Your Dungeons & Dragons adventures need to start somewhere. In most cases, you can search for people who are already used to the game and let them teach you how things work. However, you can also start from scratch — with other newcomers, as it is a group game — and use a starter set to learn how to play or DM a campaign of your own.
That said, the fifth edition has a few starter sets (even though only one of them is technically called a starter set), so there are a few options when choosing which one you should buy. Each contains the key items to play the game, along with an adventure for you to go through.
Honorable Mention: Welcome To The Hellfire Club
The Hellfire Club Meets 5E
Stranger Things and D&D have had quite a nice history together, from the multiple references to D&D in the show to even parts of the plot being inspired by D&D lore. It’s only natural that D&D reciprocates and does Stranger Things content in return.
This starter set is updated with the 2024 rules, and it offers a lot of cards, maps, adventures, and more. The only reason we’re not actually considering this one and leaving it as an honorable mention is the fact that this set is not out yet, so it’d be unfair to rank it along with the others.
Dungeons & Dragons Vs. Rick & Morty
With Meeseeks And Everything
One of the starter sets for 5e is the Rick & Morty adventure, of all things. And it’s a relatively solid entry already, meaning that even the one we recommend the least is already good enough to start the game, so that’s a plus.
The key thing about whether you’ll like this adventure or not is how much you and your group like Rick & Morty or meta-humor, as the adventure is filled with it. Adventures that thrive on humor aren’t bad, but you have to make sure everyone is on board. It can get repetitive, too, but you can cut some of the rooms and easily run this in a single session — or do the whole thing in three or four sessions.
Hunt For The Thessalhydra
Going Upside Down
Our last partnered starter set takes us back to Stranger Things, a good friend of the D&D brand. This set contains a simple adventure written by Mike, who mixes classic D&D content with the horrors he experienced with his friends in the show.
This starter set is on a similar boat as the previous one, but this time, it doesn’t focus on comedy and feels more like a traditional D&D experience. This makes it more appealing in general rather than catering to a more specific audience, especially because you don’t need to watch Stranger Things to enjoy this adventure.
Essentials Kit
Dragon Of Icespire Peak
For a more classic adventure, you have the Essentials Kit, which offers a sandbox adventure known as the Dragon of Icespire Peak. The adventure is nothing particularly extraordinary, but it does the job well, accompanied by nice materials to create characters up to level six.
The biggest problem with this one is if you’re trying to learn to DM instead of playing. A sandbox campaign can be a confusing endeavor for a first-time DM, but it’s still doable if you prepare yourself well enough.
Starter Set 2014
Lost Mine Of Phandelver
The very first starter set for D&D 5e still holds up well. It has one of the most classic adventures, Lost Mine of Phandelver, which at this point is almost a rite of passage for 5e players. It’s also a somewhat long adventure with a big area to explore, but it’s easier to digest and run.
As a DM, you can simply run the first part as a one-shot and see if your players enjoyed it. If they did, you can then proceed to run the whole adventure, or even expand it with Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk (that would be a separate purchase, though).
Still, unless you and your players really enjoy the game, a simple one-shot or the main adventure (which goes up to level five) is more than enough. Don’t demand too much commitment from newcomers.
Starter Set 2022
Dragons Of Stormwreck Isle
In a way, this starter set feels like the polar opposite of Dragon of Icespire Peak. It has less content in it, with rules to make a character from levels one to three, and a short and simple adventure, along with pre-made characters. That said, simplicity is not a bad thing in a starter set.
Though far from being the most exciting adventure (Lost Mine of Phandelver is a better adventure, for instance), this starter set’s more straightforward nature makes it easy to digest as a new player and a new DM. It also has pre-made characters to use or for reference, so everyone can learn through examples of character creation.
Heroes Of The Borderlands
For D&D 2024
This starter set stands out for being the first one that uses the 2024 rules, and for all the extra stuff that comes with it besides the adventures and dice. This set comes with maps for the three adventures presented here, along with cards for items, spells, and NPCs.
It also has tables explaining the four core classes of the game (fighter, cleric, wizard, and rogue), and multiple tokens to use along with the maps. While none of these are necessary, per se, it makes the information stand out a lot more, especially if you’re a visual learner, making the process of understanding the game a lot easier.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Player Count
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2+
- Age Recommendation
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12+ (though younger can play and enjoy)
- Length per Game
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From 60 minutes to hours on end.
- Franchise Name
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Publishing Co
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Wizards of the Coast