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A Beginner's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons
Welcome to Dungeons & Dragons!
Dungeons & Dragons (or, DnD) is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Each player creates a character with a unique backstory, ability scores, and alignment - this information is recorded and updated on a character sheet as the game progresses. These characters embark on adventures in a world run by a dungeon master or DM, whose responsibility is to provide information about the world and create a space where the players can explore and interact with all manners of creatures.
(I highly recommend purchasing a premade adventure online if you are new to DnD - they include maps, character sheets, information about enemies, and a detailed story for the players to follow.)
Imagine you and a group of your friends are the main characters in a fantasy novel. Except the book hasn’t been fully written. Instead, you, the characters, make decisions that impact how the story evolves and how it ends. Your party really exists in that world and your actions have consequences. Theft, murder, and deceit may be an exciting way to play the game, but at what cost? Will you lose connections and friendships? Living in fear that someone you wronged will come looking for revenge? That is for you to decide.
The first step in any campaign, if you aren’t the DM, is creating a character. Creating a character in DnD is a very personal and fun experience. However, it can be a daunting task for newer players and sometimes you just want to jump right into the action with a premade character that resonates with you. I have uploaded 4 game-ready character sheets with descriptions that you can save and print off at home.
Your next step is to have a “session zero” with your party. A “session zero” is where you and your group come together and discuss what you want your campaign to be like. You can let the other players know what kind of character you have made/will be making, and you can talk to your DM about the rules. The “session zero” is a key element to having an enjoyable campaign, as it allows everyone to adjust their expectations and get a feel for what the upcoming sessions will be like. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; DnD is a complicated game with a tonne of rules so the more information you have before starting, the better off you will be.
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