Tips on getting started?

[sirveaux]

First off: Apologies if there's a specific place for this kind of question, or a pre-existing thread. That said, here goes:

While my D&D VIDEO game experience dates back to the old Intellivision, I have never rolled a die with more or less than six sides. Recently, a buddy of mine and I decided we might try our hand at the tabletop, but neither of us know anyone who plays. So my questions for the Playground are these:

1) Which edition should we try first? I'm probably the most familiar with 3.x, given both my videogame experience and years of lurking on this board. I've heard 4th is a mixed bag, and I assume pre-3.0 would just be too hard to acquire.

2) How best to get started? I assume my friendly neighborhood games/comic shop will have some groups, but I don't want to look like a rube the first time out. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

3) What will we need (I mean really NEED) in order to get started. I want to keep overhead low at this point, in case things don't go well for whatever reason.

Thanks for any help

[Quietus]

First - people will suggest 3.5, due to the SRD. If you have NO books, I recommend against this, as the SRD refrains from listing some things that are related to character generation.

Second - your FLGS (friendly local gaming store) should be able to help you out with this, better than people on the internet ever could. 4e is easier to get into, in my experience, as far as character creation goes, but 3.5 is more robust (in my opinion); Ultimately, it comes down to which is more likely to be played, where again, the FLGS will be a big help.

[Grogmir]

Firstly welcome to a great hobby.

As with all things new sometimes you just have to throw yourself in accept noob status for a little while.

I'll leave the 3.5 vs 4th ed debate for everyother thread. But i'm 4th ed man myself. and even 3.5ers will probably admit 4th is easier to get to grips with at the start.

What to read? Decide on your format aquire the Players handbook (PHB) and read it. not once, not twice but thrice! Explain to your first DM your a first timer and if their happy you're good to go.

[obliged_salmon]

Just starting eh? Well I'm afraid I don't have any links handy, but there's lots of free stuff out there you can do a little research on and see if any of it fits with your idea of roleplaying. You can also find free modules for a lot of stuff, with pre-made characters and whatnot, like 4th edition or burning wheel. Some free systems you can check out include Risus, Fudge, Final Fantasy RPG, there's OSRIC, which I think is an adapted version of 1st edition DnD, and there's the Marvel Superheroes RPG. Just a few off the top of my head. I encourage shopping around to get a feel for what you want.

[Torvon]

with the 4e starting set (players handbook, monster manual, dungeonmaster guide) you can get going. the three books are also not very expensive, especially if you buy them together as a pack.

enjoy :)
eiko

(playing 3.5e and 4e, but i think 4e has its advantages and is nice to start with)

[Strawberries]

I will leave the 3.5 vs 4th edition debate for another thread and dor other eople (I know nothing of 4th edition), but I was going to suggest 3.5 because of the SRD. Here (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) are the core rules for 3.5, except character creation. Free and perfectly legal.

That's how I started, anyhow. In February, on these boards. I have an impossible schedule, so play by post turned out to be a good solution for me. My first DM just had to guide me in making my first character, and then I was good to go. (Of course pbps are hit and miss and a lot of them tend to die, but when you find a good group, they can be great.)

Also, another system with free quick start rules is Call of Cthulhu (here (http://www.chaosium.com/article.php?story_id=87)), which is more rules-light than D&D, but just as fun, if you like horror games.

I suggest giving it a read, to see what you like. Gaming stores seems a good place to find people to play with face to face. And we on the boards are always happy to help! :smallsmile:

EDIT: you can PM me if you need help with 3.5 or CoC, for instance. Just keep in mind I'm a bit new myself :smallwink:.

[Dada]

I tried Pathfinder this weekend (also known as D&D 3.75), and it seems good so far. Very close to 3.5, with some of the rough edges polished, e.g. skills and combat maneuvers are simpler. Also, the Pathfinder SRD is way better than the 3.5 one. But yeah, play-by-post might or might not be a decent way to get a feeling for some of the different systems and choices. Be aware though, that the actual experience is very different from sitting down at a table, and that the other players are what makes and breaks the game.

[dsmiles]

Welcome to geekdom, my friend. My personal recommendation is to try to sit in at your local game store for a game of 3.5/PF and one of 4e. See what catches your eye. I'm a Rolemaster/HARP man myself, which is probably way too complicated to pick up quickly for people who have never played tabletop before.

[Morbis Meh]

It would be much easier to acquire 4e manuals but I have never played it. From what i can gather 4e is less involved in character customization so if you enjoy completely making your character and having tons of specialization I recommend it. You can buy books online for a decent price if you use bookfinder.com, other than that try to find a game out your LFGS.

[Anxe]

My experience: It doesn't matter what system you're playing. The DM and the other players matter.

Go to a random session that the FLGS suggests. If you don't like it, try something else.

My other suggestion for you is to look like a rube.

[rubycona]

Definitely don't hide that you're new!!! It'll frustrate the hell out of your new group. Plus, I recommend going to YouTube and watching The Gamers, or its sequel, The Gamers: Dorkness Rising. It's silly, cheesy, and fun, but it gives you a pretty good idea of how actually playing D&D goes. Mind, they edit a lot of the rules for fun and jokes, but if, on watching the movies, it looks like something you'd enjoy doing yourself, then it's probably a good fit. If it looks boring, this isn't the hobby for you.

Beyond that, I agree with the above posters... what's important is the players/DM, NOT the edition. Mind, I like Pathfinder more then 3.5, and 3.5 more than 4th, so I'd recommend Pathfinder (plus, the books are still in print, unlike 3.5, so much easier to come by). But I'll say this flat out: despite practically loathing 4th edition, I'd far rather play 4th ed with a good group than Pathfinder with a lousy one.

There's a couple of ways to find a group. Your local gaming store should be the best resource, and beyond that, there's websites like www.penandpapergames.com, which track players in your area. Not always effective, but you might want to sign up for that, or something similar.

Good luck, and I hope you have fun! Some of my most fun moments have been at the D&D table, and I've traveled most of the USA, by point of comparison. I hope you enjoy it.

[Grelna the Blue]

Definitely don't hide that you're new!!!

[...]

... what's important is the players/DM, NOT the edition. Mind, I like Pathfinder more then 3.5, and 3.5 more than 4th, so I'd recommend Pathfinder (plus, the books are still in print, unlike 3.5, so much easier to come by). But I'll say this flat out: despite practically loathing 4th edition, I'd far rather play 4th ed with a good group than Pathfinder with a lousy one.

[...]

Good luck, and I hope you have fun!

+1

Don't worry about novice status--enjoy it! The game doesn't (shouldn't) get boring after learning how to play, but you only get to slay your first rampaging dragon once. Make the most of the newness.

[sirveaux]

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions! Turns out my FLGS runs some games on Wednesdays, so my friend and I (and now, a third potential player) are planning on heading down at least to observe, if not dive right in. Again, thanks, and happy gaming!

[kyoryu]

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions! Turns out my FLGS runs some games on Wednesdays, so my friend and I (and now, a third potential player) are planning on heading down at least to observe, if not dive right in. Again, thanks, and happy gaming!

That's probably Encounters... which will certainly give you a taste of 4e combat, but from everything I've heard, doesn't really do a good job of expressing what it's like to be in a campaign, and doesn't tend to go heavy on the roleplaying. YMMV, of course.

[sirveaux]

Ok, update for any who may care. It was indeed an Encounters group, and I just sat back and watched this first go-round. Definitely interested enough to go back and play this week. The group was missing a couple regulars and as such only had a Fighter and 2 Clerics. To me, this means they probably could use a Rogue or Wizard.

Now, I know enough to know I don't know enough to play a Wizzy right out of the chute. So my question is, any advice to make a Rogue? 2nd level, and just with the basic 4e sources (as I said earlier, trying to save on costs). Thoughts?

[Amphetryon]

Check oxybe's sig for a handy jump-start: Link to one of his posts (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9683002&postcount=108).

[Ozreth]

Somebody mentioned you can get started with the three core books, but you asked for what you absolutely NEED. All you need is a set of dice, a character sheet (free on the wizards site) and the players handbook, NOTHING more.

That being said, if you decide to go the 3.5 route (suggested : p) then you can either search amazon and other sources for a PHB or find one at a used book store.

If that proves too difficult you can just go the Pathfinder route as it is 3.5 with a few small tweaks. All of the stuff is made to be compatible with a 3.5 game. These books can easily be found at any game store and they produce a lot of awesome stuff still.

[Serpentine]

Regardless of what edition you use, I suggest starting or near-starting by making a character. Reading the PHB cover-to-cover is a noble endeaver(sp?), but it's very heavy going. By making your character and reading up on the relevant parts, you can put it more in context and break it into easier to handle bits: pick a class and read through it to get an idea of how classes as a whole work and what sort of abilities you can have; when you work out your base attack bonus, have a skim through the Combat section to see what in-battle options you have and how they work (and where to find them when you inevitably have to look them up again); when you put in your Ability scores review that section to see what exactly they mean; when you assign your skills learn how they work; etc.
Character sheets should be easy to find on the 'net. I use a Pifro one for my Play-by-Post game - which is probably also useful, by the way.

[rubycona]

Hey, he's specifically asking Rogue for 4e :P

Okay, so I'm not a 4e player, so I can't give detailed advice here, but here's some semi-specific advice:

Items Needed: You're a player, so you need the 4e Player's Handbook. You and your friends can share one (are they joining you?), which will seriously reduce costs. All the players need their own sets of dice. You can buy your own set easily. For multiple people, a cheap way to do this is to buy a Pound'o'dice bag, which is a 1lb random assortment of dice. You can typically get several mismatched dice sets for cheap that way. Many stores don't carry it, in which case everyone needs to get their own sets. You need character sheets, which as said above, can be downloaded for free. And you should bring a few pencils, maybe some notebook paper. And that's it. Everything else should be provided by the DM (the monster manual, the figs, etc)

Rogue: Fortunately for you, 4e is easy to get into. Just leaf through the 4e Player's Handbook, starting at the beginning. It'll lead you through pretty harmlessly. Pick your race and class, and it practically builds itself. It'll even give you suggested feats and such for your 1st level. Make sure you read through the sections on your class and race thoroughly... you can ignore the details on other races and classes.

Beyond that, make sure you read the combat section, and once your character is built, you could make everyone happier by play-testing your character in theory. IE, say outloud, "Okay, I need to attack something, so I..." and check your initiative, then your attack bonus, make sure you know what you're attacking (like AC or Reflex), and check your damage. Just get a feel for looking for the right section, so when your turn comes, you have an idea what to do, and where on your character sheet you're supposed to look.

It might all seem kind of complicated from this end, but while I loathe 4e in general, it's really, really good at getting new players in. Start from the beginning of the Player's Handbook, and it'll unfold pretty easily for you. Good luck to you :)