Ok long term rpg fan here, and while,I may know some mainstream rules like silver against undead, ive noticed that in dnd games usually have alot more rules and such. I was wondering if I need to look into getting a dnd book to fully understand and appreciate this game and if so, ive noticed theres alot of different versions so which would be the best? Was just wondering if things would be explained away or if I have no great knowledge of dnd, will I be scrambling to get thru the game?

Nope, no D&D knowledge is needed, it will not be used. The entire world will be original (with some usual fantasy elements), as well as the rules.

Have no fear we'll all be neophytes together.

 

Hmmm ... maybe the official website or Ausir's wiki could have some character building guides or some rules reference sheets by the time of release?

Why? I never read D&D manuals to play Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale.

Though, the shift from AD&D rules to 3rd edition was quite steep.

Ok long term rpg fan here, and while,I may know some mainstream rules like silver against undead, ive noticed that in dnd games usually have alot more rules and such. I was wondering if I need to look into getting a dnd book to fully understand and appreciate this game and if so, ive noticed theres alot of different versions so which would be the best? Was just wondering if things would be explained away or if I have no great knowledge of dnd, will I be scrambling to get thru the game?

 

The game doesn't use the D&D system at all.

making up their own rules

To the OP: My guess is that as the Obsidian crew contains a number of folks who contributed to Planescape: Torment, they're going to do quite a bit of writing for this game that will be in various books and scrolls your party will find. Read them religiously and you'll know everything you need to know to get by in the world. Skip them and you'll be in for some nasty surprises.

 

The same advice goes for talking to NPCs. Wring them dry of information and you won't have much to worry about. Skip over their conversations and you'll miss a significant portion of the game, quests and technical information (e.g. use alchemical silver weapons against lycanthropes) included.

it would be nice if none of us had heard of d&d and d&d rules, that way we could play pe w/o the baggage.

 

HA! Good Fun!

In addition to not being D&D based, they've said that they very specifically want to avoid "must use +3 weapon to damage enemy" bull****.

Nope, this game is inventing it's own system. In fact they have no rights to the D&D franchise so everything will pretty much be original from the combat system, to the monsters, to the world itself.

From what I've read it seems like they want much of the flavor of D&D, but with their own unique rules set. That would give us the Baldur's Gate-like experience and allow them to escape the licensing baggage. However, that does leave them with the problem of having to re-invent a lot of the meat of the D&D system: the spells, creatures, classes, magic items, and rules set.

I thought I had read that while it will be a custom system, they will be using the basic gameplay of 3E/3.5 as inspiration. If this is true then knowing how those editions of D&D worked, while not at all necessary, would probably allow you to learn the system a bit quicker.

To the OP: Don't bother yourself with learning any versions of D&D. CRPG implementations of the DnD rulesets in IE & later 3.0 & 3.5 version games were streamlined to fit within the framework of the games, so knowing rules in advance was no great bonus, and sometimes a detriment as people often complained about some pet skill or feat being omitted. Also, if the devs do their design jobs correctly, there should be fairly clear explanations of ruleset components in the game manual and within the actual game itself.

You won't need to know specific DnD rules, but since they are going for a DnD style system (in terms of depth, stats, and characetr creation) expect to need to elarn a lot to take advanatge of whatever system they do make.

LMFAO, I sure hope not. I've never played D&D.

If you've played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil, or Neverwinter Nights, you've played D&D. Otherwise... what are you doing here?

If you've played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil, or Neverwinter Nights, you've played D&D. Otherwise... what are you doing here?

 

your chosen portrait suggests and all-too-obvious alternative.

 

HA! Good Fun!

If you've played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil, or Neverwinter Nights, you've played D&D. Otherwise... what are you doing here?

 

I think its referring to the pen and paper D&D where you do need to read the rule book and learn them before you can play the game at all.

 

In cRPG, the rules are handled by the computer, you just need to play the game, the computer will handle the mechanics.

Nope never played the originals, I nelieve the only obsidian game iver played all the way thru was fonv. They impressed me enough to throw money at them with a game style im not fly familar with. Thats what I was wondering because the closest rpg high fantasy setting ive played recently would be morrowind and da: