Hello! I am completely new to tabletop games and it's a little overwhelming. I can handle the complexity of the games themselves (and I really look forward to creating my own character!), but I am looking for suggestions as to what game exactly would be good to start out with. I'm ok with spending a few bucks if I absolutely have to (although some books I saw got up to like $30-40 which is a lot for me right now), but I'd rather avoid it if I can help it since I am both new and unsure if I'll like the game in question. A friend of mine has Pathfinder books that I can probably borrow from him; is that a good game to test the waters with? If I do end up going with another game, will I just need 1 book or will I need a whole set of them? I should also mention, I guess, that I'm ok with whatever setting as long as the game is interesting and fun - I have a wide array of interests - so please, any suggestions are welcome.

Also, I have seen some terms thrown around such as gestalt and RTJ and I am not quite sure exactly what they mean. Can anyone clarify?

This is more a forum question I think, for my first game I think I would like an experience that is a broad mix of the various aspects of an RPG (roleplaying, + or - exploring, combat, leveling, working as a group, overcoming challenges, etc.) because I would really like to get a feel for what it's like. Is this too much to request? I feel like the majority of games I see are leaning one way or the other, 'mostly roleplaying' being the one I see most. Would I be better off searching in Wanted - Players or Wanted - GMs for this?

Lastly, if you have any advice about jumping into this, it would be very appreciated. Thank you for your time.

In reply to Cajtarth (msg # 1):

As far as book prices I have no idea, since I've always used my brothers' or his friends'. Usually the core rules are just one book, possibly 2 for a GM, and extended/optional rules are in other books. Even if you source outside the core book, you generally just need a copy of the relevant information, not the entire book, though having the book may be useful anyway.

In Dungeons and Dragons, gestalt refers to a character with a combined class that takes the higher statistics from two classes and the abilities of both. Gestalt classes usually aren't allowed unless every player is a gestalt character, or the gestalt character begins at a lower level. Ask the GM, basically. Gestalt may refer to something else in other games, I don't know.

You definitely aren't looking to be a GM without having experience.

I think you need to determine what kind of game you'd like first.

You said you can handle complexity, and your friend has Pathfinder. That's fairly up there on the complex-o-meter, so you should look that over, discuss it with your friend, make a character and show it to him, and then run a couple of practice encounters with him.

Then you need to decide if you want something more, less or equal to Pathfinder in complexity.

Second, there is the type of game to consider. Yes, Pathfinder has leveling, but there are games that do not. There are games that are designed to be more cooperative. There are games that are more about story than character. Again, decide if Pathfinder is for you. If it is, you have tons of similar games to choose from.

Next is the genre. Do you want to play a spellcaster, a master of the powers of the mind, a knight, a 30's pulp adventurer, a 20's investigator of Cthulhoid cults, a vampire, an anthropomorphic animal, a Klingon, a viking, a jedi, a pirate, a ninja, an alien, a space marine, a hobbit or an orc (space-ork or otherwise)? There are plenty more choices, so you need to settle on this, at least to make an initial choice. You may learn that there is a universal system you can use to play multiple genres.

So, this is an initial purchase. Probably you'd like to choose something currently in print and supported, as you'll find more opportunities for play. Some games, you can get by with a single book. Others, well, the companies are in the business of selling you things. Some systems' players are in the habit of owning several books in order to widen their options. Your choice might be tempered by the culture of the games you're considering.

You might look at some games that have free quick-start PDFs available. You could check out several that way.

If you narrow things down a bit more folks will have suggestions for you. Good luck.

PS: RTJ means Request to Join, it tells the requirements for your “player application.” Search in Players Wanted.
This message was last edited by the user at 19:55, Thu 02 Oct 2014.

There is probably no need to spend any money in the short term. The first thing to do is to decide what types of games interest you the most. Many of us have wide interests but we tend to go through 'phases' of liking this then that, and maybe you should decide what you fancy before you spend out on rules, especially if money is tight.

Many GMs are happy to help you through their games even if you don't have a set of rules available. In fact many games - those on the storytelling/freeform side - don't have rules at all.

Take some time to browse through the Players Wanted forum and see what jumps out at you. Browsing there will also give you an idea of what games are most popular (though popular games are not necessarily better). Pathfinder is certainly one of the most popular games here.

The most important thing is not really finding a good ruleset or background, but finding a good GM and a good group of players. Don't be put off gaming by the inevitable rudeness of a few. You'll need to find the right people if you want a good mix of experiences in a single game - good luck with that. Most likely you'll find some in one game and some in another. It can take a year or two to build up a decent crew to game with.

Still, you have to start somewhere, so as I said, look for a game that interests you and then send the GM a Request To Join (RTJ). Let the GM know you're a beginner and don't have the rules. Their reaction to that revelation may help you to decide whether theirs is the right game for you.

I'll let someone who's swallowed a dictionary tell you what gestalt means, I haven't considered the word important enough to look up over the last few decades...

In reply to icosahedron152 (msg # 4):

The dictionary definition of gestalt would be "being more or greater than the sum of its parts," but that isn't generally precisely what's meant by it in an RP context. :P

Also, the German word "gestalt" means "shape."
This message was last edited by the user at 20:24, Thu 02 Oct 2014.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! This is silly, I know, but I still feel a bit of hesitation towards jumping into a game without knowing much. I'll try, though, and hope I get a good GM! Thanks again for the advice!