What is "Dungeons and Dragons"?


Quick Answer

"Dungeons and Dragons" is a tabletop role-playing game first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Players create and play specific characters, and partake in imaginary adventures that are guided by a gamemaster, who is generally referred to as the "Dungeon Master".

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Full Answer

Storytelling is a large part of the game. Players interact with the Dungeon Master’s plans and together play through interactions that occur during a play session. A player can reference their character sheet for abilities the character possesses, such as hit points, weapons or skills. When a player wishes for their character to perform an action in the game, they announce their intent and sometimes roll dice to add specific character modifiers, or to determine if their character is successful. The Dungeon Master determines what consequences occur following the character’s action, taking into account dice rolls, if any.

The "Dungeon and Dragons" game is typically set in a fantasy world featuring imaginary monsters such as dragons, giants and goblins. Players often play adventuring heroes, and may go into dungeons to fight monsters or travel around the land interacting with the Dungeon Master’s story. Over time, players typically gain magical items and increase their abilities to become more powerful than when they started.

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