5E - Stuff We Need

[Morfedel]

Ok, so I finally decided to break down and get into 5th edition. I haven't roleplayed in a few years - not by choice, couldnt find a group - and hadn't had much luck online either lately.

So, I stumbled onto the fact that apparently FG is OFFICIALLY partnered with Wizards. That's awesome!

So, when I updated FG today, I noticed it was checking on the 5E rule set. So what do I need to run a 5E game? Just the character and monster pack? Or what else?


Thanks!

[rhammer2]

The Character and Monster packs will make things easier, but if you want you can use the parser and enter in the data yourself. Personally, I don't have time to do that, so I bought the core packs and a couple of adventure modules.

- Robert

[Zacchaeus]

It depends if you are going to be a DM or a player. If you are going to be a player then you don't need anything more that the Fantasy Grounds software, either the Demo version if the DM has an ultimate license or a full license if he doesn't. You can get individual players character packs or the full PHB (the latter being the best value if you are going to be creating many characters).

If you are going to be a DM then technically you don't need anything except an ultimate license if you are expecting to have players with only the demo license or a normal license if the players have also got a full license.

Although it is possible to create a version of the Monster Manual and Players Handbook using Fantasay Grounds or a community created tool this will involve a bit of work on your part, and so if you have the budget get the PHB and Monster Manual. Together these will save a huge amount of time when you come to creating your campaigns. You might also want to have a look at the Lost Mines of Phandelver. This is available for Fantasy Grounds and I believe you can run this adventure without either the PHB or the Monster Manual since everything is included for you to get going straight out of the box.

Finally welcome to Fantasy Grounds and the community.

[Morfedel]

It depends if you are going to be a DM or a player. If you are going to be a player then you don't need anything more that the Fantasy Grounds software, either the Demo version if the DM has an ultimate license or a full license if he doesn't. You can get individual players character packs or the full PHB (the latter being the best value if you are going to be creating many characters).

If you are going to be a DM then technically you don't need anything except an ultimate license if you are expecting to have players with only the demo license or a normal license if the players have also got a full license.

Although it is possible to create a version of the Monster Manual and Players Handbook using Fantasay Grounds or a community created tool this will involve a bit of work on your part, and so if you have the budget get the PHB and Monster Manual. Together these will save a huge amount of time when you come to creating your campaigns. You might also want to have a look at the Lost Mines of Phandelver. This is available for Fantasy Grounds and I believe you can run this adventure without either the PHB or the Monster Manual since everything is included for you to get going straight out of the box.

Finally welcome to Fantasy Grounds and the community.


Actually I've had FG for a very long time, I just fell out of the community the last few years. Regardless, thanks for the welcome!

I have the full ultimate lifetime license, but I do want things easier, so I guess I'll need the two packs. So, next question: how active has the FG community been? I prefer GMing, but I can be a player - how hard is it to find a game or to find players these days?

[Zacchaeus]

Actually I've had FG for a very long time, I just fell out of the community the last few years. Regardless, thanks for the welcome!

I have the full ultimate lifetime license, but I do want things easier, so I guess I'll need the two packs. So, next question: how active has the FG community been? I prefer GMing, but I can be a player - how hard is it to find a game or to find players these days?

That isn't an easy question to answer - at least for me. Many players/DMs play in regular games with regular groups (like me) and so never 'advertise' here. However from what I've seen the LFG forum (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?40-LFG-Looking-for-Group-%28formerly-Guild-House%29) is pretty active. From what others have said there are more players than DMs but I can't vouch for that. Also check out the Game Calendar (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/calendar/) and of course FGCon (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?94-FG-Con-%96-Fantasy-Grounds-Virtual-Convention) is coming soon and that may be a place to start looking for a regular group.

[damned]

Hi Morfedel the last 12 months has seen a lot more GMs and players looking for each other. 5e is extremely popular. If you want to run something you will likely have little trouble filling a group quite quickly. As a player - you have to be quick as most games fill up fast! Welcome back!

[Honken]

Depending on where you are in the world. The US side of the community seems more active. (don't forget to add your timezone when you write in the LFG forum).

/H

[Morfedel]

Thanks for the info, and the welcomes!

I'll be running a game, methinks, but I just recently purchased the books, and I'll want to get the character and monster packs, which shock me in their price being as expensive as the books! So, It'll have to wait a few weeks, which is fine, as it gives me some time with campaign cartographer and word to start working on my first adventure :)

[Griogre]

If you really want to dive in just get the Lost Mine of Phandelver to run. You don't need a monster manual because the adventure monsters are input for you and you do get the basic rules for free with the adventure which has the four classes out in the Basic rules and also about 150ish monsters as well.

[Morfedel]

If you really want to dive in just get the Lost Mine of Phandelver to run. You don't need a monster manual because the adventure monsters are input for you and you do get the basic rules for free with the adventure which has the four classes out in the Basic rules and also about 150ish monsters as well.

Well, I do have the hardback books. I just need the software. But I was curious about the Lost Mine - how was it as an adventure?

[kylania]

Lost Mine of Phandelver is a fun adventure. I've been through it with three groups (once as a DM) and enjoyed it each time. It's also a great adventure for new players and DMs alike with a lot of things designed to teach various aspects of running and playing the game.

[TinCanKing]

I completed it a few weeks back with my party, I was the DM. It's a very fun module, and is a great way to learn 5e. A word of warning, however; many of the encounters can be deadly for smaller parties. As written, they would count as Deadly encounters, according to the DMG. Make sure to know what you're players are about to get into, and don't be afraid to dial down an encounter or pull a few punches.

[Griogre]

I actually got a chance to play it as a player. It was pretty fun. Its the 5E starter pack adventure. The adventure is overall pretty good. There is a lot of magic treasure in there, all random that if I was to run it as a DM I would change. As mentioned it would probably be a tough adventure for a 4 man party but we ran with a 5 man party and while there were some nasty fights nobody died.

[Quietus]

I actually got a chance to play it as a player. It was pretty fun. Its the 5E starter pack adventure. The adventure is overall pretty good. There is a lot of magic treasure in there, all random that if I was to run it as a DM I would change. As mentioned it would probably be a tough adventure for a 4 man party but we ran with a 5 man party and while there were some nasty fights nobody died.


But did you have fun? :D

[Griogre]

Yes. :) But I did feel guilty because it felt like I ended up with half of the magic items because my cleric and the wizard were the only ones who could use them. I had a wand and two weapons. :p

[ddavison]

The adventures are also a great buy-in point since they are cheaper than MSRP for the adventure and they include all the monster stats you need to run the module. You won't be able to modify any of the encounters by adding monsters that are not already included, but they each add a fair amount of monsters to your stable as a DM. With that and the Complete Core pack, you could very easily run and then decide if also picking up the full Monster pack is something you want after playing for a while.

The Lost Mine of Phandelver also comes with the D&D Basic Pack which has the basic equipment, 4 races, 4 basic classes and 120 or so spells preloaded.

[epithet]

...
I have the full ultimate lifetime license, but I do want things easier, so I guess I'll need the two packs. So, next question: how active has the FG community been? I prefer GMing, but I can be a player - how hard is it to find a game or to find players these days?

Getting the player's handbook and monster manual FG modules is definitely the right decision for anyone who wants to DM a 5th edition game on Fantasy Grounds. You won't regret it.

If you haven't played with FG in a while, I would suggest playing a couple of sessions as a player with an experienced DM. Let the DM know you're planning to DM a campaign of your own, describe your FG experience, and ask for pointers--you'll pick up the new features quickly. Also, make sure to read this thread (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?24644-Advanced-Fantasy-Grounds-Usage-5E-Ruleset-Edition) by TASagent (it's stickied at the top of the 5e forum for your convenience) which really does a great job of pointing out the less-than-obvious tools built into the software.

[Griogre]

The adventures are also a great buy-in point since they are cheaper than MSRP for the adventure and they include all the monster stats you need to run the module. You won't be able to modify any of the encounters by adding monsters that are not already included, but they each add a fair amount of monsters to your stable as a DM. With that and the Complete Core pack, you could very easily run and then decide if also picking up the full Monster pack is something you want after playing for a while.

The Lost Mine of Phandelver also comes with the D&D Basic Pack which has the basic equipment, 4 races, 4 basic classes and 120 or so spells preloaded.

Don't they also get the DM part of the basic rules with like 150ish monsters?

[ddavison]

They do. I don't recall how many monsters are in there, but there some -- mostly basic monsters and animals. There are also a few magic items.

[kylania]

You won't be able to modify any of the encounters by adding monsters that are not already included, but they each add a fair amount of monsters to your stable as a DM.

I'm about to run Horde of the Dragon Queen and I was able to adjust the stats for Module NPCs and it updated the NPCs in the included Encounter. I was also able to add more NPCs of what was in the Encounter and other NPCs from both the Module NPC list, another loaded Module's NPC list and NPCs I created from scratch in the Campaign to the included Encounter.

Guess I'm misunderstanding what you were trying to say?

[Nylanfs]

No he means throwing a monster that isn't part of the adventure just by grabbing them from the MM.

[kylania]

But you can totally do that... :confused: I just added a Adult Blue Dracolich to encounter E01-05-00 Encounter A in HotDQ by dragging it from the NPCs Alphabetical List in the MM Reference section.

Now P1-03 Goblin Ambush in LMoP has 4 Goblin and an Ancient Red Dragon. This of course is only in my specific campaign that I've just adjusted. Another campaign using my same modules won't have those changes nor would yours (but totally should, teach your players fear with a CR22 36,700XP encounter as their first D&D combat experience!) but it's possible, hence my confusion.

[Nylanfs]

The modules don't contain any creatures other than what is in the adventure (except for the first one which has the basic rules built in). So if it's not in the adventure, and that is ALL you have, you would have to create the monster that isn't in the adventure manually.

[Morfedel]

Hm. It's beginning to look like the player core pack and the adventure module I plan on running, probably Rage of Demons, would be all I'd need as long as I don't want to add any additional monsters that arent otherwise included. Then, later, I can get the monster pack.

[kylania]

Absolutely.

[damned]

Hm. It's beginning to look like the player core pack and the adventure module I plan on running, probably Rage of Demons, would be all I'd need as long as I don't want to add any additional monsters that arent otherwise included. Then, later, I can get the monster pack.

Yep - this is correct.

[Morfedel]

You know, honestly, I've normally preferred to run my own, original adventures in my own, original world; I'm not sure why getting these premade adventures appeal to me so much this time around.

[damned]

You know, honestly, I've normally preferred to run my own, original adventures in my own, original world; I'm not sure why getting these premade adventures appeal to me so much this time around.

They are well written and well scaled but why not enjoy both - take the story and embellish it and introduce your own overriding story arch?
Its nice to let someone else do some of the prep work sometimes!

[midas]

I get them because they're shiny.

[Morfedel]

Well, I went and bought the character class core pack and Rage of Demons. I assume if I'm running Rage of Demons without adding any other monsters, I can get away with just those two, correct?

And if so, I think in a week or two, after I've had a chance to remaster FG in general and read Rage of Demons, I'll be ready to run my first game ;)

[Nylanfs]

Yep, everything needed for the module is included, monsters and all.