#dnd-newcomers
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Thanks
sent you a brief step-by-step approach with my recommendations in your DMs
Could be a good thing to share in the server! I know folks who help out in the channel often develop their own recommendations for getting started.
Then I should work on making it more.. presentable. Currently it is just a pile of casual suggestions and tips.
But will definitely consider that
Welcome back!
Simply put, DnD 5e can be played completely free using the Basic Rules. They have all the info necessary to play the game, but are missing player customization options.
If you're looking to play a Gloomstalker Ranger or Assassin Rogue for sure, then you're in luck, since both of those subclass options are available in the 2024 Player's Handbook. So is the Drow option for Elves. That's technically all you'd need to purchase for those options to become available for you on DnD Beyond.
I'd probably recommend the current (2024) rules, if only because they're the most contemporary and will only be used more often as time goes on.
In the meantime, here are a few other useful links below:
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Welcome back, @tight nimbus!
If my table weren't full, I'd have invited you, because that's exactly the campaign I'm running. lol
I'm happy to guide you through creating a 2024 Gloomstalker, however, so you have one ready for joining one.
Alright, I'll take a look at picking up the digital 2024 players handbook, thanks for the clarification about it including the class info. Are half elves a thing in this version of rules? I thought I watched a youtube vid of someone saying half elves had been cut from 2024 rules or was that just temporary or I misheard?
Thanks once I pickup the 2024 players hb I may ask for your assistance and /grumble about your full table 😉
Kind of.
The latest book, Eberron: Forge of the Artificer has a species option called Khoravar, which are functionally half elves for that setting.
As for the basic rules, there is no half species at all anymore. The books recommend instead that you pick a single species' statistics and just say that you're also half another species (without any of the traits).
Well, things happen ofc, but no half elves seems a very weird change for dnd. Please don't tell me halflings are now all 5+ feet tall 😛
That's the only half that seems to have remained 
You are not permitted to solicit for players or DMs in this channel as it is off topic. Please do so by following the simple steps in #find-a-game
Hello everyone
Welcome!
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
im new to dnd i want to make a game
Welcome newbies! Did you have any specific questions about D&D?
Does somone wanna help me look over my world on call or somthing and gove pointers if it sounds cool or good?
Been trying to get help on it with like a call or somthing so I don’t have to typ for a hour for like two hours
#dm-discussion and #dm-world-building are great channels to get DM-ing and worldbuilding advice
Hi looking for a campaign to join
If you have documents to share or similar you can share links to them as long as they’re from a trusted file sharing site (e.g. Google Docs/drive). Some users might be willing to VC but it’s usually easier and faster to get advice by texting in the channel
Welcome! If you’d like to use the server to find a game the instructions are in #find-a-game
Just got the DND stranger things set. I’ve never played before and having trouble understanding where or how to start can anyone help with a guide possibly ?
Maybe this YouTube video and the others linked in its description? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftMf1FugxEI
Thank you so much
Hey guys how do you create a character for dnd? Do you make them based on stats, or based on character lore, etc? How do you give them lore? Does the character itself have to be created before choosing classes etc or after? I never really feel very attached to my characters so looking for advice about that
Generally i just go into different classes or races and think “huh thats cool”. I then build around it doing whatever i think sounds the best to me
After i get cool in-game stuff, then i start to expand on the lore. Go into why the character does what they do. Definitely give them connections to the world so ur dm can work with it
Also, this isnt for everyone but, make them somewhat relatable. I like making more funny and goofy characters rather than tough edgy ones. Especially ones with silly accents
I personally do a mechanics first approach since that will be the primary interaction point with the gameworld. The stats don't really have an effect since you can just rearrange the array however you see fit once you generate it with any of the 3 official methods.
After I decide on what build I think would be fun I then go into creating a backstory and central theme(s) for the character. Importantly, a good backstory should answer 3 essential questions:
- Who are they?
- How did they get their skills/powers?
- Why would they risk their life to adventure with a party?
Until I know the setting I try to keep details vague so that I can work with the DM to better tie the character into the world.
In terms of feeling connected I'd say try giving a character a trait and a flaw you feel confident that you can play well.
helloo, i am making a level 11 fighter for a playtest oneshot but i have only played one adventure yet so i am still new, can someone tell me what high level combats are like or give tips (what is more important tohit or saving throws, what type of monsters are more common) it would be really helpfull
Been wanting to get into dnd for years, never knew where to find a community.
I would like to make a gnome that is based on Reddcap folklore. Recommendations?
Yeah i think that's the approach I started sith when I first played! I made a character I thought was cool but most of the time because they weren't very fleshed out I'd be playing as my personality. And thank you! That does provide some insight
Ohh okay so working out the character psychology more? That makes sense! 🤔
hello
Guys,My friends take d&d a bit too seriously.They play daily for 8 hours!Yes!And I feel excluded.They are at the library or the basement or the forest and talk in mystical languge like-
“The void dragon escaped.Lets retry”
And I have no idea what they are talking about.So,Please I am here to learn about it.Help me
Man, daily 8 hour D&D sounds crazy
And the "mystical languages" judging by the only example just sounds like them roleplaying, as is part of the game, and you just lack the ocntext of the story or their current situation. Bunch of crazy stuff can happen when people get creative 😛
If you're looking to learn the game, check out #learn-to-play , and if you have any specific questions feel free to ask here, people are happy to help and answer!
Hello
Is a wizard tied to the number of spells of each type he prepares each day ('I prepared two castings of Scorching Ray, I can cast Scorching Ray twice') or can they freely use their slots ('I prepared Scorching Ray and Web but I have three level 2 spell slots so nothing's stopping me from casting Scorching Ray three times')?
You can prepare freely in 5e!
So if you say you prepare scorching ray, you can cast that spell as many times as you have 2nd level spell slots (or higher) to spare.
Hi
Where should I start learning about D&D?
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Try having a read through the first couple of sections of the Free Rules to get a grasp of the terminology, then have a go at putting a character together for practice.
You'll need to pick a class, species and background. Let us know if you have any questions!
is there anywhere i can look for a dnd campaign online i can join?
Hello! So im basically a newbie for dnd and i did play some campaigns before with my brother but i never finished them.. In these days i recently wanted to learn on how to become a dungeon master so i could host campaigns with my friends. The thing is that i dont understand ANYTHING. I did read the guide book but i still do not understand. So if soemone has any tips or videos that would be great 😓
That Dyno post just above has some vids. Is there anything particular you have questions about?
k thnks
where do i ask questions?
Here's a good start. What do you want to know?
I'm a beginner, like rly new. I have only completed one short section for now, so I don't rly know much about dnd.
Is artificer atlilerist a good utility class?
Ah, you got me on the one class I'm not sure about. Someone knows.
Oh alright.
Uhh do you know which feats or spells are good for utility?
Slightly firmer ground here. Okay, so utility spells (broadly) are the ones that don't do or reduce damage. Mage hand and find familiar can be useful for doing things you don't want your character's hands on. Prestidigitation has a lot of uses: stay cool when it's hot, warm when it's cold, tidy up your clothes before meeting someone important.
Jump and feather fall give you more options for mobility. Detect magic can give you a warning before you walk into a magical trap, or help with an investigation. Comprehend languages might not come up often, but when it does it's invaluable.
Utility features are out of combat solutions to problems. Artificers in 2014 were able to get double proficiency in any tool they were proficient in, which was awesome utility. I don't think they have that in 2024 unfortunately. They do have the ability to magically produce a good number of mundane equipment like Ball Bearings and Rope, for example. They also get Flash of Genius at level 7, which let's them add their Int modifier to a failed ability check or saving throw as a Reaction, that's another Utility feature.
Alright thanks a lot
Another question, which skill is used often and what prof should I get for skills?
Don't worry about that. You'll get a fixed pair from your background, and a couple or so as options from your class. Go with what makes sense to you. If in doubt, go with the ones you have the best scores for.
Alr thanks alot
Are there any online campaigns I can join?
#looking-for-players is the place to check
Also #looking-for-community is good for finding oneshot servers if youre wanting to use one shots to learn
Is there anyone that would be willing to run a 3-4 day campaign and has people willing to join for a brand new, new comer never played before ? Digital that is I travel for work so I can’t do in person
If you’d like to use this server to find a game the instructions are in #find-a-game !
Looking for a couple of consistent new players who are up for playing every saturday at 8pm uk time if anyones interested only requirements are you have a character sheet ready on roll 20
You should make a post in the #looking-for-players channels, it's more appropriate there.
i did take a look but it says i dont have permission?
You can find the posting instructions in #find-a-game
Is /looking-for-dm for when a single player is looking for a DM or a full party of players? Or both?
Either or!
or what?
Basically, either option is possible. People approach browsing the channel differently.
you must post what yer looking for in by following the easy steps in #find-a-game and not here, as it is against the rules.
Ah, my mistake.
Hey so I’m new. Like I’ve only seen short videos on D&D an I’ve always wanted to play. So where would I even start? Everywhere I look online is intimidating. Like I should know more then wat I do. Help please?
Free basic D&D rules: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules
read up on Playing The Game and Character Creatoon
Well do. Thanks
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
?tag new ac
Armor Class (AC)
Your Armor Class represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle. As a baseline, a character’s AC equals 10 + his or her Dexterity modifier, but characters often wear armor and shields, use spells, or have class or race features to improve their AC.
When making an attack roll, the attack hits if the roll equals or exceeds the target’s AC.
?tag new
No tag new found.
?tags new
wizard, warlock, sorcerer, skills, sheet, roleplaying, rogue, ranger, proficiency, pbp, paladin, online, monk, levelup, hp, fighter, druid, dm, dice, demo, dc, d20, complexity, cleric, class, bg3, bard, barbarian, ac, abilities
Difficulty Class (DC)
The target number for an ability check or a saving throw is called a Difficulty Class (DC). If the total of the d20 and its modifiers equals or exceeds the DC, it succeeds. Otherwise, it fails. The more difficult the task, the higher its DC.
The DC is determined by the effect that causes it or by the DM. For example, if a spell forces you to make a save, the DC is determined by the caster’s spellcasting ability and Proficiency Bonus. The Typical Difficulty Classes table presents a range of possible DCs.
?tag new sheet
Character Sheet
To keep track of important information about your character, you need a character sheet, whether it’s a printed character sheet, a digital character sheet, or plain paper. Choose whichever style of sheet works for you, and then embark on creating a character! Chapter 2 of the Free Rules walks you through the steps of character creation.
If you're struggling with the myriad character choices available, premade characters are a great way to streamline character creation and get playing. All you have to do is browse through the available paper or digital options to see which is most appealing.
Hello I'm pretty new to DND and I really want to play
Read up on the first few chapters of the free basic rules on #learn-to-play , and feel free to ask any questions you might have. Then, make a practice character and get it reviewed in #character-discussion .
Once you’re ready and got the fundamentals down, you can check out #find-a-game for information on how to find a group online. To make a post, type the appropriate command in any chat channel. There’s also DnD beyond forums, reddit or roll 20.
which dnd version should I use to create a character on roll20?
It depends on what version your table is playing in. No point making a 2024 character if your table is running 2014 rules and vis versa
Although a 2014 character can still run in 2024 with a few adjustments I don’t think you can do it the other way around
I'm not sure yet because I thought I would make a character and learn the rules to use said character in most campaigns because I would have more knowledge about my character. Would a 2014 character be good enough for that or do you recommend just reading the rules and trying a campaign, then making a character?
I guess getting an idea of the character you want in mind doesn’t really matter too much if you don’t know the ruleset 100% but it’s better to know what rules you will be playing before you set anything in stone as there are a lot of changes and you don’t want to confuse yourself.
I guess to learn the basics I personally recommend watching live plays cause for me I am a visual learner. I recommend Dimensions 20 on dropout. But be aware they use a lot of homebrew and not every season is DnD.
It’s a channel, click on it
I'm like, brand smacking new to this game and I'm super anxious to play with people because like, I dunno man, people scare me😭🙏, uhh I made a character already with the help of a dnd friend of mine but now I just like, dunno what to do lol😭
You could either chill here, familiarise with the rules more or try and find a game
-# also no need to fear me, I’m just a Nugget
Lol, I love that, and thanks
If you wanna familiarise yourself #learn-to-play is a good resource if you haven’t looked through it already.
Otherwise you can check out #find-a-game for information on how to find a group online. To make a post, type the appropriate command in any chat channel. There’s also DnD beyond forums, reddit or roll 20.
Ohh, no I haven't! Thanks, lol.
I want to join my first game since im new to dnd, but my first character is still lv 1 and im not confident with groups willing to take me in
Give it a try anyways
Your character being level 1 is normal cuz a fair amount of campaigns start at level 1, and for those that don't you can just manually adjust the level accordingly anyways
I'm in the same boat as you, lol. You're not alone! I have no clue what I'm doing😭
I mean if you get permission to join in they'd probably introduce you at the level that the rest of the party is.
Chat me and my friend bought a starter kit and used chatgpt as a DM… is this a good idea or are there better alternatives? It seems impossible to play as DM starting out, and we don’t have that many people yet (trying to get familiar with the game before playing with more friends)
I don't think it's a good option, no. Chatgpt will make mistakes per definition and will confuse rules between editions. It will also not remember what happened in previous games.
It's also not impossible to start as a DM. In fact, the starting boxes have good DM guidance, and there is even more DM guidance in the free rules here:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024/the-basics
One DM and one player is also possible, but it's true that the game usually assumes more player (around 4). You could ask around in your friend group.
I started dnd as a DM
The good thing is, if you're all new, nobody will notice if you make a couple of mistakes as a DM. You'll likely have just as much fun!
And there are very few ways of improving as a DM without actually DMing.
I see, but what are some good online tools to keep track of player stats if I am a DM and want to keep pen and paper minimum?
I would like to invite more of my friends over to play after I understand the game well yeah
DnD beyond
Okay, I also saw Roll20? I think that’s the name? Whats the difference
I haven’t used Roll20, so I can’t say, but I have heard of it
Okay thanks
D&DBeyond is the official site and has a good character builder. Roll20 is an alternative that includes a lot of similar information, but I personally found it somewhat clunkier to use. It does have a more complex vtt (virtual tabletop) if that's what you're looking for.
invest in foundry tbh
Making a sheet as practice is never wrong, but once you join a group you'll likely want to make another one. The reason being that groups often have their own rules for character creation and you might want to talk with the other players about what they would like to play as well, so you don't accidentally pick the same options if you don't want to.
Ah ok thank you 🙂↕️
hellooo, I was kind of wondering for when you apply for a campaign in looking-for-players, is it preferred to have your character, or a bunch of characters to play with ready?
Or should you wait for the dm to interview you and then you make one??
Just mention the character to the dm and see if they fit in the campaign. Likely youre gonna get some modifications mostly backstory wise to better fit in the story but the rough idea of the character will probably stick
If you do already have a character though make sure its made using point buy not rolled stats. Or roll stats after the dm approved
Thank you so so much!!
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
hello!! although i'm not new to the gameplay of dnd, i've only ever seen/tried homebrew sessions and it's my first time officially getting into the lore of it all lol. ik campaigns can happen in any world you want it to, but as i was looking into making a character for fun, i saw a lot of references (ex. player's handbook, baldur's gate 3, etc.) and wondered if there's a "default" world for dnd. if there is, do u guys suggest i familiarize myself w/ that world b4 looking for campaigns to join in? thanks!!
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Check out #learn-to-play and the links in the embed message above (see link to free basic rules).
Damn thats a big jump in investment
Wait nvm its 50 dollars
And there is also a bit more mental load, as you need to figure out where you want to host your foundry instance.
The Forgotten Realms is D&D's most popular setting, but I don't think it's necessary to learn anything about the setting prior to playing. If you find that fun, though, go for it!
thank u for answering my question!! can i also ask what campaign the 2024 player handbook follows if there is one?
trying to mess with dndbeyond's custom actions, i wanted to make the artificer's force ballista, however i just can't remove the extra fixed value for damage, so it just perpetually gives +1 extra damage that wont be changed to 0 or anything else, even with dicetype and stats and so on set up
Anyone got a solution for this?
Maybe ask over in #homebrew ?
Trying to get into D&D but I have nobody to play with. Assuming I'm a complete newbie to the game, would I get the best experience at a college D&D club, a local D&D place, or an online experience?
Best is super subjective, but:
Playing in person (if you're comfortable with it) is often considered a great way to play. Folk tend to be more focused, no input lag or microphone discipline to worry about, and everyone loves rolling real dice.
Online is often easier to find a group to play with. You might gang up with players from across the world. There are lots of resources available, and virtual tabletops can do tricks that are hard to manage with the analogue experience.
If you start from scratch getting any experience is probably what to do. Try to find any one shot or campaign that welcome you and go from there. Online, college club or local club.
You will soon realize what kind of people you like, what kind of classes you like, what level of optimization you like, online vs tabletop... ... There is a million different things that matter. Just start somewhere and go from there.
And if you cant find anywhere to start, perhaps grab the BG3 video game and that will give you experience with classes and races as a starter.
Hello everyone!👋
To my knowledge, there's no specific campaign attached to the PHB.
Technically it’s Greyhawk, but like…that’s like saying the bread is flavoured like bread, the setting is super generic and hasn’t got much lore attached beyond what’s in the DMG setting guide.
A tv is hard to control, a pc might be too stationary, a tablet may be too small... man
should I use the legacy or the newer stuff when I’m making the character in dnd beyond?
Depends on what the group is using, but probably new.
how is backstory supposed to be laid out? do i just write it like a book or do i do a timeline or something
That's up to you and depends on who it's for, whether you're writing it to understand your character for yourself versus something you're sharing with your DM.
However you want to. You can write a paragraph, or even a few pages. But if you want your dm to include it in the story of the campaign then make sure that is has easy to include elements (don’t make it too long though). I mostly write mine as a shortish description of the main points of my character’s life so far before the campaign
ive been basically passing every decision through the dm, and considering its his own world he made up i need to ask him lore for everything
all the stuff that needs to be included in the campaign is already in it afaik
genuinely just no idea what im doing in general
Is there anybody here that could seriously make me knowledgeable? lol ive played before but that was bit back and i wanna get into it and join a group but im afraid i don’t remember a lot and Im looking for a teacher lol 👍
Check out #learn-to-play for links to free rules 😎
And if you have any specific questions, people here will be happy to answer them!
Also don't worry about memorizing ALL the rules. Most of the books aren't rules you need to know at all times, but reference when needed
You can set out your backstory in general terms and then see what the DM has to offer.
"I was a sailor until taken by pirates as a slave. I escaped and recuperated at a martial monastery. Now I'm out to uphold the ideals of peace, justice and a carefully aimed fist in the face of Evil."
And they go, "pirates who take slaves, could be the Black Wave crew, martial monastery, how about the Temple of Saint Fisto?"
ive done this already i think, all the factions and people involved in it have been either signed off or entirely invented by the dm
Brilliant!
How does rest work
short rests are rests that a party do for one hour, where they regain their hp by using hit dice (what it is depending on the class, and how many depending on the level). Each one restores 1 hit dice +con mod worth of health.
Long rests heal all your health, replenish your hit dice and take 8 hours.
Short rest: You spend an hour resting, after which you can spend your hit dice to heal yourself, and gain back any features that recharge on a short rest
Long Rest: You spend 8 hours resting, gaining back all of your hit points, spell slots, half of your hit dice, and any features that recharge on a long rest
There's some additional rules like what you can do during them and what might interrupt them, but that's the basics 😎
(And yes these are in-game-world durations, not IRL)
how much damage does an unarmed attack do
1 + Your Strength modifier (bludgeoning damage) by default
Why does it seem like getting started in D&D is harder than it looks like jeez lol
Can you ritual cast during a rest?
You cannot
Short rest: "A short rest is a period of downtime, at least 1 hour long, during which a character does nothing more strenuous than eating, drinking, reading, and tending to wounds." (DM might allow it, but it feels like casting spells would count as strainous, especially considering the long rest description)
Long Rest: "If the rest is interrupted by a period of strenuous activity—at least 1 hour of walking, fighting, casting spells, or similar adventuring activity—the characters must begin the rest again to gain any benefit from it." (Long rest specifically mentions not being able to cast spells without having to restart the rest)
"at least 1 hour"
I believe that is only referring to the walking
hullo againn
super new 2 this dndbeyond stuff, is there any way to access the paid material in stuff like the character builder w/o paying? cuz i have a physical copy but from what i see you still need to buy a digital code or something
There’s 2 options:
- You can use DDB’s homebrew creator to copy down the information in your physical copy
- If your campaign on DDB has at least 1 person with the book you need digitally and a master tier subscription the DM can turn on content sharing.
hey guyus new to DND and im trying to set a game up for me and my friends and i plan on being the DM. any tips or recomendations? ive watched countless vidoes and have the DM book still learning! was hoping for some help
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
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?dmtips
The most important part of being a good DM is facilitating the fun of everyone at the table. Keep these tips in mind to help things go smoothly:
D&D is about telling a story as a group, so let the players contribute to the outcome through the words and deeds of their characters. If some players are reluctant to speak up, ask them what their characters are doing.
The DM isn’t competing against the player characters. Your job is to referee the rules, run monsters, and keep the story moving.
Treat your players in a fair, impartial manner. The rules help you do this, but you can make your own rulings to ensure everyone is having fun.
Adventures have no prescribed outcome. You can alter any encounter to make it more interesting and fun for your players.
Dungeon Masters are fallible, just like everyone else, and even experienced DMs make mistakes. If you overlook, forget, or misrepresent something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every part of this adventure and all the rules in the Basic Rules. As long as your players are having fun, everything will be just fine.
That’s the bot I meant lol
alright, thanks sm!!
Pre-written modules are a great way to start DMing if you don’t know where to start. If you are homebrewing a world starting small and working up to the big picture can help you ease into world building. Importantly, be flexible and allow your player’s decisions to impact the story.
Always happy to help bounce ideas off of, as well as just giving advice to get someone running their own game
so how long does a campaign actually need to start? my group has mostly finished their characters (4/6 finished) and my dm is gonna start working on the campaign after the characters are all done.
Hello everyone! I’m new to actually playing D&D. I’ve always wanted to, but my ex wife felt it was too much time invested away from the family. Well, she called it quits a month ago, so I’m looking to finally begin my first campaign. My time is still limited with work and visitations, but I’m hoping to carve out a few hours a week regularly once I find a game.
ssssssooooooooo, in all aspects of my life i enjoy game creation, i work as a paintball referee and have been creating game modes since i have started last year....and some are rather successful....i am more of a referee then a player, so my question is do i need to be a player first to be a successful dungeon master?
i believe i would have more fun as a DM than a player
For some people, their first game was as the DM, cuz, y’know. Group of friends pick the game up, no one’s played before, someone’s gotta do it
DMing isn't nearly as difficult as people make it seem. I pretty much jumped roght to the role myself, with only having done a quick 1 on 1 game as a player with a friend who taught me the rules, and even that was more for getting a better grasp on the rules
You'll be fine! 😎
thanks, whats my first steps towards it before starting a group?
id like to be well prepared before hand
Learn the rules
Also I’m one the people who started dnd as a DM
both from player's perspective and DMs perspective ?
Yes, though they’re not all TOO different
There’s a Quick-Start ruleset that D&D gives out for free on their site, that one’s a decent starting point for the absolute basics, after that you can get the Players’ Handbook and Dungeon Masters’ Guide for more specifics about things
But, I’d say things like
• what the different skill checks are
• having an understanding of what’s considered a difficult roll vs an easy one
• how combat and initiative works
That’ll get you through most of a first session
thank you highly, ima go through the basic rules when im tucked into bed and probably get a book or 2 to get it rolling
I know there are a good. Half-dozen or more VTTs (Virtual Table Tops) that have been made, some behind paywalls, some free, that have varying features and map functionality. It’s always good to shop around to find which is the best fit for what you’re wanting to do with it
I can’t comment on all of them, but I’ve personally gotten some decent mileage out of Roll20, and I know some folks who prefer Foundry or Fantasy Grounds
If you're looking for something sort of like DDBeyond maps, Owlbear Rodeo is a good option to try.
how do we start a game
and where do we play
where do we play
is it on roll20
i figured out it nm
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
@rotund cargo thank you
You cannot. The 2024 language is clearer on this point compared with 2014:
Interrupting the Rest. A Short Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:
- Rolling Initiative
- Casting a spell other than a cantrip
- Taking any damage
An interrupted Short Rest confers no benefits.Interrupting the Rest. A Long Rest is stopped by the following interruptions:
- Rolling Initiative
- Casting a spell other than a cantrip
- Taking any damage
- 1 hour of walking or other physical exertion
If you rested at least 1 hour before the interruption, you gain the benefits of a Short Rest.
how does this server work exactly
i'm stupid i can just ritual cast right after the rest lol
How do you mean? It's a server to chat and ask questions about DnD. There are plenty of channels in #channel-guide , so try to stick to the topic of the channel you're in!
i have magic initiate from sage background, which spell should I choose for the free cast? (i'm a wizard, so i'm choosing which spell i get the free cast of, not which one i get at all)
Shield or Absorb Elements are always good picks!
S*lvery Barbs
Welcome!
thanks man
Aty
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Those links should help you get started!
Good morning/evening/night everyone! I’m new here and hope to make some great friends along my journey! :)
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Welcome. The above links can help you out. Feel free to ask questions
Hi, ive never played dnd before and im looking for a good online site where i can play dnd, and hopefully i can meet someone whos fine with playing with a noob.
Welcome! Just to clarify, DnD isn't played on a website. It's played in the imagination. Some groups that use voice chat online use websites to help visualize things like battle scenes, but those websites aren't where games are hosted.
Try having a read through the first couple of sections of the Free Rules to get a grasp of the terminology, then have a go at putting a character together for practice.
You'll need to pick a class, species and background. Let us know if you have any questions!
Heyyy i have a question as a new dm with their first session next week. how can i make my players have fun in the campaign as a whole party of new dnd players. and how can i keep it intresting
Talk to your players and ask them what they find fun and interesting. Use that to guide your prep!
Also, pay attention to what they engage with while playing.
Try to encourage your players to make the moves. After describing a room, ask the players "so what would you guys like to do?" Instead of being quiet after describing the room and waiting for them to say something
Also if they want to make a charisma check on an NPC (Deception, persuasion, intimidation and performance) ask them "what would you like to say/do?" That way they can explain how they're persuading someone. It helps them get into character more and you can even reward them with advantage or lowering the DC if they do a good job!
Why's finding a dnd game harder than finding a gf 😭
I'd recommend googling "game stores near me" and seeing if any of them have a dnd night, it's alot easier and funner to find a dnd game that way, if you can
-# that's how i got my girlfriend too 👀 met her at the local gamestore at dnd hehe
local libraries and many colleges also may have groups
There isn't any local or even in the country probably that's why I was going more for the online ones
A match made in heaven
Ahhh, that's unfortunate :/
Could also try #looking-for-community for D&D servers that often have games with no set Dm or set group which may be easier to get into.
Also there's #paid-looking-for-game if you're okay paying to have a seat at a game.
have you created a post in the LFG channels describing what you are looking for? Keep in mind, the more specific you get, the less likely you are to fins folks. try to be as OPEN as possible. The only thing that makes sense to be so specific is you availabilty. Far too many people post that they must have these 52 things (yes exaggerating) to be willing to play.
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
I see, i thought should join a game with a set dm first to to understand the game and how it works so I was only looking at #looking-for-players thanks for your help
Well if you're new, I'd actually start with #learn-to-play, the free basic rules: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules, and maybe watching folks playing D&D on YouTube or Twitch.
Then try your hand at making a character (can use D&DBeyond's free tier to make a character) to see how things work as far as putting together a character.
I haven't yet I just joined yesterday so I haven't posted there yet but I will and be open as possible Bec I don't know anything to begin with 😭
thanks
Alright I will begin from there thank you 🙏
thats a good way to look at it. Most folks will take new folks on, even if they dont explicitly say so, so don't hesitate to reach out to any that sound good to you, just be honest when you do
Honesty is the answer 🗣️ 🗣️ 🔥 🔥
Thank you guys 🙏
Hello and Salutations, Dungeons and Dragons players (I mean as Dnd players but my shortcut immediately set as ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ 4 some reason.),
My name’s Kaylene (Like in my server name), I’m an Artist, a newbie with my newly made Dnd party, and I’m an Mid-Rook of an Va/Voice Actor.
what do i do if i dont know how to do dnd or set anything up?
Read #learn-to-play and the free basic rules: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules
And watch folks play D&D on YouTube/Twitch.
Make a character sheet (refer to the 2nd chapter of the free rules for a step by step guide) to learn how that works.
Hang out here, ask specific questions.
Then when you feel you're ready, check out #looking-for-players and #looking-for-community for possible D&D games you can join - see also #find-a-game that explains how to use our Looking For Game channels.
thank you!
thinking of getting into DM'ing since noone else in my group wants to, what are some essentials i should have/get?
You're playing in person or online?
hopefully in person but ican do online
I don't think you need to buy anything. The core rules (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual) are nice to have. Dice too. You can go in for minis and terrain, but these aren't essential. Same for adventures, as lots of quality free stuff is available (and may not be relevant if you're planning to create material on your own).
alright ill look into this, thanks
i saw that theres 2 versions of the players handbook, which one shoukd I get?
That's up to you. There's a lot of content for the 2014 rules, but the 2024 rules will be used going forward (plus the updates are fairly well received).
Hey All, New player here. Bought Hero’s starter set and convinced my wife and two daughters to play. Still learning! They like it well enough, just not enough to play as much as I would like. I am interested in playing with folks online. I have created a roll20 and DndBeyond character/accounts. Looking for beginner friendly community. West Coast PST timezone
hi
Can anyone help me, im trying to join a dnd campaign and cant figure out if its legit or not, the campaign seems fine but whats throwing me off that they tell me that the session is free and that i only have to pay for character art from their "campaign artist" i have had a few encounters before that i knew were scams but im not sure about this one
This is a very common scam scenario…
How do you join a campaign? And Are there any rules listen on how to play dnd?
i figured, everything seemed pretty legit, i even messaged them cause they put out a poster in another server saying that they were looking for players, and everything looked good untill they said that i had to pay for character art
- #find-a-game , reddit, dnd beyond, roll 20, a local game store or library, you got options
- yes. Dnd has rules.
If you’d like to use this server to find a group to play with there’s #find-a-game
And then yeah there are rules for D&D 5e! The free Basic Rules are linked in this channel’s pins as well as in #learn-to-play .
Thank you!!
I’d recommend reading through it and making a practice character using either the official 5e sheet (found on D&DBeyond) or D&DBeyond’s character creator
Hi all 
Welcome!
hi
Alright. Someone draws a sword in a threatening way, it's a fight. But before we start at the beginning, is there anything particular you're stuck on?
Hi. Just swinging by XD
ok so im lvl 1 wizard half orc. im fighting a lvl 1 demogorgan. so how do i attack it?. DM said to roll d20 initiative roll. i got 14, other player for 8 so i start. i shud roll d10 ryt? i got 5 now what i do
Initiative is a d20 roll, adding your Initiative bonus. Usually that's Dexterity.
oh ok. did the initiative roll then what? can u explain the exact combat system
is demogorgan deadah 400 hp
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024/playing-the-game#Combat
Initiative says the order folk get to have their turns in. On your turn you can move up to your Speed, take an action like cast a spell or make an attack, and may have an extra bonus action depending on your features. With it so far?
There's no such thing as a "level 1 Demogorgan" 
yes i do. but how do you attack. do you use d20 or d8(for my class). and if i roll like 8 or 20 do i deal that much damage + my strength? or smthing like that
fahhhh
bro u a half-life fan?
Monsters don't have levels. Instead, they have something called Challenge Rating (CR). Many monsters are designed to be fought by high level parties, so their statistics are functionally insurmountable to low level players.
An attack roll is a d20, plus the relevant ability score modifier. Proficiency in the weapon type also adds the Proficiency bonus. At level one that's +2.
oh
oh ok. what is the relevant ability score modifier
and in my char sheet hit dice max is 1d8
For melee weapons like a Longsword, the ability score modifier is your Strength modifier by default.
For ranged weapons like a Light Crossbow, the ability score modifier is your Dexterity modifier by default.
oh W
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024/playing-the-game#D20Tests
I'd recommend reading up on the Basic Rules, which go into more detail
andcan you also pls tell me how do you know the stats of the monsters like a goblin or maybe vecna
ty bro
If you're a player, you generally don't get to know monster stats.
is there weapon stats for "Katana" ?!
does it even exists in the books ?!
No katana, but you can always describe a longsword as one.
Mostly we call that a longsword.
for the dungeon master
You'd look up the monster's stat block, which lists all their statistics and abilities. You can find a few for free at the bottom of the Basic Rules.
But as iamrazorwing notes, players don't need to worry about monster stat blocks at all. Your DM will handle all that.
our DM is lit started playing DND like today so
Monster statblocks are listed in various books, including the Monster Manual (but not only there)!
oo
hello. I am 100% new to this and don't know much. Is it possible to play alone? online I mean
you can play online
There are some adventures for solo players. I believe the DMs Guild webstore would be the place to find some.
hey i am under 18 have a game but looking for some more players where do i post about that
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
If you feel like you've got a good handle on the Basic Rules, the next set is to find a group! You can follow the link in the bot post above to get your search started on this server.
Basically, you type
/looking
In this channel, pick the option for players and fill in a form.
i have my group of 2 players i just want to expand on that
Then you'd follow the instructions in the channel I indicated, and follow the bot command that Mr Smith described.
Curious if there is a way to add more class roles. I’m equally interested in Fighter, Barb, Paladin, and Warlock
There's only one class role icon that can be next to your name at any given time. It's a limitation of discord.
But that icon doesn't actually have any social meaning on the server. Most people don't assume you only play one class if you've got a class icon.
That's more or less correct. If you're new to the game, we'll happily answer any questions you've got, or point you in the right direction.
Does anyone do D&D beyond? I just made a lvl 2 character that is fighter lvl1 and monk lvl1
It's a popular tool around the server. Did you have a specific question about using it?
uh i have like no idea how the dnd apps work or what ones to get and also whys it so hard to get into a campaign 😭 i cant learn w no experience 🙏🙏
Maybe try the learn-to-play sessions offered through the virtual weekends? Check out the server's Events tab.
ok i did not know those were a thing i will certainly check them out ty
In the meantime, there's plenty you can learn before you play! (And you should!)
Check out the free Basic Rules for all the info you need to play.
Is The Wild Beyond The Witchlight a good campaign for a beginner DM and beginner players
I think it is. It's designed in such a way to help the DM, new or experienced, run the game.
Ok I will not use this to my advantage (wink wink)
Changelings sound fun, but is it recommended for a beginner like me?
Changelings are probably best kept until you've got a couple of games under your belt, and the right setup to make the most of their particular ability.
Nothing wrong with picking from the set in the Free Rules to begin with.
Do you need to fill something in the XP tab on the sheet when your dm says your starting level is 5?
How do I gain messaging capabilities for #looking-for-players ?
Depends on if they are tracking leveling up by Experience Points (XP - determined by how your character overcomes challenges/defeats enemies) or by Milestone (DM decides the group should level up based on the story/session)
The instructions for using the bot can be found in #find-a-game
Need to use the bot commands to get a form, submit form, and bot then creates the post in the selected channel and attaches a thread to it.
Hello I'm new to DND, I have read some rules, but it's easier to be shown things. Just as a double check.
I been wanting to play it for awhile
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
Am I able to get an in person explanation and experience from someone that is really good at dnd? Or will I have to learn bye myself?
If you ask specific questions, folks generally will answer. But getting one on one teaching is not likely to happen here due to lack of bandwidth and time to teach so many new people joining every day.
Best non-PHB species to try out?
Just wondering but if I wanted to get into dnd and play online would it be better to buy the books physically or digitally?
It would be easier to buy the digital content, but do remember that's a licence. It can become unavailable for reasons beyond your control.
Buying the physical books means more work setting up to start with, but those pages are yours forever.
Got it, thanks
psa: these are VERY commonly in libraries! i managed to find tasha's and the phb in my local library!
Sort of depends on what u want to play
alot of them have different lore and astetics and some abilities work better with different classes and there are different rule books with them in
I personally like kolbolts
PACK TACTICS!
Unfortunately the newist kolbolt (the one in monsters of the multiverse) doesn't have it
Which is kinda annoying
NOOO pack tactics was iconic
Hello everyone! I am looking for a way to play Curse of Strahd. I am lowkey confused as to how to navigate the whole DnD fandom and find things... can anyonr help?
I don't even know if I am in the right place xD, any pointers are welcome
Howdy! This is the official D&D server. Are you brand new to D&D?
Not brand new. I've played DnD before...many years back. I also play Baldurs Gate 3, if that counta for anything
Right! What I'd suggest then is having a read through the first couple of sections of the Free Rules to get a grasp of the current terminology, then have a go at putting a character together for practice.
You'll need to pick a class, species and background. Let us know if you have any questions.
Also, check out the #channel-guide for the full server listing.
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Thank you! I think I'll use my character that I used for the last campaign i did. I'll get back to you once i read through the pages
Guys, is it possible to choose the mummy class in DnD
There is no mummy class?
No sure what you mean; like a necromancer?
I'm asking if there is one
thanks
Like, you could play a reborn and style them as a mummy I guess?
but there's no explicit mummy class
oh 😀 thanks
Note that it sounds like you're mixing up terms for class and species.
Human is a species.
Elf is a species.
Wizard is a class.
Ranger is a class.
yes thanks
I’m new to playing dnd and am wondering if anyone has any tips on good things to do during a session so that in the next session we can better remember where we left off. I’m also playing with a dm who is dmming for the first time
Take notes?
I feel stupid now for asking
and reborn is a species ?
Yes, it's the closest playable species we have to proper undead
Note that it's unfortunately not a free species.
A reborn is basically someone who died and is brought back to life somehow
But isn't mindless or anything
Because the description is so vague and flavoring is free, you can be any kind of undead you want
Zombie, mummy, skeleton, what have you
*With DM agreement
Are there any trade shows where we can send photos?
Trade... shows?
sorry i use google trad
This server only has a few channels where you can share images.
All the ones listed under College of Creation (see id:browse) have image permissions, but posts still need to abide by the server's rules.
thanks
If anyone in here is a dm and noticed a particular player was rather bored most of the time and said they felt that their character was basically just doing the same thing over and over and wanted to switch to a new character how would you go about that either letting them switch or making them wait till said character dies? And if the party was level 5 would the new character be level 5 or would you make them be a lower level?
That really depends on a DM by DM basis. Plenty of tables will handle this kind of issue differently.
If you're looking for responses from a few DMs on this server, you can ask in #dm-discussion .
Thanks
Lvl 5, either switch their stuff immediatly and handwave it or let the new character come in at the time the other character leaves. We are all here to funmax
can sm1 help me with the roll, and combat system?! i dotn understand d20 roll, d6, d8 and stuff like that pls help tmrw is the campaign
To start off, have you read the Basic Rules at all?
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
You promised a bunch of people you'd play a game with them, but didn't read any of the rules first?
The best place to start is with the free Basic Rules, linked in the bot post above. As you're giving them a read, we'll be happy to answer any specific questions you have here in this chat.
ty
Hi everyone. I'm new here and am currently reading through the rules to get a good understanding of the game. I'd love to find a party who wouldn't mind having a newer player!
You can either reply to the threads in #looking-for-players or make a post yourself in #looking-for-dm (follow #find-a-game's directions)!
Feel free to check out #looking-for-players for campaigns and #looking-for-community for community servers, theres afew oneshot communities in there that are welcoming to newer players
Thanks so much!!
Hello, not sure if this is the right channel, but I'm hoping for some clarification on how to use the Hawk Spirit of the Shepherd Druid's Spirit Totem spell. Could I get an example of how it's used in combat?
hlo
Are you referring to 2014 or 2024?
Uhh well, my DM is moving forward with 2024, but he's still learning
Apparently the spell is from XGtE? He shared a lot of his books through DnDBeyond
The Shepherd Druid is a 2014 subclass and if I remember correctly, the Spirit Totem isn't a spell
It's just one of their abilities. That is a subclass which doesn't play well with 2024 rules due to the changes to the conjure spells though.
That's right. It's under Features & Traits, mb
A PC makes an attack while in the aura of the spirit totem, and the druid uses their reaction to grant advantage. Obviously, it's important to weigh that against spells that use a reaction like Absorb Elements, but a druid probably isn't using their reaction often for, say, opportunity attacks.
I don't have ability checks often during combat at my table, but I'm sure there are situations where advantage on perception checks would help!
I still don't understand. What does use reaction to grant advantage mean? I know when enemies try to disengage, you can use Opportunity Attack as a Reaction and that advantage means taking the higher roll, but it's not really connecting for me.
Do you understand you have an Action, Movement, Bonus Action, and a Reaction?
Right. So think of each of those things as a token. Once you've spent your Action (or Bonus Action or whatever), you can't spend it again until your next turn. A Reaction generally happens outside of your turn.
So let's make an example. It's the paladin's turn and he's attacking while in the spirit's aura. The druid can spend their reaction to give the paladin advantage on the attack roll. So the druid can't do anything else that might "cost" a reaction until they get it back on their turn since they spent it to give the advantage.
Does that clarify?
Ohhh. So normally, the paladin doesn't roll twice for their attack. But if I summoned the Hawk and decide to give my "reaction token" to them, then they can roll with advantage. Did I get it right?
Yep.
Ahhhh thank you!
It's an imperfect metaphor, but I'm glad it cleared things up.
Makes sense to me
Reactions have a "triggering action", im not familiar with the feature but im assuming the triggering action is "when someone makes an attack roll"
Without the triggering action/event they arent able to be used
(Just information as they can be somewhat confusing for new players as to how they work)
What Not Teeto said. Abilities/spells that cost a reaction will have some language like, "When [X] happens, you can spend a reaction to do [Y]."
If you don't have an ability that costs a reaction specifically, you can't use it, but by default everyone can make an opportunity attack (and those are frequent enough to make for a convenient example regarding Reactions).

Hey, ive never played a dnd game before but would love to, do you guys have any reccomended sites or anything for online campaigns?
Visit #learn-to-play for everything you need to get started!
- [What is D&D?](#learn-to-play message)
- [How does it work?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Where do I join?](#learn-to-play message)
- [Frequently Asked Questions](#learn-to-play message)
Start with looking thru the basics then when you’re ready to find a group
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
- Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
Okay thanks!
If you could pick any single rare magic item for a DnD 5e campaign, what would you pick? I'm not having fun with my homebrew item, so my DM is allowing me to change it
What would you like to do, also maybe move the chat to #dnd-discussion
I posted there, but no one responded
I think in general I need to figure out what I'm doing. Originally my concept was a college of Valor bard that buffs allies. I wanted to be a support, and my character's motivation was to "make an amazing story". I care about making dramatic moments, not necessarily being the star
But being a pure support feels so... bad. My DM let me homebrew a rare item, but we have very different ideas on powerlevel. I might be wrong, but I feel like he keeps nerfing it when it doesn't need to be nerfed
So now I'm picking a different item (he's kind enough to let me swap) and maybe I should just change my whole character concept
What about being support feels bad to you?
Though in general, Rhythm Maker's Drum +2 tends to be a pretty good bard item
I feel like the impact I have as a support is too low. One of our events was a WWE-style cage match, that while fun, it was explictily stated that the crowd didn't like spells, so I felt like I had my hands tied behind my back
I'll check that out
Do you think it's better than getting something like a Cloak of Displacement?
Or a necklace of prayer beads?
Please don't cross post. We get that channels can get busy, but if there is a more appropriate channel, it's best to stick to that one and be patient.
In this case #character-discussion might be a good option as this is essentially figuring out your character's build, playstyle and items for them.
We would rather not have newer players come into the channel meant for the basics and feeling overwhelmed by a technical conversation they couldn't follow.
Okay, I'll move.
Hello! I'm Dadryx. I never played d&d before. Can anyone help me with how to find a game and how to play?
Welcome so If you are new I had suggest checking the lfg channel for beginner games I can also help explain the basics if you want @signal remnant
Yes please. I don't really know anything.
yah sure have you made your character?
Yes
oh nicee tell me about your character
His name is Keeran. He's tiefling and wizard level 1.
great so Is Keeran more into fire magic or something like illusions and control?
More illusions.
oh nice so
now that you have your character lets start with the basics you will first roll dice to see if your actions succeed and where you got problem just ask whatever you are confused
Ok so. I'm using dnd beyond and I know I can roll in there but I'm not sure how exactly.
Ohhh. Wait. When I click on the character it show me all my stats and spells and in the lower right corner I can roll any dice.
you just click the little dice icon next to your skills attacks or saves and it rolls for you automatically
and if you not sure which one to use so tell em?
yah thats the spot whenever you want to do something like attack cast a spell or try a skill just click the corresponding dice there It will roll for you and show the result
Ok. Thank you!
most welcome is there any other problem you are facing or only this on
No. That's all for now.
Alright, if you need any help let me know when I started my server friend properly guided me from making a character to how everything in the game works and now I understand it all
Hello there all. I'm Damien (call me uncle daimyo if you want. Kind of a friend meme lol). I have some experience in DND as a player but I have none as a DM. I'm currently doing a campaign as an elf druid named Golodhryn and I'm also working on a homebrew campaign which I'll be hosting in a week or two prob.
Hello people
Do y'all have any advice for a first time DM
?newdm
- In Dungeons & Dragons, one person serves as the Dungeon Master, the game’s lead storyteller and referee. The DM runs the adventure for the players, who navigate its hazards and decide which paths to explore.
- Learn how to be a Dungeon Master with this YouTube video or D&D Beyond article.
- The D&D Free Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
- Decide what kind of campaign you want to run. Here’s a few good options for new DMs.
- Get advice from your fellow Dungeon Masters in #dm-discussion and #dm-world-building.
Communicate with your players
Respect your players
Put passion into the game
Don’t overprep
Expand your vocabulary
Show, not tell (and use descriptive language that talks into all senses)
Have fun, no stress, and COMMUNICATE
Have a session zero
You don’t write a story, your party lives through one. Don’t prepare tales, prepare scenarios.
Try to know more than your players
COMMUNICATE
I see. I was planning to make a session zero although I'm not sure how that works. Also, I was planning to have the players create the events of the world (which I assume is how it is meant to be).
what is a dnd
Hiyaaa im esperr nice to meet ya'll Im really new to D&D but i do know some of it? I was really hoping to join a campaign and learn whilst playing!
Hey there! We have #learn-to-play to help folk get started and you can always ask some questions in here. Playing is definitely the best way of learning, but it's a good idea to have a rough idea of how to make a character and how combat might work.
And we have #find-a-game for when you're ready to find a group!
yup yup i get a gist of how its played like rolling for initiatives and other rolls for how successful you are in 1-20 rolls, I do wonder can I use uhhh google dice since I dont have a 20 sided die
Golod means hunger in ukrainian haha
I hope you feed your elf druid well
If you're playing online the DM will have a way for everyone to roll their dice, no worries.
thank you so much!
Lol I see. I was actually using sindarin from Tolkien's universe. Golodh means Sage in sindarin and Eryn means forest. So basically the name in sindarin is Sage of the forest which is exactly what he is meant to be.
Hi
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why do I have this growing obsession with DnD as a newcomer?
Everyone does
hello, i wanted to ask how exactly the damage works because i'm not very sure on like all' the property of the attacks and all the other stuff
Let's use an example:
Say you're using a Club to bonk your enemies. When you successfully hit with an attack roll, you'd deal damage. On the Club's item description, it tells you how much damage it deals: 1d4. This means you'd roll one 4-sided die. Then, you'd add your Strength modifier to whatever number you rolled, since a Club is a melee weapon.
That total is the amount of damage you deal.
is that the 2014 or the 2024 versione rules?
Both use this kind of calculation.
ok , but on the line of the weapon name, after the dice to trow, ther is like a plus 1 or 2 and then like a perforation or blugoing type of damage
what do i have to do with it
Some magic weapons have properties that increase the damage you deal. A [+1 Club] is a magic club that means it adds a +1 to your chance to hit roll, and a +1 to your damage roll.
As for damage types, different weapons deal different types of damage. For example, a Club deals Bludgeoning damage, and a Dagger deals Piercing. For the most part, the damage type of a weapon doesn't matter unless the DM says it does, usually because a specific monster is resistant to the damage type of a weapon.
- Conduct a session zero to lay out everyone’s preferences and expectations before the game even begins. Here's a good primer on that: https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/929-how-to-run-a-session-0-for-your-d-d-game
- If you haven't played at all, watch at least a few minutes of some streamed games, professional or not. It'll give you the basic idea of how play flows.
- Try to engage all the players, even if it's a just "What is your character up to?" Be wary, however. Some are perfectly happy being audience members.
- Don't solve problem players with in-game solutions. In other words, don't punish the characters for your players' bad behavior. Talk to them and try to solve the problem.
- Don't try to avoid failure. That's impossible. Instead learn from it.
- Plan something but not everything. You'll figure out your own sense of doing enough/too much over time. Realize you'll get curveballs all the time so be ready to improv.
- Run a pre-written adventure or one-shot to get your bearings as a DM. Doing so will help you get some practice instead of having to first build a world (even a small one) and situation. Read any content in full before you run it.
- Don't see the game as a DM-versus-players scenario. Be a fan of the players. Try to present them with settings that let them be heroic/cool/whatever they're hoping to be in-game.
- Communicate. The game relies on it, and that goes for out-of-game stuff as well as in-game. In particular, communicate about everyone's expectations so that all have a good time.
- Don’t try to absorb all the info at once so you’re ready. That’s like trying to learn all the baseball rules before ever picking up a bat. Know the basics, start playing, and the rest will come with time and practice.
Read blogs, watch videos, search on the server for "dm tips." (or "dm advice"). Lots of advice out there, so absorb what makes sense to you and discard the rest.
ok so i just have to trow the indicated dice then add the dex/str modifiers?
Yeah, for basic weapons that's all you do. Roll a d20 to see if you hit, roll the weapon's damage die if you hit to see how much damage you deal.
ok last thing i have also a "bonus attack" of like +5 or maybe +3 what is that?
Your attack bonus is the number you add to your d20 when you see if you can hit. If your attack bonus is +4, you'd roll 1d20+4 when you attack to see if you hit.
oh ok, but i dont have to add the str/dex modifier on the trow to know if i hit?
The attack bonus is a combination of your Ability Score modifier.
i mean the d20 trow
So if you're using a Greataxe and you have a +3 Strength modifier, your attack bonus is +3.
If you're proficient with a Greataxe, you'd also add your Proficiency Bonus. At level 1, your Proficiency Bonus is +2.
So if you're proficient with a Greataxe and your Strength modifier is +3, your attack bonus is +5.
oooh undrestand it now
Hello. Ever since I have heard of it, I have loved DnD. Never actually played a game of it though.
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If you're raging as a barbarian can you cast cantrips ? It says no spells but is that like spells that have the slots ?
A cantrip is a spell, so I would guess no, at least not while raging. #dnd-rules might say the same, but you can always check!
I'll save you the trouble of reposting over there: unfortunately no! No spells whatsoever while raging.
Lol see this now
i was thinking of having my character be mute and a spell caster for a interesting combination, is this a bad idea?
It usually is since the game runs on communication. The more barriers to that you include, the more difficult even simple tasks become.
could i not convey meaning through hand gestures though? it's for an online campaign
The 2024 rules do include sign language as an option, but I'm not sure how well others have implemented it.
i don't mean sign language, i mean gesturing, like just moving hands fingers etc
I'm still in the "this is a bad idea" camp, but that's just me. Folks may feel otherwise!
Also making a mute spell caster would mechanically limit the spells you can use because of the V spell component.
i thought so too, but i am not sure if it makes the game 'unplayable' or impossible for me
Assume your character joins people unfamiliar to them. Why would they be able to understand your character's gestures? You'd be creating unnecessary friction in the game just to make introductions. I'm basing this off my own experience with a mute character, whose own player said, "Never again."
like I said, it would limit your spell usage, the only get around on that would be the Sorcerer's subtle spell metamagic.
Hey guys I’m new to this like completely but I’ve been interested in learning for a while can someone please teach me the ropes
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@timid locust Ty I downloaded the dd beyond app and created a human level 1 fighter I’m just confused on how to get started or do a campaign
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I've never played DnD before, but I want to
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When do we start playing
We don't host any games on this server. We have the #find-a-game channel to explain how to find advertisements for games people are hosting elsewhere though.
Thanks
Hi everyone! I’m a total D&D newcomer, though I used to love playing DSA (The Dark Eye) 40 years ago. Now, at a more "advanced age," I’d like to give the new D&D 2024 rules a try 😉.
I’m looking for someone who could give me a brief introduction via voice or video chat, answer a few questions, and help me build my first character.
Question: Does anyone have time for a session like this (Timezone: Germany/CET) OR do you have tips for specific servers or groups that could help me out?
I appreciate any hints or DMs!
Best, Harry
hi
Try having a read through the first couple of sections of the Free Rules to get a grasp of the terminology, then have a go at putting a character together for practice.
You'll need to pick a class, species and background. Let us know if you have any questions!
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Welcome back!
I'll temper your expectations a little to begin, as I think it's a little unlikely to find someone who's willing to walk you through the rules in a 1:1 situation. I see at least 30 people asking for help with learning the rules every day here, and I'm only on discord for a portion of the day, so it's just not feasible in the long run.
That being said, there's plenty of resources for learning in the bot post above. We're also happy to answer any specific questions you have in this chat. I'd recommend giving the Basic Rules a read, foremost.
As for groups, you can learn how to check our catalogue of game advertisements on this server in the #find-a-game channel.
Go ahead and send me a DM. I am in US CST but we can chat via message at the least.
Thanks for the welcome and the honest heads-up! That makes total sense. I’ll dive into the Basic Rules and the resources you mentioned first, and I'll reach out here if I hit any snags. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
Sounds very helpful, thanks. 👍
hey so i was aproached to join a starting campaign, but they required me to pay upfront for character art from a specific, is this normal?
That certainly doesn't sound normal. I believe a scam was going around recently very similar to that.
Yeah, that absolutely sounds like a scam
yeah i was afraid of that being the case, i even asked if my own 'art' would work, and they said yes if i can mirror their artists style
not every one is a scamer
It's true that not everyone is a scammer. But requiring that people purchase art in order to join your group is a common scam
It's hard to imagine a legit reason a group would require that up front
Yes not everyone is a scammer, but it as they pointed out, it's not normal to demand cash for character art.
yeah you are right but as the guy animo said if he can mirror he can join
Hii
I'd be very suspicious of anyone asking you to pay for art to simply join their game
I don't thik if this is scam he won't say that
At minimum, it's still a red flag and they should be cautious about continuing
If the group is okay with them supplying their own art with a similar style, they may be able to join without paying. But that's also really really weird and I wouldn't be surprised if they ask for payment on something else/refuse to accept the other art
I'm new to dnd .And I want so bad to make a Cleric character but I have no ideea where to start .Any advice?(-。-;)
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Thx
I am somewhat new to dnd, i played once a few years ago, and completely forgot how to play, i am now back into dnd and would love to join any campaign's
Welcome! It'd probably be a good idea to refresh yourself on the rules before hopping into a campaign
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Hello I’m new
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New here lookin to join a campaign as a sorcerer, love the idea of combat. Any one know of any campaign or groups?
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Oh that’s pretty cool, I don’t have much experience in DnD but it would be cool to join the same game, I’m sure if we get a DM they could help you out when creating a cleric, but feel free to message me for help
I wont to play and not pay.
The free rules are linked right here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024
It's all you really need to get started (and players and dice and a way to track characters and a way to communicate with the rest of the group).
Anything else is just optional
thank you
hope you have a group to play with~
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Hey guys, not sure if this is the place to post this. I think my in person group is about to disband and I don't have the time or sense of community to find another at the moment. I'm curious as to how D&D feels and plays online, as i've never done so before and it sounds more convenient for my busy lifestyle. I'm mostly worried about losing that all at the table feeling, along with not using maps/mini's. Is the convenience worth losing this, and also how consistent are online groups, specifically in long running campaigns. I've got no interest in a group that plans to play for less than a year.
Hey everyone, I’m new to Dnd and I was told to get on this discord server to find somebody to help me learn and find a party
You should check out #learn-to-play. For finding groups, read the info in #find-a-game!
Just like with any large group of people, it varies. Some online groups never get off the ground, some last for a few weeks or months, others go for years and stick.
Hey i dont if I am even able to but I want to be able to join a campaign but I got Mondays and Tuesdays off and Saturday Sunday I get off around 4ish pm cst. I just dont know how to go on from that point
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Follow the steps in the bot to look for games and or post what you’re looking for in a game. You can’t solicit for games in this channel
Where can I find a beginner group to join?
You and me both
Please use the Looking For Game channels to find a group/game.
Many groups are fine with new to D&D players but it really helps if they've spent some time getting familiar with the core game rules and mechanics and how to make and manage a character sheet.
#find-a-game can tell you how to use the LFG channels here
And #learn-to-play can help you get started with learning D&D
Thank you
Theres #looking-for-community games as well which run oneshots if you're wanting something to test out the game
For the Opt in opt out what does it mean by (other services)
Other Services would be for like other kinds of D&D games that we just can't cover all the options for. To be fair, I might just not select that and instead in your thread that gets attached to your post indicate specially what "other" stuff you're looking for in your D&D game.
I appreciate it, thanks
Would you say being a dm is easy
It's not easy, but it's definitely doable even if you're new
It's not nearly has difficult as many people tend to make it seem, but definitely lot more work than a player lot of the time
But as long as you have a great group, it's just as much fun 😎
Any tips on what graph paper to use, for drawing maps?
why you want to draw map?
@willow mural
If you’re talking about battle maps for irl sessions I’d recommend to look at some dry erase grid maps. You don’t have to draw it perfectly, it can be done during the session as your player explore the zone
what can a low cha (non enchantment, non illusion) wizard do in social?
His best I guess
I mean the wizard can still roleplay as normal, maybe provide some intelligence to a situation
Social gameplay isn't all about just persuasion checks to succeed
mabuhay (hello/haiiiiii!!)
Goooood morning afternoon evening, Wahzzup!
gabi na ngayon (it's evening rn), was introduced to BG3 a while ago last year-- including legends of avantris!
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why are people saying stuff in another language and then translating it in parenthesis? (this is a translation hah hah har)
It’s probably just a typing choice they’re making
hay guys, newbe dm here, got any advice for problem players
Might depend on what specifically makes them a problem, but in general first step is to talk to them, let them know what they're doing isn't something you want at the table, and if they refuse and continue, you kick them from the table
I don't know man, he wants to be a assassin but not help anyone CUZ HE'S A ASSASSIN
Yeah not the greatest pick for a group game. No harm in playing an assassin, but the issue definitely comes if they're wanting to do things alone
They could still play an assassin, but you need to tell the player that they need a reason for the character to stick with and work with the group, since it's not fun for a DM to run two games simultaneously where one player is running off on their own separate adventure
I asked him if he would help if someone that was getting merdered by wolfs and he said no cuz he's a assassin not your friendly neighborhood spiderman. he also added that if I need someone to help I should a knight.
Yeah sounds like a really annoying player. Unless you really like this person and are willing to deal with whatever their gameplan is, I'd just look for a better one. Plenty to pick from 😛
well it's somewhat complicated, i only have two dang players and I running curs of strahd. and he's by best friend. he's new to the rpg world, he's more of a fps kindda guy. i don't even know you such a mentality could exist
Good friend doesn't necessarily make for a good player. If he's a friend, you talk to him, and tell him that his actions / plans are making things unfun for you and you don't wanna run a game with him if he's gonna be like that. If he is actually a friend, he really should listen to you.
he's more of a I do what I want kindda guy, whitch annoying sometime. we haven't even started playing yet I can only hope he's going to make right call when it's time
any other advice running my first game
?dmtips
The most important part of being a good DM is facilitating the fun of everyone at the table. Keep these tips in mind to help things go smoothly:
D&D is about telling a story as a group, so let the players contribute to the outcome through the words and deeds of their characters. If some players are reluctant to speak up, ask them what their characters are doing.
The DM isn’t competing against the player characters. Your job is to referee the rules, run monsters, and keep the story moving.
Treat your players in a fair, impartial manner. The rules help you do this, but you can make your own rulings to ensure everyone is having fun.
Adventures have no prescribed outcome. You can alter any encounter to make it more interesting and fun for your players.
Dungeon Masters are fallible, just like everyone else, and even experienced DMs make mistakes. If you overlook, forget, or misrepresent something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every part of this adventure and all the rules in the Basic Rules. As long as your players are having fun, everything will be just fine.
Be clear about the kind of game you're putting down, and what kind of things the party might be presented with. You don't have to go into specific detail but you do want to give them the info they need to make characters who will fit the adventures.
i don't think that's going to help. he watched solo leveling and now he either wants to be a assassin or a necomanser but not a wizard.
Make sure to have a Session 0 and take that time to lay down your expectations while also listening to their expectations as well but at the end of the day you are the story teller and you have the final call.
I mean, if communication doesnt work there isnt a solution here
So, communicate and if that fails, you might have to drop them
hey guys im stupid so i went to general and asked for help so can u guys help with character sheets
That's a pickle. As others have said, this is worth a chat before you start playing anything. Are you happy to run the kind of game they are looking for?
some people just can not be charmed I suppose
What kind of help are you needing chap!
Happy to help. Where have you got to so far?
ive gotten what i want my race cto be and that im a warlock
?tag new warlock
Warlock
Cast spells derived from occult knowledge
Warlocks quest for knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. They often begin their search for magical power by delving into tomes of forbidden lore, dabbling in invocations meant to attract the power of extraplanar beings, or seeking places of power where the influence of these beings can be felt. In no time, each Warlock is drawn into a binding pact with a powerful patron. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of beings such as angels, archfey, demons, devils, hags, and alien entities of the Far Realm, Warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power.
-# Suggested Standard Array assignment
Str. 8
Dex. 14
Con. 13
Int. 12
Wis. 10
Cha. 15
Likes: Occult lore
Complexity: High
Starting HP: 8 + Con. modifier
cool combo
Ooh, what species did you pick?
btw where should i get asheet from
You can use the beyond app
there is that too😅
hay what vrsion of dnd are you playing, is it the 2024 rules or the version before that
2024
cool you can find it on the website
so what else can I help you with 😀
where can i get a sheet from
It's on D&D Beyond, just go to "My Characters" and start building.
k
It also says "Build a Character" on the front page.
go into this link and i think you can figger the rest out by yourself. or you can ues the character builder option on the site if you are not cofortable makeing a character yet
First time playing wizard, i normally play paladin
How should i take actions in fights
im done making how do download
You don't need to. Normally, people just link it to their Dungeon Master.
I do not think u can. it's ment to be uesed online, I think . you can get a copy of fa character sheet and right it down
how do i link it
No, you can download it. It's just not needed.
By copying and pasting the link of your sheet.
k
Did you make it from your Dungeon Master's campaign page? If so, they'd already have access regardless.
idk
Know your spells, try to judge when it's better to spend a spell slot or a cantrip based on the situation, avoid friendly fire.
im a newbioe
you can always use the app to acsess the caractar sheet
You should memorize your spells and prepare them according to the challenge you expect. Depending on the subclass, play to your strengths. Don’t overextend; stay behind your allies. At low levels, you’re very weak, so be cautious.
May I show you my spells and maybe get a few more suggestion by any chance?
Also thanks for this, I asked for your help last time and you gave me great suggestions.
Also I had a conversation with my friend and we are completely fine now!
( She was going to steal my everything, You might not remember )
So thanks dude! :)
Sure, though depending on the depth it may be more suited to #character-discussion.
Oh yeah thanks for teaching me dude!
I will show you my character sheet there!
Honestly.. what is the limits of dnd settings overall? Like none or
D&D is designed for fantasy of various flavors. Folks have made workarounds to incorporate other settings, but opinions are mixed over how successful those are.
O alr tbh i have so many good dnd campaign ideas but sadly my speech aint the best and I cant really do hosting yet cause I have no clue what to do mainly..
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You might wanna give #learn-to-play a read for a start. The rules are also important for understanding the game. Otherwise, folks here are generally happy to answer questions!
O alr tbh I do wanna share some campaigns Ideas I have based on some series and medias and such tbh
When you're ready, pop over to #dm-discussion and we can give you a hand working through some.
Getting started with your own campaigns I recommend beginning with something that lasts for three adventures. You start off with a situation in a location where the party will encounter opposition and complications.
Do that as a sentence for each adventure, see how it looks and then we can start adding more detail.
Alr
More often than not, translating any existing media into D&D involves significant compromises. Sometimes other game systems are better suited for that!
Is eating important
How do I make a fiend pact as a warlock
That depends. There are game mechanics for starvation and dehydration, and adventures that go for several days can rack up some really bad effects if your character can't eat during that time for some reason.
But many DMs don't run starvation or dehydration rules at all. It's best to ask your DM how they run it, when you find a game.
The Fiend pact is a subclass for Warlock. All Warlocks get to pick their subclass at level 3.
Thanks
Cleric
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Hello DnD baddies, I feel like I haven’t been adding these modifiers to my spells, but how do you use the three modifiers under spells? Specifically talking about “modifier”, “spell attack” and “save DC”. Now what I think they are, “save DC” is the number a target has to beat with a D20 to succeed on a save from a spell aimed at them; “spell attack” is the additional modifier I add to my D20 when attempting to beat an enemy's AC to land my spell; and “modifier” is the static number that is represented in my “spell attack” and “save DC” which is based on my character stats.
Scenario: [+4 Modifier/+7 Spell Attack/15 Save DC] I cast Compelled Duel on an enemy > I must roll a D20 to see if it bets the enemy’s AC > I add 7 to my roll since my “spell attack” modifier is +7 > The result beats the enemies AC > Spell Hits > Enemy now has to make a Wisdom saving throw with a D20 > The result has to be higher than a 15 for him to not be effected by the spell > On a failed save the enemy is now under the effects of Compelled Duel.
Spells come in 2 flavors: spell attacks and saving throws. It’s generally one or the other
But more complicated spells can require both with extra conditions and outcomes
Compelled Duel doesn't require an attack roll. It's just a save
can i possible just have the name Dr Sawbones or would i need a first and last name
The spell wording is very clear and literal: make a spell attack OR creature makes a saving throw
Up to your table, really.
i see i see thank you
- equal or higher. Meet or beat.
Names are pure flavor and not governed by the rules at all
so i can be named either Dr sawbones OR Dr leviticus sawbones
Worst comes to worse, Dr is your first name
that too
If you hit an enemy with an attack, you can divine smite. No additional roll or save for divine smite.
so like what would a divine smite use? nothing since its a buff for myself?
Correct, nothing. It’s all in the wording
sorry for the delete wasnt tryiogn to clog and confuse the chat
This is assuming you’ve also fulfilled the spellcasting level limit rules and have your bonus action free in 2024
Aka you haven’t already spent a spell slot that turn
so like what the spell attack modifer for or like what spells use those
just tryignt o be prepared i feel like shmuck when my dm asks me for numbers and im like uhh uhh
Guiding bolt is an example
reading now
D20 + proficiency bonus+ spellcasting modifier
For all the game cares, you can change your name at anytime. It’s really all governed by the DM and their world
noted noted thank you
Any spell that says “Make a spell attack” uses the attack bonus. Any spell that says “creature makes a saving throw” rolls a saving throw against your DC
I take issue with them adding “modifier” to the character sheet because it’s not really directly used in game. It’s the number you add your proficiency to to get spell attack, but not directly used in any way I’m familiar with
There are some spells that add your mod to the result
Like Cure Wounds
So it is good to actually know what the number is
Ahhhhh shoot you’re right - bingo!
And features you can use a number of times equal to spellcasting mod.
what faiths are there and how would one describe physical appearance
Faiths depend on the setting, so it's not something to worry about until you find a DM. You can describe physical appearance however you like, but I tend to go for brief and the most distinctive features, whether that's clothing/accessories, facial features (mismatched eyes, a scar, etc.), or something else (like a tabaxi with a specific coat coloration).
Maybe sage background
Sage, noble, or scribe would be my choices.
Alrighty thank you
I want to make a good beserker but idk what race is the best choice
Goliath is generally the best (imo) for almost any martial class in 2024 rules
You need to get in/get out, cloud step and teleport
You need to reduce the damage, stone giant resist it
You need adv on a single target, make them prone w/ hill giants tumble
Ofc you can only choose one but theyre still insanely good comparatively
Any species can be any class, so I recommend going with what sounds cool/fun.
I mean thats true but they were asking what would be best
Probably a better question for #optimization tho
Orc isnt a bad choice either
I was thinking of using an Orc but I wanted an opinion, thx
Yeah orc is always solid for their extra movement/thp which works great with anything with resistances and their ability to drop to 1 instead of 0
How do I share my source books on beyond?
Do you or someone in your campaign have a master tier D&DBeyond subscription?
No but I own the book
You or someone else in your campaign will need one then in order for the DM to turn on content sharing
I'll just grab someone i know has one and just keep them in the campaign
Greedy greedy
Actually where does the DM turn that on? I got that sub
And I picked up several books and whatever goes on free
It'll show up as a blue button on the top left corner of the campaign screen.
thank you kind stranger
Good day. Hey everyone 🙂 I’m newer to D&D and looking to join a beginner-friendly campaign. I’m available Fridays after 6pm EST and can commit consistently.
I’m still learning the mechanics, but I love story, character development, and collaborative roleplay. I’m easygoing, communicative, and respectful of table dynamics. Happy to fill whatever role the party needs.
If anyone has a Friday group forming or a spot open, I’d love to chat!
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Hey so I’ve played a decent amount of DnD campaigns and I’m planning on starting a campaign where I’m the dm for the first time and I want to make my own story but it’s kind of a lot to know where to start I did a bit of research and I’m not gonna do anything big until I discuss it with my players but do you guys have any tips for stuff like this
I already know what type of campaign I’m running and what big bad I want for the end so I’ve got a basis for that but the rest I left blank until I figure out what my players characters are going to be
Any tips for starting on stories for campaigns would be greatly appreciated
Check out #dm-discussion to check in with other DMs
I do suggest running a pre-written adventure at first as that way you can focus on the game mechanics and just running and managing the game
Use your player’s character backstories to help shape the story. Have each story be loosely or relatively related to an aspect of the main story.
Also, take it one step at a time, you’ll never be able to create the entire story at the beginning. You don’t script the story, the party lives it.
Prepare scenarios or contexts, and see how the players work it out. If need be, give them a lil nudge.
New folks check out the links in the bot just above NativeCanadianWM's message
Yeah I plan on just making the general area and first mission or 2 in the beginning then planning the rest out depending on the actions that happen with my players
Also a side note: save your prep. A story that didn’t happen in one session can be the basis of another for a later session.
What I’m stumped on is just how I’m gonna start this whole thing out like what type of place are the players gonna meet up at but I’m guessing I can figure that out after the setion 0
sounds like yer on a good track. For further deets and deeper discussion, #dm-discussion or #dm-world-building are FAR better places to get answers
That would depend on the story. I’ve seen prison breaks, taverns, meeting for a commission, travelling into a town, in the fires of battle.
But yeah I’d recommend going to the specialised channels.
Surprising how many specific channels there are in this server
Check out #channel-guide to see all our many channels for specific D&D topic
Like I said crazy specific 😭
We have a large audience being the official D&D Discord so it's helpful to have specific channels for topics
Also insane how there’s always a person with the perfect answer to any question at any time I text
But thanks for the help
We’ve got some very smart folks here.
I learned a lot of what I know about dnd from here.
So uh I'm kind of new to dnd I mean I've played once before but I was very young and really didn't understand (tbh the dm was even younger than I was so idk if it was even remotely accurate) I'd like to get back into it and find a group but I don't know how to go about doing so or where to start I'm still a minor myself and I'd like to remain online because in person activities are just not something I'm able to do
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Tysm!
Could someone explain to me spellslots I've played before but it was a long time ago
Sorrcer specifically
hmmm i swore there was a bot for that lol
No tag spellslots found in category new.
No tag new found.
No tag spell found in category new.
The short answer is spell slots are how many spells you can cast at a given level. However many spells you have as a level 1 sorcerer, you have only 2 spell slots, so you can only cast twice: either the same spell twice or any two spells once from your pool of spells you have access to.
You can cast a lower level spell using a higher level slot, and sometimes this gives extra effects, but you can't use a lower slot for a higher spell.
?tags new
wizard, warlock, sorcerer, skills, sheet, roleplaying, rogue, ranger, proficiency, pbp, paladin, online, monk, levelup, hp, fighter, druid, dm, dice, demo, dc, d20, complexity, cleric, class, bg3, bard, barbarian, ac, abilities
Spell slots should also not be confused with your number of prepared spells
Spell Slots are like tokens to cast a spell at that spell level.
So you look through your list of prepared spells, decide what you wanna cast (let's say burning hands)
You then need to pay a spell slot, of that spell's level or higher, and bam, spell is cast.
Spending a higher level slot can often do better effects, usually more damage, as any spell with benefits for doing so will say.
You can always cast using a higher level slot, but a spell only gets extra benefits for doing so if anything cares about it being a higher level, which again is most damaging or healing spells adding extra dice.
Does a spell always cost the spell slot lvl equal to the spell cuz I have fire ball but no 3rd level slots at lvl 5
you can 'upcast' your fireball using a 5th level slot
some spells are even stronger if you cast them like that
im new to d&d how to i start
a 5th level fireball will actually do 2d6 additional fire damage vs if you cast it at the normal level 3
Read the information in #learn-to-play and 'Playing the Game'; Then follow allong with 'Creating A Character' using either the dnd beyond character builder or roll20 to make a practice character before heading over to #character-discussion to have it looked over.
Feel free to ask any questions you still have in #dnd-newcomers; There's a short interactive module you can play to get a feel for the game, or you could seek out gameplay videos online. Once you're ready to play, head over to #find-a-game, one of the many LFG discord servers, r/lfg on reddit, or your friendly local game store. If you'd like a printable character sheet, those can be found here.
I was asking if I take fireball am I able to use it at lvl 3 because it says I don't have lvl 3 spell slots
no, you get third level spell slots and access to third level spells at level 5 on a full caster class
Ok I see thx
First step is finding a group. You got friends that want to join?
no just me
I need a group.
It's all good. You looking for in person or online. There is a find game channel if you are looking online.
Online or in person?
Honestly at this point I’ll take either.
I’ve been DM for a group of friends for a long while. But it’s clear to me none of them are willing to step up and let me be a player.
Well let's burn the candle from both ends. Lots of resources to find online games. Even got a channel here to find games
There are a lot of channels here. My goodness.
Really are. If you scroll you'll find the "find game" click on the looking for players
Is that to let me play as a player?
To play as a player:
type /looking-for-dm and fill out the form
Look in #looking-for-players to see if there are any games available
Or, look around at local game stores and libraries, or ask others who play dnd to DM for you irl
Thanks. 😊
Is armor an item
yes
I knew it
It does sound like the sort of narrow question that doesn't actually ask for the answer most pertinent to answer the purpose behind it, but maybe I'm just projecting 
What happene if a Bard Rolls a nat 20 in a roll to seduce the demogorgon?
How do you want to do this?
If i'm the last One standing and i don't have any other chance at least i got an Happy ending
But likely the demogorgon Will oneshot the bard
No I am asking How do you want to do this as in how do you want to roleplay out the part where you seduce the demogorgon🤣
Hi my lord i can offer you a beautiful night in bed, i can take backshots if you want 🤣🤣
You make the demogorgon swoon, he blushes as he bridal carry you into the upside down. he carefully lays you down and both is lost in the moment (the rest up to ur imagination)
yooo what a heck is this
You asked What happene if a Bard Rolls a nat 20 in a roll to seduce the demogorgon? I gave you one answer
The bard survived indeed 
Nat 20 doesnt inherently mean a check succeeds as checks are based off of the total rolled, crit successes only occur for attack rolls.
Although honestly dm decision frfr
Hello new player here, question on race. So typically I go for tiefling, but not sure if you can do like half-elf or other basic races. What I am going for is a pink giraffe type tiefling (half-elf)? But would that still work?
I am not sure what
pink giraffe type tiefling (half-elf)
is meant to mean. but regardless, do you mean you want to play a tiefling of half-elf origin instead of human origin?
^ yes, teifling of half-elf origin
because I would say that you can just pick tiefling and describe their appearance has having notable elvish features
Got it, I think the distinguishing features I am also trying to go for are giraffe-like also. Thinking about the patterns and how that manifests
like … teifling of satyr-type origin with giraffe features instead than goat?
basically, the appearance of your character is mostly up to you, within reason
what those limits in appearance are is something to negotiate with your DM
but like, generally, tieflings for most of their time in the lore could look extremely varied, and dnd recently returned to that a bit
Exactly why I want to get a second opinion on the character before going to my DM, hopeful it’s within reason of the overall DND lore
Oh, I should take this to the character discussion thread! Thank you @ornate kiln
Hieee, I'm new to d&d, like very new, I've never played before, however, after bunch of youtube videos, I've managed to make a character and fill my character sheet, though I'm still lost :3
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Have you looked thru the rest of the basic rules my friend? If so what confused u the most
I haven't really looked through the rules but I know about the role play and how the dice works and such, a little bit about combat, but since I've never really played, I don't have any experience. I've only watched a few youtube videos
Sounds like ya got the basic ideas then
Yeah, I guess so
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Okie, I'll try that, thank you, friend! 😄
I recently convinced my friends to play with me, took a lot of convincing but yeah, I did it, we're all first timers so I was making a campaign for them
I usually write novels so i wouldn't know if I was doing something wrong 😭
I made the map, got the basic story down, I got the opening hook too but I don't know if I'm rushing it or not, I'm a little confused about how I should pace it
have you looked at prewritten adventures? they could give you some decent guidance on how to structure things.
I tried to find some but I couldn't get any
Oh and also, I have no idea how spells work in combat, how spell slots work and what to do if you level up 😭
there are a ton on the internet, let me get a list really quick
Okiee thank youuu
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/wa/frozen-sick
https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/241073/the-delian-tomb
https://www.dndbeyond.com/claim/source/uni-and-the-hunt-for-the-lost-horn
https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/215629/The-Secrets-of-Skyhorn-Lighthouse
https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/170937/the-wild-sheep-chase-a-single-session-adventure
some examples for short free adventures
Okay so what I got was the spell slots depend on the class you have and you can only use 1 per turn, right?
you can only cast one spell that uses a spell slot per turn, correct
Okie so I learned that a combat in d&d is usually 6 seconds right? So when you prepare a spell, doesn't that take time?
one round is 6 seconds. everyone gets one turn per round
preparing spells is usually done after a rest. casting a spell does take some amount of time, specified for each spell
some spells take an action to cast, others a bonus action, some take a reaction, some a minute or longer
And we get one action per turn right? If I remember correctly it was one action, movement and reaction
the total length of a dnd combat can vary, but normally its like 3-5 rounds
yes, anything in addition needs specific features that tell you if you get something more
but those are the basics that everyone gets
many features in the game will grant you a use for your bonus action though, so you see that quite often
Okay okay, I see
Let's say i perform a spell that took 1 action, saying I moved across somewhere and came back. So that would end my turn, right?
After the hit roll and damage roll
if you resolved everything you can/want to do on your turn, its over yes
hey can someone educate me on how shields work? Do I have to constantly don it in order to gain its bonus AC? so I would have to "brace" for an attack each time by adding the +2 AC and using an action?
Okieee noted 😄
can I just have the +2 AC always? by holding it?
you need to don a shield to benefit and be proficient in them, yes but then its a passive bonus
so would it be donned always?
when I say don always, does that mean I cant have it donned pre combat?
or is it like I have to do it once at the start of every combat
it takes an action to don/doff a shield but thats something you usually only need to do outside of combat
ah I see
you can walk around with a donned shield, yeah
sorry I just want to be clear, would there be any other case of it automatically doffing the shield?
I think I am misinterpreting this and overcomplicating it ahaha
I just dont see the point of having a don / doff option when you would basically always want it on correct? unless swapping to a different weapon or something
I dont think there is anything that automatically doffs a shield. presumably, you dont sleep with one donned but thats more a RP thing
well you might need your shield hand for some things, like climbing
ah right
tyty I get it now
I think I mightve just overcomplicated it myself
I thought "donning" the shield was like bracing for an attack so increasing AC but foregoing your action to attack basically
oh how about using potions and items?
because the shield takes the offhand slot - would that mean I cannot use potions?
they use bonus actions right?
there is technically no off-hand in dnd, but if you hold a weapon and a shield, you dont have any hands free to use a potions obviously
so you would have to stow the weapon or the doff the shield first (which takes longer)
hello im very much new to dnd wanting to give it a try.
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hello i would like to ask a question
Its my second character ever and I'm making a warlock this time (after a ranger who lasted maybe 5-6 sessions before dying)
I was wondering if a tiefling or elf would be cooler to make in yall's opinion? (The ranger was a tiefling already but if an elf wouldnt be cool at all then i suppose a tiefling sounds better for the fire spell or whatever its called i forgot right now)
Both options can be cool. It's not in how you make them than what you pick
The species you choose might have some impact on your patron. So if you have an idea if what that patron may eventually be you can fold that into the background and species of your character. You don’t officially choose a patron until level 3 but maybe they have been influencing you from the start.
I ended up choosing an elf
like, a Noble high elf warlock
thoughts?
Hey yalls new to dnd and I’d love to try it out
folks in #character-discussion would love to bounce thoughts and ideas with ya
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check out the basic info in the bot Veil of Mourning
Thankies!
Certainly lots of flavor in why someone who has everything would want more.
Power.
but thats too basic, maybe i make my character secretly some kind of like evil? as in they want to take power politically and also be strong force wise?
Rule 1: Character must want to go on the adventure.
Rule 2: Character can work in a party.
You've got scope, sure. And wanting to take political power doesn't have to translate as evil at all.
Hi! I actually have a question about a DND character I've had for awhile. She's an undead necromancer. I was wondering if that's too complicated for a newcomer or anything? 
nah but she wants it for evil
the campaign im in rn is us trying to destroy the current government because they're corrupt
she could want to take the power so she can be the corrupt one
That’s highly complicated even for intermediate players in my opinion
yeah i have no idea of how to do that as a person
Sorry I was answering Lati lol
Not complicated as such, but you will have to have your wits about you, a good grasp of your features and what they do, as well as maintaining tactical control over your various minions. Wouldn't recommend it for a beginner.
so basically im playing rimworld
I guess I'll just make her want to end with the government
cuz they corrupt yeah
My answer also was not directed at you.
Necromancer and summoners in general are pretty complex. As you basically have to manage 2 different character sheets at once
That's totally fair! Thanks 
fdpasigdasopgdjgpdakgadgs LMAO but it still sounds funny my badddddddd.
That would be something worth going over with your fellow players before your characters all draw knives on one another.
OH this is actually didn't know
I will keep this in mind then
nah i think i changed my mind i as a person feel soooo bad making evil characters 😭
Dang I just had to make my first dnd character a Lich huh LMAO 
It'll be easier when you get a hang of the game more 😌 it can be a bit overwhelming for a new player, speaking from experience 😅
If you want to play the necromancer then by all means go ahead, but it can be a bit tricky 😅
I can definitely see how it'd be hard to manage even for more experienced players
when I bring her into a campaign eventually I'll have to be careful
Also idk if this is a silly question, are we allowed to make our own regions/kingdoms and stuff in DND campaigns? 
There you go 🙂↕️ good luck and have fun in your campaign!
Yes you can actually, that's homebrew 😌 which basically means "hey I made this myself, instead of purchasing a premade adventure book from dnd"
But if being a necromancer/summoner is a 6 on the dnd difficulty chart, making homebrew worlds is about an 9 😅
Unless you have prior experience with creating worlds and stuff
UH OH
I made things extra hard for myself huh
If you mean can you make your own locations/factions as a player in someone's campaign, then thats DM dependent
Some may allow it some may not
That makes sense! I'll definitely have to see then 
Hello guys, I'd like to ask a question. Where I can find people to play dnd together? Maybe there is some website I should know (like roll20)?
Check the listings in #looking-for-players for games that want people, read the details, respond as appropriate and cross your fingers.
Type /looking and select the option for #looking-for-dm to advertise yourself as a new player in search of a group. Be sure to include your regular availability!
There are other Discord servers where people gather for games. You can find them in #looking-for-community .
Aside from here, you could also try LFG areas in sites like Reddit, Roll20 or the D&D Beyond forums to get started.
Thanks for info, I appreciate it
hio
Guys, I suppose it's better to say for newcomers, I encountered some fishy people from this server, firstly they just sending a friend invite, after this they just typing like from script. At least in my case they tried to invite me to their company, they say it's completely free and you just need to spend money on their artists to make you a character drawing, and in general, some very good conditions for the game to be true. And at the end they ask you to write to their GM and say that you came from them. You can do whatever you want with this information, but I don't want for newcomers to fall for such scam
Check the pinned message in #moderator-support for our recommendations on how to handle unsolicited direct messages and friend requests. And yeah "need to pay for art" is a common art scam. Feel free to report them to Discord and block those users. You can also come to #moderator-support and ask for a private thread to report suspicious accounts.
The guide linked in Discord bio has an extensive roundup of avenues!
I feel like I’m just confusing myself then more I read and try to navigate around the channels
Helloo
How are you ?
Is there any guidance you would like? I can help
Trying to find more rules about the characters and such unless I need to find a group first ?
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Have you seen this yet?
I’m a returning player just new to this community
Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:
- Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
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- Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
In that case this should help for finding groups
Hi im new
What can we do to help you get started?
I don't really want to be a dungeon master I want to join a game
You know the rules and how to put a character together?
Check the listings in #looking-for-players for games that want people, read the details, respond as appropriate and cross your fingers.
Type /looking and select the option for #looking-for-dm to advertise yourself as a new player in search of a group. Be sure to include your regular availability!
There are other Discord servers where people gather for games. You can find them in #looking-for-community .
Aside from here, you could also try LFG areas in sites like Reddit, Roll20 or the D&D Beyond forums to get started.