What Do I Need to Start D&D (2026): 3 Things, About $72

Start with the box, not the bookshelf. Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands is the pick: it has three adventure booklets, quick-start material, character class boards, dice, maps, tokens, and cards. Add a notebook and pen for about $72 total. That is enough to run a first evening for a Dungeon Master and a small group. You do not need the Player's Handbook, a DM screen, or a miniature collection on day one.

The 3 picks

1. The starter set ($39.95): Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands. This is the purchase that turns "we should try D&D" into an actual game night. Heroes of the Borderlands is made for 3 to 5 people, with one person running the adventure and the others playing heroes. The box includes three adventure booklets, eight class boards, handouts, dice, maps, tokens, a combat tracker, and cards for spells, monsters, and magic items. The sessions are designed to fit into roughly an hour, which is a much better first target than promising your friends a six-hour campaign.

2. A notebook for the campaign (~$26): Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Hardcover Notebook, Dotted (Navy). Use it for character names, clues, treasure, spell reminders, and the one NPC voice you accidentally invent and then have to remember for the next three months. The A5 notebook has numbered pages and an index, so the notes stay useful after the first messy session. Any notebook works. This one earns the link because it stays flat, travels well, and does not turn into a loose-paper problem by session three.

3. A black pen that will not quit (~$6): PILOT G2 Premium Gel Pens, Black Ink, 4-Pack. D&D does not require a special writing instrument, but a pen that starts every time is nicer than borrowing one from the junk drawer while everyone waits. The G2 four-pack covers character sheets, maps, and session notes. Keep one with the notebook and the other three somewhere you can find them.

How much does it cost to start D&D?

The math is $39.95 + about $26 + about $6 = $71.95, or about $72. If you already have a notebook and pen, the real starter cost is $39.95. If a friend owns the box, the free path is even simpler: bring a pencil, use a pre-generated character, and play one session before buying anything. A local game store's beginner night can do the same job. You are testing whether you enjoy making decisions in character, not auditioning for a permanent hobby identity.

What to skip at the beginning

Skip the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual until the group has finished a few sessions. They are useful later, but three hardcover books are a bad way to find out whether your group can agree on a night that works. You can also skip a DM screen, painted miniatures, a dice tower, custom dice, and a subscription. Use the box's maps and tokens, put a mug over private notes if you need cover, and upgrade only when a real annoyance repeats.

Your first action is small: pick a date, decide who will run the game, and read the starter set's quick-start section before anyone arrives. The best D&D starter set for beginners is the one that gets opened. After the first adventure, the board games starter pack has more options for game nights, and the chess starter pack is a quieter two-person alternative when the whole table cannot make it.