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New player needs tips info.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
thorgirm103
Jun 26, 2009 19:59:27 hey' guy's and gals I'm new to wanting to play D&D.I'm 14 and quite young to be interested in such a game,and some may know me from the magic forums.
what i want to ask first is ever since 2nd edition wtf happened to Ad&D and D&D there is a line D&D is simpler and AD&D is more complex what happened?
See i have the original 1st edition DM guide(got it for 7 bucks used books store great condition) what bugs me is that it's very unorganized and feels messy in the order of things put together in it.
I learned how to play the original D&D from a old reprint of the original module,had a wizard and fighter vs a dragon on cover.
Well my dad used to play AD&D he had the first module for D&d keep of/at the borderlands.(it's still in good condition).
Any way's i was more raised on the classic themes and this new stuff feels even more overwhelming. I have played Call of cthulhu with my dad and his friend twice, yet i have little experience.
Yet the person who wants to play with me and her friends are going by 3.5,i don't want to have to be shoved into clueless. i try rolling up a character but the new sheets have skills not listed in the old dm guide and reprinted 1st edition players handbook.
I just wish to play a nice dungeon crawl and not something to complected in the beginning what should i do?
Also i feel D&D has lost it's kid friendliness as you see old things from the 80's or so on and it's young kids like me playing yet nowaday's all i ever see is well mainly adult's and i don't like having to be a lion cub stuck with a bunch of big cat's.
I am in hurricane west virginia,if you wish to know.
#2
Dark_Stryke
Jun 26, 2009 20:07:42 Hey there Thorgrim!

First of all, welcome to the hobby.

Now, let's get down to business. From your post, it looks like your new group is going to be playing a 3.5 edition game, so your first edition book won't be of any use to you. Hang on to it anyway, those books are hard to find!

If you're going to be playing 3.5, you're going to need a 3.5 edition Player's Handbook (be sure not to pick up the 3.0 edition PHB or 3.5 edition PHBII!). It contains all the information you'll need to create a character.

If you'd like, you can download a character sheet from Wizards of the Coast Here. Without the book, though, it doesn't do you a lot of good.

You can also check out the 3.5 Edition System Reference Document, which has most of the information in the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual, all for free!

Hope that helps!
#3
Shiftkitty
Jun 26, 2009 20:13:38 The first thing I'd do is re-post this in "What's A Player To Do?".

Second, in my opinion, (been playing since those vintage beauties you got were brand new) I think the game has gotten easier as the editions progressed. See if you can find a 3.5e Player's Kit, which should include a quick-start set-up and a softcover 3.5PHB.

My complaint about 2e is that it was very penalty heavy. A -2 here, a -4 there, that was the only aspect of it I didn't care for. I've had a lot of fun with all editions, but I warn you if you go to 4e. It's a whole different beast. Still, it sounds like you're going 3e, which still has some third-party support, so you aren't dead in the water. (If you look around, you'll find all editions have third party support, even the 1974 set!)

2e was the last edition to have THAC0. When they went to the d20 rules, they chucked it out the window. Now a higher AC number is better. You don't take a penalty for not having a particular proficiency, and the skill list is a mile long, but don't let it bother you. Only that guy from the "Dos Equis" commercials could hope to have high scores in all of them. Just focus on the ones that will help your PC the most or that make the most sense to his background.

Sounds like you've already got a good background with roleplaying, so you should catch on in no time, even if you feel like you've been hit back to square one. 1e/2e to 3e/3.5e isn't that much of a learning curve, but take the time to read through the PHB for it, because there are so many more options to choose from.
#4
dirtyfrank
Jun 26, 2009 20:29:09
The first thing I'd do is re-post this in "What's A Player To Do?".

A re-posting is not needed. Just a simple contacting of webster can get this thread moved to the right forum.
#5
thorgirm103
Jun 26, 2009 20:34:42 actually what's a player to do forum is for IN GAME post's they need a tips and newbie like forum.
oh and my dad follows the wisdom of the most interesting man in the world he says lol.
oh and i have the 3.5 sheet downloaded.
#6
pigknight
Jun 26, 2009 20:47:33 What's a player to do is also for newbies. You should ask around there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 thorgirm103 Jun 26, 2009 19:59:27	hey' guy's and gals I'm new to wanting to play D&D.I'm 14 and quite young to be interested in such a game,and some may know me from the magic forums. what i want to ask first is ever since 2nd edition wtf happened to Ad&D and D&D there is a line D&D is simpler and AD&D is more complex what happened? See i have the original 1st edition DM guide(got it for 7 bucks used books store great condition) what bugs me is that it's very unorganized and feels messy in the order of things put together in it. I learned how to play the original D&D from a old reprint of the original module,had a wizard and fighter vs a dragon on cover. Well my dad used to play AD&D he had the first module for D&d keep of/at the borderlands.(it's still in good condition). Any way's i was more raised on the classic themes and this new stuff feels even more overwhelming. I have played Call of cthulhu with my dad and his friend twice, yet i have little experience. Yet the person who wants to play with me and her friends are going by 3.5,i don't want to have to be shoved into clueless. i try rolling up a character but the new sheets have skills not listed in the old dm guide and reprinted 1st edition players handbook. I just wish to play a nice dungeon crawl and not something to complected in the beginning what should i do? Also i feel D&D has lost it's kid friendliness as you see old things from the 80's or so on and it's young kids like me playing yet nowaday's all i ever see is well mainly adult's and i don't like having to be a lion cub stuck with a bunch of big cat's. I am in hurricane west virginia,if you wish to know.
#2 Dark_Stryke Jun 26, 2009 20:07:42	Hey there Thorgrim! First of all, welcome to the hobby. Now, let's get down to business. From your post, it looks like your new group is going to be playing a 3.5 edition game, so your first edition book won't be of any use to you. Hang on to it anyway, those books are hard to find! If you're going to be playing 3.5, you're going to need a 3.5 edition Player's Handbook (be sure not to pick up the 3.0 edition PHB or 3.5 edition PHBII!). It contains all the information you'll need to create a character. If you'd like, you can download a character sheet from Wizards of the Coast Here. Without the book, though, it doesn't do you a lot of good. You can also check out the 3.5 Edition System Reference Document, which has most of the information in the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual, all for free! Hope that helps!
#3 Shiftkitty Jun 26, 2009 20:13:38	The first thing I'd do is re-post this in "What's A Player To Do?". Second, in my opinion, (been playing since those vintage beauties you got were brand new) I think the game has gotten easier as the editions progressed. See if you can find a 3.5e Player's Kit, which should include a quick-start set-up and a softcover 3.5PHB. My complaint about 2e is that it was very penalty heavy. A -2 here, a -4 there, that was the only aspect of it I didn't care for. I've had a lot of fun with all editions, but I warn you if you go to 4e. It's a whole different beast. Still, it sounds like you're going 3e, which still has some third-party support, so you aren't dead in the water. (If you look around, you'll find all editions have third party support, even the 1974 set!) 2e was the last edition to have THAC0. When they went to the d20 rules, they chucked it out the window. Now a higher AC number is better. You don't take a penalty for not having a particular proficiency, and the skill list is a mile long, but don't let it bother you. Only that guy from the "Dos Equis" commercials could hope to have high scores in all of them. Just focus on the ones that will help your PC the most or that make the most sense to his background. Sounds like you've already got a good background with roleplaying, so you should catch on in no time, even if you feel like you've been hit back to square one. 1e/2e to 3e/3.5e isn't that much of a learning curve, but take the time to read through the PHB for it, because there are so many more options to choose from.
#4 dirtyfrank Jun 26, 2009 20:29:09	The first thing I'd do is re-post this in "What's A Player To Do?". A re-posting is not needed. Just a simple contacting of webster can get this thread moved to the right forum.
#5 thorgirm103 Jun 26, 2009 20:34:42	actually what's a player to do forum is for IN GAME post's they need a tips and newbie like forum. oh and my dad follows the wisdom of the most interesting man in the world he says lol. oh and i have the 3.5 sheet downloaded.
#6 pigknight Jun 26, 2009 20:47:33	What's a player to do is also for newbies. You should ask around there.