D&D Christmas Gift Buying Guide (2024)

The Official D&D Starter Set the recently released D&D Essentials Kit are an extremely easy way for new players to start their D&D journey. Not only has Wizard of the Coast included printed rulebooks, guides and an amazing adventure in each but they also have other inclusions such as dice and premade characters that breakdown the barriers to entry for a new player.

In more recent times, Wizards of the Coast has collaborated with popular TV shows to create themed starter sets. You can now buy an official Stranger Things Starter Set for fans of the hit Netflix blockbuster. Rick and Morty fans can also get their hands on a official Starter Set with its rulebook annotated by Rick himself. Wubbalubba dub dub!

The D&D Player’s Handbook contains everything a prospective player needs to learn about how to create a character, play the game and interact with the world and their party. It is basically the bible for any player of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition and a no brainer purchase for anybody into D&D.

A set of D&D dice is needed to play. In fact, multiple sets of dice are needed when your first set doesn’t behave and keeps rolling nat 1s, am I right? You can never go wrong with gifting a D&D player a nice set of dice, or two, or three, or four….

There’s no sound more satisfying than the “click clack” of rolling dice. But it can be a nuisance when your d20 rolls halfway across the room. Keep everything neat and tidy (and stylish) by rolling your dice in a dice tray. Your host will also thank you for not scratching their table with you gorgeous metal dice as well. Some dice trays also double as a carrying case for your precious collection.

Take it one step further by rolling your dice through a dice tower. Not only do these look awesome but your rolls are completely random. Bonus points for pretending you just won the jackpot on a slot machine if a nat20 rolls out the bottom of the tower.

For any character classes that deal area of effect (AOE) spells or damage, an AOE Template is an extremely useful tool to have in your arsenal. They allow players to extremely quickly measure distances and areas visually to see if your spells/damage hits without counting squares or getting a traditional ruler out. This makes play a lot more efficient and will streamline your encounters.

Gale Force Nine has released a number of officially licensed sets of class-specific sets of Spellbook Cards that contain information for all the spells available to that class. This allows for easy reference to spell descriptions and allows for easy physical tracking of spells that your character has available to use at any given time. Plus it’s always fun to slam down a card and yell “FIREBALL” in your best Yu-Gi-Oh impression.

Are you able to deal the final blow to the BBEG? Are you able to roll your last death saving throw? Give your epic d20 roll more weight (literally) by using this giant foam d20. It may be over 6 times the size of a regular d20 but I can guarantee it is 100 times the fun to roll. Even though it is made of foam, please do not throw it at the DM if you roll a nat 1…

While the Player’s Handbook may be the bible for players, the Dungeons Masters Guide and Monster Manual are essential reading for all D&D dungeon masters. The Dungeon Master’s Guide contains all the information a budding DM would need to know to create their own world and NPCs as well as how to run epic adventures for their players.

The Monster Manual is basically an encyclopedia reference list of monsters that may inhabit the worlds you create. It contains descriptions and all-important stat blocks for creating exciting encounters and battles with your party.

One of the best features of D&D is that the settings and adventures are only limited by the imagination of the DM. The official Wizards of the Coast sourcebooks each contain a rich source of content about a particular location, world, theme and setting in the world of D&D. DMs can then use this reference to create their own adventures based in this world.

Some of the more popular sourcebooks include:

• Curse of Strahd
• Tomb of Annihilation
• Eberron: Rising from the Last War
• Guild Master’s Guide to Ravnica

In its simplest form, D&D can be played in the “theatre of the mind”. But having a battle mat or battle board can bring your adventures to life right in front of you as everyone can visualise the scene unfold and characters can be controlled and moved like pieces on a chessboard. A good battle mat can be drawn on and erased so the DM can create an unlimited number of scenarios and keep the battle and terrain evolving as time goes by.

The Game Out Role-Playing Game Board Set takes this concept to the next level with its double sided erasable battle board which can actually fold down for fast and easy storage and transport. The set also includes everything you need to start your D&D adventure (dice, dice tray, paper miniature stands, dry erase markers, sand timer and a number of exclusive digital downloads).

Dice, books, battle boards, notes, minis… a DM has a lot of stuff to carry. Why not get your DM a TTRPG Carry Bag to keep all their D&D things (and their sanity) together. This bag holds everything your DM needs for the session and does it in style.

These condition rings make tracking D&D conditions and status effects a breeze. Place them around the bases of your minis and quickly visualise how the player characters and monsters are currently being affected as you scan across the battlefield. No more rubber bands or plastic milk carton rings!

Most seasoned D&D players would own the 5th edition core rulebooks (Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual) but they don’t have one like this. Wizards of the Coast have released a special box set collection of these three books which come in their own slipcase and included a DM screen as well. The gift set comes in two flavours: a special foil covers edition and the premium alternate cover art limited edition.

Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History is an illustrated guide to the history and evolution of D&D told through the paintings, sketches, illustrations, and visual ephemera behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity. The book also comes in a special edition box set which includes the book as well as special art prints and other goodies.

Wizards of the Coast has licensed a number of books introducing kids of various ages to the world and themes of D&D. There are ABC books for little ones and more recently a number of themed guides were published for young adventurers. Not only will these encourage reading skills but also may spark a lifelong love for the game.

OK… I admit this is one more for the parents but why not dress your level 1 human (aka your baby) in a cute D&D onesie. They may not be able to hold their own head up but I’m sure they will be able to roll a d20.

Miniature painting is not like any other sort of painting so a very specific set of micro detail paint brushes are required to achieve the best looking result. There are also officially licensed paint sets which are perfect for beginners are have all the paints/primers your need as well as your first mini to practice on.

A painting handle makes it much easier to hold your miniatures securely while painting them, allowing you to find the perfect angle with which to access the fiddly bits while avoiding the inevitable hand cramps that come when holding a base for a long time.

Dungeon Mayhem is an easy to learn party card game for 2-4 players. Games are only a few minutes long and suitable for the family, ages 8+. Players can choose from iconic D&D classes and Use wild combos and mighty powers to smash and bash in this light-hearted free-for-all.

In Dungeons & Dragons: Temple of Elemental Evil you play as a heroic adventurer. With amazing abilities, spells and magic weapons, you must explore the dungeons beneath the Sword Coast where you will fight monsters, overcome hazards and find treasure. The game includes multiple scenarios, challenging quests, and co-operative game play designed for 1-5 players. The contents can also be combined with other D&D Adventure System Cooperative play board games, including The Tomb of Annihilation, Dungeon of the Mad Mage and Legend of Drizzt.

In CLUE Dungeons & Dragons, it’s up to you to determine WHO has been replaced by the devil in disguise, WHAT weapon was used in the execution, and WHERE in the Forgotten Realms the Infernal puzzle box could be hidden.