D&D Nerf blasters are on the way, including dragon crossbows and swords

Nerf Dungeons & Dragons Themberchaud being held ready — (Image credit: Hasbro)

Hasbro has unveiled new D&D Nerf blasters based on the upcoming movie, and most take their cue from monsters in the tabletop RPG adaptation.

Available Spring 2023 ahead of the March release date for the Dungeons & Dragons movie, five D&D Nerf toys have been announced so far. While the majority are smaller blasters inspired by the film's dragons (including Themberchaud, the rotund red drake seen in the trailers), one recreates the axe wielded by Michelle Rodriguez's character while another is a version of the sword used on-screen by Regé-Jean Page. The latter are foam replicas made for pretend play and action roleplay, much in the vein of old N-Force or Zombie Strike weapons that used to be on shelves alongside the best Nerf guns.

All of the above cost between $12 and $28, and they're mostly single-shot blasters. (With the exception of the sword and axe, naturally.) The Rakor model is reminiscent of smaller Nerf Dino Squad toys with a stylized design that fires darts from a creature's 'mouth', while the yellow Palarandusk equivalent looks like an updated Elite Jolt.

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Nerf Dungeons & Dragons Rakor blaster and darts on a plain background — (Image credit: Hasbro)

These aren't the only additions on their way in early 2023, though. Hasbro is also showing off a follow-up to 2022's Nerf Pro Gelfire Mythic (which earned our vote as one of our favorite blasters overall) called the Pro Gelfire Legion. This is a smaller, pistol-like alternative that still uses water-hydrated rounds but is much cheaper at just $19.99. It doesn't require batteries either.

Nerf's Rival and Hyper ranges are also getting reinforcements. The pistol-esque Rival XXIII-100 (which is available exclusively from Walmart) and Hyper Impulse-40 are due to land this January, while the Rival Forerunner XXIII-1200, which is reminiscent of a shotgun in design and thanks to its Accu-Rounds having a velocity of 90 feet per second, should be on sale shortly.

Finally, a 'Nerf Elite Junior' line is being introduced for children aged six and up. Also set to hit shelves this January, they are "designed for boys and girls who are blasting into NERF battles for the first time. Special features make them easy to play with", such as a lightweight design and oversized sights.

Want some fun gifts for gamers? Check out the best board games, the best Lego sets, or the best tabletop RPGs.

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.