D&D has been published in multiple editions, each with different rules. Most people play 5e, but here's every edition we cover.
The most popular edition. Accessible rules, balanced classes, and a massive library of content.
View rulesThe revised 5th edition. Mostly compatible with 2014 books, with streamlined classes and new rules.
View rulesThe crunchy edition. Highly customizable feats, skills, and prestige classes. Deep complexity.
View rulesThe best way to learn. Includes simplified rules, pre-made characters, and a full adventure.
View rulesNew to D&D? The Starter Set is the cheapest way to try it. Ready to commit? Get the Player's Handbook. Just want to play without a Dungeon Master? Try the adventure modules.
D&D has three core rulebooks: the Player's Handbook (character creation and rules), the Dungeon Master's Guide (world-building and DM mechanics), and the Monster Manual (creatures and stats). You don't need all three to start.
The Starter Set costs around $20 and includes everything you need for a 5-session campaign with pre-made characters. It's the fastest on-ramp. Adventure modules like Curse of Strahd and Tomb of Annihilation are complete campaigns that a DM runs for a group.
Get the Starter Set (~$20). Includes a full adventure, pre-made characters, dice, and enough rules to play. No other books needed.
Every player should own the Player's Handbook. It has all 12 classes, races, spells, and the core rules. Essential.
The DM needs an adventure module. Lost Mine of Phandelver (in the Starter Set) is the best starting campaign. Curse of Strahd is the best overall module.
No. The Starter Set has everything for the first few sessions. Many groups play for years with just the Player's Handbook and one adventure module. The DM's Guide and Monster Manual are helpful but not required at the start.
D&D works best with 4-6 players plus a Dungeon Master. The minimum is 2 (one DM, one player). Above 6 players, managing everyone's turn becomes slow.
5th Edition (5e) is the current version and the most popular. It's much more accessible than earlier editions. The 2024 Player's Handbook is the most recent revision of 5e.
Most sessions run 3-4 hours. A full campaign (like Lost Mine of Phandelver) takes about 10-15 sessions. Epic campaigns like Curse of Strahd can run 30+ sessions over months or years.
Fighter and Cleric are the most forgiving for new players. Fighter's Second Wind and Action Surge are simple, powerful abilities. Cleric has healing and combat options. Avoid Wizard for your first character — spell management is complex.
Not traditional D&D. But there are DM-less dungeon crawl board games (Gloomhaven, Descent) that capture a similar feel without requiring one person to run the game.