Hi everyone
I am just looking through the site and am intersted in D&D but do have a few doubts. I cant make out the difference between D&D and D&D Miniatures. Also , in clicking the product list for 2009 I am being shown entries that belong to D&D core, Dungeons and Dragons,Eberron and Miniatures. Could someone explain the differences that set these apart? Sorry for the stupid question, but I would love to know more about the game.
D&D is primarily a Roleplaying(RP) game with each player playing a single character except the GM (Games Master) who controls the rest of the universe the characters play in.
D&D Minatures is primarily a combat oriented game where each player take control of a force of minatures on a battlefield, there is no GM.... at least that was true in 3.5 ^^ I havent really given it a second look since then ^^
The cross over is during combat in D&D the players use minatures?
Have you played any RP games before, and if so, do your already have a group/palyers in mind?
Just spied on you(your previous forums posts;) ), I can see you're primarily a magic player.
Ask around amongs your Magic group if any plays, you'll prob find that anyone above the age of 21 has at some point played and prob still does.
The way to make your decision about "which" is going to be told get hold of a copy of the PHB, all the basic rules are in there, and a pack of minatures (try and pick one with a character you know you maywell want to play, it will be useful reguardless of which way you want to go with it).
Hope that help, I'll try and keep an eye on this thread if you need any more help.
ShiningMongoose has it right.
D&D is a game of story-telling, essentially. So D&D is a series of rules for what happens when the characters in this collaborative story hit each other with swords or what-have-you.
D&D Miniatures is more of a tabletop board game and wargame. Think of Risk, but with orcs and goblins.
However, you can use the miniatures from the D&D Miniatures game to represent your character in the main D&D game, and this is usually done in combat.
Eberron is a campaign world within which you can play D&D.
Does that make sense?
However, you can use the miniatures from the D&D Miniatures game to represent your character in the main D&D game, and this is usually done in combat.
Eberron is a campaign world within which you can play D&D.
Does that make sense?
I'll take it from here. I feel like you didn't fully convey stuff. I'll give it a try.
Roleplay games are essentially an improvised collaborative storytelling game. The players and the Game Master (GM) try and use their imaginations to create something they all enjoy. Since everyone's different and imaginations are the most varied thing within us, rules are necessary, 'else people start stepping on each others' toes. Thus, there are various rules for RPGs. Dungeons & Dragons is a medieval magic fantasy ruleset, in the vein of Lord of the Rings (sorta).
When you play D&D, you choose a character that you create (or is created for you; you just need the stats for the character written somewhere), and you -- almost like an actor -- control the character and behave as him in conversation in this imagination-based environment established by the GM.
Books that you need to start playing are simple: the Player's Handbook (PH or PHB). If you intend to be the GM (or the Dungeon Master [DM], as it is often called in this particular ruleset), you'll at least need the Dungeon Master's Guide and the Monster Manual in order to create and govern.
Books like the Eberron and Forgotten Realm guides are examples of "premade" environments. While many DMs like to spend time creating the environments for their group, a great number also enjoy using what has been created (I don't, but that's irrelevant). These guides outline a made-up world that is created with ideas for adventure in mind, so that you can more easily create situations of great danger for battle (one of the most core portions of playing D&D is combat).
I hope you find an enjoyment in D&D, because it's a fun hobby. Just remember to straddle the line between "rebel against the rules" and "slave to the rules." It's a pretty thick line, but some people just kinda lean a little too far off and forget to pull themselves back to the center.
Whee ty for the responses everyone 
ShiningMongoose, ty for the response sir,I haven't played any RPG's except for Baldur's Gate on PC.I am in Asia and I dont think there are many who play D&D here , sadly 
Brentnewhall,ty for replying sir,So to be good at D&D you need to have a good imagination I guess? I'm afraid that lets me out,I wouldn't have the creativity to come up with storylines.*shrugs*
Caeric,ty for the explanation sir.Ty for detailing what I would need to start playing.
I think D&D would be a bit too tough for me, I may not be plunging in yet but I appreciate all of you explaining stuff to me,tyvm everyone
Brentnewhall,ty for replying sir,So to be good at D&D you need to have a good imagination I guess? I'm afraid that lets me out,I wouldn't have the creativity to come up with storylines.*shrugs*
Not really. There are plenty of pregenerated modules out there, and if someone else is the DM, you wouldn't be the one coming up with storylines. Then, there's the age-old, tried-and-true method of:
www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=6...
www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0001.ht...
Storyline theft. Tends to work better either with things the others haven't come across before, or with their acknowledgement and support. You can take almost any action movie and create a D&D campaign out of it - and it can go even longer if the players *don't* know the movie and do things unexpectedly! Maybe the Party Paladin decides he doesn't want to be a good guy anymore, and falls, joining his father to overthrow the evil Sorceror and take control of his empire.
(Not that something like that is terribly recommended for new players - it can be rather difficult to have inter-party conflict.)
dnd minis is a dumbed down wargame. If you spend much time hanging around gaming stores ask if/when people there play dnd minis/ heroclix/ mageknights/ or anything of that sort. You build an army (each piece has a cost, so your 200 point army might have 10 guys that cost 15-25 points and your oponent my have 20 guys that cost 10 points each) and your armies fight till one side is all dead. from my experience games take less than an hour.
pencil and paper roleplaying is a little harder to explain without experienceing it. I'd suggest reading some of the "confessions of a full time" articles at the dnd insider pages, or skimming through a dnd for dummies book at your local bookstore.
So to be good at D&D you need to have a good imagination I guess? I'm afraid that lets me out,I wouldn't have the creativity to come up with storylines.*shrugs*
You don't have to be good at D&D to have fun. D&D has as much or as little depth, storylines or imagination as you want. My first time ever playing D&D was pretty much the party going from town A to town B and on the way we just picked some random creatures and had a few fight. There was pretty much no storyline and we all had a blast. Perhaps as you play more, you want to incorporate more depth of character or storylines. It is not a requirement to have fun.
Thanks a heap for replying,everybody.
I am trying to find D&D at a local store but haven't had any luck so far, thanks a lot for the posts though. I am also trying to find a D&D for dummies book :p
I am also trying to find a D&D for dummies book :p
I'm not very impressed with the D&D for dummies book when I browsed through it. I didn't really see anything that I thought would be really good for beginners. Some of the advice I don't agree with either like the top 10 things. I would ask for more feedback about D&D for dummies before purchasing it.
I personally do not think that you really need D&D for dummies to play D&D. If you are concerned about playing it correctly, there's an easy way to know if you are. You are playing it correctly if everyone is having fun. I'd suggest you just dive right in and explore the game.
Download the Savage Worlds Test Drive Rules here:
Savage Worlds is far easier to get into and you'll be able to get playing faster. All you need is a set of dice! It's not D&D, but it will give you a very good idea as to what role-playing is all about. Plus there are far more settings to choose from, so if you have trouble recruiting people for fantasy you have some great options to choose from.
Thank you sirs, for the replies I'm trying to get hold of a D&D kit (the PHB and the dice and all that I mean- My local stores dont have 'em). Ty everyone , for the quick replies. If I have any more questions I'll post them here hehe. Bye for now
check my sig for free stuffs to test out D&D.
Ty sir for those links in your sig
Edit: I am coming across different places like Eberron, Forgotten Realms etc and am wondering how you differentiate between those places? I mean when I look into the maps which the above signature points to, how do I know whether it is set in Eberron or some other place? Each place must have its own special kind of geography, flora/fauna and stuff so when you make up a map that is supposed to be in let's say Eberron, it would have to show the Eberron nature right? Where can I find out about the different areas in D&D? *Sorry for my english, English is not my first language so I am sorry for talking in a confusing way and dearly hope that you guys understand what I am trying to say.*
these are just pre-made maps... nothing more really. some are attached to a book but it's not needed. i use these when i don't feel like being a cartographer and just need a dungeon or location pre-made.
the 2005 supplement, heroes of horror, has a map entitled "the graveyard". it's a pretty standard one that has a few plots, a few crypts, ect... and can be used for virtually any Micheal Jackson inspired zombie ambush.
another one down is, "Shadow House", is a typical "creepy old decrepit manor on the hill, possibly haunted"
again, one further down is the "Vampire Lord's Castle". 4 floors of castle, ready to use.
some of the older ones, like the 2000 "Sacred Caverns" is great if you want a large complex for a dungeon crawl. others are a map-pack type thing. in march of 2001 they had a "haunted village" theme. the blurbs next to the maps give a small description of what it's original purpose was, but it's really easy to change some of it around to suit your needs.
most of those maps and the towns... don't exist in a "real" setting. at best it's the pseudo-setting created for purpose of placing it on a map. if you want to use it as-is they aren't that hard to place. in the Stormwrack section, there's one called "Hag Cavern". it doesn't reference one place in particular, but you could put it in the Lhazaar Principalities in Eberron as a pirate hideout. if it does refer to a preexisting place, feel free to change names. i know i do.
no worries about the english. i'm a francophone myself.
Ty for the detailed explanation sir, I appreciate it. I am trying to assimilate all that's been said and being slow in thinking, I am going at it slowly hehehe. When/if I make a small map and say that it is a part of Eberron, it should have things which the realm of Eberron has right sir? I dunno what Eberron is like, but if it is a marshy damp sort of place, then, one cannot just place a desert onto that setting right sir? That is what I was trying to ask (or rather, that is what I wanted to ask). I think you mean I can just plonk down a new place into the already charted out map and thus just expand it? How do I understand what sort of place Eberron is, where in the greater map of the world does Eberron exist? By buying books that refer to Eberron?(I mean maps?).I dont even know if all these places are marked out on maps that I can buy?
Ty for the detailed explanation sir, I appreciate it. I am trying to assimilate all that's been said and being slow in thinking, I am going at it slowly hehehe. When/if I make a small map and say that it is a part of Eberron, it should have things which the realm of Eberron has right sir? I dunno what Eberron is like, but if it is a marshy damp sort of place, then, one cannot just place a desert onto that setting right sir? That is what I was trying to ask (or rather, that is what I wanted to ask). I think you mean I can just plonk down a new place into the already charted out map and thus just expand it? How do I understand what sort of place Eberron is, where in the greater map of the world does Eberron exist? By buying books that refer to Eberron?(I mean maps?).I dont even know if all these places are marked out on maps that I can buy?
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4map/2... , the main continent is the one called Khorvaire.
now, as GM you can drop a desert wherever you want... nothing is stopping you. heck, my roommate fused Toril & Rokugan in the same world (Toril being where Forgotten Realms is & Rokugan the "oriental adventure" setting or essentially Japan-land).
heck, having a desert drop suddenly in Eberron's Shadow Marshes is reason enough to send a crew of trained adventurers to investigate.
you might get a few weird looks from people who know the setting, but hey, it's the GM's perogative to modify the game as he sees fit. My FR is not my roommate's FR which is not my buddy's FR.
if you have more questions, just ask!
Thank you for the detailed answer sir, I am much obliged Just one another question for now- where can I know more about the lands and settings? I mean where do I look for the official settings and details of say, Forgotten Realms? I am half sure that there are official books that deal with official settings. Again,ty vm for the replies sir.
edit: I looked into the link given and saw the title "settings" in the page which only shows 2 settings- Forgotten Realms and Eberron. What about the rest of the settings?(rest of the Realms/ World I mean).
Thank you for the detailed answer sir, I am much obliged
edit: I looked into the link given and saw the title "settings" in the page which only shows 2 settings- Forgotten Realms and Eberron. What about the rest of the settings?(rest of the Realms/ World I mean).
currently, the only "official" worlds/settings are Forgotten Realms & Eberron. next year we're getting Dark Sun, which warms the caucles of my cold, cold, cynical heart. lots of players, however, have their own hombrew settings for perusal online. best place to ask for those would be in the campaign/adventure forum.
for information on the different areas, the official sourcebooks are your best bet for information. most gaming stores that stock 4th ed products should have a copy or two. both eberron and FR have been around for a bit, so you can find some 3rd ed sourcebooks for both used or on sale. FR in particular has material dating way back to 2nd ed that you might be able find. you can also find websites describing the setting... i'm sure there are unofficial wikis for FR & Eberron, but for the best info, check the official books.
i'll note that most of the important material is not edition specific, mind you. you'll need to redo the stats of the NPCs you're planning on using if you're converting 2nd/3rd ed FR to 4th ed, and the items/feats/whatnot will need some reworking, but the information on the different regions, power groups, races, ect... is still usable. there are changes between each edition, especially in FR since they give it a quasi-reboot by advancing the timeline (at every edition change they add some time), but nothing is stopping you from playing in the older timelines. i know of games still being played in the 2nd & 3rd ed timelines, regardless of editions.
heck, i'm using 2nd & 3rd ed material for inspiration in my 4th ed eberron game that i'm ironing out the specific details of. My 2nd ed ravenloft & dark sun stuff are used since there's a big focus on the survival & horror themes (the party is being sent to find out what happened to the "other party", lost in the mournland). i'm also borrowing from 3rd ed's Heroes of Horror & Libris Mortis for help fleshing out the horror theme and LM is a great compliment to my 2nd ed Van Richten guides (ravenloft books discussing ancient dead & ghosts) & 4th ed Open Grave because undead are awesome like that. i have no shame admitting to porting over stuff from one setting to another then giving it a facelift.
Again, tyvm dear sir, for taking the pain to write the lucid reply. Grateful for explaining in detail . Sadly the stores in my neighbourhood dont have D&D, so I'm trying to get a credit card so that I can shop online hehehe.
Be aware that D&D recently underwent a change of editions. There really is a Dungeons and Dragons for Dummies book, but it describes playing the 3rd Edition. You'll find that some groups are still playing 3rd, while many - especially newer groups - are using 4th Edition. (I prefer Third myself, but I cheerfully concede that 4th Edition is easier to learn as a newcomer.)
A 'lack of imagination' isn't as big a problem as you'd think. Unless you're "running" a session (acting as referee), you really only have to imagine one hero - and you can do a total rip-off of a character from TV or books if you're really desperate for an idea.
Ty for replying ,sir. I'll try out the 4th edition as everyone seems to agree about its ease to grasp. I'll stick with playing a character and not be a DM 
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