(Part 2) Best products from r/DungeonsAndDragons

Long post incoming; some of this stuff is copied from other posts I've made:

Getting into D&D is going to be a lot simpler and easier to rolling your own RPG system, unless the system you design is ultra simple and rules-light. And unless your friends happen to be game design experts or prodigies, what they come up with probably isn't going to be as fun, balanced or robust as a system designed and iterated upon by professionals and the RPG geek community.

D&D isn't rocket science, but the first few sessions will almost certainly be fraught with confusion, rules referencing, and/or people getting the rules wrong... but all that's OK. The key is to keep a relaxed attitude and for the DM err on the side of what seems most fun and entertaining. After a few sessions, everyone will probably have a decent grasp on the fundamental rules and things will go a bit more smoothly.

If you do decide to play D&D, you have to decide upon an edition to play, as there are several and they aren't compatible with each other. Right now the two most popular and recent editions are 3.5 and 4th edition. A 3rd party spin-off of 3.5 called Pathfinder is also popular. A big advantage to Pathfinder if you're on a tight budget is that pretty much the entire system is available online for free. For your conservative friends, the fact that it's not called D&D may also eliminate some of the social stigma, making it an easier sell.

My preferred edition though, and the one that is most newbie-friendly, is 4th edition. A slightly dated and incomplete overview of 4e's rules is available in this free quickstart guide. This tells you about 90% of what you need to know to sit down at a table and play as a player, and includes some pregenerated characters, but lacks the rules for character creation and progression.

A free 4e adventure, Keep on the Shadowfell can also be downloaded and perused by the DM, but KotS is not the finest example of adventure design, though you can find fan suggestions online to improve and tweak it.

As far as what products you should or need to buy, the Red Box Starter is probably the simplest and most straight-forward route. Avoid paying more than $25 for it new (a lot of 4e products seem to have spotty availability, which means sometimes they are overpriced).

Like the free quickstart guide, however, the Red Box does not you access to the full rules, but rather a simplified and stripped down overview. It almost follows the model of a choose your own adventure book in some respects rather than true D&D, which can make it a good stepping stone, though some players are impatient with it. It does, however, include some items that will remain useful to your game even when you outgrow the rules and content of the box: a double-sided poster map which can be reused, punch-out cardstock tokens to represent player characters and monsters and a set of dice. At $20 shipped, it's a good value if you feel your need a really gentle introduction into D&D.

However, if the members of your group are not averse to doing a couple hours of reading before their first adventure, and would rather skip the frying pan and jump straight into the fire, you can safely skip the Red Box.

What you really need is: a book that descriptions character creation and level 1-30 character options, an encounter design guide for the DM, a monster resource, plus some physical tools/props.

As for as the player resource goes, any one of the following will fulfill the need: the Player's Handbook, Heroes of the Forgotten Lands, Heroes of the Fallen Kingdoms. I would recommend the latter two, as they are 4e "Essentials" products, which are more up to date and feature more newbie-friendly steamlined design. However, all of the books are compatible with each other, and you can use them all.

You also need a book that tells the DM how to design encounters, run skill challenges, and reward teh players. You have basically three options here: the Dungeon Master's Guide, the DM's Book from the DM's Kit or the Rules Compendium.

Each has their pros and cons. The DMG is written with the new DM in mind and gives you all the rules info you need that isn't include in the players' books, but as one of the originally published books in the edition, it's less refined and does not include the latest errata (which you can download online, though it's a bit of a pain to read through all of it). It's probably your least expensive option.

The DM's Kit seems to be out of print (or on a reduced print run) so it's selling at above retail price. IMO it'd be the best option for a new DM, as it contains useful goodies (tokens, maps, and two quality published adventures) like the Red Box, plus a more up to date version of the Dungeon Master's Guide. But if you have to pay $55+, that's kind of difficult to justify.

The Rules Compendium has all of the rules information a DM needs, and it includes most of the latest errata, and it's generally a handy reference that you'll probably want to get eventually anyway. The problem is just that: it's a reference, and is light on insight and advice on how to build entertaining adventures and run a fun game. Like the DM's kit, it may be out of print, but it's still a good value. The Rules Compendium may be the best option if you're willing to read forums and web sites for DMing advice, which can be system neutral.

The DM also needs a monster resource. Hands down, the best option here is the Monster Vault. It's basically a far superior revision of 4e's Monster Manual, and contains an adventure, a ton of tokens and a battle map to boot. It's a steal at $20.

Another recommended product would be a D&D Insider subscription, which will give you access to the Character Builder, which as the name implies, makes building/progressing characters a cinch, and the Compendium, which gives you access to every bit of crunch in the entire published history of 4e: all the classes, powers, feats, races, monsters, items, themes, etc. as well as a glossary which describes much of the rules. You also get access to Dragon and Dungeon magazine archives, which contains a lot of flavor, design advice, and many pre-made adventures (see this thread for some highlights). It also has a handy monster builder tool. A subscription is $10/month or less if you commit to a longer subscription. Getting one subscription and sharing it among the group can be worthwhile.

Finally, you also need some physical things:

• A sufficiently large playing surface and seating.
  
• Pencils, paper for character sheets.
  
• Dice. You could get by with a single set (including 1d20, 1d12, 1d10, 1d8, 1d6, 1d4) but you probably want a full set for every player plus some duplicates. A pound of dice would likely suffice.
  
• A blank/customizable gridded map. There are at least three good options for this:
  
• A basic Paizo flip mat to be used in conjunction with erasable markers
  
• Gridded easel pads which work equally well for preparing detailed, pretty maps before a session, or whipping up something quick and dirty at the table -- a single pad will last you a good long time. This is what I use.
  
• Gaming paper which is like a compromise between the previous two options.
  
• Miniatures, tokens or other markers to represent monsters. As previously mentioned, several 4e Essentials products include tokens (if you get the Monster Vault, you're set). You can also buy miniatures from gaming stores, on eBay, etc. or you can use just about anything that's roughly a square inch in diameter -- coins, polished stones used in aquarium bedding, dice (though this can get confusing), etc.
  
  Finally, as for convincing your friends, as you've said, D&D is essentially no different from Skyrim, World of Warcraft, etc. D&D is pretty much the granddaddy of those games. If you can tolerate the "occult" elements in those other games, there shouldn't be anything offensive about D&D. And ultimately, the DM and players have full control over what they want to allow in the game. Have a discussion and decide if there's any subject matter that is the party finds offensive and exclude it from the game (or re-fluff it so it it's not so offensive).

Amazon in my experience is one of the best places to buy the books when it comes to price. The books are almost always constantly on sale for 20% or 30% off.

It also depends on his role. Is he mostly just a player? An aspiring DM? Either way, if he already doesn't have it he should have the players handbook. Probably the Dungeon Masters guide, and a few others. The top books I'd say he should have (in order of priority) are probably:

1. Players Handbook
   
2. The Dungeon Masters Guide
   
3. The Monster Manual
   
4. Xanathar's Guide to Everything
   
5. Volos Guide to Monsters
   
6. Mordenkainens Tome of Foes
   
   There's also a bunch of other books and adventures, but these are most important. For adventures I highly recommend Tales From the Yawning Portal, Ghosts of Saltmarsh, Curse of Strahd and Storm Kings Thunder.
   
   
   
   Now, if you want to make the gift more special, there are a few of the more prestigious (or at least cool) items.
   
   
   
   The Rook and the Raven makes superb notebooks. I use them, my wife uses them. I highly recommend them. They are a bit pricey for a notebook, but they are well made, disco-bound so you can add pages and customize your layout, and there are pages with special prompts to help you brainstorm and organize. Whether you are a DM or player, I highly recommend them. Start with either a player diary or DM planner, then go from there. Warning, your skills order these right away. They makes each book custom from scratch, so fulfillment can take a while (sometimes 8 weeks or so).
   https://shop.therookandtheraven.com/
   
   
   Want to get him the books, but make it a bit more memorable? Get the Core Rulebook Gift Set with Limited Edition Covers. Very nice looking, has the players handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and Monster Manual with special edition covers, as well as a special edition Dungeon Masters Screen. You can find it on Amazon (see link below) or sometimes at your local game store.
   Dungeons and Dragons RPG: Core Rulebook Gift Set Limited Alternate Covers https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFG969C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IiERDbMK8RT3K
   
   
   
   Dice. Dice. Dice. Players and DMs alike love Dice. Especially cool or special dice. You can look around on Amazon for large sets of regular dice (Wiz Dice Bag of Devouring: Collection of 140 Polyhedral Dice in 20 Guaranteed Complete Sets for Tabletop Role-Playing Games - Solids, Translucents, Swirls, Glitters, Alchemic Oddities https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KP4T6TQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rlERDbMH5C6AB), miniature dice (Wiz Dice Halfling's Haversack - 140 Mini Polyhedral Dice, 20 Colors in Complete Sets of 7, Miniature 10mm Pocket Size is Portable and Great for Travel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BWK7HVB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HkERDb6P484G7) or some sets of special material dice, like metal dice (TecUnite 7 Die Metal Polyhedral Dice Set DND Role Playing Game Dice Set with Storage Bag for RPG Dungeons and Dragons D&D Math Teaching (Shiny Black and Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CVT3RZR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GmERDbQ090HDB).
   I would also check out Artisan Dice. Very pricey, but VERY nice. There are some dice from here made from ACTUAL stones like Malachite, and some even made from Bison Horn.
   
   
   If he's a fan of Critical Role you should of course check out their Merch Shop. Plenty of cool items there, like apparel, maps, tankards, etc.
   https://shop.critrole.com/
   
   
   If he likes using digital tools at the table, you can always get him a subscription to D&D Beyond. It can be a very useful, intuitive tool.
   
   There's so much out there, it's hard to choose. And everyone has different tastes, so its hard to make specific recommendations. If you have any questions, let me know. Getting new players more involved in the hobby is one of my favorite things. And honestly, you sound like an awesome mom. I would have loved for my mom to have supported my hobbies like this when I was younger, and it's impressive the kind of research you are doing. Hes a lucky kid.
   
   Edit:
   Just remembered a few more things. Reaper makes excellent miniatures he can use in his games, and mini painting is a great hobby he can get into. Check out Reaper Miniatures (https://www.reapermini.com/) and some sets of paints. I recommend Vallejo or Citadel for paints, but Reaper also has some nice starter kits. For tutorials, have him look at YouTube, especially channels like Goobertown hobbies, Miniac, Black Magic Craft, etc.
   
   Also, right now Reaper has a kickstarter going on. They've done this a few times before and it's been quite successful in the past. It's going in now and will end Nov. 1st. Basically, you pledge a certain amount of money and they give you a TON of minis at a much lower cost per mini. I think the core set is like $120, but I think you get well over a hundred minis, so it's a great value. If you don't mind waiting on the actual gift (fulfillment is expected around Feb 2021?), it can be a great way to quickly get a ton of cool minis.
   Reaper Miniatures Bones 5: Escape from Pizza Dungeon, via @Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperbones5/reaper-miniatures-bones-5-escape-from-pizza-dungeon?ref=android_project_share

For sure! I was going to do a video tutorial but I can explain the process here as best I can!

1. Get the sprite sheet (or make your own), due to the transparency, the sprites should be side or 3/4 views since you won’t be able to see the backs (since they’ll show through).
   
   
2. Get some print friendly transparencies. There’s a good variety but I went with Apollo ink friendly transparencies since they’re easy to find on amazon. this one is what these are printed on
   
   
3. Get some stands. Also on amazon. I used these.
   
   
4. Print sprites on sheets! Ink should go on the rough side, not on the glossy side.
   
   
5. Cut out the sprites in a rectangle around the image and mirror image. The sprites are spaced to be folded in half so that the image and mirror overlap perfectly.
   
   
6. Align the pixels and fold the transparency so the rough sides face each other and the smooth sides are facing outward. This protects the ink from damage during storage and also gives it a nice glossy finish.
   
   6a) Use a small dot of Elmer’s glue to secure the sides together. It’ll dry clear, but means you won’t be able to play right away. Important: do NOT put a huge glob.
   
   
7. Trim as close as you’d like to the pixels, I tend to leave a good gap since I’m not terribly great with scissors.
   
   
8. Slot the folded transparency in and you’re good to go!
   
   Hope that helped! This method creates pretty thin minis that can be carried around in a book for easy transport! Once I get the video done I’ll post it here and on my Patreon.

Awesome! I love how the organs look wet and sticky to the touch!

To readers who want this mini: I can't find it on Amazon, but it is Gravestorm the Dracolich from the Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game. If it comes guaranteed in a booster or on it's own, I can't find it... but it's also past 4 in the morning here, so that may be a factor!

SO, let's take a quick look at the Castle Ravenloft Boardgame. Looking for Dracolich minis, I'm seeing most sitting at around $18 (and I couldn't find this particular one). The game box I listed is around $52. Almost three times the price!

However.

The box comes with 5 hero figures, 7 villain figures (Gravestorm is one of those, and that base he sits on is slightly larger than the bottom of a Rockstar can, so massive), and 30 monster figures, for a total of 42. So that's about $1.50 a model. These are high quality models, on par with Reaper or Nolzur's. They do not come prepainted, but with the paintjobs I've seen on some prepainted minis, I'd say that could be a pro, a con, or just a neutral to you, depending.

Honestly, if you're going to paint it, I'd get some paint tips from /u/GreedoLandooo, because as you may have noticed, his looks pretty wizard.

But wait, there's more! It also comes with 41 dungeon tiles! What are those, you didn't ask? Those are a bunch of interlocking tiles, compatible with any tiles from any of the D&D boardgame sets (Ravenloft , Wrath of Ashardalon , Legend of Drizzt , Temple of Elemental Evil, and Tomb of Annihilation , the last one being the only one I don't own, and that only due to money issues at the moment.)

Here are 11 together , Here are, uh...more than 11, I'm tired, fight me about it..

Everything you see in that second pic comes in the box, except for that upside-down box that says "One Night". I have no idea what that is, but I'm assuming the people who took the photo use it as a dice rolling area.
EDIT: Those minis you see on there have regulation-size bases, about the size of a quarter, to give you a sense of scale.

You may have noticed cards and tokens galore. As it turns out, this board game is also a board game! The heroes have abilities they can use, monsters have different attacks and tactics depending on player positioning, there are magic items, traps, etc. Some people really enjoy the board games. I found them neat, but I really just wanted the minis because of the quality and the tiles because...c'mon, really easy dungeon setup. Most D&D boardgame tiles are not doublesided, so you can either preconstruct a dungeon for buds but leave undiscovered ones flipped over for "fog of war", or handle it like the board game does, drawing new tiles from a stack when a player enters discovery range. Surprises for the party and you!

Also, I'm going to list all the minis that come in the set. Gravestorm is the largest in the box by far, but each board game comes with some big guys. Ashardalon has Ashardalon, the Red Dragon, I believe Drizzt comes with a massive Balor, etc.

So, mini contents of Ravenloft:

Allisa, Human Ranger

Arjhan, Dragonborn Fighter

Blazing Skeleton x3

Count Strahd, Vampire and general villainous jackass.

Flesh Golem. This guy is a bit on the large side, but not as big as the Dracolich.

Gargoyle x3

Ghoul x3

Gravestorm, Dracolich.

Howling Hag

Immeril, Eladrin Wizard

Kat, Human Rogue

Klak, Kobold Sorcerer. I'm very fond of this guy.

Kobold Skirmisher x3

Rat Swarm x3

Skeleton x3

Spider x3

Thorgrim, Dwarf Cleric

Werewolf with bladder issues, I assume.

Wolf x3

Wraith x3

Zombie x3

Zombie Dragon. Not Gravestorm. This is a smaller dude.

Now a picture of the whole happy family

And finally, if you would like to buy from the D&D official site, you can find it here for $65.

The Red Box for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is more of a quick start than a full game. If you're wanting to run a full game in that edition, you'll want to pick up one of the following books:

• Heroes of the Fallen Lands This has character creation rules for Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, and Ranger.
  
  
• Heroes of Forgotten Kingdoms Rules for Druid, Paladin, Ranger (different build), and Warlock.
  
  I'd also recommend the Rules Compendium as it has all the rules needed to run and play the game (outside character creation).
  
  These books are under $20 and you may be able to pick them up for less than $10 used. They're also Prime eligible (depending on the seller) on Amazon. They're also digest sized, making them easy to take with you when you travel. The Rules Compendium is available as a digital download as well.
  
  You can also find multiple character creation programs online, such as Hero Lab that are detailed enough you don't actually need the books. I believe the Dungeons & Dragons Insider character generator is still available online. Unfortunately, these require a subscription or software purchase. Other programs can do the same thing, but they're fan created and some of them go way over what's legally allowed by the license to do.
  
  These all assume you're wanting to stick with 4th Edition. If not, you can easily ditch it and make use of the accessories of the Red Box. If you want to go with D&D Next (the playtest of the edition that will launch this summer), you can pick up either of the Encounters seasons written for that edition because they include the playtest rules. Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Dreams of the Red Wizard: Scourge of the Sword Coast are available now.
  
  You can also go with Pathfinder, which is a modified version of Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition. The Pathfinder Beginner's Box is one of the best introductory bundles I've ever seen, and it has rules for character creation and advancement for 1st through 5th levels (though you're limited to Fighter, Wizard, Rogue, and Cleric and Human, Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling). However, you can use the Pathfinder Reference Document to expand on that for free.

I didn’t want to waffle on! Haha I’ve used some PVA to stick down felt (you could buy sticky back to save time/mess) on the inside. The divider is a bit of scrap plywood that has been sanded and rounded, again with felt glued to it. Card or foam could be used, just as long as it’s glued in place properly. I used PVA but a line of CA glue along the bottom edge helps. The inside of the lid is a scrap of leather stuck to a thick piece of foam and wedged in place. Pro tip: go into a sofa store and ask if they have any old leather sample booklets kicking about, good thickness to cut with a craft knife and glued well.

Rustic Hand Crafted Antique Look Wooden Long Pirate Treasure Chest Trinket/Storage Box with Handle. Approx Length 35cm by sd https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H2T9CG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qHyCDbSJGPVHB

Ideally I’d like to weather it to make it look older and beaten, hopefully will find time to finish and post an update!

There are some awesome bags of bulk dice. I’ve bought so many. I love the random ones for loose, spare dice and cool finds. And the sets for gifts, and to keep on hand in case someone forgets their own. I’ve given away pretty much all the ones I’ve bought, and I’ve bought several bags lol.

This awesome bag is my next buy. Mini dice! Totally going to be xmas gifts this year, I can’t wait to get my hands on them. 😂

This is easily the best place to start with Dungeons & Dragons - a very fun and classic adventure that’s not too long and that comes with basic rules and pre-made characters for an incredibly low price. (There’s also this version which comes with some extra dice and printable goodies which is up to your discretion if you want, it’s more expensive so it might just be better to order a collection of dice, such as this so you’ll have enough for everyone).

A demigoddess alights on the mortal plane to appraise a newly emerged deity.

This was a book cover I drew for 'The Counterfeit God' by Nikolaas Liquette. I'm really happy to finally share this finished piece now that the first book of 'The Fate of the Pantheon Rebellion' trilogy is published.

If you're interested in a good epic-scale fantasy read this weekend, you can get a digital copy of the book here:

https://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Fate-Pantheon-Rebellion-Book-ebook/dp/B07W95TD24/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=counterfeit+god&qid=1565814287&s=books&sr=1-2

There's also a paperback version as well. I know, because I formatted that cover too. :P

www.reddit.com/r/TheFoxBriar

The commonly accepted pronunciation, as determined by the creator of the Forgotten Realms is like now or cow or prow.

EDIT

This pronunciation may be specific to the Realms, or universal to all planes.

Source: This super awesome book I got in the reddit Fantasy exchange.

I would say to pick up a few things. Just starting out, and if you've got the money I would recommend this stuff if you want to do a full homebrew story:

[Minis](
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W5WSN5A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1B7M9EQGNCLQA&psc=1) - You need creatures for your game, and while minis can be expensive I see these as being a good start.


Of course the rulebook.


Monster Manuel. Just flipping through it will give you ideas for encounters.


Erasable Grid Tileset - great for anything, from dungeons to wilderness. I would predraw before your session.


[Dice!](
https://www.amazon.com/Kuuqa-Polyhedral-Complete-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/B01MF5G9DY/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1517791222&sr=1-7&keywords=D%26D+dice) Enough for all your adventurers and yourself.


The books can be expensive, so if you're looking for a PDF version of anything really check here.

[I recommend the folding melee mat, so it doesn't curl. It comes with markers, an eraser, and a set of dice. Also, free shipping] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HCL2VC)

[And make tokens out of 1 inch washers, paper and a glue stick] (https://newbiedm.com/2008/11/22/newbiedm-tutorial-counters-tokens-or-pogs)

[Token tool] (http://www.rptools.net/toolbox/token-tool/)

[You can also get these to give them a glossy, fake-photo-paper finish] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AUKFJBO)

[This is super useful for making tokens, too] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OMYCXK)

Even with all of that, the tokens only cost about $0.14 each; 500 for $70 (+whatever a gluestick costs). Or 50 for $5+gluestick if you only buy the washers without the tape or hole punch.

Miniatures are not necessary, but can certainly be useful in setting up battle scenes and giving a sense of direction and awareness.

You can generally use anything as a miniature: Legos, Army Men, Bottle Caps with arrows drawn on them.

Here is a useful starting selection:

Skeletons

Knights

I love dice! Or DnD shirts. https://www.amazon.com/PolyHero-Dice-Wizard-Violet-Lightning/dp/B073DB6GST/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542827269&sr=8-1&keywords=polyhero+dice are really awesome.

If you shop online, likely amazon is a competitive price.

Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965592/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gpFKBbBE2QVSE

If shopping local find a local game store or even target now sells the starter.

If nobody else has supplies, you’ll want to buy a pack of dice. Something like this for players to share:

6x Sets of 10 Polyhedral Dice: Half a Pound of RPG / D&D Dice! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JNV7QG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FqFKBbG97FJJC

Stay laid back and enjoy it.

There are these bucket of figures that are great, and super cheap for how many you get.

Monsters

Skeletons

Zombies

Knights

Dragons

And so on. Super cheap. Tons of figures, less than $20 for each set.

I have always used small binder clips which can be found at target or any office store for really cheap.

These things (don't know if that's the right size from online picture)

https://www.amazon.com/Brands-Binder-Holding-Capacity-100-Count/dp/B00T8W3AEO/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=small+binder+clip&qid=1571506089&sr=8-6

I pop off the silver arm parts after the mini is in it by squeezing the arm from the sides. The legit bases I have only seen online but it has been awhile since Ive looked in the game shop. Hope that helps!

Here's a link to the Dungeons and Dragons starter set, and yes, it's a great bargain! In addition to that, there's a Kickstarter going right now for Table Tokens. It would be a cheap way to give them some of the mobs they might need.

I'll do you one better. I'll give you the links to all the stuff I bought 😁 hope this helps.

Iron straps

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07578HSSK/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_B-kWDbCP8HRK2

Corners

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JUFX9NA/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_jfrWDbWV34MF1

Hinges

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KDOXOP0/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_CfrWDb5W4RZPR

Dye

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ETT4ES6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_4hrWDb4NT7022

Where is this 6 sets of dice for $9 you speak of? The closest I've found are these:

https://www.amazon.com/6x-Sets-10-Polyhedral-Dice/dp/B00JNV7QG8

EDIT: Oh, and actually these look okay: https://www.amazon.com/SmartDealsPro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=pd_day0_21_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01ABST9S4&pd_rd_r=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&pd_rd_w=stSf0&pd_rd_wg=cDK0I&psc=1&refRID=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&dpID=51TLq9O7vtL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

2nd EDIT: Aha! These are actually pretty good! 6 sets for less than $10.50, and better ratings than the previous two links. Also, you get precisely the colors shown (which could be a negative for some people, I suppose):

https://www.amazon.com/iFergoo-Polyhedral-Polyhhedral-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/B0719X9SQZ/ref=pd_day0_21_11?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0719X9SQZ&pd_rd_r=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&pd_rd_w=stSf0&pd_rd_wg=cDK0I&psc=1&refRID=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH

there are 3, but the second and third cover more classes and more advanced topics, the first covers all the basic classes as well as how to create characters and rules of the game etc. The starter set is merely to just get you going quickly without inundating you with too much at once.

http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Players-Handbook-Roleplaying/dp/0786948671

OP, have a look at http://www.amazon.com/Greenwood-Presents-Elminsters-Forgotten-Realms/dp/0786960345

It's by the guy who created the Realms, and it's pretty good, I hear.

I honestly just bought this and started by following the written instructions: https://www.amazon.com/Reaper-Miniatures-08906-Learn-Paint/dp/B00NTMC49G

After I painted the minis, I just went to my FLGS and grabbed a handful of cheap minis to practice on and a few paint brushes from Michaels. The basic techniques you learn from that book are like 80% of painting a mini. The rest comes with experience and playing around with techniques, colors, layers, etc

Also, I am the least artistic person and I feel mine arent terrible.

Edit: As for the issue with time, whenever I want to watch a show, I setup my stuff and paint while I watch. It passes the time and I get two things done at once. I would recommend no distractions for the first minis you paint though to get a feel for how it works.

I got this from my wife and LOVE IT


Wiz Dice Bag of Holding: 140 Polyhedral Dice in 20 Guaranteed Complete Sets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01476QV14/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yZWUAbZ5K7XT1

iirc, the classes in red box were built from the rules designed for the smaller essentials rule books. They are quite a bit simpler and easier to run than the classes in the original rule books.

see-
http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Fallen-Lands-Essential-Supplement/dp/0786956208/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Being somewhat of a DnD noob myself, I think some things that might help are maps, miniature figures, and dice. I love being able to see where people and creatures are in combat. I think it helps with the immersion into the world. When I started playing (a month or so ago) our DM had miniatures he bought from his group in the army. Seeing them made me start buying Reaper miniatures and painting them myself.

For a group of people, this set of dice works. You get 20 sets and a bag for $30. They're not the best dice, but they work.

The one pictured is a Chessex brand mat -- they come in several sizes and can be gotten with a double sided square grid or squares on one side and hexes on the other.

They don't take well to being folded (better to roll those), so if you want something portable in a bag or backpack the Paizo Flip Mat products sold under both the Pathfinder and Game Mastery brands are foldable while still being dry and wet-erase friendly. They also have ones that have pre-printed terrain too.

> There's another company that does a pound o' dice who's name I can't remember

You're probably thinking of Wizdice. They have The Bag of Holding & The Bag of Devouring. Can attest to the dice in Bag of Devouring to be very nice!

Yep, just amazon it. Get the green one first, then the blue if you want more
Reaper Miniatures 08906 Learn To Paint Bones Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NTMC49G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QG2QDbVC4XT3A

Thank you.
Here's the one I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NTMC49G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Are you following any tutorials? I'm new to mini painting myself and may i suggest something? Reaper Miniatures Learn To Paint Bones Kit is what i bought and what i'm learning from. I think it might be worth trying out.

Here's my first mini, i'm working on the second one from the kit now : The Orc.

Get back you fiendish bot. I shall deliver the link myself.
Here you go:

Dungeons Dragons Starter Set 5th Edition - DND Starter Kit - Dice in Black Bag - Fun DND Rolling Board Games Adults Adult Magic Board Game 5e Beginner Popular Pack Die Book https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D5ZL8WB/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_qsX7Bb2X1B05S

Pathfinder Mat. 24x30, 1" grid, dry erase, both sides usable and have different background colors, $12.99 on Amazon Prime.

The Original Battle Grid Game Board - 27" x 23" - Dungeons Dragons Mat - Dry Erase Square & Hex RPG Miniatures Map Grids - DND 5th Edition Table Top Dice Set - Wizard The Coast Starter & Master https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076HCL2VC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oE.7BbRZSXPHP

I prefer the board over a mat. Rolling a mat up after a while can cause creases and additional damage over time. Having the compass marker also always tells your party where north is so when they say “I move south from the orc.” then everyone knows what they mean.

These dice are about 20 cents each. These are probably about whats in the machine.