Let's talk Dungeons & Dragons (or DND for short).
Shrouded in fantasy and adventure, DND is a tabletop roleplaying game where you play as a character of your own design. The Dungeon Master (DM) will lead you on a quest, and in this quest you will build friendships, face foes, and make your way to some sort of end goal.
Think of it like writing a story. Except the story is being acted out by you and the folks you choose to play with. No fancy equipment is required. All you'll need is a character, a character sheet, and a set of dice. But you can do this digitally (for free!) on D&D Beyond located here.
The beautiful thing about DND is no game is exactly the same. I have played in an assortment of settings... from massive flying ships sailing to different worlds to a magical circus filled with curiosities and secrets. The possibilities are limitless, which is why it has been my favorite hobby for the past six years.
But where do you begin?
For folks wanting to venture into DND, my suggestion is to first build a character. This character will serve as your vessel during the adventure. You will puppet them through scenarios... discovering their likes, their dislikes, and their deepest desires.
The purpose of this post is to give you the basic outline of what you'll need to create a DND character. Though, ultimately, the story that you build for this character will be unique to you.
Let's get started!
First, pick what race you would like to play.
The race of your character will come with its own benefits depending on what you choose. Some races will be strong while others are cunning. And sometimes, they're both!
Once you find the one that resonates with you, visit this page for a larger breakdown of their origins and racial traits.
Next, pick what class you would like to play.
The class that you choose will ultimately affect your character's strengths, weaknesses, and skill capabilities. In DND, each character is given a set of abilities including: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
Again, this is a very brief outline. For a more detailed description of classes in DND, visit this page. And since we're discussing characters, this site gives a beautiful description of the different things listed on character sheets.
I know it seems a little overwhelming at first, but do not fret! There is an Official Player's Handbook (which you can now check out from the library) and it takes you through everything that you need to know as a beginner player.
And if you need even more inspiration, there are a ton of podcasts/YouTube channels that exist. A few of my favorite are...
So go forth, great traveler! The world is yours for the taking.
Happy Creating!