Help! New Player [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help! New Player [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
sprite821
03-23-07, 09:13 PM I am very new to this and I am trying to role up a character on my own. Can anyone help me?
Kyaran
03-23-07, 09:37 PM The Player's Handbook contains step-by-step instructions for creating a character on page 6.

Beyond that, I think we'll need specific questions in order to help.
Prator_the_Legendary
03-23-07, 09:38 PM If you've got a copy of the Player's Handbook, it gives step by step instructions on how to create a character. Just start in chapter one, read through all the bits that you think might apply to you, and roll dice and write stuff down as needed.

If you don't have a copy of the PHB, and you're really new at this, I would advise not making any characters unless you can get someone to help you personally in real life.
Tonil
03-23-07, 09:49 PM Wizards of the Coast just ran a series of articles for new players such as yourself. It discusses the steps in setting up a character, such as ability scores, races, classes, and equipment. I suggest you take a look at that and see if it helps you.

New Player Tutorial (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/playdnd/20060325a)

And one note: WotC does not do a good job of linking a series of articles together. Look for a list of the other articles in the series at the bottom of the page.

Along with the Player's Handbook, and perhaps a helpful friend, this should get you going.
Goldenmaxter
03-23-07, 11:50 PM What do you guys think the best character is to start out with? From looking through the Players Handbook, I like the Cleric, Monk, and Ranger. One of my friends told me though, that spells are too hard to use. Can you help me out?
Kyaran
03-23-07, 11:55 PM Spells can be more difficult for a new player. I would recommend creating a fighter first, just to see how the basic system works. After that, the monk is the most straightforward of the classes you listed. The best character is the one you want to play. :)
snakeman830
03-24-07, 10:47 PM Rnager is another good class to begin with, provided you are starting at level 1. By 4th level, you should be ready for the challenge of some light spellcasting ability. Later on, you can try the harder classes.

Spellcasters take some decent experience to use well and are poor choices for novice players (poor choices for some experienced players too. Anyone else play with a wizard who didn't bother learning exactly what his spells did because he thought he knew everything about the game?).
Karish
03-25-07, 11:09 AM If there's one thing the CharOp boards taught me, its that you can turn a 1st level gnome commoner into a death machine with enough work

That means, go with whatever of the 11 classes you like the sound of most. Don't worry about "Best" classes, you'll tweak it enough as you progress and play more games to know how to pwn with a character.

Fighter is a pretty easy class to learn as a novie, but I started using a sorcerer. But yeh, just go with what you like, I say.
Wayett
03-25-07, 03:56 PM I personnaly agree with the others, the fighter is a good starting class. The ranger is a good starting class as well, and you should ask your DM a monster that you will fight, because if you pick, orc and only fight goblins, you wasted a class feature.

If you want to start spellcasting, sorcerers are really good to start with. With lots of castings per day, they are exellent. I started with a halfling paladin, mostly for jokes, but he hasn't died yet for the last 3 years.
DrMorganes
03-25-07, 04:06 PM I personnaly agree with the others, the fighter is a good starting class. The ranger is a good starting class as well, and you should ask your DM a monster that you will fight, because if you pick, orc and only fight goblins, you wasted a class feature.

If you want to start spellcasting, sorcerers are really good to start with. With lots of castings per day, they are exellent. I started with a halfling paladin, mostly for jokes, but he hasn't died yet for the last 3 years.

Hrm... I'd say that the DM should tailor the monsters you fight to the character, especially in the case of a ranger. Don't expect to ALWAYS get to fight your favored enemies, but you should get to enough to make the class worthwhile. That said...

The core races are all fairly equal, though some are better suited to some classes than others. Simply pay attention to the "favored class" entry to get a feel for that. However, do not feel as though you must stick the the stereotypes. If you want to play a halfling barbarian, go for it!

Core classes get a bit tricky, but pick the one you think you'll enjoy the most. Melee types like fighters, rangers, and barbarians all have their own tricks to work through. Spellcasters can be a bit overwhelming at first, but if you like the idea of tossing spells you'll get things down in a hurry. Rogues are just plain fun, but I'm severely biased in that direction ;)

I strongly recommend all new players (and even most veteran players) keep their characters in a 1" three-ring binder. This way you can print character-relevant sections of the rules from the System Reference Document (http://www.d20srd.com) (an open-source version of the D&D rules. Also available in Word format here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35)), make notes about the game, and any questions you may encounter. For spellcasters, I definitely recommend including the spell descriptions for the spells you know.
Rogue Elendae
03-25-07, 11:57 PM Hm. I've always heard (and seen) that Fighter is an easy class to start with, but it's also kind of hard for a newbie to do a Fighter build well. However, it is pretty solid, and will get you through a lot with minimum fuss.

Personally, I recommend Rogue as a starting class; you get access to plenty of skills, a few basic abilities ingrained into the class (such as Sneak Attack, etc.), and just enough HP, useful weapons, and decent armor to get by. Same with Ranger; good HP, enough skills, and enough abilities to make them useful, especially the combat styles (in my opinion, at least).

Monk, from everything I've heard and seen (never played one myself, but a friend did in one of our campaigns, and was constantly forgetting his abilities, or fouling himself up in some way) can be a bit difficult to handle. I'd suggest Ranger, Rogue, or Barbarian (again, good abilities, good HP) for a starting class, followed by Cleric, Bard, or possibly Monk. They're a little messier to handle than the former three, but not so bad as the hardcore arcane casters or Druid, as far as I've seen.
Yokomohoyo
03-26-07, 02:14 AM If you are new to the game I would suggest to go barbarian. After all the barbarian is quite easy to make. Its preaty strait forward killing machine.

If you don't feel like making a big brute and think its not your style. If feel like playing a bit more sneeky try the rouge.

If you feel like making a mage go for a sorcerer since they are a little more simpler than a wizard. They are srtaitforward spell casting and all you have to remember when playing one is how many spells you have left for each spell level.

A ranger is quite fun as is a druid, but both can get quite challanging to play at a time.

A fighter is a simple feat machine that may or maynot get obsolite (depending on how you build him).

A paladin really rocks but can be quite restrictive in a game; since you have to follow a code of conduct.

Clerics are a nice balance beteween a fighter and a mage.

I hope that helps to decide on what you want to play.
Xavorin
03-27-07, 08:19 PM If you've got a copy of the Player's Handbook, it gives step by step instructions on how to create a character. Just start in chapter one, read through all the bits that you think might apply to you, and roll dice and write stuff down as needed.

If you don't have a copy of the PHB, and you're really new at this, I would advise not making any characters unless you can get someone to help you personally in real life.

Page six to be exact. Like a lot of people say, the Fighter is the most simple class.

However, I would reccomend reading the entire PHB through cover to cover, or at least as much as you can manage. Making a character without understanding the rules is like jumping in the shark-infested water before testing for sharks that happen to infest the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because there are sharks that just happen to be in the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because there are sharks that just happen to be in the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because... And so on and so forth. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
sprite821 03-23-07, 09:13 PM	I am very new to this and I am trying to role up a character on my own. Can anyone help me?
Kyaran 03-23-07, 09:37 PM	The Player's Handbook contains step-by-step instructions for creating a character on page 6. Beyond that, I think we'll need specific questions in order to help.
Prator_the_Legendary 03-23-07, 09:38 PM	If you've got a copy of the Player's Handbook, it gives step by step instructions on how to create a character. Just start in chapter one, read through all the bits that you think might apply to you, and roll dice and write stuff down as needed. If you don't have a copy of the PHB, and you're really new at this, I would advise not making any characters unless you can get someone to help you personally in real life.
Tonil 03-23-07, 09:49 PM	Wizards of the Coast just ran a series of articles for new players such as yourself. It discusses the steps in setting up a character, such as ability scores, races, classes, and equipment. I suggest you take a look at that and see if it helps you. New Player Tutorial (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/playdnd/20060325a) And one note: WotC does not do a good job of linking a series of articles together. Look for a list of the other articles in the series at the bottom of the page. Along with the Player's Handbook, and perhaps a helpful friend, this should get you going.
Goldenmaxter 03-23-07, 11:50 PM	What do you guys think the best character is to start out with? From looking through the Players Handbook, I like the Cleric, Monk, and Ranger. One of my friends told me though, that spells are too hard to use. Can you help me out?
Kyaran 03-23-07, 11:55 PM	Spells can be more difficult for a new player. I would recommend creating a fighter first, just to see how the basic system works. After that, the monk is the most straightforward of the classes you listed. The best character is the one you want to play. :)
snakeman830 03-24-07, 10:47 PM	Rnager is another good class to begin with, provided you are starting at level 1. By 4th level, you should be ready for the challenge of some light spellcasting ability. Later on, you can try the harder classes. Spellcasters take some decent experience to use well and are poor choices for novice players (poor choices for some experienced players too. Anyone else play with a wizard who didn't bother learning exactly what his spells did because he thought he knew everything about the game?).
Karish 03-25-07, 11:09 AM	If there's one thing the CharOp boards taught me, its that you can turn a 1st level gnome commoner into a death machine with enough work That means, go with whatever of the 11 classes you like the sound of most. Don't worry about "Best" classes, you'll tweak it enough as you progress and play more games to know how to pwn with a character. Fighter is a pretty easy class to learn as a novie, but I started using a sorcerer. But yeh, just go with what you like, I say.
Wayett 03-25-07, 03:56 PM	I personnaly agree with the others, the fighter is a good starting class. The ranger is a good starting class as well, and you should ask your DM a monster that you will fight, because if you pick, orc and only fight goblins, you wasted a class feature. If you want to start spellcasting, sorcerers are really good to start with. With lots of castings per day, they are exellent. I started with a halfling paladin, mostly for jokes, but he hasn't died yet for the last 3 years.
DrMorganes 03-25-07, 04:06 PM	I personnaly agree with the others, the fighter is a good starting class. The ranger is a good starting class as well, and you should ask your DM a monster that you will fight, because if you pick, orc and only fight goblins, you wasted a class feature. If you want to start spellcasting, sorcerers are really good to start with. With lots of castings per day, they are exellent. I started with a halfling paladin, mostly for jokes, but he hasn't died yet for the last 3 years. Hrm... I'd say that the DM should tailor the monsters you fight to the character, especially in the case of a ranger. Don't expect to ALWAYS get to fight your favored enemies, but you should get to enough to make the class worthwhile. That said... The core races are all fairly equal, though some are better suited to some classes than others. Simply pay attention to the "favored class" entry to get a feel for that. However, do not feel as though you must stick the the stereotypes. If you want to play a halfling barbarian, go for it! Core classes get a bit tricky, but pick the one you think you'll enjoy the most. Melee types like fighters, rangers, and barbarians all have their own tricks to work through. Spellcasters can be a bit overwhelming at first, but if you like the idea of tossing spells you'll get things down in a hurry. Rogues are just plain fun, but I'm severely biased in that direction ;) I strongly recommend all new players (and even most veteran players) keep their characters in a 1" three-ring binder. This way you can print character-relevant sections of the rules from the System Reference Document (http://www.d20srd.com) (an open-source version of the D&D rules. Also available in Word format here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35)), make notes about the game, and any questions you may encounter. For spellcasters, I definitely recommend including the spell descriptions for the spells you know.
Rogue Elendae 03-25-07, 11:57 PM	Hm. I've always heard (and seen) that Fighter is an easy class to start with, but it's also kind of hard for a newbie to do a Fighter build well. However, it is pretty solid, and will get you through a lot with minimum fuss. Personally, I recommend Rogue as a starting class; you get access to plenty of skills, a few basic abilities ingrained into the class (such as Sneak Attack, etc.), and just enough HP, useful weapons, and decent armor to get by. Same with Ranger; good HP, enough skills, and enough abilities to make them useful, especially the combat styles (in my opinion, at least). Monk, from everything I've heard and seen (never played one myself, but a friend did in one of our campaigns, and was constantly forgetting his abilities, or fouling himself up in some way) can be a bit difficult to handle. I'd suggest Ranger, Rogue, or Barbarian (again, good abilities, good HP) for a starting class, followed by Cleric, Bard, or possibly Monk. They're a little messier to handle than the former three, but not so bad as the hardcore arcane casters or Druid, as far as I've seen.
Yokomohoyo 03-26-07, 02:14 AM	If you are new to the game I would suggest to go barbarian. After all the barbarian is quite easy to make. Its preaty strait forward killing machine. If you don't feel like making a big brute and think its not your style. If feel like playing a bit more sneeky try the rouge. If you feel like making a mage go for a sorcerer since they are a little more simpler than a wizard. They are srtaitforward spell casting and all you have to remember when playing one is how many spells you have left for each spell level. A ranger is quite fun as is a druid, but both can get quite challanging to play at a time. A fighter is a simple feat machine that may or maynot get obsolite (depending on how you build him). A paladin really rocks but can be quite restrictive in a game; since you have to follow a code of conduct. Clerics are a nice balance beteween a fighter and a mage. I hope that helps to decide on what you want to play.
Xavorin 03-27-07, 08:19 PM	If you've got a copy of the Player's Handbook, it gives step by step instructions on how to create a character. Just start in chapter one, read through all the bits that you think might apply to you, and roll dice and write stuff down as needed. If you don't have a copy of the PHB, and you're really new at this, I would advise not making any characters unless you can get someone to help you personally in real life. Page six to be exact. Like a lot of people say, the Fighter is the most simple class. However, I would reccomend reading the entire PHB through cover to cover, or at least as much as you can manage. Making a character without understanding the rules is like jumping in the shark-infested water before testing for sharks that happen to infest the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because there are sharks that just happen to be in the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because there are sharks that just happen to be in the shark-infested water which is infested with sharks because... And so on and so forth. :D