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Dungeons and Dragons: How do I get started?

SuperJerradSuperJerrad Registered User regular
edited June 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
Me and a few friends are bored out of skulls with many of the videogames we have tried. We want something that can hold our interest. Dungeons and dragons seems like it could do just that, if not more. I am really interested in learning how I can get started. I went to the website but all that contains is information on the books and/or podcasts of people playing. Anyone got any help or advice?

SuperJerrad on

Posts

  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Do you have any local games shops? Most comic shops also tend to be game shops, fyi.

    Go down and visit one, ask if they run games there. Alot of shops do. You and your friends can play down there and decide if you want to invest further in the hobby.

    To play you only really need one set of books, but everyone should try and get a players handbook for themselves. You can get a full set of the core books for about $70.

    There is also 3.5 edition, which while wizards does not support anymore, there is a legal compilation of the core rules online. A bit harder to understand than the books though, and I would personally recommend 4e anyway

    Foolish Chaos on
  • SuperJerradSuperJerrad Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    What do you mean by game stores?

    I used the store locator on the DnD Wizards website and the only place they sell the books near me is a GameStop. But I thought they just sold video games and such.

    SuperJerrad on
  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Well, like this is my local game store.

    Basically a store which specializes in board/card/war games is what you are looking for.

    I can't really think of a big franchise, except for maybe a Hobby Town.

    Foolish Chaos on
  • SuperJerradSuperJerrad Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    There isn't a comic book/games store like that near me that I know of. Any way to find out?

    SuperJerrad on
  • ScosglenScosglen Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Aside from Gamesworkshop or WoTC stores, almost all of these kinds of stores are going to be small chains or one-off stores, so it's kind of hard to search for them. You'll have to try some googling or looking through local directories or something. Maybe give this a try http://ww2.wizards.com/StoreAndEventLocator/

    You can buy the materials in lots of places but only these types of stores are generally geared to take in new players and give them a spin on Warhammer if they've never played or run D&D newbie nights or something.

    In terms of what to get, I would recommend fourth edition (The newest and current edition. This is what Gabe and Tycho have been playing on their D&D podcasts)books. You need a core set (Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide), some dice obviously for each player (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20), and an adventure to run. For a first spin I recommend having someone run one of the many officially constructed adventures which are all set up for you basically, come with maps and everything for the DM to run the adventure. Keep on the Shadowfell was the first one for fourth edition, runs players through first to third level, and is also available online for free here (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4news/20090428)

    Scosglen on
  • KelorKelor Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Me and a few friends are bored out of skulls with many of the videogames we have tried. We want something that can hold our interest. Dungeons and dragons seems like it could do just that, if not more. I am really interested in learning how I can get started. I went to the website but all that contains is information on the books and/or podcasts of people playing. Anyone got any help or advice?

    If you go to their website, they have an entire adventure style thing free to download in pdf format, as well as another with all the basic rules and sample characters already created for you. Or you can download a character builder that lets you create characters up to level three. Which is about as far as high as you'll get with Keep on the Shadowfell.

    Give that a crack and see if it sounds like your thing. The Penny Arcade podcasts are good to get a feel for what it's like if you'll be doing the DMing in terms of narrative, that's pretty much what caught my interest initially.

    If you feel it's something you guys would get into you can get a pack that contains all the basics for starting out, a rule book for the players, a guide for the DM on creating adventures and deeper mechanics and another with pages and pages of monsters.


    Edit: Curse you Scosglen!

    Kelor on
  • SuperJerradSuperJerrad Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Thank all of you so much. Looking at all of this information now :) All of your help is appreciated.

    SuperJerrad on
  • SipexSipex Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    If you want to really try it out without dropping a load of cash at first try the D&D 4e Starter Kit, it comes with short hand version of the rules, premade characters, a pre-made campaign module (detailed and easy to use for a new DM), dungeon tiles, character tokens and a set of dice. Most of this stuff I still use today.

    Costs...$30 I think.

    Sipex on
  • JaysonFourJaysonFour Classy Monster Kitteh Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    PROTIP: You can't go wrong buying extra dice. Each player should have enough so they don't have to borrow.

    JaysonFour on
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  • LykouraghLykouragh Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    There isn't a comic book/games store like that near me that I know of. Any way to find out?

    The odds are good that there is in fact such a shop near you, and local game shops are the best place to try out paper RPGs for the first time. Try searching in Google Maps for "Game Shop" or similar.

    Lykouragh on
  • Disco11Disco11 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    http://www.meetup.com is a great place to find groups that are running either home games or play at shops.

    Disco11 on
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  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Oh, something I forgot. Aside from dice, probably the next essential item to get is a grid-mat of some sort.

    I've heard of people just relying on graph paper and such, but if you have the $10 it really is worth it to get a decent dry/wet (I perfer dry) erase mat and some matching markers (using a wet erase marker on a dry erase board, and vise versa, can result in the mark being permanent).

    Foolish Chaos on
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    JaysonFour wrote: »
    PROTIP: You can't go wrong buying extra dice. Each player should have enough so they don't have to borrow.

    If you are just starting out, it's no point spending a lot on dice that you might not use. You can put the dice in the middle of the table as a common pool to start with.

    CelestialBadger on
  • SipexSipex Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    JaysonFour wrote: »
    PROTIP: You can't go wrong buying extra dice. Each player should have enough so they don't have to borrow.

    If you are just starting out, it's no point spending a lot on dice that you might not use. You can put the dice in the middle of the table as a common pool to start with.

    Unless you think dice are just plain cool, then it's totally acceptable to buy as many sets as you want.

    Sipex on
  • Toxin01Toxin01 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    If you just want to play premade adventures, is the Monster Manual still necessary? Sorry for the threadjack

    Toxin01 on
    Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
    GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
  • Foolish ChaosFoolish Chaos Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Toxin01 wrote: »
    If you just want to play premade adventures, is the Monster Manual still necessary? Sorry for the threadjack

    If all you ever do are premades, then no I don't think so.

    But if you play D&D enough, chances are you are going to want to make an adventure someday. :P Which is why the pack that includes the three books is so useful.

    If anything, I would almost say that you get the Monster Manuel over the DM's guide anyway. Unless you are a first time DM, it doesn't have too much actual game material. Most of it is advice and such.

    Foolish Chaos on
  • Toxin01Toxin01 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Toxin01 wrote: »
    If you just want to play premade adventures, is the Monster Manual still necessary? Sorry for the threadjack

    If all you ever do are premades, then no I don't think so.

    But if you play D&D enough, chances are you are going to want to make an adventure someday. :P Which is why the pack that includes the three books is so useful.

    If anything, I would almost say that you get the Monster Manuel over the DM's guide anyway. Unless you are a first time DM, it doesn't have too much actual game material. Most of it is advice and such.

    Ah. Well I've DM'ed that Dragon Age RPG and Dark Hersey games, so I guess I won't really need it

    Toxin01 on
    Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
    GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    But the Dungeon Master's Guide for 4e has really stellar advice.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    A lot of modules will just reference the Monster Manual page.

    Cabezone on
  • Toxin01Toxin01 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Cabezone wrote: »
    A lot of modules will just reference the Monster Manual page.

    Ah. Man, D&D is expensive.

    As a DM, is it acceptable to ask your players to help cover costs?

    Toxin01 on
    Aiden Baail: Level 1 Swordmage: 19 AC 14 Fort 15 Ref 13 Will (Curse Of The Black Pearls)
    GM: Rusty Chains (DH Ongoing)
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    If you're willing to play 3.5 all of the rules are online for free.

    http://www.d20srd.org/

    Free modules, these are of varying quality, but some are quite good.

    http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b

    Cabezone on
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Toxin01 wrote: »
    As a DM, is it acceptable to ask your players to help cover costs?

    You only need 3 books. They cost $66. About the same as one video game. Ignore people who go on about battlemats and figurines and so on. That is for the advanced players.

    CelestialBadger on
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    4th ed is very heavily miniature based. You don't need figures, anything the right size will do, but you should get some kind of grid to play with.

    Cabezone on
  • CelestialBadgerCelestialBadger Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Cabezone wrote: »
    4th ed is very heavily miniature based. You don't need figures, anything the right size will do, but you should get some kind of grid to play with.

    In 3rd ed I used the grid that came in the book and coins with labels stuck on them. Any cheap grid should do if 4th ed is similar.

    CelestialBadger on
  • mgbeachmgbeach Registered User new member
    edited June 2010
    Some great advice so far.. when you search on Wizards site for a local game store look and also see if any of them are running D&D Encounters. It's a series of modules run at the game store by experienced DMs with the intent of introducing new players to the game. You could all check out one or two of those sessions and see what you think.

    As for minis, you definitely don't need to worry about spending a lot of money on them. Acquire them over time, or not at all..whatever works for you. Sometimes I think it's actually better to just imagine combat and have the DM rule on what roll it'll take to do what you're describing. Some people are much more tactical-minded though and love having the mat and minis/tokens/etc. There's no wrong way to do anything as long as you're having a good time.

    Here's a pdf sheet of 12 blank minis I made that might help you starting out if you do want to use minis of some type. Cut on the dotted lines and fold on the solid and it'll give you a medium-sized mini (the size of humans and most creatures in the game) with a 1-inch-square base. Just write what the mini represents on it (or even more fun, sketch a little picture :P)

    http://sites.google.com/site/mgbeach/files/12BlankMinis.pdf

    mgbeach on
  • DirtyDirtyVagrantDirtyDirtyVagrant Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    This has probably been said but larger comic shops will also carry this kind of stuff sometimes. My local "comic" shop has comics, manga, warhammer paints and minis, reaper minis, a vast selection of dice, board games, magic cards, D&D books, campaigns, modules, maps, tilesets, playmats...

    So check them, too.

    DirtyDirtyVagrant on
  • mgbeachmgbeach Registered User new member
    edited June 2010
    I know that my local Barnes and Noble even had a gameday once. They actually carry a ton of D&D stuff too, including minis.

    mgbeach on
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