The D&D 5e Video Games Still Worth Buying After BG3
Table of Contents
You finished BG3 and want the rules, not just the vibe
If Baldur’s Gate 3 hooked you with reactions, concentration and the gamble of a spell slot, you want the 5e ruleset itself. Dragons alone won’t do it. That list is shorter than most sites admit, and several “5e games” they still recommend can’t be bought anymore.
Who this list is for
- Playing solo? Start with Solasta or Esoteric Ebb.
- Have a group? Go straight to the two tabletop apps, which run the full rules.
- Want matches beyond the rulebook? Our main guide to games like Baldur’s Gate 3 sorts them by what you loved.
What counts as 5e here
A pick qualifies only if it runs 5e rules, or openly builds on them, and you can buy it today.
Which video games actually use D&D 5e rules?
Only a handful of games you can buy today run genuine 5e rules. The most complete option isn’t a video game at all.
The short list
| Title | Rules basis | Platforms | Price (USD) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solasta: Crown of the Magister | SRD 5.1 | PC, Mac, Xbox, PS5 | $29.99 | ~39–40 hrs main story (community est.) |
| Esoteric Ebb | 5e-inspired homebrew | PC | $24.99 | |
| Fantasy Grounds VTT | Full 5E and 2024 rulesets | PC (Steam) | Free; official books extra | Open-ended |
| Foundry VTT | Official D&D 5e system | Windows, macOS, Linux | $50 one-time, host only | Open-ended |
Steam list prices and vendor prices in USD, verified September 26, 2026.
⏱️ Verified September 26, 2026: Prices, sales and subscription catalogues change constantly. Confirm on the storefront before you buy.
How we tested fidelity
We asked one question of each game: does it use the published SRD mechanics, or a system its developer openly builds from 5e? A D&D license alone didn’t qualify.
Solasta runs stricter 5e than BG3 does
Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 · Price: $29.99 on Steam (verified Sept 26, 2026) · Length: ~39–40 hrs main story (community estimate) · Mode: Single-player; online co-op up to 4 · Rating: ESRB T.
It shares BG3’s core: the SRD 5.1 ruleset, played turn by turn with a four-person party.
Initiative, attacks of opportunity and darkvision all matter, and it adds climbing, jumping and verticality on top. Free updates raised the level cap to 12 and added online co-op.
Who it’s not for: anyone who played BG3 for its companions. You build your own party, and critics rate its story below its combat.
[Researched — verified against the Steam store page and completion-time aggregator data]
Where it’s more by-the-book
Wargamer argues Solasta replicates 5e more faithfully than any other game, BG3 included. Because it uses only SRD content, iconic setting monsters like mind flayers are absent. It also runs on macOS, which puts it among the few BG3-style games on Mac.
For BG3’s dialogue dice rolls, try Esoteric Ebb
Esoteric Ebb
Platforms: PC (Windows, Steam) · Price: $24.99 (verified Sept 26, 2026) · Mode: Single-player.
It shares BG3’s best trick: a tense skill check deciding what happens in conversation.
You play a cleric investigating an explosion five days before a city election, while your own ability stats interrupt to argue with you. Combat is turn-based but framed as a last resort, so most of your rolls land in dialogue.
Who it’s not for: anyone who wants tactical grid combat or party management. You play one character, and the game is English-only.
[Researched — verified against the Steam store page]
Not strict 5e, and why that’s fine
Its ruleset is homebrew, borrowing 5e’s ability scores, proficiencies, backgrounds and spells and reworking them for a dialogue-led game. Pick it if you loved rolling for persuasion more than rolling for initiative.
The real 5e, free: Fantasy Grounds
Fantasy Grounds VTT
Platforms: PC via Steam · Price: Free software; official adventures sold separately (verified Sept 26, 2026) · Length: Open-ended · Mode: Online multiplayer with a human DM · Rating: Not applicable (software)
It gives you what BG3 approximates: the complete 5e rules, including the 2024 revision, run by a real Dungeon Master.
Since November 2025 the software has been free for everyone, with no license needed to host or join. It handles dice, character sheets and combat automation, so your table gets BG3-grade bookkeeping with a human writing the story.
Who it’s not for: solo players. Without a group and a willing DM, there’s nothing to play.
[Researched — verified against Fantasy Grounds’ official license FAQ and site]
What you need besides the app
You need friends and one person willing to run the game. The free SRD libraries and quickstart rules get you started, as the Fantasy Grounds license FAQ explains. No other pick here costs less, and it slots straight into our list of cheap games like Baldur’s Gate 3.
For more ways to play with friends, see our co-op games like Baldur’s Gate 3.
Foundry VTT, if your group wants official D&D content
Foundry VTT
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux; players join in a browser · Price: $50 one-time license, host only (verified Sept 26, 2026) · Length: Open-ended · Mode: Online multiplayer with a DM · Rating: Not applicable (software)
It shares BG3’s official D&D backing: Foundry partnered with Wizards of the Coast in January 2024.
Its free D&D 5e system includes material from both SRD 5.1 and the newer SRD 5.2, with automatic character advancement and vision rules like darkvision and tremorsense. Only the host buys a license.
Who it’s not for: groups where nobody is comfortable hosting software.
[Researched — verified against Foundry’s FAQ, purchase page and D&D 5e system page]
Hosting, in plain terms
The DM runs Foundry on their own computer or a remote server, and players connect through a web browser. Installing the rules takes one search inside the app, per Foundry’s official D&D 5e system page.
What other lists still recommend, and shouldn’t
Several titles on competing lists are either not really 5e or can no longer be bought.
Neverwinter isn’t really 5e
Neverwinter, the free D&D MMO, often appears beside Solasta. Its creative director said in 2026 that the game adopted 5e class names and a 1–20 level curve but is still built on 4th edition’s core. It’s a live action MMO, not a rules match, and its current module sells a battle pass with premium rewards, so check costs on the official store before spending.
Wait, gone, or going
- Solasta II is in early access at $39.99 on the SRD 5.2 rules. Its roadmap targets a level cap of 10 at 1.0, so wishlist it unless you want to help shape it.
- Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance was delisted on February 24, 2025, and its online servers closed.
- Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation left Steam on May 20, 2022.
- Sigil, Wizards’ 3D virtual tabletop, shuts down at the end of October 2026, per D&D Beyond’s announcement.
FAQ
1. What video games use D&D 5e rules?
Besides BG3, the strictest 5e video games on sale today are Solasta: Crown of the Magister (SRD 5.1) and early-access Solasta II (SRD 5.2).
2. Is Solasta closer to D&D 5e than Baldur’s Gate 3?
Wargamer argues Solasta replicates 5e rules more faithfully than any other game, BG3 included, because it sticks to the SRD 5.1 ruleset.
3. Is Solasta II out yet?
Solasta II launched in Steam early access on March 12, 2026, at $39.99. The finished 1.0 version hasn’t released yet.
4. Is Fantasy Grounds free now?
Yes. Since November 2025, Fantasy Grounds needs no license to host or join, though official D&D adventures are still sold separately.
5. How can I play real D&D 5e online with friends?
Use a virtual tabletop. Fantasy Grounds is free, while Foundry VTT costs $50 once and only the host pays.
6. Does Esoteric Ebb use D&D 5e rules?
Not exactly. Esoteric Ebb uses a homebrew ruleset built from 5e ability scores, proficiencies and spells, focused on dialogue checks.
7. Can you still buy Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance?
No. Dark Alliance was delisted on February 24, 2025, and its online servers closed. Existing owners can still play offline.
8. Does Neverwinter use D&D 5e rules?
Only partly. Neverwinter adopted 5e class names and levels 1–20, but its creative director says it’s still built on 4th edition.
9. What happened to D&D Sigil?
Wizards of the Coast ended development on Sigil. Its servers shut down at the end of October 2026, and its content becomes inaccessible.
10. Does Solasta: Crown of the Magister have co-op?
Yes. Solasta: Crown of the Magister added online co-op in a free update, alongside a level cap increase to 12.
Pick by how much of the rulebook you want
Most players fresh off BG3 should buy Solasta. It’s the closest single-player match to the rules you just learned, at $29.99. If you have a group, install Fantasy Grounds tonight, because trying it costs nothing.
Still torn? Our What Should I Play Next Finder matches by what you loved.
