Uhhhhh Teach me?

[Mandi]

My friend Ethan is making me play at the D&D Club (for the ensurance of my relationship with this one boy), and I'm utterly lost. We haven't played yet, but... yeah. Basics?
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[Krysil]

well there are dice...when you start up you'll be given a 20 sided dice to roll your stats. I think you roll like 8 or 9 times and then with the numbers you roll you allocate them to your attributes

ex. I roll 19, 16

My attributes would also be set based on my character's race and class (which i don't remember what they are so i'll just pretend) so let's say i'm an elvan ranger. So there are preset attributes and then the ones that you can roll for...most people roll becuase the stats you get either suck or not allocated to your liking. So I'll put my dex up at 19 since I'm an elvan ranger and dexterity is really important where as strength isn't so much

strength - 16
dexterity - 19

After that you should ask the GM (Game Master) if elfs or rangers have any attribute bonuses...I think elves have a +2 dexterity so you'll end up writing that beside your dex and it will bring you up to 21 but look like 19 + 2

everything after that is based on different sided dice. Damage taken, i believe, is figured out by rolling a 3 sided dice and other dice are used to determine if a skill you have used is successful, weather a tradesmen will talk to you, etc.

Most everything after creating your character is easier to get a grip on and it's basically like talk-role playing so you verbal talk to the GM about entering a bar and he will tell you what you see, etc.

If you have anything specific to ask I have the Player's Handbook and can help you as much as you need.
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[Aeralea]

That's a good intro to the game system Krysil, but.. we need to make sure.. you guys are doing tabletop and not larping - right?

What Krysil described is tabletop. Larping involves playing rock-paper-scissors and running around like idiots in the middle of the night - scaring the neighbors required. ^^;


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[Tsukiko Rain]

I wanna scare my neighbors! ( They deserve it. D= )
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[Aeralea]

heheh.. ^^;

XD
_________________
"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams." ~ Willy Wonka

"Art is the stuff you find in the museum, whether it be a painting or a statue. What I'm doing, what videogame creators are doing, is running the museum..." ~ Hideo Kojima

"I don't want to lose heart!!" ~ Robert the Bruce, Braveheart

Bob Fraser: "You did forget my birthday."
Fraser: "You were dead!!"

"I am but mad north-north-west; when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw." - William Shakespeare

[Trystan]

It's a good introduction, but there are 3 or 4 editions of AD&D each with slightly differing rules. Dungeon Masters, or DMs spend a lot of time preparing their "campaign" -- the game itself -- for players to enjoy, and often take some liberties of their own with the rules to suit their game.

For example, in our group, we play by 2nd edition rules, which are a little more restrictive than later editions, but our DM lifts some of the race requirements for classes and subclasses so long as we have the necessary stats. Another nifty feature he has chosen to omit is not needing all the material components for spells, because that can be annoying as heck.

But it really is all about acting. Much of the actual dice rolling, pertaining to outcomes is done behind the scenes by the DM. The dice you will usually need to get started is a 4-sided, 6-sided, 8-sided, 10-sided, 20-sided and 100-sided. The 100 sided doesn't actually have 100 sides, but is a 10-sided with the tens listed on it e.g 10, 20, 30, etc.

A large part of the campaign (and the part most players love) is COMBAT! Here's how combat works. Generally if a non-player entity (person, giant talking leaf, dragon, etc.) attacks or gets ready to attack a player, or the players are about to attack something, you enter a combat phase. If the situation allows for a surprise or pre-emptive strike (generally the action that would lead to the combat anyway) that is usually resolved first. But if the players are merely getting into position, or after those first attacks, you enter the Initiative phase. You might hear the DM say "Roll for Initiative." This decides what order both players and enemies will take their turns during combat.

Let's say Elf rolls an 18, Troll rolls a 12, and Evil Goblins (controlled by DM, and in this instance, though there are four of them, they will attack in a formation, and therefore at the same time, so they take one turn instead of four) rolled a 14. The order would be as follows:

Elf
Evil Goblins
Troll

Now, if the Evil Goblins had rolled a 12, A critical event might occur. Depending on whether or not your DM takes that into consideration. Otherwise, Troll and the Evil Goblins would be making their move at the same time. During your turn, you can choose to make an attack, cast a spell, use a potion, run away, or do nothing, if you so choose. Once everyone has taken a turn, if there are still enemies, everyone rolls for Initiative again.

LOL I just realized this topic is mad old. But hey, in case anyone needs more D&D info, there ya go.

[Aeralea]

Better explaination than I could've given.. where were you those months ago? ; )

Thanks for the info : )