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With the impending release of the last of the revised D&D core rulebooks, The Monster Manual, Wizards of the Coast has its sights set on using the rest of 2025 to show off and celebrate some of the most beloved places and creatures from its 50-year history. From return visits to cherished locations to new adventures focused on classic creatures and even a brand-new onboarding experience for first-time players, there look to be offerings that will appeal to a wide range of playgroups and player types this year.
So, when the chance presented itself to head to Wizards of the Coast’s headquarters recently to check out their upcoming slate of goodies that will upgrade one of the best tabletop RPGs, I plane-shifted myself right over to check them out. Here is what you can expect to be incorporating into your D&D nights in 2025.
Monster Manual - February 18
Releasing on February 18, Wizards is finally completing their trio of revised core D&D books that finally let players and Dungeon Masters take full advantage of their hard work with the release of the Monster Manual. As a Dungeon Master myself, I fell in love with the tweaks the team has made to improve the organization and general usability of the MM, along with the adjustments and redone monster stats that keep it feeling fresh. This revised manual contains more than 500 creatures to throw into your adventures, with more than 85 of them being brand new. This is a massive book — the largest MM the team has ever put together — and both DMs and players will find things they will love and fear in this book.
Article continues belowAfter scouring and admiring the critters in the book, I’m most impressed with the improvements to the structure of the book and monster blocks in general. Little things, such as the index at the beginning of the book organizing monsters alphabetically or lair actions of specific monsters being paired alongside the monster’s stat block, make it far more streamlined to set up encounters. Encounters feel fresh and exciting thanks to the redone stats, which see monsters losing and gaining new abilities. Even classic creatures, such as dragons, feel new and fearsome again. And on the topic of dragons…
Dragons Delve – July 8
Following up the Monster Manual, Wizards is turning up the heat... and cold... and thunder, and acid too, with the release of the dragon-centric Dragon Delves: The Adventure Anthology on July 8. This collection brings together 10 shorter adventures — each one focusing on a different type of the classic 10 chromatic and metallic dragon varieties (sorry, fellow gem dragon fans) — that can be put together in a way that creates three potential campaigns.
As neat as this sounds on its own, perhaps what excites me is that this book will also serve as a celebration of the game’s title creature, showcasing the giant lizards throughout Dungeons & Dragons history. Artwork from all the editions will be on display, along with fascinating lore, making this a wonderful recommendation for not only players but also folks who enjoy the history aspect of the game.
Eberron: Forge of the Artificer – August 19
From dragons to dragonmarks, players will return to Eberron on August 19, home of Artificers, the Warforged, and Dragonmark houses, with Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. As someone who has run a Warforged Artificer character before (RIP T4-I — aka Tai), the prospect of revisiting one of my favorite planes is exciting. One of the significant changes that Wizards is taking with this release is adjusting how Dragonmarks work, treating them now as feats, opening them up to species outside of the previously predefined ones. While some longtime Eberron enthusiasts may take issue with this change to the long-held norm, Wizards feels this adjustment will allow for greater freedom and more diverse stories for players and DMs to tell and experience. To help folks along, this book will also contain some outlines of adventures to set you and your players on their way, highlighting various aspects unique to Eberron, such as gritty detective work.
"Of all the reveals from our Wizards HQ visit, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer excites me most. I think this world of hardboiled detectives and pulp adventure is one of D&D's most compelling, and I've been looking for an excuse to dive in for years. A collection of adventures like this fit the bill nicely."
- Benjamin Abbott, Tabletop & Merch Editor
Astute players may have been tipped off that this was coming, thanks to Wizards pulling back the curtains on their Artificer rework in the Unearthed Arcana release back in December. However, it is still a welcome surprise to get this return officially announced. For owners of the previous Eberron: Rising from the Last War, released back in 2019, you don’t have to worry that this release of Forge of the Artificer will replace it or make your previous purchase worthless. In fact, speaking with this supplement’s creators, James Wyatt and Jeremy Crawford, Forge of the Artificer will actually serve as a wonderful companion piece to Rising from the Last War, so much so that Wizards will be releasing bundles — both digitally and physically — that include both Eberron books.
Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands – September 16
New core rulebooks call for a new onboarding set for prospective players, and Wizards is answering the call with an updated, revised Starter Set, this time featuring fresh adventures in the Borderlands. The Borderlands is a classic D&D location, first explored back in 1979 with the adventure module The Keep on the Borderlands. But this Starter Set isn’t just a reworked set of character sheets and a new beginner campaign. Starter Sets do a great job of introducing players to the basics of the game, but there is one fundamental aspect they have always shied away from tackling: letting the player create characters and instead opting for premade character sheets. This new set looks to remedy that. Heroes of the Borderlands will introduce a new tile-based system that lets players create their own characters in a streamlined yet meaningful way, giving them that sense of ownership and excitement.
"D&D may be the biggest tabletop RPG in the world, but I'd say 5e has struggled with beginner boxes aside from the Essentials Kit - they've lagged behind the competition in depth and immersion. The idea of more tactile character creation could fix this, so I'm cautiously optimistic."
- Benjamin Abbott, Tabletop & Merch Editor
Many details are being kept under wraps for now, but I already love the idea of constructing a character by mixing and matching tiles. Another game that has taken this approach, which I enjoy, is the Divinity Original Sin: Board Game, and if it manages to be as successful, I would love to see this approach expanded. Give me tile sets alongside each new module to expand the options, a nice dual-layer cardboard character board to slot them in, or let me organize my items like I’m playing Resident Evil 4 with little cardboard tiles of potions and equipment. I think this approach, along with Wizards’ initiative to deliver starter sets to schools, will do wonders for bringing more kids into the world of tabletop roleplaying games in a far more tactile and personal way.
Forgotten Realms – November 11
Closing out this year is the one-two punch of the Forgotten Realms Players Guide and Forgotten Realms Adventure Guide, two large tomes that will give fans perhaps the best look at the various realms that compose this magical place to date. While already popular, the release of Larian’s goliath Baldur’s Gate 3 has shone a bright light on the region of the Forgotten Realms. But as described by Wizards themselves, this is a place of “realms within a realm,” with each being unique and a perfect setting for different styles of campaigns. These books aim to help both players and DMs take advantage of this versatility.
For players using the Player’s Guide, they can look forward to eight new subclasses to experiment with, a tour guide of the Forgotten Realms, and perhaps most excitingly, a new way to cast spells: Circle Spellcasting. This new method of spellcasting combines the power of multiple spellcasters working in unison on a single spell. These empowered spells can be brand new or stronger versions of existing ones. The book will also provide a template and guide for adapting any existing spell into a Circle Spellcasting version, which is especially exciting. I can’t wait to see what happens when you circle cast the Fireball spell!
The Adventure Guide, on the other hand, provides a plethora of new options for DMs to have fun with in their games, including monster stat blocks and magic items. One key distinction with this release, however, is that players won’t have access to the same information. By splitting this content into two books, Wizards has cleverly separated important and spoilery information from the players, which is something previous similar releases didn’t do. It’s a smart move, and as a DM, I can appreciate it.
There is still a lot of time before these books release, so we’ll have to wait for more nitty-gritty details.
There is little doubt about the impact Dungeons & Dragons has had on nerd culture and, thanks to the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves film, on pop culture in general. This upcoming year, Wizards is pushing the franchise to be more approachable for both longtime adventurers and first-time heroes with its mix of releases.
2025, more than other years, feels like a celebration of many of the cornerstones of the Wizards brand — from dragons to the Forgotten Realms and even its return to the Borderlands. As someone who loves the Artificer class and the history of Eberron, I can’t wait to crack open Eberron: Forge of the Artificer and see what new goodies await. Everything I’ve seen suggests that Wizards of the Coast’s focus this year is on making it easier for players to jump in and start adventuring, and I’m optimistic they’ll reach that goal.
For recommendations on what to play before these new books drop, why not check out the best board games?
