Dungeons & Dragons 101
Welcome! If you've never played Dungeons & Dragons before, you're in the right place. At its heart, D&D is a collaborative storytelling game where everyone works together to create an adventure.
One player takes on the role of the Dungeon Master, or DM. The DM describes the world, plays the NPCs (non-player characters), and presents challenges for the group. Everyone else plays a character and decides what they want to do in that world.
Unlike a video game, there is no fixed list of actions. If you can imagine your character trying something, you can ask if it is possible. Creativity is always encouraged.
For example, instead of simply attacking an enemy, you might:
Talk your way out of a fight
Try to sneak past unnoticed
Climb onto a rooftop for a better view
Distract someone with a funny performance
Search the room for hidden clues
Befriend a strange creature
Or come up with something completely unexpected
Sometimes your actions will succeed automatically. Other times, when the outcome is uncertain, you will roll a die to see what happens.
Rolling Dice
The most common die you will use is the 20-sided die (d20).
Whenever your character attempts something difficult or uncertain, I may ask you to roll a d20.
In general:
🎲 High rolls usually mean things go well
🎲 Low rolls usually mean things do not go as planned
Your character also has stats such as Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence. These represent what your character is naturally good at. When you roll a d20, you will usually add a number based on one of these stats.
For example:
Lifting something heavy might use Strength
Sneaking around might use Dexterity
Recalling knowledge might use Intelligence
This means that characters who are better at certain things have a higher chance of succeeding at those actions.
Even when a roll does not go your way, the story keeps moving. In fact, those moments often lead to some of the funniest and most memorable parts of the adventure.
Turns and Combat
Most of the time, the game flows freely. Everyone can talk, ask questions, and describe what their character is doing whenever it feels natural.
However, during battles or other tense situations, the game becomes turn-based. This means each character takes their turn one at a time, giving everyone a chance to act and keeping things organized.
Roleplaying
Roleplaying is simply imagining how your character thinks, feels, and reacts.
You do not need to be an actor or use a special voice unless you want to. The most important thing is to think about your character as a person.
You might ask yourself:
What would my character do?
How would they react?
What would they say?
There are no perfect answers. Your character does not need to make the best decision. They just need to make their decision.
Most Importantly
D&D is a team game.
Work together, support each other, and feel free to ask questions at any time. No one is expected to know all the rules, and learning as we go is part of the fun.
D&D is also not a game of "DM versus players." As the DM, my goal is to guide you through the story and help create a fun and memorable experience. I am here to challenge you, support you, and bring the world to life alongside you.
There is no winning or losing in D&D.
The goal is to tell an unforgettable story together and to enjoy bringing your characters to life along the way.