DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Perish the thought!
D&D 5E Should D&D be easier to learn? If so, how would you do it?
What does WotC have to do with hiring a GM to learn how to play D&D?
MichaelSomething
Legend
Right now, not much. Do you want that to change???
No, but then you were the one that brought it up. All I said is that there are cheaper ways to learn how to play D&D than hiring a GM. WotC has a few really good Starter Set options out there. They don't need to make the core books any simpler. New players should be directed to starter sets that actually teach them the tools -- Mentzer is the gold standard here -- and then they can buy the core books.
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MichaelSomething
Legend
But think about it!!! WOTC could have a university where people can go to learn how to DM. Then WOTC can give them licensees that prove they are officially accredited DMs!!! There totally wouldn't be a huge blacklash against it!!
Edit: But seriously...
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I actually think WotC should do more practice "DM academy" style posts, videos and interactive media because it is in their best interest to have as many capable GMs out there as possible. But since the D&D YouTube environment grew essentially organically, they are probably too late to make any real contributions.
cbwjm
Seb-wejem
This has somewhat recently been what happened at the university where I work. A lot of people leaving and taking years of institutional knowledge with them. I still get emails from people asking about things from my old job.
"Players play heroic characters..." Jane doesn't really know my players, or Jane, apparently.
Voranzovin
Explorer
There are some simple things I think they could do that wouldn't really remove any existing complexity from the game, but would make it more approachable for first-time players.
- Get rid of ability scores. They are an endless source of confusion for new players, and don't actually do much of anything beyond taking up valuable room on the character sheet. Give players a starting array of ability modifiers, and make ASIs a single ability modifier point. We will never, ever miss them.
- Either sort spells into 1-20 levels that correspond to the level you can take the spell at, or call whatever buckets they get sorted into something other then levels. I can't count the number of times I've had to explain that your second level character can't cast second level spells, because those are two entirely separate concepts that are named the same thing because reasons.
- The standard character sheet is, to quote Diana Rigg in The Great Muppet Caper, loose where it should be tight and tight where it should be loose. It focuses an granularity where you don't need it and provides none where you do. For instance, there's no actual need to pre-calculate skills and weapon attack bonuses now that the core mechanic is so simple. Being overwhelmed by all the stuff on your character sheet is a much bigger problem for beginners, in my experience, then remembering to add an ability modifier and proficiency (if you have it) to a d20 roll. But the sheet doesn't provide you any real guidance on what your character can do when it's your turn, which is what beginning players actually do need. I'd propose remedying this by making standard character sheets for each class that highlight exactly what you need to see to play that class. Have race be a separate page which likewise makes your racial abilities front and center.
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