D&D Beginner Guide: What to Buy First
You can start Dungeons & Dragons with a group, a Dungeon Master, access to the rules, character sheets and dice. Your first purchase should match your role: a starter set for a new group, or the rulebook and dice your existing group uses. You can also explore the official basic rules online before buying.
What is Dungeons & Dragons?
D&D is a cooperative roleplaying game. Each player controls an adventurer, while the Dungeon Master describes the world, runs other characters and helps resolve what happens. You describe what your character attempts, and the rules and dice help determine the result. The DM guides the adventure rather than competing to defeat the players.
Choose your starting point
- Joining an existing group: ask the DM which rules and character options the group uses. Start with a character sheet and dice; buy a book once you know which version fits.
- Starting a group with friends: choose who will DM and consider a starter set with an included adventure and characters.
- Trying the game before spending: read the official D&D Beyond basic rules and use a character sheet and dice available to your group.
- Running your own adventures: an introductory adventure is a manageable first step. Broader DM reference books can follow as you build experience.
A practical starter set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The D&D Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle brings together an introductory rulebook, adventure booklet, five premade character sheets and dice. The adventure covers characters at levels 1 to 3, and the set supports one Dungeon Master and one to five players.
Stormwreck Isle is an earlier fifth-edition starter set, published in 2022 before the 2024 rules revisions. It suits a group that wants a prepared adventure and ready-made characters. Follow the set's included rules for your first games. Check with your DM before mixing its character sheets with a different rules version. Read the product listing for current availability and fulfilment details.
Do I need all three core rulebooks?
A beginner using a starter set or the online basic rules does not need to buy every core book immediately. The Player's Handbook is the main expanded player reference. The Dungeon Master's Guide supports running adventures, while the Monster Manual provides creatures and their game statistics.
Choose books according to your role and your group's rules. Browse D&D rulebooks and sourcebooks and check the publication year and edition on each listing. The official online basic rules linked above cover the revised rules introduced in 2024. D&D Beyond now labels the revised 2024 rules “5.5e” and the earlier 2014 rules “5e”. Both remain supported. Ask your DM which material to use and how the group handles material from different versions.
Which dice do I need?
D&D uses d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20 dice. A standard polyhedral set commonly adds a second ten-sided die for percentile rolls. The d20 handles many checks and attacks; other dice are used for damage and other results.
The Assorted Polyhedral Dice Set is a simple option, or browse our dice range. Colours in the assorted listing vary. If you leave a colour preference at checkout, it is a request rather than a guaranteed selection. A starter set already includes dice, so check its contents before ordering an extra set.
What can wait until later?
Miniatures, terrain, premium dice and a DM screen can add to your experience, but you can begin without purchasing them all. Use descriptions, notes and the tools your group already has. Add D&D accessories once you know what will help your sessions.
Before your first session
- Agree who will DM and which rules the group will use.
- Choose or create a character using those rules.
- Bring a character sheet, dice or an agreed digital roller, and a way to take notes.
- Agree session length, the tone of the adventure and everyone's boundaries.
- Buy only what fills a gap in your group's setup.
Shop D&D in Christchurch and online
Browse Dungeons & Dragons at HobbiXchange for starter products, books and accessories. Visit Shop 8/121 Brighton Mall, New Brighton, entering via Beresford Street. Check individual product pages for availability, shipping and pickup eligibility; supplier-dispatched products are not available for pickup.