IMAGINATION IS A KEY INGREDIENT OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, a cooperative game in which the characters that you roleplay embark on adventures together in fantasy worlds filled with monsters and magic.

In D&D, the action takes place in the imaginations of the players, and it’s narrated by everyone together. Here's a glimpse at what that looks like:

Jared (as Dungeon Master): After your long journey, Castle Ravenloft towers before you. Crumbling towers of stone—perhaps abandoned guardhouses—loom over the approach. Beyond them, you see a gaping chasm disappearing into deep fog below. A lowered drawbridge spans the chasm, its chains creaking in the wind. Stone gargoyles stare down at you from the high walls, and a pale light spills into the courtyard from the open castle doors beyond.

Phillip (as Gareth): I examine the gargoyles. I have a feeling they're not just statues! Maeve (as

Mirabella): I want to see how sturdy the drawbridge is. Do I think we can cross it, or is it going to collapse under our weight? Jared: All right, one at a time. Phillip, Gareth’s looking at the gargoyles?

Phillip: Yeah. Is there any hint they might be creatures and not just decorations?

Jared: Make an Intelligence check.

Phillip: Does my Investigation skill apply? Jared: Sure! Phillip (rolling a d20): Ugh. Seven.

Jared: They look like decorations to you. And Maeve, Mirabella is examining the drawbridge?

The adventure continues from there, relying on the DM's descriptions to set the scenes. Later in the chapter, other examples of play focus on certain aspects of D&D play: social interaction, exploration, and combat.

Player or DM?

To play D&D, you need one person to be the Dungeon Master and other players (three to six are best) to play adventurers. Which role is right for you?

Being a Player

If you want to be one of the protagonists in your group's adventures, consider being a player. Here’s what players do:

• Make a Character. Your character is your alter ego in the fantasy world of the game. After you read this chapter, use the rules in chapter 2 to create your character.
• Team Up. Your character joins the other players’ characters to form an adventuring party. These adventurers are allies who face challenges and fantastical situations together. Each character brings distinctive capabilities, which ideally complement those of the other characters.
• Venture Forth. Your character’s group explores locations and events presented by the DM. You can respond to them in any way you can imagine, guided by the rules in this book. Although the DM controls all the monsters you encounter, the DM isn't your adversary. The DM guides your party’s journey as your characters become more powerful.

Being the Dungeon Master

If you want to be the mastermind of the game, consider being the DM. Here’s what DMs do:

• Build Adventures. You prepare the adventures that the players experience. In the Dungeon Master’s Guide, you'll find advice for how to create adventures and even whole worlds.