Summary
- Adventure modules help DMs with ready-made campaigns; some are epic like Lord of the Rings, others not.
- Newer D&D campaigns provide incredible adventures for players old and new, offering a wealth of resources for DMs.
- From heist-themed adventures to jungle explorations, D&D campaigns cater to various player preferences and playstyles.
Sometimes, DMs need help. This is why there are adventure modules; to provide ready-made campaigns to play. Most of these are playable, but some of them are beyond epic in scope. Lord of the Rings—that’s for brand-new players. The Dragonlance Chronicles—not epic enough.
Most of the following Dungeons & Dragons campaigns are fairly recent creations, but a couple of them are classics from the earlier days of D&D. Every one of them, though, provides an incredible adventure for players old and new.
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Updated January 7, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam: With the 2025 release of the updated Monster Manual teasing a lot of changes to the acclaimed TTRPG’s versions of fantasy monsters, fans of Dungeons & Dragons might be excited to start training their new versions of characters created from 2024’s updated Player’s Handbook. With the Monster Manual gearing up for the updated release and the Dungeon Master’s Guide on its way for the same, Dungeon Masters and their players might want to prepare for new adventures in the world’s most popular roleplaying game. With that in mind, here are some of D&D’s most popular campaigns.
35 Candlekeep Mysteries
An Anthology That Offers A Refreshing Break From Serious Campaigns
- Suggested Character Level: Varies
- Suggested Number of Players: 4 to 6
- Difficulty Level: Varies
- Setting: Forgotten Realms
Unlike other campaigns, which often take groups of players on a globe-trotting adventure, Candlekeep Mysteries takes the concept of a “campaign” for a spin by taking players across adventures of their choosing. All stories in the Dungeons & Dragons book are standalone adventures, each with suggested difficulties that DMs can adjust. However, all of these adventures share the same premise. They all begin in a book players encounter in Candlekeep, an enormous library on the Sword Coast.
Each story in Candlekeep Mysteries is presented like a detective case, with a seemingly-random book establishing a premise that reveals more upon deeper investigation. Players who want adventures they can insert into almost any setting can rely on Candlekeep Mysteries to keep their players entertained, especially if they want to take a break from their traditional campaign and explore new content. An adventure in Candlekeep Mysteries can also be a “training” ground for DM hopefuls who don’t want to run a full-fledged campaign, or who want a one-shot that doesn’t take a tight-knit adventuring party to a completely new setting.
34 Journeys Through The Radiant Citadel
Adventures That Take Players Beyond The Realms
- Suggested Character Level: 1 to 14
- Suggested Number of Players: 4 to 6
- Difficulty Level: Easy to Difficult
- Setting: Neutral
D&D 5e introduces the Radiant Citadel as a floating city in the ethereal plane that used to connect at least 27 ancient civilizations. Players who visit the city in Journeys Through The Radiant Citadel will see it at a time when the descendants of 15 of these civilizations have begun reestablishing the city as a central hub for interdimensional travel. This is done courtesy of concord jewels, which act as gateways to these civilizations in the Material Plane. Unfortunately, many of these jewels are still missing, leading to a potential grand campaign.
However, where Journey Through The Radiant Citadel impresses players is its 13 Adventures. Designed for players Levels 1 to 13, every Radiant Citadel adventure takes a party from the floating city and into the location of these civilizations. Each one has a unique gazetteer-esque backgrounder, an Adventure overview, and objectives for players to explore. Although designed to be standalone adventures, Dungeon Masters who love the idea of a “central hub” can find ways of connecting these stories into a grand design.
33 Dragonlance: Shadow Of The Dragon Queen
A Prequel To The Acclaimed Dragonlance Chronicles
- Suggested Character Level: 1 to 11
- Suggested Number of Players: 4 to 6
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Setting: Krynn (Dragonlance)
Players who can’t get enough of dragons will appreciate the dragon-filled world of the Dragonlance setting. Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen takes players to the beginning salvo of the Dragon Queen Takhsis’s conquest across the realm of Ansalon in the world of Krynn. Set in a time when most of the gods are dead, the five-headed Dragon Queen’s assault happened at the worst time possible, and it’s up to players to stop the beginning stages of her assault in Kalaman. Shadow of the Dragon Queen happens both concurrently and before the Dragonlance Chronicles series, giving players the opportunity to set the stage for heroes such as Tanis Half-Elven and Raistlin Majere to take the fight to Takhsis herself.
Unlike other popular campaigns, Shadow of the Dragon Queen makes quite the introductory session to one of the most gripping settings in D&D. Dragonlance is set at the cusp of a renewed tragedy centuries after the horrific Cataclysm that almost destroyed the world. In a world with no gods, players can make one of the first “new” true Clerics, a Wizard whose powers depend on the Moon they are most associated with, or even a noble Knight of Solamnia. While older fans might not immediately appreciate the liberties taken with the lore, Shadow of the Dragon Queen features interesting new mechanics such as army-based wargaming and more brutal combat.
32 Dreams Of The Red Wizards
Send The Party To An Exotic Region Filled With Evil Wizards
- Suggested Character Level: Any
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-6
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Setting: Forgotten Realms
Thanks to the recent Dungeons & Dragons movie, the Red Wizards of Thay have gained more recognition as top-tier villains in the Forgotten Realms setting. They will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals of world domination and mastery of the arcane.
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There are two different versions of this module. The older 2nd Ed. Module would need some conversion to the newest rules but has the benefit of a large fold-out map and a more detailed source book. The other module was released during the D&D Next era; so again, there will be some conversion needed. The second module has the subheading Dead In Thay and is meant to provide ongoing, episodic adventures. The campaign itself is contained in the Adventures of Thay book, one of many included. The information in this module is dated, but still provides a wealth of resources for DMs that want to use the Red Wizards as antagonists.
31 Against The Cult Of The Reptile God
Save A Sleepy Village From An Evil Reptile Cult
- Suggested Character Level: 1-3
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-7
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
- Setting: Forgotten Realms
This module is an old one. Forty-two years old, to be exact. So, there will be a little work by the DM to convert the module to run using the current rule set. This adventure takes place in the Flanaess region of the Greyhawk setting. The hub of the adventure is a small town by the name of Orlane.
Players will need to investigate the odd happenings in the town and then deal with the reptile cult taking over the sleepy village. Orlane makes a great base for later adventures in the area, and growing the village into a proper town is something the players might enjoy.
30 Keys From The Golden Vault
Oceans 11 Meets Dungeons & Dragons
- Suggested Character Level: 1-11
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-8
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Setting: Any
Some of the best adventures are heists. A well-planned raid on a wealthy king's vault is often more fun for the players than a tedious dungeon crawl. Keys From The Golden Vault contains 13 heist-themed adventures for a party of players between levels one through eleven.
These adventures can be inserted into another campaign, or they can be played as a campaign. The flexibility of this campaign makes it a useful tool for the DM; contacts made by the players during this campaign can be used in the future to give more heists for the players to attempt.
29 The Isle Of Dread
Explore A Remote Island To Discover Its Secrets
- Suggested Character Level: 3-7
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-7
- Difficulty Level: Moderate to High
- Setting: Mystara
Islands are particularly useful to a clever DM. They allow the DM to contain the party's movement. They also allow for more varied creatures and are usually seen as mysterious. This adventure starts off with a promise of treasure and a map that leads to the island.
This module is great for presenting new challenges to a mid-level party. The overall theme of the module is to explore the island, encounter the native creatures and peoples, and discover the secrets hidden deep within the isle's confines. This is a fun adventure that provides a change of setting to keep gaming sessions from getting too familiar for the players.
28 Keep On The Borderlands
A Great Starter Adventure For Beginning Players
- Suggested Character Level: 1-3
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-7
- Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate
- Setting: Mystara
The great thing about those old adventure modules from the first and second editions is that they can be easily adapted to the newest edition. The hardest part of DMing an adventure is having the encounters ready, having maps of the area, and having an overarching story.
Keep on the Borderlands comes with some detailed maps (that can be reused in later adventures), as well as a blank map for the DM. There are useful charts of wandering monsters for random encounter checks. The story is simple and straightforward but also involves intrigue. This module is perfect for beginning players and characters, and it is available on archive.org.
27 Critical Role: Call Of The Netherdeep
A Campaign For More Experienced Players And Characters
- Suggested Character Level: 3
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-7
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
- Setting: Exandria
Call of the Netherdeep is a good adventure for when players have survived several adventures, and the DM wants a new setting to take the players out of their comfort zone. The adventure has sections that involve deep-sea exploration. Such a setting will require special means for survival.
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The party must also contend with an opposing party with the same objectives. This adds a sense of urgency to the adventure that many campaigns lack. Critical Roll. Players eventually contend with a demigod that's trapped in the labyrinth of Netherdeep.
26 The Ruins Of Undermountain
The Original Undermountain Campaign Is Still One Of The Best
- Suggested Character Level: None (High Level)
- Suggested Number Of Players: 4-7
- Difficulty Level: High
- Setting: Forgotten Realms
Spoiler, Tales From The Yawning Portal is on this list. That adventure module is excellent for introducing skilled players to the dangers of Undermountain. The area known as Undermountain is a network of caverns and complexes beneath the mountain at the heart of Waterdeep - one of the largest cities in the Forgotten Realms setting.
This module gives the DM extensive knowledge and resources for running an adventure in Undermountain. This module comes with four very detailed, full-color, fold-out maps and eight small adventure guides for the DM. This module is incredibly useful for DMs about to run the Tales From The Yawning Portal adventure.