Basic jobs to Dungeons and Dragons?

Answer 1

the rules of dungeons are complicated and a bit hard to explain so if you want to find them out you should go to your local hobby or book store and buy a players handbook or possibly a dungeon masters guide.

If you just want to know what it is about generally there are some common themes that you need to know about.

Maps - these are controlled by a special person. He or she has the full map in front of them and can see where everything is. The players only have as much information as can be worked out from where they are on their own map. As they move forward they build up a more complete map with every turn by drawing on the new bits and making notes about what is there (like an entrance to a tunnel they are not going down just yet).

Characters - these are chosen by the players and have aptitudes or talents for certain things (like moving quietly, being strong, picking locks and so on). As the game progresses and more and more tasks are undertaken the characters gain more experience and grow in their abilities. Some things will also occur that will damage characters and they may die. This is the excitement of the game.

Chance - the dungeon master or person who controls the game will have set traps and will have decided on the likelihood or chance of the trap going off. So say for instance there is a sleeping dragon there may be a one in 6 chance of waking the dragon - in which case you would have to decide what you are going to do with an awake, angry dragon. Let's say the dungeon master decides that the number 1 is the number that wakes the dragon the six sided die (singular of dice) would be thrown and if it landed on the one then the dragon wakes up. The dice are used throughout the game to decide many of the outcomes such as who will win a fight - even blow by blow damage.

Monsters and villains - the dungeon master will have some bad guys and some monsters scattered about the map. You may be trying to find one super baddie whom you will have to fight or outwit in the course of the game. There are generally points to be earned in tackling these creatures in the appropriate way - not always killing them.

Treasure - There are things to be collected throughout the game. Some things are worth more than others and some things are more valuable to certain characters than others. For instance a lock pick would be very useful to someone who has the skill to pick a lock but not to someone whose skill is hitting things with big weapons.

There is generally gold or jewels that can be collected and these can often be used to buy useful things in towns with shops or from people who come up to you in taverns.

This isn't meant to be very comprehensive but to give a broad overview of what to expect in a game. Try D&D wiki, I learned a ton from there.

Answer 2

Polyhedral dice (at least one of each: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 20 sides), rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual), paper, pencils, imagination, time and friends.

If you are only going to play (not being the Dungeon Master) you only need the Player's Handbook. Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual are meant for the Dungeon Master but it won't destroy your fun if you read it as a player.

The only thing we would add is that it may not be necessary for you to own any books. Ask your DM about that. He/She may have them and let you use them, before/during/after gaming or the other players might. You can also get a lot of info online from a smartphone or laptop, while at the table. A wealth of information is available online, away from the gaming table, via forums, facebook groups and pages, libraries and more. ~Gold Dragon Horde

Answer 3

Each class has different roles in the D&D community, no matter what campaign setting you are in:

• Cleric - Priest, Priestess.
• Fighter - Gladiator, Warrior, Knight, Captain, King, Lord.
• Paladin - Gladiator, Knight, King, Lord.
• Ranger - Explorer, Herbalist, Alchemist, Hunter.
• Rogue - Thief, Guild (Thieves') Member, Assassin, Magician, Card shark.
• Warlock - Demonologist, Arcanist, Scholar.
• Warlord - Knight, Captain, Lord, Gladiator, Combat trainer.
• Wizard - Arcanist, Scholar, Magician, Advisor.

Or, if you run off the Player's Handbook 2:

• Avenger - Priest, Extremist, Orthodox Priest.
• Barbarian - Gladiator, Warrior, Nomad.
• Bard - Bard, Nomad, Jester.
• Druid - Nomad.
• Invoker - Priest, Extremist, Orthodox Priest.
• Shaman - Priest (in areas that worship Primal powers), Nomad.
• Sorcerer - Arcanist, Scholar, Magician, Advisor.
• Warden - Ranger, Explorer.

Answer 4

If you don't have any friends that already play and don't have any materials, don't worry! You're starting out like countless others who have come to love the game. You should start by buying one of the starter boxes. The D&D fifth edition box sells for $20, though sometimes you can find it for a few bucks less. You can pick one of these up at a local game shop, book store, or online. The box will provide you with everything you ned to start out, and I mean everything. You can host probably 2-4 sessions without ever having to expand beyond what you've already been provided. Read through the rulebook and the quest scenarios to get a good idea of how the game plays, and make a character so you know what that process is like.

Next, you need to find some players. Round up some friends of yours who express interest in the game, though remember that friends with a more disruptive nature may impede game progress. Hand-picking your players instead of inviting a whole batch of friends can often lead to a better game group and a more engaging adventure.

Most importantly, you need to pick a DM. The Dungeon Master is the person who runs the show, shapes (not simply tells) the story, and is the rules mediator. It can be a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun. If this is something you are not interested in, you can ask another player to be the DM instead. If one of your players has played before and is already familiar with the rules and gameplay, they might make a good DM.

If you're the DM, and after a session or two decide that this is a lot of fun and want to continue playing, I'd recommend getting the Dungeon Master's Guide. With its huge amounts of wisdom and advice for DMs, this book will help improve your DM-ing skills and directly contribute to an even more enjoyable game for everyone. You may also want to look into one of the Monster Manuals and the Player's Handbook, which is still quite useful for DMs.

Answer 5

Reference manuals (if you need the rules), monster manuals (for the monster stats), players and dice.

Much of this is covered in the current Dungeon Masters Guide.