Dungeons & Dragons LVL 1: What is it and what do I need?

Dungeons and Dragons, so what is it? Dungeons & Dragons often stylized as “DnD” or “D&D”, is a tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG or RPG) usually taking place in a fantasy setting. However, it is possible to play this game in any setting or world you think would best suit the desires of your group. DnD has also become the “kleenex” or “shop vac” of the gaming world, meaning that although it is its own game, it is also commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to any number of RPG playing systems. An RPG game is a collaboration between a dungeon master and a group of players that come together in an attempt to navigate through a world created by their shared imagination.This world is sometimes one that is published and mass-produced, while other times it is one that is home-brewed, created specifically for that group by the dungeon master. TTRPG's incorporate many elements that make the game possible.

So what are those elements? Many people will debate about what the most important thing is, but for me it is undoubtedly imagination. In fact, I feel it is so important that it will make cameo appearances in many of my future posts. Imagination is the core essence of the game, anything beyond that is mostly there as a means to facilitate organization and track stats. Without the imagination there is no game. Without the imagination you are just sitting around a table, rolling dice and doing math.

I suppose the second most important thing that will be needed are the rules which consist of two books the Player's Handbook (PHB) and Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG). If your looking to just test the waters or can't afford to invest that much right away fear not for Wizards of the Coast offers abridged PDF versions, the Basic Dungeon Masters Rules (BDMR) and the Basic Players Rules (BPR). These are available on their website for for free and have enough information to get you started playing. There is an another option available, while not free, it is more cost effective than the two core books and that is the D&D Starter Set. It comes ready to play with a set of dice, a premade adventure, 5 pre-generated characters, and an essentials rulebook. This rulebook however lacks the information necessary for character creation that are found in the pdf download.

Either or both of these options will give you enough to get started, and will carry you along until you decide if you are ready to commit to or can afford the full versions. (or worse, you decide that you don't want to play at all.)

The BPR has all the information you need for building a basic character (more commonly referred to as a PC, player character), including the character sheet which is the record of a PC that includes stats, details, and other information needed during gameplay. Also within the print are the mechanics used to play the game. Mechanics are the elements of the game which dictate how actions are carried out, and what happens when the action is success or failure. The easiest things to say is that these are the rules, but there is more to understand in the game than just declaring an action and rolling the dice. This a topic we will visit again, with greater detail, in future features.

You might find yourself asking, “If the BPR has the stuff to make a character and the rules, why do I need the BDMR?” The answer to that is simple. While the BPR has the information to play the game, the BDMR provides the bare bones tools necessary to run an encounter. The BDMR has a good list of monsters to get you started but there is not enough information for wider world creation. It should also be noted that it is not a requirement for everyone to have read the BDMR. Only the person who is directing the game, or the Dungeon Master (DM), needs to read it. This can make the game more interesting to the players, because they won't be tempted to use their player knowledge of the monsters in place of their character knowledge.*

(Meta-moment)

This is called meta-gaming, this happens when any of the players, including the DM, use information they know over what their characters should know. It is important to remember that you are not your character, and your character does not know everything that you know. For example dice rolls, say you are checking for a trap and roll low, you the player may realize that it was a bad roll and could still be trapped and may be tempted to check again but the PC does not know that all the PC knows is that there is no trap. This can be something that detracts from the game and can make it less fun for everyone. So please make every attempt to remember this, it could just save your game.

*It is also not necessary for everyone to have read the BPR, but it is helpful. If all the players have a decent understanding of the rules it will allow the game to flow with little disruption, and keeps it enjoyable.

(It needs to be stated that these should be perceived in the same manner as the Pirates Codex, it's more a set of suggestions rather than definitive rules.)

Now that you are armed with the knowledge of how to play you need the machinations of the game.

Starting with a device to randomize the games actions. The typical option for this is a set of polyhedral

dice, but keep in mind this is not the only option. Since we have given alternatives for getting the other starting elements, virtually for free, this opens up possibilities for getting a set of dice. Chessex make sets that come in simple colors, with no pattern or anything else that might make them exceptional in appearance that are quite cost effective. This brand is the easiest to find, as this is what most game shops carry. However, if you do not have a shop nearby, there are multitudes of places to buy dice online (I'll have links below, you know after all the boring stuff).

Failing that and having zero access to the polyhedral dice normally used there are other ways to achieve similar results. For instance, when Gary Gygax (one of the masterminds behind D&D) started playing, all they had were six-sided dice. These can be found in nearly every home, and can be purchased in any form of store you can think of, such as local grocery stores. Another option which can be just as effective, is a deck of cards, or more if you have access to them. This is another item that can be found almost anywhere, and often for very cheap. (We like cheap) You use the cards numerical value the same way you would on dice, just shuffle and draw instead of roll. The use of playing cards can open up the way you play as well by assigning different meanings to colors and suits. You can use a coin and play a best 3 out of 5 flips to see if you are successful in your hit. Even and odds, rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock,(bazinga) or as the DM assess the situation and make the best decision for the moment (that is how I first played when I was introduced to this wonderful world). A pad of paper and something to write with will also come in handy. These are needed to track statistics such as hit points (HP) and loot as well as for making player notes about what is happening in the campaign such as NPC's (non-player characters) met and quest details. Furthermore it is a useful tool for the DM to track monster HP and note unforeseen player choices that will affect their campaign plans (yes this will happen, often) This is also a backup method for making character sheets when you just can't print them off. You have the rules, you have some dice (or whatever), you've built a little world, and you are ready to play. Or are you? No, you need to get some people to play with. I know I said that imagination was probably the most important thing, but I might have to eat those words with some bread (but no mayo or cheese, we have to make it dull and unenjoyable). Having other people to play with is a key to the game because playing by yourself just plain stinks.

When it comes to finding other players the default option seems to be tricking, I mean convincing your friends to play with you (roll a d20 for persuasion). But, sometimes your friend's wisdom is higher than your bluff and they just aren't going to dig it. So now what are you going to do? If your area has a gaming store, you can visit there. Many of these shops host games regularly and games of different types which may grab your attention. Additionally this gives you a place to play, even if you do have awesome friends and no one is capable of hosting. Not all places are equal, though, and that can make things difficult. There is a solution though, online communities. There are a number of places you can visit to find people who are willing to play a game with you. Roll20.net is one of the biggest options for this, along with Facebook. (I'll put some more clicky things at the end for this as well) you can even try going old school and posting something to the board at the library. So that's it, those are the essentials of what you need to get started playing Dungeons & Dragons. BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE! Everything before this was the basic things a person will need to play the game. Now we are going to talk about the other things that aren't necessary, but a part of the game nonetheless and will make it much more enjoyable. Everyone has their individual levels of means and commitment, and that is okay. The only thing that truly matters is that you start playing and have fun doing it. Miniatures (most often called minis) are a staple of any tabletop gaming system, and they help to make the game more immersive. Whether it be TTRPG's or wargaming, you will see brilliantly (or even slipshod) painted tiny people being shuffled around like some sort of analog Sims game. This is one of the reasons why DnD is referred to as a tabletop game, that and when the game was originally conceived it was sold as a new type of war game. To go along with the minis, there is usually some sort of terrain. Terrain can be described, most simply, as the game board with the miniatures acting as the game pieces. The game board can be anything from the proverbial dungeon to rolling hills, as far as the eye can...pretend to see. These two aspects can very easily become the most financially draining elements of this game. However, they are also the most rewarding. Whereas, the system itself changes and evolves over time, requiring you to learn some new rules and mechanics, your minis will always fit into whatever world is present (plus you can always strip them down and repaint them if you need to).

Fear not though, we are here to help you get started in this game in a cost effective manner. If minis are a thing that you want to use right from the start, there are affordable options. Reaper makes a line of plastic figures that are easy on the money pouch, and I would say one of the best options for individual pieces. Wizkids seems to be getting into the cheap game also with two new series they are putting out soon and a third in development. Paizo, the makers of Pathfinder (another TTRPG), has several box sets of 2-D figures you can throw your copper pieces at. One of most commonly suggested options for 3-D miniatures is to go to Ebay and do a search for “lot of ________” (whatever you are looking for; mage knight, dungeons and dragons minis, Heroclix...there are a lot of options)

Sometimes even these options are out of touch, and there are things you can do for this. One of my go to crafters has a video where you can make your own 2-D figures. This, combined with elements from this video, by Black Magic Craft, can make it very easy to introduce miniatures to your game. Though, you do not have to go through all the effort to make something that stands up, simply printing the picture as is and laying it on a piece of terrain can give the same effect. (Remember this is a game of imagination and these are just pieces to facilitate that focus.) When all else fails and you want to physically keep track of what is gong on, you can use common items around the house. For some reason there always seems to be an old cookie tin, or mason jar full of buttons around either your house or a relatives. This is a wonderful way to mark movements and note where PC's and monsters might be. There is invariably a wide assortment and variety of buttons so that it is easy to remember which button represents who. I've even heard of people using m&m's or other types of colorful candies to keep track of movements, and this is nice because when a monster is killed off you can eat it. Now that we've droned on about tiny people for a while, we should come back around to the terrain. There are just as many ways to build your board up as there are ways to buy miniatures.

Many companies make hills, trees, rock outcrops, ruins, buildings and just about anything you can think of for the wargaming aspect of tabletop gaming. There are a few companies that make similar things for the TTRPG community, and these options are quite expensive, and honestly I feel a lot less fun. I myself prefer to craft my own items, which can be very rewarding and much easier on the coin purse. (There are plans for a video series about this in the future so stay tuned) Though if you would like to get the best of both worlds, there are a couple companies that sell the molds for their pieces and you provide the resin. These make very good tiles (the individual pieces that make up a “dungeon”) but there are even cheaper ways to get what you want. I suggested crafting, which is one of the other key pillars of the game. There are several people who make video tutorials about how to make tiles and scatter terrain (the extra pieces in the rooms). You can find my favorites down below in the linky area. While this can be very cheap it is quite time consuming, and you also have to contend with storage options.

Which brings up to the next set of options, maps. These are an easy way to convey the game board, they allow ease of movement with the pieces and are easy to store. There are many pre-printed and laminated maps that one can buy. Upfront they cost a little bit, but they are designed to be reused, and they are often double sided making a two for one deal. Another very easy way to make a map is to get large plain white sheet of graph paper and have it laminated. This allows you to draw any type of map you want and it can be done for very little copper. Along the same lines, and maybe around the same cost, is to get yourself a white board. Many home improvement stores sell these in 2'x4' or 4'x8' sheets that can be cut down right there. The only other thing you need for these two options are wet and dry erase markers. You can achieve a similar result by placing plain white printer paper underneath a piece of glass or clear plastic. This is where we started in my house because these things were readily available due to our coffee table. But a sheet of glass does not cost too terribly much if you know where to look. Alternately an old picture frame from a second hand store can be reasonable in cost and give you a way to hold the paper and store it all together.

The DM screen is a way to hold a lot of valuable information so you don't have to constantly flip through the book or your notes. Which, if you are following along here, you might not have the Players Handbook yet or the Dungeons Masters Guide, which is fine and a good reason to have a DM screen. The official one made by Wizards of the Coast has what they deem to be the most useful information and can cost a decent bit of silver. There are also several places that make very nice screens out of wood or other materials, that while lovely can be quite up there in price. So we will resort to our tried and true method, making our own. You can go to the Dollar Tree, or even Walmart (I think it's a little cheaper there anyways and has more variety) and get one of the school project boards. These fold up the exact same way, and if you get one big enough you can have two for the price of one. This is also nice because you can personalize it with the information you use most often and make it look the way you want.

The DM screen also provides a way to track initiative, but as with everything else this is not the only way. There are a few different manufactured initiative trackers, but then can get up there in price. There are

also some apps available if you want to track on your tablet or smartphone. Homemade initiative trackers are another cheap and easy way to go. We bought a small magnetic white board to use in our games. This along with popsicle sticks glued to magnets gives the same results as the manufactured ones. Since I am talking to people who will be new to the TTRPG community I understand how difficult it can be to come up with your own storyline. A pre-generated adventure is a good way to alleviate this problem. These provide the details necessary to run a journey for a group, everything from towns, to NPC's to the monsters that they will be fighting. These can also be treated like the rule books and be used as a suggestion or a jumping off point. WotC publishes their own supplements for this and have done so for a very long time.

Stories such as Stormking's Thunder, Princes of the Apocolypse and the Tyranny of Dragons set are very popular choices. Drivethrurpg.com along with several other places offers a number of these supplements for a very affordable price (sometimes even free).

In the end the point is to work towards getting the official books, either as pdfs (much more affordable) or the hardback copies. The Monster Manual is a comprehensive listing of many creatures to use in combats or to populate your world with. This is the first book I would try to purchase out of the four available, because you already have a set of the rules. The next item to work towards is the Players Handbook, this is helpful in continuing character growth and gives you more options for races, classes and other things. The Dungeon Master's Guide gives a more detailed account about how to build your world and controlling the game as things develop more in a broader campaign setting and become more difficult. Finally we come to Volo's Guide to Monsters, this book makes it easier to use creatures as playable characters and as well as adding a few more to the list. Keeping in line with the theme of frugality you can often find these on amazon for cheaper than the retailed price, but if you can please support your local game store. That's it, I think we covered everything that you will absolutely need to get started, and a few things that will make it more enjoyable but aren't necessary. We will begin running a video series that gets more in depth with the actual details of playing the game and ways to interpret things. We look forward to seeing you later. Until then....live to roll.