Playing D&D with only the PHB

[WSmith]

I seem to remember reading someone's post here a while ago, might have actually been a story hour but I can't find it now, where the group was only using the Player's Handbook, not even the DMG or any single monster manual. The theme was that the adversaries were from different kingdoms but only the races in the PHB were used as both allies and enemies.

Does any currently, or in the past, played 3e with only the PHB? Does anyone remember the thread I am talking about?

 

[Asmor]

I could be wrong, but isn't the experience chart in the DMG? Never mind the rules for NPC classes. I mean, I could buy making all the city watch fighters, and all the nobles rogues which specialized in social skills, but what would you make the farmers? Maybe wizards without spellbooks. Of course, they could still prepare read magic... Wait, peasants are usually illiterate, so clearly farmers should be bararians!

It wouldn't be difficult to play a game without the DMG at the table, but completely excising everything in the DMG would be... awkward, to say the least.

 

[delericho]

You could always use the SRD, and house rule the XP chart as "you level up when the DM says so."

That would do it.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I could be wrong, but isn't the experience chart in the DMG?

Nope. PHB, Table 3-2.

 

[Tonguez]

I could be wrong, but isn't the experience chart in the DMG? Never mind the rules for NPC classes. I, but what would you make the farmers? Maybe wizards without spellbooks.

- First Farmers are Experts!

- second you don't need to have NPC classes for NPCs just say

"Bob is a Friendly Farmer" Stats:if you hit him with your sword he will die.

I've played with just the SRD

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Nope. PHB, Table 3-2.

Actually you were half right.

The table for how much xp you need to reach level X is in the PHB.

The table for determining how much xp a combat encounter was worth is in the DMG.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Klaus]

And hey, you even have horses in the PHB (in the Paladin entry). But no stats for other animals, nor any Summoned Monsters.

The first print PHB in 3.0 had at least a few monster stats in the back.

 

[Desdichado]

I could be wrong, but isn't the experience chart in the DMG? Never mind the rules for NPC classes. I mean, I could buy making all the city watch fighters, and all the nobles rogues which specialized in social skills, but what would you make the farmers? Maybe wizards without spellbooks. Of course, they could still prepare read magic... Wait, peasants are usually illiterate, so clearly farmers should be bararians!

Or.... you could just not stat up farmers.

Is there some reason you need to stat up farmers?

 

[Asmor]

And hey, you even have horses in the PHB (in the Paladin entry). But no stats for other animals, nor any Summoned Monsters.

The first print PHB in 3.0 had at least a few monster stats in the back.

Well, the first print PHB came out before the Monster Manual, and the 2nd edition stuff was literally unusable in 3rd edition, stats-wise. So I imagine if they didn't include stats for some common things (honestly, the only thing I remember off the top of my head being in there was a wolf), there would have been hell to pay.

 

[Asmor]

Or.... you could just not stat up farmers.

Is there some reason you need to stat up farmers?

Well, yeah! Because... because... because your mom wears army boots, that's why!

Ok, not really. So sue me.