D&D for very young kids

[Lela]

my money says most kids could be introduced to "the game" thru
. . .

stories with game themes

Bedtime stories?

"As the valiant Paladin entered the cave, he spoted the viscous red dragon. Rolling initive, the dragon easily beat our mighty warrior, who had rolled a 2. The dragon streached it's neck out, breathing a cone of fire! But the rightious Paladin doged out of his way, having rolled well on his Reflex save and only took half damage. Charging forward, warriar of Torm rolled a critical threat! But the confirmation roll will be difficult, as the dragon has a high AC. Thrusting deep, our warriar finds that he does strike true, thanks to his Dragon Bane Holy Avenger.

"And the Chaotic Evil young adult dragon was slain!"

"Thanks daddy."

 

[mmadsen]

More ideas posted by WSmith on the old thread:

*Pre-teens like to look at pictures and imagine stories about it. Find pictures of mountains, landscapes, castles, etc. either in the library or on the web to use as props for what the character sees.

*Allow all classes to have animal followers or familiars. Much young reader fantasy involes friendship between the protagonist and their animal companion.

*Puzzles. Kids, (some adults even) find them challenging, but make them solvable and not too hard, or the game will stall. They could be as simple as "Rays of noon, when flowers bloom, Then sunlight flows green, open will the portal clean" scrawled on a piece of parchment the characters found. Later the find at seperate places, they find one yellow crystal and one blue crystal. Later, they come upon a strange pyramid amid the rolling planes of with blooming flowers surrounding it. Once inside the come to a chamber that has an archway to another chamber with a white crystal globe afixed in the center to the wall above the arch. The characters notice a small opening near the top of the roof that allows sunlight to shine on the wall near the globe. As it gets clooser to lunch time the beam of light that is focued through the hole moves closer to the crystal globe. (I am sure that we'll know what to do, but would an 8 year old think of the riddle, his treasure, and how to put them together?)

*Use the game to imrpove the players academic skills if needed. If they need some help with math, have them visit the local merchant to exchange currency, of purchase X ounce amount of a liquid, but with them determining from a big jug how much they need. Caution, you really have to hide this well. If they suspect they are doing a math lesson and not a game, they will be turned off.

*Use terms that will intice them to do research. Anyone else remember finding out what "e.g., i.e., et. al." meant from the 1st edition DMG? Call one location a bay, one an inlet, one a cape, one a penninsula. If they don't know what the word means, have them look it up.

 

[mmadsen]

In my American History class today, the teacher asked us, "Who can give me a description of Fudulism."

Out of curiosity, why was an American history teacher asking about feudalism?

There was a pause. "Anyone a history buff, or played Dungens & Dragons in grade school?"

While I didn't start playing until I was 17 or so, I thought it was interesting that he thought of the game as being for a younger audience. The connotation was that, like 4-square or tag, it was something predominantly played by younger kids.

Odd. While I understand thinking that it's a game, and games are something you play as a kid, doesn't D&D have a reputation as a college-geek hobby?

 

[Lela]

Out of curiosity, why was an American history teacher asking about feudalism?

I should mention that the class is actually called American Heritage, but is basicly the same thing, only the end result is supposed to help you not only know about American history, but to want to deffend it. I don't know how common it is, but I'm told that BYU loves it.

To answer your question, it was a 10-minute "dusscusion" (in a 90 minute class) on part of what the origanal colonists were leaving. He then described life in the south and how similar it was to Euorpe's then current version of feudalism.

Odd. While I understand thinking that it's a game, and games are something you play as a kid, doesn't D&D have a reputation as a college-geek hobby? [/B]

My experience with D&D's rep was that it was described more as a High School hobby (reserved mostly for seniors). In fact, my old DM (then 30, see? OLD ) commonly talked about playing during high school lunch. When I asked how often he had a combat that was cut short, he replied that they never had that problem. Maybe D&D is responsible for low-school attendence.

 

[mmadsen]

I have to admit, though, in my enthusiasm for teaching them the concept of role-playing, I want to make sure the rules take a back seat. No reaon I can see to teach them that RPGs="lots of rules" at this point.

It's probably easier all around to play a free-form game where you, the adult DM, make all the decisions. Since everyone loves dice though, let them roll to see how well they succeed or fail when they try something.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Here is my dilema with the "Basic" version.

...So, now I am caught between the point of: do I finish the core rules scaleback, where the characters are completely d20 street legal and portable after 5th level, or do I continue with the simpler version of a generic fantasy role playing game that is more newbie friendly?

...Aside from traditional, I see no reason why I shouldn't use the sorcerer.

My two cents...

The game you are playing is more important than the game you might play someday. It is not that difficult to fudge a one time character conversion. You only have to do that once, right? The only downside is the kids will have more to unlearn this way.

Go with spontaneous casting. It will make life much easier for you and the player. No difficult strategic decisions over what to memorize and it keeps the number of spells the child has to consider small. The player still will get the fun of choosing a new spell while cutting the tedium out of the process.

 

[kenjib]

Hello wsmith,

I agree that the sorcerer would be the way to go. It just seems a little simpler. Regarding how much you should deviate from D&D rules, I guess I'd have to see more specifics to really decide. I think both approaches have advantages.

 

[WSmith]

Yeah, I am thinking the sorcerer is the way.

I am going to stick the scaleback for now, only cause of time constraints do not allow me pour time into the new version option. Essentially, the scaleback is no different than regular 3e, except in two ways.

First the choices are limited. The characters will actually be almost if not completely legal characters. Removing the options spells, or feats, or skills, or weapons from the choices is similar to not choosing them if they are available. To the new player, as it is designed for, "they don't know what they are missing" so they are not missing it. The DM will have the option to add what ever he wants.

Second, I just have to change or simplify some of the terminology. The whole action descripton thing needs to be addressed. I like the SPYCRAFT half/full action description. Plus describing AoO will make more sense that the blasted PHB.

That is about it. RL is keeping me from working on it more this week.

 

[mmadsen]

Let me post one more vote for Sorcerer. I don't see any reason to introduce memorizing/preparing spells.

 

[mmadsen]

You really think a kid that young will enjoy this? Most younger children (im 13 i remember) like to do physical activities more.

I don't see why young kids can't play baseball, soccer, tag football and D&D. I certainly did.

As far as I was until about age 9-10 I wanted to do physical stuff, wich escalated to videogames, then to DnD.

Physical games lead to video games?