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The Cats
2008-04-03, 07:53 PM
I want to play DnD but I don't know how and there's no one I know who plays and is willing to teach me!
Help!

Azerian Kelimon
2008-04-03, 07:55 PM
If you have a PHB, then you could just head to the PbP section of this forum and look if there are any newbie games with spots available.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-04-03, 07:55 PM
if not, google the phrase "srd"

The Cats
2008-04-03, 07:56 PM
Erm... could you pretend you're talking to a complete moron who knows absolutely nothing whatsoever about the game when you talk to me?

Cause, y'know... it's fun to pretend... >_>


Edit: omg! I googled srd and wow that's neat! I'll do some reading now. Thanks!

Azerian Kelimon
2008-04-03, 07:58 PM
And as for some "Combat experience"...check this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3) place out. The Recruitment Board, more specifically. Someone MUST be running a newbie game.

The Cats
2008-04-03, 08:00 PM
Wow, I had no idea this place would be so helpful so quickly! Thanks guys!

Azerian Kelimon
2008-04-03, 08:03 PM
Also, a little thing. While the SRD has a ton of VERY nice things (Specifically, if you're a fast learner I'd recommend trying to play a psychic warrior as your first character, since they're a blast), it lacks a few things you'll need, like a table of XP needed to gain new levels, so I recommend buying a PHB anyway. Anyone have a list of the things missing?

Also, you're going to need a place to store your digital character sheets at. This (http://www.myth-weavers.com/) is a nice place.

dman11235
2008-04-03, 08:03 PM
Also, check out my Handy Haversack. It has linked the SRD, for all your OGL needs.

EDIT: If you don't have the table of xp, just remember that to level up you need the amount of xp=your current ECLx1,000.

drengnikrafe
2008-04-03, 08:07 PM
I've got to tell this story...
My first time playing, I picked the Race that sounded most awesome by name, and a class that looked useful. Elven Ranger. I was really lucky, I had an expert DM looking over my shoulder, and he loaned me most of his books, one by one, and more then 200 questions later, I'm a quasi-useful player.

I wish you luck, dude. We can always use more players.

Guildorn Tanaleth
2008-04-03, 08:18 PM
Also, a little thing. While the SRD has a ton of VERY nice things (Specifically, if you're a fast learner I'd recommend trying to play a psychic warrior as your first character, since they're a blast), it lacks a few things you'll need, like a table of XP needed to gain new levels, so I recommend buying a PHB anyway. Anyone have a list of the things missing?

The SRD lacks the character creation & XP rules, along with eleven monsters and all of the fluff.

Iudex Fatarum
2008-04-03, 09:52 PM
If you haven't found a PbP PM me and I'll make one. I don't have experience DMing much and I have quite a bit as a player so might be fun

drengnikrafe
2008-04-03, 10:00 PM
I've been in a dry spell lately, so if you do start that campaign, please invite me. I'm dying to play... I just can't promise I'll do an especially crafty job...

Prometheus
2008-04-03, 11:30 PM
SRD is also missing Wealth-By-Level Guidelines and Pre-made NPCs, but you can go without both of those, especially since you won't be DMing.

I would caution one thing about the playing games on the boards, they aren't instantaneous as sitting down with people or doing chat-room based games.

Breaw
2008-04-04, 12:14 AM
Also, if you want to find gamers in your local town/city then I recommend you find the gaming store near you. You will recognize it because it will have like 5000 pewter miniatures in no particular order, as well as more board and pen/paper games than you ever imagined. If such a place exists (any city with over 1/2 a million people certainly will have at least 1) you will likely find people playing DnD on a table in the corner. If not the guys behind the counter may know of some open games.

Before you play, try to read up a lot. You don't need to know how everything works, and in fact it is one of the joys of being a new player not to know what a gelatenous cube is... but you should figure out the few things you'll be doing most often, and how they are done mechanically.

For example: If you are a fighter, figure out how your attack works and how to roll for it without looking at your sheet. Also figure out how to charge something, how to bullrush, and maybe how to grapple. This is a short list for the simplest of fighters, but it doesn't get all that much longer for most classes at low level.

Know how to do a few game mechanics and those people helping you figure this stuff out will be very grateful. ;)

FlyMolo
2008-04-04, 01:18 PM
I want to play DnD but I don't know how and there's no one I know who plays and is willing to teach me!
Help!

If you've read the SRD, I could always take you into my game. PbP, great big hack/slash campaign. 9 players already, tho. They're ECL 2 right now. Play a barbarian or fighter. Something simple. Fighter run up to the thing, then chop at it till it dies. Learn how to roll for chopping and damage, then you're done.

Solo
2008-04-04, 01:47 PM
I want to play DnD but I don't know how and there's no one I know who plays and is willing to teach me!
Help!

The Introduction to DnD

I will explain with a song!


Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with A-B-C
When you play you begin with P-H-B
P-H-B, P-H-B
The first three letters just happen to be
P-H-B, P-H-B

Now people, PHB, MM, and DMG
are only the tools we use to play DnD.
Once you have these rules in your head,
you can play a million different campaigns by mixing them up.

When you know the rules to play
You can play most any way!

Together now!

When you know the rules to play
You can play most any way!


P . . . HB
D . . . MG
T . . . oB
C . . . aD
L . . . oM
X . . . PH
P . . . iH CAr
SaS ECS -- Du, UA, SpC!



Now that I’ve got that out of my system, I think we should begin discussing what DnD is about at the most fundamental level.

The most basic DnD game needs three elements; the Player’s Hand Book, the Dungeon Master’s Guide, and the Monster Manual. These make up the “core” game.

To quote Kamikasei’s post on the subject, without permission, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3068866&postcount=4)

This lets you know the basic idea of how the game* works

Now, I shall talk about the eleven classes outlined in the Player’s Hand Book by linking to a post by Dausuul, again without permission.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3179625&postcount=44

In addition to the general advice, there are specific guides and handbooks to playing these classes. The best seem to exist on the Wizards of the Coast Character Optimization Board, but our own Giant in the Playground Boards do have a few gems.

The most famous is this Guide to Wizards, http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18500

While a more recent one for Sorcerers, http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74801, has recently swept the forums by storm.

More indigenous guides will be added as people come up with them, of course.


AKA_Bait's recent guide to DMing would fall under this category.: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76474

One Winged Angel’s regularly updated Handy Thread Compendium, which has not been regularly updated: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63565

Non-indigenous guides:

WotC Campaign Smashers: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=587555
Just so you know.

The 3.5 ed Weapons Special Abilities thread: http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=642656

DnD Archive Handy DM Links thread (Lots of handy links. For DMs!): http://www.dndarchive.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=124

The Dungeonomicon (Frank/K article):
http://bb.bbboy.net/thegamingden-vie...m=1&thread=698




*You have just lost the Game.

streakster
2008-04-04, 01:57 PM
You have seen some version of the Dead Alewives' famous piece, yes? That's crucial to understanding DnD.

The Cats
2008-04-04, 08:36 PM
OK, thanks for all the help everyone! Once I find my way downtown to pick up a player's handbook, I'd love to join your game Dull Oddity!

I think I'm going to roll a Human Monk (Because Monks look awesome :). Would this be a good class for a beginner?

Lighturtle
2008-04-04, 08:43 PM
I think I'm going to roll a Human Monk (Because Monks look awesome :). Would this be a good class for a beginner?

Monks are perhaps the worst core (= from basic books) class of D&D.

I suggest barbarian (rage charge power attack smack) or fighter (charge power attack smack). Simple gameplay. While monks must grapple and stuff.

The Cats
2008-04-04, 09:04 PM
Aw man, and I totally had my heart set on Monk!
Are they really that difficult to play?

GammaPaladin
2008-04-04, 09:19 PM
They're not hard to play, they're just kind of weak compared to everybody else. But they can be fun, just don't expect to kick lots of rear.

streakster
2008-04-04, 09:29 PM
Aw man, and I totally had my heart set on Monk!
Are they really that difficult to play?

Difficult? Nah. "I hit it." "I hit it with flurry of blows." "I hit it with shivering palm." You won't be as strong as the others - but if that doesn't bother you, then go for it!

UserClone
2008-04-04, 09:36 PM
If you are in a game with people who know more about the game than you, be whatever excites you the most.

Falconer
2008-04-04, 09:37 PM
I want to play DnD but I don't know how and there's no one I know who plays and is willing to teach me!
Help!

Big congrats on asking the exact question I've so far lacked both the time and cajones to ask. I'll have to look through this stuff now... :smallsmile:

Solo
2008-04-04, 10:02 PM
Difficult? Nah. "I miss it." "I miss it with flurry of blows." "I miss it with shivering palm."

Fixed it for you

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-04-04, 10:09 PM
Difficult? Nah. "I miss it." "I miss it with flurry of blows." "Oh, I hit it with shivering palm." "No, remember, you missed with Shivering Palm back when we fought that Balor, and it hasn't charged yet." :smallfurious: Fixed again.

streakster
2008-04-04, 10:12 PM
Ah, I meant only to say that he would declare that he was going to hit it - not that he would actually connect. I would never suggest that a monk could accurately hit something. Give me a little credit, here.

Solo
2008-04-04, 10:13 PM
Ah, I meant only to say that he would declare that he was going to hit it - not that he would actually connect. I would never suggest that a monk could accurately hit something. Give me a little credit, here.

Denied. :smallamused:



Not that he shouldn't play a monk, I just feel that subjecting a newbie to a class that needs heavy optimizing in order to stay competitive could be detrimental to the goal of having him enjoy DnD.

The Cats
2008-04-04, 10:15 PM
Hahaha. Sounds like Monks have a lil' trouble with accuracy!
Well no worries, Dull Oddity(DM) has told me he plays with a bit of variation in the rules that will allow me to actually hit things! Shoop-da-woop!

Thanks all for all your help, looks like I'll be starting my first game on Wednesday!

I hope it's as fun as I've been imagining it and that I play plenty of games with you guys in the future!

Overlord
2008-04-04, 10:31 PM
I feel obligated to pass this on to you: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=612

Azerian Kelimon
2008-04-04, 10:32 PM
Aaah. The rite of passage into geekhood. Good idea, the young Padawan must become a full fledged Geek Knight.

The Cats
2008-04-04, 10:38 PM
XFD!
"I'm not a hobbit, I'm a halfling!"

Falrin
2008-04-04, 10:44 PM
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52924


This Thread might be helpfull to you.