by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker

Foreword by Mike MearlsLead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game

Dungeons &Dragons®

4th EditionFOR

DUMmIES‰

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iii

Dungeons & Dragons® 4th Edition For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774

www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or byany means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permittedunder Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permis-sion of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the CopyrightClearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests tothe Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for theRest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related tradedress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the UnitedStates and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Dungeons & Dragons is aregistered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respec-tive owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP-RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THECONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUTLIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE-ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON-TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THEUNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OROTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF ACOMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THEAUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATIONOR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR-THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THEINFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAYMAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORKMAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN ITIS READ. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer CareDepartment within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print maynot be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number:

ISBN: 978-0-470-29290-7

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iv

Dungeons &Dragons®

4th EditionFOR

DUMmIES‰

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page i

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page ii

by Bill Slavicsek and Richard Baker

Foreword by Mike MearlsLead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game

Dungeons &Dragons®

4th EditionFOR

DUMmIES‰

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iii

Dungeons & Dragons® 4th Edition For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774

www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or byany means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permittedunder Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permis-sion of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the CopyrightClearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests tothe Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, (317) 572-3447, fax (317) 572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for theRest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, and related tradedress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the UnitedStates and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Dungeons & Dragons is aregistered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respec-tive owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REP-RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THECONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUTLIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CRE-ATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CON-TAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THEUNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OROTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF ACOMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THEAUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATIONOR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FUR-THER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THEINFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAYMAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORKMAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN ITIS READ. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer CareDepartment within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print maynot be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number:

ISBN: 978-0-470-29290-7

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page iv

About the AuthorsBill Slavicsek began playing the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS roleplaying game withhis friends during his formative teenage years in New York City. This was in1977, the same year that Star Wars and Terry Brooks’s The Sword of Shannaradebuted. This trilogy of epic fantasy combined with comic books and horrornovels to forever influence Bill’s outlook on life and entertainment. In 1986,Bill’s hobby became his career when he joined the staff of West End Games.There, as an editor and game designer, Bill worked on a number of boardgames and roleplaying games, including Ghostbusters, Paranoia, Star Wars:The Roleplaying Game, and Torg: Roleplaying the Possibility Wars. Later, Billwent on to use his vast knowledge of the Star Wars films and associatedextensions to write two editions of A Guide to the Star Wars Universe forLucasfilm, Ltd. (published by Del Rey Books).

1n 1993, Bill joined the staff of TSR, Inc., then publishers of the DUNGEONS &DRAGONS game lines, as a game designer and editor. His design credits for thecompany include the Alternity Science Fiction Game (which he co-designedwith Richard Baker), the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, the d20 Star WarsRoleplaying Game, the Star Wars Miniatures Game, Urban Arcana, Council ofWyrms, and the EBERRON Campaign Setting.

Since 1997, Bill has been the R&D Director for Roleplaying Games, BookPublishing, and D&D Games for Wizards of the Coast, Inc., the company thatnow publishes all DUNGEONS & DRAGONS novels and game products. He oversawthe creation of the d20 Roleplaying Game System and the newest edition ofthe DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. Bill leads a talented staff of game designers,developers, and editors who produce award-winning game products forDUNGEONS & DRAGONS and other d20 System game lines, including roleplayinggame supplements and accessories, adventures and campaign books, andprepainted plastic miniatures. He lives with his wife Michele, their cat Pooh,and more comics, toys, and books than he knows what to do with — andthat’s okay by him.

Richard Baker is an award-winning game designer and a best-selling author.He’s worked on the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game lines since 1991. Rich traces hisD&D experience back to 1979, when he began playing the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

game as a 7th-grader. He spent a significant amount of his high school andcollege years playing D&D at every opportunity, and after serving as a sur-face warfare officer in the United States Navy, Rich decided to take a shot atworking on the game he grew up playing — and so he joined the staff of TSR,Inc. and became a game designer.

Rich’s list of D&D design credits numbers over 60 game products, includingthe Origins Award–winning Birthright Campaign Setting, the Alternity ScienceFiction Roleplaying Game (which he co-designed with Bill Slavicsek), and the

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3rd Edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. He has also served as creative directorfor the Alternity and FORGOTTEN REALMS game lines. As an author, Rich haspublished ten fantasy and science fiction novels, including Swordmage, theLast Mythal trilogy, and the New York Times bestseller Condemnation.

Rich is currently employed as a senior game designer at Wizards of the Coast,Inc. and works every day on new products for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game.He married his college sweetheart Kim in 1991; they have two daughters, Alexand Hannah. When he’s not writing (a rare occurrence), Rich likes to hike inthe Cascades, play wargames, and root for the Philadelphia Phillies —because somebody has to.

DedicationBill Slavicsek: To everyone who ever imagined an amazing adventure, I offerthis key to D&D. When I first found the game, it helped focus and expand myimagination and creativity. And it was a lot of fun. Today, I still have fun play-ing the game, and my gaming group meets every Thursday evening to bravewhatever new challenges I dream up for them. I hope you’ll find the sameoutlet for imagination and fun as I’ve enjoyed for more than 30 years.

Richard Baker: To Kim, Alex, and Hannah for being patient with me throughnigh-constant work in evenings and on weekends for many months now. Ipromise that I’m going to take my computer for a drive deep into the woodssometime soon and leave it there so it can’t ever find its way home again.

Author’s AcknowledgmentsBill Slavicsek: The newest edition of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game owes itsexistence to a lot of talented people. The work that Rich and I have done onthis For Dummies book would not have been possible if not for the originaleffort of a formidable team of creatives and business people. Thank you to mycreative team on the massive redesign project, which included Rob Heinsoo,Andy Collins, James Wyatt, Mike Mearls, Chris Perkins, Kim Mohan, MicheleCarter, and Jeremy Crawford. Also thank you to the brand team, who helpbring D&D products to market, which includes Liz Schuh, Scott Rouse, KierenChase, Sarah Girard, Linae Foster, and Martin Durham.

I have to also acknowledge the efforts of the rest of my game design staff. Thisamazing collection of designers, developers, and editors work every day topush the envelope and expand the horizons of our products, and as much as

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I lead them, they influence the way I think about and approach game designand D&D. Every part of this For Dummies book owes at least a little to theideas and work of Richard Baker, Greg Bilsland, Logan Bonner, Bart Carrol,Bruce Cordell, Peter Lee, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Julia Martin, DavidNoonan, Peter Schaefer, Stephen Schubert, Chris Sims, Rodney Thompson,Rob Watkins, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Steve Winter, and Chris Youngs.

Finally, thanks to everyone at Wiley Publishing who worked with us on thisbook, including Amy Fandrei, Jean Nelson, and Virginia Sanders, and to every-one at Wizards of the Coast, Inc. who help us make great games and othergreat products on a regular basis.

Richard Baker: Many people of exceptional creativity have worked on theD&D game over the years. Without the work of game designers, editors, andartists such as Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Jim Ward, Kim Mohan, Zeb Cook,Jeff Grubb, Steve Winter, Bruce Nesmith, Tim Brown, Troy Denning, RogerMoore, Ed Greenwood, Mike Carr, Harold Johnson, Andrea Hayday, JonPickens, Lawrence Schick, Skip Williams, Dave Sutherland, Jeff Easley, LarryElmore, and countless others, D&D would not have grown into the belovedhobby of millions of fans across the world. Countless other authors, artists,developers, and editors have contributed over the years; we’re sorry that we can’t thank them all.

A special acknowledgment is in order for Peter Atkinson, Ryan Dancey, andother folks who were instrumental in bringing the D&D game and many of itsdesigners to Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Through their efforts, they reinventedand reinvigorated the game at a difficult and crucial time in its life cycle.

I’d like to add a special thank you to good friends and colleagues who haveshared in my own D&D games over the years, including Ed Stark, John Rateliff,David Eckelberry, Shaun and Miranda Horner, David Wise, Thomas Reid, DavidNoonan, James Wyatt, Warren Wyman, Duane Maxwell, Andy Weedon, andDale Donovan. I’ve had a lot of fun saving the world with you guys!

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Publisher’s AcknowledgmentsWe’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration formlocated at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions and Editorial

Project Editor: Jean Nelson

Acquisitions Editor: Amy Fandrei

Copy Editor: Virginia Sanders

Technical Editor: Christopher Perkins

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Foxworth

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant(www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Erin Smith

Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis, Alissa D. Ellet, Joyce Haughey, Tobin Wilkerson, Christine Williams

Proofreader: Mary Lagu

Indexer: Potomac Indexing, LLC

Art Credits: William O’Connor, David Griffith,Wayne Reynolds, Lars Grand-West, Wayne England, Adam Gillespie, Thomas M. Baxa, Jim Nelson, Steve Prescott, Eva Widermann, Anne Stokes, Fred Hooper, James Zhang,Lee Moyer, Stephen Crowe

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher

Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

01_292907 ffirs.qxp 6/9/08 2:49 PM Page viii

Contents at a GlanceForeward..................................................................xxiii

Introduction .................................................................1

Part I: D&D Crash Course ..............................................7Chapter 1: Preparing for Adventure.................................................................................9Chapter 2: Your First Character......................................................................................21Chapter 3: Starting Out as a Fighter...............................................................................31Chapter 4: Starting Out as a Rogue ................................................................................41Chapter 5: Starting Out as a Wizard...............................................................................51Chapter 6: Starting Out as a Cleric.................................................................................61Chapter 7: Playing the Game...........................................................................................71Chapter 8: Practice Session ............................................................................................91Chapter 9: Finding a D&D Game to Join ........................................................................99

Part II: Building a D&D Character .............................109Chapter 10: Defining Your Character ...........................................................................111Chapter 11: Choosing a Class .......................................................................................127Chapter 12: Picking a Race............................................................................................143Chapter 13: Figuring Out Your Character’s Ability Scores........................................151Chapter 14: Choosing Powers.......................................................................................159Chapter 15: Selecting Feats ...........................................................................................185Chapter 16: Picking Skills ..............................................................................................199Chapter 17: Choosing Armor, Weapons, and Gear .....................................................209Chapter 18: Advancing Your Character .......................................................................223

Part III: Playing Your Best Game...............................229Chapter 19: Handling Yourself in a Fight .....................................................................231Chapter 20: Making the Most of Magic ........................................................................251Chapter 21: Roleplaying and Working Together.........................................................275Chapter 22: Character Building for Experts................................................................291

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Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering .......................301Chapter 23: Running the Game.....................................................................................303Chapter 24: Building a Dungeon ...................................................................................323Chapter 25: Keeping Your Players Happy ...................................................................345

Part V: The Part of Tens ............................................355Chapter 26: The Ten Best Fighter Powers...................................................................357Chapter 27: The Ten Best Rogue Powers ....................................................................363Chapter 28: The Ten Best Wizard Powers ...................................................................369Chapter 29: The Ten Best Cleric Powers .....................................................................373Chapter 30: The Ten Best Low-Level Monsters ..........................................................377Chapter 31: The Ten Best Mid-Level Monsters...........................................................383Chapter 32: The Ten Best High-Level Monsters .........................................................389Chapter 33: The Ten Best D&D Novels ........................................................................393

Appendix A: Glossary ................................................397

Index .......................................................................411

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Table of ContentsForeward ..................................................................xxiii

Introduction .................................................................1About This Book...............................................................................................1Why You Need This Book................................................................................2How to Use This Book .....................................................................................2How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................3

Part I: D&D Crash Course ......................................................................3Part II: Building a D&D Character.........................................................3Part III: Playing Your Best Game...........................................................4Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering................................................4Part V: The Part of Tens.........................................................................4

Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................4Where Do I Go From Here?..............................................................................5

Part I: D&D Crash Course...............................................7

Chapter 1: Preparing for Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9What Is D&D? ..................................................................................................10Objectives of the D&D Game ........................................................................12

Storytelling............................................................................................12Adventure goals....................................................................................12Character victories ..............................................................................12

Looking at the Components of the Game....................................................13Players and characters ........................................................................13The Dungeon Master............................................................................14The adventure.......................................................................................14Supplies you need ................................................................................15

One Game Rule to Rule Them All .................................................................17Joining a D&D Game.......................................................................................19

Chapter 2: Your First Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Defining Your Character ................................................................................21

Name ......................................................................................................22Race........................................................................................................22Class .......................................................................................................23Level and XP..........................................................................................24

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Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies xiiAbility scores ........................................................................................24Special abilities.....................................................................................25Key statistics.........................................................................................25Feats .......................................................................................................26Skills .......................................................................................................26Gear ........................................................................................................26Powers ...................................................................................................27

Playing Your Character..................................................................................27Taking turns ..........................................................................................27Roleplaying............................................................................................28Your imagination is the limit...............................................................29

Character Roles..............................................................................................29Choosing Your Character ..............................................................................30

Chapter 3: Starting Out as a Fighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Who Should Play a Fighter? ..........................................................................31How to Play a Fighter.....................................................................................32

Fighter builds ........................................................................................32The fighter’s role ..................................................................................32

Selecting a Fighter..........................................................................................33Regdar, 1st-Level Human Fighter .................................................................34Tordek, 1st-Level Dwarf Fighter ...................................................................36Calia, 1st-Level Elf Fighter.............................................................................38

Chapter 4: Starting Out as a Rogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41Who Should Play a Rogue?............................................................................41How to Play a Rogue ......................................................................................42

Rogue builds .........................................................................................42The rogue’s role ....................................................................................43

Selecting a Rogue ...........................................................................................43Jax, 1st-Level Human Rogue .........................................................................44Shadow, 1st-Level Human Rogue..................................................................46Lidda, 1st-Level Halfling Rogue ....................................................................48

Chapter 5: Starting Out as a Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51Who Should Play a Wizard? ..........................................................................51How to Play a Wizard.....................................................................................52

Wizard builds ........................................................................................52The wizard’s role ..................................................................................53

Selecting a Wizard..........................................................................................53Beryn, 1st-Level Human Wizard ...................................................................54Dreggu, 1st-Level Dwarf Wizard ...................................................................56Telsa, 1st-Level Elf Wizard.............................................................................58

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Chapter 6: Starting Out as a Cleric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Who Should Play a Cleric? ............................................................................61How to Play a Cleric.......................................................................................62

Cleric builds ..........................................................................................62The cleric’s role ....................................................................................63

Selecting a Cleric ............................................................................................63Thomm, 1st-Level Human Cleric ..................................................................64Chenna, 1st-Level Halfling Cleric..................................................................66Eberk, 1st-Level Dwarf Cleric........................................................................68

Chapter 7: Playing the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71Understanding the D&D Game .....................................................................71Rolling Dice .....................................................................................................72Exploring the Dungeon..................................................................................73

What can you do while exploring? .....................................................74Ability checks .......................................................................................75

Combat Basics ................................................................................................75Determining who goes first .................................................................76Taking your turn ...................................................................................76

Engaging in Combat .......................................................................................78Combat sequence.................................................................................78Attacking with a weapon .....................................................................79Other defenses......................................................................................79Attacks and damage.............................................................................80Critical hits............................................................................................80Flanking..................................................................................................80Combat advantage ...............................................................................80Other actions in combat......................................................................81

Using Powers in Combat ...............................................................................81Types of powers used in combat .......................................................81Power attack types...............................................................................83

Movement in Combat ....................................................................................84Move actions.........................................................................................84Forced movement.................................................................................85Distance and movement ......................................................................85Occupied squares.................................................................................85Difficult terrain .....................................................................................86Obstacles...............................................................................................86

Spending and Gaining Action Points ...........................................................86Facing Skill Challenges ..................................................................................87Hit Points, Healing, and Dying ......................................................................87

Healing in combat.................................................................................88Healing the dying..................................................................................88

Rest and Recovery .........................................................................................88Conditions That Affect Combat....................................................................88

xiiiTable of Contents

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Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies xivChapter 8: Practice Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

The Battle Grid and Markers ........................................................................91Markers..................................................................................................92Moving on the battle grid ....................................................................92

A Practice Combat .........................................................................................93Placing characters on the battle grid and rolling initiative ............93What to do on a turn............................................................................94The Dungeon Master............................................................................95Example of player versus monster combat ......................................95

Adding Story Elements ..................................................................................97

Chapter 9: Finding a D&D Game to Join . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99A Typical Game Session ................................................................................99Finding Someone to Play With....................................................................100

Joining someone else’s game............................................................101Organizing your own game................................................................102

Starting Off with a High-Level Character ..................................................103Regdar, 4th-Level Human Fighter ...............................................................104Regdar, 8th-Level Human Fighter ...............................................................106

Part II: Building a D&D Character ..............................109

Chapter 10: Defining Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Your Character Sheet...................................................................................111Filling Out the Character Sheet ..................................................................112

Names ..................................................................................................112Class and level ....................................................................................113Level modifier .....................................................................................113Path and destiny.................................................................................114Race and size ......................................................................................114Alignment, deity, and personality ....................................................115Character description........................................................................117Ability scores ......................................................................................117Hit points and healing surges ...........................................................117Senses ..................................................................................................118Initiative...............................................................................................119Defenses ..............................................................................................119Speed....................................................................................................121Action points.......................................................................................121Basic attacks .......................................................................................121Skills .....................................................................................................122Feats .....................................................................................................123

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xvTable of Contents

Race and class features .....................................................................123Powers .................................................................................................124Magic items .........................................................................................124Other equipment ................................................................................125

Chapter 11: Choosing a Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127Character Roles............................................................................................128

The controller .....................................................................................128The defender.......................................................................................129The leader ...........................................................................................129The striker...........................................................................................130

Class Descriptions .......................................................................................130The fighter is the best class ..............................................................131The rogue is the best class................................................................134The wizard is the best class..............................................................136The cleric is the best class................................................................139Other classes ......................................................................................141

Chapter 12: Picking a Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143Humans..........................................................................................................143

Ability adjustments ............................................................................144Special traits .......................................................................................144Best class.............................................................................................145

Dwarves.........................................................................................................145Ability adjustments ............................................................................146Special traits .......................................................................................146Best class.............................................................................................146

Elves...............................................................................................................147Ability adjustments ............................................................................147Special traits .......................................................................................147Best class.............................................................................................148

Halflings.........................................................................................................148Ability adjustments ............................................................................148Special traits .......................................................................................149Best class.............................................................................................150

More Races to Choose From.......................................................................150

Chapter 13: Figuring Out Your Character’s Ability Scores . . . . . . . . .151How the Ability Scores Work ......................................................................151Generating Ability Scores............................................................................155

The standard array.............................................................................155The customizing scores method ......................................................156

Assigning Ability Scores by Class ..............................................................157

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Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies xviChapter 14: Choosing Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

Navigating through Powers ........................................................................160Powers you don’t choose..................................................................161Learning new powers.........................................................................162Replacing powers ...............................................................................162

Choosing Fighter Powers ............................................................................163The Great Weapon Fighter ................................................................164The Guardian Fighter .........................................................................166

Choosing Rogue Powers..............................................................................168The Brawny Rogue .............................................................................169The Trickster Rogue...........................................................................170

Choosing Wizard Powers ............................................................................172The War Wizard ..................................................................................173The Control Wizard ............................................................................175

Choosing Cleric Powers ..............................................................................177The Battle Cleric.................................................................................178The Devoted Cleric.............................................................................180

Chapter 15: Selecting Feats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185What’s a Feat? ...............................................................................................186The Basics of Acquiring Feats ....................................................................187Planning Your Feat Choices ........................................................................187

Choosing fighter feats........................................................................188Choosing rogue feats .........................................................................190Choosing wizard feats........................................................................193Choosing cleric feats..........................................................................195

Chapter 16: Picking Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199All about Skills ..............................................................................................199

Using skills ..........................................................................................201Choosing your character’s skills ......................................................202

Quick Picks: Using Skill Packages ..............................................................203Fighter skill packages.........................................................................204Rogue skill package............................................................................204Wizard skill package...........................................................................205Cleric skill package.............................................................................207

Chapter 17: Choosing Armor, Weapons, and Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209Going Shopping ............................................................................................210Choosing the Right Weapon........................................................................212

Fighter weapons .................................................................................213Rogue weapons...................................................................................214Cleric weapons ...................................................................................214Wizard weapons .................................................................................215

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Choosing Armor ...........................................................................................215Shield or no shield?............................................................................216Light versus heavy .............................................................................216

Everything Else Your Character Is Carrying.............................................218Useful gear...........................................................................................218Write it down and forget it ................................................................219

Improving Weapons and Armor .................................................................220Masterwork armors............................................................................220Magical arms and armor....................................................................221

Chapter 18: Advancing Your Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223Gaining Experience Points ..........................................................................223

Where do XP come from? ..................................................................224For the Dungeon Master ....................................................................224

Gaining Levels...............................................................................................225Ability score increases.......................................................................226Level modifier .....................................................................................226New powers.........................................................................................226Feats .....................................................................................................227

Advancing a Level ........................................................................................227

Part III: Playing Your Best Game ...............................229

Chapter 19: Handling Yourself in a Fight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231Choosing the Right Weapon for the Job....................................................231

Killing ’em quickly: Attacking hit points..........................................232Playing for time: Action-denial powers............................................232Beating ’em with footwork: Maneuver.............................................233Winning with a smile: Negotiation....................................................233Bugging out: Knowing when to retreat ............................................234

Managing Expendable Powers and Resources .........................................235Fire away: Using encounter powers .................................................235Hold on, there: Using daily powers ..................................................236

Putting It All Together: Developing Your Combat Strategy ....................237Step 1: Define the situation ...............................................................237Step 2: Evaluate your foes .................................................................239Step 3: Choose the right tactic .........................................................239Step 4: Rethink your assumptions....................................................241

Using Advanced Tactics ..............................................................................241Flanking................................................................................................241Beating the initiative order ...............................................................241Charging...............................................................................................242Avoiding opportunity attacks ...........................................................243Concentrating on defense .................................................................244

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Setting up opportunity attacks.........................................................245Adapting Your Tactics to Your Foes ..........................................................247

Beating ranged controllers................................................................247Handling numerous foes....................................................................248Fighting monsters your character can’t hurt .................................248

Chapter 20: Making the Most of Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .251Selecting Wizard Spells for the Adventure................................................252Casting in Combat........................................................................................254Rituals: The Magic You Didn’t Know You Had..........................................255

Learning rituals...................................................................................256Using rituals ........................................................................................257

Powering Up with Magic Items...................................................................257Types of magic items .........................................................................259Acquiring magic items .......................................................................261

Defining the Magic Item Baseline ...............................................................262Fighter magic items............................................................................264Rogue magic items .............................................................................267Cleric magic items..............................................................................268Wizard magic items ............................................................................271

Chapter 21: Roleplaying and Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275Roleplaying with Style .................................................................................275

Choosing your character’s alignment..............................................276Building a persona .............................................................................277Creating mannerisms .........................................................................278Knowing when to stop .......................................................................280

Working Together.........................................................................................280Cooperating in a fight ........................................................................281Buffing your teammates ....................................................................282Saving downed characters ................................................................284

Minding Your Table Manners......................................................................285Five do’s...............................................................................................285Five don’ts ...........................................................................................287

Chapter 22: Character Building for Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291Min-Maxing Your Character ........................................................................291

Min-maxing strategies........................................................................293Exploiting good interactions.............................................................293

Choosing a Paragon Path ............................................................................294Epic Destiny for the Win!.............................................................................296Multiclassing: Maxing Out Your Choices...................................................297

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Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering........................301

Chapter 23: Running the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303DMing: The Best Role in the Game.............................................................304

Preparing an adventure .....................................................................304Building the world..............................................................................304Playing NPCs .......................................................................................305Running monsters ..............................................................................306Adjudicating results ...........................................................................307Keeping up with the characters .......................................................308

Choosing an Adventure to Run ..................................................................308Task-Oriented DMing ...................................................................................309

The exploration task ..........................................................................312The conversation task .......................................................................313The combat task .................................................................................314The free time task...............................................................................317

Getting the Most out of Your Monsters.....................................................318Figuring out monster stats ................................................................318Deciding what the bad guys do ........................................................320Fighting smart, fighting dumb ..........................................................321

Chapter 24: Building a Dungeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323Creating a D&D Adventure..........................................................................323

Parts of an adventure.........................................................................324An adventure-builder checklist ........................................................327

Sample Dungeon: Hall of the Spider God ..................................................328Adventure premise.............................................................................328Using the battle grid...........................................................................329Using the character and monster markers .....................................329Adventure key.....................................................................................329Starting the adventure .......................................................................330Wrapping up the adventure ..............................................................342

Chapter 25: Keeping Your Players Happy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345Figuring Out Your Players ...........................................................................345Narrating the Adventure .............................................................................348

Getting ready, getting organized.......................................................349Creating evocative scenes.................................................................349Using the cut-scene ............................................................................350

Running a Fun Game ....................................................................................351Using props .........................................................................................351Table rules...........................................................................................352Game balance......................................................................................353

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Part V: The Part of Tens .............................................355

Chapter 26: The Ten Best Fighter Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35710. Anvil of Doom .........................................................................................3589. Reaping Strike...........................................................................................3588. Precise Strike ............................................................................................3587. Serpent Dance Strike ...............................................................................3596. Unbreakable..............................................................................................3605. Sweeping Blow..........................................................................................3604. Dizzying Blow ...........................................................................................3603. Come and Get It ........................................................................................3612. Comeback Strike.......................................................................................3611. Tide of Iron................................................................................................362

Chapter 27: The Ten Best Rogue Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36310. Tornado Strike ........................................................................................3639. Sly Flourish ...............................................................................................3648. Crimson Edge............................................................................................3647. Leaping Dodge ..........................................................................................3656. Cloud of Steel............................................................................................3655. Blinding Barrage.......................................................................................3654. Bait and Switch.........................................................................................3663. Tumble.......................................................................................................3672. Slaying Strike ............................................................................................3671. Piercing Strike...........................................................................................367

Chapter 28: The Ten Best Wizard Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36910. Magic Missile ..........................................................................................3699. Dispel Magic..............................................................................................3708. Ice Storm ...................................................................................................3707. Mirror Image .............................................................................................3706. Sleep...........................................................................................................3715. Lightning Bolt ...........................................................................................3714. Fireball .......................................................................................................3713. Shield .........................................................................................................3722. Thunderlance ...........................................................................................3721. Cloud of Daggers ......................................................................................372

Chapter 29: The Ten Best Cleric Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37310. Cure Light Wounds.................................................................................3739. Lance of Faith ...........................................................................................3748. Flame Strike ..............................................................................................3747. Cure Serious Wounds...............................................................................3746. Awe Strike..................................................................................................374

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5. Healing Strike............................................................................................3754. Daunting Light ..........................................................................................3753. Mantle of Glory.........................................................................................3752. Mass Cure Light Wounds.........................................................................3751. Sacred Flame.............................................................................................376

Chapter 30: The Ten Best Low-Level Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37710. Stirge (Level 1 Lurker) ...........................................................................3779. Hell Hound (Level 7 Brute) .....................................................................3788. Young White Dragon (Level 3 Solo Brute) ............................................3787. Deathjump Spider (Level 4 Skirmisher) ................................................3786. Werewolf (Level 8 Brute).........................................................................3795. Ghoul (Level 5 Soldier)............................................................................3794. Dire Rat (Level 1 Brute)...........................................................................3793. Ogre Skirmisher (Level 8 Skirmisher) ...................................................3802. Blazing Skeleton (Level 5 Artillery) .......................................................3801. Orc Raider (Level 3 Skirmisher).............................................................380

Chapter 31: The Ten Best Mid-Level Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38310. Cyclops Impaler (Level 14 Artillery) ...................................................3839. Flesh Golem (Level 12 Elite Brute).........................................................3838. Wailing Ghost (Level 12 Controller).......................................................3847. Umber Hulk (Level 12 Elite Soldier).......................................................3846. Beholder Eye of Flame (Level 13 Elite Artillery) ..................................3845. Mummy Lord (Level 13 Elite Controller) ..............................................3854. Mind Flayer Mastermind (Level 18 Elite Controller) ...........................3853. Vrock Demon (Level 13 Skirmisher) ......................................................3852. War Troll (Level 14 Soldier) ....................................................................3861. Adult Red Dragon (Level 15 Solo Soldier).............................................387

Chapter 32: The Ten Best High-Level Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38910. Yuan-ti Anathema (Level 21 Elite Skirmisher) ....................................3899. War Devil (Level 22 Brute) ......................................................................3898. Voidsoul Specter (Level 23 Lurker) .......................................................3907. Elder Purple Worm (Level 24 Solo Soldier)...........................................3906. Death Knight (Level 25 Elite Soldier).....................................................3905. Pit Fiend (Level 26 Elite Soldier) ............................................................3904. Storm Giant (Level 24 Elite Controller) .................................................3913. Ancient Blue Dragon (Level 28 Solo Artillery) .....................................3912. Tarrasque (Level 30 Solo Brute) ............................................................3911. Orcus (Level 33 Solo Brute)....................................................................392

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Chapter 33: The Ten Best D&D Novels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .393Dragonlance Chronicles ..............................................................................393Dragonlance Legends ..................................................................................393Icewind Dale Trilogy ....................................................................................394R.A. Salvatore’s War of the Spider Queen .................................................394A Practical Guide to Dragons......................................................................394Storm Dragon................................................................................................394Swordmage....................................................................................................395The Orc King.................................................................................................395The Sword Never Sleeps..............................................................................396

Appendix A: Glossary ................................................397

Index .......................................................................411

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Foreword

You have to realize that, if you've never played DUNGEONS & DRAGONSbefore, I am incredibly jealous of you on two counts.

For one thing, you're about to experience a whole truckload of awesome firsts.Your first dungeon, your first critical hit, your first dragon slain, your first goat saving the world — all these await you. D&D is more than a game. It's anoperating system for the imagination, a tool to craft and share dreams of epicbattles, horrific villains, and noble heroes with your friends. If you've neverplayed the game before, you are in for a wild ride.

For another, you have a pair of experts showing you the ropes. Between thetwo of them, Bill Slavicsek and Rich Baker have put more time into thinking,writing, and building D&D than any other pair of game designers you couldname. Back in the day, learning D&D consisted primarily of getting the ruleswrong, arguing over what was supposed to happen next, and making thingsup on the fly. If D&D is the imagination's operating system, then this book isyour user's manual.

You might be intimidated by the size of this book or the sheer length of D&D'sthree core rulebooks: the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, andthe Monster Manual. Unlike many games, D&D isn't about memorizing the rulesand following them to the letter. Having a good time, telling an exciting story,and hanging out with your friends is more important than getting everythingright. D&D is a cooperative game where you and your friends work together.That applies equally to fighting a dragon and to learning the rules. So, if youhave any worries about memorizing the entire game, set them aside. The rulesare there to keep everything organized, make things fair for everyone, and helpdetermine what happens next. They're guidelines, not inalterable, unquestion-able laws.

As you set out on your career as a D&D player, allow me to offer my own littlecontribution to your growing understanding of the game. The nice thing aboutwriting a foreword is that I get in a word before Bill and Rich. So, here's my bitof advice:

Thou shalt be a hero. If there is a dragon that needs slaying, a kingdom thatneeds liberating, or a demon that needs to be chased back to the Abyss, drawyour sword, ready your spells, and leap to action. All of us are great in ourdreams, and D&D is where our dreams come a little bit closer to life.

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Have fun, may you roll many 20s, and may the orcs, trolls, and giants you facebe plagued with rolling 1 after 1. (Don't worry! Just read ahead and soon thatwill make perfect sense.)

—Mike Mearls

Mike is Lead Game Developer for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game at Wizardsof the Coast. In addition to all the work Mike has done on the 4th Edition of thegame, he has co-authored a number of 4E adventures, including Keep on theShadowfell, Thunderspire Labyrinth, and Pyramid of Shadows.

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Introduction

You crave action and adventure. You revel in the fantastic. You want toplay DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game has been

around for more than 30 years, and it stands as the pinnacle of fantasy-adventure games (also known as roleplaying games). The concepts and playpatterns of D&D (as it is affectionately referred to) harken back to the gamesof make-believe that almost everyone played as a little kid. However, D&Dprovides form and structure, making game play more satisfying and robustfor kids and adults alike.

This book makes the mysterious and often arcane world of fantasy roleplay-ing games — specifically the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Roleplaying Game, 4thEdition — easier to understand and faster to get into. Get ready to expandyour imagination, roll some dice, and battle dragons and other magical monsters.

About This BookWe originally wrote this book to make our favorite hobby game more accessi-ble to every fantasy and gaming fan, from the novice who enjoys fantasynovels or films such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and has a passing curios-ity about the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, to the seasoned D&D player whogoes to every convention and has been playing since Gary Gygax and DaveArneson published the White Box version of the game. Whether you have yetto play your first game or have been in a regular gaming group for years, ourmission is to measurably increase the fun you have playing D&D and yourproficiency with the game.

Moreover, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. just released the 4th Edition of theDUNGEONS & DRAGONS game, and with a new edition comes a whole new seriesof opportunities to get in on the fun. But there are also changes to help younavigate through, new concepts to explain, and new challenges to help youovercome. We figured the best time to update Dungeons & Dragons ForDummies was in conjunction with the new edition of the game.

As a new player, you discover the basics of the game. You end up with a char-acter to play and enough understanding to confidently take your place at anygaming table. Read this book today, grab a copy of the D&D Player’s Handbook,and you can play tomorrow without worry or confusion. D&D is a game.Games are fun. We hope to make learning to play fun, too.

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As experienced players, we help you immediately get up to speed on the newsystems. We provide lots of hints and tips to elevate your level of play.Character creation, character advancement, combat and encounter strate-gies, game mastering — we cover it all. It doesn’t matter if you’ve playedonce or a hundred times; you can find something in this book to make you abetter D&D player or game master (called a Dungeon Master in D&D lingo).

Why You Need This BookNovices need Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies because it’s writ-ten by D&D experts to serve as the most comprehensive introduction to theD&D game. In this book, you can find out things about D&D and fantasy role-playing that many seasoned gamers still haven’t discovered. Do you know theins and outs of opportunity attacks? What the best class and race combosare? How to make the most of your character’s key abilities? Which monsterscan be brought down by which powers and weapons? You can find theanswers to all kinds of D&D questions within these pages. And what if youalready know a lot about the game? Get ready to discover a good deal more.We’ve filled this book with inside tips and behind-the-curtain details that yourarely encounter outside the hallowed walls of Wizards of the Coast.

We believe that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS speaks to and feeds the human condi-tion. D&D is a game of the imagination, building on the myths and fantasiesthat have shaped our culture. D&D is a game of endless possibilities, wherethe only limit on what can happen is what you can imagine. D&D is a socialexperience, a fun and exciting activity that combines group storytelling andfantasy iconology with strategic challenges and dice rolling. Nothing else —no computer game, no board game, no movie — comes close to deliveringthe interactive and unlimited adventure of the D&D experience.

From the days of telling stories around a campfire about trolls and dragonsand knights in shining armor to the high-tech equivalent that involves com-puters and high-speed Internet connections, make-believe has advancedalong with society. Today, one of the purest expressions of the game isDUNGEONS & DRAGONS. No other outlet for the adventures of armored warriorsand powerful wizards is as versatile, creative, or fun as D&D. So get out thereand explore some dungeons and bash some monsters!

How to Use This BookThere’s no right or wrong way to use this book. Read it from cover to cover orglance at the Table of Contents and dive into the sections that most interestyou. If you’re a new player, we suggest starting with Part I. You also want to

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become intimately familiar with the glossary and refer to it often as youexplore these pages. If you have a few games under your belt and you’re look-ing to become a better player, check out Parts II and III. Experienced playerswill want to look at Part III for insights into the nuances of the game. And if youlike to be Dungeon Master (or you aspire to this position), you should dive intoPart IV. Longtime players and folks who are new to the world of DUNGEONS &DRAGONS can find something fun and interesting in the Parts of Tens.

Much of this book is written with the assumption that you have a D&D Player’sHandbook. We don’t replace the D&D game rules in this book; instead, we tryto make them clearer and help you navigate your way through them withinside tips and advice. In addition, you need a set of dice (see Chapter 1 fordetails) to use the practice sessions presented in later chapters.

How This Book Is OrganizedDungeons & Dragons 4th Edition For Dummies consists of five parts. The chap-ters within each part cover specific topics in detail. In each chapter, we startwith the basics and build from there. Whenever a point needs further clarifi-cation, we cross-reference the appropriate chapter so you can immediatelyfind any additional information you need. In addition, whenever it comes up,we refer you to the appropriate chapter in the D&D Player’s Handbook or, ifnecessary, one of the other two books that make up the core rules of thegame, the Dungeon Master’s Guide and the Monster Manual.

Part I: D&D Crash CourseThis is your character and these are the dice you roll. We start out with abasic overview of the D&D game, assuming that you’re a brand-new playerwho’s looking to join an existing gaming group. We give you a little history onhow the game began and how it developed, and we provide you with ready-to-play characters (called pregenerated characters) so you can join a gameright now. We finish off this section with a discussion on starting your owngame, just in case you don’t currently know anyone who plays.

Part II: Building a D&D CharacterUsing a pregenerated character is fine, but eventually you’ll want to build acharacter of your very own. In this part, we explain the fine points of charac-ter creation and go behind the scenes to discuss character advancement.After all, where your character ends up might be more important than where

3Introduction

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he or she started. This part of the book is for the player who wants tobecome more invested in the D&D game. We help you navigate the Player’sHandbook so that you can make solid, informed decisions about what kind ofcharacter you want to build and play.

Part III: Playing Your Best GameEven expert players should find something new and informative in this partof the book. From effective combat tactics to powerful character combina-tions, from the basics of adventuring-party teamwork to advice on good role-playing, we offer insights into the mechanics of the game and how to be thebest D&D player you can be.

Part IV: The Art of Dungeon MasteringThe earlier parts of the book spend a lot of time offering advice and tactics toplayers. Here’s where we provide tips and tricks to that select and importantindividual who makes every D&D game come alive — the Dungeon Master. It’sgood to be the DM, and this section of the book starts with the basics ofDMing and builds to provide insights that should give even experienced DMssomething to think about when running their own games.

Part V: The Part of TensNo For Dummies book is complete without this section of top ten lists.Helpful and interesting collections of the best powers, monsters, andresources abound throughout these short chapters.

And finally, perhaps the most important part of this book, the glossary helpsyou navigate and understand the terms and jargon that pervade the D&Dgame. Use the glossary often as you use this book and the core D&D rule-books.

Be sure to check out the color pages in this book. They feature fantastic, full-color artwork of several different D&D monsters and races.

Icons Used in This BookTo guide you along the way and to point out information you really need toknow, this book uses the following icons:

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