Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

[XTREM1337]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

[flynnjsw]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

You do not need to know how to start playing. Even though the rules are based on it, you can learn it all on the fly.

[Eladiun]

It doesn't hurt though...understanding feats, skills and points will help when building your character. Surf around here a bit you will pick up a lot. My last PnP game was on the 2.0 ruleset in the early nineties on Forgotten Realms not Ebberon. So needless to say I understood the concepts but not all the technical details that some folks can quote chapter and verse when I started.

[Drakos]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks
I wouldn't say you "NEED" to know, but it could help. To be fair it could also hurt you in certain ways.

It could help you because you would be more familiar with the limited resources like feats and skill points, you will also have insite into the in's/out's of multi-classing.

On the other hand it could hurt you because you might expect certain things to funftion in DDO they way they work in D&D. This is not always the case. Take Uncanny Dodge line for example. If you come from D&D you might expect this to make it where you retain your Dex while flat-footed and can make you resists sneek attacks depending on level differential. In DDO it is a limited time/limited used boost to AC click ability.

[Cupcake]

When I started playing DDO in 2006, I was a complete and total noob.

It was like hubby whats this mean? whats that mean?

Hubby was a Dungeon Master for 2.00 ruleset.

I have learned a lot in the ensuing years. HOWEVER, I still cannot hold an intelligent conversation with people on these forums when they start talking about dice rolls and modifiers etc.

So, yes you can play without knowing, but in my own personal opinion, I find it a drawback because I still have trouble understanding dex and ac and why a ranger takes off a +5 chain shirt to wear a roble because they have maxed out their dex bonus... etc. etc.

[Mockduck]

Not necessary but helpful. I started playing with no knowledge of the 3.5 ruleset and it took more work to learn all the ins and outs, but it's not that bad. Any knowledge of pen and paper gaming will probably give you a bit of a helpful boost.

[cdemeritt]

No and yes... DDO is based on rule set 3.5e... If you have some understanding of this ruleset, it can be helpful... as there are many things that are difficult to grasp at first such as stacking issues... and many other things....

However, in some cases like myself, My D&D knowledge of the rules was based on 1e and basic, This was the rules in the 1970's and 80's... old and obsolete.. I came to DDO, and built my first couple toons using my knowledge of these old rules... (my first toon was a 12 CHA Sorcerer.... Who need CHA anyways....) In this case my knowledge of D&D was actually a handicap, as it was all wrong for the current rules... It would have been easier to start from scratch...

[Tinrae]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

My husband and I came to this game as non-DnD players. We also had another gaming couple (also non-DnD players) come try this game with us.

In all honesty we felt overwhelmed a lot at first as we didn't understand anything - we didn't make good decisions on how to level our characters or what gear would be the best for us. Still, we loved the dungeon instances in DDO so much that we accepted that our first characters would be throwaways until we got the hang of things. At this point, while we're far from experts, we have a much better grasp now on many mechanics.

The other couple? They bailed after a few nights and haven't come back since. The game was way too complicated, for the wife in particular who had no desire to bone up on such intricate rules.

So, I guess my answer is, no, you don't need to be a DnD player to succeed in DDO. But you will have to be willing to learn the mechanics here, which are fairly complex.

[dread333]

I'm with cupcake...I had no PnP experience when I started three years ago and it has been a long learning experience...lol actually it still is, I think that if you accept going in that DDO has a greater learning curve than other MMO's you'll be ok without having played DND, part of it too is remembering there is such a balance between build, play style, and equipment and they really play off each other a lot, my main is still my first 28 point build from 3 years ago that i've gotten well equiped and learned to play in a way that can compensate for any short comings of her original build, from casual to epic she runs it all.

Good luck :)

[DoctorWhofan]

When I started playing DDO in 2006, I was a complete and total noob.

It was like hubby whats this mean? whats that mean?

Hubby was a Dungeon Master for 2.00 ruleset.

I have learned a lot in the ensuing years. HOWEVER, I still cannot hold an intelligent conversation with people on these forums when they start talking about dice rolls and modifiers etc.

So, yes you can play without knowing, but in my own personal opinion, I find it a drawback because I still have trouble understanding dex and ac and why a ranger takes off a +5 chain shirt to wear a roble because they have maxed out their dex bonus... etc. etc.

Aren't you still a noob??:p;):D

[Cupcake]

Aren't you still a noob??:p;):D

As a matter of fact............................yes LOL.

[Magusrex777]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

No, not even sure it helps at all because of the misconceptions and baggage that goes along with it. Things are different, sometimes drastically so. This can cause people to be certain they are right about something when they are totally wrong or D&D rules are a sacred thing to some people and when they are face to face with the inequities between D&D and DDO they get a bit emotional and sometimes irrational. Bottom line, You do NOT NEED to know.

[SquelchHU]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

No. It helps to already be able to walk in and grasp the basics (never start with a Con < 14, always get as much fortification as possible, etc) but you can learn the same things on the forums. And some details really aren't accurate (nuking is a complete waste of time in D&D, whereas it has its uses in DDO).

[ExarKun77]

It definitely helps when you start, since you will likely know what stats are important for what class, how you can upgrade your AC or attack rolls, how bonuses stack (or not).

But it can also be tricky when you know things from pen and paper or previous DnD pc games that are not in DDO.

[Kriogen]

No you don't need to know what DnD is.

It does not help much if you know something about DnD. Knowing too much about PnP can even be a problem. DDO is very different from PnP and is very different from other computor games based on PnP.

You may even do better by not knowing much about PnP. Have seen some 'old PnP vets' having more problems with DDO then vets from other games.

Take DDO as new, different game and you'll do fine.

[Mindspat]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

No. In some circumstances it might be better if you didn't know any of the rule systems used through out the years because it will remove any preconcieved notions as to how things should happen. This could also be said for other online games.

Thankfully, you don't even need to speak proper english to intereact with community and get your questions answered. ;)

[calavel]

Generally, no.

I will say this however, if you know little or nothing about D&D, stick with the premade character builds the game provides or find builds on the forum. Character generation in D&D is a lot more complicated than most MMO's.

Playing the game is simple enough, especially if you do the turorial.

[SquelchHU]

Generally, no.

I will say this however, if you know little or nothing about D&D, stick with the premade character builds the game provides or find builds on the forum. Character generation in D&D is a lot more complicated than most MMO's.

Playing the game is simple enough, especially if you do the turorial.

BAD IDEA! Most, if not all of the in game premades are terrible. Now the ones on the forums tend to be made by people that actually play the game, so they don't make noob mistakes like 8 Con dual wielding bastard sword gimps. Those are fine. But avoid the in game premades like the plague!

[Eladiun]

BAD IDEA! Most, if not all of the in game premades are terrible. Now the ones on the forums tend to be made by people that actually play the game, so they don't make noob mistakes like 8 Con dual wielding bastard sword gimps. Those are fine. But avoid the in game premades like the plague!

Unless you go in assuming your first character is going to be your mule eventually. I however do suggest trying one of the newbie builds on the forums instead.

[Zippo]

Does we need to know how to play DnD to play at DDO ?

Just wondering

thanks

I would hope with a start date in Apr 06 you would know how to play by now :D