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[Grakelin]

I think in full plate you get a +3 modifier, don't you? So high DEX is fairly useful.

I'd eschew the idea of trying to play D&D (particularly solo D&D, which I sometimes do on slow days using the World's Biggest Dungeon or other pre-made adventures) without at least the PHB. I actually even keep torrented copies of all the books I already have physical copies of just for ease of use while DMing (you'll find that when you play D&D in a group, the books get passed around a lot. When I went to university, I left all my books at a friend's house, and when I came back on Christmas holiday, I had to go to three different people to find my three core books in the original dude's house, the back of somebody's car, and hidden under the floorboards).

[Heron TSG]

If you've got some points into move silently, pdfs are all over the internet for every book out there.

[CrossBolt]

I've been wanting to get into D&D

[Cerej]

I'd recommend a melee focused cleric as a first character choice.  Highest score/18 in strength.  Second highest score in constitution.  At least an 11 in wisdom, no exceptions.  Wear the heaviest armor you can at low levels, and for your first character I would drop a feat into Greatsword proficiency. 

In combat, play as if you were a fighter, chopping things into pieces.  Out of combat, heal up any wounds until you get more familiar with what spells do.  Wands of Cure Light Wounds are the second most efficient healing in the game, so once you can afford them start using your spells for other, more important things.  Eventually, start packing scrolls of those spells that seem useful but the right situation never seems to come up.

Compared to a fighter with the same array, you'll have 1 less on your to-hit rolls, 2 fewer hitpoints, but you'll have better saves and you'll never become obsolete.  You'll help your party survive more fights by acting as out of combat healing.

[Grek]

Assuming that you want to play DnD 3.5, instead of fourth edition, I would strongly recomend not playing a fighter. Yes, they are easy to play, but they are also really shitty. Play a barbarian and crush people with a great axe. It is both simple and not-shitty since you get Rage to make you get superstrong on demand.

Alternatively, play a rouge. Sneak attack people with daggers, then move sneak attacks with thrown daggers or thrown alchemist's fire. Take Use Magic Device as a skill and you can play around with scrolls and wands on the side.

[Renault]

As an alternative to everyone elses advice, which is good from a technical standpoint, play whatever class you think sounds coolest. As much fun as it can be to crunch numbers and brag about how powerful your character is, I think its even more fun to play a character as a character, one that you find fun. Fighters might not be so strong later on, and some classes--I'm sure you'll be told time and time again which ones--dont level up too powerfully, but they're still really fun to play.
Its up to your style. If you just like killing the biggest and strongest monsters and rolling the most dice, play the way they're recommending. But if you play more for the fantasy, go with whatever your imagination finds coolest.

Also, dont play 4e. WoW should stay online.

[Heron TSG]

dont play 4e. WoW should stay online.

I'm not understanding this statement. What do you mean?

[Renault]

dont play 4e. WoW should stay online.

I'm not understanding this statement. What do you mean?

Heh. A bad joke (not surprising, coming from me)
I recommend 3.5. 4e isnt at all the same flavor of game. It has more in common with the numerical-combat sims like Warhammer (or WoW) than with the roleplaying of earlier editions.

[tehstefan]

While I do have to say it lost something, so far my experiences with both have been both positive.

Also, as for learning to play D&D, I have to say, the best way is to just join a group, and roll with it. Kind of unnerving, but heck, I did it in a group here, and I've learned a lot. Most people are surprisingly understanding, and don't mind you asking lots of stupid questions.

[The Dog Delusion]

Arrgh...

This thread makes me wish I lived remotely near other DnD players. I love the game so much, and lately, it's been like an itch that I can't reach. 

On - topic: either pick a simple class and mono-class it (like fighter), or, if you're in a group with all the major roles filled, play the same class as one of the other players, and hav them basically act as your mentor (if they don't mind). If the dynamic works well, they can be your mentor both out of game ANd in game. I had a player do this in one of my campaigns (we had all 4 major roles filled, and so the 5th, a new guy, played a neophyte thief in and out of game), and it actually worked really well.

[Grakelin]

Don't try to play a thief outside of the game. It's not worth it, and you will be arrested.

[Urist Imiknorris]

I just needed to post this.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Cthulhu]

dont play 4e. WoW should stay online.

I'm not understanding this statement. What do you mean?

Heh. A bad joke (not surprising, coming from me)
I recommend 3.5. 4e isnt at all the same flavor of game. It has more in common with the numerical-combat sims like Warhammer (or WoW) than with the roleplaying of earlier editions.

Ignore this, ability to roleplay is independent of ruleset unless you have a horrible DM.  4e cuts a lot of the non-combat rules that can be abstracted or roleplayed out and tightens up the combat.  It's better.

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

Meh, I prefer 3.5.

[Renault]

I think Cthulhu ( its fun typing this because of his name, btw ) rather misunderstood my remark. Its not that you cant roleplay, its that your options are somewhat paradoxically limited by the intense specialization of each class and skill tree. You can still say whatever you want, but unless you're a Warlord, good luck trying to lead soldiers, etc.
I'm not saying its a bad game. I'm saying its a battle game, and if you like battle games ( like warhammer ) you'll like it more, as is Cthulhu's case. But if you like more story-based campaigns that entail more than just fighting, 3.5 is a much stronger game.