some questions

[SRD]

Please answer me to these questions (I'm a beginner):
1) I have some pdf's of the Character Sheets. But I see there's not enough room on the sheet to add succesive values for, let's say, Cha or Str as they increase at level-ups- or inventory either, if it's a big adventure and it changes many times. What can I do?
2) You MUST have miniatures for all the PC's and the munsters, right? Else how whould you know where they are on the battle grid, during a fight? Yet some books claim they're optional !?
2a) How does one calculate spell areas that hit in cone, circle pattern? I've seen some circlish things at the end of a book but what then? print it, superimpose it over the battlegrid? What??
3) I'd give EVERYTHING to find a tutorial or video that shown in detail a D&D session from the start (DM's preparations, creation of the map) to finish. Is there one anywhere?

 

[jaelis]

1) I have some pdf's of the Character Sheets. But I see there's not enough room on the sheet to add succesive values for, let's say, Cha or Str as they increase at level-ups- or inventory either, if it's a big adventure and it changes many times. What can I do?

Leave space to write changes in in pencil. You can update the pdf between sessions.

2) You MUST have miniatures for all the PC's and the munsters, right? Else how whould you know where they are on the battle grid, during a fight? Yet some books claim they're optional !?

Not at all. Some people don't use a battlemat at all and just estimate position. Or use a battlemat and just use random tokens for the minis... like dice, or food, or little scraps of paper with "kobold 1" written on them.

2a) How does one calculate spell areas that hit in cone, circle pattern? I've seen some circlish things at the end of a book but what then? print it, superimpose it over the battlegrid? What??

Usually you can just look at it and count out squares on the map if you need to.

3) I'd give EVERYTHING to find a tutorial or video that shown in detail a D&D session from the start (DM's preparations, creation of the map) to finish. Is there one anywhere?

Not that I know of, but I think you're worrying about it too much. There's no right or wrong way to do things, just go on and play!

 

[SRD]

Thanks, jaelis.
A note: on the Character sheet question, what I really needed was- how it's done in real world: if someone fills up his sheet, does he get another?
You said: "Some people don't use a battlemat at all and just estimate position". How can you estimate the position, in detail?

 

[GilaMonster]

Please answer me to these questions (I'm a beginner):
1) I have some pdf's of the Character Sheets. But I see there's not enough room on the sheet to add succesive values for, let's say, Cha or Str as they increase at level-ups- or inventory either, if it's a big adventure and it changes many times. What can I do?

Fill in the char sheet in pencil. Rub out and replace values as they change.

2) You MUST have miniatures for all the PC's and the munsters, right? Else how whould you know where they are on the battle grid, during a fight? Yet some books claim they're optional !?

When I do battles in the d20 modern game I run, I get out a hand drawn grid and some semi-precious stones. For D&D I do normally use miniatures because I have appropriate ones.

If your players agree, you can wing it on locations and distances, but it is more difficult.

2a) How does one calculate spell areas that hit in cone, circle pattern? I've seen some circlish things at the end of a book but what then? print it, superimpose it over the battlegrid? What??

For D&D I have a laminated battle grid. I'll count out and draw spell ranges with a whiteboard marker. The patterns are easy to remember, it's just a matter of counting out the range/area

 

[Goolpsy]

Thanks, jaelis.
You said: "Some people don't use a battlemat at all and just estimate position". How can you estimate the position, in detail?

You think of d&d as Computer Game... But rolepalying is so much more.. as stated there's no right or wrong, as Dungeon Master you can change things on the fly, as you please.
Most importantly though, is that it is Fantasy.. Imagination !
DM: "The Smelly Green thing runs up to you and tries to hit you with a club"
Player: "I let him feel my Wrath!"
Rolls... *good result*
DM: "You chopped the damned thing into piece!, what do you do now?"

No battlegrid is needed for this. Sometimes though, in very big battles, or with many players, it is easier to track where people are using a Grid. My group usually just rolls out the grid and mark the different objects with Dices.. and lines the dungeon with pencils. Use your imagination

 

[Lord Slaw]

1. As the others said, just use pencil. If you MUST use something permanent, then you can just copy your previous sheet over to a new sheet. I'd recommend the basic, back-of-the Player's Handbook sheets - they're short, sweet, and to the point.

2. Miniatures can be nice, but no, you don't need them at all. It can be kind of frustrating trying to find "just the right ones" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0413.html), so I never bother. Plus, one of the reasons I like D&D is because it's an inexpensive hobby - especially when you've got friends with a lot of sourcebooks on hand. For the most part, I just use little smooth pebbles with some sort of indicator on it (a rune, a letter, etc).

2a. Don't worry about it at all. Just have a general idea of where the spell is going, and you should be all right. I can't think of many cases where I used an area spell and had to worry if those outer little squares would be in the area of effect - typically, you can just eyeball it, and say, "OK, cone goes in this direction, monsters LOOK like they're in the way - all set." But, if for some reason, this does come up, then yes, you can use those cones in the back of the book as a guideline.

3. I don't know of such a thing, but I like to think that I'm a pretty experienced player/DM (not a ton of games DM'ed, but I did it well, and I know the rules). Since you seem like somebody new to the concept and playing of D&D, the people here at EN World can answer most of your questions. But, if for whatever reason, you feel like you need some additional help, e-mail me at colekett@yahoo.com. Feel free to ask questions, I'll answer all of them that I can.

 

[irdeggman]

Unfortunately with 3.5 you need some sort of grid (or mat) to handle combat. It is really essential with the way the rules are set up now. You can't "estimate" position like you could in 2nd or earlier editions - too many things depend on where you are and actions depend on specific distance (5 ft step and AoO come to mind).

But you do not need to invest in expensive mats. A large piece of paper with 1" grids works fine.

As far as "markers" - I use nickels with those round labels (got them at Office Depot). I use different colors and number them.

For PCs who regulary play simply label the nickel with the PC's name.

Since there is no "facing" in 3.5 this is fine.

 

[irdeggman]

If you are just startin - start by reading the books (and don't rely on the SRD - it is extremely lacking in information for a new player/DM). THe books have illustrations that "show" how things play out.

The DMG has a lot of information up front on what to do to "prepare", and the PHB has a step by step method for preparing a character, a step by step method for how to handle combat (specific actions not withstanding) and a step by step method for "leveling up". {None of which are contained within the SRD.}

 

[FalcWP]

I've actually played 3.5 a variety of ways - with lots and lots of miniatures on a battle mat when I was with a group that had a huge selection, with coins and bottle caps on graph paper when we didn't have minis (or appropriate minis), and with no map or mini at all (with the DM making the call of whether we got AoOs, how many orcs we could get in a fireball, etc.). All of those worked fine. If you group thrives on the tactical aspects, at least get graph paper and some tokens, it makes things a lot easier. If you don't mind ignoring and simplifying a few rules, you can go without.

In your case, SRD, you'll probably want to at least get graph paper and something to represent characters. That might mean investing in a lot of minis, or printing off a lot of tokens, or having lots of spare change around, or whatever, but you seem to want to follow the rules to the letter at all times, so ignoring some of the movement-related Attacks of Opportunity and just estimating how many orcs you get with a fireball probably isn't going to fly for you.

 

[Nail]

Thanks, jaelis.
A note: on the Character sheet question, what I really needed was- how it's done in real world: if someone fills up his sheet, does he get another?

"Fills up the sheet"? I'm not sure I understand what you are asking.

For your ability scores (Str, Dex, Con, etc.), you change them as the PC levels up (every 4 levels) or as you begin to add magic items which boost them (like a Belt of Strength +4). So, for example, a Ftr 12 might have started with a Str 15, put all 3 level adjustment into Str, and be wearing a Belt of Strength +4. On his PC sheet, in the blank after Str, he's got the value "22".

If he loses the Belt, he erases the "22" and writes in "18".

Is this what you were asking?


Everything else is done ths way too. Generally, you either use pencil and eraser, or you have your PC sheet as a self-calculating PDF and just print it off (with all changes) before each game.

"Some people don't use a battlemat at all and just estimate position". How can you estimate the position, in detail?

No group I have *ever* gamed with estimated position. We all use battle mats and minatures or tokens. Me, I prefer the tokens...'cause they're practically free. (Minus printer ink, of course.)