So you’ve decided to try Dungeons & Dragons. Maybe you’ve watched Critical Role and thought, “Yeah, I could do that.” Maybe your mates won’t stop talking about their half-orc bard who seduced a dragon, and you’re equal parts intrigued and concerned. Or maybe you just want to finally understand what all these dice are for.

Let me be the first to Welcome You! You are officially stepping into one of the greatest tabletop roleplaying games ever created. It’s a game of adventure, strategy, and storytelling, but also one where you will:

• Overcomplicate simple actions.
• Forget your own character’s abilities.
• Roll a natural 1 at the worst possible moment.
• Accidentally burn down a tavern (just so long as it’s not mine).

It’s inevitable, really.

I cannot count how many times I have made opening a door an overly complicated endeavour, just to realise it is unlocked in the first place. Needless to say, failing rolls to chop down a door has resulted in us dying… from laughter.

It just goes to illustrate one thing that brings people coming back time and again, with D&D it’s all about the memories made — whether those memories come from glorious victories or horrible failures. It’s a game where you can become a hero, a villain, a disaster on legs, or something in between. And the best part? There is no wrong way to play.

Whether you’re learning Dungeons & Dragons 5E or the new 2024 rules update (5.5E), this guide will help you hit the ground running, avoid common pitfalls, and get the most out of your first few games.

Dungeons & Dragons has a 300+ page rulebook filled with charts, tables, mechanics, and enough obscure terminology to rival a law textbook. Having played the game for several years, and owning a good half-dozen of the core books, I can attest that I have not read through all of them cover to cover… not even close. And yet I’ve had the greatest time playing this game.

So instead, here’s what you actually need to know to start playing:

• You roll a d20 (twenty-sided die) for most actions. Sometimes you get to add a bonus (usually it’s a modifier of some kind or buffs from a spell). Sometimes you have to take numbers off. But in any case, the higher is better.
• Your character has six key ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) that determine how good they are at things. Some are physical, some are mental, but more often than not your character is going to be better at some and worse at others.
• If you’re doing something risky, roll a d20 and let the DM tell you what happens.
• If the DM says “Make a saving throw,” it means something bad is happening.

That’s 80% of the game right there. The rest? You’ll learn as you go.

D&D is not a game you can fully understand before playing — so don’t get bogged down trying to memorise everything. Even veteran players forget the rules constantly. That’s why we have Google.

(Pro Tip: If you don’t know what to do, just ask: “Can I try…?” The DM will either say yes, no, or “Roll for it.” That’s how the magic happens.)

Your first D&D character is a rite of passage. Some people spend hours fine-tuning their stats to create the ultimate powerhouse, only to realise they have the personality of a wet sock. Others slap together a ridiculous concept in five minutes and end up stealing the show.

There’s no wrong way to build a character — but there are ways to make sure you don’t regret it:

DO:

✔ Pick something that sounds fun. A sneaky rogue? A noble paladin? A wizard with zero social skills? Go with whatever excites you.
✔ Play a character you’d enjoy roleplaying. Are they brooding and mysterious? Overly dramatic? A walking disaster?
✔ Make a simple backstory. Your character doesn’t need an 80-page tragic past to be interesting, that’s my job to write. “My dwarf hates elves” is already enough to cause drama.

DON’T:

✖ Overcomplicate things. A rogue who grew up on the streets and now steals to survive is great. A rogue who is the sole survivor of a war, raised by assassins, who is also a secret prince and maybe part dragon? Maybe tone it down.
✖ Make a character who refuses to work with the party. “I’m a lone wolf who never talks to anyone” sounds cool—until you realise D&D is a group game.
✖ Play a joke character you’ll get sick of. The first time your bard only speaks in rhymes, it’s funny. By session three, everyone—including you—will hate it.

Breaking It Down: Race, Class, and Background

Many people find creating a character for D&D intimidating—after all, you may have heard jokes about spending hours creating a character, only to actually play the game for about an hour.

Think of it like building your own action figure, but with way more choices. You’ve got your race, your class, your background—it’s like picking out your starter Pokémon, but instead of just three options, you’ve got a whole zoo, and that’s probably why it can feel overwhelming.

Step 1: Choose Your Race

Your race is your character’s species—are you a human, an elf, a dwarf, or something a little more exotic? Each race has its own perks and quirks, so choose wisely!

In 5E (Classic Ruleset):

• Your race determines your ability score bonuses.
• Example: Elves get +2 Dexterity, Dwarves get +2 Constitution, Half-Orcs get +2 Strength.

In 5.5E (2024 Ruleset):

• Your race no longer affects your stats—instead, your background determines your ability score bonuses.
• This means any race can play any class effectively, which means your Half-Orc wizard is now a reality.

Step 2: Choose Your Class

This is your character’s job—are you a Fighter, a Wizard, a Rogue, or something else entirely? Each class has unique skills and abilities, so pick one that fits your playstyle.

Need help choosing? If you want to hit things hard, go Fighter or Barbarian. If you want to sneak around, pick Rogue. If you like magic, try Wizard or Sorcerer.

Step 3: Choose Your Background

This is your character’s backstory—were they a noble, a criminal, a sage, or something else? Your background grants you extra skills, proficiencies, and starting equipment.

In 5E: Backgrounds mostly give roleplaying flavour and skills.
In 5.5E: Backgrounds now give ability score bonuses, making them much more important.

Step 4: Ability Scores – The Core of Your Character’s Abilities

Now that you’ve picked your race, class, and background, it’s time to define what your character is actually good at (or terrible at).

D&D characters have six ability scores, which shape everything they do—whether that’s swinging a sword, casting a spell, or sweet-talking a dragon into not eating them. Think of them as your character’s natural talents and weaknesses.

The Six Core Stats (Explained Simply)

• Strength (STR): How hard you punch, how much you can lift, and how easily you can kick down a door.
  • Essential for: Fighters, Barbarians, Paladins.
• Dexterity (DEX): Your agility, reflexes, and general slipperiness. Helps with sneaking, dodging attacks, and firing arrows.
  • Crucial for: Rogues, Rangers, Monks.
• Constitution (CON): Your endurance and toughness. A high CON means you can take more hits before going down.
  • Important for: Everyone (but especially frontline fighters).
• Intelligence (INT): How book-smart your character is. Great for Wizards, Artificers, and people who actually read the quest description.
  • Key for: Wizards, Artificers.
• Wisdom (WIS): Common sense, perception, and intuition. Helps Clerics, Druids, and Monks, and stops you from walking straight into traps.
  • Best for: Clerics, Druids, Monks.
• Charisma (CHA): How persuasive, charming, or intimidating you are. Bards, Warlocks, and Sorcerers live and die by their charisma—and so do con artists.
  • Crucial for: Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks.

Each of these stats has an effect on your gameplay, but you don’t need to max everything out. A Barbarian doesn’t need a genius-level Intelligence score, just like a Wizard doesn’t need to bench press 300 kilos (unless you really want to confuse your DM).

Step 5: Determining Your Stats – Rolling, Point Buy, or Standard Array

Once you understand the stats, it’s time to generate your numbers. There are three main methods, and your DM will tell you which one they allow.

Rolling for Stats – The Classic Way

• Roll 4d6 (four six-sided dice) for each ability score.
• Drop the lowest die and add up the three highest.
• Repeat this six times and assign the numbers as you like.

Great for: Players who love randomness and high-risk, high-reward characters.

Standard Array – The Balanced Approach

Instead of rolling, you use these numbers: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 and assign them however you like.

Great for: Beginners who want balance and no surprises.

Point Buy – Custom-Built Characters

You start with 8 in each ability score and get 27 points to distribute, raising your stats (higher numbers cost more points).

Great for: Players who love control and optimising their build.

Final Step: Gear Up!

Your character needs equipment—weapons, armour, and adventuring gear. Think of it like gearing up for a camping trip, but instead of tents and sleeping bags, you’re packing swords and shields.

Your starting gear usually comes from your class and background, so pick wisely. Or, if your DM allows, you can roll for gold and buy your own gear.

One of the biggest fears new players have is roleplaying. You might be thinking:

• “Do I have to talk in a weird voice?”
• “What if I say something stupid?”
• “What if I forget what my character would do?”

Relax. Nobody expects you to suddenly become a professional actor. The biggest problem with popular D&D web-series such as Dimension 20 or Critical Role, is that they insinuate that you have to completely immerse yourself in roleplaying, acting as though you’re completely that character. But the majority of players of D&D can probably attest that they have never played a character that way. Instead, you will find that a D&D group leans towards a particular roleplaying style, either describing or occasionally directing questions to NPCs as their player — but without the voices.

Roleplaying in D&D can be as simple as:

• Describing what your character does. “I walk up to the guard and try to bribe him.”
• Speaking in character. “Ah, my good sir, allow me to make you an offer…”
• Making choices that fit your character. Your cleric probably wouldn’t burn down an orphanage. (Probably.)

It’s okay to start small. Some players naturally slip into character. Others take a while to warm up. Some will play whole campaigns simply describing what they’re character does, with minimal roleplaying. All are fine and no one way is better than another.

Combat is a big part of D&D, but it’s not the only part. Being a murder machine is fun, but if your only solution to every problem is “I stab it”, you’re missing out on the breadth of possibility that makes this game unique.

Sometimes, the best option isn’t fighting:

• You can talk your way out of danger. Persuade, bribe, or bluff your way through a situation.
• Use the environment. Push enemies off ledges, set up traps, or start a bar fight and escape in the chaos.
• Know when to run. If a dragon looks at you funny, leg it.

However sometimes combat is inevitable.

(Pro Tip: In combat, remember that spells, teamwork, and positioning matter as much as damage. Don’t be afraid to get creative.)

Your Dungeon Master (DM) is not trying to kill you. (Well, maybe just a little.)

The DM’s job is to:

• Create challenges for you to overcome.
• Make the world feel alive.
• Let you do dumb stuff and deal with the consequences.

You are not fighting the DM. You’re working with them to tell a story.

D&D is one of the most creative, ridiculous, and rewarding games you will ever play. It doesn’t matter if you forget a rule, roll terribly, or make a terrible decision—as long as you’re having fun, you’re doing it right.

So grab some dice, embrace the chaos, and enjoy the adventure.

Welcome to Dungeons & Dragons.