So ive been DMing for 7 years now, and ive never had someone who is New to DnD join my group, and i am now starting a group of 6 players, 3 of whom have never played and the other 3 are still in their first campaign or have a campaign or 2 under their belt
im used to everyone knowing mostly everything so i am not super sure on how to teach players how to play, Any advice on how to handle them?
Just be patient. A few years ago, I ran about 30 Learn-to-play sessions with about 4 never played before payers per session. It has the potential to be both amazing and a nightmare. Just set expectations at the beginning. Make sure they're comfortable with their characters, and be ready to answer all manner of questions. Some people will pick it up quickly, others will need more guidance. Go over the basic mechanics, explain as much as you can. Ideally run a session zero where everything is gone over and they have plenty of opportunity to ask the big questions.
Patience, as ranger boy says, will be key. Some more specific advice would be make each person’s character with them, individually. Don’t allow multiclassing for first characters. Know what each character can do, and be ready to offer advice — like how flurry of blows works, or why healing word is often a better choice in combat than cure wounds. Explain to everyone the difference between an action and a bonus action. Consider steering new players away from full casters, as the spell choices can really be overwhelming, plus then knowing the details of how each spell works.
They'll learn as they go, same as all of us have. They're going to be slower than you're used to because they're going to be reading their character's abilities. And probably ask for a lot of clarification. If they're stuck then give them some gentle suggestions such as "You can hold your attack until something gets close, you can take the Dodge action so they'll have disadvantage on you if they attack you. Is there anything in your prepared spells that you think might help you in this situation?" So it'll be helpful if you've got a copy of their character sheets you can reference until they've gained more experience.
I'd say two things are worth explaining - then explaining again:
Action economy: You get an action, possibly a bonus action, and movement, on your turn. Then, on not-your-turn, maybe you get a reaction. You should keep track of these. They are all important.
Book keeping: Make sure you know what you're rolling. If I said Roll Athletics, do not roll a Strength check. Those are not the same. Explain that they need to know what their bonuses are. You're rolling Athletics, so you get Str plus Proficiency. No, Bless doesn't apply - but Bardic Inspiration does.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
One key thing for me is to focus on them knowing what their character wants to do in a situation, not how the rules work.
Mastery of the rules takes time, but knowing what the character wants to accomplish can flower fast. It usually results in something like, "Can I attack the goblin?" I can encourage them saying yes and suggest they use the attack action, explaining what it is. After that, I request permission to advise before it's given and ask the entire table to do the same.
This let's them gain confidence in character intent, and sets the stage for rules to be learned as they are needed.
As with all new players, trial by fire is the way for them to learn. They will have characters die at a high rate in the dungeon, but each time they are learning why they died, and you are helping them along. You are explaining things like how the 10 foot pole could have stopped that trap, or how they could have hid from that dragon that barbecued them by peeking around the corner with a mirror before bumbling through.
I am planing a swampy sewer to put them tru, the water is 4 feet deep in the sewer so i think some ambushes will scare them Not to many traps, more ambushes and running from a gelatonus cube
You gotta watch those gelatinous cubes. Low level characters with inexperienced players might not realize they can attempt an escape, or help others escape. And at 6d6 damage if they stay in there that escape check is practically save or die for levels 1 or 2, and a good number of level 3 characters as well. I'd make sure to tell them outright that they can help pull out a stuck ally.
I dont think that will be a problem because the new players want to play because they saw the DnD Movie and that happens in the movie, but ill keep that in mind
When I was new, I really appreciated my DM laying out a simple bit of text defining all the things you can do on a turn (movement, action, bonus action, reaction, etc). Having a clear checklist of "is there a thing I should do for this" was super helpful.
I also appreciated the patience of the DM and other players to give me advice on my options. I didn't know what were good choices, or how to interact with the story. It will help you here if you have a player who has some experience and enough confidence and an appropriate character to take a leadership role in the party, but someone who is willing to step back and down as the other players get confidence and skill.
For my first character's specific features, it helped me to make a script for myself so I understood how they interacted on a combat turn with my attacks.
What I would say NOT to do is, don't let your players endanger themselves through ignorance. It's okay to make mistakes, but part of how you make it okay and safe for them to make mistakes is to have their back. This can mean explaining the consequences before "are you sure that's what you want to do"? or showing another, more strategic option ("If you move just one square over you'd get flanking and then you'd have advantage on attacks") or it might be making sure your party has lots of healing potions early on, you choose. :-)
Opportunity attacks is one of the last things people seem to get their mind around. I think it's always kind to point out that a move leaves a character open to an opportunity attack before the movement is committed.
As with all things D&D there is a flood of information. For my money, taking it one step at a time, eating the elephant one bite at a time, is key. What I do with new players is a one-off encounter that I use like the tutorial in a videogame. And frankly I just go by the core info on the back of my DM screen. Once those core basics and rules are established, the rest is easily taught as everyone else said through experience. Don't be afraid to make the tutorial fun, or silly either, that's all the better. Cheers.
I do this every month. First 5 minutes of the session, explain the very basics (i.e. armor, hit points, damage, etc.), then next 10 minutes quickly go over each character's class as a group, and quickly explain what they can do - most things can be touched on later, else during the game, as new players just want to know what the game is all about - and once a you start storytelling and their first opportunity to make a decision arrives, things work out - especially the first combat encounter, that's when it seems the core rules set in, and their gasping for more :)
PS yes, I have around a dozen pre-made characters at any session for them to choose from, though they can customize it to make it their own.
So ive been DMing for 7 years now, and ive never had someone who is New to DnD join my group, and i am now starting a group of 6 players, 3 of whom have never played and the other 3 are still in their first campaign or have a campaign or 2 under their belt
im used to everyone knowing mostly everything so i am not super sure on how to teach players how to play, Any advice on how to handle them?
Just be patient. A few years ago, I ran about 30 Learn-to-play sessions with about 4 never played before payers per session. It has the potential to be both amazing and a nightmare. Just set expectations at the beginning. Make sure they're comfortable with their characters, and be ready to answer all manner of questions. Some people will pick it up quickly, others will need more guidance. Go over the basic mechanics, explain as much as you can. Ideally run a session zero where everything is gone over and they have plenty of opportunity to ask the big questions.
Patience, as ranger boy says, will be key.
Some more specific advice would be make each person’s character with them, individually. Don’t allow multiclassing for first characters. Know what each character can do, and be ready to offer advice — like how flurry of blows works, or why healing word is often a better choice in combat than cure wounds. Explain to everyone the difference between an action and a bonus action. Consider steering new players away from full casters, as the spell choices can really be overwhelming, plus then knowing the details of how each spell works.
They'll learn as they go, same as all of us have. They're going to be slower than you're used to because they're going to be reading their character's abilities. And probably ask for a lot of clarification. If they're stuck then give them some gentle suggestions such as "You can hold your attack until something gets close, you can take the Dodge action so they'll have disadvantage on you if they attack you. Is there anything in your prepared spells that you think might help you in this situation?" So it'll be helpful if you've got a copy of their character sheets you can reference until they've gained more experience.
I'd say two things are worth explaining - then explaining again:
Action economy: You get an action, possibly a bonus action, and movement, on your turn. Then, on not-your-turn, maybe you get a reaction. You should keep track of these. They are all important.
Book keeping: Make sure you know what you're rolling. If I said Roll Athletics, do not roll a Strength check. Those are not the same. Explain that they need to know what their bonuses are. You're rolling Athletics, so you get Str plus Proficiency. No, Bless doesn't apply - but Bardic Inspiration does.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Thanks for all the advice everyone
Im supprised ive never dealt with new players before in 7 years tho, you think i would of come across at least 1 or 2
One key thing for me is to focus on them knowing what their character wants to do in a situation, not how the rules work.
Mastery of the rules takes time, but knowing what the character wants to accomplish can flower fast. It usually results in something like, "Can I attack the goblin?" I can encourage them saying yes and suggest they use the attack action, explaining what it is. After that, I request permission to advise before it's given and ask the entire table to do the same.
This let's them gain confidence in character intent, and sets the stage for rules to be learned as they are needed.
As with all new players, trial by fire is the way for them to learn. They will have characters die at a high rate in the dungeon, but each time they are learning why they died, and you are helping them along. You are explaining things like how the 10 foot pole could have stopped that trap, or how they could have hid from that dragon that barbecued them by peeking around the corner with a mirror before bumbling through.
I am planing a swampy sewer to put them tru, the water is 4 feet deep in the sewer so i think some ambushes will scare them
Not to many traps, more ambushes and running from a gelatonus cube
You gotta watch those gelatinous cubes. Low level characters with inexperienced players might not realize they can attempt an escape, or help others escape. And at 6d6 damage if they stay in there that escape check is practically save or die for levels 1 or 2, and a good number of level 3 characters as well. I'd make sure to tell them outright that they can help pull out a stuck ally.
I dont think that will be a problem because the new players want to play because they saw the DnD Movie and that happens in the movie, but ill keep that in mind
When I was new, I really appreciated my DM laying out a simple bit of text defining all the things you can do on a turn (movement, action, bonus action, reaction, etc). Having a clear checklist of "is there a thing I should do for this" was super helpful.
I also appreciated the patience of the DM and other players to give me advice on my options. I didn't know what were good choices, or how to interact with the story. It will help you here if you have a player who has some experience and enough confidence and an appropriate character to take a leadership role in the party, but someone who is willing to step back and down as the other players get confidence and skill.
For my first character's specific features, it helped me to make a script for myself so I understood how they interacted on a combat turn with my attacks.
What I would say NOT to do is, don't let your players endanger themselves through ignorance. It's okay to make mistakes, but part of how you make it okay and safe for them to make mistakes is to have their back. This can mean explaining the consequences before "are you sure that's what you want to do"? or showing another, more strategic option ("If you move just one square over you'd get flanking and then you'd have advantage on attacks") or it might be making sure your party has lots of healing potions early on, you choose. :-)
Opportunity attacks is one of the last things people seem to get their mind around. I think it's always kind to point out that a move leaves a character open to an opportunity attack before the movement is committed.
As with all things D&D there is a flood of information. For my money, taking it one step at a time, eating the elephant one bite at a time, is key. What I do with new players is a one-off encounter that I use like the tutorial in a videogame. And frankly I just go by the core info on the back of my DM screen. Once those core basics and rules are established, the rest is easily taught as everyone else said through experience. Don't be afraid to make the tutorial fun, or silly either, that's all the better. Cheers.
I do this every month. First 5 minutes of the session, explain the very basics (i.e. armor, hit points, damage, etc.), then next 10 minutes quickly go over each character's class as a group, and quickly explain what they can do - most things can be touched on later, else during the game, as new players just want to know what the game is all about - and once a you start storytelling and their first opportunity to make a decision arrives, things work out - especially the first combat encounter, that's when it seems the core rules set in, and their gasping for more :)
PS yes, I have around a dozen pre-made characters at any session for them to choose from, though they can customize it to make it their own.