Here’s the core gameplay loop of D&D and most RPGs. While it’s hardly necessary to follow it to the letter at all times, the flowchart provides the basic framework for the entire game and it’s good to be familiar with it.
flowchart TD Start((Start)) --> Scene[DM sets the scene] Scene --> Question['What do you do?'] Question --> Choice{Players' turn} Choice --> PlayerAction[Describe action] PlayerAction --> Narrate[DM narrates consequences] Choice --> Clarify[Ask for clarification] Clarify --> DMClarify[DM clarifies the situation] DMClarify --> Question %% Loop back Narrate --> Question
DM Sets the Scene
The scene begins with the DM painting a picture in the minds of the players. Listen carefully so you don’t miss anything important!
What Do You Do?
This is a key phrase to listen for. When the DM says this, they’re handing over the action to the players. Sometimes, it’s only implied, but it should always be clear when the DM hands over the action. As a player, you have the following two options:
Option 1: Describe Action
It seems simple: just say what your character does. But there are a few things to keep in mind:
Keep the Picture Alive
The DM has just painted a picture in your mind’s eye. Now it’s your turn to add detail and make changes to it. When describing what your character does, picture what it looks like in your head, and then describe that.
Describe Both Action and Intent
For the DM to know how to respond, they need to know not just what your character is doing, but also what they’re trying to accomplish. For example, you might say that your character throws a rock at a guard. But there’s a big difference between doing so to get the guards attention and trying to knock them out with it. Most of the time, the intent behind an action is clear. If your character is jumping across a chasm, their intent is most likely to get to the other side. But misunderstandings happen easier than you might think, and it’s often good to be specific.
Speak Before You Act
This is more of a tip than an actual part of the game flow, but I find it to be a significant boost to immersion: always say something before you do something. Adventuring parties should rarely be wandering around in silence, and it makes an awful lot of sense to pair speaking and doing together. Even a simple “Let’s head left” to the party is a big improvement over saying “we head left” to the DM. Otherwise, the fiction can easily turn into a mental image of the party walking through the dungeon in silent agreement. And yes, this advice applies for combat as well.
Consider How Your Character Feels
Breathe some life into your character by giving them emotions! I’m not saying you have to act out crying when someone dies, but generally speaking, your character should always feel something. Are they afraid because the dungeon is dark? Are they annoyed at the cold? Are they relieved to be back in town after a long day of danger? Simply being aware of your character’s current state of mind gives you lots of material to role-play with, even if you only use it to describe the look on your character’s face.
The next step is to think about how your character responds to specific emotions. Do they lash out at others when angry, or do they bottle it up? Do they spend gold frivolously and buy everyone drinks when they’re excited? Do they show their fear or hide it?
Option 2: Ask for Clarification
Exactly what it sounds like. If there’s a part of the narration that’s unclear to you, you need to ask. Miscommunication is the bane of fun. The trick here is to maintain the immersion when possible and describe your question as an action that your character takes, just like option 1. For example, instead of asking “Is the door unlocked?” you can say “my character tries the door’s handle to see if it’s unlocked.” Another example: instead of “are there any torches in the room?” say “my character looks around for any torches.” Sometimes this doesn’t work, and then it’s fine to just ask your question.