Female and Male Gamers

[Voadam]

Since one of the women is playing a fighter, definitely include her in combat.

There are valid ways to play a pseudo pacifistic warrior. For instance, I played a merchant wizard character who always tried to deal diplomatically with encounters making deals with anybody and everybody. But when we were ambushed he would activate his contingency haste and let fly with magic missiles and lightningbolts. some people like to play nice guys who do not provoke others but are ready to step up to the bat to fight oppresion, bullies, etc. Think of the old hulk TV show, Bruce Banner avoids conflict, but conflict seeks him out resulting in a raging fight every episode.

 

[Mark]

I think I might try a different tact with a group like this...

Allow the group to be split early in the adventure. Set it up so it seems that it is the natural way to go (based on how they like to play, but not on their characters) but set them up to fail. You need to present a situation where the "combat types" will want to rush off to something that needs handling immediately and the "role-playing types" need to go handle a delicate negotiation. Run them simultaneously, switching back and forth between the two groups, making sure to give them equal time around the table. Make sure that the ones not immediately involved are paying attention while the other group is functioning.

Now the fun...

Set up the combat so that it is ideally suited to be accomplished by the combat skill set of the characters run by the "role-playing types" and have the negotiation center on role-playing skills that are unique or more prevalent in the characters run by the supposed "combat types". When you're running the combat and one of the "role-playing types" mentions that they have a spell/weapon that would be perfect in that situation, calmly say, "Ahh ahh ahh, you're not there. You're off at the negotiation..." When running the negotiation and someone from the combat is inclined to realize that they could have been a huge help, subtly point out, "Too bad the Paladin (or whatever) isn't here. His knowledge of (whatever) would have come in handy"

It's a sneaky, underhanded way to get them to realize that there's more to the game than either facet and that you will be setting up scenarios where the whole group will be necessary to overcome the challenges. The game requires both elements to be optimally played, IMO.

Just my approach...

 

[kolvar]

Make them want to fight.
Some of the most brutal Killing machines in my campaigns have been an Assassin, a psionic ("Kill them all") and a Healer (cute little healer with a realy nasty punch), all played by women.

If you set up a situation, where they realy want to get the enemy down, most peacefull players are eager to fight in my experience. And if you describe the combat vividly and tell them, that they can basically do everything they can imagin, they should be fine in combat situations.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Think of the old hulk TV show, Bruce Banner avoids conflict, but conflict seeks him out resulting in a raging fight every episode.

Um...I believe that was David Banner.

 

[Voadam]

I would recommend not splitting up the group. As a player I find it takes away a lot from the fun of a game to "not be there" half the time.

Another tactic I might suggest would be having something ambush one of the new to combat players by dropping from above (can work no matter where in marching order they are). Perhaps you have rumors that the local goblins pathologically hate druids, later one or two suicidally attack the druid dropping from their hiding place in a tree branch. Meanwhile other goblins attack from all around to distract the grunts. A bunch of goblins is not much of a threat and the party can handle them, but this will make sure the druid gets a chance to use the combat rules before the combat veterans decimate the goblin mob.

Don't use nets in this scenario, they add complications to combat which a beginner does not need.

 

[Voadam]

Dr. Zoom,

Your right Bruce Banner is the comic, David Banner is the show, although I think it was actually David Bruce Banner on the show Either way its been awhile for me.

 

[Mark]

I would recommend not splitting up the group. As a player I find it takes away a lot from the fun of a game to "not be there" half the time.

It's my contention that the group is already split...in their minds. It seems as if he had two groups and that each is approaching the game as if the other mindset is not part of the game. I think it requires an object lesson to allow them to see the advantage of having both approaches in their gaming.

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Morik said:
So my take is to leave the woman out of the fight and only do it with the male players.

That's not very politically correct, is it?

Seriously, this is a bad idea, IMO. You didn't leave the guys out of the roleplaying part, did you? Combat is part of the D&D game. The only way for new players to learn is to be a part of it.

I tell new players who may not know all the rules to simply describe to me what they want their characters to do, and I will convert their descriptions into the game mechanics. This works well and teaches them the rules at the same time. Plus, they get a much better mental picture of what their characters just did, and enjoy it more than if they just used meta-game language to describe their actions.

 

[KidCthulhu]

Do NOT, for the love of god and your respective relationships, excude the relationship, which may not be long .

1) Sounds like you're using good enemies for pacifistic players. Zombies are mindless destroying machines. You can't reason with them, and they threaten innocents. Use hostages and innocents to make their removal more urgent.

2) Set up your combat as a cliffhanger, and let the group discuss tactics between sessions. Help the women understand what talents their characters have which can help, and what tactics will work well. Many new gamers (women and men) are thrown by the bewildering range of options.

3) Let the women be the movers of the combat, and give them successes. Kicking butt turns many pacifist players into combat machines. Maybe you can have the some or all of the men captured, netted, paralyzed or otherwise incapacitated as your cliffhanger. Then the women HAVE to fight to save the others. This gives them motivation, and lets them be the heros.

Good luck.

 

[Pielorinho]

I'd also encourage a strategy-discussion session before the big fight -- maybe a friendly NPC advises them to go into the fight with a plan?

This can be a chance for the more experienced players to teach the less experienced players some decent tactics -- which will make the less-experienced combat players have more fun.

Some ideas:
-Explain about readying an action to disrupt spellcasting. People with good ranged attacks (especially with magic missiles) excel at this.
-Make sure that the weaker characters know not to charge into melee combat. Inexperienced players often do this and get creamed.
-Make sure that the tougher characters know that they can trip, disarm, and so forth. You don't need to explain the rules; just make sure they know of the possibilities.
-Make sure the rogue knows about flanking.
-Be pretty liberal with allowing people to suggest actions to other players during the battle. If someone is about to do something stupid (cast a spell right next to the shield guardian when they could take a 5' step and then cast), give them an in-game warning ("You're about to cast the spell when the shield guardian swings around to look at you. Casting the spell will mean dropping your guard for a moment; would you rather step back away from him and then cast?") At the same time, don't let other players gang up on the less-experienced ones ("You fool, why didn't you cast dispel magic? Arggh!")

Good luck! This has the potential to be a great session!
Daniel