This is a great thread, and I am enjoying it thoroughly. Everybody's input has been so helpful. I hope that the OP got a lot of good info out of it too. Please allow me to extend a few words of caution and advice:
* It is a lot easier to acquire tools than it is to master them.
* Woodworking tools are inherently dangerous. Each tool has its own safety concerns.
* Mastering the safety aspects of each tool takes time and practice. I suspect that there is a bit of luck involved for newbies - hopefully the built-in safeties will protect the newbie from the mistakes that happen as they learn. (P.S. ... and hopefully the newbies learn from their mistakes so that they never repeat them. If only we were so lucky!)
* If you acquire many tools at once, it increases your risk because you have so much more to learn before you master safe use of all those tools. I would not recommend buying all the tools in
@jimnycricket65's initial list all at once. The same applies to the great tool recommendations from everyone.
Personally, I would tell a newbie to start with a table saw. Master safe operations of it first. Then buy what you need, as each project demands it. Avoid projects that require to you master more than one new tool per project. At the start, find projects that fit your skill level and the tools at hand.
(Note: I assume that the OP has basic "handyman" tools available, and has mastered safe operation of them. By basic "handyman" tools, I mean the usual hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, etc. plus small power hand tools like a drill/driver, a circular saw, and perhaps a dremel-type tool.)
Even if the OP limits himself to buying only a table saw at first, he will still need to buy many ancillary tools and accessories. He will need a good blade and probably a dado set. He will need some way to clean blades, especially if he practices on softwoods and scrap. He will need a dust mask, eye protection, and hearing protection. He will need some type of sawdust collection - perhaps a cyclone with a shop vac. He will also need wood, sandpaper, and finishing supplies (say, some type of brush-on or spray can finish to start). It is hard to imagine doing much without at least one basic chisel, which means that the OP would also need a honing guide and a sharpening stone or a flat surface with sandpaper. The basic needs that go with ONLY a table saw start to add up.
It is hard to know what tools you need to accomplish a given project. It takes time and learning, just to figure out what you need. Furthermore, as
@Terry Q points out, "In woodworking, there is more than one way to accomplish something." Will the OP want to get into hand tools instead of power tools? Many woodworkers prefer them.
Does the OP really need an elaborate sharpening station if he doesn't have woodworking hand tools, or can you get by with something less to start?
Does the OP really need a compressor on Day 1? A compressor can be helpful for woodworkers who want to use nail guns, but I got by for decades with a hammer and nails. A compressor is also useful for spray finishes, but the OP might prefer an HVLP sprayer instead. A compressor is a handy tool, but it would be low on my list of "getting started" tools for woodworking.
SUMMARY:
*
Master the safety aspects of each tool before you acquire the next one. You don't have to be super-skilled at using the tool, just safe. That goes for simple stuff, like chisels, too. A sharp chisel can hurt you badly if you don't pay attention.
* Don't try to buy a complete workshop full of tools at the start. You will increase your risk of serious injury, and you may find that you have a lot of unused tools, because your future work may not require them. Buy them as you need them.
* Try to choose projects at the start that require only one new tool at a time. Everyone learns to walk before they learn to run.
I hope this helps.