There are several editions of the game, with different rules and procedures. The 5th edition is considered to be the most user friendly and easiest to pick up. The Fifth Edition is also the most current as of 2021.
The dice will be used almost every time the player or Dungeon Master (DM) takes an action. The difficulty or chance of something occurring is attached to a particular type of dice. You roll, and if the number is high enough then the action can occur, going well, terribly, or any number of other outcomes as determined by the DM.
You must email, phone and/or meet the person hosting the group, and ask to join the game. The main thing you want to establish is age or social group. D&D is an activity that a mixed-age group can enjoy, but you don’t necessarily want to be the only teenager in a room full of 40-year-olds.
This person should purchase or already have copies of the core rulebooks: The Player’s Handbook, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual (I). There are tons more books available, but you only need these three to run the game.
Make sure everyone has a blank character sheet, or get everybody to use a program like Redblade for assistance in creating their sheets. Read the instructions regarding character creation in the Player’s Handbook and have everyone but the DM create a character. Take note of the differences between races and classes, and which complement each other. For example, if you decide to be a Fighter and this is your first time out, a Human or Half-Orc will be a far better choice than either an Elf or a Gnome. On the other hand, if you want a challenge, then try a Monk or a Spell Caster of any sort (Sorcerer, Druid, Cleric, Wizard, etc. ) The character you create will be called your Player Character (PC). All the other characters that are in the game world which are not controlled by a Player are called Non-Player Characters (NPC) and will be controlled by the Dungeon Master.
Each player controls their own PCs. You cannot control other people’s PC, nor can you control NPCs. The DM will describe where you are and what is around you. The players all take turns telling the DM what action they would like to do in response. The DM will answer each question and explain what the outcome of any action. Play will continue in this way, back and forth between the players and DM.
Most DMs prefer to create an episodic “cliff-hanger” feel right before some kind of action to stop at. This essentially pauses the adventure at an intriguing point so that excitement for how it will resolve at the next session is high among the players. Just like a TV show, this will encourage everyone to come back next time!
Player 1: “I move to the North slowly, drawing my sword in case something attacks us. " Player 2: “How deep is the swamp water?” Player 3: “Is the house in good repair?” Player 4: “I move to the North, too. " DM: “The two of you begin to move north slowly, the mud sucking at your boots from below the waterline. The water is about one to two feet deep; generally shin-deep. {Player 3}, you try to determine the quality of the house from where you are. Make a perception check. " Player 3, who is trying to see if she can do something that may or may not be feasible, is asked to make a “perception check”. She will roll a twenty-sided die (d20) and add her skill of perception to the total. The DM, in secret, will determine a number that represents how difficult it would be to succeed; this is called the “DC”. If the player’s total is equal or above the DC, then the attempt succeeds. More detail on how this works can be found in the Player’s Handbook or in the SRD (System Reference Document). Player 3 rolls a 13 on the d20. She adds the +3 she has in Spot, giving her PC a total of 16 to see the condition of the house. The DM had made the DC a 10, as it was fairly easy to see. DM: “Squinting at the structure, you see that it seems to be leaning a bit to the side, with boards on the windows. It is unlikely that anyone has lived there in some time, but as to anything living there. . . well, you’re not too sure. "
