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Made in gb
Guarding Guardian



Manchester

Hey all!

My partner and I are interested in trying out a tabletop RPG, but have absolutly NO idea where to start or what game to go with. We would appreciate it immensely of anyone could offer their two cent please We just want an idea of where to look, which game would be easiest to get into and maybe things we should consider/need to know before we start?

We would prefer one where we play around an actual board with miniatures, especially if we can make our own to resemble our characters in game.

Cheers!

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/04/01 20:34:15


 
   
Made in nz
Basecoated Black





Auckland

You could try the free basic rules for DnD:

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules

If you like it you can go from there and maybe buy the full colour books with illustrations.

DnD works well with a table setup for fights, but does not need it explicitly.
So nothing to lose, only to win .

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/03/23 10:51:39


 
   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran



Derbyshire, UK

I'd second the suggestion to start with D&D. the current edition is a pretty simple system and an excellent introduction to RPGs.
   
Made in us
Frenzied Berserker Terminator




Southampton, UK

D&D is a classic. Would benefit from more players than just the two of you though.

If you're looking to go more board-gamey, you could take a look at Descent or Dungeon Saga.
   
Made in gb
Worthiest of Warlock Engineers






preston

Dungeons and Dragons. Go for 3rd edition or 3.5. Avoid 5th and never mention the one that came before it.

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Decrepit Dakkanaut






New Orleans, LA

I like 5th edition D&D over 3rd edition and even Pathfinder.

Very simple rules. You don't have to keep track of 10+ modifiers. Your stats aren't through the roof. Simply a lot of situations with the advantage and disadvantage rules.

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Gore-Soaked Lunatic Witchhunter




Seattle

Yeah, D&D5 is a truly excellent system for an RPG (and this from someone who started with 1st Ed).

Ideally, recruit 2 or 3 other friends to play the game with you, as most table-top RPGs work best with a group of 3 to 5, one person being the narrator/GM the rest being the players of the game.

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Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut





JpBlitz wrote:
Hey all!

My partner and I are interested in trying out a tabletop RPG, but have absolutly NO idea where to start or what game to go with. We would appreciate it immensely of anyone could offer their two cent please We just want an idea of where to look, which game would be easiest to get into and maybe things we should consider/need to know before we start?

We would prefer one where we play around an actual board with miniatures, especially if we can make our own to resemble our characters in game.

Cheers!


This really depends on what kind of experience you are looking for.

When you say RPG, what are you imagining? This will help to narrow down the wide world of table top role-playing games into something that is likely to meet your expectations.

For example, are you thinking about a cooperative adventure game filled with ass-kicking and dice rolling, or are you imagining a more cerebral communal story-telling experience?

If you are just looking to dip a toe into the waters of RPGs, it could help to start with some self-contained communal story-telling games, like Fiasco, The Quiet Year, or The Shab-al-hiri Roach.

Bully Pulpit Games makes a lot of these types of once off, small group story-telling games.

The bonus of these games is that you don't need a Game Master, they only last for a few hours, they are cheap, and require almost no materials, so the commitments are minimal.

A drawback to these games is that they can be a little intimidating if you aren't used to role-playing. There's less structure with these games than in a game like D&D, and little that establishes a comfortable barrier between you and the other players, like dice, maps, miniatures, and complex rules interactions.

For games like these, I would recommend trying to find a group of experienced players to play with. The nice thing here is that commitments are only a few hours long, and the people who love playing these types of games are just about always happy to find new people to play with.

If you are looking for some RPG training wheels, any game that offers simple rules and structured modules or games is good. D&D is not terribly simple in terms of rules for someone new to RPGs, but you can find a plethora of very structured adventures that makes it easy to start playing.

You will usually find that RPGs offer introductory scenarios or modules complete with pre-designed characters. That's a decent way to start getting into RPGs as it takes a lot of pressure off of having to learn the rules and how to set up a game.

There's also an RPG for just about EVERY popular fictional universe, so another good way to start with RPGs is to find a game based in a fictional universe that you are already intimately familiar with, such as Buffy, Firefly, Dr. Who, Dresden Files, 40K, etc. This helps to take off the pressure of approaching an unfamiliar fictional universe, and you can normally portray the characters from the show or books, which reduces the pressure of developing your own unique character.

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2016/03/23 14:29:10


 
   
Made in us
Posts with Authority






If this is your first time, I would suggest either Pathfinder Beginner's Box or D&D 5th edition.

Pathfinder Beginner's Box comes with rules for 1st to 5th level, dice, pre-generated characters, and cardboard pawns for a fair number pf critters and PC options.

The rules are simplified from either Pathfinder or 3.5, and the starter dungeon is structured to introduce the rules in easily digested bite sized pieces.

5th edition, on the other hand, is a very simple but pretty flexible rules set - easily grasped, and with much simpler combat than 3.5... about par with PFBB, I think, maybe a little simpler. Monster stat blocks are smaller.

Both are good choices.

Pathfinder is more reliant on minis - not required, but they make life easier. If you like miniatures then Pathfinder is a better choice, if you don't like miniatures then D&D 5 is the better choice.

I favor Pathfinder, but then I also liked D&D 3.X, and I have been painting miniatures since 1975.

Both are good.

The Auld Grump

Kilkrazy wrote:When I was a young boy all my wargames were narratively based because I played with my toy soldiers and vehicles without the use of any rules.

The reason I bought rules and became a real wargamer was because I wanted a properly thought out structure to govern the action instead of just making things up as I went along.
 
   
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[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

I'd caution against any flavor of D&D Third Edition/Pathfinder; the rules are just too heavy for what they accomplish. The current edition of D&D (Fifth Edition) kept what was good about Third (and Fourth for that matter) and scrapped the rest. The result is a tremendously playable roleplaying game. It is easy to start (as you can see above, the basic rules are available for free) but it isn't just a game for people new to RPGs.

   
Made in gb
Battleship Captain




If wanting a 'narrative board game' - with a plot along the lines of "go into a dungeon, kill monsters and take their stuff", then I'd agree on D&D.

For a narrative one, I'd recommend Edge of the Empire/Age of Rebellion.

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Made in ca
Knight of the Inner Circle




Montreal, QC Canada

I recommend the 5th edition Starter set for D&D just to get you going. While I myself have a soft spot for 3rd edition, 5th is cleaned up and streamlined and easy to learn, great for a beginner to try out.

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Made in us
Sybarite Swinging an Agonizer





Leavenworth, KS

I will echo others and say start your experience with the D&D Starter Set. Also check out enworld.org for lots of awesome RPG discussion.

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Made in us
Monstrous Master Moulder




Rust belt

If your into fantasy buy the Pathfinder or DnD 5th edition starter boxes. If you have a FLGS or club near by find out what nights they run their rpg. Roll20 is an online community that plays over the Internet. https://roll20.net
I have never used roll20 but I'm sure someone here has and can tell you more about it.
   
Made in jp
Fixture of Dakka





Japan

Before listening to everyone shouting D&D, which setting do you want to play in? Fantasy or SF? Do you want a known commodity like 40k Dark heresy, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, Warmachine iron Kingdoms, Cthulhu, Werewolves, Vampires, cyberpunk?
Do you want rules heavy or light systems?
If you want more miniature based games, there is Inquisitor, and in a lesser way Necromunda and Mordheim.

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Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

JpBlitz wrote:
Hey all!

My partner and I are interested in trying out a tabletop RPG...
.... which game would be easiest to get into ...
...We would prefer one where we play around an actual board with miniatures,
...especially if we can make our own to resemble our characters in game.


If you want something dead simple to get into, I'd suggest Tales of Blades and Heroes.
http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_13&products_id=23&osCsid=hcplnnioj3mjrpcec9piobe9l5
and $8 PDF and it has a variety of supplements that cost the same.
http://www.ganeshagames.net/index.php?cPath=1_13&osCsid=hcplnnioj3mjrpcec9piobe9l5It's based on the very fun "Song of Blades and Heroes" game engine, uses miniatures and is easy to learn. It doesn't have a board, but is designed to be played with terrain, either 3d or 2d.
Here's an example of a game: http://hodgepodgelodger.blogspot.com/2012/10/rpg-tales-of-blades-and-heroes-session.html
And Here's an over/re-view: https://rpggeek.com/thread/777749/semi-review-tales-blades-and-heroes

The only thing I'm slightly confused about is making miniatures that resemble your characters. Custom miniatures are expensive, but there are so many companies making miniatures that you can find a production miniature to represent just about any character race/gender/type/equipment/etc you can imagine. ToBH encourages you to use whatever miniatures you wish.

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Made in us
Hangin' with Gork & Mork






 Manchu wrote:
I'd caution against any flavor of D&D Third Edition/Pathfinder; the rules are just too heavy for what they accomplish. The current edition of D&D (Fifth Edition) kept what was good about Third (and Fourth for that matter) and scrapped the rest. The result is a tremendously playable roleplaying game. It is easy to start (as you can see above, the basic rules are available for free) but it isn't just a game for people new to RPGs.


This is probably the best advice in this thread.

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Made in us
Combat Jumping Ragik






Beyond the Beltway

Only because no one warned him to avoid Blue Rose.

D&D 5e will be a good start. It won't require minis, but if you want to use them, it is quite easily done. There is a tremendous amount of support for 5e these days too.

 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut






 TheAuldGrump wrote:
If this is your first time, I would suggest either Pathfinder Beginner's Box or D&D 5th edition.

Pathfinder Beginner's Box comes with rules for 1st to 5th level, dice, pre-generated characters, and cardboard pawns for a fair number pf critters and PC options.

The rules are simplified from either Pathfinder or 3.5, and the starter dungeon is structured to introduce the rules in easily digested bite sized pieces.

5th edition, on the other hand, is a very simple but pretty flexible rules set - easily grasped, and with much simpler combat than 3.5... about par with PFBB, I think, maybe a little simpler. Monster stat blocks are smaller.

Both are good choices.

Pathfinder is more reliant on minis - not required, but they make life easier. If you like miniatures then Pathfinder is a better choice, if you don't like miniatures then D&D 5 is the better choice.

I favor Pathfinder, but then I also liked D&D 3.X, and I have been painting miniatures since 1975.

Both are good.

The Auld Grump


God.... you are as old as dirt like me.

Have them both.

The PF Beginner Set has absolutely everything that you need to start playing on that same day. (with character pieces) for $50.00.

The D&D players hand book, monster manual and DMG will set you back $150.00. And yes I'm one that will say that you really need all 3 books to start playing.

The Pathfinder Beginner Set will get you an Idea on what RPG is all about. And if you don't like it you did not waste a whole lot of money.

5Ed is a very good system (overall) if you want to plop down that amount of money up front.

Now you could buy the D&D starter set for $30, but it is REALLLLLY basic and comes with no character pieces. I was personally disappointed as it reminded me of a GW Dick move myself. Hasbro could have done a better job on the starter set.

So for $30 you get the D&D starter set and once you learn that you can just slide on into 5thEd D&D if you like. If you decide you that you do not like it you are only out $30.

As far as the PathFinder Beginner Set which I like a great deal, well I am not sure that Paizo fully supporting that set at all.


Also I have had a few comments with that company for failing to see the Juggernaut (of 5thED coming). They has at least 2 years to do something to protect their customer base and they did nothing.

To let one company just walk on in and take away a huge chunk of the RPG market and that includes your player base... with a 2 year notice that this was going to happen.... All I can say is Wow.... Just Wow....

And yes I was watching to see "if" Paizo would do something.





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Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





West Michigan, deep in Whitebread, USA

Remember there are non-D20 based games out there, too-the big two just suck up all the attention so they become a knee-jerk reaction. But several games out there are very popular, and frankly can be easier to digest for newcomers.

Like Savage Worlds, which is about 15-20 bucks to get into as you only need one digest-sized book to be either player or game master. And their Shaintar fantasy setting is great, I have been in a group that's been playing Shaintar for the D&D equivalent of 20-30 levels, and the world is very detailed. Enemies are also so much simpler to run as there's no hit points to track in a slow grind towards death.

Or the "Age" system which started with the Dragon Age roleplaying game, and now has other settings available.

There is also Heroes against Darkness, which is D20, and Justin Holliday made it by distilling everything he liked about every edition of DnD into one ruleset. It's also professionally made, includes as much material as any good sized PG, and on top of all that, to test it- it's totally free. I plan on running it if I can muster up the courage to take a turn as group GM. It's easier to run than both DnD and Pathfinder, in my eyes.

http://heroesagainstdarkness.blogspot.com/p/heroes-against-darkness-overview.html

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2016/03/27 12:50:37




"By this point I'm convinced 100% that every single race in the 40k universe have somehow tapped into the ork ability to just have their tech work because they think it should."  
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka






The thing I'd say, no matter the game, is "don't sweat the rules". Especially if you're the GM. If you can't find a rule, make something up and carry on. You can always look it up between sessions and do it "right" thereafter (or carry on doing it the way you did, if that works better).

I like the Star Wars RPGs from Fantasy Flight. Especially for the beginner sets, which have pre-generated characters and a short introductory adventure which introduces the rules as you go through it. The problem I always have with new systems is creating characters, especially if it's a free-form system, and I have no idea what importance my choices will have later on.
   
Made in us
Hangin' with Gork & Mork






Once you get your head wrapped around the dice mechanic the FFG Star Wars games are a lot of fun.

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Made in us
Been Around the Block




Find out where you are going to play at first, then decided if those people are your kinda people. If you wanna play Shadowrun, you gotta find people who are interested in playing anything. You sure as hell don't want to start playing with ADD people, negative, or over opinionated people. Find your gaming space, then start thinking about what game.

Sometimes you just have to play what everybody is already playing. Expect to be disappointed.

Ask your 'partner', they'll be the boss, so get use to it.

Nothing wrong with any game listed above, you have to find the right players for the game. 4E isn't the terrible game people say it is, you just need players who like the mechanics, and a DM with no life. Same could be said for most RPGs.

You'll find out most of the stuff you've heard is BS-opinions after you get your toes wet.



This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/03/28 00:41:48


 
   
Made in pr
Fixture of Dakka






What are we talking about?


RPG's or are we talking about tabletop miniatures games?

I play 1st edition D and D, and there are figures from Otherworlds that are dead nuts exact to the 1st edition Rulebook, then they expand...


If we are talking about figures games in general, I would direct your attention to Call of Cthuhlu, and add in your Ral Partha figures from their USX line. OR superheros, from the Old Glory website, from Superfigs.

http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/categories.asp?cat=47



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Made in gb
[DCM]
Moustache-twirling Princeps





Gone-to-ground in the craters of Coventry

If I was starting from scratch, I would look into DnD on the wizards.com site, and get the free rules.
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules

Then, if you wanted to get miniatures, look at a hack-n-slash game with minis, like Dungeon Saga.
http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/dungeon-saga.html
It has a stack of basic figures, and it will give you a breather if DnD gets too heavy.

Grab a nice set of dice (the 6+1 set of D4 up to D20) and a few extra D6s. You will want them for most games. Some others use odd dice, but the majority use them.

Also, work out whether a certain era/settings takes your eye. DnD and Dungeon Saga are fantasy, but there are LOADS of other types. Most fictional universes are available as RPG settings, like Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Marvel, Star Wars, and so on.
Grab a free set of rules, have a go, and have a good look around before spending.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/03/30 13:32:51


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Made in de
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience






Nuremberg

I think for ease of play, like lots of others have said, the Starter Set for 5e is really good. It gives you a nice structure and is full of classic elements. It's hard to go wrong with it and it is structured with the complete beginner in mind.

If you want to use minis, I would also suggest picking up a dry erase mat. This will let you quickly sketch out maps with a minimum of fuss. You can go totally crazy with tiles and prepared maps, but sometimes the fiddling around with all the bits and pieces can slow down the game or disrupt the flow.

I would also say that minis are fun, but entirely optional in 5e. I've played it with and without, and when we played with I did not use a grid or anything like that - just eyeballed distances and was pretty fast and loose and relaxed about it all. Consider using tokens to represent stuff too - an abstract token is better than proxying in the wrong kind of monster in my experience as people get a bit fixated on the mini and don't use their imaginations.

If you are planning to run the starter, Board With Life have a pretty good podcast where they run through the set. Obviously, not a good idea to listen to if you plan to be the player, but if you're gonna be the GM then it's good to hear what other people actually do and how it works in play.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/03/30 17:35:43


   
Made in us
Battlefield Tourist




MN (Currently in WY)

I recommend FUDGE. Free and you can do whatever you want with it. You don;t even need dice if you don;t want to go that route.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/03/30 20:37:17


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Inspiring SDF-1 Bridge Officer





Mississippi

As you can probably tell, D&D and its variations are among the most popular. Everybody's got their own favorite flavor and the two current major variations are Pathfinder and D&D 5E (There are also other versions meant to mimic older versions of D&D - Catles and Crusades, OSRIC and Dungeon Crawl Classics to name just three) . I would describe Pathfinder as "chunkier" with more rules, whereas I would describe D&D 5E as "lighter". Both support using maps/boards and miniatures, though Pathfinder has more interactions/rules in that area.

If your looking for something other than fantasy-based games, there are a host of genre specific systems (Star Wars for space opera sci-fi, World of Darkness for modern supernatural, Mutants and Masterminds for superheroes, etc.) and generic systems that can tackle a wide variety of genres (FUDGE, Tri-stat, GURPS, Savage Worlds, FATE, etc.)

Most of these systems offer a free/starter version; a quick google search can get you right to them.

It never ends well 
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Moustache-twirling Princeps





Gone-to-ground in the craters of Coventry

If you wanted a DnD game made to use models, look at 4th edition.
We stopped playing that as soon as 5th came out though. A fight could take all evening, and a module took forever.

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Made in de
Joined the Military for Authentic Experience






Nuremberg

Aye, I found the same problem with 4e. You also needed to do a lot of work on encounters to make them interesting puzzles due to the nature of the game.

What they did well was giving all classes interesting things to do in combat and decoupling monster design from PC design, making it a lot easier to stat and run your own monsters.

I think it doesn't deserve all the hate that gets piled it's way but 5th is certainly a smoother system.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/04/01 19:26:55


   
 
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