First time trying to learn the game+first time character idea

[refirendum]

So I've decided i'd join my boyfriend who plays D&D every week (and is not at the point where the characters are level 5... btw what's with all the different levels? i'm very confused), and i had an idea for a character. He tells me he's got it, but when i ask for a character sheet, he just sends me links to spells and things. so i'm assuming it's either incomplete or he hasn't started the character at all

anyways with the novice/minimal knowledge of what i can do, plus some suggestions from the GM, i've settled on a duskblade "sweeper". i don't know what race to play yet, nor do i know what races the GM may have implemented that are non-standard. i know a few things that the GM has told me he'd use for the particular idea i have, and that would be a 1d6 for each weapon's damage roll, switching between whip and sword modes would be swift action, maximum 180 degree single weapon arc with 10 ft range in whip-mode (full 360 with two weapons), being able to hit multiple enemies with one attack, whip-mode damage being fatal damage due to serrated and hooked blade edges, having to use up all my feats just to use my weapon of choice which no doubt is expensive, and having minimal amounts of magic that typically duskblades have.

my sweeper idea is to have two exotic weapons, which are a twin set of segmented and serrated/hooked hybrid whip/sword which contains a mechanism that contracts the whip fibers to make the sword lock together, or release to allow the segments to slide apart. the damage would be reduced from a normal sword when used as a whip and as a sword for both of the weapons, but would allow tripping, area of effect, and battlefield management by using both whipswords to essentially grab and shift enemy positioning or footing.

anyways i'm still very lost on character creation because i do not know how any of these stats are determined in the first place.

[HunterOfJello]

So I've decided i'd join my boyfriend who plays D&D every week (and is not at the point where the characters are level 5... btw what's with all the different levels? i'm very confused), and i had an idea for a character.

Are the characters in the party at different levels?


anyways i'm still very lost on character creation because i do not know how any of these stats are determined in the first place.

A character's ability scores (strength, dexterity, consitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma) are determined through a method set by the Dungeon Master (DM). People usually roll dice or use a method called "point-buy" where a player starts with a number of points that they then invest in each score to increase it. You will have to ask your DM what method he/she has set for the game.

The best recommendation I can give to a person who is attempting to learn this game on their own for the very first time (like I did) is to print out a copy of a Character Sheet off the Wizards of the Coast (wotc) website. You can find them here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/charactersheets

Once you have the character sheet printed out, start at the beginning of the first sheet and move your way through all the pages looking at each detail on the sheet. Each time you find a detail on a sheet that you don't fully understand, go look it up in the Player's Handbook. Check it out both in the glossary and the index.

This is going to take quite a while and a lot of effort (which creating your first character alone for the first time always does), but you will gain an understanding of all the basic ideas behind character creation that way.

~~~~~

Another great method that is always helpful for finding out about 3.5 is to check google for handbooks on any given topic that you are interested in. Looking right now I see a D&D for Total Beginners (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?135028-Article-D-amp-D-3-5-for-Total-Beginners) article that was written on this website a while back that is likely helpful. That article doesn't look too long, but there are many others out there that can help you out some.

Ultimately the most complete method of learning the basic information in the game is to read the Player's Handbook in its entirety from front to at least the start of the spell lists which is around 200 pages. However, I can't really suggest that to someone who hasn't played a single hour of the game before.

As for the Duskblade class, you can check out DictumMortim's Duskblade Handbook (http://dictummortuum.blogspot.com/2011/08/duskblade-handbook.html) for general advice and information. I don't know whether your current feat choices and strategies will ultimately be helpful to your character or not because I would need mechanical details about it all, but it does sound interesting.

[Immabozo]

Are you sure this is D&D 3.5? Because there are no facing rules in D&D. You are considered facing in all directions all the time. There is no "attack arc" in D&D

[JusticeZero]

Yeah, that sounds like they have some other stuff going on that aren't standard. See if you can get your guy to run through a single shot one on one encounter with you creating a Fighter (the most basic of classes) without house rules. No masterpiece of storytelling, just some kobolds with daggers, or maybe skeletons with clubs. Once you grasp those dynamics, then the other stuff will make more sense.

[weckar]

Yeah, that sounds like they have some other stuff going on that aren't standard. See if you can get your guy to run through a single shot one on one encounter with you creating a Fighter (the most basic of classes) without house rules. No masterpiece of storytelling, just some kobolds with daggers, or maybe skeletons with clubs. Once you grasp those dynamics, then the other stuff will make more sense.

Let's not forget some skill check examples. The game is not a combat game, after all.

[JusticeZero]

Well yeah, even a fighter can spot stuff or whatever though.

[torrasque666]

Are you sure this is D&D 3.5? Because there are no facing rules in D&D. You are considered facing in all directions all the time. There is no "attack arc" in D&D

It might be running similar to breath-weapons, but instead of a cone, its an arc.

[refirendum]

i do believe it's supposedly an area of effect for each attack that has a radius of 10 feet and makes a horizontal semicircle. hits everything inside the semicircle.

yeah our GM does tend to do lots of non-standard from what i can tell.

i just got a reply again, and that was that my boyfriend had already rolled up the character and is just in final negotiations with the GM on little details about the character.

[Immabozo]

It might be running similar to breath-weapons, but instead of a cone, its an arc.

sounds like a stupid house rule to nerf melee and buff casters. The exact opposite of what you need to do, if anything

[weckar]

I just can't my head around giving a new player a duskblade, of all things...

[JusticeZero]

Yeah, i'm not too familiar with the class, but it seems like it'd have a lot of unintuitive moving parts from what I know.

[refirendum]

apparently it was the class that had the best fit for the idea that i was poking around in my head.

[Immabozo]

apparently it was the class that had the best fit for the idea that i was poking around in my head.

But, that isn't terribly important right now. We think you should first get a good grasp of the rules and your DM's houserules, before you get thrown into the deep end on a character with lots of choices and complicated, or at least somewhat complicated, mechanics

[refirendum]

so the GM and my boyfriend play-tested the character, ad determined that it wasn't suitable for the campaign, and we went back to the drawing board, using a sword sage as the class instead. i kind of know a little bit more about how the character is created from some reading i did earlier but it's kinda gone now since the class has changed.

anyways, the reason is because in the game universe that the GM made, magic was taught only by one race, and one had to either be a dedicated apprentice under them or one of them. and since the physical weapon type i came up with is so difficult to use, there would probably be no time to be able to train to be good with magic.

[RO-Red]

Why are your boyfriend and GM making this character without you? You really should be the one doing all this with one, or maybe both, of them helping you by explaining what things are and what they do. And it's also probably a good idea to stick to core classes for your first character since in my experience they're more straightforward. If you're really tied to the idea of a fatal whip, I know I've paired sword and whip with decent success with the rogue class.

[Gildedragon]

I will echo what people here are saying: get acquainted with the game first

Swordsage isn't bad, especially not if you get a solid starting set of relatively uncomplicated maneuvers.
They can also be a good platform to jump into the concept of forcing others to make saving throws etc.

But I would recommend starting with a rogue or fighter (or barbarian)

any of these can work with your base concept (rogue more probably, and can then be retrained into swordsage without much fuss)

[JusticeZero]

How about you explain what you want to do and have us come up with some ideas on what might fit? And meanwhile, you can roll up a fighter and hit things a few times to learn the basics. You really need to be behind the wheel when you make a character, otherwise you end up in the 'drivers' seat' of a character you don't actually understand.

[RO-Red]

You really need to be behind the wheel when you make a character, otherwise you end up in the 'drivers' seat' of a character you don't actually understand.

I really cannot stress this enough.

[weckar]

yeah, it's great to have a sheet of numbers made for you, but it's going to be useless if you don't know where those numbers came from.

[torrasque666]

sounds like a stupid house rule to nerf melee and buff casters. The exact opposite of what you need to do, if anything

Sounds like its specifically dealing with stuff like a whip. So you get a 15ft radius to area attack with(if dual wielding), functioning sort of like the War Hulk capstone.

[Sorc]

Yeah, that sounds like they have some other stuff going on that aren't standard. See if you can get your guy to run through a single shot one on one encounter with you creating a Fighter (the most basic of classes) without house rules. No masterpiece of storytelling, just some kobolds with daggers, or maybe skeletons with clubs. Once you grasp those dynamics, then the other stuff will make more sense.

I think there are some facing rules in unearthed arcana

[JusticeZero]

Well, strictly speaking, facing in D&D is just that you can immediately change facing as needed, and are assumed to do so as it comes into play. I find facing to break immersion somewhat, since it assumes a certain high level of obliviousness on the part of your character ignoring what a large number of the people on the field are doing while they're acting. Plus, facing hasn't really been a huge issue in practice IRL, since it's so trivially easy to change; I don't see the point in adding a complex rule to make characters unable to do something that I can personally do.

[Immabozo]

Why are your boyfriend and GM making this character without you? You really should be the one doing all this with one, or maybe both, of them helping you by explaining what things are and what they do. And it's also probably a good idea to stick to core classes for your first character since in my experience they're more straightforward. If you're really tied to the idea of a fatal whip, I know I've paired sword and whip with decent success with the rogue class.

I agree, and disagree with some of this. My first character was made for me and I then played it and found what I liked and what I did not like about the game. So when that character was turned into a lycanthrope, I said %^&$ it and rolled up a new character, still with a ton of help, but I made the character and I knew what I did not want and what I did want, and built a character I loved.

Sometimes what you do not like, can be the strongest teacher. Fortunately, in a game like this, you can make your character leave/die/fall in love with the tavern wench/whatever and roll up a new one.

But sticking with one of the basic classes, like the afore mentioned Barbie, fighter, or rogue, should probably be your first concern. Swordsage is an advanced class with a lot of advanced mechanics. If you can grasp it all quickly, all power to you. But you should really start more basic for your first campaign.


Sounds like its specifically dealing with stuff like a whip. So you get a 15ft radius to area attack with(if dual wielding), functioning sort of like the War Hulk capstone.

Well, that would be better, but really doesn't make sense with a whip. But if it works that way, it is a fantastic boon to melee! The level 4 war hulk ability, for no prereqs, no investment and no downsides? Sign me up! I often dip War hulk 4 to get that very ability!

[RO-Red]

I agree, and disagree with some of this. My first character was made for me and I then played it and found what I liked and what I did not like about the game. So when that character was turned into a lycanthrope, I said %^&$ it and rolled up a new character, still with a ton of help, but I made the character and I knew what I did not want and what I did want, and built a character I loved.

Sometimes what you do not like, can be the strongest teacher. Fortunately, in a game like this, you can make your character leave/die/fall in love with the tavern wench/whatever and roll up a new one.

But sticking with one of the basic classes, like the afore mentioned Barbie, fighter, or rogue, should probably be your first concern. Swordsage is an advanced class with a lot of advanced mechanics. If you can grasp it all quickly, all power to you. But you should really start more basic for your first campaign.



Well, that would be better, but really doesn't make sense with a whip. But if it works that way, it is a fantastic boon to melee! The level 4 war hulk ability, for no prereqs, no investment and no downsides? Sign me up! I often dip War hulk 4 to get that very ability!

I'll agree to your point, but I'll add a caveat. You don't necessarily need to make your character from scratch. Your boyfriend and the GM can be the leading forces of how to pull off your general idea, but you should still be present while they're making it. I think you can learn some stuff by osmosis by being present and asking questions than you would from just being handed a sheet. I also think when it comes time to playtest it, you should be the one in control. If nothing else it will give you valuable experience with combat and the like so when you join their game, you aren't completely lost.

[Immabozo]

I'll agree to your point, but I'll add a caveat. You don't necessarily need to make your character from scratch. Your boyfriend and the GM can be the leading forces of how to pull off your general idea, but you should still be present while they're making it. I think you can learn some stuff by osmosis by being present and asking questions than you would from just being handed a sheet. I also think when it comes time to playtest it, you should be the one in control. If nothing else it will give you valuable experience with combat and the like so when you join their game, you aren't completely lost.

A great addition. I would like to add: dont forget to have fun. I know that point can get lost in all these rules.

[Nibbens]

A great addition. I would like to add: dont forget to have fun. I know that point can get lost in all these rules.

Word.

Seriously. I know so many who were turned off by the idea of table top gaming in general because the first thing that happens is that core rulebook comes out and 300 pages of rules tends to scare the ever living heck out of new players. lol.

[icefractal]

But sticking with one of the basic classes, like the afore mentioned Barbie, fighter, or rogue, should probably be your first concern. Swordsage is an advanced class with a lot of advanced mechanics. If you can grasp it all quickly, all power to you. But you should really start more basic for your first campaign.Eh, I don't think Swordsage is a bad choice, assuming it fits the concept. A Rogue, for example, might theoretically have less moving parts, but without the right tactics to get SA happening, they will fail to accomplish much. Swordsage, on the other hand, has manuevers that do what they say they do.

And I would not give a new player a Fighter. It's way too easy to accidentally build a Fighter that can't contribute - or even if assisted with the build, run into mobility issues - and having your character ineffective at everything is not a good environment to be learning in.

[Immabozo]

Eh, I don't think Swordsage is a bad choice, assuming it fits the concept. A Rogue, for example, might theoretically have less moving parts, but without the right tactics to get SA happening, they will fail to accomplish much. Swordsage, on the other hand, has manuevers that do what they say they do.

And I would not give a new player a Fighter. It's way too easy to accidentally build a Fighter that can't contribute - or even if assisted with the build, run into mobility issues - and having your character ineffective at everything is not a good environment to be learning in.

Sometimes failure can be the best teacher

[zyggythorn]

Might I ask what this character concept you're going for is? I believe that we can all offer better suggestions if we know what it is you want.

I've just gotten my girlfriend to start trying in earnest, so i can relate to your boyfriend's controlling- for lack of a better term- of your build.

But I can say even more that the one character I actually made for her was one she quite disliked, so it is extremely important that you both have a dialogue about what you want, and what things do what.

Best of luck to you!