Hello, so i have a younger sibling who wants to start playing D&D, so i just wanted to ask, how old do you necessarily have to be to play D&D? I want to try and find my sibling a game to play, if possible :)
It helps if the player is old enough to speak, but it's not a requirement.
At the most basic level, D&D is just collaborative storytelling. The DM describes the world, the Players describe their character's actions, and the DM narrates the consequences. No dice or character sheet needed.
At the highest level, D&D is a complicated resource management game with the potential for exploring traumatic subjects, and struggling in an unfair world.
Given that, if you are wanting your sibling to play a game with strangers on the internet, it's probably better to wait until they are old enough to recognize if they are in a healthy group and how to keep themselves safe. A common age for that threshold is 13+ with guardian supervision. Any younger than that and I would recommend either sticking to friends groups, or being more actively involved.
There are some great "starter games" that show kids what a roleplaying game is in a much more kid-friendly and simplistic way while still allowing for a lot of fun and customization. My two favorites are No Thank You, Evil! and Golden Sky Stories.
Going to suggest that being involved in this game yourself would be hugely helpful. You’d get to set the tone, keep an eye on the complexity, and generally make sure the game is fun. D&D is perfectly great for say, 8-year olds or even younger children but an 8-year old joining an existing game with nothing but older players is likely not going to end up all that well. There’s plenty of groups consisting of relatives of different generations, there are also groups of kids all the same age, Stranger Things style, it’s really a great hobby for children - it’s social and creative and just all-round fun - but you do want something of a controlled environment.
It depends on the kid, but usually old enough to be able to read the material if they start really getting into it. You might look at the essentials kit for a beginning player. It's got fewer options, so it can be a bit less confusing.
Given that, if you are wanting your sibling to play a game with strangers on the internet, it's probably better to wait until they are old enough to recognize if they are in a healthy group and how to keep themselves safe. A common age for that threshold is 13+ with guardian supervision. Any younger than that and I would recommend either sticking to friends groups, or being more actively involved.
Also, many sites (including this one) have an age requirement to create an account or use their services. You'd want to check that, too.
If you’re running a game for him, maybe with some of his friends, your friends, or your family, it depends on the kid, but probably 8-10. If you’re talking about finding a game at your local store (or online I guess, though in person is better), though, I’d say 13. Younger than that runs a bigger risk of annoying the older players, or even putting him in potential danger. But you could get away with it if you play with him...which honestly would be a great thing to do anyway! Playing D&D with siblings is an awesome way to bond.
Hello, so i have a younger sibling who wants to start playing D&D, so i just wanted to ask, how old do you necessarily have to be to play D&D? I want to try and find my sibling a game to play, if possible :)
Hello, have a nice day :)
It helps if the player is old enough to speak, but it's not a requirement.
At the most basic level, D&D is just collaborative storytelling. The DM describes the world, the Players describe their character's actions, and the DM narrates the consequences. No dice or character sheet needed.
At the highest level, D&D is a complicated resource management game with the potential for exploring traumatic subjects, and struggling in an unfair world.
Given that, if you are wanting your sibling to play a game with strangers on the internet, it's probably better to wait until they are old enough to recognize if they are in a healthy group and how to keep themselves safe. A common age for that threshold is 13+ with guardian supervision. Any younger than that and I would recommend either sticking to friends groups, or being more actively involved.
There are some great "starter games" that show kids what a roleplaying game is in a much more kid-friendly and simplistic way while still allowing for a lot of fun and customization. My two favorites are No Thank You, Evil! and Golden Sky Stories.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Going to suggest that being involved in this game yourself would be hugely helpful. You’d get to set the tone, keep an eye on the complexity, and generally make sure the game is fun. D&D is perfectly great for say, 8-year olds or even younger children but an 8-year old joining an existing game with nothing but older players is likely not going to end up all that well. There’s plenty of groups consisting of relatives of different generations, there are also groups of kids all the same age, Stranger Things style, it’s really a great hobby for children - it’s social and creative and just all-round fun - but you do want something of a controlled environment.
There was a recent thread about D&D for kids ages 8-10, might as well link it: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/general-discussion/106951-d-d-for-the-young-crowd
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
It depends on the kid, but usually old enough to be able to read the material if they start really getting into it. You might look at the essentials kit for a beginning player. It's got fewer options, so it can be a bit less confusing.
I started when i was 7 but i was an unusual 7 year old
Also, many sites (including this one) have an age requirement to create an account or use their services. You'd want to check that, too.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
If you’re running a game for him, maybe with some of his friends, your friends, or your family, it depends on the kid, but probably 8-10. If you’re talking about finding a game at your local store (or online I guess, though in person is better), though, I’d say 13. Younger than that runs a bigger risk of annoying the older players, or even putting him in potential danger. But you could get away with it if you play with him...which honestly would be a great thing to do anyway! Playing D&D with siblings is an awesome way to bond.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club