So i am interested in tabletop rpgs.

[Mr.Amakir]

Well yeah. Its not for people who are new to table top games as a whole. The OP said he has played 2nd edition DND in the past though. If you can handle 2nd edition or ADND I think you can handle anima with no problems.

I said that i had some basic AD&D experience from playing Baldur's Gate not that i have played the real thing.

 

[GotMalkAvian]

Okay, if you haven't really had any experience with D&D beyond second edition, then you may want to skip 3.5 and go straight to the 4.0. A lot of people aren't too fond of the system, but I like the tactical feel of the combat. A few people have said it, and I agree completely that the 4.0 rules feel like an MMO with different combat roles and such.

It might just be me, but I can't bring myself to recommend the Red Box. For the most part, the characters and rules in that set are slightly modified, slightly simplified versions of those in the 4.0 core rules. To me, the Red Box has always seemed like Wizards' desperate attempt to attract D&D veterans who thus far have hated 4.0.

I will highly recommend Gamma World. The setting is unique, easy to get into, and a blast to play. The first boxed set comes with everything you'd need to play a game except for dice and other players, and the expansions add great new origins (races/classes) and other gameplay mechanics. The game uses a simplified version of the 4.0 rules, and it's really easy to pick up.

I can't really offer any advice on any other tabletop systems, since it's been years since I've played anything other than D20. However, I've been hearing some really good things about the Dresden Files RPG.

 

[Mr.Amakir]

I will probably pick up Gamma World then even tough the whole trading card aspect of the game sounds bad.

 

[Torlux]

If you're new to tabletop RPGs, go for D&D 4th Edition. It's been so simplified and watered down that a mentally addled, comatose, baby could play it.

 

[Knight Templar]

The best way to get into it is to join up with people already playing it.
From looking at rules it seems that AD&D is a messed up system, but only slightly moreso than other rulesets.
Go for 4th or 3.5 if you have choice. I've next to zero experience with 3.5 but I found 4th easy to get into and my DM speaks highly of 3.5. He seems particularly unhappy about magic missile in 4th but it's not clear why.

 

[Issurru]

Personally I would suggest that if you play D&D go for 3.5, it's WAY (at least in my opinion) than 4th 3.5 has way more customization due to the fact that it's been out forever. But in my eyes it seemed a lot more strategical than 4th (don't get me wrong depending on the DM 4th can be strategical too with the daily powers and stuff) but 3.5 took some thinking and wasn't easy street.

Although right now I would say that you should look up a tabletop game called Deathwatch (it's about Space Marines from Warhammer 40K) I personally think that it's fucking awesome and that everyone should play it

 

[Issurru]

Magic missile used to be like a level 1 spell for mages (sorcerers, wizards, etc) where even if you saw the tiniest piece of your enemy that it would be a guaranteed hit (unless of course they had some magical means of blocking or absorbing it) which is obviously better than having to roll to hit whenever you use it (thus like ruining magic missiles legacy)

Off Topic: Seriously? Captcha what the hell is this? I can't even read half of this bloody thing!

Damnit I forgot to hit the quote button but that was for Knight Templar

 

[LordPsychodin]

4th edition D&D all the way. the character builder online gives you access for not much money, to every character option in every book, dragon magazine and more. with just the player's handbook its a good way to get yourself familiarized with the game and have a handy tool to guide you for your first chatracter. I'd highly recommend that simply because the red box, once played through does not offer much return value, and while you can learn from either, only one has you ready to jump into a full game after really.

However, the red box is a great way for getting into it however if you have no experience with tabletop RPGs. I'd avoid most other systems if you're learning simply because most others require too much system mastery or require a lot of genre savvy (Any world of darkness game and shadowrun really suffer from this. Older D&D systems can be good, but as coming from someone who owns every 3rd edition/3.5 book,the system mastery required is very high.)

Edit - to any here using the MMO rhetoric about 4th edition or even a peep of 3rd versus 4th - Knock off the edition wars, this is not the forum for it.

 

[Torlux]

Edit - to any here using the MMO rhetoric about 4th edition or even a peep of 3rd versus 4th - Knock off the edition wars, this is not the forum for it.

Touche.

I'm just an elitist fart, hence the 3E love. 4E is just fine - it needed simplifying to accommodate new players, and it provided that just fine.

 

[LordPsychodin]

SNIP

In all fairness, I resent 4E because it feels far more like a MMORPG than an actual D&D edition. They even use practically the same terms as an MMORPG, how's THAT for being rather open in design philosophy?

And how is this a bad thing considering, you know, MMORPGs are just an extension of tabletop play? There's even an MMO based on D&D and it uses 3.5 rules! Finally if World of Warcraft is any indication, mimicking one of the most balanced and successful fantasy world RPG systems of all time would be a bad thing?

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

D&d 4th edition is a great way to start playing tabletop rpg´s.I say go for it!

Dont listen to anyone that says it´s an MMORPG (it´s not massive multiplayer and it´s not online, so that makes no sense at all). It´s more combat oriented (but the combat is also more streamlined), but it also has skill challenges that provide other means of resolving conflicts and obstacles. I love 3.5 edition, but i prefer 4th.If you feel like trying 3.5, Pathfinder is a solid alternative.

Other great rpg´s that i can recommend are:

-A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying Game (if you´re a fan of the books, you´ll love it)
-Mouseguard (great gateway rpg),
-Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game (cool fantasy setting),
-Star Wars Saga Edition(WotC doesnt publish the books anymore, but you can find them online...great if you´re into star wars),
-GURPS (you can run any adventure on any setting with these rules)
-Mutants and Masterminds (if you dig superhero adventures)

Have fun!

 

[littlealicewhite]

I highly suggest that you look into Shadowrun. It's the only game I can think of anywhere that does a good job of mixing tech and magic in a futuristic setting.

 

[Axolotl]

Edit - to any here using the MMO rhetoric about 4th edition or even a peep of 3rd versus 4th - Knock off the edition wars, this is not the forum for it.

Touche.

I'm just an elitist fart, hence the 3E love. 4E is just fine - it needed simplifying to accommodate new players, and it provided that just fine.

How on earth is 4e simpler than 3rd?

 

[retrofish18]

I would suggest getting into pathfinder or the red box.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

For starting D&D Essentials all the way. Familiarize yourself with the Redbox (there is an errata on the homepage that fixes the little failures in there) then go on with the "heroes of.." books. Start it simple and getting more complex on the way

If you are into warhammer than the warhammer FRPG is a great thing. its very simplistic but damn deadly. Dont expect your characters to survive very long. If they do and advance, they might get a chance. Dont start to big with new chars.

I personally LOVE The Dark Eye (here is a free version of the old editions basic rules http://www.apolitical.info/webgame/eye/part1.php ) http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=744 thats the new one it changed ALOT not only the complete character creation from 4 classes 1st ed. to 6 classes in 2nd , over 20 in 3rd and now in the 4th edition its several hundred (!) different chars possible from start.

its very very detailed and lets you create every kind of character imaginable (in the boundaries of the worlds of course) but i think the english version isnt supported anymore

 

[BabySinclair]

I'm currently running 4e D&D which is easier for new players to get into; 3.5 was good though it was really easy to break game, infinite stats by level 6 I think. Had more in depth combat rules but yeah, breakable as hell. Haven't played Pathfinder but I know several that do and it is a better version of 3.5 but still more complicated than 4e. Gamma World is out of my purview. WoD is more story driven and the system is a little easier, just roll X amount of d10s but the numerous game types each have their own lists of books (Promethean, Vampire, Werewolf, Changeling, Core, Hunter...) great if you have access to them but a pain otherwise as each has a slightly different mechanism built upon the core system.

I say 4e D&D or Gamma since they are readily accessible but that's also what I know a little better.

 

[Mr.Amakir]

I got one question about the red box. Now if you want to continue playing after reaching level 3 do you just need one of th players handbook or do you have to buy th Rules Compendium too?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

I'm soooo tempted to recommend FATAL or World of Synibarr...

I know, I'm a terrible person.

 

[darkcommanderq]

Well yeah. Its not for people who are new to table top games as a whole. The OP said he has played 2nd edition DND in the past though. If you can handle 2nd edition or ADND I think you can handle anima with no problems.

I said that i had some basic AD&D experience from playing Baldur's Gate not that i have played the real thing.

Eh. I still think youd be fine with anima. Its not that complex.
But if you have extra money theirs nothing wrong with dnd 4.0, I just dont like wizards scheme to make money by splitting up content that could easily fit into one book into 20.

Lets put it this way. My tabletop group is not a very hardcore one. I was really the only person who ever knew all the rules for any game we played. My group liked 4.0 alright, but we I introduced them to anima they swore never to play 4.0 again despite animas its crunchy rule set.

Im not one of the dnd 3.5 elitist that automatically thinks 4.0 is trash w/o playing it. Anima is just that darn good of a system.

 

[migo]

Of those, I'd pick Dragon Age. It actually has what made D&D appealing, while being tidied up. D&D 4th Ed, while interesting requires some system mastery, although not to the degree 3.5 did.