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I know I need the core rulebooks but what else should I get?

Well, 3.5th edition...

So much better.

Anyhoo:

Are you playing with models and tiles, or simply with pen and paper?

Look over the edition and pick one you like. They're all a bunch of guys sitting around a table rolling dice. Player's handbook first, absorb it. Monster Manual and DM's Guide for long term. You'll need a set of dice, some grid paper (office supply store), some minis, some character sheets which you can find online and I recommend a Level 1 module from Wizards. It will give you good examples and a good basis for making your own adventures. Be prepared to "screw up" at first on the rules, but don't worry too much as it's about having fun. That being said, if you have any questions in particular, PM me.

You should dowload the Free Keep on the Shadow Fell to give you a basic idea of the game.

for any edition, you want to get the trifecta of books (the players handbook, DM's guide, and monster manual) if you're the DM or just the player's guide if you're a player. if you're the DM, it usually falls to you to provide the almost mandatory minis/counters and the grid to play them on. you can pick up some prepainted d&d minis pretty cheap online in big sets giving you a variety of NPCs and monsters or buy/print a set of counters instead (depending on how tight money is). then, the dice... you'll need some d4s, d6s, d8s, d10s, d12s, and d20s, preferrably multiples of each. hope that helps!

aja10000 wrote:I know I need the core rulebooks but what else should I get?

What version are you running?

If you and the players are all 'on the same page' it's probably best to keep the books in use limited to the core (and anything setting-specific, of course).

I'm running 4th most likely.

Amozon has the 3 Core Books as a box set along with most game stores
This is all you need to start with.
They also have a Box Starter set that has all of the Dice, some maps and Counters

aja10000 wrote:I'm running 4th most likely.

As a player, you'll need one of the PHBs. The classes all balance really well against each other, as long as your group doesn't all choose the same roll (Like, everyone is a striker. That would be bad). But you'll probably need to say "No" to some people if they want to be some of the crazier races if you don't think it'll fit your setting.

As the DM, you'll need a Monster Manual (The second one is more balanced than the first. In the first one the monsters are bulked up with lots of HP and it bogs down combat a little). And since your new you'll want a copy of the Dungeon Master guide too, read it before hand after you have a basic grasp of how characters rules work and monster rules work. It'll give you a lot of really great advice and direction.

And like everyone else said, dice for everyone. I hate on them dice moochers man, losin' my tiny dice all the time.

Thanks for the advice guys I'm going to play the keep on shadowfell to see if it is something I would like.

Get a large piece of clear plastic and some tape of the sort they sell as table covers and the like. . Print out some sheets of paper with 1" squares on them and tape them together.

You've now got a fairly serviceable grid. Just put the plastic over the paper and draw on it with wet-erase markers. A damp paper towel lets you re-draw as much as you want.
Dice are nice, but you can get around them if need be. There are plenty of artificial dice rollers.

Most people prefer the feel of "Rolling the bones" as it were. However if you've got a laptop handy, it's zero additional cost and never rolls under the table.

You're going to need something to represent the players and monsters in combat. If you've got minis from whatever other games you play, they'll work fine. Dudes on 25mm bases are just about the same size as D&D medium creature, so you could potenially just throw down a bunch of guardsmen or tac marines to reprsent the players.

If you don't have those, other objects can do a good job. Starburst are just about the right size for a medium creature for example. Candy-based monsters are also fun to eat when you kill.

Of course you can go all-in for the real deals, but that's another expense.

The most important thing is just to have an active imagination and an ability to play nice with others.

I do have the demo for the character creator and I think that the DM could just do what the character creator does to make monsters right?

The Adventure Tools has that fuction

aja10000 wrote:I do have the demo for the character creator and I think that the DM could just do what the character creator does to make monsters right?

The DMG has guidelines for creating your own monsters from scratch, yes. You can certainly get away without the Monster Manual if you're willing to work with the guidelines and put in the effort to create your own content. However, it may be a bit much for a first-timer.

Find as much 3.5 or older as you can get!

Please, 4e FTUW (For The Utter Win).

The PHB, MM, and DMG are a solid start (either edition). Getting a subscription to D&D Insider might also be a boon, as there are plenty of articles that tell you stuff you might want.

Keep on the Shadowfell is a good start, but I've heard that it's rather tough. Be advised and wary.

Last, I'd advise posting on the D&D forums on the Wizards of the Coast website. They'll (we'll) be able to answer your questions and give you guidance.

The core rulebook, some dice, some tiles, some Friends would be a good idea too.

aja10000 wrote:I know I need the core rulebooks but what else should I get?

This, this, and this.

Not exactly what you'd imagine, but that's what I'd do if I wanted to start D&D.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

aja10000 wrote:I know I need the core rulebooks but what else should I get?

This, this, and this.

Not exactly what you'd imagine, but that's what I'd do if I wanted to start D&D.

As an Avid DH nut I recommend going this route only if you like A) Sci Fan and B) Lethality C) Fun. The core trifecta is always a good start though PHB, DMG and MM.

HBMC (BTW, pimpin' new avatar! At least new to me) has a good point; if you've never role-played before, start with something familiar (like Dark Heresy) and work from there.

One of the biggest assets my group has is a pre-gridded white board. no annoying wasteful paper and such. but maybe this isnt really needed just yet.....

What you need: Our IRC channel. http://widget.mibbit.com/?settings=53c4c8067cd878d15e6aeca6f9296c06&server=au.austnet.org&channel=%23d%26d

Here is an article about what one should look for when starting out in D&D. The main issue for you would be whether to wait for the new Essentials release which is like the old red box set.