Since Dungeons & Dragons 5e released, most newly printed books introduced new worlds, monsters, and more. However, the 2025 roadmap includes the first return to an existing campaign setting that we’ve seen in this ruleset. With Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, the creative team returns to and expands upon the realm of Eberron. Naturally, this includes a fresh look at the Artificer class closely associated with this region, but there’s plenty of other updates and lore tweaks to interest players and DMs alike.
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Eberron: Forge of the Artificer is set to release on August 19, 2025. This newly updated look at Eberron includes a “glow up” of the Artificer class, with new subclass options and a tweaked ruleset for the class. This should be similar to the updates many of the core classes saw in the 2024 revision of the 5e Player’s Handbook. It includes new background options alongside the new subclasses, which are pictured below. The creative team wasn’t ready to share the specific names of the new subclasses when we spoke with them, but the artwork certainly brings up some ideas.
The book will also revisit and, in some cases, revises the rules related to the lore of the Eberron region. This includes changes to dragonmarks and the dragonmarked houses, expanding how one becomes dragonmarked and expanding which species are included. For those with an affinity for airships, the book will also include more information about them and new ways to use them.
In addition to player-focused information that will expand options for crafting an Artificer and/or dragonmarked character, the book contains info for DMs, as well. There will be three chapters focused on looping the Eberron region into the newly updated DM guide. Each is designed to help DMs build campaigns in this region, and will include adventure options. These chapters are called:
- Sharn Inquisitives
- Dragonmarked Intrigue
- Margrave Expeditions
New D&D Eberron Book Will Be a Companion, Not a Replacement
For many D&D fans, lore and rules are close to sacred. As such, fans of the Eberron region as defined in Eberron: Rising from the Last War will want to know what a return to the region means. According to Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford, the new book is a companion to the first, not a replacement.
DMs looking to set a campaign in Eberron will likely want to have both on hand, as Rising from the Last War includes a deeper look at lore that will be helpful when adventuring in the region. By contrast, Forge of the Artificer primarily focuses on the newly introduced lore and changes, while providing a basic overview of the campaign setting.
This begs the question of whether the two will be bundled together, and the answer is yes. While Wizards of the Coast wasn’t ready to confirm exact details, a bundle that includes both Rising from the Last War and Forge of the Artificer is in the works for those planning their next campaign in Eberron. That said, the newer release is intended to work as a standalone guide for players interested in the Artificer class and DMs curious about the campaign setting, so both books shouldn’t be required for a party to set foot in Eberron.
Eberron: Forge of the Artificer is set to release on August 19th, 2025. The exact pricing has not yet been announced, but players should prepare for this to look different from previous D&D books.
