Getting Back Into Gaming

[WayneLigon]

I wouldn't bother with anything other than the three core books for the first couple three years. They have more than enough material in them to occupy you for that time as you learn (and unlearn old bad habits like 'Five orcs and we're first level? We can take 'em easy! Charge!') and master the game.

 

[WingOver]

Dungeon Magazine and Dragon Magazine are great resources. They're currently running these 1 page articles in Dragon every month spotlighting each core class. We restarted our game recently after about an 8 month hiatus and the guys really liked those articles.

Dungeon's been expanded to include campaign building articles and now contains a 3 adventures per issue.

www.paizo.com

Bestiary of Krynn is a DL monster book from Sovereign Press. It's pretty good.

 

[pogre]

I'd suggest some good low-level modules. Pick one of the following:

Lost City of Barakus (Troll Lord Games): I'm currently running this, and we're having a great time. No metaplot, lots of interesting encounters, room for me to be creative (if I want), but enough so I don't have to be creative (if I don't have the time or am getting burnt out). For character levels 1-5.

World of Whitethorn 1A (Hamlet of Thumble) & 1B (Village of Oester) -- by Open World Press, sold via Indie Press Revolution: Very interesting, related settings taking characters from 1-5 level..

Take care,

Ragnar

These two would be my suggestions as well. Buy one or the other - BTW Necromancer created Lost City and Troll Lord prints and distributes it - a bit confusing. Stick to the core rules - more rules are not necessary and the faster your game goes the more you will enjoy it.

Welcome back!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

If you are into playing religious characters I would reeccomend Deities And Demigods and the Book of Exalted Dees. One book every player and GM should have is the Arms and Equipment Guide, you can't go wrong with it. Also if you love to have a world of options open to your character I'd highly reccomend Unearthed Arcana.

 

[ajanders]

Also if you love to have a world of options open to your character I'd highly reccomend Unearthed Arcana.

No disrespect to Frukakthka, but until you are very familiar with D&D 3.5, don't let Unearthed Arcana near your game.
Unearthed Arcana is what you use when you want to go Home Improvement on your D&D game. Use the book without the proper precautions and you can cut your hand off. In a campaign sense only.
But after your first campaign, it should be your first purchase.

 

[scourger]

Here's a bunch of free adventures from the WotC website:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b

Get Dungeon. Get a subscription. That really should be enough.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

I'll second scourger...if you're going to get anything else right now, get Dungeon. It's the best value out there.

Nick

 

[wingsandsword]

Unearthed Arcana is what you use when you want to go Home Improvement on your D&D game. Use the book without the proper precautions and you can cut your hand off. In a campaign sense only.
But after your first campaign, it should be your first purchase.

I'll agree with that 100%

Unearthed Arcana is an excellent book, and the first book I would recommend after the 3 core books, but I wouldn't recommend it for a novice DM. Learn to run with the Core 3, then expand out once you know the system, it's core classes and rules, and how it's all balanced before diving headlong into the suppliments.

Unearthed Arcana is for the DM who knows the system well, and wants to strip it down, rebuild it, and make their own personally customized version of D&D that's exactly what they want. If you know what you're doing you'll get your ideal and perfect game, if you don't you'll end up with a horribly broken, clumsy abomination that will send your campaign down in flames.

"Today on Game Improvement, I'm going to put Gestalt classes, Defense Bonuses, Action Points and Magic Rating into our campaign! Want to be the first player to roll up a new character for it?"
"I don't think so Tim. . ."

 

[Shellman]

Back in the day I did more DMing than playing and that's the way I'm thinking it'll end up going again. I just don't meet too many people that are interested in being the DM.
As for a campaign setting, I've always been a big fan of the DragonLance books, but in the past we only used Forgotten Realms when we played D&D. I'd definitely like to steer clear of FR this time. I've also thought the Wheel of Time setting looked like fun, at least from the novels of it I've read. I'm not really all that familiar with any other settings other than from what I read on here.

Paul

I kinda liked the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting by Sword & Sorcery Studios. The newest 3.5 edition is the Scarred Lands Termana setting. The 3.0 edition was the Scarred Lands Ghelspad setting, but both would give you an interesting new setting to use.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I kinda liked the Scarred Lands Campaign Setting by Sword & Sorcery Studios. The newest 3.5 edition is the Scarred Lands Termana setting. The 3.0 edition was the Scarred Lands Ghelspad setting, but both would give you an interesting new setting to use.

And White Wold is getting rid of the Scarred Lands stuff cheap on their mail order site, less than half price in most cases. Hollowfaust, and Ghelspad would be my choice for setting books if you go that route, and both the Relics & Rituals books for add on rules, and Creature Collection Revised for a critter book. All together it would set you back about $50.30 or so, not including shipping. I have to admit I have bought some of the sale items, even though I have not run a Scarred lands campaign for a couple of years.

The Auld Grump