Finding the best d&d 5e adventure books suitable for your needs isnt easy. With hundreds of choices can distract you. Knowing whats bad and whats good can be something of a minefield. In this article, weve done the hard work for you.
Best d&d 5e adventure books
1. Volo's Guide to Monsters (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
This is NOT just another Monster Manual! Volo's Guide to Monsters provides something exciting for players and Dungeon Masters everywhere. A deep dive into the lore behind some of D&D's most populaDescription
Immerse yourself in monster lore in this supplement for the worlds greatest roleplaying gameThis is NOT just another Monster Manual! Volos Guide to Monsters provides something exciting for players and Dungeon Masters everywhere.
A deep dive into the lore behind some of D&Ds most popular and iconic monsters
Dozens of monsters new to the fifth edition to include in your epic adventures
New playable races to allow you to build characters to fit nearly any type of story in your D&D game.
The esteemed loremaster Volothamp Geddarm is back and hes written a fantastical dissertation, covering some of the most iconic monsters in the Forgotten Realms. Unfortunately, the Sage of Shadowdale himself, Elminster, doesnt believe Volo gets some of the important details quite right. Dont miss out as Volo and Elminster square off (academically speaking of course) to illuminate the uninitiated on creatures both common and obscure. Uncover the machinations of the mysterious Kraken Society, what is the origin of the bizarre froghemoth, or how to avoid participating in the ghastly reproductive cycle of the grotesque vargouille. Dungeon Masters and players will get some much-needed guidance as you plan your next venture, traipsing about some dusty old ruin in search of treasure, lore, and lets not forget ... dangerous creatures whose horns, claws, fangs, heads, or even hides might comfortably adorn the walls of your trophy room. If you survive.
Research has never been so dangerous!
2. Princes of the Apocalypse (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
Product is for use in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing gameProduct Number: WOC B24360000
Models and games are supplied unpainted and may require assembly or preparation before play
Any scenery, paint, or glue is not included.
Description
Abolish an Ancient Evil Threatening Devastation in this Adventure for the Worlds Greatest Roleplaying Game
Called by the Elder Elemental Eye to serve, four corrupt prophets have risen from the depths of anonymity to claim mighty weapons with direct links to the power of the elemental princes. Each of these prophets has assembled a cadre of cultists and creatures to serve them in the construction of four elemental temples of lethal design. It is up to adventurers from heroic factions such as the Emerald Enclave and the Order of the Gauntlet to discover where the true power of each prophet lay, and dismantle it before it comes boiling up to obliterate the Realms.
An epic adventure for characters levels 1 15, the Elemental Evil story arc, Princes of the Apocalypse provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable play experience.
Includes new elemental spells and the element-touched genasi as a new playable race.
Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game can get a sample of what this product has in store for them through the D&D Encounters in-store play program.
Adventure design and development by Sasquatch Game Studio LLC.
3. Tales From the Yawning Portal (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
Product is for use in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing gameProduct Number: WOC C22070000
Models and games are supplied unpainted and may require assembly or preparation before play
Any scenery, paint, or glue is not included.
Description
Within this tome are seven of the most compelling dungeons from the 40+ year history of Dungeons & Dragons. Some are classics that have hosted an untold number of adventurers, while others are some of the most popular adventures ever printed. The seeds of these stories now rest in your hands. D&D's most storied dungeons are now part of your modern repertoire of adventures. Enjoy, and remember to keep a few spare character sheets handy.DREAD TALES TOLD IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT
When the shadows grow long in Waterdeep and the fireplace in the taproom of the Yawning Portal dims to a deep crimson glow, adventurers from across the Forgotten Realms, and even from other worlds, spin tales and spread rumors of dark dungeons and lost treasures. Some of the yarns overheard by Durnan, the barkeep of the Yawning Portal, are inspired by places and events in far-flung lands from across the D&D multiverse, and these tales have been collected into a single volume.
For use with the fifth edition Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master's Guide, this book provides fans with adventures, magic items and deadly monsters, all of which have been updated to the fifth edition rules. Explore seven deadly dungeons in this adventure supplement for the world's greatest roleplaying game.
Tales from the Yawning Portal Includes the Following Adventures:
Against the Giants
Dead in Thay
Forge of Fury
Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan
Sunless Citadel
Tomb of Horrors
White Plume Mountain
4. D&D Dungeon Masters Guide (Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebook)
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The third of three core rulebooks, this book contains tools a Dungeon Master needs to provide captivating stories and game play.An excellent resource for new and existing Dungeons Masters to engage in both adventure and world creation, with rules, guidelines, and sage advice from the game's experts.
Created as part of a massive public playtest involving more than 170,000 fans of the game.
Description
Weave legendary stories in the worlds greatest roleplaying game.All you need to run a Dungeons & Dragons game is your imagination, some dice, and this book. The Dungeon Masters Guide teaches you how to how to run D&D adventures for your players how to invent monsters for them to fight, mysteries for them to solve, and fantasy worlds for them to explore.
[The Dungeon Masters Guide is] the one book to rule them all, the most comprehensive and powerful set of resources needed to run a game of D&D. . .
Charlie Hall, Polygon.com
D&D acolytes are everywhere...Tech workers from Silicon Valley to Brooklyn have long-running campaigns, and the showrunners and the novelist behind Game of Thrones have all been Dungeon Masters.Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker
The Dungeon Masters Guide is one of the three main Dungeons & Dragons books, along with the Players Handbook and Monster Manual. Its a reference used by the Dungeon Master (the games narrator) to create adventuresto run Dungeons & Dragons games and fill them with characters and stories.
The Dungeon Masters Guide (DMG) is full of tools to help you immerse players in the game. Whats the demon lords secret weakness? Are the orcish invaders a criminal enterprise, or traitorous allies? Dozens of tables throughout the book help inspire your decisions and keep the game flowing smoothly.
In the Dungeon Masters Guide (DMG), even the tables tell tales. A legendary sword takes five decades to craft. Who created it, and why? A tavern-crawling gnome has an eye twitch. How did she get it, and when? In every detail is an architecture for narrativeand the Dungeon Masters Guide has all the tools you need to flesh it out with ease.
In Dungeons & Dragons, you and your friends coauthor your own legend. Guided by a Dungeon Master, you create characters and play their roles in a story, rolling dice and navigating maps as you unfold a tale as limitless as your imagination.
Dungeons & Dragons is the worlds greatest roleplaying game. Created in 1974, D&D transformed gaming culture by blending traditional fantasy with miniatures and wargaming.
5. Hoard of the Dragon Queen (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
Product is for use in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing gameProduct Number: WOC A96060000
Models and games are supplied unpainted and may require assembly or preparation before play
Any scenery, paint, or glue is not included.
Description
Fight the War Against Draconic Oppression in this Adventure for the Worlds Greatest Roleplaying GameIn an audacious bid for power the Cult of the Dragon, along with its dragon allies and the Red Wizards of Thay, seek to bring Tiamat from her prison in the Nine Hells to Faerun. To this end, they are sweeping from town to town, laying waste to all those who oppose them and gathering a hoard of riches for their dread queen. The threat of annihilation has become so dire that groups as disparate as the Harpers and Zhentarim are banding together in the fight against the cult. Never before has the need for heroes been so desperate.
The first of two adventures in the Tyranny of Dragons story arc, Hoard of the Dragon Queen provides everything a Dungeon Master needs to create an exciting and memorable adventure experience.
Fans of the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game can get a sample of what this product has in store for them through the D&D Encounters in-store play program.
Adventure design and development by Kobold Press.
6. Out of the Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
A Dungeons & Dragons adventure for characters of levels 1-15Description
Dare to descend into the Underdark in this adventure for the worlds greatest roleplaying gameThe Underdark is a subterranean wonderland, a vast and twisted labyrinth where fear reigns. It is the home of horrific monsters that have never seen the light of day. It is here that the dark elf Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan, casts a foul spell meant to ignite a magical energy that suffuses the Underdark and tears open portals to the demonic Abyss. What steps through surprises even him, and from that moment on, the insanity that pervades the Underdark escalates and threatens to shake the Forgotten Realms to its foundations. Stop the madness before it consumes you!
A Dungeons & Dragons adventure for characters of levels 115
7. Curse of Strahd (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
Product is for use in the Dungeons and Dragons role playing gameProduct Number: WOC B65170000
Models and games are supplied unpainted and may require assembly or preparation before play
Any scenery, paint, or glue is not included.
Description
Unravel the mysteries of Ravenloft in this dread adventure forthe worlds greatest roleplaying game
Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The winds howling increases as he turns his gaze down toward the village of Barovia. Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahds face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they came all according to his plan. A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
8. Dungeons & Dragons Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage (Adventure Book, D&D Roleplaying Game)
Feature
Hundreds of years ago, long before Waterdeep had been built, Halaster Blackcloak carved a vast dungeon beneath Mount Waterdeep and stocked it with all manner of creatures from across the planes.Description
Explore the mega-dungeon of Undermountain in this adventure for the worlds greatest roleplaying game.In the city of Waterdeep rests a tavern called the Yawning Portal, named after the gaping pit in its common room. At the bottom of this crumbling shaft is a labyrinthine dungeon shunned by all but the most daring adventurers. Known as Undermountain, this dungeon is the domain of the mad wizard Halaster Blackcloak. Long has the Mad Mage dwelt in these forlorn depths, seeding his lair with monsters, traps, and mysteriesto what end is a constant source of speculation and concern.
The follow up to Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Dungeon of the Mad Mage takes adventurers deep into one of D&D's biggest dungeons. Each of Undermountain's twenty-three levels is an adventure setting unto itself, and the book includes a map for each one.
Waterdeep, known as the City of Splendors, is one of D&Ds most iconic locations. Also the setting for the board game Lords of Waterdeeep, its the jewel of the Sword Coasta sprawling melting pot held together by firm laws and swift justice.
Dungeon of the Mad Mage is the second of two Dungeons & Dragons books set in Waterdeep. It picks up where the first, Dragon Heist, leaves off, taking characters of 5th level or higher all the way to 20th level.
In D&D, you and your friends coauthor you own legend. Guided by a Dungeon Master, you create characters and play their roles in a story, rolling dice and navigating maps as you unfold a tale as limitless as your imagination.
Dungeons & Dragons is the worlds greatest roleplaying game. Created in 1974, D&D transformed gaming culture by blending traditional fantasy with miniatures and wargaming.
9. D&D Waterdeep Dragon Heist HC (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
You're summoned by Volothamp Geddarm, famous explorer and raconteur, to complete a simple quest. Is anything ever really simple thoughDescription
Experience the ultimate urban treasure hunt in this adventure for the worlds greatest roleplaying game.A perfect starter campaign.Andrew Whalen, Newsweek
D&D acolytes are everywhere...Tech workers from Silicon Valley to Brooklyn have long-running campaigns, and the showrunners and the novelist behind Game of Thrones have all been Dungeon Masters.Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker
Want to be part of something big?A parchment tied to a flying snake, page 38 of Dragon Heist
Welcome to Waterdeep. Youre summoned by Volothamp Geddarm, famous explorer and raconteur, to complete a simple quest. Is anything ever really simple though?
Waterdeep, known as the City of Splendors, is one of D&Ds most iconic locations. Also the setting for the board game Lords of Waterdeeep, its the jewel of the Sword Coasta sprawling melting pot held together by firm laws and swift justice.
Take players through levels one to five in this Dungeons & Dragons adventure. Five story arcs guide players through each level for a multi-session campaign experience inspired by classic heist films.
In D&D, you and your friends coauthor you own legend. Guided by a Dungeon Master, you create characters and play their roles in a story, rolling dice and navigating maps as you unfold a tale as limitless as your imagination.
Dungeons & Dragons is the worlds greatest roleplaying game. Created in 1974, D&D transformed gaming culture by blending traditional fantasy with miniatures and wargaming.
[Waterdeep: Dragon Heist] is state of the art tabletop design. . .one of the best introductions to D&D that Ive ever come across.Charlie Hall, Polygon.com
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is a shining example of what Dungeons & Dragons can be and should be: fun and unpredictable.Gavin Sheehan, BleedingCool.com
10. Storm King's Thunder (Dungeons & Dragons)
Feature
This is not a stand alone book. It is designed to be used with the Fifth Edition Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide.Description
Take a stand against the giants in this adventure for the worlds greatest roleplaying gameGiants have emerged from their strongholds to threaten civilization as never before. Hill giants are stealing all the grain and livestock they can while stone giants have been scouring settlements that have been around forever. Fire giants are press-ganging the smallfolk into the desert, while frost giant longships have been pillaging along the Sword Coast. Even the elusive cloud giants have been witnessed, their wondrous floating cities appearing above Waterdeep and Baldurs Gate. Where is the storm giant King Hekaton, who is tasked with keeping order among the giants?
The humans, dwarves, elves, and other small folk of the Sword Coast will be crushed underfoot from the onslaught of these giant foes. The only chance at survival is for the small folk to work together to investigate this invasion and harness the power of rune magic, the giants weapon against their ancient enemy the dragons. The only way the people of Faerun can restore order is to use the giants own power against them.
To defeat giants, you need to be giant!
