Skip to main content

Dungeons & Dragons

New to D&D
New to D&D
What is D&D?
Overview
Monsters
Factions
Getting Started
Choosing a Race
Choosing a Class
Digital Games
Start Playing
Tabletop Games
Community
Extra Life
Facebook
Twitch
Twitter
YouTube
Story
Current Story
D&D Live 2019: The Descent
Story Archive
Waterdeep
Tomb of Annihilation
Curse of Strahd
Storm King's Thunder
Rage of Demons
Elemental Evil
Tyranny of Dragons
Lore
Heroes
Villains
Locations
All
Products
Digital Games
 PC/Mac
Console Games
Mobile and Tablet
All
Tabletop Games
Tabletop RPGs
Miniatures
Board & Card Games
All
Fiction
Novels
Comics/Graphic Novels
All
Resources
Accessories
Character Sheets
Basic Rules
Digital Tools
DMsGuild
Dragon+ App
Events
Events
Adventurers League
Conventions
Store & Event Locator
All
D&D Live 2019
Event Information
Attendee Information
Groups & Guests
Partners
Watch
Articles
Articles
News
Events
Features
Sage Advice
Unearthed Arcana
All
 Podcasts
Dragon Talk
Dungeon Delve
Dice, Camera, Action!
All
Media
Wallpaper
Comics
Fan Site Kit
Dragon+
Latest Issue
Archive
Livestreams
Schedule
Dice, Camera, Action!
Dragon Talk
Dragon+ Stream
Happy Fun Hour
Spoilers & Swag
Welch's Game Juice
Accounts
Store Locator

Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons

Article Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons

TRPG Resources

11/19/2018

Set in a medieval fantasy world, D&D allows you to experience stories

and adventures full of endless possibilities and amazing surprises. The
Basic Rules for Dungeons & Dragons is a PDF that covers the core of
the tabletop game.

The Basic Rules runs from levels 1 to 20 and covers the cleric, fighter,
rogue, and wizard, presenting what we view as the essential subclass
for each. It also provides the dwarf, elf, halfling, and human as race
options; in addition, the rules contain 120 spells, 5 backgrounds, and
character sheets. But the best part? The Basic Rules is a free PDF.
Anyone can download it from our website. We want to put D&D in as
many hands as possible, and a free, digital file is the best way to do
that.
Using These Rules

The Basic Rules document is divided into four parts.

Part 1 is about creating a character, providing the rules and guidance

you need to make the character you’ll play in the game. It includes
information on the various races, classes, backgrounds, equipment,
and other customization options that you can choose from. Many of the
rules in part 1 rely on material in parts 2 and 3.

Part 2 details the rules of how to play the game, beyond the basics
described in this introduction. That part covers the kinds of die rolls
you make to determine success or failure at the tasks your character
attempts, and describes the three broad categories of activity in the
game: exploration, interaction, and combat.

Part 3 is all about magic. It covers the nature of magic in the worlds of
D&D, the rules for spellcasting, and a selection of typical spells
available to magic-using characters (and monsters) in the game.

Part 4 is about tools for Dungeon Masters. It includes information and

stat blocks for monsters, advice for building combat encounters, and
magic items.
File Downloads

Last Updated: 11/19/2018

D&D Basic Rules

Latest Wallpaper
D&D Live 2019

Wallpaper - 04/03/2019
Latest Games
Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Kit
Latest D&D Features

All Articles
Dragon Talk: Ian Lurie & Rand Fishkin
Dragon Talk: Ian Lurie & Rand Fishkin

07/11/2019

By Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito

Greg and Shelly start the show getting you all the info you need
regarding the new D&D Essentials Kit! And by the way, just how long
has Shelly Mazzanoble been working at WoTC? Greg gets to the bottom
of it. In...

More info
Dragon Talk: Torn Pixie
Dragon Talk: Torn Pixie

07/03/2019

By Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito

Greg and Shelly get things started by making sure you have all the
information you need on the upcoming new releases headed your way,
including Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus, Baldur's Gate 3, The
new...

More info
Dragon Talk: Gardens of Fog
Dragon Talk: Gardens of Fog

06/27/2019

By Shelly Mazzanoble and Greg Tito

Greg and Shelly open the show introducing Gardens Of Fog, a new
adventure for sale on the Dungeon Master's Guild, the brand new
Acquisitions Incorporated book and more! Later, Chris Perkins stops by
for another...

More info
Back to top
Find a Store
Social

Find

Adventurers League
Basic Rules
Character Sheets
Dragon+
Podcasts
Press Assets

Company

About
Careers
Support
Wizards Play Network

Brands

Avalon Hill
Dungeons & Dragons
Duel Masters
Magic: the Gathering

Terms
Code of Conduct
Privacy Policy
Customer Support
Cookies
Fan Content

© 1993-2019 Wizards of the Coast LLC, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All

Rights Reserved.

We use cookies on this site to personalize content and ads, provide

social media features and analyze web traffic. By clicking YES, you are
consenting for us to set cookies. (Learn more about cookies)