Dungeons & Dragons: It’s Simpler Than You Think

By Alex Phillips

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash

By now I am sure that we have all heard of Dungeons & Dragons, whether because of Stranger Things, the movie Honor Among Thieves starring Chris Pine, Baldur’s Gate, or maybe you have watched streams such as Critical Role or Dimension 20. Regardless of how you’ve heard of it, there is no doubt that you know of the game. I have played D&D for years, and people always come up to me saying how much they would love to play, but don’t know how or don’t have a group to play with. With dozens of sourcebooks, campaigns, rules, and accessories, the game seems incredibly daunting to get into. As a long-time player and dungeon master, I can tell you that it is so much easier than you think it is. In this article, I am going to go over the basics and give you tips and tricks into getting your own campaign started!

What is D&D, really?

At its core, D&D is about storytelling. Think about a movie or a novel: there are different characters interacting with the plot, progressing a greater narrative, and developing as characters throughout it. This is essentially what D&D is. It’s collaborative storytelling, like when you would play pretend as a kid. 

Each player creates a character to take part in this story, coming up with a name, race (species such as elf, dwarf, half-orc, etc.), class (essentially a job such as a wizard, cleric, fighter, etc.), and backstory (such as sage, noble, soldier, etc.). This character can be similar to the player, or completely different. For example, one of my characters is a sorcerer who comes from a noble family, and he is morally grey and mildly corrupt, even siding with the main villain on occasion. This character is someone that I would despise if he was real, but he provides an interesting dynamic to the story that is being told. I control his actions and words in a way that I think this character would act in the various scenarios based on the personality that I chose to give him. 

On the other hand, as a dungeon master, I determine the plot of the story, how the actions of the characters will impact the story and the setting that I have built, and what villains the players will face. D&D mixes storytelling, roleplay, and combat encounters to create an incredible experience for every player involved. Maybe you are a group of adventurers hired to deliver provisions to a nearby town, only to find out that there is a more sinister plot taking place. Maybe you have stumbled into a strange land ruled by a corrupt and dangerous vampire. Maybe dragons are attacking your city and you are the only ones capable of destroying them. Whatever your story may be, there are plenty of opportunities; after all, this game entirely exists in the imaginations of those sitting around the table!

But why should I play it?

D&D is a great way to bond with your friends. You’re taking on a character and creating a beautiful story together. It encourages teamwork and creativity, and if you are the dungeon master, it encourages imagination, organisation, and maybe even a touch of acting. Some people are intimidated by the roleplay aspect of D&D. You do not need to be an actor, and you only need to do as much as you are comfortable with. While I personally enjoy getting into first person and embracing the character, not everyone is comfortable with that! You can describe what the character does in third person, use your regular voice, or whatever works best for you. It can be awkward at first, and the easiest way to overcome that is by just embracing the experience and forgetting about what anyone may think. After all, you are all in this together, taking on a silly character and playing a game. 

The game isn’t just for “nerds,” anyone can enjoy it. Your campaign does not have to be set in a high fantasy world like in Lord of the Rings, it can be wherever you want. You can base it off of your favourite shows or books, or you can even set it in a version of the “real world” with a touch of fantasy. Your campaign can follow any genre, story, or trope that you and your party want. I’ve played one-shots based on pirates, magic schools in the “real world”, historical settings, Greek mythology, and more! There are no limitations in D&D.

So, what do I actually need to begin?

In reality, not that much! You need one dungeon master to run the game, and anywhere between two and six players. My ideal number when I’m the dungeon master is four players as it allows me to incorporate plenty of aspects from the characters’ backstories and cater to their interests. Any more than that, and it can be more challenging to give everyone the spotlight, and combat encounters take much longer. This is why I typically set my maximum at six. 

Aside from players, you need dice. A dice set contains seven different dice, each used to roll different abilities, weapons, skill checks, and more. You can find them online or at stores like the Deck Box or the Board Room Game Cafe in Halifax. Typical dice set range is $15-20 if you are in stores. Can’t afford it? Google is free! There are multiple online dice rollers with no cost. 

There are dozens of D&D sourcebooks and handbooks, but to get started, you only need the Player’s Handbook. This will walk you through the steps of character creation, how combat encounters work, what equipment is available, and more. The book is large and can seem daunting at first, but don’t worry! You don’t need to have the whole thing memorised. In fact, very few people know every rule for D&D. Even when I’m the dungeon master, I am looking up mechanics rules to make sure I know what dice to be rolling and what skill checks to have my players make. On top of that, the rules are flexible. Most dungeon masters have their own table rules. One of mine is that drinking a potion only costs a bonus action instead of an action, and another is if you are playing as a warlock for your main class, you can use sorcerer spell slots because warlock spell slots, to be frank, suck, as they don’t provide you with many spell slots, meaning the amount of spells that you can cast in a day are incredibly limited. These are rules that I incorporate into my games that change the rules stated in the books. Essentially, do not worry about knowing everything, I haven’t even read every section in the Player’s Handbook. And once again, if you cannot afford it, you can find all of the books online for free! They are of dubious legality, of course, but are easy to find. 

You do not need mini figures to represent your character, elaborate maps, dozens of books, or even a dungeon master screen. These are all additional accessories that are fun to add to the game, but sometimes the most enjoyable games are the ones played around your kitchen table with mismatched legos, graph paper, and the most chaotic friends you could find. D&D is arguably one of the least expensive games out there as all you need is an imagination. 

Still not sure?

D&D is much easier than you think! Even being a dungeon master truly is not that difficult, and you can still be a dungeon master even if you haven’t played the game as a player character before. The Lost Mine of Phandelver is a classic D&D campaign. It was the first campaign I ever played, and it was later the first one that I ran as a dungeon master. It walks the dungeon master through every step of the way, and is perfect for first time players. 

If you want to watch some other people play D&D to get an understanding of what it is and what a playthrough can look like, I recommend Critical Role, which has three main campaigns. They are quite long, but I promise they are so much fun. My personal favourite is campaign two, so I would recommend starting with that, and campaign three is still ongoing. Another group is Legends of Avantris, who have a few campaigns as well and are a lot of fun. My favourite is their campaign Once Upon a Witchlight which is based on a D&D campaign that you can play yourself if you acquire the campaign book, The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. There is also Dimension 20, another popular D&D group. Some of the episodes are free on YouTube, though to watch their newer works, you do need to subscribe to their streaming service, Dropout. Their campaigns are a lot of fun, and two that I would recommend are Fantasy High, which opens the door to understanding future campaigns, or Escape From the Bloodkeep, which is set in what is essentially Mordor from Lord of the Rings.

Photo by Alex Phillips

Not sure where to find people to play with? There are plenty of students on campus just like you! Fortunately, there are always D&D one-shots happening on campus. One-shots are D&D games that are meant to take place in a single session, lasting anywhere between three and six hours. Residence Life often has monthly D&D one-shot nights, and you are most likely going to find me there either as a dungeon master or a player. To find out when they are happening, you can check the online calendar or subscribe to their weekly newsletter, Res Top 5, for upcoming events. You don’t need to live in residence to attend, and you do not need to have any experience with D&D to play! Just show up, choose a pre-made character sheet (or bring your own if you are experienced with it), and choose a set of dice. There are usually two to three tables being run at a time, each with limited space, so show up early to claim your spot! These events are designed for both new and experienced players to come together and have fun. Who knows? Maybe you will meet people who would be interested in starting a campaign with you. 

Take a chance, roll the dice!

D&D is a game designed for everyone. The rules are flexible, the campaigns are whatever you and your friends want them to be, and you can play it as often as it works for you and your party. There are plenty of sourcebooks with additional rules, classes, races, etc, that you can incorporate when you feel ready to, and there are campaign books that follow predetermined stories if you do not know how to write your own campaign. Most books can be found online for free, which is beneficial for university students since they can be quite pricey. You can play it online or in person, with accessories or with just your imagination. It truly is a great way to spend time with friends, and it’s one of my favourite hobbies. So get out there, buy a set of dice, and I hope to see you all at the Residence Life one-shots next fall!

Melissa Alvarez Del Angel