Page 5 - Player's Handbook

PREFACE

NCE UPON A TIME, LONG, LONG AGO, IN A are !ikely to end up friends. It's a cool side effect of the
realm called the Midwestern United game. Your next gaming group is as close as the nearest
States-specifically the states of Minne- game store, on!ine forum, or gaming convention.
sota and Wisconsin-a group of friends The second thing you need is a lively imagination
gathered together to forever alter the or, more importantly, the willingness to use whatever
history of gaming. imagination you have. Vou don't need to be a master
1twasn't their intent to do so. They were storyteller or a brilliant artist. Voujust need to aspire to
tired of merely reading tales about worlds of magic, create, to have the courage of someone who is willing to
monsters, and adventure. They wanted to play in those build something and share it with others.
worlds, rather than observe them. That they went on Luckily. just as 0&0 can strengthen your friendships,
to invent OUNGEONS & ORAGONS, and thereby ignite a it can help build in you the confidence to create and
revolution in gaming that continues to this day, speaks share. 0&0 is a game that teaches you to look for the
to two things. clever solution, share the sudden idea that can overcome
First, it speaks to their ingenuity and genius in fig- a problem, and push yourself to imagine what could be,
uring out that games were the perfect way to explore rather than simply accept what is.
worlds that could not otherwise exist. Almost every The first characters and adventures you create will
modern game, whether played on a digital device or probably be a collection of clichés. That's true of every-
a tabletop, owes some debt to 0&0. one, from the greatest Dungeon Masters in history on
Second, it is a testament to the inherent appeal of the down. Accept this rea!ity and move on to create the
game they created. OUNGEONS & ORAGONS sparked a second character or adventure, which will be betler,
thriving global phenomenon. [t is the first roleplaying and then the third, which will be betler still. Repeat that
game, and it remains one of the best of its breed. over the course of time, and soon you'lI be able to create
To play 0&0. and to play it well, you don't need to anything, from a character's background story to an epic
read ali the rules, memorize every detail of the game, world of fantasy adventure.
or master the fine art of rolling funny looking dice. Once you have that skill, it's yours forever. Countless
None of those things have any bearing on what's best writers, artists, and other creators can trace their begin-
about the game. nings to a few pages of 0&0 notes, a handful of dice,
What you need are two things, the first being friends and a kitchen table.
with whom you can share the game. Playing games with Above ali else, 0&0 is yours. The friendships you
your friends is a lot of fun, but 0&0 does something make around the table will be unique to you. The adven-
more than entertain. tures you embark on. the characters you create, the
Playing 0&0 is an exerci se in collaborative creation. memories you make-these will be yours. 0&0 is your
Vou and your friends create epic stories filled with ten- personal corner of the universe, a place where you have
sion and memorable drama. Vou create silly in-jokes free reign to do as you wish.
that make you laugh years later. The dice will be cruel Go forth now. Read the rules of the game and the
to you. but you will soldier on. Your collective creativ- story of its worlds, but always remember that you are
ity will build stories that you will tell again and again. the one who brings them to !ife. They are nothing
ranging from the utlerly absurd to the stuff of legend. without the spark of !ife that you give them.
If you don't have friends interested in playing, don't
worry. There's a special alchemy that takes place Mike Mearls
around a 0&0 table thal nothing else can match. Play May 2014
the game with someone enough, and the two of you

PREFACE