Creating a new character [Archive] - Wizards Community

Creating a new character [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Harpsi Chordial
05-04-05, 06:07 PM I am new to 3rd edition and v3.5. The last time I played was just after 2nd edition was released and I hated that version. 3rd and v3.5 look much better. I have read the PHB and DMG and cannot find a simple step by step way to create a new character.

Can you somebody please tell me where I find the "1st step: do this, 2nd step: do this, 10th step do this" and then your character is created info? Is there a site? Am I missing something in the books?

The books are very cool and very informative. The give me every piece of info I need. They explain every stat and feat, but they are not very good for a beginner just looking for a How-To.

I would like to see something like the following:

Step 1: Roll the dice (and explain the different dice rolling formulas).
Step 2: Choose a Race (and explain the pros and cons of each race)
Step 3: Choose a class (and explain the pros and cons of each class)
Step 4: Assign the dice rolls to your stats (and show the stat adjustments based on race)
Step 5: Choose your feats (and explain the pros and cons of each feat, how many you get, prerequisites, etc).
Step 6: Choose your skills
Step 7: Choose your god, your name, your description, height, weight, etc
Step 8: Create your background
In addition to this, I would like to see something that tells me what page of the PHB has the individual info I am needing for that step. I know I can buy a program to do all this. Sure I can use etools to do this, but then I would not learn anything. I find it better to do things myself.
Draco Strang
05-04-05, 06:15 PM Page 6 of your PHB should do it. The page right before the Races section.

Read through the book, use the index and glossary if you have questions. It helps a tremendous bit.

Good luck.
Harpsi Chordial
05-04-05, 06:26 PM I will look when I get home. It seems to me that WotC would have made it a bit easier. it would draw more players if they would not have to tear apart the whole book to find a simple answer.
Anthus_Longblade
05-04-05, 06:35 PM It's not that hard. You got the order almost, if not exactly right. The rest is detailed in the PHB.
Mercurius
05-04-05, 06:44 PM I will look when I get home. It seems to me that WotC would have made it a bit easier. it would draw more players if they would not have to tear apart the whole book to find a simple answer.
The problem lies in the fact that you're creating a character. D&D is pretty heavy on options for your character to take, so the bits and pieces of advice you're looking for aren't really terribly viable. If you're looking for a way to create a quick character sort of thing, here's the general steps:
1) Roll dice (4d6, drop lowest, assign as desired)
2) Create character concept
3) Choose Race
4) Choose Class
5) Pick class starting package (simple route)

If you want a more complicated path:
follow steps 1-4 as above
5) Choose skills
6) Choose feat(s)
7) Purchase gear

You can do parts of the complicated path if you don't like parts of the starting package, too. But it's not really complicated once you get the hang of it. Reading through the whole PHB or having a DM or someone with more experience on hand to build your character would make it a lot easier, though.
Vharuck
05-04-05, 07:18 PM Isn't there a splatbook for this?
Draco Strang
05-04-05, 07:23 PM Isn't there a splatbook for this?
That Hero Builder's Guidebook is the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen. It spends about 30 pages explaining why each race is good or bad at each class, but in the last sentence of every entry, it says "Of course, half-orc paladins aren't unheard of, just very rare" or "Of course, elven barbarians aren't unheard of, just very rare."

I'm serious.
Harpsi Chordial
05-05-05, 11:24 AM I think there is a "Dummies guide to dnd", but I have not seen it and I do not know if it is any good.
Callista
05-05-05, 11:43 AM Well, IMO, they really should have a step-by-step guide.

But then again, reading through the whole PHB (except the spells; you can read those as your character learns them) is really a good idea anyway. Actually, read through it twice... you'll need to know the stuff in there anyway.
Aladdar
05-05-05, 05:50 PM I had the same problem when I was first getting started. It's a little complex and they could have done a much better job for beginners to learn what to do.

If I get time I'll sit down and write a step by step guide for you. However it'll probably be next week before I can get to it.
Psycle
05-06-05, 08:34 PM I now use this. (http://www.redblade.org/)

It's a godsend.
Encard
05-06-05, 09:16 PM I now use this. (http://www.redblade.org/)

It's a godsend.
Eh, beware of Redblade... I've seen people make some very, very messed up characters with that.
vaskoff
05-07-05, 01:13 PM I've read the D&D for dummies book and it's pretty good, just don't expect this to be that easy.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Harpsi Chordial 05-04-05, 06:07 PM	I am new to 3rd edition and v3.5. The last time I played was just after 2nd edition was released and I hated that version. 3rd and v3.5 look much better. I have read the PHB and DMG and cannot find a simple step by step way to create a new character. Can you somebody please tell me where I find the "1st step: do this, 2nd step: do this, 10th step do this" and then your character is created info? Is there a site? Am I missing something in the books? The books are very cool and very informative. The give me every piece of info I need. They explain every stat and feat, but they are not very good for a beginner just looking for a How-To. I would like to see something like the following: Step 1: Roll the dice (and explain the different dice rolling formulas). Step 2: Choose a Race (and explain the pros and cons of each race) Step 3: Choose a class (and explain the pros and cons of each class) Step 4: Assign the dice rolls to your stats (and show the stat adjustments based on race) Step 5: Choose your feats (and explain the pros and cons of each feat, how many you get, prerequisites, etc). Step 6: Choose your skills Step 7: Choose your god, your name, your description, height, weight, etc Step 8: Create your background In addition to this, I would like to see something that tells me what page of the PHB has the individual info I am needing for that step. I know I can buy a program to do all this. Sure I can use etools to do this, but then I would not learn anything. I find it better to do things myself.
Draco Strang 05-04-05, 06:15 PM	Page 6 of your PHB should do it. The page right before the Races section. Read through the book, use the index and glossary if you have questions. It helps a tremendous bit. Good luck.
Harpsi Chordial 05-04-05, 06:26 PM	I will look when I get home. It seems to me that WotC would have made it a bit easier. it would draw more players if they would not have to tear apart the whole book to find a simple answer.
Anthus_Longblade 05-04-05, 06:35 PM	It's not that hard. You got the order almost, if not exactly right. The rest is detailed in the PHB.
Mercurius 05-04-05, 06:44 PM	I will look when I get home. It seems to me that WotC would have made it a bit easier. it would draw more players if they would not have to tear apart the whole book to find a simple answer. The problem lies in the fact that you're creating a character. D&D is pretty heavy on options for your character to take, so the bits and pieces of advice you're looking for aren't really terribly viable. If you're looking for a way to create a quick character sort of thing, here's the general steps: 1) Roll dice (4d6, drop lowest, assign as desired) 2) Create character concept 3) Choose Race 4) Choose Class 5) Pick class starting package (simple route) If you want a more complicated path: follow steps 1-4 as above 5) Choose skills 6) Choose feat(s) 7) Purchase gear You can do parts of the complicated path if you don't like parts of the starting package, too. But it's not really complicated once you get the hang of it. Reading through the whole PHB or having a DM or someone with more experience on hand to build your character would make it a lot easier, though.
Vharuck 05-04-05, 07:18 PM	Isn't there a splatbook for this?
Draco Strang 05-04-05, 07:23 PM	Isn't there a splatbook for this? That Hero Builder's Guidebook is the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen. It spends about 30 pages explaining why each race is good or bad at each class, but in the last sentence of every entry, it says "Of course, half-orc paladins aren't unheard of, just very rare" or "Of course, elven barbarians aren't unheard of, just very rare." I'm serious.
Harpsi Chordial 05-05-05, 11:24 AM	I think there is a "Dummies guide to dnd", but I have not seen it and I do not know if it is any good.
Callista 05-05-05, 11:43 AM	Well, IMO, they really should have a step-by-step guide. But then again, reading through the whole PHB (except the spells; you can read those as your character learns them) is really a good idea anyway. Actually, read through it twice... you'll need to know the stuff in there anyway.
Aladdar 05-05-05, 05:50 PM	I had the same problem when I was first getting started. It's a little complex and they could have done a much better job for beginners to learn what to do. If I get time I'll sit down and write a step by step guide for you. However it'll probably be next week before I can get to it.
Psycle 05-06-05, 08:34 PM	I now use this. (http://www.redblade.org/) It's a godsend.
Encard 05-06-05, 09:16 PM	I now use this. (http://www.redblade.org/) It's a godsend. Eh, beware of Redblade... I've seen people make some very, very messed up characters with that.
vaskoff 05-07-05, 01:13 PM	I've read the D&D for dummies book and it's pretty good, just don't expect this to be that easy.