D&D 5E New Lost Mnes of Phandelver Campaign: 10 Players!

[CydKnight]

You wouldn't play with kids?

Most of us started as kids. Kids playing this game is what grows the hobby. How could you reject the idea that someone wants to play with kids?

I have two 10-year olds in my regular group. It was challenging to keep them focused the first few sessions but they have gotten better. After 20 or so sessions they still have much to learn but we are all having fun.

 

[akr71]

I have nothing against kids, I don't hate them, I just think D&D is not for kids. Think about it, many of the nightmare players that we don't want to have around pretty much have the same trait: being childish and immature. D&D requires a certain level of maturity, and most importantly, playing with like-minded people. Sure, you can tailor your game for the kids, but you have to be able to stomach the wacky and crazy stuff.

With children being children, they are a curious bunch, and more likely to treat a game with vast amount of freedom with 'What happens if I hit the guard with my axe?' 'What happens if I kill everyone?' They will poke and prod at everything until the game (or the DM) breaks down.

You have a very strange idea of how most kids behave. No big deal - if you don't want to play with kids, then don't.

As others have said, most of us started as kids and I enjoy sharing the game with kids. Their imagination and ingenuity never fails to impress me and the kids I play with want to be heroes and feel like heroes, so I've never experienced this "What happens if I kill everyone?" thing.

@Yenrak - Cool! 5e brought me back to the game after a long hiatus too. I DM for my wife and kids, play in a bi-weekly campaign on Roll20 and just started a Star Wars d20 weekly game.

 

[Mistwell]

Immoralkickass said s/he did not want to play with kids, s/he did not reject the idea of playing with kids.

I think you will find, if you examine his response below, that he absolutely does reject the idea of playing with kids. He thinks D&D isn't for kids and is only for adults.

I have nothing against kids, I don't hate them, I just think D&D is not for kids. Think about it, many of the nightmare players that we don't want to have around pretty much have the same trait: being childish and immature. D&D requires a certain level of maturity, and most importantly, playing with like-minded people. Sure, you can tailor your game for the kids, but you have to be able to stomach the wacky and crazy stuff.

With children being children, they are a curious bunch, and more likely to treat a game with vast amount of freedom with 'What happens if I hit the guard with my axe?' 'What happens if I kill everyone?' They will poke and prod at everything until the game (or the DM) breaks down.

I don't have to "think about it" I've not only played with kids but I was a kid when I learned to play. As was the vast majority of the people on this board and the players in the world. It says right there on the cover of the game that it's for Ages 12+ (which means "younger than teenager"). And MANY people have found it's fine for ages younger than that.

I am not harshing you for it being not your personal preference to play with kids. That, to me, makes sense. And I want to be clear about that. If it's not for you, it's not for you, and I am not telling you that you should play with kids or should feel any obligation to do so.

I am harshing you for suggesting that the very idea of kids playing D&D is objectionable. That you think no kids can be mature enough to play it. That you think kids would by definition break the game. It's an absurd claim that deserves some mocking, frankly. You are SURROUNDED by people who learned this game young, and did just fine with it. The entire game was popularized by kids playing it in the late 70s and early to mid 80s to begin with. There is a reason it was in E.T.. There was a reason it was in Stranger Things. There is a reason it was a kids cartoon. It was MOSTLY a kids game to begin with. And while the game has changed over the years (though I would argue it has not gotten more complex), kids STILL play this game. It's still intended for audiences which includes pre-teens in addition to teens and adults.

And frankly, D&D doesn't need to be mature or serious. It can be crazy and zanny and be a fun game. So even if you think kids can't handle the oh-so-serious version you seem to enjoy (though many can), others might enjoy the crazy and zanny stereotype you think kids would bring. So even if your claim were true (and in my experience it is not) it still doesn't make sense to make that generalization and conclude they shouldn't play.

So while I respect your right and preference to not play with kids, I darn well don't agree with your claim that "I just think D&D is not for kids". Oh it's for kids all right. If not for those kids in an earlier era popularizing the game, you might not be playing it today.

 

[Immoralkickass]

I think you will find, if you examine his response below, that he absolutely does reject the idea of playing with kids. He thinks D&D isn't for kids and is only for adults.



I don't have to "think about it" I've not only played with kids but I was a kid when I learned to play. As was the vast majority of the people on this board and the players in the world. It says right there on the cover of the game that it's for Ages 12+ (which means "younger than teenager"). And MANY people have found it's fine for ages younger than that.

I am not harshing you for it being not your personal preference to play with kids. That, to me, makes sense. And I want to be clear about that. If it's not for you, it's not for you, and I am not telling you that you should play with kids or should feel any obligation to do so.

I am harshing you for suggesting that the very idea of kids playing D&D is objectionable. That you think no kids can be mature enough to play it. That you think kids would by definition break the game. It's an absurd claim that deserves some mocking, frankly. You are SURROUNDED by people who learned this game young, and did just fine with it. The entire game was popularized by kids playing it in the late 70s and early to mid 80s to begin with. There is a reason it was in E.T.. There was a reason it was in Stranger Things. There is a reason it was a kids cartoon. It was MOSTLY a kids game to begin with. And while the game has changed over the years (though I would argue it has not gotten more complex), kids STILL play this game. It's still intended for audiences which includes pre-teens in addition to teens and adults.

And frankly, D&D doesn't need to be mature or serious. It can be crazy and zanny and be a fun game. So even if you think kids can't handle the oh-so-serious version you seem to enjoy (though many can), others might enjoy the crazy and zanny stereotype you think kids would bring. So even if your claim were true (and in my experience it is not) it still doesn't make sense to make that generalization and conclude they shouldn't play.

So while I respect your right and preference to not play with kids, I darn well don't agree with your claim that "I just think D&D is not for kids". Oh it's for kids all right. If not for those kids in an earlier era popularizing the game, you might not be playing it today.

Was this really necessary? You act all aggressive towards my opinion, and for what? I'll have you know my opinion did not harm anyone, nor was any child harmed in the process of forming my opinion. D&D is not really popular in my country anyway, so I didn't have to go out of my way to avoid playing with kids. But that's not the point.

The point is, I meant well. I respect the OP for playing with kids when I would rather not. I respect the OP for being willing to deal with all the logistics and trouble of managing 10 players. Seriously, that was my intention, but I was never good at giving praises anyway, so I am not surprised that my post was met with hostility. Though I should note that there is a big difference in, being a player among a bunch of kids, and DMing for kids (I am fine with the latter). But still, its odd that you would mention the age restriction being 12+ only, then proceed to insist its a kids game. It depends how you define 'kid', but I thought the most common definition of a kid would be below 12 years, because 13 and above would be a teenager. So you see, my opinion isn't far off from the game developers. You could ask them to give reasons why they think D&D is only suitable for ages 12 and above, and I bet it wasn't because they want to discriminate kids. Whatever their reasons are, you probably won't agree with them, and you aren't obliged to follow. But you already know that.

I admit the words that come out of my mouth are rarely music to anyones ears, and maybe I've seen one too many noisy brat who can't sit still for a minute. I know that exceptions do exist, and I did use the phrase 'more likely to treat a game...' instead of 'all kids would treat the game...' But people on the internet always cannot discern the difference.

I actually don't mind playing a one shot with kids, but weekly sessions would be a flat no.

 

[Yenrak]

Red brand Cultists, Sunless Owl Well, Forge of Wave Echo Cavern

I've been doing a lot of thinking about how to combine LMoP with other published adventures. Or at least set the stage for other adventures by making changes to LMoP.

Here's what I have in mind so far.

1. The Redbramds aren't just a gang--they're a cult. I haven't worked out whether they are Dragon cultists or Elemental Cultists. I'm leaning heavily toward Elemental because I ran Temple of Elemental Evil years ago and like the idea of alluding back to that adventure. Maybe I'll even change The Black Spider's real name to Lareth the Beautiful.

2. Wave Echo Cavern is Forge of Fury. I think Wave Echo Cavern is pretty disappointing and small given all the build up toward finding it. So I'm going to substitute in Khundrukar. It has all the features necessary to be Wave Echo plus so much more. Nezznar will likely be in the desecrated shrine down on The Foundry level. There are a bunch of e,pty rooms there where I can place other encounters from Wave Echo (Mormensk the Wrath, the fame skull, Nezzenar's bugbears, the surviving Rockseeker brother).

3. Sunless Citadel is at Old Owl Well.