This page is here for anyone who wants to go above and beyond and learn more about the game we’re playing. But let me be clear: you do not need to study up to join us. If you’ve never played D&D in your life, that’s absolutely fine—we’ve got a friendly crew of seasoned nerds (frankly, better versed than the GM himself), and we’ll help you learn as you go.
These resources are just for those who enjoy a bit of independent reading or want to feel more grounded in the mechanics.
Which Rules Are We Using?
We started out playing Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition (aka “D&D 5E”), which was released in 2014 but we later switched to the D&D Core rules (aka “D&D 5.5E”). That’s important because…
- You may run into the 1st through 4th editions online. Their rules won’t apply, but the ideas and inspiration definitely can—just talk to your GM (or the seasoned nerds) if you find something cool.
- The 5th Edition rules were published in 2014 but we’re not using them anymore – now we’re on the 2024 D&D Core rules. If you decide to buy a rulebook, make sure it’s from the 2024 edition and not the 2014 edition. If you happen to have a 2014 rulebook on hand, however, you could continue to refer to it for a general gist of what’s going on because many of those rules do carry over to the 2024 edition.
Helpful Resources
- The D&D Beyond website has some basic rules to get you started.
- The Roll20 website can also be helpful.
- Reddit Quickstart Guide: A short glossary of D&D terms from a helpful stranger on the internet. It’s based on 5E rules but everything there carries over to 5.5E.