Do I need the books?

[EisenSturm]

Do I need the rulebooks to join a game as a player?

For example, I have played starwars d20, and read the SRD for D&D. So I can pretty mutch put two and two together and figure out the D&D rules.
Also, if I showed up at a live game to play with paper and pencil, if I did not know a rule, they would just teach me.

(Sorry if this is asked elswere. I did search.)

[Stuart]

No definately not ... that is where some of the more detailed rulesets come in.

[Griogre]

In that respect is is like a face to face game. It does generally take longer to communicate a rule because of the medium, even with voice and an extensive ruleset. Without voice or an extensive ruleset it may take a quite a while to explain if you are totaly confused by a rule.

[DarkStar]

That's why I think that players don't necessarily have to know the rules. They should act and roleplay and leave the mechanics to the Game Master.
Probably it doesn't apply well to all RPG systems, though. :) D&D has a lot of mechanics, but there are other games, too. Anyway, smarty-pants players are bad sometimes. :D

[Sigurd]

You can of course follow the story. You can of course describe what you want to do as a player and ask your DM to help. But, if you want to have a better idea of whats going on. If you want to plan for circumstances you haven't encounterred yet with any expectations.... You need the core books.


Fgrounds is not a game it is a game enabler. You need the rules if you want to really play.


S

[Illrigger]

SW D20 Revised and D&D 3.5e are actually VERY different, in subtle ways that are going to make it painful to play with you. It's like D20 Modern, but even the hit points aren't the same. In many ways, it'd be better if you hadn't played at all and learned from scratch.

Additionally, D&D is MUCH more in-depth with volumes more rules expansion. If the group you are playing in is using things beyond the RSRD, you're likely going to get lost, and lost fast.

It often isn't fun to try and help someone through the game if they don't have at least a decent grasp of the rules in person. It can be downright nightmarish online, where things often can take longer. Even though you don't *need* them, get the rules and learn them before you start playing - else not get invited back after a few sessions by players who would otherwise grow tired of coddling you.

[EisenSturm]

Other than the player handbook, what do I need to play in a typical game of D&D?

Thanks for the feedback.

[Griogre]

I think you are set if you have a Players Handbook. The only reason you would need something else is because you are running a character out of another book - most DM's would expect you to know the rules/abilities of your character. The SRD has the magic items in it so you don't really need a DMG. And you don't need a Monter Manual either except for the summoned monsters which are also in the SRD.

[EisenSturm]

Would I need the books to play in eberron or forgotten realms?

[Illrigger]

You can get away with just the PHB, but for completeness you'd want the core book from each setting. In this case, that's the Eberron Campaign Setting, and/or the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting and Player's Guide to Faerun. You also might want the Expanded Psionic Handbook in Eberron if your group is using them.