Am new to DnD and am quite Interested in this kind of topic, but i basically dont know anything about DnD except there's different classes, races, and stuff. Are there any tips or tricks I need to know before creating my character, joining a session, and starting my first DnD session?. Any advice is appreciated, Thank you.
You can read the basic rules. You can also create some characters just for fun but don't get too attached. DMs may have slight restrictions on races (no monsters races from Volos for example). Be ready to be flexible when choosing your class for a campagin. The one you join may already have 3 martial classes, and really need some sort of spell caster. Having 2 or 3 classes you'd like to play before you join can make adjusting on the fly much easier. When you're looking for a group, make sure they know you're new to this. Most groups are newbie friendly, but some people may expect you to know exactly what you're doing so you don't slow things down. With that in mind, it's good to know what your action are in combat and how they work. It's pretty simple with a melee build (for example) but it gets more complicated if you have multiple spells and abilities. When making your characters, think about their backstory. You don't have to have something deeply involved, but just knowing what motivates them and why they're adventuring in the first place can really help bring them to life. Finally and most importantly - Have Fun!
Here's a short break-down of steps that I think will consistently yield characters you'll like playing.
1: check with DM for what restrictions they have on character options
2: come up with a character concept that fits the setting that has a personality you want to portray for the foreseeable future of the game.
3: make sure your character concept has a reason to be traveling with the party. Even if the character has some "loner" tendencies, it still needs to be willing to work with others for the sake of the cooperative game. (some players come up with concepts that are cool to them, but don't actually work in a group setting, and consequently, the rest of the group doesn't think the character is as cool as the player does. Ex: Batman working with the Justice League is fine... but a version of Batman that's always "I work alone" does not.)
4: start on mechanically building the character. The class will most likely be one of the biggest factors in how your character relates to your concept, so choose a class and subclass that works. Don't get hung-up on the names of the classes, because going against type can yield some really good characters, and going with the class of the same name as your concept might not mechanically fit what you have in mind:
Ex1: Gandalf in Lord of the Rings could arguably be an Aasimar, Eldritch Knight Fighter, instead of a Wizard, because he fights dual-wielding a staff and longsword, and most of his magic use is cantrips and low-level spells, using his high intelligence and wisdom to solve problems more often than just using magic to force his way through.
Ex2: Harry Potter is arguably a Variant Human with the Magic Initiate Feat, Arcane Trickster Rogue for at least his first four levels, because he rarely does more than cantrips or very basic spells, spending most of his time sneaking around the castle.
5: when you choose your Race, if your DM allows the optional rules from Tasha's Cauldron, you can make any of them work to fit your concept. Otherwise, many races have bonuses to two specific ability scores, and if you want to optimize your character for early levels, you'll probably want to choose an option that gives a bonus in your primary ability score (ex: wizards and artificers want a race with a bonus to intelligence, because even with the standard ability score array, that lets them start with a +3 modifier in their main stat). Alternatively, if your DM allows the Custom Lineage, you could add the +2 to an ability score you put the 15 from the standard array into, then take a half-feat that gives you another +1 in that ability score to get a +4 in your main stat from L1, which is currently the only way to get that modifier without using rolled stats and getting lucky with your rolls.
6: for your background, consider choosing one that gives you skill proficiencies that weren't available from your class, and not given by your race. For instance, one of my favorite backgrounds is Far Traveler, because all it means is you're not local, and it gives you proficiency in Insight and Perception, both of which are really good proficiencies to have for any character. Alternatively, you might choose a background that gives you a tool proficiency you need (like Urchin for thieves tools).
7: mentally prepare yourself for failure. It's part of the game. Don't get hung up on always needing to succeed, because sometimes a failure makes for a better story for everyone. And paradoxically, a character having an epic, climactic death can grant a type of immortality the character wouldn't have if it had survived, via the party remembering that epic moment for years to come.
Am new to DnD and am quite Interested in this kind of topic, but i basically dont know anything about DnD except there's different classes, races, and stuff. Are there any tips or tricks I need to know before creating my character, joining a session, and starting my first DnD session?. Any advice is appreciated, Thank you.
You can read the basic rules. You can also create some characters just for fun but don't get too attached. DMs may have slight restrictions on races (no monsters races from Volos for example). Be ready to be flexible when choosing your class for a campagin. The one you join may already have 3 martial classes, and really need some sort of spell caster. Having 2 or 3 classes you'd like to play before you join can make adjusting on the fly much easier. When you're looking for a group, make sure they know you're new to this. Most groups are newbie friendly, but some people may expect you to know exactly what you're doing so you don't slow things down. With that in mind, it's good to know what your action are in combat and how they work. It's pretty simple with a melee build (for example) but it gets more complicated if you have multiple spells and abilities. When making your characters, think about their backstory. You don't have to have something deeply involved, but just knowing what motivates them and why they're adventuring in the first place can really help bring them to life. Finally and most importantly - Have Fun!
Here's a short break-down of steps that I think will consistently yield characters you'll like playing.
1: check with DM for what restrictions they have on character options
2: come up with a character concept that fits the setting that has a personality you want to portray for the foreseeable future of the game.
3: make sure your character concept has a reason to be traveling with the party. Even if the character has some "loner" tendencies, it still needs to be willing to work with others for the sake of the cooperative game. (some players come up with concepts that are cool to them, but don't actually work in a group setting, and consequently, the rest of the group doesn't think the character is as cool as the player does. Ex: Batman working with the Justice League is fine... but a version of Batman that's always "I work alone" does not.)
4: start on mechanically building the character. The class will most likely be one of the biggest factors in how your character relates to your concept, so choose a class and subclass that works. Don't get hung-up on the names of the classes, because going against type can yield some really good characters, and going with the class of the same name as your concept might not mechanically fit what you have in mind:
Ex1: Gandalf in Lord of the Rings could arguably be an Aasimar, Eldritch Knight Fighter, instead of a Wizard, because he fights dual-wielding a staff and longsword, and most of his magic use is cantrips and low-level spells, using his high intelligence and wisdom to solve problems more often than just using magic to force his way through.
Ex2: Harry Potter is arguably a Variant Human with the Magic Initiate Feat, Arcane Trickster Rogue for at least his first four levels, because he rarely does more than cantrips or very basic spells, spending most of his time sneaking around the castle.
5: when you choose your Race, if your DM allows the optional rules from Tasha's Cauldron, you can make any of them work to fit your concept. Otherwise, many races have bonuses to two specific ability scores, and if you want to optimize your character for early levels, you'll probably want to choose an option that gives a bonus in your primary ability score (ex: wizards and artificers want a race with a bonus to intelligence, because even with the standard ability score array, that lets them start with a +3 modifier in their main stat). Alternatively, if your DM allows the Custom Lineage, you could add the +2 to an ability score you put the 15 from the standard array into, then take a half-feat that gives you another +1 in that ability score to get a +4 in your main stat from L1, which is currently the only way to get that modifier without using rolled stats and getting lucky with your rolls.
6: for your background, consider choosing one that gives you skill proficiencies that weren't available from your class, and not given by your race. For instance, one of my favorite backgrounds is Far Traveler, because all it means is you're not local, and it gives you proficiency in Insight and Perception, both of which are really good proficiencies to have for any character. Alternatively, you might choose a background that gives you a tool proficiency you need (like Urchin for thieves tools).
7: mentally prepare yourself for failure. It's part of the game. Don't get hung up on always needing to succeed, because sometimes a failure makes for a better story for everyone. And paradoxically, a character having an epic, climactic death can grant a type of immortality the character wouldn't have if it had survived, via the party remembering that epic moment for years to come.