Thunder

[grayacegrace]

DM: We're coming up on a major setting change in the campaign, so we should talk about maybe switching to [D&D 5e] hard mode! Like we could make it so you can only roll checks if you're proficient in that skill-

Me: So like 3.5 or Pathfinder?

DM: Yeah, and like, you wouldn't just magically heal completely overnight-

Me: So like Pathfinder?

DM: Yeah.

Me: Do you want to just play Pathfinder then?

DM: 🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮 NO!!!

Yeah whatever dude.

[probablythunder]

I would be very curious to hear what the DMs gripe with that idea is. Not out of malice, I just feel like this is a sentiment I hear a lot. And it's like... Clearly 5e is not giving you the experience you want. You are, in theory, open to something else. But actually trying a new system is off the table.

I'm of two minds about this phenomenon. One supposes that DnD has become something of a Comfort Game for people. That 5e is a system that they know the best, and is comfortable, and it's simple. To which I will say, DnD is not simple, even 5e has it's complications, they're just obfuscated by the culture around it. But, anything can *feel* simple when you're used to it.

Which leads me to the other, by no means mutually exclusive mind. That something about learning 5e breaks people. Bare with me for a second.

I, and most people I know, did not sit down and read the entirety of the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Players Guide, and Dungeons Masters Guide, in an attempt to absorb every ounce of rule and regulation as possible. Most people, read the character creation stuff, then gain understanding of the entire rest of the game through osmosis, play, and looking up specific rules as they appear. This can lead to a lot of frustration considering how the book is laid out, how inaccessible a lot of the information can be when you're unaware of the tools available, and the fact that the culture of the system permits and encourages flying by the seat of your pants. Which is not the kind of thing someone who's not just new to the system, but someone who is learning this as their *First System*, which I know it was for me and a lot of my friends, would have a damn hard time with.

I think the genuine reason people get so annoyed when you ask them to switch systems is that the process of trying to understand D&D 5E from play alone, as what is most people's first TTRPG, is so frustrating, inconsistent, and chaotic, that when you introduce anything as a "more advanced System", or a "super different System", it causes A Trauma Response. If not literally, the thinking is,

"D&D is a simple game (false, but carry on), I took a while to get a hang of it (because it was system #1), imagine how frustrating it will be and how long it will take to learn Pathfinder!"

IDK, it just seems like I see this sentiment a lot, and I don't understand the core of it. Maybe this proved that, maybe I'm onto something. Let me know.

[cosmikazie]

hey remember when people said we gotta keep talking about this and then two days passed and it just went quiet. anyways

[cosmikazie]

due to recent (and frankly ongoing as far as this website is concerned) events

[notarealgoddess]

So like I wanna start a dungeons and dragon session with my two other friends where I'll be the dm and a player if that can be done! But like idk where to start and how should I explain the game to them.

Can someone please tell me??!! And not like read this book and read that book for rules and monsters! No tell me like I am a child which I am. Also because I have the attention span of a nine year old and can't read ebooks.

Also like how to come up with characters?? Affinity and other stuff! What are they??

Help me!!!

[probablythunder]

Alright! So. I want you to imagine a fantasy world. It can be like Lord of the Rings, it can be like ATLA, it can be like Baldur's Gate, it can be like Final Fantasy, any of them really!

Got that? Aces. Now... Describe it! Let's start a scene. And let's set that scene in a tavern. A lot of adventures start in a tavern. It's a spot where people, the people of your world, commune and relax and rest from their weary lives. And now that we have a setting... It's got some dim lights from the candles held in the chandelier above, the edges lit by sconced torches that illuminate the corners of the establishment just enough to make interesting shadows. The place sits in the middle of town, but along the main road. Somewhere travelers pass by on their way to and fro, and as such, it attracts people of all walks of life. There are the odd ruffians, perhaps? People from a far off land. Locals taking wagers at a corner table, as a diplomat's son wanders over to offer his hand at their game. And under the flickering lights that fill the room, we have... You decide!

This is the core of the game. You think up something in your head, then through words, images, sounds, feelings, you describe it. Reference images are nice, voices for people are fun to do and memorable to boot. But the important part is that you describe and direct the scenes. The players however, are the actors! They don't have to be thespians, they don't even really have to stay "in character", but those characters have wants, desires, personalities, dislikes. Maybe even, prejudices? Misconceptions? Flaws? But, for now, the important part is that those characters are the stars of the show. You describe things for them. You present the challenges they overcome, and the people they will grow to care for, or despise, or even just talk with.

This might sound like you're doing a lot, I haven't even got into the dice rolls, the mechanics, the classes, but the big picture is: D&D, or broadly, Tabletop Gaming, is about collaborative storytelling. They get to be heroes, characters, creatures, and you get to be the world, the people, the politics, and the magic that runs through it all. The game is simply: You present a world, and a vibe, and a scenario to your chosen players. They provide the action, the drive, and they make choices to shape the narrative.

D&D specifically, gamifies that narrative into dice rolls, skill checks to reflect the characters attributes and add randomness into the mix for some excitement, plus a layer of tactical combat and flavorful ability usage. But, D&D is also far from the only system. Far from the only fantasy system even. Far from the only system that uses Tactical Combat and Skill Rolls to facilitate a dynamic narrative (P2E My Beloved).

[notarealgoddess]

*insert looking at you with gratitude in my eyes*

Okay i understand.

I want to ask when to ask the player to roll for characters attributes.

Also what are classes? What about rules on what skills can your characters have?

Plus what about monsters? I am a dragon enthusiast so I only know about them. I really love fantastical animals.

And what other ways tactical combat and skill rolls. P2E? Can you please elaborate??

[probablythunder]

Yes! So. In order,

Generally whenever the player wants to attempt something, where the outcome seems uncertain. Examples include: Attacking an enemy, making a difficult shot, picking a lock, hiding, looking for clues, listening through a door, or seeing if they happen to have read about, heard about, or can deduce something about an object, creature, or location! The books have "benchmarks" for what the target number could be depending on how difficult the task is, but it's different depending on the system.

Classes, are the general term for Archetypes that the Player Character's (shortened henceforth to PCs) embody. You've almost certainly heard about the classics, Cleric, Paladin, Wizard, Fighter, Rogue, Bard? But it also depends on the Game System. As for what skills PCs can have, that depends heavily on class a lot of the time, but it's also on a per-system basis. D&D has 18 Total Skills, including but not limited to Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Sleight of Hand.

Monsters are... well there's whatever you want them to be. Dragons are certainly in there! And, Dungeons and Dragon's own setting has a unique way of categorizing dragons. With dragons baring Metallic Scales tending towards being benevolent and kind, while dragons with Chromatic, brightly colored scales tend towards Selfishness and Tyranny, each with their own Elemental Breath Weapon.

And okay, so, Tactical Combat and Skill Rolls are the bulk of the "Gameplay" of Dungeons and Dragons specifically. But there's also elements of... well all kinds of mashed up stuff. Resource Management, Problem Solving, Risk Management, and subsystems for Equipment Crafting or Faction Politics in some of the supplementary books, both first and third party.

P2E stands for Pathfinder 2nd Edition, which is my preferred "Sword and Sorcery" RPG, though I *have* been wanting to try out Draw Steel for a while. All of which are games that involve Tactical Combat and Rolling for Skills. Generally speaking, that's the basis of most mechanical games. But quite a few popular games actually disincentivize direct confrontation. Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: the Masquerade, and Blades in the Dark to name but a few.

But hey, all of this said, I really can't help but feel like every question has opened it's own can of... not worms, but like those springy snakes that you sometimes get cans of that spook your grandmother and fly into the ceiling tiles of your local dollar store. They draw your attention in 8 different directions without actually letting you focus any individual snake. What I mean is, there's a LOT to get into when it comes to playing. But also, I do genuinely believe you need very little to get you and your friends to start playing.

The problem is, the resources Wizards of the Coast (the guys who own D&D) have provided to actually get new players into the Hobby... Suck. Like, really bad. To be honest, the best way I can think of to get into the hobby is probably just to have somebody "grandfather" you into it, by sitting you down for a game and letting you learn as you play.

Failing that however... you *will* probably have to read something. It's a hobby for nerds, what do you expect? Though you /did/ manage to read all of my ramblings so far, so you've getting a bit of a knack for it at least.

[notarealgoddess]

I am really glad for this explanation. I have downloaded a few books for my help.

And uhh i don't have any grandfather lying around here who knows dnd. Like the first time I mentioned it to my friends, they were like 'do not disturb? How do u play that?' so yeah.

And this will be my very first time playing, dm- ing. Oh my gawd

Yeah this game is for nerds. All three of us are a different breed of nerd and i won't be getting into that.

And thank you,

I hope you won't mind me coming to you in the future if we get stuck somewhere.

[probablythunder]

By all means! Happy to see people getting into the hobby. And don't be afraid to use some online resources as well. 5ETools is really the only wiki I trust when it comes to D&D (DandDWiki is a dark pit of lies and homebrew), and keep in mind that the important part is having fun. Don't be afraid to bend the rules and play to your strengths. And most importantly, I think the writing advice "Kill Your Darlings" applies to DMing D&D. Your players will not do what you predict. Allow them spontaneity. Pretend it was all according to plan.

I look forward to hearing about how it goes!

[notarealgoddess]

So like I wanna start a dungeons and dragon session with my two other friends where I'll be the dm and a player if that can be done! But like idk where to start and how should I explain the game to them.

Can someone please tell me??!! And not like read this book and read that book for rules and monsters! No tell me like I am a child which I am. Also because I have the attention span of a nine year old and can't read ebooks.

Also like how to come up with characters?? Affinity and other stuff! What are they??

Help me!!!

[probablythunder]

Alright! So. I want you to imagine a fantasy world. It can be like Lord of the Rings, it can be like ATLA, it can be like Baldur's Gate, it can be like Final Fantasy, any of them really!

Got that? Aces. Now... Describe it! Let's start a scene. And let's set that scene in a tavern. A lot of adventures start in a tavern. It's a spot where people, the people of your world, commune and relax and rest from their weary lives. And now that we have a setting... It's got some dim lights from the candles held in the chandelier above, the edges lit by sconced torches that illuminate the corners of the establishment just enough to make interesting shadows. The place sits in the middle of town, but along the main road. Somewhere travelers pass by on their way to and fro, and as such, it attracts people of all walks of life. There are the odd ruffians, perhaps? People from a far off land. Locals taking wagers at a corner table, as a diplomat's son wanders over to offer his hand at their game. And under the flickering lights that fill the room, we have... You decide!

This is the core of the game. You think up something in your head, then through words, images, sounds, feelings, you describe it. Reference images are nice, voices for people are fun to do and memorable to boot. But the important part is that you describe and direct the scenes. The players however, are the actors! They don't have to be thespians, they don't even really have to stay "in character", but those characters have wants, desires, personalities, dislikes. Maybe even, prejudices? Misconceptions? Flaws? But, for now, the important part is that those characters are the stars of the show. You describe things for them. You present the challenges they overcome, and the people they will grow to care for, or despise, or even just talk with.

This might sound like you're doing a lot, I haven't even got into the dice rolls, the mechanics, the classes, but the big picture is: D&D, or broadly, Tabletop Gaming, is about collaborative storytelling. They get to be heroes, characters, creatures, and you get to be the world, the people, the politics, and the magic that runs through it all. The game is simply: You present a world, and a vibe, and a scenario to your chosen players. They provide the action, the drive, and they make choices to shape the narrative.

D&D specifically, gamifies that narrative into dice rolls, skill checks to reflect the characters attributes and add randomness into the mix for some excitement, plus a layer of tactical combat and flavorful ability usage. But, D&D is also far from the only system. Far from the only fantasy system even. Far from the only system that uses Tactical Combat and Skill Rolls to facilitate a dynamic narrative (P2E My Beloved).

[notarealgoddess]

*insert looking at you with gratitude in my eyes*

Okay i understand.

I want to ask when to ask the player to roll for characters attributes.

Also what are classes? What about rules on what skills can your characters have?

Plus what about monsters? I am a dragon enthusiast so I only know about them. I really love fantastical animals.

And what other ways tactical combat and skill rolls. P2E? Can you please elaborate??

[probablythunder]

Yes! So. In order,

Generally whenever the player wants to attempt something, where the outcome seems uncertain. Examples include: Attacking an enemy, making a difficult shot, picking a lock, hiding, looking for clues, listening through a door, or seeing if they happen to have read about, heard about, or can deduce something about an object, creature, or location! The books have "benchmarks" for what the target number could be depending on how difficult the task is, but it's different depending on the system.

Classes, are the general term for Archetypes that the Player Character's (shortened henceforth to PCs) embody. You've almost certainly heard about the classics, Cleric, Paladin, Wizard, Fighter, Rogue, Bard? But it also depends on the Game System. As for what skills PCs can have, that depends heavily on class a lot of the time, but it's also on a per-system basis. D&D has 18 Total Skills, including but not limited to Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Intimidation, Investigation, Medicine, Persuasion, and Sleight of Hand.

Monsters are... well there's whatever you want them to be. Dragons are certainly in there! And, Dungeons and Dragon's own setting has a unique way of categorizing dragons. With dragons baring Metallic Scales tending towards being benevolent and kind, while dragons with Chromatic, brightly colored scales tend towards Selfishness and Tyranny, each with their own Elemental Breath Weapon.

And okay, so, Tactical Combat and Skill Rolls are the bulk of the "Gameplay" of Dungeons and Dragons specifically. But there's also elements of... well all kinds of mashed up stuff. Resource Management, Problem Solving, Risk Management, and subsystems for Equipment Crafting or Faction Politics in some of the supplementary books, both first and third party.

P2E stands for Pathfinder 2nd Edition, which is my preferred "Sword and Sorcery" RPG, though I *have* been wanting to try out Draw Steel for a while. All of which are games that involve Tactical Combat and Rolling for Skills. Generally speaking, that's the basis of most mechanical games. But quite a few popular games actually disincentivize direct confrontation. Call of Cthulhu, Vampire: the Masquerade, and Blades in the Dark to name but a few.

But hey, all of this said, I really can't help but feel like every question has opened it's own can of... not worms, but like those springy snakes that you sometimes get cans of that spook your grandmother and fly into the ceiling tiles of your local dollar store. They draw your attention in 8 different directions without actually letting you focus any individual snake. What I mean is, there's a LOT to get into when it comes to playing. But also, I do genuinely believe you need very little to get you and your friends to start playing.

The problem is, the resources Wizards of the Coast (the guys who own D&D) have provided to actually get new players into the Hobby... Suck. Like, really bad. To be honest, the best way I can think of to get into the hobby is probably just to have somebody "grandfather" you into it, by sitting you down for a game and letting you learn as you play.

Failing that however... you *will* probably have to read something. It's a hobby for nerds, what do you expect? Though you /did/ manage to read all of my ramblings so far, so you've getting a bit of a knack for it at least.

[notarealgoddess]

So like I wanna start a dungeons and dragon session with my two other friends where I'll be the dm and a player if that can be done! But like idk where to start and how should I explain the game to them.

Can someone please tell me??!! And not like read this book and read that book for rules and monsters! No tell me like I am a child which I am. Also because I have the attention span of a nine year old and can't read ebooks.

Also like how to come up with characters?? Affinity and other stuff! What are they??

Help me!!!

[probablythunder]

Alright! So. I want you to imagine a fantasy world. It can be like Lord of the Rings, it can be like ATLA, it can be like Baldur's Gate, it can be like Final Fantasy, any of them really!

Got that? Aces. Now... Describe it! Let's start a scene. And let's set that scene in a tavern. A lot of adventures start in a tavern. It's a spot where people, the people of your world, commune and relax and rest from their weary lives. And now that we have a setting... It's got some dim lights from the candles held in the chandelier above, the edges lit by sconced torches that illuminate the corners of the establishment just enough to make interesting shadows. The place sits in the middle of town, but along the main road. Somewhere travelers pass by on their way to and fro, and as such, it attracts people of all walks of life. There are the odd ruffians, perhaps? People from a far off land. Locals taking wagers at a corner table, as a diplomat's son wanders over to offer his hand at their game. And under the flickering lights that fill the room, we have... You decide!

This is the core of the game. You think up something in your head, then through words, images, sounds, feelings, you describe it. Reference images are nice, voices for people are fun to do and memorable to boot. But the important part is that you describe and direct the scenes. The players however, are the actors! They don't have to be thespians, they don't even really have to stay "in character", but those characters have wants, desires, personalities, dislikes. Maybe even, prejudices? Misconceptions? Flaws? But, for now, the important part is that those characters are the stars of the show. You describe things for them. You present the challenges they overcome, and the people they will grow to care for, or despise, or even just talk with.

This might sound like you're doing a lot, I haven't even got into the dice rolls, the mechanics, the classes, but the big picture is: D&D, or broadly, Tabletop Gaming, is about collaborative storytelling. They get to be heroes, characters, creatures, and you get to be the world, the people, the politics, and the magic that runs through it all. The game is simply: You present a world, and a vibe, and a scenario to your chosen players. They provide the action, the drive, and they make choices to shape the narrative.

D&D specifically, gamifies that narrative into dice rolls, skill checks to reflect the characters attributes and add randomness into the mix for some excitement, plus a layer of tactical combat and flavorful ability usage. But, D&D is also far from the only system. Far from the only fantasy system even. Far from the only system that uses Tactical Combat and Skill Rolls to facilitate a dynamic narrative (P2E My Beloved).

[probablythunder]

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