D&D Starter Set

1 Overview

The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set (5th Edition, 2014) is the recommended entry point for new D&D players. It includes everything needed for a group of 2–6 players to run their first campaign: a simplified rulebook, pre-made characters, dice, and a complete introductory adventure. No prior experience needed.

It is not a complete game, it's a self-contained introduction designed to hook new players and guide them toward the full D&D 5e core books.

2 What's Inside

• 32-page rulebook: Simplified 5e rules covering the basics, ability checks, combat, spells, conditions
• 64-page adventure book: Lost Mine of Phandelver, a full 4-part campaign for levels 1–5
• 5 pre-made character sheets: Levels 1–5, ready to play (Human Fighter, Dwarf Cleric, Halfling Rogue, High Elf Wizard, plus one more depending on edition)
• 6 dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20 (one set)

No pencils, graph paper, or miniatures included, bring your own (or use imagination).

3 Lost Mine of Phandelver

The included adventure is one of the most celebrated introductory D&D adventures ever published. The campaign takes characters from level 1 to level 5 across four parts:

• Part 1, Goblin Arrows: Characters are ambushed on the road and discover a goblin hideout. Classic dungeon introduction.
• Part 2, Phandalin: The frontier town hub, with multiple factions, NPCs, and side quests. First open-world feel.
• Part 3, The Spider's Web: Investigative quest across the wilderness, ruins, caves, and monster encounters.
• Part 4, Wave Echo Cave: The final dungeon, a lost mine full of undead, traps, and the campaign's main villain.

Total playtime: 8–20+ hours depending on group pace, roleplay, and side quest exploration.

4 The Simplified Rules

The Starter Set rules cover the core 5e mechanics without overwhelming new players:

• Ability checks: Roll d20 + relevant modifier, meet or beat DC
• Advantage/Disadvantage: Roll 2d20, take the higher (advantage) or lower (disadvantage)
• Combat: Initiative, attack rolls, damage, conditions (Prone, Restrained, Unconscious, etc.)
• Spells: Spell slots, concentration, common spells for included classes
• Death saves: When at 0 HP, roll d20, 10+ = success, 9 or below = failure. Three of either ends the character

Omitted from Starter Set rules: multiclassing, feats, advanced race/class options. These appear in the Player's Handbook.

5 Tips for First-Time Dungeon Masters

• Read Part 1 twice before running it, know the goblin cave map cold. First-time DMs who know their material are far more confident
• Let players be creative. If a player wants to try something not covered in the rules, say "roll Strength (or Dexterity or whatever fits), DC 12" and go with it. You don't need to know every rule
• NPCs have personalities. Sildar Hallwinter (the rescued NPC in Part 1) should feel different from Gundren Rockseeker. Give them one distinctive trait each
• Pacing matters more than rules. If combat is dragging, have enemies flee or surrender. If exploration is slow, have a thunderclap in the distance, something that signals the world is alive
• Fail forward. When players fail a check, don't just say "nothing happens." A failed Stealth check doesn't mean combat, it might mean the guard is alerted and suspicious, creating tension without derailing the scene

6 After the Starter Set

When you finish Lost Mine of Phandelver (or want more), upgrade to the full 5e books:

• Player's Handbook (PHB): Complete rules, all classes, races, spells, and equipment
• Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG): World-building, magic items, advanced encounter design
• Monster Manual: Stats for 300+ monsters, essential for DMs creating their own encounters

The D&D Essentials Kit (2019) is another option, it includes a different introductory adventure (Dragon of Icespire Peak) with similar scope and a DM screen.

7 Tips for First-Time Dungeon Masters

Lost Mine of Phandelver is an excellent first adventure to run precisely because it is forgiving and well-structured. But even with a great adventure, first-time DMs face common challenges. Here is how to handle them.

You Do Not Need to Know Every Rule

The Starter Set rules are 32 pages. You do not need to have memorized them before your first session. Read through the rules once, familiarize yourself with Part 1 of the adventure, and know that when a rule question comes up mid-game, it is completely acceptable to make a fair call and look it up later. "We will check that after the session" is a valid DM response.

Do Not Over-Prepare the First Session

New DMs often spend 10+ hours preparing for Session 1 of Lost Mine of Phandelver. This is unnecessary and sometimes counterproductive. Players will go in unexpected directions. Prepare the first encounter thoroughly, understand the first 30 minutes of the adventure, and let the story guide the rest. Improv within the adventure framework is part of being a DM.

NPCs Need One or Two Details, Not Backstories

Phandelver includes dozens of NPCs. Give each a memorable name and one physical or personality detail (the gruff blacksmith with a scar, the nervous innkeeper who fidgets). Players cannot retain full backstories for minor characters. One or two details make an NPC feel real.

Let Players Fail Sometimes

Many new DMs feel compelled to ensure players always succeed to keep the game fun. But failure is part of D&D's tension and excitement. A failed ability check that leads to a complication, rather than automatic success, creates more memorable stories than guaranteed victories. The adventure is designed to survive characters making mistakes.

8 After the Starter Set: What to Buy Next

Once your group has completed Lost Mine of Phandelver and wants to continue playing D&D, here are the recommended next steps.

• Player's Handbook (PHB): The core rulebook. Includes full character creation rules, all base classes, spells, and equipment. Every serious player should own or have access to this.
• Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG): The DM's toolbox. Covers world-building, magic items, encounter design, and optional rules. Less urgent than the PHB, but essential for DMs running original content.
• Monster Manual: 400+ monsters with full stat blocks, lore, and encounter suggestions. The DM's primary reference for combat encounters.
• Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk: The official sequel to Lost Mine, continuing the same characters and setting into higher levels. If your group loved Lost Mine, this is the natural continuation.
• D&D Beyond (digital platform): Provides digital character sheets, rules reference, and optional content purchases. Many groups use D&D Beyond alongside physical books or instead of them.

You do not need all of these immediately. Start with the PHB for your players and the DMG for the DM. The Monster Manual becomes important once you want to run encounters beyond what the Starter Set adventure provides.