Fast Learner looking for Weekly/Semi Weekly/One Time Game, Any System, MST

I'm a new player with very limited experience with D&D (a single one-off session, I forget what edition), looking for a patient and instructive group to join. I've read up on the D&D Basic Rules, and will read any/watch anything you think would help, which includes learning different systems if needed. I will happily consider any invitations, although I prefer historical/fantasy settings. I'll play any race or class needed to round out your group. Games with a lot of worldbuilding/lore are <3. I am available all day Saturday and Sunday, and after 4:00 on weekdays. Any combination of voice, video, and text works for me. Ultimately all I ask for is a supportive group of players who can tolerate my many questions, and who I can have fun with! I just wrote this up super quick to get it out there, so if you have any questions or would like me to elaborate on something, just say so! I'd be happy respond.

I love your enthusiasm at finding a group and learning about the game.  D&D (or Tabletop gaming for that matter) is a fantastic hobby and creative outlet. While I hope you do find someone here on Roll20 to take you in, I think you might find it difficult.  The reason I'm posting a reply is to suggest that you also look at games in your local town.  Gamers usually gravitate towards game stores and if the owner is any good they can usually help you find a group.  Good luck with your search!  Can't wait to hear you've become an avid D&D player. :)

Joe R. said: I love your enthusiasm at finding a group and learning about the game.  D&D (or Tabletop gaming for that matter) is a fantastic hobby and creative outlet. While I hope you do find someone here on Roll20 to take you in, I think you might find it difficult.  The reason I'm posting a reply is to suggest that you also look at games in your local town.  Gamers usually gravitate towards game stores and if the owner is any good they can usually help you find a group.  Good luck with your search!  Can't wait to hear you've become an avid D&D player. :) I really appreciate your input! Unfortunately it's something that I've already looked into. My town is rural, population <900, and sadly there are no game stores or groups. :/ Thanks anyways though.

Well, let me help you out then. I'm not running a game but I can help you prepare.  I'm an experienced DM.  Been running games for almost two decades, completed a number of campaigns, and I've got to tell you: I LOVE players who are new to D&D. It means you don't come with any expectations about what you should do or what should happen.  You're a clean slate that can be taught how to think about Roleplaying in a tabletop format. That said, if you want to avoid those awkward rules questions, I can help you there.  First thing is: Do you know what system you want to play?  Pathfinder?  D&D 3rd edition?  4th Edition?  D&D Next? Whichever you decide I'd recommend getting a copy of the rules.  If not, I can attempt to give you a quick and dirty rundown on what terms to know and expect.

Welcome to Roll20 DecafVillain! Joe R is giving some good advice, but I would ignore one thing he said: Don't give up Roll20 to look for in-town games. It's not easy to find one, especially a good one, but your choices here are a LOT higher than your local game shop. The problem, in both cases, is that there's a LOT more  players than there are DMs or Game Hosts. Stick around a while, watch the forums, sign up when a game looks good for you, and don't give up the first time it doesn't go right. Try again, and again... it's worth a little trouble at first, 'cuz it's FUN when you finally find the right game and group to play with! In fact, I run a game for new players I'd like you to look at and, if it seems your style, come join. Here's a copy to LAST WEEK's Session; I post a new one every week, so look for that when it comes out. The Color Animal Inn You can also find good gameplay videos online (including my own, but there are lots and you should check them all out!) to see what kind of things people do, to get an idea of what games are like from different perspectives before you join one. Wishing you luck! -Phnord

Joe R. said: Well, let me help you out then. I'm not running a game but I can help you prepare.  I'm an experienced DM.  Been running games for almost two decades, completed a number of campaigns, and I've got to tell you: I LOVE players who are new to D&D. It means you don't come with any expectations about what you should do or what should happen.  You're a clean slate that can be taught how to think about Roleplaying in a tabletop format. That said, if you want to avoid those awkward rules questions, I can help you there.  First thing is: Do you know what system you want to play?  Pathfinder?  D&D 3rd edition?  4th Edition?  D&D Next? Whichever you decide I'd recommend getting a copy of the rules.  If not, I can attempt to give you a quick and dirty rundown on what terms to know and expect. That is so nice of you to offer your help, thank you. From what I've seen D&D 5e is the more universal/popular system, so it is the one that I have been reading up on the most. I know enough that I can struggle my way through filling a character sheet, and the very basics of gameplay. I'm hesitant to sink money into a rulebook that I may never get the chance to use, so what I've been relying on is mostly wikis and  this .   

Hi Decaf, I would highly recommend 5E if you are going the D&D route. It's very easy to pick up and play and doesn't have the bloat other older systems have. I've had really good luck with finding games on here, many people are very willing to help. That being said, I'll suggest something that usually gets very negative feedback - checking out a DM who does a charge-per-session model. My experience has been these guys are very helpful, very knowledgeable and willing to work with new people, as they are invested in you liking the experience (since that means more money for them in the long run). I've seen prices range from around $5-$10 a session, which may not be possible for a lot of people. It also seems to violate many people's principles in terms of keeping the game "pure." Still, I have seen many people who are new (especially to new to both Roll20 as well as tabletop in general) find this route gives them a lot of comfort rather than showing up to a session where they are just viewed as a "n00b."

DecafVillain said: Joe R. said: Well, let me help you out then. I'm not running a game but I can help you prepare.  I'm an experienced DM.  Been running games for almost two decades, completed a number of campaigns, and I've got to tell you: I LOVE players who are new to D&D. It means you don't come with any expectations about what you should do or what should happen.  You're a clean slate that can be taught how to think about Roleplaying in a tabletop format. That said, if you want to avoid those awkward rules questions, I can help you there.  First thing is: Do you know what system you want to play?  Pathfinder?  D&D 3rd edition?  4th Edition?  D&D Next? Whichever you decide I'd recommend getting a copy of the rules.  If not, I can attempt to give you a quick and dirty rundown on what terms to know and expect. That is so nice of you to offer your help, thank you. From what I've seen D&D 5e is the more universal/popular system, so it is the one that I have been reading up on the most. I know enough that I can struggle my way through filling a character sheet, and the very basics of gameplay. I'm hesitant to sink money into a rulebook that I may never get the chance to use, so what I've been relying on is mostly wikis and  this .    As somebody who runs two-three D&D games a week, I will say that I'm incredibly hesitant to take someone who doesn't own the book.  The big reason is that the basic rules don't flesh out a number of the classes (especially when spells are involved) so the DM is basically put in the position of having to help pick out spells and explain each spell as it comes up, which is just frustrating.  Now, if a player is willing to play someone who just hits things or shoots things, their not owning the PHB is not a big deal.  So, keep that in mind when you're trying to get into games (Frankly, no one should play a caster as their first class (in my opinion).  Managing a spell list is essentially tripling the amount of things you have to be aware of and leads to new players typically being overwhelmed.). Also Jimmy's idea isn't a terrible one, but for probably 2.5 sessions worth you could have just bought the player's handbook from Amazon, read through it, and had a pretty decent idea of how to play.

Alright, so let's talk about things you should know. First off, you're playing D&D Next (also called 5th Edition), and you've got the basic rules .pdf, which is perfect.  That's exactly what you need.  And if you already know how to fill out most of a character sheet you're ahead of the curve. So, let's start at the beginning with the core mechanic: Basically, in D&D, you are going to have full control over a single character.  The Dungeon Master (or DM) is going to describe situations to you and you have to describe how this character you control reacts.  However, in many cases when your character attempts something, you roll dice to determine whether your character succeeds or fails.  Basically, if the success of an action is in question, you roll a d20 (a twenty sided die), add a modifier to it (usually representing your character's skill at that action) and compare that result to a specific number (set by the DM) to see if your character succeeds or fails. As long as you're aware that you'll roll a die to determine how well your character will succeed or fail, you're ready to play some D&D. So, that's the core mechanic.  With that out of the way, I need to have a serious talk about HOW to play this game.  Then in another post I'm going to give you another way to look at it. Basically, when you play this game, you are taking the role of a leading character in a TV Show or a Movie.  A swashbuckling hero, a street urchin with a heart of gold, an unparalleled soldier, a mousy, insecure wizard, etc. No matter what you choose to play, it's important to think of this character at a person.  They have things they want, and they react to situations as any ordinary person would.  They avoid dangers, they want rewards, they have likes and dislikes, and they have things they want out of life.   As you play this game called D&D, you'll be constantly asked 'what are you doing?' or 'what do you do next?'  And if you don't understand what your character would want, then you're going to have a tough time answering these questions.  So when you get into a situation in the game, imagine that your character is a TV character, or a movie character, and then think about what you would expect that character to do in that situation. Alright, that's enough for now.  Let me know what questions you have and then we'll get to the advanced stuff. ;)

So, this is another way to look at playing in a D&D game, and these were given to me by an old school gamer named Lance Adair Wheeler.  Lance is no longer with us (Rest in Peace), but he came from the old-school, Gygaxian gamers who started D&D, and these principles of gaming that he left me are ones I think are spot-on, even today.  So, here they are: The five fundamental principles: 1) Causality .  All conditions have a cause.  A powerful wizard will not suddenly appear to devastate your characters (without cause).  If your characters have been acting in such a manner as to GIVE a power wizard reason to destroy or harass your personae; well, you should have known better.  CAVEAT: it should not be inferred that a character will know why the powerful wizard has decided to interrupt the character's life but the wizard has a reason. 2) Consistency .  The conditions of reality will be self consistent.  The above mentioned wizard would not appear personally to avenge a minor grievance.  Henchmen would suffice.  A MAJOR grievance would call for all his forces, including a few summoned entities from other planes. This principle also precludes special treatment of a favorable nature.  Characters will not stumble into unguarded loot or lucrative employment: someone/something else has gotten it already.  CAVEAT: if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't. 3) Continuity .  Tomorrow is a continuation of today which is a continuation of yesterday.  Your characters cannot travel from Point A to Point C without passing through the intervening points (without Magic).  This is true of time and character development as well as distance.  CAVEAT: a reality known only to deceased characters may be changed. 4)   Control .  Your characters, once activated, will be yours to control.  The above mentioned wizard will not suddenly appear to lay a Geas upon your personae (unless you give cause).  CAVEAT: try not to give the GM a reason to control your characters.  Also, any action contrary to Paragraph 2 may allow the GM to override your choices. 5) Balance .  This is also known as the Law of Diminishing Returns.  The ration of (Return) to (Effort Invested) decreases.  The (Return) does not increase, but the (Effort invested) becomes disproportionately large.  There are limits to ALL things.  CAVEAT: if a character has an inherent advantage, he will also have a liability.  You might not know what that is. When you look at theses, I'm sure they'll seem a bit foreign, but remember they're from an OLD SCHOOL gamer.  But the underlying ideas here are what I think is absolutely on point.  Things in D&D happen for a specific reason.  People will act in such a way that is consistent with reality.  Things, once introduced into a game cannot be taken out of a game.  You are in control of your character and therefore need to know what reasons they have for their actions and remain consistent with those (as well as alter them when new events occur).  And, finally, your character lives in a world where accomplishing things takes effort. I hope this was somewhat helpful.  These five principles REALLY helped me understand the game when I was a novice gamer.

Joe R. said: So, this is another way to look at playing in a D&D game, and these were given to me by an old school gamer named Lance Adair Wheeler.  Lance is no longer with us (Rest in Peace), but he came from the old-school, Gygaxian gamers who started D&D, and these principles of gaming that he left me are ones I think are spot-on, even today.  So, here they are: The five fundamental principles: 1) Causality .  All conditions have a cause.  A powerful wizard will not suddenly appear to devastate your characters (without cause).  If your characters have been acting in such a manner as to GIVE a power wizard reason to destroy or harass your personae; well, you should have known better.  CAVEAT: it should not be inferred that a character will know why the powerful wizard has decided to interrupt the character's life but the wizard has a reason. 2) Consistency .  The conditions of reality will be self consistent.  The above mentioned wizard would not appear personally to avenge a minor grievance.  Henchmen would suffice.  A MAJOR grievance would call for all his forces, including a few summoned entities from other planes. This principle also precludes special treatment of a favorable nature.  Characters will not stumble into unguarded loot or lucrative employment: someone/something else has gotten it already.  CAVEAT: if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't. 3) Continuity .  Tomorrow is a continuation of today which is a continuation of yesterday.  Your characters cannot travel from Point A to Point C without passing through the intervening points (without Magic).  This is true of time and character development as well as distance.  CAVEAT: a reality known only to deceased characters may be changed. 4)   Control .  Your characters, once activated, will be yours to control.  The above mentioned wizard will not suddenly appear to lay a Geas upon your personae (unless you give cause).  CAVEAT: try not to give the GM a reason to control your characters.  Also, any action contrary to Paragraph 2 may allow the GM to override your choices. 5) Balance .  This is also known as the Law of Diminishing Returns.  The ration of (Return) to (Effort Invested) decreases.  The (Return) does not increase, but the (Effort invested) becomes disproportionately large.  There are limits to ALL things.  CAVEAT: if a character has an inherent advantage, he will also have a liability.  You might not know what that is. When you look at theses, I'm sure they'll seem a bit foreign, but remember they're from an OLD SCHOOL gamer.  But the underlying ideas here are what I think is absolutely on point.  Things in D&D happen for a specific reason.  People will act in such a way that is consistent with reality.  Things, once introduced into a game cannot be taken out of a game.  You are in control of your character and therefore need to know what reasons they have for their actions and remain consistent with those (as well as alter them when new events occur).  And, finally, your character lives in a world where accomplishing things takes effort. I hope this was somewhat helpful.  These five principles REALLY helped me understand the game when I was a novice gamer. That's amazing. I really, truly, love how their's so much backstory and history to these games, it adds weight to every action. I will definitely keep these rules at the forefront of my mind, thank you for sharing. This, plus your other posts, make feel like I have a better grasp on what is expected of me. Thank you again, and again.

I'm recruiting players for a one shot science fiction game. I'm an experienced GM, but I'm trying out Roll20 for the first time. Give it a try, if you fancy... <a href="https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/37642/antimatte" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/lfg/listing/37642/antimatte</a>... (Date & time are TBD)