So, you've made it to the table. You've got your dice, your character sheet, and a sense of excitement for your first session. And then… the other players start talking.
"I roll to Persuade. Nat 20!" "Watch out, this is totally gonna be a TPK." "Did we even do a session zero?" "That's gotta be homebrew, RAW doesn't work like that."
Wait… what?
Tabletop RPGs have their own unique language, and if you're new it can feel like you've stepped into a completely different world. This guide will help you decode the most common terms so you can roll with confidence.
Core Gameplay Terms
- Stats (Abilities / Attributes) — numbers that define your character's strengths and weaknesses. In D&D and many systems these are STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA.
- AC (Armor Class) — how hard you are to hit in combat. Higher AC = harder to damage.
- DC (Difficulty Class) — the number you need to meet or beat on a d20 to succeed. The GM sets it based on difficulty.
- Nat 20 / Natural 20 — rolling a 20 on a d20, usually an automatic success.
- Dirty 20 — when your total hits 20 thanks to modifiers, but the die itself wasn't a natural 20.
- Nat 1 / Critical Failure — rolling a 1, usually an automatic (and often hilarious) failure.
- Crit (Critical Hit) — a high-damage attack, often a Nat 20.
- RAW (Rules As Written) — following the exact official rules.
- RAI (Rules As Intended) — interpreting what the designers meant.
- Homebrew — any custom rules, settings, or content not in the official books.
- d20 / d6 / d100 — dice by their number of sides. The "d" stands for "die."
Combat & Mechanics Terms
- TPK (Total Party Kill) — when the entire group dies in a single encounter.
- Min-Maxing — optimizing a character to be as powerful as possible, sometimes at the cost of roleplay.
- Modifier — a number you add or subtract from a roll based on stats, skills, or situation.
- Initiative — determines the order of turns in combat.
- HP (Hit Points) — your character's health.
- Saving Throw — a roll to avoid or reduce something dangerous, like a fireball or poison.
- Checks (Skill / Ability) — rolls to complete a non-combat task, like climbing or spotting a trap.
- Tank — a character built to absorb damage and protect others.
- Buff / Debuff — an effect that boosts or weakens a character's abilities.
- Advantage / Disadvantage — roll two d20s and take the higher (advantage) or lower (disadvantage).
Story & Roleplaying Terms
- RP (Roleplaying) — speaking and acting as your character.
- Session Zero — a pre-game meeting to discuss characters, worldbuilding, and expectations.
- Meta-Gaming — using out-of-character knowledge to make decisions your character wouldn't know.
- Railroading — when a GM forces players down a single story path.
- Sandbox — the opposite of railroading; an open world where players choose their direction.
- Murderhobo — a player who ignores the story and just kills everything.
Miscellaneous Terms
- One-Shot — a single-session game instead of an ongoing campaign.
- The Rule of Cool — bending the rules to make a moment more awesome.
- House Rules — custom table rules that tweak the game.
- Theater of the Mind — playing without a battle map, relying on narration.
- LARP (Live-Action Roleplay) — playing in costume and acting out scenes.
- Convention ("Con") — a gathering of fans and players, usually over a weekend, with panels, merch, and lots of scheduled games.
Ready to Speak the Language?
TTRPG lingo might seem like a secret code at first, but once you start playing you'll pick it up in no time. The most important thing? Don't be afraid to ask.
And as always, be careful out there.