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The new Dungeons & Dragons anthology Dragon Delves comes with a crowded slate of 10 adventures, and if you’re looking to try one or two out for the first time, figuring out which to opt for can be a challenge. Brief adventure summaries offer the gist of each module’s flavor, but it takes both a closer look and potentially some time at the game table to decide which are the most worthy of your group’s investment.
There’s nothing wrong with picking a Dragon Delves adventure based on vibes, and since each focuses on a different chromatic or metallic dragon, you can also choose according to your personal favorites. It’s a surprisingly even book, so an adventure that doesn’t get much accolades here could easily provide a great experience. Taking everything into account, however, some of Dragon Delves‘ offerings just stand out more than others.
10
“Death At Sunset” Delivers The D&D Essentials
A Solid Level One Adventure Is Nothing To Sneeze At
Every anthology has to start somewhere, and in the case of Dragon Delves, that somewhere is “Death at Sunset.” As a level one adventure, Death at Sunset isn’t trying to rock the boat, and plenty of groups won’t feel compelled to check this one out if they’re just looking for highlights.
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All the same, a solid level one adventure can be great fodder for a one-shot, and Death at Sunset should fit the bill just fine. There’s more to do than simply slay the adventure’s dragon wyrmling, and this might even be a good option to introduce players to D&D for the first time. Veterans, however, aren’t likely to walk away from Dragon Delves with Death at Sunset as their favorite.
9
“The Dragon Of Najkir” Is A Saltmarsh B-Side
Familiar But Not Copied
Recommending “The Dragon of Najkir” comes with one big caveat — if you’ve run any Ghosts of Saltmarsh adventures recently, you’ll probably want to skip this one. Focusing on an island monastery, The Dragon of Najkir’s setting might feel all too familiar to Saltmarsh veterans after that book’s adventures, which cover both an island abbey and an island hermitage.
If you haven’t already taken on those challenges, however, The Dragon of Najkir could feel a lot more refreshing. It hinges on some interesting relationships and reveals, even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights or provide the variety that some of the best Dragon Delves modules do.
8
“A Copper For A Song” Could Do More
Fulfilling Part Of Its Potential
“A Copper for a Song” is a fun adventure to run with a bard in the party. Farmers are seeking the lost verses of a traditional song, which they believe could rejuvenate the faltering soil. It’s also the highest-level solo adventure in the book, so it could be the perfect choice for a solo bard run. This is a good module for those who love kobolds, as a batch of the crafty little creatures makes an appearance.
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That being said, A Copper for a Song doesn’t feel entirely committed to its unique points. Much of the adventure has no special connection to the song concept, and the puzzle hidden within its lyrics that points the way to the dragon is a bit too simplistic. Like most of the Dragon Delves adventures, all the core beats here are likely to deliver fun, but a DM willing to re-write a bit could bring out a little more.
7
“Dragons of the Sandstone City” Is Good, Not Great
The Final Adventure Doesn’t Truly Stand Out
“Dragons of the Sandstone City” is the final adventure in Dragon Delves, and in the hands of the right DM, it could be a great one. The ruined desert city found within oozes atmosphere, and leaning into this could create a memorable dungeon crawl with some fun, efficient exploration.
As the capstone of the book, however, “Dragons of the Sandstone City” doesn’t do quite enough to stand out. The monsters found within are fairly standard fare, and the plot doesn’t feature any particularly exciting breaks from standard adventuring tropes. It’s likely to provide a good night or two of fun, but might feel like an underwhelming conclusion if you play through each adventure in order.
6
“Before The Storm” Has D&D Pirate Flair
A Solid Adventure, Savvy
D&D‘s 2025 Monster Manual introduced some new pirate stat blocks, and “Before the Storm” provides a great opportunity to try them out. The enjoyment found in this module will largely hinge on your group’s desire to do so. There’s nothing revolutionary about it, but if you pair some shanties with the fantastic art found in this chapter, you could easily set a nice mood.
Without a preference for pirates, there aren’t too many reasons to pick Before the Storm over some of the other Dragon Delves options (the map decoration really is gorgeous, though). It does provide the classic excitement of fighting a dragon for the climax, something that the book’s lower-level adventures have to soften or avoid.
5
“Shivering Death” Is For Frost Giant Fans
An Average Dungeon With Fun Possibilties
It doesn’t take long for “Shivering Death” to head into a dungeon, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any roleplaying options here. Some frost giants found within have individual motives that provide interesting opportunities for the adventurers, allowing them to do more than kill the various icy threats found within.
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This is a good adventure to prepare some hot chocolate for, and trying it out could be a nice litmus test for whether your party would enjoy the much longer snowbound haul of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. The cave layout itself isn’t particularly interesting, and the provided map lacks the flair of the book’s best, but there’s enough of interest within to fill out a fun session.
4
“Bakers Doesn’t” Shakes Things Up
Whimsically Imperfect Adventuring
“Baker’s Doesn’t” is the silliest adventure of the bunch, reveling in a candy-coated change of pace. Its vaguely Hansel and Gretel elements might feel familiar, but flights of fancy, like the potential to turn party members into various confectionery goods, will likely prove memorable.
Some aspects of the set-up are a bit loose, so if you’re looking for something you can throw down on the table without worrying about any prep, one of the more conventional adventures might be a safer choice. For the right party, however, there’s a chance that Baker’s Doesn’t could prove to be the most interesting adventure in Dragon Delves.
3
“The Will Of Orcus” Has A Great Balance
Easy To Run & Plenty Of Fun
“The Will of Orcus” might not look like the most creative adventure in Dragon Delves at a glance, but it’s a strong set-up for a great night of adventuring. A cultist lair provides a strong balance of threats and roleplaying possibilities, and the twist of the silver dragon’s involvement has the potential to set up one of the more interesting climaxes in Dragon Delves.
Entirely against my own plans, I ran The Will of Orcus without any prep, and it’s particularly well-suited to that kind of circumstance. If you’re sick of cultists, skip this one, but it’s an easy recommendation in virtually any other circumstance.
2
The Forbidden Vale Will Take Some Time
The Most Substantial Dragon Delves Adventure
“The Forbidden Vale” is a fairly substantial module, as far as Dragon Delves adventures go, designed to fill three or four sessions instead of one or two. That scope covers a nice balance of material to satisfy virtually every party. The adventure starts with a solid roleplaying set-up, offering several different factions to meet and potentially align with, but this section can be easily streamlined for those who want to get to the action.
The second part of The Forbidden Vale focuses on exploration, offering a sketched-out map of the region for those who want to engage in exploration, a D&D pillar that’s often been sidelined in fifth edition. A final stretch ventures into a ziggurat, which features some evocative room descriptions and plenty of threats. It’s hard to imagine any D&D party not getting something out of The Forbidden Vale, so the only reason to ignore it is if you’re looking to keep the adventure short.
1
“For Whom The Void Calls” Stands Out
Another Winning Sci-Fi Twist
While “For Whom the Void Calls” isn’t quite as out-and-out sci-fi as Quests from the Infinite Staircase‘s standout adventure, “Expedition to the Barrier Peaks,” it’s still more of a genre blend than the typical D&D adventure. That might be reason enough to check it out, but even if you prefer D&D‘s classic flavor of Renaissance fantasy, there are more than enough fundamentally good elements here to make it worth checking out.
For Whom the Void Calls’s interesting dungeon design features some complex areas, including one that the module warns you to cut if you want to keep things simple. Finding key cards to activate doors might feel more like a JRPG than a tabletop game of Dungeons & Dragons, but it creates a cool change of pace, and the inclusion of githyanki and mechanical Modrons is equally exciting part of this noteworthy Dragon Delves adventure.
- Original Release Date
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1974
- Publisher
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TSR Inc., Wizards of the Coast
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
- Player Count
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2-7 Players