Good starting ruleset for a 9 yr-old?

[CarlZog]

I'm sure this has come up before here, but a search didn't dig up much that was helpful.

I'm looking for a good set of rules for introducing a nine-year-old to the game. I want something simple that focuses on role-playing and use of skills in problem solving, rather than movement and tactics. I'm not sure 3(.5)e or d20, even in the new "basic set" form is the right thing.

Part of the problem is that I've already made the mistake of lending him a spare copy of the old Basic Set rulebook from the early 80s (It was the one thing on my bookshelf which was both at his level and which I didn't mind not getting back.)

He has devoured it word for word and is dying to play. But, as much as I'm an advocate for old games, I don't want to introduce him to rules that are so old, he can't find any other copies for his friends or other material if he continues to gain interest.

So does anybody have any other recommendations?

Thanks.

Carl

 

[trollwad]

My little brother was only 10 when he started playing 1e d&d with me (without weapon speeds and a few other complex aspects). I suggest playing the new rules lite Castles & Crusades with him and nudging him along if he gets stuck. Play a basic scenario like Keep on the Borderlands, with Good Guys and Bad Guys. Also, my little brother could handle about two hours at a time before he got fidgety.

good luck

 

[francisca]

In my opinion, the Moldvay Basic set is the best set to learn from, for ages 9-90.

You shouldn't have any trouble finding copies on ebay. or modules. or the setting books, etc..

If you don't want to go that route, and aren't too keen on d20 for the 9 year old, you might try savage worlds or HARP.

 

[twistedoliver]

Rules for small ones

Greetings,

I started my son playing D&D 3.0 last year (he was 11.5 then) and he loved it. I even let him go to my club with other players and it was ok playing with the standard rules.

What I do at home though is ignore a lot of th rules that slow down play. Here is what I would do for your 9-year old...

When giving descriptions, or asking questions relate them to movies they have seen (you want to be a wizards like harry potter? or a strong guy like the gardner?) Stuff like that? Or maybe sneaking like marry and Pipen if they have seen those...I try to keep descriptions to that and they relate.

As to the ruleset, D&D is fine if you have the books. I would do the following:

• Drop Attacks of Opportunity and all feats to that effect.
• Drop reach weapons and monsters
• Drop Criticals
• You Pick their feats
• Pick the simple feats (ones that add +1 all the time to stuff to avoid confusion)
• Be an NPC, that way you can talk and they have help (they learn by example)
• Be a class they arn't, to round out the little party.
• Make healing easier (get like double or triple HP back).

Since they are used to
playing computer games this is a good way to get them wanting to play again.
​

I found the if I didn't do that he lost interest when he had to rest all the time or after each encounter.
​

Once they get the hang of it, you start to add more and more of the rules in. Or maybe not for a little bit. I also told my group to ignore AOO with my son when he played in the group. They all didn't care and loved role-playing with him.

Hope this helps.

 

[kengar]

In my opinion, the Moldvay Basic set is the best set to learn from, for ages 9-90.

You shouldn't have any trouble finding copies on ebay. or modules. or the setting books, etc..

If you don't want to go that route, and aren't too keen on d20 for the 9 year old, you might try savage worlds or HARP.

I'll second that. It's the only version of D&D I still play.
Savage Worlds is my main system nowadays, but I'm not sure how well it would work for what you describe, if only because it is fairly minis/tactically oriented.

 

[Breakdaddy]

I'll second that. It's the only version of D&D I still play.

I'll third it. This is probably the best way to induct a young person into the RPG fold. Castles & Crusades is also quite simple to play, and an in-print alternative to basic D&D.

 

[jeff37923]

The DnD Basic Game is really good for beginners, although it is set up more for tactics and combat - but then again no more so than the old red book from the 80s was. I'd recommend that for a game that was still in print.

For a game that is now out-of-print, I'd recommend the WEG Star Wars Introductory Adventure Game. That is the definitive introductory game to compare all others to, IMHO. The bad part is that it has been out of print for the last eight years.


Although, if you are interested, I do have both for sale at the moment....

 

[diaglo]

In my opinion, the Moldvay Basic set is the best set to learn from, for ages 9-90.

not that OD&D or Holmes Basic weren't easy too. but Moldvay was definitely the easiest.

 

[Bregh]

Fourth (fifth?) recommendation for the Moldvay-edit Basic D&D (the red-coloured/Erol Otus artwork) and its sister volume, the Cook/Marsh-edit Expert rules (blue cover, more Otus art).

Better layout than the Menzter-edit "red book", and is more self-contained than the Holmes-edit Basic D&D (which I still like, personally). Easily and very inexpensively available from second-hand sources all over North America, and widely-played in its day so information and assistance can be garnered from almost any gaming-forum web-site.

Advantages for the ages you've mentioned: low entry cost, extremely portable, self contained, very readable, with glossery and bibliography for inspirational reading, and concise, straight-forward rules.

 

[IronWolf]

One of the old Basic sets would probably work well. I know I learned how to play using that when I was 9 or so... Now I probably missed a lot of rules, but it got me going enough to keep me entertained and having fun.

And another option would be to take a look at the new Basic set. I don't have it, but it is supposed to be geared to bring new people into the game. And in the long run may make it easier to transition into a more recent flavor of D&D (if that is what you are after).