It's been a long time... [Archive] - Wizards Community

It's been a long time... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
OldWarrior
03-28-06, 09:29 AM Since I played D&D. I'm new here but I'm thinking about geting back in the game. The last time I played was back in 1989. I'm use to v1.0, now I see its 3.5!? Times have changed for sure. I don't think that players have changed though. Do you still hear "I grab it!"? Yeah, those were the days!

I can remember that our DM was a little bit "out there". He could dream up all kinds of stuff....in a bad way. ALL his NPC's, I mean, ALL his NPC's were jerks! I still don't know why to this day. We would find ourselves with a dwarf, a fighter, elf, which ever and no matter who or what it was, that NPC was a JERK! Oh but wait, there's more: Back in 1982 (around that time) we played a game where this wizard/fighter (his character BTW) was in trouble and trapped by Timat (is this dragon still around?). Well, we were tasked to save him and retrieve this Orb of Power. And so, we did. We cleared out this "temple" full of monsters, got the Orb, and didn't fight her but, put Timat in her place. And so, here it comes...the time to put up with the crap. 'POOF', we teleported in some open field, all of us did. Most of our Magic items were gone. And alone by himself was a different character of his there to "bring balance to the cosmos". Who was he? Some grey elf with some "Sword of Cosmos" to kill us, all of us. Nice DM, huh? Well, there's more. You see, he ends up attacking us but, one of our players DID have a vorpal sword. You know, that sword that chops of heads? Anyways, he rolled the die and BAM, got a 17 with a +3 from his sword....oh bye bye dumb grey elf! NOPE!! Behold, he has a neckless of vorpal protection!! What the crap is that??!!! Long story short, yep you guessed it, we all died. Yeah, we save his character from death but his other character kills us!

Well, this is one of my many "adventures" in the D&D relm. Yeah, I'm an old timer but just thought about coming back to the game. I'm sure I have lots to learn from all of you.

OLD WARRIOR
jasper
03-28-06, 09:41 AM Rules have changed but the players and the jerks are the same.
Missing Minds
03-28-06, 09:57 AM I don't hear "grab it!" much at all. At least from the more mature groups.

Vorpral swords have changed to where I think it takes a nat 20 on a roll of a d20 to take a head off. I don't know if 1.0 use THACO or not (Personally I'm glad that system is gone)

Tiamat is still around and isn't just a dragon anymore. Evil goddess is more like it. Yeah, she powered up.

As Japser said, the jerks are still out there. Hope you can find a good group!
OldWarrior
03-28-06, 10:13 AM Thanks for the replies. BTW, how many books are there now? I have seen allot out there! Do you need all of them or what do you need to have a good game going?
weasel0
03-28-06, 10:40 AM Only need the 3 core books. Players Hand Book, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (1)- PHB, DMG, MM1 repectivly ;)
There's actually a "gift set" that has all 3 of those bundled together. I'd say check out amazon.com for deals and stuff. DMG2 - not that great. ditto for PHB2. MM2+3 are nifty. After you get them down, you can pick up other stuff as the flavor that suits your style dictates. Insect, undead, underdark, city based, alt systems, xtra core/PrC (Prestige Classes), and a smattering of all sorts of extra weaponery can be quite fun though draining on monitary resouces.
OldWarrior
03-28-06, 10:51 AM Only need the 3 core books. Players Hand Book, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (1)- PHB, DMG, MM1 repectivly ;)
There's actually a "gift set" that has all 3 of those bundled together. I'd say check out amazon.com for deals and stuff. DMG2 - not that great. ditto for PHB2. MM2+3 are nifty. After you get them down, you can pick up other stuff as the flavor that suits your style dictates. Insect, undead, underdark, city based, alt systems, xtra core/PrC (Prestige Classes), and a smattering of all sorts of extra weaponery can be quite fun though draining on monitary resouces.

Okay, thanks. It was very confusing to see the DMG II and PHB II at a store. Plus, all the other hardback books of stuff I can't remember. Yep, money can be an issue but, then again, there is always EBAY! ;)
Missing Minds
03-28-06, 12:02 PM Well.. you need to use the SRD at least. It contains all of the rules necessary for 3.5 (I would imagine there are still some 3.0 rules out there) The link below will take you to the site where you can download legally for free.

System Reference Document (SRD) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35)

This link is good for fast checking as its linked all over to jump to the info you need.

Hypertext (http://www.d20srd.org/)
OldWarrior
03-29-06, 05:57 AM Well.. you need to use the SRD at least. It contains all of the rules necessary for 3.5 (I would imagine there are still some 3.0 rules out there) The link below will take you to the site where you can download legally for free.

System Reference Document (SRD) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35)

This link is good for fast checking as its linked all over to jump to the info you need.

Hypertext (http://www.d20srd.org/)

Hey, thanks! Now, I got to do some reading. :cool:
Seldriss
03-29-06, 08:18 AM It was very confusing to see the DMG II and PHB II at a store.
???!!!???
The Player's Handbook II is already here ? :eek:
jasper
03-30-06, 10:39 AM I use the core books only. And get some prices from my old DMG.
deadcows
04-04-06, 08:59 AM Well, this is one of my many "adventures" in the D&D relm. Yeah, I'm an old timer but just thought about coming back to the game. I'm sure I have lots to learn from all of you.

OLD WARRIOR

wow you were playing D&D when I was one. Well Iam a newbie here too but I don't know all that much about D&D. Hopefully I can learn a few things from you. You probably know a lot more then I do.
The Chondathan
04-04-06, 09:25 PM Well I was playing D&D when you were. I can tell you that your DM made up the necklace of protection from Vorpal. I still have a DMG and PHB from first edition and 2nd. Do you remember the Basic D&D Box set? Yeah I am old school geek. It sorta paid off though because I am also a physicist. I don't hear "I grab that," because the people I play with quickly learned that the person who searches first, grabs first, but yeah there is always somebody who quickly shouts "I search the bodies," and a lot of the time it is followed by several similar shouts.
ChaoticGood
04-05-06, 01:21 AM I don't hear "I grab that," because the people I play with quickly learned that the person who searches first, grabs first, but yeah there is always somebody who quickly shouts "I search the bodies," and a lot of the time it is followed by several similar shouts.

That, and DMs have long since learned to defuse a greedy rogue by making that first shiny bauble a cursed item... Even it wasn't actually cursed in the notes... :shifty:

Welcome back to D&D, Old Warrior! As someone who started out playing 1st Edition myself, I can honestly say: Yes, a lot has changed, but by and large it has changed for the better. For one thing, there's no more THAC0; who could remember that arcane matrix of numbers, anyway? The types of saving throws have been reduced to only three (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will). Oh, and there's no "roll under" checks anymore. Every roll is an attempt to get higher than a pre-set Difficulty Check. Big changes like these simplified the system by leaps and bounds.

As was said before, you should start with the Core Box Set. If you want suggestions beyond that, my first thought would be the Complete series, particularly Complete Adventurer. Complete Warrior, Arcane, and Divine are pretty useful if you like to play a class that falls into one of those categories, but Adventurer has a little something for everybody.

You also ,ight want to buy into either the Forgotten Realms or the Eberron Campaign Setting. The Campaign Setting Book and the Player's Guide are enough to get a feel and start playing in either one of these settings. Greyhawk is still technically the "default" setting, but little has been published for it in recent years.

Have fun rediscovering the hobby!
taradusis
04-16-06, 01:23 AM Many groups chip in for purchases of the books,mini's etc.Things work out well with a tight group that kicks a dollar a week into a kitty.
Bulletproof_Condom
04-16-06, 02:21 AM Vorpral swords
:twitch:

There's only one R in Vorpal. There's two Rs in Urgrosh.

3.5 is a very solid system. Get a Player's Handbook, a Dungeon Master's Guide, a Monster Manual, and an Expanded Psionics Handbook. Save things like Complete Warrior and PHB II for later (if ever).
kelvinaw273
04-16-06, 05:46 AM At the risk of showing my age I must point out that THAC0 was 2nd Ed .... 1st Ed had "To Hit Tables" rather than THAC0!! Compared to them, THAC0 was a step up in the world!

As for DM's like that, recall that back then there was no 'Community Resource' or any such. You bought the books and learned as you went along. Most groups rotated DMing, and this could sometimes lead to an escalation of Rule 0 excesses!

But most of us settled down after a few years and discovered (by trial and error) what real role-playing was.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
OldWarrior 03-28-06, 09:29 AM	Since I played D&D. I'm new here but I'm thinking about geting back in the game. The last time I played was back in 1989. I'm use to v1.0, now I see its 3.5!? Times have changed for sure. I don't think that players have changed though. Do you still hear "I grab it!"? Yeah, those were the days! I can remember that our DM was a little bit "out there". He could dream up all kinds of stuff....in a bad way. ALL his NPC's, I mean, ALL his NPC's were jerks! I still don't know why to this day. We would find ourselves with a dwarf, a fighter, elf, which ever and no matter who or what it was, that NPC was a JERK! Oh but wait, there's more: Back in 1982 (around that time) we played a game where this wizard/fighter (his character BTW) was in trouble and trapped by Timat (is this dragon still around?). Well, we were tasked to save him and retrieve this Orb of Power. And so, we did. We cleared out this "temple" full of monsters, got the Orb, and didn't fight her but, put Timat in her place. And so, here it comes...the time to put up with the crap. 'POOF', we teleported in some open field, all of us did. Most of our Magic items were gone. And alone by himself was a different character of his there to "bring balance to the cosmos". Who was he? Some grey elf with some "Sword of Cosmos" to kill us, all of us. Nice DM, huh? Well, there's more. You see, he ends up attacking us but, one of our players DID have a vorpal sword. You know, that sword that chops of heads? Anyways, he rolled the die and BAM, got a 17 with a +3 from his sword....oh bye bye dumb grey elf! NOPE!! Behold, he has a neckless of vorpal protection!! What the crap is that??!!! Long story short, yep you guessed it, we all died. Yeah, we save his character from death but his other character kills us! Well, this is one of my many "adventures" in the D&D relm. Yeah, I'm an old timer but just thought about coming back to the game. I'm sure I have lots to learn from all of you. OLD WARRIOR
jasper 03-28-06, 09:41 AM	Rules have changed but the players and the jerks are the same.
Missing Minds 03-28-06, 09:57 AM	I don't hear "grab it!" much at all. At least from the more mature groups. Vorpral swords have changed to where I think it takes a nat 20 on a roll of a d20 to take a head off. I don't know if 1.0 use THACO or not (Personally I'm glad that system is gone) Tiamat is still around and isn't just a dragon anymore. Evil goddess is more like it. Yeah, she powered up. As Japser said, the jerks are still out there. Hope you can find a good group!
OldWarrior 03-28-06, 10:13 AM	Thanks for the replies. BTW, how many books are there now? I have seen allot out there! Do you need all of them or what do you need to have a good game going?
weasel0 03-28-06, 10:40 AM	Only need the 3 core books. Players Hand Book, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (1)- PHB, DMG, MM1 repectivly ;) There's actually a "gift set" that has all 3 of those bundled together. I'd say check out amazon.com for deals and stuff. DMG2 - not that great. ditto for PHB2. MM2+3 are nifty. After you get them down, you can pick up other stuff as the flavor that suits your style dictates. Insect, undead, underdark, city based, alt systems, xtra core/PrC (Prestige Classes), and a smattering of all sorts of extra weaponery can be quite fun though draining on monitary resouces.
OldWarrior 03-28-06, 10:51 AM	Only need the 3 core books. Players Hand Book, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual (1)- PHB, DMG, MM1 repectivly ;) There's actually a "gift set" that has all 3 of those bundled together. I'd say check out amazon.com for deals and stuff. DMG2 - not that great. ditto for PHB2. MM2+3 are nifty. After you get them down, you can pick up other stuff as the flavor that suits your style dictates. Insect, undead, underdark, city based, alt systems, xtra core/PrC (Prestige Classes), and a smattering of all sorts of extra weaponery can be quite fun though draining on monitary resouces. Okay, thanks. It was very confusing to see the DMG II and PHB II at a store. Plus, all the other hardback books of stuff I can't remember. Yep, money can be an issue but, then again, there is always EBAY! ;)
Missing Minds 03-28-06, 12:02 PM	Well.. you need to use the SRD at least. It contains all of the rules necessary for 3.5 (I would imagine there are still some 3.0 rules out there) The link below will take you to the site where you can download legally for free. System Reference Document (SRD) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) This link is good for fast checking as its linked all over to jump to the info you need. Hypertext (http://www.d20srd.org/)
OldWarrior 03-29-06, 05:57 AM	Well.. you need to use the SRD at least. It contains all of the rules necessary for 3.5 (I would imagine there are still some 3.0 rules out there) The link below will take you to the site where you can download legally for free. System Reference Document (SRD) (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) This link is good for fast checking as its linked all over to jump to the info you need. Hypertext (http://www.d20srd.org/) Hey, thanks! Now, I got to do some reading. :cool:
Seldriss 03-29-06, 08:18 AM	It was very confusing to see the DMG II and PHB II at a store. ???!!!??? The Player's Handbook II is already here ? :eek:
jasper 03-30-06, 10:39 AM	I use the core books only. And get some prices from my old DMG.
deadcows 04-04-06, 08:59 AM	Well, this is one of my many "adventures" in the D&D relm. Yeah, I'm an old timer but just thought about coming back to the game. I'm sure I have lots to learn from all of you. OLD WARRIOR wow you were playing D&D when I was one. Well Iam a newbie here too but I don't know all that much about D&D. Hopefully I can learn a few things from you. You probably know a lot more then I do.
The Chondathan 04-04-06, 09:25 PM	Well I was playing D&D when you were. I can tell you that your DM made up the necklace of protection from Vorpal. I still have a DMG and PHB from first edition and 2nd. Do you remember the Basic D&D Box set? Yeah I am old school geek. It sorta paid off though because I am also a physicist. I don't hear "I grab that," because the people I play with quickly learned that the person who searches first, grabs first, but yeah there is always somebody who quickly shouts "I search the bodies," and a lot of the time it is followed by several similar shouts.
ChaoticGood 04-05-06, 01:21 AM	I don't hear "I grab that," because the people I play with quickly learned that the person who searches first, grabs first, but yeah there is always somebody who quickly shouts "I search the bodies," and a lot of the time it is followed by several similar shouts. That, and DMs have long since learned to defuse a greedy rogue by making that first shiny bauble a cursed item... Even it wasn't actually cursed in the notes... :shifty: Welcome back to D&D, Old Warrior! As someone who started out playing 1st Edition myself, I can honestly say: Yes, a lot has changed, but by and large it has changed for the better. For one thing, there's no more THAC0; who could remember that arcane matrix of numbers, anyway? The types of saving throws have been reduced to only three (Fortitude, Reflex, and Will). Oh, and there's no "roll under" checks anymore. Every roll is an attempt to get higher than a pre-set Difficulty Check. Big changes like these simplified the system by leaps and bounds. As was said before, you should start with the Core Box Set. If you want suggestions beyond that, my first thought would be the Complete series, particularly Complete Adventurer. Complete Warrior, Arcane, and Divine are pretty useful if you like to play a class that falls into one of those categories, but Adventurer has a little something for everybody. You also ,ight want to buy into either the Forgotten Realms or the Eberron Campaign Setting. The Campaign Setting Book and the Player's Guide are enough to get a feel and start playing in either one of these settings. Greyhawk is still technically the "default" setting, but little has been published for it in recent years. Have fun rediscovering the hobby!
taradusis 04-16-06, 01:23 AM	Many groups chip in for purchases of the books,mini's etc.Things work out well with a tight group that kicks a dollar a week into a kitty.
Bulletproof_Condom 04-16-06, 02:21 AM	Vorpral swords :twitch: There's only one R in Vorpal. There's two Rs in Urgrosh. 3.5 is a very solid system. Get a Player's Handbook, a Dungeon Master's Guide, a Monster Manual, and an Expanded Psionics Handbook. Save things like Complete Warrior and PHB II for later (if ever).
kelvinaw273 04-16-06, 05:46 AM	At the risk of showing my age I must point out that THAC0 was 2nd Ed .... 1st Ed had "To Hit Tables" rather than THAC0!! Compared to them, THAC0 was a step up in the world! As for DM's like that, recall that back then there was no 'Community Resource' or any such. You bought the books and learned as you went along. Most groups rotated DMing, and this could sometimes lead to an escalation of Rule 0 excesses! But most of us settled down after a few years and discovered (by trial and error) what real role-playing was.