The first step in getting your group started in a game at 'Dungeon Master for Hire' is to pick which version and setting your group wants to play.
Three versions and settings are available.
Versions
1) 5th edition
2) 3.5 edition
3) OD&D
Version Specifics / House Rules
1) 5.0 - This is the most recent version which most people nowadays are using. Available races are: human, dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, dragonborn, tiefling, half-orc and halfling. Some races also have subraces,such as mountain dwarf or wood elf. Not in use as a race in my Dark Sun or Mystara campaigns are dragonborn and tieflings. They just don't exist in Athas or Mystara.
Available classes in all settings are: barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, mystic, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, wizard.
This system uses a unique, 'advantage-disadvantage', feature which many players like. Savings throws have been replaced by DC checks,
(difficulty checks), based on attributes. At level 3 characters get to specialize their classes into one of three paths, allowing for more
character development than previous versions. The feats and skills are reduced in number, but well balanced. This is the most recent, and
most popular version.
2) 3.5 - This version has the following race options: human, dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, half-orc and halfling. Available classes are: barbarian,
bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, and wizard. The skills in 3.5 use a rank system. Each level you get ranks which are used to upgrade your skills. They also introduced 'feats' in this version.
3) OD&D - This is the classic 80's boxed sets, (Red, Blue, Green, Black and Gold), otherwise known as the 'Basic Rules'. Available races are: human, dwarf, elf, halfling. Available classes are: cleric, fighter, magic-user, thief, mystic. All dwarves and halflings are considered fighters in this version, and all elves are considered fighter/magic-users.
Making a Character
There is a lot involved in making a character for a game of Dungeons and Dragons, and for a group of players this can often take several hours just in itself. Depending on which version of the rules your group has chosen, character creation will occur as follows:
1) 5.0 version - let the dungeon master know what each member of your group wants to be, (race, class, background, alignment and sex), along with
any special quirks you'd like the character to have.
- the Dungeon Master will create the characters based on your desires and have them ready for your first game so you can start right
away - with this option the players do not roll their own attributes or pick their own skills
ready to play
- if you choose to make up your own character, the 'customized ability score variant', must be used - any characters attributes that do
not 'add up' will be disqualified from play
- all classes are in use, however no dragonborn and no tiefling characters in the Dark Sun or Mystara campaigns, (these do not exist in the worlds of Athas or Mystara)2) 3.5 version - let the dungeon master know what each member of your group wants to be, (race, class, background, alignment and sex), along with
any special quirks you'd like the character to have.
- the Dungeon Master will create the characters based on your desires and have them ready for your first game so you can start right
away - with this option the players do not roll their own attributes or pick their own skills
3) OD&D - same as for 3.5. Let the DM know your choices and he will have the characters ready for you for play
- alternatively, your group can make up their characters with the DM on game time and roll your own attributes/pick your own skills
and feats, or, make up your own character before the game if you own the OD&D set
- see above for race and class restrictions
SETTING OPTIONS
There are 3 setting options available:
1) Mystara
2) Forgotten Realms (Faerun)
3) Dark Sun (Toril)
MYSTARA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTesyZDm
Available races: human, dwarf, elf, half-elf, half-orc, halfling, gnome. There are no Dragonborn or Tieflings in the Mystara setting.
FORGOTTEN REALMS
The focus of the Forgotten Realms setting is the continent of Faerûn, part of the fictional world of Abeir-Toril, usually called simply Toril, an Earth-like planet with many real-world influences. Unlike Earth, the lands of the Forgotten Realms are not all ruled by the human race: the planet Toril is shared by humans, dwarves, elves, goblins, orcs, and other peoples and creatures. Technologically, the world of the Forgotten Realms is not nearly as advanced as that of Earth; in this respect, it resembles the pre-industrial Earth of the 13th or 14th century. However, the presence of magic provides an additional element of power to the societies. There are several nation states and many independent cities, with loose alliances being formed for defense or conquest. Trade is performed by ship or horse-drawn vehicle, and manufacturing is based upon cottage industry.
DARK SUN
Dark Sun is played on the fictional planet Athas. Novels and source books largely take place in Tyr Region though other areas are described for a play such as the Ringing Mountains and the Jagged Cliffs. The game likely takes place on a single continent, but the exact landmass configuration of the planet or the existence of other continents is unknown.
Athas has a single, crimson sun and two moons named Ral and Guthay. Dark Sun features a number of important distinguishing features that differentiate it from other Dungeons and Dragons campaign settings. The brutal climate and the oppressive rule of the sorcerer-kings have created a corrupt, blood thirsty, and desperate culture that leaves little room for chivalric virtues common to fantasy settings (hence why paladins are excluded from the setting). Slavery is wide spread, the people are violent, and monsters roam the wastes beyond the safe havens of the city-states and villages. Arcane magic draws its power from the life force of plants or living creatures with the potential to cause tremendous harm to the environment. As a result, wizards and other arcane casters are despised and must practice in secret. Psionics are extremely common with nearly every living thing having at least a modicum of psionic ability. Due to a scarcity of metal, weapons and armor are made from natural materials such as bone, stone, wood, carapace or obsidian. Athas has no deities and no formal religions other than the false cults created by the sorcerer-kings. Thus clerics and druids instead draw power from the Inner Planes/Elemental Chaos
Races in Dark Sun are limited to: humans, dwarves, elves, half-elves, half-giants, half-orc, halflings, muls, and thri-kreen. There are no gnomes, dragonborn or tieflings in Dark Sun.
Putting it All Together
Now that you've seen the options, it's time to make some selections. When contacting DM for Hire for a game, please have the following choices made:
Game Version: 5e, 3.5 or OD&D?
Setting: Mystara, Faerun, or Dark Sun?
If the DM is making up characters for the group, each player will have to provide the following choices;
Race
Class
Gender
Alignment
Background (what was your character before they decided to become an adventurer?)
Any special quirks that you would like to role-play (accents, a lisp, goes crazy around wine, afraid of bats, etc)