The minimum kit every DM needs
You can run D&D with very little. A basic kit is:
- The rules you plan to use, whether physical books or digital access. The free Basic Rules are available online from the publisher.
- A set of polyhedral dice. Players usually bring their own, but spares are handy.
- Pencils and paper or a device for notes.
- Character sheets and a way to track initiative.
- Your adventure notes, or a published module.
Everything else is optional. Add tools when you notice a specific problem, such as lost time looking up rules or confusion about positions in combat.
Physical tools
Popular physical items include:
- A DM screen. It hides your notes and rolls and puts common tables within reach.
- Dice and a dice tray or rolling mat. Helpful for keeping dice from rolling off the table.
- Miniatures or tokens. They help players visualize positions. Cardboard tokens or coins work if minis are too costly.
- A battle map or grid mat. Dry-erase mats let you draw fights quickly.
- An initiative tracker. Index cards, a whiteboard or clip-on cards work.
- Index cards and sticky notes. Useful for NPC names, monster stats and handouts.
- Condition and status markers. Small tokens remind everyone what is affecting each creature.
If you are asking what accessories a DM should have, start with the screen or a folder, dice and index cards, then see how the table responds.
Rules and character references
Digital rules references speed up play. D&D Beyond is a common choice for character sheets, rules lookups, monster stat blocks and sharing purchased books with players. Check the current licensing and sharing options before buying, since these change. Some players prefer paper sheets and physical books, and that works just as well.
Virtual tabletops
If you play online, or want digital maps and tokens at the table, consider a virtual tabletop (VTT). Roll20 and Foundry VTT are widely used. Others exist as well, and some focus on simpler, theater-of-the-mind play. When you compare them, think about:
- Cost for you and for your players.
- How steep the learning curve is for you.
- Whether your group will play in person with a screen or fully online.
- Available modules and rules automation.
Maps and battle maps
Map-making tools range from simple to detailed. Some apps let you draw dungeons and battle maps quickly, and others are aimed at regional or world maps. You can also print maps at full size using a poster-printing approach, or simply sketch on a grid. A rough hand-drawn map is enough for most encounters.
Notes and worldbuilding
Campaign details pile up quickly. Notion, OneNote and Google Docs are common choices, while World Anvil, Kanka and Obsidian suit those who like building wikis. See our guide to D&D note taking tips and apps for a deeper comparison.
Random generators and prep helpers
Generators can save time with names, loot, towns, encounters and dungeons. Donjon is a well-known suite of such generators, and many sites offer random tables you can roll yourself. Use generators as a starting point and edit the results, so the world feels consistent.
If you are still planning your game, see how to create a D&D campaign.
AI tools: use with care
Some DMs use AI chat tools for brainstorming and AI image tools for handouts or character art. They can be useful for ideas, but check any rules advice against the books and review output for errors. Be aware of any rules or concerns about AI-generated content in the communities or platforms where you plan to share your work.
Choosing tools without overbuying
A good approach:
- Run a session or two with the minimum kit.
- Note what slowed you down.
- Add one tool to fix that problem.
- Ask your players what would help them.
Remember that a good story and a prepared DM matter far more than any gadget. If you want a ready-made starting point, try the best D&D 5e modules so you can focus on running the game.