Pathfinder 2E DM-ing a group of Noobies!

[Gfreak2x9]

My wife has managed to convince some of her coworkers to come over and play Pathfinder 2e (remastered) with us! Many of these people are brand new to Role Playing Games, so I want them to have a truly memorable experience! I've busted my behind making terrain I've either 3D Printed or made myself with crafting supplies! And assembling minis! All fully painted! This upcoming Sunday (February 2nd 2025) is our session zero! I've DM'd many sessions throughout my life, but this one has me much more nervous then others! I want it to be spectacular!

The general game plan is to get everyone acquainted! Some of these people have never even met me, so no pressure right! Lol! And then have a teaching lesson where my wife (an experienced player) and I attempt to explain the concepts of TTRPGs to totally new people! Two of the six players are experienced (one has played Pathfinder 1e and the other has played D&D 5e) the rest have never done so much as roll a D20!

After that, I have planned a gladiator style session where I plan to introduce each Character in dramatic ways at key moments in the fight! In an attempt to showcase which party member is good at what, and that TTRPGs are meant to be cooperative!

After that, if we even get that far on Sunday, I have the first mission of a home brew campaign I've made!

I've come here seeking guidance from fellow DMs and Players alike! I need adadvice! I need a pep talk! Hype me up for this so I'm on my A game!

-Thanks

 

[Smackpixi]

I guess my observation on your plan would be that you’re introducing everyone to the mechanics and set dressing of of the game first, on day one, with great enthusiasm, for sure, because you think that’s the important thing to know, or what is most fun. But you don’t know these people, and you want them to come back next week. The people that have never played before might be more hooked by a story, and interested in tactical combat later. How to play is great, but they need a Reason to play. That gladiator thing should be setting up the reason to play, the story, their involvement in it, etc, in addition to revealing their powers.

 

[Smackpixi]

Also, did they create their characters, or are you handing out pre-gens? If created, great, find a way do integrate, hook them, but don’t expect they are invested in the character yet, since noobs. If handing out pre-gens, auction them off with one sentence about the motivation, “who wants someone looking for their lost sister?” “Who wants someone who hates everyone because their pet goldfish just died?” Have more available than players so someone doesn’t get stuck with an unwanted one, and I dnno, have one of the last available be an indecisive or accommodating backstory, “I just like to help people”

 

[aco175]

If half the players never played anything before and you are asking them sit for 2 hours of making a character- you might lose some of them. You need to start fast. Have pregens available like a convention game. Put them on a road heading to a mission when they are attacked. Give them a bit of combat to start out and roll some dice. Get to the town and your contact for the mission is missing and you go save them. 3 hours max. Then, like next week, take the people that want more and bring more but expect some to drop out since it is not for everyone.

I like the idea of a gladiator-style combat. If you are doing each person to show off some, remember that the others are just sitting doing nothing until they get a few minutes. This might lead to boredom and wandering on their phones and such. Might be better to have everyone in the combat and have a monster set up so they need to be shot with bows and arrows or magic, and another monster that is big and has a lot of HP so the fighter gets to do damage, and another monster that needs another special thing another PCs has or the combat is part of a trap the rogue needs to disarm while in combat.

Most important is to relax and have fun yourself.

 

[Gfreak2x9]

Update:

They've been working on their characters on breaks at work! So all of them have a general concept of class and backstory! My wife has been working with them one on one! There's not really a need for pre-gen characters!

They're all really excited and seem to understand this will be a lot of learning!

As for why I'm introducing them one by one, I feel it would been very overwhelming to expect them to decide tactics when they've never played! It'll be like "Oh! Undead? Surprise! Cleric time!" So on and so forth!

Everyone's seems excited and ready to learn!

 

[Kichwas]

Pathfinder is a team game rather than a solo game. So there is a lot of value in introducing people as a team and having them work out plans both in and out of combat together from the outset.

That's probably the core difference between Pathfinder 2E and all the things I hear about DnD. Granted I have no 5E experience and have never read the books I bought for it a decade ago. But I very often hear how it's all about each character being the 'main character' and their own one-person solution.

Pathfinder 2E has an opposite take. You're a team, an ensemble cast where everyone has equal billing in the title credits. Out of combat you're the Mystery Gang from Scooby Doo. In combat you're the A-Team and nobody brought a mohawk to steal the scene with.

Players should get comfortable very quickly with the idea of making decisions together, as a group. And with working to boost each other up and make each other shine. And very early on you need to train out "I'm the main character here" attitudes and tactics.

 

[Velderan]

As far as how to present the game to people who have never played before and might not again, I would look to some of the Pathfinder Society organized play scenarios for inspiration on how to lay out something a casual player who might just drop into a game with no context and be able to hit the ground running. They typically have some roleplaying, maybe a puzzle to solve and then a combat or two. Give them a variety of stuff to do so you as the GM can get an idea what they respond to and build your homebrew campaign from there. Otherwise I would just run the Beginner Box for them since it again has a pretty good mix of game mechanics that are friendly to newcomers.

 

[ironchains]

I switched over to PF2 from 5e during the OGL scandal, and I have been GMing ever since. In order build a player base in my area (because I was the only one playing PF2) I started running 1-shots at my local game shops for newbies. Specifically targeted at teaching PF2 and introducing the game to people. After about 30 1-shots, each with a new group of players, I found a system that works pretty well.

For true noobs, start with a basic classes, short adventures, have an engaging story, and most importantly, don't expect them to use game terminology.
Let them describe what they want to do, and you tell them "that is a x-action activity and takes an Y-skill check."

The Beginner Box pregens are amazing for teaching new players because their layout is super helpful. I have found it to be helpful to have the players play a couple sessions with a Pre-Gen, and then go through making a character themselves once they understand what the rules are and how things work.

 

[Ramaster]

Got an update on this? Very curious to see how the session turned out!