10 Best Dungeons & Dragons One-Shots for Beginners

These days, there are more tabletop games to choose from than ever. Even so, Dungeons & Dragons remains arguably the most well-known TTRPG of them all, and for good reason. D&D is a classic, a fantasy adventure game that lets you tell a great story with your friends. But sometimes, it’s hard to get said friends to commit to a full-on adventure that could take months or even years to finish.

That’s where one-shot adventures come in. A one-shot is a shorter D&D story, designed to be played in just a few hours. This lets new players test the waters and learn the basics to see if they want to take on a longer campaign. It can also be a great way for an aspiring Dungeon Master to see whether they want to commit to being the chief storyteller of a longer adventure. If you want to check out a shorter adventure to learn to play D&D, these one-shots are a great place to start.

1) The Witch is Dead

This RPG doesn’t quite use the D&D system, but it’s still a solid, bite-sized introduction to the general TTRPG format. The Witch is Dead makes a great starting place for those totally new to the idea of tabletop, who want to later transition to playing D&D.

In this one-page adventure, players become woodland creatures working to solve the murder of their beloved witch mistress. Players will roll to determine which woodland creature they are and which spell they learned from the witch. From there, it’s all about solving the murder mystery. It takes roughly 2 hours to play, and while it won’t teach beginners the D&D rules, it is a great way to start getting familiar with character sheets and rolling dice. But also, solving a murder. The Witch is Dead is available for a suggested “name your price” rate via itch.io.

2) We Be Goblins

Yes, technically, this is a Pathfinder one-shot, not Dungeons & Dragons. But as someone who came to TTRPGs through Pathfinder first, I promise they’re quite similar and you can easily learn both. In fact, this adventure is also compatible with D&D 5e. We Be Goblins is designed for 1st-level players, who get to run amok as actual goblins. This unique premise makes it a fun intro to TTRPGs for beginners, and just a solid time for seasoned players as well.

This adventure is pretty much good chaotic fun, as you play as goblins on a request to retrieve fireworks from an abandoned ship. It usually takes around 3-4 hours to run, making it easy to fit into one weekend play session. We Be Goblins is available for free via Paizo’s website, making it a great budget-friendly option for new D&D/Pathfinder players.

3) Death House (From Curse of Strahd)

This is a bit of a deeper cut, but it introduces players to an iconic Dungeons & Dragons adventure in a truncated format. The Death House was originally an appendix in the Curse of Strahd adventure book, designed as a mini-adventure to kick off the longer campaign. It works great as a way to test the waters with beginner D&D players. Death House uses 1st-level characters.

This beginner adventure takes players through a haunted townhouse, putting a horror spin on the classic dungeon crawl. Generally, it takes around 4 hours to play this one, depending on how deep into the exploration players get. This can be a challenging, punishing first adventure, which brings players from 1st to 3rd level quickly. So while it is beginner-friendly, you’ll want a more invested crew for this one. You can find tips on running Death House as a one-shot, along with the Death House Appendix, on D&D Beyond. You will need to buy a print or digital copy of the source book, around $60, making this one of our pricier options.

4) The Lich-Queen’s Begotten

If you want to start your D&D journey with a sample of what high-level play can look like, The Lich-Queen’s Begotten is an excellent way to go. This one-shot is designed for players starting at 11th level and going up to 16th. So, the learning curve will be a bit steep, but beginner players will also get to sample some of the coolest class options in the game rather than being stuck with low-level skills.

This one-shot adventure finds players traveling to the Astral Plane to face off against the Githyanki Lich-Queen. That means an interesting setting and a bit of a Baldur’s Gate 3 reference to hook video game fans who are new to the TTRPG. The adventure has 5 chapters and is expected to take around 4-6 hours to complete, meaning you’ll need a somewhat invested crew for this deep dive of a one-shot intro to D&D. The Lich-Queen’s Begotten is available via DM’s Guild for just $6.

5) Baker’s Doesn’t (From Dragon Delves Anthology)

Full disclosure, I fell in love with this adventure the moment I first heard about it from James Wyatt. When I finally got to see it for myself in the new Dragon Delves anthology, I knew it would be my new go-to way to introduce new players to D&D 5e’s 2024 rules. This adventure starts players at Level 3, so it’s pretty straightforward while still offering a better sampling of what each class can do.

In Baker’s Doesn’t, players must help a halfing baker after her shop is set on fire by a golden dragon. It’s got a fairy-tale vibe and features the Dragon part of D&D, making it a lighthearted but thorough introduction to the lore of the game. And it can be run for just one player and one DM, so it’s great for beginners who haven’t yet found a larger group. Baker’s Doesn’t fits into one or two play sessions, roughly 3-5 hours or so. It is part of the Dragon Delves anthology, so players will need to buy one copy of the book from a local game store or D&D Beyond to get access to the content.

6) Claus for Concern

If you want a somewhat silly, free option for a group of D&D newcomers, Claus for Concern is a great choice. As its title suggests, this is a Christmas-themed one-shot adventure, aimed at players levels 1-5. That means it’s a bit softer on the hard fantasy lore and will ease players into character building compared to higher-level adventures like The Lich Queen’s Begotten.

In this adventure, players work to rescue Santa’s workshop from an invading team of foes. It features holiday-themed enemies, items, and maps, and takes about 3-4 hours to play. That makes it a great fit for a true one-session D&D experience, especially around the holidays. Claus for Concern is available for the suggested price of $2.99 via DM’s Guild as a pay-what-you-want offering.

7) A Most Potent Brew

Another “pay what you want” offering that uses only the free D&D Beyond ruleset is A Most Potent Brew. This adventure is designed for first-level characters, offering a simple introduction perfect for beginners. Walk new players through their first dungeon or run your first D&D adventure as a new DM. Either way, A Most Potent Brew is a solid fit.

This adventure begins where Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance did many years ago – exterminating some giant rats in a cellar. But from there, players must delve deeper into what lurks beneath this ancient Wizard’s tower. Most players say this adventure takes anywhere from 3-6 hours, depending on the puzzle savvy of players and the swiftness of combat. It is available for free via DM’s Guild, with a suggested donation of $1.

8) The Wolves of Welton

From the same publisher that created A Most Potent Brew comes another beloved one-shot that’s great for beginners. This single-session adventure is designed for 2nd-3rd level characters and uses D&D 5e rules. This offers a compelling story that lets players get familiar with low-level play, making it a great starter adventure.

The Wolves of Welton puts players in the role of helping a small town deal with its wolf problem. But these may not be any ordinary wolves. This adventure is designed to be run in a single session, so it should take roughly 4 hours to complete. The Wolves of Welton is available for free via the Winghorn Press website.

9) Rise of the Redscales

Another fun one-shot adventure where players get to step into an unusual role is Rise of the Redscales. In this one-shot, players form a party of kobolds at 4th-level. That means players get up and close with dragons without necessarily having to fight them, while also learning the basics of D&D. The characters are pre-generated, so it won’t teach new players how to build a character. That said, the barrier to entry is lower, making it a good intro experience.

In this adventure, players are part of the Redscale kobold tribe. They have lived within their Dragon Queen’s lair their entire lives, but now they must defend it as the enemy Bluescale tribe attacks. This one-shot takes around 5-6 hours, depending on how in-depth players get with roleplay and exploration. Rise of the Redscales is available for free, with a suggested $2 donation price, via the DM’s Guild.

10) A Wild Sheep Chase

If you ask a D&D player what their favorite one-shot is, chances are, A Wild Sheep Chase will be mentioned. It’s just that good. This one is for players at 4th-5th level, offering a sample of what’s possible at mid-level for D&D characters. It has also been revised based on feedback, making it even friendlier to beginner players.

In A Wild Seep Chase, players are pulled into a magical grudge match by a sheep who wields a scroll of Speak to Animals. This sheep turns out to be a wizard, and he needs help returning to his true form. This delightfully silly adventure is just good fun, and takes around 3-6 hours to run, so can be played in one long session if desired. A Wild Sheep Chase is available for free via the Winghorn Press website.