DM Advice

[Celtavian]

If they're part of the Board Game Society, they don't mind reading and learning a game. I'd go with point buy and use ASIs for the first go around. Let them learn how to distribute stat points, choose class and archetype combinations, and learn spell selection before you work in other choices like feats. They'll have enough to learn during character creation without feats. You want to keep it focused.

Unless the players are impatient, I wouldn't go with pregens. Character creation is one of the most fun and creative parts of the game. It's how the players put their stamp on the campaign by creating what are in essence the protagonists. I'd take the time to explain how important character creation is to making the game interesting for the DM. You as a DM want them to come up with characters that will give interesting character hooks to develop into adventures and to seek inspiration from whatever sources they can for creating an interesting character whether it's a fictional character in their favorite movie or book or a historical figure or even a board game character. No use skipping the part of the game that allows the player the most creative input into the campaign.

 

[KahlessNestor]

If they're part of the Board Game Society, they don't mind reading and learning a game. I'd go with point buy and use ASIs for the first go around. Let them learn how to distribute stat points, choose class and archetype combinations, and learn spell selection before you work in other choices like feats. They'll have enough to learn during character creation without feats. You want to keep it focused.

Unless the players are impatient, I wouldn't go with pregens. Character creation is one of the most fun and creative parts of the game. It's how the players put their stamp on the campaign by creating what are in essence the protagonists. I'd take the time to explain how important character creation is to making the game interesting for the DM. You as a DM want them to come up with characters that will give interesting character hooks to develop into adventures and to seek inspiration from whatever sources they can for creating an interesting character whether it's a fictional character in their favorite movie or book or a historical figure or even a board game character. No use skipping the part of the game that allows the player the most creative input into the campaign.

That's what I was thinking. Some might have played some before. One who expressed interest has played Pathfinder. I just don't know who my players are yet. We have 3 different game systems starting up, to run for the remainder of the semester, so 6 weeks or so? Which is why I chose Phandelver.

 

[qo]

If it helps, I'm running LMoP at the minute and we're all new to RPGs (aside from one Pathfinder veteran).

Since there was total buy-in to wanting to learn how to play (we met through a D&D meetup group) we did a character creation session using anything from the PHB and rolling for abilities. I'll be letting them multi-class if they so wish but I'm leaving out feats. No problems so far...

If there wasn't that strong desire to learn from the PCs though I would have perhaps suggested just using the pregens.

 

[Herobizkit]

If it helps, consider the pre-gens and LMoP as a 'tutorial' to the D&D experience. If your players like it and want to play more after LMoP, let them make new characters as usual.

It's also likely best to start with the Basic D&D Rules: 4 races (human, dwarf, elf, halfling) and 4 classes (Fighter, Mage, Thief, Cleric). You could even get away with using only humans and make them earn those levels - as well as teaching them the value of torches.

 

[Al2O3]

I would consider not using the pregen rogue backstory. I'm currently running the adventure (with reasonably experienced players) and that story has so far proven to be the thing that had forced me to wing the most things.

 

[Boneguard]

I would also put in my vote in favor of not using pregen character. Going through the rules and building your character from the group up (whether you go with rolled stats, point built or assigned number) helps get a feel of what you want but also what the world is.

Sure the first session can be shorter in term of game time, but the player will be more involved IMHO and have a better understanding of the mechanic and the setting.

 

[ArwensDaughter]

If you do use the pregen rogue backstory, make sure that you and the player who has the rogue have a private talk. You need to decide if townspeople will recognize them as one of the Redbrands (unlikely since the aunt doesn't know this), how much of the manor the rogue is familiar with, etc. in our game, the rogue and I decided she had done stealth ops (stealing from merchants who didn't pay protection, etc) and thus not known by the townspeople as a red brand. She was recognized by some of the Redbrands, which made for interesting party interactions. And she knew part of the manor layout, but not all of it because she wasn't in the inner circle.

You could also give players a choice: use a pregen or come early/to a special session to build your own. There are a batch of pre gens available for free at the Dungeon Masters guild site.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I would not use pregens by default. Some players like to make characters some don't. Ask them a bit what kind of character they like and use pregens or make them a character. Ask them about where the character comes from and what he is aiming for. That will be backround, race and class. You decide which fits best.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Thanks for the advice.

Another request: My only DM experience was several years back in college in 4e. It was a home brew I was semi making up week to week after we had a TPK. It only went a couple months before school ended. I have never run a published adventure. Any advice related to such things? I read the module when I first got the boxed set (never played it), and again last month when I found out I was doing this. Should I use my play grid? (Grid or hex?) Or try TOTM? I don't have a huge amount of minis but I have the Monster Vault tokens from 42, and the tokens from the 4e starter set.

 

[KahlessNestor]

I'm also assuming the adventure is balanced for 4 players?