Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DeathcapJungle Jul 06, 2015 17:25:03	I sorta get the jist of it, but in a post length can someone give me a basic run down of it? Not the lore though, as I've read A LOT of the books. Just gameplay stuff like campaign settings, moving characters from one of those to another, how homebrew stuff is decided etc.
#2 rampant Jul 06, 2015 20:25:04	Well as a general rule you don't move characters between settings. It's not as big an issue right now, but many settings had specific material that didn't play well with other settings. There are games where that does happen but usually that's because it takes place in a larger setting like the planescape. Homebrew stuff is ultimately decided by the DM, however posting online can help you sort out your material and get ideas, or just derail into a lot of tired arguments.
#3 Imaculata Jul 07, 2015 3:00:43	So, you are asking what DnD is like, and how you play it?   I won't go into all the game rules, because that is what the books are for. I can only describe how I play DnD, which may differ from how others play it. Basically it starts like this. I gather a group of friends that like playing DnD, or are curious to try it, and say:   "Guys, I have this and this idea for a homebrew setting. Would you be interested?"   If they say yes, then we determine a date for the first session, and try and work out a regular schedule where we meet up at least once a week. This can be at my house, or it can be at someone elses. Maybe we'll change it from week to week. We can also agree on playing in one of the standard DnD settings, or we can decide to play an adventure module from a book.   Prep time With the setting decided, The Dungeon Master starts prepping. He usually makes a simple map of the land, and writes a story with good guys and villains. He also figures out how the player-characters will first meet each other. He prepares monsters, because of course there will be combat. He also makes sure that the group has all the books that they need, such as a Dungeon Master Guide, a Player Handbook, perhaps a Monster Manual, and all the necessary dice.   The first session On the day of the first session, the players start making characters by consulting the Player Handbook. They try to all fill a different role, and pick alignments that can work together. Players usually pick some starter equipment as well from the Player Handbook.   The players often bring drinks and snacks, because this is a fun evening with friends after all.   Everyone brings their own dice, and someone makes sure that empty character sheets are printed out.  These are easy to find online, but also provided with any DnD starter set (or in the back of the Player Handbook). The DM then starts narrating the story, and this is where the game starts. A general session is a mix between the DM giving descriptions, the players talking and taking actions, and the DM narrating what the outcome of those actions are. The DM also plays the part of every character in the story that the players meet.   In between the storytelling, there is plenty of room for jokes and out-of-character banter. Some groups have very strict rules against this sort of thing. But I don't think the game needs to be taken this serious. Just as long as it doesn't disrupt the game completely, it should be perfectly fine to have a big laugh.   First combat When there's a fight, everyone rolls for initiative, to determine in what order the combat takes place. The DM also does the same for all of the adversaries (or he can choose to roll once for a group of foes). The combat then proceeds as described in the books, with a lot of dice rolling, and keeping track of statistics on your paper sheets. Sometimes you also use miniatures to illustrate the positions of all the characters, but this isn't really needed. It does make it look more fancy though, but you are expected to imagine most of it. That is why the DM should be a good storyteller.   After combat is over, the DM can give out rewards in the form of experience points (calculated based on the difficulty of the monsters) and of course treasure. There are clear rules for all these topics in the books.   A session can last for several hours, or just one hour, depending on how much time you want to spend on DnD. Usually I play in the evening, and my group plays till midnight.   Prepping for session 2 The DM prepares the next session. He makes a rough estimate of how much story needs to be written, and what locations/maps need to be ready, incase the players visit new places. Some DM's prep for 20 minutes, others for much longer (like myself).   The second session Usually this starts with a short recap of what happened the last time. Players once again bring a lot of snacks, laugh, and talk about nonsense. Then eventually the DM gets their attention, and the story picks up again from where they left off. The players continue to make various choices in the game, and talk to lots of characters. They fight dangerous monsters and gather treasure. And they may eventually travel to new locations, such as new cities, or forests. Or they may explore dungeons and caves. The DM is responsible for prepping accordingly, so that a dungeon or city is ready for when the players visit it.   And so on and so on.   The last session The last session is usually when the story either comes to an end, or the DM/players are bored with the campaign, or the DM/players want to start something new. A lot of adventures never see completion, unless they are short adventures, and thats perfectly fine. Some players play the same campaign for years. Some play within the same setting, but switch to a new DM every few weeks. Sometimes every player eventually takes a stab at being a DM, and the previous DM becomes a player. This differs from group to group.