Post/Author/DateTime	Post
omera 11-11-07, 06:42 AM	I have some questions about the DMG... 1. Is this book absolutely necessary? It says 'Dungeon Master's Guide on it. 2. Where should I start reading? 3. Are there any specific tools I should use for mapping? 4. Will I need the monster manual or can I make my own monsters?
Marcus Majarra 11-11-07, 11:47 AM	You really should purchase the three corebooks, although you can find most of the ruleset on www.d20srd.org
Heros_Backpack 11-11-07, 11:50 AM	I have some questions about the DMG... 1. Is this book absolutely necessary? It says 'Dungeon Master's Guide on it. 2. Where should I start reading? 3. Are there any specific tools I should use for mapping? 4. Will I need the monster manual or can I make my own monsters? 1. It is possible to play without the DMG, but very difficult, because there are rules in it that can't be found anywhere else (such as how much experience to hand out for an encounter and the Wealth by Level table). 2. I suggest you go through it once from beginning to end and then dip in and out as you discover things you need to know. 3. Not in the DMG, but there are a number of online tools that can be used. Pencil and paper work quite well too. 4. The monster manual is not nearly as necessary as the PHB and the DMG. You can either make up your own creatures or you can find most of MM1 online in the SRD ( http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/monsters.htm). Hope that helps.
omera 11-11-07, 12:36 PM	Could some name everything I SHOULD ABSOLUTELY KNOW in the DMG so I don't have to read all of it (not that I can't read, just that I've been reading a lot of stuff from it that seems to just be tips like "what style of DM you are" and the like. Also, what should I use to make my own monsters if I don't have the MM because it appears that D20SRD.org doesn't have anything on that.
pmurray@bigpond.com 11-11-07, 05:48 PM	Could some name everything I SHOULD ABSOLUTELY KNOW in the DMG so I don't have to read all of it To run a session, you must be familiar with the PHB first. Especially chapters 8, 9, and 10. You also need to be fmiliar with all the rest of it too, but 8, 9, and 10 contain the rules that often crop up during a session. As for the DMG: Chapter 2, Chapter 8, and pages 211-214 of chapter 7. Chapter 1 is 14 pages. At least skim it. Geez. Chapter 2 - "Using the Rules". V. important. You must read the relevant bits of the PHB first. You don't need to memorize it, but you do need to know what's there so you can know to look it up when the situation arises. You need to be on top of this stuff in order to be able to adjudicate a game session. Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6 are of interest if you are writing your own campaign rather than using prebuilt modules, but you can skip them: except that Chapter 6 pp 197-198 is important with respect to managing character progression. You can skim the stuff on cohorts, familiars, animal companions and mounts if you want. The stuff on making a new character with existing levels matters when a character dies later on. Chapter 7 is important - although you can skip the bulk of it: the individual descriptions of each magic item. Read the flavour text at the start of each of the sections ("Potions", "Rings", etc) The section on "creating magic tems" becomes important if the players want to take crafting skills - but you don't need to now about it yet. Chapter 8 is also V. important. Read it, and become familiar with the terms in the condition summary. You need to know that when something says that someone becomes "shaken", then that word means something specific and you can look up the precise game effect.
Voran 11-16-07, 06:33 PM	Page 1 is probably a good place. Seriously tho, the Player's Handbook is probably the best place to start, then the DMG. A Monster Manual is also useful, though it is possible to cobble together your own foes without one. If you're going to be DMing, yes the DMG is important. As a Player, sorta, but more for the prestige classes and magic items.