I need an Idiot's Guide To...! [Archive] - Wizards Community

I need an Idiot's Guide To...! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Zemira
10-02-06, 11:44 PM Ok, lots of stuff here. I need to know how to make characters. I'm in a D&D group, but we're getting so confused reading the books. We have a ton of books, but we just can't get the creation-process down. So, I need an Idiot's Guide to Making D&D characters.

In specific, our DM has allowed us to make a Bronze Half-Dragon (Ranger class), and I need to know how to make her, and she's also allowed someone to make a Doppleganger (Fighter class), but if there's no info on making that, I understand. Also, there's a Half-Elf Wizard, and a Halfling Rogue that aren't finished.

Basically, we can do the stat rolls (Str, Dex, Int, etc.) but we get lost at Skills and Feats and Armor class and things like that. We cannot use Character Generators because I am the only member who actually has access to a computer.

Any help would be great.
draco1119
10-02-06, 11:57 PM Ok. First of all: there is The Idiot's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons. You can find it at most major bookstores.

As for character creation, some necessary info would be: what level are you starting at?
Zemira
10-03-06, 12:04 AM Level 0, or 1, whichever is needed. I think it's probably Lvl 1 for all the characters.
Think0028
10-03-06, 12:09 AM Two main things of note:

1) There is no level 0; all characters start at 1.
2) If you don't understand character creation, the reason why may escape you, but there is no way ANYONE could be a doppelganger or a half-dragon could be level 1 with a class.
DarthCthulu
10-03-06, 12:12 AM Sometimes starting simple is best. Try starting a group using just Core classes and races, then after you have got a grip on skills and feats and casting, graduate up to the exotic stuff.
Reversefigure4
10-03-06, 12:13 AM Normal play would have you starting at level 1. If you are all newbies, I would strongly advise you against making half-dragons and dopplegangers right from the get-go. Stick with the straight Players Handbook races.

As for skills and feats, consider looking at the Starting Packages in the PHB. At the end of each character class, there's a starting package example. Eg, look in the end of Cleric to find a pre-made level 1 cleric, complete with skills, feats, and equipment already bought.

Just taking this package and applying it to your own characters can simplify the process.
IceFractal
10-03-06, 12:23 AM There are alternatives to Half-Dragons and Doppelgangers that will work in a level 1 game. For the half-dragon, you can use the Dragonborn or Spellscale, from Races of the Dragon. For the Doppelganger, you can use the Changeling, from the Monster Manual 3 (or Eberron Campaign Setting).

The reason it's better to substitute these is that a level 1 Half-Dragon is the equivalent of a level 4 character, and a Doppelganger is at least the equivalent of a level 8 character, even with no class levels. Neither would work in a level 1 game.
Exquisite_Flopilidopilies
10-03-06, 02:27 PM I echo the sentiment: if one of your problems is "we have all these books," then keep it simple first time out: the Player's Handbook is all you need. The introduction gives you the step by step for creating a character, and subsequent chapters give you the additional information in more or less the order you need it. Don't worry about what feats or skills do too much, take the ones that sound like things your character would be able to do. Ignore anything said about multiclassing or level adjustment. When you have specific questions, bring them to the board.

Play that character through a few levels to get the hang of play and all the options, then you'll be ready to incorporate all the extra stuff from your splat and setting books. This is doubly important if your DM is learning along with you.
DarkNick
10-03-06, 02:38 PM I agree, start simple.

How about a simple ranger from the players handbook?
RetiredThief
10-04-06, 08:51 PM Honestly, you're starting with Saturn 5's when you should be learning with bottle rockets. Of COURSE you're having a hard time figuring it out.

Roll up some throw-away characters using just the basic rules and classes from the Players Hand Book. Just some basic fighters, or barbarians. Bash some orc heads. maybe fight each other a little bit, just to practice.

Then toss them and try some casters, like clerics or wizards. Maybe try some rogues. Dally with paladins, bards and monks. Learn the flavors.

Once that stuff has started making sense, you'll have a far better chance of figuring out Half-Dragon-Were-Vampire-Duskblade-Ninja's and whatnot. ;)
On_the_wings_of_TPK
10-04-06, 09:54 PM Firstly Calculating ECL. ECL: Effective character level. This is sum total of all your Level adjustments, classes levels and monster hit dice. This detrimes how powerful any given character is compared to another character with the same effective character level.

Level adjustments: Some monsters are strong then others, especially as player chaarcters. Thus they are given an adjust to the their level as a character. Example drow have enough special abilties and ability stat boosts that are the equivalent of a character 2 levels higher then they are. Thus they are given a level adjustment of plus 2.

Class levels, are level derived from taking classes. Such as taking 4 levels of the ranger class and 5 levels of the paladin class, gives you 9 class levels.

Monster Hit dice: Some monsters are so power powerful that they start the game with hit dice already. These as well must be counted.

So a bronze half dragon drow with 3 levels or ranger has an effective character level (ECL) 8. (+3 level adjustment from half dragon, +2 level adjustment from the drow race, and +3 classes levels of ranger.) Thus the Drow half-dragon ranger is the equivelent of an 8th level character.

Now compare this with the level requirement of the campaign. The DM will tell you this. If your number is higher then the maxium level set out by the DM, then you can not play at character in that campiagn. If it is lower then that set out by the DM then you will have to raise so that it matches what the DM said. You can lower your ECL by dropping charscter levels, or choosing race races that have lower level adjustments, and hit dice.

If your DM wants level one charcters then it is impossible to play as half dragons or dopple gangers.

Think of what type of character you wish to play. Think about their backstory, or past, and their personality. The following choices you make should be what best represents your character as you see it in your mind.

Generate your ability scores, use the methood choosen by your DM. then arrange them according to what you think will suit your character best.

Next choose a race for your character. There are many to choose from, but becuase you are new I recomend choosing one of the 7 core races: Dwarf, elf, Halve-elf, halfling, human, half-orc, and gnome. write down on your character under the heading, "special abilities" all the special abilities that given to your race.

After that choose a class. Again pick one that best represents what your character does. Ig it it is a hunter woodsy, or out doors type, barabarain, or ranger are a good choices. if it is a street smart roughian, then perhaps rogue, or fighter. Maybe your character is wis priest, or champion of the wood. Cleric or druid depending. Maybe it is the champion of a cuase, paladin. each of the classes as a flavour entry for what they represent. these are not binding, nor arwe they perfect, but they are a good place to start.

Again becuase you are new, I recomend using only the classes found in the players hand book: Barbarain, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorceror, and wizard.

Now determine how many skill points you have. first add up your skill points from class levels. Look in the players hand book under the discription of your class to find out. Some classes like the fighter, and wizard only gain 2 skill points per level, others like the rogue, and bard gain more then that. Add your intelence modifier to the number indacted for your skill points. You gain a minium of one per level. Multiply that number by 4 at first level, and by 1 for each level there after. Now add any bonus skill points you gain from racial bonuses. Again at first level only, you gain 4 times the amount you normally do each level.

Then alot them to specific skills that suit your character. each class has list of class skills. These are skills related to the classes function. You may buy ranks in them for a one to one bases. You may put no more then 3 plus your chaarcter level in any one class skill. You may choose skills that are not on your class skill list. This are called cross class skills. You buy ranks in the them on a 2 for 1 bases. 2 skill points for one rank. You may have no more then your character level plus three, divided by 2 in any one class skill.

Next it is time to choose your feats. First determine how many you have. Some classes and races grant bonus feats. Every character gains one feat at first level and then one every three levels there after. Some feats have prequisites, these range anywere from a ceratin number of skills, to a certain ability score, to a certain base attack bonus, or even other feats them selves. Make sure that your character meets any of these prerequisites before taking the feat.

Now that you have down all of thatit is time to determine the little things.

Hit points are the sum total of hit dice results (the type of dice used is listed under the class you are playing) Plus you constitiution modifier times the number of hit dice you have. Your first hit dice is usually maximised, meaning you do not roll the dice, but take the maxium value for it.

Your initiative is your dextarity modifier plus any other bonuses, gained from feats, classes abilities, etc, etc.

Your save through values are calaculated like so:
Take the value given on the chart of your class at your level, and add the apropraite ability modifier.
Fortitude save is constituition,
Reflex saving through is dextarity,
and will saving through is wisdom modier.

Now buy gear. the amount of gold you have to spend is determined by the the DM, and equipment can be found in the players hand book under the chapter equipment.

Now claculate your attack bonuses. This is your base attack bonus, again out lined on the chart for your character, in the players hand book. Then add the approrait ability modifier.
Melee: strength,
Ranged: Dextarity.

Now factor in any feats, or other bonuses.

Now finally claculate any specialablities that can be used, such as a cleric turn/rebuke undead, ability, a paldins smite undead ability, or spells, if you are playing a spell caster.

Now give your character sheet to your DM. Allow him/her to read it over, answear any questions, or make any nessesary changes, and your ready to play.
User5127
10-04-06, 11:07 PM Ok. First of all: there is The Idiot's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons. You can find it at most major bookstores.

As for character creation, some necessary info would be: what level are you starting at?

i bought that book specifically for a player to read cause they didn't understand anything lol

as well, keep the game simple. just teh core books for now are fine. standard races,etc. then when you get a handle on things go for the more complicated stuff. as well if you want, get your DM to throw together some throw away type games where role playing isn't the main idea, this way you can do combats and get rules down and then go from there. (that way the DM won't lose his ideal story/campaign) its what i did
IE:
i made a no descript dungeon, had the players roll up starts and had then fight monsters and what not to get ocmbat down, then threw up a tarvern and had them do some tarvern quests to get roleplaying down, then expand the dungeon to include the wilderness and travel and then expand the tarvern to include a small city and its surroundings.

and remember, thats just trainging stuff, so no need to complain if a character dies (ie don't make that dreamed character you've always wanted, make a throw away character)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Zemira 10-02-06, 11:44 PM	Ok, lots of stuff here. I need to know how to make characters. I'm in a D&D group, but we're getting so confused reading the books. We have a ton of books, but we just can't get the creation-process down. So, I need an Idiot's Guide to Making D&D characters. In specific, our DM has allowed us to make a Bronze Half-Dragon (Ranger class), and I need to know how to make her, and she's also allowed someone to make a Doppleganger (Fighter class), but if there's no info on making that, I understand. Also, there's a Half-Elf Wizard, and a Halfling Rogue that aren't finished. Basically, we can do the stat rolls (Str, Dex, Int, etc.) but we get lost at Skills and Feats and Armor class and things like that. We cannot use Character Generators because I am the only member who actually has access to a computer. Any help would be great.
draco1119 10-02-06, 11:57 PM	Ok. First of all: there is The Idiot's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons. You can find it at most major bookstores. As for character creation, some necessary info would be: what level are you starting at?
Zemira 10-03-06, 12:04 AM	Level 0, or 1, whichever is needed. I think it's probably Lvl 1 for all the characters.
Think0028 10-03-06, 12:09 AM	Two main things of note: 1) There is no level 0; all characters start at 1. 2) If you don't understand character creation, the reason why may escape you, but there is no way ANYONE could be a doppelganger or a half-dragon could be level 1 with a class.
DarthCthulu 10-03-06, 12:12 AM	Sometimes starting simple is best. Try starting a group using just Core classes and races, then after you have got a grip on skills and feats and casting, graduate up to the exotic stuff.
Reversefigure4 10-03-06, 12:13 AM	Normal play would have you starting at level 1. If you are all newbies, I would strongly advise you against making half-dragons and dopplegangers right from the get-go. Stick with the straight Players Handbook races. As for skills and feats, consider looking at the Starting Packages in the PHB. At the end of each character class, there's a starting package example. Eg, look in the end of Cleric to find a pre-made level 1 cleric, complete with skills, feats, and equipment already bought. Just taking this package and applying it to your own characters can simplify the process.
IceFractal 10-03-06, 12:23 AM	There are alternatives to Half-Dragons and Doppelgangers that will work in a level 1 game. For the half-dragon, you can use the Dragonborn or Spellscale, from Races of the Dragon. For the Doppelganger, you can use the Changeling, from the Monster Manual 3 (or Eberron Campaign Setting). The reason it's better to substitute these is that a level 1 Half-Dragon is the equivalent of a level 4 character, and a Doppelganger is at least the equivalent of a level 8 character, even with no class levels. Neither would work in a level 1 game.
Exquisite_Flopilidopilies 10-03-06, 02:27 PM	I echo the sentiment: if one of your problems is "we have all these books," then keep it simple first time out: the Player's Handbook is all you need. The introduction gives you the step by step for creating a character, and subsequent chapters give you the additional information in more or less the order you need it. Don't worry about what feats or skills do too much, take the ones that sound like things your character would be able to do. Ignore anything said about multiclassing or level adjustment. When you have specific questions, bring them to the board. Play that character through a few levels to get the hang of play and all the options, then you'll be ready to incorporate all the extra stuff from your splat and setting books. This is doubly important if your DM is learning along with you.
DarkNick 10-03-06, 02:38 PM	I agree, start simple. How about a simple ranger from the players handbook?
RetiredThief 10-04-06, 08:51 PM	Honestly, you're starting with Saturn 5's when you should be learning with bottle rockets. Of COURSE you're having a hard time figuring it out. Roll up some throw-away characters using just the basic rules and classes from the Players Hand Book. Just some basic fighters, or barbarians. Bash some orc heads. maybe fight each other a little bit, just to practice. Then toss them and try some casters, like clerics or wizards. Maybe try some rogues. Dally with paladins, bards and monks. Learn the flavors. Once that stuff has started making sense, you'll have a far better chance of figuring out Half-Dragon-Were-Vampire-Duskblade-Ninja's and whatnot. ;)
On_the_wings_of_TPK 10-04-06, 09:54 PM	Firstly Calculating ECL. ECL: Effective character level. This is sum total of all your Level adjustments, classes levels and monster hit dice. This detrimes how powerful any given character is compared to another character with the same effective character level. Level adjustments: Some monsters are strong then others, especially as player chaarcters. Thus they are given an adjust to the their level as a character. Example drow have enough special abilties and ability stat boosts that are the equivalent of a character 2 levels higher then they are. Thus they are given a level adjustment of plus 2. Class levels, are level derived from taking classes. Such as taking 4 levels of the ranger class and 5 levels of the paladin class, gives you 9 class levels. Monster Hit dice: Some monsters are so power powerful that they start the game with hit dice already. These as well must be counted. So a bronze half dragon drow with 3 levels or ranger has an effective character level (ECL) 8. (+3 level adjustment from half dragon, +2 level adjustment from the drow race, and +3 classes levels of ranger.) Thus the Drow half-dragon ranger is the equivelent of an 8th level character. Now compare this with the level requirement of the campaign. The DM will tell you this. If your number is higher then the maxium level set out by the DM, then you can not play at character in that campiagn. If it is lower then that set out by the DM then you will have to raise so that it matches what the DM said. You can lower your ECL by dropping charscter levels, or choosing race races that have lower level adjustments, and hit dice. If your DM wants level one charcters then it is impossible to play as half dragons or dopple gangers. Think of what type of character you wish to play. Think about their backstory, or past, and their personality. The following choices you make should be what best represents your character as you see it in your mind. Generate your ability scores, use the methood choosen by your DM. then arrange them according to what you think will suit your character best. Next choose a race for your character. There are many to choose from, but becuase you are new I recomend choosing one of the 7 core races: Dwarf, elf, Halve-elf, halfling, human, half-orc, and gnome. write down on your character under the heading, "special abilities" all the special abilities that given to your race. After that choose a class. Again pick one that best represents what your character does. Ig it it is a hunter woodsy, or out doors type, barabarain, or ranger are a good choices. if it is a street smart roughian, then perhaps rogue, or fighter. Maybe your character is wis priest, or champion of the wood. Cleric or druid depending. Maybe it is the champion of a cuase, paladin. each of the classes as a flavour entry for what they represent. these are not binding, nor arwe they perfect, but they are a good place to start. Again becuase you are new, I recomend using only the classes found in the players hand book: Barbarain, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorceror, and wizard. Now determine how many skill points you have. first add up your skill points from class levels. Look in the players hand book under the discription of your class to find out. Some classes like the fighter, and wizard only gain 2 skill points per level, others like the rogue, and bard gain more then that. Add your intelence modifier to the number indacted for your skill points. You gain a minium of one per level. Multiply that number by 4 at first level, and by 1 for each level there after. Now add any bonus skill points you gain from racial bonuses. Again at first level only, you gain 4 times the amount you normally do each level. Then alot them to specific skills that suit your character. each class has list of class skills. These are skills related to the classes function. You may buy ranks in them for a one to one bases. You may put no more then 3 plus your chaarcter level in any one class skill. You may choose skills that are not on your class skill list. This are called cross class skills. You buy ranks in the them on a 2 for 1 bases. 2 skill points for one rank. You may have no more then your character level plus three, divided by 2 in any one class skill. Next it is time to choose your feats. First determine how many you have. Some classes and races grant bonus feats. Every character gains one feat at first level and then one every three levels there after. Some feats have prequisites, these range anywere from a ceratin number of skills, to a certain ability score, to a certain base attack bonus, or even other feats them selves. Make sure that your character meets any of these prerequisites before taking the feat. Now that you have down all of thatit is time to determine the little things. Hit points are the sum total of hit dice results (the type of dice used is listed under the class you are playing) Plus you constitiution modifier times the number of hit dice you have. Your first hit dice is usually maximised, meaning you do not roll the dice, but take the maxium value for it. Your initiative is your dextarity modifier plus any other bonuses, gained from feats, classes abilities, etc, etc. Your save through values are calaculated like so: Take the value given on the chart of your class at your level, and add the apropraite ability modifier. Fortitude save is constituition, Reflex saving through is dextarity, and will saving through is wisdom modier. Now buy gear. the amount of gold you have to spend is determined by the the DM, and equipment can be found in the players hand book under the chapter equipment. Now claculate your attack bonuses. This is your base attack bonus, again out lined on the chart for your character, in the players hand book. Then add the approrait ability modifier. Melee: strength, Ranged: Dextarity. Now factor in any feats, or other bonuses. Now finally claculate any specialablities that can be used, such as a cleric turn/rebuke undead, ability, a paldins smite undead ability, or spells, if you are playing a spell caster. Now give your character sheet to your DM. Allow him/her to read it over, answear any questions, or make any nessesary changes, and your ready to play.
User5127 10-04-06, 11:07 PM	Ok. First of all: there is The Idiot's Guide to Dungeons & Dragons. You can find it at most major bookstores. As for character creation, some necessary info would be: what level are you starting at? i bought that book specifically for a player to read cause they didn't understand anything lol as well, keep the game simple. just teh core books for now are fine. standard races,etc. then when you get a handle on things go for the more complicated stuff. as well if you want, get your DM to throw together some throw away type games where role playing isn't the main idea, this way you can do combats and get rules down and then go from there. (that way the DM won't lose his ideal story/campaign) its what i did IE: i made a no descript dungeon, had the players roll up starts and had then fight monsters and what not to get ocmbat down, then threw up a tarvern and had them do some tarvern quests to get roleplaying down, then expand the dungeon to include the wilderness and travel and then expand the tarvern to include a small city and its surroundings. and remember, thats just trainging stuff, so no need to complain if a character dies (ie don't make that dreamed character you've always wanted, make a throw away character)