Owlbear Rodeo

Owlbear Rodeo

Owlbear Rodeo is a free, lightweight, web-based virtual tabletop platform for tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons. It allows game masters to easily set up maps and tokens for online gameplay without requiring players to create accounts.
Owlbear Rodeo image
roleplaying dungeons-dragons virtual-tabletop online-gameplay game-master maps tokens

Owlbear Rodeo: Free Web-Based TTRPG Platform

A free, lightweight web-based virtual tabletop platform for online Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop roleplaying games, allowing game masters to easily set up maps and tokens without player account creation.

What is Owlbear Rodeo?

Owlbear Rodeo is a free, lightweight, web-based virtual tabletop platform designed specifically for playing tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons online. It provides game masters with a simple set of tools to quickly set up interactive maps and tokens for online gameplay sessions without requiring players to create accounts or install software.

Key features of Owlbear Rodeo include drag-and-drop uploading of map images, flexible fog of war and lighting tools, easy token management with the ability to upload custom tokens, intuitive push-to-talk voice chat, dice rolling macros, text chat, and player nametags. It's optimized to provide a streamlined, hassle-free virtual gaming experience.

As a web app that runs in a browser tab, Owlbear Rodeo allows game masters to send players a simple invite link to join their virtual tabletop. This makes onboarding seamless for beginners while still providing versatile tools for experienced users. The platform uses the peer-to-peer WebRTC protocol for direct voice communications to reduce latency. And since it's open source software, the community helps shape future development.

Overall, Owlbear Rodeo stands out for its elegant simplicity as an online tabletop. Its pared-down interface helps game masters and players focus on the storytelling experience, not the technology. For those seeking an easy-to-use VTT option with powerful core features, Owlbear Rodeo hits the sweet spot between functionality and accessibility.

Owlbear Rodeo Features

Features

  1. Virtual tabletop for tabletop RPGs
  2. Drag-and-drop interface
  3. Fog of war
  4. Dice rolling
  5. Drawing tools
  6. Audio/video chat
  7. Character sheets and handouts

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Free and easy to use

No account required for players

Lightweight with minimal setup

Good for new or casual players

Cons

Limited features compared to paid VTTs

No native mobile app

Fewer customization options

Not ideal for complex campaigns


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