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Dungeons and Dragons question
SkynetSniper
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hello all,
I figured I'd ask this here, since Tycho and Gabe are big into D&D. I've previously tried to learn Dungeons and Dragons, but either I purchased the wrong book (which I no longer own), or I was just not reading close enough, but I found that I had way too much trouble trying to understand everything I was reading, which really frustrated me. But, with recently discovering that a fair number of my close friends play, I've decided that I want to try and learn it again.
So here's my question: What books should I be reading that would most easily show me how to play? Or is there something else, not in book form, that would better be able to teach me?
I figured I'd ask this here, since Tycho and Gabe are big into D&D. I've previously tried to learn Dungeons and Dragons, but either I purchased the wrong book (which I no longer own), or I was just not reading close enough, but I found that I had way too much trouble trying to understand everything I was reading, which really frustrated me. But, with recently discovering that a fair number of my close friends play, I've decided that I want to try and learn it again.
So here's my question: What books should I be reading that would most easily show me how to play? Or is there something else, not in book form, that would better be able to teach me?
SkynetSniper on
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I mean, the short answer is The Player's Handbook, but you can get more detailed help there.
Like the above poster said, the Critical Failures forum would've been a better place to put this, but...
The Players Handbook is the first book you should read, skim over it the first few times, pay close attention to the combat sections, as well as skill checks and movement. Then, go back and read the other sections that seem interesting to you, eventually you'll read the whole thing, and hopefully understand it.
If not, I believe they have a D&D 4e for dummies book out there that might help you out.
Let me tell you about Demon's Souls....
B: The newest edition is 4th. I will assume your friends are playing it, you can pick up the three books at amazon for around 50-70$ http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Core-Rulebook-Gift/dp/0786950633/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242669517&sr=8-1
You could get away with just getting the players handbook as well. 4th edition is way easy to understand than the older editions imo.
Also, pick up your own set of dice and mess around with making a character.
There is also a 'For Dummies' book http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Dummies-Bill-Slavicsek/dp/0470292903
I also found this the other day http://www.fantasygrounds.com/ I havent had a chance to mess around with it but it could be helpful.
Fantasy Grounds is fine if all you ever want to play on it is D20 systems and don't mind paying for it.
Otherwise, MapTool from RPTools is your best bet. It's kind of bloated and a piece of crap, but it works. There are several 4e frameworks that people have made already, so you have pretty much all you need for that right out of the box and it's flexible enough that a friend of mine managed to almost entirely automate the Dark Heresy system in it.
Ehhh, regardless of them reading the forums or not, I still figured I'd be more likely to find answers here than anywhere else I frequent.
But thank you for the links
Just wanted to make sure you werent getting your hopes up for a D&D game with them
Also give this a go:
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Shadowfell-Dungeons-Dragons-Adventure/dp/0786948507/ref=pd_sim_b_5
If I recall, it has everything you need to start up a game and its a great way of getting into the 4th Edition rules.
No, no, as much as I love the comics, I don't think I'd ever consider that a possibility. I was simply sitting here this morning, thinking about where to ask, and out of the three forums I frequent (one of which I admin for), I couldn't imagine there being enough of a D&D crowd at any of them to answer any questions I had. Then I remembered all the D&D comics Tycho and Gabe put out
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4dnd/dndtestdrive
Looking over it really quick, I'd say the first 2-3 pages of the quic krules will probably outline the general idea of the way D&D is played this edition. Third edition was a real mess of 'this is the objective way goddamn everything works within this world' rules and didn't give nearly as good of an outside perspective on how to play the game.
If you think 3rd was a mess, get a load of 1st edition. I bought copies of the 3 core books from back then, after having played and run numerous other pen and paper RPGs, and I have no idea where to start making a character after rolling ability scores.
Thanks for the help everyone. I guess I was just expecting the 4th Edition Handbook to be as headache inducing as I remember the 3rd Edition one being