Contents
Introduction
Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative game in which players create exciting fantasy stories guided by a Dungeon Master, or DM. Imagination and chance determine the fate of the players' characters.
An Ongoing Game
Each time you gather to play D&D, you're playing a single game session. These sessions connect to form adventures like the one in this set. The next time you play, the story picks up where you left off.
Choose Your Role
To play D&D with these adventures, you need two to four people to play as characters and one person to be the Dungeon Master, or DM.
Playing a Character
If you want to be one of the protagonists in your group's adventures, consider playing a character. Here's what these players do:
- Make a Character. Your character is your alter ego in the fantasy world of the game. Make a level 1 character using the D&D Beyond Basic Rules. The adventures in Heroes of the Borderlands were designed with the Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard classes in mind, but any class will do.
- Team Up. Your character joins the other players' characters to form an adventuring party. These adventurers are allies who face challenges and fantastical situations together. Each character has distinctive capabilities that complement those of the other characters.
- Venture Forth. Your character's group explores locations and events presented by the DM. You can respond to them however you can imagine, guided by the rules. Although the DM controls all the monsters you encounter, the DM isn't your adversary. The DM guides your party's journey as your characters become more powerful.
Being the Dungeon Master
If you want to be the mastermind of the game, consider being the DM. Here's what DMs do:
- Run the Adventure. You run the adventures within.
- Guide the Story. You narrate much of the action during play, describing locations and creatures that the adventurers face with read-aloud text. The players decide what their characters do as they navigate hazards and choose what to explore. Then you use a combination of imagination and the game's rules to determine the results of the adventurers' decisions.
- Adjudicate the Rules. You oversee how the group uses the game's rules, making sure the rules serve the group's fun. Tutorials in each adventure teach you some of those rules, but you'll want to reference the D&D Beyond Basic Rules to better understand them.
Swapping Roles
Playing a character and being the Dungeon Master aren't permanent roles. Trading places is easy.
Whenever you begin play or whenever the Player Characters decide to leave one of the adventure's three settings—the Caves of Chaos, the Keep on the Borderlands, or the Wilderness—determine who will be the DM for the upcoming section. The previous DM can either make a new character of a level equal to the other characters or play as the new DM's now-available character.
Getting Started
Once you've chosen the DM, follow the instructions below to begin play.
If You're a Character
Follow these steps to create your character:
- Choose your Class. Pick one of the classes from the D&D Beyond Basic Rules as your character's Class.
- Choose your Origin. Pick one Background and one Species. Together, these form your character's Origin.
- Name Your Character. Choose a name for your character. The name can be whatever you like. When you're ready, introduce your character to the other players and your DM.
If You're the Dungeon Master
Follow these steps if you're the DM:
- Review the D&D Beyond Basic Rules. Familiarize yourself with the D&D Beyond Basic Rules and its organization. You don't need to memorize every rule before you play, but you should understand the rhythm of play and where to find relevant information when needed.
- Choose an Adventure Setting. Pick one of the three adventure locations and read its introduction. If this is your first time playing D&D, the Wilderness section is a good place to start, followed by the Keep on the Borderlands. Each section contains a tutorial location with sidebars that help you run the adventure.
Now you're ready to play D&D!
The Adventure
Heroes of the Borderlands is for two to four characters of levels 1–3. The adventure has no overarching plot. While there are conflicts and secrets to uncover, the story that emerges is the one your group experiences.
The adventure is divided into three self-contained sections, each of which features a different area. You don't need to read one section to understand the others, and you can play and revisit them in any order. The adventure areas are as follows:
The Caves of Chaos tempt adventurers with riches and glory, obtainable by any who dare brave these monster-filled caverns.
The Keep on the Borderlands is a fortified settlement where the party can rest, purchase goods and services, and interact with locals.
The Wilderness lies beyond the ken of law. Friends, foes, and surprises await explorers who traverse these untamed wilds.
Over the course of the adventure, the characters might visit these areas more than once. They don't have to complete all the encounters in one section before exploring a different corner of the Borderlands.