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Overview
Originally released in 1974 as a creation of Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, Dungeons & Dragons is a TTRPG inspired by a love of miniature wargames, Conan the Barbarian, and a nod to a previous release of Gygax called “Chainmail.” This fantasy role-playing game offers players the opportunity to escape reality for a while and enter into a far-off realm of whimsy, heroism, and action.
In recent years, D&D has climbed in popularity due to mentions in the Netflix show “Stranger Things” and the movie “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” released in 2023. This game has long been a staple in the gaming community, however, and has grown and developed over the years into an expansive muliverse that reaches into the deep bellies of the Earth, across the planet, into the stars, and far beyond.
To play D&D, it requires a group of (at the very least) one player and one individual to serve as the Dungeon Master (DM). The DM serves as the storyteller and deciding voice in how the adventure plays out. The DM typically begins by introducing the player(s) to the realm in which they find themselves and provides light background for why the adventure is beginning. From there, the DM and players interact to begin their journey and (usually) perform some heroic tasks. Along the way, players have the opportunity to interact amongst themselves, explore the areas they find themselves in, collect loot and wares, perform further tasks, solve puzzles, and fight monsters. The decisions the players make have bearing on how the story proceeds, but the DM does have ultimate say-so over what happens with the story.
This game can be played with very minimal materials. Really all one needs to play is the players, a story, pencil and paper, and a set of six dice (a D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and D20 with the D representing the number of faces on the die). Of course, people have been known to go all out with their games and can include miniature models of their characters, intricate pieces of terrain, digital maps, and so much more. To get started, though, one really only needs the basics.
Creating a Character
Class
Skills
Class
In the very first release of Dungeons & Dragons, only three main classes were introduced. These include the Cleric, Fighting-Man, and Magic-User. These were quickly expanded upon, though, and grew to include the Paladin, Thief, Assassin, Monk, and Druid. Through time and development, more classes have been added and the current main class list includes: Barbarians, Bards, Clerics, Druids, Fighters, Monks, Paladins, Rangers, Rogues, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. This is not a complete list, though, and there are numerous classes added to the D&D universe through subclasses and homebrew additions. Each class grants the player specific perks, abilities, and actions that grow and change as the character levels up through play.
Race
Skills
Class
The race of one’s character also has bearing on the abilities and possibilities for the character. Now, the list of playable races in D&D is quite daunting and expansive, but offers up a lot of fun possibilities. For instance, one can choose from all manner of classic, Tolkien-esque races such as Elves, Halflings, Dwarves, Goblins, Orcs, and Humans, but one can also choose to be a Plasmoid (think Osmosis Jones), an Autognome (robot gnome, how cool!), a Dragonborn, a Hadozee (monkey meets flying squirrel), and so many others. Again, the list is continuously expanding through canon and homebrew additions.
Skills
Skills
Backstory
To determine what your character is capable of, there are six major ability scores and a larger list of skills that players use in conjunction with dice rolls. One's ability scores are determined through a method decided upon by your DM (point buy, dice rolls, etc) and can range from 1-20. These describe the character's Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Depending on the way one wishes their character to perform, they allocate different levels of points to the pertinent score. In addition to proficiency bonuses, these scores have bearing on the skills that a player can possess. These skills consist of things such as perception, athletics, animal handling, and much more. Essentially, these numbers determine the performance of your character.
Backstory
Backstory
Backstory
It is highly unlikely that the campaign you join features players that were literally born yesterday. With that in mind every character should come with a good backstory. Now, this is very open-ended and can be based on your real life, a dream, a fantasy, or anything else you can think of. The goal is to establish a reason for your character to exist in the world and have a reason for being a part of the adventure. Be as creative or as mysterious and secretive as you like! This part of the adventure is all yours, but there are numerous prompts out there if you need help with ideas. Did your character get lost in the Faewild and pop out here? Did you save a town and are looking for more adventure? The possibilities are endless!
Equipment
Backstory
Equipment
Again, it is highly unlikely that your character was born yesterday. Naturally, you're going to have some sort of equipment! This can be determined by your DM or purchased from a standard set of starting equipment using an amount of gold determined by a dice roll. Either way, you should consider what kind of armour your character would wear, what kind of weaponry you should use, what rations and other supplies you'll need, and, if you're really lucky, maybe a starting magic item! Regardless, your starting equipment should reflect what your character will need to survive a quest or several before having access to a merchant to procure more supplies.
Alignment
Backstory
Equipment
A character's alignment refers to the way their moral compass directs their decisions and actions in game. A player's alignment has bearing on the decisions the player makes, the way they handle conflict and success, how they behave, and much more. When choosing the alignment of your character, think of the values you want them to have, the way you would like to roleplay their actions, the campaign setting and proceedings, and the alignment of the other characters in your party. Additionally, consider your race and class when making the determination. For instance, paladins are more likely to be lawful good and warlocks more likely to be chaotic, but that is not a hard and fast rule. You can still play your character how you would like.
Monsters & Mayhem
Enemies
There are numerous different enemies one can face during a D&D campaign. I mean, there's an entire book dedicated to them! From human bandits to tricksy goblins to giants and ogres and everything in between. Enemies can take many forms and difficulty levels. Each enemy is given a challenge rating (CR) score from 0-20 and that score typically corresponds to the required level of the players to successfully face it.
Combat
Combat is a core mechanic in D&D as it is typically what is used to gain experience points and, therefore, levels for your character. Typically combat consists of the DM setting up an encounter with an enemy, giving a reason for the enemy or your party to attack, and calling for initiative to be rolled. Initiative is a mechanic that determines which order players perform their combat abilities (meelee or ranged attacks, casting spells, healing, etc.). Combat continues in that order until all enemies have fled or been vanquished, the party retreats, or the combat is otherwise concluded.
The BBEG
The BBEG or Big Bad Evil Guy is the major enemy that your party is working towards vanquishing. Just as with regular enemies, the BBEG can take on different forms depending on the nature of the campaign. For instance, in the well-known campaign Curse of Strahd, Strahd Von Zarovich is the BBEG (a vampire) with numerous minions beneath him. In other campaigns, it could be a dragon, a god, or even the human you would least suspect. This is another opportunity for the DM to have fun with the campaign and cater to the story that they want to tell.
Editions
D&D Original - 1974
The very first release of D&D was quite limited in the options players had. There were three available classes, four available races, and three alignments. It also was released under the supposition that players had the knowledge and resources afforded them by other Gygax releases such as Chainmail and Outdoor Survival. This edition was greatly expanded upon with supplemental releases, though.
Advanced D&D 1st Edition - 1977
This "advanced" edition of Dungeons & Dragons combined the original rules and supplemental information and resources to increase the playability and make the game more engaging for players. It also increased the number of classes available, introduced the nine alignment system, and introduced the three core rulebooks that are still known today. These core rulebooks include the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.As before, it was later supplemented with further resources.
Advanced D&D 2nd Edition - 1989 - Revised - 1995
The 2nd edition of Advanced D&D brought major changes to the game in the form of new rules, new classes, more monsters, and an allowance for backward compatibility. This was also the time period where D&D tried to remedy its negative image by removing all reference to anything that could be construed as satanic or evil. This extended to monsters, locations, classes, and races that made people think of demons, devils, or evildoers. The 1995 revision of this edition gave players more flexibility in character creation and development.
D&D 3rd Edition - 2000 - Revised - 2003
The 3rd edition of D&D was the first release under the parent company Wizards of the Coast. This edition introduced the d20 system for dice rolls which allowed for standardized formulas to be used. This is also the edition where skills and feats were introduced, expanding upon the ways a player can manipulate their character and make more use of dice rolls to decide encounters. The combat mechanic was expanded, the grid system for movement and distance was introduced, restrictions of race/class combinations were removed, and more classes were brought into the game. Additionally, several iconic characters were introduced to create a standardized set of characters for use in artwork and tie-in novels. The revisions to this edition provided small changes to rules and expanded upon the DM's Guide and Monster Manual.
D&D 4th Edition - 2008
The 4th edition aimed to make the game more iterative and engaging by providing a new release of the core rulebooks each year. This edition also allowed players to increase their PC (Player Character) level up to 30, rather than the previous cap of 20. Game mechanics were majorly overhauled, particularly for spellcasters, ability modifiers were updated, skills could be considered trained or untrained, and short and long rests were introduced.
D&D 5th Edition - 2014 - Revised - 2024
This is the edition currently in use and is supposed to be the final full release of D&D. With a return to three core rulebooks, more time and effort could be put forth into creating new adventure modules and streamlining the way play is conducted. Additionally, monster stat blocks were updated, advantage/disadvantage were introduced as a game mechanic, spell preparation was modified, and the use of hit die for healing during short rests was introduced. The 2024 revision brought in some major changes to the game including new content, greater backward compatibility, and many further enhancements.
Video Games
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands takes place in the fictional land of Athas, a dying and hostile desert world. The locale is Draj, a city-state ruled by a powerful sorcerer-king. Nearby are several "free cities", surviving in the desert thanks to the hard work of their citizens. Upon the completion of the pyramid in Draj, the Sorcerer-King desires to make a great sacrifice of blood by sweeping the desert and destroying the inhabitants of the cities not under his control. The player controls a party of up to four gladiators, condemned to fight in Draj's arena until they die, so naturally the first order of business is escape. Upon escape, the party must unite the free cities to resist Draj's army.
Baldur's Gate - 1998
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Baldur's Gate takes place in the Forgotten Realms and is based on the gameplay of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. Gameplay is based on the adventures that the player's character undertakes as they travel with their party along the Sword Coast. There is a series of quests that the player must complete through their adventures to prevent a corrupt leader from beginning their reign over Baldur's Gate.
Icewind Dale - 2000
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands - 1993
Neverwinter Nights - 2002
Icewind Dale is quite similar to Baldur's Gate in that it is based in the Forgotten Realms and uses 2nd edition rules. It follows a quite different storyline, though, wherein an adventuring party is hired on as caravan guards and proceeds on adventures throughout Icewind Dale and endeavors to prevent evil from befalling Ten Towns.
Neverwinter Nights - 2002
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Neverwinter Nights - 2002
Neverwinter Nights centers on a player character who must undertake a series of adventures to protect the city of Neverwinter. After defeating a powerful cult, stopping a plague, and thwarting a direct attack on the city, the player has become a noble hero who has protected the land and all those who hold it dear.
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Dungeons & Dragons Online is an MMORPG that allows players to go on adventures in a virtual space. Similar to other MMORPGs, players can interact with others online and complete quests and adventures together. This game allows D&D to be more inclusive and creates an online space where individuals can play across borders, cultural barriers, and more.
Baldur's Gate 3 - 2023
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Dungeons & Dragons Online - 2006
Set in the universe of the Forgotten Realms as well, Baldur's Gate 3 begins with the protagonist waking up from unconsciousness on a mind flayer dimension-crossing ship infected with a parasitic tadpole that threatens to transform them into a mind flayer. Alongside several others who have met the same fate, they are forced to go on a quest to find a remedy to prevent ceremorphosis. This game, along with the recent Dungeon's & Dragons movie and mentions in Stranger Things has brought D&D into modernity and made the game quite popular again.
Books
So much to explore!
Aside from the literature that is released to provide information and adventures for gameplay, there are numerous tie-in novels that have been released in the D&D universe. From bestsellers to those that are little known, players can find all sorts of material to read between adventures to allow them to experience new locations and escapades from another adventurer's perspective. The titles listed here are only a small sample of what one can find in this genre.
Finder's Stone Trilogy
Written by Kate Novak and Jeff Grub and released between 1988 - 1991, The Finder's Stone trilogy covers the adventures of Alias, Dragonbait, Olive Ruskettle, and Finder Wyvernspur as they travel the Dalelands.
Legends of Drizzt
Written by R. A. Salvatore and released from 1988 - 2020, The Legneds of Drizzt series consists of over 40 titles that follow the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden and the companions he meets along his travels.
The Year of the Rogue Dragons Trilogy
Written by Richard Lee Byers and released from 2004 - 2006, The Year of the Rogue Dragons trilogy explores the events of the calamitous year 1373 DR and the consequences of that calamity.
Prince of Lies
Written by James Lowder and released in 1993, The Prince of Lies belongs to the Avatar series of books and follows the story of an adventurer named Gwydion after an encounter with the evil Cyric.
The Nine Eyes of Lucien
Written by Madeleine Roux and released in 2022, The Nine Eyes of Lucien is based on the web series Critical Role and follows the actions of Lucien, a tiefling antagonist, after he met the Mighty Nein.
External Resources
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
https://company.wizards.com/en
This is the Wizards of the Coast website and provides a wealth of information about D&D, as well as direct access to resources and new releases.
D&D Beyond
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
D&D Beyond is a super helpful website for beginners and veterans alike. Providing information to help players learn to play, providing supplemental resources such as adventures and maps, and much more, D&D Beyond has something for everyone.
5e Tools
Wizards of the Coast
5e Tools
5e Tools provides a host of information and resources to make gameplay and story creation easy and affordable for anyone. From modules to maps to calculators and more, 5e Tools has so much to explore.
Roll 20
Wizards of the Coast
5e Tools
Roll 20 is an option for players to set up a D&D party online and play the tabletop version of the game online. This is excellent for those separated by geographical barriers or even those who simply prefer to stay at home to play.