Why Dungeon Reader?
In my eternal effort to minimise clutter behind the screen, I decided to make a browser-based PDF Reader that lets me run the game directly from the adventure module.
Instead of extracting an adventure into external tools, Dungeon Reader keeps prep right on the source text as annotations: you can easily:
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add searchable highlights, notes, bookmarks, monster & NPC annotations (it even auto-populates stats from highlighted text)
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drop draggable links to existing annotations on a map (or anywhere else)
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roll dice right on the page
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navigate the sourcebook with built-in doc outlines and full-text search
It’s just a clean, familiar PDF reader with the right tools built in, so you can run the whole session from the document itself.
Dungeon Reader is 100% client-side and privacy-friendly.
Your PDFs and annotations are processed directly in your browser using local storage. Nothing is ever uploaded to a server or stored in the cloud, meaning once the web app is loaded, it runs completely offline.
What's New in Beta 2
Thanks to early feedback from the OSR community, the latest build includes:
- Two-Page Spread & Page Turning: Traditional book-style reading and single-page keyboard controls.
- Smart Page Rendering: Kinder on device GPUs and memory when reading 100+ page campaign books.
- Streamlined Header Trays: drop-markers and dice rollers have been relocated into clean dropdown trays to free up the page.
- Performance & Touch Polish: Laying the groundwork for smoother mobile and tablet interactions.
What’s Next on the Roadmap?
- Touch & Mobile Optimisations
- Trying to make the auto stat parser a little smarter! adding support for vertical line breaks and system presets for OSE, Shadowdark, Cairn, and Mothership (so stats extract cleanly without getting dumped into notes )
- Standalone Desktop App: A dedicated, lightweight desktop client (exploring Tauri) is officially in the pipeline for those who prefer native apps over browser tabs. I'll be keeping it free / pay-what-you-want on itch so it's accessible to everyone.
Join the Playtesting & Feedback
Dungeon Reader is free and actively evolving. If you’d like to report bugs, suggest features, or chat about GM workflows in real time, jump into the conversation:
- Launch the Web App: dungeonreader.app
- Join the Community Discord: https://discord.gg/rpKhnnkVk
Drop your thoughts in the comments below or come say hello in Discord.
Thanks for helping make this the perfect PDF Reader for Game Masters!