1000 pages? [Archive] - Wizards Community

1000 pages? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zarg
12-26-03, 11:53 PM Of instructions? thats alot... (Im refering to all 3 of the core rule books.) what do i HAVE to read before i can start playing assumeing im a total noob. (Since i am)

I have all 3 books, and i WILL read them all, but i also want to play damn it!:D so what parts of each book are absolutly essential?

edit: plus, are we not alowed graphics in our sig?
CinturonMickCyrus14
12-27-03, 12:01 AM Player: Skim PHB
DM: Skim all three

But after a while you will need to read all three all the way through.
Zarg
12-27-03, 12:06 AM edited (read the post wrong)
Deep Blue 9000
12-27-03, 12:15 AM If you're starting at level 1 and you're not a Dungeon Master, you don't have to read either the Dungeon Master's Guide or Monster Manual at all really. Eventually, even a player should read through the Dungeon Master guide but you'll never really have to check out the Monster Manual if you don't want to.

If you don't have any spells, you can read only up to chapter 8 in the Player's Handbook and not miss anything. If you do have spells, you should read chapters 10 and 11 too.

PS: yeah, no pictures in the sigs.
Kyaran
12-27-03, 12:31 AM Welcome, n00b! :D

Unless you're planning on being a DM, you should stick to the PHB for now. After you've got a good handle on that, you shouldn't need the DMG for anything much other than magic item creation.

As far as what needs to be read...
PHB pages 4-6 are the absolute, required minimum. That stuff is the core of everything. Make sure you know what 2d6 means, and what to do when someone says "make an Intelligence check." ;)

Definitely get an understanding of the Races and Classes sections, at least enough that you can make educated choices for your character.

After that... the first couple pages from Skills (61-66) and the first couple from Feats (87-88) are both good overviews. You won't need to know all the uses of every skill, or all the feats, but scanning the tables of what's available (63 & 90) will be very helpful.

Same with the Equipment section. Read about gold and the general categories of weapons/armor (111-114), then scan the tables of what you can purchase (116, 123 & 128).

Combat is a must. Page 135 is your best friend.
Other than that, the whole section is worth skimming to gain understanding of the combat maneuvers available to you (and the bad guys).

I'd personally keep from going too in-depth in the Magic or Spells section until you have a handle on the base rules. Unless you're dead set on playing a wizard right off, it'll be easier to learn the standard stuff by playing a rogue or fighter and then move into magic a little later.
Zarg
12-27-03, 12:44 AM :) ty both. i will be a dm sometimes, since none of my friends want to be nm always. we jsut decided we would all learn it and divy up the time spent as dm.

also, is there a particular overplayed class? say, dwarf fighters or something. will people be like "no, sorry, we have too many fighters in our party already?" im not neccisarayly (yea im a 1337 speller) playing a fighter right off, just wondering.
wdarkk
12-27-03, 02:05 AM Well, Clerics and Druids are considered "overpowered" by some, so you might end up with a few. That's not necissarily a bad thing, because an all-Cleric or all-Druid party are the only truly viable one-class parties. A Cleric-Druid only party isn't too bad. They are a little complicated (be careful selecting domains).

I'd recommend the Sorcerer if you want to start out with a Magic class, as you don't need to select spells to prepare.
Zarg
12-27-03, 02:11 AM well, i was thinking of an evil cleric, some sort of fighter or barbarian, or a ranger. if there was an evil pally option, id use that:smirk:
wdarkk
12-27-03, 02:14 AM Check the DMG for this "Blackguard" thing...
Rosella
12-28-03, 12:49 PM I don't recommend prestige classes to start with (referring to the blackguard thingie)
xect
12-28-03, 02:02 PM Originally posted by Zarg
Of instructions? thats alot... (Im refering to all 3 of the core rule books.) what do i HAVE to read before i can start playing assumeing im a total noob. (Since i am)

I have all 3 books, and i WILL read them all, but i also want to play damn it!:D so what parts of each book are absolutly essential?

edit: plus, are we not alowed graphics in our sig?

If you're a player:

Read the PHB. Maybe you can skip some specifics regarding races and classes you don't plan on playing, but read the classes and races you'll be using throughoutly. Also, reading all about the feats and skills isn't neccesary, but you need to know what's possible. Rest is quite important. Actually, my advice would be to read it cover to cover, except for the spells. Will take a while, but you won't regret it once you're done. Knowing that stuff really makes the game more fun.

DMs guide: Nothing vital here. Chapter two and three can be usefull though (covering subraces, prestige classes and certain effects like level drain, suffocation and such things).

Monsters guide: Stay away, the game is more fun without it most of the time. You'll just end up knowing things your character wouldn't know, and that's not fun. Can be practical to keep the book for specific lookups though, if you need to know something for a conversation or stuff like that.

As a DM:

Players handbook: Cover to cover. You might be able to skip the spells, but everything else is something you need to know, or at least have read.

DM guide: Suggest you read that too, little you won't need or benefit from.

Monsters manual: Get familiar with the most important ones, and what possibilities there are, and use it for lookups after that.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zarg 12-26-03, 11:53 PM	Of instructions? thats alot... (Im refering to all 3 of the core rule books.) what do i HAVE to read before i can start playing assumeing im a total noob. (Since i am) I have all 3 books, and i WILL read them all, but i also want to play damn it!:D so what parts of each book are absolutly essential? edit: plus, are we not alowed graphics in our sig?
CinturonMickCyrus14 12-27-03, 12:01 AM	Player: Skim PHB DM: Skim all three But after a while you will need to read all three all the way through.
Zarg 12-27-03, 12:06 AM	edited (read the post wrong)
Deep Blue 9000 12-27-03, 12:15 AM	If you're starting at level 1 and you're not a Dungeon Master, you don't have to read either the Dungeon Master's Guide or Monster Manual at all really. Eventually, even a player should read through the Dungeon Master guide but you'll never really have to check out the Monster Manual if you don't want to. If you don't have any spells, you can read only up to chapter 8 in the Player's Handbook and not miss anything. If you do have spells, you should read chapters 10 and 11 too. PS: yeah, no pictures in the sigs.
Kyaran 12-27-03, 12:31 AM	Welcome, n00b! :D Unless you're planning on being a DM, you should stick to the PHB for now. After you've got a good handle on that, you shouldn't need the DMG for anything much other than magic item creation. As far as what needs to be read... PHB pages 4-6 are the absolute, required minimum. That stuff is the core of everything. Make sure you know what 2d6 means, and what to do when someone says "make an Intelligence check." ;) Definitely get an understanding of the Races and Classes sections, at least enough that you can make educated choices for your character. After that... the first couple pages from Skills (61-66) and the first couple from Feats (87-88) are both good overviews. You won't need to know all the uses of every skill, or all the feats, but scanning the tables of what's available (63 & 90) will be very helpful. Same with the Equipment section. Read about gold and the general categories of weapons/armor (111-114), then scan the tables of what you can purchase (116, 123 & 128). Combat is a must. Page 135 is your best friend. Other than that, the whole section is worth skimming to gain understanding of the combat maneuvers available to you (and the bad guys). I'd personally keep from going too in-depth in the Magic or Spells section until you have a handle on the base rules. Unless you're dead set on playing a wizard right off, it'll be easier to learn the standard stuff by playing a rogue or fighter and then move into magic a little later.
Zarg 12-27-03, 12:44 AM	:) ty both. i will be a dm sometimes, since none of my friends want to be nm always. we jsut decided we would all learn it and divy up the time spent as dm. also, is there a particular overplayed class? say, dwarf fighters or something. will people be like "no, sorry, we have too many fighters in our party already?" im not neccisarayly (yea im a 1337 speller) playing a fighter right off, just wondering.
wdarkk 12-27-03, 02:05 AM	Well, Clerics and Druids are considered "overpowered" by some, so you might end up with a few. That's not necissarily a bad thing, because an all-Cleric or all-Druid party are the only truly viable one-class parties. A Cleric-Druid only party isn't too bad. They are a little complicated (be careful selecting domains). I'd recommend the Sorcerer if you want to start out with a Magic class, as you don't need to select spells to prepare.
Zarg 12-27-03, 02:11 AM	well, i was thinking of an evil cleric, some sort of fighter or barbarian, or a ranger. if there was an evil pally option, id use that:smirk:
wdarkk 12-27-03, 02:14 AM	Check the DMG for this "Blackguard" thing...
Rosella 12-28-03, 12:49 PM	I don't recommend prestige classes to start with (referring to the blackguard thingie)
xect 12-28-03, 02:02 PM	Originally posted by Zarg Of instructions? thats alot... (Im refering to all 3 of the core rule books.) what do i HAVE to read before i can start playing assumeing im a total noob. (Since i am) I have all 3 books, and i WILL read them all, but i also want to play damn it!:D so what parts of each book are absolutly essential? edit: plus, are we not alowed graphics in our sig? If you're a player: Read the PHB. Maybe you can skip some specifics regarding races and classes you don't plan on playing, but read the classes and races you'll be using throughoutly. Also, reading all about the feats and skills isn't neccesary, but you need to know what's possible. Rest is quite important. Actually, my advice would be to read it cover to cover, except for the spells. Will take a while, but you won't regret it once you're done. Knowing that stuff really makes the game more fun. DMs guide: Nothing vital here. Chapter two and three can be usefull though (covering subraces, prestige classes and certain effects like level drain, suffocation and such things). Monsters guide: Stay away, the game is more fun without it most of the time. You'll just end up knowing things your character wouldn't know, and that's not fun. Can be practical to keep the book for specific lookups though, if you need to know something for a conversation or stuff like that. As a DM: Players handbook: Cover to cover. You might be able to skip the spells, but everything else is something you need to know, or at least have read. DM guide: Suggest you read that too, little you won't need or benefit from. Monsters manual: Get familiar with the most important ones, and what possibilities there are, and use it for lookups after that.