So. Me and my friends, having played and loved Neverwinter Nights (2, not so much. The love just wasn't there... ya know?), started getting into the DnD rules. We have a failry basic grasp of them now. Well, more like enough to attempt to munchkin our characters to obscene levels. And I've read, and still read, Order of the Stick (a stick-figure, DnD-based webcomic. It's really excellent. Check it out over here.) The point is, we understand the rules.
And now, I've been talking to my friends, and I think I want to start helping us transition over to the real thing: The actual Dungeons and Dragons game.
Obviously, me and my friends only being sophomores in high school, are latecomers to this game that's been out for 30+ years. Hence I'm coming to this great resource that is Allakhazam to ask for tips on starting as a newbie DnD player.
What sourcebooks should I get, excluding the core three of Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master Guide? And recommendations?
What about starting your own campaign? Make it from scratch, or use an existing one such as Greyhawk?
I'm jockeying for the position of DM, but that may not happen. But what tips would you give to a first-time DM? Or just a first-time player?
Basically what I'm asking is this: I'm starting with only a knowledge of the rules, and nothing else. Tell me what you wish people had told you when you first started DnD.
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Before anyone can start answering your questions we're going to need to know which version of D&D you plan on playing. If you haven't decided on a version or aren't certain which to play let me give you a vrief overview.
You two main choices are 3.5 edition and 4.0 edition. Anything older isn't really worth considering. 3.5 will be the most like NWN as far as basic rules go. However, 4.0 is an easier version to simply pick up. In my opinion 4.0 is also a better game, with far better class balance and far more rules aimed toward fun. I would recommend 4.0, but it your choice. If you're really curious about the differences I can go into greater detail explaining them.
Your question about sourcebooks will vary based on the version you choose.
As for starting your own campaign it depends how much effort you are willing to put into pre-game play. I would recommend starting out with an existing campaign as it will help speed up actually getting to the play part of D&D. You'll also benefit from the designer's experience with the system, as it make be difficult as a new player to design a balance campaign.
A tip for the DM would be to let the players be creative. If they try to do something that differs from the intended way you meant for them to solve the puzzle, encounter, or adventure then let them. You should focus more on guiding them through the adventure and less on dragging them along after you. A good DM can change the entire storyline to work with players' decisions. As a first time player seek out what you find fun about the game and make the most of that element, perhaps asking the DM to include more of it. If you enjoy role playing, then don't be afraid to spend time in town socializing with npcs or make bad--but in character--decisions in combat. If you're like me and enjoy combat more, then read the rules to get a strong grasp of tactics and strategize with your allies about nova turns and combat roles.
D&D is a player created experience, and so your enjoyment of the game can vary greatly based on who is DMing and who you are playing with. If you aren't enjoying yourself it may not be that you don't like the game, but that you don't like playing with certain people.
You two main choices are 3.5 edition and 4.0 edition. Anything older isn't really worth considering. 3.5 will be the most like NWN as far as basic rules go. However, 4.0 is an easier version to simply pick up. In my opinion 4.0 is also a better game, with far better class balance and far more rules aimed toward fun. I would recommend 4.0, but it your choice. If you're really curious about the differences I can go into greater detail explaining them.
Your question about sourcebooks will vary based on the version you choose.
As for starting your own campaign it depends how much effort you are willing to put into pre-game play. I would recommend starting out with an existing campaign as it will help speed up actually getting to the play part of D&D. You'll also benefit from the designer's experience with the system, as it make be difficult as a new player to design a balance campaign.
A tip for the DM would be to let the players be creative. If they try to do something that differs from the intended way you meant for them to solve the puzzle, encounter, or adventure then let them. You should focus more on guiding them through the adventure and less on dragging them along after you. A good DM can change the entire storyline to work with players' decisions. As a first time player seek out what you find fun about the game and make the most of that element, perhaps asking the DM to include more of it. If you enjoy role playing, then don't be afraid to spend time in town socializing with npcs or make bad--but in character--decisions in combat. If you're like me and enjoy combat more, then read the rules to get a strong grasp of tactics and strategize with your allies about nova turns and combat roles.
D&D is a player created experience, and so your enjoyment of the game can vary greatly based on who is DMing and who you are playing with. If you aren't enjoying yourself it may not be that you don't like the game, but that you don't like playing with certain people.
Edition wise, I've heard mixed on both. As with any major change, I'm going to see those that like it and those that don't. We'll probably end up using 4.0, simply because those sourcebooks would probably be more readily available at the local comic shop (I'll have to pop down there and take a look soon).
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the tips!
If what you've been hearing about 4.0 is that it has been "dumbed down," then those are the opinions to entirely ignore. There are people who have played both 3.5 and 4.0 and genuinely prefer 3.5. There are also people who have barely played 4.0 and are too stubborn to admit that Wizards made a lot of game play improvements.
Aside from making combat faster, I think the best part about 4.0 is balancing classes in combat. In 3.5 it was almost necessary to have a skill monkey, someone who wasn't useful for fighting, but did all the lock picking and other skill related checks. Wizards were overpowered when they had their spells and useless when they didn't. Melee classes were highly repetitive. 4.0 fixes that.
Aside from making combat faster, I think the best part about 4.0 is balancing classes in combat. In 3.5 it was almost necessary to have a skill monkey, someone who wasn't useful for fighting, but did all the lock picking and other skill related checks. Wizards were overpowered when they had their spells and useless when they didn't. Melee classes were highly repetitive. 4.0 fixes that.
I wish I had a group to D&D with 
.
.◕ ‿‿ ◕
I DnD with your mom.
Vataro, Eater of Souls wrote:
I wish I had a group to D&D with .
.Me too. Haven't found anyone else who played in.. I don't know.. 5 years? I miss that game.
Ehcks wrote:
Vataro, Eater of Souls wrote:
I wish I had a group to D&D with .
.Me too. Haven't found anyone else who played in.. I don't know.. 5 years? I miss that game.
The beauty of school. It brings all the nerds together into one AP classroom.
I liked Dragonlance & homemade campaigns
Allegory wrote:
A tip for the DM would be to let the players be creative. If they try to do something that differs from the intended way you meant for them to solve the puzzle, encounter, or adventure then let them.
In other words, yes, you should in fact let them revive the volcano.
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
Allegory wrote:
A tip for the DM would be to let the players be creative. If they try to do something that differs from the intended way you meant for them to solve the puzzle, encounter, or adventure then let them.
In other words, yes, you should in fact let them revive the volcano.
Should I censor their every swear word too?
IDrownFish wrote:
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
Allegory wrote:
A tip for the DM would be to let the players be creative. If they try to do something that differs from the intended way you meant for them to solve the puzzle, encounter, or adventure then let them.
In other words, yes, you should in fact let them revive the volcano.
Should I censor their every swear word too?
Boop yes.
Allegory and I often have extremely different preferences when it comes to what is important in a game, therefore, consider what I will say as a second opinion.
I prefer 3.5
I believe NWN was 3.0 3.5 made a lot of improvements, broke some other stuff.
You can torrent most of the books, but you should buy at least the three core rulebooks for convenience. It's annoying as hell to level up on a computer screen. Definitely get the complete series if you are doing 3.5: Complete Warrior Complete Arcane etc.
The Book of Nine Swords is nice if you want to completely obsolete the melee classes, but it's nice for an overpowered game.
I've always made up words from scratch. That doesn't mean you can't steal **** from other games and change it sufficiently to where it's your own. Many times they end up as composites. Established campaigns are just amazing in terms of how much **** and lore is out there for you to do though. I like Faerun a lot simply because I'm used to it and I played Baldur's Gate before I ever PnP'd
If you want to create a world, then I'll just tell you what I do with it.
One thing I despise is when the entire world is like the size of Texas. I'll always start by imagining at least a continent and then pick a spot to start with, then make the region. There's really no reason why an adventuring group should have to explore the entire damn world. For the first world I did I took a lot of the geography from the Suikoden source material, then started the party where the Jowston Federation would have been. That gave me a lake, some mountains, a bunch of woods and plains, and a nice place to put cities.
Once you've made a map, start filling it in. Try to make geography flow naturally; don't stick a freakin desert in the middle of a forest (unless it's magical or something), and scatter landscape with a few major cities, nations or kingdoms, and some hamlets. I can't stand it when the scope of a campaign is a ton of major cities with no small towns.
Campaigns can be as linear or as open as they are designed for. I played in a campaign that took me from 1-16 once and it was an incredibly linear quest to rescue hieroniaus' daughter. I prefer to make mine pretty open though, with a generalized main plot giver existing in the world, but allowing a party time to explore cities and stuff. In terms of exploration (if you aren't doing a linera campaign) you don't need to have people play monopoly on a city map or anything. What I like to do is set out four or five points of interest in a city and tell people what locations might be happinin' Often, they will then discover -new- places to go that were previously hidden to them.
You don't need to roleplay every moment of the characters lives by the way. Some people get overboard on that ****; for example, don't make people act out setting up a camp or something. It's just silly.
Don't be paralyzed with the fact that you aren't writing the greatest fantasy novel of all time. It's a game; have fun with it.
Prepare to invest maybe 10X as much time in the game as players do.
Don't be afraid to change the rules. If you do change the rules then be consistent with it. Try to think of any general changes to rules before you start a game. If you don't want to deal with a lot of extra rules or rule changes, then ban every sourcebook from your game except the main three, and stick to them exactly.
Don't be an *** about side talking, but don't let it's pernicious and devious influence destroy a night. Take 15 minutes to chill or something if people are getting distracted.
I amazed all of 3.5 for about 10$ each.
I never got to high enough levels in 4.0 to say, but in 3.5 the most broken character I've ever played was a 10wiz/6initiate of the sevenfold viel (you know prismatic wall? it's a class based around that) You just couldn't kill the ******* guy.
Well okay I got killed once by blasphemy... but that was just cheap.
I prefer 3.5
I believe NWN was 3.0 3.5 made a lot of improvements, broke some other stuff.
You can torrent most of the books, but you should buy at least the three core rulebooks for convenience. It's annoying as hell to level up on a computer screen. Definitely get the complete series if you are doing 3.5: Complete Warrior Complete Arcane etc.
The Book of Nine Swords is nice if you want to completely obsolete the melee classes, but it's nice for an overpowered game.
I've always made up words from scratch. That doesn't mean you can't steal **** from other games and change it sufficiently to where it's your own. Many times they end up as composites. Established campaigns are just amazing in terms of how much **** and lore is out there for you to do though. I like Faerun a lot simply because I'm used to it and I played Baldur's Gate before I ever PnP'd
If you want to create a world, then I'll just tell you what I do with it.
One thing I despise is when the entire world is like the size of Texas. I'll always start by imagining at least a continent and then pick a spot to start with, then make the region. There's really no reason why an adventuring group should have to explore the entire damn world. For the first world I did I took a lot of the geography from the Suikoden source material, then started the party where the Jowston Federation would have been. That gave me a lake, some mountains, a bunch of woods and plains, and a nice place to put cities.
Once you've made a map, start filling it in. Try to make geography flow naturally; don't stick a freakin desert in the middle of a forest (unless it's magical or something), and scatter landscape with a few major cities, nations or kingdoms, and some hamlets. I can't stand it when the scope of a campaign is a ton of major cities with no small towns.
Campaigns can be as linear or as open as they are designed for. I played in a campaign that took me from 1-16 once and it was an incredibly linear quest to rescue hieroniaus' daughter. I prefer to make mine pretty open though, with a generalized main plot giver existing in the world, but allowing a party time to explore cities and stuff. In terms of exploration (if you aren't doing a linera campaign) you don't need to have people play monopoly on a city map or anything. What I like to do is set out four or five points of interest in a city and tell people what locations might be happinin' Often, they will then discover -new- places to go that were previously hidden to them.
You don't need to roleplay every moment of the characters lives by the way. Some people get overboard on that ****; for example, don't make people act out setting up a camp or something. It's just silly.
Don't be paralyzed with the fact that you aren't writing the greatest fantasy novel of all time. It's a game; have fun with it.
Prepare to invest maybe 10X as much time in the game as players do.
Don't be afraid to change the rules. If you do change the rules then be consistent with it. Try to think of any general changes to rules before you start a game. If you don't want to deal with a lot of extra rules or rule changes, then ban every sourcebook from your game except the main three, and stick to them exactly.
Don't be an *** about side talking, but don't let it's pernicious and devious influence destroy a night. Take 15 minutes to chill or something if people are getting distracted.
Quote:
As with any major change, I'm going to see those that like it and those that don't. We'll probably end up using 4.0, simply because those sourcebooks would probably be more readily available at the local comic shop (I'll have to pop down there and take a look soon).
I amazed all of 3.5 for about 10$ each.
I never got to high enough levels in 4.0 to say, but in 3.5 the most broken character I've ever played was a 10wiz/6initiate of the sevenfold viel (you know prismatic wall? it's a class based around that) You just couldn't kill the ******* guy.
Well okay I got killed once by blasphemy... but that was just cheap.
Real men play 1st edition. It's just scientific fact.
Belkira wrote:
Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.
Pensive the Ludicrous wrote:
I believe NWN was 3.0 3.5 made a lot of improvements, broke some other stuff.
NWN was 3.0 and NWN2 was 3.5, but I don't think 3.0 is worth considering, so 3.5 ends up being the closest playable version imo.
I've never played D&D, personally. I thought about it, but I don't know five people interested in playing that could get together regularly. Hell, I haven't played Monopoly in years, and that doesn't the prohibitive "ULTRA NERD" label attached to it.
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
Kavekk wrote:
I've never played D&D, personally. I thought about it, but I don't know five people interested in playing that could get together regularly. Hell, I haven't played Monopoly in years, and that doesn't the prohibitive "ULTRA NERD" label attached to it.
If it makes you feel any better, I've never finished a game of Monopoly.
Kavekk wrote:
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
That might just be crazy enough to work.
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
I've never played D&D, personally. I thought about it, but I don't know five people interested in playing that could get together regularly. Hell, I haven't played Monopoly in years, and that doesn't the prohibitive "ULTRA NERD" label attached to it.
If it makes you feel any better, I've never finished a game of Monopoly.
I'm not sure if I've ever finished a game. It really depends on your definition of finished.
Does someone getting mad, throwing the board and storming out of the room count as "finished"?
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
That might just be crazy enough to work.
I less than three you.
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
I've never played D&D, personally. I thought about it, but I don't know five people interested in playing that could get together regularly. Hell, I haven't played Monopoly in years, and that doesn't the prohibitive "ULTRA NERD" label attached to it.
If it makes you feel any better, I've never finished a game of Monopoly.
I'm not sure if I've ever finished a game. It really depends on your definition of finished.
Does someone getting mad, throwing the board and storming out of the room count as "finished"?
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
That might just be crazy enough to work.
I less than three you.
Do you shout "THE GAME IS FLAWED!" while you throw the board?
◕ ‿‿ ◕
I like 4e much better than 3.5, they took out a lot of sticky technicalities that made life difficult for players who liked to get creative and do things outside the normal fare. Multiclassing is a lot better designed too, though the stuff in the PHB doesn't get you far. Check out the other books in the 4e set like the adventurer's compendium and the forgotten realms stuff for some decent alterations to the basics given in the PHB.
Also-
If it makes you feel any better, I've never finished a game of Monopoly.
I'm not sure if I've ever finished a game. It really depends on your definition of finished.
Does someone getting mad, throwing the board and storming out of the room count as "finished"?
That might just be crazy enough to work.
I less than three you.
Do you shout "THE GAME IS FLAWED!" while you throw the board?
How do you know pold is the one that throws it?
Edited, May 28th 2009 12:50pm by Norellicus
Also-
Vataro, Eater of Souls wrote:
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
I've never played D&D, personally. I thought about it, but I don't know five people interested in playing that could get together regularly. Hell, I haven't played Monopoly in years, and that doesn't the prohibitive "ULTRA NERD" label attached to it.
If it makes you feel any better, I've never finished a game of Monopoly.
I'm not sure if I've ever finished a game. It really depends on your definition of finished.
Does someone getting mad, throwing the board and storming out of the room count as "finished"?
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
That might just be crazy enough to work.
I less than three you.
Do you shout "THE GAME IS FLAWED!" while you throw the board?
How do you know pold is the one that throws it?
Edited, May 28th 2009 12:50pm by Norellicus
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
IDrownFish wrote:
Kavekk wrote:
Here's an idea, though: Paladins on elephants.
That might just be crazy enough to work.
I less than three you.
You two'll be first against the wall come the revolution.
Shenanigans aside, I talked to my friends and decided on 3.5 edition. I got around to popping by my local comic book shop to see what they had (practically no free time. Finals week and all).
Nothing. The only thing they had was some dice and a few 4.0 core sourcebooks. Not even the complete set.
You see, I'm in Dallas, and that means Akon. And my local Madness comics is the supplier for Akon. So, according to the guy I talked to, their normally huge collection of D&D stuff was downtown getting set up for the convention to start tomorrow.
So I just bought some pimp dice and went home. I'll either stop by the con or just wait until after it's over.
Edited, May 29th 2009 6:17pm by IDrownFish
Nothing. The only thing they had was some dice and a few 4.0 core sourcebooks. Not even the complete set.
You see, I'm in Dallas, and that means Akon. And my local Madness comics is the supplier for Akon. So, according to the guy I talked to, their normally huge collection of D&D stuff was downtown getting set up for the convention to start tomorrow.
So I just bought some pimp dice and went home. I'll either stop by the con or just wait until after it's over.
Edited, May 29th 2009 6:17pm by IDrownFish
Hey dude check it out!
You don't really need all of those though. Just select the pdfs that you are probably going to end up buying anyway. If you don't have a client I might could mail you a pdf of the players handbook.
***
Oh, definitely get the spell compendium. It's ******* awesome.
Edited, May 29th 2009 12:57am by Pensive
You don't really need all of those though. Just select the pdfs that you are probably going to end up buying anyway. If you don't have a client I might could mail you a pdf of the players handbook.
***
Oh, definitely get the spell compendium. It's ******* awesome.
Edited, May 29th 2009 12:57am by Pensive
Kavekk wrote:
You two'll be first against the wall come the revolution.
It's ok, Kavekk, I have enough less than three for you too.
Pensive the Ludicrous wrote:
Hey dude check it out!
You don't really need all of those though. Just select the pdfs that you are probably going to end up buying anyway. If you don't have a client I might could mail you a pdf of the players handbook.
***
Oh, definitely get the spell compendium. It's @#%^ing awesome.
Edited, May 29th 2009 12:57am by Pensive
You don't really need all of those though. Just select the pdfs that you are probably going to end up buying anyway. If you don't have a client I might could mail you a pdf of the players handbook.
***
Oh, definitely get the spell compendium. It's @#%^ing awesome.
Edited, May 29th 2009 12:57am by Pensive
O_O
That's... that's a lot of books. Downloading now....
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