Dungeons & Dragons Basics, Part I >>
Revised Jan. 2026
"Commission 103" by Snook-8 (resized) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Despite their many differences, the various editions of Dungeons and Dragons have some key concepts in common. These elements are vital to developing characters and distinguish D&D from other fantasy games.
Abilities
Abilities describe characters' physical, mental, and social aptitudes, and they've remained the same across all editions of D&D. Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution cover physical attributes, while Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma cover mental and social capabilities. You can roll dice or use a point-buy system to determine these values, depending on the method your group agrees on. Below-average scores (1-9) impose penalties on all checks involving those abilities and above-average scores (12+) grant bonuses. The lower the score, the worse the penalties are and vice versa.
Ability scores influence most mechanics characters engage with. Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are vital for dealing damage, moving through dangerous terrain, and surviving wounds in physical combat. Arcane spellcasters like wizards need high Intelligence scores to get the most out of their spells. Divine casters like clerics and druids invest in Wisdom for similar reasons. Some spellcasters, like bards and sorcerers, benefit from high Charisma. Abilities also affect skills and saving throws.
Most characters will begin play with 1 to 3 above-average abilities, but these scores aren't static - they'll be lowered or raised during play. Any creature can suffer ability-draining effects that lead to penalties and worse, but those situations tend to be brief and can be remedied through magical healing. Some magic items offer bonuses to certain abilities as long as characters wear them, and certain levels in 5th edition offer additional ability points.
Species
Many beings inhabit D&D worlds, and each setting has unique species and subspecies (formerly called "races") to offer. Subspecies are variations of the core species. For example, the kender of Krynn are based on halflings in most respects but have some dangerous and notable differences. The basic species listed in the Player's Handbook (and below) can appear anywhere.
Humans aren't specialized the way that the other species are: they don't get many bonuses, have a set alignment, and so on. All of the player species besides the humans have unique advantages (and in 3.5 edition, they also have specific weaknesses). These traits are passed down genetically and often make some species more suited for certain classes. Halflings tend to be effective rogues, for instance, because they're smaller and faster.
Dragonborn
A popular option for starting characters in recent editions, dragonborn descend from various types of dragons that inhabit D&D settings. They look like humanoid dragons without wings and gain some draconic special features, like a breath weapon, that scale with character level.
Dwarf
In D&D, dwarves are shorter and rounder than humans, and weigh more than halfings or gnomes (other small species). They're known for dwelling in mountains and deep underground and having a knack for working with stone. Their natural lifespans run a few hundred years.
Elf
A bit smaller and thinner than humans, with sharper features, elves are the longest lived of the main player species at around 700 years. Often associated with spellcasting and classes that revere nature, like druids, different subspecies of elves are tied to specific environments. Drow, for instance, come from the Underdark.
Half-Elf
In previous editions, half-elves are a base option for player characters. As the products of human and elven parents, they often don't fit well in human or elven societies but may form bridges between them. They live longer than humans but much shorter than elves and share some special abilities with their elven kin
Gnome
Gnomes are associated with cunning inventions and trickery. Some have a natural ability to create illusions, and many work as tinkerers and craftspeople. Whatever they do, they typically approach with enthusiasm and whimsy. They tend to be a bit smaller than dwarves but taller than halflings and lighter-framed and live a century longer than dwarves.
Halfling
D&D halflings were originally inspired by the hobbits of Tolkien's Middle Earth, and it shows. They're slightly smaller than gnomes, and live a little longer than humans. While they can be found in many environments and a variety of roles, they're known to be more nimble, sneaky, and lucky than most.
Human
Humans are known for their diversity and ubiquity. They have a wide array of appearances and interests and in many D&D settings, humans are the most populous species. They don't usually gain access to spells or other specialized features due to their species; instead, they benefit from additional skills and/or feats (if you're not sure what feats are, click here).
Orc
In 5th edition, orcs are noted for gray skin, tall builds, and tusks. They're also known as hardy explorers and fierce warriors who are difficult to keep down. In previous editions, orcs are a notably evil and destructive; as such, they aren't available in the basic rules but are presented in later supplements.
Half-Orc
Previous editions also allow half-orcs, which are the offspring of humans and orcs. A little taller and stronger than humans, they also have grayish skin and some milder features in common with orcs. Their harsh personal qualities are attributed to their orc lineage and they often suffer prejudice, not just from humans and orcs but other races.
Tiefling
Tieflings are available for starting PCs in recent editions. Some are descendants of demons and devils while others are born in other planes. They develop features tied to their otherworldly ancestry, such as horns and tails. In earlier editions, they often face discrimination because they have demons or devils as ancestors.
Classes
A character class is a career, a calling, and a social role, all rolled into one. Each one covers areas of expertise and what a character has been trained to do, from special skills to the kinds of weapons and armor they wield. Classes are arranged in levels, with each level advancing what the character can already do or granting them new abilities. Your character can stick with one class or branch out into others, but no single character can learn everything. Each class fills a niche and most adventuring parties contain an array of them.
Classes provide the greatest access to magic a character can get but come with various restrictions (see below). Bards, clerics, druids, and wizards can cast the most spells each day and access up to 9th-level spells. Paladins and rangers cast fewer spells and only from the first 5 levels. Warlocks can prepare spells from a unique list that goes up to level 9 and gain class features based on other spells.
Barbarian
Want to wade into the thick of battle first and worry about the odds later? The barbarian class is probably for you! Built for strength and martial prowess first and foremost, barbarians can also have ties to animals and the natural world.
Bard
Would you like to play an entertainer? Do you enjoy social interactions in RPGs? Does supporting the party sound like fun? Try out a bard! Armed with spells and a breadth of skills, you'll charm others and back up your party members with style.
Cleric
Would you like a character who's touched by a god or other potent being? Does playing a mystic priest or holy guardian sound good? Clerics gain divine spells that heal and harm and are notably strong when fighting undead.
Druid
Do you want to portray a character who values natural environments and creatures? Does wielding forces like fire and lightning sound enticing? How about transforming into animals? Druids are probably your speed. With their mix of spells and abilities, then ensure nature bites back.
Fighter
Want to play a knight or soldier? What about a guard? Fighters focus on armor, weapons, and battlefield tactics rather than spellcasting. They can be based in strength or speed and do battle from a distance or up close.
Monk
Does a wise and disciplined character appeal to you? What about a combatant who doesn't need heavy armor or even weapons to pose a threat? Monks rely on their limbs to move and strike faster than others without magic and rely on years of training to be the calm amidst the storms in life.
Paladin
Do you like the idea of a warrior who dedicates their life to a holy mission? Paladins learn the ways of the sword much like fighters but receive blessings from higher powers, including some spellcasting ability.
Ranger
Does playing a hunter or trail guide call to you? Rangers have some martial ability and limited spellcasting, along with features that make you especially effective against enemies of your choosing.
Rogue
Scout, spy, cut-purse - do any of these concepts call to you? Rogues rely on skills and class features to be stealthy and act quickly in a pinch. Their sneak attack can be devastating, as well.
Sorcerer
Would you enjoy a character who was born with magic? Would you like to focus on fewer spells? Sorcerers are arcane casters by virtue of their lineage. They don't have a wide variety of spells available but can do plenty with those they know.
Warlock
Do you like the idea of playing a character who's made a promise with a powerful being in exchange for power? Would you like to have a few spells but more hit points than a sorcerer or wizard? With a variety of special features to choose from in the form of invocations, warlock is a core class in the most recent editions of D&D.
Wizard
Want to play a devoted student of magic who can choose from a wide variety of spells ? Welcome to the wizard class! Wizards rely on spellbooks and you'll need to decide which spells they have prepared, but the variety of effects they can draw from will likely make up for any inconveniences.
Magic
Magic is a complex feature in D&D and is present in most settings. Magic covers special effects that go beyond everyday abilities and the usual laws of physics. Some classes and species offer access to these abilities, but special items can be used by those who have no mystic power of their own. Spells are limited and unique magical effects magic users employ, from fireballs to healing wounds. The more spells a character can access, the more incredible effects they can call upon. Generally speaking, a character will know a limited number of spells and only be able to cast so many per day, based on their class and level.
Main Categories
In D&D, magic is divided up into two categories: arcane and divine. Arcane spells are performed through learning or intuitive manipulation, while divine spells are granted by an outside force like a deity. Arcane casters can't cast divine spells and vice versa, although many spells are found in both categories. Arcane spells cause damage more often than divine ones and divine spells cover a wider range of healing effects.
Schools
Spells are also divided up into different types of effects and areas of study known as schools of magic. For instance, effects based the elements of nature - such as ice and fire - are from the evocation school. In every edition of the game, there have been eight schools of magic: abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation. A spell can only belong to one school of magic but a few spells belong to none. In some editions, certain classes are limited in their choice of schools, but you can restrict your character's range by the spells you choose for them.
Spells also have levels, from 0 to 9. Lower-level spells are weaker, with less range and scope, while higher-level spells affect reality in deeper and more impressive ways. As a magic user advances in character level, higher-level spells become available to them. They must advance in a mystical class, however. A wizard who gains levels as a fighter won't gain more spells during from levels, and a cleric who gains levels as a wizard won't advance their divine spellcasting.
Types of Casters
Wizards hold all of the spells they know in a spell book and memorize only some for a short time. A wizard can add new spells to their repertoire if they copy them into their spellbook. Clerics choose from any of the universally available cleric spells, up to the limit of the spells they can cast in a day, and then pray for them to be allowed by their god each day. Bards and sorcerers are far more limited in their spell selection: they only know a small range of spells, but they know them for life. They gain new spells when they go up in level or swap out a spell for another one every few levels, but for the most part they're stuck with their selections. Spells can make or break combat situations, so when playing a spellcaster, you must choose wisely.
Magic-Storing Items
Magic is used for more than mere survival, however. There are also ways to store magical effects inside of items, from single-use scrolls and potions to armor with constantly active bonuses to amulets that unleash effects when the user speaks a command word. Some magic items can only be used by those who know how to use the type of magic they hold; a cleric cannot use an arcane spell scroll, for instance. Other magic items can be used by whoever has them, like potions, or when the possessor also meets certain conditions, like knowing the command word. All magic objects are more expensive, but items that only spellcasters can use tend to cost less.
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