three eight-sided dice, add them together, and add 5

to the total.
The same d notation appears in the expressions “1d3”
and “1d2.” To simulate the roll o f 1d3, roll a d6 and
divide the number rolled by 2 (round up). To simulate
the roll o f 1d2, roll any die and assign a 1 or 2 to the roll
depending on whether it w as odd or even. (Alternatively,
if the number rolled is more than half the number of
sides on the die, it’s a 2.)
T h e D 2 0
Does an adventurer’s sword swing hurt a dragon or just
bounce off its iron-hard scales? Will the ogre believe an
outrageous bluff? Can a character swim across a raging
river? Can a character avoid the main blast o f a fireball,
or does he or she take full damage from the blaze? In
cases where the outcome o f an action is uncertain,
the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game relies on rolls o f a
20-sided die, a d20, to determine success or failure.
Every character and monster in the game has capabilities
defined by six ability scores. The abilities are
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom,
and Charisma, and they typically range from 3 to 18
for most adventurers. (Monsters might have scores as
low as 1 or as high as 30.) These ability scores, and the
ability modifiers derived from them, are the basis for
almost every d20 roll that a player m akes on a character’s
or monster’s behalf.
Ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws are the
three main kinds o f d20 rolls, forming the core o f the
rules o f the game. All three follow these simple steps.
1. Roll the die and add a modifier. Roll a d20 and
add the relevant modifier. This is typically the modifier
derived from one of the six ability scores, and it
sometimes includes a proficiency bonus to reflect a character’s
particular skill. (See chapter 1 for details on each
ability and how to determine an ability’s modifier.)
2. Apply circumstantial bonuses and penalties. A
class feature, a spell, a particular circumstance, or some
other effect might give a bonus or penalty to the check.
3. Compare the total to a target number. If the total
equals or exceeds the target number, the ability check,
attack roll, or saving throw is a success. Otherwise, it’s
a failure. The DM is usually the one w ho determines
target numbers and tells players whether their ability
checks, attack rolls, and saving throws succeed or fail.
The target number for an ability check or a saving
throw is called a Difficulty Class (DC). The target
number for an attack roll is called an Armor Class (AC).
This simple rule governs the resolution of most tasks
in D&D play. Chapter 7 provides more detailed rules for
using the d20 in the game.
A d v a n t a g e a n d D i s a d v a n t a g e
Sometimes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw
is modified by special situations called advantage and
disadvantage. Advantage reflects the positive circumstances
surrounding a d20 roll, while disadvantage
reflects the opposite. When you have either advantage or
disadvantage, you roll a second d20 w hen you make the
roll. Use the higher o f the two rolls if you have advantage,
and use the lower roll if you have disadvantage.
For example, if you have disadvantage and roll a 17 and
a 5, you use the 5. If you instead have advantage and roll
those numbers, you use the 17.
More detailed rules for advantage and disadvantage
are presented in chapter 7.
S p e c i f i c B e a t s G e n e r a l
This book contains rules, especially in parts 2 and 3,
that govern h ow the game plays. That said, many racial
traits, class features, spells, magic items, monster abilities,
and other game elements break the general rules in
some way, creating an exception to how the rest o f the
game w orks. Remember this: If a specific rule contradicts
a general rule, the specific rule wins.
Exceptions to the rules are often minor. For instance,
many adventurers don’t have proficiency with longbows,
but every w o od elf does because o f a racial trait. That
trait creates a minor exception in the game. Other
examples o f rule-breaking are more conspicuous. For
instance, an adventurer can’t normally pass through
walls, but some spells make that possible. Magic
accounts for most o f the major exceptions to the rules.
R o u n d D o w n
There’s one more general rule you need to know at the
outset. Whenever you divide a number in the game,
round down if you end up with a fraction, even if the
fraction is one-half or greater.
A dventures
The D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game consists o f a group
o f characters embarking on an adventure that the Dungeon
Master presents to them. Each character brings
particular capabilities to the adventure in the form of
ability scores and skills, class features, racial traits,
equipment, and magic items. Every character is different,
with various strengths and w eaknesses, so the
best party o f adventurers is one in which the characters
complement each other and cover the weaknesses of