Best fantasy gaming books according to redditors

We found 1,632 Reddit comments discussing the best fantasy gaming books. We ranked the 607 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Subcategories:

DUngeons & Dragons game books
Game strategy guides
Battletech books
Gurps books
Pathfinder books
Shadowrun books
Traveller books
Warhammer books
Call of cthulhu books
Rpg books
World of darkness books
Savage worlds books

Top Reddit comments about Fantasy Gaming:

u/PVNIC · 72 pointsr/criticalrole

They published the campaign 1 setting as a book:
https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Role-TalDorei-Campaign-Setting/dp/1934547840

It's safe to assume they'll do the same with campaign 2 when it's over.
Edit: I think theres a book called 'Chronicals of Exandria', I don't know if it's a campaign setting book or not.

u/Filthybiped · 40 pointsr/DnD

For DMs who have most/all of the 5e material I highly recommend The Tome of Beasts. It's 400+ new monsters for 5e done by Kobold Press. I am thoroughly impressed with it!

u/BrentRTaylor · 40 pointsr/rpg

In no particular order:

  • Basic Fantasy RPG
  • Savage Worlds
  • Dungeon World
  • Mouse Guard Check under other purchase options. You can get it for about $19.40.

    You can't go wrong with any of them, but gun to my head, I'd say look into Mouse Guard or Dungeon World.

    Mouse Guard

    Mouse Guard...is just down right fun. While combat is certainly part of the game, it's got a heavy emphasis on problem solving in encounters over straight up murderhobo-ing your way through the game. It's my go to game for one shots. Perfect for when you need a break in the middle of a long campaign in another system, or if just not enough people show up for a session in your primary campaign. Not that you couldn't run a long campaign in Mouse Guard, that'd be rad.

    Dungeon World

    Dungeon World is also another great game for one shots, IMHO. Need to work on your improv? Play Dungeon World. It's a very narrative driven game that heavily encourages collaborative world building with your players. Additionally, if you discard all of the rules on classes and combat, the rest of the system is an amazing compliment to any other game system you want to run. It's GMing section is honestly the missing manual for D&D or any other system you want to run. And hell, Fronts are a great way to organize an adventure or long campaign.

    Edit: A few other options that came to mind

  • Fate: Core System, or Fate Accelerated Everyone seems to either love or hate the system with no in-between. If you've played the Dresden Files RPG, you're familiar with the system. Fate Core was derived from the Dresden Files RPG.
  • Bubble Gum Shoe This one is a lot of fun. Runs on the Gumeshoe system. Kind of an innocent system. Think Scooby-Doo mysteries, without the monsters. If you want something grittier, take a look at Trail of Cthulhu or Mutant City Blues.
  • Monster of the Week This one is a guilty pleasure of mine. Game is exactly what you'd expect from the title. If you like episodic shows like Supernatural or Buffy, this is for you.
  • Fiasco Haven't played this one myself yet, but it looks interesting. This is a game that doesn't require a GM and is entirely improv. Looks great. Requires six sided dice.
u/Sykotik · 29 pointsr/DnD

It's way cheaper on amazon. Nearly half price.

u/WestSideG00n · 21 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

There is a starters pack that has pregen characters and more simplified rules and comes with an adventure it is fairly cheap.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1601256302/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526747913&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pathfinder+starter+box

It explains and focuses on what you need to know, it's how I started GMing. It's easier than reading that huge core book and get your bearings.

u/masterflashterbation · 21 pointsr/dndnext

Agreed. It's ridiculous that they don't have a more comprehensive book for FR given how heavily it's used for 5e.

The 3e edition campaign setting book is still my goto for FR lore. Course it's before the spellplague and a good ways in the past from 5e but it's loaded with great stuff. NPCs, organizations, governments, lore that are mostly still applicable to 5e FR. It details a much larger area than just the Sword Coast North and Chult. It's the best FR campaign book out there imo.

u/mleon246 · 19 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Not pathfinder, however it is compatible...

You want to look at The Book Of Erotic Fantasy^Fantasy^Fantasy^Fantasy (Dramatic Echo) It shouldn't be hard to find a pdf and covers what you are looking for.

u/IFedTheCat · 18 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

There is an official Wheel of Time RPG, and it is, IMO, very well-written. I'd recommend just playing that or adapting it for Pathfinder. It's d20 3.0, so it's pretty easy to make the transition from Pathfinder to either playing or adapting the WoT RPG.

u/wombatidae · 17 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

The commonly accepted pronunciation, as determined by the creator of the Forgotten Realms is like now or cow or prow.

EDIT

This pronunciation may be specific to the Realms, or universal to all planes.

Source: This super awesome book I got in the reddit Fantasy exchange.

u/PittsburghDan · 17 pointsr/dndnext
u/i_tyrant · 16 pointsr/dndnext

My favorites are the ones that fix mechanical weaknesses or add to missing conceptual space in 5e (which is also what I try to do in my own DM's Guild offerings!) I try to stick mostly to official, published things to keep my player's heads from exploding, but there's a few I really like:

  • The Revised Way of the Four Elements Monk by /u/SpiketailDrake is generally considered the best of its kind, a homebrew "fix" for one of the two famously lackluster subclasses in the PHB.

  • The Compendium of Forgotten Secrets is an absolutely massive resource, mostly for Warlocks but not entirely. Though the balance is sometimes questionable I love it because it has tons of amazing flavor, no part of it is boring and it has lots of cool ideas, both lore and interesting game mechanics. One of my players showed it to me and I fell in love.

  • Not sure if it actually counts as "homebrew" so much as "third-party sourcebook", but the Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press is a great additional Monster Manual for DMs wanting more, very popular in the community. They just came out with the Creature Codex too, though I haven't seen enough of it to weigh in. Some monsters in ToB are a little on the strong side and there's a bit of weird conceptual repetition in the ideas, but it has so many to offer that it's still very much worth the purchase.

  • While I haven't tried it myself, many people speak well of the Pugilist class made by Ben Huffman. It fills a useful conceptual niche in 5e, a non-monk unarmed combat specialist.

  • In the same vein, Matt Mercer's Blood Hunter is a popular brew. Originally Witcher-inspired, it's gone through a lot of revisions and playtesting.
u/Skormili · 14 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

So like perhaps World's Largest Dungeon?

u/illusio · 14 pointsr/rpg

Lets include more nonsense in this pointless debate.

4e D&D outsells Pathfinder!

4e Amazon Sales Rank: #4,549

Pathfinder Amazon Sales Rank: #14,423

Lets all just play the game you enjoy. Who cares which sells better.

u/thekiyote · 13 pointsr/DnD

>Alternatively, maybe you can research some kind of Magic Circle Against Pregnancy and STDs.

The Book of Erotic Fantasy is helpful for finding a framework for those spells.

u/UnfortunateTruths · 13 pointsr/rpg

Savage Worlds is 9 dollars on Amazon for the softcover. It's a universal roleplaying system that is a lot of fun. Get that and a set of dice for 15 dollars and you're good to go.

u/ePluribusBacon · 13 pointsr/DnD

Just an FYI to everyone downvoting, The Lazy Dungeon Master is actually a real book outlining a novel approach to planning a D&D campaign based on preparing a platform for improv rather than planning out every encounter and the whole story in advance, rather than just being a sarky comment.

u/QQtippy · 12 pointsr/DnD

Needs? Dice and the PHB.

Wants? Lots of generators, luckily some great ones have been appearing on the app stores for mobile.
I personally love random tables, Table Fables is a great little book I picked up not long ago.
and if you are playing online, pyromancers is a great dungeon creators tool.

u/MetzgerWilli · 11 pointsr/DnD

>Iv read countless stories in here about how so n so char murder so n so and no one is upset at the gore of it, shit what about all them goblin and kobolds every noob player slaughters? whole villages of them get killed in almost every campaign at some point or another. What happens to the babies that are left behind with no ione to feed n protect them? No one cares because its fantasy and its not real and i just dont see how rape should be any different.

If you and your group agree on a setting where this is ok. Go ahead, I heard the Book of Erotic Fantasy has a lot of relevant rules on how to handle many facettes of this topic.

But if a DM and/or players feels uncomfortable playing this, there is no reason to put a focus on it. It might be that rape exists in the world and you can find hints to it (some half orcs might have this background), but this does not mean that it belongs in the game itself.

In my game I also reduce violence to a level where a creature at 0 hitpoints is dead, not incapable of fighting and winding around on the ground, shitting themselves, burbling and suffering for hours. Sometimes I describe cut off limbs, heads, or a moaning body for a dramatic effect. But I don't overdo it, because that's not the game we want to play. Creatures getting killed don't scream from the heart of their lungs like they do in real life. And no one has his bad conciousness overwhelming him from killing 200 goblins/bandits/devils. It simply is not the focus of our campaigns.

Most people indeed want to play a fantasy game with a violent touch, not a realism game with every good and bad facette of real life in it. There is no sexual violence in the LoTR books, why should there be in a DnD game? (There are other books that scratch on the surface - Like in Heitz' 'The Dwarves', where Tungil, in a village after an orc attack, notices dead women with their skirts pulled up)

If you want to steal a kiss from a barmaid, flirt her up and take a room, 'hell go for it', I am sure most DMs will allow it, maybe even encourage you to keep in touch with her, marry her or get a child in the long run. This might also be a dramatic way to make players take into account the personal lifes of those they have to kill. But don't expect him to describe the sexual act in any detail itself. Unless you all agreed on, that is.

u/DevilsAggregate · 11 pointsr/DMAcademy

Kobold Press has a book, Tome of Beasts that features a lot of fey creatures. It is a 3rd party book, but is pretty balanced (although HP is a bit high on some monsters, IMO).

Amazon link

Otherwise I would recommend just reflavoring monsters from the MM to be more winter themed with resistance to cold or changing damage types.

u/Oreot · 11 pointsr/rpg

Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorers Edition (soft cover) is $8.66 on Amazon and is a fantastic little crunch medium system with a lot of free and cheap material covering most genres.
http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200

u/Mort-Irae · 10 pointsr/criticalrole

He has one out for Tal'dorei which is the setting for campaign 1.

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Role-TalDorei-Campaign-Setting/dp/1934547840

u/darknyancat26 · 10 pointsr/rpg

Savage Worlds sounds perfect for what you're looking for! The game is centered around the players being hard-to-beat action heroes. There are rules for pretty much any type of combat you can think of, and you can run nearly any genre you could possibly want with the system. Player creation is also extremely flexible, and you gain plenty of "edges" as you level up. I highly recommend the system for all intense action RPG needs. I've run a Sci-Fi campaign with the system, and it was super easy to learn and the players had a blast. The core rule book is only $8.99 on amazon, so it's definitely worth a try! :)

u/thabonch · 10 pointsr/IWantToLearn

roll20.net is a place you can play online, but I would suggest trying to get something together offline. With video game RPGs becoming more and more popular, it should be easy enough to get together a group that's interested in playing, whether or not anybody has any past experience.

The next step is choosing an edition of D&D. You can find a guide on /r/DnD. First and second editions are a bit old and not played as much anymore. My personal favorite is 3.5e, but it's got a lot of rules and can have a pretty steep learning curve. 4e is easier to get into, but lacks out of combat mechanisms. Next or 5e hasn't been released yet, but will be later this year. I haven't played any of the earlier playtest things they released, so I don't really have an opinion on it.

Learning to play comes next, and once again /r/DnD has a guide. Play differs with every edition, so I can't get too specific here, but the general idea is that you decide what you want to do, roll a d20 and add relevant modifiers to see if you succeed, then maybe roll other dice, then the DM tells you the outcome. Either learning the rules or actually writing the campaign is going to be the hardest part.

Next you need to get resources. You can make this as cheap or expensive as you'd like. You can get a set of dice for $5-$10 on Amazon, or you can get an app to roll dice on your phone for free. If you decide to play 3.5e, the core rules, treasure, and monsters are available for free on d20srd.org. You can probably find all the books for any edition by pirating them, but I'd encourage you to support Wizards of the Coast by actually purchasing them.
You'll need a grid. You can print out sheets of paper with 1 inch squares or buy a mat that you can draw on (and erase). Or you can get dungeon tiles which are probably the coolest but most expensive option.
You need something to represent your characters and NPCs. Miniatures are once again the coolest but most expensive option. You can use bottle caps or coins too.
There's lots of different resources out there, and you can choose whether to play D&D for almost completely free or for several hundred (or even thousand) dollars, or anywhere in between.

Finally, there's writing a campaign. Every DM does this differently, so nobody's advice is going to be perfect. You'll have to figure out what works for you. For me, I get an idea or character that I think would be cool and build out from there by asking questions like why is the big bad evil guy (BBEG) doing this? What does he hope to gain? How would a king respond to this? How would ordinary people? How can I get my players from level 1 to a point where they can make a difference? What sort of introduction do I need to get the story to this point?
I like to write out a few important plot points at the beginning of the campaign and fill in the details between sessions. A campaign can be a one-shot, that is, finish in a single session, or go on for session after session after session (I'm currently in week 12 of an approximately 30 session campaign). I think my method works well with longer campaigns (planning out 30 sessions would be way too much ahead of time).

Preparing for a session is also going to be hard at first because you won't find any perfect solution--it's more art than science. It's also going to be hard because players will do things that you don't expect and aren't prepared for, you could just declare what they do ineffective, but it's less fun for the players that way. They also won't find the solution that you think is completely obvious, so get ready to improv.
When preparing, I like to write a short description/history for important places or people and incorporate this into the game. I have a few bullet points on the hook for the session (if one is needed) and some notes on upcoming encounters or puzzles.

Finally, here's some other things that I haven't linked to yet:
/r/DnD
/r/Loremasters
New DM guide on /r/DnD

u/ypsm · 10 pointsr/DnD

The Paizo basic flip-mat is cheaper, two-sided, has fewer folds, so that it lays flatter at the table, has no gaps in the grid, and is better shaped for traditional tables (not so elongated).

u/Halo6819 · 9 pointsr/WoT

The Strike at Shayol Ghul details Lews Therins attempt to shut the bore.

Speaking of the Strike at Shayol Ghul, there is The World of Robert Jordan's a Wheel of Time also known affectionetly as the Big White Book (BWB) or Big Book of Bad Art (BBBA). It delves into a lot about cultures, features write ups of each forsaken, pokes fun at the covers and includes the entire text of Strike.

There was a short story called New Spring included in Robert Silverberg's Legends, this was later expanded into the novella New Spring

The short story about Bao is not considered connanical and is included in the short story collection Unfettered

Eye of the world was re-released for a YA market in two parts with a new prologue Ravens

The Interview Database, just click a topic that looks intresting and prepare to lose a day or two

The Wheel of Time FAQ back in the mists of time (late 90's early aughts) this was the best resource for all things WoT related. It hasn't been significantly updated since about book 10 (i mean, yes there were updates, but nothing on the scale and detail that it used to get). Gives great insight into what the fandom was pulling its hair out about during the two years+ between books. Also, some of the info is evergreen like historical references etc.

There was a terrible video game that has almost zero to do with the series.

There was a d20 based D&D rule set released and a adventure that explained how Taim got to Rand in time to rescue himat Dumai's Wells. RJ later came out and said that this was completely made up by the authors of the module and had nothing to do with the series, which was a BIG clue about Taim's allegiance.

I feel like im missing something, but I can't put my finger on it, so I will leave you with a random fact that you should know

Tar Valon is a vagina

u/thor12022 · 9 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

There is a D20 Wheel of Time game you could start from if you wanted.

Someone gave converting the D20 WoT game to Pathfinder a go. I can't really speak to the conversions quality though, I haven't messed with it.

u/Pizzaboy1236 · 9 pointsr/WoT

Very nice don't forget about [this.] (https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965) One of the few items I have never had both the money and availability to buy myself.

u/ActualCryptid · 9 pointsr/SubredditDrama

https://www.acc.umu.se/~stradh/dnd/mirror/Assorted/ADnD_netbook_of_sex.html

And it's in-print D20 version, https://www.amazon.com/Book-Erotic-Fantasy-Gwendolyn-Kestrel/dp/1588463990

My Worst DM Ever whipped one of those out. We were playing an unoriginal campaign, which is fien, i got stuck with a characted i didn't like, fine, but he spnt literally 20 minutes arguing with a Stereotypical Neckbeard (complete with fingerless gloves and a laptop full of splatbooks that he went to constantly) about whether or not the wizard wouldnsign a contract. It was resolved when the DM, after 20 minutes, had an NPC offer him a scroll of languages. WHY DIDN'T YOU START WITH THAT!?

Then an hour later, he wants onenof us to fuck a guy in a tavern for information, and whips out the BOEF. I did not return for the next session.

u/lowkeyoh · 9 pointsr/DnD

The interesting thing about games is that you can't copyright mechanics. You can, however, copyright the text of your rules.

>Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.

If I made a game with six stats, with stat effective scores equal to (stat-10)/2, played using a twenty sided die and adding relevant numbers to the roll trying to hit a target number, that's completely OK. When you start using game terms or make books for existing games, that's when you get sued. I can publish a game that plays the same way that D&D does, but I can't publish a book FOR D&D because I'm not TSR.

Cool, so during the transition into 3rd edition, WOTC created the OGL, Open Game Liscense. Essentially, anyone could publish material for 3rd edition D&D, as long as they followed the OGL. This means there's TONS of support for 3rd edition out there. Custom books, classes, settings, campaigns, new rules, new everything. Problem was that WOTC had no control over the quality of said material, and wasn't making money off them.

If you want to see an example of the kinds of books that killed 3rd edition look no further than The Book Of Erotic Fantasy

One thing about OGL is that you can never UN-OGL your game. 3rd edition rules are open for anyone to use. They can't just say "Stop printing stuff for our game that we can't make any money from" So they made a NEW game, 4th edition.

This made a lot of 3rd edition players mad, because they were so heavily invested in 3rd edition. Imagine if you owned thirty books for a game, and then poof, the creators aren't supporting the system any more.

So in that void, Paizo made their own game, called Pathfinder. They're not allowed to use ANY of D&D copy written materials, so no Gods, no settings, no specific NPC's, but the core rules of the game are free for anyone to use. They made their own gods, their own world, and spells like Tasha's Hideous Laughter became Hideous Laughter. They modified some of the rules of 3rd edition, and fixed things that gamers didn't like about the system, and put out their own game.

u/Speedingturtle · 9 pointsr/MLPLounge

You can still have horse sex there, too. Edit: Proof.

u/TheWellDressedViking · 9 pointsr/rpg

I’ve never played it or even checked out reviews but there is The Firefly RPG

u/johnvak01 · 9 pointsr/rpg

These are my usual reccommendations. I'v struck some i think you'd be less interested in.

OSR Games

----------------


Retro Clones

u/Portal007 · 8 pointsr/rpg

I'd get Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition. It's the only book you need to run in Savage Worlds (plus it's a fantastic system) and it is only 10 dollars (sometimes cheaper). http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407602646&sr=8-1&keywords=savage+worlds

Dungeon World or Apocalypse World (neither are related to Savage Worlds) are also fantastic pick ups that are cheaper than most p&p rpg books.

u/telnetrestart · 8 pointsr/rpg

Check out Savage Worlds, all extras are divided among the players and go on their initiative. The rules are light enough and the character sheets simple enough that one person could run a good number of extras in addition to their character without combat bogging down.

The core book is on amazon for less than 10 bucks - knock yourself out.

u/SirGigglz · 8 pointsr/WoT

Perhaps the old official roleplaying game can give you pointers?

u/mactheterrible · 8 pointsr/swrpg

I understand now - sorry. I thought you were making a joke about the dice system because it is so free-flowing. I get it now. You did lay your complaints out clearly. I thought you were asking ironically. :)

I personally think that this system is so heavily narrative that it is not going to appeal to everyone. It just isn't. For me, it's breathed fresh air into a hobby that I really didn't care about anymore and caused me to discover a number of narrative-style systems and I find the complication of every single roll to be interesting and fun. I was so tired of just hitting or not and just playing math against terrain, conditions, and ultimately baddie hit points.

It sounds like you favor the "strategic" side of role-playing more than the creative nature of storytelling - and I've said this before on this sub, that's totally ok. There is no shame in playing the game the way you like it! I don't know that there's a way to address the complaints you have for the system without tearing out parts of the spirit of the game. For me, limiting how Advantage/Disadvantage and Triumph/Despair can affect every kind of roll is limiting the game potential both from a mechanical and a player perspective.

Have you played Star Wars d20 or Star Wars Saga before? It sounds like these systems would appeal to you far more than FFG's narrative dice system. They're d20 based and lend heavily to a grid map battle system and a simple "hit or not" system. They've got the Star Wars feel (especially Saga) with that tried and true "roll a d20 and add some stuff and simply hit or not" method of gaming.

Hope this helps - and sorry again for the confusion on your post. :)

u/TedStiffcock_PHD · 8 pointsr/DnD
u/JasonUncensored · 8 pointsr/DnD
u/sam4246 · 8 pointsr/DMAcademy

For initiative tracking, Improved Initiative and Kobold Fight Club are great resources. They do initative, round number, HP, AC, everything at a quick glance. They work on mobile, though I would suggest using either a tablet or laptop.

Another thing I did was simply have all the characters and monsters written on small pieces of paper and I would hand those on my DM screen. The page on the left is whose turn it is, after they go I just move it to the right.

It's really good to have something physical and simple. For something really nice and useful, you could pick up the Paizo Combat Pad is fantastic, or you can be cheap like me and get a magnetic whiteboard and some permanent markers to make the lines.

For your questions, it all comes down to how the other guy put it. How detailed do you want to be. In Q2 you mentioned not being able to carry a loaded crossbow, but loading isn't part of the action, its part of the attack, meaning that it doesn't really matter in gameplay terms, just in terms of how descriptive you want to be.

As for loot. LMoP is where I started as well, and it's great. I do suggest to try and not use it like "This is how the adventure is" and rather as a guide for how you could run the adventure. Add your own flare to it. The book might not be saying that the goblins have loot on them, but if you want them to have a couple coppers, or maybe they kept some gold when they ambushed Gundren and Sildar, there's nothing wrong with that. At the same time, if you don't think these guys would have anything on them, then they don't.

I am also a relatively new DM who's gone through many of the things I'm sure you will, and quite recently. If you have any questions about LMoP, basic rules, or just looking for suggestions, feel free to send me a DM. Good luck!

u/Sam_Geist · 7 pointsr/rpg

My group prefers to play the West End Games d6 version, but I've read through the SAGA edition for d20 and like it quite a lot more than the first d20 Star Wars RPG.

The thing I like about SAGA is that it is all fairly balanced and is very easy for a D&D player to get into due to the core rules being d20. A great many of the subsystems have commonalities with 4e D&D for speed of use, which I also like.

d6, however, has potentially much more lethal combat and allows for Force-users to really shine. That said, it can be a struggle to integrate a full-fledged Jedi knight with a regular party and not have him outshine everyone else. Depends on the story, of course, but we manage.

u/1d8 · 7 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

iirc, the classes in red box were built from the rules designed for the smaller essentials rule books. They are quite a bit simpler and easier to run than the classes in the original rule books.

see-
http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Fallen-Lands-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956208/ref=pd_sim_b_1

u/MrVyngaard · 7 pointsr/Forgotten_Realms

While not the easiest option for a new person to break in with, I would put forth Candlekeep as a rambling goldmine as regarding a deeper exploration of Realms information.

http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/

One resource that should also still be relevant is "Ed Greenwood presents Elminister's Forgotten Realms" as it is mostly snippets and bits of information regarding customs and daily life in Faerun.

u/Radidactyl · 7 pointsr/DMAcademy

Definitely this one

It has suggestions for ability check DCs, improvised damage, etc.

There really isn't any wasted space on it.

u/Putridgrim · 7 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

And it's right here on Amazon
Dungeon Master's Screen Reincarnated https://www.amazon.com/dp/078696619X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ypXdAbANRGBRS

u/NoWordsJustBirds · 7 pointsr/DungeonMasters

I underestimated how useful that DM screen is for quick reference. It has so much useful stuff and constantly referencing all the material slows down gameplay to a crawl. I eventually could pull it off the top of my head, but it vastly improved immersion/fun when I picked it up. I got this one but there are others

u/CelekDraco · 7 pointsr/DnD

I've got this fun little book that I love, called Table Fables. It's a set of random die roll charts on lots of different things from menu items at a tavern to odd trinkets to dastardly potions. The book also has a soft touch cover that's fun to feel. They also have a digital version for sale.

The potion table is my favorite. I've had a character decide to drink one and vomit up gold coins for 1d4 minutes. Another time a character drank one that made him ecstatically euphoric (happy) about everything for 1d4 hours, including when he got stabbed later. This one was awesome because one of my heavy roleplay players was the one who drank it.

Characters in my game have found a fancy case of the "good" cigars (2gp/cigar!), rotten jars of strawberry jam, a magical spice pouch (1/dawn, if the spice pouch is empty, I roll a 1d4 oz of a random 1d20 spice off the spice table on page 43), and many more things. There are tables for food, food quality, npcs, dreams and nightmares, random magic and non-magic items. It's really entertaining to use.

u/Corbzor · 7 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

There was a 3rd party 3.5 book that was entirely about sex, it has lots of STDs. It also had rules for pregnancy and sex and monsters themed around that.

EDIT: It has already been linked further down the page then I had gotten to.

u/dtelad11 · 7 pointsr/rpg

We use this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601251556

Much cheaper and gets the job done. It's far from perfect (and if I had access to a lamination machine I would make a better version), but it's enough for us poor folks :-)

u/laggytoes · 7 pointsr/dndnext

Matt Colville's first couple videos in this series will be incredibly helpful, I think. He's focused on DMing.

If your more interested as a player and not a DM (though, one of your friends is gonna have to step up and do it), Colville has a video for that, too.

Bare minimum is buy dice, but getting the players handbook (PHB) is also great, though you can wait and see if you enjoy your first session before you buy it since they post the basic rules online for free.

Here is the SRD (free rules) in website form.
Here is the "official" PDF.

Also, if you really dig critical role, Matt Mercer put out a campaign book for the world. Whoever is gonna DM could buy this and run a game in the same setting.

u/FreedomPanic · 7 pointsr/DnD

It's hard, in my opinion, to levy that kind of criticism at a DM. What I would suggest is to just tell him all your ideas when you have them. My brother and I are both DM's and I play in his game and I hope he'll get a chance to play in mine. I am constantly gabbering ideas I come up with for my game to him. He obviously can't do the same, because I play in his game. I am a person that loves the challenge of design, so I'm pretty consistently developing new pieces of designs from world building, to mini games, to encounters, to narratives, to situations, etc. He has stolen or at least been intrigued by many of my ideas, which I love (since I can't always run them myself). I often ask him for design advice as well, so it's not one sided. He can't tell me about his ideas, but he can provide input on mine. Having consistent design discussions with a fellow DM can do wonders for both of your work.

Discuss Design for Fun: I think what you'll find is that if you just tell him design ideas you come up with just for the sake of discussing design for fun, your DM will naturally begin to pick things up and start experimenting with your ideas. You'll probably find that your ideas inspire them to come up with their own. I strongly encourage facilitating design discussions with anyone that has interest, including your DM. If, after a couple of weeks of discussing design, your DM still hasn't upped their game, that's when I would confront the issue. Say "hey, we've talked about a dozen different ideas, but you don't seem to be implementing anything new into the game. What's the deal?"


New D&D Supplements: Another really helpful tool for a DM (especially if they don't have the time to create interesting homebrewed scenarios) is the book Tome Of Beasts: https://www.amazon.com/Beasts-Wolfgang-Baur/dp/1936781565

The monsters in that are great and much more difficult than the ones in the monster manual. I still prefer designing my own stuff, because there are 400 monsters in that book and it takes a while for me to go through it. Just an example of a beautiful design in the book is the Living Wick. It's a construct, that comes to life when their wick is lit and they attack (or serve their master). They can also burn their wick in a single go and explode, doing a decent amount of damage for a low level party (like a toned down fireball, but I recommend turning it into a full on fireball). The trick to beat them, aside from killing them, is to dowse their wick. You might homebrew them a tad so they can fight against your players by also making them either immune to fire, or cause fire to make a massive chain reaction that causes them to explode. Also, using them as an ambush and having them tackle the party and explode.

Here's an idea I had for my low level from the tome of beasts: "You enter through the large doors. It's pitch black in here, but as you walk you can here your foot steps echo in what must be a massive chamber. If you create a light (or have dark vision), you can see that this is a great reception chamber, entirely made out of a deep blue marble. The walls are accentuated with impressive pillars. The marble chamber has such a high, elaborate ceiling that goes up about 50 feet. The hallway extends to the a decorated portcullis at the end. Along the full length of the hall are a parallel series of pedestals. Sitting atop the pedestals are a dozen or more statuesque figures, all positioned in various 'thinking' sitting poses. A closer inspection reveals that they are made out of wax. Above the hearth you entered is marble slab, jutting out from the wall with two metal tubes extending out of it. When the players walk close enough, two brilliant jets of fire shoots out from the turret above the hearth, illuminating the dark marble of the chamber. These two lines of fire rocket downward and the jet across the backs of the wax statues, before arcing back up into the ceiling and dispersing. The wax statues are now lit, like a candle from a protruding wick on their back. This dim glow is the only light in the room. The players here a quiet hiss (like the sound of a burning fuze) come from the burning wicks. They suddenly come to life in fluid, short bursts of movement. They move unnatural, almost like dancers. They move quickly and suddenly for seconds at a time, and then come to a complete stop, and then moving again. They all turn towards the players and immediately sprint towards them."

tl;dr: Start creating discussions about game design to bounce ideas with them, so they get a chance to hear some cool design thoughts without it becoming uncomfortable. Recommend the book Tome of Beasts

u/appBlu · 7 pointsr/rpg

Savage Worlds since this is r/rpg

If it's a fantasy setting, you could just rip Eberron and fit it to your liking.

Edit: saw your other post, since its the far future you could incorporate a Cyberpunk/fantasy setting such as Shadowrun. I'd recommend getting the Fantasy and Sci-Fi companions to give you some ideas and prebuilt objects for the world.

What I enjoy most about Savage Worlds is the amount of flexibility you are given as a GM/Player in that everything has a baseline, and you add flavor to make it something different. Great examples of this are the spells, where it could be a simple "Bolt" spell, but with added flavor such as Fire or Frost, you can change the dynamics of how they work. Plus, the main book you'll need is only 10 dollars.

u/RattyJackOLantern · 7 pointsr/rpg

Dungeons & Dragons is the big dog, it's the only TTRPG most people have ever heard of and that name recognition means whatever the current edition of D&D is will almost always have the largest player base in a given area in the English-speaking world.

But if you want a different game you could go with something like Savage Worlds, which is a rules-medium system that can play in any genre you want. The corebook (which is the only book you'd need to play, though others are helpful) is less than $10, which is a plus. See the demo here: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/peg-freebies/TD06.pdf
Corebook here https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200

If you want to get some friends together and try some D&D (5th edition, which is the current one) though, I'd try it with the free demo rules before dropping between $90 - 120 on the 3 core books depending on where you buy them. Free demo rules here: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules

If you play a game with your friends you'll want some dice, unless you just decide to use a dice roller app on your phones. I'd recommend buying a big bundle of cheap dice rather than paying a lot for individual sets. A bundle like this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KN7REWQ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01KN7REWQ&pd_rd_wg=8uUwb&pd_rd_r=HQQYF600AKZZA1GKEZHV&pd_rd_w=CjKc8

DrivethruRPG is the site you'll want for other RPGs and older Dungeons & Dragons material, they're the amazon or wal mart of TTRPGs, selling PDFs and print on demand books. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/

u/BMErdin · 7 pointsr/rpg

My goto generic system these days would probably be Savage Worlds. Character creation is pretty simple, combat is quick. Power level kind of takes care of itself, based on what edges PCs take, but you could always limit what is available. Plus the Explorer's Edition of the rulebook, which has everything the hardback copy does, is only 10 bucks.

Quick start rules, if you want to take a look before buying.

u/DrYoshiyahu · 6 pointsr/DnD

Most of it is in the Tal'Dorei Campaign Guide, so posting any of it online would be piracy. I can still provide what I think may be a complete list, with sources, if that helps.

u/Xaielao · 6 pointsr/rpg

I'm pretty sure WotC came out of the gate with the affirmation that they wouldn't release more than a few books a year (most of which are adventures). I get the business decisions, they don't want to flood the market.

For those who want more, there are tuns of fantastic third party books and top-tier homebrew to be had. Check out dmsguild.com and it's parent, DriveThruRPG.com. Some of my favorite third party books (and PDF's) include:

  • Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts and it's followup Creature Codex, two fantastic and huge Monster Manual type books. The monsters within tend to be a little over-tuned, but highly original and IMHO most the MM creatures are too weak as it is. Wish you had more fey & celestials, or crazy demon lords and dragons? These are the books for you. Kobold Press also has their own setting called Midguard though I don't own the books.

  • The Heroes of the Orient & Monsters of the Orient by Mark A has some very cool new material, including two new classes, new feats, and stuff for existing classes. Very popular on dmsguild.com

  • Matt Colville's Strongholds & Followers has great rules for player's constructing their own strongholds or coming together to build/repair a castle, raise an army and go to war with your campaign's villain!

  • I am particularly fond of Onyx Path Publishing, known for fantastic writers, and RPG heavy games, like 20th Anniversary World of Darkness (V20, etc), Chronicles of darkness (my group's favorite game series), Exalted, Pugmire, and more. They also have a 5e setting called Scarred Lands. It's based on a somewhat lesser known 3e setting of the same name Set in a world like classical Greece, only an age later, after the world was scarred by the war between the gods & the titans.
u/Bamce · 6 pointsr/Shadowrun

My suggestion when starting kids of this age in rpgs is always Savage worlds Its cheap, easy, fast, and versatile.

This week you can be playing super criminals(or cops) doing whatever in "not shadowrun". Then next week when he gets super into power rangers you can easily play "not power rangers" with the same rule set. Then when some pirate show comes on tv you can play "not pirates" or "not space rangers" or really whatever you want. There is a huge number of setting books (that you don't really need) for all flavors you could want.

The card based initiative system is great. Probably the best initiative system I have ever seen in something that has a codified init system.

it uses a target number 4 system with "raises" for each mulitple of 4 over your first. Dice explode and get added together. So it helps to teach math

its based on a 'benny' or benefit system where you have little tokens that allow you to do things like reroll dice. The game is based around an economy between player and gm, with the gm being encourage to give them out to the players for good roleplay, decisions in character, or bringing in their negatives. We can take this one step furhter with kids and use it teach them small life lessons. Encourage them to do things, like instead of fighting a guy, they talk him down, or help him, givem a benny.

I often suggest usings like candy to represent these tokens. He can't eat them until he spends them on something, but then when he is out of them he can't do cool rerolls and stuff. teach him restraint since he wants to do cool stuff, but also wants to eat the candy.

u/grognard_lite · 6 pointsr/criticalrole

Have you read The Lazy Dungeon Master?

You should. It's a godsend for over-preppers like yourself.

I've been doing this for a LONG time, and I can have a 6-hour session down to 3 pages of bullets and a bunch of open tabs in D&D Beyond. I manage larger arcs with a mind map tool that I take about a half hour on in between sessions in the worst case.

u/xspartanzx · 6 pointsr/DMAcademy

I recommend this book. It makes life a lot easier and focuses your time to what really matters
https://www.amazon.com/Lazy-Dungeon-Master-Michael-Shea-ebook/dp/B00ADV2H8O

I used to spend hours upon hours making maps, fleshing out everything, etc. Two things happened:

  1. I noticed that I kept guiding my PCs toward what I built because I spent so much time on it. My PCs never said anything, but I noticed, and I consider railroading a cardinal sin.
  2. I was getting burnt out. What about this? How do I best balance that? What monster is best here? What 5000 ways will my PCs approach a situation, and how can I anticipate them all? It was to the point that my creativity froze and I couldn't decide on any path. When I let go and let the story tell itself, then it became fun again and my creativity came back.

    Here's the main points of being a great DM:

  • The most important thing to flesh out in your game is the NPCs. Encounters come, go, and can be morphed. Your NPCs are the lifeblood of the game. But you don't need to spend too much time...what's their connection to the story? How would they react to the PCs? What are their goals?
  • Keep your PCs the focus of your stories (they went and killed Lord BadGuy instead of helping an NPC. How does that affect their world? How will that NPC react to them next time? Did killing Lord BadGuy put a bounty on their heads?)
  • Be flexible with your story/plot and the encounters (you wanted them to fight a group of thugs in a barracks but they went into the forest? Okay, now they're fighting wolves in an abandoned castle).
  • Don't flesh out the story. You should know where they start and places they may go. Let the players fill in the rest.
  • To that point, only prepare for the upcoming session. You never know when the story will spin in a totally different direction
  • Leave plot hooks like they're walking through a meat factory
  • Only spend significant time designing an encounter if it's inevitable. To stop the terrorizing of the town they are determined to kill the dragon. Okay, spend time fleshing out your encounter
  • D&D needs to be fun for you AND the PCs! It should be a rewarding hobby. Make sure it stays that way!
u/NichealBluth · 6 pointsr/WoT

No Wheel of Time RPG, 8/10. Just kidding nice collection. Mine is mixed between physical and ebooks and still feels a bit incomplete.

u/Halaku · 6 pointsr/WoT

The Wheel of Time already has a RPG, based on D&D 3.0 rules:

The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game

Additionally, there was one supplement:

Prophecies of the Dragon

It wouldn't take a lot of work to update that to D&D 3.5, or first edition Pathfinder (aka 3.75), and there's guides to update from first edition to the new second edition, so put in a night's work and you'd be able to play that with a current rules set, if you wished.

Hope that helps!

u/oblatesphereoid · 6 pointsr/Forgotten_Realms

The 2e Boxed set campaign guide does a great job of this... if you can find it on ebay, amazon or "elsewhere"
http://amzn.com/B00H80XPBG

if you are looking to add flavor definately check out this book

Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms
http://amzn.com/0786960345

u/Crepti · 6 pointsr/DnD

I point you towards the Book of Erotic Fantasy.

u/failed_novelty · 6 pointsr/rpg

I've found just the 3.5 book for you, OP!

Remember to LARP as appropriate ;-)

u/Reasonabledwarf · 6 pointsr/rpg

It may ruin a bit of the nostalgia, but Pathfinder might be of interest to you. The game is, at its core, identical to 3.5e, but with minor improvements throughout. It does lose the D&D name, but retains more of the flavour than 4e did. Plus, you can get it new, and you don't need to buy a Dungeon Master's Guide, as all that info is in the core rulebook! Neato!

u/dobervich · 6 pointsr/DnD
u/twilightsun · 5 pointsr/WoT

You mean like this?

Based on the very real copyright battles going on with WoT, you may want to tread carefully when a product has already been created. Admittedly, the D&D system did not translate well for WoT the official RPG, but you could still get trampled over rights usage.

u/insanityv2 · 5 pointsr/rpg

4e is pretty simple. Even simpler than that is Swords and Wizardry which is made to resemble old school DnD. Microlite 74 is similar but does not hew as closely to any incarnation of DnD. All of these are free.

Swords and Wizardry has quick start rules here. I listed some beginner modules for it.

>Is there a D&D "basic" set in its latest incarnation?

You mean like this?

The Red Box, then Rules Compendium, Heroes of the Fallen Lands, and then the Monster Vault.

The Red Box comes with some premade characters and a quick adventure. Its pretty cheap and will help you determine if this is the system you want (note your free options.)

If you like it, then:

Then the Heroes book will help you guys build characters.

The Rules Compendium contain all the... rules. (What happens on each players turn, etc etc).

Monster Vault has monsters for the DM.

Not a lot of good adventures available for 4e though, though if you like 4e and want to run premade stuff for it, some options are laid out here.

You also have the option of subscribing to a service called DnD Insider, which will give you access to, among other things, an online character builder for the players and a monster builder for the DM with all the stuff from the books,. It costs like 10 bucks a month... but its an option that you should be aware of.

You might get some recommendations for Pathfinder, because redditors love them some Pathfinder (which is based off DnD 3.5 so if you know that, you know PF). It's a good system--I'm playing it right now--but its so complex that I have some trouble recommending it to absolute beginners in good conscience. You can look into it here. If you do go with it, I highly highly recommend a character builder like PCGen.

EDIT: Fixed some links.

u/bauth · 5 pointsr/dndnext

Get this book, whatever you do. It's both a great resource and a great read. It's rules neutral and is mainly a lore thing but you'll learn more from it than really any other book that I know of, short of reading a whole bunch of the novels.

u/lukasni · 5 pointsr/Forgotten_Realms

Not a novel, but Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms is a great resource for Life and Trade in the realms, including information about slave trade. I don't have my copy handy right now, but I think there's a few pages of information about it in there. Overall just a great book to own when playing in the Realms.

u/baptistcreature · 5 pointsr/osr

It's pricey, but AEG's Ultimate Toolbox has tons of good stuff in it. I've also heard good things about the Table Fables books available on Amazon, but don't have any personal experience with them.
 
Lately, Hubris has been my go-to for adding in weird terrain features and plot hooks.

u/Terkala · 5 pointsr/rpg

Pathfinder core rulebook, $49.99 at release (see the list price entry).

http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook/dp/1601251505

u/alittletooquiet · 5 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Yes, and that's the easiest way.

Of course if you want to jump in the deep end, all you need is the core rulebook, the beastiary, and a set of dice.

u/driscoll42 · 5 pointsr/rpg

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook/dp/1601251505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269579875&sr=8-1

I always found this to be the biggest problem with tabletop gaming. It's just SO EXPENSIVE. I was just in a game store last weekend and everything was $40 at minimum it seemed like. I would buy a ton of the books if they were in the $10-$20 range, but there's only so much I can afford. Same goes for board games, I want the Settlers of Catan expansions, but I'm not paying $43+tax for them.

u/darhoth · 5 pointsr/Gloomhaven

Well this got a lot more attention than I expected. Quick list of everything in use - 1) TV1 = GH Track Android App for monster health and conditions, 2) TV2 = Gloomy Companion for monster ability cards, both are cast via chrome cast, 3) [Duchess Gaming Table] (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1296268806/the-duchess-a-gaming-table-from-boardgametablescom), 4) painted minis from /u/PintsizedProdigies, 5) Uberstax for the card holders, 6) 3-ring binder with fully sleeved items and ability cards, 7) Boye Knit Tally Counters for health and exp tracking, 8)Pathfinder Combat Pad for tracking initiative and 9) expanding accordion folder for organizing and storing map tiles. Think that's it. And I bought this house somewhat for this room, sunroom with 7 sliding glass doors.

u/MissSashi · 5 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG
u/matter1317 · 5 pointsr/DnD

No trying to sound rude but you are. I own both different books, and my LGS have the firefly one for sale.

here's the firefly rpg

Here's serenity


edit

Rly down vote me because I proved I was correct?

u/Team_Braniel · 5 pointsr/DnD

Also if you have the MM and are looking for yet more monsters for your campaign, OR have players like mine that all know the MM by heart and it becomes a challenge to surprise them constantly with new and creative monsters... check out The Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press

Its worked great for me so far.

u/ngbwafn · 5 pointsr/rpg

Shadowrun's latest edition is in print. It's about $40 on amazon for the physical, or $20 for the pdf on drivethrurpg.

Also, Rogue Trader pdf is $30 on drivethrurpg, and Warhammer Fantasy pdf is $20.

u/Toboe_LoneWolf · 5 pointsr/savageworlds

Just to clarify, there is 1 Core Book (which is, as others have said, all you technically need), and 4 companion books - Super Powers, Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy. Then there are numerous setting books such as Deadlands, 50Fathoms (made by Pinnacle), or Beasts & Barbarians (made by the licensee GRAmel).

  • Core Book - the stuff you absolutely definitely need
  • Companion Books - extra optional rules in case you need rules for things like mechas in space (Science Fiction) or sanity rules a la Cthulhu (Horror)
  • Setting Books - premade worlds for you to play in; often comes with a campaign already made although not always
u/The3rdCraigRobinson · 4 pointsr/mattcolville
u/schneeland · 4 pointsr/criticalrole

You could pick the physical copy up from Amazon.com ( link ). It's currently 22$ there; and shipping to Europe is not that expensive there (can only speak for Germany, but I believe shipping rates to the UK should be similar).

I would have liked to order it from Green Ronin directly, but those shipping costs are really prohibitive.

u/kodemage · 4 pointsr/rpg

List of Influential RPG Titles

Dungeons and Dragons - By TSR and WotC

Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition - TSR

  • Core Rulebooks
  • Adventures (Keep on the Boarderlands, The Tomb of Horrors, The Temple of Elemental Evil)

    Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition - TSR

  • Core Books (PHB, DMG, MM)
  • Unearthed Arcana
  • Campaign Settings (Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun)
  • Arms and Equipment Guide

    Dungeons and Dragons 3.0 - WotC

  • Savage Species
  • Deities and Demigods
  • Stronghold Builder's Guidebook

    Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 - WotC

  • Core Rulebooks (PHB, DMG, & MM)
  • Expanded Core (PHB2, DMG2, MM2, 3, 4, 5)
  • Psionics Handbook
  • Unearthed Arcana
  • Complete Series (Arcane, Adventurer, Warrior, Divine, Champion, Scoundrel, Mage, Psionics)
  • Campaign Settings (Ebberon, Forgotten Realms)
  • Adventures (Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil)

    Dungeons and Dragons 4e - WotC

  • Core Rulebooks (PHB, PHB2, PHB3, DMG, DMG2, MM, MM2, MM3)
  • Essentials (Heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms and Heroes of Fallen Lands, Rules Compendium)
  • Settings (Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun)
  • Adventures (Tomb of Horrors)

    Pathfinder - Paizo Publishing

  • Core Rulebook
  • Advanced Player's Guide
  • Advanced Race Guide
  • Ultimate Magic
  • Ultimate Combat
  • Ultimate Equipment
  • Game Mastery Guide
  • Ultimate Campaign
  • Mythic Adventures
  • NPC Codex
  • Bestiaries 1-4

    Not Dungeons and Dragons

    World of Darkness - by White Wolf

  • Vampire the Masquerade - Vampires are so mainstream now...
  • Werewolf the Apocylypse - Where there are vampires there are werewolves.
  • Mage the Ascention - and witches and wizards.
  • Hunter the Reckoning - and someone to hunt them.
  • Changeling the Dreaming

    "New" World of Darkness

  • Core Book
  • Expanded Core (Vampire, Mage, Werewolf)

    AEG

  • Legend of the Five Rings 4th Edition Core Rulebook
  • Legend of the Five Rings 1st Edition Core Rulebook
  • 7th Sea
  • Deadlands

    Other

  • Shadowrun
  • Savage Worlds
  • Dungeon World
  • FATE Core
  • Call of Cthulhu
  • RIFTS
  • GURPS
  • Paranoia - Super expensive on Amazon, not sure why.
  • Elf Quest - Also a very popular graphic novel.

    Authors to Look for

  • Gary Gygax - Role Playing Mastery and Master of the Game
  • Monte Cook
  • John Wick
  • Dave Arneston

    RPG Related Non-Fiction

  • Confessions of a Part Time Sorceress - Shelley Mazzinoble
  • Of Dice and Men: The Story of Dungeons & Dragons and The People Who Play It

    RPG Fiction, also essential

  • Dragonlance - Chronicles Triligy by Weise and Hickman - Set in a D&D campaign Setting
  • Drizzit's Series - By R. A. Salvatore. Icewind Dale Trilogy and The Dark Elf Trilogy
  • The Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist - It's allegedly the story of the author's long running D&D game.

    Other Lists

  • Good Reads Popular RPG titles.
  • Wikipedia timeline of RPGs

    Honorable Mentions

  • Star Wars - d6 Edition, d20 Edition, SAGA Edition, Star Wars RPG (Fantsy Flight)
  • Star Trek - Various Incarnations
  • Serenity the RPG
  • D&D Comic Books
  • Buffy the RPG
  • Whatever the heck "Demon" is...

    *Please add suggestions below, I'll add to the list as I revisit this thread throughout the day. Adding Amazon links now.
u/DelugedPraxis · 4 pointsr/rpg

Someone else will say it if I don't, but Savage Worlds has the tagline, "Fast! Furious! Fun!". It's definitely more crunchy than Dungeon World, but manages to make combat go fast.

If you end up getting it, note that the "Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorers Edition" is the newest version.

The books labeled as companions are also up to date. Don't buy anything labeled 'toolkit' as they are earlier parts of what became the companion books.

All of the older versions are extremely similar or literal copies. If you have an old version it'll work with the new stuff as far as I've been able to tell, but that also means its pointless to have more than one 'version'.

Bonus, the system is really quite cheap. You don't need any companions, but they do have a lot of cool stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200

http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Companion-S2P10500-Savage-Worlds/dp/0981528112/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1CVET03E63CH10C4H8DD

http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Companion-Savage-Worlds-S2P10502/dp/1937013162/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1CVET03E63CH10C4H8DD

https://www.peginc.com/store/super-powers-companion-second-edition-le/

https://www.peginc.com/store/science-fiction-companion-le-bundle/

u/totsichiam · 4 pointsr/rpg

Savage Worlds handles large groups of enemies really well. You can pick up the older version pretty cheap, or get the PDF for about $10.

u/kastronaut · 4 pointsr/DMAcademy

I highly recommend The Lazy Dungeon Master

As a DM you have a view of all of the elements of your game and how they tie together. Your players only ever experience the part that they touch in the course of play. What that means is you can have a relatively general idea of things, and then flesh them out when your players actually interact with them.

It’s about curating their perceptions. It’s illusion. It takes practice to do well, but you can do just ok and your players will still probably feel like you had it all planned out from the beginning.

You know what your players want to do. Let them drive the interactions and flesh out the details as they touch them. If they ask your NPC’s name, name her, otherwise don’t worry about it. If they’re going to see this NPC again, write down all of the details you give her.

u/BestEditionEvar · 4 pointsr/dndnext

My recommendation would be to go pick up some 2nd, 3rd or 4th edition sourcebooks for dirt cheap at Half Price Books or online. The Forgotten Realms sourcebook from 3.5 is what I am currently using, it has a removable foldout map of Faerun, and detailed lists of major sights throughout the realms, including descriptions of the major cities, ruins, etc.

I've heard good things about the Greenwood Forgotten Realms book as well.

You can probably also find sourcebooks specific to Waterdeep, Neverwinter, etc. though I don't know the specific titles.

The point is that generally speaking the edition doesn't matter when it comes to background materials, physical descriptions, major characters, history, politics, factions, maps, etc. It just doesn't. So do yourself a favor and buy this stuff cheap from older editions.

Also, keep in mind that while you are building off of an existing world, and there is something cool about that, the minute you start to play in it it's YOUR world. None of these sourcebooks are going to have every single detail fleshed out, and often will just give you the flavor of a particular city, a few major landmarks, etc. From there on you should create your own landmarks, taverns, interesting characters, history, etc.

This is the book that I use a lot:
http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417478819&sr=1-2&keywords=FOrgotten+Realms

Here are more:

http://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345

Neverwinter book:
http://www.amazon.com/Neverwinter-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Supplement/dp/0786958146/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417478789&sr=1-4&keywords=Neverwinter+source+book

Waterdeep book:
http://www.amazon.com/City-Splendors-Waterdeep-Roleplaying-Supplement/dp/0786936932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417478895&sr=1-1&keywords=Waterdeep

http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Realms-Atlas-Karen-Fonstad/dp/0880388579/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417478853&sr=1-3&keywords=FOrgotten+Realms

Hope that helps. Also buy 4th edition stuff now if you ever think you want it. Lots of stores are having fire sales moving their 4th ed stuff.

u/pieceoftheuniverse · 4 pointsr/rpg

Looking quickly over your document, it looks very similar to the D20 Star Wars RPG that Wizards of the Coast put out a while back.

You might want to use that instead of coming up with your own. I agree that the FF version is radically different than DnD players would be used to, but the D20 version is basically DnD 3.5 with a Star Wars veneer plastered over it.

u/RTukka · 4 pointsr/DnD

First, I'd recommend that you keep the box and all of the components in good condition, so you can consider re-selling it once you're done with it. The Red Box seems to be out of print and is selling for far above its $20 MSRP, and if you can recoup some of the money you spent on it to buy some resources that will have more lasting value, it might be worth it (depending on how highly you value your time), since you will have little use for most of the contents of the box once you're through with the initial adventure.

Or, if it's not too late, you may want to cancel your order. The Starter Set is a relatively gentle introduction to D&D, but not necessarily the best one and certainly not the cheapest.

To prepare, you might want to read, and have everyone else read, the quick start rules. You can also have the players choose pre-generated characters from that document and print off the corresponding character sheets. The Red Box method of character creation involves running through a solo "choose-your-own-adventure" book, which you might not want to do 3 or 4 times in succession for each of your players. Note that the the quick start rules uses slightly different versions of the character classes presented in the Red Box, but the characters/systems are compatible.

You will not immediately need to create your own group adventure, as one is included with the Starter Set.

Also, as an alternative to the Starter Set, /u/Dracoprimus posted a bunch of links to free adventures. You can also choose to run one of these adventures after you finish with the Red Box.

However, neither those those links nor the Red Box will not give you the resources needed to build your own characters or advance them past level 2, nor do they contain the info a DM needs to create his own campaign, or extensively modify an existing one. For that, I recommend getting the following resources (buying some of the books used may yield a good savings):

  • Heroes of the Fallen Lands (alternatives/supplements: Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, the 4e Player's Handbook)
  • The 4e Dungeon Master's Guide (alternative/supplement: the 4e Rules Compendium)
  • The Monster Vault (buy a new or like-new copy so you can be sure you get all of the included components)

    With those three products, you have everything you need to run a level 1-30 campaign. A D&D Insider subscription can substitute for those resources to a large extent, and supplement them with tons of content, but it's most useful as a convenience and reference. I would still recommend getting the core books even if your group has a DDI sub.

    On top of that, a few game aids are nice to have:

  • A blank, reusable flip-mat, like the Paizo basic flip-mat, plus some dry- or wet-erase markers.
  • Alternatively, a 1" gridded easel pad, which you can probably get at an office supply store.
  • Enough dice for everyone. Bulk dice like Chessex Pound O' Dice can be a good way to go.
  • Tokens or character markers. The Monster Vault and Starter Set include some. You can make your own, buy miniatures or products that come with miniatures, like the Descent board game or the Legend of Drizzt, or WotC's Dungeon Command games.
u/PghDrake · 4 pointsr/DnD

Here's what you need. It's got NO D&D statistics, it just talks all about the realms - the people, the way they talk, what they wear, their food, some history, etc. It's fantastic and written by Ed Greenwood, the guy who created the Forgotten Realms so many years ago.

http://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409860576&sr=8-1&keywords=forgotten+realms+ed+greenwood

u/matthileo · 4 pointsr/DnD

Elminster's Forgotten Realms is pretty good, and it's not tied to any edition.

u/SillyInternet · 4 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

OP, have a look at http://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345

It's by the guy who created the Realms, and it's pretty good, I hear.

u/ThunderousOath · 4 pointsr/DMAcademy

The official DM Screen Reincarnated is probably your best goto at the moment for $10. However, I prefer Stratagem's Master's Tome 4-Panel for $20.

u/GloriusEpithet · 4 pointsr/DMAcademy

It's called "The World's Largest Dungeon" and I believe it was DnD 3.5. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1594720290/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Loj7Cb0RVQMS7

u/MrPupTent · 4 pointsr/Birmingham

You should find out which version and/or edition he is using. Then get him a player's handbook in that format. Player's Handbook 5e


There are other RPG formats:

ICRPG

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Core Rulebook


We found this place very handy.

Bud's Place Games
8033 Parkway Dr, Leeds, AL 35094
(205) 699-1066
https://goo.gl/maps/7aYwwxPAQ8M2

u/AxisOfJedi · 3 pointsr/DnD

This book from 3E. Its actually one of the absolute best written D&D books covering a setting there is. Stunningly detailed. Pick it up on Amazon if you can.

https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509952365&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=forgotten+realms+3e

u/CaptainPsyko · 3 pointsr/lfg

FYI, this is a thing that exists, and which I presume is being referred to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0786919965?pc_redir=1398191149&robot_redir=1

The rest of your inquiry, however, is very valid.

u/voodoochile78 · 3 pointsr/rpg

If you play Pathfinder, then note that they put all their rules and bestiary online for free and so you can save some serious dough. You can then spend your money on things like battle mats, paper miniatures, and adventure modules. They have an upcoming beginners box that would probably be perfect for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KPv80QsBfI

If you play D&D 4th Edition, you kind of have to choose between the original line and "Essentials" line (it's very confusing). Personally I say go with the Essentials line because it is easier, cheaper, and (to me at least) "feels" more like what D&D is supposed to be like. WotC doesn't publish anything online for free like Paizo, so you'll have to buy some stuff. I recommend:


  • At least one copy of Heroes of the Fallen Lands (class book for fighters, clerics, wizards and rogues: ~$14 on Amazon
  • Optional: At least one copy of Heroes of the Fallen Kingdoms (class book for rangers, druids, paladins and warlocks): ~$14 on Amazon.
  • Semi-Optional At least one copy of the Rules Compendium:~$14 on Amazon. The reason I list this as semi-optional is because most of the rules you'll need as a beginner are contained in the class guide books
  • Monster Vault. This contains monster stats and a whole bunch of tokens. ~$20 on Amazon.

    If no one wants to play a ranger, druid, paladin or warlock at first you can skip the one book and meet your $60 budget. Eventually you'll probably want to get a Dungeon Master guide of some sort. The kind of information in those books is mostly generic advice on how to run games and handle personalities, so it's possibly to buy an older used copy from the original line even though you are playing Essentials. Hell, since it's just generic advice, you could even buy the Pathfinder guide (which is amazingly well written) and use it for D&D.

    In summary - I think it's easier for you to meet your budget by going with Pathfinder, since they publish a lot of material for free, leaving you to spend your money on the adventure modules which is where all the fun is anyways. It's unanimous that Pathfinder does a much better job on published adventures too, since they are a company that started off as an adventure publishing company and that is their strength. However, D&D 4e (especially Essentials) is much easier to play, but you won't have as much money left over to spend on adventures (and those adventures kind of suck).
u/kevodoom · 3 pointsr/DnD

Players don't need much. I agree with BenDunno's suggestion - PH1 is a good place to start. Depends on what they feel like playing. Community opinion is mixed on the Essentials builds in Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, but these builds are fully cross-compatible with the rest of 4th Ed, so if people want to play them, it won't cause a problem. A few players in my group tried out Essentials characters and had fun with them.

The Rules Compendium is amazingly handy for both players and DM's - easy to carry around, clearly indexed and consolidated.

(btw, I included Amazon links for clarity, but if you've got a dedicated game store near you, buy from them instead - your FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store) is a really important part of the gamer ecosystem - give 'em all the support you can :) )

u/Zelcron · 3 pointsr/DnD

Alternately, you can get either or both of these for character creation. They offer a different style of characters to play, and will be the same classes that you'll find in the Red Box. In my experience these classes are easier on new players than the PHB classes.

u/Sorcerer_Blob · 3 pointsr/DnD

That's a great question. Especially since the Realms are constantly changing and in flux. Or at least it seems that way. Coupled with a rich history and meta-story, it can be difficult to really figure out what the hell is going on currently aside from trying to read each and every novel out there. While that's do-able for some, it's not realistic for most.

Probably the best book I can recommend is Elminster's Forgotten Realms. It came out during the end of 4e and while is considered a 4e book, it really isn't. It's actually "edition agnostic," which is just a fancy way of saying that you can use it with any edition of D&D without any hassle. There are no actual stats for stuff within, it's all story stuff. Which is cool. It's like the gazetteers of old.

The only problem with the above is that it came out in 2012, and so its Sundering info is minimal, if it exists at all.

As far as more up to date information, specifically regarding The Sundering, there is the Forgotten Realms Wiki, though I cannot speak to its quality or accuracy.

Good luck and happy gaming.

u/daren_sf · 3 pointsr/DnD

I quite like my copy of “Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms: A Dungeons & Dragons Supplement”!

I purchased it after WotC announced that the Forgotten Realms would be the default setting for D&D Next/5e. Simply because it’s all fluff and done by the man that created the Forgotten Realms.

u/joelito-bambito · 3 pointsr/DnD

OMG, I forgot the fluffiest of flufflements:

u/BorisKourt · 3 pointsr/forgottenrealms

I don't have it with me right now but I think that Elminster's Forgotten Realms is probably the best bet for this.

u/BrentNewhall · 3 pointsr/dndnext

The best general overview of the Realms I've found is Elminster's Forgotten Realms. It's system- and edition-neutral, and talks about many aspects of the Realms, including common festivals, education, literacy, and other elements that explain how this fantasy world is different than others. That said, the 5th Edition Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide gives you more stats and recent history, so it might be the more practical book.

That said, I recommend that you don't try to be completely true to the Realms. There's just far too much history and geography to learn if you want to be accurate. Start small and read up what you can, but feel free to shift things around as you see fit.

u/PutCleverNameHere12 · 3 pointsr/rpg
u/LawfulStupid · 3 pointsr/DnD

The absolute best way to get started is the Starter Set. It's everything you need to get started including some dice and an adventure. As you get more into it, you'll want to pick up the Players Handbook, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Master's Guide (If you don't want to get them all at once, I recommend getting them in that order.) Also very useful is a Dungeon Master's Screen. Moving into more advanced stuff, Xanathar's Guide to Everything is a book full of a bunch of optional rules to spice up the game, and Volo's Guide to Monsters gives more monsters for players to fight, and some you can actually play as. If you need more adventures to run, Tales From the Yawning Portal is a nice big book of dungeons.

u/RadiologisttPepper · 3 pointsr/CatsPlayingDnd

This is a campaign specific screen for Tomb of Annihilation. If you’re looking for a general screen, the DM Screen Reincarnated that Wizards makes is really the best option. I hemmed and hawed back and forth over which screen to get and I’m really happy with the standard one. I use this because a player in my campaign bought it for me and its great for the specific module.

u/typoguy · 3 pointsr/dndnext

You might want to grab a DM's screen. It's basically the cheat sheet you want. Armor class IS put in a weird place in the rules, in the Equipment section rather than in Combat, where it's actually used. Armor (or lack thereof) gives you an AC (Armor Class), which is the number a creature or character has to roll in order to score a hit on them. So if a character is wearing no armor, the AC is 10 plus their DEX modifier. Say that adds up to 12, a monster has to roll a 12 or higher to hit them. A monster's stat block will list their AC, but a character's AC is based on what armor they're wearing (check the chart in the Equipment Section of the rules).

u/MommaDM · 3 pointsr/DnD5e

Dungeon Master's Screen Reincarnated https://www.amazon.com/dp/078696619X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_PttUBb346TC84

I don't think you'll get much cheaper than buying the official one.

u/stevensydan · 3 pointsr/DMAcademy

I just ran my first session as a new DM with LMoP last week! I'll jot down my experience running a group of 4 beginners. (so take my advice with a grain of salt as a beginner that has not finished the campaign)

---
First, read through the books in the Starter Set! (If you can afford the Player's Handbook, that is a good idea as well.) I highly recommend going through the rulebook (or Basic Rules) then at least skimming through the entire LMoP module. You don't have to memorize everything but as a DM it is important to have the idea of the setting in your head.

For combat, you have to decide if you are going to run "Theater of the Mind" or battlemat+miniatures for combat. Theater of the Mind is more flexible and requires less preparation but battlemats give great visuals at a cost of preparation and supply.

Then you have to decide if you think your players would want to make their own characters or not. For my beginner group, I decided that they would be a lot more invested/excited if they could identify with their own creation so I chose to not use the pre-generated character sheets. Once you are comfortable with the rules of D&D enough, set a date to meet with your group.

Since we had to make characters, I held a Session 0 to introduce the basic concept of what to expect in committing to D&D as well as character creation. I highly suggest making characters together a separate day before Session 1 because it usually takes a decent amount of time for the first time (3ish hours for me).

My Session 0 looked like this:

  • Introduction to D&D

  • Explaining all races, classes, backgrounds and letting them pick

  • Giving character sheets, rolling stats

  • Guiding them through the char sheet by referencing DNDBeyond for background/race/class bonuses

    After everyone was done, I let them take home the character sheet and work on character appearance, personality, and background story.

    The week after, we had Session 1. Make sure you actually read through the LMoP module in depth, at least up to Part 1-2 beforehand. I also decided to take some elements of this supplement Part 0 for LMoP to use as a tutorial for my players. Then, begin your adventure! My party took a lot longer than I expected and only got to the entrance of the Cragmaw Hideout after 3 hours.

    Good luck to your campaign, I'm looking forward to my second session!

    ---

    Some recommended guides I used:

  • Matt Mercer tips (all DM's love this man)

  • Don't Stop Thinking guides (great graphic visuals and in-depth coverage)

  • Matt Colville tips (gives a good idea of how D&D should look like at an advanced level)

  • DungeonDudes (channel that covers good topics)

  • DNDBeyond (amazing website for the Basic Rules, classes, and races)

  • OneCritWonder LMoP tips (helpful overview of the module)

  • LMoP enemies (generator that adapts to how many players you have)

    ---
    Supplies I personally prepared (BUT ARE OPTIONAL):

  • Beginner dice (shared with my beginners, they are planning to get their own sets soon)

  • Custom character sheets (a bit overwhelming at first but I find helpful for each class)

  • Spell cards (I don't think many people use these but I find it an amazing resource to give your players if they are spellcasters)

  • Battlemat (use with Wet-Erase markers)

  • Paper minis (dedication and time required, can use coins, legos, or anything instead or even real miniatures if you can afford it)

  • DM Screen (the official and most standard and affordable screen)
u/NihilCantabile · 3 pointsr/DnD

The new dm screen seems nice. All the previous ones of 5e are mostly useless, this one has the info you really need Screen

u/Orn100 · 3 pointsr/DnD

Lots of great advice here. I'll try not to repeat too much.

Regarding your struggle to describe things, have you tried using tables? If I draw a blank on what a room looks like, I grab a list of 20 or 100 room descriptions and roll some dice.

There's a ton of free ones everywhere, and here is a list of all the tables in the DMG. If you want to really break it down, scroll down to "Dressing and Embelishment" here for 100 floors, 100 walls, 100 ceilings, and much much more. Finally, Table Fables has a bunch of good ones in one neat little package. My copy is filled up with tabs and gets used almost every week.


Regarding your players not engaging in RP, I solved this problem in my game by putting them in situations that they had to act their way out of.

For example, I introduced a lodge run by retired adventurers that have valuable information about monster weaknesses and such. They're just a bunch of old dude who want to drink and relive their glory days all day long; so to apply for membership you had to tell a tale of your most glorious adventures. Whomever told the best tale wins! Even if the RP is cringey, most players will come up with some pretty hilarious stuff and everyone will have a good time.

Another idea is to give them a mission where they have to assume a false identity and deceive someone. Or just make them need to persuade somebody. Royalty or nobility work great for this because they don't care about gold and have bodyguards, so they can't be bribed or intimidated; making the party's only option to engage in some RP.

Another good trick too spice up combat a little is to have your monsters say creepy shit during battle. Little things can go a long way to adding some depth or making a generic orc encounter more memorable.

Lastly, check out r/dmacademy. Super supportive community and tons of great advice.

Good luck!

u/ToastiChron · 3 pointsr/DMAcademy

A piece of paper with male, female and family names. I use OneNote for my campaign notes and i use Discord for Cam-Calls and Screensharing battlemaps via Affinity Photo. I also use Table Fables, Table Fables II and the Character Compendium (books). Usually also some scribble paper.

u/Bluemanity1 · 3 pointsr/WaterdeepDragonHeist

As mentioned by u/pb_rpg the Waterdeep City Encounters of DMsGuild is a great asset to have to hand. Additionally, the book Table Fables comes in handy quite frequently when improvising pickpocketed items or fleshing out shops.

u/alextimboston · 3 pointsr/DnD

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1542678595/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524433086&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tables+fables

I've heard a good idea is to have a list of random names in your notebook, whenever you need to name something just fill in who that name goes to.

Alex - jewellery merchant in yartar
Ben - llama herder by goldenfields
Patricia -

You know, like that

u/AFineWayToDie · 3 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Gwendolyn F. M. Kestrel, who also did some official work for 3.5, but the Book of Erotic Fantasy itself is 3rd party and not officially part of the D&D collection.

u/abbatoth · 3 pointsr/DnDGreentext

They did. I give you The Book of Erotic Fantasy!

​

Edit: u/comics0026 did me one better. His post.

u/StoicLeaf · 3 pointsr/DnD

depending on how drunk and mentally scarred you want to be for the rest of your life: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Erotic-Fantasy-Gwendolyn-Kestrel/dp/1588463990

u/CodySpring · 3 pointsr/DnD

Looks like a good time for the Book of Erotic Fantasy!

u/BlkSheepKnt · 3 pointsr/DnD

For those interested, In 3rd edition a book was published under the OGL called The Book of Erotic Fantasy It had everything from fertility rates of the races, gestation period, spells for helping birth and curing/causing impotence and love potions as well as more lascivious gaming aids. Among 3rd edition grognards it is a book of much discussion.

u/Laranna · 3 pointsr/dnd_nsfw

Book of Erotic fantasy it kind of does. Old and not many of them left thats why its so expensive. I got one :) nice but not too much i can use in my game.

Gah. Wrong reply. Sorry friend

u/iBowl · 3 pointsr/DnD

I recommend The World's Largest Dungeon. Conveniently, it's designed to take a full party from 1-20+. Good luck.

u/Jazvolt · 3 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Amazon has them for cheap! And their shipping isn't too bad, assuming you order from your country's Amazon. So long as they're not shipping overseas, though, it still shouldn't come to too much.


(Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook/dp/1601251505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405582330&sr=8-1&keywords=Pathfinder&dpPl=1 )

u/SeatieBelt · 3 pointsr/MLPLounge

Ah. Yeah, sorry you bought the wrong product if you want to get in to Pathfinder =(

It's not your fault though! There are a ton of products for Pathfinder. If you want to get started in it, I'd suggest getting the Beginner box if you are completely new to tabletop RPGs, or going directly to the Pathfinder Core Rule Book if you feel more confident about it all.

The way the game is played is that you have a party of people (usually 3-5 people) who are role playing as various characters doing their thing in the world, and one more person (the DM, GM, Sotryteller, whatever name you call him) who is the world. He plays all the non-player characters, the monsters, the environment, all of it.

If you have any specific questions, I'm more than happy to answer them!

u/KarateRobot · 3 pointsr/rpg

Either the Pathfinder Beginner Box or the D&D Red Box Starter Set will give you everything you need to start playing a simplified version of the full games, all in one box. Buy it, invite friends over, unwrap the box, start playing.

The rules are written in such a way as to let players get started immediately, but the person running the game (the Dungeon Master or Game Master) will probably want to look through it for a few minutes beforehand.

If you like the tutorials, you might move on to the full games. I like Pathfinder, so I'll focus on that one.

If you want to play the "full" Pathfinder game, you don't need the Beginner Box, instead you need:

  • One copy of The Core Rulebook
  • One copy of The Bestiary
  • One set (or more if you want) of polyhedral dice, such as this.
  • One character sheet per player [PDF]
  • Some pencils
  • Some tokens to represent characters and monsters (pennies, nickels and dimes will do)

    All other books you will see listed are optional: they provide more options, more content, more ideas. Don't buy them until you need more. You may never.

    You only need one set of books and dice, but having more copies will make life easier. It's totally optional. All of the important Pathfinder content is available for free on the internet in multiple locations, so technically you could skip the books altogether if you needed to. In practice it's nice to have a hard copy.

    Also, there are thousands of RPGs out there you could play instead of D&D or Pathfinder, but I would say try them after you've gotten your feet at least slightly wet.
u/[deleted] · 3 pointsr/rpg

The best thing you can do is to find someone who has some experience to show you the ropes for at least a few sessions. If you start asking around among your friends, you're likely to find someone who has a fairly decent grasp of it. Failing that, find a local gaming store and ask around for someone willing to GM for you. Tabletop gaming is one of those hobbies that makes 100x more sense once you've actually done it.

As for a game system, i personally like to suggest starting with D&D 4th edition. It's simple, most gamers know how to play it, and the general fantasy setting is one you're going to see a lot in other games. Once you have some experience under your belt, i suggest you try out some other games/genres (i like Pathfinder, Vampire: The Masquerade, and Savage Worlds).

Good luck and have fun! Feel free to ask me any additional questions :)

u/Vermylion · 3 pointsr/itmejp

If you're completely new to DnD, I'd go for either DnD 3.5 or Pathfinder. Neal uses an apparently very homebrewed 2nd Edition, so, you're not going to be playing the same game with regular old 2e stuff. It's clunky and aged, and he (presumably) still uses it because it's what he's always used, so he's used to it, and he's ironed out the kinks.

So, yeah, the most recent edition of DnD is 4e, which is commonly considered to be a little bit too dumbed down, but it doesn't really matter that much if you're new. Still, the books are expensive, so you should try to look into the different versions and find out which one sounds like you'd prefer it. 3.5 and Pathfinder are very similar, as Pathfinder is actually based on 3.5 with a couple things done to streamline some of the combat. Also,the art in the books is really pretty (completely superficial, but it's nice,) and you don't have to buy a rule book, player handbook, AND a bestiary, just the core book and a bestiary if you're DMing, so it's like thirty bucks cheaper, AND Pathfinder is backwards compatible with 3.5 books, so... yeah, that's also nice. They also have a DM's guide which is all about how to make and run a game. Pathfinder and 3.5 both have a bunch of ancillary resource books too, like NPC and equipment books. I know Neal has at least one weapons book, but they aren't necessary; they're just extra guidance.

u/CasualDM · 3 pointsr/rpg

http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Paizo-Combat/dp/1601255470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397558469&sr=8-1&keywords=combat+pad

It's for pathfinder but in reality you can use it for literally any game you choose.

I feel your pain. I joined this subreddit recently because I had been lurking and because I had been reading threads and picked up Star Wars: Edge of Empires, Numenera, Eclipse Phase, and Delta Green.

u/rumowolpertinger · 3 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

I can greatly recommend the Beginner's Box. It's not free, but if you split the cost among 4 players and DM it goes down to 7 Euro each. https://www.amazon.de/Pathfinder-DEC132328-Pathfinder-Rollenspiel-Einsteigerbox/dp/1601256302/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmrnull_2?crid=2VCG2RCWEDPKJ&keywords=pathfinder+beginner+box&qid=1556896408&s=gateway&sprefix=Pathfinder+beginner+&sr=8-2-fkmrnull

It uses a simplified ruleset that can be used up to level 5 and you can upgrade the characters to the core rules anytime you want. Plus there is an adventure included, some pawns, 4 pregenerated characters (5 if you include the barbarian you can download) and a map. And you can download additional adventures at Ulisses Spiele.
Also the character sheets are just two Din A4 pages with all information neatly arranged. So you can test the whole system for weeks on end before committing to buy more.

I personally learned to play with the beginner box rules and from there it was easy to expand via AoN and the likes. I just think it's much easier to get started if you have a book you can read back to front

u/ladyathena59808 · 3 pointsr/DnD

There are lots of good online name generators out there; one of my favorites is [Rinkworks[(http://rinkworks.com/namegen/).

I also always suggest investing in Gary Gygax's Extraordinary Book of Names. I'm sure you if you cruised eBay and Amazon for a while, you could pick one up for cheaper than $100.

u/Purple0tter · 3 pointsr/criticalrole

The Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting is what you seek!

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Role-TalDorei-Campaign-Setting/dp/1934547840

u/CNE_Dylan · 3 pointsr/idlechampions

Hi TerraRising,

As mentioned above, adding Champions to the game that are not already owned by Wizards of the Coast/Dungeons & Dragons requires a lot of moving parts to align just right before it can happen.

The added difficulty with Critical Role is that those characters are also not in the Forgotten Realms. Because the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting is a homebrew creation there are the added complications of introducing characters truly outside the Forgotten Realms, which makes our conversations, design, and approval process with Wizards of the Coast more challenging.

We absolutely love The Mighty Nein, though. We would love to add them to the game!

u/Leniathan · 3 pointsr/DMAcademy

I’m actually pretty much in the same boat (homebrew Adventure, about to start LMoP, looking for what’s next, the works haha) so I’d love to hear any answers.
That being said, idk if you’ve heard of/are a Fan of Critical Role (D&D campaign on Twitch/YouTube done by voice actors) but they released their campaign as an adventure: Critical Role/Tal’Dorei Campaign I’m getting it either way cuz I’m a fan of the show and will want to probably run this at some point, but I’m still interested in other people’s answers cuz I might not use this one right away.

u/tammit67 · 3 pointsr/DnD
u/lightbulbfragment · 3 pointsr/FantasyWorldbuilding

Sorry for the long links but I'm on mobile. I use these. Yes they are intended as dnd monsters but the creatures are very easily adaptable. I'm using these 2 books for inspiration in a dungeon world game at the moment.

Tome of Beasts https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936781565/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wKGzCbCPJ9KQ8

Creature Codex https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936781921/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6HGzCbN9F22K2

u/Krail93 · 3 pointsr/Shadowrun

Shadowrun Core Rulebook https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1936876515/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aZ1ZAbWEAQ25F

Copy avalible in uk, might be a US issue :(

u/TheNerdySimulation · 3 pointsr/rpg

Personally, I have read (and listened to) RPO multiple times. I don't think D&D would be fitting at all for it, but maybe something like Savage Worlds? It allows for building your character out in a very open ended way, just as is demonstrated in the Story, and since it is meant to be the more intense and over the top, you could with ease work that in (They are actually working on a Rifts adaptation to Savage Worlds currently, which is also a ridiculously action packed kind of setting).

You don't have a class system in Savage Worlds, so characters can pick up skills as they increase in power, without having that sudden "Level Up," feel to it. And, because it is meant to be easily adaptable to any sort of setting, it even having a very good amount of varying settings/genres, there would be no problem in changing to different settings or worlds so quickly, since all you really have to do is copy the book's explanation, "Oh, yeah, your Phaser doesn't work here because this is a Magic Zone. Sword and Sorcery time, guys!"

Plus, the Main Book for Savage Worlds (which includes everything you would need to make characters, know all the rules, and craft a campaign) is only about $10.00, which you can find on Amazon or their Own Website. I highly recommend it, and trust me as someone who recently got into this system to say that it is very easy to learn and simple to teach. I honestly think it is a great system that isn't too heavy on the rules that they get in your way, but not too light to force you to try and make up too much on the spot.

And if you are worried about having content from D&D, converted over to this system for you to use, I recommend Zadmar's Magnificent Collection of Free Savage Worlds Content It even includes a load of Monsters converted to the system from both D&D and Pathfinder.

u/Mr_Jackson101 · 3 pointsr/rpg

Just gonna throw my hat in the ring here with some suggestions:

IF YOU WANT AN ASSORTMENT OF BOOKS

GURPS 4th Edition Basic (~60 USD): A simply fantastic game which, for everything that it can do, along with the absolute wealth of materials, both official and fan made, combined with it's pretty stellar price point (You can pick up everything you need to play anything you want for about 60 USD), it's hard to argue with. As I mentioned in one of my other comments, GURPS modularity is probably its key selling point, but on top of that, it sports a system that, when you break it all down, is actually incredibly easy to learn, and very simple. I've taught the "base" game in just a few sentences.

Savage Worlds Deluxe (~10 USD): I'm listing the lower price here simply so I can cram more into this list under the 100$ budget, but Savage Worlds is exactly what it says on the box: A fast, fun, and furious system, on top of that, I don't think I've seen a cheaper game that does as much as Savage Worlds. It shares similarity to GURPS in its modularity, you can run a lot of different settings and and hack in your own rules with relative ease. SWDX also has some unique rules from time to time (Using playing cards for initiative, the way that bennies work, etc.) and for speed, you generally can't beat Savage Worlds. Chargenning is speedy, and combats are among some of the fastest I've seen, allowing you to really get into the roleplaying aspects of a game more than just the crunch.

All Flesh Must Be Eaten (~15 USD): I personally got my copy of this game for 19.99 at my local book store, but it seems like it's been out of print for awhile. You can still get a digital PDF of it for 15 dollars at RPGdrivethru, however. I've run All Flesh Must Be Eaten numerous times, and with its ruleset, you can run a variety of different zombie games. Its fairly simple, with chargenning taking a fairly short period of time, combats running by fairly smoothly, and not a lot of "bloat" in the rules. It does what it does well, but might need some tweaking if you want specific types of games (I had a game where the PCs were zombie killing gods near the start of the game, for example, didn't play too well for my gritty game.)

FATE Core System (~15 USD): I listed 15 USD as the price here, but you can pay what you want for it on DrivethruRPG I've not actually run this game myself, but I do own it and have read the rulebook cover to cover. This is a very freeform system from what I can gather that takes narrative roleplaying to a pretty different level. It focuses on essentially creating "conditions" on characters, items, environments, and so on, and using those conditions to spawn the action and contribute to dice rolls. It's truly a unique system, and is designed to run any setting you particularly want. For 5 bucks, you can't go wrong adding another generalist RPG to your repetoire.


-------------------------------------------------

IF YOU WANT JUST ONE SYSTEM AND SETTING IN PARTICULAR:

Shadowrun, 4th Edition, 20th Anniversary Edition (~50 USD): There is not a single game on this Earth that makes my imagination go gallivanting quite like Shadowrun. The setting, in my mind is one of the most finely crafted, and most fun settings I've ever played. The gist is that it's a fantasy-cyberpunk game, you got dwarves, elves, trolls, orks, humans, etc. in a cyberpunk world with nasty corporations waging wars in the shadows, and there's magic and technology and it's just wonderful. The 20th Anniversary edition is the one I recommend purely because it I'm familiar with it, but it ALSO is a basically a "done" edition, and it comes with the 4th edition errata already written into it. It's also full colour, with beautiful artwork and it even has Shadowrun fiction between each chapter. And the best part is that you can get this book for 50 USD on Amazon. I got mine for 60 almost brand new, and the hardcover book is worth the investment.

Shadowrun 4th, Augmentation (~12 USD): This book contains lots of new cyberware augmentations for characters, and I consider it one of the "Core" splatbooks to be used. You can get it for about 12 USD on Drivethru RPG.

Shadowrun 4th, Arsenal (~12 USD): Another one of the "core" splat books in my opinion, this one basically contains craploads of guns and new ways to kill people. Fun! You can pick up the PDF at DrivethruRPG for 12 USD.

Shadowrun 4th, Runner's Companion (~12 USD): Contains a metric crapton of character creation options, but for the love of god, screen the characters your players create. RC is fantastic, but it lets in some broken options. You can pick it up at DrivethruRPG for 12 USD.

Shadowrun 4th, Unwired OR Street Magic (~12 USD for either): I put these two in a lump category because you couldn't buy both on the $100 budget, so it's up to you what you pick. I consider both to be the final parts of the "Core" splatbooks. Unwired is an entire rulebook that elaborates all on the technical side of Shadowrun, about hacking and the matrix and devices and all of that. Street Magic gives new spells, adept powers, traditions, etc. You can find Unwired on DrivethruRPG here for 12 USD, and Street Magic here on DrivethruRPG for 12 USD.

----------------------------------------------------

That was long winded! But hopefully this helps out, if you have any questions, please feel free to let me know!

u/wendol928 · 3 pointsr/rpg

I would recommend Savage Worlds (SW) as something that would fit your needs perfectly. It's tag line is "Fast, Furious, and Fun!" Here's why I think it will work for you:

Simple mechanics that will feel different but familiar to DnD players: Without getting too technical, DnD's core mechanic is roll a d20+modifiers to beat a target DC. SW's core mechanic is roll a d(x)+modifiers to beat a Target Number (TN). The d(x) is set by your skill level. So weak but intelligent character doing an athletics check might roll a d4+modifiers to beat a TN of 4, whereas on a knowledge check he might roll a d12+modifiers to beat a TN of 4.

Combat is tactical, fast, and doesn't rely on attrition: SW bills it's combat rules as working a lot like a tabletop wargame. Lots of the combat rules will feel familiar to DnD players, but the rules also work better than DnD imo when there are a large number of combatants.

Much of the speed and lack of attrition is due to the fact that instead of giving players and enemies an ever increasing pool of hit points, SW allows PCs to take up to 3 wounds before being KO'd. Each wound has a significant effect on PCs' ability to do things, so getting hit is dangerous. Normal enemies can take only one wound, though elite enemies can take 3 like PCs.

Moreover, when rolling to damage (also on skill checks), dice "explode" on a roll of their highest possible value. So rolling a 6 on a d6 allows you to roll again and add the value to your original roll. If you roll the highest value again, the die explodes again.

The consequence of exploding dice in combat is that if you or the GM rolls high enough, you or an enemy NPC can deal multiple wounds in a single strike--thus severely wounding or outright killing a character in a single blow. This means there's a lot of risk management when running into a crowd of enemies. And even the first encounter could be deadly.

The high risk of death is offset by the use of "bennies" (benefits) which are a form of meta currency that PCs and the GM can spend to reroll skill checks or roll to "soak" a wound. Bennies are awarded for good role-playing, but they can and do run out, so players have to be judicious about how they spend them.

The core rule book is cheap ($8.60 on Amazon), and there are lots of good supplements: SW is a setting neutral, but there are great setting books for just about anything you would want, including published adventures. So even if you just wanted to try out the core rule book, it's a low sunk cost if you decide you don't like it.

Edit: Added accurate price w/ link; changed italics to bold; changed "operate" to "rely."
Edit 2: Bold Savage Worlds
Edit 3: Grammar

u/Jeffrywith1e · 3 pointsr/savageworlds

The Savage Worlds core rulebook is wonderfully inexpensive- $9.99.

They do have free Test Drive rules which would give you a very good idea of whats going on.

u/Time-osaurus_Rex · 3 pointsr/mattcolville

You may try a technique called "The Lazy DM" . or the "Minimalist DM"

Basically, only plan the first 15 minutes of a session, do broad stoke planning on areas of interest (that can be interchangeable) and just improvise the rest.

Since you can't reliably plan for what the players are going to do past 15 minutes of play.... accept it and instead learn to adapt quickly and confidently to what and where the players are moving the story. keep a list of pre planned battle encounters \ interesting hooks and NPCs you can drop in anywhere in the story.. and you are good to go.

here is a great book with many authors, stories, and ideas you can read https://www.amazon.com/Lazy-Dungeon-Master-Michael-Shea-ebook/dp/B00ADV2H8O

All the creative energy you can spend building the world, npcs, factions and relations are great. And i enjoy Dms who can pull it off. but, 75% of your world building won't get explored. instead focus your creative energies in creating scenarios \ and fun encounters that can be switched in and out at will.

Plan broad strokes... and fill in the detail when the players arrive to a new location.

IE you know there is a BIG BAD ENEMY to the east... well the players went west.

Either invent a new evil organization on the fly... (all you need is a name.... then stall for time) or move your BBE to the west.

NOTE: this is an example of an improv heavy DM style.. but, it works great for true sandbox exploring.

u/Dourasin · 2 pointsr/Pathfinder

Phew This'll be a long a post, but certainly reward to read by the end of it. Playing D&D/Pathfinder really is the Nerdiest, Nerd thing I've ever done, and it is a lot of fun! Watch +DawnforgedCast's Session 0 video and download his checklist here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0FmGxmJLiw It's meant for a GameMaster/Dungeon Master, but that checklist will help you out greatly in understanding what you want when starting out in a new group, with or without veteran players. If you aren't able to find a group locally (I don't recommend online groups for your first introduction) then taking up the mantle of leadership as the GameMaster/Dungeon Master, can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. However, if you're one with a vivid imagination, or are good with thinking on the fly (believe me, it gets better with time) then you'll already have a headstart on the majority of GMs out there. A great beginning module that has a little bit of everything, adventure hook (i.e., reason why your players should be doing this), NPC interaction, wilderness adventuring, dungeon crawling, is the Hollow's Last Hope module for 1st Level Players as it works for both D&D and Pathfinder. You don't really need the print version, since you can download it for FREE at Paizo's website https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hollow%27s_Last_Hope

I greatly recommend you get the Pathfinder RPG: Beginner Box ($25-$35) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601256302 it is a different game, but the rule set is uber-simplified and honestly, superior to the D&D Starter Set ($15), and is worth the extra money. The Beginner Box literally has the all of the beginning needs for play. Pre-generated characters, blank character sheets for the four classes (Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, and Fighter) with either of the three races (Elf, Dwarf, and Human) that are easy to introduce new players to, a flip out map that you can use dry-erase- or wet-erase markers, and permanent markers on (all of which can be erased off, I use these wet-erase makers that are $9 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFGW because I'll draw camp fires with brown, yellow, orange, and red colors, green helps with trees and shrubbery, blue for water, and black for everything else), a Hero's handbook, and really, really, good GM guide, plus thick, cardboard punch-out marker pawns of various Monsters, NPCs, Player characters, and other creatures, that amount to a wealth of miniatures that would take a lot of money and time to paint them all up, plus they're easier to store in the box. Unfortunately, it only comes with one set of dice, so it wouldn't hurt to get these on these 7 sets ($12) on the cheap https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDJNE93 and pass them out to your players, or if they have their own, then you'll have plenty of extra multiples of dice, which will come in handy during combat with spellcasters and sneak attacks by Rogues. I handed them out to my players after they told me what their favorite colors were. =P

That'd would be all you'd really need to start, $30ish Beginner Box, plus $10 for markers, and $10 more if you or your players need dice. Now, what follows is what I used for my first GMing of a game, based on many different people's recommendations. In order to make combat work in a logical way that I could understand, I bought the Pathfinder Combat Pad $20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255470, along with those wet-erase markers from earlier. It's usefulness has been far better, and worth it's price in gold, to use than a cheap $1 store notebook, when I would have to erase or rewrite when players would defeat monsters or would hold their actions, or would tell them the wrong initiative bonus to start (lol!). Again, rather use a dollar store binder, I bought the Pathfinder GM Screen $16ish https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252161, because it was short enough for me to look over rather than 3-ring binders or a paper folder at the actual game table. Speaking the table, I bought the Chessex Battlemats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IQO2O this is a link to the smaller one ($20), since I bought the Megamat ($35), only because I had a large table, and players could use it as a coaster for drinks too (even though I did have coasters, to prevent spillage). As an added bonus, I recently discovered the Condition cards $10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252854, to use with Pathfinder, and they are great to hand out to players (as you would already know these conditions since it's written behind the GM Screen) so they know what condition they are in at a glance. Keep in mind though, you only get 4 or each, so if you are lucky enough to have more players, it wouldn't hurt to buy an extra set (however, it would be strange if all of your players had the same condition).

Now, let's say you enjoy Pathfinder, and you bought the Core Rulebook $20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601258879 (if it's a hardcover, always look inside for the Sixth edition printing, the paperback will already be that edition) but are getting tired of looking up Monster stats online, then grab the Paperback version of the first Bestiary $16 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601258887 which has the great majority of all of the "regular" monsters in either D&D or Pathfinder. If you're not much of an artist, then there's the recently released Pathfinder Traps and Treasures Pawns Collection $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259719 but be warned that you only want to place on the board AFTER the players find out what it is or after they trip it since it does have text explaining what it is as a trap, and if you're use the treasure ones, make sure you add whatever is actually printed on the tile is IN the list of treasure you give the players, because they can and will ask about, "can't I grab that cup or sword, it's on the tile?" ;)

Lastly, if you enjoy being the GameMaster/Dungeon Master, the storyteller, the world builder, then I'd recommend getting the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide $15 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259492, which again, can be applied to both RPG games. And if you what better weather effects to throw at your party than what is presented in the CRB and GMG, then Pathfinder Ultimate Wilderness $30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259867 has all that you need, and then some, plus some cool spells and tons of new animal companions and familiars for spellcasters alike, and a new shapeshifting melee-fighting class called the Shifter, which is pretty neat to use (albeit, you may want to check out Paizo's website for any official errata or clarifications, just in case). If you want to actually create a campaign and are having a hard time coming up with ideas, locations, groups/factions, kingdoms, races, then one more purchase, which is what +DawnforgedCast used for his Pathfinder games seen here is the Inner Sea World Guide $45 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252692 It is pricey, but again, very much worth it, to create your own world or to use the pre-made world, as well. Remember, the Beginner Box, Markers, and Dice is really all you need, the rest of this is to expand out. I hope this helps you and anyone else out as well. =P

u/Abstruse · 2 pointsr/DungeonsAndDragons

The Red Box for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is more of a quick start than a full game. If you're wanting to run a full game in that edition, you'll want to pick up one of the following books:

  • Heroes of the Fallen Lands This has character creation rules for Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, and Ranger.

  • Heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms Rules for Druid, Paladin, Ranger (different build), and Warlock.

    I'd also recommend the Rules Compendium as it has all the rules needed to run and play the game (outside character creation).

    These books are under $20 and you may be able to pick them up for less than $10 used. They're also Prime eligible (depending on the seller) on Amazon. They're also digest sized, making them easy to take with you when you travel. The Rules Compendium is available as a digital download as well.

    You can also find multiple character creation programs online, such as Hero Lab that are detailed enough you don't actually need the books. I believe the Dungeons & Dragons Insider character generator is still available online. Unfortunately, these require a subscription or software purchase. Other programs can do the same thing, but they're fan created and some of them go way over what's legally allowed by the license to do.

    These all assume you're wanting to stick with 4th Edition. If not, you can easily ditch it and make use of the accessories of the Red Box. If you want to go with D&D Next (the playtest of the edition that will launch this summer), you can pick up either of the Encounters seasons written for that edition because they include the playtest rules. Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Dreams of the Red Wizard: Scourge of the Sword Coast are available now.

    You can also go with Pathfinder, which is a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition. The Pathfinder Beginner's Box is one of the best introductory bundles I've ever seen, and it has rules for character creation and advancement for 1st through 5th levels (though you're limited to Fighter, Wizard, Rogue, and Cleric and Human, Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling). However, you can use the Pathfinder Reference Document to expand on that for free.
u/DJ_MerDur · 2 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Isn't there a beginner box for Pathfindet? I think it goes everything with less detail.
It comes with premade characters, a small encounter and some dice I believe. Here's the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1601256302/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1452385993&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=pathfindet+beginner+box

u/BobertMk2 · 2 pointsr/rpg

It's pretty hard to find (and as a rsult a bit expensive) but the best resource for names of any type is Gary Gygax's Extraordinary Book of Names. It has thousand of names organized by region and time with detailed explanations of naming structures of different cultures and pronunciation. It also has a decent section in the back dedicated to "fantastical" names for inns, dragons, etc. I found a copy in the back of a Barns and Nobles on sale years ago and it remains one of my most prized RPG books.

u/Animus_Nocturnus · 2 pointsr/mattcolville
u/nosreiphaik · 2 pointsr/DnD
u/Heyydin · 2 pointsr/DnD

There is no free official PDF for Critical Role. You can check out the Critical Role Fandom Wiki to find things that have occurred in the stream to help you out.


They have an official book that you can purchase. I don't own the book (yet) but my friend does and it's filled with so much information. It's worth the purchase if you're looking into having a CR campaign.

u/MasterDarkHero · 2 pointsr/criticalrole
u/marcus_gideon · 2 pointsr/DnD

You could have just ordered the campaign book.

Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting https://www.amazon.com/dp/1934547840/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ERaUzbBFAVNME

u/SirWilliamAnder · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

What are you looking for? I've become a huge fan of Kobold Press' Tome of Beasts for new and interesting stat blocks. They have some really fun things. And I liked some of the character options from the Critical Role campaign setting. There are a few bits and pieces I've find elsewhere, including many of the free products from Dungeon Master's Guild. I've occasionally looked through the publicly available homebrew items and monsters from D&D Beyond, and I haven't found anything that fits me perfectly, but they have plenty of interesting and unique ideas.

u/Druuples · 2 pointsr/rpg

Was that Firefly line in your post originally OP? I missed it.

Check out the Firely RPG: https://www.amazon.com/Firefly-Core-Rulebook-Margaret-Productions/dp/1936685329

Or Scum and Villany: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/198681/Scum-and-Villainy

u/Jebydia · 2 pointsr/DnD

Have they watched firefly or serenity? I'd start there. There is also firefly rpg

u/Devil_Nights · 2 pointsr/DnD

Pathfinder Pawns are a very good alternative to plastic minis. They won't have some of the more iconic D&D baddies like Beholders, but that is a minor complaint. I also use the Paizo battle mats but that is just because I got them for free somewhere. I lay a piece of plexi-glass over the map and just use a dry erase marker on the plexi. Way easier to clean up than the maps.

Tome of Beasts is a great supplement full of 5e monsters.

I like using the Dungeon Crawl Classics dice set. It is a simple, fun way to have "unique" monsters or abilties that roll odd dice to hit or for damage. Players always get a kick out of using something like a D30 when they roll to attack.

u/gatesvp · 2 pointsr/DnD

Have you grabbed "Tome of Beasts" from Kobold Press?
https://www.amazon.com/Beasts-Wolfgang-Baur/dp/1936781565/

It's not "official", but it's pretty high quality. Many of the creatures are pulled from their Midgard campaign setting, so that may be your best source.

u/legobis · 2 pointsr/3Dprinting

Will you do the 5E Tome of Beasts?

u/slowlygoinground · 2 pointsr/homestuck

Cool, thanks!

Ohh okay. What book am I supposed to pick up then? I did find the [Shadowrun Fifth Edition] (http://www.amazon.com/Shadowrun-Fifth-Jason-M-Hardy/dp/1936876515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462672945&sr=8-1&keywords=shadowrun), but I'm not sure if I can spend $50 on a book for this...

Heh, could I ask you for advice then? Or at least when I'm actually able to get started.

u/qemqemqem · 2 pointsr/Shadowrun

If you're willing to wait a month, you can use the Beginner Box Set, but if not, I recommend the 5th Edition book. The core rule book has everything you need except for character sheets, which you'll need to print, and dice, which I'm sure you can find.

Party Size: 1 GM + 2-4 players is ideal. 1 player "solo" adventures are fun, but can be difficult to run. If you have 5+ players, it can be difficult for the GM to manage, but it can be done. Consider splitting into two groups.

No, you don't need miniatures. You can use anything to represent your characeters on the map, such as rocks. Or don't use a map at all.

u/AdmiralCrackbar · 2 pointsr/tabletop

Buy some dice.

Buy some books.

Honestly, it depends what kind of game you want to play. I think here you're going to get a lot of weird niche games suggested but for starters you're better off sticking with the a more 'traditional' experience. D&D is an excellent starting point if you want to play a fantasy game, you can even pick up one of their adventures if you don't want to write your own material.

If you're unsure about spending that much just to get started you can pick up this starter set that will include the basic rules, a set of dice, some pregenerated characters, and a short adventure. From there, if you like the game, you can pick up the full rulebooks and some more dice and whatever else you like. Alternatively you can try out the free basic rules by downloading them from the Wizards of the Coast website. All you'll need is a set of dice to get started.

If you don't like or don't want to play D&D you can check out a bunch of other systems that will let you play other games or settings. [Edge of the Empire] (https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Edge-Empire-Rulebook/dp/1616616571/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=edge+of+the+empire&qid=1563883870&s=gateway&sr=8-1) is a really cool Star Wars game, but it requires custom dice. My personal favourite sci-fi rpg is Traveller though, and it has the advantage of only requiring six sided dice.

A lot of people really like Savage Worlds, it's fun, it's cheap, and it's generic enough that you can run almost any setting you like with it. Unfortunately there's a new edition due out really soon so take that in to consideration. If you want a more in depth generic system then I can recommend GURPS, although you'll also need the Campaigns book. This system is absolutely not beginner friendly, it slaps you in the face with tables and rules for all sorts of scenarios, but I adore it and it's not really all that hard to figure out.

If you want an alternative to D&D Green Ronin has the "Age" series of games, starting with Fantasy Age, continuing with Modern Age, and the recently released The Expanse RPG covers Sci-Fi. I will admit that I've not actually had a chance to play any of these games, but I've read the rules and like the system.

Honestly you can find a game to cover practically any genre you want, whether it's Grimdark Fantasy, Martial Arts, Space Exploration, Lovecraftian Horror, Anime Cyberpunk Space Opera, or almost any other thing you can think of.

Don't fall in to the trap of playing a game because someone suggests it's 'easy', play something that really grabs your interest and inspires your imagination.

u/randite · 2 pointsr/rpg

Yep.

What your describing is pretty much pulp action. Pulp action is sort of the default for Savage Worlds. I don't think you'd need anything at all beyond some good ideas and the Deluxe Explorers edition.

u/indiemosh · 2 pointsr/rpg

Also, possibly the best selling point: the core book is only $10. For a physical copy.

EDIT: Here's an Amazon Link.

u/Syd35h0w · 2 pointsr/whowouldwin

if this is a pen and paper type deal utilizing the polyhedral dice, i'd suggest picking up Savage Worlds Deluxe with the Super Powers Companion.

Savage Worlds is the easiest RPG system to use and the easiest to modify with different settings to utilize such as sci-fi, fantasy, horror and modern.

u/terminaldogma01 · 2 pointsr/rpg
u/SelousX · 2 pointsr/rpg

I'm currently using Savage Worlds, running a 4-person group through (loosely) an old MERP module. We're two episodes in, and everyone is having a blast. The Savage Worlds Deluxe Explorer's Edition is usually around $9.95 MSRP:

http://smile.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420053487&sr=1-1&keywords=savage+worlds+deluxe

No matter what, good luck!

u/Captain_Sabatini · 2 pointsr/rpg

You can do with one dice set. But I would recommend starting with a cheaper game.

Savage Worlds Deluxe is the only book you need to get started playing Savage Worlds and it is less than $10. Now the real key to this system (in my opinion) is the settings which will cost a bit more but you could still get the Savage Worlds core and a setting or two for less than the cost of getting all the books for 4e or Pathfinder (unless that setting is Hellfrost or Deadlands Reloaded and you want all of it, then it will cost you).

There is also OpenQuest another fun game that is a retroclone of RuneQuest (another fun game that is in it's 6th edition now). OpenQuest 2 is about to be published so OpenQuest is no longer being printed/sold but the dev kit in that link has all the rules for OpenQuest just none of the art (and possibly sloppy formatting, I don't know I own the full pdf).

But if you are dead set on getting one of those two I would say Red Box but be warned I have really bullshit reasons. Some asshats ruined DnD 3.5 for me so badly that, while I logically know that people can have a fun time with it (I even have) 3.5 (and by default Pathfinder) leaves a foul taste in my mouth so take my recommendation with a grain of salt. But also 4e is easier on a first time DM.

Edit: Oh and I have a few more systems I might recommend but I was trying to go with beginner friendly systems that still have a bit of crunch to them. I think both of these systems are easier to play/run than DnD/PF (except maybe basic DnD, I have never played that line).

u/mrbarky · 2 pointsr/rpg

Have you thought about just adapting something like Savage Worlds (which uses the Die Used=Skill rating)? I haven't used the system but own the book. It's universal, and I think it might even have vehicle combat rules as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200/ref=pd_sim_b_2

u/Ravynseye · 2 pointsr/DnD

I've found reading books on the subject like the Lazy DM or watching youtube Channels (Matthew Mercer on Geek & Sundry, Matthew Colville, and How to be a Great GM can help.

u/BullitLeMans · 2 pointsr/mattcolville

Good advice here in this thread. Earlier this year I combined two separate campaigns / groups into one. I'll skip my experiences / philosophy and jump straight into what's working.

What's Working

  • Low expectations. The only thing I expect from players is participating in scheduling polls if they want to play.
  • Clear, direct communication. I use email subjects that start with [D&D To-Do] or [D&D Session Recap] to help separate what a player needs to respond to, and what can safely be ignored. I also use the Respondable plugin for Gmail to help me write these communications.
  • Using Doodle for scheduling. I set up a poll with days I'm available to DM in a given month. I send it out on the 15th of the month prior, and typically text players individually that it's coming.
  • Limit the number of players in a session. My ideal session size is four players, but I'll take five no questions asked. I'll go to 6 or 7 once in a while if necessary.
  • Focus on the PCs and prep using Mike Shea's The Lazy Dungeon Master
  • At the end of a session, ask the players what they're thinking. What questions do they have about what just happened? Who they just met? What do they want to do next? It helps them clarify their version of events in their heads, and gives me a head start on things to include in the future.
  • Use Downtime Activities between each session to set up hooks for the future. PCs meet NPCs before the rest of the party and have their own interactions/opinions, or learn information that becomes important in the not-too-distant future.
u/TWrecks8 · 2 pointsr/DnD

I feel the same way when I DM and of all the vids / posts / tips etc out there these have probably been the most helpful resources:

https://www.amazon.com/Lazy-Dungeon-Master-Michael-Shea-ebook/dp/B00ADV2H8O/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1539288037&sr=1-3&keywords=lazy+dungeon+master

​

https://www.amazon.com/Return-Lazy-Dungeon-Master-Michael-ebook/dp/B07H51KHWB/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1539288037&sr=1-4&keywords=lazy+dungeon+master

​

At least for me. For instance I was getting lost in NPCs and various other info in the DnD Starter Kit module but those books helped me cut a lot of unneeded things out of the module and create a better experience / NPC's etc.

u/MrAnderson7 · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

All very good advice!

As I DM more and become more comfortable in the role with an ongoing campaign, I find that I use my "detailed" notes less and less. In the beginning, I did kind of a brain dump to build up the framework of the story but I found that I haven't open up my Google Docs link in a couple of sessions. I have been predominantly sticking with 1-2 pages of handwritten maps, plot points, and names and using those to guide the session. It's a whole lot less stressful than trying to refer back to my notes over and over again.

I highly recommend the book The Lazy Dungeon Master by Mike Shea (written for 4e but very little is edition specific...I know there is a new version out but I haven't gotten around to reading it yet). Following the advice in that book greatly helped me mellow out and cut down on my overprep.

u/Splunk_09 · 2 pointsr/Fantasy

The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting may be exactly what you're looking for if you haven't already read it. It's written as a combination history tome/encyclopedia.

Here it is on Amazon

u/Ryngard · 2 pointsr/DnD

You don't NEED to. Anything you need is in the book really. You can get older campaign setting material (I think 3e's is the closest to 5e in "timeline" since they basically retconned what 4e did to the setting).

The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide (SCAG) is 4/5ths lore for the very region that their adventures are set in.

There is a pretty active Forgotten Realms wiki.
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Sword_Coast
http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Sword_Coast_North

2e book http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Volo%27s_Guide_to_the_Sword_Coast

3e Campaign Setting
https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365

u/kayester · 2 pointsr/Harmontown

Happy to help!

Getting started... hmm... I think everyone will have different advice on this. Here's mine.

Give your players a reason to band together in the game, a challenge that requires all of their different skills, or an enemy tough enough that all of them really feel like they've contributed to defeating it.

One thing I'd try to do is start with smaller, one-off, episodic adventures - perhaps short enough to resolve in one or two sessions. You can start linking this into your grand, complex campaign narrative soon enough, but to start with this will give everyone a nice feeling of accomplishment. Delayed gratification is a great tool for later on, but it's nice to start by establishing a proper sense of having achieved something.

World-building is a great way to build immersion. When they visit the tavern they could hear rumours about what's happening in distant lands, some of which they might want to follow up! It helps if things make sense - why is this town here? What is this dungeon, why has it fallen into evil hands? What motivates character x to do action y? Politics? Religion? History? Geography?

This can be a HUGE amount of work for a committed DM (though it's also fun!). A nice way to get into this kind of depth without so much work is to get hold of a campaign setting (I like the 3E Forgotten Realms one: http://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381667228&sr=1-1&keywords=forgotten+realms+campaign+setting) and use that as a starting point. Or, even better - just set it in a universe you're already nerdily knowledgeable about. Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Greendale Community College, etc... carve out your own corner.

u/anyboli · 2 pointsr/DnD

You can still buy the original RPG on Amazon.

This is the version I was thinking of using.

u/kaggzz · 2 pointsr/WoT
u/WreckerCrew · 2 pointsr/rpg
u/rekijan · 2 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

Not sure how official it ever was but there was a system made for 3.0: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965

Those archetype are certainly a lot more party friendly thanks.

u/Nilmandir · 2 pointsr/WoT

Yup. Wizards of the Coast had the license to the table top version of the game a while back.

http://amzn.com/0786919965

It's a good starting point if you want to use third edition or even 3.5. Anything else and you might want to write the campaign yourself.

u/namer98 · 2 pointsr/rpg

> I am currently playing a custom adventure under the 4th edition D&D ruleset.

The Star Wars Saga edition is pretty much 4.0 beta, but because it is out of print it can be a bit expensive. I am running it now, and enjoy it. There is also a campaign setting book for that era.

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Roleplaying-Rulebook-Edition/dp/0786943564/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1

http://www.amazon.com/Rebellion-Campaign-Guide-Star-Roleplaying/dp/078694983X/ref=cm_lmf_tit_9

As for inspiration, I personally draw them right from the EU books. I am doing Legacy setting now, and took the campaign right out of issues 57+

u/Ok-Hold · 2 pointsr/SagaEdition

Really the only things you need to get started is the main book( Link ), dice, pencil and paper. Here is the Official Character sheet if you would rather use that.

u/darthrevan · 2 pointsr/kotor

Are you playing this version? Is it any good?

u/giantsparklerobot · 2 pointsr/StarWars

So the good news is: yes there's a rulebook with classes, rules, etc and you can play as Sith and Jedi. The bad news is: all of the editions of the game are currently out of print. The further good news: you may still be able to find the books new at gaming stores and you can definitely find them used on eBay and Amazon.

There's been three versions of the game as Gunnulf mentioned. Those most recent of which and the one you'll most likely find unused copies of the books would be the Saga Edition. The books are easy to recognize as they're 9"x9" rather than a more traditional 8.5"x11". To play the game you'll need at least the Core Rulebook which has the basic rules of the game and a decent list of vehicles and starships.

The additional books are not necessary to play and really contain supplementary information for their subjects. For instance if you want to play an Old Republic era game the [Knights of the Old Republic Era](http://amzn.com 0786949236) book would be pretty useful. It has setting information as well as game stats for things seen in the games and comics. However if you didn't want to buy the book it isn't that difficult to wing it and just write stuff up from Wookipedia. It's worth the money if you don't have the time or experience to write the stuff up yourself.

I don't really recommend the D20 version of the game as a lot of "Star Wars" feeling gets lost in the rules. It takes a really good GM to make the game feel like you're playing a Star Wars game. My favorite is the D6 version West End Games used to publish but it's long out of print and the books are getting harder to find. It's also a very different system than what you're currently playing with D&D. It might be tough to learn the whole new way of playing if you're still just learning to play tabletop RPGs. Come join us in /r/rpg if you want to learn more about tabletop games.

u/blumpkintron · 2 pointsr/Denver

Well, we're still really new to the game.. we only started playing in August. However, if you want to get a good idea of what gameplay is like and/or how to build a character, check out these links:

u/sockpuppetprime · 2 pointsr/rpg

For D&D4e, I recommend starting with Essentials. Personally, I prefer 4e because it has balance and encourages working together. You can get the 4e Red Box, but it is slightly inconsistent with everything else and will only take you so far. Anyway, here's a minimal shopping list:

  • Heroes of the Fallen Lands
  • Rules Compendium
  • Monster Vault

    The Essentials DM kit is also good. With the exception of the Red Box, all 4e material is compatible across the board, so adding in new player options or DM stuff is as easy as picking up a supplement or getting a DDI subscription.

    If you've never played before, WotC holds an "Encounters" programs on Wednesday evenings at local gaming stores. It is specifically designed to introduce players to D&D as well as sell their latest product. If you live in the DC metro area, I can give you some pointers on where to go, if you're interested.
u/TerrorBlades · 2 pointsr/Forgotten_Realms

https://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345
Any of these types i guess. EDIT: Probebly be able to find a PDF on the DMSGuild or somewhere else. Sorry my copy is a hardcover so I don't know abut the pdf variants.

u/wittyallusion · 2 pointsr/DnD

There's the wiki, which can give you some useful info.

If you're interested in a more in-depth reading, you could also try Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms, which is a very long and cumbersome title but it's an edition-neutral setting guide.

u/bydias · 2 pointsr/DnD

Probably too late for this weekend, but what you want is this: https://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345/

That's the book Ed Greenwood put together talking about what everyday life's like in the Realms. Very interesting if you're looking for those sorts of tidbits.

u/MelissaJuice · 2 pointsr/DnD

Prepare for a literally infinite lore journey. Ed Greenwood has been working on the Realms since he was six. This came out a couple of years back:

https://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345

u/ChaoticUnreal · 2 pointsr/DnD

Looks like Elminster's Forgotten Realms to me. Judging from the other books (sword coast (5e) and forgotten realms campaign guide (4e)) he is using it for lore / locations

u/Ianoren · 2 pointsr/DnD

The first two are the different core books. Player's Handbook, Monster Manual.

The last is a Dungeon Master Screen, which looks like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Masters-Screen-Reincarnated-Wizards/dp/078696619X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511802648&sr=8-1&keywords=dungeon+master+screen

u/Kisho761 · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

I started DMing fairly recently as well, and like you I tried to find some quick reference guides to keep things rolling smoothly. I typed up some stuff, printed it out, had it nearby...

And found I didn't need it. The game is exceptionally deep and complex, but surprisingly accessible. So long as your character sheets are correct then they'll tell you the most important info, you won't need to worry about calculating stuff on the fly. Just ask for relevant checks and make sure your players know what modifier to add (this is where character sheets being correct helps!).

It may be helpful to have a reference of what can be done in someone's turn in combat, but even then when starting out people will just move & attack. I wouldn't worry too much about doing anything else, unless your players ask about it.

The most important thing is being able to improvise. Go with the flow, be flexible, and learn to say 'yes, and...' (unless what they want to do breaks your game).

If you really want a quick reference, then the official DM screen from Wizards has a bunch of useful info on the inside of it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dungeons-Dragons-C36870000-Dungeon-Reincarnated/dp/078696619X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539533391&sr=8-1&keywords=dm+screen

u/nmdrums · 2 pointsr/DnD

Amazon has the official DM screen. Link here

u/Karieo · 2 pointsr/dndnext
u/gingysnap · 2 pointsr/Wishlist

Table Fables! It's a list of helpful D&D tables for weather, items, status conditions, etc.

u/AcereraktheDemi-Lich · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

If you have a little cash to spend, pick up Table Fables I and II. It’s a gigantic collection of tables to randomly generate anything you could want.

Table Fables I

Table Fables II

u/rushock · 2 pointsr/DnD

This book has some of the best tables in it I've ever used. Other DMs around me borrow it on sessions as well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1542678595/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

u/CircumcisedSpine · 2 pointsr/WTF

And here is the Amazon page for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Erotic-Fantasy-Gwendolyn-Kestrel/dp/1588463990

God, I love Amazon reviewers.

u/Ryugi · 2 pointsr/rpghorrorstories

www.oglaf.com

Its a comic series. Fair warning, its SUPER NSFW. Its basically if you were cataloging an adventure made from the Book of Erotic Fantasy, and everyone at your table had a GREAT sense of humor, this is what you'd make with it.

Here's the "Pinecone" comic which is one of few comic pages from that site that IS technically SFW (just a big ole gay smooch). Clicking next for page 2 is NSFW, but it continues the skit.

The Xoan Ambassador is my favorite character. He's like everyone's charisma-rogue/bard hybrid type.

More on the Zoan Ambassador nonsense (Nsfw)

u/Ratfor · 2 pointsr/DnD
u/Midnight_Shade · 2 pointsr/DnD

I'm not sure about this subreddit's policies on linking to Scribd and other book sites, but here is the Amazon link.

It's pretty interesting, and like the product description says it adds a whole new dimension to your game, which can be pretty amusing and fulfilling. It talks about different race's ideas on love, how to rp these types of encounters, and how different ideas dealing with this type of stuff would affect the campaign

u/Torvaun · 2 pointsr/DnD

I'll just leave this here.

u/fknbastard · 2 pointsr/rpg
u/karrachr000 · 2 pointsr/DnD

While I do not think that the book is strictly Forgotten Realms, you might have a look at the Book of Erotic Fantasy. It contains spells and feats that you will not find in any other sourcebook.

u/Sylpheed_Gamma · 2 pointsr/DnD

That is indeed the name

The thing is insane. My group didn't even get through a single floor.

u/lordxi · 2 pointsr/DnD

My group had hit the horse latitudes in 2004. We had tried starting The World's Largest Dungeon and that didn't work out to well. We had taken turns DMing sessions, trying to get it back. Nothing was working. I decided to pull out a campaign I had been working on since ~1995 (veteran DMs can attest to this, at one point we have all built a campaign that could have been published as a sourcebook). This thing had encounters, loot, an entire continent worth of locations, NPCs, economy, the works. The dialogue was a little JRPG, but it was all there. I polished it up for 3.5 and got it on the table.

We begin in a seaport on the north west coast of my world, and our party coming together. One of the PCs decided that he would try to join the land's army. Immediate problem: PC is a halfling, the army only recruits nice normal looking humans. PC gets pissed. PC decides to his the army recruiter in the head with a bag...that is filled with 10 vials of acid. Fuck, I thought, then we threw dice. The PC ended up taking splash damage from the acid and passing out. The recruiter on the other hand, took 1d6 impact damage +10d4 acid damage. Didn't turn out too well. The PC ended up in a prison colony with a collar of enfeeblement on. I did give him 4 levels, since I didn't really see that shit coming AT ALL. The game dissolved fully when I told him that he could either wait it out for a rescue, which would be feasible when the rest of the party reached level 5-6, or reroll and find the party later. /game

After that session, the group fell apart.

Another time a few years later, I happened to run through the same precon dungeon (The Scourge of the Howling Horde) with two different parties. The first time, we were the destroyers bringing swift and terrible justice to the horde. The second time, my buddy recruited the goblins as minions and took up residence there.

u/theyeti79 · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I'm still a kid at heart!

I was playing D&D with my friends and we got throw into jail. Me being a druid just did a little animal transformation into a bear and busted us out. On my escape from the town I turned into an eagle. The mayor of the town who had us arrested and quite the douchebag, was outside addressing a crowd. I said to the DM, I am gonna shit on his head! DM said ok roll and I got a natural 20 and yelled out CRITICAL SHIT! Everyone burst out laughing.

Pathfinder

u/Ceadol · 2 pointsr/rpg

Well, one way to cut back on how much you spend is to not buy mini's in the first place. I tried to go that route a while back, even found a fairly decent size grab bag of Wizards of the Coast minis on Amazon for an okay price. The problem is, if you want to use them, you're stuck with the limited amount you have on hand. Which means you tend to re-use the same types of monsters over and over again and that just gets stale after a while.

I have had tremendous success using dice for my monsters. You clearly have enough. And quite frankly, it makes it SO much easier to DM. d6's for Minions, then choose a different sided die for each additional type of monster. It really helps you keep track of combat by numbering each bad guy by dice value. "Okay, I'm going to attack that elf. Yeah, number 7."

Really, there's no shame in using things like dice containers to simulate monsters. Hell, the other day we used an Oreo cookie for a Large Orrium Dragon. Added bonus? Whoever got the final hit got to eat the cookie.

Personally, I suggest this mat. It's 720 square inches and double sided. It has its problems but it's a dry/wet erase board that folds up to about the size of a single sheet of paper. That's the main problem, though. When you unfold it, you have to set some books or something on it for a few minutes to flatten it out. But for $10, it's not a bad price when you get some spare cash.

Just build up to buying stuff slowly.

u/somnium36 · 2 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

I use this one.

u/BeginningSilver · 2 pointsr/rpg

I have the Savage Worlds Customizable GM Screen, and it's awesome. If I have enough prep time, I can print any charts -- like random encounter tables -- I'll need for that session out. It's so much more useful than the standard GM screen, which is typically loaded with the charts you use most often and thus are most likely to have memorized. Plus it's landscape orientation, so it both spans further across the table, while being easier to see and reach over.

But my favorite feature is that I can put artwork reflective of my campaign on the player's side, instead of the sort of generic artwork most screens feature.

Some other really useful toys I've picked up over the years include:

  • Alea Tools magnetic status tokens. These are basically just 1" plastic disks, maybe 1/8" tall, with a rare earth magnet inside so they stick together and can be stacked. You can glue magnetic film to the bottom of miniatures and then they'll stick to the tokens to, or you can just balance them on top of the tokens, or put the tokens next to the mini. They're very useful when you need to track who is on fire, invisible, or suffering a long-term status effect. They're also very useful as elevation markers -- I use the dark blue and light blue token to represent 25' and 5' respectively, so I can keep track of exactly how high flying characters are flying.
  • The Pathfinder Combat Pad is super useful for keeping track of initiative and ongoing effects, regardless of the game you play.
  • The GameMastery spell templates are very useful if you play a game system that uses a grid map. They're no longer available however.
  • Litko makes Horse Character Mounts that are SUPER useful for dealing with the issue of mounted characters on a map. Litko actually makes an insane number of extremely useful products, and I've used their custom tokens service to produce token sets for a lot of my favorite games.
u/cbiscut · 2 pointsr/DMAcademy

Group your participants. If you've got 5 goblins of the same type then they all go on one initiative. Or you could just roll the lowest initiative modifier for all your monsters and they all go on that roll. (I typically go lowest if I'm doing this because it'll be way more monsters than players and dogpiling can be un fun.)

Pathfinder made a magnetic combat pad and it's the single best thing i've ever purchased as a DM.

u/AuthorX · 2 pointsr/rpg

You may want something to track initiative. This Pathfinder Combat Pad looks similar to the one my group uses, I'm not sure if it's the exact one.

You could use paper, but from watching my GMs it's much easier to be able to set the magnetic labels in order every time initiative is rolled, and you can write enemy status in the notes section, and save yourself a lot of scratch paper.

Alternatively, some people just fold index cards in half to make tents and put the tents on top of the GM screen, with the names on both sides. That way they can be rearranged as needed and everybody sees the order. So, you know, you can just add index cards to the order.

u/Comaburr · 2 pointsr/DnD

I checked the Getting Started/Learning to Play thread and he recommends starting out with the Red Box starter set since it's only $20 but it's actually $90 on Amazon. (I PM'd him about it.) He recommends 4e or Pathfinder. The thread is old but it was updated 12 days ago.

Is this an okay alternative?: 5e D&D Starter Set

Or perhaps I should start out with the Pathfinder Beginner Box? as mentioned in the Choosing an edition thread.

I have 4 players and I would be the DM. Their attention spans tend to drift if things get TOO complicated and they are better at keeping up when someone already knows the rules instead of everyone learning at the same time. That being said, I want to be able to jump into something that will basically introduce us to the game mechanics in an easy and smooth as possible kind of way.

I really want to get into D&D with this group of friends and they already like some of the more "involved" board games in the world. I just need to keep them captivated. It might be folly to try but I want to give it a shot. I feel like there is a whole world of gaming that I am missing out on.

Thanks for the advice.

Edit: Sorry to drop this on you in this thread but I figured it was as good a place as any...

Edit: My fear is that the 5e will be overcomplicated and using Pathfinder would be easier... I don't know. Ahhh.

u/Hallalala · 1 pointr/DnD

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting is an official book from Wizards of the Coast. It was printed during 3.0, but the genasi races shouldn't need anything changed to be usable in 3.5 games.

You can also find each race online:

Air Genasi

Fire Genasi

Water Genasi

Earth Genasi

u/boobonk · 1 pointr/dndnext

Akuma mentioned it, and I also want to suggest picking up the 3rd edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. It's absolutely phenomenal in terms of detail about regions, events, history, setting, etc. You will see a lot of mechanics for 3.x, but it's easy enough to disregard or even use their fluff to convert and make stuff for 5e FR.

Also worth picking up is the 4th edition book (Ed Greenwood Presents) Elminster's Forgotten Realms. It has a lot of "on the ground, personal level" detail and fluff, like what people eat in different regions, how they worship, etc. Neat book, fun read.

u/LongestWalkEver · 1 pointr/DnD

For 5th edition, I think one will be released this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SD2VfL5OY

My favorite one will always be this one: https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365/

u/one_comment_only · 1 pointr/DMAcademy

I would suggest buying one of the 3rd or 4th edition Forgotten Realms setting books. You can buy them used on Amazon for a fairly reasonable price.

It will cover most of the game world though it does kinda focus on the Inner Sea and Sword Coast so most of the detail is there.

Being old rule books they will have some old rules and old magic items but you can try to update those if they don't already appear in the Sword Coast guide. I just wish they would put a 5th edition version out. I would grumble but still buy it.

u/The_Blackharp · 1 pointr/Tombofannihilation

The spellplague is a cataclysmic event that happened between third and fourth edition to explain the several mechanic changes that were made during that transition.

Also a lot of time passed in Forgotten Realms oficial timeline and many iconic NPC's and organizations either died or changed. They have to come up with crazy explanations why famous characters are still alive, such as Volo and the inkeeper at the Yawning portal. The Zentarim, for example, used to be one of the main antagonists and are now portrayed as a necessary evil kind of faction.

What I did for my Tomb of Annihilation campaing was just to run it during the more familiar and grounded 3.0 days campaing setting days. 1374 DR - The year of the Lighning storms to be precise.In my game, instead of the spellplague, there was a violent Tsunami 9 years ago that hit the right side of the penninsula. Mezro vanished, the other towns and ports were destroyed and the economic collapse made Amnian colonists decide to move on to Maztica and other places, granting Nyanzaru independence. Without the power of Mezro the undead started to spread inside the jungle and are now becoming a real concern to the merchant princes.

u/Ackbladder · 1 pointr/DnD

I'm partial to the 2nd Edition Campaign Setting (Grey Box). They look to go for outrageous prices on Ebay, but if you can find one at a used bookstore I'd snap it up.

One of my beefs with Forgotten Reams is that TSR/Wizards took a charming setting, and tried to introduce in-game events to reflect rule changes. Things like the Spell Plague, and replacing cool deities like Myrkul and Bane with lamo poseur deities like Cyric and Kelemvor.

With 5E, I've decided I'm taking my FR back to Ed Greenwood's 2E Grey Box roots, and ignoring all the crap that came after.

Sadly, there is no PDF of the 2E campaign setting on www.dndclassics.com, but the 3E PDF is available for $15.99. I haven't looked at that, but it seems to get high marks on Amazon!.

In addition to the Cleric Quintet, I really liked the Elfsong books by Elaine Cunningham, if you'd rather explore by fiction.

Finally, once you have a general feel for the Realms, Candlekeep! and the Wiki! are great for looking up any particular bit of info.

u/SchopenhauersSon · 1 pointr/DnD

Try to get your hands on the 3e setting book. It comes with a giant map and a lot, I mean a lot, of content. Here's the Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Campaign-Setting-Dungeons-Roleplaying/dp/0786918365

u/breaksofthegame · 1 pointr/DnD


Boy you aren't kidding, there just really isn't much about Sossal in any sourcebooks I can find, even going back to earlier editions. The old boxed set only has:

>AT A GLANCE: Far to the North, on the far side of the Great Glacier, is the legendary kingdom of Sossal. This remote nation is the home of Sossarhim, a very pale, very blond race that dresses in
white, and can conceal themselves among the ice.

...etc. The 3e book has a similar short blurb, where it otherwise explains pages about the other nations of the Cold North. The most interesting sources I could find seem to be from the 2e splatbooks "Wizards and Rogues of the Realms" and "Warriors and Priests of the Realms". From W&P:

> Sossal This fantastic kingdom of pale, blonde humans is the
northernmost nation in the Realms. Their ability to flourish in such frigid conditions is a source of amazement to others. Their warriors are unparalleled in arctic survival and cold-weather combat. Warriors of Sossal have very pale skin, ice-blue eyes, and pale blonde hair.

...and so forth. W&P has some good roleplaying notes for the warriors, and W&R has an interesting take on the wizards. But as for maps or cities or anything like that, it seems to be overlooked.

u/onesquarefellow · 1 pointr/DnD

You're right, there are a lot of books that focus on specific aspects of FR, but this is the book that I'm using for general knowledge.

u/mezlabor · 1 pointr/WoT

I have the wot d20 sourcebook its out there

https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965

Might want to look at it as a reference for classes and stats and stuff the d20 ruleset is public so you wont get sued referencing it.

u/Forge_of_Og · 1 pointr/DMAcademy

We use this book: https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965

I think it might be the same as yours.

​

We haven't started converting it to 5e yet. We agreed to do a few one-shots with the original system and if people feel like it needs work we will convert it. I you start doing it sooner then us I'd be more than interested to take a look at it, converting a whole game to a different system is no small job and I wish you the best of luck!

u/DaneLimmish · 1 pointr/DnD

[Here ya go!] (http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965)

I used to have the book, but have no idea what happened to it.

u/r_caliban · 1 pointr/WoT

While reading the books is the most legitimate source; there is the slim possibility that you could find the D20 RPG book in a library. I did say slim? I probably should be honest and say next to extremely unlikely; as it's out of print from 2001- but it depends on your size of library system, etc. Or you might know a RPG friend that has one.

WoT D20 RPG Source book

Covers the system (while doing some D20 conversions) but does give a great overview of what could be possible with the magic system it and summarizes it in one book.

u/geldan01 · 1 pointr/WoT

I absolutely love the Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game based on the D20 system for lore. I used to play a lot of D20 on other systems but never this one. Didn't matter though - it's a fun reference. Find it here!

u/Th30r14n · 1 pointr/dndnext

Have you read the wheel of time compendium for the d20 system? It might give you some ideas.

http://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Time-Roleplaying-Game-Fantasy/dp/0786919965

Also wheel of time pathfinder

http://www.jessesdnd.com/sites/default/files/WoTPathfinder.pdf

u/aaronil · 1 pointr/DMAcademy

While I never touched the old West End Games RPG (which gets a lot of love from old-timers), I have played both the Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) versions (e.g. Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, Force and Destiny) & Star Wars SAGA Edition from Wizards of the Coast.

The difference between those two is that FFG is it's own system that takes getting used to, and has a much stronger narrative focus than SAGA, with the dice system sparking all kinds of creative twists, surprises, and complications. One great thing about the system is that it scales up to starship combats/chases pretty well. It took some learning, but I found it really enjoyable as DM once I got the swing of it. It does use its own non-standard dice. And if you want a game with Force users alongside Clone troopers alongside Rebel spies, you're looking at picking up 3 books. Oh! And they also put out The Force Awakens Beginner Game boxed set.

Whereas Star Wars SAGA you can get by with just the core book, or possibly the core book + an era book. It's much less narrative and more conventionally d20-based. Combat can be quite deadly, whereas falling is almost inconsequential - reflecting how it is in the movies. Learning curve is waaay easier than FFG for a D&D player. One downside is that the starship combat/chase rules require you learning a subsystem (and likely devising some of your own challenges/hazards/complications without much guidance). One SAGA book I highly recommend is Galaxy of Intrigue, which has the best treatment of skill challenges in any book, much better than 4e and most of the hacks I've seen online.

u/mxzf · 1 pointr/DnD

I don't know if I'd go Revised for a group like that, Revised is fairly similar to 3.5 in general IIRC. Personally, I prefer the Saga system, I feel like it flows a bit better overall.

u/SirUrza · 1 pointr/swtor

There's the d6 game by West End Games, the d20 game by WotC similiar to D&D 3rd edition, there's saga edition by WotC (which would have made a better basis for D&D 4th edition), and then there's the series of games by Fantasy Flight; Edge of Empire, Age of Rebellion, and Force and Destiny.

u/CleaveItToBeaver · 1 pointr/rpg
u/hobbykitjr · 1 pointr/rpg

Thanks again, you've convinced me to get the DM Kit and core rule book (hopefully it supplements the D&D for dummies book i got). Theres been come conflicting advice but your reasoning makes sense.

But for players we'll need at least one players book between them if they want to level and stuff or create new races right? So This?
Or what others have been recommending

Lastly 3 Gameplay questions.

  • As a DM when i role for initiative, if theres like 6 minions do i role once for all of them and they all go in a row or is it always a separate role for each creature?

  • When the players enter the room i put down the goblin or two they see. but behind a door or around the corner theres some more. I read i should roll initiative for them from the start. but when do they engage? Would they hear the battle or 'war cry' from a goblin being attacked or is it eyesight or do i make it up based on the environment/creatures?

  • Lastly how do i divvy up treasure? I've found a lot on this and apparently everyones got their own way so im curious as your thoughts? The end of the adventure in red box lists 9 parcels with 3 of them being magic items and i am to divy them out across the adventure. 2 of them are story based and can be unlocked so i assume they count, but there are 7 possible encounters. The others i throw in here or there? some people say its easiest for the party to have a collective bank so i might just wait till the end and let them sort it out. At least my first game so i can concentrate on other stuff.

    Thanks again
u/CargoCulture · 1 pointr/rpg

You've purchased a setting supplement for Dungeons & Dragons, 4th Edition. 4th Edition (aka D&D4e, 4th, 4e) is very different to earlier editions and isn't particularly compatible with them.

There are many others in this thread recommending products and games that are not compatible with the product you've purchased, because they are different games (and thus the rules are different, in the way Scrabble and Monopoly are different). Be aware that The Shadowfell box is not compatible with non-4e games.

My suggestion is to start out with the Red Box that you've looked into already, and also the "Essentials" books -- Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, Heroes of the Fallen Lands, and the Rules Compendium.

After that you'd want to look into the Monster Vault box.

Each of these (including the Monster Vault box) is about $20. The MV box is well worth the money.

u/TornadoCreator · 1 pointr/DnD

If you want a really good book to go for, I have an off the wall suggestion. Pick up, "Elminster's Forgotten Realms".

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345

The base setting for 5th Edition is Forgotten Realms anyway, so unless your GM is specifically going against the flow, this will likely be useful. Additionally, this is written (at least in part) by the guy who originally designed the setting of Faerun in Forgotten Realms. It's a great read, and all it is, is background information about how people in Faerun live day-to-day. Things everyone would know like, how the temples are run, what kind of food they have, how the calendar works and what the regular festivals are. It's great for making the world feel like a living breathing world.

u/LimeBalthazar · 1 pointr/DnD

I've heard this book recommended several times. It's written by Ed Greenwood - the guy who created the Forgotten Realms - and apparently it just oozes flavor. It's been on my wish list for a while now.

u/Colossal_Ika · 1 pointr/DnD

I went for the Dungeons and Dragons DM Screen Reincarnated:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/078696619X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_h4RoDb8RDFYX5

Its not too expensive and comes with all the basic info you would need on hand in a game. But feel free to stick more to it as well Haha.

Edit: edited broken link

u/TheElderMason · 1 pointr/nfl

Really hope you bought some protection.

u/mornal · 1 pointr/DMAcademy

The official DM screen is available on Amazon for cheap (https://www.amazon.com/dp/078696619X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rWNPBbMBCSYCD).

u/masterfang · 1 pointr/southpark

I think it is this one?

u/combat_wombat96 · 1 pointr/DnD

hey man! little update for you. so the switch is definitely an upgrade. a major upgrade. i am absolutely loving 5e. its making my job as the Dm a lot easier and all of my players seem to like the much more role play centered, streamlined game play of it. we dont have to keep track of as many numbers and its really freeing for the players at a role play stand point, and me from a story telling stand point. another great thing about it if you're a dm is that there are so many books available! i bought the standard players handbook, monster manual, and Dungeon masters guide and they are all solid upgrades from 3.5 especially the dm guide. and with volos guide to monsters, and Xanthars guide to everything also available there are so many more options for fights, npcs, and playable characters. so i 100% recommend the switch if you are considering it. you will not regret it.

i also highly recomned this DM screen...lots of super useful info, and none of the fluff. DM screen

u/Typhron · 1 pointr/DMAcademy
  • Ask everyone interested in playing when they're available. Time management is the only way to defeat the time boss.

  • Take notes, and ask/reward those players that take notes. This not only good for keep track of backstories and player stats, but also player behavior and how you can adjust the story to such. Improv is important in D&D, and preparation is one part of practice.

  • Make a friggun DM screen. Geek and Sundry/Matt Mercer made a video on it, and you can buy premade ones for about $10 on Amazon, but do yourself a massive favor and try to make one yourself with the information you might want to keep in mind. The personal touch makes all the difference, and there are probably things not covered by the the PHB/DMG/official screen that you may want to add (for instance, a Wild Magic table if that comes up often in your games).

  • Stress ball/fidgetspinnercube/a thing to fiddle with other than die, and a water bottle. You'll understand.
u/FugueNation · 1 pointr/dndnext

Here are the links to the book, which is which and why they are so cheap is beyond my knowledge, but maybe ToA is a player and a DM book, or a Campaign and a Map set?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0786966203/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/078696619X/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

u/TenThousandKobolds · 1 pointr/DnD

Table Fables 1 and Table Fables 2 are a couple pretty awesome books for worldbuilding inspiration. Volume 1 has a bunch of tables with inspiration for loot, magical items, tavern names, festivals and celebrations, etc. Even menu inspiration for what's being served in that tavern you just had to name. Volume 2 has a lot more general world inspiration- villain motives, quests and plot hooks, etc. Kind of like a big collection of writing prompts to get a story moving. They aren't edition-specific or game-specific, so if your friend GMs other fantasy-type games, these would still be relevant.

u/Kalanth · 1 pointr/mattcolville

I make use of a wide variety of tools ranging from donjon to Table Fables and a bunch of things in between. I would like to say that I take the time to generate a list of names in advance, but in practice I don't really do that and I will just whip out one of many tools and have that name prepared in a few short seconds with a description if I can't think of one on my own.

However, if you are more... motivated than I am then you should make sure to have a list already made. Also, remember to cross names off the list as you use them.

u/chasechippy · 1 pointr/DnD

Check out Table Fables. It has a good table to roll from.

u/domesticatedfire · 1 pointr/DnD5e

??? Like for inspiration?


For world building/city feels/flavor I like "Invisible Cities", which is a collection of tales from Marco Polo put together by Italo Calvino, translated from italian by William Weaver (here's a link I found on google for it)


For character creation, honestly read any fantasy. Wheel of Time has characters you can easily make character sheets for, excepting maybe Rand al'Thor. I also just read "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, which was great for learning how a wizard/bard might work, as well as an innkeeper. Also, recorded book is boss.


But if you want to buy just one book, and you want something amazing and fast and simple I highly recommend "Table Fables" by Madeline Hale (it's on amazon for less than $11). This book has roll-to-make lists for almost everything, from PC and NPC creation to random loot, to monster attacks! This helps especially with random encounters and smoothing-over awkward "wait I have nothing planned for THAT direction"-moments, it's great! Here's a link to that too!.


Hope that helps, that's what I use, PM me if you need anymore help :) also, I think the more you read the more fun these games get

u/Luk3ling · 1 pointr/DnD

> And what do you choose to do? Get your fucking rocks off? How incredibly goddamn pathetic is that?

> It's just gross and sad on many different levels.

You want to bitch about me being condescending when you choose phrases like "incredibly goddamn pathetic" and "sad on so many levels" to describe people who don't share your opinion.

> "I was asked what my opinion on it was. I gave my opinion. To quote another contributor to this thread, "It all depends on the group and how they want to play." That's how I want to play, and I'm getting attacked for it."

Let me fix this sentence for you, so that maybe you understand why you're being attacked.

"I was asked my opinion, so I gave it, using words like "Pathetic" and "Sad" to describe people who don't share my opinion with me. I find it silly that people might enjoy romance in their D&D, therefore everyone else should as well, if they don't, well fuck those sad, pathetic people!"

Sorry to break it to you, bro, but there are a lot of people who feel the need for even X-RATED content in their table top, let alone just pg13 romance.

Asshole.

u/RhynoD · 1 pointr/funny

Hey, I've managed to play DnD for a decade now without using that book. I don't want to have to start now.

u/pliskin42 · 1 pointr/DnD
u/thebardingreen · 1 pointr/sex
u/Rabbitknight · 1 pointr/DungeonsAndDragons

If this is the kind of game you want to run may I reccomend this book it's 3.5 but easily adapted:
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Erotic-Fantasy-Gwendolyn-Kestrel/dp/1588463990

If not, "you are now capable of bending in such a way as it is possible" fade to black move on.

u/delroland · 1 pointr/dndnext

You can still find the Book of Erotic Fantasy on Amazon, though it's out of print so all the prices are stupid high.

It was a little silly but a good amount of the material was actually decent.

u/beardbard89 · 1 pointr/dirtypenpals

If you need some more inspiration for absurd sexual D&D, look no further than The Book of Erotic Fantasy

u/dnd_curious · 1 pointr/DnD

I see, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't actually know where the chart came from.

So it's this book (gallery). It just says "OGL", doesn't seem to mention 3E anywhere. I guess that would mean that it's technically still usable in 5E?

u/Exctmonk · 1 pointr/rpg

Possibly relevant.

I've never run it, and you can likely find it somewhere for less than what Amazon has it for here, but it is designed to take players from levels 1-20.

u/scurvebeard · 1 pointr/EarthPorn

And at the end, a door.

And behind that door?

u/dragsys · 1 pointr/DnD

There was a pre-built dungeon named "the worlds Larget dungeon" that did just this.

The World Largest Dungeon Link (amazon)

u/Jerry2die4 · 1 pointr/dndnext

I think you got everything under control. Just a word of warning that if this is a new shop and you have a problem player that get's booted, a few bad words from them can have side-effects.
That is not to say that you shouldn't be soft and let everything slide, but I don't think iron fist is the way to go.

Also the table fee may be something if it is a special night like a huge D&D day with a huge dungeon. But personally, if I was asked to pay just to play I would do it at home. but if the money went into say pizza money for the store or maybe upgrades or buying more mats and stuff, then I would be cool with that.

Currently I try to give my guy $10 a session just because we are working on adding a projector and a interactive whiteboard and this is a way I can actively help him.

Also, Evil can work out great. Some of the most pain-in-the-ass but developed characters were LE. I do agree though that CE characters should only be played with other evil characters.

u/crackity-jones · 1 pointr/joplinmo

Here is a link to the Pathfinder core book that cardboardfish has and I have a PDF of. I'd totally be willing to buy a physical one as well.

u/pluto_nash · 1 pointr/rpg

Not sure what you are referring to, the core book is $30

u/rednightmare · 1 pointr/rpg

> You have previously mentioned familiarity with pathfinder... WotC owns >the franchise, they're publishing books for it.

Well I can't be blamed for misconstruing this.

That you can get the books cheaper than list price on Amazon doesn't matter. I can get anything cheaper on Amazon, including other RPGs. The cost difference is still the same and you should support your local game stores. They are central to having an active local gaming community.

Nevermind that two copies of Pathfinder at $31 is less than your $66 set anyway. Lets not even worry about Pathfinder though. It is essentially just an improved version of 3.5. The award winning SotC is also $30 from amazon and you could get two of those as well. You could get the core Savage Worlds rules plus the Fantasy Companion and Deadlands for that price. Thats good for at least 3 completely different campaign settings.

I can see that we will never agree on this. Consider taking Savage Worlds for a test drive. It won't cost you anything but time.

u/ASnugglyBear · 1 pointr/rpg

You seem like you want to prepare. I'm also a person who prepares, so here are things you can do to come feeling like you have:

Email (or text or whatever) the GM and ask what version you're playing.

4th edition, D&D 3.5, Pathfinder or 5th edition are all very likely candidates, and all play different enough you will want to know a bit of the difference. The first night you don't necessarily need to have your own copy of the book, but it will be a lot easier if you do going forward.

If the group is totally new, everyone will be rolling characters. If you meant the group is new to you, and they're already playing, ask what character classes they have already.

You may be happy looking up what 'good' character classes are for that edition are (depends on how competitive you are)

Bring a cheat sheet on it the edition you're playing, a small notebook, 2 mechanical pencils, and a set of polyhedral dice

Cheat sheets:

5th Edition: http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1042

4th Edition: http://kassoon.com/dnd/crib-sheet/

Pathfinder Edition: https://sites.google.com/site/paolospathfinderpage/cheat-sheets

3.5 Edition: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?231897-3-5-Rules-Cheat-Sheets

You really need to look into which version it is to get specific recommendations from /r/rpg that will be at all helpful. Once you do get that answer on what edition you're playing, find 2 easy to play classes by asking here, or looking up "tier lists" on the internet.

If you're really up for it, after finding out what version it is, go buy the players handbook for that version, read it, and watch an hour or two of "Actual play" on the internet for that version.

__

Most of D&D is about 1> Standing in the right place 2> Hitting the baddie with your big stick/magic spell 3> Not falling into traps 4> Getting loot. The game is incredibly oriented on loot and small magical items that give bonuses to attack and defense. So when an item comes up that's appropriate to your character, ask for it! Don't be a hog, but don't make the mistake of not taking enough.

When making your character, there are a lot of okay choices, a couple really really bad ones, and some superlative ones. You're unlikely to figure out the superlative ones without looking them up, but you'll probably be able to avoid the really horrible ones.

If you're worrying about the Roleplaying part, instead of the game playing part, the book "Impro" is excellent at explaining how to play characters well (the chapter on status is worthwhile on life in general)



u/rhematos · 1 pointr/tabletopgaymers

The only thing the game does assume is that everyone has the Core Rulebook and the PFS Guide

You can get a pdf version here for 9.99 : http://paizo.com/products/btpy88yj?Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook

Or if you want the physical copy go to amazon and save a lot of money here: http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Core-Rulebook/dp/1601251505/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377006408&sr=8-1&keywords=pathfinder+core+rulebook



Now the guide to PFS play can be found for free at : http://paizo.com/products/btpy84k4?Guide-to-Pathfinder-Society-Organized-Play

u/Kairu-san · 1 pointr/RandomActsOfGaming

The Sims 3

For a giveaway, I'd probably have people post something relevant to the game they're interested in such as personal art, favorite song from the OST, or favorite YouTuber's video related to the game. Something along those lines.

On the subject of RPG content, my favorite system is Pathfinder because it's one whole system in a book and it's a well-made system. Basically D&D 3.75. d20 stuff is probably the best system-independent content. I haven't looked much into that sort of thing. I've mainly played D&D and White Wolf games.

u/slvr13 · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Would this be the proper place to start?

u/in_Gambit_we_trust · 1 pointr/DnD

Agreed. The Pathfinder Rulebook really simplifies things for a new player. You can buy it here

u/abchiptop · 1 pointr/DnD

GameMastery Flip-Mat is a great solution, and they have themed mats as well.

If you want to go a little more sturdy, I went to OfficeMax, got an 18x24 large format print of a 1" grid, then had it mounted on foam board and then laminated. You could potentially get prints on vinyl too.

u/ChronosCrow · 1 pointr/DnD

Ahhhhhhh. Right, gotcha. No idea myself. Some pre-made ones out there though.


  • Paizo
  • Crystal Caste
  • DIY
  • Chessex


    Not to knock your chalkboard one. You did a great job and there's something to be said for non-conventional.
u/CopiedTM · 1 pointr/DnD

The last time I did this, I drew the entire map out ahead of time on one of the Paizo flip maps (linked below). Then, for the entire dungeon, I places pieces of printer paper over it and used a little scotch tape to keep it taped down to the mat. This required cutting a lot of the pieces of paper to different sizes to be the exact size of each specific room. It didn't take very long though.

http://www.amazon.com/GameMastery-Flip-Mat-Basic-Paizo-Staff/dp/1601251556/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371140848&sr=8-2&keywords=gamemastery+flip+map

u/ffy · 1 pointr/DnD

chessex has cheap factory 2nd mats available - usually they have some wobbly lines in the corner or slight discoloration, not a big problem if you are trying to get the most for your money.
those arent dry-erase but are made of vinyl and meant for water-soluble pens. on the plus side a vinyl map will stay in good condition for a long time. on the negative side, if you are clumsy like me using a wet sponge to clear the map at your gaming table might get messy.

i use the [paizo basic mat](http://www.amazon.com/GameMastery-Flip- Mat-Basic-Paizo-Staff/dp/1601251556/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1319810922&sr=8-5) myself. it is basically laminated thick paper (so if you have someone who works at a place that does lamination for example, you might be able to make your own for even less money), works great using dry-erase markers to write and paper towels to remove writing. i love that its double-sided; on one side i draw the battlefield for the big setpiece fight of the adventure (usually those awesome fights involve more interesting terrain features etc so its good to take my time with it) and use the other side for all the other maps we might need during the session.

u/yetanothernerd · 1 pointr/rpg

I use one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Combat-Pad-Paizo-Staff/dp/1601255470/

$19. That gets you both the board and a bunch of dry-erase magnets.

u/techz7 · 1 pointr/twilightimperium

I have a (3/4 ft wide by 2.5ft long) metal lightweight metal thing that I got from Ikea a while back that I have attached to the wall and I usually just write on it with erasable marker and when players pass we erase their name. A friend of mine uses a magnetic pathfinder initiative tracker that has a little arrow that we move to the current players turn and when a player passes in that one, we just move their name to the other column on the board

u/ComplexedOne · 1 pointr/DnDBehindTheScreen

Thanks for posting this. I will definitely be trying this in my next game. Currently I use one of these to track the combat in my games. It works okay, but I love the player view that you have here.

A few thoughts that I have after playing with it:

  1. Could you add some kind of spell tracking for spells that last multiple rounds? I have several spellcasters in my party right now and I find that nearly every combat I am tracking the duration of some spell.

  2. Maybe make a place to take quick notes so the DM can have a few reminders about the encounter on the same screen.

  3. Maybe hard to do with the account-less setup you have here (which is nice as it lowers the friction of getting your players on it) but I would like the ability to send messages to a single player through the app. Not a huge thing, but it would be nice to send them a message on a screen they are already looking at.

    Anyways, I love the idea of this and I can't wait to give it a try at the table soon. Thanks for making this and sharing it with us!
u/michrech · 1 pointr/Pathfinder_RPG

I use this.

u/nightsisters · 1 pointr/DMToolkit
u/Ironforged · 1 pointr/DnD

I use the tracker on Roll20 but one of my friends has used the gamemastery combat pad before and he likes it.

Amazon Store Link

YouTube Review of it

u/kalafax · 1 pointr/dndnext

I use the pathfinder initiative tracker, you can look it up in Amazon and it's cheap, it has magnetic pieces that are dry erase safe, so you just write the characters name on them and as people give you their initiative you put the pieces in decending order. It also let's you write anything you need on here like HP, A.C., any of that sort.

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1601255470/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495106512&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=pathfinder+initiative+tracker&dpPl=1&dpID=519vNFbpH7L&ref=plSrch

u/dietbroccoli · 1 pointr/pics

It's really not as complex as it seems. The rule books are thick, yes, but once you cover the basics you can get into action and use the rule book as a reference. That's why I recommend getting a starter box. It will give you the basic rules (maybe 30 minutes of reading), leave the complex ones for later, and let you learn as you play. It will guide both the DM and the PCs at the same time.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "the" rule book. There are quite a few different versions. D&D V1 and AD&D V2 are considered ancient. They're really, really old and outdated. I'd recommend you start with version 3.5 OR "Pathfinder," which is very, very similar to D&D in its gameplay under a slightly different name. Check this out.

It's a great way to break into the world of tabletop RPG, and you can supplement your collection if you decide you enjoy it.

All it really requires is you saying to three or four friends/family members "Hey, wanna try this out?"

u/Christof_Ley · 1 pointr/Pathfinder_RPG

Not sure about adventure paths, but the beginner box set was how I got my group going.
Comes with a decent intro adventure, pregen character sheets, a bare bones rule book for the most important bits, character and enemy pieces, and a battle map (for this adventure and a blank for your own maps)
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Beginner Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601256302/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_AUqMBbWQJZWVW

u/bleuchz · 1 pointr/dndnext

I'm a fairly budget DM (but I had an edge as you'll see). Here is what my solution for minis was:

Via BGG I was able to for a few of the Dungeon and Dragon Board Games ex: Wrath of Ashardalon. This gave me a decent enough set of minis but most importantly: multiples of many of them as many of them come in groups of 2-4. This is kind of a cheat as I have a large collection of board games and was looking to swap some out anyway.

Then I purchased Pathfinder Beginner Box. Its a good price and you get a playmat, mini adventure, dice and a bunch of Pathfinder Pawns. These pawns are great and come with bases which lead me to my next purchases.

I was very happy with the way the Pathfinder Pawns worked out for me to "fill in the blanks" where I didn't have any minis. Pathfinder offers a lot of sets for their different adventure paths for between $15-20 via amazon. They don't come with bases but the beginner box solved that for me. Best part of these sets, in my opinion, is they come with plenty of multiples.

My players use a mix of minis from the board games and their own painted ones they bring. I pick a mix of minis and pawns with a preference towards all of one if I can help it. The pawns are fantastic and if I didn't have the option of the board game I would be totally happy just using those. The only thing I might do in that situation would be to pick up individual minis for "bosses". While the art on the Pathfinder Pawns are generally good to excellent quality scale is really lost on the larger creatures imo.

As for actually running combat, I'm style finding my DM style but I've settled on a mix of 4 similar yet different methods depending on what I want the encounter to emphasize.

For quick, "uncomplicated" encounters or ones that I may want to not emphasize combat I use theater of the mind. In my experience the second a grid comes out players think combat. The speed of theater of the mind is appealing to me. As for technique: with theater of the mind I tend to narrate everything except killing blows and run turn order by starting with the characters name and a description of the state of the battle every turn.

If TotM seems a bit too imprecise I break out the minis/pawns and run what I call Table of the Mind. We put the minis/pawns on the table and use them without a grid. Keeps things quick and snappy but gives the players something to reference. For this method and all others below I assign initiative to one of my PCs.

If environmental effects are more of a factor I use "zones". I stole this from Sly Flourish. I tend to use it less often than any other method but I like having it in my bag of tricks so I'll mention it here. Essentially I place the pawns/minis on index cards with each card representing a vague location in the battle and features within that location.

For complicated encounters or for those I get DM Crafty with nothing beats a good ol grid map. The flipmat from the beginner box is always in my bag but I have a larger Chessex map for bigger battles. I like to supplement it with either interesting mechanics or bling. I'm working on a one shot right now for my friend's birthday where two of the battles will take place on gridded maps one of which involves me placing cardboard "trees" on it and the other a complex series of teleportation doors. PCs love bling and I love blinging out. It's amazing what you can do with cardboard and paper; it's equally amazing how a description of a battle changes my awful craft skills into an epic fight!. I do not think I could run my teleporting door encounter without a map to ground my players. It would be too confusing and demand too much memory from all involved.

Sorry this got so long O.o

u/doinggreat · 1 pointr/rpg

Do you have an adventure picked out? There are free Pathfinder Society adventures that you can run I'd recommend The Phantom Phenomena and then First Steps Part I: In Service to Lore. Both have lots of little quests you're doing so your players can feel like they accomplished lots of things in however long your session is. Or else the Pathfinder Box is great too. It comes with over 80 pawns you can use to represent characters and monsters and does a really good job at introducing people to the game.

I'd also recommend using pre-gen characters and not spending time on character creation on your first play. It's best to get people up and playing so they can learn how the system actually works before deciding what they want their character to be.

u/KismetRose · 1 pointr/DnD

I've collected names for years but have never had enough. I have an old baby name book around here somewhere, as well as Gary Gygax's Extraordinary Book of Names. I keep my own general lists but for my recent drow book I've generated names per chapter based on the sounds I want. (The part of GRRM's talk, when he mentioned knowing the kind of sound you want for groups of people spoke to me.) But I still try not to have repeating names when I run games to help players tell and keep NPCs apart.

u/WhisperingOracle · 1 pointr/dndnext

I bought this book years ago:

http://www.amazon.com/Gary-Gygaxs-Gygaxian-Fantasy-Worlds/dp/1931275564

It mostly helps if you're playing games set in the "real world" (like White Wolf, Call of Cthulhu, or Cyberpunk), though a lot of the names can easily apply to D&D universes as long as your DM isn't anal about not using "real" names (ie, you can have a character from Calimshan named or someone from Luskan named Otto). I've personally used names like Lysandra (an Elf Battle Master Fighter) or Vaughn (a Ffolk Dunken Master Monk) for D&D characters. And that book in particular has a chapter on "made up" names that are mostly just random syllables jammed together if you want something more exotic.

That book's probably not a realistic option for most players today, but you can get more or less the same thing by looking for baby name books (which you can probably check out for free from your local library), or just use online baby name sites (or even Wikipedia's "given names by culture" categories). Just pick a region that fits the feel of the character you're trying to make (ie, for Illuskans go Germanic, Calimshan tends towards Arabic names, the Ffolk are blatantly Irish/Welsh, etc), and pick a name that feels like it would fit someone from there.

As long as you're not naming your elf royal "John" or "Bob" or something, you're probably good.

u/pickingfruit · 1 pointr/writing

Gary Gygax wrote an entire book on the subject. Rumor has it he wrote it when he hiding from the CIA for possibly colluding with demons and starting a death cult as a means to show that his primary focus is on humans and human culture.

u/TheTinyGM · 1 pointr/DnD

I think the most updated version is in the Taldorei campaign setting.
https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Role-TalDorei-Campaign-Setting/dp/1934547840

u/MrSpiffyTrousers · 1 pointr/dndnext

>Just make a Critical Role adventure guide already.

That's already a thing though, just not "official WOTC."

u/tswarre · 1 pointr/DnD

Piggy backing on this to include the Third Party Critical Role setting: Tal'Dorei

u/Fresh4 · 1 pointr/criticalrole

Does the amazon link (this one) also come with the PDF? I pre-ordered it through amazon but I just wanted to know if I should cancel and buy from greenronin instead for the PDF.

u/ulkesh · 1 pointr/tabletop

Given you like scifi, and if you happen to like Firefly, there's a Firefly RPG and a tabletop Firefly: The Game.

u/indyK1ng · 1 pointr/sciencefiction
u/KEM10 · 1 pointr/rpg

Not exactly, friend.

u/FFXZeldagames · 1 pointr/firefly

I think that 'Firefly that was' is very good, but I can't really get behind a re-launch. It failed because it wasn't what TV could use. If it were to come back, it would have to be in some marketable capacity- which is not how the old show was.

I suggest you check out a few things to get your fix in the meantime:

u/Schtorples · 1 pointr/DnD

You're missing one. Granted, it's not a WOTC product but definitely well worth it in my opinion.

u/badapplelevi · 1 pointr/mattcolville

To your first point, I make up cheat sheets for my players and I have the rules distilled down to about 8 pages that are quick to reference. If your players aren't going to read the PHB, then you can control how they upgrade and what spells they have. (More power to the DM! Ah ha ha ha!)

Second, I demand that players stay off the phone at the table. As a GM, I know I can get players and you will too. Rather than making it a direct confrontation though, put tools in place that speed up the game and cause them to pay attention. I use a timer during combat and give 90 seconds per player per round to take their actions. (This is a good thing to do anyway for a good number of reasons. You'll find that once the players get used to it, it's way more time than they need anyway.)

If your player knows the tropes, it's on you to get creative and challenge him. This is one where I don't have any sympathy for you. (Ok, I really do, but it's your problem not the player's.) You're basically being challenged to step up your game. If it's combat, be more obscure with your monster choices and maybe use an alternative monster manual like the Creature Codex and Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press. (I had to do this because of the veteran players at my table.) If it's puzzles, you'll just have to dig up more obscure material. For politics and NPCs, read Roger Zelazny novels for non-tropish inspiration. As far as metagaming, watch this video by Seth Skorkowsky for an alternative view: Metagaming Isn't All Bad - RPG Philosophy.

u/Reptar_Jesus · 1 pointr/DnD

Some book stores, you can go to a Barnes and Noble and ask an employee who can have it ordered for pickup for you. Other wise you can get it on sale on amazon right now

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936781565/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_18Z-zb6VDY9JY

u/tufeomadre24 · 1 pointr/DnD

If he doesn’t have much in the way of 3rd party content, I’d get him the [Tome of Beasts](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1936781565/ref=mp_s_a_1_1 ie=UTF8&qid=1523552464&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=tome+of+beasts&dpPl=1&dpID=61%2BwXcuEGfL&ref=plSrch) from Kobold Press. It’s full of enemies that are lacking in the Mm and VGtM, like high CR monsters and Fey.

Alternatively, if he likes reading, get him Matt Coville’s book [Priest](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0615512151/ref=mp_s_a_1_1 ie=UTF8&qid=1523553476&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=priest+matt&dpPl=1&dpID=41ZD3imHCkL&ref=plSrch). I haven’t read it, but I’ve heard nothing but good things. There’s also the Drizz’t series by R.A. Salvatore starting with Homeland, the Dragonlance series by Weis and Hickman, Discworld by Terry Pratchett, etc.

If he’s more into games, you could get him Divinity: Original Sin 2 on Steam. It’s basically DnD the game, if I had to describe it in a sentence.

All the books are normally around $6-10 dollars, and both the Tome Of Beasts and the game go on sale for around $30 fairly often.

u/asimplejen · 1 pointr/Shadowrun

I got mine from Amazon Shadowrun 5th Edition

u/gorged_on_truffles · 1 pointr/Shadowrun

Amazon has Shadowrun 5 e listed for the 22nd of May. Unfortunately this is probably a placeholder date. Hopefully Catalyst will ramp up the marketing in the coming weeks to give us a better idea.

u/Pariah1974 · 1 pointr/rpg

Savage Worlds Deluxe Core Rules: Explorer Edition


  • Slipstream

  • Deadlands: Reloaded Player's Handbook

    Probably you could get by with the core rules and one or the other. Slipstream would be beneficial for the gear, space combat, and the edges, while Deadlands would give you edges, dueling rules, and both would have good stuff for Professional edges.
u/not_a_troll_for_real · 1 pointr/rpg

Check out Mythweavers: http://www.myth-weavers.com/forumhome.php

It's a play by post site and you can join games for all sorts of different rpgs.

Personally, I would recommend trying Savage Worlds. It's a really fun and easy to learn system, and it can be used for a wide variety of games, from fantasy to modern to sci-fi. There's a free test drive of the rules that you can check out here:
http://www.peginc.com/freebies/SWcore/TD06.pdf

The full rulebook is $8.99 on Amazon, and it has everything you need to play: http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Worlds-Deluxe-Explorers-S2P10016/dp/1937013200#

u/Eyegore138 · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

or you can do the Savage Worlds cheaper paperback version

or the more durable hardback version its a generic system with tons of different settings guides so they can play anything from superheros to mad max to high fantasy

u/bobphorous · 1 pointr/DnD

The best help I've had are from Matthew Colville's Running the Game playlist, which has been incredibly helpful, and also Sly Flourish's Lazy Dungeon Master

But don't feel like you have to listen to all the videos or read/listen to the whole book. Just make sure you prepare enough for the first session which is usually 3 encounters or so and some RP scenes like introducing the player characters. Also, remember the phrase "What do you do?", it's a good prompt to show that you want player input. I like to print all of the monster stat blocks that I could need for that session into one or two convenient pages and have the notes or pages of the adventure I'm running in a binder. Once you have one session you'll have experience to build and reflect on. As long as you keep trying to get better, it's hard to be terrible.

u/Cerow · 1 pointr/DnD

If you are interested, check out the preview pages, for example on amazon

The main advice I got from it is spending preparation time on the most important/immediate parts of your adventure while staying flexible (consider 3 possible paths the adventure could continue on). There's some more advice on how to improve your game or make your life as a DM easier, often giving simple tools for it (at least simple steps you could follow to achieve it). The table of contents (shown in the preview on amazon) should give you a good idea on what's included.

u/SkybreakSpatterlight · 1 pointr/DnD

Yes and Sly Flourish spends a great deal of time talking about this in his excellent book, The Lazy Dungeon Master.

The problem is if I spend 5 hours designing something that I love dearly and want to spring on my players, by the gods, they are going to go through it and ... that is railroading. Sly talks about how to spend those 5 hours smartly and prep for adventures that are flexible for you and the players and comfortable and enjoyable for you.

u/Shiekira · 0 pointsr/LifeProTips

it costs 15 dollars for a DM screen that I just purchased, and 11.00 for a matching set of dice. Books can cost upwards of 40$ (although cheaper on amazon.) You can use apps and Ebooks, no doubt, but to get physical books (assuming you consider having a book a part of joining the hobby) it can cost upwards of 100$ for the books alone.

PHB: https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Players-Handbook-Rulebook/dp/B00SI5S8M6

DMG: https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Masters-Guide-Core-Rulebook/dp/0786965622/ref=pd_sim_21_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0786965622&pd_rd_r=KN1XZEKYQRB96QBPQSK0&pd_rd_w=8hRNL&pd_rd_wg=Idc88&psc=1&refRID=KN1XZEKYQRB96QBPQSK0

DM Screen: https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Masters-Screen-Reincarnated-Wizards/dp/078696619X



The dice are widely varied, so I wouldn't hold it against the hobby for me purchasing ones at my LGS when I can find them cheaper online.

u/ZilockeTheandil · 0 pointsr/Pathfinder_RPG

According to the Core Rulebook p246, if an animal companion is Awakened, it is no longer a companion:

> An awakened animal gets 3d6 Intelligence, +1d3 Charisma, and +2 HD. Its type becomes magical beast (augmented animal). An awakened animal can’t serve as an animal companion, familiar, or special mount.

This is also in the description of the spell on d20PFSRD.

So the GM failed in that one, by allowing them to have an Awakened animal companion in the first place. And as a GM myself, if a Druid was abusing the class feature in that manner, at the very least, he'd be facing an alignment change, if not more severe penalties. After all, he's supposed to be a protector of nature, not a serial murderer of the animals he's chosen as his companions.

u/wallysmith127 · 0 pointsr/boardgames

nods

And if 5-player becomes a thing, there are accessories out there that we swear by:

Pathfinder magnetic board: Incredible for tracking initiative and monster health/status effects

Service that lets you print 5th and 6th player attack modifier decks

u/misterwings · 0 pointsr/DnD

Since he is 10 I would go with a beginner's box.

Pathfinder is a wonderful place to start. It is what most people will recomend and with the beginner's box it will be a relatively cheap and fast way to find out if it is the game for him.

We also have the D&D 5th Edition Starter Set too. While I would not personally recommend it for reasons of personal preference it is a very beginner friendly rule set.

There are many other options (that can get freaking expensive) but those are the most beginner friendly and economical ways to start.

u/cheddarhead4 · 0 pointsr/boardgames

There are a lot of entry points. Which one is best will probably depend on your level of gamerness (if that's a word?).

If you don't do much tabletop gaming (or your only boardgames are from Hasbro), the D&D fifth edition starter set is a great place to start. Eventually, your group will have to get the DM Guide,, Player's Handbook, and maybe the Monster Manual after you finish the sessions from the starter set.

If you're more of a gamer, and you like min/maxing, let me recommend Pathfinder. It's an offshoot of the 3.5th edition of D&D (considered by many to be the heyday of D&D's systems. Here's their beginner box - the great thing about pathfinder is that after you finish that box, you don't need to buy anything. Ever again. there are resource pages all over the internet where all of the source material is available for free. (premade campaigns, you'll have to buy if you want to use them, though, but that's the same as D&D).

Another option if you're a starwars fan, is the new Star Wars RPG by fantasy flight. There are different source books and begginer boxes depending on if you want to focus your adventures around smugglers and normal folk on the edge of civilization or members of the rebellion