It took longer than any of us had imagined, but at long last, Wizards of the Coast has broken its silence on the DnD release schedule for 2026! Three new books and one mysterious, unnamed product are all now on the slate for this year - read on for everything we know about them so far.
Oh, and if you come out of this long awaited news wanting a head start planning your next campaign, do check out our complete guides to DnD classes and DnD races.
D&D 2026 roadmap revealed
After months of radio silence, Wizards of the Coast announced four new mainline D&D releases at the GAMA Expo in Louisville, Kentucky on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Details are still extremely scant about all four (the fourth book's title is still "to be announced") but we do at least have a few tempting titles to grab onto for dear life, and at least one release date to mark in the calendar! Let's run through what we've got so far.
Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
First off the blocks, as part of what Wizards is calling the "Season of Horror" in Spring-Summer 2026, is Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, which is evidently a return to the Domains of Dread, and very likely another full adventure featuring everyone's favorite romantically challenged immortal maniac, Count Strahd von Zarovich. Wizards hasn't confirmed that in words, but he is on the cover, so it's a safe bet he'll star.
There's no detail on the book's content beyond the unsettling promise that it'll "unleash dark legends at your table". But we do at least know when it's coming out - The Ravenloft: The Horrors Within release date is Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
According to the D&DBeyond announcement, pre-orders for the book open on Monday, April 13. And, if you have one of the higher tier paid D&D Beyond subscriptions, you get digital early access: Hero Tier folks get it on June 9, and Master Tier subs get access another week earlier, on June 2.
Arcana Unleashed
After Ravenloft: 2026 edition, we get two products headlining the "Season of Magic - a celebration of spellcraft, wonder, and ceaseless drive for power".
Wizards says the sourcebook Arcana Unleashed, and its paired adventure book Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall, are both due in September 2026.
Unannounced Winter release
Finally, there's a thrilling mystery afoot: a fourth book is scheduled for the Winter section of the roadmap, but its contents, nature, and title are "to be announced".
Along with half the internet at this point, we've got Dark Sun on our minds for this one, thanks to heavy thematic implications from recent subclass playtests. But, for confirmation of that, we'll have to wait until Wizards' long-clogged knowledge spigot begins to flow once again.
2025 DnD release schedule
While we're waiting for more info on 2026's upcoming releases, read on for a full rundown and reminders of everything that came out last year!
- 2024 Monster Manual - February 18, 2025
- Dragon Delves - July 8, 2025
- Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set - September 16, 2025
- Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club - October 7, 2025
- Forgotten Realms Player's Guide - November 11, 2025
- Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn- November 11, 2025
- Lorwyn: First Light Crossover Book - November 18, 2025
- Eberron: Forge of the Artificer - December 9, 2025
2025 Monster Manual
Release date: February 18, 2025
Arriving in February 2025, the new Monster Manual was the third and final title in the 'One D&D' revamp, kickstarting the first full year of a new edition of Dungeons and Dragons. It introduced at least 80 new monsters and made tweaks to each existing creature, making it one of the chunkiest bestiaries we've ever seen.
The power levels have been upped slightly to match the improved abilities of player-characters, and the book is packed with stunning art that shows these monsters in their natural habitats.
Dragon Delves - July 8, 2025
After the core rulebooks released, Wizards of the Coast launched Dragon Delves. This features ten short adventures that share a common theme - encountering (though not necessarily fighting) dragons in dungeons. There are also be three campaign suggestions that help link these one-offs to create a larger game that spans levels one to 12.
Wizards makes a good point that not enough players have actually fought a dragon in a dungeon in their D&D games. Gorgeous art and a handful of truly standout adventures make this book worth investigating, but thin writing is one of its biggest flaws.
Read more in our Dragon Delves review.
Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set - September 16, 2025
The 2022 starter set doesn't feel all that old yet, but Wizards of the Coast already has plans to release a newer version. The Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set returns to D&D's iconic Keep in the Borderlands, as seen in older adventures.
Wizards has promised some new character creation tools and DMing advice that will make this product extra beginner-friendly. Creating an approachable starter set was apparently a major goal, as this starter set comes with a huge number of board-game-style handouts to make it as easy as possible to learn the rules.
Plus, we know the three core locations for the adventure: the Borderlands Keep, the wilderness, and the Caves of Chaos. This return to classic settings may also entice the more experienced D&D fan.
Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club - October 7, 2025
Less than a month after releasing a new starter set, Wizards of the Coast has decided to release a second one. This one is themed, however, around the Stranger Things series and its beloved heavy metal Dungeon Master, Eddie.
Welcome to the Hellfire Club will include a quick-start guide to playing D&D, plus four Stranger Things inspired adventures where you'll face familiar creatures from the show. Like September's starter set, this box seems packed full of tokens, maps, and other glossy goodies. We just hope the Stranger Things set is better than the last one Wizards released in 2019.
Forgotten Realms Player's Guide - November 11, 2025
The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide is one of two tabletop sourcebooks focused on D&D's primary setting. This is the first deep-dive into the Realms that we've had since the early 5e book Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, so we're pretty stoked.
When the Forgotten Realms guides were announced, Wizards told us to expect plenty of new character options in the player-focused book. That means all-new subclasses, feats, spells, and more. A playtest document released in January 2025 revealed which subclasses the book will include:
- College of the Moon Bard
- Knowledge Domain Cleric
- Purple Dragon Knight Fighter
- Oath of the Noble Genies Paladin
- Winter Walker Ranger
- Scion of the Three Rogue
- Spellfire Sorcerer
- Bladesinger Wizard
Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn - November 11, 2025
Following the player guide is the DM-focused Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn. It's packed with more than 50 premade adventures, divided into setting-based lore chapters covering favorite regions like Icewind Dale, Calimshan, and Baldur's Gate.
That's not all - there are 39 new monsters, seven extremely potent new Wondrous magic items, and brand new 'Epic Destinies' which build on the framework of the DnD backgrounds.
Lorwyn: First Light - November 18, 2025
First announced in February 2025, we now know that Lorwyn: First Light is a digital-only supplement that celebrates an upcoming MTG set. The world's extensive lore will be distilled into a small book that relocates Lorwyn-Shadowmoor (the plane's full name) to the Feywild as a domain of delight.
Wizards of the Coast promises a handful of new tools to play with here. We've been promised two new backgrounds, two feats, two species, and two magic items. DMs will also get eight monsters and two example adventures. The digital book will be available on D&DBeyond for $15.
Eberron: Forge of the Artificer - December 9, 2025
Announced in 2025, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer brings us back to one of D&D's most beloved settings. This book apparently goes over ground not previously covered in Eberron: Rising from the Last War. Plus, it promises new options for Bastions, extra 2024 backgrounds, expanded airship rules, and a brand-new version of the Artificer class.
Early playtests for the book also include a rather underwhelming teleporting Artificer sublcass, plus some rather unbalanced feats. Playtests are always a first draft, however, so we're optimistic that Wizards will iron out some of those creases before publication.
This is mainly a rules reference and setting book, but there will apparently be a few example adventures. These will be short and simple, similar to the style of those found in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide.
Unfortunately for Eberron fans, this book was delayed in July due to production problems with the physical copies. It's now expected in December.
That's all for now! Though, if you'd like to keep talking about Dungeons and Dragons, join us for a chat in the Wargamer Discord.