Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs)

About D&D

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D/DnD) is the most well-known TTRPG. Participants play as adventurers in a fantasy setting. Typically, these adventurers are larger-than-life heroes taking on increasingly challenging quests that may tie into in a larger story.

Gameplay 

In D&D, the game master is called a Dungeon Master (DM). Players build their characters by choosing a class, species, and background which offer unique abilities and traits. These abilities improve as characters level up, either through gaining experience points or through milestone events. Other significant mechanics include spellcasting and magical items.

D&D uses the d20 system. Players resolve most of their actions by rolling a 20-sided die and adding modifiers based on six core character abilities. Some actions require different dice.

D&D's current edition (5e) is of middling complexity relative to other TTRPGs. An important design goal of 5th edition was making the game smoother and more accessible for newcomers. It has a strong focus on combat, but also incorporates social interaction and exploration.

Current Edition

As of writing, 5th edition (5e) is the most recent edition of D&D. However, major rules updates (One D&D) will be published as three new core rulebooks between September 2024 and February 2025.

Rulebooks

Adventures

Although some DMs choose to guide players through worlds or stories of their own creation, there are many pre-made adventures and setting books that DMs can use when running a game. UMSL owns a small number of published 5e adventures. UMSL students, staff, and faculty can also access others available through the MOBIUS consortium.

Coming Soon: Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden