Hi, I've bought the essentials box (e5) and really want to get a small party started for my wife and daughter to play. They are both up for it but I can't make heads or tails of the instructions. I understand the dice and some of the feats and skills etc but I can't get them to stick in my head. My wife has learning disabilities and my daughter is 5 ( I know probably too young) but we are willing to try because we all love adventure games. Neither myself or my wife have any friends and so any help would be appreciated. Thank you for reading this.
First, it is okay to not know all the rules, to make mistakes, or improvise rules. Role-playing and adventuring checks/rolls are asked for at DM discretion, I think you can handle those.
The more complicated rules are for character creation and combat. If you build characters on DDB, that makes things easier since you can just follow the builder (I recommend practicing this a bit before the session). For combat rules I recommend starting here and ask questions as you have them.
A helpful tip is to have a session 0. This is just for making/introducing characters as a group. Set adventure setting and goals. Establish character relationships and backstories. And throw in a bit of light role play to get used to characters. No combat or actual story progress is made in session 0.
Thank you for your quick reply, I will get reading and just take it one step at a time. The character creation was really making me confused, the character sheets on here are slightly different to the ones provided in the box so that doesn't help, the ones on here are clearer and have a better layout.
I have generated a basic elf cleric for my wife and a human rogue for my daughter, she wanted to be sneaky. Do you think that's suitable or would be too difficult for her?
Sorry if these seem like stupid questions. Also do characters height and weight affect the game?
Thank you for your quick reply, I will get reading and just take it one step at a time. The character creation was really making me confused, the character sheets on here are slightly different to the ones provided in the box so that doesn't help, the ones on here are clearer and have a better layout.
A lot of places use different layouts for character sheets. All the core pieces are the same, HP, AC, ability scores, saves, skills, senses, actions, spells, equipment, background, etc.
I have generated a basic elf cleric for my wife and a human rogue for my daughter, she wanted to be sneaky. Do you think that's suitable or would be too difficult for her?
Human rogue is probably one of the simplest things you could have made. Should be ok.
Spellcasters are a bit more complicated, but everybody need to learn about spells eventually. Just something to keep in mind is that a cleric can change their spells every long rest. I actually like this for new players because it is forgiving. If they don't like the spell they took, they can change it.
Sorry if these seem like stupid questions. Also do characters height and weight affect the game?
Height, weight, skin/hair/eye color, etc are just description. The only game mechanics involved is weight, and only if they need to be carried or ride a mount, etc.
The rules are more guidelines and basic structure than anything. Don't bog yourself down trying to adhere to them to much, and if you dont know or understand something simply make it up, fake it, or move along.
Make it fun not just for your ladies, but yourself as well. As a DM (your a DM now) it's your world and you dictate that world as you see fit.
Since there is only two of them add in sidekicks and companions to help them along with their journey.
And as far as the essentials kit goes you got to tweak encounters a little. Drop the monsters health and decrease their damage output as to not kill your players early on.
My five year old wanted to be a sneaky rogue too :)
Definitely go light on the rules. They only exist to make it fun. Starting out, it'll be more fun to use fewer rules. As you all get familiar with things, you can incorporate more. Don't spend a lot of time looking things up mid-session, just do your best and you can look up the "right" way to do things afterward.
Be prepared for things to be silly. My seven year old wants his cleric's holy symbol to be a taco. I just roll with it :)
Young kids are surprisingly good role players sometimes. They're used to having pretend worlds. So try to have fun personalities for NPCs.
Feel free to simplify and rearrange the adventure as you see fit, and adapt it to your players.
Thanks guys for you responses, you've made me feel much more at ease. I couldn't build up the courage to make the leap and just get stuck in, I'm arranging a family night soon so I will update you all.
Wish me luck and thanks again
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Hi, I've bought the essentials box (e5) and really want to get a small party started for my wife and daughter to play. They are both up for it but I can't make heads or tails of the instructions. I understand the dice and some of the feats and skills etc but I can't get them to stick in my head. My wife has learning disabilities and my daughter is 5 ( I know probably too young) but we are willing to try because we all love adventure games. Neither myself or my wife have any friends and so any help would be appreciated. Thank you for reading this.
First, it is okay to not know all the rules, to make mistakes, or improvise rules. Role-playing and adventuring checks/rolls are asked for at DM discretion, I think you can handle those.
The more complicated rules are for character creation and combat. If you build characters on DDB, that makes things easier since you can just follow the builder (I recommend practicing this a bit before the session). For combat rules I recommend starting here and ask questions as you have them.
A helpful tip is to have a session 0. This is just for making/introducing characters as a group. Set adventure setting and goals. Establish character relationships and backstories. And throw in a bit of light role play to get used to characters. No combat or actual story progress is made in session 0.
Thank you for your quick reply, I will get reading and just take it one step at a time. The character creation was really making me confused, the character sheets on here are slightly different to the ones provided in the box so that doesn't help, the ones on here are clearer and have a better layout.
I have generated a basic elf cleric for my wife and a human rogue for my daughter, she wanted to be sneaky. Do you think that's suitable or would be too difficult for her?
Sorry if these seem like stupid questions. Also do characters height and weight affect the game?
A lot of places use different layouts for character sheets. All the core pieces are the same, HP, AC, ability scores, saves, skills, senses, actions, spells, equipment, background, etc.
Human rogue is probably one of the simplest things you could have made. Should be ok.
Spellcasters are a bit more complicated, but everybody need to learn about spells eventually. Just something to keep in mind is that a cleric can change their spells every long rest. I actually like this for new players because it is forgiving. If they don't like the spell they took, they can change it.
Height, weight, skin/hair/eye color, etc are just description. The only game mechanics involved is weight, and only if they need to be carried or ride a mount, etc.
The rules are more guidelines and basic structure than anything. Don't bog yourself down trying to adhere to them to much, and if you dont know or understand something simply make it up, fake it, or move along.
Make it fun not just for your ladies, but yourself as well. As a DM (your a DM now) it's your world and you dictate that world as you see fit.
Since there is only two of them add in sidekicks and companions to help them along with their journey.
And as far as the essentials kit goes you got to tweak encounters a little. Drop the monsters health and decrease their damage output as to not kill your players early on.
Oh, and tons of funny voices...even if your bad at it.
My five year old wanted to be a sneaky rogue too :)
Definitely go light on the rules. They only exist to make it fun. Starting out, it'll be more fun to use fewer rules. As you all get familiar with things, you can incorporate more. Don't spend a lot of time looking things up mid-session, just do your best and you can look up the "right" way to do things afterward.
Be prepared for things to be silly. My seven year old wants his cleric's holy symbol to be a taco. I just roll with it :)
Young kids are surprisingly good role players sometimes. They're used to having pretend worlds. So try to have fun personalities for NPCs.
Feel free to simplify and rearrange the adventure as you see fit, and adapt it to your players.
Good luck!
Welcome to D&D. Always remember the most important rule, Have fun!
As everyone else said, go light on the rules, you'll learn them as you play more. We all started out as new players and DMs once.
Thanks guys for you responses, you've made me feel much more at ease. I couldn't build up the courage to make the leap and just get stuck in, I'm arranging a family night soon so I will update you all.
Wish me luck and thanks again