How to Play Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy roleplaying game designed for 2-8 players, although playing with 4-5 players is ideal. Unlike most games, Dungeons and Dragons isn’t a game where you’re competing against your friends—the goal is to tell a story and have fun with your friends by acting out characters, defeating enemies in combat, and completing objectives. While Dungeons and Dragons often uses small game-pieces to represent characters in combat, the vast majority of the game relies on the story and character building you do out loud and in your mind. All you need to play are some dice and a copy of the 5th Edition Player’s Handbook, which is the official rulebook for the current version of the game. You also need one player to volunteer as the Dungeon Master, or DM for short. The DM’s job is to script the game (called a campaign), control non-player characters (called NPCs), and answer questions about the in-game world. When playing, it is the DM’s job to narrate action and make rulings on what is and isn’t allowable in the game. For example, a player may ask the DM, “What do I see when I look out the window?” or “Do I know where we are?” and it’s the DM’s job to answer them and describe what’s going on. The DM also prompts players to roll dice to perform certain actions. A player may say, “I want to pickpocket this innkeeper,” and the DM may say, “Ok, roll stealth to see if you’re successful,” or “You go to reach into their pocket and the innkeeper jumps back in confusion.” Players are only responsible for their specific character (called a PC, for player character), and they create their character before the game starts. Each player chooses their character’s race, such as human, elf, gnome, or dwarf, and class, such as wizard, fighter, rogue, or warlock. Every race and class are unique, so read their section at the beginner of the Player’s Handbook to learn their rules and abilities. Once a player chooses their race and class, they create a character sheet for their PC. This sheet describes everything from the character’s strength and dexterity, to their ability to perform sleight of hand tricks and handle wild animals. The numbers on this sheet are based on random dice you roll for your characteristics, and every class and race gets certain bonuses or penalties based on what they’re naturally good at. While the game will seem complicated at first, it’s really quite simple: players roll dice based on what’s on their character sheet to perform actions. For example, if you have a high score in something like dexterity, it’s easier for you to climb a tree, fire a crossbow, or jump across a creek. Every game of Dungeons and Dragons is unique, but most games pick up where the last game left off. DMs can create a world from scratch, although you can always play a pre-constructed campaign you find online to keep things simple. For an example of the beginning of a game, scroll down!