How to Play Tabletop RPGs Online (like Dungeons and Dragons)

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If you’re stuck at home, you can’t find a local tabletop group, or you want to play a little known tabletop role-playing game, you might want to play tabletop RPGs online. 

Fortunately, because of the high demand, there are plenty of ways to play tabletop RPGs online. And not just Dungeons and Dragons either (although it is included!). With a little bit of planning and the right tools, you may find you don’t even miss playing tabletop RPGs in person. Some people even – dare I say it? – prefer playing online!

It’s not difficult to learn how to play tabletop RPGs online, and it involves three steps. First, choose a tabletop RPG that does not require in-person play. Second, gather the online and offline tools you’ll need for the best gameplay. Finally, we’ll get into troubleshooting, evaluating those online tools, and keeping your gaming group up-to-date with the options.

#1 Choosing a Tabletop RPG for Online Play

Not all tabletop RPGs will translate well to an online space. Some, however, will play really well online! Before learning how to play tabletop RPGs online, make sure to choose an RPG that will play well online. It will save you a lot of hassle and heartache in the long run.

Materials

The materials directly involved in a tabletop RPG like dice, cards, and maps can create the biggest potential barrier to online play. That’s not to say that an RPG that requires unique materials can’t be played online, but it could require extra work on your end. (We’ll talk about this more in the “Gathering Tools” section.)

So, examine what materials are needed for the tabletop RPG you want to play online. If it only has a rulebook, you’re probably good to go. It will be easy to get a copy of the rules for everyone. One page tabletop RPGs often found on Itch.io like Honey Heist work really well in an online space for this exact reason.

If the RPG you want to play does have more materials, think about how they can be replicated, reimagined, or removed in an online space. Cards, miniatures, and tokens all can be used with tools like Roll20, Discord, Astral, or Tabletop Simulator for example. Alternatively, if you want to continue to use your physical items, you might consider an extra camera and/or monitor to facilitate that. (Visit the “Gathering Tools” section for more.)

Pretty much every tabletop RPG will need dice, but there are plenty of virtual dice rollers out there for players to use. Some of the best dice roller apps to play tabletop RPGs online (like Dungeons and Dragons) include:

• Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller
• ROLZ
• Google
• Alexa or Siri as a voice command

You can use physical dice at home. Dice don’t need to be converted to an online space as long as your game master is fine with that. If they do want to see the rolls, though, the online tools mentioned before – Roll20, Discord, or Tabletop Simulator – all have dice options within those platforms, too. 

Rulesets

Now, as mentioned before, it’s easy to get and use rulesets to play tabletop RPGs online. You will still want to think about a few things with your rulesets, though. 

First, you need to get a legal copy of the ruleset, either in digital format or as a physical copy. Websites like DriveThru RPG, DM’s Guild, D&D Beyond, and Itch.io make it easy to get legal digital copies of rulesets. Some creators sell physical copies of their tabletop RPGs through these sites, too. Many physical copies of RPGs are available through Amazon or your friendly local game store, too. 

Do not assume that because you could Google a ruleset and find it for free that it is legal! For example, there are bootleg PDFs of the full Player’s Handbook for Dungeons and Dragons, but none are legal. However, anyone can use the Basic Rules for free. 

You want to consider all of this. Different players will have different resources at their disposal. While a digital ruleset generally comes with a lower cost, some players may not have the technology to support a digital rulebook while also using video tools to play the game. 

Next, remember that easier rules or rules you already know will work better in online play. Some players will use online tools for the first time, so learning a new ruleset along with new technology can add unnecessary stress. You’ll have more fun starting off playing a tabletop RPG online that you already know or one designed for an online space, like Alice is Missing. 

Finally, if you don’t know what tabletop RPG to play online or need help with the how to (which we’ll cover more in the next section), check out tabletop RPG streamers. Twitch.tv is a treasure trove of tabletop RPGs for online play. Plus, most tabletop streamers do not play in the same physical space. Watch them live, or replays on YouTube, for ideas for how to play tabletop RPGs online. 

#2 Gathering Tools to Play Tabletop RPGs Online

This is where you’ll see why the right tabletop RPG will really help as you transition to an online space. You can absolutely play tabletop RPGs online with just a computer and a ruleset, but some tools will make your gameplay experience a lot better. 

Physical Tools

Physical tools will go a long way towards enhancing your online tabletop RPG experience. Streamers run into a lot of audio issues, either hearing others or being heard. A good headset and/or microphone does not have to cost a lot, but can save you a lot of trouble. 

Next, if playing by video, some tools will give you a much better experience. You can play tabletop RPGs online with just audio, or even text-based games, but may people prefer to play with video tools as well. A bendable laptop stand will help angle your camera for better video quality, for example. 

Some players even prefer to get a second monitor to connect to their computer. That way, you can go between the rules, a character sheet, dice, and the video tool of choice without needing to constantly switch tabs. Game runners may even want an extra camera for streaming, especially if you want to use your physical game items like maps and miniatures rather than using online ones. 

Tabletop RPGs often take hours to play, too. Playing in person means you often stand up or move about in the excitement of play, giving your legs a chance to stretch. This doesn’t happen as often in an online space. After all, if you stand up, you move away from the action! A good gaming chair will make it much easier to sit for hours on end and keep you involved in the storyline. 

Online Tools

We talked about online tools a little bit earlier on when choosing a tabletop RPG to play. Let’s dig into it a little more now since they can really change how you play tabletop RPGs online. 

Many gamers use Discord because it offers pretty much everything you need in one space for free. Discord has video, audio, and text tools to play tabletop RPGs online. Plus, you can add lots of bots to your server to help with play through dice rolls and music to enhance gameplay. Plus, Discord is not hard to use, but it can take a little getting used to. The video below gives a quick guide on how to use Discord as a player with more options if you want to create your own channel.

Roll20 is another popular choice for playing tabletop RPGs online. Roll20 has all the options that Discord has with two extra benefits. 

First, Roll20 has a comprehensive map tool for Game Masters to use for battlemaps. 

Second, it has an easy way to find games and players to play with. (Discord can have this if you find the right channel, but it’s not as streamlined.) 

Roll20 has a greater learning curve, though. They do have a tutorial built into the system, but it’s generally not as user-friendly as Discord. It’s worth noting, though, that many people use both Discord and Roll20 at the same time.

Tabletop Simulator is another option with very obvious pros and a few cons. For the big pro, Tabletop Simulator does the best job of simulating a physical tabletop space (hence the name). You can place maps, minis, and dice on a “table” that everyone can see and move. The downside? This tool does not have a free option. However, it does not cost a lot and for players who want a game with a lot of components, this can make a big difference.

Finally, if you want to play a tabletop RPG that doesn’t call for any bells and whistles, any video chat tool will work. Zoom has become the platform of choice for personal and professional use everywhere because it’s so easy to use. Plus, the screen sharing option will allow you to use it with other tools, too. 

Game-Specific Tools

As a final note for gathering materials to play tabletop RPGs online, don’t forget the materials mentioned when choosing your RPG! If you decided that your RPG of choice needed cards, dice, tokens, or anything else, you will want to choose an online space with these tools in mind. That’s why you’ll want to choose the game first. You will know what you need before trying to decide which gaming platform is right for you.

#3 Getting Into and Continuing Gameplay

Alright, you have your RPG, and you have your tools for play. Now what? Now it’s time to get playing! This step will require some learning and changing things up as you go along. Fortunately, you can do that as you play the games, so you will have fun, too.

Take a little bit of time first to learn how to use whatever online platform you chose if you don’t already know it. If all players have used a platform before, discuss how you’ll use it together. For example, if everyone has used Discord before, will everyone also roll dice with a dice bot? Also decide on things like if you’ll use video or just audio before you begin to play.

Play a one shot of your chosen ruleset to help everyone get more comfortable with the rules and with online gameplay, too. No one will worry too much about the lasting consequences of their in-game choices while they learn how to play online. It will also help you test out if the online platform you chose works for you.

Once you get into a campaign, at the end of each session (at least at first), check in with players and how online tools worked for them. You can also do this at the beginning of a session, but that way you will have time between games to make adjustments. If players could not hear each other, for example, they will have time to get a good headset and/or microphone. You might even reconsider using video or audio if one gave players a hard time. 

Time to Play Tabletop RPGs Online!

You now have a handle on what it takes to play tabletop RPGs online. As you can see, you don’t need much to get started. Yet you may be missing the most important and obvious piece of all still: a gaming group. Fortunately, we have a guide for finding a tabletop RPG group, complete with a section for online play. 

Once you get going, make sure to check in here and let us know what tabletop RPGs and online tools you like playing with. It will help all of us play more games and have more fun. And that’s what it’s all about.