D&D v4

[Quinatan]

So i've desided to pick up some d&d books (apparently they are on v4) and give it a whirl.  Any advice, good programs to create characters/maps, ect?  Any other personal experiences you'd like to share that relate to the subject at hand?

[Kaid]

I believe on the main D&D site there is a good character creator tracker thing thats free to use for low level characters. It I believe is pretty slick and allows you to print out nice like cheat sheet things that have all your powers and what you need to roll already pre calculated which makes figuring out how to do things fast and easy.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/insider/characterbuilder

As for maps in the back of the DM book there are some template dungeon floor maps just find hex squares similar to that if you want bigger maps. Any gaming store will typically have grid paper of this size for sale pretty cheap.

This looks like a pretty decent lil quicky map maker that you can print stuff out with.

http://yeoldemapmaker.com/

[Kaid]

I really wish there were more folks around close as I get the hankering to play D&D and the new fourth edition seems to fix a lot of my old gripes especially about how low level wizards and sorc worked.

[Reginald]

Ahhh, the good old days of "I cast Magic Missile....Okay guys, I'm gonna go on a Pizza run, my character is just going to cower and run for cover if anything comes near him. ".

[Kaid]

Yes cower and hope the priest does not raise the chicken for dinner into a zombie to stab you for 1 point of damage and keel you.

[Perragin]

I have not judged a game in about 2 years! (never got into playing as much, go figure). I do miss it from time to time though. Best advise I can give...don't fall in love with your scenarios. Odds are the players will mess it up anyhow. For that matter, sometimes they give me ideas then the one I originally had! If that happens let your imagination run wild and go with it! Some of my best games have come spur of the moment...