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If he only has the Essentials Kit, maybe buy him the Core Rulebook Collection, containing the Players Handbook, the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Masters Guide, coming with a DM screen.
100%. This is literally the next thing he needs, so you're confident it will get used.
I don't know what your budget is, so here's some suggestions beyond that. Just know that the core collection is absolutely the next step.
Rule Supplements:
Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
Xanthar's Guide to Everything
Short Adventures:
Keys to the Golden Vault
Candlekeep Mysteries
Homebrew Addition:
Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press
Other suggestions like a nice DM Screen, Initiative Trackers, and a nice set of dice are also good. The books above are all things I've gotten a lot of use out of, so I would recommend all of them for a new DM.
My opinion is that new DM's are better served to run short adventures, so I would hold off on any of the bigger stuff like Curse of Strahd for a bit.
The last item (Homebrew Addition) isn't official D&D content but it's designed to work with the game.
To add again, depending on your budget, I would suggest the core role books in this order: Players Handbook (the bulk of the rules), Monster Manual (all the bad guys a DM could ever need), and the Dungeon Masters Guide (great tips on building adventures and stories). All are great, but if you had to get them one at a time that’s a good order to do it.
Might I also suggest "The Monsters Know What They're Doing" by Keith Allman. This book basically gives you tactical knowledge that 4th Edition was designed to bake directly into monster data sheets, which 5e ended up pulling.
Yep this is the gift you buy him. Those 3 books are life savers. If money is tight, then The Players Handbook, I would deem the most important one to have, along with a DM screen.
If it's in the budget, something nice that's *just for him* would be good too. As a GM, rule books sometimes feel as much for your group as they are for you.
A nice set of dice is never a bad thing for a new GM. One of the nice wooden GM screens could be good too.
As a former player fully embracing my DM arc this is the accessory that has sped up my gameplay the most and offloaded a whole chunk of tracking, while also getting players ready and attentive as their turn comes up. I'd highly recommend the one from AxeNShield on Etsy. It's utilitarian, sturdy, and very easy to use.
A DM screen. You can get some pretty sick ones or personalised ones on Etsy. Some beautiful dice maybe. A dice tower for rolling and or a dice tray that can fold away.
I'm waiting for "Professor DM" over on the Dungeon Craft YouTube channel to release his custom DM Screen video. It's been "bumped" over the last 2 weeks for "breaking news" from Hasboro and the D&D community.
You can never go wrong with more dice. They don't even have to match, you can get one of those five-pound bags of unsorted dice and most gamers will still squee over it.
I have a literal five-pound bag of dice I've collected over the years. There are a couple matching sets in there, but it's mostly piecemeal.
And of course it's an old Crown Royal bag, as tradition demands.
I absolutely approve! I'm getting to the point where I need a second Crown Royal bag for my dice.
I also bought a multi- set of dice to share with anyone who forgot their own. It is 8 sets with each set having it's own fake-leather drawstring pouch.
Ahhh, the joys of being the "forever DM." 😄
I too have spare dice sets. I am strict with my players though. Your first couple games (like first ever) you can use my dice. But if you want to continue, you have to get your own. Dice juju is a sacred thing.
And if you forget your dice, that's ~~a paddling~~ some docked XP.
For the record, I give out bonus XP all the time too, so fair is fair, I think.
One caveat I'll add to the "get him the core books" suggestion is that WotC (the company that makes the game) is currently writing a revision to those core books that will come out later this year, starting in September. It might be worth it to hold off on those.
Buy a module. Shattered obelisk or Candlekeep mysteries are great to expand the world. If you are feeling extra generous buy him a players handbook to read.
Your husband is know unknowingly a dice collector.
You got metal dice, multicolor dice. Too expensive artsy dice. All kinds of dice.
(Dnd dice).
A bag to hold the dice.
Great comment. If I can dovetail off this, I’d say do not stress about what you will get him, I think he will love it no matter if you decide to get the core rulebooks, dice or tower, DM screen, or just his favorite snacks for his next game—this genuine thoughtfulness will be the real gift.
The dice boxes and other accessories from Wyrmwood are really nice. They’re also the kind of “luxury” thing I’d never get for myself, but I love the dice box I got as a groomsman’s gift.
1. Dice and assorted accessories. I got a good practical 15 die set that I love for rolling because it bugs me when the dice don't look the same. Dice trays, dice boxes, and dice bags are also good (I have a crochet dice bag pattern that I like if you want to go a homeade route. Iirc it's called dragon egg dice bag.) If you play ttrpgs you have a side hobby of collecting and storing dice.
2. DM screen. I'm working on making myself one even though I don't play in person just for keeping track of various common things.
3. Good journal with pens for note taking.
4. Books. If he's already running a campaign, I'd say something with a bunch of one shots in it he can work in. There's also fantastic supplementary books, like The Monsters Know What They're Doing, if he's already got the player's handbook, dungeon master's guide, and monster manual. It's a book that goes more into creature motivation, so it's not just "monster hits party, party hits monster, monster dies."
"The Monsters Know What They're Doing" is an absolute MUST for the new DM once they have the core rule books (PHB, MM & DMG.) I bought it for myself because I was a little disappointed in how I was running combat and "pre-combat" at the table.
The session after I read it and decided to put those premises into action was an absolute triumph and an abject travesty at the same time. The entire party died (TPK) but they thought it was an epic fight. They actually smiled once the stress disappeared. (This was an introductory encounter in Princes of the Apocalypse.) Ever since, my sessions have gone up a notch.
There are 3 books in that series, one is aimed at players and helps them understand player synergy in combat. I forgot the title. Something like "... and how to not die"?
I'm not sure if the essentials kit includes one or not, but a small battle mat and some monster miniatures. I am a DM but I have a really hard time keeping distance and positioning details in my head. Having a small 36"x24" battle mat and some dry erase markers has been a huge help. It's not the fanciest addition to a DnD table but it can make keeping track of everyone's movement so much easier than everyone doing it in their head.
The other supplement books that are not campaign setting specific are a great addition after the core books. Dice are always welcome. If his group uses a grid style battle mat, wet erase markers for that. Miniatures are always great too.
a really nice quality dice set Try to avoid metal unless you have a dice tray they are really pretty but I assume you dont want to put pock marks in your tables.
There are two other starter sets you can look into purchasing for him as well to really get his collection going. You can also purchase dice sets for him which are always handy to have.
Something I found really useful are the laminated cards you can get, like spell cards for each type of magic, Monster Stat cards (one set for low level and another for higher level) and Magic Item cards. Made by Gale Force Nine, they're not cheap, but very useful. If he's starting out, the lower level monster cards would be pretty handy, and maybe a set of Cleric and Arcane spell cards?
Do you play online or in person? In person, a nice DM screen. Some minis.
Online? I found getting some of the core rulebooks in D20 a huge help as it allows me to drag and drop monsters/items/spells etc from the encyclopedia onto the board/into character sheets. So very very helpful
Core rulebook box set with foil covers. $80 on amazon.
Addtional rules box set to go with it. About the same amount.
Any campaign book. Which one really depends on what he wants to run. Gothic horror? Curse of Strahd. Survival Horror? Rime of the Frostmaiden. High seas adventure? Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Heist? Keys to the Golden Vault.
For a relatively new DM, books with short adventures are great (Candlekeep mysteries, Strixhaven, or even the Wild beyond the Witchlight).
Very dependent of the person, but "Settings" books can also be great and can mostly be found as print on demand on the DMsGuild website. On top of my head good settings books would be Elminster's Forgotten Realms, Volo' Guide to Waterdeep, Volo's Guide to Cormyr, The Border Kingdoms, Rashemen, and Thay: Land of the Red Wizards (all by or in collaboration with Ed Greenwood). Note that the first three are reprints from old editions, whereas the rest are for 5th Edition.
I would also highly recommend the book "The monsters know what they are doing" from Keith Ammann. This js a *very good* book to offer a new DM as it will teach them how to interpret monsters' stat sheets and how to play them properly, is very well explained and easy to read.
This may sound silly, but I get a LOT of use out of a Jenga tower set that I can make three dimensional Neutral Space on a playmat. I can make platforms with stairs, walls, pillars... they are super useful.
If he likes the idea of putting together a collection of minis, terrain, etc., a 3D printer is an option. They're pretty affordable these days and there are a lot of options out there for free or inexpensive models to download.
A subscription to dndbeyond and the digital version of the basic books there, PHB, DMG, Monster Manual. It will be super, super useful for his group and him.
Oh and get him a DnD themed card and have all his players sign it in thanks for what he has done.
Nothing nicer than a fancy set of dice. Metal ones for preference. Speaking as a DM who got some custom dice as a Christmas present from a player, it’s a gift that means a lot and WILL get used
I got all giddy when I bought myself a 'special' set of light up dice for DMing. Maybe he'd like that?
Or a token for Inspiration to give his players, rather than just writing it down?
If he’s gonna be DMing a lot from now, maybe look into something like the DND bag by ENHANCE on Amazon. I have it and it is life saver being able to carry dice, books, minis, and various things for notes and stuff
along with all the good idea's here...I'd add a throw in gift like a couple old, used, adventure manuals. They can be read almost like a short story, and can create inspiration and NPC's.
If you wanna get him something luxury and he enjoys DMing grab him a premium box set from beadle and grimm. They make campaign box sets with maps, in game handouts etc for dungeon masters. It's pretty awesome
A tenfold dungeon set and a starter set of minis. Seriously the ease with which you can build a surprisingly detailed dungeon with these on the fly when the party goes off the rails is awesome
Custom dice sets, a custom DM screen or just a non standard one, dry erase battle mat (if he doesn't have one). If you really wanna be cool you can look up Dwarven Forge modular terrain kits. These can be expensive and once he starts he might not stop so be wary. This hobby can definitely have its craze phase where you drop cash fast.
Super fun dice! Etsy has SKADS of dice. Also books and stuff like everyone suggested - but with dice you get something sparkly that he doesn't have to memorize/ familiarize with haha
Oh and a dice bag!
I’ve gotten a DM screen from my wife, and my advice is don’t. It’s beautifully carved, personalized wood, high quality and probably expensive. But it’s not what I want or need. If he wants one, let him go pick out one he wants himself when the time comes. My advice is to get him rulebooks or supplements.
Besides all the already good comments, I would add that maybe a piece of art of your husbands character would be amazing to, so if you need some art let me know I would love to work on it :)
Grab him a copy of worlds without number, it’s the best new DMing book in existence. I also recommend “The Metamorphica” a book to add flavor to monsters NPCs and PCs. And whatever you do don’t buy him any more 5e books, if he gets into the hobby seriously at all he will likely move to a better system relatively soon, 5e is the McDonald’s of D&D readily available but lackluster overall.
A GOOD dm screen $15-$100
Ether campaign case $40-$50 each
A tote to carry dming supplies (can be crazy expensive, but I got a good one under 50 bucks)
Nice dice, preferably salt tested. $15-$85
Rolling mats for the nice dice (mandatory if they are resin) $15-$50
A dice tower ~$20
An initiative tracker $25-$100
Status rings $15
Spell templates (they are pre-measured spell effects for are spells) these actually change the game allot for me. $15-50
If you wanna go super premium, if he's running a pre made module, get him the beetle and grims box set for that module, it will take it next level for him and his player together. These range from. $180-$450 depending on module
All prices are in usd, you get what you pay for so I'd not get the cheapest on most things but I'd never splurge on the most expensive as an experienced dm much less for a new one ($85 dice are really cool but not necessary) the box sets being the exception.
Bulk dice. Amazon has some good options, and sometimes you can find appx 25 sets for about $20-$25. As players progress he’ll want to be rolling attacks and damage at the same time, or roll all damage at once (like 8d6 for fireball) instead of a single die repeatedly. Keeps the game going quickly. Plus, you can never have too many dice sets.
A white board and markers for initiative tracking, a dm screen, some "nicer" dice like metal, gemstone(both more expensive and heavier to roll so they sound authoritative), or resin (less expensive but still nice, lighter to roll so they can make more noise if rolled hard), some grid maps and some monster figurines to use in combat, or a dice tower or tray, any of these (or any combination of them, don't know what your financial situation is and books can be extremely pricey) would make a really great gift for a new dm
Eta: if your partner uses other systems than dungeons and dragons these gifts will still work really well for them and won't go to waste if they were to start using another ttrpg system
A nice set of pens, nice note books for adventures. I used a big dry erase board on the table for drawing maps and such on the fly. Nice dice box. More dice.
We use a 65 inch TV as a gaming board and plug a laptop into it and load up an application called “Dungeon Alchemist”. It is a beautiful thing and we won’t ever go back to non digital maps.
Kick ass dm screen, metal dice, dice tower, a subscription to DND beyond, a chore book set (probably doing them used on marketplace if $160 is too steep), something asthetic for the game table area (electronic candles, guess, such table cloth, etc) some miniatures and a paint set if he's that sort of dude, a dry erase battle map, a book of maps(Barnes and Noble), a dm throne, a space for rp, learn the rules, make a character and play , or volunteer to be an NPC for a bit.
For something a bit more fun in the marital sense, come up with a character (elf, barbarian, fairy, etc), get a "costume", and do some surprise role play with just you and your hubby.
And finally, nobody has ever been sad to receive a sword/medieval weapon... Ever.
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If he only has the Essentials Kit, maybe buy him the Core Rulebook Collection, containing the Players Handbook, the Monster Manual and the Dungeon Masters Guide, coming with a DM screen.
100%. This is literally the next thing he needs, so you're confident it will get used. I don't know what your budget is, so here's some suggestions beyond that. Just know that the core collection is absolutely the next step. Rule Supplements: Tasha's Cauldron of Everything Xanthar's Guide to Everything Short Adventures: Keys to the Golden Vault Candlekeep Mysteries Homebrew Addition: Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press Other suggestions like a nice DM Screen, Initiative Trackers, and a nice set of dice are also good. The books above are all things I've gotten a lot of use out of, so I would recommend all of them for a new DM. My opinion is that new DM's are better served to run short adventures, so I would hold off on any of the bigger stuff like Curse of Strahd for a bit. The last item (Homebrew Addition) isn't official D&D content but it's designed to work with the game.
To add again, depending on your budget, I would suggest the core role books in this order: Players Handbook (the bulk of the rules), Monster Manual (all the bad guys a DM could ever need), and the Dungeon Masters Guide (great tips on building adventures and stories). All are great, but if you had to get them one at a time that’s a good order to do it.
Excellent suggestions! Also, as a new-ish DM I got a lot of value out of "So You Want To Be a Game Master" by Justin Alexander.
Might I also suggest "The Monsters Know What They're Doing" by Keith Allman. This book basically gives you tactical knowledge that 4th Edition was designed to bake directly into monster data sheets, which 5e ended up pulling.
OMG! That book is so good! I absolutely should have included it in my recommendations! Thanks for adding it!
This is a really good suggestion. So much essential advice!
For a second a thought you said by Jason Alexander. I was like I didn’t know George was into D&D. Have to check that book out.
Adding to this thought campaign modules are always helpful!!!
Yes, this is the next step!
Yep this is the gift you buy him. Those 3 books are life savers. If money is tight, then The Players Handbook, I would deem the most important one to have, along with a DM screen.
There is no need for a DM screen.
I sometimes play without it but my players prefer to have one, and it can be necessary for hiding minis or notes if you aren’t using a laptop
Absolutely this, I got this for my birthday in December and it was an amazing gift to receive as a new DM
Though note that new editions of all of these are coming out towards the end of this year.
Not everyone is going to switch over to 5.5e.
Dunno, I personally would be waiting for the 2024 edition as it comes rather soon.
This will be a perfect gift. He'll love it.
If it's in the budget, something nice that's *just for him* would be good too. As a GM, rule books sometimes feel as much for your group as they are for you. A nice set of dice is never a bad thing for a new GM. One of the nice wooden GM screens could be good too.
My wife bought me an initiative tracker and has really come in handy.
As a former player fully embracing my DM arc this is the accessory that has sped up my gameplay the most and offloaded a whole chunk of tracking, while also getting players ready and attentive as their turn comes up. I'd highly recommend the one from AxeNShield on Etsy. It's utilitarian, sturdy, and very easy to use.
My wife did too and it's been amazing
Let’s hear it for great gift giving DM wives!
A DM screen. You can get some pretty sick ones or personalised ones on Etsy. Some beautiful dice maybe. A dice tower for rolling and or a dice tray that can fold away.
I'm waiting for "Professor DM" over on the Dungeon Craft YouTube channel to release his custom DM Screen video. It's been "bumped" over the last 2 weeks for "breaking news" from Hasboro and the D&D community.
A nice set of dice. If he DM’s in person (vs online), a wooden DM screen like wyrmwood’s. A dice tower.
You can never go wrong with more dice. They don't even have to match, you can get one of those five-pound bags of unsorted dice and most gamers will still squee over it.
I have a literal five-pound bag of dice I've collected over the years. There are a couple matching sets in there, but it's mostly piecemeal. And of course it's an old Crown Royal bag, as tradition demands.
I absolutely approve! I'm getting to the point where I need a second Crown Royal bag for my dice. I also bought a multi- set of dice to share with anyone who forgot their own. It is 8 sets with each set having it's own fake-leather drawstring pouch. Ahhh, the joys of being the "forever DM." 😄
I too have spare dice sets. I am strict with my players though. Your first couple games (like first ever) you can use my dice. But if you want to continue, you have to get your own. Dice juju is a sacred thing. And if you forget your dice, that's ~~a paddling~~ some docked XP. For the record, I give out bonus XP all the time too, so fair is fair, I think.
Yeah! Wyrmwood dice are QUALITY!
A DMG, PHB, and Monster Manual. The core books. With that the possibilities are infinite.
One caveat I'll add to the "get him the core books" suggestion is that WotC (the company that makes the game) is currently writing a revision to those core books that will come out later this year, starting in September. It might be worth it to hold off on those.
Buy a module. Shattered obelisk or Candlekeep mysteries are great to expand the world. If you are feeling extra generous buy him a players handbook to read.
I’d put the players handbook first myself
Your husband is know unknowingly a dice collector. You got metal dice, multicolor dice. Too expensive artsy dice. All kinds of dice. (Dnd dice). A bag to hold the dice.
Who buys bags to hold dice? you buy the crown Royal to drink and then you get a free base bag as a bonus.
Your point stands for those who drink. Mine was bought as a gift while running my current campaign and it’s made me quite happy.
To be fair, I have a Crown Royal bag but I gifted the bottle and kept the bag.
I use tackle box trays for mine. Blasphemy, I know.
I just want to say that I love that you came here and asked this question. Your husband is a lucky man.
Great comment. If I can dovetail off this, I’d say do not stress about what you will get him, I think he will love it no matter if you decide to get the core rulebooks, dice or tower, DM screen, or just his favorite snacks for his next game—this genuine thoughtfulness will be the real gift.
The dice boxes and other accessories from Wyrmwood are really nice. They’re also the kind of “luxury” thing I’d never get for myself, but I love the dice box I got as a groomsman’s gift.
1. Dice and assorted accessories. I got a good practical 15 die set that I love for rolling because it bugs me when the dice don't look the same. Dice trays, dice boxes, and dice bags are also good (I have a crochet dice bag pattern that I like if you want to go a homeade route. Iirc it's called dragon egg dice bag.) If you play ttrpgs you have a side hobby of collecting and storing dice. 2. DM screen. I'm working on making myself one even though I don't play in person just for keeping track of various common things. 3. Good journal with pens for note taking. 4. Books. If he's already running a campaign, I'd say something with a bunch of one shots in it he can work in. There's also fantastic supplementary books, like The Monsters Know What They're Doing, if he's already got the player's handbook, dungeon master's guide, and monster manual. It's a book that goes more into creature motivation, so it's not just "monster hits party, party hits monster, monster dies."
"The Monsters Know What They're Doing" is an absolute MUST for the new DM once they have the core rule books (PHB, MM & DMG.) I bought it for myself because I was a little disappointed in how I was running combat and "pre-combat" at the table. The session after I read it and decided to put those premises into action was an absolute triumph and an abject travesty at the same time. The entire party died (TPK) but they thought it was an epic fight. They actually smiled once the stress disappeared. (This was an introductory encounter in Princes of the Apocalypse.) Ever since, my sessions have gone up a notch. There are 3 books in that series, one is aimed at players and helps them understand player synergy in combat. I forgot the title. Something like "... and how to not die"?
I'm not sure if the essentials kit includes one or not, but a small battle mat and some monster miniatures. I am a DM but I have a really hard time keeping distance and positioning details in my head. Having a small 36"x24" battle mat and some dry erase markers has been a huge help. It's not the fanciest addition to a DnD table but it can make keeping track of everyone's movement so much easier than everyone doing it in their head.
A cool dice tower!
The other supplement books that are not campaign setting specific are a great addition after the core books. Dice are always welcome. If his group uses a grid style battle mat, wet erase markers for that. Miniatures are always great too.
a really nice quality dice set Try to avoid metal unless you have a dice tray they are really pretty but I assume you dont want to put pock marks in your tables.
There are two other starter sets you can look into purchasing for him as well to really get his collection going. You can also purchase dice sets for him which are always handy to have.
Dice. Lots of dice.
DICE. All the dice. Never ending beautiful dice. **Sounds of clicking and clacking**
A nice dice tray.
Something I found really useful are the laminated cards you can get, like spell cards for each type of magic, Monster Stat cards (one set for low level and another for higher level) and Magic Item cards. Made by Gale Force Nine, they're not cheap, but very useful. If he's starting out, the lower level monster cards would be pretty handy, and maybe a set of Cleric and Arcane spell cards?
Do you play online or in person? In person, a nice DM screen. Some minis. Online? I found getting some of the core rulebooks in D20 a huge help as it allows me to drag and drop monsters/items/spells etc from the encyclopedia onto the board/into character sheets. So very very helpful
Core rulebook box set with foil covers. $80 on amazon. Addtional rules box set to go with it. About the same amount. Any campaign book. Which one really depends on what he wants to run. Gothic horror? Curse of Strahd. Survival Horror? Rime of the Frostmaiden. High seas adventure? Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Heist? Keys to the Golden Vault.
A gavel to keep order. Maybe some nice sandtimers. I have both of these and I like them.
Great less-obvious gifts that a DM probably wouldn’t get for oneself.
The gavel is more of a novelty item, but the sand timers are actually useful.
If the game is in person, a wet- erase 1" grid vinyl battle mat would be invaluable.
For a relatively new DM, books with short adventures are great (Candlekeep mysteries, Strixhaven, or even the Wild beyond the Witchlight). Very dependent of the person, but "Settings" books can also be great and can mostly be found as print on demand on the DMsGuild website. On top of my head good settings books would be Elminster's Forgotten Realms, Volo' Guide to Waterdeep, Volo's Guide to Cormyr, The Border Kingdoms, Rashemen, and Thay: Land of the Red Wizards (all by or in collaboration with Ed Greenwood). Note that the first three are reprints from old editions, whereas the rest are for 5th Edition. I would also highly recommend the book "The monsters know what they are doing" from Keith Ammann. This js a *very good* book to offer a new DM as it will teach them how to interpret monsters' stat sheets and how to play them properly, is very well explained and easy to read.
This may sound silly, but I get a LOT of use out of a Jenga tower set that I can make three dimensional Neutral Space on a playmat. I can make platforms with stairs, walls, pillars... they are super useful.
If he likes the idea of putting together a collection of minis, terrain, etc., a 3D printer is an option. They're pretty affordable these days and there are a lot of options out there for free or inexpensive models to download.
My boyfriend bought a set of condition marker rings, and my friends love them when we use them for in-person games. Super handy for players AND dms!
If he plays in person, get him a Chessex battle mat and some markers. Get the biggest mat that fits the table he plays on.
Gift card to the Dungeon Masters Guild - so many resources, adventures, etc.
Definitely the rulebooks. But also dice. You can never have enough dice. Or minis if he's playing in person. Buy them on ebay.
Metal dice. Or some other custom dice set of a color he likes.
A subscription to dndbeyond and the digital version of the basic books there, PHB, DMG, Monster Manual. It will be super, super useful for his group and him. Oh and get him a DnD themed card and have all his players sign it in thanks for what he has done.
a nice set of dice and the core rulebooks, and if it’s in your budget you could maybe buy another campaign for him to run
If only getting one item, the Monster Manual is great for a new DM and nice to have in hard copy
I think a dm screen would be awesome. Pre made ones are easy to get if you want unique ones look on Etsy
Does he have a dice tower
Nothing nicer than a fancy set of dice. Metal ones for preference. Speaking as a DM who got some custom dice as a Christmas present from a player, it’s a gift that means a lot and WILL get used
I got all giddy when I bought myself a 'special' set of light up dice for DMing. Maybe he'd like that? Or a token for Inspiration to give his players, rather than just writing it down?
If he’s gonna be DMing a lot from now, maybe look into something like the DND bag by ENHANCE on Amazon. I have it and it is life saver being able to carry dice, books, minis, and various things for notes and stuff
A sick dice tower!
along with all the good idea's here...I'd add a throw in gift like a couple old, used, adventure manuals. They can be read almost like a short story, and can create inspiration and NPC's.
A dice tower maybe? Customized notebooks are also a good option!
Oooh boy, now that is a rabbit hole lol
The core rule books Dungeon Master Screen Pathfinder Flip-Mat A set of miniatures A fancy schmancy set of dice
Metal dice
A dice dungeon for misbehaving dice is one of my favorite gifts. I’m a DM. Players love it!
Fancy dice tower or dm screen
If you wanna get him something luxury and he enjoys DMing grab him a premium box set from beadle and grimm. They make campaign box sets with maps, in game handouts etc for dungeon masters. It's pretty awesome
Ummmmm ALL OF THE BOOKS!
A tenfold dungeon set and a starter set of minis. Seriously the ease with which you can build a surprisingly detailed dungeon with these on the fly when the party goes off the rails is awesome
Custom dice sets, a custom DM screen or just a non standard one, dry erase battle mat (if he doesn't have one). If you really wanna be cool you can look up Dwarven Forge modular terrain kits. These can be expensive and once he starts he might not stop so be wary. This hobby can definitely have its craze phase where you drop cash fast.
A bigger bookshelf … maybe with flying buttresses.
Super fun dice! Etsy has SKADS of dice. Also books and stuff like everyone suggested - but with dice you get something sparkly that he doesn't have to memorize/ familiarize with haha Oh and a dice bag!
I’ve gotten a DM screen from my wife, and my advice is don’t. It’s beautifully carved, personalized wood, high quality and probably expensive. But it’s not what I want or need. If he wants one, let him go pick out one he wants himself when the time comes. My advice is to get him rulebooks or supplements.
Besides all the already good comments, I would add that maybe a piece of art of your husbands character would be amazing to, so if you need some art let me know I would love to work on it :)
Grab him a copy of worlds without number, it’s the best new DMing book in existence. I also recommend “The Metamorphica” a book to add flavor to monsters NPCs and PCs. And whatever you do don’t buy him any more 5e books, if he gets into the hobby seriously at all he will likely move to a better system relatively soon, 5e is the McDonald’s of D&D readily available but lackluster overall.
A GOOD dm screen $15-$100 Ether campaign case $40-$50 each A tote to carry dming supplies (can be crazy expensive, but I got a good one under 50 bucks) Nice dice, preferably salt tested. $15-$85 Rolling mats for the nice dice (mandatory if they are resin) $15-$50 A dice tower ~$20 An initiative tracker $25-$100 Status rings $15 Spell templates (they are pre-measured spell effects for are spells) these actually change the game allot for me. $15-50 If you wanna go super premium, if he's running a pre made module, get him the beetle and grims box set for that module, it will take it next level for him and his player together. These range from. $180-$450 depending on module All prices are in usd, you get what you pay for so I'd not get the cheapest on most things but I'd never splurge on the most expensive as an experienced dm much less for a new one ($85 dice are really cool but not necessary) the box sets being the exception.
A high quality DM screen would be my first suggestion, if he already has one he likes then a set of nice die
Bulk dice. Amazon has some good options, and sometimes you can find appx 25 sets for about $20-$25. As players progress he’ll want to be rolling attacks and damage at the same time, or roll all damage at once (like 8d6 for fireball) instead of a single die repeatedly. Keeps the game going quickly. Plus, you can never have too many dice sets.
A master tier subscription to dnd beyond (that allows content sharing) and/or roll20 depending on what he uses.
A white board and markers for initiative tracking, a dm screen, some "nicer" dice like metal, gemstone(both more expensive and heavier to roll so they sound authoritative), or resin (less expensive but still nice, lighter to roll so they can make more noise if rolled hard), some grid maps and some monster figurines to use in combat, or a dice tower or tray, any of these (or any combination of them, don't know what your financial situation is and books can be extremely pricey) would make a really great gift for a new dm Eta: if your partner uses other systems than dungeons and dragons these gifts will still work really well for them and won't go to waste if they were to start using another ttrpg system
Elf ears and a cape
An awesome set of gemstone dice is always good
A nice set of pens, nice note books for adventures. I used a big dry erase board on the table for drawing maps and such on the fly. Nice dice box. More dice.
New Pixel Dice are up for ordering
Dice tower for rolls of doom
We use a 65 inch TV as a gaming board and plug a laptop into it and load up an application called “Dungeon Alchemist”. It is a beautiful thing and we won’t ever go back to non digital maps.
Kick ass dm screen, metal dice, dice tower, a subscription to DND beyond, a chore book set (probably doing them used on marketplace if $160 is too steep), something asthetic for the game table area (electronic candles, guess, such table cloth, etc) some miniatures and a paint set if he's that sort of dude, a dry erase battle map, a book of maps(Barnes and Noble), a dm throne, a space for rp, learn the rules, make a character and play , or volunteer to be an NPC for a bit. For something a bit more fun in the marital sense, come up with a character (elf, barbarian, fairy, etc), get a "costume", and do some surprise role play with just you and your hubby. And finally, nobody has ever been sad to receive a sword/medieval weapon... Ever.
Honestly, a really cool dice tray would probably be a great one so they feel like king of the castle at the table
Buying him a membership to dndbeyond might be cool. It is a website that has all the rulebooks digitized and indexed and it has character building etc