What Is Dungeons & Dragons and How Do You Play?

You have probably heard somebody mention Dungeons & Dragons, even if you have never sat down to play it. Perhaps you have seen a group rolling unusual dice, heard friends talking about their characters or watched adventurers explore a fantasy world online.

Dungeons & Dragons, usually shortened to D&D, is a tabletop role-playing game built around imagination, teamwork and shared storytelling. One person describes the world and its challenges, while the other players control heroes within that world. The group decides what those heroes attempt, and dice help determine whether their actions succeed.

There is a rule system underneath everything, but you do not need to learn it all before you begin. Your first game can start with a few characters, a simple adventure and a willingness to see where the story leads.

What Is Dungeons & Dragons?

D&D is a game in which a group creates an adventure together. Most players control one character each, while another person becomes the Dungeon Master.

The Dungeon Master, often called the DM, introduces locations, portrays the people and creatures that live there and presents the group with situations to explore. The players describe what their characters say and do in response.

A game might begin with the adventurers arriving in a village where people have started disappearing. The group could investigate the surrounding countryside, question the local residents or head directly towards the abandoned ruins nearby. There is rarely one compulsory route through the story.

Unlike a traditional board game, D&D does not normally have a board that determines where everybody must move. It provides rules and a setting, then gives the players considerable freedom to make their own decisions.

What Happens During a D&D Game?

Most of the game takes place as a conversation between the Dungeon Master and the players.

The DM might describe an old stone bridge that has partly collapsed, with movement coming from beneath the remaining section. The players then decide how their characters respond. One might carefully inspect the bridge, another could search for a safer route and somebody else might call out to whatever is hiding below.

If the result of an action is uncertain, the Dungeon Master may ask for a dice roll. The player rolls the appropriate die, adds a relevant modifier from the character sheet and compares the result with the difficulty of the task.

The Dungeon Master then explains what happens next. That process of description, decision, dice roll and consequence forms the basic rhythm of the game.

What Does the Dungeon Master Do?

The Dungeon Master acts as the narrator, referee and world around the player characters.

The DM might portray a friendly innkeeper, a suspicious guard, a frightened merchant and the monster waiting inside an underground chamber. They describe what the characters can see and help the group apply the rules when the outcome is uncertain.

The Dungeon Master is not trying to defeat the players. Their role is to present interesting choices and challenges that allow the characters to become the heroes of the story.

A new DM does not need to invent an enormous fantasy world or memorise every rule. Published adventures and starter sets provide locations, encounters and guidance that make running an early game much more approachable.

If you are preparing to take that role, our guide to running your first D&D campaign as a new Dungeon Master takes you through the process one step at a time.

What Do the Other Players Do?

Each of the other players normally controls one adventurer, known as a player character.

Your character might be a heavily armoured Fighter, a curious Wizard, a resourceful Rogue or a Cleric who supports the rest of the party. Their species, class, background and abilities help determine what they can do.

You decide how your character responds to the situations described by the Dungeon Master. You can speak in character if you enjoy performing, but you do not have to. Saying, “My character asks the guard about the missing villagers,” is just as valid as acting out the conversation.

The players work together, sharing ideas and combining their characters’ abilities. Although disagreements can occur within the story, D&D works best when the real people around the table cooperate and make room for everyone to participate.

Our beginner’s character creation guide provides more help with choosing a character concept and turning it into someone you will enjoy playing.

How Do the Dice Work?

D&D uses a collection of polyhedral dice. These include four-sided, six-sided, eight-sided, ten-sided, twelve-sided and twenty-sided dice.

The twenty-sided die, known as the d20, is used for many of the game’s most important rolls. When your character attempts something with an uncertain outcome, you may roll the d20 and add an appropriate modifier.

For example, a character trying to climb a difficult wall might make a Strength-based check. Somebody attempting to move unnoticed might use Dexterity and their Stealth skill. A character trying to persuade a suspicious merchant could use Charisma.

Other dice are commonly used to determine damage, healing and the effects of spells or abilities.

The numbers may look complicated when you first open a rulebook, but players usually learn what their most important dice and modifiers do quite quickly. You can keep the relevant dice beside your character sheet and ask questions whenever you are unsure.

For a closer look at every die, read our guide to D&D dice and how to use them.

If you would prefer a surprise set for a new character, Mystery Dice Goblin offers colourful polyhedral dice in several styles, including standard mystery sets, inclusion dice and metal dice.

The Three Main Parts of a D&D Adventure

D&D adventures often combine three broad types of play: exploration, social interaction and combat. Different groups can give each one as much or as little attention as they prefer.

Exploration

Exploration covers everything from searching an abandoned building to travelling through a dangerous wilderness. Players might investigate clues, solve puzzles, discover hidden passages or decide how to overcome an environmental obstacle.

Exploration is not limited to moving across a map. It is about asking questions, examining the surroundings and making decisions about where to go next.

Social Interaction

The characters will meet people and creatures controlled by the Dungeon Master. Players can ask them questions, negotiate, make friends, tell lies or attempt to discover what they really want.

Some conversations are resolved entirely through role-playing. Others might involve dice when the result is uncertain. You do not need to be a confident actor. You only need to explain what your character is trying to communicate.

Combat

Combat begins when talking, hiding or running away is no longer an option. The participants usually take turns, with an initiative roll determining the order.

On your turn, your character can move and take actions such as attacking, casting a spell, helping an ally or interacting with the surroundings.

Combat can be represented with miniatures and scenery, drawn on a simple map or handled through spoken descriptions. The group can choose the approach that suits them.

What Is the Difference Between an Adventure and a Campaign?

An adventure is a particular story or mission. The characters might rescue somebody, explore a dungeon or investigate a mysterious event.

A one-shot is a short, self-contained adventure designed to be played in one session, although some naturally take a little longer. One-shots are helpful for trying the game without immediately committing to a long schedule.

A campaign connects multiple sessions and adventures into a continuing story. Characters gain experience, form relationships and see the consequences of their previous choices. Some campaigns last a few months, while others continue for years.

New players do not need to decide immediately whether they want a long campaign. Starting with a short adventure allows everybody to learn the game and discover whether they would like to continue.

What Do You Need to Start Playing?

You do not need an enormous collection of books and accessories before your first game.

A new group needs:

• an adventure or starting scenario;
• character sheets or ready-made characters;
• access to the rules needed for that adventure;
• polyhedral dice;
• pencils and paper for notes;
• a group of people ready to play.

A starter set brings several of these elements together and provides a guided route into the game.

The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands includes material designed to help new players begin exploring D&D. It is particularly useful for families, younger players and groups who want a budget-friendly introduction without purchasing several separate books immediately.

Once you know that the group wants to continue, you can add rulebooks, adventures, dice, Dungeon Master accessories, miniatures or scenery as they become useful.

Our complete Dungeons & Dragons beginner guide explains what to choose and how to arrange your first session.

Do You Need Miniatures and Scenery?

Miniatures and scenery can make positions easier to understand, particularly during combat, but they are not essential.

Some groups enjoy creating detailed battlefields with painted characters, monsters and modular locations. Others use coins, spare dice or simple marks on a piece of paper. Some play without a map and imagine the entire scene from the Dungeon Master’s description.

You can begin with the simplest approach and add visual elements if the group finds them helpful. Products such as Tenfold Dungeons offer a convenient way to create rooms and locations when you want a more visual experience.

Is D&D Difficult to Learn?

D&D contains plenty of rules, but you only use a small portion of them during most early sessions.

A player mainly needs to understand their own character and the basic process of describing an action, rolling when asked and applying the result. The Dungeon Master can introduce additional rules when they become relevant.

Starter adventures are useful because they teach through play. Instead of reading an entire rulebook before beginning, the group can learn each idea as it appears.

Experienced players should also give newcomers time to make decisions and ask questions. The aim of the first session is not to play perfectly. It is to understand the basic rhythm of the game and enjoy the adventure.

Can Children and Families Play D&D?

D&D can work very well as a family game. It encourages reading, mental arithmetic, teamwork, creative thinking and problem-solving.

Younger players may benefit from ready-made characters, shorter sessions and straightforward objectives. A clear adventure, such as finding a missing person or protecting a settlement, is easier to follow than a complicated political story.

The Dungeon Master can adjust descriptions, challenges and themes to suit the age and interests of the group. Sessions can also be paused at a natural point rather than continuing for several hours.

Can You Play D&D Online?

Yes. D&D can be played in person or remotely.

Online groups often use voice or video calls alongside digital character sheets and virtual tabletops. These tools can display maps, move tokens and sometimes calculate dice results automatically.

Playing in person offers the familiar experience of gathering around a table, rolling physical dice and sharing books. Neither approach is inherently better. The most useful option is the one that allows your group to meet consistently and enjoy playing together.

The Best Way to Understand D&D Is to Play

Reading about Dungeons & Dragons will help you understand the basic idea, but the game makes much more sense once you begin making decisions as a character.

Start with a manageable adventure, allow everyone to ask questions and do not worry about getting every rule right immediately. The group will become more confident with each encounter.

D&D is not about following a prepared story perfectly. It is about discovering what happens when a group of people brings their ideas, characters and unexpected decisions to the same table.

Where to Go Next

Our look at why D&D is so popular explores the community and creativity behind the game. When you are ready to start playing, the D&D beginner’s buying guide explains what your group needs without making the first session unnecessarily complicated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people are needed to play D&D?

A Dungeon Master and three to five players is a comfortable group for many games. However, D&D can be adapted for smaller or larger groups.

How long does a D&D session last?

Many sessions last between two and four hours. New groups and families can begin with shorter sessions and stop at a suitable point.

Do I need to be good at acting?

No. You can describe what your character says and does without performing a voice or acting out the conversation.

Do I need to understand every rule?

No. Learn the rules that apply most often and check additional details when they become relevant.

What is a character class?

A class describes an adventurer’s main abilities and role. Examples include Fighter, Wizard, Rogue, Cleric and Ranger.

What is a character species?

A character’s species represents what they are within the fantasy world, such as a human, elf, dwarf or halfling.

Can the Dungeon Master change the story?

Yes. The Dungeon Master responds to the players’ choices and adapts the adventure as the game develops.

Can I play without buying several rulebooks?

Yes. A starter set provides a more accessible way to try D&D before deciding which additional books and accessories your group would find useful.

Where can I buy D&D products locally?

Our guide to buying Dungeons & Dragons in Essex explains what Bomran offers online and at our shop in Corringham.