How to Play Dungeons and Dragons

Few games have had as long and storied a history as Dungeons and Dragons. From its humble beginnings as a tabletop war game in the late 60s and early 70s through its present incarnation as a dedicated role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons has long been one of the most innovative forms of entertainment available. It's easy to play Dungeons and Dragons but to play it well you need to understand how the game works.

Things You'll Need

• Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook
• Dungeon Master's Guide
• Polyhedral dice
• Other players
• Paper
• Pencil

Instructions

Play Dungeons and Dragons

1. Gather a group of friends in order to play Dungeons and Dragons. At least two people are required to play, one serving as the referee/storyteller (known as the Dungeon Master or DM) and another to portray the hero of the game. Four or five players are adequate for a core group.

2. Create your character. Think about what type of persona you'd like to portray in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Do you want to be a knight protecting the people of a kingdom? Would you like to be a warrior priest spreading the word of deity to the masses? Or would you prefer to be a thief who preys upon victims in the night?

3. Have the Dungeon Master create an encounter for you and the other players. An encounter could be a lengthy adventure in the vein of an epic movie like the Lord of the Rings, or it could be a simple task of exploring a local mine and trying to find survivors from a mysterious, magical cave-in.

4. Roll your dice to determine the outcome of actions you choose to undertake. The rules for Dungeons and Dragons makes it possible to play out an infinite number of possible actions using dice and your character's appropriate skills. For example, a warrior could try to kill a dangerous goblin using his sword and a 20-sided die, or a wizard could try to use his wand with his "Use Magical Device" skill.

5. Play your character in a manner that makes him or her a true alter ego. For example, if you are playing a pious, generous monk, give alms to the poor whenever you see a beggar, even if it's something you may not personally do. This can help you to truly embrace your new persona as well as make the game world more authentic.

Tips & Warnings

• Always think ahead when you begin the character creation process. Determine where, in later levels of game play, you'd like to see your character progressing. Doing so makes it easier to gear your development towards a particular path or prestige class.

• Note that buying every Dungeons and Dragons book would be very expensive and is generally unnecessary. Everything you need to play the game is in the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Guide. Additional books only need to be bought if you want to profit from the additional information they contain.

Resources

• Dungeons and Dragons at Wizards of the Coast.