I’m new to 4e and thought I’d share the things I’m doing to get started with a 4e game, inhabiting as I do, a 2021 time-frame, rather than late 2000s. This grants me some hindsight advantages and gives me some tools that weren’t available ‘back in the day’. Mostly, I’d just like to give it a go!
Books
I’ve gone a bit mad and got a lot on eBay and raided Drivethru/DMs Guild. Many of the Core rulebooks and Essential titles. I have been reading and enjoying hte physical books, the top quality DM advice and the general feel of the game.
POD is a viable alternative too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buC6v_lcouE
Research
I’ve bought quite a few more titles than i have any need to do to get a game going. Here’s hoping it is not a huge and wasteful extravagance. My research has got me following the praise amongst the shouty discord. I’m unaffected by the tumult of the time and interested in what people have found to work and any pitfalls.
I was momentarily a bit confused by the history and the relationship of Core to Essentials. That is now passed and I’m just opening the door to everything and seeing how it all plays out. It’s all 4e, just with different emphasis. Predominantly it will be a Core game and set in the Nentir Vale, as i’d like to explore 4e in home situe. Research has also ‘solved’ the retrospective maths conundrum. I’ll be applying MM3 adjustments to monsters, or at least double checking them and applying any HP or damage variations to maximise the fun stuff.
Tools
Offline Character Builder – what a great tool this is and makes creating and maintaining a character an absolute breeze. It also gives you pretty much all the options, so you have lots to go at in a pick and mix style. Reminds me of the pathbuilder2 app for Pathfinder2e. Quick and easy to create characters.
Instructions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iDN … GGYZo/edit
Monster Manual 3 stat adjustments – there are lots of things out there to help you get the maths right. There is all the errata collated in one PDF. That helps for any cross checking of later wisdom. The ‘MM3 on a Card’ gives all the logic to apply if you want to. I also have a spreadsheet to do calculations depening on level and role, provided by great people on the 4e discord. Sly Flourish also has a useful table to cross reference against.
The card: http://blogofholding.com/?p=512
Power Cards – someone has created lots of power cards. I’m not entirely sure if I’ll use them, but if someone is juggling powers as a player then I can always create custom decks for them. Most of htis is available on the Character Builder outputs, which also export to MS OneNote as images so that I can copy them into a Google Doc and share with players from there.
The 4e Database – a quick look up of, well, just about everything. So you always have the rules to hand.
The database: http://iws.mx/dnd/?list
A VTT – Currently I plan to use the Role VTT and ignore deep integration. The Audio Visual experience is most important for RPGs whether you are 4e or Fate. I’m tempted to go with something inegration heavier. If Foundry had a 4e module then I’d get Jitsi integrated and go all in. D20Pro is tempting, not least because it imports PCs from the character builder and Hero Lab. Roll20 is the obvious one, but I’m holding off. I’ve created a 4e character sheet on Role, though I expect its use will be optional. Not very sure how it will work with a real character with lots of powers. Only one way to find out. I also have a flexible die roller ready to go.
The Role VTT: https://www.playrole.com/
Maps, Tokens and Handouts – Tokentool gives me a free means to create as many tokens as I like. I use Affinity suite, Wonderdraft and Dungeondraft for maps and handouts. Deciding to have a go with reavers of Harkenwold persuaded me to purchse Mike Schley’s lovely set of maps.
Campaign Setting and Adventure
I’m going to go with a pre-published and will explore the Nentir Vale. I have bought some PDFs that give me some adventure in the Dawnforge Mountains and then down to Harkenwold for the Reavers mini campaign. Looks to be good fun and brimming with potential.
There is a lot of fan work, much I have found through this inestimable forum. A full history of the Vale and a gazeteer! I’ve also done some research on broader Nerath, which I shall also have fun with through the boardgame that i found cheap in the UK. If I feel like spending the time I may create a bigger map of Nerath with my take on the Western lands. For now, no need at all.
Now trying to recruit some players. I’m going for occasional Saturdays at about 19:00 GMT (as I have a PST zoned player).
The process of discovery has been such fun. Hope the game gets close to that… 😀