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Eruantion
2011-04-16, 12:39 PM
Hi :smallsmile: I'm considering getting started with Dungeons and Dragons, and I was wondering if I could get some help, such as what edition I need, what I need to buy, stuff like that. If you could help me out, that would be great.

Also, if there's already a thread for this that I didn't see, just direct me there. Thanks.

Drglenn
2011-04-16, 12:50 PM
Edition depends on your preference: if you want fast-paced, simple gaming then 4e, if you want more choice over what your characters can do then 3.5 (i can't really advise on earlier editions because I haven't played them)

What you need to buy: DICE: at least one set of: d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, d4. Books: For 3.5 you'll need at least the core books (Players handbook, Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's guide), For 4e it depends on if you're intending on DMing or playing. For playing you'll just need at least Player's Handbook, for DMing you'll also need Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's guide.

The thing to remember most of all however is: Have Fun! :smallbiggrin:

Quietus
2011-04-16, 01:01 PM
As far as what edition to play... Drglenn's points are valid, but I also suggest finding out what's commonly played around where you live, or with the group you're about to join. If you're joining an existing group, what they're playing is probably what you'll want to get, be that 3.5, 4e, or even Pathfinder. If you're starting a new group, then consider what Drglenn said, but also consider how easy it'll be to get books. If you're starting from the ground up, it may be easier to go with 4e simply because it's possible to find it on store shelves. 3.5 is very difficult to get hold of. If you're looking for something 3.5-esque, though, consider Pathfinder. It's not without flaws, but no game system is.

Eruantion
2011-04-16, 01:03 PM
So if I were looking for an easy way to get started, would you recommend just buying a 4e starter set?

Hiro Protagonest
2011-04-16, 01:06 PM
If you're playing 3.5 or Pathfinder, get Tome of Battle ASAP. It's the best book for melee characters, as it puts 'em on par with spellcasters, or at least gets it so if you want to play a melee character that's good, you don't have to be a cleric of war or a druid.

That's my two cents.

Teln
2011-04-16, 01:24 PM
First rule all new players need to follow: DO NOT ASK THE PEOPLE HERE FOR ADVICE ON CHARACTER BUILDS!

Seriously, all the build advice here assumes you're an experienced player, and with rookie players and a rookie DM using a build found here will shatter your game.

Amnestic
2011-04-16, 01:33 PM
If you're playing 3.5 or Pathfinder, get Tome of Battle ASAP.

I'm afraid I have to respectfully disagree; while Tome of Battle is indeed a good book - excellent even - there are numerous ones I would choose over it; Spell/Magic Item Compendiums and the Complete series first. While I agree ToB is great, in my not-so-humble opinion I think it recieves a little too much praise for what it does.

For 3.5: You don't even really need the PHB. The SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) provides pretty much everything you need. I think the only exception is the EXP-level up tables which can be easily circumvented by simply levelling up "every now and again".

For 4th: A subscription to D&DInsider (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Subscription.aspx) probably wouldn't go amiss, though some people see it as not really worth the pricetag.

Savannah
2011-04-16, 02:05 PM
So if I were looking for an easy way to get started, would you recommend just buying a 4e starter set?

That's....a somewhat difficult question, as people tend to be attached to their edition.

Some things to consider:
1) You'll need a group. If you're looking for a group in real life, I'd suggest waiting to buy anything until you find them, as they'll be playing a specific edition and they may even have books to lend you. If you're looking for a group online, I'd look and see what's being most commonly played. For example, 3.5 is the most common game in the pbp section on GitP (although there certainly are 4e games, too). If you're looking to start your own group, it doesn't matter so much.
2) Why are you interested in playing? If you're interested because of OotS, you'll probably be happier with 3.5, as that's the edition that OotS is based on. If you're interested because of a D&D-based computer game, you might want to figure out what edition that's based on, and go with that.
3) I swear there was something else I was going to say, but I can't remember it....

As Amnestic said, you don't even have to buy anything if you're interested in 3.5, as the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/) has the majority of the core rules online for free. And if you're just playing (not DMing), nothing important is missing, so you're good to go.

Edit: I'll just add, if you decide to go the 3.5 route, I'm always available to answer questions; I like helping people get started and I'm really patient :smallwink:

LibraryOgre
2011-04-16, 02:13 PM
Hi :smallsmile: I'm considering getting started with Dungeons and Dragons, and I was wondering if I could get some help, such as what edition I need, what I need to buy, stuff like that. If you could help me out, that would be great.

Also, if there's already a thread for this that I didn't see, just direct me there. Thanks.

Quietus has the right of it... find what people around you are playing. Wizards of the Coast currently has something called "D&D Encounters" which will give you exposure to 4e, but look around for a group that's playing together and see if you like them. If they're not to your liking, try another group.

My personal edition of choice is Castles and Crusades; I find it to be simple and adaptable. However, a good group can make any system that can work work.

Eruantion
2011-04-16, 02:30 PM
Okay, so if I were going to find a group right now, let's assume it's 3.5e, and I have the SRD, I still need dice and character sheets, right? Anything else?

Savannah
2011-04-16, 02:36 PM
Dice are the big thing. A set of 7 is standard (d20, d12, 2d10, d8, d6, and d4), and can usually be bought as a single set with its own little case. It's nice to have your own set, but most groups can lend you some until you get a chance to buy them, if necessary.

Character sheets can be found online, so you don't have to buy anything. Every group I've been in has had spares floating around, so that's an option, too.

There's not really anything else I can think of that you'd need (other than a pencil and eraser for the sheet).

Eruantion
2011-04-16, 02:38 PM
Okay, that's it? Awesome.
But what if I want to start a group with just a few friends? I'd need a DM manual, right?

Yora
2011-04-16, 02:42 PM
In my experience it's enough when you have one Players Handbook, one Dungeon Masters Guide, and one Monster Manual for everyone to share. When everyone wants to read the Players Handbook themselves (which they should, but many don't want to), they can get extra ones. However the DMG and the MM have only to be read by the DM, so having just a single copy of them for the DM is enough.

While there is a lot of disagreement about it, let's just say that many people consider thr 3rd Edition and the 4th Edition to be completely different games. 4th Edition is not an expansion or update of the 3rd Edition, but something entirely else started from scratch.

Since 3rd Edition books have been out of print for years, it may be difficult to get them. Partly as a result of that, another Company created a game called Pathfinder, which is very similar to 3rd Edition and almost identical in many respects. Most people seem to agree that some parts have been improved in Pathfinder, while others had been better the way they were in 3rd Edition.
But I think much of it is personal preference and people just getting used to things as they had always been before. (I'm one of them, sticking to 3rd Edition myself.)
But if you should decide to rather play 3rd Edition than 4th Edition, I would recommend buying the Pathfinder books. They are much easier to find, still in print, and even seeing new releases. And for new beginners the differences won't be noticable at all.

While it's certainly true that 4th Edition is faster and easier to learn, that's not the whole story when making your descision. D&D has some bad reputation for being way to much focused on combat compared to other games (which I think isn't as bad as people make it sound), and the 4th Edition gets even much more into that direction. From what I have seen about the rules, it's all about moving tiny figures on a map in combat and using special abilities that recharge between fights. It's clearly a combat game and the rules don't cover much else.
3rd Edition/Pathfinder has also lots of combat rules that sometimes are more difficult to learn and work not as smooth, but also covers a lot more things beside combat. That means more rules to learn and more time to create characters, but I think it helps a lot for everyone to get into adventures that spend more time of traveling through wilderness, exploring ruins, and investigating crimes, and such. Yes, you can do those things in 4th Edition as well, but I think that game makes everything just "feel" a lot like playing chess with one very strong piece. However, if you're actually looking for a game to kill monsters in dungeons and take their stuff, 4th Edition is clearly the better choice. The difficulties of 3rd Edition/Pathfinder are not worth it, when combat is the main focus of your adventures.

Savannah
2011-04-16, 02:43 PM
Yeah, if you're wanting to start DMing, I'd definitely suggest actually buying the books, as the SRD lacks some of the important bits. You can make do with the SRD, but you'd need to wing leveling up and....I think the treasure tables/wealth by level tables are missing, too.

If you haven't played before, DMing is going to be harder. You might want to look into getting a simple module (The Sunless Citadel is fun and pretty easy to run) to make that easier.

Drglenn
2011-04-16, 02:44 PM
and player's handbook for XP progressions etc
I would reccommend getting the monster manual too, I find its easier to have a physical copy to read through during sessions rather than replying on computers

Yora
2011-04-16, 02:47 PM
The SRD is great of you already know the rules and only have to look up specific things occasionally. When someone can explain the rules to you, looking up the specifics of classes and abilities in the SRD works as well.
But to learn the game by yourself, you need the books and read the whole damn thing from front to back. :smallbiggrin:

Eruantion
2011-04-16, 02:49 PM
Alright then. What I have now is:
The dice
Character sheets
If I'm just playing- The SRD website
If I'm DMing- A DM guide, a player's manual and the monster manual, in print. Also, Pathfinder is easier to find than 3.5, right?

Is there anything else I need to know?

Savannah
2011-04-16, 02:54 PM
Looks about right to me. Although you do need a group, but that's not usually included on lists of supplies for D&D :smallwink:

EccentricCircle
2011-04-16, 03:03 PM
3.5 character sheet
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/charactersheets
4e character sheet
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/tool.aspx?x=dnd/4new/tool/charactersheet

in either case you want to start with the first one on the page. the ones further down are more complicated but will prove useful once you've got the hang of things.

if you are looking to start a game then the 4e starter set does give you everything you need to get going and will teach you the rules. however If you play quickly you will soon find that you need to invest in more stuff. it will tell you to buy a line of products called Essentials that is designed to build on the starter set and give you everything you need to run the game, maps counters for monsters, several books of rules etc... what i've seen of these products is very good, but they quickly become quite expensive. moreso that just getting the Players handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide and Monster manual.

Essentials =
Heroes of the... : two books each of which details a number of character classes and gives you the information needed to play them in the game. I don't think you need both, but haven't read them so i'm not certain about that.
Rules compendium: the basic rules of the game
DM's Kit: lots of props, maps, and a couple of prewriten adventures
Monster Vault: statistics for the monsters not included in the prewritten adventures in the DM's kit and Starter set, counters for all of those monsters.

4e = three hardback books

Player's handbook: everything you need to play the game
Monster Manual: all the monster stats. there are various monster books. you will need at least one. a lot of the stuff in the monster manual also appears in the monster vault described above
Dungeon Master's Guide: information on running games.

3.5 has the big advantage of the free SRD but less people are playing it and getting the actual books is a pain. so while its my favourite I actually wouldn't recomend it unless you are joining an established game.
3.5 also has a player's handbook, a Dungeon Master's Guide and a lot of monster manuals.
it also has a book called Rules Compendium which is possibly the most useful D&D book ever published.
there is also a spell compendium with lots more spells and a Magic Item Compendium with lots more magic items. both of which are handy but far from essential.

Nidogg
2011-04-16, 03:06 PM
If youve got a scientific calculator, you dont even need dice (although they help by a truckload) just use the random function...

Savannah
2011-04-16, 03:06 PM
3.5 has the big advantage of the free SRD but less people are playing it and getting the actual books is a pain. so while its my favourite I actually wouldn't recomend it unless you are joining an established game.

I think that really depends on your area. 3.5 is far from dead, and Pathfinder (sometimes referred to as 3.75) is also a not-insubstantial proportion of games.

Eruantion
2011-04-16, 10:55 PM
Looks about right to me. Although you do need a group, but that's not usually included on lists of supplies for D&D :smallwink:

I think I have enough people, it's really supplies I need. If that's all I really need to get started (I think I'm going with 3.5), then I'm set.

Also, thanks all of you so much, it's great to have a place where people can offer such willing advice. If I have any more questions, I may PM for help. Thanks again :smallsmile:

Savannah
2011-04-16, 10:58 PM
No problem. Good luck with your game! :smallbiggrin:

slaydemons
2011-04-18, 03:32 PM
I think I have enough people, it's really supplies I need. If that's all I really need to get started (I think I'm going with 3.5), then I'm set.

Also, thanks all of you so much, it's great to have a place where people can offer such willing advice. If I have any more questions, I may PM for help. Thanks again :smallsmile:

your very lucky you got to ask when I got my first D&D book I had no access to printers and computers, not because they weren't around but because my family wasn't very rich so most of the stuff I know is from reading. Its hard to learn when you have a rulebook and have learning disabilities+adhd the classes look so awesome I wanted to read them all. but from what I hear 4E is a lot easier to learn and I know its easier to obtain.

stainboy
2011-04-18, 05:36 PM
For 3.5: You don't even really need the PHB. The SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/index.htm) provides pretty much everything you need. I think the only exception is the EXP-level up tables which can be easily circumvented by simply levelling up "every now and again".


Hope we're not overwhelming you with options here, but Pathfinder SRD is here (www.d20pfsrd.com). Pathfinder is 3.5 with a few updated mechanics. 3.5 players on this board mostly talk about WotC-published material, but in real life I think more people play Pathfinder.

Also the PF SRD has art.

Hiro Protagonest
2011-04-18, 05:38 PM
Hope we're not overwhelming you with options here, but Pathfinder SRD is here (www.d20pfsrd.com). Pathfinder is 3.5 with a few updated mechanics. 3.5 players on this board mostly talk about WotC-published material, but in real life I think more people play Pathfinder.

Also the PF SRD has art.

There's a Pathfinder SRD!? Yay!

Eruantion
2011-04-18, 07:26 PM
Hope we're not overwhelming you with options here, but Pathfinder SRD is here (www.d20pfsrd.com). Pathfinder is 3.5 with a few updated mechanics. 3.5 players on this board mostly talk about WotC-published material, but in real life I think more people play Pathfinder.

Also the PF SRD has art.

Are these all the basics for Pathfinder? And would you recommend using online sources? I'm having trouble finding stores in which I can buy the actual books. Also, are maps and miniatures important to gameplay, or are they unnecessary?

Hiro Protagonest
2011-04-18, 07:31 PM
Are these all the basics for Pathfinder? And would you recommend using online sources? I'm having trouble finding stores in which I can buy the actual books. Also, are maps and miniatures important to gameplay, or are they unnecessary?

Maps and miniatures make battles easier, but they're not necessary, as demonstrated by the fact that so many games take place on the forums. You can just draw the basic situation on paper.

Savannah
2011-04-18, 07:32 PM
For D&D 3.5, you're not going to be able to find the books anywhere but used book stores. I've had good luck finding them on amazon.com, though. Pathfinder will be much easier to find, as it's still in print, and it's very close to 3.5.

You don't need maps and minis for 3.5/Pathfinder, although they can be helpful. I just draw out the maps by hand and use chess pieces for minis, so it's not anything you need to buy. For 4e, my understanding is that maps and minis are necessary (although, again, you don't have to buy anything if you don't want to).

Eruantion
2011-04-18, 07:40 PM
Maps and miniatures make battles easier, but they're not necessary, as demonstrated by the fact that so many games take place on the forums. You can just draw the basic situation on paper.


For D&D 3.5, you're not going to be able to find the books anywhere but used book stores. I've had good luck finding them on amazon.com, though. Pathfinder will be much easier to find, as it's still in print, and it's very close to 3.5.

You don't need maps and minis for 3.5/Pathfinder, although they can be helpful. I just draw out the maps by hand and use chess pieces for minis, so it's not anything you need to buy. For 4e, my understanding is that maps and minis are necessary (although, again, you don't have to buy anything if you don't want to).
Okay, that's helpful. I'd rather make this fairly easy to get into, and since I'm the only person funding this and I don't actually have a regular source of income, I want be cheap and take the easy way out.

Do you have any recommendations as to where I'd need to go to buy these? Like, are they carried at comic stores and such, or more common places like say, Barnes and Noble?

Hiro Protagonest
2011-04-18, 07:52 PM
Okay, that's helpful. I'd rather make this fairly easy to get into, and since I'm the only person funding this and I don't actually have a regular source of income, I want be cheap and take the easy way out.

Do you have any recommendations as to where I'd need to go to buy these? Like, are they carried at comic stores and such, or more common places like say, Barnes and Noble?

Books, no matter what the edition, are typically cheaper on amazon. And for 3.5 and Pathfinder non-core, the Pathfinder Advanced Player's Guide is the best deal, it's got more stuff then any of the 3.5 non-core books, and is compatible with 3.5.

Lateral
2011-04-18, 07:56 PM
There's also... ahem, getting free PDFs of books online, but...

...Yeah, you want to avoid that in general, since it's kind of illegal. (Not that WotC actually cares that much now that they're determinedly ignoring the existence of 3.5. :smallannoyed:)

Godskook
2011-04-18, 08:07 PM
Here's my list of things I grab every week for my 3.5 D&D group:
-Laptop(I have *TONS* of .pdfs, and links to other things I need, such as Rich's polymorph rules and the SRD)
-Graph paper(required for hand drawn maps, imho)
-Spare character sheets
-Pencils
-Note cards and container(I keep track of pretty much every character I've ever introduced into the game)
-Map+Miniatures(not required, but handy for more interactive battles where positioning matters more)
-Props(For me, this is one of those wooden 3d puzzles that I'm handing to my players 1 piece a session)

Eruantion
2011-04-18, 08:12 PM
There's also... ahem, getting free PDFs of books online, but...

...Yeah, you want to avoid that in general, since it's kind of illegal. (Not that WotC actually cares that much now that they're determinedly ignoring the existence of 3.5. :smallannoyed:)
Well, as much as I'd like to do this, I'd rather not do illegal things.

Here's my list of things I grab every week for my 3.5 D&D group:
-Laptop(I have *TONS* of .pdfs, and links to other things I need, such as Rich's polymorph rules and the SRD)
-Graph paper(required for hand drawn maps, imho)
-Spare character sheets
-Pencils
-Note cards and container(I keep track of pretty much every character I've ever introduced into the game)
-Map+Miniatures(not required, but handy for more interactive battles where positioning matters more)
-Props(For me, this is one of those wooden 3d puzzles that I'm handing to my players 1 piece a session)
Wait, you don't even use books? Just online stuff?

stainboy
2011-04-18, 08:35 PM
Pathfinder is completely playable from the SRD. It's handy to have physical books if you have a lot of players without laptops, but it's not necessary.

3.5 is too, except for a couple random things that aren't in the SRD. Point buy stat generation and the XP table aren't OGL (so just use the slightly different but completely compatible ones from Pathfinder).


About minis: Minis are an expensive hobby. Use dice. The green d6's are the hobgoblins, and the red d10 is the rogue...