Some DMs prefer to make their own campaigns when running a game ofDungeons and Dragons, but the ones that don’t can find pre-made adventures ready to play on the D&D Beyond website. Many of these adventures are available in hard copy, but some of them are only available in digital form. For tables that meet up in person, I generally prefer to have all the materials without needing to print anything out, but the digital-only adventures are perfect for those who meet online or with access to a printer for ease of use.
While some of the more popular DMs of recent media — Brennan Lee Mulligan ofDimension 20and Matthew Mercer ofCritical Role, among others — tend to homebrew their own stories, this sort of endeavor can be taxing for a casual DM. Picking up an online adventure gives the DM some structure and the support of a pre-written framework that can help new and veteran DMs alike excel at leading their table. DMing is tricky business, but these pre-made adventures are excellent choices for any table.
10The Malady of Minarrh
A Quick, Two-To-Three Session Jaunt
The Malady of Minarrh, written by Anjali Bhimani, features all the hallmarks of a classic D&D campaign.Whispered secrets, hidden crypts, and ancient evil come together to make an adventure suited for players new and old.Your party will begin at level five — high enough to give them a taste of all the fun things you’re able to do with aD&Dcharacter, but not quite high enough to make them the unkillable gods that level 20 adventurers tend to be.
Anjali Bhimani isn’t just known for her voice acting work inOverwatchandApex Legends; she’s also madenumerous appearances inD&D-centric contentlikeCritical Role,Dimension 20, and theTwenty-Sided Tavern.
The adventure takes place in the quiet city of Minarrh, where a deadly plague has come over the land.It’s up to your table to discover the source of the plague, destroy it, and restore health to the community without succumbing to the shadowy energy threatening the town.For only $14.99, this adventure is a great one to drop into a pre-existing campaign or play as a one-shot, and its digital download includes everything you’ll need to get started.
9Lost Laboratory Of Kwalish
For A More Experienced Party, In Support Of A Good Cause
TheLost Laboratory of Kwalishis an artifice-focused adventure taking place in the Barrier Peaks, where adventurers mustdiscover the lost lab of a renowned, long-dead artificer. His disappearance in the Peaks ages ago remains a mystery to this day, and your table can uncover the truth behind this mystery and more in this mid-commitment campaign module. While it doesn’t have the same scale as some of the larger campaigns, its lower price point ($9.99) and middling difficulty make it great for more casual groups who want to take a trip to an abandoned laboratory.
All sales of this adventure go to Extra Life, a charity benefitting the Seattle Children’s Autism Center.
8Ghosts Of Saltmarsh
Another Collection Of Tales, This Time Set On The Spooky High Seas
ContainingSinister Secret of Saltmarsh, one of the very first modules to be released forD&Din 1981, theGhosts of Saltmarshcollection features seven nautically inspired adventures that will let your table live out their pirate dreams. Investigate the sinister magics at work in the sleepy fishing village of Saltmarsh, situated on the coast of the Azure Sea. These adventures are diverse and exciting, and perfect for any one shot or setting.
DMs will have everything they need to get playing, as theGhosts of Saltmarshcollection includes all the odds and ends a seafaring campaign might need.Stat blocks for oceanic threats, rules for naval travel, and even ship-to-ship combat rules, this collection will set you up for a great time. Like the other collections onD&D Beyond, this collection is a little pricier at $29.99.
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7Dragon Of Icespire Speak
Take On One Of The Sword Coast’s Most Fearsome Foes
Dragon of Icespire Peakis another adventure that’s great for new DMs and tables, starting adventurers off at level one and building them up from there. This quest begins on the Sword Coast and follows your party as they gather their strength to face the titular dragon, helping NPCs and righting wrongs along the way. It’s a littleless story-focused than other adventures, but this can be perfect for a new DM who doesn’t have a grasp on large-scale storytelling.
This adventure is more of a “quest board” style story, where your party will pick which requests to follow up on and help out with in their journey to face the dragon. If you’re looking for something more cohesive, there are tons of other adventures to check out. But for those who don’t want to tackle the daunting task of doing justice to some of the epic storiesD&Dhas helped create, this adventure is an excellent way to get your feet wet.
6Princes Of The Apocalypse
A High-Stakes Adventure With Campaign Potential
Princes of the Apocalypseis a fight against a whopping four fanatical cults, all dedicated to summoning their own Prince in order to bring about an apocalypse in that Prince’s image.Your table must balance the scales between all four cults in order to prevent the end of the world, and with this adventure spanning levels one through 15, it’s no easy task.Whether you hop into this adventure for just a few sessions or buckle in for the whole ride, it’s $24.99 worth of adventure that you won’t regret trying.
ThoughD&D Beyond is scrapping its virtual tabletop, there are quite a few alternatives, both online and on Steam.
5Vecna: Nest Of The Eldritch Eye
Get Your Lovecraft On With A Prelude To One Of D&D’s Greatest Baddies
Vecna is one of the most well-known villains inD&D, partially due toVecna’sStranger Thingsrole, and this adventure will see your party investigating sinister goings-on deep in the bowels of Neverwinter. As a prologue toVecna: Eve of Ruin,Nest of the Eldritch Eyeis a brief glimpse at what this classic BBEG has in store for your party.
The crown jewel of this adventure is definitely its dungeon, with full map art by cartographer Marco Bernanrdini, who has worked on maps for WotC, Paizo, Beadle, Grimm, and tons of other TTRPGs over the past few years. The dungeon is a 16-room sprawler, with nooks and crannies to hide any manner of treasures or tricks inside. Whether you playNest of the Eldritch Eyeas a prologue to the rest of the Vecna campaign or as the hook to your own cult-smashing adventure, it’s a good one to try with seasoned and newbie players alike.
4Dungeons of Drakkenheim
A First to Thirteenth Level Adventure Can Take You Far
The great city of Drakkenheim was devastated 15 years previous by a meteor, and theDungeons of Drakkenheimadventure will see you and your party traverse the ruins of the fallen city in search of powerful artifacts and fantastic wealth. However,you’ll need to navigate the politics of the now ruined city’s rival factions, creating alliances and warding off enemies in a desperate bid to find what you seek.
The lore of theDungeons of Drakkenheimcan be complex, and understanding the relationships between the warring factions can be complex. Taking into account the tougher fights this adventure hosts, it’s more suited for experienced players (or at least players who are able to think strategically). At $29.99, it’s pricier than some other adventures, but has enough content to be well worth the money for many sessions to come.
3Humblewood Tales
This Companion Sourcebook Fulfills All Your Fuzzy Needs
TheHumblwood Talessource book is actually a collection that includes five adventures, all using the Humblewood Campaign Setting. These adventures are structured for characters level three through eight, and feature three new subclasses, 35 magic items, and over 100 new monsters and NPCs. With a collection this beefy, you’ll have no problem finding something to love. Because it’s a collection containing more than one adventure and tons of extra content,Humblewood Talesis priced at $29.99.
Infernal Machine Rebuild offers some pretty interesting opportunities for interparty conflict, as players must contend with the consequences of their actions—sometimes before they occur, thanks to time-travel shenanigans.
If you were as Redwall-Chronicles-obsessed as I was in middle school, Humblewood is the setting for you. In this adventure, you’lltake your place as a valiant warrior of tiny stature as a Tender of the Scorched Grove to investigate a slime cult or fight a battle against the Amaranthine Kren.No matter your size, what matters is your ability to work together with your table to take on the many challenges and trials of the Humblewood. Don’t let its friendly name fool you: this setting packs a punch.
2Infernal Machine Rebuild
Yet Another Mystery Stemming From The Barrier Peaks
InInfernal Machine Rebuild, you have to race against enemies, agents of Avernus, and even time itself to rebuild the Infernal Machine of Lum the Mad.Hired by Zariel or Bel, who are warring over leadership of Avernus,players mustcollect the pieces of the machine and figure out how to rebuild it before finally facing their patron, making sure the Infernal Machine doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.This adventure is only $9.99, and offers some pretty interesting opportunities for interparty conflict, as players must contend with the consequences of their actions—sometimes before they occur, thanks to time-travel shenanigans.
1Storm Lord’s Wrath
Once You’ve Run Dragons of Icespire Peak, It’s Time For The Sequel
Storm Lord’s Wrathis a direct follow-up toDragons of Icespire Peak. In this module, your table will be tasked with the efforts of rebuilding the town of Leilon and protecting it from the threats outside. LikeDoISP, it has more of a “quest board” structure to it, though getting your players/table to invest in the rebuilding of the town with some additions of their own can be extremely rewarding. While the story of the dragon doesn’t end with this adventure, it’s a great interlude between two other excellent adventures into the Sword Mountains.
Dungeons and Dragonshas a catalog of almost endless adventures on which your party can embark. Whether you’re an experienced DM looking for something to run with your party, or a newbie looking to cut your teeth on something high quality, D&D Beyond has a ton of options to choose from.
