Best 1st level module/advice for new players?

[derbacher]

I'll second The Wizard's Amulet and Orcfest. Both are designed to get your players into the game easily. I recommend Orcfest even more if the GM is new. I had my daughter run it as her first game as a new GM. It does a great job of reminding you what rules are needed in each situation, brings player and GM into new rules a little at a time by introducing new challenges that use different rules, and you get to bash orcs. What D&D adventure is complete without bashing orcs?

 

[dmjeffk]

The best bet is to just write something yourself. You can tailor it to the PCs you have, and introduce them to the game slowly, scaling your encounters as they go. Start off in a public locale and take time describing the people and things around them. Let the PCs talk to each other and talk to some of the NPCs. Roleplay an interaction with an NPC merchant or innkeeper. Give them a chance to to get in character. Then drop in an action encounter, like a thief trying to pickpocket a player, two kobolds jump out of the sewer and steal some fruit from a merchant before fleeing. This will give new players a chance to learn about things like initiative, attack roles, different types of actions etc. Then you drop the plot hook. Kobolds have infested the sewers because something forced them out of their caves or the pickpocket is trying to make money the only way he can to buy back his sister who was taken by slavers.

Modules like the Sunless Citadel seemed to be too much "enter the dungeon, go to the next room and 1. fight a monster 2. avoid a trap 3. solve a puzzle or 4. talk to an npc. My players always fall into two modes quickly. "Roleplaying mode" or "dungeoneering mode" where they either got into character or methodically tackled the challenged put forth.

 

[Odhanan]

So, what would you suggest? Both in terms of modules, and even any advice on bringing in new players to the hobby.

This past year I was in pretty much the same situation: all but one of the six players were complete newbies to RPG. So I may have a few useful tips/suggestions for you.

First, try to emphasize the freedom of the players when creating characters. Let the horizon open. Explain how they could choose this or that... whatever they want within the rules' frame. Try to pay attention to the newbie. Sometimes, they will "light up" at the mention of something they think is cool (which will be different from one player to another): go for it and explain "oh yeah sure, it's possible, and you know!" So bottom line: let them create what they really want. It will pay off in terms of game investment.

Second, try to create a first adventure that would last only one session, so that your players get a one-shot idea of what role-playing games are. Try to pack in a single adventure what you like the most about RPGs in a straightforward way.

What I did was start in a little village with the robbery of a community relic. Villagers think the relic has been possibly robbed by orcs living nearby. The PCs could either fight the orcs or discuss with them. They did the later and learned that in fact it wasn't them who stole the item, the other half of the relic (since it was split some time ago), which the orcs held for some time, having been stolen as well. The PCs chase the robbers and end up in the cimetary of the village they left, where they find the hide out of a ranger and a goblin gone renegades and trying to sell the pieces of the relic to a Mojh (a reptilian guy akin to dragons). Big fight with undead around and so on: they recover the relic and kill even the mojh - who was that guy? End of the adventure.

So you see, it was pretty straightforward. A bit of roleplay, a few fights, possibilities for both diplomacy and/or hack'n'slash, and a somewhat cliched-plot. At the end, the players knew what D&D looked like and could decide whether they wanted to stay or not, and the plot hook to go on adventuring was there.

Third, don't count too much on the experienced player to help you. It's not his job and he should have fun as much as the others. Meanwhile, he will help you, even unwillingly, by interacting in and out of the game with the newbies. He will probably try to "teach them the ropes". Let him do that, unless it becomes really annoying (lots of OOC remarks, downtimes and so on). If it does, just a few remarks with a smile and are usually enough. If not, having a discussion with him/her afterwards to explain basically that he shouldn't spoil the pleasure of discovery for the new players should do it.

Fourth, don't try to linger too much on heavy role-playing. Make the game fun! For some people immersive roleplaying will be great, for others it will be frustrating. They will want to bash the door and kill the orc. And it's all fine. It's your job to satisfy what they are longing for. Do this. Don't try to "force them" into your particular style. This asks a lot from you: you should remain open and aware of what they want and how they express it. They'll try to get drunk at the inn. They'll try to rob a good NPC perhaps. We all did that in some game or another. There's no reason why they shouldn't have that kind of fun if they want to. Later, they'll want some change like anyone and if they are hooked to RPGs, they'll try other styles.

 

[Brund the Decrepit]

I will also put a good word in for Wizard's Amulet from Necromancer games since it is a free download and is the precurser to the Crucible of Freya (also from Necromancer Games) adventure. Both are fantastic!



=-Brund

 

[Wraith Form]

This past year I was in pretty much the same situation: all but one of the six players were complete newbies to RPG. So I may have a few useful tips/suggestions for you. **SNIP** Later, they'll want some change like anyone and if they are hooked to RPGs, they'll try other styles.

Some decent-sounding advice, here. I'm about to run a Buffy/Angel game with a friend (fairly experienced RPG'er) and my wife, who'se never played an RPG before. I compared Odhanan's advice to what I've seen so far in my tiny group, and I agree with his suggestions.

 

[Bibliophile]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I've decided to buy Sunless Citidel, and I'm going to mix it up with Wizard's Amulet, and go with that to start off the campaign. With any luck, if the group ends up enjoying dnd nearly as much as I think they will, I'll put up a story hour in time

 

[Ed Cha]

Is it too late to recommend The Hamlet of Thumble?

 

[MonsterMash]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I've decided to buy Sunless Citidel, and I'm going to mix it up with Wizard's Amulet, and go with that to start off the campaign. With any luck, if the group ends up enjoying dnd nearly as much as I think they will, I'll put up a story hour in time

With new players I'd recommend that you use the easiest versions of encounters in the Wizard's Amulet as it can be a bit deadly otherwise. Both that you're using are good products, and it does give you a path into the Crucible of Freya if you wish.