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Help a Noob

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
laterus
Oct 21, 2008 23:48:42 So, i'm kinda a noob player, already read the PHB, any any other content that I can think of. What else would you recommend that I look into to learn more, and what do you recommend that I should start out as?
#2
AaronOfBarbaria
Oct 21, 2008 23:52:39 You should definitely start with whatever class and race interested you most - there is no "noob class" or "noob race" in 4th edition D&D.

As for learning more - Dragon Magazine has a lot of good articles for playing different races and different classes, with new option as well, the real best way to learn the game is to start playing: especially if you can join a group of players that already know the game.
#3
birdursh
Oct 22, 2008 10:32:58 If you're just intending to be a player for the time being, I recommend not getting too intimately familiar with everything. Get a basic understanding from reading the PBH (brush up on combat rules), figure out what kind of character you want to play, and then let the GM take you on an adventure.

Without knowing which edition you're playing for sure, it's tricky to make predictions about what will work best for you. However, if it's 4th Edition there is a fairly easy process since they divide the classes into blocks. Do you want to defend your allies, deal large damage, heal and lead, or control the field of battle? Once you figure that out, you can look to see which flavour you prefer. Mechanically, they're all fairly similar and none are much harder than any other.
#4
maulorn
Oct 22, 2008 12:33:13 Yes...find something you think you like and go with it. Playing is the best way to learn.
#5
laterus
Oct 22, 2008 18:23:19 Ya, I talked with my DM, He gave me some numbers for attributes and told me to roll up a character sheet (he said that he usually has to oversee it, but he trusts me). I did this and decided to roll up a nice rogue. So ya, I think that if my DM and the other players know what they are doing that I can pick this up really fast.

By the way, we're playing 4e but the DM says that there are some modifications. I talked to him about the rule changes and he says that there is really no huge difference, just trying to incorporate some things from 3.5 and earlier versions. kinda like a 3.99e.
#6
skyodin
Oct 22, 2008 18:41:09 If you do want to study something before playing D&D for the first time, these boards are full of good advice. I read them for a few months before playing 3E (due to not having a group), and I was fairly comfortable playing my first D&D game as a result.
#7
drjug
Oct 22, 2008 19:03:55 On the note of reading only the PHB i second that. If you memorize the MM then it will take away some of the adventure. As I a DM I would be ok with a player who just had to read the MM, as long as the PC was smart enough not to ruin the adventure for others.
#8
AttilatheNun
Oct 26, 2008 2:19:52 If you play for a while and enjoy it enough that you know you'll stick with it, you might consider investing in some of the supplements that have come out. Adventurer's Vault is stuffed with new choices of items. The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide may be setting specific, but there is plenty of stuff that can be used in any D&D game.

Before buying these books, however, consider looking through them a bit in the store. Their material is much more specific than the stuff in the PHB and will not interest everyone. Whether or not you like them is a matter of personal taste.
#9
pigknight
Oct 26, 2008 21:30:43 Also ask about allowing homebrew. BUT BE REALLY CAREFUL WHICH HOMEBREW CLASSES/RACES YOU ASK FOR!!! There is quite a few gems of balanced and fun classes (most of my creations *toot toot*)...then there's others...(not going to name specifics here). Ask your DM to look over them if he says ok, don't just show up with a homebrew class/race.
#10
mrparadigm
Oct 27, 2008 18:57:20 If you're just looking for some fluff, to help you get into the D&D mindset, the preview books (Races & Classes, and Worlds and Monsters) are a good place to start. The flavor text in the PHB is pulled for the most part from the atricles in the above books, and there is usually a lot more of it. If you're looking for rules/mechanics info, then these two books are not for you.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 laterus Oct 21, 2008 23:48:42	So, i'm kinda a noob player, already read the PHB, any any other content that I can think of. What else would you recommend that I look into to learn more, and what do you recommend that I should start out as?
#2 AaronOfBarbaria Oct 21, 2008 23:52:39	You should definitely start with whatever class and race interested you most - there is no "noob class" or "noob race" in 4th edition D&D. As for learning more - Dragon Magazine has a lot of good articles for playing different races and different classes, with new option as well, the real best way to learn the game is to start playing: especially if you can join a group of players that already know the game.
#3 birdursh Oct 22, 2008 10:32:58	If you're just intending to be a player for the time being, I recommend not getting too intimately familiar with everything. Get a basic understanding from reading the PBH (brush up on combat rules), figure out what kind of character you want to play, and then let the GM take you on an adventure. Without knowing which edition you're playing for sure, it's tricky to make predictions about what will work best for you. However, if it's 4th Edition there is a fairly easy process since they divide the classes into blocks. Do you want to defend your allies, deal large damage, heal and lead, or control the field of battle? Once you figure that out, you can look to see which flavour you prefer. Mechanically, they're all fairly similar and none are much harder than any other.
#4 maulorn Oct 22, 2008 12:33:13	Yes...find something you think you like and go with it. Playing is the best way to learn.
#5 laterus Oct 22, 2008 18:23:19	Ya, I talked with my DM, He gave me some numbers for attributes and told me to roll up a character sheet (he said that he usually has to oversee it, but he trusts me). I did this and decided to roll up a nice rogue. So ya, I think that if my DM and the other players know what they are doing that I can pick this up really fast. By the way, we're playing 4e but the DM says that there are some modifications. I talked to him about the rule changes and he says that there is really no huge difference, just trying to incorporate some things from 3.5 and earlier versions. kinda like a 3.99e.
#6 skyodin Oct 22, 2008 18:41:09	If you do want to study something before playing D&D for the first time, these boards are full of good advice. I read them for a few months before playing 3E (due to not having a group), and I was fairly comfortable playing my first D&D game as a result.
#7 drjug Oct 22, 2008 19:03:55	On the note of reading only the PHB i second that. If you memorize the MM then it will take away some of the adventure. As I a DM I would be ok with a player who just had to read the MM, as long as the PC was smart enough not to ruin the adventure for others.
#8 AttilatheNun Oct 26, 2008 2:19:52	If you play for a while and enjoy it enough that you know you'll stick with it, you might consider investing in some of the supplements that have come out. Adventurer's Vault is stuffed with new choices of items. The Forgotten Realms Player's Guide may be setting specific, but there is plenty of stuff that can be used in any D&D game. Before buying these books, however, consider looking through them a bit in the store. Their material is much more specific than the stuff in the PHB and will not interest everyone. Whether or not you like them is a matter of personal taste.
#9 pigknight Oct 26, 2008 21:30:43	Also ask about allowing homebrew. BUT BE REALLY CAREFUL WHICH HOMEBREW CLASSES/RACES YOU ASK FOR!!! There is quite a few gems of balanced and fun classes (most of my creations toot toot)...then there's others...(not going to name specifics here). Ask your DM to look over them if he says ok, don't just show up with a homebrew class/race.
#10 mrparadigm Oct 27, 2008 18:57:20	If you're just looking for some fluff, to help you get into the D&D mindset, the preview books (Races & Classes, and Worlds and Monsters) are a good place to start. The flavor text in the PHB is pulled for the most part from the atricles in the above books, and there is usually a lot more of it. If you're looking for rules/mechanics info, then these two books are not for you.