Getting Started (an attempt to create a sticky)

[wlmartin]

Mods,

My recent reply to the thread

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-discussion/308755-getting-started.html#post5623555

Seemed to hit a lot of the "What to do when starting D&D"

I don't think it warrants sticky-ing since it was just a random reply by one person but I do recommend that each of us put our TOP TIPS for new players on what is needed to start up with a D&D game.

Whomever is posting to this thread should include as much info as they see fit, do not worry about repeating something said by another and then the idea would be for a MOD to create a sticky using all of the tips we have suggested and edit it into a nice bullet-pointed sticky (rather than one with lots of replies)

If anyone wants to get started... feel free, if I am barking up the wrong tree or the mods are interested in making a sticky in this way then just let this post die.... otherwise lets pay it forward guys!

 

[Ferghis]

There have been a few "what should I get," or "is D&Di worth it" threads around recently.

 

[ourchair]

There have been a few "what should I get," or "is D&Di worth it" threads around recently.

Well, insofar as products are concerned, I recommend enumerating most of the Core or Essentials products. However:

* DON'T say what book and product combination is best to start with.
* DO say what purpose each purchase will serve.

Another important consideration is to contextualize each product according to what the Newbie wants to do. I'd seen a thread that did this, but I'd have to find it. I might build my own list and help out.

 

[aco175]

I'm sure most products will garner cheers and boos, but I'll start by saying that I like tiles for figures. We generally use the regular Wizards tiles, but have several old maps from 3E that crop up as well, I'm not sure how many fights have taken place on the King's Road. I find tiles to be good at being able to visually being able to see your character on the fiels of play. You can determine range and stay away from threats if you wish. Terrain can be added on top of things as they come up and can change at a whim. I like it better than my mat which took too long to draw on and looked rather childish in the representation.
Tiles take away a bit of the 2E feeling of immagination in that you do not need to guess and ask the dm so much things like, "Can I sneak up and backstab this round"., you do not need to describe and detail as muck. That takes a bit away from being able to immerse yourself in the game.
I wish I had time to lay them out before hand and take a picture of the maps I want and insert the pics into my encounter sheets, like a poor-mans Wizard stat block /encounter layout. If I had time like when you're young, I could put each encounter in a ziplock to take only the ones I need for the night. I did do this once and found it allowed me to detail more things like terrain and how it would affect things.