Photo by Bonus Action
After years of playing Dungeons & Dragons, one of my more frustrating hurdles continues to be organization. With so many notes, tools, items, and spells to keep track of, keeping everything straight can be a bit of a task. However, all of that has changed thanks to the recent release of the Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Journals.
The journals come in two formats, one for players and one for Dungeon Masters. The stunning, hard-bound copies published by Wizards of the Coast and Ten Speed Press contain everything players could possibly need for creating a character or building a campaign.
The D&D Campaign Journals Reimagine Note Taking
I have tried and failed to fully utilize D&D Beyond’s campaign management system for years. Unfortunately, while the online format is excellent for creating accessibility and providing a space for digital gameplay, the character sheets and notes are not at all easy to use. It is easy to botch something mid-campaign, and going back through notes can be tedious. This has led me to keep a paper journal for every campaign I’ve been in.
Typically, these notebooks are just a simple spiral-bound bound I have grabbed off the back-to-school sales in the fall. However, that has left me filling in everything I might need by hand. When building new characters, I’ve found myself misorganizing things or putting topics too close together, leading to the cramped margin writing as I attempt to stuff important information into a description.
When I looked at the Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Campaign Journal, I was completely blown away. Priced at $24.99, this journal offers everything players will need to build out a character and keep track of them throughout the duration of a campaign.
The hardbound book lies nicely flat when opened, and the type-set of the page doesn’t cause anything to become pinched in the binding. The first portion of the book guides the player through character creation, prompting all important information and offering questions or details that might not be thought of otherwise. Players can then move into the rest of the book, which offers pages to keep track of party members, non-playable characters, factions, creatures, and session logs. At the back of the book, blank and gridded paper has been included for any additional notes that may be needed.
This book is a wonderful resource, whether players use it to build their own for additional campaigns or repurchase it for each new game. It is also a wonderful help for new players who may be overwhelmed with the concepts of building a character for the first time.
The D&D Dungeon Master’s Campaign Journal Is My Favorite Tool
For many, becoming a DM is a dream constantly put off by the overwhelming concept of putting together a story. Despite being a writer, I have quaked at the mere thought of trying to finally realize my dreams for a Quests From the Infinite Staircase campaign. Every time I sit down to start planning, I become disorganized and bogged down by details and the feeling of being drowned in paper.
The D&D Dungeon Master’s Campaign Journal has revolutionized the process of creating a campaign. Like the Player’s option, the Dungeon Master’s copy is hard-bound and priced at $24.99. However, instead of tools for building a character tucked in its sleek, quality pages, players will find a skeleton for world-building.
DMs will have space to add player profiles, places, journeys, hooks, stakes, and so much more. The sections also take the time to break down what each section is for and how it can be used to build a campaign.
The best part of these books is that they are easily portable, with a size that fits in any bag. Players can toss them in with their sourcebooks and dice for an in-person game, or tuck them away between sessions for easy storage.
Final Score – 9/10
The Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Journals are an amazing asset for any D&D player. From their quality to the help breakdown of world building, character creation, and session management, they will delight anyone who grabs a copy.
These books are particularly helpful for new players and first-time DMs, as they offer a framework for what is needed to get started. It takes out the anxiety and overwhelm that can come from reading and attempting to organize things from scratch. They are exactly what I needed, and I can’t say enough good things about either copy.
**Bonus Action was provided with samples of the Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Journals for Dungeon Masters and Players for the purpose of this review**
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