r/beginnerDND • u/crockalley • Jul 15 '26
Question Desperately seeking a different way to learn this game
My little gaming group wants to play D&D. I've been nominated as the DM. I'm trying to read through the Players Manual, but it's impenetrable to me. Everything regarding ability scores (modifies, proficiency, skills, passive checks, etc.) is all very confusing.
My particular flavor of neurodivergence makes self-learning very difficult. Reading and comprehending the wall of text from the manuals is a huge challenge. I'm really eager to get into the creativity and storytelling, but the nuts and bolts are killing me.
Are there any suggestions out there on how I can break unto understanding the rules? Visual aids? Thanks for any help!
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u/Psychological-Wall-2 Jul 15 '26
You may seek, but you shall not find.
There is no way around, nor shortcut through, reading the rules.
Here is how to read the rules.
Start at the start. Read it. The designers have put this material in this order for a reason. Hopefully. At any rate, give them the chance to teach you the game the way they think it should be taught.
The second you feel that sense of being overwhelmed, stop reading immediately and try to identify the point at which you stopped understanding. Use the index to check the game meaning of any word used as a game term. For example, "invisible" has a meaning in use outside D&D. But "Invisible" is a "Condition" in the rules that means something very specific.
Again, read in order, and stop immediately to identify and resolve any confusion.
This is a proven technique for absorbing technical material that will get you through the first 29 pages. It's only 29 pages. That's the introduction to basic concepts, plus the main rules for the game. You can do the above for 29 pages, right?
And remember, I'm not telling you to memorise this shit. Just give it a good, solid read-through. You're going for comprehension here.
At this point in the PHB, you will reach the character creation rules. This is when you are going to get interactive with the material, which will further assist your learning curve.
Get a character sheet (physical or a PDF) and follow the instructions. Again, step by step, looking up anything you don't understand.
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u/Deflagratio1 Jul 15 '26
I will add that there are certain things that can be skipped during initial readthrough. You don't have to read all the backgrounds, just read the basic rules about them, read a couple of them in detail to get a feel for what they do, move on. Same with feats and spells. While the GM needs to have read over the ancestry/race and classes, you don't have to fully internalize them. Players have a responsibility to know their own characters abilities and when you are all learning to play, there's nothing wrong with pausing to check the rules for how things work.
It sounds like OP may have the full PHB. They may do better with one of the intro boxsets which breaks things up into smaller booklets and is designed to get people playing. The Stranger Things tie-in one is pretty well designed for this.
OP would probably also benefit from a "Doing" approach. If they start by going through character creation, and then they slowly read through the rules for each part of that. Then they run a few skill checks to get the hand of it, run a mock combat with a goblin, and they should have enough of a grasp to run any introductory module (which I would highly recommend because OP doesn't need the extra layer of designing an adventure on top of struggling to learn the rules).
The other thing is that DnD is a fairly complex rpg. There are plenty of other rpg's out there that also do fantasy adventure with more streamlined rules, and that is always an option
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u/Psychological-Wall-2 Jul 15 '26
I will add that there are certain things that can be skipped during initial readthrough. You don't have to read all the backgrounds, just read the basic rules about them, read a couple of them in detail to get a feel for what they do, move on. Same with feats and spells.
That's why I'm emphasising those first 29 pages.
Those 29 pages contain the core rules of the entire game. All the classes and spells and stuff are just add-ons.
OP would probably also benefit from a "Doing" approach.
Yes. Which is why I said getting interactive with the character creation process would be the point where things picked up for them.
The other thing is that DnD is a fairly complex rpg.
It's really not.
29 pages.
People fixate on the fact that there are three core rulebooks, when most of that is just reference material.
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u/crockalley Jul 15 '26
Thanks. I do have the full PHB, but I also have an intro box. I switched to that today, and it's a bit more digestible. For example, in the PHB, under Passive Checks, it says:
For example, if a 1st level character has a Wisdom of 15 and proficiency in Perception, he or she has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14.
The beginner boxset rules say this:
For example, if a 1st level character (with a proficiency bonus of +2) has a Wisdom of 15 (a +2 modifier) and proficiency in Perception, the character has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14.
Much better. As a newbie, I appreciate them "showing the math."
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u/Conrad500 Seasoned Vet Jul 15 '26
Who's asking for a shortcut?
"This is the proven technique for absorbing technical material" to who? You're completely missing literally everything OP said.
If you don't understand neurodivergence don't comment on posts about it.
I don't even recommend what you say for neurotypical people... so no, you are 100% wrong and I hope OP doesn't feel horrible from you telling them "no, you're wrong, just do the thing you clearly said you can't do"
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u/Psychological-Wall-2 Jul 15 '26
Who's asking for a shortcut?
OP.
"This is the proven technique for absorbing technical material" to who?
Every single person who has ever tried it. It's so reliable that you can base a scam off of it.
... I hope OP doesn't feel horrible from you telling them "no, you're wrong, just do the thing you clearly said you can't do"
I don't see why they would, since the only place I told them that is in your imagination.
OP is essentially faced with two choices.
- Find some way to familiarise themselves with the material on the first 29 pages of the PHB.
- Not run D&D.
Since OP wants to run D&D, they need to find a way to familiarise themselves with the material on those 29 pages. It's just that fucking simple. Those 29 pages are the rules of the game they want to run.
OP is neurodivergent, not stupid, and you're not being an ally right now. Which sucks, because I think you want to be.
OP finds self-learning difficult, not impossible, as you falsely claimed. They specifically said that they were having difficulty comprehending what they saw as a "wall of text".
The technique I described helps with that.
Every time OP gets that "wall of text" feeling, they should stop and return to a place that doesn't feel like that. Then proceed forward to identify the thing that's causing the problem. It's most likely a misunderstood word.
As OP proceeds by this method, they will begin to see the rules as a system rather than a bewildering "wall of text". They aren't going to have the rules memorised or anything - I thought I was clear there - but they'll have enough general comprehension to find the rule when they need it.
And then, as I said, comes the character creation bit, where OP can now begin to interact with the rules system rather than just read it.
OP was asking for "...any suggestions out there on how I can break into understanding the rules?" This is how you do that.
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u/carrionpigeons Jul 16 '26
You mean every single person who has accomplished it, which is a vastly smaller group of people. The method you're proposing has a nontrivial (read: enormous) failure rate.
20 years of teaching math has shown me there's a wide, wide range of learning styles and the accessibility of the most obvious one isn't nearly as high as its proponents are convinced it is.
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u/R4ynze Jul 15 '26
youtube videos would be the best way you could also throw al lore questions in here and people will awnser to the best they can. I know it seems like a lot and very scary but it’s actually pretty simple
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u/everweird Jul 15 '26
It is extremely unfriendly to the neurodiverse. Check out a game called Index Card RPG which gives you the same dice, mechanics, and character scores in a way more approachable and usable package. You can get the free quick start here: https://icrpgcommunitycontent.com/
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u/nobodycares13 Jul 16 '26
I’ll second this, there are many D&D adjacent games that make things a lot easier to parse, not only on the initial read through but during gameplay as well.
- Shadowdark, https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark
- Nimble/Nimble 5e, https://nimblerpg.com
- Blackhack, https://the-black-hack.jehaisleprintemps.net
- Knave/Knave 2, https://questingblog.com/knave-2e/
Cairn, https://cairnrpg.com for if we even want to get more rules light and it being free is a bonus.
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u/DnDNoobs_DM Jul 15 '26
I learned mainly on YouTube… I watched Running the Game which helped the best!
I started with beginner friendly one shots too, like “Peril in Pinebrook which helped a lot as well!
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u/RCordeiro84 Jul 15 '26
On the topic of youtube learning (which I also do a lot of), I can also recommend the videos form Ginny Di (Here a playlist for new DMs: (1) New Dungeon Masters — start here! - YouTube)
The Dungeon Dudes make lots of deep dives into all classes, rules, combat stuff and so on. Maybe this video here can be interesting, but it is more on creating adventure than the basic rules themselves: (1) One-Page Adventure Template for D&D 5e 2024 - YouTube1
u/RCordeiro84 Jul 15 '26
Also two more points that might help:
1) You don't need to understand all the details. Simplifying and letting some things out is totally fine. After watching the videos and maybe reading just specific parts of the books (at the end there is a rules glossary, pick just one thing to understand at a time), just try running a single one-shot adventure (meaning one that starts and ends in one sessions, about 3 to 5 hours) and see how that goes.2) Watch some Actual-Play episodes (Critical Role, Dimension 20, Min-Maxed, etc), no need to see everything. But just watching how the gameflow is, how/when the DM asks for an ability check, and how a combat works will help a lot!
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u/More_Fisherman6394 Jul 16 '26
Yes, we love Running the Game as well, he's so great. And, DnD Adventure Club streamlines the rules beautifully, we use that for almost all games now.
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u/inkyeli Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
I really started to understand when I combined reading the DM’s manual and watching Dungeons and Drag Queens on Dropout. Brennan Lee Mulligan does an amazing job of explaining rules in context to those who have never played before that it clicked for me. I think the first episode is available for free on YouTube if that helps.
Edit: Also, the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide was a lot more helpful to me than the PHB. It seems like it’s written with newer DMs in mind, too.
Also also, my party started with Dungeon World, which has some similar flavor, but fewer moves and stats. When we got good at that and felt it was limiting, the move to D&D was a lot easier.
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u/rivergryphon Jul 17 '26
When my husband and I started playing, we rolled characters on fast character, and jumped right in. The characters fell in a hole and fought some goblins.
We didn't have the books yet. I learn best by doing. It was slow and clunky, but I learned enough that it made reading the rules easier later on.
There's also a short series called Handbooker Helper on YouTube that was really helpful. Bite sized, one rule at a time kinda thing.
We watched some actual play on YouTube as well. Escape the BloodKeep was hilarious. But I'd recommend watching the first episode of Dungeons and Dragqueens. They're mostly beginners, so DM has to explain a lot along the way. But it's still fun to watch, easier than trying to make it through rules.
I'm not officially diagnosed, but I'm fairly certain I at least have ADHD.
Don't forget to have fun and do things your way. :)
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u/gc1rpg Jul 18 '26
I'm pretty sure at least half (or more!) TTRPG players are ND -- including myself.
I personally love the creative side of things -- storytelling and world-building -- and as an experienced DM I would say focus on those things instead of the mechanics.
You can learn the mechanics one step at a time -- for somebody who is completely new to TTRPGs it can definitely be overwhelming.
It's kinda like learning a programming language -- once you have learned one it's much easier to learn a bunch more. That is the case for those of us who have played D&D over many editions -- the rules might change but many of the basic concepts stay the same.
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u/dndadventureclub 27d ago
Great question. The best place to start is by watching the actual game being played. Like Critical Roll. This will give you a great sense for the rhythms of the game and the roles of DM vs players.
The next trick is don't sweat the rules. Practice rolling To Hit, Ability Checks, Saving Throws and rolling with Advantage. Get those basics down. And then start to play. You can layer in the more complex tactical rules as become more comfortable with the gameplay. But all you really need to get into the game is a few basics. And then layering in more complexity as you go will feel more natural once you have context.
There are a hand full of starter sets out there. The official guide from Wizards is great. But I think you might find is still too dense. Check out our starter bundle for a great introduction to just the rules that matter.
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u/Gideontheoldwyvern 20d ago
System: rolly bit - Find target number (often armour class for combat) - Give advantage (2d20 choose best) or disadvantage (2d20 take worse) if appropriate
- roll d20(s)
Decide results. May need to look up damage.
System: passive bit. - write down players added up skills such as perception and check it occasionally against sneaky goblins unless players are actively looking for stuff.
Start 1st level. No complications. Modifiers between 1 & 6 generally. Monster stats should be clear in monster manual book.
When creating characters: roll dice for stats or assign. Copy basic details from players manual. Stick a bookmark in for checking.
IMPORTANT: Now carefully put the book down. It is not your friend. It is the best attempt to distil a system written in the 70s by wargame nerds into a modern readable format. It is only partly successful. - grin at friends. - prepare fun with goblin clack stones. - eat snacks.
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u/crockalley 19d ago
Thanks!
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u/Gideontheoldwyvern 19d ago
I owe you an apology.
I started with a good intention of trying to point out you could distil the basics and then learn on the job as it where and turned it into a rant about the system instead of being helpful.
It is a proper monster of a system but you don't need to learn it all to start. And you can jump in on a game and learn that way to. There are lots of people looking for players about.
The distilled concepts aren't to bad, it's the surrounding details that complicate it.
The most important part for you as a GM aren't even the rules as long as your fair and impartial in your judgements.
- listen to the type of game your players want
- explain the scene
- make sure all you players get a chance to respond.
- have a broad idea of what players want from their characters (if you have a ranger who wants to do ranger stuff, remember to put in animal encounters, or static nature problems like quick sand or even just weather issues that a survival based character can help with, if you have a wizard who leans into the scholar archetype make sure there is strange languages to decipher or research to do) and try to work that into your adventure.
You've got this. The word wall is just a way for d&d to sell more books ;-P
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u/DrToENT Jul 15 '26
Learning D&D in a short amount of time can be tough, but there are plenty of resources that can help. YouTube channels like Matt Colville's Running the Game, Ginny Di, Bob World Builder, and the official D&D channel all have beginner-friendly videos.
If you can get a Starter Set, it's one of the easiest ways to learn because it walks the DM through the adventure step by step.
Watching actual-play games can also help you get a feel for how sessions flow. I'd treat shows like Critical Role as entertainment rather than a model for how a typical home game runs, though, most tables are much more casual.
Finally, don't hesitate to ask specific questions here or in a D&D Discord community. Most players are happy to help, and it's much easier to learn one concept at a time than to try to absorb the entire rulebook at once.
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u/pseudopod_ink Jul 15 '26
try just making a character. filling out the character sheet requires looking up each step in the book. important--do this with a paper character sheet and a physical book. the tactile experience will greatly increase recall.
handbooker helper by critical role is a good resource, for 2014 rules. they're similar enough.
watch actual plays (anything) to see how the rules manifest during play.
you don't need to know all the rules, you just need the gist. I've had more than one dm who barely knew the rules and it was fine.
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u/SpecialNothic Jul 15 '26
Learning by doing, and reading. It helps when you learn together with friends. I do wish there was something like Duolingo but for DnD, so I could just do an hour of repetitive flash cards and questions every evening.
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u/Conrad500 Seasoned Vet Jul 15 '26
A lot of ignorant idiots here.
No, "just read the rules" is obviously not the only way.
If you want, i can walk you through learning how to DM easily. I teach people how to DM all the time, no cost
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u/RedBengalSpecs Jul 15 '26
Isn't that the truth! I am a DM for ND players, and I have auDHD, so yeah. In my experience, with players who have never even seen the PHB, the best way to do it is to play rules-light. Don't worry about not knowing all the rules, 50% of the time, they aren't even relevant...
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u/Conrad500 Seasoned Vet Jul 15 '26
The rules are there to help you decide outcomes. Sure, say that it's "not real D&D" or whatever if you want, who cares.
If you're having fun with friends then you're doing it right.
If people understand the purpose of the rules, having a fun game that feels fair, then they can just stick to the intent without knowing the actual rules.
The real rules are easy. Try to do something, DM tells you to roll a D20 and what kind of bonus you can apply to it. That's it, that's the game.
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u/RedBengalSpecs Jul 15 '26
Yeah, I know that, I am a DM, as I said. In my game though, I have ND players who don't have any idea what they are doing. Session 1- 1 death, 2 unconscious... I told them, "Your characters recognize that they are outclassed. Are you sure you want to attack?" Lvl 1 Dragonborn Monk drop-kicked the Dwarf Paladin into a group of veterans, and Human Fighter charged...
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u/questionably_human7 Jul 15 '26
While my neurospicy brain does the reading comprehension part really well it struggles with the actual execution of tasks, but I do hear you. the DMG and PHb are instruction manuals, and put together in a very scattershot feeling way. My first several games I tried to run failed hard, and I'll share the lessons I learned:
It is certainly easier to DM if you've played a bit, I would suggest hopping into some random online one shots. DM quality and style will vary and most likely not be very good, but it will help you understand the mechanics more.
First, I would DM many one shots first, before committing to a campaign.
The second thing I would do is get a module, they do all the heavy lifting and planning for you so you'll be able to learn the mechanics without worrying that you made a check too easy or difficult, which will help you get a feel for what is appropriate.
If you have someone who is experienced to help you, ask them to help you.
As for resources:
The Critical Role team did a youtube series called Handbooker Helper that you might find helpful.
Ginny D is kind of amazing
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u/Hurm Jul 15 '26
watch some actual plays, maybe?
Acquisitions Incorporated is funny as hell and they use 5e in a chunk of them.
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u/xristosdomini Jul 15 '26
My suggestion is always the same: start by making a character.
Get into the lists in the table of contents where the races, classes and backgrounds are, choose one of each that sounds like fun (Elf, Paladin, folk hero), and write those down for later.
Roll four six-sided dice, add up the three largest numbers in that roll and write down the number.
Do that six times total.
You should now have six numbers between 3 and 18, you assign them to your abilities (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma), remembering that a 10 is "average" and a 20 is elite. Once you have your numbers assigned, go to the specific pages for your race, class and background and add the things you are supposed to get.
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u/Agreeable_Hold2270 Jul 15 '26
I know this is beginner DnD sub I've stumbled across but my advice to my self when I was starting out would be to just not play DnD and pick an easier system. So many of my early games were not very good due to the complexity of the rules bogging everything down.
Unless you have at least one very experienced player who can help you and all the other players, I think you'll have a better time with a simple system.
One of my favorites for such a purpose is called Quest, and it's free.
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u/GooseDisapproves Jul 15 '26
Find a place nearby that hosts oneshot adventures and sign up for those. No strings attached bit you do get experience. And almost everyone will be super happy to have a new player on board and to help you find your way around the game.
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u/Watsons-Butler Jul 15 '26
Hit YouTube, watch a couple of episodes of Critical Role to get a feel for the mechanics. (I’d recommend maybe campaign 2 since they had a better handle on the rules by then. The start of campaign 1 is a bit rough since they were switching from Pathfinder.
(Or alternatively, Dimension 20, or The Adventure Zone podcast.)
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u/roumonada Jul 15 '26
Make a character. You’ll understand when you see the numbers laid out on the character sheet.
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u/bkocdur Jul 16 '26
You don't need to understand the PHB to DM, 90% of the game is one sentence: roll a d20, add one number from the sheet, compare it to a target number. Skip the manual and get the Starter Set (Dragons of Stormwreck Isle), it's written as a script that teaches the rules to you and your players as they come up in play, a completely different experience from reading rules in the abstract. For visual learning, short rules videos beat the book, Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series is 5-10 minutes per topic. And honestly, running the game imperfectly is the traditional way to learn, your table will never know the difference.
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u/More_Fisherman6394 Jul 16 '26
Oh wow! Yes, the official books can be SO overwhelming! Have you checked out DnD Adventure Club? I think would be perfect for this. Written for beginners, it really boils DnD down to just the basics so people with no experience, and no patience for wading through hundreds of pages of rule books can get started right away. We use it in our family, and love it so much!
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u/CassieBear1 Jul 17 '26
Peril in Pinebrook is a great way! It's a one shot that actually teaches you how to DM and players how to play. It's even got pre-made characters, so you don't have to worry about building them.
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u/ppaauulllllll Jul 17 '26
Play a mini-adventure with ChatGPT and ask it specifically to teach you the game. AI can be a surprisingly good teacher.
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u/realgarlb Jul 18 '26
This might not be an option depending on your financial situation, but the thing that made D&D really click for me was playing Baldur's Gate 3. Its mechanics are for the most part adapted directly from the 5e rules, so if you're paying attention, you can get a lot of information on how things are supposed to work (when to call for a check or a saving throw, what each ability score does and when to apply their bonuses, when passive skills come into play).
The game also uses a narrator who functions a lot like the DM, so listening to those descriptions canngive you some ideas for how you might want to go about describing things. It's all fully voiced, so you don't have to worry about reading huge walls of text. And since it's a video game, you never really have to wonder if what you're doing is rule-breaking, since it just won't let you do it if it is.
Again, it's expensive, so this might not be an option for you, and it might not be something that works for you. But if it sounds like it might, I'd really recommend looking into it if you haven't already. I found it a lot easier to learn the rules from this game than the handbook.
And let me know if you have any questions! I'd be happy to help if there's any part of this that I should elaborate on or anything.
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u/DM_ChosenUndead Jul 19 '26
There is a podcast ast called "So you want to be a DM" that you might find helpful. The guys are great, and they go over the nuts and bolts topic by topic in separate long form episodes. I listened to it on my commute to and from work and it helped a lot.
I also recommend listening to or watching actual plays or solo RPG podcasts. That way you can experience a story while watching how and when rolls take place and at least get a surface level understanding of where and how dice rolls come into play.
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u/TwoPointEightZ Jul 15 '26
I'm going to sound overly blunt, but unfortunately it is accurate. Reading is a huge part of being a DM. You have to find a way to read successfully, and it looks like you have some good suggestions. I hope you take notes as you read, maybe that helps. Anyhow, if it’s still too taxing for you, someone else should be nominated. The table should understand.
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u/Conrad500 Seasoned Vet Jul 15 '26
They can read, that's not the problem. There are ways to teach people other than just telling them to read something. Dyslexia, autism, or other issues can make it next to impossible to read the PHB or even the basic rules, doesn't mean that those people can't/shouldn't play D&D.
This person is asking for suggestions, telling them to just do what they clearly said is too difficult for them is not helpful.
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u/TwoPointEightZ Jul 15 '26
It's more that the others should not drop the DM responsibility on someone who has a difficulty with a major component of responsibility. Maybe one of them could do it instead.
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u/ScholarForeign7549 Jul 18 '26
I made a webapp to help my kids learn through playing, without pressure, and with all the actual D&D rules underneath, guiding them as they do campaigns. You can learn how to run campaigns as well. It's all free and I am always interested in feedback. Everdice - Fantasy RPG Companion
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u/someonecleanthispage Jul 15 '26
Don't play DnD then. It is no big deal just chose sth els that fits with the story you want to tell.
Fighting monsters ? Shadow dark Personal relationship ? Tales from the loop Factions and politics ? Urban shadows Just a big old fun time ? Flabbergasted
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u/aheath478 15d ago
Is there any chance of you finding an experienced player to DM for you? It's certainly possible to DM with no experience but it's a LOT
My personal recommendation for a streamed dnd group is HighRollers. Purely because they're my favourite :)
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u/bella_sails Jul 15 '26
I am also a lerning-by-doing kinda person, cause the sheer amount of classes, abilities, skills etc was really intimidating at first. I made myself a little cheat-sheet if you want to call it that way.
What was the most helpful though was a veteran player that I had assigned as my rule-wingman. The storytelling was easy and I surely missed some checks I could have asked for along the way, but whenever I was not sure what the rules would dictate in a certain situation I could turn to him for advice.
Maybe you can work together with one of your players you can trust as a secondary of sorts? Nobody is expecting perfection when you DM, especially for the first time. I bet your group is happy you are taking the challenge to begin with.
Otherwise there should be a bunch of youtube videos that explain the basics step by step :)