INCLUDES FIVE READY-T0-PLAY CHARACTERS.WELCOME TO 4TH EDITION ‘The newest edition to the Doxcroxs a Daacons* Role: playing Game showeases an evolution in gameplay and ‘pts an emphasis on fun. This Quick Start Rules booklet provides an overview of the game so that you can play the Keep on the Shadowll adventure These Quick Start Rules give only the most cursory explanation of the D&D® game. For the complete expert: cence, including character creation and the fall rules of the game, pick up the new D&D Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide*, and Monster Manual’, and check out ww. [Link] for even more information. DuNGEONS & DRAGONS D&D isthe original roleplaying game, the game that cre ated a new category of entertainment. Set ina medieval fantasy world of magie and monsters, the game allows you toexperience stories and adventures full ofendless possi bilities and amazing surprises. This booklet includes Quick Start Rules forthe players, as well as ready to:play characters so that you can start playing D&D right now: The other booklet included in this package features the rules of the game for the Dungeon Master (DM), as well asthe adventure itself PLAYING D&D To play, you need a Dungeon Master to present challenges, adjudicate the rules, and narrate the adventure. You also need players to run heroic characters (five players work: ‘estan adventure (uch as Keep onthe Shadowfell) and dice. Your character is your interface with the world of D&D. Like the hero of a novel or the star ofa movie, your charac ter (and the characters ofthe other players) is at the eenter ofall the action. But there's no script to fallonyou deter: imine the course of every adventure through the actions you take, And your character grows and improves asthe game goes on. The D&D game uses.a special set of dice. These include atleast one of each of these types of dice: d4, 46, d8, d10, {d12, and d20, The number corresponds to the number ‘af'vdes each particular die has. When you roll 34634, for example, you roll three six-sided dice and add 4 to the result. Italso helps to have D&D" Miniatures to represent the heroes and monsters in the game, and D&D" Dungeon ‘Tiles or some other battle grid to create the adventure ‘encounters, This adventure also includes three double sided poster maps of key adventure areas that are scaled for use with D&D Miniatures. THE CORE MECHANIC At heart, the D&D game uses core game mechanic. Once you master this, you know how to play the game It all revolves around task resolution, How do you know If ‘your sword swing hits the owlbeav? Ifyour bluff rieks the juards? If your fneblas hits the kobold? Ill depends on these base rules: % Decide wir you wont your character todo and elle Dungeon Maser. 4+ fol 20 (Che higher you ol the beter) + Add any relevant modifies (as shown on your character sheet Compare your otal result oa target number. your esultsequl to or higher than he target number you succeed at whatever ask ou were tempting to do, your esl lower than the target umber. you fal ‘There's litle more (o It than that, but the core mechanic governs all D&D game play. Everything else isan extension or refinement ofthe core mechani. Key examples of the core mechanic in play follow. SKILL CHECKS ‘When you use a skill, you make a skill check, + Roll a d20 and aud your skil modifier (as shown on your character sheet) 4 Add any situational modifiers, usually rom powers affecting you 4+ The total isyour check result. “The higher the result, the better. Your result is compared against a Difficulty Class (a number set by the DM based ‘on the situation) or an opposed check made by a character ‘opposing your use ofthe skill, ATTACK ROLLS When you make an attack, elther using a baste attack ora power, you make an attack roll + Choose the attack type you want ta use. Usually a melee or ranged attack, ora power) 4 Choose a target for your attack that is within range of the attack type you selected, (Some attacks can be made against multiple targets) 4 Rolla d20 and add your attack masifier (as shown on yourcharacter sheet) + The total s your attack roll result. ‘The higher the result, the better. Your result is compared against the target's defense score. Different attack types are compared against different defense scores. Chatactersand monsters have four different defenses: Armor Class (AC), Fortitude, Reflex, and Will. ENCOUNTERS ‘The action of'a D&D game takes place in encounters. In ‘encounters, all characters have something to oan Important for them to work together to overcome what ever challenge is sct before them. Outside of encounters, characters explore their environment and engage in social interactions, When exploration or social interac- tion involves serious consequences for success or fallure, It becomes an encounter. Encounters come ‘190 base forms: combat encoun ‘noncombat encounters. tersaan Compat ENCOUNTERS Highting monsters. What D&D adventure would be com plete without combat encounters where chatacters rly ‘om attack powers, skills, feats, and magic items to bate hordes of ravenous creatures or ei villains? NoncompaT ENCOUNTERS Noncombat encounters focus on skill use, utility powers, your wits, and your roleplaying skills. These encounters Include dealing with traps and hazards, solving puzzles, and overcoming skill challenges. COMBAT Combat encounters break out when the player characters run into an opposing force, That force could be a power: fil solo monster, a group of terrifying creatures, or a gang of villainous nonplayer characters. The chaos of combat Is organized into a eyele of rounds and turns. Round: In a round, every combatant takes a turn. round represents about 6 seconds in the game world. ‘Turn: On your turn, you take actions in any order you wish, (ee “Actions,” below) COMBAT SEQUENCE A combat encounter follows this sequence: Establish positions. The DM decides where the coin Datants start out on the battle grid. The DM shows the ‘Along with the core mechanic, three basic principles should always be remembered. Other rules in the game are based ‘on these assumptions. Simple Rules, Many Exceptions: Every class, race, feat, power, and monster in the D&D game breaks the rules in some way. From minor to significant, the game ts built pon cexception-based rules design. For example, a normal melee attack always deals a few points of damage, but every class has powers that ramp up the damage when they get used. "THREE BASIC RULES players where they can set up their characters and then places the monsters Roll initiative, Everyone involved in the encounter rolls initiative (rll a 420 and add your initiative modifier, as shown on your character sheet). This determines che onder ‘of battle forthe entire encounter. ‘Take surprise round actions. If any combatants ‘gained a surprise round, they actin initiative order, each taking a single action ‘Take turns. In initiative order, highest result starting first, every combatant takes a turn. Repeat. Start a new round and repeat the initiative order, Continue until one sie or the other flees or is defeated, End the encounter. Afier one side or the other flees or fs defeated, the encounter ends when the remaining side takes a short or an extended rest. ACTIONS ‘Combat rounds consist of characters using actions. The ‘main action types include: Standard Aetion: You can norinally take one standard action on your turn, Most attack pawers require the use of standard action, “Move Action: You can normally ake one move action ‘on your turn, Walking your speed requires the use of a move action. ‘Minor Action: A minor action enables you to do some- thing more exeiting. You can norenally take them only on {your turn, Drawing a weapon or opening a chest requires the use of a minor action. Free Action: Free actions take almost no time or effort You can take as many free actions you want during your oF another combatants tum, a allowed by the DM. Free action {include calking and cropping a eld iter, ‘There are two additional action types that require triggers before you can use them-an action, event, or condition that takes place on another combatant’s ten, ‘Opportunity Action: When an enemy lets ts guard down, you ean take an opportunity action. You can only take ‘ne opportunity action on each combatant’ turn (ifavatlable- An opportunity action interrupts the ation that triggered it "The most common opportunity action isan opportunity attack. When an enemy leaves a square adjacent to you, or Specific Beats General: If a specific rule contradicts @ ‘general rule, the specific rule wins. For example, you nor- ‘mally can't move as part of a regular attack. But if you have a power that allows you to move and attack, that specific rule trumps the general rule-when you use that power. Always Round Down: When the game asks you to divide ‘a number, such as when you add half your level to your attack roll, you always round down to the next lower whole ‘number,‘when an adjacent enemy makes a ranged or an area attack, you can make an opportunity attack against that enemy, Immediate Action: Interrupts and reactions are immediate actions, Specific powers define the trigger for these actions, You can take only one immediate action per round, and you eas take an immediate action on your cum, [An interrupt lets you act before the triggering action Is resolved, Ifthe interrupt invalidates the triggering action, ‘that action is lost. ‘A reaction lets you act immediatly in response to a trig geting action. The triggering action is completely resolved Iefore you take your reaction, TAKING Your TURN (On your initiative order, you take your turn. Your turn has Uhree parts: the start of your tur, aetions on your tu and the end of your turn. ‘The Start of Your Turn: Before you act, use the start ‘of your turn to keep track of any effects, % Ongoing Damage. fyouire suffering ongoing damage you take damage now. + Regeneration. I you have regeneration, you regain hit points now. + Other Effects. Deal with any ather effects that occur at the start of you 4 NoActions. You cant take any actions atthe start of your turn, Actions on Your Tun form on your turn fou get three actions to per- Standard action Move action Minor action 4 Free Actions. You can take 3s many free actions as you \want on your turn, within reason and 2s allowed by the DM. Any Order You can take your actions in any order, and ‘you can skip any of ther, + Substitute Actions You can take a move action ora minor action instead ofa standard action, and you can take a minor action Instead of a move action. + Exera Action. You can take an extra standard action by spendingan action point ee page 5). + Other Combatants’ Actions. Other combatants can take free actions on your turn, and you might tke actions that trigger immediate actions or opportunity actions from other combatants. ‘The End of Your Turn: After you act, use the endl of your turn to keep track of any effects Saving Throws. You naw make a saving throw against ‘each effect that can be ended with a save. Rol a [Link] you roll lower than 10, the effect continues. If you roll 10 ‘or higher, the effect ends + End Effects. Some effects end automatically at the enc! of yourturn, ++ No Actions. You can't take any actions atthe end of your ‘um, ATTACKS AND DAMAGE Ifyou successfully attack an enemy with a basic atack or power, you deal damage. Roll the damaye dice as specified on your character sheet. Damage reduces a character's hit points CrimicaL Hits ‘When you roll a 20 on the die when making an attack rol you score a critical hit. Instead of rolling damage, you deal the maximum amount of damage possible forthe attack when you score a critical hit, ‘Example: The dwarf fighter scores a eritial hit with, bis melee basie atack, The damage for this attack is 263. So, maximum damage for this attack is 15 points ofdamage (646:3-15). FLANKING Flanking provides a simple combat tactic for you and an ally to use egainst an enemy.-To flank an enemy, you and anally must be adjicent to the enemy and on opposite sides ofthe enemy’s space. You and your ally m toattac the enemy (with a melee or ranged weapon, or swith an unarmed [Link]'a barrler between your ceemy and either you or your ally. you don‘ flank. Ifyou are affected by a condition that prevents you from raking ‘actions you dont lank Yon have combat advantage against an enemy you flank (Gee below), ‘COMBAT ADVANTAGE When a defender can't give full attention to defense, it grants combat advantage to its attacker. This usually, ‘occuts when the defender is flanked, stunned, or other wise caught off guard. 4 +2Bonus to Attack Rolls. You gin ths bonus when you have combat adantage agains the target of your attack + Able to See Target. You mustbe able tosee a target to sin combat advantage against OTHER ACTIONS IN COMBAT ‘This section deseribes how to perform some ofthe most ‘common setions available on your turn Basic Attack: As standard action, you can’ make a melee baste attack ora ranged! base attack. ‘Charge: Asa standard aetion, you can launch yourself forward and make a melee basic attack. Move your speed as part ofthe charge. Atthe end of your move, you make a melee basic attack with a-+1 bonus tothe attack roll, Youmust move at least 2 squares from your starting position, ‘and you must charge to the nearest unoccupied square from ‘which you can attack the enemy. Charging provokes attacks ‘of opportunity. After a charge, you can't take any further actions unless you spend an action point (see below), ‘Second Wind. As a standard action, you can spend a healing surge to regain hit points. When you do, you regain ‘one quarter of your maxinvam hit points (rounded down). You also gain a +2 bonus tall defenses until the star of your ‘next turn, You can use your second wind once per encounter. Use a Power. Most powers are standard actions. Refer ‘0 your character sheot to see what powers you have access to, MOVEMENT You can use a mave action to walk your speed in aturn. If you use two move actions (substituting a move fora standard ‘ction),you can walk your speed twice on your turn, Move ACTIONS ‘These activities require the use of a move action. + Walk, Nove up to your speed. + Shift. Move 1 square without provoking opportunity attacks, You cant normally shift into dificult terrain, 4+ Run. Move up to your speed +2 squares and grant combat advantage FORCED MOVEMENT Certain powers and effects allow you to pull, push, or side tango ull: When you pull acreature, each square you move seams bring i nearer to you Push: When you push a creature, each square you move it must place it farther away from you. Slide: When you slide a ereature, there's no restrietion con the direction you can nove it The following rules govern al forced movement. + Distance. The power specifies how many squares you can move a target. You can choose to move the target fewer squares or nat to move the target atl. + Specific Destination. Some powers instead specify destination, such as any square adjacent to you + No Opportunity Attacks. Forced movernent does not provoke opportunity attacks, + Difficult Terrain, Forced movement ist hindered by difficule errain (Gee below, + Nota Move. Forced movement daesnt count against a targo’s ability to move on its turn. 4 Valid Space. Forced movement cant move ararget nts a space it couldn't enter by walking. DISTANCE AND MOVEMENT ‘Tomeasure distance om a battle ged simply count squares You can move your speed in squares asa mexe action, in any direction, aeross squares o across diagonals OCCUPIED SQUARES In general, you can't move through an occupled square Ally. You can move thraugh a square occupied byan ally. 4+ Enemy. You can't move through an enemy space unless that enemy i helpless + Ending Movement. You cart end your movement in, an occupied square unless i's analy’ square and the ally prone, ors an enemy’ square ad the enemy is helpless. DIFicuLt TERRAIN Rubble, undergrowth, shallow bogs, steep stairs, and other types of eifficul terrain hampers movement. costs 1 additional square of movement toentera square ‘of difficult terrain Ifyou dont have enough movement remaining, you cant enter a square of difficult terrain. You ‘anit shift nto a square of difficult terrain unless you ‘power that allows you to do so. OBSTACLES ‘You can'tenter a square with an obstacle that ills the square such asa wall ora pillar. When an obstacle fils a square, you ‘cant move diagonally across the corner of that square. ACTION PoInTs ‘Once per encounter you can spend an action point When you spend an action point, i's gone. You carn more action points by adventuring + Youstarewith 1 action point, ++ You gan 1 action point when you reach a milestone in your adventure (he DM wil tll you when ths occurs) + AMeran extended rest (seepage 6), you lose any unspent action pots, but you start fresh wth 1 action point 4 Moston, you spend an action point to take an extra Aktion during your turn You deck fhe extra action sa SHandardaetion,a move action, ora minor action. Hit Points, HEALING, AND DyING ver the course ofa battle, your character takes damage form attacks. Damage reduces your hit points 4 Maximum Hit Points. You have a maximum numer ‘of hit points, as determined by you class level, and Con- stitution score. Your current hitpoints can't exceed this number + Blooded. When your current hit points deop to one half your maximom hit points or lower, you are bloodied. Certain powers work only (or work better} against a bloodied earget + Dying. When your current hit points drap to O or lowe, yyouall unconscious and are dying. Any damage you take continues to reduce your curent hit points until your character dies