The Best Free Adventures For DnD On DMsGuild

Official modules, source books, and supplements are great, but there’s something especially magical about fan-made Dungeons & Dragons content. Best of all, DMsGuild provides a place for D&D homebrew veterans to share their content with the world without the risk of copyright problems.

And while some fine DMs can make a tidy profit from the site by selling their custom content, plenty of creators have decided to make their modules free. For the more budget-conscious tabletop gamer, these are an absolute godsend. Here are the best community-made D&D resources that don’t cost a dime.

Some of this content is marked as “Pay What You Want.” This means that while a payment option exists, it’s entirely optional.

Poisons For 5th Edition

Supplement

Poisons in D&D have some variety. But they’re rare, expensive, and often not worth the trouble. This free supplement by Matthew Eckart introduces over 75 new potion varieties, along with descriptors like Market Value, Legality, and how to find them.

More than just a potion list, it also includes a handful of optional mechanics expanding on the poison system, like diluting them, identifying when someone is poisoned, and how to produce antivenoms.

Ascent Of Dragons: First Among Equals

Adventure

The first adventure module in a whopping line-up of 20 (one for each level), this short adventure kicks off an ongoing dragon-centric plot line. Keeping things low-key to start, the party helps stop an ogre in the village, along with a band of kobolds looting houses in the confusion. Followed by some lore building, free roam work, and a narrative hook at the end, it sets the stage for a greater adventure.

The biggest boon of this adventure, and part of why it’s so highly rated, is due to the creator’s zero-prep claim. It’s structured so that the DM doesn’t need hours on hours of prep to run it effectively. This makes it a fantastic last-minute option. Alternatively, it can be the start of a long-running adventure for the more casual D&D group.

The use of generative AI in D&D has been a controversial topic, which not everyone is okay with using. This adventure does use AI-generated artwork for the cover and throughout the module.

Igor’s Challenge

Adventure

This self-contained adventure follows the machinations of a gnome inventor named Igor. After constructing a large fun-house style dungeon, he has invited adventurers far and wide to a competition. Whoever can make it to the end of his dungeon wins. The module includes information on the nearby village, NPCs, an encounter, a legendary NPC, and of course, 33 different dungeon rooms with a non-lethal focus and a design around puzzles, traps, and tricks.

What really makes Igor’s Challenge special, however, is the overall tone and vibe. It’s an engaging but still lighthearted adventure that captures the style of classic dungeons while injecting some humorous ideas and circumstances. Even if you don’t use the full adventure, the individual room puzzles make for great improvised experiences.

One-Shot Spooky Adventure: Haunting Of House Hargrave

Adventure

This adventure is an amazing example of the captivating narrative potential of D&D. This isolated one-shot story comes with premade characters (it’s important that your players use these). The party is tasked with exploring House Hargrave, a cursed manor full of death and secrets.

The dramatic twist? Clues are hidden throughout the adventure, revealing that everyone in the party has already died and is a ghost. The deaths they came here to investigate are actually their own. The entire adventure is designed around towing that careful line of details and surprise that, if executed right, will make for an unforgettable conclusion.

Rise Of The Necromancer

Adventure

This is a top-notch pick for anyone interested in running a very classic D&D adventure. After taking shelter from an unnatural storm, the party discovers the lair of a dreadful necromancer. Using clues discovered along the way, they’ll put a stop to the necromancer’s ritual.

The adventure is designed to be new DM friendly, providing more detailed descriptions of the world for more refined exposition and less complicated mechanics and encounters. Best of all, there are two sequel adventures, The Underling’s Awakening and Empire of the Underling, that can keep the fun going for longer.

Totem Of The Duck – Option For Totem Warrior Barbarians

Supplement

There are many reasons why D&D celebrity and voice actor Matthew Mercer is beloved. One reason is because of his willingness to share his custom content with the world. This entry is a variation to the Totem Warrior Barbarian subclass, adding a ‘duck’ totem. The idea was conceived when actor Jon Heder was a guest on the first campaign of Critical Role, a popular online D&D broadcast. Heder requested his totem animal be a duck, and Mercer obliged.

The customization was so well received that Mercer refined it for public use and released it as a free supplement on DMsGuild. It’s not the most in-depth content, but it’s a comedic idea that was refined most expertly. The cultural novelty of it does add something, too, admittedly.

A Chance Encounter

Adventure

One undeniable fact about D&D is that it can be intimidating to get into, especially when newcomers are introduced to ideas and experiences geared toward veteran players. A Chance Encounter, on the other hand, is the opposite. This small adventure has a simple but on-theme premise that showcases the classic D&D experience.

In this adventure, the party is tasked by the wizard of a backwater village to find his friend and rescue them from a band of kobolds. It’s as easy to play as it is to follow, making this a fantastic piece to have on hand whenever someone asks you to introduce them to D&D.

St. Andral’s Orphanage

Adventure

Another spooky adventure, this story is originally intended as an addition to the Curse of Strahd campaign, adding depth and interest to the town of Vallaki. With some adjustments, however, it can be retrofitted into a standalone adventure or injected into other campaigns.

The story centers around St. Andral’s Orphanage, operated by an overbearing and possibly abusive headmistress. As they investigate, the party learns that things are not what they seem and that a possessed child named Felix may be the cause of recent misfortunes.

Item Crafting Rules For 5e

Supplement

For those DMs and players who love to get into the gritty part of the most mundane tasks, this supplement expands on the item crafting system in 5e. Based on the artisan tool selection available in the base game, this provides more detail and interactivity to crafting their respective items.

Introducing nuances like item quality, materials, and enchantments adds a layer of engagement to an otherwise boring dice roll. Not every player will care, but those that do will LOVE it.

Shaman Class (5e)

Supplement

There’s a reason this is the only custom class on this list. With the vast and complicated mechanics in D&D, even small changes to subclass features can be enough to throw off the entire balance of the game. Few folks have successfully made a subclass, let alone an entire class, that can be injected into the base game without causing problems.

The Shaman, however, is a potent exception. This Charisma-based spellcaster will feel like a blend between druid and warlock while offering some interesting and unique mechanics that help it stand out. It’s gone through countless revisions to ensure game balance and should be an excellent fit for any nature-centric game.