Polygon’s Campaign 4 story flagged what fans suspected from the first reveal: Critical Role is running its new campaign as a west-marches style with multiple tables, drop-in and drop-out players, and a shared world. The format is wildly popular at home tables too, but it puts a heavy load on the dungeon master — character sheets across tables, who’s done what quest, which NPC who-met-where. We tested seven desktop apps that handle the west-marches workflow without sliding into spreadsheet chaos. These are the best apps for west marches DnD campaigns on desktop in 2026.
What to look for in a west marches app
Six things matter when you scale a campaign past one table:
- Persistent character sheets accessible to every DM running a table that week
- Shared map and fog-of-war that survives between sessions
- Quest and lore database that all DMs can read and edit
- Calendar or scheduling that does not require a third app
- Asset library so any DM can drop in NPC tokens and battle maps
- Rules-light to rules-deep range, since west marches tables often run different rule sets
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundry VTT | Self-hosted heavyweight | No | $50 one-time | Module ecosystem |
| Roll20 | Cloud play with low setup | Yes | $9.99/mo Plus | Browser-only access |
| Above VTT | DnD Beyond integration | Yes | Free | Built into DnD Beyond |
| Owlbear Rodeo | Lightweight cloud VTT | Yes | $9.99/mo Pro | Simple, fast UI |
| DnD Beyond | Character sheets and rules | Yes | $5.99/mo Hero | Official 5e + One DnD |
| Forge VTT | Managed Foundry hosting | Trial | $5/mo Story Teller | Foundry without server work |
| Improved Initiative | Browser-based initiative tracker | Yes | $19.99/yr Patreon | Initiative-only focus |
| Kanka | Campaign lore database | Yes | $5/mo Owlbear tier | Wiki for west marches lore |
The best apps for west marches DnD campaigns on desktop
1. Foundry VTT, the self-hosted heavyweight
Foundry VTT is the desktop app most home games centre around when scale is the priority. Self-hosted, one-time licence per dungeon master, supports thousands of modules including the entire DnD 5e ruleset and One DnD beta. The 2026 release (v13) added native multi-world routing, which makes running multiple west-marches tables in one Foundry instance practical.
Where it falls short: setup requires comfort with port forwarding or a hosted service. Module compatibility breaks between major versions.
Pricing: $50 USD one-time licence per dungeon master. Players join free.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux. Players connect via a browser.
Download: foundryvtt.com
Bottom line: the centre of gravity for west-marches groups with at least one technically comfortable DM.
2. Roll20, the cloud-default pick
Roll20 is the browser-based VTT most casual groups start on. Cloud-hosted means no port forwarding, and the marketplace covers most published adventures. The 2026 Jumpgate engine refresh sped up map rendering and added improved fog-of-war.
Where it falls short: module ecosystem is smaller than Foundry’s. Premium features (dynamic lighting, advanced compendiums) are tier-gated.
Pricing: Free with limits. Plus at $9.99/month, Pro at $14.99/month.
Platforms: Web. Works on any desktop browser.
Download: roll20.net
Bottom line: the pick when nobody in the group wants to host anything.
3. Above VTT, the DnD Beyond integration
Above VTT runs as a browser extension on top of DnD Beyond, turning Beyond’s character sheets into a playable VTT. Free and active, with map sharing, dynamic lighting, and dice rolls that pull from Beyond character sheets.
Where it falls short: dependent on DnD Beyond for character sheets, which costs extra. Less customisable than Foundry or Roll20.
Pricing: Free for all features.
Platforms: Chrome, Firefox, Edge. Players install the extension.
Download: abovevtt.com
Bottom line: the pick if everyone already uses DnD Beyond.
4. Owlbear Rodeo, the lightweight pick
Owlbear Rodeo strips a VTT down to map, tokens, fog-of-war, and dice. The 2026 plug-in marketplace added support for character sheets, initiative trackers, and rule-aware automations from third-party developers.
Where it falls short: less depth than Foundry or Roll20. Compendium support depends on plugins.
Pricing: Free for personal use. Pro at $9.99/month for hosting larger games and additional plug-ins.
Platforms: Web. No install.
Download: owlbear.rodeo
Bottom line: the pick if you want a VTT that loads in five seconds.
5. DnD Beyond, the character-sheet backbone
DnD Beyond is the official Wizards of the Coast platform for character sheets, compendiums, and rules. Most west-marches groups use it as the shared character backbone even when their VTT lives somewhere else. The 2026 One DnD rules went live.
Where it falls short: is not a VTT. Cost adds up across multiple sourcebooks. Sharing compendiums across the group requires Master Tier or content sharing toggles.
Pricing: free for the basic 5e/One DnD ruleset. Hero at $5.99/month. Master at $9.99/month adds content sharing.
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android.
Download: dndbeyond.com
Bottom line: the character-sheet layer most west-marches campaigns build around.
6. Forge VTT, the managed-Foundry pick
Forge VTT is hosted Foundry without the server-admin work. Reusable assets and worlds across campaigns, instant invitation links, and automatic backups make it the easiest way to run multi-table Foundry without buying server hardware.
Where it falls short: monthly cost on top of the Foundry licence. Some niche modules need fiddling to load.
Pricing: trial available. Story Teller at $5/month, World Builder at $8/month, Game Master at $12/month.
Platforms: Web. Players connect via a browser link.
Download: forge-vtt.com
Bottom line: the pick if you want Foundry without ever touching a server.
7. Kanka, the lore-database pick
Kanka is the campaign wiki app for west-marches and other long-form campaigns. Notes, characters, locations, journal entries, relationships, and calendars all live in one shared database. Multiple DMs can read and write entries.
Where it falls short: is not a VTT. Best used alongside Foundry or Roll20.
Pricing: Free with limits. Owlbear at $5/month removes most limits. Elemental at $12/month adds unlimited campaigns and members.
Platforms: Web. Optional Discord integration.
Download: kanka.io
Bottom line: the shared brain west-marches DMs need next to whatever VTT they pick.
How to pick the right one
- One DM, one home group, deep customisation: Foundry VTT (self-hosted) or Forge VTT (hosted)
- Mixed-skill DMs, browser-only access: Roll20
- Already on DnD Beyond and want a VTT layer: Above VTT
- Want minimal setup: Owlbear Rodeo
- Need a shared compendium: DnD Beyond Master Tier
- Need a wiki across tables: Kanka
- Need initiative tracking alone: Improved Initiative
FAQ
What is a west-marches campaign? West-marches is a shared-world format where many players sign up for sessions on demand, multiple DMs each run a table, and the world persists between sessions. Critical Role’s Campaign 4 uses a variant of this.
Can I run a west-marches campaign in Roll20? Yes. Use shared campaigns and a separate compendium per table. Roll20 Plus or Pro is recommended for multi-table groups.
Is Foundry better than Roll20 for big campaigns? Foundry has more depth and modules. Roll20 has less setup. Big campaigns benefit from Foundry’s automation but pay the time cost up front.
Do I need DnD Beyond if I use Foundry? No. Foundry has its own DnD 5e and One DnD system. DnD Beyond is helpful if your group has already bought sourcebooks there.
What is the cheapest way to run a west-marches campaign? Roll20 Free plus Kanka Free, with Improved Initiative for combat tracking. Total cost: $0 if your DMs are willing to share assets.
