possible. We'll cut out most of the optional rules.
The first things to think about: What Race and Class and Gender do you want
to play?
Race options: Elf, Half Elf (elf/human cross), Halfling (Hobbit), Dwarf,
Human, Gnome, Half-Orc (orc/human cross)
Elves are intelligent and dexterous. They make good wizards, good thieves,
good archers. They can see in the dark. They can naturally sense the
presence of magic. They aren't very hearty or strong though.
Halflings are nimble. They make good thieves. They are generally good
natured. They are usually charming/well-liked types.
Dwarves are thick and sturdy. They are often fighters. They can also see
in the dark, and have a keen sense of engineering and understanding
craftsmanship and industry in its various forms. They can be crude and
disliked by humans and are generally despised by Elves.
Gnomes are VERY short little guys. They tend to be very intelligent, and
sneaky. They make good illusionists and good thieves.
Half-Orcs are often pariahs, but they are extremely strong and can take a
lot of punishment before they fall in combat. They are usually barbarian
type fighters.
Choosing a less than optimal race/class configuration can be a fun way to
go. Part of the enjoyment of roleplaying is having weaknesses... not just
maximizing your strengths.
Class options: Fighters, Thieves, Wizards, Clerics
Fighters far surpass every other class in terms of combat prowess. They
will be able to proficiently use all sorts of weapons and inflict terrible
damage with them. They are often de facto party leaders due to their
experience in conflict. They typically understand combat tactics better
than other classes.
Thieves are not very good at combat, but often use their high dexterity to
great effect with bows or thrown daggers. They have many useful skills
including avoiding detection (skulking in shadows and scouting), sneak
attacks (stabbing unsuspecting enemies in the back for bonus damage),
pickpocketing, picking locks, detecting and disarming traps.
Wizards are almost useless in hand-to-hand combat, preferring to unleash the
power of the arcane on their enemies. They can use spells to assist allies,
summon creatures to aid the party, shoot fire and lightning at their
enemies, etc. Arcane magic can be very destructive or very illuminating,
but is not able to heal.
Clerics (and Druids) are also spell casters, but their power isn't from
arcane knowledge, but rather through channeling their god's will. Clerics
are a conduit for divine power. Only divine power has the ability to heal
injured players. Specific spells can cure disease, cure wounds, cure
blindness, cure paralysis, remove curses, raise dead, etc. Clerics, because
they spend less time studying their arcane and preparing the reagents for
their spells, typically study combat and are second only to fighters in
combat skills. The Druid is a nature cleric... having access to different
types of spells. They also learn the ability to shapeshift into different
animals at higher levels.
Bards possess a mix of wizardry and thievery skills. They are students of
lore, often knowing more than anyone else about regional history or the
nature of renowned artifacts. They can also inspire bonuses to groups of
soldiers with their musical talents. They can often be roguish
silver-tongued diplomats as well.
Rangers are fighters that have some strong outdoor skills. They are
particularly good with bows and tracking and identifying woodland creatures.
They also have the ability to remain unseen until the right moment. Think
Fighter/Thief. Rangers learn how to cast some druid spells at higher
levels.
Paladins are Fighter/Cleric hybrids. They have some divine power thanks to
their absolute devotion to their god. They are ALWAYS lawful good, and any
behavior that betrays their alignment results in being stripped of their
divine powers. They are often very inspiring leaders because of their
righteous power, wisdom and charisma. Paladins learn to cast some priest
spells at higher levels.
If y'all could give me the basic character sketch you'd like to play...
including gender, race and class, it will make it easier for me to start
building your adventure. Also, a few notes about your backstory would be
useful.
For a humorous, easily digested idea of how an adventuring party interacts
and works together... I recommend reading The Order of the Stick. Here's a
link to the first cartoon... if you get hooked... great! Reading all 500
will surely turn you into a fine D&D campaigner.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics
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