For decades, Dungeons & Dragons was considered an obscure hobby, but at long last, it has entered the mainstream culture and is enjoyed by people of every background. However, many who are interested in playing or becoming a Dungeon Master may be uncertain how to get started. Thankfully, the game's creators are aware of such barriers to entry and have actively worked to make it easier for new people to get involved.
In addition to the three core books necessary to get started -- the core rulebook, the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide -- there are many great pre-made adventures available, many of which make ideal entry points for new people. Each module has its strengths and weaknesses, and different stories will resonate with different players and groups. These examples are designed to accommodate both new DMs and new players. They should be easy to jump into with an accessible learning curve, while still being fun.
Honorable mentions include Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and Curse of Strahd. Both are fantastic campaigns with great stories that are accessible for the most part. Dragon Heist is a rich urban fantasy caper with a great opening level. However, there is a steep learning curve after the first chapter, and new DMs may struggle to navigate all of the information and choices. Curse of Strahd is an iconic story of gothic horror, and is a near-perfect adventure. Unfortunately, the opening parts require enough prep work to overwhelm some new DMs.
When Fifth Edition came out, one of the earliest products released was the official Starter Set. It contains everything necessary to play the game, including a great introductory adventure, Lost Mines of Phandelver. The story is straightforward, but the adventure has a variety of combat encounters and side-quests to keep things interesting.
In Lost Mines, players undertake a quest to rescue a kidnapped ally and discover a plot involving ancient magical ruins and scheming villains. The book also includes tips to help new DMs. Just know that the first fight involves a goblin ambush, which is notoriously difficult and may need to be rebalanced for newcomers.
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight takes players on a fairytale adventure through the magical realm of the Feywild. It was just released this past September and demonstrates an awareness that earlier books lacked, including tips to help new DMs. The book introduces two new playable races, though first-time players might want to refrain from using these.
The opening level is perfectly designed to immerse new players into the world, get them acquainted with gameplay and hook them into the story. This magical adventure is filled with sense of fairytale wonder. The DM only needs to read a little further ahead in the story ahead of each session, but players can still make meaningful choices without feeling railroaded. Players can also role-play their way through every possible combat encounter to avoid fights, which encourages different styles of play.
The best campaign for both new players and DMs is Dragon of Icespire Peak, which is included in the Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit. Expanding upon the Starter Set, it comes with everything you need, including a rule book, dice, maps, and punch-out cards to keep track of important NPCs and magic items. This epic adventure is designed for between two and six players as they work to stop a dragon that recently displaced an orc tribe from their home and is terrorizing the countryside.
The Essentials Kit's rulebook is thicker than the Starter Set's, which might feel overwhelming at first and takes a little longer to start playing. However, it comes with more resources and allows players to design their own characters. Some early enemies are a bit overpowered, but an easy solution is either to start players at second level or just have a larger adventuring party with five or six players. All of these reasons make Dragon of Icespire Peak the best adventure for any newcomer to D&D.
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