Do you want to tell epic tales of adventure with your friends? Slay dragons and scale mountains? Delve below the sea and venture to different dimensions? D&D can take you on these endless journeys throughout the multiverse.

If you're just starting out with the hobby and are overwhelmed by the number of choices, worry not! At D&D Beyond, we've got all the resources you need to start your campaign in a matter of minutes. As the official toolset of Dungeons & Dragons, you'll select from one of our premade characters and campaigns and be ready to go before you can say, "Roll for initiative!" 

• What Are Premade Characters and Campaigns?
• What Are the Adventures About?
• How Do I Get Started?

Get Started Now

All you need to get started is a D&D Beyond account! Once you've signed up, check out the How Do I Get Started section for a step-by-step walkthrough on claiming your adventures and creating your characters.

What Are Premade Characters and Campaigns?

Artist: KARL KOPINSKI

Free with a D&D Beyond account, premade characters and campaigns are an excellent option for players who want to get into Dungeons & Dragons quickly and easily without investing a lot of time and effort into character creation or adventure planning.

Premade Characters

Premade characters are adventure-ready heroes that come stocked with everything you need to set off on your grand journey. They are designed for new players who don't want to go through the entire character creation process for their first games. Instead of futzing over which species pairs best with which class and what spells you have to learn, the only choice you'll have to make is which character you want to adventure with!

Will you keep to the shadows and strike precisely as a halfling rogue? Or will you fly into a rage and swing a greataxe with a human barbarian? Perhaps you'll call down divine energy as an emissary to a celestial being as a dwarf cleric. Whichever way you want to play, D&D Beyond's premade characters are optimized for fun and will get you up and running in no time.

Ready-to-Go Adventures

D&D Beyond also offers pre-written campaigns that are free to claim with your D&D Beyond account. These campaigns provide players and Dungeon Masters with a structured adventure path and are perfect for those who are new to the game or who want a more guided experience. The ready-to-go adventures available to claim are:

• Intro to Stormwreck Isle
• Frozen Sick
• Prisoner 13

In the section below, you can learn more about these adventures and decide which will suit your table. Combined with the premade characters and Basic Rules, these adventures can provide hours of gameplay for groups of all levels without having to spend a single gold piece! 

What Are the Adventures About?

Intro to Stormwreck Isle

Intro to Stormwreck Isle includes two short encounters from the beginner-friendly adventure book Dragons of Stormwreck Isle. In this introductory experience, the players are 1st-level characters journeying to the island of Stormwreck Isle. Along their way, they face a foe during a raging storm. Upon their arrival to the island, they discover that not all is well.

Choose this adventure if:

• You're a table of new players and a new Dungeon Master who want a quick and easy introduction to D&D.
• You want the opportunity to continue the game with the short adventure Dragons of Stormwreck Isle if your players ask for more.

Frozen Sick

This adventure takes players from 1st to 3rd level as your party navigates the dangers of the Biting North region of Wildemount and investigates the mysterious deaths of villagers.

Choose this adventure if:

• You or your friends got into D&D because of the hit web series Critical Role.
• You're looking for a fully fleshed-out campaign world in which to continue your adventures (which is available in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount).

Prisoner 13

Your party of 4th-level characters will have to break into the most secure prison on Toril and extract information from one of its inmates.

Choose this adventure if:

• You and your friends are already familiar with the rules of D&D or a similar game.
• You're looking for a challenging mission in which the players will have to outsmart their opposition.
• You want to trial a one-session adventure before committing to a longer campaign.
• You like heist adventures and want to continue with adventures in a similar vein (available in Keys from the Golden Vault). 

How Do I Get Started?

Artist: LINDA LITHÉN

To get started, you'll first need to sign up for a D&D Beyond account. Once you've signed up, you'll access premade characters and ready-to-go adventures through various places on the site.

Claim Your Characters

On desktop, the easiest way to access premade characters is by going to "Collections" in the menu and selecting "My Characters." On that page, click the "CREATE A CHARACTER" button. Then, select "PREMADE." On this page, you can preview each of the premade character options. When you want to add them to your account, select "CREATE." Once you've claimed a premade character, you can make any changes you wish. Simply select "MANAGE" next to your character's name, and you'll be able to make your adjustments.

If you're using the D&D Beyond App, go to "Characters" in the bottom menu and tap "CREATE NEW CHARACTER." Select "SIMPLE" to be presented with premade characters. Once you've decided on a character, simply hit "SELECT," give your character a name, and then hit "CREATE." Now, you're ready to play!

If this is your first time exploring a D&D character sheet, take a guided tour of your sheet with D&D Beyond's very own Amy Dallen:

Claim Your Adventures

Accessing these ready-to-go adventures is easy. Simply hover on "Collections" in the menu and select "My Campaigns." On that page, click the "CREATE FROM PREMADE CAMPAIGNS" button. Then, select the adventure you wish to play.

Once that's done, all you'll need to do is send your players the link to your campaign. Clicking on that link will add their characters to the campaign and allow you to keep track of everything in the Game Log.

Keep in mind, you can play through all three of these adventures for free with a D&D Beyond account. So, when you finish one or if you and your players want to pivot to a different adventure, they are always available!

It's Time to Strike Out On Adventure! 

With one-click characters, ready-to-go campaigns, and character sheets that do all the rolling and math, getting into D&D is easier than ever! Now, all you have to do is find a night that everyone can get together to play! If you're struggling with scheduling or live far away from your friends, check out our guide on how to play D&D online, which can help alleviate distance and scheduling conflicts.

Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his girlfriend, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.