Dungeons & Dragons Reveals Details for Its Biggest Starter Set Yet

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Back in the first months of this year, Wizards of the Coast rolled out a fresh new starter pack for Dungeons & Dragons, titled “Heroes of the Borderlands.” This new iteration, much like the 2025 game plan, offers a refreshing twist to what fans have long been accustomed to. Instead of sticking with traditional rules, it incorporates the 2024 revised rules for 5e. Moreover, it adopts a board-game style methodology to help newbies grasp the intricacies of D&D. Recently, the complete details of this starter set have been disclosed and pre-orders are now available on D&D Beyond. As a gamer, I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

Back in January, I had an engaging conversation with the creators of Dungeons & Dragons, and it was their upcoming game, Heroes of the Borderlands, that truly piqued my interest due to its unique tactile experience. At the time, Wizards of the Coast wasn’t quite ready to unveil all the juicy details about what would be included in this set. However, now we have a comprehensive product description on D&D Beyond, shedding more light on what we can anticipate from this exciting new take on the classic D&D Starter Set.

The highly anticipated game titled “Heroes of the Borderlands” will be released on September 16th. Yet, you can place your pre-orders now, and there’s even a pre-order campaign ongoing for “Eberron: Forge of the Artificer”. Similar to many recent D&D products, this starter set offers choices – Digital + Physical Bundle, Digital only, or Physical Only. Personally, I favor the physical version given the board game aspect is its main appeal. However, if you’re a fan of virtual tabletop games, you might prefer the digital pack, which includes pre-made maps using the D&D Beyond Maps virtual tabletop.

What’s Included in the Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set

The “Heroes of the Borderlands” beginner’s set is a board game that serves as an introduction to the rules of the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. This tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) offers approximately 40-60 hours of playtime, complete with real game cards and tokens to represent ideas such as spells, magical items, equipment, and so on. Here’s a rundown of what you get with the physical edition, as detailed on D&D Beyond:

* A set of five pre-generated character sheets, each with unique abilities and backstories
* A rulebook that explains game mechanics and provides guidance for new players
* A game board showcasing the Borderlands region, complete with terrain features, locations, and points of interest
* Decks of game cards representing characters, monsters, spells, magic items, and other elements of the game
* Tokens to represent these same elements in a tactile way during gameplay
* A set of six dice for rolling attack and ability checks
* A set of encounter cards that add randomness and unpredictability to the game
* A set of pre-generated encounters and adventures tailored to the Borderlands setting
* A poster map of the Borderlands region, perfect for displaying during gameplay or hanging on your wall
* Digital access to additional resources and content through D&D Beyond, including character sheets, adventure hooks, and more.

  • A Quick-Start Guide to start playing in minutes
  • 1 play guide and 3 adventure booklets for Dungeon Masters
  • 4 iconic D&D classes for players to choose from: Cleric, Rogue, Wizard, and Fighter
  • Over 200 game cards for backgrounds, species, spells, equipment, magic items, monsters, NPCs, and more
  • 18 maps for the Caves of Chaos Valley, the Keep on the Borderlands, and the Wilderness
  • Over 200 tokens, including resources, monsters, and terrain
  • Combat Tracker that teaches new Dungeon Masters how to track initiative effectively
  • Set of 11 dice

This upcoming product from Wizards appears to be one of their top offerings for 2025, particularly appealing to newcomers such as players and Dungeon Masters. What makes this set stand out is its absence of pre-generated character sheets, instead guiding players to create their own characters using the provided classes. Additionally, the inclusion of cards, tokens, and maps will facilitate easier gameplay learning and be beneficial for novice DMs. Personally, I can vouch for the usefulness of a combat tracker, so seeing it included is a welcome feature in this set.

As a gamer, if you’re new to Heroes of the Borderlands and looking to get started without veteran players around, the starter set is loaded with resources that make it easier than ever before. Even though veterans might find it a bit simplistic, I wouldn’t mind having some additional equipment and spell cards in my collection for better game management myself.

The basic physical version of the “Heroes of the Borderlands” starter pack retails at $49.99. However, the digital version is exclusive to Master Tier subscribers on D&D Beyond and comes equipped with interactive maps. This digital version costs $14.99 separately. If you prefer having both versions, you can opt for the Ultimate Bundle which offers a combined price of $54.99 and includes an extra digital dice set as a bonus.

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2025-07-15 21:11