In dungeons and dragons basic there are seven different character classes to choose from. These are the fighter, the wizard, the cleric, the thief, the dwarf, the elf and the halfling. The fighter is and expert warrior, well trained in using weapons in hand to hand combat. The dwarf is also a trained fighter as well as having a few specialised abilities. The halfling also is a warrior, with advantages and disadvantages due to his small stature. The thief is a master rogue, trained to cut purses and pick locks. The magic user is a knowledgable wizard who has the power to blast enemies with magical powers. The cleric is dedicated to his gods who grant him special magical powers. Finally, the elf is a combination of magic user and fighter, but he has a hard time advancing in skill.

Once the players have chosen their characters, the dungeon master sets Once the players have chosen their characters, the dungeon master sets them off on an adventure in a magical world populated by dragons, wizards, goblins and fairies. Only the hardiest can survive to become powerful adventurers with their own castles and lands to rule. The world supplied with the basic rulebook, Mystara, is a typical fantasy setting with the character living in a peaceful duchy with the occasional orc settlement or evil necromancer to sort out.

Many different creatures live in the world of Mystara, from evil necromancers and demons to the great animals and birds such as giant fish and the magnificent king of the sky, the roc. Although not all of these are hostile, many are. Often during their travels the adventurers will be fighting for their lives against a horde of monsters or even a single powerful creature, such as a dragon. However, after combat there are rewards..

After fighting a monster, most games masters reward the players by letting them find the creature's treasure, if it could have had any. The size of a monsters treasure hoarde depends on how powerful and intelligent. For example, a dragon would definitely have a larger store of money and magic items than a measly goblin. Treasure comes in two types: valuables and magic items. Valuables are basically just coins and gems. Magic items are a lot more exciting.

Magic items are really a major part of what makes role play games exciting. Imagine this: you find a ring on the ground and a friend tells you it has a strong magical aura, however that could mean it is cursed. Would you try it on in the hope that it is good magic, or leave it until the end of the adventure, hoping to hire a wizard to identify it, and possibly missing out on its good powers during the current quest?There are many different types of magic items. Magic swords and armer convey bonuses to the users attacking and defending abilities. Scrolls let wizards cast spells which they don't know, and can also be copied into their spell books. Rings can cast spells or give special powers to the wearer. Wands and staffs cast spells when the wearer wishes them to. There are even some intelligent swords which speak to their owners.

There are many different places where adventures can take place. The most common location is a dungeon. The term dungeon is really rather generic, and can mean anything from an actual dungeon beneath a castle, to an underground cave complex to a labyrinth constructed to trap unwary adventurers. Adventure can also take places in such places as castles, cities, mountains, forests and deserts. Each of these location types contains different monsters and new perils for the bold adventurers to face. Caves are prone to collapsing and can be infested with rock burrowers. Deserts and very dry and sandstorms may cause problems. Everyone knows of the dangerous plants and animals which can live in a forest. There isn't really any need to use fantasy creatures as these settings can be dangerous enough by themselves. However, the added monsters give the game a better feel and the adventurers feel a lot better after defeating an orc tribe than they do after escaping a vicious sand storm!

The rules themselves are extremely easy to learn. Gameplay is simple and fast paced while being realistic. I recommend you try it out.