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Begginer [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ArtemisCain
07-10-07, 02:18 PM Hello, I'm new to D&D and I was wondering what book my group and I should start with.
ItaraKoturo
07-10-07, 02:21 PM If all of you are new to D&D, one of you will need to play the part of Dungeon Master. That person will need the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), Monster Manual (MM) and Player's Handbook (PHB). Everyone else just needs the Player's Handbook. That's really everything you need to get into the game.
darkneolink
07-10-07, 02:22 PM Well PHB, DMG and MM1 are a must for a new DM (for a player just go with the PHB)

anything else is optional
ArtemisCain
07-10-07, 02:22 PM thank you for your fast reply and for the help, and yes we are all new
ArtemisCain
07-10-07, 02:25 PM does it matter which edition we use
ItaraKoturo
07-10-07, 02:26 PM If the person filling the role of Dungeon Master wants some experience running an adventure before trying to create his own, he should pick up a pre-made adventure to run for you guys. The best choice for this is Scourge of the Howling Horde because it was created specifically for first-time Dungeon Masters.
ItaraKoturo
07-10-07, 02:28 PM does it matter which edition we use
Well, you could certainly play with any of them, but the current (and best) edition is 3.5. In general, mixing material from multiple editions is a hassle, especially if you're new to the game. I'd pick up 3.5 and stick with it if I were in your shoes.
mshea
07-10-07, 03:17 PM I haven't tried it but you can also try hte D&D basic set. It will save you a few bucks, give you some minis to play with, and enough rules for a level 1 or 2 adventure. If you like it enough, then go to the PHB and Monster Manual. personally, I think the DMG is optional. It's nice for magic items but I hardly ever use the rules within it.
bugman1964
07-10-07, 03:49 PM to piggu back this question, if i have the PHB the DMG and the MM! whats the next 2 or 3 books I should pick up?Im mostly a player but may dm at some times
Jafre
07-10-07, 05:01 PM does it matter which edition we use
If you are all new and need to buy books, go with 3.5, which has fixes to 3.0, the best edition by far.
Jafre
07-10-07, 05:06 PM to piggu back this question, if i have the PHB the DMG and the MM! whats the next 2 or 3 books I should pick up?Im mostly a player but may dm at some times

The next books depend on interest. As an example, if you want a water-based campaign, StormWrack should be among your next books. If tinkering with spells is your interest, get the Spell Compendium. Good choices include Unearthed Arcana, The Complete Adventurer, and The Complete Scoundrel. These have general information that can be applied to any kind of campaign or party.
bugman1964
07-11-07, 07:48 AM The next books depend on interest. As an example, if you want a water-based campaign, StormWrack should be among your next books. If tinkering with spells is your interest, get the Spell Compendium. Good choices include Unearthed Arcana, The Complete Adventurer, and The Complete Scoundrel. These have general information that can be applied to any kind of campaign or party.

unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet.
Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues?
Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes:
Jafre
07-11-07, 05:04 PM unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet.
Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues?
Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes:
Unearthed Arcana is a collection of house rules and additional ways of doing things that will make you think about things a bit.

Complete Scoundrel has more to do with a style of play than either the Rogue class or thievery. It is an interesting and thought provoking guide with a few additional feats and skills.

The equipment and magic item guides are expansions on what is in the DMG and Player's Handbooks. In general, they are something to buy only if you have a special interest in getting really creative in those areas. I own both, and they have a minimal impact on the campaign, but are OK for reading. In general, there is plenty in the DMG, especially for a beginner.
Azezel
07-11-07, 05:40 PM unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet.
Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues?
Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes:

The Complete Scoundrel, and its older brother the Complete Adventurer are both aimed at Rogues and all other character that wish to do rogueish things (ei, highly skilled, creative types, or those who preffer a more exotic solution to a problem than 'I smack it with my sword').

ME? I hate rogues, so I haven't bothered with the Complete Scoundrel.

As for Magic item guides. Well, there's a book called the Magic Item Compendium. It's got a few hundred magic nicknacks in it. But honestly, a new group will be spoiled for choice just by the stiff in the DMG.

My advice would be to play with just the three core books for a while, and decide what you like, then look into books which further those paths.

That said - the Player's Handbook II is widely regarded as almost flawless, as close to a 'must own' as any non core book will ever come.

I also like the DMG II. It has a lot of food for thought for players and DMs alike, as well as a boatload of things that just don't fit in any other book. It's got a completely mapped and statted town, along with dozens of adventure hooks, it has some nifty magical items, and a section on treating locations as treasure (very cool), and rules for assing depth to the campaign with things like business ownership or guilds and societies.

However - the DMG II is very much a love it or hate it book, so look through it before you buy.

If you want more monsters - skip the MM II (it's 3.0 edition and not brilliant) and go straight for the MM III. There are also MMs IV and V - but they are not considerred very good by the boards in general.

I'd also highly recomend a campaign setting.

Greyhawk is the standard setting - but there is no Campaign Setting book for 3.0 or 3.5 (I don't know why either). There is a book, the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, but it is not so much a setting book as an updated history for those who have an older book.

The Forgotten Realms is the daddy of settings. Pretty much all of the D&D games which you may have seen are set in the realms - it is massively well supported and so rich in detail that only one man on earth knows all its secrets - and he writes a regular article for the D&D main site, which is nice of him.

Eberron is the new guy - IT completely does away with traditional high-fantasy in favour of a sort of noir pulp-fiction with living golems and trains powered by magic. Very much an 'if you like that sort of thing'.

You might also hear of settings such as Dark Sun, Planescape, Spelljammer, Mystara, Dragonlance and Oriental Adventures.

To my knowledge, none save the last one was ever updated to 3e, and are pretty much dead these days.
bugman1964
07-12-07, 08:03 AM so from the sounds of it i need phb2 maybe dmg2.

Can you elaborate on eberon for me?sounds kinda cool like a more modern D&d
(im also a huge harry potter fan, theyre actually the books that got me into d&d again after a 13 yr siesta)
Does the complete adventurer have info that would be good to have.I tend to play ranger/ fighters and played a bard only once.
The only other book i was considering was the spell compendium but is there enough spells and info between the phb and the dmg?
Azezel
07-12-07, 02:43 PM so from the sounds of it i need phb2 maybe dmg2.

If you only buy one non-core book ever, make it the PHB II.

Can you elaborate on eberon for me?sounds kinda cool like a more modern D&d
(im also a huge harry potter fan, theyre actually the books that got me into d&d again after a 13 yr siesta)

I tried to be neutral when describing Eberron - and since you were intruiged by my description - I think it worked. I don't like Eberron. I really really don't like Eberron. I would strongly recomend that you view the book before buying it. I think it is the acme of everything that is wrong with D&D today.

So I'm not the person to go to if you want info on Eberron. You'd better ask someone else.

Does the complete adventurer have info that would be good to have.I tend to play ranger/ fighters and played a bard only once.
The only other book i was considering was the spell compendium but is there enough spells and info between the phb and the dmg?

The Complete Adventurer is a solid book, I doubt you will regret buying it, but if you preffer the warrior classes, then the Complete Warrior is probably the book for you.

There are no spells in the DMG - but the spells in the PHB will keep you going for a long old time. I'd recomend you wait a little before buying the Spell Compendium - it's not an essential book.

Also - be warned, Divine casters like the Cleric and Druid (already the most potent classes in the game) automatically have access to every spell on their class list. Thus introducing a book like the Compendium makes these classes even more powerful than they already are.
bugman1964
07-12-07, 03:45 PM which ones classify as warrior other than barb and fgh?
darkneolink
07-12-07, 03:53 PM Paladin... Ranger... Monk... CW classes...
Jafre
07-12-07, 11:00 PM The Complete Scoundrel, and its older brother the Complete Adventurer are both aimed at Rogues and all other character that wish to do rogueish things (ei, highly skilled, creative types, or those who preffer a more exotic solution to a problem than 'I smack it with my sword').

ME? I hate rogues, so I haven't bothered with the Complete Scoundrel.

You really should read it before making such uninformed comments. At least read the introduction and get an idea of the flavor before assuming something so far from the truth.
Ossian
09-14-07, 03:53 AM Hello folks!

Hate to start new threads for a pretty simple question, so I'll just "UP" this one, which has gathered dust for eons (and the initial question seems to have been answered anyway).

Soooooo, question is: I am about to attempt to 'convert' old hard core MERP (Middle Earth RolePlay) friends to D&D 3.5.
Since they are sort of traditionals, don't game that much, and are in their late 20s, I don't really feel like dropping the DMG and the PHB o their desks and go "OK, that's your homework, a report tomorrow by 8.00 on how to build an awsome druid". I'd rather introduce them to stuff like feats and skills, Attacks of Opportunity, DCs and so on with something more playful.

Here comes the question: do you know of any published (online too) supplement or adventure that could work fairly well as a tutorial? I might design one, but I'd like to see if someone more experienced has already taken care of it. I'd need basic encounters, almost no plot, but still something more complicated than just a series of dungeon rooms where you find: sneak attackers, grapplers, melee fighters, 1 ambush and so on.

Thanks a bunch!!!!

Ossian
Star Gazer
09-14-07, 09:48 AM To my knowledge, none save the last one was ever updated to 3e, and are pretty much dead these days.

Eeep! Not true.

www.athas.org has updated - official - rules for Dark Sun.
Dragonlance has an official book out, I saw it at the games store the other day.
Birthright, last I checked, had the same agreement w/ WotC as Dark Sun, so there should be official material out on the web for that too.

Anyhoo, getting back to the thread, for the first few months, I would highly recommend just using the three Core books. It's got all you need.

A little general advice:

1. Start your players off in a small town.
a. And force them to come up with back stories, it'll make generating plots SOOO much easier for you.

2. Concentrate on ROLE playing for the first few adventures. Give your guys a bunch of problems that can only be solved through communication and award them XP by giving their solutions an Encounter Level of 1 or 2 for now. This will give you experience w/ giving Ad Hoc awards, and give you a sense of just how much freedom you have.

3. Get into combat slowly. put them up against 1 (one) Kobold at first. Don't let the first person to whack it with something kill the sorry thing; instead, let everyone take a turn, so they can experience what they need to do. Then let the Kobold hit one of the party members, so people can experience damage and related events. This will introduce them to combat and you to the idea that dice only matter when the outcome doesn't.
Jafre
09-14-07, 05:16 PM A little general advice:

1. Start your players off in a small town.
a. And force them to come up with back stories, it'll make generating plots SOOO much easier for you.

2. Concentrate on ROLE playing for the first few adventures. Give your guys a bunch of problems that can only be solved through communication and award them XP by giving their solutions an Encounter Level of 1 or 2 for now. This will give you experience w/ giving Ad Hoc awards, and give you a sense of just how much freedom you have.

3. Get into combat slowly. put them up against 1 (one) Kobold at first. Don't let the first person to whack it with something kill the sorry thing; instead, let everyone take a turn, so they can experience what they need to do. Then let the Kobold hit one of the party members, so people can experience damage and related events. This will introduce them to combat and you to the idea that dice only matter when the outcome doesn't.

Sound advice, and very well written. I would add to that the adage that by calling the 'tutorial' a pre-adventure, they can learn and then have the choice to ditch an unworkable character and bring in a new one (even more plot lines from their backstories), or keep a character they are starting to get familiar with before you weave the main plot of an adventure.

Another small thing: even a small town can have a kobold infestation in the sewers, or something stealing Aunt Minnie's Pearls, or an NPC who got smacked a little too hard and had to flee without some vital equipment while he recuperates. Tutorials offer the ability to have an introduction to something unrelated to the main plot, yet have an introduction to sewers as a means of secret travel, or an NPC who might have a room to rent, or and NPC who might be a future source of information. Don't consider the tutorial as throw away unless you want to reinvent portions of your world.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ArtemisCain 07-10-07, 02:18 PM	Hello, I'm new to D&D and I was wondering what book my group and I should start with.
ItaraKoturo 07-10-07, 02:21 PM	If all of you are new to D&D, one of you will need to play the part of Dungeon Master. That person will need the Dungeon Master's Guide (DMG), Monster Manual (MM) and Player's Handbook (PHB). Everyone else just needs the Player's Handbook. That's really everything you need to get into the game.
darkneolink 07-10-07, 02:22 PM	Well PHB, DMG and MM1 are a must for a new DM (for a player just go with the PHB) anything else is optional
ArtemisCain 07-10-07, 02:22 PM	thank you for your fast reply and for the help, and yes we are all new
ArtemisCain 07-10-07, 02:25 PM	does it matter which edition we use
ItaraKoturo 07-10-07, 02:26 PM	If the person filling the role of Dungeon Master wants some experience running an adventure before trying to create his own, he should pick up a pre-made adventure to run for you guys. The best choice for this is Scourge of the Howling Horde because it was created specifically for first-time Dungeon Masters.
ItaraKoturo 07-10-07, 02:28 PM	does it matter which edition we use Well, you could certainly play with any of them, but the current (and best) edition is 3.5. In general, mixing material from multiple editions is a hassle, especially if you're new to the game. I'd pick up 3.5 and stick with it if I were in your shoes.
mshea 07-10-07, 03:17 PM	I haven't tried it but you can also try hte D&D basic set. It will save you a few bucks, give you some minis to play with, and enough rules for a level 1 or 2 adventure. If you like it enough, then go to the PHB and Monster Manual. personally, I think the DMG is optional. It's nice for magic items but I hardly ever use the rules within it.
bugman1964 07-10-07, 03:49 PM	to piggu back this question, if i have the PHB the DMG and the MM! whats the next 2 or 3 books I should pick up?Im mostly a player but may dm at some times
Jafre 07-10-07, 05:01 PM	does it matter which edition we use If you are all new and need to buy books, go with 3.5, which has fixes to 3.0, the best edition by far.
Jafre 07-10-07, 05:06 PM	to piggu back this question, if i have the PHB the DMG and the MM! whats the next 2 or 3 books I should pick up?Im mostly a player but may dm at some times The next books depend on interest. As an example, if you want a water-based campaign, StormWrack should be among your next books. If tinkering with spells is your interest, get the Spell Compendium. Good choices include Unearthed Arcana, The Complete Adventurer, and The Complete Scoundrel. These have general information that can be applied to any kind of campaign or party.
bugman1964 07-11-07, 07:48 AM	The next books depend on interest. As an example, if you want a water-based campaign, StormWrack should be among your next books. If tinkering with spells is your interest, get the Spell Compendium. Good choices include Unearthed Arcana, The Complete Adventurer, and The Complete Scoundrel. These have general information that can be applied to any kind of campaign or party. unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet. Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues? Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes:
Jafre 07-11-07, 05:04 PM	unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet. Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues? Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes: Unearthed Arcana is a collection of house rules and additional ways of doing things that will make you think about things a bit. Complete Scoundrel has more to do with a style of play than either the Rogue class or thievery. It is an interesting and thought provoking guide with a few additional feats and skills. The equipment and magic item guides are expansions on what is in the DMG and Player's Handbooks. In general, they are something to buy only if you have a special interest in getting really creative in those areas. I own both, and they have a minimal impact on the campaign, but are OK for reading. In general, there is plenty in the DMG, especially for a beginner.
Azezel 07-11-07, 05:40 PM	unearthed arcana? i havent heard of this one yet. Is the complete scoundrel mostly for rogues? Also what about equipment or magic item guides? Or is there enough in the DMG? I just got my copy and havent read through most of it yet.:rolleyes: The Complete Scoundrel, and its older brother the Complete Adventurer are both aimed at Rogues and all other character that wish to do rogueish things (ei, highly skilled, creative types, or those who preffer a more exotic solution to a problem than 'I smack it with my sword'). ME? I hate rogues, so I haven't bothered with the Complete Scoundrel. As for Magic item guides. Well, there's a book called the Magic Item Compendium. It's got a few hundred magic nicknacks in it. But honestly, a new group will be spoiled for choice just by the stiff in the DMG. My advice would be to play with just the three core books for a while, and decide what you like, then look into books which further those paths. That said - the Player's Handbook II is widely regarded as almost flawless, as close to a 'must own' as any non core book will ever come. I also like the DMG II. It has a lot of food for thought for players and DMs alike, as well as a boatload of things that just don't fit in any other book. It's got a completely mapped and statted town, along with dozens of adventure hooks, it has some nifty magical items, and a section on treating locations as treasure (very cool), and rules for assing depth to the campaign with things like business ownership or guilds and societies. However - the DMG II is very much a love it or hate it book, so look through it before you buy. If you want more monsters - skip the MM II (it's 3.0 edition and not brilliant) and go straight for the MM III. There are also MMs IV and V - but they are not considerred very good by the boards in general. I'd also highly recomend a campaign setting. Greyhawk is the standard setting - but there is no Campaign Setting book for 3.0 or 3.5 (I don't know why either). There is a book, the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, but it is not so much a setting book as an updated history for those who have an older book. The Forgotten Realms is the daddy of settings. Pretty much all of the D&D games which you may have seen are set in the realms - it is massively well supported and so rich in detail that only one man on earth knows all its secrets - and he writes a regular article for the D&D main site, which is nice of him. Eberron is the new guy - IT completely does away with traditional high-fantasy in favour of a sort of noir pulp-fiction with living golems and trains powered by magic. Very much an 'if you like that sort of thing'. You might also hear of settings such as Dark Sun, Planescape, Spelljammer, Mystara, Dragonlance and Oriental Adventures. To my knowledge, none save the last one was ever updated to 3e, and are pretty much dead these days.
bugman1964 07-12-07, 08:03 AM	so from the sounds of it i need phb2 maybe dmg2. Can you elaborate on eberon for me?sounds kinda cool like a more modern D&d (im also a huge harry potter fan, theyre actually the books that got me into d&d again after a 13 yr siesta) Does the complete adventurer have info that would be good to have.I tend to play ranger/ fighters and played a bard only once. The only other book i was considering was the spell compendium but is there enough spells and info between the phb and the dmg?
Azezel 07-12-07, 02:43 PM	so from the sounds of it i need phb2 maybe dmg2. If you only buy one non-core book ever, make it the PHB II. Can you elaborate on eberon for me?sounds kinda cool like a more modern D&d (im also a huge harry potter fan, theyre actually the books that got me into d&d again after a 13 yr siesta) I tried to be neutral when describing Eberron - and since you were intruiged by my description - I think it worked. I don't like Eberron. I really really don't like Eberron. I would strongly recomend that you view the book before buying it. I think it is the acme of everything that is wrong with D&D today. So I'm not the person to go to if you want info on Eberron. You'd better ask someone else. Does the complete adventurer have info that would be good to have.I tend to play ranger/ fighters and played a bard only once. The only other book i was considering was the spell compendium but is there enough spells and info between the phb and the dmg? The Complete Adventurer is a solid book, I doubt you will regret buying it, but if you preffer the warrior classes, then the Complete Warrior is probably the book for you. There are no spells in the DMG - but the spells in the PHB will keep you going for a long old time. I'd recomend you wait a little before buying the Spell Compendium - it's not an essential book. Also - be warned, Divine casters like the Cleric and Druid (already the most potent classes in the game) automatically have access to every spell on their class list. Thus introducing a book like the Compendium makes these classes even more powerful than they already are.
bugman1964 07-12-07, 03:45 PM	which ones classify as warrior other than barb and fgh?
darkneolink 07-12-07, 03:53 PM	Paladin... Ranger... Monk... CW classes...
Jafre 07-12-07, 11:00 PM	The Complete Scoundrel, and its older brother the Complete Adventurer are both aimed at Rogues and all other character that wish to do rogueish things (ei, highly skilled, creative types, or those who preffer a more exotic solution to a problem than 'I smack it with my sword'). ME? I hate rogues, so I haven't bothered with the Complete Scoundrel. You really should read it before making such uninformed comments. At least read the introduction and get an idea of the flavor before assuming something so far from the truth.
Ossian 09-14-07, 03:53 AM	Hello folks! Hate to start new threads for a pretty simple question, so I'll just "UP" this one, which has gathered dust for eons (and the initial question seems to have been answered anyway). Soooooo, question is: I am about to attempt to 'convert' old hard core MERP (Middle Earth RolePlay) friends to D&D 3.5. Since they are sort of traditionals, don't game that much, and are in their late 20s, I don't really feel like dropping the DMG and the PHB o their desks and go "OK, that's your homework, a report tomorrow by 8.00 on how to build an awsome druid". I'd rather introduce them to stuff like feats and skills, Attacks of Opportunity, DCs and so on with something more playful. Here comes the question: do you know of any published (online too) supplement or adventure that could work fairly well as a tutorial? I might design one, but I'd like to see if someone more experienced has already taken care of it. I'd need basic encounters, almost no plot, but still something more complicated than just a series of dungeon rooms where you find: sneak attackers, grapplers, melee fighters, 1 ambush and so on. Thanks a bunch!!!! Ossian
Star Gazer 09-14-07, 09:48 AM	To my knowledge, none save the last one was ever updated to 3e, and are pretty much dead these days. Eeep! Not true. www.athas.org has updated - official - rules for Dark Sun. Dragonlance has an official book out, I saw it at the games store the other day. Birthright, last I checked, had the same agreement w/ WotC as Dark Sun, so there should be official material out on the web for that too. Anyhoo, getting back to the thread, for the first few months, I would highly recommend just using the three Core books. It's got all you need. A little general advice: 1. Start your players off in a small town. a. And force them to come up with back stories, it'll make generating plots SOOO much easier for you. 2. Concentrate on ROLE playing for the first few adventures. Give your guys a bunch of problems that can only be solved through communication and award them XP by giving their solutions an Encounter Level of 1 or 2 for now. This will give you experience w/ giving Ad Hoc awards, and give you a sense of just how much freedom you have. 3. Get into combat slowly. put them up against 1 (one) Kobold at first. Don't let the first person to whack it with something kill the sorry thing; instead, let everyone take a turn, so they can experience what they need to do. Then let the Kobold hit one of the party members, so people can experience damage and related events. This will introduce them to combat and you to the idea that dice only matter when the outcome doesn't.
Jafre 09-14-07, 05:16 PM	A little general advice: 1. Start your players off in a small town. a. And force them to come up with back stories, it'll make generating plots SOOO much easier for you. 2. Concentrate on ROLE playing for the first few adventures. Give your guys a bunch of problems that can only be solved through communication and award them XP by giving their solutions an Encounter Level of 1 or 2 for now. This will give you experience w/ giving Ad Hoc awards, and give you a sense of just how much freedom you have. 3. Get into combat slowly. put them up against 1 (one) Kobold at first. Don't let the first person to whack it with something kill the sorry thing; instead, let everyone take a turn, so they can experience what they need to do. Then let the Kobold hit one of the party members, so people can experience damage and related events. This will introduce them to combat and you to the idea that dice only matter when the outcome doesn't. Sound advice, and very well written. I would add to that the adage that by calling the 'tutorial' a pre-adventure, they can learn and then have the choice to ditch an unworkable character and bring in a new one (even more plot lines from their backstories), or keep a character they are starting to get familiar with before you weave the main plot of an adventure. Another small thing: even a small town can have a kobold infestation in the sewers, or something stealing Aunt Minnie's Pearls, or an NPC who got smacked a little too hard and had to flee without some vital equipment while he recuperates. Tutorials offer the ability to have an introduction to something unrelated to the main plot, yet have an introduction to sewers as a means of secret travel, or an NPC who might have a room to rent, or and NPC who might be a future source of information. Don't consider the tutorial as throw away unless you want to reinvent portions of your world.