How to ACTUALLY play D&D
So, you’ve heard of Dungeons & Dragons from Stranger Things or maybe you’ve heard your friends talking about Critical Role and you want to dive in. Maybe your friends are forming a group, or you’ve been curious about the dice-rolling, improv game with storytelling madness. Don’t worry—learning D&D doesn’t have to be complicated.
Here’s a straightforward guide to actually getting started with this legendary game.
Included in this blog post are links to commonly used websites by D&D players.
Step 1: Gather Your Group
D&D is a collaborative game, so you’ll need:
A Dungeon Master (DM)
Sometimes called the Game Master (GM)
The person who runs the story, describes the world, and controls the non-player characters (NPCs).
The Players
The adventurers who explore the world, solve puzzles made for kindergardners, and fight monsters.
You need to have both the DM & The Players to play the game
Step 2: Get the Essentials
You don’t need a ton of stuff to start playing. Here’s the absolute minimum:
Knowing the basic rules: Free rules are available on the D&D website, or if you wanna be extra, you can grab a copy of the Player’s Handbook. Both 2014 an 2024 work, but there are differences, so I ‘d discuss with your DM what version you’ll be playing before you drop $60 on a book you won’t be needing.
Character Sheets: You can print these or fill them out digitally. Here is an example of a fillable pdf.
Dice: At least one set of polyhedral dice (you’ll need d4, d6, d8, 2d10s, d12, and d20). These usually go for around $5.00 USD. Otherwise, you can always use a digital dice roller. (if you type “roll 1d4” on google, that’s a pretty easy one)
A Story: This can be a pre-written adventure or a homebrew adventure made up by the DM. For new DMs, I always recommend doing what you’re comfortable with.
Step 3: Make Your Characters
Art by: @oopsallbangers
This is everything. Your character is your hero in the story, this is who you want to be in the world, and you can be just about as creative as you want. You could be a fearless dragonborn paladin, a cunning halfling rogue, a mysterious tiefling warlock, a scholarly elf wizard, a grizzled dwarf fighter, a nature-loving firbolg druid, or even a quirky gnome bard with a flair for the dramatic—the possibilities are endless!
Lineage: Somtimes called race, species or lineage. This gives your character a number of physical traits, as well as mechanical ones. For example, elves are more nimble, while dwarves are more resilient. So discuss with your DM what races are available to pick, and what benefits you’ll get from each race.
Class: This is what a lot of people will focus on, your class decides what actions you can take, what abilities you have, do you cast spells? do you fight with a greataxe? Classes decide this for you. D&D has 12 classes in the original Players Handbook, each with their own way of fighting monsters and interacting with the world.
Here’s a list of all of the Classes in the Players Handbook:
Barbarian - A fierce warrior fueled by primal rage, excelling in raw strength and durability.
Bard - A charismatic performer whose magical songs inspire allies and confound enemies.
Cleric - A devoted servant of a deity, wielding divine magic to heal, protect, or smite.
Druid - A nature guardian who commands the elements and transforms into animals.
Fighter - A master of weapons and tactics, thriving in the heat of battle.
Monk - A disciplined martial artist whose body is a weapon and ki powers their strikes.
Paladin - A holy warrior bound by an oath to uphold justice, armed with divine smites.
Ranger - A skilled hunter and tracker, adept at surviving in the wilderness and slaying specific foes.
Rogue - A cunning and stealthy adventurer, excelling at sneak attacks and solving puzzles.
Sorcerer - A natural spellcaster whose magic is born from innate power or a mystical bloodline.
Warlock - A seeker of forbidden knowledge, granted eldritch power by a mysterious patron.
Wizard - A studious mage who masters the arcane through rigorous study and a spellbook.
Backstory: You don’t need to write a novel—just think about who your character is and what motivates them.
D&D provides a list of common Background, each receiving their own benefits like:
Acolyte: A devotee who has spent their life in service to a temple or deity.
Charlatan: A master of deception, scams, and disguises.
Criminal/Spy: An underworld operative skilled in illicit activities and contacts.
Entertainer: A performer who dazzles audiences with music, dance, or tricks.
Folk Hero: A humble champion of the people, renowned for a heroic deed.
Guild Artisan/Guild Merchant: A skilled craftsperson or merchant tied to a trade guild.
Hermit: A recluse who lived in isolation, discovering inner truths or mysteries.
Noble: A member of high society, wielding influence through birthright or privilege.
Outlander: A survivalist accustomed to the wilds and unfamiliar with city life.
Sage: A scholar and researcher devoted to uncovering knowledge.
Sailor/Pirate: A seafaring adventurer familiar with life on the open water.
Soldier: A trained combatant who served in an army or militia.
Urchin: A streetwise survivor raised in poverty, skilled at navigating urban environments.
Step 4: Understand the Game Flow
D&D is just a series of conversations guided by dice rolls. Here’s how it works:
The DM describes the situation.
Players decide what to do.
The DM tells you to roll a die if there’s a chance of failure (e.g., to jump over a pit).
The results guide the story!
Step 5: Play to Have Fun
The rules are there to help, but D&D is about storytelling and collaboration, not perfection. Some tips:
Don’t stress about getting every rule right.
Work with the group to create a fun story.
Lean into the chaos—some of the best moments come from failed rolls!
Common Questions
Q: Do I have to use a map?
Nope! You can describe everything verbally or use maps and miniatures—whatever works for your group.
Q: What if I make a mistake?
That’s part of the game! The DM can adjust things on the fly. The point is to have fun.
Q: How do I find people to play with?
Ask friends, search online for groups, or join local game stores that host sessions.
Step 6: Keep Playing
Once you’ve tried D&D, you’ll probably want to keep going. Experiment with:
Custom Characters: Build all sorts of different characters. Try out that one character idea, that you didn’t think would work in the last campaign!
Homebrew Rules: Add your own twists to the game.
Creative Storytelling: Play out wild ideas!
The Heart of D&D
At its core, D&D is about gathering with friends to tell a collaborative story, solve problems, and share laughs. There’s no wrong way to play as long as everyone is having a good time. So, grab some dice, make a character, and roll into your first adventure—you’ve got this.
P.S.
Alexis, if you made it this far, hope your first D&D session goes off without a hitch!
- Your supportive older brother
Ready to start your journey? Check out our blog for more D&D tips, resources, and creative ideas!
