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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

The Tech Deck

Start your R&R with some D&D

Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set (Andrew Smith)
Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set (Andrew Smith)

I have been playing RPG’s since I was the ripe young age of 12. During that time I played “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Shadowrun.” So if my sixth grade self could do it, so can you! Lately I have also found another game called “Everybody is John,” that I believe would work well for a starting group.

This post will present a high-level view of these games. Stay tuned for more in-depth reviews on each. So without further ado:

Dungeons and Dragons is a game of adventure and wonder. You enter a world resembling medieval Earth, where magic is rampant and evil constantly threatens to take over. With sword and spell you venture forth as a party protecting the weak and defeating whatever evil aligns itself against the world at large.

As a starter game it’s hard to go wrong with D&D. Character creation is straight forward: pick race, pick class, pick skills, pick feat(s) and roll some stats (usually 4-six sided dice, 4d6, and then dropping the lowest), done. While plots and setting vary wildly between editions and even DM’s, many worlds such as Eberron or the Forgotten Realms have a rich history to pull ideas from. Additionally, you and your friends could also just watch or read "Lord of the Rings" for visuals and inspiration. Finding knowledgeable players is also very easy. Just head down to your local gaming store and talk to the staff. If they don’t play, they can often direct you to a group that does.

The contents of 5th edition the starter box
The contents of the starter box

With D&D being around since the '70s there have been many editions to the game. My current suggestion for beginners is to play the latest 5th edition. Wizards of the Coast released an amazing starter pack that you can get from Amazon for $10. It comes with premade characters, all the dice you need, maps and a surprisingly well-written adventure that I am running right now. You can also find the rules for making simple characters free on Wizards of the Coast’s website. After that, you will want to buy the Player’s Handbook, the Monster Manual, and lots of dice (you can never have too many).

In the end you can’t go wrong with Dungeons and Dragons. Many players get started role-playing through D&D because of the quantity of support material, the simplicity of the system and the wealth of already experienced players to DM or assist in play.

I hope you enjoyed this snapshot of why D&D is a great intro into RP'ing. Next week, get your katanas, miniguns, Bulldog-Step vans, and Earth Spirits out. We’re talking Shadowrun. See you then!

 

As you enter the small village, you quickly notice a large gathering of people outside the largest building. Should you approach you discover the people are worried about the chanting coming from the woods and ruins to the south east. People claim children have gone missing and implore you to assist. What do you do?



Andrew Smith is one of The Spokesman-Review's IT gurus and resident dungeon master.