D&D is off to the races at the start of the new year, welcoming in some new (familiar) faces to the D&D design team.
Wizards of the Coast is growing its conclave, according to recent announcements. Is conclave the right group name for wizards? It seems like the sort of thing they’d be doing. Maybe a luncheon of wizards, if Sir Terry Pratchett’s Unseen University is to be believed. Whatever it is that wizards do that gives them their group name, there are at least two more of them now.
At least two new folks have joined the D&D design team, which is what I’m trying to say. Joey Haeck and Leon Barillaro are two recent hirees according to announcements on Bluesky (and the Eldritch Lore podcast). There may yet be others, but for now, here’s a look at the two new faces in D&D’s wizard circle.
Two New Faces On The D&D Design Team
First up, Joey Haeck, who joins WotC as a senior designer. Haeck is undoubtedly no stranger to WotC. Their previous work includes Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, as well as Critical Role/WotC collabs Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount and Call of the Netherdeep.
Or it’s possible you recognize Haeck’s name from their stint as lead writer for D&D Beyond back before D&D Beyond was acquired by WotC. Which just goes to show how byzantine the halls of ttrpg design can be.
Leon Barillaro, who announced today on Instagram that they were joining WotC’s D&D team, has also worked extensively in the ttrpg space, freelancing on more than 50 different titles out there. You might recognize their name from titles like Book of Blades for Tales of the Valiant, various articles (including one on Arcanolinguistics) for MCDM’s Arcadia, Level Up: Trials & Treasures, or The Vault for the recent ENnie winning Triangle Agency.
All that to say, these are two designers have broad experience that they will be bringing to the D&D design table. As 5.5E kicks into the next year (no news as to what to expect yet, but hey, it’s only day 5 of 2026), things are looking up.
The two new designers join in the wake of a recent wave of promotions, including Justice Arman as D&D’s new Game Design Director. As the new team congeals, I’m sure we can expect more announcements to follow.
In the meantime, if 2024’s big 50th anniversary spectacular plans are anything to go by, keep an eye out for an adventure featuring the Red Wizards of Thay and maybe even a campaign featuring Venger sometime in the not too distant future.
D&D is rolling well on initiative for 2026 – may we all do the same!
