Welcome to the No/v/ice Tabletop Party.

You're likely here because you love the vidya but would like to get into actual tabletop gaming, and figuring out how and finding people to play with can be difficult.

Well you made your way here and found some people. That's a great start. Now let's work on the rest.

To keep things simple one way to begin is with Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition. When looking for the following material keep the edition in mind; it's very important as the rules for each edition change. Some game masters are more comfortable with other versions however, so even grabbing 3.5 or Pathfinder (3.75 basically), would not be a bad idea.

Getting started:

• What you need first off is a Player's Handbook (PHB). There's multiple Handbooks available, but only the first is needed. This teaches you the rules of the game and contains the basic Classes, Feats (bonuses) and equipment. The other PHBs are supplemental only.

o If you can't get a hold of a PHB right away, grab the Quick Start Rules: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/TryDnD.aspx

• There are multiple character generators available to assist you with making your character. Generally speaking the best is the official "DDI Character Builder." It will walk you through everything you need to create, and output complete character sheet.

o A great alternative is the Pathguy character generator. It's Java-based and slow, but comprehensive. Just follow the red arrows. http://www.pathguy.com/cg4.htm

• A very important aspect of any game is having the proper dice. Although when actually playing we'll use some system that lets everyone see the dice rolls, for your own use, grab the official dice roller. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20040517a

• The Monster Manuel (MM) isn't something that you need, but reading through some of the different insane monsters that you can come up against is suitably inspiring.

• As with the above, the Dungeon Master Guide (DMG) isn't something new players need, but it is part of the common core, along with the MM and PHB. A good reference to have on-hand at times.

• The default setting the game is played in is very generic. Look up some of the more flavorful settings like Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun, and Eberron. Find something that looks interesting.


Upcoming post: How we're expected to play despite not meeting in person.