#1
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Which DnD edition is best for beginners?
Last edited by Admin Dirk; Apr 11th, 2015 at 01:00 AM. |
#2
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D&D 3.5 and its cousin from another company, Pathfinder, are the two most popular versions of D&D here. And they are great places to start if you are new. Both of these systems have the distinct advantage of having the bulk of their material free online in SRDs (and Pathfinder has even more free material than 3.5).
http://www.rpgcrossing.com/srd/home.html http://www.d20pfsrd.com/ Last edited by RedRab; Jul 12th, 2014 at 08:33 PM. |
#3
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Thanks. Does 5e look promising? I'm just getting familiar with 3.5e but I hope whatever I learn will carry into 5e.
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#4
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The advantage of 3.5 and Pathfinder is that much of what you need is freely available. Second advantage, they are VERY flexible, and you can create almost anything your imagination can invent.
The downside is, they can be daunting to learn: having a system with 200+ classes and pathways means it can be complex. 4e is easier to learn, but... you gotta shell out bucks for books. 5e is new, and seems to be a good place to start. However, not all of 5e is ready for use yet, they haven't even printed the player's handbook, let alone the Dungeon Master's Guide. There is a free starter's guide, however, to whet your appetite, and several people on the site are going to start playing with just that in hand. But, like 4e, getting all the "rest of the material" may cost money. So.. free, complex, easy, costly, and "not yet complete"... lots of choices, no easy answers.
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#5
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When I first started it was in 3.5. I think no matter what version you start with you'll always find that version to be the easiest to understand.
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#6
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Thanks. I'll just stick with 3.5 for now. I've got enough materials and at least I know from others that it is a satisfying game.
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#7
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Put another way, 3.5 is the easiest to learn and the hardest to master...or at least, comprehend all the options available.
It's got the MOST splatbooks and expansions and additions and extra stuff and the largest amount of mechanic power creep over its existence, so a lot of the stuff in the basic game is generally ignored by more experienced players, especially if you're playing anything apart from a 9 Spell Levels caster... On the other hand, level 1 characters in 3.5 are pretty weak in general, so for beginner players, there's a lot less going on. 5e also has very little going on at level 1. On the other hand, unless said group is already all about the roleplay in general, it can perhaps be a little dull for some of the classes. Beginners more interested in the gaming part would probably enjoy 4e more, but again, it is more investment, heh.
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#8
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I'd say that Pathfinder is as a general rule easier to get in to than 3.5e. I love both, don't get me wrong, but by amalgamating some of the skills (especially those in the "senses" department) and by having much more thorough resources online, PF has a certain intuitive edge.
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#9
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Having just started learning 5e, I actually would recommend it to new players. The rules are streamlined in a way that's very easy to understand, and the Basic rules are available for free from Wizards in a PDF.
Of course, 5e is currently only the Basic rules and Starter Set, so if you're looking to run a game your options are somewhat limited. But I've been pleasantly surprised so far, and will probably (eventually) leave Pathfinder and 3.5e behind in favor of it. |
#10
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I would go first with 3.5 or pathfinder, if I were you, because it's free.
Then you will be able to try D&D and see if you like it before you spend money on books. I'm an old school DM, I played many edition. So to my perspective, the rules edition doesn't matter, only the story and the roleplay the characters matter.
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Goodbye community... I gave you my very best! Last edited by MoonZar; Jul 24th, 2014 at 04:28 PM. |
#11
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Look at 3.5 and Pathfinder.
If you want to keep up to date, you can check out 5e too. You can skip 4e because between five being the new thing and three have it's major following, you probably won't need to know about it. |
#12
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I find 3.5 Core only to be easiest for a beginner. My love for 3.5 resides in that, in my opinion, it presents a satisfyingly realistic set of rules for character creation. It may not be the most balanced game-wise on some levels, but to me feels the best.
My thoughts when I first read the 3.0 rulebook way back when it first came out? They finally got it right!
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#13
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Quote:
3.5 is a fantasy simulation. 4E is a "video game" D&D. Last edited by Mocha; Aug 10th, 2014 at 12:36 AM. |
#14
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I hate 4e, but it is by far the friendliest to new players. One primary reason for this is the HP boost that new players get. This makes level 1 games much friendlier and less likely to result in PC deaths. Also, the at will spells given to arcane and divine players makes the game more interesting for new low level players. Later 4e turns into a powergamer's dream and a DM's nightmare which totally ruins the roleplaying experience.
There is a reason Pathfinder is as successful as it is. 3.5e was one of the best iterations of D&D, and Pathfinder gave players who were dissatisfied with 4e a fresh alternative based on the system they really liked, while also smoothing over some of the few remaining bumps in the 3.5e ruleset. That being said, for a real tabletop session, a group of new players and a green DM would have the best time starting with 4e, but if you're trying to get started here using the pbp method, then starting with 3.5e or Pathfinder is perfectly fine. |
#15
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I have all the 4e rulebooks. I want to play but I have no clue what I'm doing yet. Got the books from a friend who doesn't play anymore.
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