D&D 5E So, have we missed the boat on simple character creation?

[Danzauker]

I'm positive there will be a "basic build" of each major class presented in the books.

Where the customization options are already factored in, and choices are made by selecting just "simple" things (I.E. feats that give static bonus, maneuvers that do not grant reactions, always on features and such).

So that you can make up a very simple character like the fighter in package one in 5 minutes, a more varied and articulated one in 15 minutes by selecting background and specialties as suggested, or a very specific character by handpicking every feat, trait, domain and maneuver in 30.

 

[Li Shenron]

Ok...

Now I've read and re-read the package a few more times, and start feeling a bit more optimistic.

Here's the thing: I'll be going to some holiday resort for the xmas week with friends, and they've asked me to run a D&D adventure because they want to know what the game is about. This is not the same group of friends which I've played before, and except one person, everybody else have NEVER played a RPG and some don't even know yet what a RPG is about! They are less than casual player, they are practically clueless.

First I thought I was going to run a BECMI game, since the characters are super-simple, but then it might be more difficult for me, and I fear that the math and tables for everything will look too boring for these players.

Thus I decided to try 5e. But I'm trying to simplify the characters, so here's my plan about what to use for this game:

Races: NO. As odd as it sounds, we don't really need mechanical differences. I'm going to tell them that they can be a human, elf, dwarf or halfling, but the difference is only in the look and the culture. (I am not yet 100% sure of this, I might still give Low-Light Vision and maybe toss in ONE additional ability: Listen&Spot for elves, bonuses vs poison for dwarves, 1 reroll/day for halflings, and +2 to one score for humans). Nothing else.

Classes: YES. No change, all features, but obviously we play 1-st level PCs, and I really don't think we'll get very far, thus I removed everything in the class description that relates to after level 3. Fighter, Cleric, Rogue and Wizard only.

Class features: LIMITED. I will probably reduce the number of Fighting Styles, Rogue Schemes, Cleric Deities and Wizard Traditions available, keeping only the most "iconic" ones. I am open to suggestions here.

Feats and Specialties: NO. In a normal game, they would be very nice and not very complicated, but I'm skimming everything and these are the easiest to drop out.

Skills: YES, because the Rogue class depends on them so you cannot really drop them out of the game.

Backgrounds: LIMITED, because once you have skills, backgrounds actually make them easier to choose. I am not sure if I should leave the Traits... most likely we'll play a dungeon crawl, so the Traits won't be used much, which on one hand means I could just remove them, on the other hand they could be left there harmlessly. I will definitely reduce the number of backgrounds presented however.

Rules: LIMITED. I am going to try and present only the very basic before we start, basically I'll hand out not more than 10 pages for reference and prior reading. I've slimmed down to 1 page for abilities, 1 page for skills, 2 pages for exploration, 3 pages for combat, 1 page for magic.

I hope we can handle all this... wish me luck.

 

[Teacher Man]

I know what it is like to try to create characters using newer rules. I went from a 1st edition background (I still have my old books) to 3.5 and I felt like I was in the twilight zone the first 6 times I created a character. Now after practicing a bit I can pretty much create any of the major characters in a fairly short period of time. Hopefully with 5e they will be smart enough to have some simple to read charts to help out players with character creation and the DMs will be smart enough to give their players just enough in the way of variety to make it fun without giving them information overload.

The 5e character gen didn't look all that bad when I perused them yesterday but I have not yet tried to create any characters yet.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Good luck!

I don't think you need to limit things as much as you think you do. I would actually just make characters with them using the system as is. There's no need to limit Backgrounds, Specialties, Class Features, or Races to what you feel are the iconic ones, because your players will make those choices!

They have no expectations, and no enforced sense of what's iconic. So you just ask them questions -- the MECHANICAL effects you will need to help them with, to get it on their sheet right, but there's no need to enforce your sense of "traditional D&D onto them.

for backgrounds, specialties, class features, etc. I would just start reading the relevant list to them -- they will like the sound of "treasure hunter" or "acrobat" or whatever, and then you're done! You help fill out the sheet for them, and they have their abilities.

That's the real strength of the packages -- new players can respond to a buzzword, and the mechanics all flow from that. Who cares if they don't have the strongest min/maxed character? Let them feel they've chosen something.

I'd give them choices in the following order:
(stats)
Class
Race (you could choose subrace for them based on this)
Background
Specialty
Class Features

Talk the character creation through for them -- let them see the system at work. Once these decisions are made you can play. You do the number crunching -- let them make the fun (easy) choices, without worrying about specific bonuses.

This is how I make characters when I'm playing with kids -- Q&A -- and I then fill in the details.

There's no need for pre-reading to be assigned -- just let them have fun, and discover the system as you play. You can point out things to them, and ask leading questions, but here you have an opportunity to bring a bunch of new people to the hobby! This is golden -- make it as fun and easy for them as you can.

And let us know how it goes!