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The question most new DMs get stuck on is which module to run. Newer Dungeon Masters can learn a lot from the structure and support that come with existing adventures. The maps are drawn, the monsters are placed, the story hooks are built in. With that foundation in place, you can really focus on bringing the adventure to life.

What's the Difference?

Before picking anything up, it helps to know what you're looking at.

Encounters

An encounter is the smallest unit of play in D&D -- a single scene or challenge the party must navigate. Encounters can be combat-focused, like a fight with a group of bandits, or they can be social or exploratory -- negotiating with a suspicious merchant, solving a puzzle, or scouting a dangerous ruin. Most sessions are made up of several encounters strung together. Understanding what an encounter is helps put everything else in perspective.

One-Shots

A one-shot is a self-contained adventure designed to be completed in a single session, typically built around two to four encounters. No continuity required, no ongoing commitment. One-shots are a great way to learn the basics of DMing before taking on something longer.

Adventures

An adventure is a self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and end. There's a goal the party is working toward, and the story wraps when they get there. Some adventures run a handful of sessions. Others take ten or fifteen. Either way, the scope is defined and the finish line is in sight.

Campaigns

A campaign is something else entirely -- a series of connected adventures following the same characters over months or years, with an overarching story that builds across sessions. Published campaigns like Curse of Strahd are rewarding and deep. They're also a significant undertaking for someone still figuring out how to run an encounter.

Choosing the Length of Your Arc

Start with an adventure. Build toward a campaign. That's the path most experienced DMs will recommend.

If you already own the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide on Roll20, there are five one-shots built directly into the book: The Fouled Stream, Miner Difficulties, The Winged God, Horns of the Bear, and Boreal Ball. Each is designed for characters between levels 1 and 7. The first three can link together into a three-part adventure if your group wants to keep going. They're a low-stakes way to find your footing before committing to something longer, and they don't require an extra purchase.

For everyone ready to take on a full adventure, here's where to start.

Lost Mine of Phandelver

Level range: 1 to 5 | Length: 8 to 15 sessions

Ask experienced DMs which adventure to run first and many will say Lost Mine of Phandelver without hesitation. It's held that reputation since 2014, and the depth of community support around it -- prep guides, forum threads, DM walkthroughs -- is deeper than anything else at this level.

The party starts on the road to Phandalin, a small frontier town with a goblin problem, a missing dwarf, and a villain operating from somewhere in the region. Early chapters are linear enough to give a new DM clear footing. Then the adventure opens into a sandbox, with multiple locations to explore and no single correct path through them.

This particular adventure is very forgiving of common beginner mistakes, making it ideal for beginner DMs. NPCs are clearly drawn and easy to play. Locations are logical and well-organized. If something goes sideways, the adventure gives you room to recover. And because so many people have run it, there's an answer somewhere online for almost any problem you'll encounter.

Roll20's version includes pre-generated characters, statted creature tokens with one-click rolls for every encounter, and other upgraded features for subscribers.

Get Lost Mine of Phandelver on Roll20

Dragon of Icespire Peak

Level range: 1 to 6 | Length: 10 to 15 sessions

Set in the same region as Lost Mine, Dragon of Icespire Peak is built on a different model. For some new DMs, the different approach makes it the better starting point.

Rather than following a narrative thread, the adventure runs on a quest board. Players arrive in Phandalin, check what jobs are posted, and choose where to go. There's no correct order. The young white dragon Cryovain wanders the region as a persistent threat, but the party decides when to deal with it.

Instead of keeping a story on track, you practice reacting to what your players actually do. For DMs who worry about railroading, it's a useful way to train the instinct. For players, it tends to feel like their choices genuinely matter.

The Essentials Kit on Roll20 includes the full Dragon of Icespire Peak module plus three follow-on adventures for groups who want to keep the story going: Storm Lord's Wrath, Sleeping Dragon's Wake, and Divine Contention.

Lost Mine of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak also pair well together. Many DMs run Lost Mine first and then hand the party the Icespire quest board as a sequel.

Get the D&D Essentials Kit on Roll20

Dragons of Stormwreck Isle

Level range: 1 to 3 | Length: 3 to 5 sessions

If the other adventures on this list feel like a lot before you've run a single session, Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is the right place to start. It's the most recent official starter adventure, the shortest, and the most deliberately beginner-friendly in how it's constructed.

The setup is contained: an ancient conflict between chromatic and metallic dragons has left its mark on a remote island, and the party lands in the middle of unresolved history. Two short introductory encounters ease both DM and players into the rhythm before the main adventure begins.

Stormwreck Isle doesn't have the narrative complexity of Lost Mine or the open structure of Icespire. For a DM running their first game, clarity and manageable scope matter more than depth or complexity.

Get Dragons of Stormwreck Isle on Roll20

The Sunless Citadel

Level range: 1 to 3 | Length: 4 to 6 sessions

Originally published in 2000 and updated for 5e in Tales from the Yawning Portal, The Sunless Citadel feels like quintessential Dungeons & Dragons. The party descends into a ruined fortress overrun by goblins and kobolds, navigating rival factions, uncovering a dark mystery in the lower levels, and working through the kind of situations the game was designed around.

The scope is tight and the objectives are clear. As a teaching tool for new DMs, it's hard to beat -- exploration, traps, NPC negotiation, escalating combat, all in a contained environment that doesn't ask you to manage an open world at the same time. If your players want to feel like they're playing D&D in the most fundamental sense of the phrase, this delivers it.

Available individually on Roll20 or as part of the full Tales from the Yawning Portal bundle, which includes six additional classic adventures for groups ready to keep going.

Get The Sunless Citadel on Roll20

How to Choose Your First D&D Adventure

• If you want the most support: Lost Mine of Phandelver. The community infrastructure behind it is unmatched, and it teaches more about DMing than almost anything else at this level.
• If you want players driving the story: Dragon of Icespire Peak. The quest board structure is forgiving, the follow-on adventures extend the campaign naturally, and it builds skills Lost Mine doesn't.
• If you want a low-commitment first run: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle. Short, clear, and built specifically for DMs who haven't done this before.
• If your players want classic dungeon-crawling: The Sunless Citadel. Old-school in the best sense, and a strong choice for groups who want the most fundamental version of the game.
• If you want to try one session before committing: The one-shots in the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide are built for exactly that. Run one, find your footing, then pick an adventure and go.

Ready to Start Your Adventure?

Our Dungeons & Dragons hub is a good place for new Dungeon Masters to continue learning. You can browse the full selection of D&D content available on Roll20 or explore our growing selection of resource articles for players and DMs alike.

For advice from more experienced DMs, check out our forums, Discord server, and Roll20 subreddit.