DnD For Noobs (Like Me)

Started by Priapus89, October 03, 2017, 06:56:29 AM

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Lyku

First off... we're moving off the path of setting up a game for new players... so I will be posting a new thread so that that can get on track.  Please do not continue this debate there as it does take away.

Just a few things regarding this detail.

Yes, the rules for Pathfinder were free.  That is a fact as Pathfinder's rules are the rules of D&D 3.5.  Though the character classes have been altered to allow some classes to be a bit more balanced, the character sheets are the same and the rules are the same.  Remember that Pathfinder was created by Paizo due to Wizard of the Coasts announcement for 4th edition.  D&D 3.0 was created in 2000 and then was updated to 3.5 in 2003.  That same system was played for years.  3.5 fixed some issues with the system and fine tuned mistakes that they had made, but overall, the system was the same and played frequently.  While it's true that editions like 2nd ed had longer gaps between when the editions were released, (Original D&D being released in 1974 and 2nd Ed being released in 1989), these were the practices of TSR, who nearly bankrupt, thus the reason Wizards of the Coast bought them in 1997.  New editions needed to be released.  So after 5 - 8 years, depending on if you want to have the date grouped with 3.0 or 3.5, Wizards decided to put out 4th edition.  They had announced it in late 2007 and it was released in early 2008.  And yes, it was a flop.  It was a completely new system.  This is something that previous editions had done as well.  Compare how different 3rd edition was to 2nd edition (Fucking THAC0), and original D&D.  Character sheets changed, stats were different, and though there were some similarities, there were a lot of difference.

Honestly... if Pathfinder did try to actually sell the base rules as their own... there would of probably been a lawsuit... thus the reason they sold the modules that they made.  Pathfinder was originally created to simplify some details because if you remember what 3.5 devolved to, it turned into players making multiclassed characters from multiple books in order to stay relevant.  Base classes from the core book because obsolete. (Example: Fighter).  That is why Pathfinder was commonly called D&D 3.75.

4th ed was bad... there are probably some people who like it... but it was an attempt to bring back D&D as it was a hobby that needed to support itself.  Wizards could of just let it die... it's not as if they are hurting for money (For those who are not aware, Wizards of the Coast is the company that makes the multi-billion dollar collectible card game: Magic the Gathering).  So they made an attempt to make DND like a video game.  The idea was not a bad idea because video games sell.  Sadly... it did not go over as well as they hoped when released in 2008, but they couldn't merely abandon the idea of it as they did need to give players time to see if it was something that players would grow to love.  If you think that they should of rushed it sooner... remember that Magic the Gathering wasn't a hit sensation.  It's fan base grew over the years.  Yet, they did come to see that 4th wasn't working, thus why they worked on 5th edition.  They took things that worked in 3.5, changed the rules around, but fine tuned things.

Stats no longer went to high extremes.  Players were capped naturally at 20 and magically at 30.  Those higher caps are hard to reach.  3.0, 3.5 and 3.75 would see higher stats, armor classes, levels.  It was made to keep going higher and higher.  5th reduced those. 



ANYWAYS... I plan to edit this post with the new RP thread and this above is my last comment on this discussion.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.  – Harriet Tubman


Lyku

#51
I'm not going to force players to use only those rules.  Those rules are the easiest to get their hands on... but I do advise using them as they are the easiest to access as they are free.  The key is to learn the system and to play something that you will come to enjoy.

OOC Thread:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=276394.0
Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.  – Harriet Tubman


Dragongoddess

Lyku, could you post in the OOC the sheet you want us to work with for character concepts?

Lyku

The information is over on the OOC thread for the game.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.  – Harriet Tubman


Thufir Hawat

I was going to abstain from posting, but there's three things I wanted to say.

Quote from: Dragongoddess on October 05, 2017, 07:46:19 AM
I feel bad for asking the question.  Feel like I started a bit of a DnD debate.
You really don't need to worry. We're veterans at this ;D!

Quote from: eBadger on October 05, 2017, 12:01:21 PM
So first off, I'll just throw out that when someone tries to provide helpful information you are by all means welcome to disagree and correct, but the snark and condescension aren't necessary. 
Man, you don't get to call other people's preferred editions "fossils" and then pretend I started with the "snark and condescension".
Now let's just agree to let this die. It was off-topic, and largely unnecessary.

Quote from: RedPhoenix on October 05, 2017, 12:37:39 PM
Running a one shot game using the online free rules for newbies only is a mighty tempting idea. *ponders*
Third and last: you know you want to >:)!

(Hell, I'm almost tempted, despite lacking the time!)
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RedPhoenix

haha I really do!

I made a general discussion thread for 5e in the On Topic forum if anyone wants to talk about the game generally there in the meantime though! :D
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eBadger

Quote from: Thufir Hawat on October 06, 2017, 05:51:45 PM
Man, you don't get to call other people's preferred editions "fossils" and then pretend I started with the "snark and condescension".
Ah!  My apologies, then.  No value judgement was intended, simply a descriptor. Like the original Atari, I played it, enjoyed it and have fond memories, but despite a nostalgic reprinting here and there and a few hobbyists, there's no real attempt to continue with the platform because it simply doesn't meet modern expectations for the genre. 

Thufir Hawat

Quote from: RedPhoenix on October 06, 2017, 05:57:50 PM
haha I really do!

I made a general discussion thread for 5e in the On Topic forum if anyone wants to talk about the game generally there in the meantime though! :D
I knew it >:)!

Quote from: eBadger on October 07, 2017, 10:13:19 AM
Ah!  My apologies, then.  No value judgement was intended, simply a descriptor. Like the original Atari, I played it, enjoyed it and have fond memories, but despite a nostalgic reprinting here and there and a few hobbyists, there's no real attempt to continue with the platform because it simply doesn't meet modern expectations for the genre.
Apologies accepted.
However, that's a prime example why comparison isn't proof.
That is, RPGs aren't computer games. In computer systems the upgrade is measurable, you can point to better graphics, more operations per second, better AI and the like. You can argue computer systems are evolving.
OTOH, in RPGs what is "an update" for one might be "going over the board" for others. The aforementioned social mechanics are exactly one of those things, but a higher number of codified combat manoeuvres might well be another.
Thus, you don't have evolution in RPGs, you only have games that fit a particular group to a different degree.
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HannibalBarca

Just gonna jump in with a few points about original D&D, because that's what I started with--before it became AD&D, when TSR was originally called Tactical Studies Rules:

D&D wasn't the first RPG.  That was Empire of the Petal Throne, by M.A.R. Barker, a professor.  I played that a couple times.  It wasn't as good, but it did have a wonderful, non-European setting.

D&D sprouted from a game book called Chainmail, which was a codified set of rules for miniatures playing in a medieval setting.  The original 3, brown-paper cover minibooks of D&D were written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and actually required (as per written in the first book) the Chainmail rules book.  They wanted to scratch an itch that many Chainmail players had--'what if I want to add dragons, or orcs, or wizards, to my medieval miniatures battles?'  The roleplaying was something of an afterthought in the original D&D.

AD&D, what is called 1st Edition, was solely created by Gygax, as Arneson had left TSR by then.  Gygax wrote the original Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual.  Other books were added on to 1st Edition, some written by others, as well as campaign supplements and other items to enhance play, but AD&D really was Gary's baby.  TSR published Dragon magazine back then too, even before the 1st Ed. books came out, something I had a subscription to, which contained the seeds of many additional pieces of lore and gameplay, which made it into later game rulebooks and supplements.

1st Edition really brought the roleplay part of the game to the fore.  I actually played D&D before I first read Lord of the Rings, and in the back of the original Dungeon Master's Guide, Gygax offered a list of further reading, some of which he'd drawn from to create the game, which launched me even further into not only more reading, but actual writing, and my first explorations into fantasy fiction.

But I still have all my original D&D and AD&D books, and occasionally dip into them for the nostalgia.  I have many, many happy memories of those campaigns and games, with my brothers and high school friends.  I'm glad to see the game, in whatever iteration, becoming popular again <3
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SensualNia

If anyone's starting a group for newbies I'd like to join!  ;D
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Sain

Hi SensualNia!

Chulanowa seems to be looking to run some D&D fun for newbies. Here's a link to his thread.
PM box is open. So is my discord: Sain#5301

SensualNia

Quote from: Sain on September 05, 2018, 02:48:06 AM
Hi SensualNia!

Chulanowa seems to be looking to run some D&D fun for newbies. Here's a link to his thread.

Thank you!
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Varoona

If any one is still looking for this kind of thing I’d be happy to be an experianced player to play along side of newbies and help out as much as I can