Character for a new player
- Thread starter Infinite Monkey@Work
- Start date
StalkingBlue
First Post
The divine sorceror sounds great. So does ranged fighter. Mechanics should be simple enough in both cases. Plus if she stays out of melee for now, there's less danger of her character getting seriously hurt - which wouldn't be a good experience.
Don't give her a rogue to play. If you do, rely on your other players to swamp her with tactical and technical explanations for positioning, sneak attacks, and flanking. No good for a newbie who's still uncertain whether she'll like gaming or not. Above all, she will want to get the feeling that she's in control of her own character.
Have fun!
Don't give her a rogue to play. If you do, rely on your other players to swamp her with tactical and technical explanations for positioning, sneak attacks, and flanking. No good for a newbie who's still uncertain whether she'll like gaming or not. Above all, she will want to get the feeling that she's in control of her own character.
Have fun!
Chun-tzu
First Post
I would also steer any first-timer away from spellcasters. Each spell has a list of details that takes some time to learn what they mean and how it works and what you can or can't do. And first-timers don't have a good sense of when to use their abilities, so classes that have no such restrictions are much better.
I like Kaji's archer idea. I'd make it a female level 6 Elven Ranger. By level 6, the Ranger can cast 1 level 1 spell, but the spellcasting aspect is very minor, and can be ignored for several sessions without much of a problem.
I like Kaji's archer idea. I'd make it a female level 6 Elven Ranger. By level 6, the Ranger can cast 1 level 1 spell, but the spellcasting aspect is very minor, and can be ignored for several sessions without much of a problem.
Heck, more than spellcasters, I'd caution against slapping a newcomer into a multiclassed character. Being a jack of all trades is great for experienced players who want to share roles, but a newcomer isn't jaded and tired of doing the same thing all the time yet. I would not throw noble and divine sorcerer stuff on a newbie.
Personally, based on that story, I would go with a straight 6th level rogue. Pick the skills for her, or walk her through it. She's got fun abilities, more than just combat, she can be social if she likes and be good at it, and she can help combat from the back ranks.
Also, it probably would help me know what to recommend if I knew her a little better.
Example:
My wife, early on, knew squat about gaming. I gave her a sorcerer when she expressed an interest, and she got a little swamped and overwhelmed. It wasn't much fun. I should have given her something simpler, that only needed a few core skills to be fun to play.
My wife NOW has been hearing me talk about gaming sessions for years, and knows all about saving throws and spells and skill checks and the like. Now, I'd probably give her a bard, because that's the kind of person she'd want to play, and she'd be able to handle the numbers.
-Tacky
Personally, based on that story, I would go with a straight 6th level rogue. Pick the skills for her, or walk her through it. She's got fun abilities, more than just combat, she can be social if she likes and be good at it, and she can help combat from the back ranks.
Also, it probably would help me know what to recommend if I knew her a little better.
Example:
My wife, early on, knew squat about gaming. I gave her a sorcerer when she expressed an interest, and she got a little swamped and overwhelmed. It wasn't much fun. I should have given her something simpler, that only needed a few core skills to be fun to play.
My wife NOW has been hearing me talk about gaming sessions for years, and knows all about saving throws and spells and skill checks and the like. Now, I'd probably give her a bard, because that's the kind of person she'd want to play, and she'd be able to handle the numbers.
-Tacky
Greybar
No Trouble at All
I think the Ranger is a good idea. Since you've decided that she'll already have half her levels or so in Noble, the Sorceress will have very few and low-level spells. That's good for learning what they do, but bad for the spells actually being able to affect anything in the game! Bad guys blowing off her spells (low DC) could be disheartening. That said, I'll put in a vote for the Bard as a compromise, and back-up and say how the Sorcerer could be cool. [love contradicting myself]
Since she'll have trouble making DCs, concentrate on self-affecting and friend-helping spells. To run to stereotypes, women can be a bit more team-oriented, and plus you're making her a party of the group. Saving someone's life with a bardic Cure Light could bring her in well. Plus the bard can generally do okay in a fight.
Similarly, a self-help Sorcerer (mage armor, magic missile, other self-oriented and non-save spells) could be a good match for the Noble side.
The key is the gal's personality. If you don't know much about her, then all of us giving random guesses is about as good as you can get. Think about what you know of her?
How self-assertive is she?
Is she coming into the game because she's genuninely interested, or because her boyfriend talked her into it?
Does she partake in other pastimes that might be vaguely related - is she a fantasy novel fan? What character in Lord of the Rings did she really like, and perhaps identify with?
I just went through a similar exploration with my wife. She was enjoying aspects of a Call of Cthulhu game run by a friend of ours (also a woman) but just didn't get into the "being someone else" thing.
And don't beat yourself up if this isn't get kind of game. It's not for everyone.
Good Luck!!!
John
Since she'll have trouble making DCs, concentrate on self-affecting and friend-helping spells. To run to stereotypes, women can be a bit more team-oriented, and plus you're making her a party of the group. Saving someone's life with a bardic Cure Light could bring her in well. Plus the bard can generally do okay in a fight.
Similarly, a self-help Sorcerer (mage armor, magic missile, other self-oriented and non-save spells) could be a good match for the Noble side.
The key is the gal's personality. If you don't know much about her, then all of us giving random guesses is about as good as you can get. Think about what you know of her?
How self-assertive is she?
Is she coming into the game because she's genuninely interested, or because her boyfriend talked her into it?
Does she partake in other pastimes that might be vaguely related - is she a fantasy novel fan? What character in Lord of the Rings did she really like, and perhaps identify with?
I just went through a similar exploration with my wife. She was enjoying aspects of a Call of Cthulhu game run by a friend of ours (also a woman) but just didn't get into the "being someone else" thing.
And don't beat yourself up if this isn't get kind of game. It's not for everyone.
Good Luck!!!
John
Infinite Monkey@Work
First Post
Unfortunately, she (the player) is extremely quiet, so I don't know much about her. Her BF asked her a while ago, but she was the one that brought it up again today.
I think I'll go for the ranged specialist Fighter with a couple of levels of Noble. Noble doesn't add any special abilities for the first couple of levels, so that should still be easy to play.
Ta for all the help
I think I'll go for the ranged specialist Fighter with a couple of levels of Noble. Noble doesn't add any special abilities for the first couple of levels, so that should still be easy to play.
Ta for all the help
FungiMuncher
First Post
I agree with Greybar's comment that not knowing her would yield a random match. However, if you had the time, maybe you could build a few variations. At the beginning of the session, ask her some questions. Maybe she reads fantasy and would really enjoy playing a spell caster. After the questions, hand her the variation that seems to be the best match.
For a kick-butt character, an archer sounds good: effective in combat, but at a distance to avoid needing to learn too many rules. For spell casting, the Shugenja sounds really good: spontaneous casting, with a variety of effects. If you think role-playing would be her bag, then maybe Noble all the way.
FM
For a kick-butt character, an archer sounds good: effective in combat, but at a distance to avoid needing to learn too many rules. For spell casting, the Shugenja sounds really good: spontaneous casting, with a variety of effects. If you think role-playing would be her bag, then maybe Noble all the way.
FM
Well...
It would have been nice if you could have gotten her email to discuss this. You could find out a little bit about what she wanted, what her expectations were, and what you're expectations are. Then there are phone numbers.
As far as characters, I'd probably make up 2 or three other npcs that I thought were interesting, and well made in the more than a supporting character sense. Then maybe let her and her boyfirend watch, as you split the party so she could see how things went and fold which ever character she chose into the story when the party regrouped. Without much backstory it's a little hard to guage how practical these suggestions are. But a small selection of decent level 6 PC/NPC's should take too long.
As far as how to fold a new person into group quickly a typical hunted plot seems like it might be the easiest. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that. No one has to trust of know or care about anyone but they sure might have incentive to work together.
That way she doesn't really have to bend to anyones preconceptions when she's likely to have some of her own...might just make it simpler and smoother. If you slow the game down a little so she can ask questions freely, so much the better. I used to do a thing where players would just interupt me, whomever, when they were going to initiate an action. If it took me off guard they might get surprise action, bonus to initiative, etc. I'm starting to drift, but I'd try to make it crystal clear up front, that if you're ever unclear, or need clearification interupt me to get it. It worked pretty well, even though it was a little harder on shy players. But if that would be something new to your current crop I think it would tend to even the footing somewhat, and if it isn't new, well I think it would be doubly important to spell out the protocol for her.
Oh and I'd be pissed about short notice for that sort of thing, I like a week so I can more completely procrastinate. My procrastination regimen is complex, even intricate, and cannot be rushed.
It would have been nice if you could have gotten her email to discuss this. You could find out a little bit about what she wanted, what her expectations were, and what you're expectations are. Then there are phone numbers.
As far as characters, I'd probably make up 2 or three other npcs that I thought were interesting, and well made in the more than a supporting character sense. Then maybe let her and her boyfirend watch, as you split the party so she could see how things went and fold which ever character she chose into the story when the party regrouped. Without much backstory it's a little hard to guage how practical these suggestions are. But a small selection of decent level 6 PC/NPC's should take too long.
As far as how to fold a new person into group quickly a typical hunted plot seems like it might be the easiest. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that. No one has to trust of know or care about anyone but they sure might have incentive to work together.
That way she doesn't really have to bend to anyones preconceptions when she's likely to have some of her own...might just make it simpler and smoother. If you slow the game down a little so she can ask questions freely, so much the better. I used to do a thing where players would just interupt me, whomever, when they were going to initiate an action. If it took me off guard they might get surprise action, bonus to initiative, etc. I'm starting to drift, but I'd try to make it crystal clear up front, that if you're ever unclear, or need clearification interupt me to get it. It worked pretty well, even though it was a little harder on shy players. But if that would be something new to your current crop I think it would tend to even the footing somewhat, and if it isn't new, well I think it would be doubly important to spell out the protocol for her.
Oh and I'd be pissed about short notice for that sort of thing, I like a week so I can more completely procrastinate. My procrastination regimen is complex, even intricate, and cannot be rushed.
Infinite Monkey@Work
First Post
Alright then. lets change the topic of this thread slightly.
Help me build a cool-but-easy-to-use Archer character, using four(4) levels of Fighter.
Six(?) feats, so maybe...
Point blank shot
Fast shot
Weapon focus(longbow)
Weapon specialisation(longbow)
erm...
I think I won't give her shot on the run (a) because it uses up several feats to get there and (b) the character would be trained in archery as a noble pass time, so shooting while moiving probably isn't in her immediate repertiore
Help me build a cool-but-easy-to-use Archer character, using four(4) levels of Fighter.
Six(?) feats, so maybe...
Point blank shot
Fast shot
Weapon focus(longbow)
Weapon specialisation(longbow)
erm...
I think I won't give her shot on the run (a) because it uses up several feats to get there and (b) the character would be trained in archery as a noble pass time, so shooting while moiving probably isn't in her immediate repertiore
Infinite Monkey@Work said:
Wing it. First-time players don't even need to have character sheets, some don't want to be bogged in the mechanics. Give her a description of the character, and ask her, "Okay, what do you **want** to do?" Whatever she does, she does it at a level that doesn't outshine the other characters.
Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^
Similar Threads
