The Best Dungeons and Dragons Books in 2025

Dungeons & Dragons is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in popularity, fueled by factors such as the show Stranger Things, the successful Honor Among Thieves movie, and the widespread appeal of Baldur's Gate 3. This makes it an ideal time to delve into the world of D&D.

However, navigating the Fifth Edition (5E) can be challenging for newcomers, especially given the vast amount of third-party content available. This guide focuses primarily on official Wizards of the Coast publications, omitting the essential Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (updated in 2024), assuming you've already acquired these core rulebooks. If not, acquire them first! You can find the latest editions linked below.

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First-Party Content Recommendations:

Core Rulebooks:

• Player’s Handbook: 12$49.99 at Amazon
• Dungeon Master’s Guide: 7$49.99 at Amazon
• Monster Manual: 5$49.99 at Amazon

Sourcebooks:

• Xanathar’s Guide to Everything: 10See it at Amazon Expands player options with subclasses, feats, spells, and DM tools. Essential for increased character variety.
• Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything: 5See it at Amazon Offers additional player options, spells, and DM rules for sidekicks and environments. Great for class diversity.

Adventures:

• Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: 3See it at Amazon Intrigue-driven adventure with multiple antagonists, focusing on social encounters and political conflict.
• Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse: 4See it at Amazon A three-book bundle exploring the Planescape setting, offering a detailed setting book, monster manual, and adventure.
• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: 3See it at Amazon A massive expansion to The Lost Mine of Phandelver, featuring cosmic horror elements and a return to Phandalin.
• Eberron: Rising from the Last War: 9See it at Amazon A unique setting with airships and floating castles, offering new playable species (Dragonmarks) and a post-war campaign.
• Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen: 1See it at Amazon Introduces the Dragonlance setting, featuring large-scale combat encounters and dragons.
• Curse of Strahd: 5See it at Amazon A classic gothic horror adventure with vampires and creepy elements.
• The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: 0See it at Amazon A Feywild adventure with a carnival setting, emphasizing roleplaying and multiple solutions.

Notable Third-Party Content (brief mention):

While this guide focuses on first-party content, consider exploring titles like Strongholds and Followers, Flee, Mortals!, Tome of Beasts/Creature Codex, and Grim Hollow for expanded options.

These recommendations offer a solid starting point for your D&D journey. Let us know your thoughts and favorite books in the comments!