| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Maeven |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 01:33:32
Ok here's my problem.
In my campaign, there's 6 players. 3 of 'em are experienced and play dnd with me since my very beginning ( kinda 8 years ago ). The other 3 pratically never played dnd. So, how can I give a chance to my newbies to learn the game without frustrating my veterans ? Cause it go really slow. And if I dont pay attention to my rookies, they dont progress and dont make RP cause they dont even understand the rules.
I already checked the possibility of pairing one rookie and one veteran but i am looking for other ideas. Thanks. |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Knightcrawler |
Posted - 18 Jan 2004 : 19:35:56
How I usually handle brand new to the game players is to have a little mini session with just them. Go through the basics of character building, some battles and a little roleplaying. I've come up with a couple of quick adventures that I can newbies through. And if there are only one or two newbies a couple of my veteran players sit in and help them out. It also works as a sort of audition for the new players so that I can see what their like. Helps weed out any trouble makers.
You can let them watch part of an ongoing campaign. Just be sure you and the rest of the players are okay with answer questions and explaining things.
Then just throw them into the game. Preferably one that is lower level and hasn't been running for that long. Brand new to the game players can really ruin a long ongoing campaign. |
| Elrond Half Elven |
Posted - 06 Jan 2004 : 22:58:05
This is a hurdle that I have had to cross several times, the best way i have found to do it, IMHO is sit down the player and expalin what D&D is, then explain the character classes and races, then help them to create a character, take time and go over the Charcter sheet with them, have a more experience player help them, and for the first session or two, make sure you ask them what they want to do, invite the others to give advice on actions but under no circumstances let them control the player. Encourage roleplay ASAP, either throw them in at the deep end of walk them through the shallow end, making sure that you reward exceedingly well good Rping. This way you should be able to prevent them becoming a hack n slasher. Let them borrow some books if they want more information, mark out useful chapters for them, but don't overload them. Talk to them abotu the game after it, how they found it, did they enjoy it, do you want to play again? Again don't over load them. The best opportunety to introduce a newbie is in a LV 1 game, but hey that doesnt alwyas work, instead talk them throught their abilities. Above all make a nice environment for them to play in.
Hanx
Elrond |
| Yasraena |
Posted - 24 Dec 2003 : 03:57:51
quote:
Originally posted by RogueAssassin
Mine and Belfars game is quickly becomming what you described in the first post. We have me and him who have played for almost 3 years now and know the jist of the game. We individualy know a good bit about the game and together can run a game fairly smooth. we have one other player who isnt a burden on us and knows how to play about as good as we do. but recently(in the last year) weve let a player into the group who i swear must be mentally retarded. hes played for a year and not 1 character hes played had been built by him. he to this day cannot make his own. he says its because we always build them for him and never tell him what to do, though when time comes around to build new johnny hackem up he doesnt wanna help. now he goes and invites 2 more people into the group without talkint to me or Belfar (we both basically run the game). Its just frustrating. any advice other than me bludgeoning him to near death(weve tryed that already)? 
Belfar if u need to pt anything in feel free
Well, first of all, don't let this guy just invite new people in without talking to you first. That is just frigging rude. Kind of like inviting yourself to dinner. (Unless of course the two new guys are better players than he is.  )
You really have to make a descision on what type of game you want to run. Do you want to have a game that runs fairly well, but only has three people, or do you want to have a game that will be fairly rocky and basic (at fisrt), but have 5 players and have the possibility to grow into something more? Or more importantly, do you want to invest the time (and frustration[at least at first])needed to teach these new people how to play? Are these newbies worth the effort?
I can only speak from experience, in that in all the years that I've gamed, I've come across a lot of different players. I've given almost all of them the benefit of the doubt when they first showed interest, meaning that either I believed they really wanted to learn how to play, and just needed the time to actually learn how, or they really wanted to play with our group, so I'll give 'em a chance to show what they got.
Not all of them worked out. Some turned out to be complete idiots, while others I still play with to this day. Also, some took longer than others to grasp the mechanics, etc, but they showed real desire by showing on time, being prepared, and grasping the concept of the game, e.g. roleplaying.
I'd say give these new guys a chance and see if they fit in at least. A few sessions should tell you if they're worth keeping or not. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Dec 2003 : 09:03:13
Unless of course, that particular 'experienced' player considers such a task beneath him...as I have had, the sometimes unfortunate circumstance to encounter over the years.
|
| zemd |
Posted - 22 Dec 2003 : 17:48:58
Usually when there is a beginner in my group i ask one of my experienced player to help him with the rules so he can focus on the role play learning the rules. it worked well so far |
| RogueAssassin |
Posted - 22 Dec 2003 : 01:38:29
Mine and Belfars game is quickly becomming what you described in the first post. We have me and him who have played for almost 3 years now and know the jist of the game. We individualy know a good bit about the game and together can run a game fairly smooth. we have one other player who isnt a burden on us and knows how to play about as good as we do. but recently(in the last year) weve let a player into the group who i swear must be mentally retarded. hes played for a year and not 1 character hes played had been built by him. he to this day cannot make his own. he says its because we always build them for him and never tell him what to do, though when time comes around to build new johnny hackem up he doesnt wanna help. now he goes and invites 2 more people into the group without talkint to me or Belfar (we both basically run the game). Its just frustrating. any advice other than me bludgeoning him to near death(weve tryed that already)?
Belfar if u need to pt anything in feel free |
| Jander Sunstar |
Posted - 13 Dec 2003 : 00:23:06
I am not a very well experienced dm nor a player(3 years).
But I know role playing is the theme of our meeting so when I m dm ( which is most often unfortunately)I encourage my players on that path and give them extra expi points I dont actually give adamn about those points but I know that how strong they are going to be in a situation they must handle to go on
If they go in a dragons cave or a beholder's as well they would die as I know until they learn more |
| Bookwyrm |
Posted - 12 Dec 2003 : 17:40:00
Which is one of the reasons I asked if anyone knew of a good group in the Washington, D.C. area a while back. I didn't feel like casting around for a non-munchkin group, or one that was otherwise worth the time. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Dec 2003 : 08:22:45
Depending upon the types of gamers you could 'learn from', reading may sometimes be the better alternative...
|
| Bookwyrm |
Posted - 12 Dec 2003 : 06:57:37
Still more than I've done. Well, not the reading -- did a lot more of that. But I still haven't sat in on any games. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 12 Dec 2003 : 06:10:46
Not as rare as you think. I started out with just the rulebooks. In fact, I had read through both the 1e PHB and DMG twice completely, before even sitting in (as a spectator) on a veteran DM's game. After that, I went back to the books and used the rules to visualise and recreate everything that had occured in that game.
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| Bookwyrm |
Posted - 12 Dec 2003 : 01:42:08
Well, Mournblade, I guess I'm a rare person -- someone who just learned through the books. I didn't have any dice until last week, even.  |
| Maeven |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 23:20:19
This one is for Cyric.
No, dnd isn't a board game with some dices. It's a ROLEPLAYING game. It's all in your mind and you dictate how the world is to your players. Then, they act like they want and suffer the consequences...
If you just said that as a joke, forget the previous message !  |
| Cyric |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 16:17:37
i have never playd the game is it about smal caracters who walk in a board game and roll some dice ? |
| Belfar |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 05:36:31
I'm currently playing a game that is similar to yours. I've only been playing DND for about 2 years and know most of the rules but we have a new person playing that has only played a few times before and we don't have a problem coaching him. Many of the older and more experienced players around the table have helped me improve my DND experience. I think many people learn better if a veteran player helps them out a little bit. |
| Mournblade |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 04:12:32
For many players if they have to learn D&D through reading a book, they will just give up. The veteran players should be mature enough to handle newbies and help them through. It really is the job of veteran players to help newer players; it is how we keep our hobby alive. |
| Arivia |
Posted - 11 Dec 2003 : 03:29:58
I'm a member of one campaign where this happens, as it's our local store's campaign, which means that anyone interested can come in and join. Even though I'm not the DM, I seem to have become the assistant, taking care of rules, summoned creatures and other stuff. How much do those who know nothing slow us down? Not that much. I guess my advice is, play like normal, and explain as you go, after an explanation of the very basics at the beginning. |
