#dnd-newcomers

1 messages · Page 181 of 1

stiff scaffold
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Im good thanks

warm zealot
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heya

dull bay
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Hey all!

copper frigate
visual lagoon
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hey guys! im trying to find a dm and i am alitte confused on how the looking for dm chat works 🙂 sorry im new to the discord and gsme

fallen surge
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The #find-a-game has advice and instructions for how to use the looking-for channels

visual lagoon
cursive swallow
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I'm overwhelmed....

pearl plover
cursive swallow
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Just looking at how to find games and there are a bunch of different systems and a bunch of different game styles and a bunch of everything that i just dont f....ing understand!

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As a young adult with adhd i tend to shut down with too many options.

pearl plover
cursive swallow
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Who can i pay to take me on an adventure. Who will put up with me being a complete beginner.

cursive swallow
crude musk
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Many campaigns welcoming newcomers, you just have to ask

cursive swallow
crude musk
crude musk
pearl plover
cursive swallow
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sorry.... Im just bad at starting new things. But im very excited about this is all

crude musk
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Take it slow

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Step 1 - Give the basic rules a read
Step 2 - Try your hand at making a character
Step 3 - Try finding a game by reaching out to DMs in #looking-for-players and asking if they're willing to accept a new player

trail matrix
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if it helps you feel not as alone, i’ve always played dnd super casually, like one shots, but never could get into it fully. i’m hoping to learn a ton and maybe find a campaign at some point 😭

fallen surge
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If there is something you don’t understand, please ask us about it. Everyone here is more than happy to help. That’s why there are so many veterans reading through the posts in this channel. Answering your questions is fun for us too. Don’t worry about asking too many or anything like that

wary thicket
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what exactly is an artificer

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i just see on tik tok that they like bombs

cursive swallow
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Im not used to communities being this nice online... You guys are great

fallen surge
# wary thicket what exactly is an artificer

Artificer is the 13th class for 5e. It is not available as part of the basic rules. It was originally published in Eberron Rising from the Last War and was republished in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. They specialize in creating magic items and certain types of technology.

trail matrix
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Is it better to just start off with Homebrew than to get into super technical stuff? I’ve had a half-orc paladin idea for a while and I want to understand how it works, but don’t even know where to begin. (,:

wary thicket
fallen surge
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We’re just answering questions and helping people learn the basics. If you want to ask something, go right ahead.

crude musk
wary thicket
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when i get around to making a 2nd character immaking akobold artificer thatsounds dope

fallen surge
crude musk
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Best keep it simple and play close to rules as written

trail matrix
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so i’ve got it backwards, I appreciate you all 😭

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what are the specific rules, or is it per DM? I’m kind of confused about all of the different branches of play styles (?) i think that’s the correct term.

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
trail matrix
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bless you dyno

fallen surge
trail matrix
regal basin
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I'm new to dnd, but so are all of my friends. Bc I was the one who decided to start a dnd campaign, I decided I would be dm, but I don't really know what I'm doing. Can you guys give me some advice? (I'm already a few sessions into the campaign btw)

fallen surge
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?newdm

exotic remnantBOT
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What is a Dungeon Master?
  • In Dungeons & Dragons, one person serves as the Dungeon Master, the game’s lead storyteller and referee. The DM runs the adventure for the players, who navigate its hazards and decide which paths to explore.
How does it work?
Where do I start?
fallen surge
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?dmtips

exotic remnantBOT
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D&D Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Dungeon Master Tips

The most important part of being a good DM is facilitating the fun of everyone at the table. Keep these tips in mind to help things go smoothly:

Embrace the shared story.

D&D is about telling a story as a group, so let the players contribute to the outcome through the words and deeds of their characters. If some players are reluctant to speak up, ask them what their characters are doing.

It’s not a competition.

The DM isn’t competing against the player characters. Your job is to referee the rules, run monsters, and keep the story moving.

Be fair and flexible.

Treat your players in a fair, impartial manner. The rules help you do this, but you can make your own rulings to ensure everyone is having fun.

Modify the adventure to suit your tastes.

Adventures have no prescribed outcome. You can alter any encounter to make it more interesting and fun for your players.

Don’t worry about mistakes.

Dungeon Masters are fallible, just like everyone else, and even experienced DMs make mistakes. If you overlook, forget, or misrepresent something, correct yourself and move on. No one expects you to memorize every part of this adventure and all the rules in the Basic Rules. As long as your players are having fun, everything will be just fine.

fallen surge
regal basin
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Thank you

exotic edge
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Does anyone have any advice about getting into character? My friends who i am playing with are all theater nerds and me not so much. I especially need some advice on getting into voice as i am afab and i am playing a male character

fresh fable
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Just do what you feel comfortable doing

pearl plover
harsh glen
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Hey how do I find a group

true musk
# regal basin I'm new to dnd, but so are all of my friends. Bc I was the one who decided to st...

You'll want to have a session zero, a session covering the logistics of playing a campaign, with your potential group.
While these questions don't cover everything, going over this with your group can help set the campaign up for success.

  • What kind of campaign does everyone want to play?
  • Linear (The storyline usually follows a cause-and-effect relationship, where each event directly leads to the next.)
  • Non-Linear (The storyline that has story events can be done in any order. Think Legend of Zelda games)
  • Sandbox (The storyline has no pre-determined events and no overarching plot.)
  • How much role-play, exploration, and combat do you want in the campaign?
  • 1 social, 1 combat, 1 dungeon encounter per session?
  • Perhaps 1-3 social, 1-2 combat, 0-1 dungeon counters per session?
  • What is the desired level difficult?
  • Easy, medium, hard, deadly?
  • How easily and often can characters be resurrected?
  • How much of a time commitment does everyone want to invest in the campaign?
  • Have the campaign be 3 session? 5-8 session? 12 sessions? 12+ sessions?
  • Should each sessions be 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours? 2-4 hours?
  • Would each session be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?
  • What lines and veils need to be established?
  • Lines are hard limits on themes, topics, actions someone doesn't want to engage in.
  • Veils are soft limits where themes, topics, actions can be explored but not in great detail.
  • Are everyone's preferences and expectations compatible?
  • Do all players want to play the same type of campaign?
  • Is the the type of game players want to participate in, the type of game the DM wants to run?
true musk
# harsh glen Hey how do I find a group

For in person games you can:

  • Visit tabletop game shops
  • Visit local conventions
  • Visit your local libraries
  • Visit your school
  • Search Meetup for local play groups.
    As these tend to host opportunities to play in person and tend to be very new player friendly.

Online options in this server:

  • Follow the instructions in #find-a-game to learn how to make a post in #looking-for-dm .
  • Reach out to people in the #looking-for-players channel.
  • These posts are by DMs looking for players.
  • Tip: Take your time to read these posts and see if they are compatible with your preferences and interests.
  • Tip: Reply to these posts with your preferences and play styles to help the DM determine if you are compatible.
  • Check out #looking-for-community as responses to postings will point you to communities that host dnd games.

** Adventurers League**

Other options

  • You can also search on the Looking for Group forums page of warhorn, roll20, dndbeyond, the website called startplaying, and dnd focused discord servers.
harsh glen
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Hey how do I find a group

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
rugged yoke
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are all the groups in "find a game" time zone adjusted? I see quite a few posts that dont include time zones though they will have a time shown in a gray box. Im unsure if those listings are time zone compensated for my visible IP/location ect. Some posts do have time zomes which I appreciate. Just need clarity on the gray boxes.

true musk
fallen surge
rugged yoke
harsh fjord
zinc loom
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I saw in the dnd rulebook in my starterset that there are difficulties that you have to roll for in specific situations. What about Nat 20s? If my difficulty roll is at 30 but I roll a nat 20 does it automatically win?

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or do I still have to reach atleast 30?

harsh fjord
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By RAW, if you don't hit the DC, you don't succeed.

timid locust
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A natural 20 is only a guaranteed success for Attacks or Death Saving Throws

zinc loom
timid locust
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A common misconception, but no.

harsh fjord
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Nope!

zinc loom
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huh

worn depot
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What are death saving throws

harsh fjord
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It's common for DMs to give you the best result under the circumstances with a natural 20, but that's going to be very idiosyncratic.

cobalt frigate
zinc loom
# worn depot What are death saving throws

when you get knocked down from getting below 0 hit points and you dont get revived by healing you roll. If you roll 3 saving throws (11-20) you get back up, if you roll 3 death throws (1-10) you die

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atleast thats what i remember

fallen surge
# worn depot What are death saving throws

death saving throws are a special type of saving throw that you do will at 0 hitpoints to see if you stabilize while unconscious, or die. The link Clouds posted above will provide more details

cobalt frigate
harsh fjord
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A 10 is a success with a death save, so the odds are slightly in favor of surviving.

worn depot
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I read it

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Thanks

zinc loom
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wait lemme look in my rulebook

cobalt frigate
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Roll a d20. If the roll is 10 or higher, you succeed. Otherwise, you fail. A success or failure has no effect by itself. On your third success, you become stable (see below). On your third failure, you die. The successes and failures don't need to be consecutive; keep track of both until you collect three of a kind. The number of both is reset to zero when you regain any hit points or become stable.

zinc loom
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also do people just use character sheets with erasable pencils? idk im confused about using character sheets 😭

autumn timber
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That's fairly common! The main options are form-fillable and writing directly on the sheet for printing them.

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D&D Beyond also allows a pdf export if you want to use the character builder there.

fallen surge
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yes. Character sheets are updated all the time, multiple times a session. Being able to edit them is super important. Aside from using pencils and erasers, some people also like to get their character sheets laminated so they can use dry-erase markers on them

zinc loom
autumn timber
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Dang, some people are much less lazy than me.

fallen surge
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Personally, I just use online character sheets like D&D Beyond or Roll20

zinc loom
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idk which one to use since last time i tried to input some stuff into d&d beyond it didnt have some feats in there without paying up so i couldnt create my variant human properly 😭

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i think either i'll just use an erasable pencil or a pdf to write into

ornate kiln
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I just use my tablet and have D&D Beyond open on that. I hate paper sheets lol

worn depot
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How hard is it to make one in excel or Google spreadsheets

inner thistle
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There are gsheet versions of the character sheets out there you can even import into Avrae our Discord Dicerolling bot

zinc loom
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Is the weight of the equipment you have important/ do i have to write it down?

echo kelp
ornate kiln
zinc loom
supple goblet
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Hey y'all, just joined the server

echo kelp
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Welcome! If you're new to D&D we have #learn-to-play and the pinned messages here in this channel to help get you started,

worn depot
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I can't seem to find the learn to play channel

echo kelp
plain imp
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Can anyone help me set up a character sheet I’m new and I know I will need one

pearl plover
exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
supple goblet
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Is anyone else having a lot of trouble finding campaigns to join?

echo kelp
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Have you checked the many community servers advertised in #looking-for-community? Many of them may have other styles of D&D games (play by post, westmarch-style games, etc.)

supple goblet
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I will check that out, thanks

glass summit
zinc loom
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idk how to get it to work

inner thistle
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I can't unfortunately. I only know that those sheets exist but I never used them myself :/

zinc loom
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i only realized cuz my stats were better suddenly

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maybe should i just use gsheet 1.4? it doesnt auto fill stuff but I can write down more myself

zinc loom
lost nebula
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Hii, can anyone give me tips for being DM as a first time DnD player

cobalt frigate
lost nebula
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Okok thanks

rain fiber
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Okay, okay I've recently made a 3.5 Level 20 character I was wondering if it could looked over to see if it's solid.

main fulcrum
white magnet
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Hey

harsh fjord
main latch
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Hello

silver rampart
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Hi I'm new to DnD online but was hoping to join a group. Thank you.

harsh fjord
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Welcome to the hobby and the server!

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
true musk
# silver rampart Hi I'm new to DnD online but was hoping to join a group. Thank you.

Welcome hobby and the server. dndCheers
For in person games you can:

  • Visit tabletop game shops
  • Visit local conventions
  • Visit your local libraries
  • Visit your school
  • Search Meetup for local play groups.
    As these tend to host opportunities to play in person and tend to be very new player friendly.

Online options in this server:

  • Follow the instructions in #find-a-game to learn how to make a post in #looking-for-dm .
  • Reach out to people in the #looking-for-players channel.
  • These posts are by DMs looking for players.
  • Tip: Take your time to read these posts and see if they are compatible with your preferences and interests.
  • Tip: Reply to these posts with your preferences and play styles to help the DM determine if you are compatible.
  • Check out #looking-for-community as responses to postings will point you to communities that host dnd games.

** Adventurers League**

Other options

  • You can also search on the Looking for Group forums page of warhorn, roll20, dndbeyond, the website called startplaying, and dnd focused discord servers.
little palm
#

Hello, I joined here because I want to know more about DnD and everyone loves them so I wanted to do DnD online.

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
true musk
storm willow
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Hello

left hull
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Not sure I ask this here or not but I'm playing in a homebrew campaign, I have the Necromancer class. For the 2nd level i get to choose and Occult (subclass) and I chose Reaper. It says at level 2 I add a bunch of listed spells to my spell list.
My question comes in when I realized that the listed spells are levels 1, 5, 7, 3, 3 and 9. Do I get to use them at level 2 or do I have to wait till their level? Im just confused because it says i add them at level 2 but they're not level 2 spells.

fleet field
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assuming it works like other similar things, you get the level 2 listed spells at level 2 and the higher level spells at those levels

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but I can't say for certain having not seen this class

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also assuming it's well written it'll explain that

fleet field
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example of a similar thing from cleric:

Domain Spells
Each domain has a list of spells — its domain spells — that you gain at the cleric levels noted in the domain description. Once you gain a domain spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day.

If you have a domain spell that doesn’t appear on the cleric spell list, the spell is nonetheless a cleric spell for you.

left hull
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I see, mine doesn't say anything like that, that i notice at least. It says

Death's Knowledge
Beginning at 2nd level, some ancient tomes, spell books, or scrolls have provided knowledge to you. Add the following spells to your necromancer spell list: (7 spells)"
Part of the description for all the subclasses is "Grants you features when you choose it at 2nd level and additional features at 6th, 10th, and 14th level."

So i genuinely have no idea what im supposed to do

fossil ginkgo
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Is Shove an unarmed strike?

subtle harness
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Pretty sure it doesn’t do any damage other than maybe some fall damage if you push somebody off an edge

wheat crystal
upbeat pine
quaint silo
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Hello does anybody know a way I can see more classes on D&D beyond without spending money or any other sites to build my character? I’m pretty new and trying to get into it

autumn timber
quaint silo
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So for example I wanna use the kobald race how would I do that just type that in and it does it for me or do I need to do each feature?

autumn timber
exotic remnantBOT
#
Accessing Content on D&D Beyond

There are four ways to access content on D&D Beyond that you may have in your physical books

  1. Purchase the full digital book from the marketplace
  2. Purchase a digital/physical bundle from the marketplace
  3. Join a DnDBeyond campaign with someone who already owns the book where content sharing has been enabled
  4. Use the homebrew tools to copy the content from your physical book into D&D Beyond. Note: Do not publish any content copied in this way, it is for personal use only
paper oxide
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Me and my friends are new to dnd, is it better if I DM the usual fantasy setting or can I just use this idea I got? (Still in the dnd fantasy setting with dragons, goblins, etc but there's an advanced alien civilization invasion!!)

wild onyx
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Try a starter campaign or two.

You can always have aliens invade later when you're comfortable with how the game plays.

echo kelp
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D&D is fairly steeped in heroic fantasy - so it usually works well for that.
Using D&D to play say gritty sci-fi, while possible, usually starts to show that the game mechanics were not really designed for that. You would likely be better off with a different game system that is designed for thos concepts/playstyles for that gritty sci-fi theme you're going for.

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An Mr. Smith has good advice - it can be helpful to start with a prewritten adventure

wild onyx
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Advanced aliens could be mindflayers.

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Just to keep it on-brand and already supported.

paper oxide
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Ooh right, I'll try and start a starter campaign first then. Thanks for the advice!

dire mica
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Hey! Just starting dnd to play with friends, i love the idea of creating campagins and stuff

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Also wanted to ask, is there a thief class?

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Can a character be both a priest + thief, or a bard + thief?

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My eso role play is coming here

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WHOA, reading the other channels dnd looks a lot more complex!!!

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I thought the rules are what you convince the table 😆 like in uno

edgy onyx
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There is the rogue class, which is closest to what one might think of as "thief" (and also they have a thief subclass)
And multiclassing is a thing where you pick levels from different classes, so you could be both a rogue and cleric, for example (though as an advice, its not really recommended to multiclass when starting off, as most benefits you need to know what you want from the multiclass)

dire mica
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Oh, so thief is a subclass?

dire mica
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Like a guy who is righteous in day, and steals at night

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And i dont steal for a noble cause

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Im trynna create a new character, who fits this decs, so idk what class or what to pick

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the stealing will be a secondary thing though

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But it is a important thing

wheat crystal
# dire mica I thought the rules are what you convince the table 😆 like in uno

You should check out #learn-to-play as well as this channel's pins which have a link to the free basic rules & handbooker helper video supplement.

As for your question, going for a Thief (subclass) Rogue (class) will get you the most archetypal thief character as Saragonvoid said. "Thieving" is largely a roleplay choice assisted by gameplay mechanics so you might want to shop around options to see what features specifically tie into what you want to accomplish by being a "thief."

For example, the Rogue class has a lot of focus on high specialty in specific skills (e.g.expertise), slipping out of bad situations (e.g. evasion, cunning action), and striking hard/fast (e.g. sneak attack). The thief subclass further specializes in getting in/out of places via being able to use items faster in combat, climbing speed, stealth bonuses, etc.

dire mica
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Oh! so there are lots more to the thief class? Interesting

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I thought they could just steal while no one else can

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I dont want my main persona to be a thief, im just a knight who steals kinda thing, or a priest who steals

wheat crystal
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Anyone can "steal", if you mean in combat you can always attempt a check to disarm an opponent or grab something off of them, which would usually call for a (Dexterity) Sleight of Hand Check

#

To answer your other stuff:

dire mica
dire mica
ornate kiln
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there are optional disarming rules for doing that in combat in the DMG

if you are trying to pickpocket someone, then sleight of hand is the right skill

dire mica
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Hmm, so sleight of hand is a skill? and that scales with dexterity?

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well, i dont think a knight or a priest needs dexterity ... i just wanna make a weird build to make my friends laugh 😆

lyric fjord
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Can DND Beyond make custom spells?

wheat crystal
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The best part about D&D is being able to differentiate between the mechanics of the game and the in-character roleplay, and combine them in interesting ways.

You say you wanted to be a "priest" & "thief" which can be interpreted in a lot of ways. Perhaps you are a Trickery Domain (subclass) Cleric (class), stealing holy relics in service of your god. Perhaps you are an Oath of Vengeance (subclass) Paladin (class), stealing from pompous nobles to redistribute the wealth and get back on that one family that scorned you. As you can see, there's a lot you can do with two simple descriptors.

You may also just multiclass, as Sarangonvoid said, but that's generally not recommended for newcomers. Quite frankly, multiclassing is complex and often has significant tradeoffs.

ornate kiln
dire mica
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i wanted to be a guy who has Kleptomania

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like the disease that causes you to steal things

wheat crystal
dire mica
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hmm

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Well ... ngl looks overwhelming 😆 but very fun and interesting

wheat crystal
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It definitely is at first. Take your time reading the rules and try making a practice character or two to familiarize yourself before you play. You don't have to memorize everything, of course. Even with nearly a decade of experience under my belt I sometimes forget a few rules

ornate kiln
dire mica
dire mica
shut trellis
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I have a question

echo kelp
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Don't ask to ask - just state your question and folks will engage with it as they have time and interest

wheat crystal
# dire mica hmm

I agree with Omegon, though that isn't to say you can't turn that trait into a nice quirk. The main reason why we don't really recommend having a mental illness (or many disabilities) as a character trait is that people tend to only have a surface understanding of the disability, and often stereotype it in an insensitive way.

Outside of that, keep in mind D&D is a "collaborative storytelling game." Negative, anti-party traits like constantly stealing items can, should, and will lead to negative consequences for the entire party. You say your experience is in MMOs, so I'll compare it to doing a raid then one guy purposefully messes up and forces everyone to restart the encounter. This is not to say you can never steal, just that your fellow players & DM should consent to this behavior.

As I said before, we can transform this into a better, lighter "quirk." Instead of kleptomania, perhaps your character likes collecting a certain thing. If you want to keep it about "stealing", maybe have that thing be an item the average person probably wouldn't be mad at having stolen like a loose button or a leaf off their frontyard trees.

shut trellis
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Darkness is a spell that can't be Dispelled by a 2nd or higher leveled spell.

Devils sight gives you the ability to see through magical darkness

Darkness states that it can't be Dispelled by low level spell BUT the darkness spell can still be suppressed by magical light regardless of level.

Okay, Starry form emits a magical light which stops warlock eb darkness strats bc the darkness is suppressed

So does starry form emit magical light? Everywhere I've looked says yes but a friend insist that it isnt

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"Starry Form is magical illumination but is specifically not a spell.

Starry Form has anti-synergy with Devil's Sight+Darkness-abusing Warlocks, as the light that's emitted from you while you're in Starry Form is magical (and thus will be able to illuminate an area that's covered by the Darkness spell)."

dire mica
echo kelp
shut trellis
echo kelp
wheat crystal
# dire mica Well, thats insightful, and i have to agree, But can i make it so that my charac...

I don't believe there's any specific class options you can take to raise your Sleight of Hand skill at night. There's ways to RP this, however.

Your DM may decide to give you a bonus if you're hidden well enough. For example, as a consequence of rolling well on a (Dexterity) Stealth check &/or being invisible. Since it'd be nighttime they may also make such a check easier since the darkness might make you lightly or heavily obscured.

On your end, you might save using certain features that would aid in stealing until nighttime. For example, if you're a Trickery Cleric, you might only cast the spell "Enhance Ability" at night for the Cat's Grace feature, which give you advantage on Dexterity checks (including SoH).

dire mica
#

Btw are there any unique characters y'all have heard

lyric fjord
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Is anyone available to talk through a new pc

wild onyx
lyric fjord
wild onyx
lyric fjord
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AH I didn't have that channel added that's why lmaooooo

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
sharp scroll
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hey can some tell me if my knowleg of d&d is corect i am new and all of my knowleg of d&d comes from a episode of big city greens other than that i dont know a single thing also the reason i keep mentioning a map( i copy pasted thismessage from another chat so some of it dosent make sense) is because in the episode the host (Remy) has like a bord and paper to see the rolls and attack points

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if you want to see the message go to chanel d&d discusion

echo kelp
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#learn-to-play and the pinned messages here in this channel can help get you started. I'd recommend giving the free basic rules (see pinned messages) a read as it explains the core rules and game mechanics.

sharp scroll
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ok thanks

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bye

timid locust
# sharp scroll hey can some tell me if my knowleg of d&d is corect i am new and all of my knowl...

Put into the simplest terms, DnD is a collaborative storytelling experience. The Dungeon Master (DM) describes a scene, the players describe what their characters do in that scene, and the DM tells them what happens when they do it. Rinse repeat!

Sometimes, either in combat or doing challenging things, your DM might tell you to roll dice in order to see if your character is successful.

For example, if you want to sneak by the enemy guards, you'll roll a 20-sided die (called a d20) and add some extra numbers based on your character's stats. If the total is high enough, you succeed! In that case, the guard doesn't notice as your character creeps by.

foggy sapphire
#

Hi

#

I want to play Dnd on online platforms but I don't know how to play

echo kelp
#

Welcome to the server! If you're new to D&D we have #learn-to-play and pinned messages here in this channel to help get you started (including a link to the free basic rules)

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
echo kelp
#

Feel free to ask any specific questions you have here or in an appropriate channel (see #channel-guide to see the many channels we have for specific D&D topics)

foggy sapphire
#

Thank you

urban gust
#

Hey, I’m somewhat new to dnd. I’ve played in 2 campaigns and 1 just stopped and then another was canceled because my dm was pissed about the campaign taking too long and I only played with that group for like 2 months (campaign she was dm’ing lasted for 2.5 years)

gilded peak
#

hello i need someone to please teach me how to play dnd for the first time?

fallen surge
#

Welcome! The bot post, just a few messages above yours has a ton of helpful resources to get you started, and the #learn-to-play has even more detailed guides. After you've taken a look at some of the provided materials, feel free to ask any specific questions you might have here. We're all more than happy to help

urban gust
gilded peak
primal iris
#

Hiii, I had a question, what do you think is the best way to approach a group at dnd? I know a library that holds It some days a week. Should I go straight to them, wait till they finish or something else?

echo kelp
#

It never hurts to tell folks you're interested in playing. Whether they can fit you in the current campaign or not is a different question but at least they know.

crude musk
#

I would personally not approach a group that is playing with the intent to ask to play, but no harm in asking if they know where people advertise spaces in their campaigns

#

That avoids any potential awkwardness of someone having to turn you down/you be turned down and if they are willing to bring in new players, they'll suggest it

#

If not, you'll hopefully get a recommendation as to where to look

fast lily
#

What edition?

solemn light
wild onyx
fast lily
#

Oh ok ty my friend was asking.

round bone
#

Hiii me and @strange cypress really want to get into this but we don’t know how to start

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
timid locust
#

Hello and welcome! If you're new to DnD, the best place to start is with the links above! The basic rules outline everything you need to play, and I've heard great things about the introductory demo. If you need in-depth videos about specific topics, the Handbooker Helper videos are also really good. Finally, we have #learn-to-play for more info!

rigid wing
#

Hi

tall python
#

I need a quick hand understanding how armour works

cobalt frigate
#

What don't you understand?

fallen surge
#

?tag new ac

exotic remnantBOT
#

Armor Class (AC)

Your Armor Class (AC) represents how well your character avoids being wounded in battle. As a baseline, a character’s AC equals 10 + his or her Dexterity modifier, but characters often wear armor and shields, use spells, or have class or race features to improve their AC.

When making an attack, the total of your attack roll is compared to the target’s AC. If your total equals or exceeds their AC, the attack hits.

tall python
#

so my friend is being attacked by a zombie and I think it's dealing 4 damage, my friends armour is 16 and his health is 8 if that matters

cobalt frigate
#

Every creature has a baseline of AC 10, which can be adjusted with their Dex modifier.

PCs and NPCs can wear armour that sets their base AC to whatever the armour gives. Leather armour has an AC 11 while plate armour has an AC 18.

#

The zombie's attack roll needs to be 16 or higher to hit the PC. If it hits, the zombie rolls its damage roll. If it does 8 or more points of damage then the PC is at 0 hp and unconsious.

rigid wing
#

Im da new guy

fallen surge
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Armor Class is used to determine if something hits or misses. It does not add or subtract from damage at all.

mental sand
#

I’m kinda new to dnd but I know how stats work and AC and skills and all of that stuff but I was wondering how homebrew worked because it seems intriguing. Could anyone help with this?

cobalt frigate
#

As a new player, I don't recommend you bothering with homebrewing (as a player) because you should get to know the official rules of the game first. You lack the experience to know what balanced or not (aka OP).

ornate kiln
#

the DMG has guides on how to make your own race and monsters at least

tall python
#

how would a zombie attack work?

ornate kiln
#

the statblock says what the zombie adds to its attack roll. if it matches or beats a characters armor class, then that is a hit

cobalt frigate
#

The DM rolls its attack roll (d20 plus its Proficiency Bonus plus Str modifier). The total is then compared to its target's AC. If that is equal or greater than the target's AC, it hits.

wild onyx
#

On a hit the DM rolls for damage or if it's me, uses the handy average to tell the unlucky target how many HP they lose.

ornate kiln
#

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
so in case of the zombie, if it attacks, the DM rolls a d20 and adds +3 to the result.

tall python
ornate kiln
#

it does, but the statblock has already factored it in

timid locust
#

Its stats are already factored into the modifier to hit

tall python
#

is it?

ornate kiln
#

a zombie has +1 str and a proficiency bonus of +2

tall python
#

right

#

I think I get it? 😭

timid locust
#

The monster stat blocks are simplified as much as possible for ease of access. Add only what it tells you to add, and roll only what it tells you to roll.

rigid wing
#

Lil question, do you use a Programm to Play dnd?

echo kelp
#

?tag new online

exotic remnantBOT
echo kelp
#

^ Article explaining how folks play D&D online

main fulcrum
#

I'm not sure what you mean by that tbh. Mamy people use various programs but they're not required

rigid wing
#

I meant If there are people that dont use some 3d model enviroment stuff

tall python
#

I use the table top one

rigid wing
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Because my PC cant handle that

tall python
#

I'm with friends irl right now

ornate kiln
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D&D is a social game at its core and requires very little in material, but there are tons of tools than can enhance the play experience

main fulcrum
#

All you actually need to play is the rules in some format, some kind of dice and other people

echo kelp
#

All you need is the free basic rules, a character sheet, dice, and a way to communicate with other players

main fulcrum
#

Everything else is just gravy/convenience 😁

rigid wing
#

Do you know If people do online stuff Here but without These Programm but Just with dialouge, Like old Times?

echo kelp
#

Sure - many folks play theater of the mind or play by post which doesn't require much in graphical power

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
main fulcrum
#

Given that I run games over nothing but Discord, I can confidently say yes. But you do still need the rules, dice and other people

rigid wing
main fulcrum
#

In some format. Even if you write your character details down on lined paper 🤣

cobalt frigate
#

Most virtual tabletop (VTT) just requires a web browser on a PC or laptop (they're not optimized for mobile phones because of the smaller screen real estate).

echo kelp
#

I do use DnDBeyond in my games for the ease of use and digital aspects (can send dice rolls to Discord using the Avrae Discord bot and DnDBeyond's Game Log)

rigid wing
#

I mean im down, Just so you know im german 😅

main fulcrum
#

I'm not looking for players right now.

And I do actually recommend filling out a proper character sheet just cause it tends to make things easier

rigid wing
#

I see

main fulcrum
rigid wing
#

Thanks

opaque ether
#

yippee summer has come now i can take my time to learn dnd 🙂

zinc loom
#

I wanna write some background story for the first character im making and where do I find stuff about locations or organizations for a criminal background? I just dont know what to write/what I could write

lapis wigeon
fathom idol
#

So when trying to use a weapon, does it have to be wielded before attacking?

ornate kiln
#

yes

fathom idol
#

Alr so you can only have two one handed weapon attacks ready or one two handed weapon attack ready?

ornate kiln
#

you can draw a weapon currently on your back or belt or whatever as part of your attack though.

#

you can hold a two handed weapon in one hand. you just need both hands free during the actual attack

fathom idol
#

So drawing a weapon doesn't take a turn? Or would I have to draw then wait till my next turn to attack with it?

cobalt frigate
#

It will be part of your Attack action.

fathom idol
ornate kiln
#

drawing doesnt take a turn, no. it takes an object interaction. You can make one object interaction on your turn for free as part of your movement or an attack

fathom idol
#

Ohhh, ty

ornate kiln
#

if you want to do a second object interaction, then that would cost you your action though

opaque ether
#

best way to learn dnd 🙂

fathom idol
ornate kiln
#

yes, stowing is also an object interaction

#

you can let weapons just fall for free though

fathom idol
ornate kiln
#

normally, no

fathom idol
#

Unless I have a bonus action right?

ornate kiln
#

no, bonus actions are not used for object interactions, unless you are a thief rogue

lapis wigeon
opaque ether
#

i dont understand very much about character creation like how is stats choosen or how every class effect the character i created like lets say i wanna create a spearman how i would i create that character? can someone explain to me in a simple way

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
lapis wigeon
opaque ether
ornate kiln
#

well you got a basic character idea: a person with a spear.
spears are STR based weapons, so you want a class that is good at using those. You also want a class that can make many attacks with that spear.

#

so look for classes that make multiple attacks and are good with STR based attacks

granite bloom
# opaque ether i dont understand very much about character creation like how is stats choosen o...

stats can be chosen with standard array (you are given a set of scores that you can assign to the abilities of your choice), point buy (you get a "pool" of points you can use to increase each ability score), or by rolling dice (roll 4d6 and add together the three highest rolls, do this until you have six numbers, assign them to the ability you want)
you can check https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/step-by-step-characters#3DetermineAbilityScores for a more detailed explanation

ornate kiln
#

it would help if you have more ideas about that character. Do they use a shield? do they have magic? etc

opaque ether
arctic quarry
#

Hello

opaque ether
arctic quarry
#

Im new here lol not new to the rp stuff tho i did some medieval like stuff in vrc but im like f it ima try dnd

opaque ether
#

🤠

arctic quarry
#

Lol nice

#

I own one for vrc

opaque ether
#

cool

arctic quarry
#

I saw some youtube videos of dnd and all that and im like hmmmm

opaque ether
arctic quarry
#

Lol me too

#

Honestly i might make one of my vampire characters that i use in one of my servs

opaque ether
arctic quarry
#

Lol

opaque ether
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one thing i am worried about is i am shy so after reading whole dnd basic rules i am sure i will not join any campaign

arctic quarry
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Lol wanna make one if we can bruda

ornate kiln
#

nobody expects new players to get everything perfect. even seasoned players make mistakes

#

and there are many places where DMs run games explicitly for new players

arctic quarry
#

I made alot of mistakes in other stuff

opaque ether
arctic quarry
#

Lol it alr

ornate kiln
#

ah well I know that one. Nothing to do but to push through.

arctic quarry
#

This does seem slightly hard but ill try

#

Alot of stuff you gotta put for your character and all that

opaque ether
#

i just wanna be a cowboy bang bang

arctic quarry
#

Lol

#

Well ima start making a character sheet

oak dawn
#

I'm VERY new to dming and i am gonna be dming for the first time for my friends ( who are new too ). I'm REALLYYYY exited!

opaque ether
#

and i will go back to reading whole basic rules again so i can ready myself to make a cowboy

opaque ether
oak dawn
#

Thank you :>

opaque ether
#

how much time does average campaign take to finish

cobalt frigate
#

An adventure could be short as one session.
An adventure could be several sessions long (a few weeks or months realtime).
A campaign, which can include several adventures within it, could be a year or even decades long (realmtime).

#

My current campaign has been going on for over two years and will last at least another two years at the pace the players are going.

opaque ether
cobalt frigate
#

¯_(ツ)_/¯

#

Players control the pace.

opaque ether
#

cool

#

is there way to create a character sheet from internet i wanna try creating my first character

pearl plover
cobalt frigate
harsh fjord
opaque ether
#

thx

#

good to know

hybrid quiver
#

I've already made a character but I'm looking for a place to start playing for the first time, where should I go

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
hybrid quiver
#

Cool nvm

wild onyx
dense wave
#

So myself, my partners sister, my partners best friend and my partner are looking into DND, we have a players handbook, what others would we need?

Dungeon Masters Guide
Monsters Manual

cobalt frigate
#

The free Basic Rules has everything you need to get started.

opaque ether
#

do i need to read all of the basic rules and memorize everything

cobalt frigate
#

No.

opaque ether
#

cool

cobalt frigate
opaque ether
true charm
opaque ether
#

so i dont have any dice in real life is that a problem -.-

cobalt frigate
#

You can use digital dice apps.

opaque ether
#

now only thing that is left for me to find my first campaign and create my character(moslty likely its going to be a cowboy bang bang)

dense wave
#

I've got that DnD beyond....just annoyed purchased books can't be added.

#

So don't worry about making some campaign, reading the convoluted rules etc, just do basic first

echo kelp
#

?books

exotic remnantBOT
#
Accessing Content on D&D Beyond

There are four ways to access content on D&D Beyond that you may have in your physical books

  1. Purchase the full digital book from the marketplace
  2. Purchase a digital/physical bundle from the marketplace
  3. Join a DnDBeyond campaign with someone who already owns the book where content sharing has been enabled
  4. Use the homebrew tools to copy the content from your physical book into D&D Beyond. Note: Do not publish any content copied in this way, it is for personal use only
pearl plover
dense wave
#

Ok thank you , is there another app for character building other than DND beyond

pearl plover
dense wave
#

Oh we will be playing in person

wise geode
#

I wanna get into d&d, how and where do i start?

wary moth
#

I wouldn’t exactly call myself a newcomer, but for some reason I’ve never really looked at anything involving warlock. What are its main features/strengths as a class?

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
harsh fjord
wary moth
#

(All I know is that it has a larger hit die than wizard, and spells are gained from a pact)

harsh fjord
#

Warlocks have very few spell slots, but yes, a larger hit die, they get spell slots back on a short rest, and they have a bunch of choices with spell-like abilities and such that make them very customizable. They also have built-in plot hook/NPC potential, which can make for quests and roleplay opportunities.

wise geode
harsh fjord
#

At least, not usually.

wise geode
#

So when i join a group, the dm will pick what website to use? Which ones are great for beginners so i know what to ask when I'm thinking about joining their campaign.

#

Im sorry if im asking lots of stupid questions, I'm just excited to learn and play d&d

harsh fjord
#

All good. Everyone starts somewhere. The DM will decide, but some of the common ones that you don’t need to sink money into just to use are D&D Beyond, Roll20, and Owlbear Rodeo. Discord is a popular communication tool, but you’re already using it! I’m sure there are others, but those are what come to mind off-hand.

wheat crystal
#

In my experience, with online play you’ll usually use ~2-3 things simultaneously. D&DBeyond to handle character sheets, Discord for voice communications, and a VTT (virtual tabletop) of the DM’s choice (usually roll20 or FoundryVTT)

wise geode
#

alrighty I'll study those websites so it won't be so much of a burden to the dm teaching me lol, um where do i find dm's that are willing to accept new people like me

harsh fjord
#

#looking-for-players, but not everyone who is open to newbies advertises it explicitly. You can always ask, though (and I recommend that you do!).

wise geode
#

oh I'll make sure to ask probably the first words they hear from me. A bit afraid to start my first campaign also another thing i do have ADHD so I'm worried that will be too much of a burden

harsh fjord
#

That’s something only you can consider whether you want to disclose; if folks aren’t willing to be accommodating, then that’s probably not the right table for you. I don’t have any advice on this score, but Ginny Di (a popular D&D YouTube creator) has some insight you may find useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEYtpUHCGq8

wise geode
#

I've heard of her, i think she has ADHD too right?

#

Is she a great person to watch to learn d&d

#

also thanks for the help

true musk
wise geode
#

thank you zero for the video

pastel ravine
#

Can I have an Elf as a wizard?

granite bloom
#

yes, there's no race restrictions on any class

pastel ravine
#

😄

#

Ik this next question is silly

#

But what about a crow with armored arms?

granite bloom
#

that could be a kenku (birdlike race that resemble corvids) with gauntlets

#

if kenku doesn't look appealing, you can flavor aarokocra (also a bird person, but this one can fly) as a crow, and for the gauntlets part, although wizards aren't proficient in any armor types, i don't think it's unreasonable to ask a dm to allow you to wear something on your arms as a visual thing (with no armor bonus)

harsh fjord
proper basin
#

Hi

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
proper basin
#

Hi can I be a elf archer 🏹

hybrid lichen
#

Yes, those are both standard parts of dnd!

#

You would be playing a ranger class most likely

proper basin
#

Ok

#

Thz

#

Thx

proper basin
#

When's the next session

#

??

mint jolt
#

session of what?

proper basin
#

Nvm

#

What do we do here

#

???

mint jolt
#

in this channel specifically, you can ask about questions you may have, specifically that of being a new player and sort of learning the ropes

proper basin
#

Ok thanks

#

☺️

bitter basin
#

Can anyone give me a quick little rundown?

#

I understand a little I've played some before but not a lot

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
cobalt frigate
proper basin
#

Can I change my role

harsh fjord
hidden idol
#

Hello!

deep nimbus
#

Hemlo

haughty sky
#

Hiya :>

bleak elm
#

Hey me new here c:

haughty sky
autumn timber
#

Hi!

restive wing
#

Hello folks

solemn light
#

Many folk pick both roles- and you can be both. Some folk also just pick a role for the colour 😉
If looking for a DM for a game, remembering you can only look for games in our LFG channels

autumn timber
#

Both! I play when I can, but I do DM more often.

restive wing
#

I am a new comer and I need some help

autumn timber
#

As Elgate said, check the lfg channels for games.

autumn timber
calm oak
#

got to love when i cast ice knife on a wolf, the wolf gets a nat 20, it dodges and I hit the only other person fighting (because everyone else is asleep or getting up to fight the wolfs)

fresh fable
calm oak
#

yes

#

should of said that lol

hybrid lichen
#

i dont think the wolf shoulve rolled there?

fresh fable
#

Well at least you did some damage to it

calm oak
#

nope

fresh fable
#

Ona hit 1d10 damage then 2d6 cold if they fail the dex save

hybrid lichen
#

ah

calm oak
#

there was 2 and the other was not in the explosion range

fresh fable
#

So the wolf didn’t take 1d10 damage that you hit?

calm oak
#

yep

#

it dodged like 10 feet i forgot

fresh fable
#

Yeah that not how that works

hybrid lichen
#

thats what i meant

#

it shouldnt negate all damage

calm oak
#

idk

#

idc really

fresh fable
#

If you target the wolf with ice knife and hit it takes the d10 damage then everyone within 5ft makes a dex save for the additional damage

calm oak
#

the knife missed because the wolf dodged and the explosion didnt hit anything besides the other person

fleet field
#

Also succeeding a Dex save doesn’t mean dodging and moving

fleet field
restive wing
fleet field
#

That’s not how that works. The reason AC includes Dex is to account for its ability to dodge

calm oak
#

dont worry

solemn light
calm oak
#

its fine

wild onyx
#

I can believe there's some colourful narration behind this. I can envisage the situation. Chap attacks, misses, blast hits the person they were trying to help? Rough luck.

restive wing
# autumn timber What do you need help with?

So baiscly I have made a simple campaign (ai assisted) for my friends and I to familiarize them with the game mechanics and what I need is someone to look over the campaign and tell me if it works or not....And for logistical reasons we do not have access to rule books or die (we are all Iraqi and live in Iraq D6 is the only die that exists can be

#

The die it self can be subsituted with websites or apps but rule books are another matter and that's where i need someone to help

solemn light
#

Ai content cannot be posted or shared on this server, so we'd be unable to look over an AI created campaign for you.

calm oak
fleet field
fresh fable
solemn light
#

The narration is sound, but in this case there was also rules being changed (such as the wolf rolling to avoid an attack roll.)

fresh fable
exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
restive wing
fleet field
fresh fable
#

If you have a personal discord get a bot like avrae or dice maiden for dice rolls

restive wing
#

Discords are easy enough to set up

wild onyx
restive wing
#

What about the campaign is anyone able to give it a look ?

wild onyx
solemn light
wild onyx
#

Yes. So the wolf getting a 20 would have had to be their saving throw against the blast, assuming the DM was doing it right. Everything else is the muddiness of narrative in the moment.

calm oak
#

mb sorry

solemn light
# wild onyx Yes. So the wolf getting a 20 would have had to be their saving throw against th...

I feel like we're getting off topic now for newcomers, but to explain Ice Knife:

Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 piercing damage. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes.
The wolf does not get a dex save against the initial 1d10 damage.

Some newer DMs might either misread ice knife, or assume that all rolls are contested, including attack rolls or saves. People's confusion above is because the wolf could not have dodged 10ft to avoid the 1d10 damage by rolling a nat 20.

wild onyx
#

Yeah. If that was an actual, token on a map move, that wouldn't be cool.

solemn light
# calm oak mb sorry

Also, for your sake Bobble, please don't take this as a 'Well you did it wrong, feel bad' discussion.
If you enjoyed the moment and how your DM rules things works for your group, it's fine. But if you were venting because that felt unfair, then it was in that is wasn't within the rules, so you might want to bring that up with your DM. Rule Mistakes are really common when first starting and don't have to be a bad thing- but if they ever start making anyone feel like something isn't quite right, worth a review.

#

(There's plenty of rule misreadings my group has just kept because it made more sense to us >.>)

calm oak
#

i think my dm is newer but like i said idc nothing major happened

sick stump
#

Question. The fire bolt cantrip needs a ranged attack roll to hit. But since it has no minimum range there's no disadvantage, right?

ornate kiln
#

All ranged attacks have disadvantage against creatures within 5 ft.

sick stump
#

Thank you kindly

ornate kiln
sick stump
#

Last combat was also the first time I hit a player. He got 13 damage with one attack. Mimics sure are strong

dense wave
#

Is there anything I could buy, download to help our little group get started? Like a character maker/ builder, and a kind of character sheet for tracking what we have etc. als

wise geode
#

I'm a bit scared to join my first campaign, I've always been when first starting things

fresh fable
#

You’ll be fine, just know your character sheet and have fun

midnight ravine
#

Can someone explain me to how active perception checks occur for NPCs against PCs who sneaking/hiding in 5e? IIRC passive DC is set by D20+Wis mod + stealth prof, but what advantage does active check give? Just advantage on roll?

#

Sorry rereading that it's confusing. In order: PC Hides, setting DC to detect as D20+WIS+Stealth. NPC Rolls active perception (because it knew PC was present) as D20+WIS+??

#

Or is it just advantage on the D20 to detect/disadvantaqge on the PC roll?

wild onyx
wild onyx
dense wave
midnight ravine
#

Is there any advantage for active vs passive per checks for NPCs?

wild onyx
#

It can be done if you add the content as your personal homebrew. The Beyond operation is providing the same "stuff" but as it's in a different way (accessible online, integrates with VTTs and so on) it's technically a separate product. I get you though.

wild onyx
midnight ravine
#

got it.

#

Because that would just be a set DC rather than a contest

#

I had a PC use cunning action hide against a giant gummy worm (cyclops proxy) on the outside of a starship with no visible cover. I wanted to humor them, but it was definitely going to have to be an active perception check and I wasn't sure if the fact that the creature knows the combatants present represented any advantage inherent with the active before I go saying "ok well it gets advantage now"

wild onyx
#

I am reminded of what friend Vincent says, which is "say what honesty demands." In that specific instance I feel it would have been fair to say while you can use cunning action to hide as a bonus action, it still requires you to have somewhere to hide.

midnight ravine
#

To quote the PC: "gummy worms aint got eyes" 🙂 It wound up being a really fun encounter- I just wanted to understand how that would work per the PHB because you know players. Thanks for the guidance!

fossil tangle
#

Hey, I'm brand new to DnD. Apart from finding a group to join, what should I get started with/ know in advance to my first session?

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
worthy pumice
#

hello, new to dnd here

#

aside from the dnd beyond site for character creation and other stuff anything else to get me started?

#

nvm

#

it's literally above me

timid locust
#

Check out the post just above you for the basic rules and some other useful resources! We've also got #learn-to-play if you need anything further. Let us know if you have any specific questions!

true musk
worthy pumice
timid locust
#

DnD Beyond isn't really a site to play on, it's more like a binder that helps you manage your character sheets and holds all your book content.

Things that you can help you visually see what you're doing are called Virtual Table Top programs, or VTTs. Popular ones are Owlbear Rodeo, Roll 20, Tabletop Simulator, and Foundry.

fossil tangle
dapper briar
#

I wanted to pick up the DMG since it’s on sale but understand a revised version comes out in November. Is it worth waiting for? I say this as a complete newb who wants to DM for a group that normally plays board games and has never played DnD. I have the starter and essentials DnD kits.

mellow scaffold
#

How do I find a game of dnd?

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
lyric fjord
#

is tabaxi good for a bard??

echo kelp
#

Any species is good with any class particularly if using the Tasha's rules that allow you to allocate the species/race bonuses into abilities of your choice (e.g. it's not locked down to specific abilities any more)

#

So yes, tabaxi would be fine for a bard

main fulcrum
dapper briar
main fulcrum
#

A lot of the book is given over to world building and creating monsters, which is pretty much irrelevant if you're running an existing adventure

#

Most, though not all, of the magic items are also in the basic rules

#

And it's the book I've pulled out least in 7 years

#

The running the game chapter is handy, but you can live without it

cobalt frigate
#

I rarely look at the DMG for the same reasons above but mostly because I have decades of DMing experience under my belt.

main fulcrum
#

I didn't even read the entire DMG until like 4 years in and that was only because I made myself

cobalt frigate
#

.I would consider Xanathar's and Tasha's update patches to the DMG.

dapper briar
#

K. My main struggle has been that even after reading through the starter guide I still feel a bit lost. I’m used to board games where all the rules and direction are very clear. So many what if scenarios that have me worried about DMing

#

I assumed another book might help, but maybe not

#

Appreciate the feedback

main fulcrum
#

The d&d rules can't cover everything because players are a wild card

#

That's partially what the DM is for

#

As for useful rules, the basic rules/PHB has most of what you'll need. So I'd read those if you haven't

#

The rules only in the DMG are mostly just extra/minutae

#

Despite what you might think, it's not actually a book that explains in detail the steps for running a game

dapper briar
#

Okay, good to know

white pasture
#

hi can someone just give me a quick overview what item slots everyone has at the beginning

echo kelp
#

Each class has their own starting equipment options - you can read them in the free basic rules

main fulcrum
#

D&D doesn't use item slots

#

There's starting equipment but you don't put it in slots like a video game

untold flint
#

That being said, there's some logic to things. You can't wear two pairs of boots on one pair of feet, for example.

main fulcrum
#

Yeah, it's mostly just "is it reasonable to wear this" with final judgment up to the DM

white pasture
#

ok thats...confusing
i'm was about to make a baldurs gate playthrough with like basic gear how you would have it in dnd

echo kelp
#

Yeah BG3 takes some liberties as it's a video game (needs to do video game stuff). It's not 1:1 exact with D&D 5th edition rules.

exotic remnantBOT
#

How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

YouTube
D&D Beyond
How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Get started and unlock the Baldur's Gate Gazetteer for free: https://dndbeyond.link/yt_BaldursGate_GettingStarted

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

►►D&D Beyond is your official digita...

▶ Play video
true musk
spare eagle
#

hi sorry to interrupt but i am totally new to dnd and i want to DM for the first time im playing i already got a campaign fully fleshed out (because it's from a videogame that i beat like 10 times already and have memorized every single thing about it) and it seems to fit well i got a map and all the npc's figured out so the question is SHOULD i be the DM for the first time that im playing?

main fulcrum
#

Sure. It's a little harder but totally doable

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
unique ravine
true musk
spare eagle
#

i mean its kinda pre-written

true musk
#

The reason I recommend a premade adventure is because it also incorporates combat and level design,

cobalt frigate
#

Video games and D&D aren't the same. The rules are different.

spare eagle
#

i know

#

im willing to change stuff

cobalt frigate
#

If you're new then you lack the experience to know what to balance

spare eagle
#

you are right

cobalt frigate
#

This is why we recommend a pre-written adventure

spare eagle
#

any good ones i should start with?

cobalt frigate
#

Experience includes trial and error

main fulcrum
#

There are some free starter adventure on d&d beyond

rigid wing
#

Hi

echo kelp
#

?tag ddb claim

exotic remnantBOT
echo kelp
#

^ Free stuff on DnDbeyond you can claim right now (some are adventures you can use and run)

harsh fjord
grave stone
#

Hey, I'm a new player, having played one 2.5 hour long oneshot with some buddies. We were supposed to start a proper campaign but that has kind of fallen through. I've already got a lvl 1 character sheet set up, just no one to play with.

cobalt frigate
dusky wind
#

ello, im someone who would like to play but i dont have a group or anyone to actually start and im fairly new so i have no idea how to find a group that can help me start playing and be fine with slightly teaching me

edgy onyx
charred charm
#

I am new as well I've played a few sessions but then had to leave unfortunately

left hull
#

Almost completely new to dnd and I've been a little confused trying to figure out my class spells. Im doing a homebrew Necromancer class and the table says I have 2 spells known for level 1. It says I learn Life Tap (necromancy spell) but also says i get to choose 2 spells from the wizard spell list.

Does that count as 3 or do class-specific spells count differently? Would I just learn 1 spell from the Wizard spell list then?

vague maple
sharp sky
#

Recommendations for how to build a punk rock bard goblin character?

harsh fjord
random tinsel
#

what does tpk mean

lament mica
random tinsel
magic wind
#

Hey guys! I am extremely new to the world of D&D. I have very limited experience but am eager to learn! I started my journey with Baldurs Gate 3 and listen to some podcasts, which just makes me more excited to start. I am looking for any tips on how to join/enter a session whether it be online or in-person.

trim solar
#

Hey everyone, I'm somewhat new, I've played very sparingly in person and online, I've absorbed an insane amount of Critical role (lol), and I've DM'd (only once but I did enjoy it very much. If anyone is looking for a semi knowledgable easy to get a long with player please DM me.

lament mica
lament mica
exotic remnantBOT
#

How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

YouTube
D&D Beyond
How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Get started and unlock the Baldur's Gate Gazetteer for free: https://dndbeyond.link/yt_BaldursGate_GettingStarted

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

►►D&D Beyond is your official digita...

▶ Play video
lament mica
trim solar
# lament mica ?tag new bg3

Through my perusing of the server I actually found it on my own before I saw your message but regardless thank you for your help :).

lament mica
#

np

gleaming hawk
#

Hi I’ve heard of dnd and always wanted to learn how to play but none of my friends play so I joined looking for people who could teach me

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
true musk
gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
#

OK so, the video video from One Shot Questers is indeed a great start for all the beginners

gleaming hawk
#

I’ll watch it rn and I’ll try to take notes on it yk

rigid cypress
#

So really... Let's get back to it once you've finished the video and will probably have some more questions about how the game is played

#

But really, D&D is TTRPG. All TTRPGs have basically the same principles: A group of 3 to 8 people get around a table, create characters whose abilities are written down on a sheet of paper, one of them is the game master who will handle the game world, the players play their characters interacting with the fictional world and its challenges.

gleaming hawk
#

That makes more sense thank you very much

rigid cypress
#

In the case of D&D, D&D is a heroic fantasy, sword and sorcery type of game, set in a world of magic. It's a class system, so a character has a level in a given class, levels go from 1 to 20. Each class has its specific gameplay and its specific rules. There are 13 official classes.

#

(There's also the multiclassing rules, but those are optional and let's not bother with them at first)

#

Indeed. So, as a player, you'll start by creating a character. A level 1 character is composed of three "core" things: Background, class and race.

#

"Race" meaning "species" in the context of D&D. An elf has different abilities from a dwarf.

#

Background is what the character did previously, what's their story, where did they come from. Where they raised in a temple, one of those children abandonned in front of a monastery as is sadly common in times of famine, disease or war? Or perhaps they're a scion to a powerful noble family?

willow rock
#

Let me be specific I’m new to dungeons and dragons, but I have played BG3 so I understand somethings

rigid cypress
#

Ah, so that takes care of things!

#

Well, one thing to keep in mind is that BG3, due to being a computer game, makes quite a few meaningful changes to specific rules.

#

Otherwise...If you've played BG3 and know how a TTRPG game works, you basically know the broad strokes of how to play D&D.

exotic remnantBOT
#

How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

YouTube
D&D Beyond
How to Go from Baldur's Gate 3 to D&D w/ D&D Beyond

Get started and unlock the Baldur's Gate Gazetteer for free: https://dndbeyond.link/yt_BaldursGate_GettingStarted

Take the leap from Baldur's Gate 3 to Dungeons and Dragons with D&D Beyond! Unlock free rules, adventures, dice sets and more to continue your adventure in the world's greatest roleplaying game!

►►D&D Beyond is your official digita...

▶ Play video
willow rock
#

Now this is probably what I needed thanks

rigid cypress
#

It is something we have to say quite often

true musk
#

Do note, there are some key differences between 5e and BG3.

rigid cypress
#

People say it often because it's worth saying, especially to newcomers

#

Now that last one was just comical

echo kelp
#

Okay moving on (yes new folks have played BG3 and will ask similar questions about how BG3 relates to D&D rules)

#

For new to D&D folks we also have #learn-to-play and the pinned resources here int his channel.

#

(and also the nice folks here willing to answer your specific questions)

rigid cypress
#

Anyways @gleaming hawk: A character has a personality, which is generally a product of their background, skills that they're particularly good at, attributes of strength, dexterity, constitution, intelligence, wisdom and charisma that define their traits. Player Characters (PCs for short) have an attribute score generally between 8 and 20. For strength, 8 would mean undevelopped muscles, someone who is not strong, while 20 would mean one of the strongest people in the world

#

Same goes for all attributes.

#

Every class works on different attributes. Wizards want intelligence to cast their spells, while barbarians want constitution to be able to take a lot of damage, and strength to deal a lot of damage

gleaming hawk
#

Thank you again for the explanation it helped more w the details than the video did but it’s probably cause I was tryna take it in all at once

rigid cypress
#

It can be a lot, yes.

#

Honestly, if you're more of a reader, I'd advise just opening the player's guide, the core rulebook of the game, and just reading it.

gleaming hawk
#

I think I get it now I’m doing a 5 e character sheet rn tryna come up with a rouge character to create my character

rigid cypress
#

It's rather dry, but it goes into all the details you need slowly enough that you are not likely to feel overwhelmed

gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
#

Otherwise, there are lots of live play sessions such as critical role or dimension 20 where people film themselves playing. It's not the most accurate representation of what the normal game is like, but it shows how the game is played.

#

Anyways, if you're making a rogue, do you want some explanation of the class?

#

It is a good addendum, yes.

gleaming hawk
true musk
gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
#

So, the rogue: If you open the class description, you'll notice a wealth of information, so we might as well go piece by piece. I already mentionned that levels go from 1 to 20. As you defeat challenges, your character will level up.
The proficiency bonus is what's added to everything your character is proficient with. Most rolls are made with a 20 sided die, to which you add certain numbers, including the proficiency bonus if you're proficient in the action you're taking. So, for an example: Let's say your character is trying to hide from a guard patrol inside a bush. The guards are relatively perceptive, so your character needs to roll 13 or higher. You roll a stealth check. Stealth is skill that is based on your dexterity. Your character has, let's say, 16 dexterity, which gives them a +3 to all rolls based on dexterity. You roll your die, it gave you a 9. You add your dexterity modifier, which is +3, you've got 12. If your character is not proficient in stealth, that's the end of it, the guards find them. If your character is proficient in stealth, your character adds a +2 proficiency bonus, giving you 14, and the guards do not find you.

gleaming hawk
#

That seems good also thank you so much by the way you are helping out so much more than when I first tried to learn

rigid cypress
#

Proficiency bonus gets higher as you level up, as shown in the table. The rogue has two main things in the early levels: Sneak attack, expertise, and plenty of skills. The rogue chooses four skills they're proficient with, while most other classes only get two. That gives the rogue more versatility. Expertise allows you to double your proficiency bonus in two skills of your choosing. So, in the example I used, the character with 16 dexterity and proficiency in stealth has a +5 to stealth, but if that character decides to put their expertise in stealth, that character has a +7, making them an extremely sneaky person

#

Solid Snake style. Or whatever sneaky pop culture character you prefer

#

Since the proficiency bonus gets higher and higher as you level up, expertise gets a lot better in the higher levels since it doubles the proficiency bonus on those skills

#

In the early levels, it's the difference between having +5 and +7. In the higher levels, it's the difference between having +11 and +17.

left hull
gleaming hawk
#

If I’m not replying it’s just me copying and pasting to my notes app

rigid cypress
#

So, expertise and the wealth of skills the rogue gets are explained, now we want to explain the rogue's sneak attack. For that, we need to explain how combat works. Basically, any creature (the term "creature" in D&D means literally anything capable of moving and acting on its own, so not a vehicle, not an object, not a structure) has hit points. When hit points reach 0, they're unconscious and might die. So the goal of combat is to get the enemy to 0 before you get to 0. Sneak attack is the rogue's ability to deal more damage in certain, specific conditions.

wise geode
gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
#

When a character hits an enemy (meaning that their attack connects, and does not miss and is not completely negated by the enemy's armor or scales or whatever) (it's a 20-sided die, like skills), a character rolls damage. Damage generally depends on the type of weapon used, so let's say your character is using a dagger for the sake of argument. A dagger deals 1d4 damage when it hits and is a "finesse" weapon. Finesse weapons are melee weapons that allow you to use your dexterity modifier instead of your strength for attack and damage.
So, you are proficient with the use of a dagger, which means you roll 1d20+your dexterity modifier+your proficiency bonus (for the hypothetical rogue with 16 dexterity we used as an example, that would be 1d20+5), and if that's a high enough number to hit the enemy, bypass their Armor Class (that's basically their ability to avoid damage, if you roll below someone's armor class, your attack missed because they dodged or their armor saved them), you roll 1d4+dexterity modifier damage. For that hypothetical rogue, that's 1d4+3.

#

Tell me if there's something you don't get, it can be a lot

gleaming hawk
#

I’m understanding most of it so far and I can’t thank you enough for your patience man you’ve been helping me learn and I really appreciate it

rigid cypress
#

Anyways, in specific conditions, a rogue can sneak attack an opponent and deal 1d6 more damage. This requires either using a ranged weapon (a bow for example), or a finesse weapons. I've already explained that finesse is a subcategory of weapons, so it should be fine. The dagger is a finesse weapon, so you can sneak attack with it! But you can't make a sneak attack with a weapon that lacks finess, such as a greataxe, a longsword...

#

Now, for the sneak attack to trigger, you need to hit with a weapon that is either ranged or in the finesse subcategory and you need either advantage or an ally within 5 feet of the enemy you hit.

#

What is advantage? It's simple. You know how you roll a single 20 sided die when you want to hit someone, or use a skill?

#

That is actually an excellent precision, thank you very much

#

"Advantage" is what happens when some circumstance helps you with your action. If, for example, you are attacking an enemy who is unaware of your presence, you have advantage, because they are not expecting to be attacked. So our rogue, hidden in the bushes, who rolled a 14 to hide against the guard, takes out his dagger and decides to stab the guard in the back. The guard has no idea there's someone there, so the rogue rolls with advantage. Rolling with advantage means rolling twice, and taking the better roll. Our guard is wearing a leather armor and is not particularly dextrous, so his armor class is 12. The rogue rolls two twenty sided dice, the first ones gives us a 6, the second one gives us a 19. The rogue has a +5 to hit with their dagger attack, so 6+5=11, their first roll would have resulted in them missing. But the second roll is a hit, since it results in 24, more than enough to get the guard. Since the rogue had advantage, the rogue chooses to take the better of the two results.
The rogue then rolls 1d4 (the dagger's base damage) + 3 (their dexterity modifer) + 1d6 (the sneak attack). Let's say it results it 3+3+5=11 damage, which might be enough to either kill the guard or knock him unconscious, as the rogue may decide.

#

The damage is substracted to the guard's hit points, so if the guard had... I don't know, let's say 10 hit points, he's now at 0 hit points (you can't go into the negatives). The rogue decides if it's a killing blow, or if the guard was knocked unconscious and will wake up with a major headache in a few hours.

#

If the rogue is fighting with a teammate, it is much easier to use a sneak attack, as the rogue does not need advantage, only to hit a creature who is within five feet of an ally. So if the party is fighting a bunch of goblins, and the rogue's fighter friend is having a sword duel with the chief of the goblins, the rogue may decide to target the goblin chief and, even without advantage, that will be a sneak attack

#

Is it all clear so far?

#

I fear I may have gone overboard.

gleaming hawk
#

It’s all clear don’t worry i understand what you’re tryna say

rigid cypress
#

Anyways, another important mechanic, is disadvantage which, as the name implies, is the advantage's evil twin brother. When you have advantage on a roll, you roll twice and take the best result, when you have disadvantage, you roll twice and take the worst result

#

When you have a source of advantage and disadvantage at the same time, they cancel each other. And multiple advantages and disadvantages do not stack

#

So, let's say our rogue wants to attack the guard, but now let's say that it's extremely dark and the rogue is from one of the races that don't see too well in the dark (elves, for example, have darkvision, which means that their eyes are very well suited to the darkness)

#

Without darkvision, our rogue has disadvantage from being in the dark, but also advantage from the guard not knowing they're there. So, they cancel each other and the rogue rolls once, and can't use their sneak attack

#

OK, sneak attack explained, basic rules of combat explained, skills explained, proficiency explained, advantage and disadvantage explained... I think that's all the core basics.

gleaming hawk
#

Thank you so much again

rigid cypress
#

Otherwise, the only other notable things with a first level rogue are a d8 hit die, that means that a first level rogue has a number of hit points equal to 8+their constitution modifier, and in the later levels will have to choose between rolling a d8 and adding their constitution modifier or taking the average to see how many hit points they gain every time they gain a level. A d8 hit die is not a lot, it's better than the wizard (d6), worse than the fighter (d10) and much worse than the barbarian (d12). So that means the rogue is a class that doesn't have too many hit points and does not want to be targetted by enemies.

#

And since a rogue is only proficient in light armor, rather than medium or heavy armor, their Armor Class (the number the enemy needs to roll to hit them) won't go too high. So yeah, you don't want to be too close to melee.

gleaming hawk
#

That’s understandable since a rouge is based mainly off stealth and speed from what I’m learning

rigid cypress
#

Exactly

open kernel
#

and reactions in general

rigid cypress
#

Not really the core basics, but yeah, let's go there in a minute

quartz moon
#

huelo ppl, how can i get started with a game, i created a character through roll20

rigid cypress
#

And finally, saves. Not all bad things that can happen to you is an attack or results in losing hit points, that's what saving throws are for. The rogue is proficient in dexterity and intelligence saving throws, so when do you roll those?
If you are fighting a spellcaster, for example, that spellcaster may launch a fireball at you and your party. The spellcaster will not roll any attack roll for that, you are the one responsible for protecting yourself from the fireball and that's what your dexterity saving throw is for. Everyone in the area affected by the raging inferno of a fireball will roll a dex saving throw, that represents how quick they are to protect themselves. For people who are not proficient in dexterity saves, that will be 1d20+their dexterity modifier. For people proficient, like the rogue, it will be 1d20+dex modifier+proficiency bonus. So the rogue is more likely than, for example, the wizard, to succeed in protecting themselves.

#

Different saves affect different kinds of stuff. Intelligence saving throws will mostly be used for...Illusions for example

quartz moon
rigid cypress
#

And finally, actions, bonus actions, and reactions. Characters only get one action, one bonus action, and one reaction in a single combat round. Attacking, for example, is an action. Reactions are specific. You can only take an action and a bonus action when it's your turn, but a reaction happens in response to something someone else is doing

#

The most common type of reaction you will see in a D&D game is the opportunity attack.

gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
#

Opportunity attacks are the reason why moving around the battlefield can be dangerous. When you leave a creature's space, you expose yourself to the creature and that creature can use its reaction to attack you

#

So when you are in melee with the goblin chief, and are low on hit points, you are in a very dangerous situation because just running away will allow the goblin chief to stab you, which may be enough to drop you unconscious.

jagged knot
#

Sup guys just joined

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
jagged knot
#

Cool

rigid cypress
true musk
jagged knot
#

I just smite a rat in the demo

jagged knot
rigid cypress
#

So, how do you avoid being stabbed in the back by the goblin chief when you really, really need to stop being in melee with them? You use the disengage action. It's a specific action, when you take it, you can't be targetted by opportunity attacks. But since you only get one action in a turn, you won't be able to attack the goblin chief. You're focusing on getting away from him

#

There are three types of "movement actions" in that game: Disengage, Dash and Dodge. The triple Ds. Dash doubles your movement speed, allowing you to run away faster, or to catch up to an enemy faster, Dodge gives everyone who attacks you disadvantage.

#

And that's it. That's really all the basics of playing a first level rogue.

#

I covered a lot of the base rules of the game, but once you know all of that, you have all the basics to understand everything else relevant to playing a rogue

#

Just remember that there's four main actions you can take in combat as a first level rogue: Attack, dodge, dash, disengage. But you can only take one in a given turn, so choose wisely depending on the situation. Keep in mind that if the goblin chief runs away from you without disengaging, you also can make an opportunity attack against him. And depending on the circumstances, you may add your sneak attack to it

#

Or mess up a bit, it's the fastest way to learn

#

Any question @gleaming hawk?

quartz crane
#

Would the feat "defensive duelist" be good on a rouge?

vague maple
#

For example, a pre-built campaign called ||Strixhaven|| allows it's players to get certain spells ||depending on what "house" they join, similar to harry potter's houses.|| Players automatically learn spells from these houses that do not count against spell capacity. Otherwise it would be seen almost as punishment or a downgrade from the vast list that players can typically chose from.

jaunty herald
#

how should i explain the difference between background and backstory to some new players
they think they're basically the same thing

vague maple
#

Background is what their backstory made them into. Oftentimes they are very similar. But the backstory is what the player makes, sort of the flavor of the character's story.

#

For example, my Tabaxi is an Urchin. That's his background. His backstory is that he was thrown out of his home by his parents from a very early age (maybe a little longer than that but you get my point).

pallid pumice
#

I think background is like where they come from and backstory is what happened in their past that made them into what they are

main fulcrum
#

Background is mechanical, backstory is flavor/RP

untold flint
jaunty herald
#

cuz they just went ahead and made their own backgrounds, and im tryna tell em to maybe not start off doing that

vague maple
gusty wharf
#

How do ya’ll typically decide what your stats are?

jaunty herald
#

fair nuff

main fulcrum
#

Did they actually make mechanical backgrounds? You can help them adjust those into proper custom backgrounds if needed

true musk
vague maple
main fulcrum
#

Since rules for custom backgrounds are in the PHB

untold flint
jaunty herald
#

they did, so thats not a problem at least

gusty wharf
vague maple
autumn timber
#

I prefer point buy to keep players balanced with each other.

vague maple
# gusty wharf cool.

Ok you can use point buy but if you're gonna do it, don't do that thing where you make all the stats balanced

#

Imo that takes the fun out of being in a party in D&D

exotic remnantBOT
#

Abilities

Six abilities provide a quick description of every creature's physical and mental characteristics: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.

For each ability, your character has an ability score, a number from 1 to 20. There are three ways to determine ability scores, and your DM will let you know which to use. (If you don’t have a DM yet, choose Standard Array or Point Buy.)

  • Roll the Dice. Roll 4d6 and record the total of the highest three. Do this six times, and then assign each total to a different ability.
  • Standard Array. Assign each of the following numbers to a different ability: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
  • Point Buy. Choose your own ability scores by spending points.

After assigning your ability scores (and adding any bonuses from your race), determine your ability modifiers, a number from -5 to +5, using the Ability Scores and Modifiers table.

gusty wharf
#

Thanks Dyno

true musk
main fulcrum
#

I mean it's languages or tools Shrug

pallid pumice
#

I was wondering what everyone wa talking about. this isnt even the right server😅

main fulcrum
#

You don't have to take languages if you don't want to

vague maple
untold flint
vague maple
#

In my experience +1s and +2s don't really do anything, so I find it impractical anyways.

#

Especially when another member of the party has a higher bonus and they're able to do whatever it is themselves.

true musk
#

The help action does give advantage. Roll a d20 twice and go with the higher of the two rolls.
Don't know what you mean by the dice don't care about modifiers.

#

Is there a newcomer question you're leading up to?

silver torrent
#

what channel do i go to to ask about character builds?

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
gleaming hawk
rigid cypress
gleaming hawk
spring parrot
#

I’m looking to join a campaign, I’ve played a campaign a friend of mine maid, an open world, loosely structured but deeply developed world. I had so much fun with that and I’d like to find a campaign to join in order to recreate some of that fun. @ me if you have an open spot in a campaign, ongoing to beginning. I’d love to join.

magic sundial
#

you can look for dms seeking players or you can make a post as a player seeking a dm

spring parrot
#

Yeah I did

primal abyss
#

hey

autumn timber
#

Hello there! Need any help or just saying hi?

dusky jetty
#

anybody china play ？i looking for some

autumn timber
#

This is an English speaking server, so the majority of players are from North America and Europe. I don't know of any Chinese lfg areas either sadly.

fossil hound
#

Hello, I'm very new to the D&D scene.
I read the basic rules and have dice. A little guidance on creating a character would be helpful since it was a lot of information to take in T-T

#

I just need somewhere to start, really.

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
autumn timber
#

There's a link above to the Handbook Helper series, which I'd recommend for understand the rules better. There's also a link the D&D Beyond if you want to try the official online character creator, which can make a printable pdf as well.

fossil hound
twilit dagger
#

I heard of dnd and wanna try it (thankfully summer break just started)

#

How i be kobold

cobalt frigate
#

As we answered in #dnd-discussion you need to have access to the book, Mordenkainen's Multiverse of Monsters

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
clever halo
#

Hi can someone teach me how to play d and d

cobalt frigate
#

@clever halo Check the links above.

twilit dagger
#

So i made a character

#

What now

cobalt frigate
#

Have you read the rules?

twilit dagger
#

Yeah

#

I think i forgor some

#

I have bad memory

cobalt frigate
#

Read the Basic Rules (link is above)

#

There's no point joining a table if you don't know how to play the game.

#

You don't need to memorize everything.

grave mulch
#

Hi there

fleet field
#

Hi

grave mulch
#

I think its better to see others playin forst

fleet field
#

We don’t play on this server

grave mulch
#

First*

grave mulch
fleet field
#

We teach but we don’t actually play

grave mulch
exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
fleet field
grave mulch
#

Ok 🫀

autumn timber
#

The Handbook Helper series is great for not having to just read all the information as well.

charred hare
#

Hello

autumn timber
#

Hi! Welcome!

wise geode
#

Ok guys: how can you over come the nervousness of joining your first campaign when you plan to join one

#

its my social anxiety speaking

charred roost
analog walrus
#

Is there any way I could get my druid to be an amputee and make himself like a plant prosthesis that he himself can control?

analog walrus
charred roost
#

Idk how to start 🧍🏽

wise geode
wise geode
wild onyx
#

Read through the Basic Rules. At least get familiar with how to roll dice and run your character. Be open to listening and asking questions. And don't worry about trying to make the most interesting PC - a wood elf ranger, human fighter or dwarf cleric are perfectly valid.

terse minnow
#

Hey there. I'm new here🦖

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
ornate kiln
#

hello all, check out these links to get started!

analog walrus
#

Which is better fire bolt or produce flame?

glossy heart
#

depends

#

for pure combat porpuse i´d say firebolt

wild onyx
#

Fire bolt is a simple attack cantrip. Produce flame does less damage, but is more versatile.

They're also from different class spell lists.

ornate kiln
#

most of the time, firebolt is better. Produce flame's biggest weakness it its range

#

though if you really need a light source, then it does have a niche

dire fossil
#

Produce flame can be a light source iirc RAW fire bolt can't

analog walrus
#

So if I'm making a high elf druid what cantrip should I pick for the high elf?

echo kelp
#

whichever wizard cantrip you want (high elves can pick one wizard cantrip as it's part of their race/species feature)

analog walrus
#

Yeah but idk what wizard cantrips are fun

echo kelp
#

It's not a bad idea to have a mix of utility and combat cantrips in your list.
So something like presdigitation and fire bolt, or mage hand and chill touch.

#

So read through the wizard spells cantrip list and see what sounds fun and interesting for you.

analog walrus
#

Yeah I'm just playing a high elf druid so I don't know what mix of spells I should choose

#

It's not my first time using druid but it is my first time with wizard cantrips

ornate kiln
#

Id pick something for utility that isnt on the druid list, like mage hand or prestidigitation.

analog walrus
#

Kk, thanks for the advice

lavish pumice
#

Hello~ I'm here again with another question since i had the time.

May I ask if what races/subraces and classes would be suitable for making a character being fully new to dnd?

wild onyx
lavish pumice
wild onyx
lavish pumice
halcyon gorge
#

hi guys, am i right to ask about how this server works here or do i go elsewhere? ive never used a server to find a d&d game.

hollow cave
#

hello chat! i’m new to dnd but have read a bit of the starter book and have completed 2 different character creations an elf and a half-orc. i’m interested in medieval/fantasy storylines, if there’s a specific game i could join i’d appreciate the input!

wild onyx
#

Welcome @halcyon gorge and @hollow cave ! This server is primarily for all manner of discussion around D&D 5e, we have channels to chat about characters ( #character-discussion ), seek advice as a DM ( #dm-discussion ) and for organising games with other people ( #find-a-game ).

Take a look around, feel free to participate in the chats (but stay on topic!) and maybe you can find a game to play.

halcyon gorge
#

okay thank you!

lyric fjord
worn scaffold
#

It means you use your imagnation, there's no software involved with a interactive map
your mind is your "theatre"

last radish
#

how do i create a rouge necromancer?

crude musk
#

You can't, necromancer is a wizard subclass, not rogue

#

You can make a wizard necromancer by choosing wizard at level 1, and then at level 2 choosing necromancer as your subclass

#

A subclass is a specialisation of your base class, every class has several (at least 4)

last radish
#

can you have a rouge with wizard subclass?

crude musk
#

No, you cannot

ornate kiln
#

you could multiclass wizard with rogue, but that is very different.

crude musk
#

You can do something called multiclassing that lets you be both a wizard and a rogue, but that's beyond the scope of this channel

autumn timber
#

You can play an arcane trickster, which is a subclass of rogue. I don't know the list of spells they can take, but I think there's some necromancy in there.

timber tusk
#

When you level up you can choose a different class if you want. If you start as a rogue and take a few levels in wizard you can get some basic necromancy spells.

crude musk
#

Again, multiclassing is not within the scope of discussion for the basics

untold flint
autumn timber
#

Maybe not then if they want to focus on it. Thanks!

ancient hearth
#

hello, i would like to learn how to play dnd i hope we can play someday ^^

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
last radish
#

how can i make a necromancer on dndb?

true musk
#

As davyd mentioned you choose the wizard class then when you reach level 2, you choose the necromancies subclass. Provided you own the book the subclass is from.

ornate kiln
#

school of necromancy is a wizard subclass. you can chose it at second wizard level, if you have access to it on D&D Beyond. (its in the player's handbook)

#

you can also make a "necromancer" more broadly by picking the right spells. Both Cleric and Wizard have these spells on their list

fading perch
#

Hello! I am gearing up to DM / play D&D for the first time. I am reading the monster manual and my first question I felt the need to come here and ask is... when X monster has an action that states "Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit... what am I rolling? A d20 seems to easy

echo kelp
#

All attack rolls and skill checks use a d20 plus whatever modifier and bonuses apply. So yes that would be a d20 + 4 for the monsters attack.

true musk
fading perch
#

Okay thank you. I have the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, the monster Mannual, and I picked up Tales from the Yawning Portal for inspiration.

#

I am crafting my own small adventure, just attempting to soak up some basics before playing.

spice widget
#

Am I able to buy the Path of the Giant Barbarian subclass on DND beyond or do I have to buy the full sourcebook?

echo kelp
#

DnDBeyond's new marketplace has removed the option to buy individual items (a la carte purhcasing).
You will have to buy the full source book or be in a DnDBeyond campaign with content sharing enabled and someone in that campaign having the book.

#

?books

exotic remnantBOT
#
Accessing Content on D&D Beyond

There are four ways to access content on D&D Beyond that you may have in your physical books

  1. Purchase the full digital book from the marketplace
  2. Purchase a digital/physical bundle from the marketplace
  3. Join a DnDBeyond campaign with someone who already owns the book where content sharing has been enabled
  4. Use the homebrew tools to copy the content from your physical book into D&D Beyond. Note: Do not publish any content copied in this way, it is for personal use only
echo kelp
#

Also for future reference, DnDBeyond techinical support questions are best directed to #ddb-support

spice widget
#

Oh, well damn. Ok thanks for the help, I hadn't realised they'd done that.

echo kelp
#

Yeah we've been collecting feedback in #ddb-feedback and sending it back up the chain.

spice widget
#

I'll take a look. I play with a mostly student group so it was a big deal for us.

fading perch
#

How do I determine hit die, and what are they?

#

Where should I be looking in these books!

echo kelp
#

Hit dice are determined by the character class(es).

fading perch
#

Thank you

#

Do you roll for hit dice once every level and that's your max )getting them back with long rest)

#

or do you reroll your max hit dice evry long rest?

echo kelp
#

Hit dice go up based on class level. They can be expended to regain hit points by a character during a short rest. Characters reagin half of their expended hit dice on a long rest.

#

So a 10th level fighter would have 10 d10 pool of hit dice.

fading perch
#

Oh I think I understand

#

Thank you

brave marsh
#

Hii

echo kelp
#

Welcome!

fast crypt
#

Hello!

iron onyx
exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
mellow trellis
#

howdy y'all. do people mostly hang out here or has anyone tried the roll20 discord?

echo kelp
#

We don't actually host games here on this server. But we have lots of channels ( #channel-guide ) to discuss specific topics of D&D

crimson flower
#

Hiya I'm new around here and new to Dnd and need a lil help getting into it can anyone lend a hand please?

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
echo kelp
#

After going through things, feel free to ask specific questions here or in an appropriate channel (see #channel-guide)

crimson flower
#

Thank you so much kind sir

hollow obsidian
#

Me and my group just started playing (3 sessions in), our dm has been playing a lot more than is thankfully. We are currently doing Dragon's heist campaign and yesterday we almost got a tpk cause we went down to a basement by saying "we go down", got 2 of us down immediately (lucky rolls of the dm didn't help lol) and then plot armor came in so we got revived by the city guards etc. Only for our thief to get obliterated by try to open the main door of Volo's house... so now he's gonna play as a cleric of War. How can we avoid this from happening, other than be more careful and explainbetter what we are gonna do? I'm playing a dragonborn bard, we have a elf paladin and well, the new cleric soon.

grave mulch
# exotic remnant

Guys actually its a very long reading 🙂
Too much is there a summary of this anywhere ?

#

I mean the second link

cobalt frigate
#

You only need to read the first four chapters on character creation, Chapter 7 on Abilities, and Chapter 9 on combat rules. You DON'T need to memorize everything but familiarize yourself with the rules.

pastel ravine
#

Anyone doing a campaign that I can join in on rn?

cobalt frigate
tulip saddle
#

what's a homebrew?

cobalt frigate
#

Anything not officially published by Wizards of the Coast (WotC)

lyric fjord
#

Hi i‘m new and i wanna play it but idk how it works

harsh fjord
# hollow obsidian Me and my group just started playing (3 sessions in), our dm has been playing a ...

It's really difficult to give advice because D&D isn't a video game: what works at one table isn't guaranteed to work at another. My recommendation is to talk to the others at the table. Being new means not having a lot of experience to draw on, and while you can get that by just playing (and "failing"), I personally don't think it's out of line to ask the DM above game if you can tip the odds in your favor any (and if so how). (I don't think "Get good" is a healthy mentality in D&D.) The line between acceptable and unacceptable metagaming is idiosyncratic, though, so don't be surprised if the discussion shuts down quickly.

You can also talk to your fellow players about better strategy: can you do some recon to get better information to help you prepare more? Can you purchase some useful equipment/items? Can you have a convincing lie to help get you where you're not supposed to be? Can you coordinate your battle strategy better? Of course, the dice can undo all careful plans, so you can only do so much to make things go how you want.

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
harsh fjord
lyric fjord
hollow obsidian
undone cosmos
#

Heya ! , how does polymorph work ? What is the players CR ? , if we are lvl 8 are we CR 8 ?

edgy onyx
ornate kiln
#

players dont have a CR

junior yoke
#

Hello

silk galleon
junior yoke
#

How are you?

silk galleon
#

Good hbu

silk galleon
junior yoke
#

Yeah

silk galleon
#

how long have you been playing for?

junior yoke
#

Yeah

silk galleon
junior yoke
#

I havent

silk galleon
#

oh

junior yoke
#

I'm just learning

silk galleon
#

what all do you know so far

#

because i could help you out with the basics

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
silk galleon
#

ah ok

junior yoke
#

Ik like class names and partially the races

silk galleon
#

ok

#

have you made a character yet?

plucky ridge
fallen surge
#

There is also the #learn-to-play channel, for even more detailed guides and resources

junior yoke
silk galleon
junior yoke
#

Ik how just haven't

silk galleon
#

just dm me if you have any questions

fallen ice
#

Can I join any campaigns

echo kelp
frigid helm
#

Or that^

feral tinsel
#

Can someone help me start a campaign I have a idea for it but I don’t know how to start it

echo kelp
brittle locust
#

Hello everyone this place is almost overwhelming but so cool to see

fallen surge
#

Welcome! Which part is overwhelming to you, the server or D&D?

brittle locust
#

just how much stuff there is in this discord and I am soooooo new to D&D that there is a lot about it I feel so dumb about from lack of experience really

#

and thank you

oak valley
#

Excuse me, I seem to be lost I’m looking for people for my campaign

#

Can you please help me?

exotic remnantBOT
#
Ready to play Dungeons & Dragons?

Visit #find-a-game for everything you need to start your search, including:

  • Instructions for finding a game here on the server (including how to post in our #looking-for channels).
  • Suggestions for finding a game outside of this server.
  • Basic advice to help you in your hunt.
fallen surge
visual vapor
#

Hey guys! As a begginer DM, what book from the big 3 should I get? I want to start to make my own campaings, seems easier to make things on the fly

echo kelp
visual vapor
#

Ok, im going to ask there

wise geode
#

Is a camera required or is that a if Dm wants it thing

echo kelp
#

Cameras are generally optional - you certainly don't need one to play D&D in person 😉

wise geode
#

Oh yeah thanks for reminding me. I'm going to this gamestore on Thursday to check out what's it like playing d&d in person

heavy seal
#

Hi! I've never played D&D before, but lately I've found the game to be really interesting! Any tips for a complete noob?

exotic remnantBOT
#
What is D&D?
How does it work?
  • The Basic Rules are available at no cost and cover everything you need to know to play.
  • For bite-sized video explanations, check out Critical Role's Handbooker Helper series.
Where do I start?
cobalt frigate
main fulcrum
#

If you're just getting one, I'd still take the players handbook over the DMG

#

Even for DMs

#

Sure, but I don't recommend that beginner DMs actually try to do that either. It can be better to get practice in running games before you try that step

#

And the PHB is infinitely more useful for that than the DMG

echo kelp
#

Big 3 is typically PHB, DMG, and MM

#

So PHB is a useful answer if that context is true

#

Different people have different mental models and ways to approach things.

main fulcrum
#

Which is valid. For me, I consider the parts in the DMG easier to make up than the parts in the PHB
And thus the DMG less valuable

frigid helm
#

My experience has been the exact opposite funnily enough.

echo kelp
#

Well I think we've come to the end of that discussion so let's make sure to keep the channels clear here for new to D&D folks to ask their questions and get help getting started.

kind lake
#

Hello I am a new DM and I want to make the travel in my campaign more interesting. The region I made for the campaign is based in South Africa so they mostly end up encountering a couple of gnolls or a giant scorpion. Any tips to make traveling more interesting?

vale moat
#

so how do u play dnd online

autumn timber
#

The most common method is to use a voice chat service (like Discord) and a VTT (virtual tabletop) service for combats. There are several other methods though like play by post or theatre of the mind.

vale moat
#

where do i go to get in a game tho

autumn timber
#

Check #find-a-game for that information on finding a game here.

vale moat
#

alr thanks

quartz vault
#

Me and my friend have been trying to plan a dnd campaign for the two of us for like, a month. We uh, have not gotten that far. We've made characters and stuff but we're kind of stuck since we don't have a dungeon master, we're gonna try using AI. What should we do bruh 💔

vale moat
#

Ill be the dungeon master if you teach me the basics

quartz vault
#

we do notknow the basics 💔

vale moat
#

alr

autumn timber
quartz vault
#

TY!!1

fleet field
exotic remnantBOT
fleet field
vale moat
#

alr thanks