It really depends on the game you want to run vs the game that ends up getting run. A laptop or chrome book and a phone or tablet make a great dm screen if you end up using digital character sheets.
I have a lot of love for pencil and paper games, however the digital tools here on beyond keep the game flowing when everyone is learning. Very few things are missed when rolling anything with modifiers and the hyperlinks to rules, weapons, spells........ save so much time.
I started LMoP with a group of new players and me returning to the DM role after years since I last Dm'd, and used the digital tools for the first few sessions with players rolling on the ap to see what modifiers were used for various rolls, but rolling dice at the table to add the modifiers to. Then went to pencil and paper after that to flatten out the curve.
Few things will allow players to get distracted like the DM flipping through a book searching for a rule or spell. Keeping them in the game the first few sessions is a huge benefit. Everything you need to run and play that adventure is free on this sight for you and the players as far as I know.
If you do not want electronics involved then a DM screen is nice for lots of reasons, plenty of info on the WotC screens, you can make one with tape and cardboard and glue or tape info to it as well.
As far as balance, I treated the first couple of encounters with the goal of having fun and getting everyone used to the rules and taking damage.
For me and my group at that game it worked well for others it may be a horrible idea, after we got the hang of things and they hit level 2 we went more Rules As Written.
Its all very overwhelming. I read things on here...good advice posted in good spirit but I have no idea what im reading at times hehe.
Digital Tool, app, table adding modifiers...ive absolutely no idea haha.
Im guessing this D&D beyond is a system where you can literally do everything digitally and it helps you work out stats etc? (I am sure its all so obvious for experienced/current players...but for confused ol me who played in the days of Keep on the Borderlands, some of the terminology is like a foreign language to me.
I really do appreciate the help though folks, very good of you all.
Just need to work out how to get the players to comfortably make their own characters and ill be on with reading the Starter Set Adventure etc.
This advice above sounds great for example -
If you plan to go with letting new players making their own characters, I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend that you only let them use the Basic Rules and/or Standard Reference Document. This is to cut down on player options so they can focus on learning the game. If you throw in rules learning, character creation, and the whole Players Handbook worth of options, players will be paralyzed with learning all the extra options and deciding between them.
I have no idea where any of that is though...Basic Rules....Standard Reference Document? Was kinda hoping the Starter Box was pretty basic Rules etc, but appears full on from the start?
The starter set has everything you need to play. It is also a very popular adventure.
There are tons of things both physical and digital (online, apps........) that are free and some you have to buy.
You just need to decide what you and your group are expecting, and proceed down that path. What works for others may not work for you.
I highly recommend spending a couple of hours on youtube searching for "how to play DnD for beginners" and "Lost Mine of Phandelver guide"
It will be fine just have remember the main purpose of the game is to have fun.
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CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
LMoP is no longer published, that being said there are still physical copies available for sale around the interweb and at local game shops most likely. LMoP was replaced as the starter set by Dragons of IceSpire peak.
LMoP is free digitally as mentioned above already.
You can download the Basic Rules from the Wizards of the Coast website, in a form much better for printing, as well as character sheets.
That sucks that it was replaced, it was so much better than Dragon of Icespire Peak and Dragons of Stormwreck Isle. I’m noticing a theme between those two adventures. Hmmm… I wonder what WotC’s favorite monster is…
Glad I have the physical, I run that campaign a lot for new players it gets better every time! Some love the pencil and paper others like the digital. I am glad the adventure is on the website still.
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CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
LMoP is no longer published, that being said there are still physical copies available for sale around the interweb and at local game shops most likely. LMoP was replaced as the starter set by Dragons of IceSpire peak.
LMoP is free digitally as mentioned above already.
You can download the Basic Rules from the Wizards of the Coast website, in a form much better for printing, as well as character sheets.
That sucks that it was replaced, it was so much better than Dragon of Icespire Peak and Dragons of Stormwreck Isle. I’m noticing a theme between those two adventures. Hmmm… I wonder what WotC’s favorite monster is…
Glad I have the physical, I run that campaign a lot for new players it gets better every time! Some love the pencil and paper others like the digital. I am glad the adventure is on the website still.
I love it too, I was actually just about to DM it again and I expect it to be a good introduction.
Sorry folks, I may have missed this(reading so much and reading the Starter Set Box now) but what is the best way to introduce new players, to making their own characters? Is there a simple way to show them how to do it that holds their hand a little?
No problem if it means buying a players guide or something or the essentials set....or it may be something on here for example (I tried the create character thing and even me as somebody who used to play D&D back in the day found it a little overwhelming (I am sure its easier once you get into it)
Thanks again for all the help and apologies for the million questions.
There isn't really an easy way, in my opinion. Just handhold them yourself. Ask them questions that narrow down their choice ("Do you want to mostly use magic or be a cutty cutty bashy bashy type?) and just narrow things down in that way. It takes time...but D&D is overwhelming for new players in terms of choices, and you need to cut through that. Pro-tip: Only offer classes you yourself are confident with and feel you can spare the time to help them with. If you can't wrap your gear around Bards, just don't mention them.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
If they are brand new, you might just make the characters for them as pregens. New players won’t understand what a 16 is soooo much better than a 15, but a 15 is no better than a 14. Then you say, this one runs up and smashes stuff with his axe, this one cast lots of magic spells, this one is a musician who tries to smooth talk her way past everyone. Phrases like that will be more meaningful than barbarian, wizard or bard. Then let them pick. After you play a few sessions, or a full campaign, then you make characters, since they’ll better understand what the things mean.
But if you really want them to make characters, I’d suggest planning a series of one-on-one time with each player as you walk them through the process. Ask them what they want their character to be able to do, then figure out what mechanics best fit their description.
Sorry folks, I may have missed this(reading so much and reading the Starter Set Box now) but what is the best way to introduce new players, to making their own characters? Is there a simple way to show them how to do it that holds their hand a little?
Have them use D&D Beyond. The character builder on here does a pretty good job of guiding players through the process. Ideally, no one should have bought anything yet, so their range of options should be relatively small (it would still feel like a ton of options though for a new player), so if they have habit of reading everything, but they did not take the time to read outside of table time, it should not take them too long to read everything.
If you are not using Beyond and are doing things manually via pen-and-paper, for their first campaign, I recommend just having them choose a pregenerated character from Wizards' website. And as they level up, they can just pick the next character sheet for the next level. On their second campaign, that is when I would guide them through the character generation process.
When I first started, I made the mistake of buying the PHB and quite a few other books (and subscription to share content) before the campaign, so my group of players have bunch of options, and it took us three whole session zeroes to get everything down, and that is when they use Beyond's character builder. If we were doing it by hand, it would have probably taken us an additional session zero.
No problem if it means buying a players guide or something or the essentials set....or it may be something on here for example (I tried the create character thing and even me as somebody who used to play D&D back in the day found it a little overwhelming (I am sure its easier once you get into it)
I would honestly hold off on any more purchases. I was lucky enough that I got enough friends that even if a small portion of them play, I would still have a full party. If I did not have enough friends interested in D&D, I probably would have regreted putting so much money into D&D.
That being said, do not let me dampen your enthusiasm! I just do not want you to overspend on a hobby that can easily suck you in and milk you dry.
I did see that LMoP is coming to a new adventure book possibly late this year. Not sure how I missed that, but I didn't know the LMoP starter set was no longer available until this thread.
I would post a link, but couldn't find an official announcement only 3rd party links.
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CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
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The starter set has everything you need to play. It is also a very popular adventure.
There are tons of things both physical and digital (online, apps........) that are free and some you have to buy.
You just need to decide what you and your group are expecting, and proceed down that path. What works for others may not work for you.
I highly recommend spending a couple of hours on youtube searching for "how to play DnD for beginners" and "Lost Mine of Phandelver guide"
It will be fine just have remember the main purpose of the game is to have fun.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Glad I have the physical, I run that campaign a lot for new players it gets better every time! Some love the pencil and paper others like the digital. I am glad the adventure is on the website still.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I love it too, I was actually just about to DM it again and I expect it to be a good introduction.
Sorry folks, I may have missed this(reading so much and reading the Starter Set Box now) but what is the best way to introduce new players, to making their own characters? Is there a simple way to show them how to do it that holds their hand a little?
No problem if it means buying a players guide or something or the essentials set....or it may be something on here for example (I tried the create character thing and even me as somebody who used to play D&D back in the day found it a little overwhelming (I am sure its easier once you get into it)
Thanks again for all the help and apologies for the million questions.
It is in the basic rules they are free here on DDB Basic Rules
And free pdf download here Basic Rules pdf
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
There isn't really an easy way, in my opinion. Just handhold them yourself. Ask them questions that narrow down their choice ("Do you want to mostly use magic or be a cutty cutty bashy bashy type?) and just narrow things down in that way. It takes time...but D&D is overwhelming for new players in terms of choices, and you need to cut through that. Pro-tip: Only offer classes you yourself are confident with and feel you can spare the time to help them with. If you can't wrap your gear around Bards, just don't mention them.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
If they are brand new, you might just make the characters for them as pregens. New players won’t understand what a 16 is soooo much better than a 15, but a 15 is no better than a 14. Then you say, this one runs up and smashes stuff with his axe, this one cast lots of magic spells, this one is a musician who tries to smooth talk her way past everyone. Phrases like that will be more meaningful than barbarian, wizard or bard. Then let them pick.
After you play a few sessions, or a full campaign, then you make characters, since they’ll better understand what the things mean.
But if you really want them to make characters, I’d suggest planning a series of one-on-one time with each player as you walk them through the process. Ask them what they want their character to be able to do, then figure out what mechanics best fit their description.
Have them use D&D Beyond. The character builder on here does a pretty good job of guiding players through the process. Ideally, no one should have bought anything yet, so their range of options should be relatively small (it would still feel like a ton of options though for a new player), so if they have habit of reading everything, but they did not take the time to read outside of table time, it should not take them too long to read everything.
If you are not using Beyond and are doing things manually via pen-and-paper, for their first campaign, I recommend just having them choose a pregenerated character from Wizards' website. And as they level up, they can just pick the next character sheet for the next level. On their second campaign, that is when I would guide them through the character generation process.
When I first started, I made the mistake of buying the PHB and quite a few other books (and subscription to share content) before the campaign, so my group of players have bunch of options, and it took us three whole session zeroes to get everything down, and that is when they use Beyond's character builder. If we were doing it by hand, it would have probably taken us an additional session zero.
I would honestly hold off on any more purchases. I was lucky enough that I got enough friends that even if a small portion of them play, I would still have a full party. If I did not have enough friends interested in D&D, I probably would have regreted putting so much money into D&D.
That being said, do not let me dampen your enthusiasm! I just do not want you to overspend on a hobby that can easily suck you in and milk you dry.
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I did see that LMoP is coming to a new adventure book possibly late this year. Not sure how I missed that, but I didn't know the LMoP starter set was no longer available until this thread.
I would post a link, but couldn't find an official announcement only 3rd party links.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.