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Narithal
Acolyte
Canada
11 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 05:51:34
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Lately, I've been thinking of starting Dungeons and Dragons. But the price of the guidebooks are a little too expensive for me. So I was wondering if I should start with Second or First edition. I could get the books cheaper that way, plus would give me a better understanding of the rules for when I decide to switch to 3e. Plus my friend already has a few books from those editions from his dad, so I won't have to buy as much.
Is this a good approach, or should I just save up for 3e (which would take me a couple months for a single book due to the amount of my allowance)?
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Victor_ograygor
Master of Realmslore
Denmark
1076 Posts |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 07:36:11
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I am biased as I prefer the older editions, but I see no problem with playing 1 or 2ed. Realms. Most of the older Realms products can be downloaded for a few dollars each (ands a great deal can be found at Wizards page). These are written for 1&2 ed. and you can use them without changes. Have a look at the free ones and see if they seem tempting.
Bare in mind though, the changes from the previous ed. to 3ed. were greater than those made between 1 and 2 ed. so many of the things you will learn from these will be outdated. I would try with the old books if you can get them cheap, if you are happy with the system, why change? Only remember that the rules in the newer books will not be usable with these.
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Narithal
Acolyte
Canada
11 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 20:30:33
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Thank you both.
At the moment, I am leaning towards 2ed. Two of my favorite settings--Planescape and Al-Quadim--are in that version. The only thing is finding them now; I do not have a game- or book-store anywhere around where I live.
Where is one able to download the older versions, as Jorkens said, for a few dollars?
EDIT: What of paizo.com? Are the .pdf's good quality? The prices are good at $4 per .pdf, so it will only cost $12 for the three core guidebooks, and then I will just grab a free adventure from the Wizards site for a starter... |
Edited by - Narithal on 29 Mar 2007 21:17:03 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36968 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2007 : 21:17:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Narithal
Thank you both.
At the moment, I am leaning towards 2ed. Two of my favorite settings--Planescape and Al-Quadim--are in that version. The only thing is finding them now; I do not have a game- or book-store anywhere around where I live.
Where is one able to download the older versions, as Jorkens said, for a few dollars?
Paizo.com and RPGNow.com.
There's also the free stuff, available on the Wizards downloads page.
The second link Victor gave is a very good one. I'd recommend going with that, myself, rather than trying to track down older rulebooks. As for the 2E setting material... Well, a lot of the lore can be easily ported over to 3.x. Rulesets may come and go, but the Elemental Plane of Fire is always going to be a place you want some heavy-duty sunscreen.
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2007 : 15:19:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
The second link Victor gave is a very good one. I'd recommend going with that, myself, rather than trying to track down older rulebooks. As for the 2E setting material... Well, a lot of the lore can be easily ported over to 3.x. Rulesets may come and go, but the Elemental Plane of Fire is always going to be a place you want some heavy-duty sunscreen.
Well, the sunscreen's a good start, but the blessing of the efreeti sultan in the City of Brass might be a tad better.
Back on topic, I have a bias towards the newer material, although I recommend the old great wheel cosmology (I don't like the new ones). If you need a free resource for where the realms deities are/were, [url=http://www.planewalker.com]Planewalker[/url] has a magnificent resource in their encyclopedia (look up Faerunian pantheon). Outside of that sort-of realms resource, the D20 SRD is great, as Victor pointed out. The free downloads at WotC are great, especially since you get a great flavor with the old campaign settings, although there are many sources of good flavor in the new books right now as well.
/d |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
Posted - 05 Apr 2007 : 15:25:19
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Oh, and just to add on to the mention of the SRD, I actually prefer the online version at
http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html
To the d20SRD on the grounds of organization and ease of use. Even though I own several of those "too expensive" guidebooks, I keep using the online SRD as a quick reference when building things as DM. But Narithal, look into something that seems interesting and go with it. |
One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
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Starting D&D
