The Basics

Dungeons & Dragons is a game in which you and your friends take on roles and tell a shared story. While the Player’s Handbook teaches you how to play the game and how to create characters who are the heroes of the story, the Dungeon Master’s Guide is written for the player who presides over the game and makes sure everyone is having fun. This player is the Dungeon Master, or DM. Being a Dungeon Master is a fun, empowering, and rewarding experience, and this chapter walks you through the basics.