The Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game has seen a huge resurgence in the last few years, and the latest edition, the fifth, is its most popular yet. Now, people might tell you that you don't need very much to play Dungeons and Dragons and that the game can be played in the "Theater of the Mind" but really, you need a lot of accessories to enjoy the game at its fullest.
From rule books to miniatures, there is a plethora of different and almost essential bits and pieces that we elevate your D&D game from good to amazing. We pulled together a small list of our most essential D&D supplies.
Player's Handbook (Fifth Edition)
This is the most important book for D&D players
The Player's Handbook (PHB) is the single most important book in Dungeons and Dragons. Each player in your party should have one of their own or at the least, two players per book. The PHB houses all the rules you'll need to start the game, the breakdown of how to make your characters, and even the basics of running a campaign from the start.
The other advantage of having your PHB near is the sheer beauty of the artwork. Wizards of the Coast (WotC) employs a lot of amazing artists to make sure these books look incredible every time. They are also filled with the lore of the worlds that you might be playing in.
If you only buy one thing from this list, make sure it's this.
QMAY DND 140 piece Dice Set
This will just be the start of your collection
The entire game of D&D is based around the D20 dice system. That's seven different dice with a varied number of faces. From a four-sided dice, all the way up to a 20 sided dice, all of them are used at various points in your campaign.
This set includes 20 sets of seven dice, and while you may think that's a lot, it really isn't. Trust me when I tell you, the dice will betray you and you'll need to swap them out. Also, as you reach higher levels, you will need more dice for the massive amounts of damage you'll inflict.
Battle Grid Game Mat - 2 Pack
To heck with "Theater of the Mind" this is way cooler
Battle maps are a tried and tested method for enhancing your D&D beyond the original concept. Because the game measures distance when in combat — your spells have a range for example — it's important to be able to visualize where you are in relation to the enemies.
This pack has two different maps for you to draw your combats on using wet markers, and it also has a carrying tube so you can take your maps round to your friend's house.
The Dungeon Master's Guide
If you want to run a D&D game, this makes it all easier
While the Player's Handbook has everything you need to run a game of Dungeons and Dragons, it may not have everything you want. The Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG) helps you understand the minutiae of the campaign.
With guides on magic weapons, NPC creation, and extra rules for specific events, the DMG is a comprehensive compendium of everything D&D.
D&D Fifth Edition Starter Set
This starter set has everything you need for your first game
As much as I would like everyone to own all the things I've listed here, there is a cheaper way to start your adventure. The Starter Kit is a mini-campaign with a couple of short books, a map, dice, and some tokens. With it, you can play an entire D&D adventure from the first to the fifth level with a group of friends all for a budget price.
This is how I started D&D — although it was a starter kit from 25 years ago — and I can recommend it to anyone on a budget.
DnD Miniatures 56 Mini Figures
Having more than one of each mini is helpful!
Having a set of miniatures for your D&D game makes all combat better. By understanding where you are in relation to the monsters makes decision making much easier and allows you and your party to organize yourselves in a meaningful way.
This set comes with 28 unique mini-figures, and each one of those is a pack of two, totaling 56 models in all. Having multiple of the same model makes sense, after all, you are unlikely to only fight one goblin!
Dungeons & Dragons Core Rulebooks Gift Set
This pack is for the serious Dungeon Master in your life
I know we have spoken about the PHB and the DMG in this article, but we have yet to speak of the third book in the triumvirate; The Monster Manual. The MM is a book chock full of all the baddies you could ever want to face in Dungeons and Dragons, and it shows the Dungeon Master how to play them.
This beautiful collection also has a DM screen — used to hide all your notes from nosy players — as well as a case to hold them all in neatly. Having all three books, and a DM screen is everything a Dungeon Master needs to make an amazing campaign.
Never split the party!
Dungeons and Dragons has inspired generations of kids to love fantasy and this new edition as pushed that even further into the collective consciousness of the world. It's no longer a game just for nerds but one that can be played by anyone and everyone.
If you are looking to start your journey into the realms of D&D then you really need the Player's Handbook. It is the very beginning of D&D and will tell you everything you need to get started. You may also want to grab the Starter Kit to help you build your first campaign.
Once you are further into it, you'll want to start fleshing out your collection with extra dice, miniatures, and a battle map to really bring the game to life. From there you can build huge campaigns for you and your friends to spend hours in. Finally a word of advice from an old campaigner.
The party is life. Never split the party.
Why Trust Us?
At TheRadar, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.
When it comes to finding everything you need for D&D, we've also got the hands-on experience to ensure you're buying what you really need to enjoy the game. Yes, that means hours of testing dice for the perfect roll, finding new mods, and learning 5E. But it'll all be worth it when we vanquish Vecna...right?
Why trust me?
I've been playing TTRPGs since I was a kid (thanks Dad!) which means I have a lot of opinions when it comes to system and gameplay alike. Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition is one of my favorite games because its the perfect entry point for new players, as well as being robust enough to support veteran players as well. The items I'm suggesting here today are all things I either own, or would grab if I didn't already own an alternative. It means I can tell you what really works, and why you want it, and you can trust that I've tested it in my own lab.
So long as you remember that my lab is the dining room table where I'm playing D&D this week.
