D&D General How to Start a New Player?

[Lazybones]

My suggestion is to begin with something short and simple. A basic five-room dungeon is a good starting point for a new player. Matt Colville's Delian Tomb is a good example, but I'm sure you could whip up something. I do think that the new 5.5e starter set is excellent, but it's a bit much for someone who just wants to dip their toes in and see if they enjoy the game.

 

[Scribe]

 

[Tigris]

My suggestion is to begin with something short and simple. A basic five-room dungeon is a good starting point for a new player. Matt Colville's Delian Tomb is a good example, but I'm sure you could whip up something. I do think that the new 5.5e starter set is excellent, but it's a bit much for someone who just wants to dip their toes in and see if they enjoy the game.

I am not sure if a dungeon is really a good starting point for someone who knows DnD from other media.

This is more for people with nostalgia/knowing D&D and wanting to test the nee D&D version.

I played with the friend mentioned above in some one shots in conventions to bring her into RPGs and she did by far like the DnD one shot the least from the 3 systems we tried because it was just a dungeon with lots of fighting.

The social interactions, the "strange" fantasy creatures and effects one encounter as well as talking with interesting NPCs these were the fun things.

And especially 5e (and especially low level) just has not that good of a fighting system, so its not the best to get someone hooked. Even in my main DnD group the fights we remember are the ones which felt like slap stick, because they are at least funny.


If you want a one shot, a simple town investigation with some excentric NPCs with 1 or maybe 2 fights (1 early one as final) will much more likely be fun and positive experience than a dungeon crawk.

 

[Gorg]

I liked the 5e Starter kit and the Essentials kit. They limited the array of options to the basic essentials, and explained clearly how things worked, all in a small magazine sized pamphlet. No Idea about the new one- I don't own it.

I am also an old grognard-ish. I do enjoy a lot of the ideas in modern D&D- the mechanics anyhow. And it's very difficult to go back to the old ways of few options, glass jaws, and a different rule system for everything. (compare the gold 1e character sheet to a modern one) IMO, the best part of the 5e boxed sets is that you don't have to wade thru paragraph after paragraph of High Gygaxian to get the one nugget of info you needed, like we did lol. (well, why the hell didn't you just SAY that, Gary???)

If you can find one on Ebay, grab it.

I actually liked the pregen characters in the Basic kit. Again, they clearly explained all the stuff. Even gave them some background, personality and all. Not a bad idea for a one shot, or short mini campaign. Then let them roll one up on their own, if they get the bug and want to continue. And, for Pete's sake, don't be a Richard and make them roll 3d6 down the line- you get what you get... You want them to LIKE the game, right?

you might even dig through the ridiculous collection of adventures, Dungeon mags, and home brew adventures we all seem to amass, for beginning adventures. Converting is pretty easy- if you don't sweat piddling stuff like I do... A Fun, interesting time is WAY ,more important than strict adherance to RAW or the official approved way of the day. Even better, if you refuse to obsess over balance. I just swap monsters with the (whatever edition I'm running) version. Same for spells, and magic. 5e characters are fairly sturdy, compared to the one punch chumps we started with- and you can always TALK or retreat. Point that out if needed.

 

[Clint_L]

Definitely not Shadowdark. Brand new players just know “D&D”, and she’s already a Critical Role fan. I always start new players on the current version of D&D because it’s the lingua Franca of the hobby, and then if they get the bug they’ll find their way to other systems, like most of us did. But knowing D&D gives her way more opportunities to find other players on her own. You also won’t have to constantly explain how the rules are like D&D but not exactly.

I recommend the Heroes of the Borderlands starter set. It’s super basic in terms of plot, which makes it easy to add little details tailoring it to your group, or you can just play it out of the box. It also comes with pregen characters, so you could give her that option, but since she’s a CR fan she’ll almost for sure want to make her own.

 

[Clint_L]

My players routinely forgot their initial class abilities and species abilities while playing through the early levels. Don't believe the Level 3 hype!

This. We tend to forget how complex level 1 is for someone with no prior experience. Let her understand what her class is before asking her to pick a subclass.

 

[Mort]

If she's into Critical Role and wants to start there - start with 5.5.

How is this starting, is she doing this with a group? Solo?

If a group - start at 1st level. I like Phandelver, and everyone I've started with it has liked it, ambush and all. But there are many number of other good adventures.

If solo, just think of a fun scenario and go with it. Though honestly, if she's into the group interaction, I either necessarily start solo unless it can't be avoided.

 

[Mort]

This. We tend to forget how complex level 1 is for someone with no prior experience. Let her understand what her class is before asking her to pick a subclass.

I'm all for starting (well) above first level, but not with new players!

I've seen how overwhelmed new players can be with all the rules. 1st level, is the way to go, initially.

 

[GMMichael]

But if you know someone who can giver her that CR, 5E, neo-trad experience she obviously wants, do that.

I stand corrected. Let Matt Mercer do it.

 

[FrozenNorth]

Id use 5.5E if you have it available. If not, id explain you are using 2014 rules because its what you got and its gonna be close to 5.5E.

I agree with all of @payn ‘s comments so I won’t repeat them.

The one point I’d add is with respect to pregens is that using them depends on the circumstances. They only have one afternoon to be initiated into the hobby? Go with pregens. They are the only new player in the group and can’t make the character ahead of time? Pregen. You are running a very thematic one-shot? Pregen. You have time to meet with them or the group for a session zero? Custom.