Looking for someone to tell me when to use the different dices, and explain the different checks I should remeber to use and when? Cant really find it in the rules and just joined a group for my first time playing DnD :-)
This is a pretty big ask. For getting started, read the Basic Rules. The 20 sided die is essentially your base die, and used for most rolls. Other dice will generally be for things like damage amounts for spells, weapons, etc. Your main question here is in Chapter 7.
The basic rules here on Beyond can help you to better understand what to roll amd when, however largely it is up to your DM what checks you should be using and when.
The most common die one rolls is the 20-sider, also called d20. This die is usually rolled to determine success and failure. In combat, it determines if your attack hits (success) or misses (failure). When trying to resist effects of something like poison or a sleep spell, the d20 determines whether you succeed or fail at resisting those effects (called a 'saving throw' - you throw the d20 and the result determines if you are saved from the effects). When trying to succeed at a skill attempt, such as acrobatic flipping over a table or understanding a history scroll, you use the d20 for an ability check, which determines if you succeed or fail at the activity. Thus, whenever you are trying to answer the question, "Does this character or creature succeed at doing X?" you are going to roll a d20.
Less commonly, usually in the roll of the DM, when you want to determine if something happens that has a % chance to occur, you roll a pair of 10-sided dice. One is the "tens" die (sometimes it has 2 digits on it, e.g. "10", "20") and one is the "ones" die. Thus a "20" and a "3" amounts to 23. You read these as a % so, if there is a "50% chance X will happen", throwing these two d10 dice will indicate if the % is below 50 or above, giving a yes/no answer. Sometimes DMs use these dice to generate random monsters or random treasure as well. Throwing the two d10 dice together to generate a 1-100 number (with "00" indicated 100) is called using them as "percentile" dice.
Finally, the rest of the dice, d4, d6, d8, d12, and a single d10 by itself, are usually used to determine the amount of an effect - how many individuals are affected, or how much damage is done.
So, for example, d20 determines if you hit the enemy, and then d6 determines how much damage your sword does after a successful hit. Or the DM rolls d100 to determine "orcs" are the random monster that appears, and then rolls 2 d4 to determine a number between 2-8, which is the # (or amount) of orcs that appear.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
You're doing the equivalent of going into Bob Baffert's office asking him what those big animals are in his yard. Your first stop should be a petting zoo....which is the basic rules. read part 2 and then go play a game. then read part 2 again.
As everyone else has said, read the Basic Rules (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules), particularly “Playing the Game”. And read them again. Then look at your character sheet and make sure you know what’s where. Take particular care to know the difference between checks and saves. Then read the Basic Rules again.
All that said though, most of the time the DM will tell you what to do. That’s why it’ll be helpful to know what to find on your character sheet. The far greater part of your rolls will be 1d20 with a modifier, and the far greater part of the others will be damage dice with a modifier. What those modifiers are and what those damage dice are is marked on your character sheet, so a lot of the time you’ll be looking that up after the DM tells you what kind of roll you make. It’s still courteous to learn the basics at least so you know what’s going on (what advantage or disadvantage is, what proficiency is, what the different types of rolls are, and what the specific abilities of your character are), but you don’t have to sweat it if you spazz out every now and then. Learn the basics, get familiar with your character sheet, and try to keep things flowing smoothly. The rest will sort itself out if you stick with it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Looking for someone to tell me when to use the different dices, and explain the different checks I should remeber to use and when? Cant really find it in the rules and just joined a group for my first time playing DnD :-)
Well, for I really agree with everyone telling you to read the basic rules, this might be a bit more helpful at first:
That’s a basic rundown of things and may help the Basic Rules make more sense when you read them. The stuff you’re going to use most often in every session can be found in chapters:
Hey!
Looking for someone to tell me when to use the different dices, and explain the different checks I should remeber to use and when? Cant really find it in the rules and just joined a group for my first time playing DnD :-)
This is a pretty big ask. For getting started, read the Basic Rules. The 20 sided die is essentially your base die, and used for most rolls. Other dice will generally be for things like damage amounts for spells, weapons, etc. Your main question here is in Chapter 7.
The basic rules here on Beyond can help you to better understand what to roll amd when, however largely it is up to your DM what checks you should be using and when.
The most common die one rolls is the 20-sider, also called d20. This die is usually rolled to determine success and failure. In combat, it determines if your attack hits (success) or misses (failure). When trying to resist effects of something like poison or a sleep spell, the d20 determines whether you succeed or fail at resisting those effects (called a 'saving throw' - you throw the d20 and the result determines if you are saved from the effects). When trying to succeed at a skill attempt, such as acrobatic flipping over a table or understanding a history scroll, you use the d20 for an ability check, which determines if you succeed or fail at the activity. Thus, whenever you are trying to answer the question, "Does this character or creature succeed at doing X?" you are going to roll a d20.
Less commonly, usually in the roll of the DM, when you want to determine if something happens that has a % chance to occur, you roll a pair of 10-sided dice. One is the "tens" die (sometimes it has 2 digits on it, e.g. "10", "20") and one is the "ones" die. Thus a "20" and a "3" amounts to 23. You read these as a % so, if there is a "50% chance X will happen", throwing these two d10 dice will indicate if the % is below 50 or above, giving a yes/no answer. Sometimes DMs use these dice to generate random monsters or random treasure as well. Throwing the two d10 dice together to generate a 1-100 number (with "00" indicated 100) is called using them as "percentile" dice.
Finally, the rest of the dice, d4, d6, d8, d12, and a single d10 by itself, are usually used to determine the amount of an effect - how many individuals are affected, or how much damage is done.
So, for example, d20 determines if you hit the enemy, and then d6 determines how much damage your sword does after a successful hit. Or the DM rolls d100 to determine "orcs" are the random monster that appears, and then rolls 2 d4 to determine a number between 2-8, which is the # (or amount) of orcs that appear.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
You're doing the equivalent of going into Bob Baffert's office asking him what those big animals are in his yard. Your first stop should be a petting zoo....which is the basic rules. read part 2 and then go play a game. then read part 2 again.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
As everyone else has said, read the Basic Rules (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules), particularly “Playing the Game”. And read them again. Then look at your character sheet and make sure you know what’s where. Take particular care to know the difference between checks and saves. Then read the Basic Rules again.
All that said though, most of the time the DM will tell you what to do. That’s why it’ll be helpful to know what to find on your character sheet. The far greater part of your rolls will be 1d20 with a modifier, and the far greater part of the others will be damage dice with a modifier. What those modifiers are and what those damage dice are is marked on your character sheet, so a lot of the time you’ll be looking that up after the DM tells you what kind of roll you make. It’s still courteous to learn the basics at least so you know what’s going on (what advantage or disadvantage is, what proficiency is, what the different types of rolls are, and what the specific abilities of your character are), but you don’t have to sweat it if you spazz out every now and then. Learn the basics, get familiar with your character sheet, and try to keep things flowing smoothly. The rest will sort itself out if you stick with it.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Well, for I really agree with everyone telling you to read the basic rules, this might be a bit more helpful at first:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/essentials
That’s a basic rundown of things and may help the Basic Rules make more sense when you read them. The stuff you’re going to use most often in every session can be found in chapters:
I hope that helps.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting
speaking of essentials....this is even more digestible than the basic rules
https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/dnd_essentials_rulebook.pdf
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Thank you thank you thank you!! May the undying light shine upon you all ;-)