The Best Dungeons and Dragons Books in 2025

Dungeons & Dragons is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in popularity. From the influence of Stranger Things and the success of Honor Among Thieves, to the rise of D&D podcasts and YouTube channels, and the phenomenal success of Baldur's Gate 3, the timing couldn't be better to join the game.

However, navigating the wealth of 5th Edition (5e) D&D content, especially the vast offerings from third-party creators, can be daunting for newcomers. This guide focuses on essential first-party books for those just starting out. We'll omit the core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual), assuming you've already acquired these foundational texts. (Updated versions of these core books were released in 2024.)

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First-Party Content Recommendations:

Core Rulebooks (Available at Amazon)

• Player’s Handbook: $49.99
• Dungeon Master’s Guide: $49.99
• Monster Manual: $49.99

Sourcebooks

• Xanathar’s Guide to Everything: A highly valuable sourcebook (2017) offering expanded player options (subclasses, feats, spells), DM tools (trap building), and optional rules. Excellent for increasing player choices and class diversity.

• Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything: Similar to Xanathar's, this sourcebook provides additional player options, new spells, and DM tools for sidekicks, hazards, and monster interactions. Great for adding class variety.

Adventures

• Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: A compelling adventure focusing on intrigue, social encounters, and political conflict within the city of Waterdeep. Offers multiple antagonists for replayability. A sequel, Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, provides a dungeon-crawl extension.

• Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse: A three-book bundle exploring the Planescape setting. Includes a setting book, monster manual, and adventure, offering a rich multiversal experience.

• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: A significant expansion to The Lost Mine of Phandelver, returning to Phandalin with a cosmic horror twist involving Mind Flayers.

• Eberron: Rising from the Last War: A sourcebook/adventure set in a unique war-torn world with airships and floating castles, featuring Dragonmarks and opportunities for both roleplaying and action.

• Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen: Introduces the Dragonlance setting, featuring large-scale combat encounters and dragons.

• Curse of Strahd: A gothic horror adventure featuring vampires and creepy elements, a remake of a classic AD&D adventure. A supplement, Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, is available.

• The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: A Feywild adventure with strong roleplaying elements, offering multiple solutions and a carnival setting. Includes new playable races and backgrounds.

Notable Third-Party Content (Brief Mentions):

While primarily focusing on first-party content, noteworthy third-party options 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 selection provides a strong foundation for new D&D players. Let us know your thoughts and favorite books in the comments!