Introducing 10 year olds to D&D

This Saturday is game day for introducing my 10 year old son and his friends, (and a couple of dads), to classic Basic, (Moldvay), Dungeons & Dragons. The adventurers will be delving into In Search of the Unknown (ISotU).

Here’s my plan:

5 boys, 2 dads, (plus me as DM) – So that we can get right into the heart of D&D, (the dungeon delving), I’m going to skip character generation and just hand everyone a basic character. The boys will get 1st-level human fighters, (with max hit points), all identical except for what they carry in their backpacks. The dads will get a 3rd-level magic-user and a 3rd-level cleric.

The premise for this adventure is that the magic-user and cleric are looking for a magical stone hidden in Quasqueton. The fighters are their henchmen/bodyguards. (I’m going to instruct the dads to let the boys do most of the decision making and exploring – it’s really *their* game day.) The group has brought a small wagon train with them, which will remain camped outside the dungeon. This wagon train will be a source for replacement PCs should someone die, and a place to store/trade loot recovered from the dungeon.

We’ll be using a battlemat and miniature figures, because I like using them, and I have a ton. I have accurately representative minis for each of the PCs and the monsters I plan to use.

Now, ISotU is left to the DM to populate with monsters and treasure, but I’m going to use this differently for this game than I ever have before. I’m not actually going to place monsters and treasure before the game. I’m writing the monsters and treasure on index cards that I will place as I see fit during the game. As the dungeon exploration goes, I’ll throw in things when I think they’re needed. A small battle when things are lulling, a big battle when a climax seems appropriate, a wandering monster when the boys are getting loud, some hidden treasure when they show curiosity and search around, etc.

These boys have absolutely no experience with D&D, and have never read the rule book, so they won’t have hints about searching for secret doors, or listening, or pit traps, etc. I know one of the dads has some experience, and I suspect the other dad may, also. So they may give hints to the boys during play, I don’t know.

I’m giving the cleric a staff of healing to help keep things from getting bogged down with having to rest for a day, (or four), to recover lost hit points. This is also why I’m having the wagon train outside the dungeon so we don’t have to break for a trip back to town to replace a fallen PC. I’m also giving the magic-user a crystal ball so I can sort of guide them a little – the dad can have his PC gaze into the ball and I can give a hint for a good direction.

With the placing monsters and treasure on the fly, I plan to make sure the party encounters a variety of opponents and discover some cool loot, including some magic items. We’ll have four hours of game time, and I’m hoping to squeeze as much quintessential D&D experiences into that period as possible.

Anyone have ideas, advice, warnings, anything to give me before this weekend? What are the quintessential D&D experiences that I should try to make sure occur in this game?

One question I have: Should I use the basic “all weapons do 1d6 damage” rule, or use the variable weapon damage rule? I’ve always used the variable damage rule, but I think maybe the 1d6 damage rule would make combat a little easier on the boys, (less deadly for them). But I also want them to see all the various dice in use. Thoughts?

Bullgrit

Use the various dice. Plus don't be afraid to kill them. Its best to teach them now how to "die well" in an RPG. To put losing a character into the right perspective and to take it in stride.

Plus, once they catch on, don't under estimate them. Hopefully their Dads won't overshadow them and hamper their own creativity. I'd even talk to the Dad's, tell them to let the kids run the show as much as possible, be completely "advisory". Because once they do catch on, watch out!

Sounds like it will be a great time. I've considered doing this with my kids and my brother's kids. Just to let them know what their dad's do every other Wednesday.

Make sure you get all the really good, fantasy parts. I remember the room of pools and the corridor with the wind...20+ years later.

Enjoy.

Treebore said:

Use the various dice. Plus don't be afraid to kill them. Its best to teach them now how to "die well" in an RPG. To put losing a character into the right perspective and to take it in stride.

Plus, once they catch on, don't under estimate them. Hopefully their Dads won't overshadow them and hamper their own creativity. I'd even talk to the Dad's, tell them to let the kids run the show as much as possible, be completely "advisory". Because once they do catch on, watch out!

Click to expand...

Oops - just posted on that last night in big letters - DON'T KILL THEIR PCs, unless they totally ask for it.

But it's a good point that sooner or later they've got to learn to die well. So, to save face I'll have to make a sad, desperate attempt to undermine your credibility by suggesting that you probably play too much and must have lost your marbles as a result

how many console rpg's do they play? if a lot don't kill their pcs but don't worry about knocking them down to deaths door.
Also let them do their own math.

nedjer said:

Oops - just posted on that last night in big letters - DON'T KILL THEIR PCs, unless they totally ask for it.

But it's a good point that sooner or later they've got to learn to die well. So, to save face I'll have to make a sad, desperate attempt to undermine your credibility by suggesting that you probably play too much and must have lost your marbles as a result

Click to expand...

I admit it is tricky. Most of the time they take PC deaths very well, especially if you, the GM, are positive about it. Say something like, "Aw man! ITs a shame Mallus died, but he had an awesome death at the hands of those Orcs! You know what else that means? You get to create and try out a new character, won't that be fun?!?"

However I have ran into a couple of kids who take it very badly, but the vast majority of it have taken it well, often much better than a number of adults I could name.

I intend to roll all combat dice out in the open so all can see how things are happening. But I will explain, right at the beginning, that:

"Exploring dungeons is a dangerous activity. There are monsters and traps and all kinds of possibly deadly things. So it is possible that some of your characters may die in this activity. It happens. But you'll be allowed to take up a new character and rejoin the team. But if you all stick together and work together, and be as cautious as you are curious and brave, maybe you can keep everyone alive through the whole adventure. Good luck."

Edit: I just bought d20s and d8s for each of the boys to use, and to keep and take after the game.

Bullgrit

Make sure to describe all the gore and violence in graphic detail. Most ten year olds are playing 15+ rated video games these days so you have a high level of graphic violence to compete with their interest.

Kzach said:

Make sure to describe all the gore and violence in graphic detail. Most ten year olds are playing 15+ rated video games these days so you have a high level of graphic violence to compete with their interest.

Click to expand...

intestines trailed out across the floor, eyes gouged and dangling, blood spurting from arteries - not my cup of tea. Prefer to save that for the annual Open Doors Day at the local slaughterhouse

I'll have The Faces of Death showing on the TV behind me during the whole game session so the boys can really get immersed in the scenes.

Bullgrit