# About to start my first D&D game (yay!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 6, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137 "2003-02-06T04:51:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BURNER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@BURNER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BURNER)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/21 "2003-02-06T22:03:07Z")
_sniff_ I havent been able to play in years because no one I know plays any more. When I was playing I learned a valuable bit of information. THe farther you are from combat the harder it is for you to get hurt. When just starting out at that pitiful level also known as “Level 1” it is best to be able to dish out some kind of long range damage. I have seen lots of 1st level fighters get all high and mighty over their 10 hit points and their big shiny sword, only to be shanked by some lowly goblin who happend to roll max damage with a halbered. IMHO crossbows are your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/22 "2003-02-06T22:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wolfman \* > \*\*Make your character have some character, don’t be a max/min drone. Don’t take skill X just because it makes you the best fighter. If the character in your mind would rather play the harmonica, then do it. > > My biggest pet peeve is that almost nobody roleplays intelligence. \*\* I’ll halfway agree with these sentiments. One member of our group creates the coolest ever character concepts, puts a huge amount of work into their background, their mannerisms, and the like – but she’s terrible at designing characters who can ACCOMPLISH anything. When battle comes around, she too often finds herself with nothing to do, and then she gets frustrated and drops the character. Try to have a balance between coolness and playability. Definitely put those skill points into profession (candlemaking) – but don’t put all your skill points there. And if you’re a monk, don’t decide to forgo tumble just because you think it might be fun to play a nontumbling monk. Trust me: come battletime, you’ll be smacking your forehead. Playing a low intelligence is indeed a challenge, especially if you’re as smart as I am ;). But you can do it, especially if you turn it into a running gag. If you do that, see if other players will let you make out-of-character suggestions to them, so that you don’t have to keep all your cool ideas to yourself. One of my fun temporary characters was extremely stupid, and I had lots of fun playing him as unaware of his stupidity, getting into totally nonsensical arguments with the smarties in the party and being frustrated when they didn’t see my side of things. “But look, if we go up to the castle and yell, ‘hey, we’re here to kill the Duke,’ they’ll never believe that’s why we’re here! Nobody who was actually here to kill the Duke would tell the guards that! It’s the perfect disguise!” Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/23 "2003-02-06T22:19:31Z")
**Burner** , what are you whining about? You know where to find me, chump! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/24 "2003-02-06T22:38:53Z")
> [@](#): > > IMHO crossbows are your friend. But fireballs are your best friend.(although not nessasarily the best friends of the rest of your party, I should tell the story of\* The Big One\* sometime ---
**Author:** ![agentfroot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@agentfroot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agentfroot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/25 "2003-02-06T23:07:31Z")
Thanks everyone! I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it once I start playing. I’ll probably end up dying quickly, but sometimes death can be the most important learning experience of all… ---
**Author:** ![BURNER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@BURNER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BURNER)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/26 "2003-02-07T02:28:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Burner, what are you whining about? You know where to find me, chump! :smack: D’OH!! I didnt even think about it. I have only got 2nd edition stuff, but I am up for a game anytime. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/27 "2003-02-07T13:32:56Z")
I have some 2nd ed. stuff, but back then my friends were DMing, so I didn’t bother getting the main books. I do, though, have _all_ the 3rd ed. books, and quite frankly, the system is sooo much better. If you have some free time on a weekend or something say the word. We can pop some beers and kill us some orcs!! ---
**Author:** ![BURNER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@BURNER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BURNER)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/28 "2003-02-07T14:42:43Z")
for **Gorgon Heap** : The email has been sent. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/29 "2003-02-07T15:25:51Z")
Hey - are any of you planning on going to GenCon this year? Its the big gaming convention in Indianapolis; word is, it’s amazingly geek-fun. If there’s a good group of us, we could do a Dungeons and Dopefest there! Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/30 "2003-02-07T15:31:38Z")
Never touch another player’s dice. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/31 "2003-02-07T16:23:12Z")
Remember that it’s a game… have fun! Our last D&D group broke up because the DM got serious and the rest of us were in goofy moods. Someday we’ll start up again. ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/32 "2003-02-07T16:42:55Z")
As far as names go, check out this web site: [http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/1919/names.htm#Dwarven](http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Castle/1919/names.htm#Dwarven) You can find more by Googling for “dwarven names.” ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/33 "2003-02-07T16:46:44Z")
And remember… for some reason, all Dwarves have Scottish accents. Bad ones. No one knows why, but it’s been that way for all time. Don’t break the tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/34 "2003-02-07T16:50:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gazelle from Hell \* > \*\*Remember that it’s a game… have fun! > > Our last D&D group broke up because the DM got serious and the rest of us were in goofy moods.\*\* On the other hand, if you’re just there to goof around and crack jokes and hang out, do that instead of playing. There’s nothing more frustrating, for a player or GM, than someone who isn’t really playing. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/35 "2003-02-07T20:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeadlyAccurate \* > \*\* … my comrades freak out when I decide to whip out the _brown dart among ruby chickens_. \*\* I am sure they do. That sounds kind of kinky. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/36 "2003-02-07T20:45:35Z")
I emailed Gorgon Heap, and as a result I decided to start a D&D game for Dopers. I will be publishing the startup on my website; if you want to join or have any ideas to share post here or email me! ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/37 "2003-02-07T21:01:02Z")
Indeedy, and now that it has been said on the boards, I’m already getting excited!! And **Steelerphan** , I guess you could tell I like the game by my e-mail addy, huh? At any rate, keep in touch on this. I’m certain once you make up your mind on what you want to do I can bore you to death with character crap. I’ll be sure to favoratize your site too, if there will be info there. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/38 "2003-02-07T21:29:43Z")
**Steelerphan** you gonna do it by email? If so, count me as interested… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/39 "2003-02-07T21:55:03Z")
OK, we’ve got two- enough for me to start planning. I have 3 ideas, and I will run all 3 if people will play: 1. A standard adventure campaign, starting around 4th level, located in my detailed neighborhood of Sigil. 2nd edition rules, Planescape rules apply. Character generation like in Planescape: Tormant, where you start with all 9s and use 21 points to make your character stats. Some details on my website, under the link “Ransom Square in Sigil”- maps and the like. 2. A Spelljammer campaign, “Greyspace War.” 2nd edition again, SJ rules, adventuring and ship-to-ship and ship-to-monster combats. Info under “Greyspace War” link to my previous efforts in 1999. 3. Turf War: You have so many XP to create a “King” and to obtain forces to conquer a tabletop. You get to use monsters against the other players’ monsters to take territory for points. I will actually run the game from my tabletop in the basement, using JPEGs photoshopped for the maps and if I can hook it up, a webcam to see the tabletop. 4. ? (any other ideas? I’m flexible.) We can use email, IM or MB posting to make moves and communicate. I’ve got the time, it’s up to you to develop the characters- or to conquer the board. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137/40 "2003-02-07T22:07:28Z")
1.) DON’T piss off the DM. 2.) When your party has enough spells and hit points for only encounter, that’s the time to get out of the dungeon. 3.) Don’t put strange substances into your mouth unless the alternative is starvation. 4.) Since you’re a monk, you’ll probably have some spare change left over after outfitting yourself. Consider using that extra gold to buy a dog or else lend it to one of the fighters so he can improve his armor class. 5.) Rogues are useful, but not to be trusted. (And thief is my favorite class, too.) 6.) Evil does not equal stupid. 7.) Good does not equal stupid. 8.) Chaotic does not equal stupid. 9.) ALWAYS be sure someone has rope. It’s probably the most useful non-magical item in the game. 10.) Be sure to learn at least one missile weapon, preferably the best available to your class. 11.) Non-weapon proficiencies can be quite useful. Take care when you choose yours. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-to-start-my-first-d-d-game-yay/153137.md?page=3)