New beginner to FG but lifelong gamer.

[Zefflorin]

Hello all,

I am seeking advice for the fantasy grounds. I have recently subscribed to the ultimate edition of FG, and while exploring it I notice I do not have any of the character creation tools like in the video below. I was wondering if you have to buy the DnD Complete core pass to have those options? Can you manually create characters in FG and how difficult that is?

https://youtu.be/nurEMR4JJeU


I have a "static group" that plays weekly video games, (DDO and LOTRO) and have all started out in DND PNP long time ago and would love to change it up and play PNP again, but we live all across the US so FG looked promising, however to make it easy for everyone do I need to buy the core pack and will I need anything else along the way?

I was also looking at a module to run them through until I can learn to create one inside FG.

Any advice any one has on this topic I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks
Zeff

[kylania]

Welcome to FG!

The license just means you can use whatever 5E DLC you end up picking up. These are the modules you see being loaded at 4:00 onward in that video, the Customization pack and a Class pack.

There's a bunch of ways you can get started. Bare minimum would be to pick up the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure for FG. This will include everything you need to run that adventure in FG. Pregen characters, all the monsters, all the maps and information and a set of Basic Rules. It's essentially the Starter Set for D&D.

Next up would be for character creation. You could start with just the Customization Pack and your favorite Class pack. This will let you drag/drop create characters of that class. For other classes you'd just type the information in instead.

Personally I'd suggest picking up the Core Class Pack. It's basically the Player's Handbook and includes the Customization pack and all the class packs in one. It can also be shared down during play to the players so they can use it to create their own characters.

If you're the DM, then to make things easiest for everyone is you get your subscription, the LMoP adventure and probably the Core Class Pack. If you'll be creating your own content eventually then look for the Monster Core pack, essentially the Monster Manual, but since FG adventures come with all the monsters needed to play them that's not a critical purchase starting out. The DMG isn't out yet.

Your players wouldn't need to purchase anything since your unlimited subscription lets them connect to you and use your resources.

[Zefflorin]

Thank You Kylania,

Thai is what I thought and greatly appreciate you laying it all out like that.

Zeff

[Trenloe]

Just to be clear - the Ultimate licence doesn't give you any material beyond the base rulesets (framework) to run specific games. These are listed in the "Included" section here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page What the ultimate licence does is allow you to host (GM) games for players who don't have a FG licence. As kylania mentions above, you will need to purchase any of the 5E scenarios, PHB or MM libraries that you'd like to use. Or, if you're fine entering it all manually you can do that too, or create your own libraries using PAR5E (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?18123-Project-Par5e). But I would recommend LMOP as a great purchase - not only is it a very good campaign, it has a lot of data you can use and gives you a good example of how to organise data within FG.

[JohnD]

Depending on whether it has to 5e or not, you can get away with using 3.5e or Pathfinder or for old school, get Castles and Crusades for $10. But, if it has to be 5e, what the others are telling you works.

[damned]

Castles&Crusades is a great old school DnD variant and it comes with the Players Handbook and the Monsters & Treasure volumes. It doesnt have as much automation as 5e but it does everything very well.
The fastest way to get going in 5e would be to buy the LMoP and use the pregen characters. The module has everything you need to play it - all the PCs and Monsters, Maps and Story.

[Valarian]

Of course, for Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth the game would have to be The One Ring by Cubicle 7. There's a community ruleset for that and a template module with stats but no text.