10 Perfect D&D Gifts for That Special Dungeon Master in Your Life

Show your DM you really care with one of these extra special D&D gifts

Special occasions like Valentine’s Day are the perfect opportunity to show your Dungeon Master some love. So why not pick up one of the following D&D gifts?

Let’s face it, Dungeon Masters can have a pretty rough deal. They spend hour after hour building meticulous campaigns and fantastic worlds to play in, only for their best laid plans to be ruined by a bunch of angst-ridden, repressed, murder-hobos and secret pyromaniacs.

Of course there are the well-known, celebrated DMs like Chris Perkins, Jerry Holkins, Deborah Ann Woll, and Matthew Mercer, but your everyday Dungeon Master probably doesn’t get the credit they deserve. So why not say a big “thank you” to that special Dungeon Master in your life by checking out this list of perfect D&D gifts that are sure to make them feel loved.

Geeky Clean bath bombs

Nothing says “I love you and the exciting world you create” like a range of lovingly crafted, RPG-themed cosmetic products. These bath bombs come in a number of funky polyhedral designs and, once used, leave behind various dice ready-to-use in your next D&D game. Geeky Clean is a UK-based company with products available worldwide, and they also offer a range of cool enamel pins—like these Critical Role-themed ones. Bath Bombs $6-12

Massive tube of fantasy minis

Being a Dungeon Master can be an expensive pastime, but one way you can help out your DM is by supplying them with a whole bunch of assorted monster minis. Official minifigures are expensive and, although there’s nothing quite like the real thing, a tube of minis like these from Wiked Duals provides 100 figures to add to their collection for only $19.99.

A Hero Forge custom mini of their own

Being a DM also means never getting to play a character for a long amount of time, and when you do create that amazing NPC villain to challenge and motivate your players, the sense of satisfaction is tainted by the bittersweet realization that your lovingly created character is likely destined to be killed by the party. Why not show your DM you care by building a custom-made minifigure of a favorite villain or NPC for them to cherish. Be warned they may just decide to keep this villain alive a little bit longer if they get too attached to the mini.

Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

Reviewed by fellow GeekDad Rory Bristol, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes is an excellent resource for Dungeon Masters looking to develop a campaign that is deeply entrenched in D&D lore. It contains new player options, new backgrounds and sub-races, and new epic monsters. Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes is a great gift for your DM and will provide exciting content for their campaigns for years to come. $32

Battlemats, DM screens, or extra dice

Playing regular games means inevitable wear and tear on those DM essentials. Why not replace a haggard mat or get the latest, up-to-date DM screen? Chessex Battlemats are the gold standard and these reversible ones work well whether you use 1-inch squares or hexes in your games. You could also try replacing an old DM screen—although make sure it has all the right information for your DM’s current campaign. This one for Waterdeep Dragon Heist has some really useful random tables for rolling trinkets and taverns.

Monster cards

These make great D&D gifts for a Dungeon Master. There are currently two official sets, Challenge Rating 0-5 where you have the lesser, more squishy monsters from the Monster Manual, and Challenge Rating 6-16 where the monsters start to get a little more “difficult.” While there are some omissions—somehow the Beholder didn’t make the final cut—most big monsters from the Monster Manual are included here, expect more to be released soon. $20-25

Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

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

Inspiration for their next campaign

Has your Dungeon Master read Patrick Rothfuss’ The Kingkiller Cronicles? Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series? Elizabeth Bear’s The Eternal Sky books? The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynche? Or any of the official D&D Drizzt novels by R. A. Salvatore? They all make perfect D&D Gifts for inspiration for a DM’s next campaign, and if they’ve read these, then why not check out the list of further reading in Appendix E of the Player’s Handbook for more inspiration.

Dungeon Master’s Tome of Secrets

An excellent D&D gift, this is the perfect note book for creating future campaigns. Dungeon Masters can never have enough journals and the Dungeon Master’s Tome of Secrets is a purpose built book in which your DM can plan your favorite character’s inevitable downfall. $14.99

Subscriptions to their favorite tool set

Does your Dungeon Master use D&D Beyond? Are they on Roll20? Do your sessions have Syrinscape sound-sets in the background? Remember: these things aren’t free. Your DM no doubt spends more money on running your games than you may think, so if you are looking for a way to say “thank you,” subscriptions to these utilities make great D&D gifts. They’re also something you can group together with your co-players to spread the cost.

D&D Gifts

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Christmas, a birthday celebration, the end of a long-running campaign, or you just want to show them you care, one of these D&D gifts will bring a smile to the face of any Dungeon Master.

It’s also a sure-fire way to bag yourself some extra special treatment next game night. I can’t guarantee your DM will award you inspiration, give you advantage, more XP, or even let your favorite character walk away from the next big boss fight. But letting them know you care and appreciate all their hard work is (almost) the very least you can do.