The Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft Gameplay Expansion gives Dungeon Masters tools to set adventures in Azeroth, including dungeons inspired by the MMORPG. But lead designer James Wyatt says the aim was to capture the world’s feel without making D&D play like the video game.

Wyatt told Polygon that the team did not want to repeat an approach he believes pushed D&D too close to an MMO. D&D’s 4th Edition, released in 2008, replaced the previous edition’s rules with powers usable at will, once per encounter or once per day. Its class roles, including Defender, Striker and Leader, also drew criticism from players who felt the system resembled World of Warcraft.

The new expansion includes rules for adapting WoW classes and builds, but Wyatt said the designers prioritised capturing their flavour over recreating ability rotations and cooldowns. The team considered adding rules for managing enemy aggro, then opted to use existing D&D mechanics, including the Battle Master Fighter’s Goading Attack and the Protection Fighting Style feat.

Some conversions required bigger changes. The book reworks Paladin features to support Death Knights, replacing abilities associated with light and healing with options focused on death, necrotic damage and darkness. Wyatt described the changes as tailored alternatives rather than a single system applied to every class.

The Shaman proved especially challenging to adapt. Wyatt said the team redesigned the Barbarian, replacing Primal Knowledge with the ability to create totems that help allies and hinder enemies. He is currently playing the class and has added the Magic Initiate (Druid) feat to bring in more primal magic.

The expansion’s spells may also be usable in D&D settings beyond Azeroth. Wyatt said they were balanced against spells in the Player’s Handbook, though some options may feel unusual outside their original context. One example is Arcane Pulse, a Nightborne Elf cantrip that slows nearby enemies rather than increasing its damage as it scales.

Wyatt also wrote guidance for Dungeon Masters on running adventures in Azeroth. It encourages them not to treat a campaign like an MMO: dungeons may take several sessions, and players should be able to interact creatively with the world and its characters instead of simply following set routes and defeating enemies. Wyatt noted that, unlike in a game where content can reset, the consequences of characters’ actions in D&D should matter.

Sources: Polygon.