I'm gonna do my best here to write a beginners guide to playing D&D (or any other d20 based game). I would just say "go to the d20 SRD and read the basics section," but it seems that they can't put anything in plain English. I've taught quite a few people to play irl (I'm kinda a rules junkie), and it shouldn't be too hard to type it out. There's a lot of info here, so feel free to read it at whatever pace you feel comfortable. A lot of this won't make sense till you see it in play probably.
To start with, let's learn the most common abbreviations, the ones for dice. Gamers are lazy bums so we don't want to have to say (or type, or write)
Intro to D&D/d20
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Saxire
- Level 63 (Seal)
- Posts: 1098
- Joined: September 18th, 2007, 1:55 am
- Input the current year: 2009
Intro to D&D/d20
ok jae ill read the whole thing when my head is a bit more clear... chemistry jus put it totally out of ... out of ... out of something .....but ill surely read it and let you know :-[
Edit : out of order
Edit : out of order
Last edited by Saxire on February 26th, 2008, 5:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
Duhduhduh dum.
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Tarquin
- Level 56 (Geographer)
- Posts: 656
- Joined: September 18th, 2006, 3:54 am
- Input the current year: 1592
- Location: Madras, India
Intro to D&D/d20
o.O awesome work. Kinda made me clear in certain rules, which i wasn't when we played D&D a while back, remember?
In any case, can I ask what exactly prestige classes are?
In any case, can I ask what exactly prestige classes are?
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Jaegar
- Level 67 (Sleeper)
- Posts: 3281
- Joined: March 4th, 2006, 9:15 pm
- Input the current year: 1592
- Location: Kentucky, USA
Intro to D&D/d20
Prestige classes are like RO's advanced classes. After you meet certain prerequisites (base attack is high enough, you have enough skill points in a certain skill etc.) You can start taking levels in whatever prestige class you qualify for. Like I said though, you don't need to worry about them till level 5 at the very earliest.
Speaking of classes, I never got around to explaining how characters are made XP If you're not comfortable with this part I can make a character for you to play to begin with, then you can make one when this all makes more sense.
The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of character you want. Naturally you should pick a race and class to start. You can also figure out what kind of background and personality your character has if you like.
The first step of actually making the character is to determine their ability scores. There are many different ways to do this. The official method is to roll 4d6, ignore the lowest die, and record the result. You repeat that 6 times and you end up with 6 ability scores to place as you like. I don't like that method because it leaves so much to chance and honesty (I've heard
Speaking of classes, I never got around to explaining how characters are made XP If you're not comfortable with this part I can make a character for you to play to begin with, then you can make one when this all makes more sense.
The first thing you should do is figure out what kind of character you want. Naturally you should pick a race and class to start. You can also figure out what kind of background and personality your character has if you like.
The first step of actually making the character is to determine their ability scores. There are many different ways to do this. The official method is to roll 4d6, ignore the lowest die, and record the result. You repeat that 6 times and you end up with 6 ability scores to place as you like. I don't like that method because it leaves so much to chance and honesty (I've heard
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Jaegar
- Level 67 (Sleeper)
- Posts: 3281
- Joined: March 4th, 2006, 9:15 pm
- Input the current year: 1592
- Location: Kentucky, USA
Intro to D&D/d20
Combat sectioooooonnnn!!
All the normal RPG rules apply (eg. run our of HP and you're out of the fight). We're not fighting anything strong enough to kill you outright yet (unless they crit, crits are strong as always), but for future reference, you die when you have -10 hp. (my hit put the hound at -1 hp so it's unconscious and bleeding, but not quite dead yet)
In a normal combat round you have one move action and one standard action. A move action can be used to move your base speed (30 feet for tarq or 20 feet for Saxire). It can instead be used for a variety of other actions such as drawing a weapon or retrieving a potion. Generally, manipulating an item is a move action. These things are referred to as "move equivalent" actions (because they use a move action, but aren't really moving).
Your standard action is more versatile. A standard action is most commonly used to make an attack or cast a spell. It can also do anything a move action can. There are some other special things you can use standard actions for if you want to, but attacks are the most common (and simplest) by far.
There are a few other action types, but we don't need to worry about those at all. The full details for combat can be found here.
To put it as simply as possible, you can move once and attack once every round. You may cast a spell in place of an attack. You may also choose to move twice but give up your attack.
To attack, you roll a d20 to see if you hit (your "attack roll"). This is compared to the target's AC. If you win, you hit. Next you roll your weapon's damage and the enemy takes that much damage.
Spells are more complex because they have different forms.
Attack spells (like your acid splash) are resolved just like attacks. You make a roll and compare it to the target's AC. The roll is specified in the spell.
Most spells use the following resolution. You cast the spell and select targets, there is no roll for you to hit. The target(s) roll a saving throw (the type is specified by the spell). They have to beat 10+the caster's casting ability modifier (charisma for both of you)+the level of the spell. So for tarq's color spray, the enemy has to make a will save and get over 14
10 + 3(cha moidifier) + 1(color spray's level)
I'm sorry if it looks like a lot, but this is as simple as I can get it. =/
All the normal RPG rules apply (eg. run our of HP and you're out of the fight). We're not fighting anything strong enough to kill you outright yet (unless they crit, crits are strong as always), but for future reference, you die when you have -10 hp. (my hit put the hound at -1 hp so it's unconscious and bleeding, but not quite dead yet)
In a normal combat round you have one move action and one standard action. A move action can be used to move your base speed (30 feet for tarq or 20 feet for Saxire). It can instead be used for a variety of other actions such as drawing a weapon or retrieving a potion. Generally, manipulating an item is a move action. These things are referred to as "move equivalent" actions (because they use a move action, but aren't really moving).
Your standard action is more versatile. A standard action is most commonly used to make an attack or cast a spell. It can also do anything a move action can. There are some other special things you can use standard actions for if you want to, but attacks are the most common (and simplest) by far.
There are a few other action types, but we don't need to worry about those at all. The full details for combat can be found here.
To put it as simply as possible, you can move once and attack once every round. You may cast a spell in place of an attack. You may also choose to move twice but give up your attack.
To attack, you roll a d20 to see if you hit (your "attack roll"). This is compared to the target's AC. If you win, you hit. Next you roll your weapon's damage and the enemy takes that much damage.
Spells are more complex because they have different forms.
Attack spells (like your acid splash) are resolved just like attacks. You make a roll and compare it to the target's AC. The roll is specified in the spell.
Most spells use the following resolution. You cast the spell and select targets, there is no roll for you to hit. The target(s) roll a saving throw (the type is specified by the spell). They have to beat 10+the caster's casting ability modifier (charisma for both of you)+the level of the spell. So for tarq's color spray, the enemy has to make a will save and get over 14
10 + 3(cha moidifier) + 1(color spray's level)
I'm sorry if it looks like a lot, but this is as simple as I can get it. =/
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Jaegar
- Level 67 (Sleeper)
- Posts: 3281
- Joined: March 4th, 2006, 9:15 pm
- Input the current year: 1592
- Location: Kentucky, USA
Intro to D&D/d20
Next section, special combat actions
There's stuff you can do other than move, attack, and use items. I'll list some of them you might find useful below. The full rules on all of this can be found here:
http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/combat.htm
Full Attack: By spending a full round (you move action and your standard action both) you can make multiple attacks if your base attack bonus is over 5. That can't happen till you're level 6 though so it's not so important yet. When you get multiple attacks, your attack bonus is reduced by 5 for each attack. eg: When you have BAB 6, if you spend a full round attacking you get one attack with a BAB of 6 and another with a BAB of 1.
Attack of Opportunity (AOO): A lot of people hat the system for this mechanic, but I think it's fine. Basically, once per round if an enemy in you melee reach drops their guard you can make a free attack against them. Circumstances that provoke attacks of opportunity include
-moving out of a threatened space
-drinking a potion
-casting a spell
-making an unarmed strike (I keep doing this XP)
-many more
There are ways to get around most of these as well. For example, a spellcaster can make a concentration skill check to "cast defensively" and avoid provoking an AOO. Unfortunately, if they fail the check they waste the action (and the spell). So yeah, doing some stuff while you're in melee range is a bad idea.
5 foot step: This is a special form of movement. You can take a 5' step in any round that you don't spend an action to move. It doesn't count against your actions in any way and lets you avoid attacks of opportunity (because it doesn't count as moving).
Withdraw: This is another way to avoid an AOO if you need to move. Basically, if you do nothing but move in a round, the you don't provoke an AOO while moving away from an enemy who was next to you at the start of your turn.
Initiative: Oops I never covered this >.< This is what you do at the start of combat to determine the turn order. Basically, everyone rolls a d20 and adds their dex modifier, highest goes first. Some other things effect initiative (like feats) but most people just use their dexterity.
Special Attacks: You can do stuff like trip you opponent, push them backward, or feint. I'd describe them all here but I'm lazy. You can look here for a full list. Yes, they're overly complex and a lot of them provoke attacks of opportunity.
There's stuff you can do other than move, attack, and use items. I'll list some of them you might find useful below. The full rules on all of this can be found here:
http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/combat.htm
Full Attack: By spending a full round (you move action and your standard action both) you can make multiple attacks if your base attack bonus is over 5. That can't happen till you're level 6 though so it's not so important yet. When you get multiple attacks, your attack bonus is reduced by 5 for each attack. eg: When you have BAB 6, if you spend a full round attacking you get one attack with a BAB of 6 and another with a BAB of 1.
Attack of Opportunity (AOO): A lot of people hat the system for this mechanic, but I think it's fine. Basically, once per round if an enemy in you melee reach drops their guard you can make a free attack against them. Circumstances that provoke attacks of opportunity include
-moving out of a threatened space
-drinking a potion
-casting a spell
-making an unarmed strike (I keep doing this XP)
-many more
There are ways to get around most of these as well. For example, a spellcaster can make a concentration skill check to "cast defensively" and avoid provoking an AOO. Unfortunately, if they fail the check they waste the action (and the spell). So yeah, doing some stuff while you're in melee range is a bad idea.
5 foot step: This is a special form of movement. You can take a 5' step in any round that you don't spend an action to move. It doesn't count against your actions in any way and lets you avoid attacks of opportunity (because it doesn't count as moving).
Withdraw: This is another way to avoid an AOO if you need to move. Basically, if you do nothing but move in a round, the you don't provoke an AOO while moving away from an enemy who was next to you at the start of your turn.
Initiative: Oops I never covered this >.< This is what you do at the start of combat to determine the turn order. Basically, everyone rolls a d20 and adds their dex modifier, highest goes first. Some other things effect initiative (like feats) but most people just use their dexterity.
Special Attacks: You can do stuff like trip you opponent, push them backward, or feint. I'd describe them all here but I'm lazy. You can look here for a full list. Yes, they're overly complex and a lot of them provoke attacks of opportunity.