Dungeons & Dragons is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in popularity, fueled by factors like the Stranger Things phenomenon, the successful Honor Among Thieves movie, and the booming popularity of podcasts, YouTube channels, and video games like Baldur's Gate 3. This makes it an ideal time to delve into the world of tabletop roleplaying.
However, navigating the extensive content available for the Fifth Edition (5E) of D&D can be challenging for newcomers. This guide focuses primarily on official Wizards of the Coast publications, acknowledging the vast and often excellent offerings from third-party creators. We'll omit the essential Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (updated in 2024), assuming readers already possess these core rulebooks. If not, acquire them first! You can find the updated versions linked below.
Essential First-Party Content:
- Player's Handbook Core Rulebook: 12$49.99 at Amazon
- Dungeon Master's Guide Core Rulebook: 7$49.99 at Amazon
- Monster Manual Core Rulebook: 5$49.99 at Amazon
Recommended Sourcebooks and Adventures:
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Xanathar's Guide to Everything: 10See it at Amazon This invaluable sourcebook (2017) expands player options with subclasses, feats, spells, and DM tools. A must-have for increased character customization.
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Tasha's Cauldron of Everything: 5See it at Amazon Similar to Xanathar's, this sourcebook offers expanded player options, new spells, and DM tools for sidekicks, hazards, and more. Great for class diversity.
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Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: 3See it at Amazon A compelling intrigue-driven adventure with social encounters and political maneuvering, offering multiple antagonists for replayability.
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Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse: 4See it at Amazon A fantastic three-book bundle exploring the Planescape setting, including a setting guide, monster manual, and adventure. A high-quality expansion.
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Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: 3See it at Amazon A significant expansion to The Lost Mine of Phandelver, offering a lengthy campaign with cosmic horror elements.
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Eberron: Rising from the Last War: 9See it at Amazon This sourcebook presents a unique setting with airships and floating castles, featuring new playable races called Dragonmarks.
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Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen: 1See it at Amazon Introduces the Dragonlance setting, focusing on large-scale combat encounters and dragons.
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Curse of Strahd: 5See it at Amazon A classic gothic horror adventure with vampires and creepy elements.
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The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: 0See it at Amazon A Feywild adventure with strong roleplaying elements and multiple solutions to challenges.
Notable Third-Party Mentions:
While this guide primarily focuses on first-party content, a few noteworthy third-party titles include Strongholds and Followers (MCDM Productions), Flee, Mortals! and Where Evil Lives (MCDM Productions), Tome of Beasts/Creature Codex (Kobold Press), and Grim Hollow (Ghostfire Gaming).
This list provides a starting point for expanding your D&D experience beyond the core rulebooks. Let us know your favorites in the comments!
