Who doesn’t know Dungeons & Dragons? Anyone, even if they have no idea what role-playing is, has surely heard of D&D. It’s part of popular culture. For forty years, books, articles, video games, and films based on the universe created by Gary Gygax have been published. This only confirms that it is the world’s most important role-playing game or at least, the most popular.

What is Dungeons & Dragons

D&D is a way of telling stories in a world of fantasy, sword and sorcery, where imagination is a very important part of the game’s development. There are a few characters who will walk hand in hand with players to clarify mysteries or find great treasures. In the adventure, there must be a Dungeon Master, a Dungeon Lord … The player who guides and knows the whole adventure, starting with the rules and knowing all the ins and outs of the game.

The game has a few rules to follow, and the DM will ensure compliance. In the event of conflict between the rules, a consensus will be imposed between all. Although we recommend that you do not stop the game and that this consensus is discussed at the end of the game.

The player character will start at level 1, as an apprentice adventurer. In each game and adventure, you’ll gain experience, which will allow you to level up. We call this a never-ending game campaign.

In this game there are no winners or losers, it’s all about having a good time and not caring about the basics. Being a cooperative game, we have to make the adventure our own and try to progress as far as we can in the story.

The character may die and end his days as an adventurer, but the important thing will have been how he fought to the end and how he remembers the player and his teammates.

Adventure Worlds

The adventure worlds in Dungeons & Dragons start from the base of a medieval fantasy that expands with places, creatures and magic, making them unique and fantastic.

There are many worlds in Dungeons & Dragons, all connected to each other and to other planes of existence. Examples of this are the Elemental Planes of Fire or the Infinite Depths of the Abyss… forming an entire cosmos called the Multiverse.

Multiverse

Within the Multiverse there are an infinite number of worlds to discover, the most famous of which are:

• The Forgotten Realms
• Dragon
• Falcongri
• Dark Sun
• Mystara
• Eberron
• Raventloft

Each world shares certain characteristics with the others, but they differ from one another in their own history and culture. In each location, you’ll find specific races and monsters, capable of adapting to the harsh or happy lifestyle of the world they inhabit. Although they may be of the same breed, their behavior and customs may vary due to the region in which they live.

The DM can prepare a house rule using one of these worlds to bring players into the game in a more appealing way, but with a warning before the game begins.

How to use the D&D reader’s guide

1. Character creation (Chapters 1-6): races, classes, backgrounds, equipment and other options. Everything you need to perform the main task before you start playing D&D adventures: preparing a good character. Character preparation is basic to running a good campaign, and the book will help with 150 pages dedicated to creation.
2. Game rules (chapters 7-9): This part of the book explains in detail the rules for playing D&D adventures. The three main categories are: exploration, interaction and combat. In the games, the rolls of a 20-sided die will be essential to see whether or not we succeed in our actions to advance the adventure. This will only take us 25 pages.
3. Magic (chapters 10-11): This final section explains what magic is and how to use it in Dungeons & Dragons worlds. The enormous number of tricks and spells available to characters who can cast them effectively are detailed.

How to play Dungeons & Dragons

The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game is very easy to play, and consists of three basic steps that we will repeat throughout the adventure.

1. The DM describes the situation, where the players have to make up the scene and asks them what to do.
   For example: the characters are at a crossroads, where there are three possible directions to follow, leaning against a tree sleeping a little Gnome. What are your characters going to do?
2. Players describe what they’re doing, everyone can talk and think about what’s best before deciding to do something, once they know, they should explain it to the DM.
   The explorer will look for some kind of trap, it’s very rare for someone to sleep soundly in the middle of a path.
   The rogue He’ll check the bag furtively, hoping he won’t wake up.
   The magician He’ll wait until a special spell is needed.
   The barbarian will approach the gnome to ask how to choose a safer route.
3. The DM describes the results of actions:
   Combat actions. These actions must be resolved with a roll of initiative, to sooner or later resolve the attacks of either character, adventurer or monster.
   Conversation actions. Actions will take place as the PJs wish, who will give priority to actions that suit them. For example:
   The explorer rolls the dice and passes the trap search roll – there are no traps!
   The rogue doesn’t pass the stealth roll and wakes the gnome, who remains stony.
   The barbarian asks him, he’ll shoot for persuasion because he’s scared, the scroll fails and the gnome still doesn’t speak.
   The magician will cast a truth spell, shoot and pass the scroll, so the gnome will tell you the safest way.

Then we return to point number one, where the DM will begin to explain the situation.

• After pointing out the safest way, the gnome will run aimlessly.
• You’ll notice that this path seems to be the one with the least brushwork, giving you the impression that it’s the easiest.
• You see the gnome walking away.
• What are you doing?

In this way, we continue to go through the three stages in which the game is delineated, right up to the end of the adventure.

Dice

The game uses polyhedral dice, which are:

• Given 4 faces, used to give a certain point of life or hit between characters and monsters.
• 6, 8, 10 and 12-sided, often used to create features and when striking with a weapon.
• The most famous and best-known gaming system is the 20-sided die.
• D20 dice

D20 Dice

It’s the basic die in the world’s most important role-playing game, giving its name to the entire game system. Without it, we couldn’t play.

How does the D20 system work?

Each character or monster has six basic characteristics with a score each: strength, skill, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma3 At 18 points each. By following the three basic steps, we can get our character to do the action we’ve prepared.

1. Roll 20 dice and add the corresponding modifier derived from one of the six characteristics.
2. Apply the bonus or penalty appropriate to the character’s situation or state.
3. Compare the total with the target number. If the total is equal to or greater than the target number, the action or attack has been achieved. The target number or difficulty to be overcome is decided by the DM.

These three steps are what we apply in most situations during the game.

Advantages and disadvantages

In these feature tests, we may have an advantage or disadvantage.

It’s very simple: in the case of an advantage, we roll 2 dice of 20 (2D20) and keep the higher-value result. In the case of a disadvantage, we’ll also roll 2D20, but this time we’ll keep the lower-value one.

Concrete has preference.

In the case of conflicting rules, the rule that is more specific takes precedence over the others. Although we can never find ourselves in this case, as it happens with a few exceptions.

Rounding

In cases where a half-round is requested, the number will always be rounded down if it’s not a whole number. For example, half of 11 will be 5.

Adventures in the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons

As we’ve already discussed, it’s essential that players and their characters cooperate with each other, each to the best of his or her ability, class and race. The game begins with the introduction of the characters, then we’ll develop the story and finish with an ending with a multitude of variations.

The characters will have to face the most terrible monsters, magical objects and situations of all kinds, and each will choose his or her destiny. The length of the adventure can vary according to its duration and the speed of the players’ movements, whether or not it achieves its objectives.

The three pillars of an adventure

Each adventure is divided into three distinct pillars:

• Exploration: This is the part that involves the adventurers’ movement and journey to discover the world and its places.
• Social interaction: This pillar will be applied to situations where characters interact with each other and between non-player characters appearing in the adventure.
• Combat: Any fight against enemies can be integrated into this pillar in the adventure, whether with cutting swords and axes, or by casting spells, tricks or arrows.

The wonders of Magic

A very important part of D&D is magic. No adventure will end without having magic on its mind, useful or harmful. Magic is a staple of survival in D&D worlds. It’s not present in every character, but the adventurers who have it will be essential to using it, and using it well. It goes without saying that the greatest enemies of each world are sure to use it to disrupt the adventurers’ plans.