Hi, I'm completely new to RPGs and I was thinking of getting Anima, but I'm not exactly sure what components are needed. Is just purchasing the RPG book Anima: Beyond Fantasy all I need to start? Thanks!

Some new questions came to mind: can just two people play Anima? Anything I might need to know before starting an RPG?

components needed for RPG:

1) Friends: be at least 3 (one master and 2 players). Complete parties have 4 to 6 players. NEVER EXCEED 6 Players and, as far as Anima is concerned, also 5 players should be plenty (the combat system is complex and having too many guys on the field does not help). For very unexperienced masters, regardless of used RPG I'd actually suggest a limit of 4 players (plus the master).

2) The rulebooks: the master has to read them completely and understand them to the bone. Players should study a bit too, but not as much as the master. Also, the more rulebooks, the more options.

3) Paper, pencil, rubber (to write down the character sheets and notes about what happens in the story). As a master, a laptop may also come in handy.

4) Weekly date: try as much as possible to play once a week...if you start playing each time you meet your friends you'll stop doing other stuff, which isn't good. On the other hand, if you don't try to play at least once a week, the game will never progress.

5) Time for the Master: he has to prepare a bit of story, encounters and NPCs in advance. It may be time consuming.

6) Ten faced dice...possibly half of them should have the tenths in it.

As an option, miniatures may come in handy to represent the fighting situations, but they're not strictly needed.

Elric of Melniboné said:

I have to disagree with Meinibone on this point. As the Game Master you should have read at least the entire rules section, and the campaign setting if you are using it, however you do not need a thorough understanding of the rules. As long as you make the players understand that the rules will change as you understand the system better. It is very hard to understand the rules completely just by reading them. Having played for a little over half a year (and other RPG's for over 6 years) I still do not know every rule in Anima. It does not matter as long as the players are flexable. The best way to learn a system is to play it, unfortunately this means you will make mistakes, but that will be fine.

In short read the entire book, try to understand what you can. If you don't know everything, don't worry, you will learn over time. Just remember to be flexable and inform your players of the possibility of changes. I would suggest implement changes the week after you present them (I give little notes with any important changes) so your players have time to adjust characters if need be.

Lia Valenth might be right on this point...my "understand to the bone" was probably an exageration. What I meant is what Lia posted: try to learn as much as possible, you won't know every single tiny rule of the rulebook when you start playing, but will adjust things with your players while you play.

That's an important specification, because the way I put it before I understad it would be discouraging, which wasn't my intention, by the way.

Thanks for all your input! I guess I should have restated one of my questions: is it possible to play Anima Beyond Fantasy with just 2 players (one gamemaster, one hero), because the only person I know that is willing to play this kind of game is my brother, so..

It is possible, but it will not be as fun.

These games are designed for groups, but if you have no other choice you can play with two people. I would suggest to continue looking for players though. Depending on where you live there are a lot of places to go to try and get people to join. The best chance is probably a local hobby (game) store. If you have one near you, these stores often have meetings of D&D/Magic/etc. and the people are often up to play new games. School clubs, if you go to school, can also be a possibility (Game/Anime clubs the best). You can also find players on the online community (though you may have to deal with Skype or the like, which I don't like to do, but if your up for it Skype can work).

Good luck on finding players. Till then try the game out with a two-person game, and have fun .

(side to Melniboné) I meant no offense in my last post. I thought your wording was just a little strong and we don't want to drive players away. Sorry my statement was a little overblown.

Then I'll give it a shot, and form a group if possible. Thanks again!