Beginner's Guide to Dungeons and Dragons

You've just heard about this critically acclaimed tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and dungeonsAnd you want to try playing the game with a group of friends.

A quick online search will show you two recommended sets that you can purchase as starter adventures for beginner sets. But what do you get? Well, we hope this article gives you an idea of ​​which combination will best suit your needs.

First, let's introduce the two different groups and what they contain. Next, we'll look at how the two adventures included in both sets are managed and the differences between them.

the D&D starter set It was first published in 2014, the same year that the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons was published.

Even though that may have been 7 years ago, make no mistake – the adventure that comes with the starter kit has stood the test of time. Lost Mines of Phandelver remains an excellent, well-written adventure for players new to the world of Dungeons and Dragons.

the D&D Essentials Collection It was published 5 years after the Starter Set, in 2019. The Basics Set contains a bit more elements than the original, with a longer adventure called Dragon of Icespire Peak.

The 2014 Edition (D&D Starter Set) contains a 64-page adventure book titled Lost Mines of Phandelver.

It has everything a new Dungeon Master (DM) needs to get started and run their first adventure. The set also includes a 32-page rulebook for characters levels 1-5 for both DMs and players to peruse, so they can quickly learn the basics of the game and get on the adventure!

Both books are well explained and detailed but not overly complex, ideal for new players. To further facilitate access, the box also contains 5 pre-generated starter characters that players can choose from and jump into the game with.

Finally, as is common with starter sets, the D&D Starter Set provides the DM with a brand new set of 6 polyhedral dice. This set is recommended for introducing new players to the game without too much hassle, and getting their adventure started quickly and smoothly.

The Essentials Kit gives you more bang for your buck, as it offers new kits and new DMs with more commerce tools.

Similar to the Starter Set, the Essentials Set gives you an introductory adventure – Dragon of Icespire Peak – and a 64-page rulebook. This version of the rulebook teaches you how to create characters (Don't just start with pre-built items like the starter set), It comes with 6 blank character sheets that players can use to embody their first character.

The Essentials set also provides the DM with its core Main dungeon screenTo hide their lists and notes away from the prying eyes of their players.

To further assist the DM in their quest, the Essentials Kit provides them with 81 cards describing magic items, friends, NPCs, and quests that the DM can easily distribute to the players.

In addition to all this, the Essentials Set also provides a double-sided sticker map of the area where the adventure takes place – an area known as the Sword Coast and the town of Phandalin – the same town from the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure as well!

Finally, just like the Starter Set, the Dungeon Masters Essentials Set offers a new set of 11 polyhedral dice.

The Basics Set is recommended for players who want to dig deeper and have a character they can call their own before starting the game, and for players who don't mind something a little more complex, both in terms of rules and character creation.

Here's a quick comparison between the D&D Starter Set and the D&D Essentials Kit:

In terms of the adventures that come with both sets, Lost Mine of Phandelver can feel more linear, with a clear objective or “main quest” that the party can follow, and small side quests that veer off the path a bit that players can complete. method.

Additionally, most written content does not require the Dungeon Master to do a lot of rewriting or editing, which helps reduce the nerves and anxiety of the new Dungeon Master. The adventure itself revolves around players discovering the legend of an ancient mine that has been lost for thousands of years.

The adventure that comes with the basics set – Dragon of Icespire Peak – may seem more like a sandbox adventure than Lost Mine of Phandelver, in the sense that the set doesn't always have a “main quest” to follow.

Instead, the adventure is structured in such a way that the party receives multiple quests at once and can decide which quest to tackle in which order. It is also for this reason that an adventure may require the Dungeon Master to rewrite or modify certain parts of the adventure so that the entire narrative makes more sense and flows better.

The adventure itself revolves around a white dragon that has moved into the area and is dealing with the destruction and effects it leaves behind.

Well, given its more linear approach, the Starter Set – with the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure – suits a more stable group of players better. A stable group means a group that can commit to an entire adventure, starting and finishing it together for a more cohesive story.

If this sounds like something you and your team might enjoy, a starter kit might be the best option for you.

At the same time, since this adventure consists of several different quests in different locations at the same time, the basics set with Dragon of Icespire Peak is easier for a more “drop-out” playstyle.

Hence, this may be the best option for a group with players who have busy schedules and can choose to join and drop out for different sessions. (or tasks!) Which suits them.

Despite their differences, both collections have proven to be useful and suitable for any group looking to begin their first foray into Dungeons and Dragons.

May your lists be high and your adventures always be crazy!