So you want to play Dungeons & Dragons
You’ve watched the movie, and now you feel the urge to step into the world of Dungeons & Dragons but don’t know where to start. Let LSA Thailand’s resident geek help you out in how to start playing Dungeons and Dragons.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves has been getting rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike. It’s a fun fantasy romp rather than a bleak, violent, and incest-filled sword-and-magic adventure that we’re so used to nowadays. A major part of its success is that it replicates the fun, chaos, and drama of the game of the same name it’s based on. DnD, as it’s abbreviated, has been around for a long time but has seen a resurgence thanks to shows like Stranger Things, streams like Critical Role, and now, the new DnD movie.
If you enjoyed the movie and found yourself piqued by the notion of playing DnD yourself but don’t know how to begin, allow me to lend a helping hand. As LSA Thailand’s resident geek, I myself have been playing for almost a year now. And now, I’m also here to help you get started in the chaotic fun that is DnD.
[Hero image: Paramount Pictures]
How to start playing Dungeons & Dragons and what you need to know
What is Dungeons & Dragons in the first place?
Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game, or TTRPG, that was designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and was originally published back in 1974. It has since grown to become one of the most popular TTRPGs of all time.
A TTRPG is kind of like a board game. While miniatures, which are like board game pieces, are sometimes used in a TTRPG, the roleplaying aspect is actually a bigger aspect of the game.
The best way to describe DnD is that it’s mutual storytelling. The players and the Dungeon Master (I’ll explain what that is in a bit) are all collectively making a story, but there are also rules that govern the story. Well, in the world of Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean, they’re really like guidelines.
Okay, so how is DnD played?
DnD is played with players and a Dungeon Master, or DM. The players create a character based on the many races and classes in DnD. Fancy being an elf rouge, an Aarakocra wizard, or a human paladin? It’s up to you. The players also get to flesh out their character’s history and backstories. That usually involves something tragic, much like in the movie. Every good backstory is tragic and filled with trauma anyway.
However, there’s no game without the DM. The DM is in charge of the world. They’re the ones who do the worldbuilding and play the non-playable characters or NPCs. Think of it like this: if DnD were a video game, the DM is the level designer, director, writer, and developer. DMs definitely have their work cut out for them since they’re the ones that are creating the sandbox that the players will roam around in.
That doesn’t really answer the question though. How is it played?
Okay, sorry about that. The way DnD is played is technically quite simple: the DM asks the players what they want to do, they tell the DM, and the DM adjudicates how that happens. Of course, it’s not as simple as players just going “I want to scale the castle wall” and the DM saying yes or no. This is where the dice come in.
DnD is played with a dice set, and the one most frequently used is the 20-sided dice, also known as a d20. A roll of the dice will determine whether the character who wants to scale the wall is able to do so. The DM sets the number, also known as the Difficulty Class or DC, that the player has to roll to succeed. For example, the DM could set the DC as 10, and as long as a player rolls higher than that, they succeed.
That’s the general gist of it. There are other things like bonuses and modifiers, which are determined by a number of other factors. Character creation also includes points for attributes like Strength, Charisma, and Wisdom, much like a video game RPG does, and these can either help or hinder your rolls.
Sounds like a lot of dice rolling.
A lot. And a lot of math too, but just basic arithmetic. No algebra, promise.
Alright, I’m sold. What do I need to get started?
Friends. If you don’t have those, then you’re outta luck. Okay, I’m kidding.
Whether it’s friends or you find a group to join, you’re going to have to find a group of people to play DnD with. If you’re looking to find a group who could take you in or maybe even help you learn the game, try joining the Dungeons & Dragons Thailand Facebook group. Most posts are in Thai but there are a few English ones now and then.
Once you find a group, you’re going to have to read—a lot. If you’re looking to create a character and join a game, the best place to get started is the official Player’s Handbook, which outlines how character creation works and other rules like combat and movement.
Wait, so I need to buy a book? Like a physical one?
Well, you could. Kinokuniya sells the Player’s Handbook, but since DnD has such a large community, you can find stuff online. An indispensable tool for both players and DMs is DnD Beyond, where you can also buy the books digitally. You can also access the Basic Rules for free here under “Sources”.
But like I said, there are so many DnD things on the internet. So if you don’t have the dough to buy the Player’s Handbook, you can head on over to Roll20 where you can read through it.
Okay, so I read that, and then what?
If you’re a player, make your character! DnD Beyond can help you out with all the calculations and such when you create a character on there.
That sounds good. However, me and my friends want to play but none of us want to DM because we’re all new to this.
Hey, we all have to start somewhere. If you already have a group of friends who are eager to play but no one’s eager to DM, your best bet is that someone will ultimately have to take up the mantle. DMing can be daunting and means spending more time preparing than the players, but it can also be fun and rewarding, especially when you realise that you can do whatever you want with your players. *Evil laugh*
That said, if you’re going to prep being a DM, add the Dungeon Master’s Guide to your reading list, which should also be available in Roll20.
This is starting to sound a little overwhelming.
Oh, I feel you. It’s a lot of rules, a lot of numbers, and a lot of info. In the beginning, it can feel very daunting to play DnD. But all you need to remember is that the foundation of DnD is creativity. As a player, you create your character and their story. As a DM, you create the world and its story. And then you all come together to determine how the world changes the characters and vice versa, and if you’re a creative person, there’s nothing more fulfilling than that.
Also, don’t sweat it if you don’t remember all the rules. Whether it’s someone like me who’s played this game for almost a year or an experienced DM who has played this game for decades, everyone will admit they forget the rules sometimes. That’s why the books and other online resources are there.
My advice to you is to just jump into it and learn along the way. It’s scary and overwhelming, but it’ll be worth it.
Alright, I’m sold. Does this mean I need to buy dice?
Thankfully, DnD Beyond has digital dice that you can roll. Heck, you can even roll dice in Google. Just input the type of dice and how many you want to roll. However, if you do want to buy your own set, Lazada and Shoppee have a lot of options. Battlefield Bangkok also sells a variety of them.
Okay, I generally get what you’re saying, but is there anything I can watch or listen to that can help me get an idea of DnD and what it’s like—the actual game, I mean. Not the movie.
There are tons. Twitch has a dedicated channel to TTRPG streams so you can find a myriad of them there. The most famous DnD stream is arguably Critical Role, where a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors gather around and play Dungeons & Dragons.
That should give you an idea and a lot of inspo for DnD. Check out Dimension 20 and G4’s Invitation to Party too!
Whew, alright, let’s do this! Any last piece of advice?
There are plenty of resources on the internet. There are YouTube videos explaining rules, subreddits dedicated to campaigns, groups where you can ask for advice, and many more. If you start feeling lost, don’t look for the light like The Last of Us. Look to the internet instead.
Finally, have fun! The joy of creating is what DnD is all about. So go create and have some utterly chaotic and unhinged fun, much like how the film was like.
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