The Best Dungeons and Dragons Books in 2025

Dungeons & Dragons is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in popularity. From the influence of Stranger Things to the success of Honor Among Thieves, and the rise of D&D podcasts and YouTube channels, coupled with the massive popularity of Baldur's Gate 3, the hobby is thriving. This makes it an ideal time to begin your D&D journey.

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, excluding the essential Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (updated in 2024), assuming you already possess these core rulebooks. If not, acquire them first. You can find the latest updated versions below, or skip to our recommended sourcebooks.

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First-Party Content Recommendations:

Core Rulebooks:

12$49.99 at Amazon

7$49.99 at Amazon

5$49.99 at Amazon

Sourcebooks and Adventures:

Xanathar's Guide to Everything

10See it at Amazon A crucial sourcebook (2017) offering expanded player options, including subclasses, racial feats, and spells, plus DM tools and optional rules.

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything

5See it at Amazon Similar to Xanathar's, this expands player options and core rulebook concepts, adding class features, spells, and DM tools for sidekicks and environments.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

3See it at Amazon A compelling adventure emphasizing intrigue and social encounters, offering multiple antagonists for replayability.

Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse

4See it at Amazon A three-book bundle exploring the Planescape setting, including a setting guide, monster manual, and adventure.

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk

3See it at Amazon A massive expansion to The Lost Mine of Phandelver, incorporating cosmic horror elements.

Eberron: Rising from the Last War

9See it at Amazon A unique setting with floating castles and airships, featuring Dragonmarks and opportunities for roleplaying and adventure.

Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

1See it at Amazon An adventure set in the Dragonlance setting, focusing on large-scale combat and dragons.

Curse of Strahd

5See it at Amazon A classic gothic horror adventure featuring vampires and creepy elements.

The Wild Beyond the Witchlight

0See it at Amazon A Feywild adventure with strong roleplaying elements and multiple solutions to problems.

Notable Third-Party Content (brief mentions):

• Strongholds and Followers (MCDM Productions): Adds rules for player bases and NPCs.
• Flee, Mortals!/Where Evil Lives (MCDM Productions): Redesigned and new monsters, plus a dungeon.
• Tome of Beasts/Creature Codex (Kobold Press): Extensive monster manuals, particularly useful for high-level play.
• Grim Hollow (Ghostfire Gaming): A dark fantasy setting.

This list provides a strong foundation for expanding your 5E experience. Let us know your thoughts and favorite books in the comments!