Where should I start with Tabletop RPGs?

What's up? I always wanted to play tabletop RPGs but I never had the opportunity, I don't know a GM and I don't know any systems. In short: I'm a complete noob. But after I discovered this website I thought that this would be my opportunity to finally play tabletop RPGs, but I can't start from 0 knowledge and expect to do something, so what should I read to be able to play my first "match"? A friend told me that if I know how to play Neverwinter Nights i.e. that means I can play D&D. But is it enough to play tabletop? And sorry for my bad english :p

If you've  played a computer game based on Dungeons & Dragons, then you should be able to understand and play a tabletop version without too much difficulty. A lot will depend on which exact edition of the game the group is playing. Once that is settled, you will probably want to get a copy of the Player's Handbook for that edition.

Along those same lines, what is the easiest way to get started.  I have played some D&D 3 and 3.5 (several years ago) so I am basically familiar, but I was having no luck finding a group for anything but really obscure systems in the group finder.  I was looki40ng for a newer D&D (or maybe this Pathfinder thing I just read about) or maybe even 40k. TL;DR: How does a very new player get started? Thanks!

Brett E. said: If you've  played a computer game based on Dungeons & Dragons, then you should be able to understand and play a tabletop version without too much difficulty. A lot will depend on which exact edition of the game the group is playing. Once that is settled, you will probably want to get a copy of the Player's Handbook for that edition. Got it. Good to know then. I'll give it a try :)  Landrick said: Along those same lines, what is the easiest way to get started.  I have played some D&D 3 and 3.5 (several years ago) so I am basically familiar, but I was having no luck finding a group for anything but really obscure systems in the group finder.  I was looki40ng for a newer D&D (or maybe this Pathfinder thing I just read about) or maybe even 40k. TL;DR: How does a very new player get started? Thanks! WHAT?! Can we play 40K here? D:

I think if you turned off the grid so that things wouldn't auto lock onto it this would be perfectly fine to play 40K on. just get the images and make sure they are (close to) scale. As far as starting as a complete noob... people advertise games on here a lot. find one and ask them about the system and see if they will let you join. DnD 3.5 or 3rd, or pathfinder (all pretty close to the same rules) are a good place to start. Then get a character concept and work from there. I'd suggest even building a couple of characters before joining a game (or while you wait.) <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.d20pfsrd.com/</a> a bunch of info on pathfinder is there. GL.

First advice: &nbsp;Don't pick a system, pick a game style. Fantasy? &nbsp;Sci-fi? Western? &nbsp;Super Hero? &nbsp;Whatever you like to play, look for that instead of a specific system. &nbsp; Second: &nbsp;Find a good GROUP. &nbsp;Rarely have I stopped playing a game b/c of the rules system I can't even think of once right now). &nbsp;MUCH more often it was b/c I didn't fit that group (most often it's time conflicts). Once you've done those two things, you'll learn the system the group is using by playing. &nbsp;Remember, you don't have to know the game mechanics as long as you can role play. &nbsp;If you say "I dive in, roll to kneeling position and fire off 2 quick shots from my blaster" the group will help you figure out the mechanics to make that work in game. &nbsp;And shortly you'll be helping other people do the same thing. &nbsp;The least important part of a game is the rules system, the most important is the amount of fun you have with other people.

Ty M. has the right idea, in my opinion. You'll end up liking some rules better than others, but the important thing is just getting used to the concept -- and this can be done by playing. It's basically a combination of those RPGs or strategy games you've played in video games (like Neverwinter Nights) and a sort of group storytelling where each player gets to decide what one character says and does, usually with a special player (the GM/DM) filling in the blanks and the bad guys. You may find you enjoy the "roll-playing" strategy/dice/numbers aspect more, or you may enjoy the "role-playing" story-telling aspect more -- or you may be like me and enjoy them both! So just focus on finding a game in a setting you find interesting (medieval fantasy, steampunk, sci-fi, western, modern, Cthulhu, etc.) with a group that's playing at the right time. You may also find it helpful to look for short-term games that will only meet once (a "one shot") or twice. That way, if you find that another player grates on your personality, you haven't committed to spending lots of time listening to them. :P

Wow! I wasn't expecting so many answers :) Thanks for the link, William . I'll check it out so I can at least understand a little how things work hehe. I'm sure it'll help a lot. And about 40K, maybe sometime we get an option to turn off the grid, always wanted to play 40K, but it's rare and veeeery expensive here. :c Ty and Joel , I really liked that advice, picking a style instead of a system, that'll be much easier indeed, there are plenty of styles that I'm interested in, hope I can play Shadowrun here :D I think now that my biggest problem will be finding a good group then, mostly because of different timezones (since I live in Brazil) and the "role-playing" too because I'm not used to it, but I think that this comes with experience. And I'll try to find a "one shot" group, probably it's a good way to know the other systems. I enjoy dice-rolling a lot, I'm sure it's not the best example, but there is a 3DS game called "Crimson Shroud" that "simulates" a tabletop RPG. You just choose where to go, what decisions to make (i.e. spinning and parrying an arrow instead of just ducking leads to a dice rolling) and battle mobs. There is dice rolling to avoid combats, lifting curses/fog, hexing, etc. I'm pretty sure that the game experience is far from the real tabletop, but it's fun anyway :p And thanks a lot again for the advices.

Ty M. said: First advice: &nbsp;Don't pick a system, pick a game style. Fantasy? &nbsp;Sci-fi? Western? &nbsp;Super Hero? &nbsp;Whatever you like to play, look for that instead of a specific system. &nbsp; Second: &nbsp;Find a good GROUP. &nbsp;Rarely have I stopped playing a game b/c of the rules system I can't even think of once right now). &nbsp;MUCH more often it was b/c I didn't fit that group (most often it's time conflicts). Once you've done those two things, you'll learn the system the group is using by playing. &nbsp;Remember, you don't have to know the game mechanics as long as you can role play. &nbsp;If you say "I dive in, roll to kneeling position and fire off 2 quick shots from my blaster" the group will help you figure out the mechanics to make that work in game. &nbsp;And shortly you'll be helping other people do the same thing. &nbsp;The least important part of a game is the rules system, the most important is the amount of fun you have with other people. I really can't stress enough how important the above is for someone starting out. &nbsp;As a GM - from the other side of the table - &nbsp;I look for someone excited about the genre I'm running first, and then someone who can mesh with the group.

The biggest difference between tabletop RPGs and computer RPGs is the amount of openness. In a tabletop RPG, you can do anything you can convince your GM (and/or fellow players) to let you do, even to the point of making up rules on the spot (if the GM is willing to do that). With a computer RPG, you're limited by how the program works and the choices that have been pre-made for it, and it's generally not an easy thing to change that. As for role-playing, you're right: you'll get used to it as you play. Some groups do more of it than others, and it's pretty normal for first-time players to sit back and watch while the other players talk and banter in character. It's something we (at least in the US) don't do much in other games or real life, so it can feel a bit strange at first to "play pretend" like we did when we were kids.

Well, looks like I found a Shadowrun game on my time zone :D I'll try joining and see what happens hehe. Thanks a lot for all the help.