Fast teaching/demo adventure ideas

[robus]

I like the idea of getting them playing and coming up with creative ideas for what to do right away, before going through rules and numbers. 5e is simple enough at low level that the DM could, if desired, actually adjudicate everything by the rules for players that don't know the game at all. (I've basically seen it on Critical Role.)

Absolutely - get them straight into the gameplay. Just tell them that their (pre-gen!) character sheets determine their various skills and abilities and those will come into play as needed (you'll help them figure out what to do when the time comes but for now, relax). Describe the game as a conversation between you (the DM) and the players: you describe a scene, you ask the players what they want to do (i.e. what actions), you resolve the actions and describe the outcomes and around it goes. Explain that when you're not sure what the outcome might be you'll ask them to roll some dice and that will determine the outcome.

Combat is the hardest thing to introduce because there are so many options available to players that they get a bit overwhelmed (especially spellcasters with slots to manage... - but perhaps they'll just have cantrips?...) - so perhaps just tell them the weapons/spells they have and you handle the number crunching side of it.

 

[Rodney Mulraney]

What I did when I had a bunch of new players, and wanted a quick intro adventure is copy this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Dragon_Gate_Inn

Watch the film and copy it, the players enter the Inn just after the rebels with the kids do. Everyone is trapped in the Inn for a few days, due to weather. The Inn has a deep and sophisticated well integrated three pillar experience. The Inn goes through time according to its time line, with the players interacting with everything as it happens, choosing sides, gathering info, engaging in scuffles, etc...

New players might want to kill major story npcs fairly quickly; as one did in my game. However due to the political tensions, intrigue and secrecy of the major and even minor npcs, they prefer to disable and leave to their rooms, trying to maintain their cover. This way silly decisions of new players can be punished without ruining the game. The gov officials the pc engaged quickly knocked out the PC and left, the innkeeper Jade, robbed the unconscious pc blind, he woke up later... One pc fell for the "advances" of Jade, and ended up down the chute, and looking for escape back up into the inn with the rest of his party, etc...

In this way the danger of the situation is real, and the new players quickly learn to carefully consider their decisions, but the massive secrecy of the npc factions enables them to "recover" also.

 

[Eltab]

To teach the new players combat, put them in a gladiatorial arena: you were accused of being Christians and have been thrown to the Lions (2 of them).
To get some social interaction - if they win the fight - talk the City Legate into letting them depart as free men, not captives.
To experience exploration, run for your life (and freedom) out of town, if the Legate says NO.

But I think 30 minutes is too short a time span to fit this all in, especially if some of the players are totally new to the whole 'role-playing game' thing.

 

[aco175]

I like to have pre-made characters and pre-made maps to use with new players. I use many of the old 3e maps from modules. Have one small encounter with rats or something with an ability that is new, like pack tactics to get players to notice tactics. Give the players a 2nd level version of their character with highlighted new, shiny ability. Have another encounter with skeletons or something with a weakness that can be exploited to make PCs feel great and use new cool power. Wrap up with asking what they would like to do next.