So the DMs in my store have been discussing pregens with me. Specifically what pregens we offer to new players.
The concern is that the spellcasting classes (cleric, wizard) are more complicated than a fighter or a rogue, and the DMs often find that unless the person shows up early enough for someone to go through the spells with them, that they become a disruption of the game (by pulling frequently the attention of 2-3 other players) or that someone else essentially runs their character for them.
Obviously, new players need someone to help them figure out the rules. And when the person shows up 20-30 minutes early, it's never a problem because we can sit down with them and figure out what appeals to them, and what rules they have to understand.
But the question the DMs have been asking me is "Should we be limiting a new player's character choices when WE are giving them a character?" On one extreme, I've got one DM who believes everyone should get a stock fighter for their first game, because it helps them learn the basics, and with AL rules, they can rebuild the character after the first game. On the other, I've got a DM who believes that this feels elitist, and that it may turn off new players (especially those who may have come to the table with an idea of what they want to play).
We've had a mixed bag of new players recently. On one hand, we had someone whose never played pen and paper RPG, but took to it like a fish in water. On the other, we have a player who took a cleric pregen, and 6 games later still has trouble finding his "to-hit" and "damage" bonuses, and won't look up his own spells because he's become accustomed to other people telling him what his spells do and helping him run his character.
There's not going to be a single good answer because a lot will depend on the person. But what do other DMs do when the person walks in right at game start and needs a character?
The concern is that the spellcasting classes (cleric, wizard) are more complicated than a fighter or a rogue, and the DMs often find that unless the person shows up early enough for someone to go through the spells with them, that they become a disruption of the game (by pulling frequently the attention of 2-3 other players) or that someone else essentially runs their character for them.
Obviously, new players need someone to help them figure out the rules. And when the person shows up 20-30 minutes early, it's never a problem because we can sit down with them and figure out what appeals to them, and what rules they have to understand.
But the question the DMs have been asking me is "Should we be limiting a new player's character choices when WE are giving them a character?" On one extreme, I've got one DM who believes everyone should get a stock fighter for their first game, because it helps them learn the basics, and with AL rules, they can rebuild the character after the first game. On the other, I've got a DM who believes that this feels elitist, and that it may turn off new players (especially those who may have come to the table with an idea of what they want to play).
We've had a mixed bag of new players recently. On one hand, we had someone whose never played pen and paper RPG, but took to it like a fish in water. On the other, we have a player who took a cleric pregen, and 6 games later still has trouble finding his "to-hit" and "damage" bonuses, and won't look up his own spells because he's become accustomed to other people telling him what his spells do and helping him run his character.
There's not going to be a single good answer because a lot will depend on the person. But what do other DMs do when the person walks in right at game start and needs a character?
