5 Dungeons & Dragons Starter Adventures That Aren't Phandelver

‍The Lost Mine of Phandelver: an iconic adventure that brought many players into Dungeons & Dragons for the first time. It was the very first starter set for 5th Edition and, even though many stellar starter sets have come out since, Phandelver remains a go to. It was even expanded into Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk to broaden the journey into a full length campaign. 

There’s just something about Phandelver that makes it the perfect beginner area. The small town offers a framework for free roaming roleplay, the simple story pits players against classic enemies, and the dungeon crawls nicely ease players into the flow of DnD. Yet as DnD 5E closes the curtain to give DnD 2024 the spotlight, you Dungeon Masters out there might be growing tired of the ten-year-old Phandelver. 

The new rules offer a chance for a new start. But is there any adventure that matches the simplicity and openness of Phandelver? Here are some fresh ways to introduce new players to DnD without visiting Phandelver for the hundredth time. 

Defiance In Phlan 

A cult is doing shady things in a lawless city, and it’s up to the players to stop them. Along the way they meet five factions that represent different interests and morality systems. What missions do they take, and who do they side with? That’s some classic DnD intrigue, baby! 

Instead of offering one introductory quest, Defiance in Phlan splits the action into five mini-missions. These not only do a great job of providing all the basic elements of DnD gameplay, they also set the scene for a city contested between several factions. The players  could play all five or pick and choose who they take quests from. Defiance in Phlan could transition nicely into the DM’s own city-based campaign. Or it could lead into Tyranny of Dragons as it was actually written with the Cult of the Dragon in mind. 

Clover Group Series 

One of the concepts that draws people to DnD and entices them to stick around is player agency. You can see that moment on someone’s face when they realize their decision directly impacted what comes next. This three episode series from the Greasy Snitches is packed with choices that take surprising forms. And it’s intertwined with a very touching story about friendship and nostalgia. 

What elevates the Clover Series over other adventures is all the creative ways in which players can interact with the game. One section puts them in control of navigating a fey forest, giving Rangers and roleplayers alike a chance to shine in how they choose to proceed. Another has players write prophecies for one another, giving everyone space to collaborate in each other’s story. And, of course, there are memorable battles against all manner of monsters. 

Uni and the Hunt For The Lost Horn

In this short introductory adventure to the 2024 rules, players must rescue a unicorn’s horn from an evil wizard. There’s fey friends, grumpy bad guys to fight, and a finale that takes place inside a crystal ball. It’s got big classic DnD energy. It’s also free on D&D Beyond.

This recommendation is a bit of a specific one for two reasons. First, this is the first adventure written for the 2024 rules. There will be a new starter set in 2025, but if your group is adopting the new rules now, this is what you have to work with. And it does a good job of presenting a straightforward experience that teaches some of the new rules through play. 

The other specific part of this recommendation is that it uses characters from the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Uni and the player characters are the cartoon kids all grown up. It makes for a great nostalgia blast for lapsed DnD fans, but won’t resonate as much with brand new players. 

Frog Days Of Summer

A town is experiencing endless summer due to a magical mystery, and the players are tasked with figuring out the cause. This one has it all: multiple paths for players to find clues, a tower full of puzzles, and battles that escalate in difficulty as the quest goes on. The players are even meant to level up mid-adventure to give them a taste of progress. 

Frog Days of Summer is one of several Dungeon in a Box products. This subscription service provides monthly adventures complete with colorful maps and “skinny minis” of the featured monsters. The adventures are also great at balancing roleplay with combat. You can get the digital version of Frog Days of Summer for free here. 

The Sunless Citadel

An abandoned citadel sits at the bottom of a ravine, its secrets guarded by a clan of goblins. Even worse threats might lurk in its dark depths, but none have journeyed down there and lived to tell the tale. Our adventurers set off from a friendly starting town, going back and forth and they become more bold (and powerful) enough to descend further. How they take on each challenge (and how long it all takes) is largely up to the players. 

This adventure has been seen as a great intro since the year 2000. Like others on this list, Sunless Citadel is known for providing an easy-to-grasp quest, covering the early levels of the game, and providing ample opportunity for combat, exploration, and social encounters in equal measure. A bonus is that it’s generally regarded for providing detailed information and intuitive layout for starting DMs. So it’s a great intro to DnD on all sides of the table. It’s currently available as part of Tales from the Yawning Portal.