Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast is currently working on two official virtual tabletop solutions, and they could hardly be more different. The Maps feature on D&D Beyond takes a straightforward approach, and it should seem familiar to anyone who's used a classic VTT program or simply sat down at the game table to play things out on a standard physical map. Project Sigil, meanwhile, is a seemingly robust 3D alternative, resulting in a potentially more immersive experience that might come with its own drawbacks.

Considering how long popular VTTs like Roll20 have been around, Wizards of the Coast is surprisingly late to the game when it comes to an in-house option. D&D Beyond already makes it possible to handle core aspects of a campaign on an official digital platform, but the lack of an interface for playing out battles or crawling through dungeons left it feeling like half of a solution. While compelling arguments for choosing alternative VTT programs certainly won't disappear, official solutions have advantages that could prove compelling for many players.

Advantages Of Using D&D Beyond's Maps Feature

A Straightforward Solution That Gets The Job Done

The biggest upside to D&D Beyond Maps, and one that's hard to overstate in general, is the ease of use. For any groups that already use D&D Beyond for character sheets, the integration of Maps makes for an unusually convenient way to throw things onto a grid. Sticking to one site is easier for everyone involved than bouncing between multiple sources, and the addition of Maps features over time has made it into a reasonably comprehensive way to handle combat encounters.

D&D Beyond now includes the option to track initiative and stats in combat directly within Maps, bringing the resource up to speed with competing VTTs for dungeon masters. On the players' end, rolls can be made directly inside Maps or by clicking on the relevant features in a D&D Beyond character sheet.

Maps is still in beta, so it's not surprising that competing VTTs still offer more features in some cases. They're rarely as intuitive to use, however, so anyone satisfied with the suite of options in Maps might find it more practical to use. DMs who own official materials like sourcebooks and campaigns in D&D Beyond can also draw material directly from there rather than frequently having to and images and resources.

Advantages Of Using D&D's Project Sigil

3D Dungeons Have A Lot Of Appeal

Unlike D&D Beyond's Maps feature, Project Sigil's public beta hasn't started yet, so it's harder to get a comprehensive understanding of everything that the VTT offers. It's been shown off in advance marketing, however, and the basic functions of the service have been laid out fairly clearly. The official D&D Beyond page lays out the difference between Project Sigil and Maps efficiently, describing it as "the perfect immersive complement to the Maps streamlined virtual tabletop experience."

Project Sigil's 3D maps can be filled with props, structural levels, lighting, and more. Although the process looks intuitive, making and using a custom map in the VTT will likely take more time and effort than sketching out a basic one in Maps. Detailed 3D maps can also be less flexible in play, leaving less room for imaginative players to question the bounds of the environment and come up with unusual approaches. That being said, it's still possible to use flat battle maps in Project Sigil, so throwing something together at a moment's notice shouldn't be much harder than with Maps.

Project Sigil will also feature pre-made module scenarios that should be easy to run with minimal setup.

On the flip side, clearly displayed verticality and environmental details can give players more to interact with in combat, as exhibited by the opportunities that Baldur's Gate 3 provides. Immersion is also something that many groups value highly, and rich 3D environments can make it easier to stay engaged in combat rather than drifting off into idle chatter. Miniatures can even be customized and equipped with magical items and armor, allowing for a more direct form of self-expression.

Which VTT Your D&D Table Should Use

A Time & A Place For Both

Even though it isn't as flashy as Project Sigil, D&D Beyond's Maps feature is easier to widely recommend, at least for the moment. It's a straightforward solution that does everything a VTT maps program needs to do, at least in a basic capacity, and advanced technology isn't necessary to run a great game of D&D. Anyone familiar with typical VTT solutions should take to Maps like a fish to water, even if they end up frustrated by a few missing features, and even newcomers can likely adjust quickly.

Project Sigil seems like the more exciting option for groups that highly value detailed, immersive battle maps, and it could be a helpful way to keep players more engaged in digital games. The environments more closely mimic what playing at a table with crafted battle maps and detailed miniatures looks like, and the process of bringing that to life can be part of the fun for some dungeon masters.

While Maps is currently only available to D&D Beyond Master Tier subscribers, Project Sigil is planned to be free in some capacity to those without subscriptions, and g up for the beta only requires a basic D&D Beyond . With a reliance on 3D models, however, it's possible that Project Sigil will lock off content to those who own source materials or pay for a subscription in a way that makes it less flexible than Maps for free s. Those wanting a straightforward free solution should probably look to a different source than D&D Beyond for the time being.

Ultimately, considering Maps the default option makes the most sense, while anyone who finds the idea of Project Sigil particularly exciting should take that as a sign to look into it and sign up for the beta. The two new official Dungeons & Dragons VTTs certainly aren't the only possible avenues to take, but both of them do promise some unique advantages that make the D&D Beyond ecosystem a little more compelling than before.

Source: D&D Beyond