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Field test report · as of September 2026; CharGen prices re-checked 16 October 2026

Donjon Alternatives: 6 Tools I Use for Faster D&D Prep in 2026

My pick for linked prep is CharGen, which I make; for a free swap with no signup it is Kassoon. Donjon's free generators have been a DM staple for over a decade and they still work. Tables roll, results land, you keep moving. The trade is that everything is a flat list, disconnected from each other and from any linked visual content. Here are the six tools I tested as upgrades during March and April 2026. Update for July 2026: I corrected the Roll For Fantasy entry below, which originally described it as a name-generator library. That was a mix-up with a different tool (Fantasy Name Generators). Roll For Fantasy is actually a free visual map and dungeon-layout builder, which is a genuinely useful gap-filler when you want to place walls and props by hand, since Donjon's dungeon maps are rolled for you. Update for September 2026: I also corrected my own claim that Donjon has no visual output. It draws dungeon maps as images (with layout and image-size options), has a treasure map generator, and its Avatar Legends, Call of Cthulhu, Alien, and Blade Runner NPC generators include portraits. What it does not do is fantasy portrait art or linked, campaign-aware content, so the comparison below still holds, just on a fairer footing. Update for October 2026: I also corrected three of my claims about CharGen. Auto-linking happens when you generate one record from another, an NPC record has a portrait slot but no map, and batch tools are on Ultimate only.

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The lineup

How the 6 tools compare.

Same campaign, same prompts, same target output, with the tradeoffs that actually showed up in my run.

FIELD KITAI portrait
WINNER

CharGen

Context-aware AI generators with linked entities and visual content.

What I use weekly, and I build it, so weigh my WINNER stamp with that in mind. CharGen replaces most of what I used Donjon for: NPCs, settlements, shops, loot tables, dungeons, names. The difference is context. A NightSerpent settlement in CharGen comes with notable NPCs and faction tensions in the record, a button that generates a linked NPC page for any of them, and a town map slot. A Donjon settlement is a paragraph. Free tier covers casual prep. The trade against Donjon is that CharGen needs an account and a free credit budget, while Donjon is open with no signup at all. The free tier has unlimited text generators, so the credit budget only bites on images.

What it does well

  • Context-aware, every NPC generated from a settlement or faction page links to it automatically (other links take a pick from a list)
  • Free tier covers casual prep with unlimited text generators, no card required
  • Visual content baked in, portrait + map slots alongside the text (a portrait on every NPC, a town map on every settlement), and a token + border from the free Token Maker, which needs no account
  • Session note linkage for recurring entities

What it doesn't

  • Account required, Donjon is signup-free
  • Free text generators are unlimited, but image drafts cap at 10 a day, while Donjon has no cap on anything
  • Less classic table-driven feel for old-school DMs who like the random roll
Best for

DMs who want generated content that links together and to visual assets, not flat lists.

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LOREMASTERReference / random gen
APPROVED

Kassoon

Free random generators with stronger town integration than Donjon.

Kassoon is the closest direct competitor to Donjon I have tested. Free, no signup, a similar table-driven approach, but with deeper town and settlement generators that link inhabitants, shops, and rumours together. NPC generation includes physical descriptions and personalities. Combat encounter builder accepts party level and difficulty. For a DM who wants Donjon's free-and-fast approach with one or two upgrades, Kassoon is the cleanest swap.

Best for

DMs who want Donjon's free-and-fast workflow with a couple of meaningful upgrades.

Visit Kassoon
COINMASTERReference / random gen
NICHE FIT

5eMagic.Shop

Sane Magic Item Prices methodology applied to shop generation.

5eMagic.Shop solves one specific Donjon weakness: magic item pricing. Donjon's shop generator works but its pricing is the raw DMG numbers, which many DMs and I find inconsistent. 5eMagic.Shop applies the Sane Magic Item Prices methodology, which rebalances consumables and attunement items so the economy holds together over a long campaign. Free, no signup, narrow focus. If your shop output looks fine in Donjon, you do not need this. If pricing keeps tripping you up, it is the cleanest fix.

Best for

DMs whose magic item economy keeps breaking when they use raw DMG pricing.

Visit 5eMagic.Shop
CARTOGRAPHERReference / random gen
NICHE FIT

Roll For Fantasy

Free visual map and dungeon layout builder for maps you place by hand rather than roll.

Roll For Fantasy is a free suite of 40 creator tools, and the standout pair is a click-to-build grid map creator and a dungeon layout tool where you place walls and props room by room, then save or print the result. Donjon's dungeon generator rolls a map for you; this lets you build the floor plan yourself, wall by wall and prop by prop. It also covers town, castle, shop-inventory, and loot generators, so it overlaps Donjon on breadth too. Interface is dated and there is no account or campaign linkage, but for hand-built maps and layouts rather than rolled ones, it is the free pick.

Best for

DMs who want to place a dungeon or town layout by hand instead of accepting a rolled one.

Visit Roll For Fantasy
CONJURERGeneral AI art
WITH CAVEATS

Leonardo AI

Strong general AI image generator for the fantasy portraits and scene art Donjon does not generate.

Donjon's visuals are maps and a few system-specific portraits, not fantasy portrait art. Leonardo fills that gap. When Donjon hands me an NPC paragraph, I drop the description into Leonardo for a portrait pass. Fantasy-tuned models (Phoenix, RPG v5) hold armour and lighting well. The catch is that pairing Donjon plus Leonardo means juggling two tools and two contexts, which is slower than running everything in CharGen. As a visual companion to Donjon's text, it works.

Best for

DMs already happy with Donjon's text who want fast portraits to go with it.

Visit Leonardo AI
GUILD APPRENTICEAI portrait
NICHE FIT

NightCafe

Approachable AI image generator for first-time AI users.

NightCafe is the friendliest landing for someone trying AI image generation for the first time. It pairs with Donjon the same way Leonardo does: Donjon gives you the text, NightCafe gives you the portrait. Output ceiling is lower than Leonardo or CharGen at top quality, and the free daily credit allowance stings on a longer prep block. For first-time AI users who want to extend Donjon with visual content without learning a complex tool, it is the lowest-friction entry.

Best for

First-time AI users who want to add basic portraits to Donjon's text output.

Visit NightCafe

The field log

Feature comparison.

Every cell verifiable from the linked sources at the foot of this report.

FIELD KITCharGen
  • Free, no signup
    free tier, account required
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
    balanced output, partial at best: no published method
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
  • Save / export generated content
  • Pricing modelFree + paid
LOREMASTERKassoon
  • Free, no signup
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
    DMG pricing
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
    town only
  • Save / export generated content
    manual copy
  • Pricing modelFree + optional Patreon
COINMASTER5eMagic.Shop
  • Free, no signup
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
  • Save / export generated content
    manual copy free, Keeper tier saves and shares
  • Pricing modelFree + optional Patreon
CARTOGRAPHERRoll For Fantasy
  • Free, no signup
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
    town creator, no linked NPCs
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
    map + dungeon layout tool, no portraits
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
  • Save / export generated content
    map/dungeon tools save & print, rest is manual copy
  • Pricing modelFree
CONJURERLeonardo AI
  • Free, no signup
    account required
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
  • Save / export generated content
  • Pricing modelFree + paid
GUILD APPRENTICENightCafe
  • Free, no signup
    account required
  • NPC generator
  • Settlement / town generator
  • Shop / inventory generator
  • Sane magic item pricing
  • Visual content (portraits, maps)
  • Linked entities (NPC -> settlement -> faction)
  • Save / export generated content
  • Pricing modelFree + paid

Choose by problem

Match the job, then the tool.

Most tool decisions are job decisions in disguise. Pick the row that fits your real prep problem.

  1. 01

    If

    You want generated content that links together and includes visuals

    Use

    CharGen

    CharGen's NPC, settlement, and faction outputs are linked together when you generate one from another, and come with portraits and maps (a portrait slot for an NPC, a town map slot for a settlement), all in one workspace.

  2. 02

    If

    You want Donjon's free-and-fast approach with deeper town integration

    Use

    Kassoon

    Kassoon is the cleanest direct upgrade, free with no signup, with a stronger town generator.

  3. 03

    If

    Your magic item economy keeps breaking when you use raw DMG pricing

    Use

    5eMagic.Shop

    5eMagic.Shop applies the Sane Magic Item Prices methodology, which rebalances consumables and attunement items.

  4. 04

    If

    You want to place a dungeon or town layout by hand instead of rolling one

    Use

    Roll For Fantasy

    Roll For Fantasy's click-to-build map and dungeon creator lets you place the floor plan yourself, where Donjon rolls one for you.

  5. 05

    If

    You are happy with Donjon's text but want fast portraits alongside it

    Use

    Leonardo AI

    Leonardo's fantasy-tuned models produce strong portraits, and the free daily tokens cover casual pairing with Donjon.

  6. 06

    If

    You want to add visual content to Donjon and you have never used AI image tools

    Use

    NightCafe

    NightCafe's UI and social feed are the friendliest landing for first-time AI image users.

Pricing · as of September 2026; CharGen prices re-checked 16 October 2026

Plan costs side by side.

Verify against each platform's official pricing page before committing.

Tool
FIELD KITCharGen

Free

Yes, unlimited text generators, 10 gold a day for images (up to 100), account required

Entry paid

£8/mo (Plus, billed annually)

Notes

Plus, Elite, Ultimate tiers scale credits (900, 2,000 and 4,500 gold a month) and unlock premium models; batch operations are Ultimate only. UK pricing in GBP, annual-billing equivalent (month to month is £9.99, £19.99, £39.99).

LOREMASTERKassoon

Free

Yes, no signup

Entry paid

Free (optional Patreon premium)

Notes

Optional Patreon premium tier: no ads, more saved characters, maps and notes, premium-only modules. Core generators stay free with no signup.

COINMASTER5eMagic.Shop

Free

Yes, no signup

Entry paid

Free

Notes

Optional Patreon Keeper tier: ad-free, plus saving and sharing shops and spellbooks. Core generators free. Shop-focused tool.

CARTOGRAPHERRoll For Fantasy

Free

Yes, no signup

Entry paid

Free

Notes

No subscription tier found. Map and dungeon creator save/print, other generators are copy-paste.

CONJURERLeonardo AI

Free

150 daily tokens (free tier)

Entry paid

$12/mo (Essential)

Notes

Essential, Premium, Ultimate tiers with 8,500, 25,000 and 60,000 monthly tokens (renamed from Apprentice/Artisan/Maestro, same prices). Token cost varies by model and resolution.

GUILD APPRENTICENightCafe

Free

Earned daily via login/streak rewards, Daily Challenge, badges

Entry paid

$7.49/mo (AI Beginner, monthly billing; $5.99 annual-billed)

Notes

Cheapest paid AI image tier, with five plans up to AI Artist at $62.49/mo monthly-billed. Prices from NightCafe's help centre; the site's own pricing table is JS-rendered and did not load for my fetch.

Switching from Donjon

How to switch in ten minutes.

If you have been using Donjon for NPCs and settlements, the switch to CharGen takes about ten minutes. Open the NPC Generator, drop in the role and one or two visual anchors, and CharGen drafts a stat block and a one-line motivation, with a portrait slot on the same page. The NPC saves to your workspace and links to whichever settlement or faction you tag it with. Your existing Donjon outputs still have value as quick fallback rolls when CharGen image credits run low (text generation never uses them). You do not need to abandon Donjon, you just stop reaching for it as the default.

Try CharGen Free

FAQ

Common DM questions about this lineup.

Q01

What is the best free Donjon alternative in 2026?

Kassoon is the closest direct free Donjon alternative. Same approach (random generation, no signup), with deeper town integration and an encounter builder. CharGen's free tier covers more ground but requires an account. For DMs who want Donjon's exact workflow with one upgrade, Kassoon is the swap.

Q02

Is Donjon still worth using if I have these alternatives?

Yes for quick fallback rolls. Donjon's name generators, dungeon layouts, and treasure tables are still solid and load instantly with no signup. In my experience, most working DMs I know use one of the alternatives as the primary workflow and reach for Donjon when they need a fast roll without opening another tool.

Q03

Which alternative produces the best NPCs?

CharGen produces the most usable NPCs, with portrait and voice slots, stat hooks, and a link to the settlement they live in when you generate them from that settlement's page. Kassoon's NPCs are the strongest free text-only option, with physical descriptions and personality traits built in. Roll For Fantasy does not generate NPCs at all, its strength is visual maps and dungeon layouts. Leonardo and NightCafe handle the visual side but no NPC text.

Q04

Do any of these tools handle magic item pricing better than Donjon?

5eMagic.Shop applies the Sane Magic Item Prices methodology, which many DMs and I find handles long-campaign economy better than the raw DMG numbers Donjon and Kassoon use. CharGen's shop output is balanced for your party level and game system but does not expose the pricing methodology directly. Leonardo and NightCafe do not produce shop content.

Q05

Can I pair multiple alternatives the way I pair Donjon with other tools?

Yes. The most common pairing I see is CharGen plus 5eMagic.Shop (CharGen for the campaign layer, 5eMagic.Shop for sane magic item pricing), or Kassoon plus Leonardo (Kassoon for free text, Leonardo for portraits). Pairing always slows the workflow compared to one integrated tool, but free tools mix well.

Q06

Are these tools safe for commercial or published TTRPG content?

Each platform has its own terms. Donjon, Kassoon, 5eMagic.Shop, and Roll For Fantasy generate from public-domain or original tables, generally safer for commercial use, but check each tool's terms. AI image tools (CharGen, Leonardo, NightCafe) require you to read the current terms before publishing. Model licensing changes regularly.

References

Sources cited.

Verify any claim above against the source. Pricing snapshots taken on the date in the field above.

  1. [01]Donjon official siteofficial
  2. [02]Kassoon official siteofficial
  3. [03]5eMagic.Shopofficial
  4. [04]Roll For Fantasyofficial
  5. [05]Leonardo AI pricingofficial
  6. [06]NightCafe pricingofficial
  7. [07]r/DungeonMasters tool roundupsreddit

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