More players than ever are becoming interested in Dungeons & Dragons. Between Critical Role and The Adventure Zone, popular podcasts and comics are exploring the fun adventures that can be had with Dungeons & Dragons. Plus, with 5e being so straightforward and beginner-friendly, the game is more accessible than ever before.

However, when you first start out, it might be tempting to just do whatever you want with your first characters. Before you do that, however, it might be wise to take a step back and re-examine how you intend on playing. Before you roll up your first character, there are a few things you need to understand first and foremost.

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Talk to Your DM and Other Players

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Dungeon Masters might have certain ideas you need to know before you can even begin crafting your character, so be sure to ask your DM about the campaign's setting before rolling your character. Does the DM intend on setting his campaign in the Forgotten Realms, steampunk London or space? All of these will affect how you create your character. Furthermore, ask your DM what your starting level should be, as well as whether they want you to roll for stats or use 27 point buy. That will additionally affect your stats. On top of that, some players roll for stats differently. Do you roll three d8s then add it up? Roll four d6s then drop the lowest roll? Your DM should tell you what they want there.

On top of that, it's sometimes wise to communicate with your fellow players in order to know what sort of characters they're playing. You want your character to be unique in the game. A party full of Paladins isn't going to do anyone favors. However, a party that lacks, for example, someone who can heal or deal damage hard and fast will be missing a key role you could have occupied.

All of this leads to a very clear idea: understand what kind of roleplaying style both the other players and DM engage in. Some players just like to act without getting into the world or character. Other players like roleplaying in-character or engaging in the minutia. Both of these are great ways to play Dungeons & Dragons, but they might be off-putting if you aren't prepared, so get to know your other players and DM a little before you play.

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Understand What Your Character Can Do

One common difficulty many new players face is that they sometimes don't know what their character can do. This slows down the game as you read over your sheet again and again, trying to find that special ability that can end the game right then and there.

Don't do that. Don't be the person who turns a fast-paced adventure into a crawl whenever your turn comes along. You need to know your character's abilities before you start. Read your class abilities. Know your stats. Examine your equipment and how abilities can be compounded both with your own power and the power of your peers. The easiest way to do this is to get a sense of what you're going to do before you do it. This also might mean passing notes to other players so you can both coordinate attacks during combat or discuss ideas when role-playing. If you're playing alongside a Bard or another support player, especially communicate with them so you can maximize your effectiveness.

Play to your character's strengths, and don't fight against them. This means that if your character is a Wizard with low-strength, don't swing your sword at every enemy. Use magic. If you're a Barbarian, make sure to utilize your Rage capabilities.

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What You Should Not Do

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While there are many ways to play Dungeons & Dragons, there are a few ways you can play that'll make other players uncomfortable or annoyed. There are a few stock characters many people create the first time they make a Dungeons & Dragons characters. These stereotypes and cliches are overused and somewhat boring. There are a few things you should consider if you don't want to annoy your other players.

Many players advise against playing wish-fulfillment characters, but this is too general a statement, since all Dungeons & Dragons characters are wish-fulfillment characters to an extent. However, one thing you should definitely avoid is playing a character who is overly and uncontrollably violent. If your first response to any circumstance is to stab it with your sword, that might be a red-flag to more experienced players. On top of that, when playing, do not split the party. This will bring your campaign to an aimless sprawl as some players follow the plot while others meander in woods staring at tree trunks.

Finally, arguably most importantly, don't be That Guy. That Guy is the sort of person who takes everyone's snacks but doesn't give his own there. That Guy uses the game as a chance to play out his uncomfortable fantasies. That Guy creeps on other players and argues every time with the other players and the DM. That Guy cheats and fudges rolls whenever possible. Do not. Be. That. Guy.

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