I'd recommend some counters or miniatures to help them visualize what they're doing. Without such things, D&D can seem a bit too "make-believe" for some people. The focus shouldn't be on combat rules so much, but visual aids are always helpful. I'd recommend Counter Collection I illustrated by Claudio Pozas who has a link on this Web site. If not, try to borrow some miniatures if you don't already have some. In case you don't have any access to things like this, don't sweat it. You can still have a lot of fun, because D&D IS all about the imagination. Good luck!
Need to explain D&D to potential players--Help!
- Thread starter johnsemlak
- Start date
johnsemlak
First Post
Sir Edgar said:
I agree, using some sort of mineature system would be good at the initial stage. There are some available here, or we might use makeshift tokens.
One useful thing I have is a large dungeon floorplan from Dragon 294, I believe. I'll try to make use of that.
Klaus
First Post
I just explained to my 12-year-old nephew what an RPG is, at a dinner party, in five minutes.
Me: You are climbing up spiral stairs inside a turret, looking for a kidnapped princess. The stairs end at a door. What do you do?
Nephew: Huh?... well...I open it.
Me: Push or pull?
Nephew: Pull!
Me: Too bad, it's for pushing.
Nephew: Okay, then I push.
Me: It opens onto a circular room, with a narrow window on the other side. Next to it you can see the princess, her ankle chained to a wall. But between you two are three nasty-looking soldiers, brandishing swords, and they're coming at you! What do you do?
Nephew: Er... do I have a sword?
Me: Yes, a sword, a shield and a nice armor.
Nephew: Then I go at them!
Me: Ok, let's flip a coin. If it's head, you hit the bad guy. If it's tails, he hits you, okay?
(flip, flip, flip, I let him vanquish all three brigands)
Me: Okay, the princess is still chained to a wall.
Nephew: I hit the chain with my sword to free her.
Me: Okay, you cut open the chain, and you two start running down the stairs. When you get to the courtyard, you can see, to one side, the open gate, and your horse next to it. On the other side, a band of brigands are coming, screaming curses and brandishing swords. What do you do?
Nephew: I run for my horse, put the princess on it, then I look for some button (heh) to drop the gate!
Me: A lever, not a button... Okay, you find one, flip it and run to the horse while the gate closes and traps the ruffians inside the castle. You mount your horse along with the princess and ride back home.
Me: Congratulations, you've just played your first ten minutes of RPG.
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As for the actual DnD, it's best to ask each player with some advance which type of character he/she'd want to play. I usually describe each class very broadly, and very archetypal. As the game goes along, you describe each roll as they occur. "I want to attack him!" "Okay, you just roll that d20 and add your attack modifiers, written... here... in your sheet" "Okay... uh... 16?" "okay, you hit him. Now roll... this die, a d8, and add your Strength modifier, written... here." "Okay. Wow! 9!" "Cool! You run him through with your sword, and as you pull it out, he fall to the floor with a 'clunk'." "Cool!"
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Me: You are climbing up spiral stairs inside a turret, looking for a kidnapped princess. The stairs end at a door. What do you do?
Nephew: Huh?... well...I open it.
Me: Push or pull?
Nephew: Pull!
Me: Too bad, it's for pushing.
Nephew: Okay, then I push.
Me: It opens onto a circular room, with a narrow window on the other side. Next to it you can see the princess, her ankle chained to a wall. But between you two are three nasty-looking soldiers, brandishing swords, and they're coming at you! What do you do?
Nephew: Er... do I have a sword?
Me: Yes, a sword, a shield and a nice armor.
Nephew: Then I go at them!
Me: Ok, let's flip a coin. If it's head, you hit the bad guy. If it's tails, he hits you, okay?
(flip, flip, flip, I let him vanquish all three brigands)
Me: Okay, the princess is still chained to a wall.
Nephew: I hit the chain with my sword to free her.
Me: Okay, you cut open the chain, and you two start running down the stairs. When you get to the courtyard, you can see, to one side, the open gate, and your horse next to it. On the other side, a band of brigands are coming, screaming curses and brandishing swords. What do you do?
Nephew: I run for my horse, put the princess on it, then I look for some button (heh) to drop the gate!
Me: A lever, not a button... Okay, you find one, flip it and run to the horse while the gate closes and traps the ruffians inside the castle. You mount your horse along with the princess and ride back home.
Me: Congratulations, you've just played your first ten minutes of RPG.
-----------
As for the actual DnD, it's best to ask each player with some advance which type of character he/she'd want to play. I usually describe each class very broadly, and very archetypal. As the game goes along, you describe each roll as they occur. "I want to attack him!" "Okay, you just roll that d20 and add your attack modifiers, written... here... in your sheet" "Okay... uh... 16?" "okay, you hit him. Now roll... this die, a d8, and add your Strength modifier, written... here." "Okay. Wow! 9!" "Cool! You run him through with your sword, and as you pull it out, he fall to the floor with a 'clunk'." "Cool!"
-----------
Silver Moon
Adventurer
This advice may be too late for you, as the weekend has gone by, but one approach to use with new players is a short game to get them familiar with the characters, making is something that they can relate to such as going shopping, going to a fair, or walking along a country road. Most of the first game should just be interactions with the other characters and a few colorful NPC's to get the ball rolling.
I will be running a game along those lines at an upcoming SCA Yule event for young players (ages 8 to 12), most of whom will be totally new to D&D. I plan to have pre-rolled age-appropriate children as the characters, to ease the transition into the gaming system. These characters will not be of actual character classes, but will each have an idea of what they want to be when they grow up.
I will be running a game along those lines at an upcoming SCA Yule event for young players (ages 8 to 12), most of whom will be totally new to D&D. I plan to have pre-rolled age-appropriate children as the characters, to ease the transition into the gaming system. These characters will not be of actual character classes, but will each have an idea of what they want to be when they grow up.
Hatchling Dragon
First Post
Sorry if I'm repeating anyone, wanted to reply to the thread title while the reaction/reply was fresh in my mind, and reading a dozen others' replies wouldn't have helped. 
Interactive story telling is a line I like to use. They're the main characters in the story that you, as the Author, are setting out for them to interact with.
If they don't read much just call it a Movie. You have the plot out-line, they're the main characters, you're the Director and 'cast of thousands' (ie: NPC's/Monsters, ect.). Explain that your job's to explain what their characters experience in the world, and thier job's to just 'be' the person they've created for thier characters.
Even though it usualy happens anyhow you can still suggest that they just play themselfs, picking the class/race that they think they'd best fit in if they were to be dropped into your campain.
If you're feeling creative and want to help them keep on track you can give 'titles' to your Campain, and perhaps even the sessions themselfs. I know they do this in many of the Story Hours posted here on the boards, I'm just un-clear on how many of those 'episode names' are created after the fact.
Hatchling Dragon
Interactive story telling is a line I like to use. They're the main characters in the story that you, as the Author, are setting out for them to interact with.
If they don't read much just call it a Movie. You have the plot out-line, they're the main characters, you're the Director and 'cast of thousands' (ie: NPC's/Monsters, ect.). Explain that your job's to explain what their characters experience in the world, and thier job's to just 'be' the person they've created for thier characters.
Even though it usualy happens anyhow you can still suggest that they just play themselfs, picking the class/race that they think they'd best fit in if they were to be dropped into your campain.
If you're feeling creative and want to help them keep on track you can give 'titles' to your Campain, and perhaps even the sessions themselfs. I know they do this in many of the Story Hours posted here on the boards, I'm just un-clear on how many of those 'episode names' are created after the fact.
Hatchling Dragon
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