Definitions of Standard D&D Terms

**READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY.** These terms will be used throughout the rest of this booklet; they are also in the **GLOSSARY** at the end of this booklet. When a group plays a D&D game, one person acts as a referee and is known as the **Dungeon Master (DM)**. Others play the roles of fantasy characters and are known as **players**. Each player's character is called a **player character (PC)**. Other players met in the game, who are controlled by the DM, are called **non-player characters (NPCs)**. A group of characters (PC and NPC) who travel together is called a **party**.

It is the DM's job to prepare the setting for each adventure before the game begins. This setting is called a **dungeon** since most adventures take place in underground caverns or stone rooms beneath old ruins or castles. The dungeon is carefully mapped on paper (usually graph paper). A dungeon may be designed by the DM, or may be a purchased dungeon, such as the one included in this set (called a **dungeon module**). Whether creating a new dungeon or carefully studying a module, the DM must be willing to spend more time in preparation than the characters. The DM's job takes the most time, but it is also the most creative and rewarding.

The players will create characters by following the instructions given in Part 2, **PLAYER CHARACTER INFORMATION**. Each player will choose a **class** (profession) for their characters. The classes are chosen by looking carefully at the abilities of each character. When the DM has prepared a dungeon and the players have created their characters, the game is ready to begin.

Each game session is called an **adventure**. The adventure lasts for as long as the DM and the players agree to play. An adventure begins when the party enters a dungeon, and ends when the party has left the dungeon and divided up treasure. An adventure may run for only an hour, or it may fill an entire weekend! The amount of playing time depends on the desires of the players and the DM. Several related adventures (one adventure leading to another, often with the same player characters) is called a **campaign**.

At the start of the game, the players enter the dungeon and the DM describes what they see. One player should draw a map from the DM's descriptions; that player is called the **mapper**. As the player characters move further into the dungeon, more and more of the dungeon is mapped. Eventually, the DM's map and the players' map will look more or less alike.

To avoid confusion, the players should select one player to speak for the entire group or **party**. That player is named the **caller**. When unusual situations occur, each player may want to say what his or her character is doing. The caller should make sure that he or she is accurately representing all the player characters' wishes. The caller is a mediator between the players and the DM, and should not judge what the player characters should do.

As details of the dungeon are revealed, the player characters meet "monsters" which they have to avoid, talk to, or fight. A **monster** is any animal, person, or supernatural creature that is not a player character. A monster may be a ferocious dragon or a humble merchant. For game purposes, any creature *not* a player character *is* a monster. Human monsters are often called non-player characters (or NPCs) do separate them from other monsters.

A meeting between player characters and monsters is called an **encounter**. During an adventure the player characters will also discover treasure and try to avoid dangerous traps as well as encounter monsters. Sometimes, of course, the player characters will have to fight monsters. Such as fight is referred to as a **melee**.

In D&D rules, player characters try to gain experience, which is earned as **experience points** (or **XP**). Experience points are given out by the DM at the end of each adventure. Player characters continue to gain experience points for each adventure they participate in. Although this rulebook only explains the abilities of characters up to the third level of experience, further supplements will explain character levels up to 36th level.