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Words You'll Keep Hearing: The TTRPG Jargon Explained

Before you play, a handful of terms come up constantly. They sound dense until someone explains them — and then you’ll be using them without thinking by your second session.

The DM (or GM)

One person runs the game. They describe the world, play the villains, and decide what happens when you try something risky. In D&D they’re called the Dungeon Master (DM). In most other games, the title is Game Master (GM). Same job, different name.

The d20

Dice determine whether your actions succeed. The most important die is the d20 — a 20-sided die. When your character tries something risky, you roll it and add a modifier. Roll high and you succeed. Roll low and something goes wrong — or at least interesting. That one mechanic is the heartbeat of most TTRPGs.

Session, Campaign, One-Shot

  • A session is one sitting of play, usually two to four hours.
  • A campaign is an ongoing series of sessions connected by one story. It can last months or years.
  • A one-shot is a self-contained game that ends in a single session. No commitment required.

Rules Weight

Rules weight describes how mechanically complex a game is. D&D has moderate rules — detailed enough to feel structured, light enough to learn in one session. Some games have almost none. Some have hundreds of pages. Heavier rules give you precision; lighter rules give you freedom.

PC and NPC

Your character — the hero you create and control — is called a Player Character (PC). Everyone else in the story is a Non-Player Character (NPC): the shopkeeper, the villain, the mysterious stranger who hands you a quest. NPCs are played by the DM/GM, not by you. If you didn’t create it, it’s an NPC.

Initiative

When a fight breaks out, someone has to go first. Initiative is the order players and monsters act in during combat, usually decided by a quick dice roll at the start of the encounter. It resets each time a new fight starts, so a slow roll one battle doesn’t follow you into the next.

That’s It

These seven concepts — DM/GM, the d20, session, campaign, one-shot, rules weight, PC/NPC, and initiative — cover most of what you’ll hear before your first game. Everything else you pick up as you play.