Refreshing the Basics

Setting out to update my knowledge of the D&D game system means picking up the D&D 5e System Reference Document (SRD) and doing some reading. Actually, having decided to invest some time in this I bought the Players Handbook (PHB), the Dungeon Masters Guide (DMG), and the Monster Manual (MM) (I know, just before the new 2024 edition release, genius move but I figure 5e will be around for a good while even after the new system is released). It took a while to read through the PHB and DMG, even when focussed on the core and just skimming the details (e.g. all the spells and monster details). The MM is mainly reference material, so as with the details from the PHB and DMG I just dip in here and there as the mood takes me.

I have already decided to focus on online play so investigating the options for this was necessary. Going ‘old school’ with play by post (or its modern equivalent) did not appeal. There are several more interactive options but the two that appeal most are Roll20 and FoundryVTT and after some brief play on each I prefer FoundryVTT. Adding to this impression are the flexibility, community development, and the pricing model. On top of all this I am an IT nerd and self-hosting Foundry was just too appealing an opportunity to miss. So FoundryVTT it is.

Base Foundry is plenty to start hosting online sessions (bonus, Foundry supports a LOT of game systems, not just 5e; although it’s fair to say 5e is the best supported). That said, and as noted, I am an IT nerd and my learning process is sort of ‘saturation in the topic’ so what followed was a deep dive into the possibilities with Foundry. Oh the joy! SO MUCH STUFF!

First up, hosting. If you’re not technically inclined you can use services like The Forge to host your Foundry VTT. Simple buy a license from Foundry, set up an account on The Forge, enter your license, and away you go. I however like pain 😉, so I have set up a self hosted system on a cloud service. This is fairly straightforward but not really related to the task at hand so I’ll skip the gory details (if enough people ask I will do a series on my set up).

Regardless of how you host your Foundry instance the next task is setting up Foundry itself. There are many, many blogs and YouTube videos on doing this. So many that the real problem is figuring out the best core setup for your needs. I want to automate as much of the mundane mechanics as I can. For some the whole Maths Olympics involved in combat etc. is fun. I find that most of it is tedious bookkeeping and in my opinion there’s no point in having a computer that is more capable of keeping track of this stuff than I and choosing to do it myself. Similarly there are rules that add to verisimilitude but are often glossed over because they are a lot of bookkeeping (things like time—spell duration, torch burn time, etc.—, encumbrance, and so on). Again, let the computer do the hard work and you can add another dimension to play without a lot a cognitive load leaving you to add the human element that makes TTRPG so different from video games.

Another aspect of using a VTT is the added media. Sounds and visual effects add to the general player experience. If we can add these without too much extra work I say ‘bring it on’. Foundry has a plethora of options for adding effects that have the potential for player delight. As the GM you can also relieve some in game load with good preparation. For example, using add-on modules to automate traps, or allow players to shop without the need to micromanage every transaction, or loot chests without you needing to provide every detail. Automating all this away, once again, frees you up to add more interaction that can only be provided by the human element.

At the end of all this research and setup I have both a reasonable grasp of the game, its mechanics, and a VTT setup I can start building adventures upon.