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168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons has been a part of the entertainment world since the 1970s. That's more than 50 years to make an impression, and their continuing popularity ensures that tabletop D&D games aren't going anywhere. What started as a way to apply basic combat rules to tabletop games with miniatures has grown into a vast franchise that also includes other media.

Like other cultural phenomena that popped upꦯ in the ent𓆉ertainment world at about the same time, such as sci-fi movies and video games, Dungeons & Dragons enjoys a similar loyal following of dedicated fans. That includes a plethora of merchandising products, pop culture crossovers, novels, comics, and video games.

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If you're interested in playing D&D, the journey starts with some research, and you inevitably get caught up in the game's long history. Even if you're not into gaming or RPG in general, the development takes a few compelling twists that read like something between a detective novel and a mockumentary. Reality and fantasy overlap fairly often with RPGs since the settings and characters that make up this vast parallel universe reflect their real-life creators.

There's a lot to do beyond character creation and gameplay, too. Players that really want to flex their creative muscles can become Dungeon Masters and control the overall plot. Others are content to be the heroes in their own stories while they level up and customize their characters.

What Is Dungeons & Dragons?

Dungeons Dragons Board Setup

Who invented it?

You'll hear the name Gary Gygax a lot when delving into the ancient lore of Dungeons & Dragons. He's often credited with making the first RPG games as we now understand them. One of his first attempts at a table-top RPG was called Chainmail, which he developed in conjunction with his friend Jeff Perrin. It was intended for a medieval miniatures wargame, an early version of Warhammer, and it included a 𒆙fantasy supplement with information on spells and monsters.

It was actually Perrin that introduced Gygax to his idea to form a rulebook for his tabletop miniature game. Gygax took the idea and ran with it in a high fantasy setting, and after his 16-page supplement was published in the Castle & Crusade Society newsletter, it quickly found a foothold in the gaming co🎶mmunity.

The basic mechanics of the game may have been inspired by wargames, but the fantasy inspiration came from literary sources. The first D&D games were inspired by The Lord of the Rings 💜novels, and the Fellowship of the Ring is often cited as the first real adventuring party.

When Was It Released?

supplement would hit the market. Developed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, the box set contained three booklets entitled Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and The Underworld & Wilderness. Parts of the supplement are hopelessly dated these days. It features only three adventuring classes, three moral alignments, and spells up to level six. The rules are also incomplete, with players expected to use the rules from Chainmail to bridge the gaps.

Four supplements, which would come to be called modules, would follow in the next few years. The first one was Greyhawk, which was published in 1975 and filled out the missing parts of the original box set. It♍ also included♎ two more classes, Rogues and Paladins.

Blackmoor was developed by Dave Arenson in the same year and brought in a new class, the Cleric, and the first 𓃲subclass, a Thief Assassin. This sinister character introduced the concept of playing an evil alignment. It also made dungeon-delving a part of virtually every campaign.

Supplements III and IV, Eldritch Wizardry and Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes, were both released in 1976 and included most of the classes, monsters, and rules that we see today. As the 1970s came to a close, other creators and players started to catch on to the trend, and other supplemental mate💟rials were added t𝓀o the growing pile by Gygax and his gaming buddies.

The Orignal D&D set from 1974 was eventually eclipsed by Advanced D&D, which was a culmination of the best of the old game that was developed and released from 1977 to 1979. The D&D Basic Set was first published in 1977, with a revision in 1981 to fit AD&D.

Who Owns It?

Today, official D&D products come from Wizards of the Coast, but the cultural phenomenon has prompted a wide range of fan-made modu🅷les, games, maps, and other materials from independent sources. Some of their recent offerings include revised versions of the classic books and sets from the 1970s when the concept was still new.

D&D materials are part of the public domain, so almost anyone can use them to a certain extent. This is where the term comes from, which refers to when players or DMs use the D&D rules to create a character or setting that's within the previously determined world but otherwise unique.

How To Get Into Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons And Dragons - A group of Adventurers fighting off a swarm of undead in a crypt
Essentials Kit Playing The Game By Suzanne Helmigh

Regardless of how experienced you are with Dungeons & Dragons, the amount of information available regarding everyone's favorite tabletop game can seem overwhelming. Whether you're rolling your first character, leveling one of many characters, preparing to DM a new module, or coming back to the game after a hiatus, the following curated information will be helpful.

Here are some links that can help you get your ♔life in the D&D universe more organized. As any good DM🍌 would tell you, we should start at the beginning.

For those who are interested in homebrew creations, there 🐼are also plenty of resources to get you started.

How To Play Dungeons & Dragons

We're also doing some role-playing here, and your DM will also be crafting a unique story for you and your party. That includes the mechanics of the character sheet, along with the information you need to create your character's backstory and decide on their skills, attributes, and moral alignment.

Preparing Your Character Sheet

DnD-PassivePerception-Header
Dungeons & Dragons character sheet excerpt highlighting Wisdom and Perception stats.

Every adventure starts with the notorious character sheet. In order to fill out your character sheet, you'll need the following tools.

  • A pencil. Basically, you need something you can erase.
  • An eraser. A big one.
  • Four six-sided dice. These can be cobbled together from various board games, but it's easier these days thanks to many electronic versions.
  • 5th Edition Players Handbook. A version of your game's module will also work if you're playing a race or class specific to that module.
  • A D&D character sheet. D&D character sheets come with every D&D resource book and module. There's a variety available online for free, and players can even fashion their own.

This might vary depending on what module you're using, but the basic rules when it comes to creating your character and recording their vital information are the same. The basic layout has a plethora of modern interpretations, including those tailored for specific modules.

Despite the top-down organization that starts with basic information, you don't have to start with the basic information section. Whether you start with the character's name, their vitals, race, class, or backstory is up to you.

  • Ability Scores. These are the building blocks of your character and this is where most players start. Follow the instructions in whatever module you're using, but most characters start with rolling four six-sided dice at least six times.
  • Class. This is your character's profession or calling in life. Their ability scores are the main determiner of their class, but there are also factors of upbringing and personal preference to consider. Some players will multi- or dual-class their character.
  • Race. The race you choose has less to do with ability score than it used to, while some attributes are more obvious than others. Some races have natural bonuses to the ability that can benefit a class.
  • Name. You can either fashion your own after looking into the lore of a certain culture or race or make one that's relevant to your class.
  • Moral Alignment. After your character's name, this is the most important choice they make in regard they relate to the world and other characters.
  • Background. For a Cleric, this would be a Domain. For a Paladin, it might be a Feat or the order of their god.
  • Level. Not every character starts at level one. The adventure your DM has created or the module that you're using might require you to roll a character at an advanced level.
  • Saving Throws and Hit Points. Part of your character's vital statistics, or DM will help you learn what this means and how to use them.
  • Skills. Weapon proficiencies, spell bonuses, and other Skill choices are listed here.
  • A/C, Speed, and Initiative. These will alter your dice rolls for good or ill and can determine success or failure.
  • Spells/Attacks. This section can have either or both depending on your class, multi-class, or dual-class character.
  • Weapons, Equipment, and Gear. This can be a space to list your character's present gear if they have any, and the space you need will vary depending on the level.
  • Personality Traits and Backstory. This section takes up most of the space on the sheet, because this is the roleplaying section, and that's really what D&D is all about. You can fill this out as you go along, or before you start playing depending on how confident you feel with D&D fantasy in general.

This might be your first roleplay character, or maybe you already have some experience with D&D and you're keen on more advanced information where character creation is concerned. These links will help you organize your character information whether you're playing with old-school pencil and paper or using electronic materials.

Gaming Gear And Equipment Required

multisided dice of various colors, open wooden box

Once you have your character created, it's time to move on to actual gameplay. It makes sense to start with the practical and technical issues, like the equipment and space you need to get started.

Before 🥂you begin, you need all the things. Your obsession with items will overlap with your character eventually, so this is a sentiment you need to embrace.

How To Play Dungeons & Dragons Online

There are a hundred different ways to play D&D on the internet, because of course there are. We're not just talking about the usual tabletop game either, although there are a number of online venues for just that.

Along with websites that host conventional tabletop games, like Roll20 and DnD Beyond, there's also a whole library of online games that use the lore and rules of D&D from a variety of developers.

Roleplaying And Lore

Dungeons & Dragons an ominous looking make casting a spell in a defensive pose

What motivates your character and determines their actions isn't subject only to a roll of the dice. The player also has to make their own choices, and that depends on who they are, where they came from, and what they're good at. This is when the matter of race, class, and moral alignment influence the course of the game.

Remember, ဣyou can always refer back to your character sheet to add, tweak, or refine information as your character develops and progresses.

Races

Your race determines some of your character's attributes, with some having abilities like Dark Vision or bonuses to skills like Intelligence or Constitution. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The nature of these racial attributes has come under scrutiny recently and how a character's race determines their actions or class is changing.

Some of these skills and features make sense when combined with certain classes. Paladins and Bards need a high♔ Charisma, for example, while spellcasters would find bonuses to Intelligence more useful.

Classes

A woman wearing a bunch of steampunk mechanical gadgets, surrounded by lightning.
via Wizards of the Coast

There are currently 12 classes to choose from in the Basic D&D rules in the Player's Handbook, with two more available provided you have the supplemental materials. That doesn't include the myriad of character builds that can include subclasses, multi-classes, and whatever you and your DM agree is feasible depending on your module.

There are g༺eneralღ guides to follow for several classes along with those intended for certain characters and specific builds.

Artificer

A type of magic user that channels arcane energy throu🌱gh a tool, a concoction, or a crafted item.

Barbarian

A fighting class that re𒀰lies more on melee dama🗹ge and raw power as opposed to defense or armor.

Bard

A class that heals and does both ranged and 🔜melee damage, there are a variety of Bards. Not all rely on musical ability.

Cleric

A healer that can also wear heavy a♉rmor and step into a𒊎 melee position.

Druid

Shapeshifters and healers that can also be ranged or melee damage dealers, Drui🙈ds wield weapons and magical abilities🐈.

Fighter

One of the first and most basic classes, this is an ideal choice for physical damage ౠa⭕nd defensive roles.

Monk

A melee damage classౠ that uses little arm♋or and a few simple weapons, such as the staff or bow.

Paladin

The image of the holy knight of yore, this is𒈔 the only class with a mandatory Moral Alignment of Lawful Good.

Ranger

A survivalist class that excels in tracking, and hunting, and often have an🍨 animal companion.

Rogue

A life of secrecy, stealth, lockpicking, stealing, and assassinatio🎉n ensures this class is always a popular choice.

Sorcerer

A magic user whose intuitive powers need to be discipl🧔ined and control𝓰led.

Warlock

All you hav🌊e to do is pledge your eternal soul to a demon to gain its ethereal power and be🍸come a Warlock.

Wizard

Study and practice are what make a Wizard in Dungeons & Dragons. These char⛄acters are the keepers of books and written knowledge.

Moral Alignment

The demon is in the details, and these factors will determine what class you choose, the weapons you use, and the choices you make. This is one of the most misused and misunderstood parts of D&D roleplay and it's crucial to creating and playing your character.

Your Moral Alignment is often tied to other important features of your character, such🌱 as the deity worshipped or the choices made in everyday life.

A Lawful Good Paladin, for example, always follows the law even if that law is unjust and will always follow orders even if they're ethically questionable. A character like a Vampire or a Lich would be Lawful Evil, being their true bad self 🍌but at the same time bound by a set🍒 of strict rules.

Classes that have shady morals in the first place, such as Rogues or Bards, often have Neutral alignments that can swing to Evil or Good. An assassin or spy might be evil, but a thief character like Robin Hood would be good. Sorcerers, whose powers are intuitive or inherent, are often a Chaotic alignment and can also be good or evil.

Becoming A Dungeon Master

Dungeons & Dragons artwork of the Yon Arena full of people watching a show
Yon By Julian Kok

Would it feel great to be the one throwing purple lighting for a change? Being a Dungeon Master isn't for everyone — it takes talent, dedication, and an aptitude for juggling facts and figures. Those brave enough to follow the path of the DM often start as players, and might already have some of the recommended materials on this list. Here are a few suggestions for a DM's library.

How To Choose An Adventuring Module

The same basic rules apply (with some variation), depending on the party you're hosting, but the module is always different. There are entire libraries of modules t✨o choose from, and you also need something that would be an appropriate challenge and an entertaining story.

Which is the perfect module for your campaign? Although traditional D&D campaigns use the aesthetic of medieval fantasy as a setting, there are other options available. Examples include modules like Mythic Odysseys of Theros, w𒉰hich uses an ancient Greek setting, or Ravenholdt, a world of Gothic horror.

Dungeons & Dragons Pop Culture Crossovers

Hasbro Gaming Stranger Things Dungeons & Dragons Roleplay Starter Set
Stranger Things Dungeons & Dragons Roleplay Starter Set via Hasbro Gaming
Hasbro Gaming Stranger Things Dungeons & Dragons Roleplay Starter Set

Perhaps you're already an avid anime viewer, a movie buff, a HarnMaster player, or a comic book aficionado. You can also get to know D&D through your favorite media, and there isn't a single corner of the entertainment universe that D&D hasn't touched.

Dungeons & Dragons Video Games

Baldur's Gate 3 Official art with titel and five characters: Shadowheart, Will, Gale, Astarion and Lae'zel

The world of D&D goes beyond tabletop games and overlaps with thꩵe world of computers and consoles. In fact, some of the first RPG video games were based on the tabletop experience and used the same concepts of leveling and fighting mechanics.

Dungeons & Dragons Movies And Cartoons

Dungeons & Dragons (2000), promo image with several chaarcters

We'll get this out of the way and admit that movies based on the D&D franchise aren't going to win any Oscars anytime soon. That hasn't kept filmmakers from churning them out, and that includes an upcoming film from Paramount Pictures.

Dungeons & Dragons Memes

D&D meme, gelatinous cubes

Sometimes all you can do is laugh, and anything that's been around as long as D&D is going to inspire a lot of comedy. Memes are a favorite way for fans and detractors to express their love or frustration with the game, and some of them are nothing less than brilliant, hysterical, and painfully true.

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