It’s been a good long while since we’ve done a gift guide for Dungeons & Dragons, and the range has changed a lot in recent years. Let’s take a quick look at the world’s most popular roleplaying game and see what sort of goodies you can get for loved ones or even yourself.
First off, there’s the core game. D&D has a new edition, which, though fully compatible with the previous edition, is still well worth picking up. The core book for D&D is the Player’s Handbook, and you’ll probably also want the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The Monster Manual (the third ‘core’ book, which is mostly a bestiary of monsters) is out next year.
This can also be picked up digitally on the DnD Beyond website, and they do bundles of physical and digital copies. (You may also want to consider a DnD Beyond Subscription, but they don’t do a default ‘gift’ package, so you’ll have to figure that out yourself.) Though if the Dungeon Master in your life mostly plays games digitally, you may also want to check out RollTwenty or Demiplane.
If you’ve got those, but you’re still after a scenario book or two, check out Quests from the Infinite Staircase, which takes six adventures from the last century and makes them suitable for modern tastes. Or, if you want a big, world-ending D&D campaign to kick off the New Year, check out Eve of Ruin.
If they already have all the rule books they need, we heartily recommend the big books of lore out there. Worlds & Realms: Adventures from Greyhawk to Faerûn and Beyond is pretty much the ultimate guide to all the various stories from the multiple fantasy settings that make up D&D. It’s rules-free, just pure atmosphere and setting. For something a lot less weighty, check out How Not To Get Eaten by Owl Bears, a kid-friendly guide to The Forgotten Realms and The Practically Complete Guide To Dragons, a similar child-appropriate book on dragons.
If you’re after a comprehensive history of the hobby, check out Lore & Legends: A Visual Celebration of the Fifth Edition of the World’s Greatest Roleplaying Game, which is more about the last ten years of the game and the people behind it, which has been full of surprises.
If you want something more historical, The Making of the Original Dungeons & Dragons 1970 – 1977 replicates early versions of the game with some historical guidance included. If you’re after something a little more academic, MIT Press has you covered. Fifty Years of Dungeons and Dragons is a collection of essays from some of the finest minds in the industry, and it’s pretty much a must-read for those seeking to understand why this game is so popular. Check out Jon Peterson’s Playing at the World (Second Edition), a comprehensive history of both Dungeons & Dragons and TTRPGs in general.
(And if those are your sort of thing, see also Generation Decks: The Unofficial History of Gaming Phenomenon Magic: The Gathering by Titus Chalk. Yeah, it’s about Magic The Gathering rather than D&D, but it’s really fun to read.)
If entertaining guests is your thing, they are a comprehensive set of D&D-themed cookbooks, from recipe cards, world cuisine, and cocktail guides.
If you have D&D playing friends who’ve recently become parents (or if you’re a parent yourself and you still need books on parenting to read), Shelly Mazzanoble’s ‘How To Dungeon Master Parenting‘ is a great read.
Speaking of things likely to amuse children and parents, 2024 saw LEGO of all people produce D&D-themed mini-figs and sets. Best place to find it right now is your local toy shop rather than online, so good luck.
If you can’t find the LEGO, there’s an official Colouring Book. You can even buy a Mimic-themed box to store the coloured pencils. If you’re going cute, check out all the D&D-themed plush toys you can get from KidRobot. Our solid favourite is the plush Drizzt, which is brilliantly grumpy.
Finally, consider Wizkids, who will sell you a model of pretty much any D&D monster you could want, twice if it’s a dragon. From the Heroes of Baldur’s Gate to Tiamat. They also do some absolutely stunning action figures, from Strongheart to Zarak.
