Bupp
Adventurer
Need help / advise on running a one shot.
TL;DR: Running a game for four women with no RPG experience at all. Looking for any tips on running and engaging the players.
My wife works for the theater department at the University of Pittsburgh. Later this year, they are putting on a production of She Kills Monsters, by Qui Nguyen. Both the set designer and the costume designer are having a bit of a block and aren't sure how to proceed. They have absolutely no experience with D&D or RPGs at all. They feel that playing the game will help give them a better understanding on what they are doing, and have asked me to run a game for them. My wife and another theater staff member will be joining us as well.
The players will be four women, late 20's to mid 40's with no knowledge of the game. I'm wanting to run something in the 5th-9th level range. I think that will give them some options as characters, and the power needed to do something suitably heroic, like end with a dragon fight or some other epic monster. Just not sure on what to run them thru. Suitable chances for role play and such should be available as well.
I'm going to be running a streamlined version of 5e, since that is the version I've been running recently. I already have a good idea of how I'm going to do it. For characters I'm going to get an idea of what each player is interested in playing. Kind of give them a run down of races and classes, see if their are any archetypes or characters from books, movies, or TV that they are drawn to. Then I'll make them all a pregen character to use on game night. I was wanting to skip character generation since this will all happen in one evening.
We will be having dinner, and drinks as well. I figure during dinner I can give them an easy rundown of the rules and after dinner we can get into playing.
I've taught groups of new players before, but they were ones looking to actively join the hobby. I'm pretty sure that this will be all of their only role playing experience going forward, so purely a one shot. [
I was looking for any advise on what to expect or any pitfalls to avoid. What kind of adventure to run? I'm willing to pick up some products, I've been eyeing up Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures or Kobold Press' Prepared. I do tend to like to start with a pre-written adventure that I personalize or ad-lib my way thru.
TL;DR: Running a game for four women with no RPG experience at all. Looking for any tips on running and engaging the players.
My wife works for the theater department at the University of Pittsburgh. Later this year, they are putting on a production of She Kills Monsters, by Qui Nguyen. Both the set designer and the costume designer are having a bit of a block and aren't sure how to proceed. They have absolutely no experience with D&D or RPGs at all. They feel that playing the game will help give them a better understanding on what they are doing, and have asked me to run a game for them. My wife and another theater staff member will be joining us as well.
The players will be four women, late 20's to mid 40's with no knowledge of the game. I'm wanting to run something in the 5th-9th level range. I think that will give them some options as characters, and the power needed to do something suitably heroic, like end with a dragon fight or some other epic monster. Just not sure on what to run them thru. Suitable chances for role play and such should be available as well.
I'm going to be running a streamlined version of 5e, since that is the version I've been running recently. I already have a good idea of how I'm going to do it. For characters I'm going to get an idea of what each player is interested in playing. Kind of give them a run down of races and classes, see if their are any archetypes or characters from books, movies, or TV that they are drawn to. Then I'll make them all a pregen character to use on game night. I was wanting to skip character generation since this will all happen in one evening.
We will be having dinner, and drinks as well. I figure during dinner I can give them an easy rundown of the rules and after dinner we can get into playing.
I've taught groups of new players before, but they were ones looking to actively join the hobby. I'm pretty sure that this will be all of their only role playing experience going forward, so purely a one shot. [
I was looking for any advise on what to expect or any pitfalls to avoid. What kind of adventure to run? I'm willing to pick up some products, I've been eyeing up Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures or Kobold Press' Prepared. I do tend to like to start with a pre-written adventure that I personalize or ad-lib my way thru.