While playing my share of complicated board games, I'd consider myself a n00bie in regards to playing tabletop roleplaying games. I've played a couple short D&D sessions as well as ran the EotE beginner scenario for my group (first time DMing ever). Seemed like a lot of fun, I just feel like I'd be overwhelmed running a real campaign with the full rules and the new dice. My understanding is that D&D 5e is very n00b friendly so I was considering playing that and switching to EotE later. On the other hand, I've also been told it may be hard for some to "unlearn" D&D to understand EotE's mechanics. If that's true, maybe I'm at an advantage at being a n00b? Anyway, just looking for some recommendations on how I should proceed and if it is the Star Wars RPG, should I go with EotE or one of the other two books?

My suggestion is to join a play by post game that has space and vehicle combat to learn ranges and maneuvers, one with a least one force user, and one crafter...

I think those for me are where things start getting complicated.

It moves slow so your first GM'ed game could also be pbp, that way you got a day or so to ask questions in the forums!

First lesson: it's called "GMing" (for games-mastering), not "DMing" (dungeon-mastering) which only applies to certain types of fantasy games (typically the kill-n-loot everything in sight variety).

Actually, D&D (and other level-based game systems) aren't all that noob-friendly. D20 just has the weight of a huge player base and an enormous toy company pumping out products behind it.

With regards to advice, I'd get the EotE Core Rules book first, and see if you and your play group like the game. Hang out here on this board and read the Q&A from fellow players and GMs. You'll learn a lot. And likely avoid many pitfalls.

In fact I'm planning on putting my GM services up for offer and get a live game going after a few pbp games are under my belt.

I can't help too much with deciding which system to start with. Except I had a similar experience, with becoming my in-person group's GM (for the moment at least), and I found it helpful to either look things up if they don't make sense (chances are it has been asked before) and if that failed ask the question on a forum, the posters here are very helpful.

If you want to get only one core book (they are all compatible, I have AoR and soon I'll have EotE), then it depends on what kind of story you want to run. EotE is for smugglers, bounty hunters, etc. (Han Solo, Lando, Boba Fett, are examples of characters from this core book). AoR is the rebellion fighting the empire, soliders, commanders, diplomats, etc. (Leia, Luke, Mon Mothma, and several of the characters from rouge one are examples of characters from this book). F&D is force users, not Jedi, from what I've heard it takes a lot of xp to recreate the Jedi from the Old Republic and Prequels (plus tv shows), and the knight level starting rules that can be found in one of the gm screens, seem to be padawan like power levels.

Hope this helps.

19 minutes ago, TheShard said:

My suggestion is to join a play by post game that has space and vehicle combat to learn ranges and maneuvers, one with a least one force user, and one crafter...

I think those for me are where things start getting complicated.

It moves slow so your first GM'ed game could also be pbp, that way you got a day or so to ask questions in the forums!

I'm not familiar with the play by post? I assume that means a campaign or scenario is played by forum post only? Is that correct? If so, that sounds like a great way to learn the game from other experienced players.

Yes, it is exactly that, and yes, it is a great way to learn. And without the pressures at a gaming table (time to think and respond, keeping calm and maintaining a poker face when your players rile you up, etc.).

There are many games played here on this board. And on other boards (shameless plug: I run a board here that has games with openings, and we'd be happy to have you).

32 minutes ago, Markspinner said:

While playing my share of complicated board games, I'd consider myself a n00bie in regards to playing tabletop roleplaying games. I've played a couple short D&D sessions as well as ran the EotE beginner scenario for my group (first time DMing ever). Seemed like a lot of fun, I just feel like I'd be overwhelmed running a real campaign with the full rules and the new dice. My understanding is that D&D 5e is very n00b friendly so I was considering playing that and switching to EotE later. On the other hand, I've also been told it may be hard for some to "unlearn" D&D to understand EotE's mechanics. If that's true, maybe I'm at an advantage at being a n00b? Anyway, just looking for some recommendations on how I should proceed and if it is the Star Wars RPG, should I go with EotE or one of the other two books?

Consider what types of characters and stories interest you. If you want a modern take on 'classic' fantasy with elves, dwarves, wizards, and dragons, then D&D 5e is a fine choice. If you want Star Wars as a setting, then go with Star Wars. Either game system can be easy or hard depending on a huge variety of factors, so just go with what feels better. I can say that D&D 5e will have a higher initial $ buy-in, but Star Wars can get much more expensive very quickly if you start buying expansions.

6 minutes ago, ShadoWarrior said:

Yes, it is exactly that, and yes, it is a great way to learn. And without the pressures at a gaming table (time to think and respond, keeping calm and maintaining a poker face when your players rile you up, etc.).

There are many games played here on this board. And on other boards (shameless plug: I run a board here that has games with openings, and we'd be happy to have you).

Awesome! I'll have to sign up. Is the only requirement that I need to supply my own dice?

Just now, HappyDaze said:

Consider what types of characters and stories interest you. If you want a modern take on 'classic' fantasy with elves, dwarves, wizards, and dragons, then D&D 5e is a fine choice. If you want Star Wars as a setting, then go with Star Wars. Either game system can be easy or hard depending on a huge variety of factors, so just go with what feels better. I can say that D&D 5e will have a higher initial $ buy-in, but Star Wars can get much more expensive very quickly if you start buying expansions.

Def tired of dragons and elves to be honest. I enjoy the Star Wars universe much more and think that would be a better fit for my group (who also currently are running their own D&D session without me).

When you play an online game, even one that's played by posting on forums, you do not need physical dice. Depending on the GM's game and where it's hosted, either the forum software will have a dice rolling function, or a third-party dice-rolling website will be used (such as Orokos.com).

Welcome to this hobby. Be careful, it can get addicting.

You were wise to start out with a beginner box. If you writing your own adventure seems too daunting, try some of the pre-written adventures. There's plenty of fan-made ones floating around the internet and even some free ones from FFG . There are also some bigger ones that FFG produces, so once you know what game line you are going to stick to, that will help inform where you want to go next.

5 minutes ago, kaosoe said:

Welcome to this hobby. Be careful, it can get addicting.

You were wise to start out with a beginner box. If you writing your own adventure seems too daunting, try some of the pre-written adventures. There's plenty of fan-made ones floating around the internet and even some free ones from FFG . There are also some bigger ones that FFG produces, so once you know what game line you are going to stick to, that will help inform where you want to go next.

Yes that was the plan once I get my head around this beast. Definitely run premade adventures (either FFG or fan written).

Don't want to get off subject too much but does anyone exclusively use the dice app for Android/iOS? I hear that can make things easier and make the game flow better (and I'm looking to make things as easy for my players as possible; the new dice are daunting enough!)

The thing is once you start using them they are so much simpler

6 minutes ago, TheShard said:

The thing is once you start using them they are so much simpler

Just like drugs!

I used to play ad&d and recently tried pathfinder... Too much work in my opinion, this is much more intuitive.

I started on Pathfinder and thought it was way too complicated! This seems just as complex to me but that could be just because of the dice and/or because I'm pretty new.

Besides the learning curve of the new dice, the dice mechanics are more complicated. But (somewhat paradoxically) the end result is simpler because the dice direct the players and the GM by suggesting how to narrate the outcome of the skill check. Say that you were playing D&D and you needed a '14' to hit on your d20 attack roll. You roll an '18'. You hit. But, mechanically, a hit with exactly a '14' and one with an '18' is the same. The variance comes in the separate, randomized, damage roll. In FFG's system you only need to make one roll. The results of that check both determine whether you hit, and how much extra damage, if any, you inflict over the bare minimum for the chosen weapon. Not only is this quicker and simpler, but the combination of advantages/threats/triumphs/despairs adds flavor and almost endless narrative possibilities in interpreting the results in context that are lacking in most other game systems.

The only thing that made learning narrative FFG difficult for me was fear of the new. Once I played just one session (Warhammer version), I realized how simple it was. Learn the dice & read the structured gameplay chapter and you know the system. Of course there are tables and charts for various things, but the only big game mechanics are the dice (simple once you tried it) and structured gameplay (combat, about as less complicated as then D&D).

Well... I can't wait to play in the next pre-written adventure. I've spent this evening and into the late hours so far drinking Jack and Coke, I've watched Coppola's Dracula, Dracula Untold and the 1958 Dracula with Christopher Lee to get ready for Curse of Strahd (and now I'm quite inebriate).. Oh wait.. that doesn't help at all..

yup... this is NOT shoot and loot, it's all story driven... Edge and F&D are quite 'loose' if you're doing sandbox ( free-roaming, player driven storylines) with AoR you can kind of rail road the players as it's more military and the players have missions and follow orders.

TBH don't sweat it. There's enough splatbooks available that have extra guidance for 'Spending Successes and Failures in (combat/space combat/urban settings etc)... just guide the story how you think the players will like it to go and if you are a Noob ask the players for their input too. Don't be scared to give the players a chance to guide the story/session. Throw in a movie cliche - orange pilot suits, cheeky R2 units, stifled protocol droids, useless stormtroopers, Jawas that shout Utinni, a bar where they don't serve droids... the players will love it

AoR campaigns don't have to be about pulling missions under a strict military chain of command. The Alliance has a lot of "loose" operatives that pretty much do their own thing as long as they fight the Empire (preferably without breaking the few rules the Alliance has, but some of those lines are pretty fuzzy too). Because of this, some AoR games are going to seem very similar to typical EotE games. The difference will be in the characters' Motivations more than in their methods.

4 hours ago, Markspinner said:

While playing my share of complicated board games, I'd consider myself a n00bie in regards to playing tabletop roleplaying games. I've played a couple short D&D sessions as well as ran the EotE beginner scenario for my group (first time DMing ever). Seemed like a lot of fun, I just feel like I'd be overwhelmed running a real campaign with the full rules and the new dice. My understanding is that D&D 5e is very n00b friendly so I was considering playing that and switching to EotE later. On the other hand, I've also been told it may be hard for some to "unlearn" D&D to understand EotE's mechanics. If that's true, maybe I'm at an advantage at being a n00b? Anyway, just looking for some recommendations on how I should proceed and if it is the Star Wars RPG, should I go with EotE or one of the other two books?

You can find D&D gameplay videos on Youtube. I'm sure there's EoE videos out there. I'd go with the genre you like best.

*waves hand* this is the game your looking for.