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Your DM is making a lot of rookie mistakes typical to brand new DM's. He's also likely to run the campaign into the ground almost immediately and turn the group off from playing.
I would like to recommend that you point out that 5e is incredibly well balanced and had an extremely long playtest before it was released. Because of this, the DM should pick up a Campaign module and run that. I would like to recommend Lost Mine of Phandelver. It's a starter module that's incredibly good at covering everything for new players to D&D, and it starts with pre-generated characters so you can all learn together (or you can roll your own if you like). It comes in the D&D Starter Set, and you can get it on Amazon for dirt cheap (I'll add a link at the bottom).
Everybody will learn and have fun with it, and then from there you can start your own campaign having had an experience that is just all around fun.
Give it some serious consideration. I can't stress enough that a DM acting ham fisted and throwing rules out the window right off the bat is just going to ruin everything.
Oh, and if you do pick up a module, do NOT pick up Horde of the Dragon Queen. It's brutally hard to begin and the balancing at the start is way off. You are almost guaranteed to lose half your party if not more. That is NOT a well balanced module at all.
I highly recommend the starter kit
It includes the basic rules, and a great first campaign. It has everything you would need and is half off! Ontop of that you can find all kinds of advice/tutorials on youtube to go with the starter kit (Lost Mines of Phandelver)
Best option for first time is to find 3-5 friends and go pick up one of these bad boys [link]
The easiest to run is The Lost Mine of Phandelver, the adventure included in the Starter Set.
Since it's meant for beginners, it outlines what you need to do and how to do it pretty well.
Grab yourself the Starter Set, which usually goes for about $15 on Amazon. It's the perfect starting place.
starter kit This starter set is a fantastic place to begin.
I always recommend Lost Mine of Phandelver. I hear it comes in the starter set now. Maybe it always did. I got it from a player.
Anyways...
It's easy to get through, has loads of side quests, and is lots of fun. I've run it twice and played it once.
Good luck!
To add to that, /u/JeMangeLeButt, there's an actual starter pack which is pretty cheap.
The premade adventure is for 3-4 players, but it's possible to make it with 1 player if you scale down the amount and strength of ennemies, which might require a little experience to do properly (but that's what trying out is for, isn't it), or play multiple characters.
as others have recommended. i'd definitely recommend the starter's set. it includes the basic rules (which you can also download for free from WotC) and also a quality starter adventure module. since your boys are young, i'd highly recommend you learn the rules yourself and run the game for them (called Dungeon Master or DM - a person that sets up the scene/story and adjudicates the actions of the players).
the starter's set really is bang for your bucks. and if you guys enjoy it enough, you can buy the full rulebooks (player's handbook, monster's manual, and dungeon master's guide - the first two are essential. DMG is also excellent and i'd consider it essential but you don't necessarily need it to start playing - and if you're on a budget, get the player's handbook first out of the three).
Edition: It matters a ton. My recommendation is 5E, which is both excellently designed and readily available. See r/dndnext for it's home on reddit.
Grab the starter set and go. It is all you need to begin.
Downloading the Basic Rules, or purchasing the Starter Set may be your best bet. Those are a lot less intimidating.
I would also recommend just having them create the characters with you, the DM. As they have questions, refer to the books or answer them yourself, then go through the game. This is better if at least a couple others know the rules to help along, but sometimes just playing is the quickest way to learn! It's how I learned 3.5. :P
7 or 8 people would be do-able but could get chaotic. Maybe see how often people could come on a regular basis and decide from there?
And easiest way to teach people would probably be the basic rules or just jumping into a one-shot or short module for them and walking them through. :)
Can't go wrong with the starter set. The adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver that is included is solid and has advice on how to run things for new DMs and players. Also comes with a small set of dice and premade characters with helpful info on level progression.
As with most premade adventures, it's tailored to a party of 4 PCs. It's not too difficult though, and fewer PCs can easily run it successfully with some minor tweaks to some encounters.
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set (D&D Boxed Game) [link]
Other than this I don't think it gets much more basic. You don't need the DMG at all. It's awesome but not required. Understanding the PHB is imo very important. Of course, with a little creativity you can wing a lot of rules but the games will mesh better when you follow the rules provided. As you play the entire group will learn the game better and things will go smoother.
Honey, where are you looking? On Amazon, new is around $20 or less.
Maybe you're looking at hardbound, which is not how the set is typically printed.
Here is a link to the Starter Set everyone is recommending. The adventure inside of it is quite nice. It includes pre-generated characters in it as well.
Lost Mines of Phandelver is an excellent start to DMing in 5th Edition. It is in the Starter Set, which is around 17 dollars on Amazon right now. It comes with a set of dice and some starter character sheets.
The advice about fucking around is only as accurate as you allow it to be. Yes, 90% of what you have planned is probably not going to go how you wanted it to, but that is something you have to expect. Offering the illusion of choice ("We want to take the right passageway"; when in fact you have it planned that both passageways go to the same 'encounter') is very effective at this without making it feel rail-roadey. If you run your group very casual a lot of chuckle-fuckery will go on, but some people like that. For instance, my group is very casual even though I do not like it that much, I go along with it. That means that yes, I may have to repeat myself, but everyone is having fun. If you want a more serious experience in your games you can do something like have everyone put their phones in the table and pay attention at least 85% of the time. It really is up to you as the DM.
The best advice I can give you is just to roll with the punches. Don't try to force people to play how you want them to play (unless it's something that is objectively bad, like party members killing/stealing from each other for no VALID reason), but do try to keep control of what is going on at your table. Remember, YOU are the one that is in charge.
Best of luck. DMing is hard but extremely rewarding.
If you haven't played much of the game yourself, you're essentially having to create a world and write stories for your players all while balancing encounters, designing dungeons and dealing with things like power creep, narrative flow, game balance, mood - not to mention the basic rules and what the different classes can do etc...
So why not simplify that a little? We'll take the world creation and adventure writing and we'll outsource that to a tried and true pre-written adventure. While we're at it, we can go ahead and use an adventure made specifically for new DMs.
So, what you do is you review that and go ahead and run it for your players. You can feel free to switch things around, or add your own stuff in, but for the most part you're going to play it as-is.
While you're doing that you're going to quickly learn some really crucial stuff like how to run a table, the basic rules, proper encounter balance, proper loot balance, proper adventure structure etc...
This is really important because that module is going to fly by fast, and by the end of it you want to have those things down as a good foundation as you turn to writing your own adventures.
It's not the only way to approach the issue, it's really not. What I've found, though, is that it gives you the highest chance of running an enjoyable first adventure.
Start with the latest edition. 5th Edition. It is VERY beginner friendly and easy enough to learn and understand for even the newest of players. The best way to start is to get the 5e Starter Set. It includes the basic rules, one set of dice, a set of character sheets (some premade and one clean for copyprinting) and the adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver, which explains the DM step by step how to run it and how the mechanics work.
It's a pretty short campaign, but I'm glad I did it to help get me started. You can find it in the 5e Starter Set.
> I haven't had a chance to try DND 5e yet due to me being cheap.
You could begin by trying the 5e Starter Set. Apparently it's just $12 on Amazon and it comes with the rules, pregenerated characters, a wonderful adventure and 6 dice (So it's actually just ~$7 for the game itself)
If you're just starting out, I encourage you to try out first. Dungeon World is a great system too, but you may struggle if you're just starting out as a GM. It may not have as many rules, but it doesn't mean it's easy.
There is a DnD starter set for around $20 (CAN) available. It comes with dice, a pre-made adventure, pre-made character sheets. I used it when I first started DnD and I grew from there. It helps give you a base understanding of how to play it. Here is the link to it on Amazon if you want to see what it includes specifically or what it looks like.
D&D 5th edition has a starter kit as well. It walks everyone (including the Dungeon Master) through the game pretty easily as first timers and also comes with a set of dice. It also has pre-made characters as well, if people don't want to make their own characters (or if it feels too daunting).
Oh! You're entire group is new? Then all you need are pencils and the D&D Starter Set: [link]
If you guys complete it and had fun, THEN get a Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master's Guide. I recommend everyone getting a PHB, but have at least two for the group.
You can get the D&D starter set for about $12 on amazon right now. Comes with everything you need to start playing and the rules for the newest edition (5th) are pretty darn simple and streamlined. This is the easiest it's ever been to get into tabletop rpgs.
Appreciate your reply.
I got this box from Amazon: [link]
I don't know if that answers your question, is there anything specific I can look at the box to figure out which edition it is?
Starter Kit. It has a booklet of the basic rules, some premade characters, and a premade campaign. I bought something similar for another system I wanted to try, great way to learn without investing. I would not buy the book without trying this if none of your friends are already experienced with RPGs. The booklet should explain everything for the campaign, and all the basics. Being rules heavy, D&D might take a few times to read through.
And go to the RPG night.
It is a really fun time. 3 hours every other week, the guys come over, we tell a great story (those fuckers just took down my sith lord and his apprentice like you might swat a fly), drink, and have a good time. Do iiiiit.
Also, feel free to PM me questions or whatnot.
I would say no, but it depends on the person. If every player is a newbie, then it shouldn't be an issue, since they won't notice mistakes or bad practices and what not. If one of them isn't a newbie, then have them DM. It might also be easier if you start off with a published adventure, but since even though it tells you what to say and do, there is the constant possibility and fear that players will act different than in the book, and you will be afraid of having them do something that will throw the entire thing off. It also like doubles the amount of initial reading and cost investment.
If you do decide to go that route, this might be the best option, it is only levels 1-6 rather than 1-15 like most of the other ones (Level caps at 20), but I think that is to its benefit here.
And it also comes with the free version of the rules in paper format, a set of dice, and pregenerated characters.
If I were you I DM a game based on the free PDF online, and pregenerated characters, and if you and your friends like it, buy the three rulebooks, whoever decides to be the DM would be greatly benefited by buying the DM guide and reading it, it will set you on the right path to being good at it.
If me and my friends wanted to try D&D out, where should we start? Should we start with this?
Starting a campaign completely from scratch as a new DM can be overwhelming. It's not something I could have done, that's for sure.
The DnD 5e Starter Set costs about 14 dollars on amazon at the moment.
If you could spare it then I can recommend it.
For the rest take a look around and post in subs that help with being a DM such as /r/DnDBehindTheScreen and /r/AskGameMasters
There's an official D&D Starter Set that has everything you need to get started. It's fairly cheap but be warned, it can turn into an expensive hobby once you start buying all the books and accessories.
Is this the one you were talking about btw?
It depends on how much you want to get into it. If you and your group can settle down for a few hours and play, then it can be more fun than any board game on the market. However, it has some steep requirements- Namely, the price of the books and learning the rules.
There is a 5th edition starter set on amazon for fairly cheap. Here it is. If you can convince your friends to play and convince another to take the legendarily daunting mantle of "Dungeon Master" (Or become the Dungeon Master yourself) then you can have a lot of fun, and this can let you know if you're gonna enjoy it. It's all you need to play D&D in it's simplest form.
If you like the starter set, the only books you NEED to play the full version of D&D are the Monster Manual and Player's Handbook, just make sure you're getting the ones for 5th edition, because there are multiple iterations from different editions. Dungeon Master's Guide, while not required, can help you in creating an amazing story and campaign that your players will love.
After that, it's just branching out, seeing what you like and don't like about D&D, and learning from others. If you're into it, go to r/DnD - We're a good lot of folk who have numerous tools to help newer players.
As others have mentioned, the 5e starter set is a great way to get going. 5th edition is a great 'newbie' edition to learn, even if no one in the party has previous tabletop experience. The Starter Set comes with basic rules, some dice, some pre-made characters (and instructions on how to make your own) plus everything you need to run your own adventure (monsters and maps included).
It's $12, which is pretty cheap for all that. If you find you really like it, I would look into the three core books of 5th edition:
The Players Handbook (How to make characters, do stuff, fight things, customize your character, etc.)
The Dungeon Master's Guide (How to set up encounters, adventures, campaign settings, loot, balancing the game, items, etc.)
The Monster Manual (every monster stat block you could want for an adventure!)
But that comes later I would expect!
As others said, 5e is a really great choice for new players. There is a starter set ([link]) for 5e that comes with several pre-made characters, printed copies of the basic rules (including how to make a character from them), a set of polyhedral dice, and a pre-made campaign that walks the DM through every step of running the game.
I think the last part would be invaluable to you. Most dice sets run about $7 USD each, and a campaign book similar to the one included (Lost Mines of Phandelin) would run you about $10 new, so getting it for $12 is a pretty good deal. If you decide you like it, you can go pick up the three core books.
>First: Which edition?
This one:
>Second: AC is "Meet or Beat". Your d20 roll plus modifiers can be equal to the value, and it's still a hit.
Right. I just thought having an AC of 18 would mean it would be virtually impossible to hit them. I guess I need to pay attention to the "+X to hit".
You could run D&D as a tile-based game with dice. Obviously you would be missing out on all of the creativity and narrative, but it can be done. (Some people like board games, but don't like role playing.)
I will point you to the other people here who suggest the fifth edition starter set. You can find it here: [link]
To all those interested and want to try D&D 5e with people new to RPGs, check out the Starter Set.
It's dirt cheap at $12 and contains everything you need for new players.
Comes with all the rules, 5 pre-made characters, set of dice, and a pre-writen adventure.
All you need to add is pencils, erasers, and a notebook for at least 12 hours of fun with 1 Dungeon Master and 2 to 5 players.
It's the ideal package if you don't know where to start. The free basic rules are great but the barrier of entry can be still too high for new players and a new Dungeon Master. The Starter Set shows you the possibilities and easily guides you toward creating your own story and characters.
I highly recommend it. It's probably the best entry point for tabletop RPGs right now.
Why not pick up the starter set from amazon? It's only like $10 and has everything you need to get started. All you've got to do is get them to consent to one session and I bet they'll be hooked.
If you haven't gotten to try it yet, the newest version has starter set for about $12.
Comes with an abridged rulebook (the set is designed for characters up to level 5, so it doesn't give you any spells they wouldn't have access to, or monsters that they wouldn't be able to face), a pre-written adventure, a set of dice, and some pre-made characters (Obviously, you're free to make your own instead though)
I highly recommend it for anyone who's interested in getting started with tabletop RPGs. The newest version of D&D is designed to be very beginner friendly. This set lasted my group almost a full year, playing about twice a month for about 3 hours a session, so you'll definitely get $12 of enjoyment out of it if you can get an eager group together.
this has all you need to get started for about 12 bucks. If you enjoy it, then you can get the core books or use the free basic rules on line.
also - listen to our podcast :) Our goal is helping new people learn how to play. www.therpgacademy.com
Honestly I would recommend buying to introductory adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver in the starter set boxed set. It is designed to hold your hand through the first adventure and several character levels. Very good introduction to novice DMs and players.
I highly suggest not starting with your own homebrew world. Start with a published adventure. You'll learn so damn much on your first playthrough of it. The Starter Set is an amazing deal for the price.
My main piece of advice is expect the players to not do what you planned. That makes it important to be relatively prepared for them to go in just about any direction.
As others have said, free rules are online for 5E.
The Starter Set is also a fantastic first buy. Tons of material and great for new players. It has everything you need to start playing.
If you want to test the waters, I highly recommend the Starter Set. It's fairly cheap
It comes with the basic rules, a premade adventure (titled "The Lost Mines of Phandelver") and some pre-generated characters sheets (but nothing is stopping you from making ones from scratch or modifying them).
I've played through the first part and it's been great so far.
I agree. I have played 2e, 3rd, pathfinder, 4e and 5e. Plus some other games. And 5e is most user friendly.
I'd also recommend starting out with a premade module. I have not played it but everyone says lost mines of phandelver are a real favorite. And the starter set is really good deal: [link]
Your idea for session 0 is a great way to start out with new players. Get a feel for what they want and just because you use a premade quest doesn't mean you can't tweak things for the entertainment of your group.
5E, no question. It's the best edition of D&D ever made. The Starter Set is affordable and has all you'll need to start playing.
Feel free to ask questions here and at r/dndnext (if you go with 5E). You can shoot me a message, too. :)
For the record, I hate Pathfinder. It is horrible for new players.
Maybe start with a published adventure? That way, all the core work is done for you, which leaves you room/time to ad-lib, modify, and tweak to your liking.
5E's starter set is popular, and great for new, or returning, DMs. Plenty of loose ends to work with.
If someone purchases this, it will be all a group needs to get started and play for quite a while. It's a very affordable way to get into the game.
You can purchase the book supplement alone for $12.85 here if you are able to have shipping from the USA.
Are your players also new? If so I'd suggest the Starter Set It gives you more streamlined versions of what you need (PHB, Monsters, and DM guide) as well as a good adventure to get you and your players started and in the groove of things. It makes your investment a little bit less as all of that can add up VERY quickly and allows you to jump into the game and learn everything
It helped me a lot to watch video of actual play, because it gave me an idea of how a game flowed. Acquisition's Inc, Dice Camera Action, and Critical Role are all good examples. Just don't expect your game to be exactly the same, since in real life most of us aren't actors or entertainers.
I'd also recommend looking for friends who want to play and starting there. The Starter Set is the cheapest way to get everything you need to start a game in fifth edition, and the included adventure is pretty fun. I'd recommend three to five players in addition to the DM.
It's easiest to learn together IRL, but like others have said, Roll20 is a nice free platform for playing online. I use it myself because while my D&D group is made of mutual friends, we are scattered around the country. Sometimes the hardest part of D&D is getting your group together regularly, so having an online platform helps since no transportation is needed.
here is the starter set!
A good place to start is the Starter Set (link below). It has basic rules, a set of dice, and an adventure that will potentially take characters from 1st to 5th level.
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set (D&D Boxed Game) [link]
I would start with updating to 5e. There is a starter kit for $12 on amazon. (Link below) This would be a better place to start and would be more forgiving to learn DMing.
Get the 5e Starter Set for $12 on Amazon. It has ALL you need including dice and 5 pregen characters.
You will do hundreds of things "wrong." Realize this now and stop worrying about it. Just keep moving and have fun.
Also, start with the starter set. It was designed for you.
I'd recommend the Starter Set if you can still get it in time. It's written specifically for people who have never played before, and goes from level 1 to about 5. After that, if you feel comfortable you can just roll into a homemade game or start a new one altogether.
So first off, if you're looking for a group: r/LFG, local game shops, or a virtual tabletop environment (roll20, fantasy grounds, etc), or lookingforgm.com are your best friend.
If you're looking to start your own group with your friends in your local area, there's tons of tips and ways to get started as both a GM and as a player! With the 5th Edition Starter Set you and your friends can dive into the current iteration of DnD and play a pre-written adventure. This includes a lot of content and a basic set of the rules. It's fast, it's cheap (like way cheaper than the other adventure modules), and it'll get you right into the game once somebody steps up to GM.
The D&D Starter Set is the best way to take players from level 1-5, and many of the other adventure paths have suggestions for tying into it. It's less than $20 and includes dice.
Do it! It takes a bit of research and planning, but, there's nothing else like it. And the newest edition is fantastic.
If you decide to, have whoever decides to DM get this:
It has literally everything you need to get started, and enough content to play for several months or more. Feel free to ask if you have questions.
Here is the D&D 5th edition starter set to see if he/you would like it. [link]
D&D is a great bonding experience and can really make you have long lasting hilarious stories you can reflect back on together and with friends.
Dungeon & Dragons Starter Set
Short, basic rules for DM and for players, pregenerated characters and campaign. If you like it, you can then expand and get the DMG, Player's Handbook and Monster Manual and start making your own adventure, or buy some of the adventure books.
I'd say get the starter set as it has a decent module and even premade characters to practice with.
Good character sheets help keep the numbers organized (practice with the premades!).
Monsters are fine, but there needs to be a story. Types of NPCs are in the MM (towards the back are some humanoid typical people types). Start with a structured module to get a feel before you jump into building a world.
And above all have fun!
If you are playing 5e then the 5e starter set provides a great adventure that covers levels 1-5. If you go through it and feel like you're getting a hang of things by the end of it you can always jump off into your own homebrewed campaign after you finish.
it's not free, and it's not really a one shot, but the Starter Set is a good place to ease into the rules.
I recommend the starter set for new players. Has stuff already setup for the DM and requires little preparation. Also has premade characters. It's a good bang for your buck.
Once you've got some experience under your belt then you can try to tackle innistrad. Can even do something like teleport them there via arcane means to keep their characters. Have any questions feel free to ask.
My advice is to start with a published adventure. This will be much easier for you, as a new DM. You'll learn tons. This is the standard starter adventure for 5E:
Hi, I'm trying to get myself (and potentially my friends) into DnD. I've seen a couple of starter kits, but I was wondering if there were any recommendations from this subreddit?
I have only read the Player's Handbook for 3.5e, but I'm looking to get into 5e.
This deal from amazon being the first I found and seemed to be good for starters, but I wanted some more experienced feedback.
In addition to roll20 which was suggested elsewhere, the starter kit is FANTASTIC for starting out in person. It has the rules you need to get going, options for custom character creation and pre-made characters if you just wanna jump right in. The adventure is a fantastic starting adventure that provides good hooks into a well established area (Faerun/Toril, also known as the Forgotten Realms), and its easy to run as a DM. I provided a link to the canadian amazon store for the product. You might not be able to pick it up from there, but that is the product to keep an eye out for.
Run a published adventure. This is far easy and will get you used to running games in general the system specifically. This is the standard for 5E and it's excellent:
Oh okay, I'll probably gonna invest then into the basic set.
Is this something that would be worth it?
Two main options:
Attempt to find someone with prior experience to DM for you/teach you as you learn by playing (Might be easier once you start but likely much harder to find/will take longer before you can start), or
One of you takes on the DM role and you start playing! (Will require more work for the DM)
If you go option 2 (which I recommend), check out the 5e Starter Set ([link])
This gives you all the rules you need to play, a complete adventure module for the DM to run, and pre-generated character sheets that go up through level 5. Oh, and a set of dice. If you and your friends split the cost it'll be less than 7 bucks a person for enough content to easily give you 20+ hours of playtime. The DM can also find plenty of videos online of people playing the included module and giving advice from a DM perspective on how to run it to get started.
Save your group months of headaches and start with 5E. It's a much better system: elegant and intuitive. Buy the Starter Set. it's less than $20 and has a complete adventure that can last you all months.
To help represent combat or unique locations mostly. Abilities, movement and positioning are easier to see if you use a grid to define where everything is. 1 square represents 5ft. It's not needed, but most of us have an easier time visualizing what's going on when we can actually see a representation. Like chess you can play it in your head, but much easier with a board set up. But they come in many varieties and at various price points.
It's also fun to collect minis to use, but those are totally optional and expensive so start with pennies or dice and buy things as you actually need/want them.
I would recommend you get the starter set for 5e. Comes with everything you "need" to get started and if you like it you can buy the players handbook and such from there.
Just like everyone else. Ima suggest lost mine of phandelvar.
But it is also sold at Wal-Mart sometimes and Barnes and noble and all gaming magic card stores.
It has phandelvar inside it. And some dice. And level 1 characters. With this and the players handbook you will be just fine..
Read what the other dude posted starting with tl:Dr and buy this box. Then profit. And kill your friends.
The Starter Set (Lost Mines of Phandelver) is like $16 on Amazon, so it's not a big investment, you don't need to shell $100 to get the PHB and MM and DMG just yet, and it contains everything you need to get started, basic rules, the adventure booklet, and some pregen characters.
Even comes with a set of dice.
Here's a thought, I might be a bit hestitant with 12 year olds, but you might be able to post about a kids game in fantasy grounds on the Looking For Group Page (fantasy grounds is an online tabletop simulator). Another option would be to go to Adventure's League at your local hobby store. It will probably be mixed ages, but it might give you some perspective on the game. The last suggestion would be to just buy the DM's guide and Order a copy of the lost mine of phandelver (available in the D&D starter set) [link]
Also, remember rule zero: "Roleplaying games are entertainment; your goal as a group is to make your games as entertaining as possible." You don't need to do the rules perfect to have fun.
I had never played before, so I bought the Starter Set, then I asked my friends and people I knew via facebook if they wanted to play. So now I DM twice a month for a guy from my church and his brother, some friends, and a woman from my gym. We're having a blast.
Es gibt auch einen Beginners Guide von Dungeons & Dragons (Amazon Link. Ist zwar auf Englisch, dafür mit vorgefertigten Charakteren und einem Leitfaden für den GM. D&D ist sicher nicht unbedingt das einfachste System für den Einstieg, aber vielleicht ist es ja etwas für eine spätere Runde.
It's not too expensive, only $17 on Amazon (if you're in the US). If everyone chips in for it, it may only end up being $4-5 per person. That's cheaper than seeing a movie.
The Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide are pretty essential, you can make due without a monster manual for a bit but one of those is highly recommended (you can get them new but they are all a bit pricey so you may want to hunt around a bit for good deals)
Just Google: 5e Player Handbook 5e Dungeon Masters Guide 5e Monster Manual You'll find links immediately to places you can buy them
If you are a creative person and want to be the dungeon master (aka what Abed does) coming up with your own world to play in is very fun and very rewarding but if you feel you could use some help or want to get into the game very quickly and not spend to much time developing your own world you can use some campaign books that have a story set up for you (my favourite so far has been Hoard of the dragon queen but there are tons of others)
Wizards of the coast (current producers of dungeons and dragons) has an official starter set as well that comes with pregenerated characters, dice, and a short story you could try out
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set [link]
The 5E "box set" is an adventure from levels 1 to 5, called the Starter Set.
It was only called "Next" in playtesting. Just Fifth Edition now.
I suggest with the starter set. It has everything you need to play. It comes with a premade adventure, set of dice, and an abbreviated Player's Handbook. Might take you around 30 hours to complete. Once you finish the adventure build your world from the adventure, or you can purchase another adventure book and continue with your current characters.
Also, you can search this subreddit for beginner DM advice because this question is asked multiple times a day. Then you will get more tips then five or six replies here.
This is the Starter Kit I own. Apparently it is the best way to get started as you get the basic rules and an adventure.
I assume if I ever get into it I will buy the player's guide, but apparently everything you need to run that adventure (which should take an age. Some people say about 6 months of play sessions) and there is no filler i.e. stuff you do not need to know yet.
The starter set, of course. it was designed for you. It easily transitions into a very strong adventure, Storm King's Thunder, as well.
I would recommend the Starter Set: [link]
It comes with a set of basic rules (you have them online for free too), a good premade adventure for you to run, a set of dice and some pregenerated characters.
Usually the local game stores have them or can order it for you if they don't have them in stock.
They are also available on online stores such as amazon [link] but I don't know how much they cost with shipping (if free shipping is over 20 or 25$ some minis or extra dice always come in handy and also you don't have to pay the shipping fee)
> Hello There.
Master Kenobi!
Jokes aside, get the 5th edition starter set. It is the best way to start out getting a grasp of the rules, and offers a great adventure to boot. There is no better way, hands down!
That's exactly what i did. This starter set teaches you how to play and DM
It comes with a premade characters, a small adventure, rules booklet and one set of 7 polyhedral dice.
As a beginner DM you'll mess up. You'll certainly wont get many rules right and thats ok. As long as you have fun. If you need help just head on to r/DnD or you can find tutorials on YouTube.
So the D&D 5e Starter Set adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver is actually pretty great and lines up with what you're looking for rather well.
Starter Setis usually about $15 on Amazon, has the core rules, a set of dice, premade characters, and an adventure that will last you a half dozen sessions or so. It takes the party from level one to about level five depending on what they do.
It's a great place to start--go figure--and is designed for brand new players and brand new DMs. The adventure is laid out in a way that introduces concepts as you go along rather than expecting you to know everything up front.
It also leaves the group near Neverwinter, at level 5, and sets them up perfectly to start off Princes of the Apocalypse, Storm King's Thunder, or a homebrew campaign because anything you want to do you can find on the Sword Coast or catch a boat out of Neverwinter and be off.
The starter set is available at bookstores like Barnes & Noble or even at Target. (I wish they had them at Walmarts because they're more ubiquitous.) Also if you have Amazon Prime it's $12 right now: [link]
You don't actually need to speed money on anything else but a set of dice (and even then you can use an app for the rolls). The basic rules can be found online. Otherwise I would recommend the starter set. It has pre made characters, some dice, rules, and an adventure (if I remember correctly). Plus, it's currently on sale.
I got really addicted and bought the players handbook, monsters Manuel, and Dungeon master guide probably the first week of playing and read them like crazy. I’m not suggesting that everyone does that, it can hit the bank account pretty hard. There is a cheaper starter set;
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set [link]
It has the basic rules and a quick campaign to run with character sheets for a few people.
No worries, also you and I could just run something small. But with a decent amount of preparation and watching those videos, you should have at least a basic grasp of things.
Did you get the starter set? It comes with a GREAT beginner DM friendly adventure: Lost Mines of Phandelver.
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set [link]
The D&D starter set is a great place to start. For slightly more than a set of dice you get rules, premade characters, dice, and a starting adventure for you and your friends.
I like the expansion called "Dungeons & Dragons" since it adds both more dungeons, and also dragons. The dragons are really a nice touch. They've got a nice box set that's usually under $20, and for people who get really into it, you can play the "advanced" rules. Also, mind flayers. Seriously; if you enjoy Dungeon!, and you haven't already given D&D a shot, consider it.
Not legally no. This sub is very non-piracy.
$20 should be pretty doable. Maybe have everyone chip in $4-5.
You can see what the cost is on www.dndbeyond.com/sources/lmop
But I think it's cheapest on Amazon ($16 + shipping or free if you have Prime): [link]
Going to dinner or a movie is significantly more expensive.
Pretty much everyone, including me, recommend the Starter Set which comes with LMoP (Lost Mines of Phandelver). It's designed for first time DMs, which means it has extra explanation suggesting how to run the encounters and is fleshed out in more detail than most adventures. It's also a little bit more linear than most adventures... But has a good open-world section in the middle where the party is traveling where they choose sniffing up clues on the location of the penultimate dungeon and generally finding trouble along the way.
If this is to be believed, it's $10 on Amazon right now: [link]
Usually I'd expect it to go for $20+, I think? I'm not sure.
The only caveat is that it's level 1-5, so if you're levelled up and don't want to restart you'll have to rescale all the loot/encounters which is half the prep you're trying to avoid. I recommend not doing that. Transition if you're level 1 or 2, reset if higher... Or pick another adventure. Skim the synopsis of some adventures on the WotC site, check reviews quick, and pick one. They're mostly decent.
The Basic Rules are available for free online- that should give you a start until you're able to get more resources. For dice, there are phone apps and online dice rollers available for free (not as satisfying as actually rolling, but it'll work).
Balancing for 2 PCs might be difficult, but it's possible. Best case would be if you can find 1-2 more people interested. Otherwise, perhaps they could each have 2 characters? It might be a bit more difficult to learn at first, but if you take it slow and everyone helps each other, it could work.
Matt Colville has a good series on YouTube about learning to DM. If you want a shorter adventure to start out and get the feel of playing, he has a video where he creates a small dungeon called the Delian Tomb. It's a great small introductory dungeon and he walks you through the creation so you can run it as-is or create your own spin on it. A lot of new DMs have run that dungeon with their groups.
I haven't run any of the published adventures, so unfortunately I can't give you advice there if you're looking for something that lasts several levels. I have heard very good things about the Starter Set (on Amazon for $10 right now), which comes with the basic rules, a set of dice, some pregenerated characters (you don't have to use them if you don't want), and a starter adventure that takes characters from level 1-5. It's recommended for a group with 3-5 players plus the DM, so you may want to try getting another friend involved.
Best of luck!
I would recommend picking up this box set
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For a long time I had digital copies of the books, but I think having the physical character sheets and documentation really adds to the experience. This box set has everything you need to get started and is very straightforward to run and play.