I am interesting in trying out DnD... suggestions?

I mainly want to get into to get a few people with my various interests. I would really like to know what it takes to start and how exactly I should start. I have a couple hobby shops in town so I am going to ask if there is any DnD groups in town so I would just like to know if there is a good way to try it out and learn more about it.

Check out Temple of Elemental Evil. That game's full of crazy shit.

Old school baby. 1st Edition stuff if you can find it. They've yet to create a video game that can match the thrill of The Queen of the Demonweb Pits.

I hope you have some money dude, cause you gotta buy (obscenely overpriced) books, some dice, and some figures. I've been wanting to try it out too, but the cost paired with the fact that my friends and I have never played before makes us each reluctant to be the DM.

If you can find a D&D group that's looking for new players, that'd be a good place to start. But really all it takes to start out is dice, the rules and some friends. If you're interested in 4th Edition, here are some quick start rules.

Well, depends on the edition of the rules that they are using. Current edition is 4th I believe though many do just stick to 3.5. As for them being expensive, they aren't too bad especially compared to some things (like Warhammer rule book/army books, ugh).

Personally I prefer Pathfinder, it takes the 3.5 ruleset of D&D and greatly expands and improves it, fixes a few issues and makes some of the more mundane characters (Fighter for instance) more interesting. Not to mention all the archetype stuff they added that lets you customise characters further. So you can be a Bard Seasinger, singing sea shanties, get a pet parrot at lvl 2, etc. Lots of interesting options to spice up the characters and make them interesting. Also great value for money as the Core Rulebook for Pathfinder is obscenely huge, contains everything that both a player handbook and a DM guide would.

Really depends what people are actually running, as you could buy and learn about 4th edition only to find all the local options you find prefer 3.5, or Pathfinder's 3.75 take on it, or even earlier editions. Also buying into older editions will likely be a lot more expensive. Temple of Elemental Evil is a good portrayal of 3.5 D&D in a game, though not sure on it's accessibility without knowledge of how the rules function.

You could always take a look through the SRD sites for 3.5or Pathfinder(Pathfinder improves how skills are handed out, how races work and some classes, along with changing how grappling/combat manouvres function, but otherwise it functions exactly the same and is pretty much cross compatible with 3.5 itself). As for 4th edition I can't find a well laid out comprehensive SRD site for it.

Anyway, best way is probably just to find out what people are playing and what you are able to join in for, then read up on it.

I would go with Pathfinder. 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is a total mess. Pathfinder expands upon 3.5E in a lot of really cool ways.

You need money and the ability accept that your penis is doomed to a life of misery and woe.

@Dad_Is_A_Zombie said:

Old school baby. 1st Edition stuff if you can find it. They've yet to create a video game that can match the thrill of The Queen of the Demonweb Pits.

2nd edition all the way, but i think i had that module you linked to. (i had many.)

there was also the module where you could find items from the DnD sci-fi universe. i forget what that was called, loved reading through its rules, never got to play it.

You're on the right track; the most important thing is to find people who are willing to play with newbies and aren't completely against your flow.

If you want to learn online, I'd be willing to run a few Skype sessions with our fellow GiantBombers with an emphasis on teaching D&D 3.5, 4.0, Pathfinder, Eberron, or Star Wars. Outside of Star Wars, you'll still find a lot of people running all those settings, though I definitely run the game a lot less seriously than other people do. I'll probably take it more seriously unless we decide to really get a group together, in which case my campaigns always seem to take a turn for The Third.

If you're interested in that idea, PM me, and I'll see what I can get going. It's not the same as getting together with people and really playing the game, but it'd be a decent way to learn and get used to the rules and flow of the game.

I'd be interested in giving that a try if you can get it started, Socrates. I've played a tiny bit of Pathfinder online, but i still have little to no idea what i'm doing, lol.

Pick up Dark Heresy instead; cheaper, more fun, and the Warhammer 40,000 universe is infinitely more interesting.

A couple of recommendations to get you used to the aesthetics of DnD in terms of the universe, how their stats setup works, and generally just because they actually do help you in learning about some DnD:

• Dungeons & Dragons Online - IIRC, this uses the 3.5 ruleset, and it takes place in the world of Eberron (which was new when this originally came out). It's probably the best way to understand how the paper doll works, as it captures a lot of that stuff surprisingly well. It's actually pretty amazing to see how all of it plays out in an MMO setting. Moreover, it's free-to-play and can run on virtually ANY computer. The ranks to get levels isn't necessarily something that HAS to happen when playing PnP D&D, but nonetheless, it's a really good intro to D&D.
• The D&D CRPG Trifecta - This consists of three games: Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Temple of Elemental Evil. They are all games that were released in the early 2000s and they are STILL supported and patched by the community. All three are luckily available for about $10 a pop on GOG.com, and they are worth every penny and then some. They won't do nearly as much to teach you how stats work like DDO will, but they give you an idea of what kind of adventures you can find yourself getting into. Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale are their own adventures, while Temple of Elemental Evil is actually an adventure based in Gygax's original ToEE campaign.
• Neverwinter Nights - This uses 3rd edition ruleset, and it's a good example of not only how atmospheric D&D can be, but the mod community shows how giving the D&D community is when it comes to creating their own adventures.

Once you get a little bit of the games digested, I would suggest diving into the actual PnP stuff. If you want to bypass them and go straight into it, here's the best suggestions I can offer:

• Start with ruleset 3.5. A lot of people will tell you to start in 4th edition or even 3rd edition, but 3.5 was a solid set of modifications that still allowed for the crazy randomness of 1st and 2nd while still being structured enough to make DM'ing (dungeon mastering) not be a chore. If someone insists on playing anything earlier or later, go with 4th edition. However, 4th edition is a very different monster in many ways from the previous iterations, both in the ruleset as well as the actual character sheets themselves. I personally loathe it. It feels like some easy baby bullshit handed to people on a silver platter that limits creativity more than it aids it.
• Roll with a basic class. Don't go crazy and try to multi-class, and definitely don't get into a 2nd edition game and have someone convince you to get into Psionics and shit. Just be a rogue, a wizard, a barbarian, something basic and simple.
• Make sure...MAKE FUCKING SURE...that whoever you are playing with WILL CONTINUE PLAYING! I'm sure many others can attest to this, but there are many people who will start a campaign...and then they will drop it after a couple of weeks because they are getting bored or because they are running out of ideas (read: they aren't working on the campaign) or schedules or blah blah blah. If you have a local place like we have (called The Game Closet, and it's next door to my work) where people play stuff like Magic The Gathering/War Machine/Warhammer/D&D, you will easily find dedicated people to play with. There are usually a few people at those places that are willing to teach you how to play as well. If you can find a good patient group of people and a good DM, you are set. Just make sure they continue to play. Otherwise, you will get lost in the dust and just become confused on how shit works.

You will need the following items also:

• (2) Set of polyhedral 7-set dice (these should have a D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20, and a D100 or "percentage" dice). It's good to have two sets just in case.
• (1) Core Rulebook Set (for whatever ruleset you are playing)
• (1) Player's Handbook (there may be multiple volumes sometimes)
• (1) Miniature of your own to represent your character (pewter would be the best way to go, and you can use virtually anything with a 1" diameter for a base

That should have everything set. Did I forget anything? Here's your lunch. Now off to school!

In all honesty, hope that helped you out some. It's hard for those who have played D&D for a long time to sometimes remember what it was like to first start out.

@jakob187 said:

A couple of recommendations to get you used to the aesthetics of DnD in terms of the universe, how their stats setup works, and generally just because they actually do help you in learning about some DnD:

• Dungeons & Dragons Online - IIRC, this uses the 3.5 ruleset, and it takes place in the world of Eberron (which was new when this originally came out). It's probably the best way to understand how the paper doll works, as it captures a lot of that stuff surprisingly well. It's actually pretty amazing to see how all of it plays out in an MMO setting. Moreover, it's free-to-play and can run on virtually ANY computer. The ranks to get levels isn't necessarily something that HAS to happen when playing PnP D&D, but nonetheless, it's a really good intro to D&D.
• The D&D CRPG Trifecta - This consists of three games: Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Temple of Elemental Evil. They are all games that were released in the early 2000s and they are STILL supported and patched by the community. All three are luckily available for about $10 a pop on GOG.com, and they are worth every penny and then some. They won't do nearly as much to teach you how stats work like DDO will, but they give you an idea of what kind of adventures you can find yourself getting into. Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale are their own adventures, while Temple of Elemental Evil is actually an adventure based in Gygax's original ToEE campaign.
• Neverwinter Nights - This uses 3rd edition ruleset, and it's a good example of not only how atmospheric D&D can be, but the mod community shows how giving the D&D community is when it comes to creating their own adventures.

Once you get a little bit of the games digested, I would suggest diving into the actual PnP stuff. If you want to bypass them and go straight into it, here's the best suggestions I can offer:

• Start with ruleset 3.5. A lot of people will tell you to start in 4th edition or even 3rd edition, but 3.5 was a solid set of modifications that still allowed for the crazy randomness of 1st and 2nd while still being structured enough to make DM'ing (dungeon mastering) not be a chore. If someone insists on playing anything earlier or later, go with 4th edition. However, 4th edition is a very different monster in many ways from the previous iterations, both in the ruleset as well as the actual character sheets themselves. I personally loathe it. It feels like some easy baby bullshit handed to people on a silver platter that limits creativity more than it aids it.
• Roll with a basic class. Don't go crazy and try to multi-class, and definitely don't get into a 2nd edition game and have someone convince you to get into Psionics and shit. Just be a rogue, a wizard, a barbarian, something basic and simple.
• Make sure...MAKE FUCKING SURE...that whoever you are playing with WILL CONTINUE PLAYING! I'm sure many others can attest to this, but there are many people who will start a campaign...and then they will drop it after a couple of weeks because they are getting bored or because they are running out of ideas (read: they aren't working on the campaign) or schedules or blah blah blah. If you have a local place like we have (called The Game Closet, and it's next door to my work) where people play stuff like Magic The Gathering/War Machine/Warhammer/D&D, you will easily find dedicated people to play with. There are usually a few people at those places that are willing to teach you how to play as well. If you can find a good patient group of people and a good DM, you are set. Just make sure they continue to play. Otherwise, you will get lost in the dust and just become confused on how shit works.

You will need the following items also:

• (2) Set of polyhedral 7-set dice (these should have a D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20, and a D100 or "percentage" dice). It's good to have two sets just in case.
• (1) Core Rulebook Set (for whatever ruleset you are playing)
• (1) Player's Handbook (there may be multiple volumes sometimes)
• (1) Miniature of your own to represent your character (pewter would be the best way to go, and you can use virtually anything with a 1" diameter for a base

That should have everything set. Did I forget anything? Here's your lunch. Now off to school!

In all honesty, hope that helped you out some. It's hard for those who have played D&D for a long time to sometimes remember what it was like to first start out.

...Holy shit... not only did you help me. But I think this thread is now over due to all the helpful info you just gave me. Holy crap man. Thank you very much! DnD Online is something I may be trying out!

Don't miss out on the authentic D&D experience: you're not really roleplaying until you're halfway into a Cheetos and Mountain Dew coma.

@Ravenlight said:

Don't miss out on the authentic D&D experience: you're not really roleplaying until you're halfway into a Cheetos and Mountain Dew coma.

Who needs Cheetos when you got Doritos? Also, eww... mountain dew is nasty as fuck. I don't mean to offend people but I even find warm Dr Pepper to be better... which in itself is disgusting.

You're thinking about playing as a character, right, not DMing? When you make your character, be sure to set some basic personality guidelines to help you actually roleplay. I'd also suggest giving your character a different voice from yours (as different as you're comfortable) just to help balance between OOC and character, as well as have some more fun with the character. Whether you're DMing or just playing along, I'd highly recommend checking out the Penny Arcade/PvP dungeons and dragons podcasts. They're very funny, and give a good guideline to a semi-ideal DnD sesh.

All I can really say is that I wish you good luck, because its all going to depend on the group of people you're with. It helps to be open to learning whatever game they're interested in playing, even if it isn't the one you have your heart set on. Trust me, you'll have a lot more fun playing a game you don't care much about with likable people versus playing your desired game of D&D with total shitheads.

Finding gamer groups through hobby stores should be your last resort, honestly. If the option is available, see if any of your friends have someone they know who is interested in table-top RPGs and might be looking to start something up soon. If that's not available, then tread lightly. I stopped playing RPGS when my old DM got married and left to Ohio like, 8 years ago. I only recently started back up last year because it came up in conversation when a bunch of my friends and I were playing the DND capcom beat-em-up at a small video game/ccg/rpg convention. Between now and then, I tried a couple groups that were looking for members and man... it was the worst. Every negative stereotype you've ever heard people make fun of nerds for was on display. I believe "You don't know what such and such ship is called in Star Wars? What are you, retarded?" sticks in my mind as the most what the fuck out of nowhere comment. You know, among the random douchebaggery of rolling to see how hot your girlfriend was and them constantly making fun of my friend and saying he had a watermelon-flavored lightsaber. So yeah, good times.

Just try to reproduce this a closely as possible:

@Jay444111 said:

@Ravenlight said:

Don't miss out on the authentic D&D experience: you're not really roleplaying until you're halfway into a Cheetos and Mountain Dew coma.

Who needs Cheetos when you got Doritos? Also, eww... mountain dew is nasty as fuck. I don't mean to offend people but I even find warm Dr Pepper to be better... which in itself is disgusting.

AUTHENTIC. D&D. EXPERIENCE.

Sometime one has to sacrifice their taste buds and their chance of not having diabetes for the sake of authenticity.

I was gonna start. But I have up learning the rules.

@stinky said:

@Dad_Is_A_Zombie said:

Old school baby. 1st Edition stuff if you can find it. They've yet to create a video game that can match the thrill of The Queen of the Demonweb Pits.

2nd edition all the way, but i think i had that module you linked to. (i had many.)

there was also the module where you could find items from the DnD sci-fi universe. i forget what that was called, loved reading through its rules, never got to play it.

You're thinking of another absolute classic, The Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. I have no problem with 2nd Edition, it did give us all the great Forgotten Realms stuff. It also gave us garbage like Spelljammer, Maztica, and Dark Sun, however. I DMed the same crew of guys for almost 12 years and have probably played and DMed off and on for a total of 20 years. Where the grand old game has ended up these days is a little sad. I haven't cracked open a Dungeon Masters Guide in years but part of the fun of being a DM was the work before the actual play session. The recent editions seem so dumbed down I can't imagine anyone wanting to be a DM anymore.

Don't do it man, I hear that game turns you into a satanist.

I'm looking into playing, just need to actually learn how to play properly. Last time I played a tabletop game was Vampire: The Masquerade.

You'll be a DM's worst nightmare.

Also, D&D; is fun to start but World of Darkness has been my group's go-to for three years now. More of a roleplaying thing than a traditional game.

@Jay444111: You are most welcome, good sir. I'm a mediocre D&D player. There are still things that I learn all the time about the game. The biggest tip that I forgot to give you is this:

Don't think that the game is all about rolling dice and killing shit. There are campaigns I've done where there was a TON of in-town talking and such. It's a ROLE-PLAYING game. Therefore, make sure you take the time to give your character a backstory and biography, know what your character's purpose and goal is within the confines you've created him in (especially when you get into chaotic/lawful/good/evil/etc). Fighting is part of the game, but there is also just playing the role and having conversations, playing out an adventure.

Crazy things can happen in the game, especially if you have a good DM that keeps it interesting. We had one campaign where someone was a really old wizard. He woke up in the tavern, and as he was about to go down the stairs to the first floor, our DM said "roll for a reflex save". Failed the reflex save, broke his fucking ankle going down the stairs because of his age. Another one that we did, I have a rogue that was going to become a swashbuckler. He was a drunkard, always talking shit, and eventually we got to the point that we met some guard guy in the town that was going to take us to see some major guy that would continue our campaign. I talked shit to the guy (our DM if you will), and then the DM said "okay, roll a D10". I was like "why?" He said "just do it". I failed the roll, and was consequently knocked out for about eight hours. When my character woke up, he found himself smelling like piss from where the guards were allowed to piss on me in the town square. Needless to say, it was hilarious and humbled my guy a bit.

So be aware that it's all about imagination and creating an experience. Don't be afraid to flex your role-playing muscles. Normally, your DM will let you know if you are pushing something too far.