Dungeons & Dragonsis soon to come out with a brand-new adventure, but you may not actually be able to play it. In addition toits core rulebooks,DnDregularly puts out a variety of different campaigns for players to run through. From the basic, low-level introductory adventures included with yourDungeon Master’a Guide, to thehigh-level dragon battlescontained in some of its supplements, there’s something for everyone.
AndDnDrecently announced another campaign, which is expected to be playable soon. However, given what little we know about its release,you may never be able to try it out for yourself.
D&D’s Japanese Adventure Sounds Exciting
What To Know About Oni’s Right Hand
Dungeons & Dragons' next campaign is calledOni’s Right Hand, and, as the title and imagery above imply,it owes a debt to Japanese culture. Set in Phandalin, the campaign will cast you asone of five pre-made characters, all of whose lives are thrown into turmoil when a cursed glove known as the Oni’s Claw suddenly appears on the market.
Featuring art byDuel Mastersillustrator Toshiaki Takayama,Oni’s Right Handlooks absolutely gorgeous, and stunningly different from anything else the RPG has put out in recent years. But if you’re located anywhere but Japan, and don’t speak Japanese,Oni’s Right Handjust may not be within your reach.
The issue is thatOni’s Right Handis only planned for release in Japan, in an effort to bolster the RPG’s popularity there. To that end, Wizards of the Coast will be holding a series of Learn-to-Play events throughout Japan.
I Hope D&D Localizes Oni’s Right Hand
All Players Deserve To Try This Unique Campaign
Now, it’s not that there’s no chance ofOni’s Right Handever making it out of Japan. A brand manager at Hasbro Japan,Himmy T, clarified in a LinkedIn comment that"We’re exploring options for global availability.“That said, at present, there appear to be no plans to release the new campaign in the rest of the world.
There may be a perfectly good reason for it:Wizards of the Coast may be playing it safe, trying to avoid controversy over cultural appropriation or stereotypes in such a clearly Asian-inspired setting. Given the recentcontroversy overDnD’s 2024 changesto its in-game races, a little bit of caution is understandable.
That said,Oni’s Right Handmay have a unique advantage in thatit’s actually created by a group of Japanese writers, artists, and designers- it comes from an authentic immersion in Japanese culture, not an outsider’s passing familiarity. With a thoughtful, accurate localization process,Oni’s Right Handwould do just fine.
In general, a campaign authentically inspired by Japanese culture could be a wonderful thing for WesternDnDaudiences. There’s a good chance thatOni’s Right Handcould get a worldwide release in the future, and I hope it does - it’d genuinely be the firstDungeons & Dragonscampaign of its type.
