You've rounded up a party of interested players, made characters and are ready to play. All the players are completely new to DND and have never played before. Their only exposure is either through pop culture or the very basic breakdown you've given them.
Leading in to your first game (or even at the start of the first game), how would you introduce your game to the players? What details about the game would you give them to provide an idea of how the game works without overwhelming them?
I was thinking about giving the players their character sheets with a few highlighted sections a few days before the game (namely Race, Class, Alignment, special abilities, backstory & personality traits), and then give them a "spiel" at the start of the first session, mainly covering what the game is, some of the basic mechanics (skill checks, combat etc), the different types of dice, short & long rests and of course at the end open up the table to questions.
Looking for suggestions if other more experienced DMs have a better approach and what you would tell new players :)
I might suggest that you avoid defining what the game is or isn't right out of the gate. Definitions tend to lead towards expectations. Maybe just run the game session. Run a fun game.
Second the notion to learn as you go. If you can, I suggest that you start the party off with a high tension scenario that will drag them into the game world and immerse them. A good example would be the beginning of HotDQ or even the Skyrim game start. Describe the environment, ask the players what they want to do. Their first question will likely be: What can I do/am I allowed to do? Just get them to answer the simple question: What would your character do in this situation? Once they tell you explain the mechanic that you want them to use (skill check, save, attack roll) then narrate the result.
After the super-awesome game session is over, ask your players to define D&D. You will most likely not get the same response from anyone.
"I'm telling you, D&D is the most fun you can have with your brain." - MCDM
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
they already know its a nerd narrative rolleplaying game that involves dungeons and dragons and that is already something to start. i would introduce them with a zero or oneshot session, dnd is a very intuitive to learn game and learn it by playing it is waaaay better them just throw them a bunch of numbers and rules
first thing: ask them what would they like to play, a mage, a rogue or a warrior. make them some characters based on they answer
start the game and help them to figure out what should they do. help them to get in they characters "when you talk to my characters (the NPCs) you should speak in your character voice". point to them what should they (or could) roll in this situation, "make a perception check to see how much can your character hear/see", or "your character can climb that wall, make a athletics check to see if he will succeed". and when it comes to combat teach them the basics (you have a action point, a reaction point, you can move and etc) and make them roll for initiative. they will not get every rule in just one session but they will have a very good ideia about what is dnd end how to play it. the next sessions after that will run smoothly
You might explain that D&D is a cooperative storytelling experience. Everyone is there to have fun. <Discuss what is out of bounds.>
If they have played a computer RPG call their attention to the fact that the choices in the game are limited to the program. Choosing: Attack, Talk, Cast or Run are not the only choices for PCs. ANYTHING they can think of is fair game, but choices have consequences in the game. <Discuss poor choices and examples of consequences of those choices.>
If they have read novels in the fantasy genre point out that each PC is helping to write not only their story but the rest of the party's story as well. There is not just one protagonist but many. Each PC should have the ability and opportunity to shine. <Discuss good teamwork skills.>
If the group is one of friends, remind them that what happens in the game can affect what happens out of the game and vice versa if feelings are hurt. <Discuss the ability to separate game and IRL>
Relate that the DM is the last word in all disagreements. <Discuss how you will adjudicate rules interpretations and misunderstandings.>
Take questions about the game in general or specific.
Don’t explain what a check is until it becomes necessary. Don’t explain initiative until the first combat. Only teach the rules that are relevant to the game right now, and add more as they become essential.
"It's like a board game meets improv theater. You each make up a hero on a fantasy adventure, like in Lord of the Rings, and tell the story of what they do. Then you roll dice and use your character's stats to see what happens, like if you can hit a dragon with your bow or resist an evil wizard's spell."
Then I give them each a first level character sheet (probably Fighter, maybe Warlock if they really want magic) and get started. I'll introduce mechanics one at a time, as the characters come to them, like someone suggested! The only info I'd preview is hit points and death: "you lose them when you take damage, if you go to zero you're knocked out, and you have to start rolling to see if you die." I remember one new player who was blindsided by the fact that their character can die...and it was already too late! Won't make that mistake again. :)
D&D is a game of make believe with rules so nobody has to argue about who shot first. And to quote Matt Colville: “D&D is the most fun you can have with your brain.”
After they’re interested I would help them build a typical, non-optimized character that appeals to them. After they’re actually at the table, that’s when you start to hit them with the rules and explaining things.
One of the most useful things I learned from my current occupation: “DONT FRONTLOAD.” If people start explaining shedloads of technical stuff to someone before they have any context for it, that’s the fastest way to get that someone to not want to do the thing. If you can teach something to someone while they’re doing the thing, it will not only be easier for them to absorb the information and understand it, it will be easier for them to remember that info too. I wouldn’t explain anything I didn’t have to until they had their hands on it.
You know I have been playing and running D&D for nearly 30+ years and it's actually quite rare that I meet someone who is interested in playing D&D who has not already had some sort of experience. Today I think it would be even less common than at any other point.
I had a different experience. I've had several people I tell about playing dnd say that they've never played, but want to!
For what I do, I usually walk the players through character creation, explaining what everything on the character sheet means when we get to it. Then, depending on player interest levels, I either have them read basic rules (ability checks, combat, travel, no spellcasting unless they are a spellcaster) or guide them through it as we play.
I should clarify then that said group of people I'll soon be running a game for probably fit into this description. They'd certainly all heard of it, and maybe saw it alluded to here and there in popular culture (ie Community or Big Bang Theory) but didn't really know how the game operates beyond that.
Thanks so much guys, great answers and ideas here. Very keen to hear more should people have any more wisdom to impart :)
You've rounded up a party of interested players, made characters and are ready to play. All the players are completely new to DND and have never played before. Their only exposure is either through pop culture or the very basic breakdown you've given them.
Leading in to your first game (or even at the start of the first game), how would you introduce your game to the players? What details about the game would you give them to provide an idea of how the game works without overwhelming them?
I was thinking about giving the players their character sheets with a few highlighted sections a few days before the game (namely Race, Class, Alignment, special abilities, backstory & personality traits), and then give them a "spiel" at the start of the first session, mainly covering what the game is, some of the basic mechanics (skill checks, combat etc), the different types of dice, short & long rests and of course at the end open up the table to questions.
Looking for suggestions if other more experienced DMs have a better approach and what you would tell new players :)
I might suggest that you avoid defining what the game is or isn't right out of the gate. Definitions tend to lead towards expectations. Maybe just run the game session. Run a fun game.
Second the notion to learn as you go. If you can, I suggest that you start the party off with a high tension scenario that will drag them into the game world and immerse them. A good example would be the beginning of HotDQ or even the Skyrim game start. Describe the environment, ask the players what they want to do. Their first question will likely be: What can I do/am I allowed to do? Just get them to answer the simple question: What would your character do in this situation? Once they tell you explain the mechanic that you want them to use (skill check, save, attack roll) then narrate the result.
After the super-awesome game session is over, ask your players to define D&D. You will most likely not get the same response from anyone.
"I'm telling you, D&D is the most fun you can have with your brain." - MCDM
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
they already know its a nerd narrative rolleplaying game that involves dungeons and dragons and that is already something to start. i would introduce them with a zero or oneshot session, dnd is a very intuitive to learn game and learn it by playing it is waaaay better them just throw them a bunch of numbers and rules
first thing: ask them what would they like to play, a mage, a rogue or a warrior. make them some characters based on they answer
start the game and help them to figure out what should they do. help them to get in they characters "when you talk to my characters (the NPCs) you should speak in your character voice". point to them what should they (or could) roll in this situation, "make a perception check to see how much can your character hear/see", or "your character can climb that wall, make a athletics check to see if he will succeed". and when it comes to combat teach them the basics (you have a action point, a reaction point, you can move and etc) and make them roll for initiative. they will not get every rule in just one session but they will have a very good ideia about what is dnd end how to play it. the next sessions after that will run smoothly
You might use this as part of your session 0.
You might explain that D&D is a cooperative storytelling experience. Everyone is there to have fun. <Discuss what is out of bounds.>
If they have played a computer RPG call their attention to the fact that the choices in the game are limited to the program. Choosing: Attack, Talk, Cast or Run are not the only choices for PCs. ANYTHING they can think of is fair game, but choices have consequences in the game. <Discuss poor choices and examples of consequences of those choices.>
If they have read novels in the fantasy genre point out that each PC is helping to write not only their story but the rest of the party's story as well. There is not just one protagonist but many. Each PC should have the ability and opportunity to shine. <Discuss good teamwork skills.>
If the group is one of friends, remind them that what happens in the game can affect what happens out of the game and vice versa if feelings are hurt. <Discuss the ability to separate game and IRL>
Relate that the DM is the last word in all disagreements. <Discuss how you will adjudicate rules interpretations and misunderstandings.>
Take questions about the game in general or specific.
Get agreement from everyone about the discussion.
Play.
Explain. As. You. Go.
Don’t explain what a check is until it becomes necessary. Don’t explain initiative until the first combat. Only teach the rules that are relevant to the game right now, and add more as they become essential.
"It's like a board game meets improv theater. You each make up a hero on a fantasy adventure, like in Lord of the Rings, and tell the story of what they do. Then you roll dice and use your character's stats to see what happens, like if you can hit a dragon with your bow or resist an evil wizard's spell."
Then I give them each a first level character sheet (probably Fighter, maybe Warlock if they really want magic) and get started. I'll introduce mechanics one at a time, as the characters come to them, like someone suggested! The only info I'd preview is hit points and death: "you lose them when you take damage, if you go to zero you're knocked out, and you have to start rolling to see if you die." I remember one new player who was blindsided by the fact that their character can die...and it was already too late! Won't make that mistake again. :)
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
D&D is a game of make believe with rules so nobody has to argue about who shot first. And to quote Matt Colville: “D&D is the most fun you can have with your brain.”
After they’re interested I would help them build a typical, non-optimized character that appeals to them. After they’re actually at the table, that’s when you start to hit them with the rules and explaining things.
One of the most useful things I learned from my current occupation: “DONT FRONTLOAD.” If people start explaining shedloads of technical stuff to someone before they have any context for it, that’s the fastest way to get that someone to not want to do the thing. If you can teach something to someone while they’re doing the thing, it will not only be easier for them to absorb the information and understand it, it will be easier for them to remember that info too. I wouldn’t explain anything I didn’t have to until they had their hands on it.
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I had a different experience. I've had several people I tell about playing dnd say that they've never played, but want to!
For what I do, I usually walk the players through character creation, explaining what everything on the character sheet means when we get to it. Then, depending on player interest levels, I either have them read basic rules (ability checks, combat, travel, no spellcasting unless they are a spellcaster) or guide them through it as we play.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
I should clarify then that said group of people I'll soon be running a game for probably fit into this description. They'd certainly all heard of it, and maybe saw it alluded to here and there in popular culture (ie Community or Big Bang Theory) but didn't really know how the game operates beyond that.
Thanks so much guys, great answers and ideas here. Very keen to hear more should people have any more wisdom to impart :)