My friends and I want to start a campaign. We don’t know the ruling for the game. We are waiting for our official book to come in so we can start our first session. Can anyone explain in a simplistic manner the rules for D&D? Classes and Races we will review ourselves. Just want to know the basics.
The basic rules are available for free on the WOTC website: https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
Player says what they want to do.
DM decides how difficult it is from trivial to impossible. If it’s possible and not trivial the DM sets a difficulty and tells the player what ability and/or skill Bonus to use.
Trivial tasks always succeed, impossible tasks always fail.
Player makes the roll and calculates the outcome.
DM determines the outcome and tells players what happens.
That’s the base of dnd. The other rules are all just for determining or changing difficulties, as well as changing what’s possible, and what’s trivial. And to create an order of operations.
Besides reading the Basic Rules, which someone else has already linked, I suggest you check out a game on Youtube. Note that usually these aren’t an accurate representation of how most games actually go- Critical Role for instance is comprised entirely of experienced voice actors- but it’ll give you an impression of how the game runs.
Just don’t base your expectations of your players/dm on them.
Why not read the basic rules?
https://dnd.wizards.com/what-is-dnd/basic-rules
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules
The simplest explanation: roll to hit, then roll for damage. Or roll a save if it doesn’t need to hit. Or roll a skill check if you’re trying to attempt something out of combat.
That’s about it. You can find the details in the rulebooks.