A Beginner’s Guide To Playing Dungeons & Dragons

Video game RPG’s would not exist had it not been for Dungeons & Dragons. No D&D, no Zelda, no Monkey Island, and no Tomb Raider. Today, Dungeons & Dragons is difficult to ignore. The game has practically woven itself into popular culture, with shows like Stranger Things, where the main cast are practically a D&D party of adventurers, to the countless streaming shows like Critical Role that draw in millions of viewers. One way or another, you have encountered (like what I did there) Dungeons & Dragons in your everyday life.

And now, you have taken that extra step deeper into the beholder’s lair. You’re a Dungeon & Dragons’ beginner and no doubt; them funny-shaped dice, a character sheet that looks like the USS Enterprises engineering panel, and the dreaded thought of roleplaying an angry dwarf barbarian… have got you all in a bit of fizz!

If roleplaying games entered a popularity contest based on looks, branding, ease of use, and accessibility, Dungeons & Dragons would beat all of the others, hands down. The game though really rules-heavy, is also, actually… really rules light…

This is thanks to the fact that the Dungeon Master, aka overlord of rules, aka story maker, aka says stuff like roll this and roll that… is the only one who needs to know the rules. A great Dungeon Master will know most of them rules, so you don’t have to.

You can play D&D totally for free. There are tons of online resources, many of which are owned by Wizards of the Coast, the holding company of Dungeons & Dragons. You’ll find a free copy of the rules together with premade characters and a whole host of free adventures for you to run without even having to buy a rule book, just click this link.

Best place to start? The starter set right? Its got everything you need; dice, an adventure, basic rule book… personally, I would say to begin playing Dungeons & Dragons, all you need is to download the rule book and watch a ton of Youtube videos, in fact, you’ll find ours here.

But if you want to get your hands on the Starter Set follow this link: Amazon

Once you’re totally comfortable with the basic rules and how the game runs. Its time to get yourself the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and the Monster Manual. If between yourself and your pals you cant decide who should be the Dungeon master, that’s where Rolldark can help. We have 16 active Dungeon Masters for you to hire, and all are well trained and experienced working with total beginners. For more information about what we can offer you drop us an email info@rolldark.co.uk, otherwise if you have a friend that has stepped up to the mark to DM, they need the Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster Manual to get started.

 There is also a whole host of online resources, such as DND Beyond, where you can buy digital copies of the Dungeons & Dragons books, build characters, together with your own adventures. There are even some more advanced tools for you to use to help create compelling sessions with your pals. But if you prefer hard copies, the books are exquisite; beautiful artwork, and wonderfully put together by the team at Wizards of the Coast.

If you get stuck though, don’t be afraid to reach out to us here at Rolldark. Happy gaming!