What Is Dungeons and Dragons? A Beginner's Guide to the Original Roleplaying Game

Dungeons and Dragons is the original roleplaying game. It mixes storytelling, strategy and just the right amount of chaos, with the odd dad joke thrown in. If you're curious about tabletop gaming, I don't think there's a better entry point than fifth edition D&D. This is my introduction to what the game is, how it plays, and why it's worth pulling up a chair at the dining room table.

In Dungeons and Dragons, you and your friends are the stars of the fantasy story

Imagine you and your friends are the stars of an epic fantasy movie. Instead of sitting back while the plot unfolds, you get to decide what happens. You create unique characters, like brave knights, sneaky rogues or spellcasting wizards. They live in a magical world full of elves, goblins and much more, including dragons. It's quite literally in the name.

One of your friends plays the DM, the dungeon master. The DM is the all powerful storyteller, rule enforcer and evil genius who creates the world, controls the NPCs and drops you into scenarios. A dragon is hoarding gold: what do you do? A hint: the answer is not to politely ask for a loan. That was a terrible joke, and I'm moving on.

The dice decide whether you succeed gloriously or fail hilariously

How do you know if your mighty barbarian actually breaks down the castle door? That's where the dice come in. Rolling them determines whether you succeed gloriously or fail hilariously. It's like flipping a coin, but with way more sides. And yes, rolling a one will usually end in disaster. You try to impress a princess and then you set her hair on fire. Yes, that has happened.

Think of D&D as a collaborative approach to storytelling, with the dice adding an extra sprinkle of unpredictability. The DM tells you what's happening, you decide what to do, and the dice decide whether you get to pull it off.

Roleplay, combat and skills are the big three in every D&D adventure

Every good D&D adventure is a mix of three things. The first is roleplay. This is where you act as your character, talking, scheming and arguing your way through situations. Maybe you're a charming character trying to bribe a troll with snacks, which, same. Your choices matter. Think about it: "why don't skeletons ever Bluff because you can see right through them."

The second is combat. Cue the epic battle music, because when diplomacy fails, it's time to swing swords, cast spells and throw hands, or claws. Each character has a specific role in a fight. There are tanks, there are healers, and there are glass cannons who deal massive damage but faint if someone sneezes on them.

The third is skills, because not everything is about fighting. D&D tests your creativity. You use your skills to sneak past a guard, decode ancient maps, or figure out how to cross a rickety bridge without becoming a snack for whatever is lurking below.

There's no game board, and a campaign can run for years

You don't need a game board. It's not a board game. There is no board. Shocking, I know. Many groups do use battle maps, though, and you can use miniatures to track combat. It's like playing chess, except your knight is a half orc with a flaming axe and your queen is a literal queen who's very mad about her hair.

It's a never ending adventure. Unlike Monopoly, where the game ends after six hours and multiple friendship casualties, D&D stories keep going. A single adventure or campaign can last weeks, months, even years. It's like bingeing your favorite show, except you get to write the next episode. The story is as unpredictable as your group's choices. The DM might plan for you to rescue an NPC, but instead you adopt a pet goblin, accidentally overthrow the kingdom and open a bakery. It's your story. Go with it.

D&D has been rolling dice since 1974

D&D isn't new. It's been rolling dice and melting nerdy hearts since 1974, when it was at one point considered cultist and evil. Back then it was all about dungeons, dragons and treasure, and not so much the story in between.

Fast forward to fifth edition. I know 5e, and the drama around it, was still evolving at the time, but it is packed with much more customization and it is perfect for newbies. If you're on the fence, I personally think fifth edition in particular is the ultimate gateway to tabletop RPGs. It's like the gold standard, and your ticket to adventure, to laughter, and maybe a few terrible scenarios. But it's exciting.

Why play a game of dice and paper when you own a next gen console

I get the hesitation. Why play a game that's more than 50 years old, using dice, paper and pencils, when you've got a next gen console or a VR headset? Here's the deal: D&D isn't just a game, it's an experience. Think of the difference between eating a depressing frozen ready meal alone and having a good home cooked meal with friends. Both will fill you up, but one has a lot more heart, probably pizza, and a bit of banter. That's the one you want.

Against video games, the first point is that D&D is a much more social experience. Gaming online with friends is great, but shouting GG into a headset isn't the same as high fiving someone when they land a critical hit on a dragon. Around the table you see every reaction play out in real time: the joy, the shock, the panic. You'll also finally learn which of your friends is surprisingly a good actor and which one reads dialogue like a robot.

You only need dice, paper and a rule book to start

You don't need very much, which is brilliant. Some dice, paper and a rule book will do it. The three main rule books do add up when you collect them; I want to say around £150 in total. But they are cheaper than one new console, and once you've got them you're set for your adventures. You can also access a lot of material through D&D Beyond for free. Plus, your dice never need software updates.

D&D has no limits beyond your imagination and your DM

Video games are amazing, but no matter how detailed they are, they're limited by what the developers could code. D&D has no such restrictions. You want to fight a gelatinous cube on the moon? Do it. You want to charm a talking sword into joining your party? Do it. Anything can happen as long as your DM is on board.

And here's the kicker: you don't need a screen or even WiFi. You roll dice on a table, and if you don't have a table, roll them on the floor, a notebook, even a tree stump. Take that, loading screen. It reigns supreme for me because it's epic fantasy, a heroic adventure game, where the whole level up and save the day vibe comes from. You want to storm a castle, slay a dragon, or go to a tavern for some drinks? D&D has you covered. Some RPGs lock you into a specific setting, but D&D lets you craft any world you want, whether it's high fantasy, horror, sci fi or something bizarre like space pirates. It's the ultimate creative sandbox.

Its popularity makes D&D accessible, and fifth edition keeps it simple

D&D was popular pretty much everywhere at the time, which is fantastic, because popular means accessible. Between podcasts and local game shops, finding a group has never been easier. Fifth edition is loaded with beginner friendly tools like the starter set, which comes with pre made characters, dice and an adventure, and in my view that adventure is peak. The internet is also bursting with memes, tips and tutorials, so you'll never have to brave the wilds of roleplaying alone.

If other RPGs make your head spin with complicated rule books and math, fear not. Fifth edition is as smooth as butter, or silk, something like that. It's built around a 20 sided die, so most decisions boil down to one roll. Your characters also start out strong enough to survive a few rookie mistakes, like forgetting to check for traps. With streamlined healing and easy resting rules, 5e keeps the focus on fun rather than frustration.

D&D is training wheels for the world of tabletop RPGs

Why start with D&D? It's like training wheels for tabletop RPGs. It's beginner friendly, it's endlessly creative, and it's backed by more than 50 years of adventuring legacy. Whether you stick with it or branch out into other systems, D&D is the perfect starting point. So gather your friends, or if like me you don't have any, find some online. Grab some dice, if you can catch them, and roll initiative. The world is your dungeon.