Explore the fantasy world of D&D and delve into dungeons,slay monsters, and gain treasure!If you've been thinking of playing D&D or you've playedbefore and you want to get up to speed on the all-new 4th Edition,this is the book for you. Here's what you need to know to join thefantasy fun.* D&D terminology -- understand what ability check,modifier, saving throw, AC, gp, hp, and XP mean* Roll the dice -- add modifiers and see if you rolled thed20 high enough to beat the challenge* Minding your manners -- know D&D etiquette so you'llbe welcome in any adventure* Character building -- select your character's race andclass, and choose the best powers, skills, feats, and gear* Roleplaying -- give your character a background andpersonality quirks* Combat -- use combat rules, a battle grid, and miniaturesto play out furious battlesOpen the book and find:* Everything a new player needs to get started playingD&D* Details on four fantasy races and four iconic classes* Explanations of every number and statistic on the charactersheet* The best magic items and equipment for characters of allclasses* Advice on roleplaying and teamwork* A ready-to-use adventure to get you started as a DungeonMaster* A ready-to-use battle grid with character and monstermarkers

Foreward xxiiiIntroduction 1Part 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 99Part 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 Scores151Chapter 14: Choosing Powers 159Chapter 15: Selecting Feats 185Chapter 16: Picking Skills 199Chapter 17: Choosing Armor, Weapons, and Gear 209Chapter 18: Advancing Your Character 223Part 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 291Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering 301Chapter 23: Running the Game 303Chapter 24: Building a Dungeon 323Chapter 25: Keeping Your Players Happy 345Part 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 393Appendix A: Glossary 397Index 411