D&D Adventure Game or 3e Core Rules?

[Anime Kidd]

Would it be a good idea to use the D&D Adventure Game box as the standard game rules and have everything else as sourcebooks?
I ask because I might actually have a game or two to DM p) and the players don't know 3e. One was actually my DM for Basic D&D years ago. The other 3 don't know much about rpgs, besides me being crazy them!

Since they might want to make their own characters, I have been making rules so they can. Almost all the things I've made for the Adventure Game rules are simplified now. Like, classes are 10-levls, prestige classes are 5-levels, etc.

Am I just going crazy and should settle down or is it worth the effort to go through with it?

Also, if it doesn't go well...is it possible for me to put it on a site for all to see without it turning into trouble for me?

 

[jhanzur]

call me crazy, but 3E is great using the 3 core books.

 

[Jasperak]

I have introduced groups to 3e with both. Both groups were 15 year+ 1e groups that did not play 2e. While I found the adventure game easier to start with, the first group quickly out grew it and wanted to try the full game. I started the second group with just the core and while the character generation process has taken ages, I think it went well, but again way too long.

If I were to introduce another group I would start with the adventure game with the pregens and play through about 2 or 3 levels then move to the Core rulebooks.

I like that because it lets the group start quickly without any of the character generation problems, so that they can quickly learn the basics. By the time they have reached third level or so they would have enough knowledge of the rules to be able to choose the feats that would benefit their style more.

Truth be told though, while I toyed with the idea of extrapolating the rules from the adventure game so that the players could make their own characters, it might be self-defeating, since the goal of the adventure game is to get the players involved quickly.

Also I would think that if a group wanted to play by the simple rules, they would have been playing OD&D all along. Since you seem to be starting with a completely fresh group, you may be allright, but I would suggest you get them to kill their first goblin as quick as possible.

 

[Squire James]

The Adventure Game box is essentially a "gateway drug" into the world of D&D. It is intended as a test to see if you and your players like D&D or not. You obviously do. Now you need to ask your players if they like it well enough to play with some expanded rules. If 2 or more players are willing to play every time you set up a game, then I recommend you buy the Core Rule books.

If money's tight, you might want to ask them if they can help share the cost. Maybe if 3 of you each buy one book, the cost might not be beyond your (or your parents') means (and also makes "division of books" easier if you split up).

If money's REALLY tight, and that $10 you paid for the D&D Adventure Game box is all you can afford, then you have no choice but to do what you're already doing. Frankly, I think your game will stagnate in about a month unless you get the Core Rule books (or at least a good long look at the SRD), but people have surprised me about such things in the past.

 

[Anime Kidd]

Yeah, now that I think about it, I'm probably just complicating things more. But it's still fun just typing it all up though.

Anyways... The thing is, I don't want to just drop them right into 3e. I also don't want them to use the adventure rules as is, I see it as a bit too simple compared to the normal rules. I want to use a mix between them so that while playing they are learning the basics of 3e, but is still simple enough for them to understand.

PS: I must confess....I never ACTUALLY used 3e, as I know of noone who is into rpgs around my area. So, I have all this stuff and noone to game with.

 

[Wicht]

If making characters is an issue my advice would be this - use the pregenerated iconic characters but don't use the Adventure Game, instead pick up a copy of Sunless Citadel and muddle your way through it. By the time you have finished that adventure you and your players will have a good grasp of how to use the characters and can then proceed to make your own.

The Players should start with a basic understanding of making a skill check and making an attack. After that its all icing on the cake. And if you forget a rule for one game you are in no real trouble.

Personally, I can now whip up a character of just about any level in about 10 minutes a character. It gets a lot simpler the more you do it. As a DM I found it helped to create NPCs on a regular basis.

 

[mmadsen]

Would it be a good idea to use the D&D Adventure Game box as the standard game rules and have everything else as sourcebooks?

I love the Adventure Game, but it doesn't provide any character generation rules, just pre-generated characters. I don't see how you could use it for your game rules if your game is going to include customized characters.

On the other hand, I can highly recommend using it to draw your friends into the game. I can also recommend using it as inspiration for your own Basic D&D 3E. Stick to the four "corest" of the core classes (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Cleric) and just Humans to start. Give them simplified lists of just the Feats they can take at low level, just the Spells they can take, just the Skills they might actually use, and so on.

Since they might want to make their own characters, I have been making rules so they can.

Why, if they haven't played before, would they want to make their own characters? Either give them the pre-gen characters out of the Adventure Game, or make up pre-gen characters you think they'd like, but get to the action!

 

[Anime Kidd]

Why, if they haven't played before, would they want to make their own characters?

Well, at least one of the players wants to make their own already. So, I've been making based off the Adventure Game. But, the more I look at what I've done, the more I thinking of using the pre-gen characters.