Best Third-Party Books for D&D 5e, Ranked

Gamers and fans applaud Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition (D&D 5e) as perhaps the most accessible version of the critically acclaimed TTRPG to date. Moreover, 5e lives up to its legacy by slowly incorporating popular D&D settings - and lately, settings from other Wizards of the Coast IPs - into the game. Fans today have access to official and 5e-compatible Eberron, Forgotten Realms, and even Magic: The Gathering content for their D&D games. Creators also recently leveled up the D&D experience by writing third-party books for D&D 5e. These books bring D&D to popular settings such as Middle-earth and other unique worlds.

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Thanks to these books, Dungeon Masters can transport their players into new settings without having to homebrew most of their content. Any DM who wants to pursue such popular concepts for their table should get these best third-party books for D&D 5e.

Updated on September 24, 2024, by Rhenn Taguiam: With Dungeons & Dragons having just released its updated Player’s Handbook, fans of the tabletop roleplaying game might be wondering just how its new contents can spice things up for their RPG sessions. However, tables who want to make massive changes to their tables and upcoming campaigns might want to pair up this new version of the Player’s Handbook with some third-party materials - especially some books that aim to add quite a lot of new content, be it monsters or encounter tables or stories, to make sessions more engaging. Included among must-try books is a supplement that introduces fishing and fishing-themed mechanics, a massive book of random tables for Dungeon Masters, and a monster gallery that turns enemies into more compelling challenges.

28 Why Slay Dragons When You Could Be Fishing

Turn D&D Into A More Relaxed (But Still Action-Packed) Experience

Dungeon Master Brett Ultimus introduces players and readers to quite a compelling idea: Why Slay Dragons When You Could Be Fishing. This 5e-compatible sourcebook provides players with 300+ pages of all things fishing. Introduced as an Activity, Fishing in Why Slay Dragons is a downtime action that doesn’t interfere with the benefits of Short and Long Rests. Instead, players can leisurely engage in Fishing activities within a unique ruleset.

The game provides more than 200+ kinds of fish across 12 different environments, with rules players can use to create their own fish. The book also comes with various anthropomorphic Folks or Races, as well as unique sea-themed Subclasses to get Fishing fans into full swing. All of these, combined with associated Carving and Crafting Systems, help Why Slay Dragons transform D&D into a more relaxing but equally compelling experience.

Why Should Players Get This?

While it might not be difficult to find a sea-themed supplement that has its own nautical Subclasses, Why Slay Dragons When You Could Be Fishing takes things further by offering Fishing as meaningful extra content for players. Gone are the days of DMs blindly making up mechanics for downtime, as Fishing can be a viable way of spending time without taking away the appeal of adventure. The Subclasses themselves are quite interesting, with some Subclasses offering water-themed traits (College of Fisher’s Tradition Bard, Deep Waters Cleric) or Fishing-themed combat perks such as the Battle Angler Fighter being able to push or pull opponents with their angling or the Circle of the Tides Druid relying on amended swimming mechanics to gain advantage on the battlefield.

27 Flee Mortals! The MCDM Monster Book

Fight More Meaningful Monsters

Monsters form a crucial part of the Dungeons & Dragons experience, especially since these are the creatures players kill in order to gain experience and often advance the plot. While the Monster Manual offers a lot of creatures to spice up a player’s adventure, they’re often portrayed as beings with a bag of Hit Points with special abilities that delay their inevitable demise. This is something that Flee Mortals! The MCDM Monster Book attempts to change, as Matthew Colville creates a sourcebook for Dungeon Masters that transforms monsters into beings that actually “matter” in the context of adventures.

This time around, Flee Mortals! Makes use of Action-Oriented design to allow monsters to act outside their turn and rely on spells much less, adding dynamism to their design. Classic monsters also get a makeover that further diversifies their specialization, complete with new actions to make monsters more compelling to fight. The book also introduces Minions to accompany monsters, Companions for players, and even Retainers to spice up how these “mini-characters” add more meaning to sessions.

Why Should Players Get This?

While a lot of monsters in the Monster Manual and other supplements come with unique designs, Dungeon Masters often face the problem of not knowing what to do with them. This is something that Flee Mortals! Avoids by actually providing its creatures with a “reason for existing.” Ideas behind monsters, their actions, and their native environments become important points to explore in the book. That way, Dungeon Masters can create more engaging and fluid encounters that add to the immersion of players throughout their session.

26 Dread Thingonomicon

Get A Quick Handle On All Things A DM Might Miss

The humorous name behind the Dread Thingonomicon hides within its massive 480-page tome an answer to things that players almost always nitpick in their sessions that Dungeon Masters absolutely have no time to prepare for. What oddities are scattered on this alchemist’s desk? What sorts of obstacles would players encounter during a street chase? What quests would be available in the guild hall? Where Dungeon Masters would otherwise have an uninspired solution, the Dread Thingonomicon offers something to spice things up. And whatever question isn’t in its pages, one of its contents will likely inspire the Dungeon Master to make up something on the fly, anyway.

Among “big books of tables” that a Dungeon Master must own, the Dread Thingonomicon is both a helpful resource and a treat. Players and Dungeon Masters alike can read descriptions of tables and imagine how they can integrate these within their tables. Impromptu questions can have DMs just pluck a random table from this book and still manage to use it properly as a resource.

Why Should Players Get This?

It’s easy to get so immersed in the Dread Thingonomicon that one might never reach the table they’re looking for in the first place, and this is precisely where the book finds its appeal. There’s usually something in its pages that a Dungeon Master might consider using at some point in their campaign, and they may take comfort bookmarking certain pages in anticipation of what players might ask - or what they might lure players into asking - when they encounter some ambiguous event. Situations such as hot spots in different locales, lists of random items across different categories, and possible challenges during pursuits - all, and more, are within this pocket of Dungeon Master oddities that will likely give a seemingly mundane or quick solution to a problem that will spiral into a memorable subplot.

25 Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn

Become Exandria’s New Protectors In A Futuristic Setting

At first glance, Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn might feel like a rehash of the original Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting back in 2017. However, if its 2022 Ennie Award Winner for Best Setting is any indication, Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn takes Exandria and lets it bloom beyond the confines of Vox Machina’s adventures. Now set roughly 30 years after Campaign 1, the book introduces Exandria roughly at the time of the Critical Role-set Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount sourcebook, but this time introduces more time-appropriate flavors and concepts for adventurers in a post-Vox Machina world.

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Save for roughly similar introductions to locales, factions, and histories, the book provides new settlements and lore for major cities. Players can also enjoy new subclasses, as well as updates to the archetypes already introduced in the first book, on top of information such as all-powerful Vestiges and Magic Items from both Campaigns and even relevant statblocks - such as those of the Vox Machina in the future.

Why Should Players Get This?

Should players pick between the first book and Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, the updated book is worth acquiring for its timeframe. The post-Campaign 1 setup can provide fans with ample room to theorycraft on their preferred origins without clashing with other plotlines they enjoyed, and the emergence of new factions like the League of Miracles, as well as the introduction of new Patrons and Idols, can provide refreshing clashes for stories that aren’t immediately tackled in Critical Role. Being able to encounter an older Vox Machina can be a thrilling prospect for fans, especially should their own adventurers be in a position to also hold the fate of Exandria in their hands.

24 Odyssey Of The Dragonlords

An Epic Adventure From Some Of Gaming’s Best Minds

Weaved straight from the minds of former BioWare members such as writer Drew Karpyshyn and designers James Ohlen and Jesse Sky, Odyssey of the Dragonlords is a full-fledged campaign that takes players to the Greek Mythology-inspired continent of Thylea in the hopes of saving it from Titans. Its premise seems standard, but appropriate for heroic protagonists: when the Dragonlords overthrew the Titans and forged the Oath of Peace, Thylea saw peace that lasted for five centuries. However, with the Oath waning in power and the Dragonlords nowhere to be found, Thylea is ripe for the taking.

Sprawled across four acts, players take on the role of warriors who establish themselves as up-and-coming heroes. Their adventures, inspired by stories such as Jason and the Argonauts as well as The Odyssey, will task them with reviving the Dragonlords and hopefully stopping the Titans from once again wreaking havoc in Thylea. True to their Greek inspiration, players become the heroes of their own mythology, as the game takes them to Levels 1 to 15 - complete with mythology-inspired races, Magic Items, and Epic Paths that weave together personal stories with grand destinies.

Why Should Players Get This?

Compared to other released adventures, Odyssey of the Dragonlords is as systematic as it is flexible. Being created by developers known for RPGs with intricate narratives and rich worlds helped Thylea separate itself from popular campaign settings - and even go so far as to differentiate itself with its Greek myth inspiration and Theroes, D&D’s Greek myth-inspired locale. The way the campaign is structured provides both DMs and players with the flexibility of exploration without sacrificing both story beats and activities, giving Thylea a semblance of being “open world”, while DMs are never far behind the meat of the plot they’re supposed to tackle. Most importantly, Epic Paths provide much-needed personal side quests that can still be connected to the main story, allowing players to have a more involved say in the way their characters affect the grand scheme of things without feeling forced.

23 The Griffon’s Saddlebag

Enhance The D&D Experience With 300+ Magic Items

Despite the nature of D&D core rulebooks as applicable to almost any setting imaginable, fans of the TTRPG can feel a bit constrained when their Dungeon Masters use the same assortment of Magic Items across different stories. Despite DMs being capable of making stories exciting, just the idea of gunning for the same Magic Items can lead players to make the same builds and setups - something that The Griffon’s Saddlebag aims to change with its premise.

At its core, both volumes of The Griffon’s Saddlebag contain hundreds of new concepts and knick-knacks for players and DMs to integrate into their campaigns. Both volumes contain new Races, Subclass options for each Class, new locales and monsters, setting-agnostic villains, and, most importantly, new Magic Items: 365 for the first book, and over 500 for the second book.

Why Should Players Get This?

Players tired of the “same old” Magic Item roster should try to acquire even one The Griffon’s Saddlebag book to diversify their options. Many items, such as the Astral Bracelet or the Torchbearer’s Reach, are fairly balanced and can add much-needed flavor to most settings. Other options containing surprisingly wild effects are available for modification to suit a DM’s needs. Regarding third-party books that offer the most customizable options, The Griffon’s Saddlebag can provide tables with a fresh set of eyes and almost a thousand new reasons for players to be invested in the rewards of the next session.

22 Valda’s Spire Of Secrets

Transform 5e Into A Whole New Experience

While Mage Hand Press is already known for its slate of various modules and sourcebooks throughout the lifetime of 5th Edition, its 2022 release, Valda’s Spire of Secrets, turns D&D 5e gameplay on its head and provides a refreshing new look to the TTRPG. The tome is set in the Spire of a powerful lich named Valda who, like the sorceress Tasha, also has forbidden knowledge. Stylized similar to how Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything provides revised rules and revamped options for the base D&D 5e experience, Valda’s Spire of Secrets also provides a massive repertoire of alternate options for players beyond new Magic Items, Spells, and even creatures.

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Perhaps the stars of the Spire are revamped base classes, where mainstays such as the Fighter and Wizard are replaced by a group of Martial Classes and Caster Classes that provide equal parts flavor and fun to players. These include the Captain with their assistant, the Craftsman who can create trinkets, the Necromancer with quite an efficient minion system, and the quick-casting Warmage. Complementing them are the arrival of 150+ Subclasses spread among them, all providing flavor-worthy wild ideas that can bring their unique brand of flair and chaos to tables. The book also introduces Auxillary Classes, or short-term Multiclass options, that combine the idea of Backgrounds with level-based Features.

Why Should Players Get This?

Among third-party books players can purchase, Valda’s Spire of Secrets easily provides many accessible homebrew options for different campaign settings. Players tired of the typical roster of Classes and Multiclass builds can go to Valda’s to whip out an entirely new character concept - be it a finger-gunning Gunslinger or even a supernatural Investigator. The outright ridiculousness of some Subclass options can pave the way for comedic campaigns, while the Auxillary Classes provide new ways of enhancing characters with much-needed flavor, especially for more story-heavy experiences.

21 Original Adventures Reincarnated

Partake In The Earliest Adventures Of Dungeons & Dragons

If part of D&D 5e's selling points is its "simplicity," how hard were its older editions? Thankfully, gamers no longer have to look for their household copy of D&D First Edition in the attic to experience playing classic D&D. Chris Doyle and Tim Wadzinski from Goodman-Games have converted some of the most popular adventures of the original Dungeons & Dragons into a 5e-compatible format. Original Adventures Reincarnated from Goodman-Games adds an old-school spin to 5e by bringing players to some of the adventures that became the hallmark of D&D's "good 'ole days."

Why Should Players Get This?

Original Adventures Reincarnated comes in four variants, each featuring unique adventures in different settings. "Into the Borderlands" and "The Isle of Dread" put players into the unknown wilderness of forests and caves. "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" will have adventurers explore a crashed starship. Lastly, "The Lost City" centers around a mysterious pyramid in the desert. Gamers can get any book and experience a mini-campaign, which can get any newbie into D&D. Moreover, the books feature high-quality scans of these adventures, with interviews and input from gaming personalities.

20 Sandy Petersen's Cthulhu Mythos For 5e

Introduces Lovecraftian Concepts To Fantasy-Heavy Settings

Fans of Lovecraftian Mythos can get the best D&D " translation” of its horrifically captivating setting via Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for 5e. Fans of otherworldly horror immediately revel in the unnerving art and the unsettling text within the Cthulhu Mythos book. Perhaps most importantly, Sandy Petersen, the creator of the Call of Cthulhu TTRPG, wrote this masterpiece himself.

Why Should Players Get This?

The guide converts the rules of D&D 5e to fit the Lovecraftian themes of detachment, helplessness, and the fragility of sanity. In addition to the incorporation of 26 Great Old Ones and Outer Gods, Cthulhu Mythos “rewrites” 5e rules to incorporate dreaming and insanity, artifacts and mythos items, and spells and rituals. Literature and horror fans who want an Eldritch rebrand of D&D 5e should give Cthulhu Mythos for 5e a try.

19 Grim Hollow

Take Games To A Darker, Grittier, Gothic Setting

Dungeon Masters eager to take their players into a much darker Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting may want to sink their teeth into Grim Hollow. Despite barely reaching 300 pages, the book features the rather bleak world of Etharis, which, despite a violent pantheon, a community rife with superstition, and plague-infested farmlands, still has room for heroes who want to try and do a bit of good.

On top of unique races that fit the curious oddities of a grimdark setting, the game offers a multitude of subclasses, spells from the School of Sangromancy, and a more debilitating curse system that makes each combat encounter more tense than the last. In Etharis’s more vicious lands, victory becomes more worthwhile, and imbuing hope in desolate lands becomes more rewarding.

Why Should Players Get This?

Despite landing at less than 300 pages, Grim Hollow has enough information for players to dive into campaigns with more depth. Thanks to Advanced Backgrounds, players work their way “up” their backgrounds through tiers with rewards that improve a character’s standing in the world. Moreover, Transformations allow players to become horrifying creatures, each with interesting abilities, harsh downsides, and more difficult sacrifices. The book also has a short guide to dark fantasy, making Grim Hollow the perfect introductory take on making grittier D&D settings from the ground up.