I’ll add show them an actual play stream. Especially if you can find one that’s close to your group’s playstyle. Reading the rules doesn’t quite capture what it will be like to play.
I’ll add show them an actual play stream. Especially if you can find one that’s close to your group’s playstyle. Reading the rules doesn’t quite capture what it will be like to play.
A very good recommendation. I jumped right into D&D after watching a single stream of Critical Role. As I was watching it, my thoughts were basically "I need this in my life". Been playing ever since.
If you go for actual play videos, then I'd recommend something a bit more amateurish than critical role to get a more realistic view of the game.
Terrible advice. I just recounted my D&D origin story, that led to a near decade of consistent play. Literally tens of thousands of people have similar origin stories. There was no unrealistic view of the game watching it. My table has exactly 0 professional actors and $0 production budget. We have fun every time we play. CR gives you a perfectly accurate picture of what the game is like, but unlike amateur streams, does it with consistent sound quality and in a way that makes it entertaining when you can't participate.
Edit: To be clear, Jocat is presenting the classes in a deliberately bombastic manner that isn't necessarily inaccurate in order to try and break things down into a more digestible format for "the normies" as well as the role of the Dungeon Master.
If you go for actual play videos, then I'd recommend something a bit more amateurish than critical role to get a more realistic view of the game.
Terrible advice. I just recounted my D&D origin story, that led to a near decade of consistent play. Literally tens of thousands of people have similar origin stories. There was no unrealistic view of the game watching it. My table has exactly 0 professional actors and $0 production budget. We have fun every time we play. CR gives you a perfectly accurate picture of what the game is like, but unlike amateur streams, does it with consistent sound quality and in a way that makes it entertaining when you can't participate.
It worked for you, that's fantastic. I've had several players and a DM or two be put off the game because they had unrealistic expectations of how the game would develop at the table. Frustrations at how people weren't taking it seriously, how they thought that players would interact (usually, that they'd go for interesting decisions and not just being chaos-causing monsters), being chief of the list. Even Dungeon Dudes, who are.more down to Earth, admit their actual plays might give false expectations of what to expect.
For some, CR works. For most, I'd recommend a more down to Earth and a more representative of actual tables Actual Play. CR is, for some, good entertainment, but when introducing people to new things, generally, giving them a taste of what they can expect is more productive for keeping them in the hobby.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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 you go for actual play videos, then I'd recommend something a bit more amateurish than critical role to get a more realistic view of the game.
Terrible advice. I just recounted my D&D origin story, that led to a near decade of consistent play. Literally tens of thousands of people have similar origin stories. There was no unrealistic view of the game watching it. My table has exactly 0 professional actors and $0 production budget. We have fun every time we play. CR gives you a perfectly accurate picture of what the game is like, but unlike amateur streams, does it with consistent sound quality and in a way that makes it entertaining when you can't participate.
If you are working under the assumption that CR is representative of typical TTRPGs then you are doing yourself a wild disservice; Literally the entire cast is made up of professional Voice actors who are working with whole production teams to assemble a product.
[REDACTED]
Notes: Avoid NSFW references. Please and thank you.
I have introduced a number of people to D&D over the years. In my experience, the best way to get someone to get interested in D&D is to start them thinking about a character and get them to playing. Hold their hand, help them through, and then the delight when the realize "wait, I can create a character to live pretty much any fantasy I have?" often is a hook. You need to try and make them feel comfortable and not overwhelmed, and keep things in small little batches at a time (the character building guide in 5.24 actually does this pretty well--they clearly were thinking about overload when they worked on it).
In terms of video content, Ginny Di is a youtuber with a lot of videos aimed at new players. Unlike many youtubers, she is fairly wholesome (while still being entertaining) and still remembers when she started playing, so she does a good job at making friendly, welcoming videos with actually useful advice and guidance to newer players.
Regarding Critical Role, I come down on the side that while more modern CR might not be the best introduction due to its higher production value, I think there is a lot of utility in the original episodes of CR. Back when they started, they were a bunch of friends sitting around a table with some hand-drawn maps, throwing some dice, and generally having fun. Sure, they are professional actors, but I do not think that is as big a deal as some people think--at least from my experience DMing for professional actors, they do not tend to actually be any better than the normal population (and I could write an entire thread on why Orion is a perfect case study on how not to play D&D). As the show gets a bit more professional, I think it becomes a worse example of what actual play looks like, so makes for a worse example. (Though, let me be clear, I think the "Critical Role effect" - an alleged effect where CR ruins players by setting unreal expectations - is less a function of CR and more an excuse by bad DMs to blame something other than themselves).
The most important thing is to figure out what kind of content both intrigues your player AND does not make them overwhelmed. That is the classic mistake I see many make - D&D has a reputation for being extremely complicated. Choose one thing and one thing only as your introduction point - if you start saying "here is a bunch of resources" that only plays into the perception that the game is complicated and requires a huge and intimidating volume of information.
If you go for actual play videos, then I'd recommend something a bit more amateurish than critical role to get a more realistic view of the game.
Terrible advice. I just recounted my D&D origin story, that led to a near decade of consistent play. Literally tens of thousands of people have similar origin stories. There was no unrealistic view of the game watching it. My table has exactly 0 professional actors and $0 production budget. We have fun every time we play. CR gives you a perfectly accurate picture of what the game is like, but unlike amateur streams, does it with consistent sound quality and in a way that makes it entertaining when you can't participate.
If you are working under the assumption that CR is representative of typical TTRPGs then you are doing yourself a wild disservice; Literally the entire cast is made up of professional Voice actors who are working with whole production teams to assemble a product.
It would be like watching content on an adult streaming service and then assuming that that represented the average person's bedroom experience.
As hilarious as this comment is, it's very spot on. Having watched CR and other live streams, I would recommend watching a stream like Legend of Avantris or Dungeon Dudes live plays as those are more representative of a normal table.
I’ll second the votes for Ginny Di if you’re looking for how to play advice and Dungeon Dudes if you’re looking for a live play to watch. I love Critical Role but it and Dimension20 have grown beyond the point they can be considered representative of a real game
I love Drakkenheim. It's not as dependent on player skill and focus, so it's more like real games. I wouldn't say it's normal for a table, but it's gives a good idea of what can be achieved, how the game works, what makes for a good player (the three players give a range of different kinds of players, so don't think there is one perfect kind of player, but it shows how they can work together to make a good story...without it being a professional production).
There are a ton of episodes and three campaign. Dungeons of Drakkenheim is more episodic and comes first chronologically. Shadows of Drakkenheim is a different style but also really good. Fate of Drakkenheim is the last but should strictly be listened to after the others for loads of reasons. The first two campaigns can easily be ones you just listen to a couple of episodes of you just want to get an idea.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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.
It worked for you, that's fantastic. I've had several players and a DM or two be put off the game because they had unrealistic expectations of how the game would develop at the table. Frustrations at how people weren't taking it seriously, how they thought that players would interact (usually, that they'd go for interesting decisions and not just being chaos-causing monsters), being chief of the list. Even Dungeon Dudes, who are.more down to Earth, admit their actual plays might give false expectations of what to expect.
For some, CR works. For most, I'd recommend a more down to Earth and a more representative of actual tables Actual Play. CR is, for some, good entertainment, but when introducing people to new things, generally, giving them a taste of what they can expect is more productive for keeping them in the hobby.
No one goes to a low-budget theater to see a Superman production, then says it sucks because it isn't like the multi-million dollar film. I think your experiences are more likely attributable to rude players and inflexible DMs, which as you know, does not require at all that Mercer cast a shadow at the table. In my experience, the so-called 'Mercer effect' is really just DMs/players making Mercer be the lynchpin of all their gaming insecurities. I am not saying that is the case with you, but I have yet to see anything like what you are describing be because "I saw CR role do it, why can't I?" Or "why can't you build me an entire production set so I can enjoy some mood lighting?" despite the fact that I have orbited the CR space and played with critters and non-critters alike for years without once encountering a real example of CR setting unrealistic expectations.
Critical Role gives an accurate representation of what play is like because they are professional entertainers for a show based on a game that is NOT a spectator-friendly game. They turn it into something worth watching and makes it FEEL like something the viewer is experiencing. Further, we always look at our own play experience through rose-colored glasses; we punch up our own experiences to be far more dynamic and interesting than they are in reality. You likely think your table is amazing but put it up on a stream and most will think it is boring, is filled with ham-acting, your jokes never land, and your players spend way too much time staring at their character sheets and NOT playing. That might be what happens at most tables, but it is not the impression you want to give to a new player and it certainly will not be how that new player views their own experiences.
If you are working under the assumption that CR is representative of typical TTRPGs then you are doing yourself a wild disservice; Literally the entire cast is made up of professional Voice actors who are working with whole production teams to assemble a product.
[REDACTED]
Yeah, which is exactly what you need when making the decision to watch someone else have fun. Why do you think amateur streamers get like 2-6 viewers a stream vs CR's 4k to 12k a stream? Because watching TTRPG streams is a genuine chore for anyone except veteran players who know how to look past the awful sound quality, alarmingly frequent 'accidentally' bigoted jokes, cringe attempts at voices, and holo-vid anime avatars, to see the diamond in the rough. You want to give new potential players the sense that their play experience will be tedious and occasionally offensive, you can go right ahead and do that, I guess.
My own table does not have a storyteller like Mercer (I have a stutter), an intense method actor like Liam, a hype-himbo like Travis, an award-winning actor like Laura, or a jokester like Sam who can make very off-color jokes and still come off as charming and endearing. Yet, when I play and when I remember my play experiences, it would be hard to say it is not a comparable experience for me.
You want the player to have a sense that their experience will be fun and exciting, because if you do even a halfway decent job as a DM or fellow player at the table, it will be. What is important about CR as a viewing experience is not that it shows what a real-life game will be like in a side-by-side comparison, but rather will communicate the sense of adventure and fun that is shared by most. You cannot communicate that experience with most streamers. Even the very good ones fail to make it an appealing experience for newbies even if, strictly speaking, they have a more 'realistic' example of play.
Hi. Trying to convince my friend to start a campaign with us.
What are some of user-friendly sites you might recommend to get people a basic sense of the game?
Thx!
This very site is a good start!
The Basic Rules - A bit of light reading to get started!
This is the most up-to-date Starter Set - be aware that a new one that supports the recent rules revision is out in about 1 month (This one)
The community here will answer almost any questions you might have too.
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ModeratorI’d start with this interactive demo:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/begin/en
Need help with D&D Beyond? Come ask in the official D&D server on Discord: https://discord.gg/qWzGhwBjYr
I’ll add show them an actual play stream. Especially if you can find one that’s close to your group’s playstyle. Reading the rules doesn’t quite capture what it will be like to play.
A very good recommendation. I jumped right into D&D after watching a single stream of Critical Role. As I was watching it, my thoughts were basically "I need this in my life". Been playing ever since.
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If you go for actual play videos, then I'd recommend something a bit more amateurish than critical role to get a more realistic view of the game.
Terrible advice. I just recounted my D&D origin story, that led to a near decade of consistent play. Literally tens of thousands of people have similar origin stories. There was no unrealistic view of the game watching it. My table has exactly 0 professional actors and $0 production budget. We have fun every time we play. CR gives you a perfectly accurate picture of what the game is like, but unlike amateur streams, does it with consistent sound quality and in a way that makes it entertaining when you can't participate.
DM mostly, Player occasionally | Session 0 form | He/Him/They/Them
EXTENDED SIGNATURE!
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Behold the wonder... of Jocat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00EvO-X6Wu4&list=PLDnRMnDDjAzK5uZLidDUtHtD1iN06Qe0G
Edit: To be clear, Jocat is presenting the classes in a deliberately bombastic manner that isn't necessarily inaccurate in order to try and break things down into a more digestible format for "the normies" as well as the role of the Dungeon Master.
This is a good Rules guide video playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoW2CDgztKY&list=PLJmFJXf3BXjwXkNFo_-iwtHb24AuJcXqx
It worked for you, that's fantastic. I've had several players and a DM or two be put off the game because they had unrealistic expectations of how the game would develop at the table. Frustrations at how people weren't taking it seriously, how they thought that players would interact (usually, that they'd go for interesting decisions and not just being chaos-causing monsters), being chief of the list. Even Dungeon Dudes, who are.more down to Earth, admit their actual plays might give false expectations of what to expect.
For some, CR works. For most, I'd recommend a more down to Earth and a more representative of actual tables Actual Play. CR is, for some, good entertainment, but when introducing people to new things, generally, giving them a taste of what they can expect is more productive for keeping them in the hobby.
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 you are working under the assumption that CR is representative of typical TTRPGs then you are doing yourself a wild disservice; Literally the entire cast is made up of professional Voice actors who are working with whole production teams to assemble a product.
[REDACTED]
Offer the friend food and drink. Offer the friend a social time of interaction. Understand if the friend has any inclination to a role playing game.
You need the friend to be interested in some of those four items, if they are not it might never work.
I have introduced a number of people to D&D over the years. In my experience, the best way to get someone to get interested in D&D is to start them thinking about a character and get them to playing. Hold their hand, help them through, and then the delight when the realize "wait, I can create a character to live pretty much any fantasy I have?" often is a hook. You need to try and make them feel comfortable and not overwhelmed, and keep things in small little batches at a time (the character building guide in 5.24 actually does this pretty well--they clearly were thinking about overload when they worked on it).
In terms of video content, Ginny Di is a youtuber with a lot of videos aimed at new players. Unlike many youtubers, she is fairly wholesome (while still being entertaining) and still remembers when she started playing, so she does a good job at making friendly, welcoming videos with actually useful advice and guidance to newer players.
Regarding Critical Role, I come down on the side that while more modern CR might not be the best introduction due to its higher production value, I think there is a lot of utility in the original episodes of CR. Back when they started, they were a bunch of friends sitting around a table with some hand-drawn maps, throwing some dice, and generally having fun. Sure, they are professional actors, but I do not think that is as big a deal as some people think--at least from my experience DMing for professional actors, they do not tend to actually be any better than the normal population (and I could write an entire thread on why Orion is a perfect case study on how not to play D&D). As the show gets a bit more professional, I think it becomes a worse example of what actual play looks like, so makes for a worse example. (Though, let me be clear, I think the "Critical Role effect" - an alleged effect where CR ruins players by setting unreal expectations - is less a function of CR and more an excuse by bad DMs to blame something other than themselves).
The most important thing is to figure out what kind of content both intrigues your player AND does not make them overwhelmed. That is the classic mistake I see many make - D&D has a reputation for being extremely complicated. Choose one thing and one thing only as your introduction point - if you start saying "here is a bunch of resources" that only plays into the perception that the game is complicated and requires a huge and intimidating volume of information.
As hilarious as this comment is, it's very spot on. Having watched CR and other live streams, I would recommend watching a stream like Legend of Avantris or Dungeon Dudes live plays as those are more representative of a normal table.
I’ll second the votes for Ginny Di if you’re looking for how to play advice and Dungeon Dudes if you’re looking for a live play to watch. I love Critical Role but it and Dimension20 have grown beyond the point they can be considered representative of a real game
I love Drakkenheim. It's not as dependent on player skill and focus, so it's more like real games. I wouldn't say it's normal for a table, but it's gives a good idea of what can be achieved, how the game works, what makes for a good player (the three players give a range of different kinds of players, so don't think there is one perfect kind of player, but it shows how they can work together to make a good story...without it being a professional production).
There are a ton of episodes and three campaign. Dungeons of Drakkenheim is more episodic and comes first chronologically. Shadows of Drakkenheim is a different style but also really good. Fate of Drakkenheim is the last but should strictly be listened to after the others for loads of reasons. The first two campaigns can easily be ones you just listen to a couple of episodes of you just want to get an idea.
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.
No one goes to a low-budget theater to see a Superman production, then says it sucks because it isn't like the multi-million dollar film. I think your experiences are more likely attributable to rude players and inflexible DMs, which as you know, does not require at all that Mercer cast a shadow at the table. In my experience, the so-called 'Mercer effect' is really just DMs/players making Mercer be the lynchpin of all their gaming insecurities. I am not saying that is the case with you, but I have yet to see anything like what you are describing be because "I saw CR role do it, why can't I?" Or "why can't you build me an entire production set so I can enjoy some mood lighting?" despite the fact that I have orbited the CR space and played with critters and non-critters alike for years without once encountering a real example of CR setting unrealistic expectations.
Critical Role gives an accurate representation of what play is like because they are professional entertainers for a show based on a game that is NOT a spectator-friendly game. They turn it into something worth watching and makes it FEEL like something the viewer is experiencing. Further, we always look at our own play experience through rose-colored glasses; we punch up our own experiences to be far more dynamic and interesting than they are in reality. You likely think your table is amazing but put it up on a stream and most will think it is boring, is filled with ham-acting, your jokes never land, and your players spend way too much time staring at their character sheets and NOT playing. That might be what happens at most tables, but it is not the impression you want to give to a new player and it certainly will not be how that new player views their own experiences.
Yeah, which is exactly what you need when making the decision to watch someone else have fun. Why do you think amateur streamers get like 2-6 viewers a stream vs CR's 4k to 12k a stream? Because watching TTRPG streams is a genuine chore for anyone except veteran players who know how to look past the awful sound quality, alarmingly frequent 'accidentally' bigoted jokes, cringe attempts at voices, and holo-vid anime avatars, to see the diamond in the rough. You want to give new potential players the sense that their play experience will be tedious and occasionally offensive, you can go right ahead and do that, I guess.
My own table does not have a storyteller like Mercer (I have a stutter), an intense method actor like Liam, a hype-himbo like Travis, an award-winning actor like Laura, or a jokester like Sam who can make very off-color jokes and still come off as charming and endearing. Yet, when I play and when I remember my play experiences, it would be hard to say it is not a comparable experience for me.
You want the player to have a sense that their experience will be fun and exciting, because if you do even a halfway decent job as a DM or fellow player at the table, it will be. What is important about CR as a viewing experience is not that it shows what a real-life game will be like in a side-by-side comparison, but rather will communicate the sense of adventure and fun that is shared by most. You cannot communicate that experience with most streamers. Even the very good ones fail to make it an appealing experience for newbies even if, strictly speaking, they have a more 'realistic' example of play.
DM mostly, Player occasionally | Session 0 form | He/Him/They/Them
EXTENDED SIGNATURE!
Doctor/Published Scholar/Science and Healthcare Advocate/Critter/Trekkie/Gandalf with a Glock
Try DDB free: Free Rules (2024), premade PCs, adventures, one shots, encounters, SC, homebrew, more
Answers: physical books, purchases, and subbing.
Check out my life-changing