Come, dear reader, and prepare yourself. For there exist doorways in the pages of books that lead downward rather than to the stars. These passages descend into depths most marvellous and terrible, where brave souls venture through corridors thick with monsters, where treasure glints in torchlight, and where one’s very character is measured in levels and skills.
If you possess the spirit of adventure (and we rather suspect you do, else why would you have found your way here?), allow us to guide you through the very finest dungeon crawling tales that exist in 2026 for eager readers.
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
There once was an ordinary fellow named Carl who stepped outside one cold evening wearing nothing but a bathrobe—and the entire world promptly ended. How terribly inconvenient!
Alien beings, you see, have transformed Earth into a deadly game show dungeon, broadcast for the amusement of viewers across the universe. Carl must descend floor by floor through chambers of increasing peril, accompanied by his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, who has rather unexpectedly learned to speak and developed a most imperious attitude.
This tale weaves dark comedy with genuine heart in ways that should not work together, yet most magnificently do. Carl is the everyman hero, armed with wit rather than destiny, growing from bewildered survivor to cunning champion. The series has claimed its throne atop every best-of list, and rightfully so.
Divine Dungeon by Dakota Krout
Here is a curiosity: what if the dungeon itself were the hero of our tale?
In this founding work of dungeon core fiction, we meet Cal—a consciousness awakening within a magical gem, possessing no memory of who he once was. With the help of a cheerful wisp named Dani, Cal must learn the peculiar art of being a dungeon. He designs corridors, places traps, and creates monsters, all whilst adventurers come traipsing through his halls seeking treasure.
The relationship between dungeon and wisp forms the beating heart of this series. Dakota Krout has crafted something genuinely original—a perspective that transforms how one thinks about every dungeon one has ever encountered in fiction.
He Who Fights with Monsters by Shirtaloon
From the sunburnt shores of Australia comes a young man named Jason Asano, rather rudely summoned to another world by cultists who promptly try to murder him. How unwelcoming!
Jason is not your typical hero. He possesses a sharp tongue, an irreverent attitude toward authority, and powers that appear suspiciously sinister. The culture clash between his modern sensibilities and this deadly serious fantasy realm provides endless entertainment.
This sprawling serial began on Royal Road and has since captured millions of devoted readers. Whether you adore Jason or find him exasperating rather depends on your tolerance for heroes who cannot resist poking fun at pompous nobles.
The Primal Hunter by Zogarth
When the multiverse arrives on Earth one ordinary Tuesday, office worker Jake Thayne discovers something unexpected: he is rather good at surviving the apocalypse.
Thrust into a tutorial designed to weed out the weak, Jake develops abilities as an archer and hunter whilst his social awkwardness transforms from weakness into a kind of focused intensity. The progression system here is deliciously satisfying, each new skill and level feeling genuinely earned through trials most perilous.
What distinguishes this tale is how the seemingly lightweight premise conceals remarkable depth—philosophical questions about humanity, power, and what it means to evolve beyond one’s former self.
Life Reset by Shemer Kuznits
Poor Oren! Once he sat at the pinnacle of power in New Era Online, a guild master commanding vast digital empires. Then betrayal most foul stripped everything away, trapping him in the body of a level one goblin.
Yet there are advantages to monstrousness. Oren must now build a settlement among creatures whom adventurers usually slaughter without thought. The town-building elements here are exceptional, watching a goblin village grow into something formidable under the guidance of a player who understands the game’s deepest secrets.
This is revenge fantasy done thoughtfully, where the satisfaction comes not from violence but from patient construction.
Dungeons of Strata by G.D. Penman
In the virtual world of Strata Online lies a hundred-floor mega-dungeon, and guilds from across the gaming world race to conquer it first.
Martin, our protagonist, chooses an unusual path—playing as a rat-man exorcist whilst navigating a peculiar morality system called Sin that can transform one’s very character class. The dungeon floors present ever-shifting challenges, and darker mysteries lurk beneath the game’s surface.
G.D. Penman brings his tabletop design experience to bear, creating something that feels authentically game-like whilst remaining compelling fiction.
Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar
Ilea is a combat healer, which sounds contradictory until you witness her in action. She charges into battle with her fists, absorbing punishment that would destroy lesser adventurers, healing herself continuously whilst delivering devastating blows.
Transported to a world of monsters and magic, Ilea embraces the chaos with something approaching glee. Her progression from nobody to formidable force forms an immensely satisfying arc, though one must possess patience—this tale sprawls across millions of words.
The combat sequences are particularly thrilling, with Ilea’s unique abilities creating tactical situations unlike anything else in the genre.
The Wandering Inn by pirateaba
Erin Solstice did not ask to be transported to another world. She certainly did not ask to be nearly eaten by dragons. Yet here she is, running a small inn in dangerous territory.
What begins as survival story blossoms into something extraordinary—a sprawling saga mixing slice-of-life warmth with epic fantasy adventure. The dialogue sparkles, the characters multiply into an enormous cast, and the world expands with each chapter.
Be warned: this web serial has grown to truly enormous length. But those who surrender to its pace discover a reading experience like no other.
Worth the Candle by Alexander Wales
A grieving teenager finds himself within a world seemingly constructed from every Dungeons & Dragons campaign he ever designed with his late best friend. Coincidence? Most certainly not.
Alexander Wales has crafted what many consider the pinnacle of rational LitRPG fiction—a story that examines its own nature as a story whilst remaining genuinely thrilling. The protagonist knows he is trapped in a narrative, and uses that knowledge in clever ways.
This completed epic rewards careful readers with intricate worldbuilding and philosophical depth rarely seen in the genre.
The Slime Dungeon by Jeffrey “Falcon” Logue
Before dungeon core became a recognized subgenre, Jeffrey “Falcon” Logue was pioneering its conventions. His protagonist was once a kindly doctor, and that gentle nature persists even in crystal form.
Doc, as he comes to be known, partners with his dungeon pixie Claire to grow a dungeon that feels almost reluctant to harm adventurers. The relationship between these two provides warmth to what could be merely mechanical progression.
A lighter, more whimsical take on dungeon fiction, perfect for readers wanting adventure without grimness.
The Mayor of Noobtown by Ryan Rimmel
Jim died. Then things got complicated.
Reborn into a world built like a video game, Jim finds himself in a starter zone filled with low-level challenges. But Jim carries memories from his previous life and possesses a wonderfully irreverent attitude toward the cosmic forces that brought him here.
The humour runs throughout, though beneath the jokes lies genuine character development. Jim must grapple with loss whilst building something new in this strange realm.
Defiance of the Fall by JF Brink
When the System arrives, Zac is alone in the wilderness with nothing but a hatchet. Demons pour through portals, monsters roam freely, and humanity must adapt or perish.
What follows is pure progression fantasy—watching one determined man grow from desperate survivor to genuine power. The cultivation elements blend seamlessly with LitRPG mechanics, creating a system that feels both familiar and fresh.
Zac is refreshingly focused: he wants to find his family and protect what matters. No world domination schemes, no excessive brooding—just determined competence in the face of apocalypse.
The Ripple System by Kyle Kirrin
When Ned Altimer enters Earthblood Online during its exclusive three-day head start, he discovers an unexpected companion: a talking axe named Frank who knows secrets about the game that other players would kill to possess.
And kill they shall try! When the head start ends, the greatest manhunt in gaming history begins, with every player in the world seeking Ned’s remarkable weapon.
Kyle Kirrin writes humour that actually lands—no small feat in a genre littered with failed attempts at comedy. Frank the axe has been called one of LitRPG’s finest characters by none other than Matt Dinniman himself.
Venture Forth Into the Depths
There you have it, dear reader—thirteen passages into the underground, each leading somewhere wonderful and strange. These dungeon crawling tales represent the very finest the genre offers, from completed epics to ongoing sagas that grow longer each week.
Whether you seek dark comedy or earnest heroism, solo adventures or guild warfare, building dungeons or conquering them—somewhere in these pages waits exactly the adventure your heart desires.
Second star to the right, and then straight down into the dungeon. Off you go!
