New player - Time to decide

[Nylanfs]

Thank you Nylanfs, Zacchaeus and LordEntrails,

@Zacchaeus; Cheers. It sounds like I would have to work a little harder to get 3,5 to work, I'll easily do it the harder way if 5E doesn't convince me however. I'll take the advice and roll up some 5E chars with PCgen and find a tutorial and solo it up , as none of my mates will be available before late in the weekend, and I'll see what I think before I talk it through with them. PCgen became my go to site with 3,5 too when I realized FG didnt do what I thought at first on char sheet . Character creation might give me some indication what to expect aswell. Little sad to hear about the lack of prestige classes, but I can add the desired effects to my bad guys as I see fit regardless, little worse for the player I guess.

@LordEntrails; What you do describe is likely a good reason for me to become 5e , yeah, even more so as this is a fresh start. It is really only me that is a looney for the combinations and as I said over, as the DM, I can get my fix regardless.
I do not remember AD&D as straightforward however, and found the rules for what you could and couldn't do to be better decribed in 3,5. Admittedly it is quite some time ago, since I opened those rulebooks. I might have a different understanding now becoming older. There was less a char could do with actions, that I do remember. I wouldn't want the rules to go back to Fighter being just a fighter however, by my choice

What I will do next then I play a 5e module that is available with a 5e 4 man party of my own design.

I'll come back and ask more question later, thank you for all the aid so far.

Happy hunting.

Yea for the PCGen luv.

[Mardragon7]

Thank you for the advice to all.

Last night I made chars in 5E and I fired up the sample campaign to see some action. Man, I wish I did that immidiatly when joining, for what an awesome tutorial it is. I would have saved myself a few hours if I started with that Thats my tip to other new players, run that

I got to see and try a lot of the automation and I think 5e will be very good for my players and me to get into DnD online through FG.

If I think aside from the campaigns I intend to run, and only think as me "a player", I personally I think I might prefer the 3,5 ruleset(having only glanced at 5e) and will take up your advices for Pathfinder. I think I will look at joining some games as a player for PF and see what its about.

Thats were I stand at the moment, I didnt quite get through the sample, so I will finish it up this evening.

As a ultimate license holder I have access to a lot and I see you guys advice I run with that for a bit before purchases.

I need to ask however, what do the complete rulesets actually add to the gameplay? The mechanics and the math seem to be in place already.

If I get the PHB complete for 5e what is the most noteworthy additions vs what I already have access to?

If I get the monster book complete for 5e what is the most noteworthy additions vs what I already have access to? I noticed some monsters was missing tokens.

If I get the DM book complete for 5e what is the most noteworthy additions vs what I already have access to?

[Zacchaeus]

This might answer most of your remaining questions

[Mardragon7]

Thank you for linking it.

PHB:
Primarily the PHB is concerned with character creation and the rules for actually playing the game. If you own the PHB then you can make it available to your players so that they can create their characters. Full drag and drop functionality means that players can drag a class, race, background and equipment into their character sheet and (almost) everything will be set up for them ready to play.

Note, however, that the character sheet is not a character builder so some manual intervention is required to get the best out of the character.

The drag and drop functionality links sections of the character sheet to the Player’s Handbook so the player (or the DM) can click on these links to open the relevant section. Of all three of the core rulebooks the consensus is that the PHB is pretty much essential for its ease of use and functionality.

To me it seems the drag and drop functionality is already there tho, are there more feats and stuff available in the PHB than what is already added with the core rules? Or is it it just better descibed in the PHB?

MM:
If you are going to be creating your own campaigns (as opposed to purchasing adventures) as a DM then the Monster Manual will be a very desirable module to own. All of the NPCs are in there complete with background information and full colour artwork that can be shared with players. NPCs from the MM can be dropped into encounters and from there onto the Combat Tracker and onto maps. Each will have a token representing the NPC as well as all the statistics, attacks and defences of the NPC. When placed on the CT the NPCs attacks, spells and other abilities will show up on the CT and as DM you will be able to use those by simply double clicking on the attack, ability or effect.

If you plan to use only published adventures then the MM is perhaps less of a necessity since all of the NPCs in those adventures will come with it.

That sound like a must have to me, I intend to heavily rely on my own creation. I asume it is a lot more creatures available with this.

DMG:
The Dungeons Master’s Guide contains information on how to create worlds, dungeons, campaigns, NPCs, treasures and other rewards as well as detailed guidance on running a game and generally how to be a DM. It also contains many pages of magic items and a huge number of tables for rolling up random treasures, dungeons, personalities and a host of other things.

Whether you need any of this might also depend on whether you intend to make up your own adventures or run published ones. However even if you fall into the latter category the lure of those magic items is great – and with a single roll of a dice you can create a treasure parcel down to the smallest detail. If you roll a sword it will tell you what kind of sword; if you roll a scroll it will tell you what scroll you got; or what gem; or what armour or what potion.

Wherever possible the tables in the DMG have been optimised for use in FG like this. You roll once and if the table entry directs you to roll elsewhere then that roll is made too.

In summary then, the three core rulebooks are not essential but depending on how you run your game it could make life a lot easier, give your players a host of options, give you easy access to information and rules as well as cutting prep time by a considerable amount.

One of the areas I havent checked to much yet is the treasure creation and xp handling. It seemed to be non existant in 3,5, but could be my ignorance at this time.

Are there already in 5e options to with automation towards appropriate treasure and xp levels, based on a given encounter, or does the DMG offer invaluable tools towards this bit? That you guys feel is needed.

I guess what I am looking for is a place to drop the finished encounter and have the game spew out a proposed xp and treasure, that I can modify and then give out. It would be great if it works like this when you start fresh with a ruleset to get a feel for what "should" be given.

[Nylanfs]

What's included with the FG License is the 5e SRD and Basic Rules. The largest difference between the 35e and 5e SRD is that the 5e is more of a style guide for publishers instead of the majority of the rules like the 35e SRD. This means that there's only one feat, one background, etc.

[LordEntrails]

The PHB has more options for character and racial classes than the SRD and/or Basic Rules have. It also has some more spells and possibly? more equipment. More info here.

I don't know the comparison of numbers of monsters between the SRD and MM. There are certainly more with the MM and most of them have picture tokens. More info here.

The DMG has the random treasure tables. It's not quite the same as with previous additions, but there are still instructions on creating treasure hoards and tables to roll on and links to the items etc. It also has Story Templates that can help generate random dungeons and more. Sorry, don't have a link for it, but I think Doug Davision did a you tube video on it.

XP is already built into the rulesystem when you create encounters. And you can drag/drop those onto the Party Sheet XP table and then click the Award button and it will divide the XP among the party members. FG will not automatically level up the characters though, since most DM's will want to wait until an appropriate time to have the players level up.

Check out this, it might give you an idea about setting up adventures, encounters, and treasure parcels.

[Mardragon7]

The PHB thread sold me. If there are options, and there are few, then I want what there is atleast.

Monster Manual I was pretty much sold on, now is confirmed. Need it.

I probably just need the last book to just complete the set if anything.

I am just looking for excuses to buy it, I guess.

I downloaded your guide@Lordentrails , Ill check it this evening.

I am pretty certain I'll be DMing 5e and Playing 3,5(pf if I like it)

Thanks guys.

[Nylanfs]

Just buy everything ins the store, problem solved.

[LordEntrails]

You are welcome.

Did you know, that the community here hosts periodic game days (FG Daze) and conventions (FG Con)? The next FG Con is coming up in October. It's a great chance to play or GM something new. See here

[Mardragon7]

You are welcome.

Did you know, that the community here hosts periodic game days (FG Daze) and conventions (FG Con)? The next FG Con is coming up in October. It's a great chance to play or GM something new. See here

I had read that there were games going, yeah. The times looked like a challenge for a family man in GMT +1

I do not expect our gaming sessions to go around the clock, even if we have a much better chance now online, than in RL. Meaning I will have time as a player as well.

I will definetly be looking for someone to play with as a PC. I do not want to be a complete newb however, when I look for these games, I am certain there is a certain level of knowledge expected of a gamer