D&D 5E So I made a 5 page abridged version of the D&D rules to introduce new players

[dregntael]

In the past, I've had several opportunities to introduce new players to D&D. One of the biggest hurdles is explaining all the rules, many of which are not necessary for a first game but are hard to avoid because they are interleaved with the rest of the rules. This is less of a problem with 5e, but still more than I can explain before people get bored. So I've taken up the idea of making a condensed version of the basic rules with all the fiddly bits removed (I know, I know, I'm not the first person to do this). The result is 5 pages of what I think are the essential rules needed to play a one-shot game at level 1.

I haven't tried out the rules but I will hopefully get a chance in two weeks. In the meantime, I'd love to get your feedback if there's anything that's missing or could be improved.

Here are some of the more prominent simplifications I made:
- only the 4 basic races and classes.
- ability scores range from -1 to +5.
- no class levels beyond the 1st.
- no distinction between attack rolls/ability checks/saving throws.
- no skills, instead use the ability check proficiency rules from the DMG.
- no proficiency bonus, instead you get a bonus to certain abilities based on your class.
- side initiative.
- no distinction between short/long rests, you simply heal 1 hit die worth of hp each rest.
- no rules for dying, you're simply unconscious at 0hp until either someone heals you or finishes you off.
- no long equipment or spell lists, everything is right there in the class description.
- metric system for distances, because.

Credits:
- The idea for a small set of rules to introduce new players comes from this blog post.
- Lots of text was stolen from the D&D Basic rules.
- I used the template available here.

 

[guachi]

A good summary of the main classes.

It reads like rules from a board game where choices are restricted for players but still iconic and different from one another.

Would work well for people that just want to start playing.

 

[redrick]

Interesting! I recently undertook a similar task, though my goal was to get something down to 1 page (double-sided)! This is both more and less ambitious, as you are trying to actually provide a fully playable rule-set, whereas mine was just meant to be an overview.

I think the introduction is good, though I would maybe change bulletpoint #3 to be a little less prescriptive. Players should be encouraged to speak in character and think like their character, but this can be overwhelming for many beginning players, so I think it's good to let them know it's not required.

I also think a short play sample after "Adventuring" would be great. The Basic Rules play sample is nice, though I think it can be tightened up a bit. (There's a 15 line description of the drawbridge leading up to Castle Ravenloft.)

I would be very curious to hear how a game would work running entirely off of these rules. Would the DM introduce broader rules and concepts over play?

How would you feel if I borrowed/modified this for personal use? (Not to share publicly, but to print and share with new people before a game.)

 

[Jester David]

What's the point?

Okay, I get the point. And I don't want to crap all over what was clearly a huge amount of work. So before I go any farther, have some XP. Anyone trying to make it easier for new people to get into the game is doing a service to the gaming community. So good on you.

But... 5e is pretty simple already. Making a character is tricky at times, but if you want to introduce new players to the game, the best way is through pregenerated characters anyway. And, if you're introducing them, you have a great deal of control in what you ask for and rule adjudication, so you can keep things pretty simple.

Also, I worry about the disconnect when the players "graduate" to the "real rules". Which is the issue with running using a variant of the main rules. Suddenly, there's mental contradictions where rules they thought they know no longer work as assumed. You need to learn the rules and then re-learn the rules.

 

[dregntael]

Thanks for the comments!

Interesting! I recently undertook a similar task, though my goal was to get something down to 1 page (double-sided)! This is both more and less ambitious, as you are trying to actually provide a fully playable rule-set, whereas mine was just meant to be an overview.

I think the introduction is good, though I would maybe change bulletpoint #3 to be a little less prescriptive. Players should be encouraged to speak in character and think like their character, but this can be overwhelming for many beginning players, so I think it's good to let them know it's not required.

Yes, I agree. Though I want to leave in some encouragement to roleplay, I don't want people to mistake it for a boardgame.

I also think a short play sample after "Adventuring" would be great. The Basic Rules play sample is nice, though I think it can be tightened up a bit. (There's a 15 line description of the drawbridge leading up to Castle Ravenloft.)

Good idea, I'll see if I can include a shortened version.

I would be very curious to hear how a game would work running entirely off of these rules. Would the DM introduce broader rules and concepts over play?

I'll let you know once I've tried it out.

How would you feel if I borrowed/modified this for personal use? (Not to share publicly, but to print and share with new people before a game.)

Sure, go ahead.

What's the point?

Okay, I get the point. And I don't want to crap all over what was clearly a huge amount of work. So before I go any farther, have some XP. Anyone trying to make it easier for new people to get into the game is doing a service to the gaming community. So good on you.

But... 5e is pretty simple already. Making a character is tricky at times, but if you want to introduce new players to the game, the best way is through pregenerated characters anyway. And, if you're introducing them, you have a great deal of control in what you ask for and rule adjudication, so you can keep things pretty simple.

Even with pregenerated characters, I'd say the amount of concepts to explain to someone who's never played an RPG before is pretty daunting. Just on the standard character sheet, there's things like skills, saving throws, ability scores and ability modifiers, temporary hit points, hit dice, passive perception, death saves, tool proficiencies, ... Sure, you can just tell 'don't worry about that' but I'd rather have something more streamlined. Also, I was just curious as to how small a ruleset I could create that is still playable and still 'feels' like 5e.

Also, I worry about the disconnect when the players "graduate" to the "real rules". Which is the issue with running using a variant of the main rules. Suddenly, there's mental contradictions where rules they thought they know no longer work as assumed. You need to learn the rules and then re-learn the rules.

That's a valid concern. I tried to keep as many things as possible compatible with the full rules, for example you can tell the fighter: instead of the +2 bonus to all strength and constitution checks, you actually have something called your proficiency bonus that you add to anything you're proficient in. But of course many small bits are incompatible. My philosophy is that it's the trickiest part to get new players to try the game in the first place, once they've started playing it's easier to introduce them to the full rules over time.

 

[Baumi]

Thats quite an Interesting minimalist Version 8D

Just one thing .. shouldn't the Wizards Spell Resistance be 10+Int (since there is no Proficiency)?

 

[dregntael]

They already get a blanket +2 bonus to intelligence, so the proficiency is built in.

 

[LordEntrails]

...
Even with pregenerated characters, I'd say the amount of concepts to explain to someone who's never played an RPG before is pretty daunting. Just on the standard character sheet, there's things like skills, saving throws, ability scores and ability modifiers, temporary hit points, hit dice, passive perception, death saves, tool proficiencies, ... Sure, you can just tell 'don't worry about that' but I'd rather have something more streamlined. Also, I was just curious as to how small a ruleset I could create that is still playable and still 'feels' like 5e....

I have found that it is really not as difficult as you make it seem. I've taught kids as young as 6 to play as well as many teenagers and adults of all intellectual levels.

The mistake that maybe you and other make is trying to explain everything. Don't. Don't explain the character sheet. Don't explain the available combat actions. Don't explain what an action is. Don't explain. Play.

"Ok, here's your character sheet. She's a elven wizard. Here are some of the spells she knows and here's what she carrying. Take just a second to look it over."

(Once everyone has their character sheets, you start)

"So, you live in this small farming village called Telair. It's a peaceful place on the edge of the Riverlands Kingdom. But that never really seems of much importance because though you hear stories of the King and the lords, you never seen them as Telair is on the end of a long road that goes nowhere but here. I want each of you to tell me one or two things about yourself (your character) and in character introduce yourselves to the others and figure out if you grew up here or are a traveler."

Encourage a little role-play. Help them out. Describe the village hall and anything else they ask about. Then get ready to start the adventure.

"The sun is well set, dinner has been eaten, and even those who have chosen to drink a mug have finished and headed home. Children are asleep and only a handful of the adults are still awake flirting or otherwise indulging in their youth. It is then that the peace of the night is shattered by a woman’s piercing scream from the north. The scream is quickly followed by the blowing of several hunting horns and a dozen guttural war cries. What do you do?"

See? Now you are playing. The players are involved. They don't care about the rules, and they don't need to at this point. Just keep asking them "what do you do?" And then telling them the consequence or impact based on your knowledge of the rules.

Such as:
"I put on my armor and grab my sword!"
"Great, putting on your armor by yourself is going to take a couple of minutes. Do you want to take that long or go outside with just your sword?"

 

[dave2008]

Even with pregenerated characters, I'd say the amount of concepts to explain to someone who's never played an RPG before is pretty daunting. Just on the standard character sheet, there's things like skills, saving throws, ability scores and ability modifiers, temporary hit points, hit dice, passive perception, death saves, tool proficiencies, ... Sure, you can just tell 'don't worry about that' but I'd rather have something more streamlined. Also, I was just curious as to how small a ruleset I could create that is still playable and still 'feels' like 5e.

I think you are under estimating people. I was able to introduce D&D to my sons and their friends when they were 6-8 years old. I didn't change any of the rules. With a brief (15min +/-) explanation of the basics we were up and running. If we came to a situation we hadn't covered previously, I explained the rule then and there. The best way to learn the rules is play. You don't need to give them anything to read, just decribe the basics of combat / checks and off you go!

My philosophy is that it's the trickiest part to get new players to try the game in the first place, once they've started playing it's easier to introduce them to the full rules over time.

But you have really made it trickier by creating another set of rules (and a 5 page document to boot). You really need very few rules to start play and then just introduce new rules as they come up. I don't typically give new players written rules until after we have play 2-3 sessions.

 

[dave2008]

I have found that it is really not as difficult as you make it seem. I've taught kids as young as 6 to play as well as many teenagers and adults of all intellectual levels.

The mistake that maybe you and other make is trying to explain everything. Don't. Don't explain the character sheet. Don't explain the available combat actions. Don't explain what an action is. Don't explain. Play.

"Ok, here's your character sheet. She's a elven wizard. Here are some of the spells she knows and here's what she carrying. Take just a second to look it over."

(Once everyone has their character sheets, you start)

"So, you live in this small farming village called Telair. It's a peaceful place on the edge of the Riverlands Kingdom. But that never really seems of much importance because though you hear stories of the King and the lords, you never seen them as Telair is on the end of a long road that goes nowhere but here. I want each of you to tell me one or two things about yourself (your character) and in character introduce yourselves to the others and figure out if you grew up here or are a traveler."

Encourage a little role-play. Help them out. Describe the village hall and anything else they ask about. Then get ready to start the adventure.

"The sun is well set, dinner has been eaten, and even those who have chosen to drink a mug have finished and headed home. Children are asleep and only a handful of the adults are still awake flirting or otherwise indulging in their youth. It is then that the peace of the night is shattered by a woman’s piercing scream from the north. The scream is quickly followed by the blowing of several hunting horns and a dozen guttural war cries. What do you do?"

See? Now you are playing. The players are involved. They don't care about the rules, and they don't need to at this point. Just keep asking them "what do you do?" And then telling them the consequence or impact based on your knowledge of the rules.

Such as:
"I put on my armor and grab my sword!"
"Great, putting on your armor by yourself is going to take a couple of minutes. Do you want to take that long or go outside with just your sword?"

OK - LordEntrails just said it better than me.