From the core rulebooks to campaign guides, Dungeons & Dragons would be nothing without its books. So, here are all the D&D 5e books, along with how you can get hold of your next one and what’s coming soon to the TTRPG.
Being an incredibly expansive tabletop roleplaying game, it comes as no surprise that there are well over 40 different books to explore, from the traditional Players Handbook to creations from Critical Role and Acquisitions Incorporated. However, figuring out which one to buy next or which books you need to start your first D&D session can be a struggle.
So, whether you’re looking to start a collection or if you’re just wanting to expand your library, here are all the D&D 5e books along with what’s coming up soon for this wonderful tabletop roleplaying game.
Contents
All D&D 5e Core Rulebooks
Explain what the core rulebooks are for those who have never played
The first book to buy: Players Handbook
If you want to learn how to play Dungeons & Dragons, or if you’re looking to create your first character, you need a Players Handbook. They’re a must-own for any beginner or experienced D&D player and will guide you through level-ups, spells, races, classes, and everything you need to know.
A DM must: Dungeon Master’s Guide
This is essentially the Players Handbook but for Dungeons Masters. It containes everything you need to know about DMing a game and will help you prepare your own adventure. Of course, you’ll likely still need the Players Handbook.
Key to spicing up your D&D game: Monster Manual
Whether you’re a player or a Dungeon Master, there’s always the opportunity to learn more about the monsters – and perhaps integrate some into your own adventure. Either way, this is a must if you like a combat-heavy campaign.
All D&D 5e Sourcebooks
D&D 5e Sourcebooks are additions to the Core Rulebooks and work as supplements for those wanting to take their game further. They typically contain new monsters, spells, races, and subclasses, and expand on almost everything in Dungeons & Dragons. They consist of:
- Volo’s Guide to Monsters
- Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
- Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
- Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
- Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
- Monsters of the Multiverse
- Boo’s Astral Menagerie
A deeper dive into the mysterious monsters: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
Working as a supplement for the Monster Manual, Volo’s Guide to Monsters is exactly what you need if you trying to wipe out the party. It is also perfect for fleshing out your adventure further and playing exciting races like Kenkus, Goliaths, or Aasimar.
Updated-yet-optional rules for your campaigns: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything may serve as a supplement for the Dungeon Masters guide but it is just as useful for players as it is for DMs. Introducing new rules, subclasses, spells, feats, items, and more, this book is a must-own for anyone looking to take their TTRPG to the next level.
New playable races and monsters: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
Complete with new Tiefling subraces, lore on the devils, and more, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes is filled with great information and the resources to expand on your adventures. If you’re looking to change out a few characters, this is the book to buy.
Puzzle, tattoos, and rules, oh my: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
If you’re looking to expand your campaign through more exploration and puzzles, Tasha’s is the book for you. Complete with essential tools and rules, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything reinvigorates Dungeons & Dragons and is filled with new spells, tattoos, puzzles, rules, characters, and so much more.
Put the dragons back into Dungeons & Dragons: Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons
Introducing the likes of Gem Dragons, dragon-themed subclasses, ancestries, and spells, Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons is the perfect book for any player or DM who started playing Dungeons & Dragons for the dragon part. If you want to diversify your D&D game with a few more deadly dragons, this is the book for you.
Monsters, monsters, and more monsters: Monsters of the Multiverse
As one of the newer additions to the library of Dungeons & Dragons books, Monster of the Multiverse expands on a lot of the prewritten rules and lore many know. It serves to introduce more monsters, aid in the creation of fantastical races, and so much more. If you’re looking to expand your adventure past the material plane, this is the book for you.
Take your adventure to new, very high heights: Boo’s Astral Menagerie
Boo’s Astral Menagerie is currently only available in a set, which arguably makes it even more useful for those players looking to start a brand new campaign, in space. Introducing new creatures, races, and more, Boo’s Astral Menagerie is perfect if you’re looking to bring your campaign into the vast unexplored expanse of space.
All D&D 5e Campaign Sourcebooks
Unlike source books, which aim to further the entire game, these campaign sourcebooks help DMs and players understand the adventure they’re in. They are perfect for creating a detailed campaign, along with the use of the adventure book in question. The current campaign sourcebooks are:
- The Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
- Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
- Acquisitions Incorporated
- Eberron: Rising from the Last War
- Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
- Mythic Odysseys of Theros
- Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
- Astral Adventurer’s Guide
- Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
- Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
Explore the Forgotten Realms: The Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
If your adventure is set in the Forgotten Realms, specifically along the Sword Coast then this is the perfect book for you. It’ll give you some background on the legendary Neverwinter, Waterdeep, and Baldur’s Gate, as well as details on the culture surrounding each city, town, and location. It’s a fantastic region to get started in and is even better when you know everything about it.
Explore MTG and D&D for less: Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica
Coming in as one of the cheaper books out there, Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica is perfect for those lovers of both D&D and Magic: The Gathering. Released as a collaboration between the two, Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica is a blend between the two games and features new items, classes, and so much more.
Enjoy your favorite D&D show at your own table: Acquisitions Incorporated
While best suited to fans of the Acquisitions Incorporated podcast and stream, the Acquisitions Incorporated campaign book is a great addition to the D&D module set, inviting players into a prebuilt world and allowing them to create their own stories within, especially through the inbuilt adventure.
Dungeons, Dragons, and… Robots?: Eberron: Rising from the Last War
Eberron: Rising from the Last War is the sourcebook to go with the robotic designs many are incorporating into their games and will help players and DMs understand the metallic world around them. It’s perfect for that steampunk-style adventure, or just the focus on all things mechanical.
Head into the world of Critical Role: Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
In the same way as Acquisitions Incorporated, Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount is one for the fans of Critical Role, but can be used by anyone interested in exploring the vast expanse of Wildemount. Either way, with this book you get to explore the world we see in The Legend of Vox Machina and Critical Role all inside one affordable campaign guide.
A powerful superhero adventure: Mythic Odysseys of Theros
As another combination between D&D 5e and Magic: The Gathering, Mythic Odysseys of Theros is filled with supernatural gifts, almost granting the player superhero status and embedding them as true legends of Theros. This is a fantastic book to grab if you want your players or characters to have a little more power.
Delve deeper into the world of Strahd: Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
The location of Ravenloft is perhaps one of the most popular locations in Dungeons n& Dragons, being the realm of the famous vampire Strahd. Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft provides a deeper dive into that mysterious and deadly region, allowing players and the DM the chance to fully explore this sinister location.
Dungeons & Dragons, in space: Astral Adventurer’s Guide / Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
Coming together as a set combined with the sourcebook, Boo’s Astral Menagerie, the Spelljammer set brings Dungeons & Dragons and places it in space. Together, the books are filled with color, magic, and fantastic new races. They’re undeniably worth trying if you want to expand your campaign into the stars.
Two for one adventure book: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
While this may be one of the more expensive books, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen is essentially an adventure and sourcebook in one so you’ll be able to create an entire world and story from one book. This D&D book explores wars, dragons, and beautiful locations no D&D player will ever forget.
All D&D 5e Adventures
- Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
- Lost Mines of Phandelver
- Hoard of the Dragon Queen
- Princes of the Apocalypse
- The Rise of Tiamat
- Out of the Abyss
- Curse of Strahd
- Storm King’s Thunder
- Tales from the Yawning Portal
- Tomb of Annihilation
- Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
- Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
- Stranger Things: The Hunt for Thessalhydra
- Ghosts of Saltmarsh
- Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
- Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty
- Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
- Candlekeep Mysteries
- The Wild Beyond The Witchlight
- Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep
- Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
- Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
- Light of Xaryxis
- Keys From the Golden Vault
Harry Potter in Dungeons and Dragons: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
Including the Owlin race, this is a fantastic adventure that transports the players back into a Hogwarts-style experience with campus-based hijinks, romance, and hidden dangers. The adventure is predominantly roleplay based but contains everything you need to craft your ideal magic school dreams.
A perfect free beginners adventure: Lost Mines of Phandelver
The Lost Mines of Phandelver is an easy campaign with little to manage, making it perfect for new groups, DMs, or players. It doesn’t come in book form, but rather PDFs you can get for free on DnD Beyond, which is another fantastic reason to try it out.
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Dragons, gold, and cults: Hoard of the Dragon Queen
Filled with ferocious dragons, evil cults, and different planes of existence, Hoard of the Dragon Queen is a fantastic adventure for those looking for a bit more combat. You play as the adventures required by a world close to annihilation after a cult seeks to bring the legend Tiamat from her prison and into Faerun. Stop them before it’s too late.
The end of the world mixed with cult destroying: Princes of the Apocalypse
Despite being one of the older adventure books, Princes of the Apocalypse is a classic and is not one to be missed. You are tasked with destroying four corrupt profits and their large cults before they get hold of enough power to obliterate the Realms as you know it. Filled with combat, roleplay, and puzzle-solving, this campaign has it all.
Take down gods in the Nine Hells: The Rise of Tiamat
The Rise of Tiamat is an unbelievable campaign filled with similar storylines to Hoard of the Dragon Queen. In fact, it’s about the same cult, you play as adventurers tasked with stopping Tiamat’s rise from the Hells, gathering armies, and allies – taking down enemies as you go.
Explore the Underdark: Out of the Abyss
If you’ve ever wanted to explore the Underdark while fighting terrifying god-like monsters, Out of the Abyss is the adventure for you. The adventure is filled with epic battles, fantastic homages to recognizable characters, and a world unlike anything seen on the normal sun-filled plains.
Known as the best D&D adventure yet: Curse of Strahd
Often regarded as the best Dungeons & Dragons adventure out there, Curse of Strahd is perfect for any type of player or DM. It’s got the creepy, horror elements many are looking for while still having a riveting story filled with dire consequences, life-changing mistakes, and epic battles.
Fight giants over Dragons: Storm King’s Thunder
While it may be called Dungeons & Dragons for a reason, nothing quite beats fighting huge Fire, Storm, and Hill giants instead of giant, mythical lizards. In this campaign, your job is to work with the rest of civilization to investigate the giant incision and put a stop to their destructive plot. It’s filled with intense battles, fantastic roleplay, and unbelievable power.
Dungeons, Dungeons, & more Dungeons: Tales from the Yawning Portal
Tales from the Yawning Portal is an adventure campaign that really screams Dungeons & Dragons, after all, it’s filled with seven of the best dungeons in the game, meaning that’s where the party will spend most of their time. Filled with dungeons, combat, and thrilling stories, this is fantastic for new or veteran players.
No life-saving magic in this adventure: Tomb of Annihilation
While perhaps one of the most costly adventure books in D&D, Tomb of Annihilation is a thrilling experience where, unlike a lot of higher-level characters, death is permanent. The entire adventure is based around the inability to reincarnate people as many could once do and thus implements a brand new, unfightable danger. It’s thrilling, something completely different, and a must-play.
Roleplay, famous characters, and classic thievery – Waterdeep: Dragon Heist
With two different adventures set in Waterdeep, Dragon Heist and Dungeon of the Mad Mage are both perfect for a group intending on jumping straight into another module after completing the first. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist is a fantastic place to begin and includes all the roleplay, thievery, and notable characters any D&D fan needs.
An adventure of cults and gold – Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage is the direct follow-up to Dragon Heist and serves as a perfect adventure, whether that’s after its predecessor or on its own. Explore dungeons, fight dangerous foes, and travel toward the deadly Mad Mage, all in search of riches, power, and anything your character desires.
Become Will, Lucas, Mike and more: Stranger Things: The Hunt for Thessalhydra
There are many inspirations for players to start getting interested in D&D books and the game in general – and Stanger Things was undeniably one of the biggest. Now, with this adventure book, you can live in the footsteps of Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin, just without being sent into the Upside Down. Although you’ll still get to explore it.
Live out your Pirates of the Caribbean dreams: Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Live your pirating dreams in Ghost of Saltmarsh. Set in the seaside town of Saltmarsh, this adventure will take you into smuggling dens, dungeons, and on the high seas, featuring boat combat among other exciting elements.
Battle demons and gods in the middle of Hell: Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
Arguably one of the most popular D&D 5e books out there, as well as one of the most played locations, Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus is a fantastic adventure for any type of player. Fans of Baldurs Gate games will love this adventure and will likely never want to stop exploring the beautiful location.
Break physics in this hilarious comedy adventure: Dungeons & Dragons vs Rick and Morty
If you’re a lover of Dungeons & Dragons as well as Rick and Morty, then you’re in for a treat with this fantastic combination. It has all the silliness and physics breaking you’ll know from Rick and Morty but all the combat and roleplay from D&D, a perfect combination really.
A true lesson in fighting the right battles: Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
Set in the frozen unforgiving expanse of Icewind Dale, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden is a great puzzle-solving, roleplay-heavy experience where choosing your battles is the prime lesson. It’s filled with intense roleplay, difficult combat, and plenty of evil characters your players will love to hate.
Solve puzzles, mysteries, and more: Candlekeep Mysteries
If puzzles and solving mysteries are your main passion when playing D&D, then Candlekeep Mysteries is the adventure book for you. It’s easy, comes in short campaigns, and is perfect for a little one-shot or a side quest for a standard campaign.
Carnivals, the Faewild, and unbridled chaos: The Wild Beyond The Witchlight
Filled with magical fey, a thrilling carnival, and a plethora of magical items, The Wild Beyond The Witchlight is like nothing many have ever played before. It’s so much fun, extremely chaotic, and outright hilarious to play.
Envelop yourself into Exandria: Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep
If you, as many did, got into Dungeons & Dragons through watching Critical Role, then you’ll adore this book. It’s the first adventure book written by Critical Role and features the entirety of Exandria, granting other players a chance to explore this wonderful region and meet some rather familiar faces.
Colorful one-shot in a unique plane of existence: Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Written in a similar way to the Candlekeep Mysteries adventure book, this D&D 5e book is fantastic for quick one-shots or a large side quest for a party. It’s set in a mystical plane of existence and contains anything from fun adventures to dark and twisted stories.
The best beginner adventure: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Complete with everything you and your party need to start a D&D 5e session from scratch, the Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is a thrilling journey filled with mystery, battles, and of course, Dragons. If you’re a beginner, this is the best place to start.
You can’t go wrong with D&D in space: Light of Xaryxis
Coming with the Spacejammer set, Light of Xaryxis is a fantastic book to fully delve the party into the Spacejammer world. It’s filled with all the new mechanics, locations, and planes of existence to really give you and your other players a taste of space.
A Rogue’s favorite adventure: Keys From The Golden Vault
Every Rogue has dreamed of completing a heist, and now that’s finally possible with Keys From The Golden Vault. This series of one-shot heists works perfectly with any budding criminal character and is one of the newest books out there, meaning if you’re looking to buy this as a gift, chances are they don’t have it yet.
All Upcoming D&D 5e books (2023)
- Glory of The Giants
- Phandelver Campaign
- The Book of Many Things
- Planescape
While these D&D 5e books aren’t out yet, as soon as they are released, we will be updating this article to detail their contents, so be sure to check back soon.
In the meantime, take a look at some of our other Dungeons & Dragons content so you’re fully prepared for your next adventure:
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