Everything You Need (and don't need) to Start Playing D&D
Embarking on the journey into the captivating realm of Dungeons & Dragons and the world of tabletop role-playing games is akin to opening a magical door to endless adventures.
If you're new to this captivating universe, you're likely diving into the corners of Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or whatever social the kids are on nowadays. Everywhere you look, a plethora of accounts showcase intricately designed gaming setups that could easily belong in the pages of a fantasy novel. Picture-perfect wooden tables nestled within castle-like rooms, meticulously painted miniatures that breathe life into every character, exquisite dice sets that seem to have been forged by dwarven blacksmiths, and intricately detailed maps reminiscent of those found within the epic volumes of The Lord of the Rings.
In your quest to immerse yourself in this hobby, it's almost inevitable to succumb to a twinge of FOMO as you witness these awe-inspiring creations. It's tempting to believe that running a truly immersive D&D campaign requires amassing all these fripperies and fineries, fearing that your players might scoff if your setup falls short. It would be easy to go out and spend hundreds to thousands of dollars just starting off on this journey. But dear New DMs, let me be the first to reassure you: most of us don't wield such opulent arsenals, and you absolutely don't need to either (and likely never will).
So, gather around as I share a curated list of absolute necessities for running a remarkable 5e campaign. And, subsequently, a compendium of non-essentials that can undoubtedly elevate your game's excitement, though they remain entirely optional.
Up first, the essentials:
Rulebooks: The core rulebooks are your lifeblood. The Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual are your faithful companions, providing rules, lore, and creatures to populate your world. In order to run a full campaign, you must have these.
However, that comes with a quick caveat, you only need the books if you’re running a full-scale campaign. If you’re just interested in testing the waters, well, then all you need is the free PDF of the basic rules. If you want to go even more in-depth, Wizards of the Coast also has their SRD, System References Document for free. Combining the Basic Rules and SRD will get you pretty far for free. And while it’s nice that the SRD is available through Wizards, I think this site makes it all a bit more digestible.
Character Sheets: Along with the Rulebooks (or BR and SRD), you’ll also need Character Sheets. Each player will need a character sheet to track their attributes, abilities, and progression. And as a DM, you’ll want some for your main NPCs. Good news, those can also be found for free from Wizards too. Just print it out, or, if you don’t have a printer because it’s 2023. Head over to DNDBeyond.com sign up for a free account and literally all of this is there for you, a free subscription even gives you the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure to run for your group.
Adventure Module or Setting: Speaking of an adventure to run, that falls under a gotsta have item. Starting with Lost Mines of Phandelver or a different pre-made adventure module or setting can significantly ease your workload as a New DM. If you’re interested in pre-mades, there are tons of free ones available, I’ve found that the best place to get them is over at the Dungeon Masters Guild, which you should be using as a go-to place for info and more. However, as I’ve said before, I prefer building out your own world, and the good thing about that is you’re only bound by the limits of your own imagination. Make the world you want to play in and put your friends in it.
Dice: If you’re going to play digitally, DNDBeyond even has free digital dice for you. If you like rolling real dice, that will cost you, but, fear not, a set of dice can be super cheap. I suggest these $4 sets from Chessex. Or head to your friendly local game store and grab a set of polyhedral dice for less than $10 pretty much anywhere. All you need is a standard set, which is a d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20.
That is all you absolutely need to run your first Dungeons and Dragons campaign, at least physical essentials. Outside of that, there are a few things that you need, and all of them are free as well. These may seem a bit cheesy in ways, but, in my opinion, all of these are necessities to run a good D&D campaign.
Imagination and Creativity: If you’re playing D&D, you likely have these in droves, and they are your true magic items. Your ability to craft engaging stories, embody diverse characters, and adapt to your players' choices is what truly defines the D&D experience.
Team Spirit: At its heart, D&D thrives on collaboration and weaving shared narratives. That said, a cooperative and enthusiastic group of players is essential. As the Dungeon Master, it's your role to forge a partnership with the players, constructing a world and a story where everyone's having a blast. The shared commitment to the tale, the game, and the camaraderie – that's the foundation of a legendary campaign.
A Willingness to Learn: Dungeons & Dragons is a dynamic game with intricate rules. Being open to learning, adapting, and occasionally making rulings on the fly is part of the joy of being a DM. Plus, the time you invest upfront to learning and retaining the core rules, the spells, the magic items, the monsters, pays off handsomely as you journey deeper into the game, enriching the experience for all.
That is truly all you need to play Dungeons and Dragons. Anything more than that is just fluff. And the truth is, yes, the fluff can be fun and can add to the game, but it is far from necessary. Still, the realm of D&D is vast and filled with delightful enhancements that can elevate your experience. And so, I’ll add in here the little treasures waiting to be uncovered along your journey that will add to your game over time.
The things you don’t need, but may want eventually:
Perfect Knowledge of the Rules: This one you want to work on having more quickly than anything else here, but don’t let your lack of expertise with the rules stop you from beginning your campaign. D&D can flow smoothly with basic understanding, and you can always check the rulebooks as you go along. Plus, the more you play, the better your understanding and memory of the rules will get. The important thing is to play and to have fun, don’t let rules get in the way of that, it is just a game after all.
Accents and Acting Skills: If you read my post with DM tips, and the subsequent one with actual play podcast recs, you may have started off on your journey by listening to some of the best actual play podcasts out there. And, I stand by my belief that it is a good place to start and a good resource for any DM. However, remember that most of those shows star either actors, improv folks, or people who have been playing this game for decades. And, they are literally making a show that is meant to be heard by thousands of people. You aren’t doing that, and you and no one at your table has to try and do that. Now, playing in character voices and using accents can be entertaining, and useful as a DM to help players realize which NPC they are speaking with, but it's not crucial. As long as you're engaged and having fun, your natural voice works just fine.
Limitless Artistic Talent: In the TTRPG spaces on social media, especially Instagram, you will find endless artists sharing their beautifully painted characters, intricate maps, unique magic items, terror-inducing monsters, and more. And those are some of the best accounts to follow to get ideas for all of those things and to praise those people for their talents. But, while it's great to have artistic players who can draw maps and characters, it's not a requirement. Simple sketches, or, if you’re like me, stick figures, with abstract descriptions can do the trick. If you’re interested in upping your art game in order to share visuals with your players, that’s awesome, you do you, but there is already so much on your plate as a DM, and adding a new skill may not be the best way to spend your time.
Elaborate Miniatures: While miniatures can enhance the visual aspect of combat, they're not essential. Theater of the mind style play can be just as immersive, allowing everyone to focus on the narrative without worrying about precise positioning. Another layer of this is to remember that while many people spend hours honing their miniature painting skills and bringing them to life, that’s not necessary. Using gray little plastic monsters works just as well (that’s what I do because I suck at painting, plus, I’m a busy bee) at showing where characters and monsters are on a battle map.
Intricate Maps: Although maps can be handy for tracking movement, they're not obligatory. Once again, theater of the mind is always an option. Descriptive storytelling can create vivid mental images, keeping the adventure flowing smoothly without the need for physical maps. But, if you’re wanting maps, it can be simple. You don’t need to be Mike Schley. There are countless map maker sites available. Donjon is a great free option, paired with Medieval Fantasy City Generator, it is a perfect way to build battle maps and cities simply and cheaply. I personally use Inkarnate for city, continent, and world maps and Dungeondraft for battle maps, but those both come with a bit of a cost. When I began though, I did the easiest way possible and simply used dry-erase markers to draw basic maps (and I’m terrible at all forms of art/drawing) on clear plexiglass sheets over a grid board.
Fancy Dice Sets: Maybe you’re all set to become a Dice Goblin. They seem to be the most common mythical creature in all of D&D. And, I get it, special dice are cool. I personally get a specific set for each character I play when I’m not DMing. But as I said above, a basic set with the standard 7-dice types works perfectly. You don't need to shell out $60+ on glittering or custom-made dice to roll for your character's fate, but eventually, you most likely will.
Thematic Background Music: While it can set the mood, playing without background music won't ruin the experience. The heart of D&D lies in your imagination, not the playlist. But, if you are looking to up your game’s soundscape, this is one that can be really, really cheap and honestly change the feeling of your games up a lot. My personal suggestion is to use all of this awesome, free music from Michael Ghelfi to add to your sessions’ ambiance.
Official Rulebooks for Everyone: Having just one set of rulebooks for the group is enough. You don't need a rulebook for each player. Sharing can encourage collaboration and discussion. However, as you get further into the game you’ll likely branch out from the official books to other indie publishers and have a whole library of books and PDFs full of monsters, encounters, NPCs, adventures, and more. And, as nice as physical rulebooks are, I find that being able to use a search function in PDFs and online sources to actually be much easier and more productive. But, who am I to say anything, I still always have the physical copies on hand. Some people are Dice Goblins, I’m a Book Gremlin? Lore Horder? Tome Troll?
Expensive Accessories: From ornate dragon figurines to magical-looking spell cards, these extras can be fun but aren't mandatory. D&D is about creativity, not how much you spend on props. However, there are few better feelings than pulling out that massive Kraken mini (is that an oxymoron?) and setting it next to your PCs on their ship sailing across The Trackless Sea. Or, your Wizard PC actually remembering all of their spells because they have handy dandy spell cards.