Where does a newfag go to play proper D&D?

[LarryTyphoid]

I've been going to a few local game shops with the plans to play D&D in-person. I've never touched a tabletop game before in my life and neither have any of my friends, so this is my only opportunity as far as I can tell. But all these shops only play 5e, which the Codex tells me is cancerous decline of the worst variety.

So do I just suck it up and play 5e along with my peers? Or is there a way I could play D&D that's not gay?

 

[Gangrelrumbler]

Maybe try to convince your friends to give D&D a try maybe. Major downside is that you'd have to be a DM. On the other hand you wouldn't have to deal with random retards ruining the game.

 

[Tyranicon]

Just get the rules to whatever edition you want off the web and start playing with some likeminded individuals.

I personally wouldn't go to a store for a pub game in 5e. I've heard enough stories about how getting a good group is a nightmare.

 

[King Crispy]

See if any of those same shops have a bulletin board on which you can put up a notification that you're looking for new, relatively inexperienced AD&D players and specify that it's going to be whichever rules set you're interested in.

I would suggest:

Hey you! Yes, you!

Tired of all this new-fangled Fifth-Edition D&D you keep seeing? Want to experience the way things used to be, the way things were *meant* to be in tabletop D&D gaming?

Well give my group a try! We're going to do things the old-fashioned way: sitting around a table, dice in hand, old-school character sheets at the ready, playing [version] of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons! Only the bold and enthusiastic need apply!

Something like that.

 

[agris]

If you’re interested in old-style AD&D (1st / 2nd edition), play “Hackmaster 4e”. Start with module B2, little keep on the borderlands.

TLDR Hackmaster 4e is called a “retroclone” of old AD&D, but it stands alone: they had the legal rights to use all the TSR trademarks, including systems, names, adventures, NPCs etc. this was circa 2001, and what did they do? Released all the classic AD&D 1e modules but with the hindsight of people who had played them for 10+ years and knew all the shit that was left out / got wrong. Same for the PHB, GM’s guide, etc.

These aren’t the tabletop equivalent of total conversion mods for 1st edition like many retroclones, but more like unofficial patches for your favorite old cRPG. Oh, and some of the people involved worked on the original (A)D&D.

There is a TSR B2 and a Hackmaster 4e B2. The Hack version is functionally the bugfixed TSR version.

It’s also hard as nails and has a late 80s swords and sorcery aesthetic, so may not be your friends’ cup of tea. If y’all want to know what old school D&D was like, this is better than actual 1st and 2nd ed imo.

 

[Bester]

I started playing 5e recently. With this experience under the belt, I'll try 3.5 later. Anyway, wouldn't you want to know why 5e sucks? I certainly found out.

 

[Catacombs]

If you're fine with being the dungeon master, you can run games with whatever edition you want. The downside, of course, is not being a player character. If you want to be a PC, it might be difficult to find people IRL who aren't playing 5E. If there is a specific edition you would like to play, you may have more luck finding people to play remotely with through LFG threads online.

 

[JamesDixon]

I can fit you into my online game if you're interested. JarlFrank, Kalarion, and The_Mask are the current group.

 

[The_Mask]

I've been going to a few local game shops with the plans to play D&D in-person. I've never touched a tabletop game before in my life and neither have any of my friends, so this is my only opportunity as far as I can tell. But all these shops only play 5e, which the Codex tells me is cancerous decline of the worst variety.

So do I just suck it up and play 5e along with my peers? Or is there a way I could play D&D that's not gay?

I can fit you into my online game if you're interested. JarlFrank, Kalarion, and The_Mask are the current group.

The man says he wants to play D&D that is not gay, and you invite him to a group with 4 other guys.

Seriously though: we're a lot of fun. But then again, I might be biased.

 

[deuxhero]

Play Savage Worlds. It's cheap ($10 PDF) easy and has some cool settings like 50 Fathoms, and Monster Hunter International and is actually pretty good at doing Fallout.

 

[Great Deceiver]

I can't even fathom what it would be like to find a random in-person D&D group in 2023. Probably a hellscape of dangerhairs and people who think they're the latest addition to Critical Role - a nightmare.

Stick to friends. Suck it up and DM for them.

 

[JamesDixon]

I can't even fathom what it would be like to find a random in-person D&D group in 2023. Probably a hellscape of dangerhairs and people who think they're the latest addition to Critical Role - a nightmare.

Stick to friends. Suck it up and DM for them.

Well JarlFrank has been gaming with me for 8 years now in a variety of systems. All the rest are current Codex posters that are highly respected. You can find a group, but it just takes time and know where to look.

 

[Great Deceiver]

I can't even fathom what it would be like to find a random in-person D&D group in 2023. Probably a hellscape of dangerhairs and people who think they're the latest addition to Critical Role - a nightmare.

Stick to friends. Suck it up and DM for them.

Well JarlFrank has been gaming with me for 8 years now in a variety of systems. All the rest are current Codex posters that are highly respected. You can find a group, but it just takes time and know where to look.

I did say in-person

 

[JamesDixon]

I can't even fathom what it would be like to find a random in-person D&D group in 2023. Probably a hellscape of dangerhairs and people who think they're the latest addition to Critical Role - a nightmare.

Stick to friends. Suck it up and DM for them.

Well JarlFrank has been gaming with me for 8 years now in a variety of systems. All the rest are current Codex posters that are highly respected. You can find a group, but it just takes time and know where to look.

I did say in-person

We play using Tabletop Simulator so not exactly in-person.

 

[JarlFrank]

I can't even fathom what it would be like to find a random in-person D&D group in 2023. Probably a hellscape of dangerhairs and people who think they're the latest addition to Critical Role - a nightmare.

Stick to friends. Suck it up and DM for them.

Well JarlFrank has been gaming with me for 8 years now in a variety of systems. All the rest are current Codex posters that are highly respected. You can find a group, but it just takes time and know where to look.

I did say in-person

I did have an in-person D&D group when I was at university. It was a pretty good group, our DM was experienced but most players were first-timers. It worked out really well because most of us were friends already outside of the group.

Don't go looking for "a D&D group" but try to find friends who are willing to play.

 

[JamesDixon]

Larry will be joining my group using Tabletop Simulator. I'm looking forward to having him in the game.

 

[ind33d]

I've been going to a few local game shops with the plans to play D&D in-person. I've never touched a tabletop game before in my life and neither have any of my friends, so this is my only opportunity as far as I can tell. But all these shops only play 5e, which the Codex tells me is cancerous decline of the worst variety.

So do I just suck it up and play 5e along with my peers? Or is there a way I could play D&D that's not gay?

Tell your DM to port most of 4e's mechanics over except healing surges. Bloodied, skill challenges, static defenses, class roles, even the setting was better than the IP deserved. Skill challenges alone solve the caster/martial imbalance, but players didn't like them because they prefer to roleplay gay sex.

You could play a 5e game as a hexcrawl with an emphasis on tactical combat and positioning. Actually, the 5th edition playtest had rules for dungeon exploration turns and wilderness encounters, but WOTC removed them from the final product because they're fucking stupid. 5e is a good game but it's balanced around rules that were never printed in the books because Hasbro thought they were too hard. You can see some at https://docs.google.com/document/d/...B76RJV5ZkWk/edit?pli=1#heading=h.tz8e16vhnrf6

 

[JamesDixon]

I've been going to a few local game shops with the plans to play D&D in-person. I've never touched a tabletop game before in my life and neither have any of my friends, so this is my only opportunity as far as I can tell. But all these shops only play 5e, which the Codex tells me is cancerous decline of the worst variety.

So do I just suck it up and play 5e along with my peers? Or is there a way I could play D&D that's not gay?

Tell your DM to port most of 4e's mechanics over except healing surges. Bloodied, skill challenges, static defenses, even the classes and races and setting were better than the IP deserved. You could play a 5e game as a hexcrawl with an emphasis on tactical combat and positioning. Actually, the 5th edition playtest had rules for dungeon exploration turns and wilderness encounters, but WOTC removed them from the final product because they're fucking stupid. 5e is a good game but it's balanced around rules that were never printed in the books because Hasbro thought they were too hard. You can see some at https://docs.google.com/document/d/...B76RJV5ZkWk/edit?pli=1#heading=h.tz8e16vhnrf6

DANDINO is a brand name and is shit. See signature.

 

[LarryTyphoid]

The man says he wants to play D&D that is not gay, and you invite him to a group with 4 other guys.

This implies that playing D&D with girls is possible.

...That's actually kinda what I was hoping for when my friend invited me to play at a game shop back in 2017, but my expectations in that regard were harshly rebutted

 

[JamesDixon]

The man says he wants to play D&D that is not gay, and you invite him to a group with 4 other guys.

This implies that playing D&D with girls is possible.

...That's actually kinda what I was hoping for when my friend invited me to play at a game shop back in 2017, but my expectations in that regard were harshly rebutted

It only works if the girl is mature and willing to not use her sex to get advantages. That requires her to be with a man that knows how to put her in her place.

 

[Stormcrowfleet]

5e or OSR doesn't matter that much, "who" you play with is probably more important. I'm an old school fag (OSR, old school Warhammer, etc.), but I can tolerate 5e with my friends and even randos as long as everyone is like minded. I'd say find a group, don't find a system.

 

[JamesDixon]

5e or OSR doesn't matter that much, "who" you play with is probably more important. I'm an old school fag (OSR, old school Warhammer, etc.), but I can tolerate 5e with my friends and even randos as long as everyone is like minded. I'd say find a group, don't find a system.

Sorry but system says a lot about the group that you'll be playing. 5E is mostly dangerhair SJWs while OSR is filled with greybeards that leave that political shit at the door.

 

[SimTrY]

I've been going to a few local game shops with the plans to play D&D in-person. I've never touched a tabletop game before in my life and neither have any of my friends, so this is my only opportunity as far as I can tell. But all these shops only play 5e, which the Codex tells me is cancerous decline of the worst variety.

So do I just suck it up and play 5e along with my peers? Or is there a way I could play D&D that's not gay?

try running a oneshot? you gotta make the sacrifice and DM for the group though.

 

[BosanskiSeljak]

I was also interesting in starting but literally have no clue what to do lol The one person I know who actually plays sends me cringe shit from the danger hair group she has to play with because theres no one else. Basically used as a zoo exhibit. Everyone else I know has no interest.

Was studying in a room at uni few years back and D&D group players came in to do their thing. Obese, danger hair and smelled like shit.

It's just not meant to be(

 

[agris]

As another said, don’t find a group; recruit your friends. Have 2-5 friends you can get together in a room for *something* without them trying to fuck or kill each other? Lobby them.