Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Best Supplements For Expert Players
Summary
- Xanathar's Guide to Everything offers incredible new subclass options for expert-level players.
- Tasha's Cauldron of Everything provides dozens of subclass features for each class, and new tools for DMs.
- Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft introduces Dark Gift mechanics and new subclass options.
Beyond just the 2024 Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, there are dozens of supplementary sourcebooks, modules, adventures, and more on hand for expert-level Dungeons & Dragons players. Whether you're looking for unique classes, species, adventures, or more, either as a DM or player, there are so many different options available for high-level players.
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PostsThat's why we've created this list, which breaks these expert supplements down, and gives players and DMs alike some insight into what they can find in these sourcebooks. For this list, we'll mainly be looking at D&D supplements, but also some modules and adventures as well.
10 Xanathar's Guide To Everything
Dungeons and Dragons Xanathar's Guide To Everything Cover Art by Jason Rainville.Book Type
Supplement
Best Features
New Subclasses
Xanathar's Guide to Everything is a fantastic supplement book for 5e that offers new subclass options for every single class (with the exception of artificer). These subclasses are truly incredible and offer some of the best character-creation options for expert-level players.
Some highlights include the horizon walker ranger, inquisitive and mastermind rogue, and storm sorcery sorcerers. In addition to great player options, this sourcebook also has new traps and downtime session options for Dungeon Masters.
9 Mordenkainen's Tome Of Foes
Mordenkainen via Wizards of the CoastBook Type
Supplement
Best Features
New Subspecies
While this sourcebook is perhaps best know for the amount of beasts and new creatures it has to offer Dungeon Masters, this book also has a plethora of new subspecies options for elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes, but it also introduces rules for the githyanki, who are probably best known now thanks to Baldur's Gate 3.
The eladrin are perhaps the most fun subspecies addition, thanks to their emotionally volatile characteristics and seasonal transformations. If you have players at your table who think they've played every species imaginable, refer them to Mordenkainen's.
8 Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything
The Witch Tasha by Linda Lithen.Book Type
Supplement
Best Features
Optional Class Features & Subclasses
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything is another fantastic supplement that offers dozens of different subclass features for every single class (once again, except artificer). Some highlight subclass options include the psi warrior fighter, the twilight domain cleric, and the bladesinger wizard. Some of these subclasses, like the clockwork soul sorcerer, actually became mainstays in the 2024 PHB.
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PostsIn addition to these options, DMs also have tools in Tasha's for puzzles, magical tattoos, customizing spells, and running session zeroes. Overall, this is one of the best sourcebooks out there for 5e.
7 Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft
Dark Gifts by Paul Scott CanavanBook Type
Campaign Setting
Best Features
Adventure Settings & Dark Gifts
Though technically a campaign setting, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft also functions as an excellent supplement thanks to its Dark Gift mechanics, which you can bring over into another campaign. There are Dark Gifts that work best for adventures in the Domains of Dread, but nothing says that these can't be translated to another horror campaign, or even a regular one.
There are also two new subclass options available for bards and warlocks, both of which are great. The college of spirits bard is a particular highlight. Plus, you can introduce new backgrounds like the haunted one and the investigator to players.
6 Spelljammer: Adventures In Space
Book Type
Campaign Setting
Best Features
New Species
Spelljammer: Adventures in Space is another campaign setting supplement that also has many options that can be brought out into other campaigns. While, of course, these rules are best used for adventures in the Astral Sea and Wildspace, you can technically bring these spells, magic items, and species into normal campaigns as well.
The astral elf, autognome, and giff are particularly fun species that translate well to other campaigns. Nothing says you can't bring species like plasmoids over as well, though these are definitely best suited for the far reaches of Wildspace.
5 Planescape: Adventures In The Multiverse
Smoldering Corpse Bar by Mike PapeBook Type
Campaign Setting
Best Features
Rules for Multiverse Travel
Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse introduces Dungeon Masters to the world of Sigil, the City of Doors, which serves as a gateway to almost every realm in the multiverse. While this sourcebook is best used to run multiverse adventures for your high-level players, there are also some elements to be found in this book that can be ported into other campaigns.
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Posts 3Namely, the best character options found in this sourcebook include things like new backgrounds, feats, spells, and even magic items. If you want to introduce the multiverse to your campaign, which is often a great way to up the stakes for expert players, use Planescape to do so.
4 The Book Of Many Things
The Book of Many Things by Ekaterina Burmak, CoupleofKooksBook Type
Supplement
Best Features
High-Level Adventures
One of the most chaotic items you can give your players in a Dungeons & Dragons game is the Deck of Many Things. The Book of Many Things introduces adventures inspired by and launched from various cards in the deck. While you can use some of these adventures for low-level parties, many of these are best suited for expert players.
Frankly, if you're giving your players a Deck of Many Things to begin with, likely, they're already pretty high level. While this book doesn't have any character options for players, there are dozens of new stat blocks for high-level monsters for DMs to use against their players, making it a great supplement for Dungeon Masters in particular.
3 Journeys Through The Radiant Citadel
Journeys Through The Radiant Citadel by Evyn Fong, Sija HongBook Type
Adventure Module
Best Features
High-Level Adventures
The Radiant Citadel is a really unique locale to bring high-level adventuring parties to in Dungeons & Dragons, thanks to this incredible adventure module. What's great about this module too is that you can adjust the level of each adventure and tailor it to your specific party.
Alternatively, this sourcebook details the Radiant Citadel in full. So, whether or not you want to actually run an adventure in this locale is up to you. This makes the supplement great for DMs who want to use the Radiant Citadel as a set piece for their own homebrewed adventure.
2 Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide by Tyler JacobsonBook Type
Campaign Setting
Best Features
Unique Backgrounds
If you want to set your Dungeons & Dragons campaign in the Sword Coast, this next sourcebook is a must-have. The Sword Coast is one of the most famous regions in all of Dungeons & Dragons, and has been around long before 5e.
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PostsWhat's great about this campaign setting is that it offers a ton of unique backgrounds for expert players to try out, as well as new subclasses. The only issue is that many of these backgrounds are going to be relatively restricted to the Sword Coast, meaning these character options don't port over to other campaigns very well.
1 Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
Descent into Avernus Cover Art by Tyler JacobsonBook Type
Adventure Module
Best Features
High-Level Combat Encounters
This last sourcebook, Descent Into Avernus, is technically a full adventure module for high-level adventuring parties. This adventure takes players from level one past level thirteen if they so desire, making it a great campaign to run for expert players. However, the best part of this book is the stat blocks.
While you can, of course, use this book to run a full campaign, you can also take the creature stat blocks from Appendix D and use them for your own homebrewed campaign. Most of these creatures are incredibly powerful, making them great for high-level play.
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9.0/10 Franchise Dungeons & Dragons Original Release Date 1974 Publisher Wizards of the Coast Designer E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson Player Count 2+ Expand Collapse
