About Dungeons & Dragons
Version: 5th Designers: Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Following the goblins' trail, you come across a large cave in a hillside. A shallow stream flows out of the cave mouth, which is screened by dense briar thickets. A narrow dry path leads into the cave on the right-hand side of the stream. What do you do?
Play Dungeons & Dragons today
The current edition of D&D has two great sets for beginning players: the Starter Set and the Essentials Kit. Both include a short version of the rules and a great starting module set in the small town of Phandalin on the Sword Coast in Forgotten Realms.
D&D Mechanics
Dungeons & Dragons is a Set Difficulty system where players use a D20 to roll for specific Difficulty numbers with modifiers.
Say you have a +4 to hit someone with your short sword, and their Armor Class is 14, you roll a and must get 14 or more to hit.
Other dice are also used, for example, to roll for damage and hit points. In the example above, your shord sword might take in damage. Go ahead, try it out!
The Settings of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons was first published in 1974, and since then, it has seen many different settings.
D&D is quintessentially set in high fantasy worlds where magic is prevalent, mythical creatures exist, and grand adventures are common. These worlds are often populated by various races, such as humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons, and countless other fantastical beings.
Over the years, D&D has developed several distinct campaign settings, each with unique flavor and lore. Notable examples include:
Forgotten Realms. A richly detailed world known for its magic, mighty heroes, and sprawling adventures. The city of Waterdeep, the Underdark, and characters like Drizzt Do'Urden are iconic elements of this setting.
Greyhawk. The original D&D campaign setting, known for its complex history and politics, was created by Gary Gygax.
Dragonlance. A world defined by the struggle between good and evil dragons, famous for its epic storytelling and heroic characters.
Eberron. A setting that combines fantasy with pulp adventure and noir elements, set in a world where magic is used to power technology.
Dark Sun. A post-apocalyptic desert world with a unique take on fantasy, focusing on survival in a harsh, resource-scarce environment.
Ravenloft. A gothic horror setting known for its dark tales and the infamous vampire lord, Strahd von Zarovich.
The current official setting for D&D 5E is Forgotten Realms, originally created by Ed Greenwood. Most D&D settings are derived from Western fantasy novels, such as Lord of the Rings, and contain a myriad of mythological monsters that the player characters need to best in combat or with any other means. The role of the player characters is almost always heroic, where they take a stand against evildoers. The game master is called dungeon master.
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