I threw this together to give some new players an idea of what combat might feel and sound like when playing Dungeons and Dragons. If you want to, you might want to read this page also, with a bit of advice on how to get started playing DnD.
DM: You enter the cave, and while it’s dark in there, there is enough light from the outside that you can see two goblins walking away from you…..
Jim (playing a rogue named Blargo): I try to sneak up on them and attack them from behind.
DM: Everyone roll initiative. (initiative is the order people go in combat, that is, what the turn order is) Jim, you need to roll a stealth check. (Everyone rolls a D20 and calculates their initiative, and Jim also rolls a D20 for stealth).
Jim: I got a 21.
DM: Great, they don’t appear to notice you sneaking up on them. You can hear them talking in goblin, but you have no idea why one of them just laughed. A weird, wet, wheezy laugh.
Jim: I stab one in the back, and yell “Die slaver!” (Jim rolls a D20 and calculates his “to hit” score. The DM compares that to the armor class of the goblin, and it is a miss!).
DM: The goblins turn around at your yell. The one you tried to stab snarls in your face, baring its yellowed fangs at you. You can smell its foul breath as it swings its short sword at you. (The DM rolls a D20, just like players do. Some DMs roll in front of everyone, some in secret. I like to know the characters’ AC so I don’t have to ask if my roll hits. That helps with feeling in the action, imo). The goblin’s sword digs deep into your side, you take 12 points of damage!
Jim: “I’m dying. Help me someone” (Jim speaks in character here).
Betty (playing a cleric named Aetheria): “Lathander, heal Blargo!” I cast Healing Word on Blargo. (Betty rolls a d4, and adds her wisdom modifier for a 5). Blargo heals five hit points.
Amy (playing a fighter named Dolipa): I run up to the goblin that stabbed Blargo, and swing my axe at it. I roll a 25! And do 12 damage.
DM: The axe cleaves into the goblin’s head, and it drops at your feet, to laugh no more. Water drips from the cave ceiling, and the floor is wet where you stopped. Give me a Dexterity save to see if you fall.
Amy: I roll a 10, and add 2, so 12?
DM: you manage to stay upright, but only barely. The other goblin, seeing you fell its friend runs down the passage, screaming out in goblin. It’s unlikely you’ll be surprising whatever is in the next room…..
Amy: I help Blargo to his feet. “You ok, my friend? You took quite the blow there.”
Jim: “I’m fine, thanks to Aetheria and her god. Should we continue on?”
Betty: “Of course, we came to rid these lands of slavers, didn’t we?” I run past my friends, attempting to get to the goblin before it can get to its friends.
DM: So you are dashing? All your focus is on the goblin?
Betty: Hmmm. Yes!
DM: Just before you catch the goblin, a pit opens up beneath you, and you fall five feet onto some rusty swords. You take 8 points of damage. That’s not quite enough to put you at zero, but you feel pretty weak.
Betty: “Help, I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!”
Everyone tries not to laugh at the table, but still, it was kind of funny…..
Jim and Amy indicate they move up to their friend……
Jim: Do I need to lower a rope, or can I reach her?
DM: You can reach her, no problem.
Amy: I cast Healing Word on myself. Sigh, was hoping to save these…..I heal myself for 5.
DM: Great, Blargo helps Aetheria out of the pit. There isn’t a lot of room on either side to get by. You might be able to squeeze by. It’s about 6 feet to jump across the pit, give or take.
Amy: Hmmmm. I’m not very good at jumping. I try to squeeze by. I assume you want an Athletics check? I get a 16.
DM: the walls are slimy from the dripping water, and the floor is slippery. You teeter a couple of times, nearly falling, but you make it by the pit.
Jim: I jump across (Jim is strong, and can jump pretty far).
DM: Not so fast, the floor is slippery. Give me an athletics check to make sure you don’t slip when you try to leap.
Jim: no problem, I rolled a 20.
DM: ok, in this game, we use some unofficial rules. This is one. You got a critical success, would you like to jump father, or land quietly, or even pull Betty with you?
Jim: I’ll pull Betty with me. Then I start running after the goblin. How far ahead is it?
DM: You can’t see it. It went around a corner about ten feet up. It went left, there is also a passage to the right. You know, it’s kind of getting dark in here. Anyone have a light source? (some humanoids see ok in the dark, some not at all. This group has a mix, with two humans)
Jim: I do. Blargo pulls out the stone he founds and unwraps it. How far can I see?
DM: The stone lights up most of the area no problem. At least twenty feet, probably more.
There you have it. An example of Combat in Dungeons and Dragons.