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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 02:59:08
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Okay, to begin with, I have not been in the game since maybe...2001? I used to have a core group of friends I started playing D&D with, but I was not entirely TOO experienced. I made two characters total for the mild campaign we did. The first was a human Paladin, and the second a human Thief. Did not get far with either, the first was killed off. And the second was dismissed after the core group just dissipated and played CRPG's instead.
So essentially I bought a MM 3E with my friend back then to support the groups attempt at the campaign. Unfortunately, he still had the book so I am without any actual source books for the game. I have not played since that year, but have been wanting to get back into it. The issue is, I do not have a core group of friends to play with as well. Mainly because I was a military child, so I moved around the east coast QUITE a bit. I finally settled back home in 2005 and have been here ever since.
My question is, to the advanced and seasoned players, what is the best way to get back into the game? What edition is wise to choose for someone who doesn't have too much experience? What are the core books I need to get started? Normally, I could try the local hobby store here, it's actually a comic book store. But no one plays D&D, mainly just Warhammer, Yu Gi Oh, and Magic. Any tips would be very appreciated, my fellow sages of Candlekeep!
-Alruane
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" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
Edited by - Alruane on 24 Nov 2013 03:00:56
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 04:38:15
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Any information would help!  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4692 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 04:48:21
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The problem is there is no single answer.
You need players without them you can not have a game.
The best rule set clearly would be based on what works best for the players.
Core Books always have been Players Handbook, Dungeon Master Guide and Monster Manual.
At best you can get users to say what they found good or bad about the various Editions with maybe some advising on house/home rules that use things from two or more editions. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 05:06:07
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Well, I understand. Which is why I asked various questions, this site has quite a few players. So I figured a couple of them would answer with a relative knowledge of where one should start.
That is the main issue, I want other players. But that is near impossible here, so I figured I'd see what others would say about finding them.
Another issue, I do not know what works best for me. As I cannot join any games to see, nor do I recall EXACTLY how it was when I first played. Seeing as I was 12 years old. So that would be another issue for me.
Mkay, so basically find the edition you enjoy and then go about acquiring said core books in that edition?
Yes, this will be difficult to say the least. But thank you for the general tips and information, Kentinal.  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 05:07:03
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| Advertise ... craigslist is good, better than forums like these because it addresses people in specific regions. Gamers are gamers, these days most play CRPGs and MMORPGs, but you might find some interested in tabletop RPGs. It‘s always best to join existing groups when possible, players recruiting players tends to be more comfortable than DMs doing it - if even just 2-3 people have a great time playing then they‘ll draw more very quickly. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 05:11:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Advertise ... craigslist is good, better than forums like these because it addresses people in specific regions. Gamers are gamers, these days most play CRPGs and MMORPGs, but you might find some interested in tabletop RPGs. It‘s always best to join existing groups when possible, players recruiting players tends to be more comfortable than DMs doing it - if even just 2-3 people have a great time playing then they‘ll draw more very quickly.
I figured that would have to be an option eventually.
I did my fair share of mmo's and basic single player crpg's. I just want back into the game that got me started on this entire genre.
But thanks for the advice, Ayrik. I have a somewhat good starting point now. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 05:31:14
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| I might suggest frequenting these boards and others and asking about play-by-chat. It's easy, it will get you back in the swing you can dabble between editions and systems to find out what you prefer. Hell, a lot of people will let you just sit in on a session, maybe play a minor NPC to see if the group is a good fit. Take it from there. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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Edited by - Fellfire on 24 Nov 2013 05:34:40 |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 05:50:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
I might suggest frequenting these boards and others and asking about play-by-chat. It's easy, it will get you back in the swing you can dabble between editions and systems to find out what you prefer. Hell, a lot of people will let you just sit in on a session, maybe play a minor NPC to see if the group is a good fit. Take it from there.
I tend to frequent Candlekeep forums a lot, in general. But, I shall definitely do that. See what I can find!
Alright, that is great advice thank you Fellfire. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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genebateman
Acolyte
23 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 15:13:12
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| i was a military brat too and when i was moving around it was back in the 80's. best way i found to find a new group was to go to the local book/hobby store and see who was buying products and see if they wanted a new member to their group. i would try out 3 or 4 groups and pick which one was the best match for me |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 20:38:25
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I would, but like I said above none of them play D&D at all. Most are having Magic or Yu Gi Oh tournaments, sometimes Warhammer. On rare occasions they play Mage Knights.  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6383 Posts |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2013 : 22:01:10
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
Play by email is unfortunately the only way a lot of people can play nowadays. It trades speed for enhanced roleplaying opportunity.
It's just something you will have to get used to if you live in the middle of nowhere.
Plenty of information for play by email and play by post games in this site and others. Try it you might enjoy it.
thank you, that information helps a lot! I can at least find a group easier online than out here. I may have to search for a group, see what I can find. Thanks, Dazzlerdal! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4460 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2013 : 02:49:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Alruane
My question is, to the advanced and seasoned players, what is the best way to get back into the game? What edition is wise to choose for someone who doesn't have too much experience? What are the core books I need to get started? Normally, I could try the local hobby store here, it's actually a comic book store. But no one plays D&D, mainly just Warhammer, Yu Gi Oh, and Magic. Any tips would be very appreciated, my fellow sages of Candlekeep!
-Alruane
Well, based on availability, v3.5 and Pathfinder are free online.
HERE are the base rules for v3.5 as comprised of all the information from the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual. Additionally, they've added things like Psionic classes and rules, Unearthed Arcana rules, Divine rules, and other alternative rules. It's flavorless, meaning that it doesn't describe what Gods there are or any of that stuff.
HERE are the base rules for Pathfinder, an updated version and revision of 3rd Edition (v3.5). It has newer rules, updated mechanics, and some more streamlined elements found from 3rd Edition. Going with this site, you could pick up an Adventure Path and run it from this site with ease.
Here is the PDF for the quick start rules for 4th Edition as well as some pre-generated characters. They updated some of the classes for 4th Edition that anyone can download such as the Weaponmaster Fighter.
Further, they still have the Playtest material for the next iteration of Dungeons and Dragons (coined D&D:Next). Here you can find the rules for it but it does require that you create an Wizards Account (which is free) to download the content.
Other games from the OSR movment are popping up all the time as well and some of them you can find products for on Paizo's site or even fully download games like Swords and Wizardry (a game with an old-school pre-3e vibe) and d20 Modern Pathfinder.
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Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
Edited by - Diffan on 25 Nov 2013 02:49:55 |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2013 : 14:20:02
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| At the very least hit up the official wizards forums and head over to paizo's forums, might get lucky finding local people on there. If not, I might suggest getting something together online. A LOT of people are starting to use roll20. It's a webbased virtual table. Simple enough to use and has a growing community. You could toss in skype if you like so that you and the other players can talk and maybe see eachother instead of it being a completely text based game. |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2013 : 21:38:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
quote:
Originally posted by Alruane
My question is, to the advanced and seasoned players, what is the best way to get back into the game? What edition is wise to choose for someone who doesn't have too much experience? What are the core books I need to get started? Normally, I could try the local hobby store here, it's actually a comic book store. But no one plays D&D, mainly just Warhammer, Yu Gi Oh, and Magic. Any tips would be very appreciated, my fellow sages of Candlekeep!
-Alruane
Well, based on availability, v3.5 and Pathfinder are free online.
HERE are the base rules for v3.5 as comprised of all the information from the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual. Additionally, they've added things like Psionic classes and rules, Unearthed Arcana rules, Divine rules, and other alternative rules. It's flavorless, meaning that it doesn't describe what Gods there are or any of that stuff.
HERE are the base rules for Pathfinder, an updated version and revision of 3rd Edition (v3.5). It has newer rules, updated mechanics, and some more streamlined elements found from 3rd Edition. Going with this site, you could pick up an Adventure Path and run it from this site with ease.
Here is the PDF for the quick start rules for 4th Edition as well as some pre-generated characters. They updated some of the classes for 4th Edition that anyone can download such as the Weaponmaster Fighter.
Further, they still have the Playtest material for the next iteration of Dungeons and Dragons (coined D&D:Next). Here you can find the rules for it but it does require that you create an Wizards Account (which is free) to download the content.
Other games from the OSR movment are popping up all the time as well and some of them you can find products for on Paizo's site or even fully download games like Swords and Wizardry (a game with an old-school pre-3e vibe) and d20 Modern Pathfinder.
Oh wow, this is great Diffan! I appreciate the material and the links to them! Definitely helpful!! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2013 : 21:39:00
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
At the very least hit up the official wizards forums and head over to paizo's forums, might get lucky finding local people on there. If not, I might suggest getting something together online. A LOT of people are starting to use roll20. It's a webbased virtual table. Simple enough to use and has a growing community. You could toss in skype if you like so that you and the other players can talk and maybe see eachother instead of it being a completely text based game.
Either one could work for me, but thanks for the tips to finding other players! I can do message based or Skype, or both haha |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2013 : 11:05:31
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
At the very least hit up the official wizards forums and head over to paizo's forums, might get lucky finding local people on there. If not, I might suggest getting something together online. A LOT of people are starting to use roll20. It's a webbased virtual table. Simple enough to use and has a growing community. You could toss in skype if you like so that you and the other players can talk and maybe see eachother instead of it being a completely text based game.
I would avoid the WotC's forums like the plague: go to enworld.org (or Paizo or Roll20 as also suggested) instead where you are bound to find some help.
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Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2013 : 15:32:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
At the very least hit up the official wizards forums and head over to paizo's forums, might get lucky finding local people on there. If not, I might suggest getting something together online. A LOT of people are starting to use roll20. It's a webbased virtual table. Simple enough to use and has a growing community. You could toss in skype if you like so that you and the other players can talk and maybe see eachother instead of it being a completely text based game.
I would avoid the WotC's forums like the plague: go to enworld.org (or Paizo or Roll20 as also suggested) instead where you are bound to find some help.
Much appreciated, Derulbaskul!
With all the tips and ideas, I think I know what I may do now. thank you everyone! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Tips for returning to D&D?
