Gaining Advantage

Accessible D&D Isn’t Charity—It’s Better Design | Gaining Advantage 43

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Dale discusses what could be the most radical shift in TTRPG accessibility yet. We’re not just talking about a new ruleset. We’re talking about reclaiming the tabletop for everyone.

Free5e isn’t another clone. It’s a community-led, open-source, fully accessible reimagining of 5e designed for affordability, inclusivity, and actual usability. Dale explains how it stays SRD-compliant while offering more than just “good enough.”

 You’ll hear about:

• Accessible formats: Digital braille, high-contrast PDFs, large print, audio, and more
• Affordability: Free digital books, print-at-cost, and Kickstarter-exclusive deeper discounts
• Disability representation: Three modular systems for including disabled characters on your terms
• Flexible design: Inclusive mechanics without creating power imbalances
• Creative Commons licensing: Remix, translate, and adapt—without the legal minefield

Open the Gates Gaming

Dale talks to Chris Campbell-Bohen and Elizabeth McClain from Open the Gates Gaming, two academics who are using their expertise and lived experiences to reshape how we play and how we design for neurodivergence, disability, and cultural diversity.

• How Open the Gates Gaming’s cognitive access tools—like simplified character sheets, modular ability/spell cards, decision guides, and explainer videos—are changing the onboarding experience
• Why cultural representation and narrative inclusion are as vital as mechanics
• The Access Forward Gaming Lounge at PAX East: an experiment in radical accessibility, cross-disability solidarity, and real-time adaptation
• The dangers of defaulting to Eurocentric fantasy tropes and how to tell new stories
• How accessibility is not just a checkbox—it’s a design philosophy

Whether you’re a game designer, a DM, or a player who just wants more people to feel safe at your table, this episode is essential listening.

Show Outline

00:00:00 What if D&D Could Be for Everyone?

00:01:25 Introducing Free5e: Free, Open, Accessible

00:12:38 Meet the Game-Changers Behind Inclusive TTRPGs

00:15:01 How Open the Gates Gaming is Redefining Play

00:22:26 Fixing Accessibility: Why “Everyone’s Welcome” Isn’t Enough

00:30:05 TTRPGs as Empowerment: Finding Belonging at the Table

00:43:00 Designing for Flexibility Without Losing the Magic

01:03:00 The Hard Truth About Inclusive Game Design

01:09:30 When Players Break the Script—and Why It Matters

01:16:30 How You Can Start Making Your Table More Accessible

01:20:00 Is Accessibility Ruining Games? (Spoiler: No)

01:24:00 Upcoming Projects That Could Change Gaming Forever

01:25:15 Patreon Spotlight: Shape the Future of TTRPGs

Links & Resources:

• Free5e Kickstarter (live until end of April): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wyrmworkspublishing/free5e-a-free-open-source-dungeons-and-dragons-alternative?ref=6orsnt 
• Open the Gates Gaming: https://www.openthegatesgaming.org/
• Access Forward Gaming Lounge at PAX East https://east.paxsite.com/en-us/features/pax-together.html
• Virginia Tech Disability Community Technology Center: https://discoteccenter.org/
• Dots RPG: https://dotsrpg.org 
• Wyrmworks Publishing Patreon: https://patreon.com/WyrmworksPublishing 

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Related posts:

Free5e: Releasing D&D into the Wild Forever Free5e Press Kit How to get DnD Books for Free D&D’s Biggest Accessibility Problem (and How to Fix It!)