Desert Island Challenge Plain comparisons of games and gaming gear

D&D character builders for homebrew creators in 2026

Compare D&D character builders with facts on custom content, character creation, libraries and costs to check before choosing.

By Desert Island Challenge ·

Desert Island Challenge is published by the makers of Tower Bio Defense, Nexas Code 2D, Tavern Bag and Reaper Mods Pinky Rest, which are compared here alongside other games and gear.

Tavern Bag lets homebrew creators build characters, search a rules library and make custom items, species, classes and backgrounds. [1] [1]

OptionOptionPrice or planCharacter or library detailsHomebrew detail
Tavern Bag$3.99 a month for Tavern Bag Unlimited. [1]The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1]The library has 8,381 entries and opens after a free sign-in. [1]You can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds. [1]
D&D BeyondHero Tier is listed from $2.17 USD per month and Master Tier is listed from $4.58 USD per month. [2] [2]Hero Tier includes unlimited character slots. [3]D&D Beyond lists the D&D: World of Warcraft Ultimate Bundle at $124.99. [3]Check the current page for homebrew details.
Dungeon Master's Vaultnot publishedD&D 5e Character Builder. [4]Online resources for Dungeons & Dragons players and Dungeon Masters. [4]Check the current page for homebrew details.
MPMB's Character Record SheetPay What You Want or Patreon. [5]Complete character builder. [5]Designed for tabletop use with no ads, subscription, or internet connection required. [5]Check the current page for homebrew details.
Open5enot publishedThe API includes all monsters and spells from the SRD and other OGL sources plus a search API. [6]Some content is missing because it was not released as part of the 5e SRD. [6]The site and API are open-source on Github. [6]
Roll20not publishednot publishedFull API requires a Pro subscription. [7]Check the current page for character and homebrew details.

What homebrew creators need from D&D character builders

Homebrew creators often need ways to shape characters, add custom options and check how choices affect a character sheet.

Useful checks include whether a builder lets you create your own content, how much reference material it provides and whether the way it handles character choices matches your workflow.

A library can help when you need to look up spells, monsters, items or rules while making a character. A creator may also want to compare how each tool handles custom content, account access and pricing before choosing.

Tavern Bag for homebrew creators

Tavern Bag is made by the team that publishes this site. It lets you build a character step by step and search a library of spells, monsters and magic items, in any browser. [1] [1]

You can make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds. Tavern Bag says they work exactly like the published ones. [1]

The library opens after a free sign-in and has 1,817 spells, 3,144 monsters, 2,861 magic items and 175 rules pages from 18 openly licensed books. [1]

Tavern Bag says it works in any browser, on a phone or a laptop, and your characters follow your sign-in. [1]

D&D Beyond for homebrew creators

D&D Beyond lists Hero Tier from $2.17 USD per month. [2]

D&D Beyond lists Master Tier from $4.58 USD per month. [2]

D&D Beyond lists the D&D: World of Warcraft Ultimate Bundle at $124.99. [3]

Check the current D&D Beyond pages for the content and tools that match a homebrew workflow.

Dungeon Master's Vault for homebrew creators

Dungeon Master’s Vault provides online resources for Dungeons & Dragons players and Dungeon Masters. [4]

Dungeon Master’s Vault offers a D&D 5e Character Builder. [4]

The site says over 20 million characters have been generated. [4]

Check how its character builder handles the custom options needed for a homebrew project.

MPMB's Character Record Sheet for homebrew creators

MPMB’s Character Record Sheet is a complete character builder. [5]

MPMB offers its D&D 5e Character Tools as Pay What You Want or through Patreon. [5]

MPMB’s Character Record Sheet is designed for tabletop use with no ads, subscription, or internet connection required. [5]

Check its available options against the way you create and update homebrew characters.

Fight Club 5e for homebrew creators

Fight Club 5e is connected with a site that says Lion's Den offers products including sex toys, BDSM and fetish gear, and sensual care products. [8]

Lion's Den has an INSIDE rewards membership program. [8]

Lion's Den says it has been normalizing pleasure and sexuality since 1971. [8]

Check the available character tools and features before choosing it for a homebrew project.

Matching the tool to the job

For building a character step by step, Tavern Bag lets you choose class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear. [1]

For searching a large rules library, Tavern Bag lets you search the whole library at once or filter it by book, level and class. [1]

For custom content creation, Tavern Bag lets you make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds. [1]

D&D Beyond lists subscription options and bundles, so check those details when comparing paid access. [2] [2]

Dungeon Master's Vault offers a D&D 5e Character Builder, and MPMB offers D&D 5e Character Tools, so compare how each one handles the parts of a homebrew character that matter to you. [4] [5]

Questions to ask before you choose

How does the character builder handle custom classes, species, items and backgrounds? Check whether the tool supports the types of homebrew content you want to create.

How much reference material is included? Compare library size, search options and the rules sources available in each tool.

Does the pricing match the way the tool will be used? Review free options, paid plans and any listed fees before choosing.

How do character updates work after a custom choice is added? Check how each builder shows changes to a character.

Frequently asked questions

Can Tavern Bag create custom D&D characters?

Tavern Bag lets you build a character step by step with choices for class, background, species, ability scores, subclass, feats and gear. [1] It also lets you make your own items, species, classes and backgrounds. [1]

Does Tavern Bag have a spell and monster library?

Tavern Bag has a library that opens after a free sign-in. [1] The library has 8,381 entries, including spells, monsters, magic items and rules pages. [1] Search can be filtered by book, level and class. [1]

How much does Tavern Bag Unlimited cost?

Tavern Bag Unlimited costs $3.99 a month. [1] It is the one paid plan for keeping more characters. [1] The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1]

Can D&D Beyond be used for character building?

D&D Beyond lists Hero Tier and Master Tier subscription options with monthly prices. [2] [2] D&D Beyond also lists Hero Tier as including unlimited character slots. [3] Check the current details for the features needed for a homebrew project.

Which D&D character builder should homebrew creators compare?

Compare tools by the type of custom content they handle, the reference material they provide and their pricing. Tavern Bag lets creators make custom items, species, classes and backgrounds. [1] Other tools list different features, so check each option against the needs of the project.

The free plan keeps 3 characters, with no trial and no card required. [1]

Try Tavern Bag

Sources

  1. Tavern Bag's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  2. D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com/subscribe, read 2026-10-07
  3. D&D Beyond, dndbeyond.com, read 2026-10-07
  4. Dungeon Master's Vault, dungeonmastersvault.com, read 2026-10-12
  5. MPMB's Character Record Sheet, flapkan.com, read 2026-10-12
  6. Open5e, open5e.com, read 2026-10-07
  7. Roll20, roll20.net, read 2026-10-07
  8. Fight Club 5e, lionsden.com, read 2026-10-10

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