D&D Quick-Start: The Rules on One Page

The essential D&D 2024 rules for new players: ability checks, combat, and spellcasting — everything a kid needs to play their first session.

The core idea

When your character tries something uncertain, roll a 20-sided die (d20), add a modifier, and compare to a target number. Roll high = success. That's 90% of the game.

Ability checks

• d20 + ability modifier vs. a Difficulty Class (DC) set by the DM. Easy: 10. Hard: 15. Very hard: 20.
• Skills add your proficiency bonus too if you're trained — e.g. d20 + Dexterity + proficiency for Stealth.
• Advantage / disadvantage: roll two d20s, take the higher (advantage) or lower (disadvantage). The DM grants these for clever play or bad luck.

Combat, in order

1. Roll initiative: d20 + Dexterity modifier. Highest goes first. The DM Screen tracks this for you.
2. On your turn, do three things (any order): move up to your speed, take one action, and optionally one bonus action.
3. Attack: d20 + attack bonus vs. the target's Armor Class (AC). Hit = roll damage dice + modifier.
4. Cast a Spell: costs an action (or bonus action). Some need attack rolls, others force the target to make a saving throw.
5. Other actions: Dash (double move), Disengage (avoid opportunity attacks), Dodge (attacks against you have disadvantage), Help (give an ally advantage), Hide, Ready, Search.
6. Dropping to 0 HP: you're unconscious and make death saving throws — roll d20 each turn: 10+ is a success, below 10 is a failure. Three successes stabilize you; three failures mean death. An ally can stabilize you with a Medicine check or healing.

Spellcasting basics

• Cantrips (level 0) are free and unlimited — your bread and butter.
• Leveled spells cost spell slots. A 1st-level character has just a couple; rest to recover them.
• Spell save DC: the number enemies must beat on saving throws: 8 + proficiency + spellcasting modifier.
• Concentration: some spells say "Concentration" — you can only hold one at a time, and taking damage can break it.

Your character cheat sheet

Print your character from the Character Forge and you'll get all of this on one page: your attack bonuses, save DC, skill modifiers, spell summaries, and a combat quick-reference. If it's on the sheet, you can do it.