How to Start D&D For A Magic Player
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Posted on Nov. 10, 2016, 10:37 p.m. by Homura_Akemi
Hi! I was invited to join a Dungeons and Dragons group which seems like a lot of fun, but a lot different from Magic. Does anyone have any tips on how to start or where to go to for information? I really want to impress my new friend, but sadly I won't be in my MtG comfort zone. I don't know a lot about the game and it seems complicated, so I thought I'd ask for help starting here from players bilingual to both games. Thanks so much!!!
Do you know the people in the group? How much experience do they have with D&D?
November 11, 2016 2:10 a.m.
D&D is nothing like MtG: one is a roleplaying game, the other a card game... the only similarity is that they are both fantasy (and are part of the same company). So the best advice I can give is: ask your friend what edition you'll be playing, then buy or borrow a D&D rulebook (of that edition) and read a bit. That way you'll have an idea what it is about, and perhaps know whether it is something for you.
Oh, there is another similarity with Magic: no two playgroups play alike. In D&D some like the monster bashing more, some roleplaying and interacting with each other, some the social aspects, & etc.
November 11, 2016 4:54 a.m.
I have played D&D and run GURPS.
With D&D, more pre-written world details exist to study and there are important differences that exist between editions (in GURPS much more of it is GM/creative inventive world-creation driven).
With D&D, the main things to study include the details of racial and world relations (at least enough to be in character). (I am more used to GURPS where players have less work like that to do and much more power/responsibility rests on the GM to introduce players to THEIR world that they mostly worked to invent themselves).
There is a very detailed and helpful wiki for D&D. Find out from the DM what edition and world you are playing in.
November 11, 2016 5:07 a.m.
Homura_Akemi says... #7
Thanks! I guess I'll have to find out the edition first and then get some starter materials based off of that. There seems to be a lot of information to start out with. The people in the group have at least a few years of experience and they all are fairly intelligent. Happy Commander 2016 release!
November 11, 2016 6:18 a.m.
SwiftDeath says... #8
I have played D&D and Pathfinder both as a player character and a DM.
To start just like in any other game/system there is a huge learning curve that takes time and experience to develop. You will not be able to impress people just through knowledge alone. It will take time and hopefully they will understand and be patient with you as some experience players can get impatient with new players. I have had this happen in several groups of mine and I have also been the victim of this when I first started. It took me a long time, about 2-3 years of playing, before I was comfortable with my skills to be able to create and play my own unique personalities. That brings me to a good point. One of the issues that players do, even experienced ones, is that they try to "balance" the party by setting up their characters to compensate for others weaknesses. This is actually a bad habit to get into as is limits the creativity that makes the game so fun. Instead you should play something that you enjoy and focus on having fun. My favorite way of doing this is that every one of my characters has a unique personality. Then I build my character around this personality making it a part of who I am. I can tell you as a GM I would rather see someone playing a character they enjoy and one they can have fun with rather then a character that other party members decided on just because they were missing something that filled in a gap. This is just the surface of what Roleplaying has to offer and only you can figure out what you enjoy most. Hopefully this helps and welcome to the community.
November 11, 2016 6:31 a.m.
SwiftDeath says... #9
Just to give a few examples of character personalities.
I have an Elf Lightbringer in PF (Pathfinder). He is the lightbringer he constantly uses the Light cantrip and his favorite catchphrase is "would you like me to light that" he was one of my favorites.
A custom class magus for D&D 5e that is very intelligent but doesn't do well with others. Because of this he gets the party in troubling situations. It might not sound like fun but in practice it creates random situational scenarios and without him the party wouldn't have to think on their feet when I enter a room.
A druid shapeshifter from D&D 3.5e that I haven't really decided on a personality for yet but I like them to happen naturally. sometimes a personality can't be forced.
and last example A Vanaran (Humanoid, Monkey) Storm Druid from PF that has a habit of throwing anything at whatever startles him. I have caused our group to get lost in a dungeon because I accidently destroyed a magic door that was supposed to aid us by throwing my spear at it.
Hopefully you can find a personality you enjoy and if you don't think it's unique don't worry about it. Like I said, play what you enjoy and will have fun with.
November 11, 2016 6:42 a.m.
Homura_Akemi says... #10
I looked up some of the character types and magic-user seems cool, obviously from someone who plays MtG lol.
November 11, 2016 7:23 a.m.
You could run an MtG adventure using any plane or even inventing a new one of your own with GURPS.
I know this is a D&D thread but this is why I chafe. After years of developing a wild world building/ exploring imagination with GURPS, D&D is a hard transition for me to relish the same way.
November 11, 2016 7:36 a.m.
Homura_Akemi says... #12
Omg Zendikar or Innistrad yes!!! That'd be awesome!
November 11, 2016 7:39 a.m.
5th Edition D&D actually has a Zendikar campaign guide, which adds Kor, Vampires, Merfolk, hedrons, Eldrazi... to the basic Player's Handbook (the base rules and character creation).
November 11, 2016 2:14 p.m.
Homura_Akemi says... #16
I bought the "Starter Set" at my LGS today at FNM. I will definitely check out the free pdfs and Youtube videos.
November 12, 2016 12:12 a.m.
5th edition D&D also added an Innistrad pdf. I'm running an Innistrad campaign right now.
You should basically just get and read through the full players handbook. I assume you're playing 5e? But there will be one for other editions as well.
A lot of people running games actually tell you to avoid reading the monster manuals or the dungeon masters guides. These contain lots of stats for opponents and hints and tricks. As a player, if you know all the tricks the dungeon master is using, and you know how to defeat all the enemies then the game can become a bit less fun.
MindAblaze says... #2
I think you'll have to be a willing participant with a penchant for listening. Start slow and simple. There's a lot to learn.
November 10, 2016 10:48 p.m.