Basics of 5E D&D Rules
- Terminology
- 5E means fifth edition.
- D&D means Dungeons and Dragons.
- DM means Dungeon Master (the storyteller).
- PC means player character.
- NPC means non-player character.
- AC means armor class (how well you are protected from attacks).
- “Cocked” means when a die isn’t laying flat on one side and therefore must be rolled again.
- Basic Game Play
- DM describes the scene.
- The players describe their characters’ actions.
- The DM tells the players the result.
- Repeat the process.
- The Three Pillars of Adventuring
- Exploration.
- Social Interaction.
- Combat.
- Characters
- Races.
- Classes (a character’s job).
- Fighter, rogue, cleric, wizard, etc.
- Experience Points
- One method used for characters to reach higher levels in their class.
- Character levels are 1st level to 20th level.
- Roll the d20 and Add a Number (called a modifier)
- …to attack rolls.
- …to saving throws.
- …to skill checks.
- Ability Scores (generate the modifiers)
- Strength.
- Dexterity.
- Constitution.
- Intelligence.
- Wisdom.
- Charisma.
- Combat
- Takes place over several rounds.
- Each round is 6 seconds in game time.
- Movement.
- Action.
- Attack, cast a spell, use a class or racial feature.
- Bonus action.
- …only if you have a feature that requires a bonus action to use.
- Attack rolls.
- Try to hit a creature’s armor class (AC).
- Hit Points.
- The amount of damage a creature can take before going unconscious.
- Generated from hit dice.
- A number of hit dice equal to a character’s level (1-20).
- Damage.
- Reduces a character’s hit points.
- Temporary hit points are an additional buffer.
- Death saving throws.
- At the start of a dying character’s turn.
- Magic
- Cantrips.
- Spells that can be used each round of combat. They do not consume spell slots.
- Spell slots.
- A consumable resource used to cast spells of 1st level or higher.
- Concentration.
- Required by some spells with a longer duration.
- Damage can disrupt concentration on a spell.
- Resting
- Short rest.
- At the end of which you spend hit dice to heal.
- Long rest.
- Recover all hit points and half of a character’s total number of hit dice.