D&D - is it hard to learn? Tips for TTRPG beginners!

Learning how to play Dungeons & Dragons may appear daunting to new players, especially if you're also new to tabletop role-playing games as a whole. There are lots of choices to be made about your character, and character sheets are full of numbers and terminology that is unfamiliar. But, once you’ve gotten the basics down and start playing, the other rules and concepts become much easier to understand!

We wholeheartedly believe anyone can play D&D (and everyone should!), and that’s why we have worked to minimise the complicated aspects for beginner players when we are running sessions. However, we can offer these 5 simple tips for beginner players who are just starting out!

1. make a character you love!

© Warner Bros, New Line Cinema

This might seem silly, but often people can try to create a character they imagine as a ‘hero’ - perhaps they are a fighter of some sort, who obeys the rules and only does what is right. Or maybe they are dark and tortured, fighting against a system that keeps people down. Now, both of those sound like great movie characters, but for a character you are controlling, it might be more intense than you want for a first character! You want to make someone you will enjoy playing - of course if playing someone dark and tortured is what you enjoy, then absolutely do that. Let’s say you love Lord of the Rings and think Pippin is the best character - you can make a Pippin type! Someone fun and carefree who finds themself part of a big adventure. Or, maybe you love Jurassic Park and want to make an Ian Malcolm type - charismatic and intelligent, great for roleplaying. Using characters from media you love can help so much for inspiration when building your first character. So whether you make someone up entirely or use another character for inspiration, just make sure you’d enjoy stepping into their shoes for a few hours!

Bonus tip, make sure your character wants to go off adventuring - broody lone wolf types can be appealing, but it can be hard for the team if your character never wants to join in, so create someone who will want to be a part of your adventuring party!

2. don’t let the numbers intimidate you!

When you first look at a character sheet, there are a lot of numbers (luckily, you can get different format options for character sheets so definitely worth looking into if the standard one doesn’t work for you). Although it can seem like a lot initially, I can promise you from experience that they’ll become second nature really quickly. A good DM will be able to explain the basics of each number, and should be able to help you choose what numbers to add to your dice rolls and why. The various modifiers and bonuses might seem complex, but don’t let them win! The hardest part will be the realisation that simple addition in the heat of battle is surprisingly difficult - please don’t ask me to add 7 to my roll of 17.

3. play with a group you trust.

When first playing, you are bound to ask questions and need help - and that’s totally okay! Personally at our tables it’s welcomed and encouraged. If you’re playing with friends, then hopefully you already know they will be supportive and understanding. More experienced TTRPG players will love helping new people get into the game, and if there are other new players at your table, then you have the shared experience of being in the same boat, learning as you go! If you don’t have any friends who can play, there are online groups people can join, or often local community groups can be great to find people near to you who might need a player! Follow your instincts and if you don’t mesh with a group, that’s totally okay. People have different playstyles and energies, it’s all about finding the group that’s right for you. Alternatively of course you could suggest an amazing new teambuilding exercise to your boss or colleagues and then all learn together with some professionals helping to guide you as you go… that was a subtle plug, right?

4. embrace failure!

We spend a lot of time talking about failing forwards, and learning how to embrace failure. Of course, it can really suck when you’re fighting some powerful monster and it finally gets to your turn and you roll a 1 on the die, we’ve all been there. But, as someone who has been playing TTRPG’s for years, some of the BEST storylines and plot points have come from characters totally failing at something. For example, maybe you accidentally kill off another player character - no worries, we’re now going on an epic side quest to save them from the afterlife! (Yes, that really happened.) It can create epic moments that you never could have predicted, and will help your character grow and feel more well rounded. Maybe you rolled a 1 in combat because your best friend was just hurt and you were momentarily distracted, maybe you rolled a 1 because you lost a fight to a monster like this in your backstory and you’re momentarily frozen in shock. A bad roll is just an opportunity to create a moment. We like to say that the dice are choosing what story to tell, and a bad roll is just part of the story that the dice are telling, and we don’t quite know what that is yet.

5. have fun!

It might seem so obvious, but remember that all TTRPG’s are games at the end of the day, and you should be having fun! Of course some sessions might be more dramatic or serious, but you should always be enjoying the experience. If a game starts to feel like work or a burden, then it’s probably time to call it quits. TTRPG’s can offer the most intense and interesting experiences that are so rewarding to be a part of, so make sure to enjoy every second. Personally I make sure when I’m playing I’ve got my favourite snacks to hand, a gorgeous set of dice, and some great music to fit the session perfectly.

And those are our top 5 tips for beginner players! Do you have any tips you offer newer players, or maybe any newer players have questions for us? Leave a comment below - we’d love to see what you all think!