The time has come to find a gift for the tabletop RPG fan in your life. You’re not looking for an article with a long intro full of nothing useful, so let’s get to the TTRPG gift ideas! Look below to find suggestions for the Dungeon Master who has every DnD book, the goblin with all the dice, or the secret santa with a vague wishlist.
Best Gifts For Dungeon Master/Game Master
A New TTRPG Book – And Playing It With Them!
Your DM/GM puts a lot of effort into the campaign you’re playing– no doubt it’s a labor of love to write epic worlds for you to set on fire. But many GMs also love game mechanics, and so would love to try a new TTRPG system. Give them the gift of that new game they’ve been sharing in group chat, and ask them to run a one-shot for the table!
There’s Lancer for tactical combat enthusiasts, Daggerheart for storytellers, Shadowdark for classic gamers, and RPGs based on beloved franchises like Star Wars or Power Rangers. You can also pick up unique indie titles at your local game store!
StartPlaying Gift Card
Your GM probably wants to be a player once in a while. If you’re one of the good eggs that swaps in to run the occasional game, awesome! But if no one else at your table wants to run games, your GM could use some play time. StartPlaying has professional GMs all over the globe who run many different TTRPGs. Get your GM a gift card so they can pick out the game of their dreams!
Making Enemies
For the avid reader GM in your life, consider Making Enemies by Keith Ammann. The author also wrote the acclaimed The Monsters Know What They’re Doing, a guide on running TTRPG combat to its fullest. In Making Enemies, Ammann breaks down the elements of a great villain, and how to create one for various RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, and Cypher System. I reviewed the book here, so check it out to see if it’s something your GM would enjoy.
DM Drip
I’m a sucker for a cool graphic tee or colorful ball cap. If your GM is like me, they’d be plenty pleased with some additions to their wardrobe. This DnD hat is one of my favorites. The Gen Con store currently has their winter collection in stock. That’s obviously more aimed at fans of the Gen Con convention, but there are some cool classic designs as well. The StartPlaying store also has some really sweet designs – perfect for the pro GM in your life.
Miniatures & Maps
If your GM loves setting up massive setpiece battles using tabletop terrain, they’d probably appreciate additions to their monster army. WizKids is the official supplier of Dungeons & Dragons miniatures – I’ve reviewed some of their recent releases and found them to be great interpretations of classic DnD monsters. You can find more bespoke TTRPG terrain on Etsy. For digital DMs, check out the Map Library by Roll & Play Press. My table got me the physical version which included downloads of all 100 maps. I use it for almost every game.
Best Gifts For TTRPG Players
Fantasy Tavern Mug
A good companion for a beer-and-pretzels style DnD game is a hearty tankard. Creators on Etsy can hook you up with something reminiscent of a classic wooden mug you’d get at the tavern. Some designs have a dice tower built into the handle for extra novelty. Others can be personalized with one’s name or designs based on fantasy classics like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones.
Dungeons & Dragons Playmat
Every table needs to double check the rules sometimes. While the DnD 2024 books include handy glossaries and D&D Beyond helps you search for specific rules, there is an even faster way! The DnD Player Mat from Total Party Chill has quick references for things you do in every session like Grappling or how Concentration works. The mats function nicely as big mousepads or surfaces to roll metal dice on. There's versions for both players and DMs, as well as versions with 2014 and 2024 rules.
Gift Cards For Minis & Games
I know, gift cards are seen as one of the least creative gifts you can give. But when it comes to TTRPGs, players like to express their characters on their terms. So instead of attempting to get them a mini or dice to represent their character, you’re better off giving them the means to do it themselves. You could get them a Hero Forge gift card so they can design their own miniature. A gift card for DriveThruRPG gives them access to new games or expansions for their current favorites. And of course a StartPlaying gift card gives them a chance to try a new game!
Fancy Dice Box
Those who like to personalize every aspect of their character might appreciate a sturdy container for their dice and miniature. Elderwood Academy makes some cool dice holders in the shape of spellbooks and scrolls. For something on a lower budget, Urwizards makes thinner dice boxes and ones that prop up your phone for digital character sheets use.
Commissioned Character Art
We would all love to have quality art of our characters, but price is often seen as a barrier. So for the holiday season, gift a fellow player art of their character! You can find artists accepting commissions all over Instagram. For the more budget-conscious, check Fiverr. There you can find simple sketches, full color bodies, tokens for virtual tabletops, and you can even chip in with fellow players for art of your entire party!
Group Gifts For The TTRPG Campaign
Stackable Condition Rings For DnD
This could be a player or DM gift as they help everyone track conditions in combat. These Wasted Wizard condition rings go under a mini and can stack on each other for those tough boss fights when multiple conditions come into play. They not only account for the usual conditions, but also have rarer entries like Polymorphed and rings for nonspecific physical/magic effects.
Cantrip Candles
Props that add to immersion are appreciated by everyone at the table. And Cantrip Candles has been in the game of delivering specific fantasy scents for years. Sure they cover typical scenes like travelling through the woods or studying in a well worn library, but they’ve been in the game long enough to develop candles based on god pantheons and potions. Some of their candles come with a surprise d20 at the bottom!
Snack Subscription Box
My group always snacks during games. And while I personally would eat endless amounts of pizza and nachos, the group chat has given more than one suggestion to mix it up. If yours is the same, consider a subscription box with unique snack options. Universal Yums is popular for providing treats from all around the world. Bokksu delivers Japanese snacks and teas that are meant to pair well together. Candy Club gives you artisan candies and gummies.
Take A Break With A New One-Shot Game
Getting your TTRPG group together during the holidays is tough, but that doesn’t mean you should stop playing until January! Gather those who are still available (and maybe some special guest stars) to play a one-shot. In fact, here is a whole list of games designed to be played in one sitting! Some can even take place in your TTRPG setting, so it could be a prequel or even a bizarre holiday episode. If everyone is too busy to put together a whole one-shot, you can get a StartPlaying GM to run one for you!
Sergio Solórzano is the best Dungeon Master in the USA (according to a Wizards of the Coast competition, anyway). He loves minis and terrain but also goes all-in on improv!
