Dungeons and Dragons is gearing up to debut a brand-new setting created by actor Joe Manganiello, with “Death Saves” promising a darker, grittier take on the popular tabletop RPG. Dungeons and Dragons has often teamed up with popular creators to develop new settings within its universe.
The massively popular tabletop RPG provides a wide variety of unique and colorful settings across its many realms. From D&D‘s origins with settings like Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms to more fantastical locales like the Nine Hells, fans of the game have no shortage of unique locations to explore. Wizards of the Coast has often brought other popular brands into the game as well with unique modules, including planes from Magic: The Gathering and recent leaks about a World of Warcraft crossover. Now, Dungeons and Dragons is teaming up with Joe Manganiello to introduce a brand-new setting to the game.
Dungeons and Dragons Debuting New Dark Fantasy “Death Saves” Setting
Joe Manganiello and former Dungeons and Dragons product designer Mike Mearls are getting ready to reveal Death Saves as a new D&D product. The Death Saves setting is said to be heavily inspired by Manganiello’s clothing line of the same name, describing it as a ‘black label’ dark fantasy Dungeons and Dragons setting with a grittier atmosphere. The main premise centers on the aftermath of a cataclysm referred to as The Blood War, taking place in a setting where the major gods are dead, and the world is said to be “hanging on by a thread.” Manganiello will debut Death Saves in a live play at the upcoming Gen Con in Indiana on July 31.
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Death Saves aims to deliver a darker spin on the standard Dungeons and Dragons formula with its upcoming release. The setting’s emphasis on dark fantasy as its focus will stray from the high fantasy adventure aesthetic that the game typically goes for, instead steeping itself in tragedy and grimdark design elements. The newest official Dungeons and Dragons setting will also be the first official product to feature Mike Mearls since his 2023 departure from Wizards of the Coast, later working with role-playing game studio Chaosium.
Dungeons and Dragons has given fans a wealth of new content since the game debuted the 2024 revision of its fifth edition. Wizards of the Coast has launched multiple expansions to the 2024 version of the game, including a plethora of new sourcebooks releasing throughout 2026. D&D debuted a new book for its popular Ravenloft setting in June 2026 with the release of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, while September will welcome the release of both the Arcana Unleashed book, focusing heavily on magic, and its companion adventure, Deadfall.
Dungeons and Dragons has a major new video game release on the horizon alongside expansions to the tabletop game. Wizards of the Coast officially revealed Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons at the 2025 Game Awards as a brand-new action-adventure game inspired by the iconic D&D class. The company confirmed that more gameplay will be shown at an undisclosed time in 2026, with the game currently planned to release in 2027. Dungeons and Dragons fans should have lots to look forward to from the franchise throughout the coming months.