Using this Book
The Player’s Handbook is divided into three parts.
Part 1 (chapters 1–6) is about creating a character, providing the rules and guidance you need to make the character you’ll play in the game. It includes information on the various races, classes, backgrounds, equipment, and other customization options that you can choose from. Many of the rules in part 1 rely on material in parts 2 and 3. If you come across a game concept in part 1 that you don’t understand, consult the book’s index.
Part 2 (chapters 7–9) details the rules of how to play the game, beyond the basics described in this introduction. That part covers the kinds of die rolls you make to determine success or failure at the tasks your character attempts, and describes the three broad categories of activity in the game: exploration, interaction, and combat.
Part 3 (chapters 10–11) is all about magic. It covers the nature of magic in the worlds of D&D, the rules for What is a Spell, and the huge variety of spells available to magic-using characters (and monsters) in the game.