I have a friend I want to introduce to the game. They are super new (doesn't even know what the term DM means) and I want to run a one-shot for just them as a sort of tutorial game.
First: are there any free ones online I can just steal borrow from?
Second: if not, what do i need to include in a tutorial game of my own design?
I'm not sure about pre written tutorial games with only a single player in mind but you probably wont go far wrong with doing a little session of tavern fun. Help the newbie create whatever character they want then just "say you walk into a tavern......"
You can then have it populated with whoever/whatever you want, you can introduce them the basics of roleplay and getting itno character, then charisma checks for haggling with the bar keep, have some in character card games to get used to using insight and decpetion, a dart board for illustrating how to make ranged attacks and a brawl to finish the evening off so they get the basics of combat.
depending on how long your session is going to be, you can have the town watch break up the tavern brawl and arrest everyone, maybe knock the PC and a few NPC's out and then have htem wake up in jail.
The PC comes round to see some of the other tavern brawlers huddled around the jail cell door picking the lock. They open it and start a fight with the jail guards. The PC can the either a) help the jail guards or b) side with the jail break.
If they side withthe guards then the prisoners are subdued and put back into their cells and the watch capatain then recruits the PC into going into the sewers to scout ot potential smuggling routes the local thieves guild may be using. You can then run a light "dungeon" crawl through the sewers, maybe have some comabt with rat swarms and then a boss fight with a group of thieves guild trying to bring in a small wagon of illegal items and the PC then gets rewarded bu the town guard/watch.
If they side witht he jail break then they turn out to be the thieves guild and recruit the PC to act as a bit of hired muscle. Again this becomes a light dungeon crawl through the sewers but ends with the PC helping to fight off a group of town watch.
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Okay, so not exactly an answer, but I ran a brand new player through an adventure two days ago and she loved it!
Here are some tips:
-Ask her what she'd like to play: some kind of fighter, magic user, or rogue. Then ask what race she'd like. Make a character based on the answer. (I use a plain old fighter, rogue, or sorcerer/wizard, depending on which fits the race better.) Invite her to imagine what her character looks like, or even what actor/actress might play them. Describe them in terms of something familiar: a fighter is like Gamora, rogue would be like a Black Widow or Tauriel, magic user would be more like Scarlett Witch. It gives an idea of the archetype they might like.
-Before you start playing, have her highlight the most frequently used stuff (AC, HP, and a basic attack) on her character sheet. (Also Spell attack/DC save, if that applies, and note sneak attack if she's a rogue). Show her the d20 "this is the 'success die', that we use to determine success or failure for most things. Pull out the other dice she might need for attack or healing, and put the rest to the side.
-For my sorceress, I made a 1 pager with all her spells and short descriptions. "Take special note of your cantrips! You can use them all day!"
-Do max 2-3 fights in the session. Keep it under 3 hours.
-Have her first session be in a small group--3-4 players, so she gets a chance to really play.
I love to give my first time players a chance to save the day somehow and feel like a hero. Rescue missions are fun!
Example adventure, Save Flicker:
You are traveling with a trade caravan. There is a cave nearby, and a number of rat skeletons burst out and attack.
After you defeat a several, the rest flee into the cave followed by one family's cat (or dog, or ferret, or blink dog even?) yowling/barking like a maniac. The family is frantic, but no one dares go inside--They might appeal to sympathy, or offer a reward to "whomever goes in there and gets [give the pet a name--mine was a blink dog named "Flicker"] back!"
Assuming your player is the heroic type, she'll go after the pet. Put some obstacles in her way (3 is enough for a first game), such as:
1. 2 giant rat skeletons (take a giant rat stat block and cut down the HP/AC since there's just one of her)
2. an underwater waterfall to climb down (or some other physical obstacle, like rocks in the way, or a chasm to cross, or a broken stone bridge across water)
3. the pet in a fight (bloodied but still kicking) with a bigger rat skeleton in the end. Loot: she might find a few odds and ends that rats have brought in there--coins, a dagger, a shoe?
It's her first game--obviously don't let her or the pet die!
When she brings it back, everyone hails her as a hero, and she gets a reward of gold!
I have a friend I want to introduce to the game. They are super new (doesn't even know what the term DM means) and I want to run a one-shot for just them as a sort of tutorial game.
First: are there any free ones online I can just steal borrow from?
Second: if not, what do i need to include in a tutorial game of my own design?
I have a friend I want to introduce to the game. They are super new (doesn't even know what the term DM means) and I want to run a one-shot for just them as a sort of tutorial game.
First: are there any free ones online I can just
stealborrow from?Second: if not, what do i need to include in a tutorial game of my own design?
I'm not sure about pre written tutorial games with only a single player in mind but you probably wont go far wrong with doing a little session of tavern fun. Help the newbie create whatever character they want then just "say you walk into a tavern......"
You can then have it populated with whoever/whatever you want, you can introduce them the basics of roleplay and getting itno character, then charisma checks for haggling with the bar keep, have some in character card games to get used to using insight and decpetion, a dart board for illustrating how to make ranged attacks and a brawl to finish the evening off so they get the basics of combat.
You said that you are a DM. So make it up.
A PS to my previous post...
depending on how long your session is going to be, you can have the town watch break up the tavern brawl and arrest everyone, maybe knock the PC and a few NPC's out and then have htem wake up in jail.
The PC comes round to see some of the other tavern brawlers huddled around the jail cell door picking the lock. They open it and start a fight with the jail guards. The PC can the either a) help the jail guards or b) side with the jail break.
If they side withthe guards then the prisoners are subdued and put back into their cells and the watch capatain then recruits the PC into going into the sewers to scout ot potential smuggling routes the local thieves guild may be using. You can then run a light "dungeon" crawl through the sewers, maybe have some comabt with rat swarms and then a boss fight with a group of thieves guild trying to bring in a small wagon of illegal items and the PC then gets rewarded bu the town guard/watch.
If they side witht he jail break then they turn out to be the thieves guild and recruit the PC to act as a bit of hired muscle. Again this becomes a light dungeon crawl through the sewers but ends with the PC helping to fight off a group of town watch.
Okay, so not exactly an answer, but I ran a brand new player through an adventure two days ago and she loved it!
Here are some tips:
-Ask her what she'd like to play: some kind of fighter, magic user, or rogue. Then ask what race she'd like. Make a character based on the answer. (I use a plain old fighter, rogue, or sorcerer/wizard, depending on which fits the race better.) Invite her to imagine what her character looks like, or even what actor/actress might play them. Describe them in terms of something familiar: a fighter is like Gamora, rogue would be like a Black Widow or Tauriel, magic user would be more like Scarlett Witch. It gives an idea of the archetype they might like.
-Before you start playing, have her highlight the most frequently used stuff (AC, HP, and a basic attack) on her character sheet. (Also Spell attack/DC save, if that applies, and note sneak attack if she's a rogue). Show her the d20 "this is the 'success die', that we use to determine success or failure for most things. Pull out the other dice she might need for attack or healing, and put the rest to the side.
-For my sorceress, I made a 1 pager with all her spells and short descriptions. "Take special note of your cantrips! You can use them all day!"
-Do max 2-3 fights in the session. Keep it under 3 hours.
-Have her first session be in a small group--3-4 players, so she gets a chance to really play.
-Give her a healing potion!
This video is super helpful! https://youtu.be/yxnrhClNmak
https://youtu.be/y0fP5x-O9lg
I love to give my first time players a chance to save the day somehow and feel like a hero. Rescue missions are fun!
Example adventure, Save Flicker:
You are traveling with a trade caravan. There is a cave nearby, and a number of rat skeletons burst out and attack.
After you defeat a several, the rest flee into the cave followed by one family's cat (or dog, or ferret, or blink dog even?) yowling/barking like a maniac. The family is frantic, but no one dares go inside--They might appeal to sympathy, or offer a reward to "whomever goes in there and gets [give the pet a name--mine was a blink dog named "Flicker"] back!"
Assuming your player is the heroic type, she'll go after the pet. Put some obstacles in her way (3 is enough for a first game), such as:
1. 2 giant rat skeletons (take a giant rat stat block and cut down the HP/AC since there's just one of her)
2. an underwater waterfall to climb down (or some other physical obstacle, like rocks in the way, or a chasm to cross, or a broken stone bridge across water)
3. the pet in a fight (bloodied but still kicking) with a bigger rat skeleton in the end. Loot: she might find a few odds and ends that rats have brought in there--coins, a dagger, a shoe?
It's her first game--obviously don't let her or the pet die!
When she brings it back, everyone hails her as a hero, and she gets a reward of gold!
Lots of stuff here...
https://dndduet.com/adventures-1-5/