How to Play D&D: A Beginner's Guide

What is D&D?

Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game. A group of friends tells a story together: one person runs the world, and everyone else plays a hero in it. There is no board and no fixed way to win. You succeed when your characters survive, reach their goals and the group has a good time.

The game is played mostly through conversation. The rules step in when something is uncertain, like whether an arrow hits or a lie is believed, and dice decide the result. The current version is the fifth edition (5e), which has two rulebooks in use: the original 2014 Player's Handbook and the revised 2024 Player's Handbook. The basics in this guide work the same way in both.

What do the DM and the players do?

• Dungeon Master (DM): describes the setting, plays every monster and non-player character, sets the difficulty of tasks, and applies the rules. The DM is a referee and narrator, not an opponent.
• Players: each controls one character. You describe what your character says and does, make decisions for them, and roll dice when the DM asks.

A typical group is one DM and three to five players, though two people can play a one-on-one game. Being the DM takes more preparation, so it often falls to the person who knows the rules best or who bought the adventure.

How does the core d20 roll work?

Almost every important roll in D&D follows one pattern:

1. Roll a twenty-sided die (a d20).
2. Add the relevant modifier from your character sheet (an ability modifier, and often your proficiency bonus).
3. Compare the total to a target number. If you meet or beat it, you succeed.

The target number is called a Difficulty Class (DC) for checks and saves, or Armor Class (AC) when you attack. An easy task might be DC 10, a hard one DC 20. For example, a fighter with a +5 attack bonus swinging at a goblin with AC 15 needs a 10 or higher on the die, which is a 55% chance.

When the rules give you advantage, you roll two d20s and keep the higher; with disadvantage you keep the lower.

What are the three kinds of d20 rolls?

• Ability checks: trying something with a real chance of failure, such as climbing a wall, picking a lock or persuading a guard. Many checks use a skill. See skill checks in 5e.
• Attack rolls: hitting a target with a weapon or a spell. Beat the target's AC to hit, then roll damage.
• Saving throws: resisting something bad, such as dodging a fireball or shaking off poison. See saving throws.

The 2024 rules group these three together under the name d20 Tests. On an attack roll, a natural 20 always hits and is a critical hit, and a natural 1 always misses.

What dice do you need to play D&D?

A standard set has seven dice. Each one is used for different kinds of rolls:

Rolls are written in dice notation: 2d6+3 means roll two six-sided dice and add 3. More detail is in how many dice are in a D&D set and dice notation. You don't need your own set to start; an online roller handles every die above.

How do you make a D&D character?

Your character sheet holds everything you need during play. Building one takes about an hour the first time:

• Class: your character's role and abilities, such as fighter, wizard, rogue or cleric. This is the biggest choice.
• Species and background: where your character comes from and what they did before adventuring. The 2014 rules call species "race" and give ability score bonuses from it; the 2024 rules give those bonuses from your background instead.
• Ability scores: six numbers (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma) that set your modifiers. You roll them, use the standard array, or use point buy. See how to roll stats in 5e.
• Hit points, AC and equipment: worked out from your class, scores and gear.
• Personality: a name, a look, and a reason to adventure. The name generator helps if you are stuck.

Many beginners use a pre-made character from a starter set for the first session, then build their own once they know what they enjoy.

Which class is best for D&D beginners?

Any class works, but some ask you to track less. A fighter or barbarian mostly attacks and has a handful of features, so you can learn the core rules without juggling spells. A rogue adds stealth and skills with one big damage bonus (Sneak Attack) to remember. A cleric is a good first spellcaster: you get healing and armor, and you learn how spell slots work. Wizards and other full casters have the most options and the most to read, so they suit players who enjoy studying their sheet between sessions.

The best choice is the character you are excited to play. If an idea grabs you, tell the DM, and they can help you find the class that fits it.

How does a turn in combat work?

When a fight starts, everyone rolls initiative (a d20 plus your Dexterity modifier) to set the turn order. Combat then runs in rounds of about six seconds of game time. On your turn you can do each of the following once, in any order:

• Move: up to your speed, often 30 feet. You can split movement before and after your action.
• Action: the main thing you do, such as attacking, casting a spell, dashing, dodging or helping an ally.
• Bonus action: only if a feature or spell gives you one, like a rogue's Cunning Action or the Healing Word spell.
• Reaction: one per round, used when a trigger happens, even on someone else's turn. The most common is an opportunity attack when an enemy leaves your reach.

You can also do one small thing for free, such as drawing a weapon or opening a door. To attack, roll a d20 plus your attack bonus against the target's AC; on a hit, roll the weapon's damage die and add your modifier. When a character drops to 0 hit points, they fall unconscious and start making death saving throws.

What does a D&D session look like?

A session is one meeting of the group, often three to four hours. Most sessions mix three kinds of play:

• Exploration: traveling, searching rooms, solving puzzles and avoiding traps.
• Social interaction: talking to characters the DM plays, bargaining, gathering information.
• Combat: turn-by-turn fights using the rules above.

The DM sets the scene, the players react, and the story moves forward from their choices. Between fights, characters recover with a short or long rest. A one-shot is a single complete adventure; a campaign is a longer story spread over many sessions with the same characters, who grow stronger as they level up.

What do you need to start playing D&D?

• People: one DM and at least one player, ideally three to five.
• Rules: the free basic rules or a starter set is enough. The Player's Handbook adds every class and option.
• An adventure: a published starter adventure is the easiest way for a new DM to begin.
• Character sheets: printed, on paper, or digital.
• Dice: a physical set per player, or a free online roller such as our d20 roller, which also rolls d4 through d100 with a bonus.
• Pencils and scratch paper: for tracking hit points, spell slots and notes.

A grid map and miniatures are optional. Many groups play "theater of the mind," where the DM describes positions and nobody uses a map at all.

How do you play your first game of D&D?

1. Gather a group of two to six people and choose one person to be the Dungeon Master.
2. Pick a rule set and an adventure; a starter set or the free basic rules is enough.
3. Have each player make a character: choose a class, a background and a species, then set ability scores.
4. Get dice for everyone, or use an online dice roller.
5. Start the session: the DM describes a scene and the players say what their characters do.
6. Roll a d20 and add a modifier whenever the outcome is uncertain, then compare the result to the target number.
7. In combat, roll initiative and take turns: move, take one action, and use a bonus action or reaction if you have one.
8. End the session at a good stopping point and note where the story left off for next time.

Don't worry about knowing every rule. Ask the DM what to roll, keep your character sheet in front of you, and focus on what your character wants. The rules get familiar after a session or two.

FAQ

How many people do you need to play D&D?

You need at least two: one Dungeon Master and one player. Most groups have a DM and three to five players, which is the size most published adventures are written for.

Do you need to buy books to play D&D?

No. Wizards of the Coast publishes free basic rules online, and a starter set includes a short rulebook, an adventure and dice. The Player's Handbook adds every class and option but is not required for a first game.

How long does a D&D session last?

There is no fixed length. Many groups play for three to four hours at a time, and a full campaign can run for months or years of regular sessions.

Is D&D hard to learn?

The core rule is simple: roll a d20, add a modifier and compare it to a target number. Most of the detail lives on your character sheet, and the DM can explain the rest as it comes up.

What do you need to play D&D online?

You need a way to talk (voice or video chat), character sheets, and a way to roll dice. An online dice roller works in place of physical dice, and many groups also use a shared map or virtual tabletop.

Related

• Roll a d20
• How to Roll Stats in D&D 5e: 4d6 Drop Lowest, Standard Array & Point Buy
• How Many Dice Are in a D&D Set (and Do You Need Your Own)?
• Skill Checks in 5e: Full Guide