A surprise new Dungeons and Dragons sourcebook expansion is arriving on July 28, and this may be an outstanding piece of content for fans of the popular TTRPG, especially due to what it portrays. With the recent release of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, the TTRPG officially inaugurated its Season of Horror, and more releases are expanding it moving forward. There are tons of new D&D subclasses in Ravenloft, as well as monsters, adventures, and more. However, fans can expect the options to grow even more in the upcoming months.
Wizards of the Coast made an official post on D&D Beyond, highlighting all the partnered content scheduled for release in Q3 2026. There are some exciting additions, like the Beyond Player Pack for Steinhardt’s Guide to the Eldritch Hunt, as well as the return to Legends of Greyhawk. Among all of that is a surprise release that is, frankly, quite astonishing, considering the content that it will cover, and the options that players will have.
On July 28, the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood sourcebook will be released for D&D 5.5e. This is a surprising new collaboration that will allow players to tackle the horrors of the Vampire: The Masquerade IP within the iconic D20 TTRPG system. What is most surprising about this is that Vampire: The Masquerade, as a TTRPG system, is often seen as a direct competitor to the game published by Wizards of the Coast.
However, it seems like there is more in common than not, and the vampiric elements and political intrigue from the World of Darkness universe are making their way into Dungeons and Dragons. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood will introduce a new vampire-themed class, called the Kindred, which will use Blood Points, Disciplines, and a Beast system. The upcoming sourcebook also features six clans from Vampire: The Masquerade as subclasses, new backgrounds, feats, gear, and a level 4 adventure to run.
In addition to the regular boons one would expect from a new sourcebook for Dungeons and Dragons, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bound by Blood also brings forth two thematic mechanics that will help you get more immersed in the World of Darkness IP via D&D. The first of them is the Masquerade level, while the other is Narrated Feeding. If you’ve ever played Vampire: The Masquerade, you’ll be familiar with what this means once the rules are explained.
If not, it’s a great starting point, too. While the sourcebook will only truly arrive via D&D Beyond on July 28, the product is up for pre-order on the website. Those who pre-order it will get a bonus, featuring 2 D&D Beyond Character Sheet backdrops to use. This is an unexpected collaboration between two major franchises, but it is great to see that you can now make a World of Darkness campaign inside Dungeons and Dragons with help from an official sourcebook.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Publisher
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TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
- Player Count
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2-7 Players
