D&D Gifts: 10 Great Gift Ideas for Players and DMs

Selecting the perfect present is never easy, especially if you know someone has a specific hobby but you know very little about it yourself. In many households the world over there are spouses, parents, progeny and friends all scratching their heads, trying to come up with the perfect D&D gifts. So what do you buy a Dungeons & Dragons fan? Here’s my top 10 D&D gifts for both players and DMs.

This list was updated in May 2019, prices accurate at time.

For Players

1. If they don’t already own it, the official Player’s Handbook is the perfect D&D gift for any fan. Containing all 12 playable classes, as well as the original races, spells and backgrounds, it’s all a player needs to get started building their first adventurer. $29.99

2. If they already have the Player’s Handbook, then perhaps Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is what they’re after. It’s the latest official addition from Wizards of the Coast and contains a whole host of new features and options for players to choose from. Highlights include new playable character options and sub-classes and lots of new spells. $29.97

3. Dice, Dice, Dice. Any tabletop aficionado will agree: you can NEVER have enough dice. So if you’re looking for simple, easy D&D gifts and want to go a little bit beyond a single set of six die, then this Pound-O-Dice from Chessex could well be the ideal present. $21.52

4. These great Tees from Guerrilla Tees feature cool slogans and artwork based on Dungeons & Dragons and roleplaying games and make excellent D&D gifts. $14.99

Alternatively, for the smarter D&D fan there’s this awesome D&D tie. $24.99

5. If they haven’t already read it, Of Dice and Men David M. Ewalt delivers an epic nerd-out making this a faultless D&D gift for players, DMs and everyone else. $9.60 Paperback, $13.33 Kindle

6. Whether one of D&D Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures, or Pathfinder Deep Cuts, you’re almost certain to be able to find an unpainted mini-figure that adequately represents that special someone’s PC (player character). What’s more, if it’s unpainted, they then get the joy of painting the figure in the colors, clothes and style they always imagined. Why not try the Aasimar Paladin, Tiefling Sorcerer, Earth Genasior Elf Druid?

7. Once they have an unpainted mini, they’re going to have to paint them. This Paint Set, reviewed here by fellow Geekdad Anthony Karcz, has everything a player needs to get started painting their first mini. It even comes with an exclusive Minc and Bo figure which is almost worth the money on its own.

8. As a player I rely heavily on the official D&D spell cards, especially when playing a new characters or a high level spellcaster with lots of interesting spells. There are multiple sets, including Arcane (wizards, sorcerers and warlocks) Bard, Druid, Cleric, Paladin and Ranger.

9. A classic card gamefor and any D&D fan that has combat and fun in equal measure. Perfect for playing D&D on the go, or for introducing friends and family to some of the base ideas of Dungeon & Dragons. $11.97

10. What else do I need to say, except: written by Patrick Rothfuss! Any D&D fan need this in their life. $13.25

For DMs

1. For a new Dungeon Master who’s just starting out you cannot get better than the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set.Included are the basic rules, six pre-generated characters, a set of six polyhedral dice and the excellent adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver. This is one of the best official D&D products out there and delivers a fantastic introduction of how to play the world’s greatest roleplaying game. $28.97

2. DMs always need a good screen to hide behind and the Dungeon Master’s Screen Reincarnated has all the info they could possibly want. A perfect quick-reference guide for everything that a player can do on their turn, as well as some impressive cover art. $10.71

3. Experienced DMs will love the content provided in these essential supplements from Kobold Press.Prepared and Prepared 2 offer solutions for those game sessions where players go off the rails on an unexpected tangent. Each book contains encounters and mini-adventures for every environment and character level and are perfect D&D gifts that your DM will surely love. $14.99 – $19.99

4. Like dice, a DM can never have enough minis. So when choosing the perfect D&D gifts you should definitely consider an Icons of the Realms: Monster Menagerie 3 Booster Pack for the official Wizards of the Coast figures. These usually come with four minis of varying sizes and are themed to suit the current campaign. But you don’t have to stop there, why not be a bit more creative and get them a big bag of zombies or dinosaurs? These would be especially appropriate for the latest Tomb of Annihilation campaign. $14.65 for the official figures or $12.29 – $15.97

5. If they have the books, the screen, the dice and the minis, then the next most obvious D&D gift is a battlemap. This Chessex Battlemat is reversible with 1 inch squares on one side and 1 inch hexes on the other. $22.99

6. The latest guide to being a great DM from Mike Shea at Sly Flourish helps Dungeon Masters streamline their preparation and think about only the essential elements for bringing about a great story. If your DM loves running sessions but struggles to find the time to plan their games, then this is the solution. Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master is available in both hardback and Kindle editions and contains everything your DM will need. They will thank you every time you play. $8-15

7. These make great D&D gifts for a Dungeon Master. There are currently two official sets, Monsters 0-5 where you have the lesser, more squishy monsters from the Monster Manual, and Monsters 6-16 where the monsters start to get a little more “difficult.” $20-25

8. Reviewed by fellow GeekDad Rory Bristol, Modenkainen’s Tome of Foes is an excellent resource for Dungeon Masters looking to develop a campaign that is deeply entrenched in D&D lore. $36.26

9. Also reviewed by Anthony Karcz this set is fantastic for developing your skills and creating a whole host of monsters and villains for your players to face. And, as Anthony says, it comes with “the best owlbear ever!”

10. This is the mega-dungeon of myth and secret. Not for the faint hearted DM, but essential if they are to pass into lore and legend. Dungeon of the Mad Mage sets players against Halaster Blackcloak himself in 15 levels of mazes, dungeons, spaceships, dragons, half-men/half-scorpions and everything else you could possible dream of and more.
Disclaimer: Kobold Press provided copies of Prepared and Prepared 2 for review purposes. $25.29