Why You Need This Book
Novices need Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies because it’s written by D&D experts to serve as the most comprehensive introduction to the D&D game. You’re going to learn things about D&D and fantasy roleplaying that many sea¬soned gamers still haven’t discovered. Do you know the ins and outs of attacks of opportunity? What the best class and race combos are? How to make the most of your character’s key abilities? Which monsters can be brought down by what spells and weapons? You can find the answers to all kinds of D&D questions within these pages. And what if you already know a lot about the game? Get ready to learn a good deal more. We’ve filled this book with inside tips and behind-the-curtain details that you rarely encounter outside the hallowed walls of Wizards of the Coast’s fabled RPG R&D department.
We believe that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS speaks to and feeds the human condi¬tion. D&D is a game of the imagination, building on the myths and fantasies that have shaped our culture. D&D is a game of endless possibilities, where the only limit on what can happen is what you can imagine. D&D is a social experience, a fun and exciting activity that combines group storytelling and fantasy iconology with strategic challenges and dice rolling. Nothing else — no computer game, no board game, no movie — comes close to delivering the interactive and unlimited adventure of the D&D experience.
From the days of telling stories about trolls and dragons and knights in shining armor around a campfire to the high-tech equivalent that involves computers and high-speed Internet connections, make-believe has advanced along with society. Today, one of the purest expressions of the game is DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. No other outlet for the adventures of armored warriors and powerful wizards is as versatile, creative, or fun as D&D. Get ready to go explore some dungeons and bash some monsters!
How to Use This Book
There’s no right or wrong way to use this book. Read it from cover to cover or glance at the table of contents and dive into the chapters or sections that most interest you. If you’re a new player, we suggest starting with Part I. You also want to become intimately familiar with the glossary and refer to it often as you explore these pages. If you’ve played a few games and you’re looking to become a better player, check out Part II and Part III. Experienced players will want to look at Part III for insights into the nuances of the game. And those of you who like to be Dungeon Masters (or who aspire to this position) should dive into Part IV. Both longtime players and those new to the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS should find something fun and interesting in the Part of Tens.
Much of this book is written with the assumption that you have a D&D Player’s Handbook. We don’t replace the D&D game rules; instead, we try to make them clearer and help you navigate your way through them with inside tips and advice. In addition, you’ll need a set of dice (see Chapter 1 for details) to use the practice sessions presented in later chapters, as well as the battle grid dungeon and character and monster markers included in this book. The battle grid, covered with one-inch squares, when used with the markers, helps show where your character is in relation to other characters and monsters in any particular encounter. We discuss how to use the battle grid in greater depth in Chapter 8.
D&D Terminology
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has its own lexicon, just like a lot of other intensive activ¬ities. Throughout this book, we work to explain things in plain language and to demystify some of the arcane terms and jargon used in the game and rule-books. Whenever you need some help, flip to the glossary. The glossary is your friend. Still, you should become familiar with the following key terms right off the bat:
* DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The original roleplaying game of medieval fantasy and adventure. In the game, you take on the role of an imaginary charac¬ter defined by a series of statistics, cool powers, and magical abilities. The game is played around a table or other comfortable location where books and papers can be spread out and dice can be rolled. D&D (the short form of the name) is a game of your imagination, part group storytelling and part wargame. There are no winners or losers in this game; the point is to build an exciting fantasy story through the actions of your character and the challenges set by the Dungeon Master.
* Dungeon Master: One player is the Dungeon Master (or the DM). While other players control a single character, the DM controls all the monsters and enemies, narrates the action, referees the game, sets up adventures, and develops the campaign. Every D&D game needs a DM.
* Player character: The character controlled by a player is called a player character. A player character might be a powerful fighter, a sneaky rogue, a crafty sorcerer, or a charismatic cleric.
* Adventure: Your character is an adventurer in a fantastic world of magic and monsters. Other characters (controlled by other players) join your adventuring party to explore dungeons and battle amazing creatures such as dragons and trolls. Each quest or story is called an adventure. An adventure might last for a single session of play or stretch over the course of several game sessions.How This Book Is Organized
Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies consists of five parts. The chapters within each part cover specific topics in detail. In each chapter, we start with the basics and build from there. Whenever a point needs further clarification, we cross-reference the appropriate chapter so you can immediately find any additional information you need. In addition, whenever it comes up, we refer you to the appropriate chapter in the D&D Player’s Handbook or, if necessary, one of the other two books that make up the core rules of the game: the Dungeon Master’s Guide or the Monster Manual.
Part I: D&D Crash Course
This is your character and these are the dice you roll. We start out with a basic overview of the D&D game, assuming that you’re a brand new player who’s looking to join an existing gaming group. We give you a little history on how the game began and how it developed, and provide you with ready-to-play
* Campaign: The D&D game doesn’t end with a single adventure. When the same characters continue from one adventure to another, the overall story is called a campaign.
* Dice: D&D is a game that uses dice to resolve actions and determine other factors where the outcome isn’t certain. The twenty-sided die is the most important, as all major actions in the game are resolved using it. The game also uses a four-sided die, a six-sided die, an eight-sided die, a ten-sided die, and a twelve-sided die. We refer to these dice as d20, d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12. Sometimes, you need to roll multiple dice of a specific shape, such as four six-sided dice. In that case, we use this notation: 4d6. This allows you to generate a result between 4 and 24. Sometimes you need to roll multiple dice and add a modifier, such as two four-sided dice plus two. In that case, we use this notation: 2d4+2. This allows you to generate a result between 4 and 10. (See Chapter 1 for more about D&D dice.)
* Player’s Handbook: One of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume contains the basic rules of play and charac¬ter creation. No D&D player should be caught without one.
* Dungeon Master’s Guide: The second of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume contains information that every Dungeon Master needs to run the game, set up adventures, and build campaigns.
* Monster Manual: The third of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume is packed with monsters to challenge even the toughest D&D heroes, and contains information that every player and DM needs to know.characters (called pregenerated characters) so you can join a game right now. We finish off this section with a discussion on starting your own game, just in case you don’t currently know anyone who plays.
Part II: Building a D&D Character
Using a pregenerated character is fine, but eventually you’ll want to build a character of your very own. In this part, we explain the fine points of character creation and go behind the scenes to discuss character advancement. After all, where your character ends up might be more important than where he or she started. This part of the book is for the player who wants to become more invested in the D&D game. We help you navigate the Player’s Handbook so that you can make solid, informed decisions about what kind of character you want to build and play.
Part III: Playing Your Best Game
Even expert players should find something new and informative in this part of the book. From effective combat tactics to powerful character combina¬tions, the basics of adventuring party teamwork to advice on good roleplay-ing, we offer insights into the mechanics of the game and how to be the best D&D player you can be.
Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering
The rest of the book spends a lot of time offering advice and tactics to players. Here’s where we provide tips and tricks for that select and important individ¬ual who makes every D&D game come alive — the Dungeon Master. It’s good to be the DM, and this section of the book starts with the basics of DMing and builds to provide insights that should give even experienced DMs something to think about when running their own games.
Part V: The Part of Tens
No For Dummies book is complete without this section of top-ten lists. Helpful and interesting collections of the best spells, monsters, and resources abound throughout these short chapters.
After the last Part of Tens chapter and before the index is the glossary. Perhaps the most often referred to part of this book, the glossary helps you navigate and understand the terms and jargon that pervade the D&D game. Use the glossary often as you use this book and the core D&D rulebooks.
Read Comments To Download Book
Novices need Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies because it’s written by D&D experts to serve as the most comprehensive introduction to the D&D game. You’re going to learn things about D&D and fantasy roleplaying that many sea¬soned gamers still haven’t discovered. Do you know the ins and outs of attacks of opportunity? What the best class and race combos are? How to make the most of your character’s key abilities? Which monsters can be brought down by what spells and weapons? You can find the answers to all kinds of D&D questions within these pages. And what if you already know a lot about the game? Get ready to learn a good deal more. We’ve filled this book with inside tips and behind-the-curtain details that you rarely encounter outside the hallowed walls of Wizards of the Coast’s fabled RPG R&D department.
We believe that DUNGEONS & DRAGONS speaks to and feeds the human condi¬tion. D&D is a game of the imagination, building on the myths and fantasies that have shaped our culture. D&D is a game of endless possibilities, where the only limit on what can happen is what you can imagine. D&D is a social experience, a fun and exciting activity that combines group storytelling and fantasy iconology with strategic challenges and dice rolling. Nothing else — no computer game, no board game, no movie — comes close to delivering the interactive and unlimited adventure of the D&D experience.
From the days of telling stories about trolls and dragons and knights in shining armor around a campfire to the high-tech equivalent that involves computers and high-speed Internet connections, make-believe has advanced along with society. Today, one of the purest expressions of the game is DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. No other outlet for the adventures of armored warriors and powerful wizards is as versatile, creative, or fun as D&D. Get ready to go explore some dungeons and bash some monsters!
How to Use This Book
There’s no right or wrong way to use this book. Read it from cover to cover or glance at the table of contents and dive into the chapters or sections that most interest you. If you’re a new player, we suggest starting with Part I. You also want to become intimately familiar with the glossary and refer to it often as you explore these pages. If you’ve played a few games and you’re looking to become a better player, check out Part II and Part III. Experienced players will want to look at Part III for insights into the nuances of the game. And those of you who like to be Dungeon Masters (or who aspire to this position) should dive into Part IV. Both longtime players and those new to the world of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS should find something fun and interesting in the Part of Tens.
Much of this book is written with the assumption that you have a D&D Player’s Handbook. We don’t replace the D&D game rules; instead, we try to make them clearer and help you navigate your way through them with inside tips and advice. In addition, you’ll need a set of dice (see Chapter 1 for details) to use the practice sessions presented in later chapters, as well as the battle grid dungeon and character and monster markers included in this book. The battle grid, covered with one-inch squares, when used with the markers, helps show where your character is in relation to other characters and monsters in any particular encounter. We discuss how to use the battle grid in greater depth in Chapter 8.
D&D Terminology
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS has its own lexicon, just like a lot of other intensive activ¬ities. Throughout this book, we work to explain things in plain language and to demystify some of the arcane terms and jargon used in the game and rule-books. Whenever you need some help, flip to the glossary. The glossary is your friend. Still, you should become familiar with the following key terms right off the bat:
* DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: The original roleplaying game of medieval fantasy and adventure. In the game, you take on the role of an imaginary charac¬ter defined by a series of statistics, cool powers, and magical abilities. The game is played around a table or other comfortable location where books and papers can be spread out and dice can be rolled. D&D (the short form of the name) is a game of your imagination, part group storytelling and part wargame. There are no winners or losers in this game; the point is to build an exciting fantasy story through the actions of your character and the challenges set by the Dungeon Master.
* Dungeon Master: One player is the Dungeon Master (or the DM). While other players control a single character, the DM controls all the monsters and enemies, narrates the action, referees the game, sets up adventures, and develops the campaign. Every D&D game needs a DM.
* Player character: The character controlled by a player is called a player character. A player character might be a powerful fighter, a sneaky rogue, a crafty sorcerer, or a charismatic cleric.
* Adventure: Your character is an adventurer in a fantastic world of magic and monsters. Other characters (controlled by other players) join your adventuring party to explore dungeons and battle amazing creatures such as dragons and trolls. Each quest or story is called an adventure. An adventure might last for a single session of play or stretch over the course of several game sessions.How This Book Is Organized
Dungeons & Dragons For Dummies consists of five parts. The chapters within each part cover specific topics in detail. In each chapter, we start with the basics and build from there. Whenever a point needs further clarification, we cross-reference the appropriate chapter so you can immediately find any additional information you need. In addition, whenever it comes up, we refer you to the appropriate chapter in the D&D Player’s Handbook or, if necessary, one of the other two books that make up the core rules of the game: the Dungeon Master’s Guide or the Monster Manual.
Part I: D&D Crash Course
This is your character and these are the dice you roll. We start out with a basic overview of the D&D game, assuming that you’re a brand new player who’s looking to join an existing gaming group. We give you a little history on how the game began and how it developed, and provide you with ready-to-play
* Campaign: The D&D game doesn’t end with a single adventure. When the same characters continue from one adventure to another, the overall story is called a campaign.
* Dice: D&D is a game that uses dice to resolve actions and determine other factors where the outcome isn’t certain. The twenty-sided die is the most important, as all major actions in the game are resolved using it. The game also uses a four-sided die, a six-sided die, an eight-sided die, a ten-sided die, and a twelve-sided die. We refer to these dice as d20, d4, d6, d8, d10, and d12. Sometimes, you need to roll multiple dice of a specific shape, such as four six-sided dice. In that case, we use this notation: 4d6. This allows you to generate a result between 4 and 24. Sometimes you need to roll multiple dice and add a modifier, such as two four-sided dice plus two. In that case, we use this notation: 2d4+2. This allows you to generate a result between 4 and 10. (See Chapter 1 for more about D&D dice.)
* Player’s Handbook: One of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume contains the basic rules of play and charac¬ter creation. No D&D player should be caught without one.
* Dungeon Master’s Guide: The second of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume contains information that every Dungeon Master needs to run the game, set up adventures, and build campaigns.
* Monster Manual: The third of the three books that make up the rules of the D&D game. This volume is packed with monsters to challenge even the toughest D&D heroes, and contains information that every player and DM needs to know.characters (called pregenerated characters) so you can join a game right now. We finish off this section with a discussion on starting your own game, just in case you don’t currently know anyone who plays.
Part II: Building a D&D Character
Using a pregenerated character is fine, but eventually you’ll want to build a character of your very own. In this part, we explain the fine points of character creation and go behind the scenes to discuss character advancement. After all, where your character ends up might be more important than where he or she started. This part of the book is for the player who wants to become more invested in the D&D game. We help you navigate the Player’s Handbook so that you can make solid, informed decisions about what kind of character you want to build and play.
Part III: Playing Your Best Game
Even expert players should find something new and informative in this part of the book. From effective combat tactics to powerful character combina¬tions, the basics of adventuring party teamwork to advice on good roleplay-ing, we offer insights into the mechanics of the game and how to be the best D&D player you can be.
Part IV: The Art of Dungeon Mastering
The rest of the book spends a lot of time offering advice and tactics to players. Here’s where we provide tips and tricks for that select and important individ¬ual who makes every D&D game come alive — the Dungeon Master. It’s good to be the DM, and this section of the book starts with the basics of DMing and builds to provide insights that should give even experienced DMs something to think about when running their own games.
Part V: The Part of Tens
No For Dummies book is complete without this section of top-ten lists. Helpful and interesting collections of the best spells, monsters, and resources abound throughout these short chapters.
After the last Part of Tens chapter and before the index is the glossary. Perhaps the most often referred to part of this book, the glossary helps you navigate and understand the terms and jargon that pervade the D&D game. Use the glossary often as you use this book and the core D&D rulebooks.
Read Comments To Download Book
2 comments:
http://rapidshare.com/files/89598216/Dungeons_and_Dragons_for_Dummies.pdf
or
http://tinyurl.com/3a6veb
please more pen&paper rpg stuff
lets start to explore dungeons :-)
Post a Comment