Saturday, 19 March 2011

Dungeons and Dragons Online Resources

Living in Decatur presents a bit of a problem for the Dungeons and Dragons player. The only store in the city that carries D&D related material is our local Books-A-Million. Frankly, their D&D selection is not very expansive, being mostly comprised of fourth edition hardcover rulebooks and a few modules.

For a greater selection of D&D materials, Huntsville is the closest place to go, with it's numerous bookstores, hobby shops, and specialty stores. Yet, it's not always convenient to drive the thirty or so miles from Decatur to Huntsville. With current gas prices as they are, it's also not very economical for the most part.

Thankfully, a better solution can be found by using the Interwebs. Following are three great websites for fourth edition D&D resources, through which can be found character sheets, modules, maps and tiles, and even fully detailed campaigns, everything D&D players and Dungeon Masters will need for their own games. Oh, and much of it is free!

What You Need:

A working computer

A working Internet connection

A working printer

Dungeons and Dragons / Wizards of the Coast

This is the official D&D website, the go to site for current D&D news and info. The bulk of resource material here comes through having a subscription to the Dungeons and Dragons Insider, the ultimate online D&D toolbox. A DDI subscription grants access to both Dragon and Dungeon Magazines, where you can find articles, full adventures, new player characters and non-player characters, new races, magic items and spells, and a host of other stuff.

With subscription plans from about $6 to $10 a month, having access to these online mags alone is worth the price. However, a DDI subscription also comes with use of the D&D Character Builder, the D&D Compendium, the D&D Adventure Tools, and the vast Art and Map Galleries. The cost of a DDI subscription is easily the better choice compared to going through the hustle of a drive to Huntsville.

DriveThruRPG

DriveThruRPG is a wonderful resource for D&D players to have. Many hours can be spent perusing all the D&D and other RPG material available here, and it's a good bet you'll find something for yourself. Click on the By Price menu option on the left-hand side, then click on the Show Only Free Products option, and be amazed at all that's there. Bookmark DriveThruRPG, as you may be returning often.

Printable Graph Paper

Fourth edition D&D makes standard use of one inch squares for tactical encounters, and this site is a must have for when you need print outs quickly and easily. Print directly from the site, or save the graph page or pages you want on your computer and print from there.

These three top online D&D resources should do well for Decatur D&D players, or players in any other city. No need to spend a lot of time looking for gaming materials when you have them already at your fingertips, and that means more time for gaming.