Dungeons & Dragons rule book help

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About a year ago i really got into D&D computer games. I have brought all the ones i have been able to find and loved them all. Resently i have been wondering what i need to play the actull D&D game. Is this possilbe with out going to one of these clubs or what ever. And what books would i need (i just visited the Amazon book shop and found the "core rule books) but there are about 3 of them. do i need them all?) and if i don't need to join one of these clubs, how many friends/family/other random people will i need to play a proper (good, fun) game with?
And how much money would this all cost?

Is it even worth buying them at all?
Please help me out here. I have no idea what i need or anything really.

 

1. You're only a player and someone else is the DM. Cost - Player's Handbook: $25 (or so)

2. You're a DM who's getting a bunch of friends to play with you. cost - Player's Handbook (at least one, and I think that'll be a bit inconvenient): $25, Dungeon Master's Guide: $25, Monster Manual: $25.

3. Use the SRD and hope that you can figure out everything.

If you buy the books, you can buythem from SP, and I would suggest that you wait a couple of months to get the latest ones (which will cost a bit more, but should have better rulings).

[ May 03, 2003, 02:20: Message edited by: C'Jakob ]

 

Thanks, that info was great. But if i were to get a group of friends together how many would be a good amount? And the prices I'm geussing they are US dollar?

 

Yup, the prices are U.S. dollar (I'm from a backwater Maryland town, y'see, so I don't know anything about Euros or Canadian dollars )

Generally speaking, the "average" game consists of one DM and 4-5 players. Most modules assume this number. Of course, I've heard everything from just the DM and one guy, to a guy DMing 13 ( ) people. I shudder at the thought of the latter.

 

Thanks again. But one more question if you don't mind answering for me. Would it be possible together with some friends and buy 1 player guide (i think that was its name) 1 monster book and one of the other book you mentioned (in other words one of the three books mentioned before) together. So if they cost $225, 25$ and $50 could i split the total price amoung a group of friends or would each player need their own player manuel? And what about these core rule book things? What are they? would i need them?

Sorry a few more than one questiong .

 

The three core books are the ones I mentioned (PHB, DMG, MM). Each costs around $25 American (that was a typo in my previous post, oops). So if you had, say, four other friends, you'd each be shelling out $15 each. Not a lot, although you do have to get dice (or just get another sort of random number generator like a pack of cards or a computer program). Of course, there are a whole bunch of supplement books. "Big" ones, I think, cost a bit more than the core books. "Small" ones, I think, cost around $12 or so.

 

Thanks a lot! You've been a great help. I think i might wait untill the updated edition comes out. It shouldn't be too long.

 

I think the new ones come out in July.
I once read in an intro to a roleplayng book you can play with one gm and from 1 to 80000000 players, sopposing you want to play the biggest war ever on a one-for-one basis.
I'm currently in campain with 6 player's and a dm, and I'm starting to dm one that is 4 or 5 people. And usually, especially in bigger groups, multiple player's handbooks are very useful, unless you've pretty much memorized the game, especially for spells and leveling up.

 

Ouch...just thinking about that....

DM:"OK, pikeman 253 - what do you do?"
Pikeman 253:"I advance with the regiment."
DM:"OK, for marching that'll be a full-round move - Pikeman 254, what do you want to do?"
Pikeman 254: "I advance with the regiment"....

 

I've now ordered the rule books so they should be ariving in a week or so time. I'm to impatient wait for 3.5 to come out, and from what I've heard there's not much difference. Thanks one last time.

 

Did you do it from SP? If so, you should be able to choose a portrait or avatar to use now.

 

Once Tal gets the PM hopefully

 

There is quite a bit of difference in 3.5, and it is coming out in two weeks or so, but it's nothing the SRD can't fix.

 

Are the changes already on SRD?

AFAIK they're not but i might be mistaken.