Let's Play!

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

In D&D, players roll a variety of dice to determine what happens next. The most commonly used die is the 20-sided D20. When a player makes an important choice, they roll a D20 to see, for example, if an attack hits or misses or if they’re able to persuade another character to help with their quest.

The D20 die (left) determines whether an action succeeds or fails. Rolling a higher number means an action is more likely to happen.

Dice with fewer sides (right) determine the damage inflicted by a spell, weapon, or attack, and also how much a character heals.

The D20 die (left) determines whether an action succeeds or fails. Rolling a higher number means an action is more likely to happen.

Dice with fewer sides (right) determine the damage inflicted by a spell, weapon, or attack, and also how much a character heals.

DIG INTO THE DATA: Your character asks an angry troll to let your group cross a bridge. You need to roll above 15 on the D20 to persuade him. What’s the probability that you’ll be successful? (Hint: Express probability as a fraction with the number of desired outcomes over the total number of possible outcomes.)

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

In D&D, players roll a variety of dice to determine what happens next. The most commonly used die is the 20-sided D20. When a player makes an important choice, they roll a D20 to see, for example, if an attack hits or misses or if they’re able to persuade another character to help with their quest.

The D20 die (left) determines whether an action succeeds or fails. Rolling a higher number means an action is more likely to happen.

Dice with fewer sides (right) determine the damage inflicted by a spell, weapon, or attack, and also how much a character heals.

The D20 die (left) determines whether an action succeeds or fails. Rolling a higher number means an action is more likely to happen.

Dice with fewer sides (right) determine the damage inflicted by a spell, weapon, or attack, and also how much a character heals.

DIG INTO THE DATA: Your character asks an angry troll to let your group cross a bridge. You need to roll above 15 on the D20 to persuade him. What’s the probability that you’ll be successful? (Hint: Express probability as a fraction with the number of desired outcomes over the total number of possible outcomes.)

A GROWING COMMUNITY

This breakdown shows the ages of people who play D&D, according to a 2020 survey by Wizards of the Coast, the company that publishes the game.

DIG INTO THE DATA: What percentage of players are 17 years old or younger?

A GROWING COMMUNITY

This breakdown shows the ages of people who play D&D, according to a 2020 survey by Wizards of the Coast, the company that publishes the game.

DIG INTO THE DATA: What percentage of players are 17 years old or younger?

CREATE YOUR CHARACTER

Players can choose to play as different fantasy species with different strengths, abilities, and sizes—from tiny halflings to towering orcs. This graph shows how the heights of a few of these species compare to one another.

DIG INTO THE DATA: About how many times faster are stars 50,000 light-years from the galaxy’s center moving compared with what astronomers predicted?

CREATE YOUR CHARACTER

Players can choose to play as different fantasy species with different strengths, abilities, and sizes—from tiny halflings to towering orcs. This graph shows how the heights of a few of these species compare to one another.

DIG INTO THE DATA: About how many times faster are stars 50,000 light-years from the galaxy’s center moving compared with what astronomers predicted?

MAJOR MILESTONES

Dungeons & Dragons was the first commercially sold tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG). This obscure hobby would grow into a worldwide phenomenon.

HASBRO

1974
Dungeons & Dragons is released. Only 1,000 copies of the first rulebook are printed. It sells out in a year.

1980s-1990s
D&D triggers panic as people falsely assume that it’s linked to demonic rituals. The controversy only makes the game more popular.

2020
D&D sales increase by 30% as more people start playing online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2025
The cast of Dimension 20—an online show where comedians play D&D—plays a game at Madison Square Garden. It’s the largest live game of Dungeons & Dragons in history.

DIG INTO THE DATA: How many years have passed since Dungeons & Dragons was first released?

^{_{SOURCE: WIZARDS OF THE COAST, PLAYING AT THE WORLD BY JON PETERSON (2012)}}

MAJOR MILESTONES

Dungeons & Dragons was the first commercially sold tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG). This obscure hobby would grow into a worldwide phenomenon.

HASBRO

1974
Dungeons & Dragons is released. Only 1,000 copies of the first rulebook are printed. It sells out in a year.

1980s-1990s
D&D triggers panic as people falsely assume that it’s linked to demonic rituals. The controversy only makes the game more popular.

2020
D&D sales increase by 30% as more people start playing online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2025
The cast of Dimension 20—an online show where comedians play D&D—plays a game at Madison Square Garden. It’s the largest live game of Dungeons & Dragons in history.