Bit cringe (maybe) I know but I'd love some advice! So I've started seeing a guy who LOVES Dnd and I would love to get advice on where to start and how i can embrace it! I'm a complete novice so any advice on where to start/fun facts I can impress him with would be great! Partners are basically your personal Hype people so I would love to hype him on this. Probably not even the right place to ask about this so I'm so sorry for if you think it's time wasting!
The best way to start would be to ask to join one of his campaigns--D&D is not really something that lends itself to "fun facts' or the like (though such exist, they are not conversational substitutes for actual game experience). Asking to join your SO's game will both show your interest in the hobby and can be a good way to spend time with your SO/provide plenty of out-of-game conversational topics. It is possible that their campaign is full and they do not have a slot or them--but you can always ask if you could come over an spectate (though watching others play D&D can be extremely boring).
Another option is to watch D&D things with your SO. For streaming, I would recommend Relics and Rarities (DMed by Deborah Ann Woll of True Blood and Daredevil fame)--the pacing is well done, there are fun little puzzles, and her use of props makes the show enjoyable to watch--even if it is not the best representation of what D&D looks like for most tables. Critical Role is another option, and certainly the most popular option, but, frankly, their pacing is pretty terrible and it takes them dozens upon dozens of hours to accomplish anything meaningful, so it really is not that accessible to new players. I would recommend skipping Critical Role and just watching Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon--the animated version of their first campaign has VASTLY better pacing than their stream and is actually palatable to a wide audience.
However, the single most important piece of advice you can get: If you do play a game with your significant other.... divorce your feelings for your SO from your character's feelings for your SO. Nothing is more awkward than two people who are dating having their characters date or otherwise be intimate, showing favoritism for their SO in ways that do not make narrative sense, or otherwise engaging in activities that constantly remind others at the table that you are a couple. D&D is something that is fun to play with your SO; but it is a group activity with other folks, not a date (nor a group date if there are other couples involved)
My best advice would be to ask your partner to show you how to play D&D. Trust me, likely nothing would please him more.
This is so true. I can’t tell you how happy it made me to show my wife how to play. But if you want a head start, the basic rules are free, and you could read them over.
The great Brian W Foster once said (I'm gonna paraphrase here): People telling you about their DnD campaign is a lot like people telling you about a dream they had. It's weird and none of it makes sense and for the most part it has absolutely no bearing on anything, especially if you don't play DnD.
That being said, if you want to show support, a simple way (especially if you don't have an interest in playing) is to just talk to your partner about DnD from time to time. Talk 'shop'. If they're a Dungeon Master, they can tell you about the plot and all the fun twists and turns that are planned. If they're a Player Character, they can tell you about what happened in the game so far, and all the cool stuff they did and plan to do in the future.
At its core the game is cooperative storytelling. That means that the best way to show support is by listening to that story. Whether or not you yourself enjoy the game, I hope this (and the other answers) helps out.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
My best advice would be to ask your partner to show you how to play D&D. Trust me, likely nothing would please him more.
So very true. I remember when my partner at the time asked me to show them how to play. I was over the moon and ran a duet game just for them. They even told their peers in med school that they were playing. It was definitely a peak moment for me.
if your friend is a dm (dungeon master) you could create some home brew (self made subclasses, magic items etc.) but really you should ask him to teach you about dnd. anybody would enjoy seeing another mind pulled into the awesomeness of dnd. but if you seriously like this friend of yours, you could get him a 50$ dnd book (unless he has all of em) if you really decide to do this, make sure to check which books he has
This is really hard to answer, I opened this thread three times and gave up each time. lol
I suppose it might depend on what sort of D&D game this boy is playing. They could be a "murder hobo" game, where he and his pals spend hours looting monsters. This is where D&D gets the reputation as a game that looks more like accounting with dice. Ha! Or, it might be a really crazy and open game full of laughs and fun. Thus, it may or may not be much fun for you. Some people play the game lightly and to others it's a complex hobby.
And I don't wanna ruin things for you, but perhaps the show Critical Role can give you an "in" to great D&D play. And by ruin I mean that the Crit kids are expert players, and Matt Mercer is consider one of the best DMs alive. So, don't think most D&D games are like this.
Bit cringe (maybe) I know but I'd love some advice! So I've started seeing a guy who LOVES Dnd and I would love to get advice on where to start and how i can embrace it! I'm a complete novice so any advice on where to start/fun facts I can impress him with would be great! Partners are basically your personal Hype people so I would love to hype him on this. Probably not even the right place to ask about this so I'm so sorry for if you think it's time wasting!
Happy Campaigns! :)
The best way to start would be to ask to join one of his campaigns--D&D is not really something that lends itself to "fun facts' or the like (though such exist, they are not conversational substitutes for actual game experience). Asking to join your SO's game will both show your interest in the hobby and can be a good way to spend time with your SO/provide plenty of out-of-game conversational topics. It is possible that their campaign is full and they do not have a slot or them--but you can always ask if you could come over an spectate (though watching others play D&D can be extremely boring).
Another option is to watch D&D things with your SO. For streaming, I would recommend Relics and Rarities (DMed by Deborah Ann Woll of True Blood and Daredevil fame)--the pacing is well done, there are fun little puzzles, and her use of props makes the show enjoyable to watch--even if it is not the best representation of what D&D looks like for most tables. Critical Role is another option, and certainly the most popular option, but, frankly, their pacing is pretty terrible and it takes them dozens upon dozens of hours to accomplish anything meaningful, so it really is not that accessible to new players. I would recommend skipping Critical Role and just watching Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon--the animated version of their first campaign has VASTLY better pacing than their stream and is actually palatable to a wide audience.
However, the single most important piece of advice you can get: If you do play a game with your significant other.... divorce your feelings for your SO from your character's feelings for your SO. Nothing is more awkward than two people who are dating having their characters date or otherwise be intimate, showing favoritism for their SO in ways that do not make narrative sense, or otherwise engaging in activities that constantly remind others at the table that you are a couple. D&D is something that is fun to play with your SO; but it is a group activity with other folks, not a date (nor a group date if there are other couples involved)
My best advice would be to ask your partner to show you how to play D&D. Trust me, likely nothing would please him more.
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This is so true. I can’t tell you how happy it made me to show my wife how to play.
But if you want a head start, the basic rules are free, and you could read them over.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules
This
The great Brian W Foster once said (I'm gonna paraphrase here): People telling you about their DnD campaign is a lot like people telling you about a dream they had. It's weird and none of it makes sense and for the most part it has absolutely no bearing on anything, especially if you don't play DnD.
That being said, if you want to show support, a simple way (especially if you don't have an interest in playing) is to just talk to your partner about DnD from time to time. Talk 'shop'. If they're a Dungeon Master, they can tell you about the plot and all the fun twists and turns that are planned. If they're a Player Character, they can tell you about what happened in the game so far, and all the cool stuff they did and plan to do in the future.
At its core the game is cooperative storytelling. That means that the best way to show support is by listening to that story. Whether or not you yourself enjoy the game, I hope this (and the other answers) helps out.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
So very true. I remember when my partner at the time asked me to show them how to play. I was over the moon and ran a duet game just for them. They even told their peers in med school that they were playing. It was definitely a peak moment for me.
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if your friend is a dm (dungeon master) you could create some home brew (self made subclasses, magic items etc.) but really you should ask him to teach you about dnd. anybody would enjoy seeing another mind pulled into the awesomeness of dnd. but if you seriously like this friend of yours, you could get him a 50$ dnd book (unless he has all of em) if you really decide to do this, make sure to check which books he has
This is really hard to answer, I opened this thread three times and gave up each time. lol
I suppose it might depend on what sort of D&D game this boy is playing. They could be a "murder hobo" game, where he and his pals spend hours looting monsters. This is where D&D gets the reputation as a game that looks more like accounting with dice. Ha! Or, it might be a really crazy and open game full of laughs and fun. Thus, it may or may not be much fun for you. Some people play the game lightly and to others it's a complex hobby.
And I don't wanna ruin things for you, but perhaps the show Critical Role can give you an "in" to great D&D play. And by ruin I mean that the Crit kids are expert players, and Matt Mercer is consider one of the best DMs alive. So, don't think most D&D games are like this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X78tqMzKpQ
Thank you! :)