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Dungeonsand Dragons' fifth edition is nearing a big change, with updated 2024 rulebooks poised to switch up the system later in the year. Only two major adventure modules remain for this era ofDungeons and Dragons, placing a capstone on a decade of adventure books.
Late 2024 and early 2025 will seenew core rulebooks forD&D, texts that will upgrade 5e while still being backwards-compatible with all the adventures released thus far. This list will rank these adventures based on how easy they are to run, what new things they bring to the table, and how much they allow for customization to fit DM and player needs. In addition, this list will not include partnered modules (such as theStranger ThingsorCritical Roletie-in products) or the smaller adventures exclusive to D&DBeyond and/or the DMsguild. It will also treat anthology modules, such asCandlekeep Mysteries, as one text.
•Dragon of Icespire Peak
•Lost Mine of Phandelver
•Curse of Strahd
S-Tier modules are the cream of the crop, andDragon of Icespire Peaktakes the cake in this area. This ‘Essentials Kit’ adventure isgreat for those new toD&D, whether they’re a first-time player or a new dungeon master. It’s an incredibly customizable adventure, with a great starting town and a series of episodic quests that can easily be turned into one-shots. It also features a dragon to battle, something new players will definitely want out of their firstD&Dgame.Lost Mine of Phandelveris similar, if a bit less customizable.
It also runs a little long for a starter adventure, but it more than makes up for it with its many iconic setpieces; many 5e players will be nostalgic for their first time seeing that arrow-ridden horse cadaver by the side of the road, as well as the goblin encounter that follows.
Curse of Strahdconstantly tops listsfor the bestD&Dmodule, and it’s easy to see why. Giving fans a break from the Forgotten Realms with the gloom of Ravenloft, Barovia is a fantastic horror setting. It’s filled with dismal setpieces and tragedy, as well as a memorable villain who constantly interacts with players. Its world is full of dangers outside the players' level that will force them to flee or fight with their wits, making the haunted realm feel alive.
• Out of the Abyss
• Tomb of Annihilation
• Keys from the Golden Vault
Journeys Through The Radiant Citadelis debatably very close to S-Tier, with a variety of smaller adventures and a nice quest hub between them, making it very customizable.ThisD&Dbook is great for DMs, with advice on character description, pronunciation guides, and types of fantasy scarcely seen in 5e.Keys from the Golden Vaultis less evocative and will require a bit more elbow-grease from the DM, but it’s nonetheless a great anthology.
Though a tad long,Out of the Abyssbalances a great detail about the Underdark while providing good formatting and solid hooks throughout, making it easy to scan. Its prison-escape opening is also fantastic for getting the party together.Tomb of AnnihilationandWaterdeep: Dragon Heistoperate at opposite ends of the spectrum; the former provides atough-as-nailsD&Dexperiencewith a vast array of unique traps, while the latter is an urban adventure for low-level characters with a great deal of customization options. Both texts will run well for their respective demographic.
• Ghosts of Saltmarsh
• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
• Wild Beyond the Witchlight
• Tales from the Yawning Portal
B-tier modules are decent but can be excellent in the right hands. This is especially the case forDragons of Stormwreck Isle,Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, andWild Beyond the Witchlight. The first is great for a beginner table but can be a bit too simple in some areas.Shattered Obeliskmakes a strange choice with its continuation ofThe Lost Mine, but players with a taste for cosmic horror will love it.Wild Beyond the Witchlighthas some odd lore, but it’s great for players who want todo more than swing swords and engage in combat inD&D.
Ghosts of Saltmarsh,Candlekeep Mysteries, andTales from the Yawning Portalare all anthologies and all great for DMs who want to pluck out adventures and drop them into an existing campaign.Ghosts of Saltmarshis the best of the three, with a more consistent difficulty level and some interesting ship rules (which see little application, unfortunately). On the other hand,Yawning Portalruns the full gambit of difficulty—featuring a 5e conversion ofthe infamousTomb of Horrors. DMs should be wary of this dungeon, as its gauntlet of obtuse puzzles and instant death traps aren’t conducive to typical 5e play.
• Tyranny of Dragons
• Princes of the Apocalypse
Much of what’s in C-Tier is still plenty of fun, but requires a lot of work on the DM’s part or falls short in terms of memorability. This is certainly the case for the last three, withStorm King’s Thunderin particular feeling more like a Forgotten Realms sourcebook than an adventure (though the way it lays out all its major NPCs at the start of the book is something more adventures should do). On the contrary,Dungeon of the Mad Magewill be great for those intoD&D’s funhouse dungeon crawls, but a slog for others.
Baldur’s Gate 3fansmight be attracted toDescent into Avernus, but it’s recommended that DMs cut Baldur’s Gate from the module. Its inclusion doesn’t contribute much and its balancing is way off, but the section in Avernus itself has some great spectacle, infernal fantasy, andMad Max-style war machines.
Dungeons and Dragons
Created by Gary Gygax, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game in which players craft their own worlds and band together to take on adventures through mysterious realms outlined in companion materials. One of the best role-playing games ever made, it has been adapted into a variety of video games and other media.
