Help Me, Teach Newly Recruited Girl Gamer Learn DnD

[GWolf]

Ok here's the scope. I asked this intelectual girl I am friends with if she would like to play dnd with me and my friends, she doesn't really know much about it but she said she would, great dillema, I have a 6 days to teach her bare basics and help here make a character, then like my other players she will learn as we play, but the question is how do I help her to understand the game?

 

[Buttercup]

Lend her your copy of the player's handbook. If she's an intellectual, as you say, she won't have any trouble understanding it.

You might ask her if there is any fictional or historical character that she has an affinity for, and help her create a character who resembles that.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

My suggestions:

1) Suggest she play a human fighter. The rules for that are the easiest to pick up (no need to mention that though, wouldn't want her to get the impression you think she'd have a hard time with the rules).

2) Don't stare down her shirt.

3) D&D is not a hard game to learn. The problem is that there are a LOT of rules to keep in mind all at once. She'll have a hard time picking out skills and feats since she has no way of telling what is good what isn't. Suggest skills that she'll use often in your game (perhaps spot) and feats that elminate penalties (such as Precise Shot).

4) Don't stare down her shirt.

5) Offer to write up the character sheet for her. List out all the bonuses. For instance, don't write "AC 17". Write down: "Armor Class: 10 (base) + 1 (dexterity) + 6 (armor)"

The character sheet will look crummy, but the idea is for her to easily reference all the bonuses. Also, when a bonus no longer applies, such as when she gets caught flat footed, it will be easier for her to re-adjust the total.

6) Don't stare down her shirt.

7) For equipment give her a two handed weapon and a bow. Those are the easier weapons to switch off and she won't be caught trying to equip her shield. The idea is to keep the action going for her as much as possible.

8) Don't stare down her shirt.

9) Prepare the adventure! You'll not only be running the game but teaching a new player. Making sure the adventure is toatally prepapred means you won't have to "wing it" as much and the game can proceed faster.

10) Tell your buddies if they stare down her shirt, you're kicking them out. If they say something like "well, I'm not going to take things easy on her just because she's a girl", kick them out for that session. Trust me.

Happy gaming!

 

[GWolf]

yes

Well thank you both for the help. The Golden Rule My Friends

Don't stare down her shirt

 

[reapersaurus]

My STRONG recommendation is to go VERY rules-light when introducing anyone new to the game, especially a non-gamer.

Concentrate on the role-playing aspects, and the cathartic experience of playing something she can never be in real life.

Make a judgment call based on what you believe her personality to be like -
think about what she'd like to play the best.
Fighter is a good call, because of the small amounts of rules, but then again, a fighter can't do jack squat out of combat, so I'm thinking be prepared for her to want to play a rogue.

Don't focus on the numbers, a first-time player is not interested in them.
That focus can come later, after she's bought off on the whole roleplaying game aspects.

And Buttercup - to just hand her a PHB and have her do it all herself is SUCH a terrible idea, I can't believe you've ever introduced a non gamer, much less a girl, into playing.

However, your suggestion about a fictional or historical character to get her interested in playing something larger than life is GREAT.

 

[Zhure]

At this point, someone should probably mention the rule about not staring down her shirt.
Greg

 

[Buttercup]

Reapersaurus, I introduced myself to gaming that way, and I'm a girl.

I'm not sure why you think it's a bad idea. I thought the PHB was fascinating. I'd never read anything like it. The charts and tables were cool, and the spells! I loved it. People tell me I'm intellectual, (I'm a librarian) so perhaps she would be just as captivated as I was.

 

[CRGreathouse]

And Buttercup - to just hand her a PHB and have her do it all herself is SUCH a terrible idea, I can't believe you've ever introduced a non gamer, much less a girl, into playing.

I've introduced new gamers (one female, others male) to D&D. While I don't recommend that approch, it *can* be effective.

Basically, I'd have to know the person before giving specific advice, though I'd generally agree with reaper's method (with the qualification that I'd explain the d20 + stuff >= DC mechanic first).

 

[LostSoul]

I suggest you try to ignore the dorky rules-aspect of the game as much as possible (you know, the comments like "Look at Borg the Warrior! His strength is 22! I'm so buff I can hit AC 22 on a 3!"). Keep the action flowing and the player occupied.

 

[Humanophile]

Buttercup has partially the right idea, but since you asked her instead of her showing interest herself (and since you have under a week to begin), start but don't end there.

At T - 6 (or 5) days, give her the PHB, tell her what sections to look at (especially classes, races, and tell her to glance at feats and skills to get a minder, but not to agonize over the choices.) Let her mull over everything, and after 2-4 days, casually ask her what sparked her interest in the book. Don't press, though, just use this to get an idea for...

Some time before game, either the day before or if you have a couple of hours ahead of time, have her over to work on her character. Unless she's deadset on one of the choices, steer her away from the Cleric and Druid, and probably away from the Wizard too. (Playing a spellcaster can be tricky, and especialyl for a new player the sorcerer or bard is easier to remember. Fewer spells to keep track of, and you don't have to pick up what's good to prepare when.) Ideally, you'd have her in a class with a good hit die, but you want her to have fun with the concept more than be mechanically sound. (Read: if she's waffling between two choices, encourage her towards the more combat ready one, but don't make her feel that she "has to" play something.) Races shouldn't be too much to worry about, but have her pick skills in a featlike manner. (The PHB optional manner; show her a list of skills, tell her to pick N + INT mod of them that she likes, and max all of them out.) I'd also reccomend giving her the PHB package gear, just to gloss over the problems there.

When you have all the essentials of the character skeleton, use the character sheet in the back of the PHB, or any other very good one that gives a space for every modifier. Explain to her how everything works out, but at the same time, leave her with enough "when I ask for this, you roll and add this" room, and let her figure out how it's derived later. She doesn't have to understand it all at one gasp, just the basic modifiers she'll need to get started, and the rest is all practice.