0
Welcome to the Course
What 5E is, what the SRD 5.2.1 covers, and how this whole course is built.
Begin Lesson 0RPG Secret Lessons
ArKademy · ARCADERS
How to Play RPGs
The Complete 105-Lesson Path
From your first roll of the d20 to running a dragon at the table. Every rule in the SRD 5.2.1, taught in order, one lesson at a time — free, and open to anyone.
106 Lessons14 BooksSRD 5.2.1Start Anywhere
Book I
First Principles
Lessons 0–2Where every adventure begins: what this course is, what the SRD lets you build, and the rules beneath the rules.
1
The SRD Licence
CC BY 4.0, attribution, and what “5E compatible” legally means for your own content.
Begin Lesson 12
Fundamental Rules
General rules, specific exceptions, rounding, and the rhythm of play at the table.
Begin Lesson 2
Book II
The Core Mechanics
Lessons 3–11The d20 and everything hanging from it — abilities, checks, saves, attacks, proficiency and the actions of a turn.
3
The Six Abilities
Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma — and their modifiers.
Begin Lesson 34
D20 Tests
The core mechanic of the game: roll, add, compare. Everything else is built on this.
Begin Lesson 45
Checks, Skills & DCs
Resolving uncertain actions, when to call for a roll, and how Difficulty Classes are set.
Begin Lesson 56
Saving Throws
Resisting threats, hazards and effects when danger comes looking for you.
Begin Lesson 67
Attack Rolls & Armor Class
How a strike lands, what AC really represents, and natural 20s and natural 1s.
Begin Lesson 78
Advantage & Disadvantage
Two dice instead of one, rerolls, and how Heroic Inspiration changes a moment.
Begin Lesson 89
Proficiency & Expertise
The proficiency bonus, where it applies, and what Expertise doubles.
Begin Lesson 910
The Actions
Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Influence, Magic, Ready, Search, Study, Utilize.
Begin Lesson 1011
Bonus Actions & Reactions
The other half of a turn: triggers, timing, and what fits where.
Begin Lesson 11
Book III
Exploration & the World
Lessons 12–17Talking, travelling, searching and seeing. How the game handles everything that isn't a fight.
12
Social Interaction
Roleplaying, creature attitudes, influence, and when a social check is called for.
Begin Lesson 1213
Exploration
Moving through the world, interacting with it, and the pacing of an adventuring day.
Begin Lesson 1314
Vision & Darkness
Light, obscured areas, special senses, and the rules that govern hiding.
Begin Lesson 1415
Objects
Interacting, searching, carrying, breaking, and finding what was hidden.
Begin Lesson 1516
Travel & Hazards
Marching order, travel pace, mounts, vehicles, and the dangers of the road.
Begin Lesson 1617
Playing on a Grid
Miniatures, tokens, squares, distances and positioning at the table.
Begin Lesson 17
Book IV
The Art of Combat
Lessons 18–27Initiative to death saves: movement, attacks, cover, damage types and what happens when you hit zero.
18
Starting Combat
Encounters, rounds, turns and initiative — how a fight gets going.
Begin Lesson 1819
Movement & Position
Speed, difficult terrain, spaces, and moving through other creatures.
Begin Lesson 1920
Making an Attack
Choosing targets, applying modifiers, and resolving the roll step by step.
Begin Lesson 2021
Ranged Attacks & Cover
Range, long range, and how cover changes what you can hit.
Begin Lesson 2122
Melee, Grappling & Opportunity
Unarmed strikes, grapples, shoves, and attacks of opportunity.
Begin Lesson 2223
Mounted & Underwater Combat
Fighting from the saddle and fighting beneath the surface.
Begin Lesson 2324
Hit Points & Damage
Damage rolls, critical hits, and saving throws made against damage.
Begin Lesson 2425
Every Damage Type
All damage types in the SRD and how each one actually behaves.
Begin Lesson 2526
Resistance & Immunity
Resistance, vulnerability and immunity — and the order they apply in.
Begin Lesson 2627
Dying and Coming Back
Healing, dropping to 0, death saving throws, stabilizing, and temporary hit points.
Begin Lesson 27
Book V
Forging a Character
Lessons 28–39From a blank sheet to a finished hero — class, scores, equipment, levelling and multiclassing.
28
The Character Sheet
Every box on the sheet, and the complete character creation process end to end.
Begin Lesson 2829
Choosing a Class
Primary ability, hit die, proficiencies and starting features across all twelve classes.
Begin Lesson 2930
Choosing a Class II
A second pass through the twelve classes and what each one feels like to play.
Begin Lesson 3031
Ability Scores
Generating, assigning and increasing scores, and calculating every modifier.
Begin Lesson 3132
Alignment & Personality
Alignment, traits, ideals, bonds, flaws, and the details that make a character real.
Begin Lesson 3233
Size, Speed & Statistics
The remaining numbers on your sheet and what each of them governs.
Begin Lesson 3334
Starting Equipment
Your opening kit, plus calculating attacks, defences, skills and saving throws.
Begin Lesson 3435
Levelling Up
Experience points, level advancement, and what you gain at each step.
Begin Lesson 3536
Starting at Higher Levels
Building a character who begins beyond level 1, without missing a thing.
Begin Lesson 3637
Multiclassing
Requirements, proficiencies, class features and how spell slots combine.
Begin Lesson 3738
Trinkets & Final Touches
The trinket table and the last passes that complete your character.
Begin Lesson 3839
Completing Your Character
A final walkthrough of the sheet, with the mistakes most new players make.
Begin Lesson 39
Book VI
The Twelve Classes
Lessons 40–50Every class in the SRD with its spell list and its first subclass, one lesson at a time.
40
Bard
The Bard, the Bard spell list, and the College of Lore.
Begin Lesson 4041
Cleric
The Cleric, the Cleric spell list, and the Life Domain.
Begin Lesson 4142
Druid
The Druid, the Druid spell list, and the Circle of the Land.
Begin Lesson 4243
Fighter
The Fighter and the Champion subclass.
Begin Lesson 4344
Monk
The Monk and the Warrior of the Open Hand.
Begin Lesson 4445
Paladin
The Paladin, the Paladin spell list, and the Oath of Devotion.
Begin Lesson 4546
Ranger
The Ranger, the Ranger spell list, and the Hunter.
Begin Lesson 4647
Rogue
The Rogue and the Thief subclass.
Begin Lesson 4748
Sorcerer
The Sorcerer, Metamagic options, the spell list, and Draconic Sorcery.
Begin Lesson 4849
Warlock
The Warlock, Eldritch Invocations, the spell list, and the Fiend patron.
Begin Lesson 4950
Wizard
The Wizard, the Wizard spell list, and the Evoker.
Begin Lesson 50
Book VII
Species, Backgrounds & Feats
Lessons 51–59Who your hero was before page one, where they come from, and the feats that set them apart.
51
Backgrounds
Acolyte, Criminal, Sage and Soldier — and what a background gives you.
Begin Lesson 5152
Character Species
How species work in 5E and the general rules that apply to all of them.
Begin Lesson 5253
Dragonborn, Dwarf & Elf
Three species, their traits, and how each one plays.
Begin Lesson 5354
Gnome, Goliath & Halfling
Three more species and the traits that define them.
Begin Lesson 5455
Human, Orc & Tiefling
The last three species, plus the languages of the world.
Begin Lesson 5556
Feats
Rules, categories, prerequisites, benefits, and which feats can be taken twice.
Begin Lesson 5657
Origin Feats
Alert, Magic Initiate, Savage Attacker and Skilled — every origin feat.
Begin Lesson 5758
General Feats
Ability Score Improvement, Grappler, and the rest of the general feats.
Begin Lesson 5859
Fighting Styles & Epic Boons
Every fighting style feat and every epic boon in the SRD.
Begin Lesson 59
Book VIII
Gold, Steel & Gear
Lessons 60–70The economy, every weapon and property, armour, tools, gear, mounts, vehicles and crafting.
60
Coins & the Economy
Currency, selling equipment, and how money actually works in 5E.
Begin Lesson 6061
Every Weapon
Simple, martial, melee and ranged — the full weapon table explained.
Begin Lesson 6162
Weapon Properties
Ammunition, finesse, heavy, light, loading, range, reach, thrown, two-handed, versatile.
Begin Lesson 6263
Weapon Mastery
Cleave, Graze, Nick, Push, Sap, Slow, Topple and Vex.
Begin Lesson 6364
Armor & Shields
Armor Class, training, Strength requirements, stealth, and donning or doffing.
Begin Lesson 6465
Tools
Artisan's tools, gaming sets, instruments, kits, and the checks they unlock.
Begin Lesson 6566
Adventuring Gear
The equipment that solves problems, controls the battlefield and keeps you alive.
Begin Lesson 6667
Mounts & Vehicles
Riding, cargo, barding, saddles, ships, airships, crew, passengers and repairs.
Begin Lesson 6768
Lifestyle & Services
Food, drink, lodging, hirelings, messengers and paying for spellcasting.
Begin Lesson 6869
Casting Equipment
Spellcasting focuses, casting in armor, and the basic rules for magic items.
Begin Lesson 6970
Crafting
Making nonmagical items, brewing potions of healing, and scribing spell scrolls.
Begin Lesson 70
Book IX
The Laws of Magic
Lessons 71–78How spellcasting actually works: slots, casting times, components, ranges, concentration and resolution.
71
Gaining Spells
Spell lists, prepared and always-prepared spells, cantrips, and how each class differs.
Begin Lesson 7172
Spell Levels & Slots
Levels, cantrips, prepared spells, and how spell slots are spent and regained.
Begin Lesson 7273
Casting Time
The Magic action, bonus action spells, reactions, long casts and rituals.
Begin Lesson 7374
Range, Targets & Areas
Touch, self, clear paths, cones, cubes, cylinders, emanations, lines and spheres.
Begin Lesson 7475
Spell Components
Verbal, somatic and material — what a caster must physically do.
Begin Lesson 7576
Focuses & Materials
Spellcasting focuses, component pouches, costly and consumed materials, and free hands.
Begin Lesson 7677
Duration & Concentration
Instantaneous magic, timed effects, holding concentration, and how it breaks.
Begin Lesson 7778
Resolving Spells
Spell saves, spell attacks, invalid targets, and combining overlapping effects.
Begin Lesson 78
Book X
The Spell Compendium
Lessons 79–85Every spell in the SRD, walked through from A to Z.
79
Spell Compendium A–B
Every spell from Acid Splash through Burning Hands.
Begin Lesson 7980
Spell Compendium C–D
Every spell from Calm Emotions through Dream.
Begin Lesson 8081
Spell Compendium E–G
Every spell from Earthquake through Guidance.
Begin Lesson 8182
Spell Compendium H–L
Every spell from Hallow through Locate Object.
Begin Lesson 8283
Spell Compendium M–P
Every spell from Mage Armor through Prismatic Spray.
Begin Lesson 8384
Spell Compendium R–S
Every spell from Raise Dead through Symbol.
Begin Lesson 8485
Spell Compendium T–Z
Every spell from Telekinesis through Zone of Truth.
Begin Lesson 85
Book XI
The Rules Glossary
Lessons 86–90Every defined term in the game, explained and cross-referenced.
86
Rules Glossary A–C
Every defined term from Ability Check to Cover.
Begin Lesson 8687
Rules Glossary D–H
Every defined term from Damage to Hit Points.
Begin Lesson 8788
Rules Glossary I–M
Every defined term from Illusion to Movement.
Begin Lesson 8889
Rules Glossary N–R
Every defined term from Necrotic to Rituals.
Begin Lesson 8990
Rules Glossary S–Z
Every defined term from Saving Throw to Zone.
Begin Lesson 90
Book XII
The Gameplay Toolbox
Lessons 91–98The GM's chest: travel, curses, weather, fear, poison, traps and building encounters that land.
91
Advanced Travel
Long journeys, the environment, and turning a road into an adventure.
Begin Lesson 9192
Custom Backgrounds
Building a background from scratch that fits your table and your story.
Begin Lesson 9293
Curses & Contagions
Curses, magical diseases, and how they take hold and are lifted.
Begin Lesson 9394
Environmental Effects
Weather, terrain, extremes, and the world fighting back.
Begin Lesson 9495
Fear & Mental Stress
Frightened creatures, madness, and pressure that isn't measured in hit points.
Begin Lesson 9596
Poison
Poison damage versus the Poisoned condition, buying, harvesting and using poisons.
Begin Lesson 9697
Traps
Designing traps that feel fair: detection, escape, level range, and the classic mistakes.
Begin Lesson 9798
Building Encounters
Challenge Rating, encounter budgets, and fights that land the way you intended.
Begin Lesson 98
Book XIII
Treasure & Magic Items
Lessons 99–103How magic items work, how they are made, and the full compendium from A to Z.
99
Magic Item Basics
Categories, rarity, attunement, and the general rules behind every magic item.
Begin Lesson 99100
Crafting & Sentient Items
Making magic items, and running items that have a will of their own.
Begin Lesson 100101
Magic Items A–H
The compendium from Adamantine Armor through Horn of Valhalla.
Begin Lesson 101102
Magic Items I–R
The compendium from Immovable Rod through Rope of Climbing.
Begin Lesson 102103
Magic Items S–Z
The compendium from Scarab of Protection through Wings of Flying.
Begin Lesson 103
Book XIV
Monsters & Beasts
Lessons 104–105Reading a stat block, running a monster well, and the complete creature compendium.
104
Reading a Stat Block
Understanding monster stat blocks and running creatures well at the table.
Begin Lesson 104105
Monster Compendium A–Z
The complete monster and animal compendium, front to back.
Begin Lesson 105A Word Before You Roll
ARCADERS is an independent, unofficial educational resource built on the System Reference Document 5.2.1, used under CC BY 4.0. Take the lessons in order for a full course, or jump straight to the rule you need.