interested [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

interested [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kazuma_venom
04-11-07, 04:26 PM so 4 of my friends confronted me at school just befor spring break. The plan is simple, we play dungeons and dragons. Im a total geek at heart and roleplay all the time on the computer. I know that D&D gives players alot of options to creat their character. I just want to know befor i make the jump and agree to a campaign,

can I be a half red dragon half human samurai?

mind you, i have none of the books.... yet. please be merciful.
Morwen
04-11-07, 04:59 PM Yes, that is possible. The Samurai class is in a book called Complete Warrior, and the Half-Dragon template is in the Monster Manual.

Of course, it's up to your Dungeon Master what kinds of characters he allows in his game.
Kazuma_venom
04-11-07, 05:05 PM I dont know how much experience these guys have already, hopefully they wont mind.

Just how many books does this game require?
Morwen
04-11-07, 05:35 PM I dont know how much experience these guys have already, hopefully they wont mind.

Just how many books does this game require?

It requires only 1 for players and an additional 2 for dungeon masters:
Player's Handbook (dm and players)
Dungeon Master's Guide (dm)
Monster Manual (dm)

There are a multitude of other books out there with additional options (Complete Warrior, which I mentioned above, is one such book), but they are not required to play the game. For beginning groups, it would usually be best to just stick with the 3 basic books until you get a feel for the game and have a better idea of what kind of optional books you'd like to get :)
Kazuma_venom
04-11-07, 05:45 PM monster manual 3.5 or 4 or what?
obrysii
04-11-07, 05:51 PM It's entitled Monster Manual with 3.5 written below.

Alternatively, while it does not have all of the information, you can use this source to build your character: http://www.d20srd.org/

But my advice? Come up with a personality and a story, and let your friends build your first character (but pay attention to what they're saying).
Captain_Kobold
04-12-07, 12:00 AM Ask if you can borrow a Players Handbook from your friends, get an idea of the basics, and see how you like your first few sessions. If you're in to D&D, you'll want the PHB, but other books have new and different options in. Once you have an idea of what you want, you can decide what other books to get.

I'm assuming that the other friends have played D&D before, and know a fair bit about the game?

You can play that half human, half red Dragon, but check with your friends what level the game will be started at. Ideally, for a new player, it should be at relatively low level. This may preclude you from taking the Half-dragon template, or mean that it is a very bad idea.
Your best bet is to start as a human with dragon ancestry and use the Savage progressions for levelling up as a half dragon: Growing into your Draconic birthright as it were. Talk it over with your DM, and explain what you want to do. He will probably have an idea of how to achieve it.

Also, quite frankly, if you want to play a samurai, you would be better off playing a Lawful fighter with a strict code of honour and just call it a samurai. For one, you save having to buy a book you might not need, for two, the samurai class in complete warrior is not what most people think of as a samurai.
Kazuma_venom
04-12-07, 12:20 AM so your saying "play pretend" the first time? i could deal with that. all i really want is to look cool. (childish as that may seem) and have some sort of equlity with what my character can do and how he looks. (I.E being a dragon capable of breathing fire, but that never actually breathes fire)
Captain_Kobold
04-12-07, 10:02 AM Not necessarily "play pretend". As I said, it does depend on what level your group will be starting at.

For balance reasons, half-dragons take a hit in the level they are compared to the level of the game/rest of group. Their advantages: incredible strength, toughness, immunities, natural weapons and fire breath are balanced by the fact that they operate at three levels below their effective character level.
Normally this would mean that you couldn't even play one until your group was 4th level (whereupon you would have maybe 1/3 of the hit points of the rest of the group. - Not good). However, in one of the articles on this website, they published a progression of the half-dragon that you could intersperse with your normal levels so you don't take the hit all at once.

In the same vein:your level 1 fighter is not going to be carving through hordes of opponents and cutting giants in half to begin with. As he reaches higher levels however he will become that whirlwind of fury and carnage that you have in mind.

Your group might be starting at higher levels, in which case you could start off being as powerful as you want your character to end up. However, I would not reccomend this for new players since you will have a pile of abilities, but little idea of how they work or when to use them. I think its better to 'grow into' the character from an easier beginning.
obrysii
04-12-07, 10:24 AM so your saying "play pretend" the first time? i could deal with that. all i really want is to look cool. (childish as that may seem) and have some sort of equlity with what my character can do and how he looks. (I.E being a dragon capable of breathing fire, but that never actually breathes fire)

It's not childish! All of my characters are designed to look cool.

The problem with half-dragons, at least for a new player, is that they are so powerful that in order to balance them with non-half-dragons, they lose three levels.

So while your friends are level 4, you are level 1.

In the late game it really doesn't hurt too much, but in the early game you are very fragile and you'll have a harder time hitting things.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kazuma_venom 04-11-07, 04:26 PM	so 4 of my friends confronted me at school just befor spring break. The plan is simple, we play dungeons and dragons. Im a total geek at heart and roleplay all the time on the computer. I know that D&D gives players alot of options to creat their character. I just want to know befor i make the jump and agree to a campaign, can I be a half red dragon half human samurai? mind you, i have none of the books.... yet. please be merciful.
Morwen 04-11-07, 04:59 PM	Yes, that is possible. The Samurai class is in a book called Complete Warrior, and the Half-Dragon template is in the Monster Manual. Of course, it's up to your Dungeon Master what kinds of characters he allows in his game.
Kazuma_venom 04-11-07, 05:05 PM	I dont know how much experience these guys have already, hopefully they wont mind. Just how many books does this game require?
Morwen 04-11-07, 05:35 PM	I dont know how much experience these guys have already, hopefully they wont mind. Just how many books does this game require? It requires only 1 for players and an additional 2 for dungeon masters: Player's Handbook (dm and players) Dungeon Master's Guide (dm) Monster Manual (dm) There are a multitude of other books out there with additional options (Complete Warrior, which I mentioned above, is one such book), but they are not required to play the game. For beginning groups, it would usually be best to just stick with the 3 basic books until you get a feel for the game and have a better idea of what kind of optional books you'd like to get :)
Kazuma_venom 04-11-07, 05:45 PM	monster manual 3.5 or 4 or what?
obrysii 04-11-07, 05:51 PM	It's entitled Monster Manual with 3.5 written below. Alternatively, while it does not have all of the information, you can use this source to build your character: http://www.d20srd.org/ But my advice? Come up with a personality and a story, and let your friends build your first character (but pay attention to what they're saying).
Captain_Kobold 04-12-07, 12:00 AM	Ask if you can borrow a Players Handbook from your friends, get an idea of the basics, and see how you like your first few sessions. If you're in to D&D, you'll want the PHB, but other books have new and different options in. Once you have an idea of what you want, you can decide what other books to get. I'm assuming that the other friends have played D&D before, and know a fair bit about the game? You can play that half human, half red Dragon, but check with your friends what level the game will be started at. Ideally, for a new player, it should be at relatively low level. This may preclude you from taking the Half-dragon template, or mean that it is a very bad idea. Your best bet is to start as a human with dragon ancestry and use the Savage progressions for levelling up as a half dragon: Growing into your Draconic birthright as it were. Talk it over with your DM, and explain what you want to do. He will probably have an idea of how to achieve it. Also, quite frankly, if you want to play a samurai, you would be better off playing a Lawful fighter with a strict code of honour and just call it a samurai. For one, you save having to buy a book you might not need, for two, the samurai class in complete warrior is not what most people think of as a samurai.
Kazuma_venom 04-12-07, 12:20 AM	so your saying "play pretend" the first time? i could deal with that. all i really want is to look cool. (childish as that may seem) and have some sort of equlity with what my character can do and how he looks. (I.E being a dragon capable of breathing fire, but that never actually breathes fire)
Captain_Kobold 04-12-07, 10:02 AM	Not necessarily "play pretend". As I said, it does depend on what level your group will be starting at. For balance reasons, half-dragons take a hit in the level they are compared to the level of the game/rest of group. Their advantages: incredible strength, toughness, immunities, natural weapons and fire breath are balanced by the fact that they operate at three levels below their effective character level. Normally this would mean that you couldn't even play one until your group was 4th level (whereupon you would have maybe 1/3 of the hit points of the rest of the group. - Not good). However, in one of the articles on this website, they published a progression of the half-dragon that you could intersperse with your normal levels so you don't take the hit all at once. In the same vein:your level 1 fighter is not going to be carving through hordes of opponents and cutting giants in half to begin with. As he reaches higher levels however he will become that whirlwind of fury and carnage that you have in mind. Your group might be starting at higher levels, in which case you could start off being as powerful as you want your character to end up. However, I would not reccomend this for new players since you will have a pile of abilities, but little idea of how they work or when to use them. I think its better to 'grow into' the character from an easier beginning.
obrysii 04-12-07, 10:24 AM	so your saying "play pretend" the first time? i could deal with that. all i really want is to look cool. (childish as that may seem) and have some sort of equlity with what my character can do and how he looks. (I.E being a dragon capable of breathing fire, but that never actually breathes fire) It's not childish! All of my characters are designed to look cool. The problem with half-dragons, at least for a new player, is that they are so powerful that in order to balance them with non-half-dragons, they lose three levels. So while your friends are level 4, you are level 1. In the late game it really doesn't hurt too much, but in the early game you are very fragile and you'll have a harder time hitting things.