Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Wanting to get into DnD

Zep Zepo

Titties and Beer
Dumbfuck Repressed Homosexual
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
5,233
I remember my first "real" DND game, I was in the U.S Army...I saw a 3 or 4 nerds in the rec hall playing...something. I asked them what's it about, can I try?

So they let me play....about 10 minutes in...there was a cave or a room or some shit....so I was like "I throw my dagger into the cave"

DM: "Your dagger gets thrown back out andlands at your feet"

Me: "I throw it in harder"

DM: "Same thing happens...the dagger lands at your feet"

Me: "I ran into the cave with the dagger in my hand ready to attack"

DM: "You are in a small room with no obvious exits"

Me to the other players: "Help me out here!"

Other players: We leave the area of the small cave.

Everyone continues playing...after about 20 minutes...I realize...they really didn't want me to play after all. So I leave.

Nerds....can't trust them. Never played DND after that.

Zep--
 

GarlandExCon

Arcane
Joined
May 19, 2014
Messages
6,957
playing with fire eh

Oh you have no idea. There's probably at least two more parts to this story until it concluded about 5 months ago.

Which I will post soon.
Bro, soon is today!

Sorry dude, been real busy lately. I've got too many epic threads going on in this bitch. I've got thrift threads, China ripping me off threads, Jailbird threads, prison threads... my SJW chick fling thread will come soon though!
 

Old One

Arcane
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
3,679
Location
The Great Underground Empire
The Frank Mentzer 1983 Dungeons & Dragons "Red Box" Basic Set contains extensive support for a beginning Dungeon Master, including a small sample dungeon. The Tom Moldvay 1981 D&D Basic Rulebook pictured above also has similar information, albeit in smaller quantity.
Yeah, I've got both of those.

The earlier version has a scripted example session set in a small dungeon (called "The Haunted Keep" IIRC). It gives a basic idea of what the GM and the players are supposed to be saying and doing at any given time, which is helpful. It's kind of fun to read too.

The later version has much more detail and hand-holding while it explains the most elemental concepts of RPGs in baby steps from the start of an adventure to the end. This can also be helpful, I'm sure. I already knew how to play by the time that came out, but I've read it and recommend it.
 

Old One

Arcane
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
3,679
Location
The Great Underground Empire
I think you're potentially referring to the 1991 basic DnD module of a similar name.
Nope. They're two completely different things. I've got The Keep On The Borderlands module too.

The one in the rulebook is just a small sample dungeon: a "keep" with two towers, one of which is in ruins. It's called The something Keep. Haunted Keep I think, or maybe Ruined Keep.

The early 1980s Advanced DnD Dungeon Master's Guide also has a sample dungeon like that with a scripted play session, now that I think about it.
 

Zed Duke of Banville

Dungeon Master
Patron
Joined
Oct 3, 2015
Messages
11,760
The small sample dungeon in the 1981 Moldvay Basic Rulebook is indeed called The Haunted Keep.

The AD&D (1st edition) Dungeon Master's Guide includes a map of a larger dungeon, but only has descriptions for the first three rooms. :M
 

Zombra

An iron rock in the river of blood and evil
Patron
Joined
Jan 12, 2004
Messages
11,542
Location
Black Goat Woods !@#*%&^
Make the Codex Great Again! RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut Codex+ Now Streaming! Serpent in the Staglands Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 BattleTech Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Why start with Dungeons & Dragons? The barrier of entry there is pretty high in terms of (unnecessary) complexity. Especially if you don't already have a gaming group, this is a long row to hoe. Take advantage of the decades of genre development and start with something you can recruit easily for. I found this article with some tabletop RPGs better suited to beginners.

I recommend Fiasco in particular as it's built specifically to be played with no preparation. It's almost more like a "party game", very beer and pretzels with minimal mechanics, but with real role-playing and conflict resolution. It requires a few hours, but other than that the barrier of entry is really low. You play one session and then the game is over, so no one has to commit to anything.

Once you have that under your belt, you can ask the people if they'd like to try something longer form: "What if we told a continuing story and developed the characters over a few months?" Then you can play something more substantial like D&D and know your players are invested. Or if they don't want something longer form, use Fiasco as a recruitment tool, inviting friends of friends and so forth.

Dungeon World is another really good "minimal mechanics" game with a more traditional "hitting and looting" thematic approach.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom