Dungeons & Dragons is the most popular tabletop RPG in the world and one of the best entry points to the roleplaying hobby. Fifth Edition, the most recent version of the game, has been widely recognized as the most accessible and beginner-friendly edition yet.

Nonetheless, it can still be a challenge for new D&D players to know where to start. Even harder can be knowing how to begin running games as the Dungeon Master. Premade campaigns, complete with the materials a DM needs to tell a gripping story, are a common way to start. Some are easier to begin with than others; a few are even deliberately made with beginners in mind.

Updated on January 20th, 2024 by Louis Kemner: Good campaigns for new DMs are essential for any group that needs to figure the game out together. Not every playgroup has a veteran DM to guide them, so the best D&D Campaigns for new DMs are a lifesaver for not just the players, but also the one behind the DM screen. Let's check out 15 of the most ideal beginner-oriented campaigns that any rookie DM can handle.

15 Lightning Keep Is a Simple, Dragon-Themed Adventure That Can Happen Anywhere Players Choose

dungeons and dragons lightning keep with a blue dragon flying off the cover

Setting

Any

Region

Any

Levels

3

Creator

Chris Perkins

Release Date

September 26th, 2023

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Lightning Keep is one of the shortest official D&D adventures, since it is designed as a one-shot that lasts three to four hours. That, combined with the party's members being a mere level 3, means novice players on either side of the DM screen can easily handle Lightning Keep as a way to sample what D&D is all about.

This adventure follows the core basics of the game, including a dragon, a dungeon, and a clear goal to follow. The party must gather six lightning rods in a keep and put them in place to create a protective barrier, so refugees from a local dragon's rampage can find a safe place to stay. As an amusing bonus, Lightning Keep includes monsters from Minecraft, though players can use regular D&D monsters in their place if desired.

14 Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel Invites Players to a Variety of Exotic, Fun Adventure Settings

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Campaign

Setting Neutral

Levels

1-14

Conception

Ajit George

Release Date

July 19, 2022

Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel is one of the most recent D&D adventure books. It's one of several anthology books in the game, featuring a single "hub" setting from which the party can go on whichever adventure they'd like. This campaign has one of the most charming and optimistic settings, the Radiant Citadel city in the Ethereal plane. It's a place of cooperation, healthy diversity, and rich cultures.

Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel doesn't go easy on its players with some of its darker and more brutal adventures, but it should be easy for the DM, at least. If the DM needs to settle into their role, they can pick and choose any Journeys adventure they feel comfortable with and run it first, assuming the players don't mind having the adventure selected for them.

13 The Lost Mine Of Phandelver is the Quintessential Rookie Adventure in D&D

Adventurers facing a dragon in Lost Mine of Phandelver beginner DnD campaign.

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Campaign

The Shattered Obelisk

Levels

1-5

Creator

Wizards of the Coast

Release Date

July 2014

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The Lost Mine of Phandelver is included in the original 5e Starter Set, designed to ease an entire table into the game together. It tells a short but enjoyable story and guides players through the early levels of their D&D character's career. The Lost Mines of Phandelver included helpful resources and supplies for a new DM. These include five premade characters for players to use and a simplified rulebook for to ease the burden of explaining the game. This short module is arguably one of the best D&D campaigns for beginners.

As a bonus, Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is one of the most recent D&D sourcebooks and serves as a more expanded version of The Lost Mines of Phandelver. Any DM who wants to go beyond the party's first few levels can tackle The Shattered Obelisk. This adventure begins with The Lost Mines of Phandelver, which ends with the party at level 5. Then, the second half begins, exploring the adventure of mind flayer fanatics scheming the town of Phandalin.

12 Dragons Of Stormwreck Isle Is a Short, Exciting Adventure With Dragons

An adventurer dodging a dragon's lightning breath while another nocks an arrow in Dragon of Shipwreck Isle premade DnD campaign starter set.

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Availability

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set

Levels

1-3

Creator

Wizards RPG Team

Release Date

October 4th, 2022

Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is the campaign included in the 2022 version of the Starter Set and is one of the shortest yet most entertaining D&D campaigns for novice groups to play. It guides the characters through meeting the kobolds of Stormwreck Isle, which in turn leads them into a war between dragons. It's short and sweet, encompassing the very earliest levels of play.

Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is a well-crafted introduction to Dungeons & Dragons. Its adventures and encounters are designed to teach players the breadth of possibilities in the game and steadily incorporate new elements. Its short length also lets a DM use it as an introductory tool without committing to a lengthy premade storyline.

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11 Defiance In Phlan Pits the Heroes Against a Sinister Cult

A town map from Defiance of Phlan premade DnD campaign.

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Campaign

Tyranny of Dragons

Levels

1-2

Creator

Shawn Merwin

Release Date

September 1st, 2014

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A collection of five shorter adventures, Defiance In Phlan is designed less as a story-focused campaign and more as a series of loosely connected standalone adventures. Built around all first-level characters with a party size of three to seven, Defiance in Phlan has the party battling against the mysterious, villainous Cult of the Dragon with the help of any of the five powerful factions in the realm.

Each adventure in Defiance in Phlan is nice and short, and they can be completed in any order. This is a perfect way for a DM to refine their knowledge of the rules. Without having to worry too much about how the campaign flows from session to session, they can instead prioritize getting things right minute to minute.

10 Princes Of The Apocalypse Is a Lengthy Campaign Featuring the Cults of Elemental Evil

Cover art for Princes of the Apocalypse premade DnD campaign; winged creatures fly with lightning.

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Region

Faerûn's northern regions

Levels

1-15

Creator

April 7th, 2015

Release Date

Wizards RPG Team, Sasquatch Game Studios

One of the longer D&D campaigns 5e has to offer, Princes of the Apocalypse begins at the first level and sends characters most of the way to D&D's level cap. It slowly ramps up as it goes along, starting both players and the DM off with minor encounters against bandits and ending with sprawling battles against cults of Elemental Evil.

Although its focus on dungeon crawling and combat can alarm some DMs, Princes of the Apocalypse has a reasonable sense of progression and allows a DM to build their skills up gradually. Even a beginner Dungeon Master who is uncomfortable with the combat rules will be a master of them by the end.

9 Candlekeep Mysteries Invites Players to a Library Packed With Adventures

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Campaign

Any

Levels

1-16

Creator

Chris Perkins, others

Release Date

March 16th, 2021

While some DMs may want to start with a full D&D campaign in mind, others will be happy to use largely disconnected adventures to ease both them and their players into the game, some of which might even be run as one-shots. For the latter, Candlekeep Mysteries, one of 5e's adventure anthology books, is an invaluable tool. Loosely grouped around the books in the titular castle, the adventures are nonetheless disconnected.

In addition to allowing DMs to ignore continuity, Candlekeep Mysteries has some significant benefits for new DMs. The very first adventure is intentionally kept simple, not too open-ended or complex, while the second guides the DM through the multiple routes available to players in a way that few published adventures do.

8 Prepared One & Two Includes Simple One-Shots For DMs Who Need Fresh Ideas

Two goblins on the cover of volume one of Prepared unofficial premade DnD campaign.

Publisher

Kobold Press

Adventures

31 one-shots

Levels

1-15

Release Date

September 12th, 2023

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The need to come up with plot hooks and new adventures in almost every session can be particularly discombobulating to newcomer DMs. The Prepared supplement from Kobold Press is ideal for Dungeon Masters who want to supplement their own ideas with premade adventures, have a crisis of inspiration, or simply want to focus on the mechanics.

Although not official content for 5e, both volumes of Prepared are popular among DMs and players alike. These D&D adventures are a ton of fun and can be easily fitted into a pre-existing campaign or played standalone.

7 Ghosts of Saltmarsh Is an Aquatic Campaign in a Classic D&D Setting

Setting

Greyhawk

Region

Kingdom of Keoland

Levels

1-12

Creator

Wizards RPG Team

Release Date

May 21st, 2019

A campaign that adds entirely new rules to 5e may seem an unusual choice for beginner DMs to cut their teeth on, but Ghosts of Saltmarsh manages to be accessible to nearly anybody. The book is presented as an anthology of sea-themed adventures but contains guidelines for DMs to string the adventures together and develop an entire campaign.

Ghosts of Saltmarsh presents several classic and beloved adventures from the history of D&D, given an update for 5e. Though it starts out simple, the adventures slowly get more complex and gradually introduce players and the DM to combat, stealth, social interaction, the book's own sailing rules, and more.

6 The Wild Beyond The Witchlight Thrusts Players Into the Colorful Feywild

The major characters on the cover of the Wild Beyond the Witchlight premade DnD campaign.

Setting

The Feywild

Related Products

Unearthed Arcana, Domains of Delight

Levels

1-8

Creator

Wizards D&D Team

Release Date

September 21st, 2022

One of the rare 5e adventures to explore another plane, The Wild Beyond the Witchlight can appear intimidating to new DMs. It requires them to learn about the realm of the Feywild on top of figuring out the basic rules for running the game, but the campaign as a whole actually makes a great starter DM campaign.

The Feywild is a fantastical otherworld that largely draws on classic fairy tale tropes that most DMs already know, and therefore isn't as intimidating as it first appears. In addition, it is one of the more free-flowing adventures in 5e, noted for being light on combat. As such, it can be one of the best D&D campaigns for DMs still getting to grips with the mechanics.

5 Dragon Of Icespire Peak Is a Short and Sweet Adventure Set Near Phandalin

An adventurer fighting the Dragon of Icespire Peak

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Region

Sword Coast

Levels

1-6

Related

Storm Lord's Wrath, Sleeping Dragon's, Divine Contention

In addition to several Starter Sets, Fifth Edition also offers the Essentials Kit for newcomers to the hobby. Designed with the same goal in mind, it presents the D&D rules in an easy-to-digest format while also offering a campaign that is simple to run and not overly taxing on the players.

Dragon of Icespire Peak, the campaign included in the Essentials Kit, runs a little longer than the Starter Set campaigns. It starts players off doing simple tasks around the town of Phandalin before ramping up in a level-appropriate fashion to create a suitably epic denouement that should leave both players and the DM wanting more.

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4 Tales From The Yawning Portal Is a Challenging But Cool Anthology That Includes the Tomb of Horrors

a raucous crowd in The Yawning Portal

Setting

Varies

Campaign

Any

Levels

1-11+

Creator

Wizards RPG Team

Release Date

April 4th, 2017

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While 5e is renowned as D&D's most accessible edition, prior editions are also full of good content and great adventures for starter DMs. Tales from the Yawning Portal is another anthology book, this time presenting some of the most famous and iconic adventures from Dungeons & Dragons' history for Fifth Edition.

Some of the adventures in this D&D campaign, like the infamous Tomb of Horrors, are too difficult and complex for new players to the game and apt to leave a bad taste in newcomers' mouths. Others are excellent for players of any experience level. For instance, The Sunless Citadel is considered by many to be one of the best adventures to introduce new players to without being a burden on the DM.

3 Critical Role: Call Of The Netherdeep Is Excellent For Fans of Matt Mercer

Setting

Exandria

Region

Wastes of Xhorhas

Levels

3-12

Creator

Matthew Mercer, James Haeck, Chris Perkins

Release Date

March 15th, 2022

One of the hardest things for new DMs to grasp is adjusting their plans and the story to reflect the players' actions. Although it's important to engage the players and avoid railroading, this complex aspect of gameplay can be rather difficult for many DMs to wrap their heads around as they explore Call of the Netherdeep's fascinating Critical Role locations/settings.

Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep guides DMs in this role. The adventure is centered around two rival groups of adventurers trying to achieve the same objectives. The book spells out how the players' actions can affect their relationship with this rival group, something no other book does with so much depth, helping new DMs come to terms with the concept.

2 Waterdeep: Dragon Heist Is Ideal For Fans of Heist Adventures

Characters posing in Waterdeep: Dragonheist DnD campaign.

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Campaign

Any

Levels

1-5

Creator

Wizards RPG Team

Release Date

September 18th, 2018

Starter DMs may worry about the scale of their game as things go on, particularly when many campaigns take a turn towards saving the world as players begin to reach higher levels. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist averts these fears by keeping a low and grounded goal that involves a huge fortune of gold.

With a focus less on combat and more on intrigue and interaction with NPCs, Dragon Heist is a good start for those who are nervous about D&D's combat mechanics and those who want to get more experience with roleplaying. It also provides a gradual introduction to the lore of the famous Forgotten Realms setting, pitting players against iconic antagonists from its history.

1 Curse Of Strahd Stands as the Best Horror-Themed Campaign of All

Setting

The Forgotten Realms

Region

Barovia

Levels

1-10

Creator

Margaret Reiss, Tracy Hickman, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Witters

Release Date

March 15th, 2016

Curse of Strahd is one of the most acclaimed premade campaigns released for 5e. A remake and expansion of the classic Ravenloft module, it pits players against one of D&D's most notorious villains: Strahd von Zarovich, the vampire Lord of Barovia. Strahd forms a huge focus of the book, with pages dedicated exclusively to him. Anyone who loves a BBEG with a more personal storytelling style will definitely consider Curse of Strahd as one of the best D&D campaigns of all.

Running a villain who the players both fear and respect can be a difficult task, and there is no other 5e campaign that gives as detailed advice as Curse of Strahd. While the adventure is one of the hardest in D&D, it is surprisingly straightforward for the DM. It doesn't task them with learning complex new mechanics or overwhelm them with its content, meaning that a DM of any skill level can run it with relative ease. To keep players on their toes with jumpscares, the DM might even throw "trap" monsters at the players, such as savage mimics or suits of animated armor that spring to life in an armory.

A snapshot of the classic Dungeons and Dragons poster
Dungeons and Dragons

A fantasy roleplaying tabletop game designed for adventure-seekers, the original incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons was created by Gary Gygax in 1974.

Franchise
Dungeons & Dragons
Original Release Date
January 26, 1974
Publisher
Wizards of the Coast , TSR Inc.
Designer
E. Gary Gygax , Dave Arneson
Player Count
4-8 Players Recommended
Age Recommendation
12+
Length per Game
3 hours +
Expansions
Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition , Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition