Learn to play 5.5E D&D Ruleset - Stranger Things Style!!!

Creating your character

No rulebooks, complex math, or character creation stress required! We will be using D&D Beyond for our character sheets and digital maps to keep things fast, clean, and beginner-friendly. When you arrive, you’ll have a selection of official, pre-made heroes ready to go. You can pull your character up right on your phone, tablet, or laptop, and the digital sheet will automatically track your health, spells, and dice rolls for you. Just pick your favorite hero archetype when you sit down, claim your character on D&D Beyond, and we’ll teach you the rest as we play!

Preparing for the session

D&D Beyond Account: Make sure you have a free account set up. (I will send out a campaign link ahead of time so you can claim your pre-made hero!) A Device: A laptop, tablet, or smartphone to access your digital character sheet and our D&D Beyond maps during the session. Webcam Required: A functioning webcam is required so we can all see each other and keep the game interactive. The campaign link will be sent once you have messaged me on Discord and joined here on StartPlaying.

What Aaron brings to the table

10 years of total experience (7 years playing 5E and 3.5E, plus 3 years mastering 5.5E rules) to expertly guide beginners. Cinematic immersion featuring full voice acting for every NPC and monster, background ambient music, and a live soundboard for sound effects. Frictionless setup via D&D Beyond for automated character sheets and maps, along with ready-to-play pregen characters so players need zero prep.

Homebrew rules

Drinking a potion is always a bonus action.

How Aaron creates a safe table

Session Zero (Approx. 45–60 Minutes) 1. Introductions & Icebreaker (10–15 mins) Welcome everyone and get webcams rolling. Have everyone share a quick intro: their name, a little bit about themselves, and how much (or how little) experience they have with D&D. 2. Campaign Overview & Expectations (5–10 mins) Briefly explain what you're playing: the Welcome to the Hellfire Club starter box (Levels 1–3, running roughly 4 to 8 sessions). Set the tone: remind them this is a beginner-friendly, judgment-free zone where the focus is on having fun and learning as you go. Quickly review technical rules of the table (using webcams, keeping mics clear, etc.). 3. Character Selection (10 mins) Open up the D&D Beyond campaign and display the available pre-generated characters. Walk through the core archetypes/classes available so players can claim the hero that fits their playstyle best. 4. Character Sheet Walkthrough (15–20 mins) Guide everyone through their digital sheet on D&D Beyond so nobody feels lost. Highlight the key areas they will use constantly: Armor Class (AC) & Hit Points (HP): How to check their defenses and health. Actions & Attacks: Where to find their weapons, spells, and how to click to roll. Skills & Attributes: Where their ability checks (like Perception or Stealth) live. Answer any quick questions about how their specific character works. 5. Wrap-Up & Q&A (5 mins) Make sure everyone is officially joined to the D&D Beyond campaign and their character is assigned to them. Open the floor for any final questions before Session 1 officially kicks off the following week.