Tabletop RPGs

[Lu]

Indeed, sounds totally awesome. Is there anything I can do in preparation for the game to help you out? Do you want to know in advance what kind of characters we're going to be playing?

[Gwardinen]

Sounds absolutely awesome, Dan. They haven't gone all web-only, have they? There's a 4E player's handbook and equipment guide and whatnot?

No, there is obviously a Player's Handbook (several, actually) that allows you to make your character by hand, it's just that the character creator is a useful tool. I have an old version of it you guys can use if you wish to, updated as of Player's Handbook 3. If we don't use Orokos, however, it is not necessary to build your character with it.

[toblix]

First of all, when will this thing start? How much remains of preparations, and how many people actually want in? Maybe some more should be said about what kind of time investment will be required, and how long it will last.

Does anyone know if I'll have everything I need at my fingertips if I subscribe to the D&D online thing? I get the character generator and something called the D&D Compendium – will this be useful?

[Gwardinen]

The D&D Compendium is basically a big database of every rule in the game - technically you could probably use this to make a character, simply because it will have all the character rules in, but practically I don't know how easy it would be. Chances are it would make more sense to still use the Player's Handbooks, either via finding PDFs or a shop that sells them. I'm always loath to ask people to go out and buy these things (or subscribe to D&D Insider) because D&D is an expensive up front investment because of them, and it really isn't for everyone.

For that reason, if you don't have a hobby shop near you that will let you sit in on games or whatever else to allow you to find out if the game is really for you, I tend to think it's justifiable to download the books and things like the character creator tool, at least on a trial basis.

[toblix]

Okay, so: if it turns out we're doing this, and we're doing 4th edition, I'll be able to use my subscription to:

1. Create and level up my character
   
2. Look up specific rules, etc.
   

... but I'll also need/get use out of the three player's handbooks if I were to buy them?

[Gwardinen]

Well, actually, the character creator is pretty self-explanatory and has excerpts from the Player Handbooks to explain all the bits when you're building the character. So theoretically you don't really need the PHs to make a character. The first Player Handbook also contains all the rules for actually playing the game, but since you're part of a group we should be able to bring you up to speed on the basics fairly quickly, and if the compendium works like I think it does you'd be able to look up any specific rules you wondered about.

So... actually the subscription might well give you everything you need to start.

[DanJW]

Yeah I agree with Gwardinen. While in theory all a player needs is the Player's Handbook (and PH2 or 3 if they contain the class/race you want to play) the digital character generator is much faster and easier to use for that purpose.

For learning the basic rules, this quickstart guide is usually enough, (I guess combined with the rules compendium if you have more questions).

Really though, one of the nice things about 4E is that almost all the rules you need are incorporated into your character sheet. Digitally generating it even does all the maths for you.

---

Pirate Poo,

yeah getting characters prepped ahead of time is helpful. It might be good to tie the character into the setting if you can - some of the cultural aspects of each race are a little different. I'll update http://infiniteisles.wordpress.com/ with more recent descriptions, but most of what is there stands in terms of race and class. Feel free to ask me any question about any element of the setting.

In fact, I quite like players to contribute to the setting in the creation of their character. For instance, Marek wrote a character who was an ex-arena-wrestler. This meant I had to find a way to fit some kind of athletics into the setting.. which became the Sorlish Games, and Ancient Olympics-style event that informed much of the culture for the major city in setting.

If you look at other peoples' characters on the blog, other concepts they introduced were noble houses and the nature of the smuggling community. Often I have to work with them to fit the addition into the world with the right tone, but it's great fun having a collaborative creation that grows in this way.

Beyond that, the players will want to work together to make a balanced party, with at least one defender class and one leader class. Your backgrounds can be linked as well, although they don't have to be. I'm sure we'll find some way to bring you all together

Finally a couple of notes on things you'd like to do would be helpful (eg go to a big city and fight crime/ kill something really big/ fight in a war/ create a trade empire).

Edited April 29, 2011 by DanJW

[Gwardinen]

I wouldn't mind doing something that's difficult to do in a video game. The trade empire thing you mentioned is a good example of something that has been attempted in RPGs (such as Fable) but not done well. What I'd actually love to do is some kind of political struggle, because my fantasy political juices have been set flowing by Dragon Age 2 and the Game of Thrones mini-series. Then we could be trying to further the aims of various factions via diplomacy and violence and commerce and so forth.

I like fairly regular combat in D&D4 for some of the reasons you mentioned, but plenty of other strange situations and set pieces are cool since they're often things one can only do with tabletop roleplaying.

I won't submit any character ideas yet in case I'm assistant DMing, but I have enough experience with the system now that I can make something in whichever role the party needs.

[DanJW]

Made a start on an Obsidian Portal wiki: http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/infinite-isles/wikis/main-page

[Sombre]

I am eagerly anticipating this. I will create a man at some point soon!

[Hermie]

So Infinite Isles is definitely our setting then? If so, I'll start reading up.

I don't think I will have the money to spare on on a subscription, so whoever has that old version of the character creator, it would be nice to discreetly distribute it...

[DanJW]

Well I'm still open to cool ideas, but so far there's been no other suggestions. What are you looking for in a setting?

Toblix, about timing;

For the next two weeks I'm involved in a play, so won't be around in the evenings much. I can still find time to do play-by-post though. How about, as a general rule: DM posts will be three days apart, or after every player has posted (so you essentially have a three-day time limit to get your action in).

We can start when everyone is ready, but lets say two weeks max.

[Sombre]

I apologize for being an idiot, but are we playing a 4th edition game? If so, I can ...distribute the 4E players handbook via e-mails and such.

[Gwardinen]

I have sent Hermie a PM regarding the older character builder, please let me know if you need this information as well.

[toblix]

What is this, the Pirate Bay? Why is pirating books suddenly fine?

[Gwardinen]

I'm actually not giving out books, just an out of date character builder program which is no longer supported by Wizards of the Coast. That said, I don't really judge people who want to at least get a game of D&D under their belts before dropping the (significant amount of) money on the books, since it's a niche hobby and most people will end up not really getting into it.

As I said in an earlier post, in a perfect world one goes to a local gaming store and gets involved with a campaign there that allows a newbie to experience the game and learn what it's all about without making an immediate investment. When that isn't an option and one wants to play over distance as we would be, the only other "trial" option would be to find scans of the books.

It's not a great solution but I certainly wouldn't condemn anyone for using it if they would only otherwise never try the game. If they get into it they'll end up buying the books almost for sure, and many also buy miniatures, terrain, additional adventures, D&D Insider subscriptions and a whole host of other things.

[toblix]

Yeah. I guess it's a game that's hard to make a good demo version of. Still, I know some more specific piracy talk has been frowned upon by the management before, so I'd be careful offering to PM people scans, etc.

Anyway, now there's talk of creating characters and time limits. Has the selection of system, who gets to play, and when, been done already? Was I one of the lucky winners?

[toblix]

So, what campaign setting do I choose in Character Builder? They haven't gotten around to adding Infinite Isles yet.

[DanJW]

Dammit I sent them the memo!

You should be able to put a custom campaign in there

[toblix]

Can I choose any of the available classes? There are forty!

[toblix]

I did this:

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======

Human, Sorcerer

Build: Chaos Sorcerer

Spell Source Option: Wild Magic

Human Power Selection Option: Heroic Effort

Early Life - Lost Everything

FINAL ABILITY SCORES

STR 10, CON 11, DEX 14, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 20

STARTING ABILITY SCORES

STR 10, CON 11, DEX 14, INT 10, WIS 8, CHA 18

AC: 12 Fort: 11 Ref: 13 Will: 18

HP: 23 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS

Arcana +5, Athletics +5, Bluff +10, Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS

Acrobatics +2, Dungeoneering –1, Endurance +0, Heal –1, History +0, Insight –1, Nature –1, Perception –1, Religion +0, Stealth +2, Streetwise +5, Thievery +2

POWERS

Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack

Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack

Human Racial Power: Heroic Effort

Sorcerer Attack 1: Chaos Bolt

Sorcerer Attack 1: Acid Orb

Sorcerer Attack 1: Bedeviling Burst

Sorcerer Attack 1: Ice Javelins

FEATS

Level 1: Arcane Spellfury

Level 1: Armor Proficiency: Leather

ITEMS

====== End ======

[Gwardinen]

Oh god wild magic. I haven't seen it used in 4E yet but it never used to end well for anyone in the vicinity.

[toblix]

Back to the drawing board.

[DanJW]

I doubt it is as suicidal as it was in 3E. What's the source book for wild magic, I'll go check it out?

edit: ah OK it's one of the default PH2 builds. Should be no problem at all. Some nice benefits in fact.

Just watch out for those 1's to-hit - they'll push around any friends standing next to you. Fun!

Any thoughts on who this crazy sorceror is and what s/he's like?

Edited May 3, 2011 by DanJW

[toblix]

Well, early in life he lost everything.

I'm not good at this.