I want to start playing DnD

[Trizap]

I've read SRD, and have learned some stuff about DnD from it, but I want to hear from players themselves, any tips on how I should start or anything?

[Da King]

Get a copy of the player's handbook, and find yourself a group to play with. Keep in mind that 4th ed is coming out in june (I think...) however. If you can't find a group get a few friends interested, and if you can get a firm enough grasp on the rules, DM a game. Although I don't recommend this, I know a friend who had to start like this, (I don't think he's ever actually PLAYED until a few weeks ago in my game) so I'll talk to him and get back to you.

EDIT: It comes out in May?! Awesome!

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

4th ed is coming out in May.

A good starting class is the duskblade, from the PHBII. It is a gish class, meaning it uses both magic and mundane. It gives you a solid grounding in both.

[dman11235]

Starting character/=duskblade. No. Start with something simple. Like a fighter. Or a barbarian. And start core only. Start simple. If you think you can handle something more advanced, try doing a ranger or a rogue. Or if you think you might be able to, try a sorcerer.

Anyway, the most important thing to remember is that it is a game. And to have fun. Find a group of your friends willing to join, and socialize with them. And if you need help, you have an account here, and we can help.

[Trizap]

thanks, you guys are very helpful..............a Barbarian does sound fun........

I mean you get to go faster, and rage, the illiteracy thing isn't really a problem-
a Barbarian is meant to smash stuff :smallbiggrin:

[Solo]

I've read SRD, and have learned some stuff about DnD from it, but I want to hear from players themselves, any tips on how I should start or anything?

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. (Some portion of Core stuff is free online via websites such as the Hyptertext D20 SRD)

To quote Kamikasei’s post on the subject, without permission, (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...66&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/showp...5&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.

[dman11235]

Solo, just, yes. You made a song.

And I shall look through those links you provided, maybe one or two need to be linked in my Handy Haversack.

EDIT: On an unrelated note, does anyone know how to make a paragraph be indented here? The indent gives an unwanted space between lines or indents the whole thing, instead of just the first line.

[Azerian Kelimon]

Solo = Epic winnar who can single handedly annihilate /b/.

[Xuincherguixe]

Nothing can annihilate /b/. /b/ is the Nuclear Evil around which the Internet spirals around, and though all will be swallowed up by it's never ceasing hunger, depends upon for it's existence.

[Dode]

Nothing can annihilate /b/. /b/ is the Nuclear Evil around which the Internet spirals around, and though all will be swallowed up by it's never ceasing hunger, depends upon for it's existence.

http://i30.tinypic.com/dr2nud.jpg

[Dode]

There, now that that's been dealt with, let's start with introducing you to D&D.

Like other posters suggested, the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual are the core essentials you need to make characters, run a game world and populate it with creatures respectively. Anything else is unnecessary and you should probably hold out buying much if anything until you've decided whether you want to keep collective the current 3.5 Edition or "upgrade" to 4th Edition. If you can, just borrow your friend's book or rely on the SRD if you have a laptop handy.

Advice for actually playing a game for the first time:

- Try to avoid grappling-related things.
- Read up on what you're doing before declaring that's what you do then scramble through the books when you don't know how it exactly works.
- Never take it too seriously.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Unless you are going to DM, you don't need the DMG or the MM. You can use the SRD for magic items and PrCs, and those are the only things in the DMG a player might need.

[Dumbledore lives]

You don't absolutely need to buy the player's handbook as http://www.d20srd.org has all the core stuff, it is quite convenient.

[skywalker]

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

It's hard to update things when you're banned :smallconfused:

My girlfriend's first character was a duskblade. She was surrounded by more experienced players, but starting as a duskblade can be done, and duskblades are really, really fun.

I like paladins and rangers because they kinda grow with the character. When you start off, you're just doing the standard d20 attack roll, etc. You get other class features(spells, turning, animal companions) as the character grows, so the character grows with the player. I started with a paladin and I found it perfectly suited to beginning in D&D, I was happy with my options at 1st level, but I would've been bored by 4th if other options hadn't presented themselves.

Finally, I'd like to point out to everyone that while everyone says "stay away from casters, too much book-keeping," most new players I've met are far more confused by the skill system and skill points than by any spellcasting situation.

[Trizap]

You don't absolutely need to buy the player's handbook as http://www.d20srd.org has all the core stuff, it is quite convenient.

I'm already reading that. thank you, the only problem: it doesn't detail how to create a character and it doesn't detail anything about gaining experience

[Solo]

I'm already reading that. thank you, the only problem: it doesn't detail how to create a character and it doesn't detail anything about gaining experience

Character creation is listed in the PHB.

Stat generation may be handled by point by or by rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest roll for each stat.

You start out with max hit dice of hit points and roll from there on. Add yoru con. modifier to the roll.

You cat your skill points as determined by your class, int mod and race. You start out with 4 times this number at the beginning, and can spend a maximum of character level +3 skills points in one class skill.

For cross class skills, you can only use half that number, and each skill point in a cross class skill counts for half. It is rather inefficient to spends skill points on cross class skills.



Gaming experiences vary widely.

The entire gamut of experiences ranges from GRIMDARK to "I cast magic missile at the darkness!"

[Trizap]

Unless you are going to DM, you don't need the DMG or the MM. You can use the SRD for magic items and PrCs, and those are the only things in the DMG a player might need.

eh, I don't wanna DM, I couldn't think out what should happen next in a plot to save my life

[Trizap]

Character creation is listed in the PHB.

Gaming experiences vary widely.

The entire gamut of experiences ranges from GRIMDARK to "I cast magic missile at the darkness!"

good one, thats a good joke.

[lothofkalroth]

it's good if you know some people who play already. Also, you should check out your local game shop if you have one, they often hold game days for things like this, as well as days where they teach the basics of the game.

[Fiery Diamond]

*You have just lost the Game.
Argh. I lost. You made me lose the Game. (However, you forgot to say that you also lose the Game.)

Back on topic, you need the PHB and a group of friends, preferably with at least one experienced person in the group, and whoever is DMing needs the DMG and MM. If you are simply a player, don't worry about the DMG or MM. Although, for purchasing magic items and stuff you might want to have more than one copy of the DMG in the group.

I strongly recommend that your group does include at least one person you know if you have to go to a group that already plays. It makes things easier. Read up, find a group, and full steam ahead.

-Fiery Diamond