The Player’s Handbook (PHB) and the Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG) are the two core rulebooks of DnD. The Player’s Handbook contains everything players need: character creation rules, classes, species, spells, equipment, and the core gameplay mechanics like combat and actions. It’s the foundation for understanding how to play the game.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide is focused on running the game. It includes guidance on worldbuilding, creating adventures, designing encounters, magic items, optional rules, and handling edge cases. It also provides advice on tone, pacing, and adjudicating player choices. Together, these two books form the backbone of DnD.
