But, the beauty of any TTRPG is that it can be played almost anywhere, with almost no equipment — or as many TTRPG gaming accessories as you choose. All you really need to play D&D is a book, a pencil, and some dice, and you can even do it all on your phone if you want to. Games can be played in person, over the internet, or even via the mail… although that would certainly make combat go slow! I’ve been playing TTRPGs for almost 25 years, and while (unlike most gamers!) D&D was not my first, nor is it my go-to, it’s a classic and a game I really enjoy. The system is not overly complicated, the world is vast, and overall, the game offers a great deal to like. (Looking for a different game to play? Check out these TTRPGs that aren’t D&D.) In addition to these, there are dozens of supplemental books that include fully plotted adventures and more. Looking for something that will cover all the basics, so you don’t have to buy all the books just yet? Check out the Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set 5th Edition for a compressed version of the rules, a started set of dice, and an adventure you can play solo or with up to five people. Additionally, Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle is in Target now, and will be available everywhere soon. Beyond these, you may find that you enjoy various other things such as dice trays, multiples of each type of die so they can be rolled together, and more. But I promise you can start out with the absolute basics — and if you’re joining a game, you can probably borrow them!
Character Sheets Pencils Polyhedral Dice (4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12, and 20-sided; some people also use a 100-sided die)
Many people enjoy playing with map tiles and miniatures, which can be purchased ready-to-play or for you to paint the way you like them. That’s it! Additional characters, known as non-player characters (NPCs) will be played by the DM. For each of the six main attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma), you’ll roll 4D6, which is a 6-sided die four times, or four 6-sided dice rolled at the same time, remove the lowest number, and add the other three. The total is assigned to that attribute, and you repeat that five times. Depending on what kind of character you want to play, you may put a higher number in strength than in wisdom, or vice versa. If you prefer not to roll for those numbers, you can use the “standard” set: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8. To create a character from scratch, you must choose the character’s “race,” or species, and their “class,” such as Bard, Druid, Rogue, Paladin, or Wizard. Then you will roll the dice to determine how many points you have to distribute on your character sheet. Then you will assign a few more numbers, create your character background, and fill out your supplies, arms, and armor. If your character is a magic user, you’ll fill out a spell sheet. And that’s almost it! One more thing: don’t forget to name your character! There is a more detailed breakdown of D&D character creation on Instructables.
