Dungeons & Dragons is a great game for fighting boredom, especially if you intend to push the boundaries of your imagination. However, a game of this depth also requires some commitment from the players. Here are some tips to get you started with this great game.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Learn the Basics
Step 1. Purchase the manuals
To play Dungeons & Dragons, also known as D&D, you need to know the rules in detail, so get the manuals. If you can't find them in a bookstore or comic store, you can order them from the Internet, for example on Amazon.it. Read the manuals thoroughly and try to memorize the rules.
There are different editions of the game, with different rules and procedures. The third and fourth editions, at the moment, are the most common. The fourth is considered the most user friendly and simplest one
Step 2. Try to understand the breed
Your character can be of different races which vary slightly between editions. Among the most common beings are humans, dwarves, elves, half-elves, half-orcs and gnomes. Each different breed will have different abilities, benefits and contraindications.
Step 3. Try to understand the class
It's about what your character does or has chosen to do with his or her life. Determine the skills of the character within the group. It is important to choose a class that suits the breed. The classes also depend on the edition. Among the most common are the wrestler, the magician's villain.
Step 4. Try to understand the alignment
Your character will also have a moral alignment that you will need to consider. It will help you determine how your character will react in certain situations and what decisions he might make.
Step 5. Try to understand the role of the dice
There are several dice that are used when playing D&D. They are not the usual dice, but rather special dice with an unusual number of faces. The most common is the classic d20 (followed in the rankings by the d10), but you will need others. It is best to buy the complete set at your toy store.
The dice will be used every time the player or the Master performs an action. The difficulty or possibility of something happening is related to that particular type of die. You roll it and, if the number is high enough, then an action can occur, for better or for worse, or any other type of result chosen by the DM
Method 2 of 4: Prepare for the Game
Step 1. Find a play group
This is the best and easiest way to start playing it. If you're not a very sociable person, don't get discouraged and try it anyway, as it can be a smart way to make new friends. You can search local forums, ask around, or advertise at your nearby toy store. Many universities and high schools also have clubs.
You must be the one to take the first step, contacting the group by email, by phone or in person to join the group. First, though, it would be wise to find out the average age of the participants: D&D is a game suitable for all ages, however being the only teenager in a group of forty could be embarrassing
Step 2. Organize your game
This implies a little more work on your part. You can advertise in many of the places just described or recruit friends, family and colleagues to play with you.
Step 3. Choose a Dungeon Master (DM)
If the campaign was created by you, you will probably be the DM. This person must know the rules in detail and must be willing to lead the game. In addition, he will have to prepare in advance the elements on which each game session is based.
The DM must have the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Handbook and the Monster Handbook I. There are dozens of manuals to enrich the game experience, however these three books are essential for creating an adventure
Step 4. Find a place to play
Generally, you prefer to play in a quiet room, with no TV or other people, usually at the DM's house, where no one will disturb you; you will only need a table and chairs. There are clubs or toy shops that specialize in offering groups suitable facilities for a certain fee or even for free.
Method 3 of 4: Play
Step 1. Introduce yourself
You will need to introduce yourself when game night arrives. D&D is a commitment, because it is difficult to enjoy the game if the members of the group are constantly absent. When you join a game, you need to be available and ready to work on their schedule.
Step 2. Create your characters
For the first session you will need to meet to create the characters. If you are not an experienced player, it is better for you to do it all together, in order to confront your doubts. In addition, the DM will have the opportunity to explain the importance of a balanced group and you will be able to choose the classes of the characters by mutual agreement. You can do it alone, before the meeting, or together. The second option is definitely useful for new or inexperienced players.
- Each player must have a new character sheet or use a program like Redblade to do so in place of the singles.
- Read the character creation instructions in the Player's Handbook. Then, everyone will have to create a character, except the Master.
- Take note of the differences between races and classes, remembering which combinations are the most convenient. For example, if you decide to create a Warrior for the first time, it would be better to choose a human or a half-orc, rather than an elf or a gnome. On the other hand, if you want the game to be a little more challenging, you can try a Monk, or an Enchanter (like the Sorcerer, the Druid, the Cleric, the Mage,…).
- We will refer to the character you created as the Player Character or PC or Player Character. All other characters that are not under the control of the players are called Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and the DM decides their every action.
Step 3. Let the adventure begin
After you have finished creating the characters, you can start the first session of the adventure. This is the moment when you really start playing.
- Each player controls his own PC. You cannot interfere with the decisions of others, nor can you control NPCs, unless you are the Master.
- The DM describes where you are and what surrounds you.
- The players tell the Master what actions they want to take. The DM will answer all questions, describing the consequences of each action.
- The game will continue this way, with descriptions, questions and answers between the DM and the players.
Step 4. End of session
Generally, you decide to end the session at a certain time, based on your schedule. If you play only once a week, a session would last an average of four hours, but if you only play once a month you could choose to extend the session up to eight hours. In any case, it is the DM who usually decides when to end the session, at the moment he deems most appropriate.
Most DMs usually try to create some suspense before ending the session, to pique the interest of the players, just as if it were a television series and to encourage them to come back next time
Method 4 of 4: Game Example
Step 1. Start the game
For example, the DM begins to describe where you are and the details of the environment. "You are in a swamp. To the north you can only see a small hut, to the west you can enter the swamp, while to the east and south the path is interrupted by lush vegetation".
- Player 1: "I walk slowly north, drawing my sword in case something decides to attack us."
- Player 2: "How deep is the swamp water?"
- Player 3: "Does the house appear to be in good condition?"
- Player 4: "I'm going north too."
- DM: "The two who start slowly moving north realize that the advance will not be easy, as the boots sink into knee-deep muddy water. {Player 3}, you stop to look at the house. from where you are. Make a stealth check."
- Player 3 tries to notice the details of the house to the north with a stealth check. Therefore he will have to roll the d20, adding to the result the value of the Observe ability marked on his character sheet. The DM will have secretly established the difficulty class of the shot (DC) or the number that must be exceeded in order not to fail the test. You can find more details on using skills in the Player's Handbook or the System Reference Document (SRD).
- Player 3 rolls 13 on the d20. He has to add 3, the value of Look, for a total of 16. The DC for looking closely at the house is only 10, being quite easy to look at.
- DM: "Squinting, you can see that the structure leans a little to one side, while the windows are covered with wooden planks. It seems unlikely that anyone has lived here lately, but you can't tell if there is any. it is something alive within ".
Step 2. You can find more examples of game sessions in the Player's Handbook and the Dungeon Master's Handbook
Advice
- If the Master does not want to create the adventure from scratch, there are modules that provide maps and stories with pre-arranged battles (with monsters, NPCs and treasures) available both online and in the form of printed manuals. It's a great way to start playing if you're new to Mastering experience.
- Don't be afraid to put yourself in role playing! Try to play your character, expressing yourself as he would rather than using a modern dialect. You don't have to use medieval jargon, but a 13th-century archer would never say "this is what you need".
- Try to have fun with your companions, regardless of the outcome of the adventure. The aim of the game is to have fun. Some people, thinking they have not enjoyed themselves, may get angry. If this happens, don't be shy and ask your DM to turn these players away.
- Unless players take notes of their own accord, at least one of them will need to write down some important details for the campaign, such as names and places to remember.
- Beginners should stick to the standard races and classes found in the Player's Handbook.
- Playing D&D you will happen to use various types of dice, from d4 to d20 (with four and twenty sides respectively) to determine the result of some actions. For example, the result of the die could determine the success or failure of an attack, jump, argument, ride, and so on.
- Dice are distinguished by the number of faces, so the d20 is a die with 20 faces. Sometimes, you will be asked to use a d2 or a d3, which does not exist; in this case, use a d6 and establish that even numbers equal 1, odd numbers equal 2; if you need a d3, establish a priori that 1 and 2 are equal to 1, 3 and 4 are equal to 2, 5 and 6 are equal to 3. The digit preceding the "d" indicates the number of dice to use, so 3d6 will be three six-sided dice.
Warnings
- Not everyone finds RPG fun, but that's their problem, not yours. Keep enjoying yourself, regardless of their comments.
- Make sure all players are referencing the same version of the game. There are huge differences even between 3.0 and 3.5, while version 4.0 is based on completely different rules. If you're not careful, you could create a totally unbalanced character (too weak or too strong) using rules belonging to different versions of D&D.
- NOT bring guests without notifying the Master and the group members first. Before inviting someone, ask the landlord and the Master for permission! Spectators generally get bored and would end up distracting the players, ruining the session. Always try to be polite and respectful, especially towards the landlord.
- The level of seriousness of the RPG is set automatically by the group you play with. Try to understand how far other players would go and how much humor you can put in.
- It's good to play your character, but don't overdo it. You don't always have to express yourself like a 13th century gentleman.
- It can be difficult to focus on the adventure when you are in company and, often, the game sessions turn into chats between friends. Whether it's right or wrong, it's up to you to decide.
- If others don't get into character, don't give up on playing your character. Some people are ashamed to pretend to be "someone else", so they prefer to focus on the mechanics of the game rather than on the role-playing game. In any case, you can have a lot of fun!
- It may be a good idea to use a slate to mark the position of characters and monsters during fights.
