Got DnD for Christmas? This is what you need next

D&D
(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

So, you've just got a DnD campaign for Christmas. What now? Should you start looking at miniatures? Is it worth getting extra dice? And which books should you buy next? There are plenty of questions, and it can all be a bit overwhelming.

That's where we come in. Our experts have rolled a nat 20 on Investigation, and that means we have some recommendations of what to do next – more specifically, which tools and Dungeons and Dragons books should join your collection. It's our job to review DnD and the best tabletop RPGs all year round, so we have a pretty good idea of how they all stack up against one another.

Wondering how we settled on these DnD goodies in particular? Our writers have been hands-on with everything listed here so can recommend them from a personal standpoint. As for the books, we've actually used, read, or run all of these suggestions ourselves.

DnD essentials

FAQ

Images of a map from Planescape, and pages of Index Card RPG

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the DnD core rulebooks?

Honestly, we'd argue against getting the core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual) at this point. A new edition of DnD is on the horizon, and that means new rulebooks at some point in 2024. Rather than wasting money on these, we'd recommend holding fire and making do with the free basic rules until those updates arrive. 

Do you need DnD miniatures?

Absolutely not. It isn't essential to get DnD minis for your game in any sense of the word, and even though it's helpful in combat for visualizing where everything is, it's icing on the cake rather than the sponge itself. If you want a visualization, we'd recommend heading to D&D Beyond's map maker, Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, or other virtual tabletops first. Models are awesome and bring so much to the experience, but they also take a lot of work to sort out.


For something else to play, don't miss the best board games.

Benjamin Abbott
Tabletop & Merch Editor

As the site's Tabletop & Merch Editor, you'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to lists of the very best Lego. I've also been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and can normally be found cackling over some evil plan I've cooked up for my group's next Dungeons & Dragons campaign.