I was chatting with one of the players in a D&D game I play on Saturdays about what we wished for from new modules. He was talking to me about how he wished that Wizards of the Coast would release something more like a settlement that has a city with a bunch of named NPCs, each with personalities and background information. A book that included factions, possible plot points and encounters just for that city. Modules can sometimes feel restricting and we might want to play in a sandbox world of our own design, but world building can be hard. Finding tools for world building and running campaigns can be difficult. Sometimes we want a prebuilt world just placed right on our laps just because building one ourselves takes too much effort.
I’m sure, if you’re anything like me, you’ve looked at your notes and thought, "There has to be an easier way to run my world." Well, I have some good news for you. There are a lot of really good tools out there for worldbuilding and VTT (virtual tabletop). In this guide, I'm going to highlight some of the big names, what they do well, and where Friends & Fables fits in as an AI game maker that speeds up creativity instead of replacing it.
Before diving into all of the features of these different worldbuilders or virtual tabletops, I should probably start off by defining what a worldbuilding or virtual tabletop tool is. Virtual tabletops focus on running sessions online, which include maps, tokens, and rolls. Worldbuilding platforms help you write and organize your lore with things like articles, timelines, and maps. Some of these tools mix both. Friends and Fables aims to do something different, where it bundles AI-assisted creation with a chat-based virtual tabletop so that you can go from idea to play in just minutes.
Roll20 is a virtual tabletop statement. I don't say that lightly. Roll20 is a full-featured virtual tabletop with character sheets, dice rolling, voice chat, drag-and-drop from its compendium, maps, dynamic lighting, and more. I've personally been using Roll20 for about a decade now and will probably still be using them for years to come. For a dungeon master, Roll20 is still one of the go-tos if you want to run games for your friends on a virtual tabletop. They score really high for me when it comes to virtual tabletop gameplay, game management, character management, and content and customization. Subscriptions for Roll20 range from $50 to $150 per year, which can be a pretty heavy price tag for some, especially considering that you still have to purchase rule books and modules, but the features are worth it. They do have a free tier that lets you play and run games for free, but there are a lot of features that you lose out on without a subscription.
Features: Interactive digital maps, token management, digital dice roller, integrated communication, layer system, lighting and vision, fog of war, darkness, drawing and measuring tools, effects tool, turn tracker, interactive character sheets, journal, jukebox, macros, compendium integration, art library, API access, custom character sheets, transmogrifier, LFG
Foundry VTT is also a really good virtual tabletop that has my visually favorite UI. Where it really shines is that it's a self-hosted application where you pay just once for a license to run the application locally from your computer. This is one of my favorite parts about Foundry, because it doesn't put you on a subscription. You completely own and control all of your game data, files, and assets. The price tag for this is just $50 plus anything that you purchase from marketplace sellers like Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, or Paizo. Foundry does just about everything that Roll20 can do, just with a one-time purchase instead of a subscription.
Features: Self-hosted application, one-time payment, data ownership, system flexibility, dynamic lighting, layer system, ambient audio system, interactive map tools, integrated communication, powerful module API, system and module browser, macro scripting, journal entries, compendium packs
Fantasy Grounds has great ruleset automation with broad access to official D&D content. Items, spells, and abilities drop into sheets and unlock automations for play, which makes it easier for dungeon masters' constant bookkeeping. The UI for Fantasy Grounds doesn't look as appealing as Foundry's or Roll20's, but they are still a very solid and popular VTT. Fantasy Grounds was also one of those virtual tabletops that had a one-time purchase, but that all changed just a few days prior to me writing this. SmiteWorks USA made Fantasy Grounds VTT completely free without restricting any features, which really sets them apart.
Features: Free, content and licensing focus, native application, game system automation, ruleset library, dynamic lighting, fog of war, layered maps, combat tracker, 3D dice, map tools, integrated compendiums, journal entries, module exporting, integrated communication
I stumbled across Owlbear Rodeo recently and was very surprised. It had some cool features with animated maps, real-time networking, and lighting that really caught my attention. The best feature that they had that looked like it worked really well was how it was designed to run as easily on mobile as it would on desktop. The only thing that they didn't have, which was kind of a breaking point for me, was character sheets. Which meant that if you wanted to use Owlbear Rodeo, everyone would have to keep track of their character sheets, inventory, and notes separately. They do have a way for players to roll dice, which is still really good. I can see myself using Owlbear Rodeo for some couch tabletop games with friends. The price is also free, but you could pay a few bucks for some additional space for uploading assets.
Features: Browser-based, lightweight, map-focused, real-time networking, local storage, scene management, token management, animated map support, drawing tools, fog of war, rich text notes, dice extension, 3D dice, content library
World Anvil is primarily used as a worldbuilding platform that functions as a wiki and project management tool for dungeon masters, writers, or people who just like to build worlds. World Anvil has made it possible to integrate your world with Foundry VTT so that you can have access to all of their features. I personally have not used World Anvil, but I have seen entire wikis created for player worlds using their platform, and they are really impressive. World Anvil is free, but you can pay for additional storage and articles.
Features: Wiki-style articles, article templates, hyperlinking system, categories manager, privacy controls, article autosave, advanced search & filtering, manuscripts, timelines, interactive maps, family trees, diplomacy webs, to-do lists, chronicles, whiteboards, notebooks, campaign manager, RPG system integration, statblocks, dice roller
Kanka is completely free unless you want an ad-free experience and some visual upgrades. Kanka is a tool designed to help game masters and writers organize the lore for their TTRPG campaigns and worlds. It is entity-based, which means it's built around creating structured articles for key world elements. Things like characters, locations, families, organizations, items, events, quests, and races would be entities. I like the UI for Kanka and how their Web of Connections looks. If you’re looking for a place to organize your notes and keep track of your world, this is one of the best free tools out there.
Features: Entity-based structure, interconnected lore, customization, permissions system, flexible attributes, attachments, tags, search, advanced calendars, events, timelines, journals, campaign management, interactive maps, abilities, inventory, API access, data export
Friends & Fables is my go-to for worldbuilding right now. AI is best when it removes friction. It can fill in the gaps, generate a draft, suggest art, or build a stat block that you can then tweak. I can't tell you how many times I would go in and get writer's block, just to have AI come in and save the day with a simple suggestion or a cool visual that gets me back on track. There's a lot of busy work that doesn't need to hold you back when you're world-building. This is where Friends & Fables comes in. FnF's mission is to make TTRPGs easy to start and keep going, especially when schedules are messy.
Friends & Fables is different because it makes it so you can generate a world and play in it all in the same place. It is a generative tabletop RPG inspired by 5e that lets you create NPCs, monsters, items, spells, and maps, then play them right away in a chat-based VTT with up to 6 friends. Right now, the AI campaign engine tracks stats, takes notes, and creates new content so you can focus on roleplay. And even if you aren't interested in using the AI to play, then don't worry! Subscriptions allow for unlimited gameplay, but a subscription isn't required at all to use any of the AI worldbuilding tools.
Features: AI game master, dynamic storytelling, natural language interaction, collaborative memory system, customizable AI behavior, adaptive adventure design, tactical 5e combat, VTT interface, automated tracking, inventory management, cross-platform accessibility, multiplayer, solo play, travel system, custom world creation, AI generative tools (maps, NPCs, locations, items, monsters, etc.), interactive map, dice roller, text-to-speech, community sharing
At the end of the day, there isn’t a single “best” tool for everyone, there’s just the best fit for what you need right now. Roll20 is fantastic for plug-and-play sessions. Foundry is great if you like owning your setup. Fantasy Grounds is a great free option with a lot of automation. Owlbear Rodeo is a fast and ready tabletop on the go. World Anvil and Kanka are awesome for keeping your lore tidy. You can even mix and match. That’s the beauty of today’s TTRPG toolbox.
Where Friends & Fables stands out is speed and flow. When you’re stuck, AI turns a blank page into a springboard. It can help you with drafts for NPCs, locations, monsters, items, and even art, all so you can get back to the fun part. Making choices and telling stories. Franz, the AI GM, keeps track of the details while you roleplay, and the chat-based VTT makes it easy to jump into a scene without wrestling with any setup. AI here isn’t a replacement for your creativity, it’s just here for support and speed, to help you get to the fun part faster.
If you already love your current VTT, keep loving it. But if you want a creative partner that helps you go from idea to table in minutes, give Friends & Fables a try.