Optional Purchases
Some purchases regularly appear in D&D streams and advertisements that you don’t really need for your very first adventure. Consider the following items, but I wouldn’t advise you to see them as mandatory purchases.
DM Screen: The DM screen is usually a foldable cardboard with a nice design on the outside. On the inside, the rules for the current pen & paper are usually displayed. The screen is there to hide
the game master’s machinations from the players.
Absolute D&D beginners do not really need this yet. Yes, it is a cool item that looks great on the table. But for the first session, a cardboard box or the packaging from the starter set is sufficient. Alternatively, you can also just play without it.
The D&D movie captures the chaotic energy of a campaign really well:
Dice Tower & Dice Tray: The purpose of a dice tray is to create a surface on which you can safely roll dice. When sitting tightly together at the table, you can quickly roll onto your notes or the dice might fall off the table in too much enthusiasm. A dice tray is usually a bowl in which you roll directly. This ensures that no dice gets lost.
Dice towers serve a similar purpose: it’s a small tower where you throw the dice in at the top, and it falls through and rolls into a catching tray.
Both are great gifts for long-time players, but for the first adventure they are also unfortunately optional.
Terrain & Maps: Being able to simulate fights and situations is incredibly fun. There are various possibilities: from a simple vinyl mat with squares to colorfully printed cardboard to modularly assembled dungeons, castles, and villages.
However, this all costs money and sometimes a lot. For the very first session of D&D, this does not need to be the case. Should a map be needed, you can sketch it on paper.
Minis: I am fully aware of how awesome minis are and how much fun painting can be. But similar to terrain and maps, I wouldn’t recommend them for complete beginners – for the same reason: very expensive for a first session. Moreover, minis are not easily changeable. If you no longer feel like playing the character from the first adventure, you will immediately need a new miniature.
- Rulebook: German Basic Rules for 5e (via Wizards of the Coast)
- Dice: Digital Dice via Dnddiceroller
- Character sheet: Version 5e (2014) German (Download via Dnddeutsch)
- Alternatively: Pre-filled Level 1 Characters (English, via Wizards of the Coast)
- Adventure: Search for a
D&D beginner adventure
using your preferred search engine- Alternatively: Create your own adventure with lots of enthusiasm
And with that, you have all the resources at hand that you need for a first adventure with Dungeons & Dragons. However, from the veterans among you, we would still like to know if there’s anything missing from the list. Or do you have tips for starting that you’d like to share with fresh players? Please let us know in the comments. If you are all ready for your first session now, by the way, we also have the best tips for role-playing: With a trick from experts, you will immediately become better role-players at the start of every D&D session
As an alternative, you can simulate the characters with other objects. For example, with dice that show different numbers, pen caps, or simply an eraser.
Conclusion – Start in D&D Quickly and for Free
In conclusion, here is a brief overview of what you really need for your first adventure in Dungeons & Dragons:
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Paper
- Rulebook
- Dice
- Character sheet
- 2 to 3 Fellow Players
- Adventure
How do I play for free? If you want to play completely for free and quickly, I recommend the following approach:
- Rulebook: German Basic Rules for 5e (via Wizards of the Coast)
- Dice: Digital Dice via Dnddiceroller
- Character sheet: Version 5e (2014) German (Download via Dnddeutsch)
- Alternatively: Pre-filled Level 1 Characters (English, via Wizards of the Coast)
- Adventure: Search for a
D&D beginner adventure
using your preferred search engine- Alternatively: Create your own adventure with lots of enthusiasm
And with that, you have all the resources at hand that you need for a first adventure with Dungeons & Dragons. However, from the veterans among you, we would still like to know if there’s anything missing from the list. Or do you have tips for starting that you’d like to share with fresh players? Please let us know in the comments. If you are all ready for your first session now, by the way, we also have the best tips for role-playing: With a trick from experts, you will immediately become better role-players at the start of every D&D session
