A help for a D&D newbie

[AnAngryMoose]

Me and my friends have taken up an interest in D&D. At the moment we have a very simple version of the game with dumbed that rules as a springboard for our interest and a 4E Player Handbook, Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide. I'll more than likely be the group's Dungeon Master while 3 or 4 friends will be the players. In the event of me not being the DM and being an actual Player I'll be using a Tiefling Warlock.

I just have a few questions for any more experienced D&D players.

1) How important are the extra installments of the core rulebooks for a new player? (E.G: Player Handbook 2, Monster Manual 2, etc.) I'm worried that I could just end up wasting money on a repetition of the basic rules with a few extra bits tacked on.

2) Are the extra Tilesets worth it? We'll be starting off by doing the pre-made adventures such as Castle Ravenloft before we start making our own. Would we be better off just using tiles from these adventures or would buying seperate packs of tiles help?

Any other tips, pointers and advice for getting started or just generally playing would be great!

N.B: I don't want people flooding the responses with comments about how much 4E sucks.

 

[migo]

Do not, under any circumstances buy the current DMG1, PHB1 or MM1 - they are seriously out of date and have had the shit erratad to the point that you hardly recognise them. Next month the D&D Essentials line is launching with all the updated rules, and it's cheaper to start with anyway.

 

[Canadian Briton]

Can't help you much there (never played D&D) , but Im guessing extra installments don't matter much unless you are using stuff from it, so you can play without them (Oh and I think the Players handbook 2 is just about new classes, PC races and other stuff like that, not actual rules)

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

1) Not. Golden Rule of D&D: Everything is optional.
2) Honestly no, you can get a big whiteboard for next to nothing and some whiteboard markers.

From Ehow [http://www.ehow.com/how_2073652_play-dungeons-dragons.html]

Things You'll Need:

* Campaign map (Pre-made or drawn on vinyl battle mat or hex paper)
* Miniature figures
* Polyhedral dice: four-sided, six-sided, eight-sided, 10-sided, 12-sided and 20-sided
* Pencils and scratch paper
* Graph paper

1.
Gather a group of people. Designate someone to act as Dungeon Master. This person should be thoroughly familiar with the system and the Dungeon Master's Guide.
2.
Provide each of the remaining players with a character to play. Players may create their own characters in one of several classes (fighter, thief, wizard, cleric) and submit them to the DM for approval. They also can play characters already created by the DM. Collectively, these characters form an adventuring "party."
3.
Establish the parameters of the adventure. The simplest adventure is a dungeon crawl, where the characters wander through a dungeon or similar structure, battling monsters and finding treasure. More complex adventures involve quests to find a particular object or objects necessary to destroy a major menace.
4.
Start the adventure. Typically, this is done by issuing the party members a challenge, which usually means someone or something giving the party a task to complete, such as finding a dragon's egg or taking a magic ring to the heart of a volcano to destroy it.
5.
Role-play various actions through verbal description, dialogue and rolling dice to determine whether those actions succeed or fail.
6.
Combat monsters, animals and evil forces. To destroy an opponent, the damage player characters inflict on an opponent must exceed the number of hit points the opponent possesses.
7.
Reward the players with treasure and additional equipment after they succeed at a task or combat. At the end of the adventure, award experience points that players can use to enhance their characters' abilities.

Have fun And if you can, post a synopsis of the game for us to enjoy.

 

[Albino Boo]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/checkfortraps/7382-Check-for-Traps-The-Guide-for-New-Tabletop-Players

and
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/edit/9.228562.7890538

 

[Flying-Emu]

You don't need any extras.

I don't use the tiles, I just use a 6' x 3' 1.25 inch grid paper and draw on it.

 

[Twad]

For tileset, i like the idea of using a large piece of paper grid covered by a plastic layer so you can draw with erasable marker on it.

For the books, the three core ones are plenty to begin with.

 

[Jimalcoatl]

Ok, firstly, D&D Essentials isn't necessarily what you want, it's a simplified version of 4E that's made to be compatible with the rest of 4E so it COULD be what you want. The 3 cores are fine, yes they have a lot of errata but most of it is really minor and a quick browsing of the compiled errata document on the WotC web site is all it takes to be up to date rules wise. As for the other core books, the PHB series gives more options to players, new races, classes, and feats. The PHB2 contains the really important errata for PHB1. PHB2 introduces the Primal Power Source, as well as gives great new class options, it's especially nice to have access to more controller classes since with just PHB1 all you have is the Wizard. PHB3 introduces the Psionic power source and several new races that personally I find to be the strange or freakshow type races that wouldn't fit in most games, such as minotaurs, wilden (plant people)and shard minds (rock/crystal people). Unless you really want Psionics it can be skipped and you won't lose much.

For DMGs, DMG2 really expands nicely on DMG1, adding other options for customizing your monsters, campaign world and the amount you want magical items to play a role in your game, I highly recommend it, but it can be skipped if you are on a budget or want to save reading time.

As for Monster Manuals, well they're books full of monsters. The MM1 is more than enough to get you started, espicially if you take to customizing and building your own monsters with the DMG1 and DMG2. The other two do provide a lot of ideas for things to throw at your players and may help inspire you as a DM. So they're nice to have but can be skipped.

Oh and skip dungeon tiles all togther imo, they'll eat your wallet like nothing else if you let them. Just get one or two of these mats (http://paizo.com/store/gameAids/gamingMats/steelSqwire/v5748btpy83yx) and a good set of markers. They work with dry erase, wet erase and permanent differently so it's good to have a set of all three. I use dry erase when I'm in a hurry or foresee having to erase a lot, wet erase for things I draw in advance but plan to erase mid session or foresee getting smudged, and I use permanent for things that I draw n advance and plan to keep on there over the course of a couple game sessions.

 

[GonzoGamer]

I must confess that I don?t know much about 4thE.
But in past editions, I always felt more is better. I even got into the Ravenloft and Forgotten Realms boxes.
If you want to work out of one book in a system where you can make things up as you go along, I would recommend Palladium. It has broad coverage for everything in the base rulebook and anything that isn?t there can be easily mocked up. As someone who has extensive experience DMing, the Palladium system is a lot easier and quicker to work with; very streamlined. That way, you don?t even need the adventure books, you can just use stories you?ve read or make it up as you go along. The last campaign I made up was incredibly epic and stitched together many adventures from things I made up to movies to books I read.

 

[MisterShine]

I just have a few questions for any more experienced D&D players.

1) How important are the extra installments of the core rulebooks for a new player? (E.G: Player Handbook 2, Monster Manual 2, etc.) I'm worried that I could just end up wasting money on a repetition of the basic rules with a few extra bits tacked on.

The extra books are pretty cool, but they're very situational. Not much in way of extra rules, mostly just new classes and races in the PHB2 & 3, and new monsters (obviously) in MM 2 and 3. You and your players may want to go to like a bookstore and flip through them eventually, see if there are anything in those that really catch your eye, and if so, then grab them. Or have your players get one

2) Are the extra Tilesets worth it? We'll be starting off by doing the pre-made adventures such as Castle Ravenloft before we start making our own. Would we be better off just using tiles from these adventures or would buying seperate packs of tiles help?

This one is rather dependent on the group. If you players think dry erase boards or big sheets of graph paper are kinda lame or just don't add as much immersion as they'd like, then definitely pick up the tilesets. I'm pretty sure they're only like 10 bucks on Amazon anyway. Though if you and your players don't mind the 'lowtech' options, those serve perfectly well.

Any other tips, pointers and advice for getting started or just generally playing would be great!

I just started playing 4e a couple months ago with some friends (none of whom had ever played DnD), and we're still having a ton of fun. Some tips for you as a DM:

1. For the love and divinity of Bahamut, read Check for Traps here on Escapist. Half of them are basically "Here's how to be a good DM!", and read the comments too. Lots of differing opinions and other playstyles you might be interested in. And remember, the world and character building are all up to you.

2. Know what you want from the game, and what your players want, and make sure you compromise if these aren't exactly the same. Do you guys want a super-serious game deciding the fate of the world with intense drama and personal involvement, and no take-backs? Or a ridiculous Wire-Fu battling brawl, which focuses more on punching dudes through walls and being able to take back decisions from a few minutes back? Or somewhere in between?

Of course if you guys don't know right away, no big deal. You can figure it out together.

3. Be social, but remain firm. Rule 0 (What The DM Says, Goes) is always in full effect, and you must use your powers for good. Good for the game. Also, while the unexpected things the players do will ALWAYS happen no matter how much you prepare, don't be afraid to fudge things a bit to keep the story rolling as you'd like it to. But if that would silly or excessive, just roll with it and see what happens.

4. Learn to think on your feet.


5.

Do not, under any circumstances buy the current DMG1, PHB1 or MM1 - they are seriously out of date and have had the shit erratad to the point that you hardly recognise them. Next month the D&D Essentials line is launching with all the updated rules, and it's cheaper to start with anyway.

Ignore this post. I've been playing 4 months with just the basic 3, (plus PHB3 for monks), and we're still doing just fine. Starting with DnD essentials might not be a bad idea, but if you guys don't feel like waiting the Base 3 are good enough to get things going. In times of doubt, Rule 0.

edit:

6. Fuck 4e rules. Bring back critical misses on a natural 1. Be creative!

 

[migo]

5.

Do not, under any circumstances buy the current DMG1, PHB1 or MM1 - they are seriously out of date and have had the shit erratad to the point that you hardly recognise them. Next month the D&D Essentials line is launching with all the updated rules, and it's cheaper to start with anyway.

Ignore this post. I've been playing 4 months with just the basic 3, (plus PHB3 for monks), and we're still doing just fine. Starting with DnD essentials might not be a bad idea, but if you guys don't feel like waiting the Base 3 are good enough to get things going. In times of doubt, Rule 0.

No, Ignore MisterShine. If you're wanting to at all use any of the resources available online, the original 3 won't be compatible. The PHB1 has V-classes that everyone hates and haven't been used since. The way Monsters were designed has been completely changed too. Page 42 in the DMG has been revised way too many times. At this point in D&D4e's existence the 3 core books aren't worth getting. Essentials gives you all the rules in one place rather than spread out across several books, cutting down on clutter and what everyone needs to get, it gives you much clearer starting points for characters and gives you a number of useful resources for DMs as well. Playing any edition play aids are a great boon, and the DM's kit is full of them rather than just being a book. The Essentials line is a better distribution of rules and content than the rather outdated PHB/DMG/MM model only used by D&D and never adopted by any other RPG that isn't a straight clone of it, and the Essentials line is also current with all the advice and supplemental materials you may wish to buy. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper. You can do with Rules Compendium, one of the Heroes of books and the DM's kit and not need anything else. There's no way you're getting DMG1, PHB1 and MM1 at under $40 to start.

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

Me and my friends just make our own rules and our own monsters and areas. We do a very primitive form of the game, all we have is a 4e handbook and a d20, but we make do

 

[migo]

Ok, firstly, D&D Essentials isn't necessarily what you want, it's a simplified version of 4E

No, it's 4e, the complete rules, presented in a different way. It's not simplified. Read up on the countless interviews done with the team that's putting it together and all the previews that are up on the WotC site, you're completely wrong about the simplified part. It's just organised and presented differently.

that's made to be compatible with the rest of 4E so it COULD be what you want. The 3 cores are fine, yes they have a lot of errata but most of it is really minor and a quick browsing of the compiled errata document on the WotC web site is all it takes to be up to date rules wise.

Along with post it notes on virtually every single page. It's not worth buying something right now that already needs to be erratad. That'd be like buying the current version of Resident Evil 5 Gold for PS3 that needs to be patched for move support, brand new, instead of waiting for the one with Move support included that doesn't need a patch, except in the case of D&D all the post it notes, entire page replacements and notes in the margins will ruin the look of the books.

D&D 4e PHB1 - $23
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Players-Handbook-Heinsoo/dp/0786948671/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942592&sr=8-1

D&D 4e DMG1 - $23
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Dungeon-Masters-Guide/dp/0786948809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942640&sr=8-1

D&D 4e MM1 - $23
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Monster-Manual-Roleplaying/dp/0786948523/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942665&sr=8-1

Total: $69

D&D Essentials Rules Compendium - $13 (includes all the updated rules from PHB1, DMG1 as well as all the additional rules from PHB2, DMG2 and every other supplement - there's much less need for any of the existing books if you get this)
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Compendium-Essential-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/0786956216/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942709&sr=8-2

Heroes of the Fallen Lands - $13
http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Fallen-Lands-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942788&sr=8-1

OR

Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms - $13
http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Forgotten-Kingdoms-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956194/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942788&sr=8-2

Either of these is all you need for character classes to start out with, Heroes of the Fallen Lands covers the traditional classes from earlier editions of D&D.

Dungeon Master's Kit - $26
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Masters-Kit-Essential-Dungeons/dp/0786956305/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282942788&sr=8-4

Total Cost: $52

The important thing with the D&D Essentials line is that with the Rules Compendium there's less need for PHB2 or PHB3, and that the monsters included in it will be compatible with MM2 and MM3 while the ones from MM1 will seem out of place. You have the option to start at a lower entry price and expand from there, with better expansion options if you want PHB2 and PHB3 or MM2 and MM3 but also less need to get either of them.

As has been mentioned, DMG2 is always a great addition regardless because of the advice contained within.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Graph paper. Graph paper is the universal tool.

Happy playing!