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Dungeons and Dragons @lemmy.world
Elrecoal19_0 @lemmy.world

How to navigate TTRPGs as someone that has never touched one?

I want to get into TTRPGs (Cyberpunk 2020, DnD,etc.), but I'm completely clueless as how to navigate the topic.

  • I know I have to find a group of people to play with
  • I don't have any minis, dice, free table for playing..., would I need to get anything of that? Could Google dices do the trick?
  • How is it played? What is the cycle of a one-shot/adventure/campaign? How does the role-playing happen, taking turns between DM and players? Do the players tell an action their character is doing and the DM says wether it's allowed, wether they have to roll dice, or tells them what happens next?
18 comments

  • TTRPGs are quite diverse, but generally speaking they follow a similar formula. Traditionally, play takes place around a table, but even that's negotiable. Many people play exclusively online these days.

    Depending on the system you choose to play, accessories such as minis and battlemats could be optional. However, if you favour a tactical game and want to engage with all the combat rules, they do become more important.

    There's always alternatives though. I don't keep minis for all my creatures - as a DM, who could afford to? Personally I use paper tokens because they're easy to whip up and doodle on. Many people use coins, legos, or colored blocks. Anything can stand as a proxy of it's the right size. There are tales of people who use candy so players can eat what they kill.

    Another option, particularly if you go for the online option, is to use a Virtual Tabeletop (VTT). This is software that simulates your table, battlemat, minis, and generally facilitates play. I find them complicated and kind of fiddly, but a lot of people like them.

    At the end of the day, you don't need all that. There's a concept of play called the Theater of the Mind where players use their shared imagination instead of any accessories. It's easier when there aren't a lot of moving parts to keep track of, but if you prefer a narratively focused game then it's a good way to play.

    As far as how to play the game, that's up to the individual system. However generally speaking you play by having a conversation. The DM describes a situation and then asks "What do you do?" Players then describe their actions. Turn-taking can be more or less rigid depending on the situation. In D&D in particular, turns become much more formal during combat where players take turns in Initiative Order.

    Generally speaking, near the start of the rule book (if you have one) there will be an Example of Play. This is usually styled as a transcript of a conversation between players. I always thought those were neat, and they dona pretty good job of showing how a game might play

    Getting into the hobby can be intimidating because there are a lot of rules in certain systems, and it can be hard to keep track of them all.

    Almost all systems include (or should include) Rule Zero, or Have Fun - the most important rule of all.

    If you're running the game then all rules are optional. As long as everyone is having fun then you can play however you want.

    Anyway, I ramble a lot, but I've been playing these games for a long time. You're in for a fun new hobby, good luck getting your group together!

  • The first thing I'd recommend is try to figure out which genre to play first. I think cyberpunk is way different from DND which is also has different rules than pathfinder. Warhammer 40k is also a. Tabletop game that is more combat oriented and no role playing.

    Starting a new group could be hard. Some games shops have play areas for people and I guess they sort of rent space to regular and adhoc groups. I know of three shops which not only sell games, but are setup for people to play there on a Thurs night etc. repeat sales of drinks and may a small charge for the table and game sets could be used from a communal library.

    Some games are role playing heavy and others are combat focused. In some groups the DM is always the DM but in others they take turns. There might be a long campaign where the players control the same character from novice to expert/demigod or one shots could be used to fill in some nights, eg dm might be a teacher and one shots are run on school holiday weeks if the group meets.

    I would say the trick is to find a group that's in the same page as you. This can be assisted by having a :Session zero where players meet and discuss what they want from the game so that someone who wants to play a more role playing game and want to actually try and talk their way out of being robbed by bandits instead of 'rolk a d20. 3, everyone draws weapons and combat begins'.

    The aim would be that everyone at the table looks forward to sessions and has fun, and as for rules there's always 'the rule of cool'. Where the DM can ignore what's in the book if it fits with what the players expect. Players jumping off a cliff to escape a fight might not necessarily die from fall damage if it fits the story line, however if a player is about to do something overly careless, the DM might ask the question ' are you sure you want to do that?' and the correct thing to do is stop and reconsider as that phrase is usually a warning of the character will probably die if you do.

  • A lot of your questions depend on what game you're playing. The first question I would ask is, what genre are you interested in playing? D&D is the biggest out there right now and it's medieval fantasy-ish but it has a lot of it's own baggage mixed in. There's a free version of the rules you can download, feel free to do that and give it a quick read through just to get a feel for the tone.

    Finding a group to play with is tricky. The best thing might be to get some friends together and all try the game together. Barring that, local game stores might help you find a group, or some places in the Internet have "Looking for Group" (LFG) communities.

    You don't need to buy dice just yet. Some TTRPGs use weird dice shapes and not all use the same dice so it's best to decide on a game before spending money on it. If you want to try a game before getting dice you can always use a dice rolling app. If it's D&D you want to play then feel free to find a standard set of seven polyhedral dice. They're not too expensive and collecting pretty dice is a hobby into itself.

    How a game is played depends on which game you're playing. With actual D&D it depends whether you're in a combat scenario or not. If you aren't the rules are a lot looser: the DM describes a scene, then you and the other players tell the DM what your characters would like to do. The DM will determine if dice need to be rolled or if an outcome isn't possible, and repeat. Combat is a lot more complex, you have a specific turn order and a much smaller selection of actions based on your character build.

    On a larger scale, a bunch o adventures strung together is what makes a campaign. Most groups play this way, but especially if you're new finding (or starting!) a group running a one-shot is a good way to learn how to play. A single adventure you can complete in a single session is great for learning and the story stakes are much lower.

    Roleplaying looks different depending on the group you're with and what you're comfortable with. I usually speak in third person at all times, no funny voices or anything like that. I have a friend who comes up with a voice for every character to use when speaking for said character in first person.

    That was a pretty big info dump but let me know if I can answer specific questions. I've been playing TTRPGs for nearly 20 years and I've dipped my toes into a lot of different games so if I can help I will.

  • Look into your local game cafe(s). That's the type of place that sells board games, dice, minis, but also has gaming tables and often a small food and drink counter. There are likely nights for newbies you might be able to join, to experience it live.

    Watch some youtube videos of people live-playing the game you are interested in. You'll see the character players interacting with the DM, propped up mostly by their shared understanding of the game mechanics, and the individual mechanics of their characters. Keep an eye out for how things are different in combat vs out of combat.

    You don't need minis or dice if you play online. E.g. there is a Discord bot called Avrae, and many small communities come together around use of that bot to play, where it handles most of the crunchy mechanics like dice rolls and modifiers and even maps. Some communities play live sessions over video chat, others play without video chat but with 5 minute turn timers, and others play asynchronously with 24 hour timers in a format called play-by-post (or pbp) where they roll the crunchy math in one channel, and then roleplay their characters' actions in another. Disboard will let you search communities who are looking for members--filter by whatever tags interest you most.

    Finding a live play group to play a campaign with can be... Hard. I recommend you start by educating yourself about a system via free resources, maybe finding a game cafe to experience it in a one-shot, and try some online play, before investing too much. As you learn more, you're also more likely to encounter people looking to start or grow a group.

  • I run two games, one weekly for a group of teens, and the other is every other week for adults. I also play in a game on my 2nd game’s off week, again for adults. Almost all of the adults own a copy of the Player’s Handbook. Only 1 of the teens own a PHB. I have noticed the adults that own a PHB understand their characters and abilities and what they can do far more than my teens (who have been playing way longer than the adults) because they have to share the shop’s copy of the PHB.

    I am not saying day 1 go buy a PHB, but if you intend to play after a few sessions, it would be a good idea.

    Having your own set of dice is great too. You can get a plain set of chessex dice for $5-10 (I give away a set when someone buys a copy of the PHB). After getting a set of dice I suggest raiding some lesser played board games for additional d6 for character creation. Yahtzee or farkle are both going choices to plunder.

    When people start playing dnd I tell them the first thing they need to do is learn how to create a character on their own and after that they will learn the rest of the rules through playing.

    If you have a local game shop, drop in and ask if they host d&d sessions, or if they have a community board to find a game.

18 comments