"Dungeons and Dragons" (D&D) is a staple in nerd culture. This tabletop RPG consists of four very important things: a character sheet, a pencil, a polyhedral dice set, and your imagination. Originally created in the year 1974, there are six different editions, the most recent being fifth edition (the third edition is split into 3 and 3.5). In order to understand D&D there are a few different aspects and understandings needed. Here are some commonly asked questions.

What is the "DM"?

The DM or Dungeon Master is the same as the Game Master. He or she is the person who runs the game or campaign as it is most commonly referred to. Most campaigns run for a long periods of time and many hours. Each time you sit down, the DM has written this session for you. Most DM's have many different paths that players could possibly go down. This is typically a lot of work and there are some circumstances that aren't even really planned for and a good DM can make the situation work on the fly.

Why are there so many dice?

A polyhedral dice set is composed of seven different dice each dice is named in reference to how many sides it has (aside from the D100 that actually only has 10 sides ranging in increments of 10's between 10 and 100). There is the D100, the D20, the D12, the D10, the D8, the D6, and the D4. Each of these dice is used for something different, but most often the D20 is rolled for every check and action. The remaining dice are usually used to calculate damage done in combat.

Character Development?

Character creation is one of the most important parts of this game because you simply cannot play without your character. There's just so much that goes into the creation of a character other than just their gear and stats. A lot goes into writing a character and figuring out their backstory. Some characters even have hidden secrets about their lives that the DM knows about to work later into the story. There is a lot that can be done with your character other than just in the backstory aspect. Not only can you play as a human but there are many other races to choose from. Certain races also have more adequate skills.

"Dungeons and Dragons" is a game that can bring people together. Suddenly everyone can become significantly more closer when you're all bonding over destroying a boss or investigating a dragon. There is so much to be explored through your imagination and luck of the dice. "Dungeons and Dragons" is a game that may seem extremely difficult and confusing at first, but as time passes and you become more accustomed to it, things fall into place and you have the best time of your life.