier to play together, particularly supporting in-person table play.
- Brian Perry said this clarity helps prioritize onboarding, character sheets, and DM prep improvements.