Please help a noob...

[TheBibliophile]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and tabletop games, so bear with me, okay? I found Order of the Stick a few months back and it hooked me immediately. I was interested in the way the world worked, so I looked into D&D on the Net. It looked really cool but unfortunately nowhere gave me tips for starting up a D&D group. First, if by some amazing chance someone on here lives in St Andrews, Scotland, and is looking to start a group, please PM me. Second, could people with experience at D&D give me some pointers please? Thanks a lot in advance.

Also, I'm trying to start an OOTS thread on the Official Nintendo Magazine forums, so if you go on there, look it up in the Off Topic forum!

[AstralFire]

I'd check out the Finding Players board for starters.

If you want advice, you're really going to have to be more specific, I'm afraid. The most general advice I can give for tabletopping is the same you can give for any social situation.

1. Don't be a jerk.
2. You typically get as much consideration and entertainment as you give.
3. Don't be too self-conscious.
4. Have fun.

Well, wait, I can give one more piece of advice-

5. Don't be picky.

Rulesets and settings tend to matter less than the group you are doing it with, in my opinion. If you're just trying to find a group, if they seem like good guys but they're playing Vampire: The Subtitling, go for it. The right group can make any game fun and the wrong group can ruin any campaign. Use them to build connections, and find people who want to play what you want to play. You may end up enjoying Vampire: The Subtitling (or whatever else you run into - 3E, 4E, 2E, FATAL, FUDGE, GURPS, Shadowrun) in the long run anyway, should you keep an open mind. I'm picky, but I'm already very well acquainted with several rulesets and am too lazy to learn more.

[Random832]

Second, could people with experience at D&D give me some pointers please?

0x3A28213A, 0x6339392C, 0x7363682E

But seriously, you're going to have to be more specific than that - there's a lot of things people could give pointers about.

[HamHam]

Find your local gaming/hobby store.

Or, bug your friends to play with you.

[AstralFire]

As a warning, if you're a perfectionist, you may not enjoy starting up your own group before you're experienced - because starting a group usually means that you will be DM, in my experience. And I'm a perfectionist, so I hate DMing a system I am not very familiar with - makes me feel as though I am failing my PCs.

[RTGoodman]

In general, I think the best thing to do when first starting is to have some folks that already play so they can help you learn the rules. Now, I'm not from anywhere CLOSE to you, so I can't suggest specific places, but do you know any hobby or gaming shops in the area? Places where people might go to play or buy stuff for, say, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Warhammer, or the like? If so, that'd be the best place to start.

I did some digging around online, and the two closest stores I could find are Kingdoms of Adventure, in Kirkcaldy, and Black Lion Games in Edinburgh. If you could get to either of those places, I'm sure there'll be tons of folks that would help you get into D&D.

EDIT: There also seems to be a Games Workshop store in Dundee, which is only about 20km away.

EDIT2: And a place called the Nappy Pin in Cupar, but I don't know if they'd have D&D stuff - sounds more like a hobby/craft store. It is listed on the Games Workshop site, though.

[The Rose Dragon]

Buy Witchcraft.

Or, if you want, you can find the .pdf for free on RPGNow.com.

Other games you might want to look into are Runequest, Mutants & Masterminds 2nd Edition, Exalted, nWoD and All Flesh Must Be Eaten.

...I know I don't sound really useful, but trust me, this is great advice.

[Eon]

I'd say if there is any gaming convention I'm sure there is plenty there. I play at least game of dnd at each con I've gone to (a total of 2).

[TheBibliophile]

0x3A28213A, 0x6339392C, 0x7363682E

But seriously, you're going to have to be more specific than that - there's a lot of things people could give pointers about.

Sorry. I meant pointers on starting a D&D group.

[TheBibliophile]

In general, I think the best thing to do when first starting is to have some folks that already play so they can help you learn the rules. Now, I'm not from anywhere CLOSE to you, so I can't suggest specific places, but do you know any hobby or gaming shops in the area? Places where people might go to play or buy stuff for, say, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, Warhammer, or the like? If so, that'd be the best place to start.

I did some digging around online, and the two closest stores I could find are Kingdoms of Adventure, in Kirkcaldy, and Black Lion Games in Edinburgh. If you could get to either of those places, I'm sure there'll be tons of folks that would help you get into D&D.

EDIT: There also seems to be a Games Workshop store in Dundee, which is only about 20km away.

EDIT2: And a place called the Nappy Pin in Cupar, but I don't know if they'd have D&D stuff - sounds more like a hobby/craft store. It is listed on the Games Workshop site, though.

Wow. You are an awesome and very nice person. Thanks a lot, I'll try and get in contact with them.

[Kantur]

It's the wrong season for it really, but it might be worth trying the university when the new academic year starts up. Failing St. Andrews itself, I have a friend who's part of Dundee/Abertay University's Role Playing Group.

Unfortunately, most of my knowledge is closer to Stirling and Edinburgh/West Lothian which I'd guess is further than you'd want to travel, but when I next see my Dundee based friend, I'll point him to this thread and hpefully he'll be able to post and help you a bit more.


Edit: Bandil's post's reminded me of two role playing conventions next year - Conpulsion 2010 (Should be around Easter weekend, I think the weekend before) in Edinburgh in one of the university buildings.
And next year the UK Student Nationals are being held in Edinburgh (Despite the name, it's not just students, raises money for charity, etc. Website's non-existant at the moment, but for when it gets updated: http://www.studentnationals2010.org/welcome.html ) That'll be the weekend of the 23rd of April to the 25th (Most of the gaming being done on the Saturday and Sunday) and Herriot-Watt University (Riccarton Campus).
If you (Or anyone else) want(s) more info about Student Nationals, PM me - There's some stuff on my gaming group's forum as a number of us are being recruited to GM there, so it's mostly dates, times and categories of games.

And if there's anything specific you want to ask about D&D, the forum'll be able to answer your questions, and my PM box is available (Though most of my experience is 2nd ed AD&D and 3.5)

[Androgeus]

I'm actually in St. Andrews university's roleplaying/wargaming society (WARsoc). Seeing as it's summer at the moment and few students are left in the area the society has nothing orginised untill 23rd of September .

[Origomar]

Same here, and not too far apart on the timing. This is where i learned to play

http://www.d20srd.org/

At first you will read it and after a couple days you think you'll know the basics, then you'll post something on the forums and it will be completely wrong, then you will review, have an epiphany and realize how the game actually works, yet you will still be iffy on details.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Same here, and not too far apart on the timing. This is where i learned to play

http://www.d20srd.org/

At first you will read it and after a couple days you think you'll know the basics, then you'll post something on the forums and it will be completely wrong, then you will review, have an epiphany and realize how the game actually works, yet you will still be iffy on details.

As long as you're looking to play 3.5, I have to second this.

I read this for a month or so before even getting the books, and although I'm still shaky on a lot of rules, I'm doing alot better than I would be if I had just gotten the books.

[Aron Times]

0x3A28213A, 0x6339392C, 0x7363682E

But seriously, you're going to have to be more specific than that - there's a lot of things people could give pointers about.

I see what you did there.

[TheBibliophile]

I'm actually in St. Andrews university's roleplaying/wargaming society (WARsoc). Seeing as it's summer at the moment and few students are left in the area the society has nothing orginised untill 23rd of September .

What time is it usually? Also, when you start back up, would you be really nice and let a poor boy of 12 with no experience of D&D join your group just to see what tabletop games are like please?

[KillianHawkeye]

0x3A28213A, 0x6339392C, 0x7363682E

LOL

Seriously, there just isn't enough computer programming-related comedy in the world.

[The Dark Fiddler]

LOL

Seriously, there just isn't enough computer programming-related comedy in the world.

XKCD. There you go.

Now you just need to search through the 615 comics for ~50 that are computer related.

What time is it usually? Also, when you start back up, would you be really nice and let a poor boy of 12 with no experience of D&D join your group just to see what t
abletop games are like please?

If they don't, they're meanies.

Or have a good reason. Maybe they're perverts who don't want to ruin your innocence.(Kidding!)

[AstralFire]

You seem to be a pretty well-read kid. If I was in Scotland, I'd let you play.

One rule though: you gotta let me pretend to be Scrooge McDuck every so often.

[TheBibliophile]

You seem to be a pretty well-read kid. If I was in Scotland, I'd let you play.

One rule though: you gotta let me pretend to be Scrooge McDuck every so often.

How do you figure?

[AstralFire]

How do you figure?

Your name (meaning you probably know a bit of your Indo-European language roots). Your signature. You're fairly polite. Interested. U doan tlk leik this.

[TheBibliophile]

Why thank you. I'll be sure to do you a kindness one day.

[bibliophile]

Your name (meaning you probably know a bit of your Indo-European language roots). Your signature. You're fairly polite. Interested. U doan tlk leik this.

Not to nitpick, but bibliophile actually comes from Greek, not Indo-European roots.

[AstralFire]

Not to nitpick, but bibliophile actually comes from Greek, not Indo-European roots.

Indo-European includes Greek. >.>

[TheBibliophile]

Not to nitpick, but bibliophile actually comes from Greek, not Indo-European roots.

Hmm... this poster is pedantic and has almost the same name as me... Awright, who cloned me?

[bibliophile]

I was here first. Hmmmm. Perhaps you're the clone of me...

[TheBibliophile]

You're probably right. Oh well, at least you can't control me with your mind, right? ...Right?

I am bibliophile and I command you to serve me!

I will obey...

[Arkhemedes]

Wooh Go young children of the age of 12 too bad i live in iowa i would totaly game with you except i know the game vwery well and i could teach you i learned from my dad he played back then with 1stE so i learned from him and we gaming with friends and family also from posts above go to some gaming shops and ask around you never know who might be willing to show you the basics

[Androgeus]

What time is it usually? Also, when you start back up, would you be really nice and let a poor boy of 12 with no experience of D&D join your group just to see what tabletop games are like please?

We meet on wednessdays, 8pm-12/1am. I think there might be a bit of a problem as we meet above the Union and with that being a bar and you being 12

[only1doug]

We meet on wednessdays, 8pm-12/1am. I think there might be a bit of a problem as we meet above the Union and with that being a bar and you being 12

I'd guess the session would probably be a little too late for his parents comfort as well....