tetsujin28
First Post
The best kind of games to play with 5 19-year old girls are ones in which I'm involved 
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What to DM to a newbie group of girls?
- Thread starter The_Magician
- Start date
Clueless
Webmonkey
I will say this - depending on the personalities of the girls involved - be prepared for some seriously unexpected approaches when you run. From experience (and a little bit of developmental theory) - females in that age group are a little more stable and more cooperative planners than males. Expect them to fall into team play quickly unless they're wanting to play heavily on the interpersonal drama. In which case as a DM - you have no job, just roll with what they come up with.
I'd be ready and prepared for them to start stealthing, or talking through many of the situations. Choose your adventure so that while there's a chance for combat, there's also a chance to be clever to get your way out, and be ready for that. Sort of like a good Shadowrun - often the tactics are such that ideally not a shot is fired.
I'd also *strongly* consider personalities as you work through it - try to hit up situations where each of them can show off a skill / something you know they like out of game. A chattery social butterfly should get the chance to talk up an NPC for information or a scam. A soccer-player tomboy should get the chance to beat the snot out of a bad guy for rightous reasons.
I'd be ready and prepared for them to start stealthing, or talking through many of the situations. Choose your adventure so that while there's a chance for combat, there's also a chance to be clever to get your way out, and be ready for that.
Sort of like a good Shadowrun - often the tactics are such that ideally not a shot is fired.I'd also *strongly* consider personalities as you work through it - try to hit up situations where each of them can show off a skill / something you know they like out of game. A chattery social butterfly should get the chance to talk up an NPC for information or a scam. A soccer-player tomboy should get the chance to beat the snot out of a bad guy for rightous reasons.
Bront
The man with the probe
If I understand, you're likely trying to avoid combat to try to keep things simpler as much as keeping their interest, which is not a bad idea (Combat can complicate things). You can always streamline it a bit, and for lower levels, you don't have many of the cooler options that complicate things anyway (Multiple AoOs, trips and disarms, grappling, high powered spell casting, ect).
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
If I had a nickel for every time I was in this situation.....
TIP #0
Really important: tell them "If sitting inside for four hours on a lovely summer day with five other people doing pretending to be elves and wizards doesn't appeal to you, or can't hold your attention, Pen-N-Paper RPG's probably aren't for you."
TIP #1
Make the characters for them beforehand, but ask them what kind of characters they might like to play. Make a diverse set of level 1 archetypes (when I did this, I took the iconics from the PHB and gave them as characters, but you might want to gender-swap a few since people generally like to play chars of their own gender). The ones who've played before might be fine rolling up their own -- make sure they have them by the time they get to the table. Nothing says "don't try this again," like spending 4 hours going through and explaining character creation. Do it for 'em (but make sure to give them a wide selection of types), and just say "Don't worry about understanding what it all says right now, I'll explain the things you'll need as we go along." Get RIGHT into the action. Make the story spur *instantly*.
TIP #2
Be easy on the combat. Because combat is complicated, and complexity throws newbies. Do something archetypal -- they fight goblins, they fight giants, they clear out rats from the sewers, whatever. But don't make it complicated and tactically involved. Having only 2 or 3 encounters is a good thing, especially if the last one is the "boss encounter" where they can beat the bad guy and save the day.
TIP #3
Keep the story stereotypical. Goblins have kidnapped the princess! The rats have grown to DIRE SIZE! The Ogres are attacking trade caravans! Something quick and easy to understand that can give them a feeling of what it's like to play a typical game. The big boss should be the goblin chief, or the rat that's at the source of the mutagen, or the human wizard who's been manipulating the ogres. Once he's dead, that's the adventure!
TIP #4
Have them gain a level. Really, it's a good hook for bringing 'em back. It's a rush, it's a reward, it's a power trip, and it's surprisingly addictive.
TIP #5
Don't assume they won't come back. The first few posts sound very "I know exactly how this is going to go," and kinda like you're only being goaded into it. If you're not into it, don't do it. Your enthusiasm is what is going to keep them interested, and if you're not enthused about running the game (because they're only gonna drop it or whatever), tell them to find someone else. I could be wrong about your mindset, it's just the impression I got FROM THE INTARWEB, but don't do this unless you're totally into it, or you won't just hurt your game, you'll hurt the first impressions of these potential lifelong players.
TIP #0
Really important: tell them "If sitting inside for four hours on a lovely summer day with five other people doing pretending to be elves and wizards doesn't appeal to you, or can't hold your attention, Pen-N-Paper RPG's probably aren't for you."
TIP #1
Make the characters for them beforehand, but ask them what kind of characters they might like to play. Make a diverse set of level 1 archetypes (when I did this, I took the iconics from the PHB and gave them as characters, but you might want to gender-swap a few since people generally like to play chars of their own gender). The ones who've played before might be fine rolling up their own -- make sure they have them by the time they get to the table. Nothing says "don't try this again," like spending 4 hours going through and explaining character creation. Do it for 'em (but make sure to give them a wide selection of types), and just say "Don't worry about understanding what it all says right now, I'll explain the things you'll need as we go along." Get RIGHT into the action. Make the story spur *instantly*.
TIP #2
Be easy on the combat. Because combat is complicated, and complexity throws newbies. Do something archetypal -- they fight goblins, they fight giants, they clear out rats from the sewers, whatever. But don't make it complicated and tactically involved. Having only 2 or 3 encounters is a good thing, especially if the last one is the "boss encounter" where they can beat the bad guy and save the day.
TIP #3
Keep the story stereotypical. Goblins have kidnapped the princess! The rats have grown to DIRE SIZE! The Ogres are attacking trade caravans! Something quick and easy to understand that can give them a feeling of what it's like to play a typical game. The big boss should be the goblin chief, or the rat that's at the source of the mutagen, or the human wizard who's been manipulating the ogres. Once he's dead, that's the adventure!
TIP #4
Have them gain a level. Really, it's a good hook for bringing 'em back. It's a rush, it's a reward, it's a power trip, and it's surprisingly addictive.
TIP #5
Don't assume they won't come back. The first few posts sound very "I know exactly how this is going to go," and kinda like you're only being goaded into it. If you're not into it, don't do it. Your enthusiasm is what is going to keep them interested, and if you're not enthused about running the game (because they're only gonna drop it or whatever), tell them to find someone else. I could be wrong about your mindset, it's just the impression I got FROM THE INTARWEB, but don't do this unless you're totally into it, or you won't just hurt your game, you'll hurt the first impressions of these potential lifelong players.
jgsugden
Legend
#1: Good D&D is like good a TV drama.
Each session should be like an episode of a good drama, like Alias, Babylon 5, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Buffy or Angel. Each spisode/session should have an individual plot that can be begun and finished in a single sitting. Further, there should be underlying storylines that take a few episodes/sessions to resolve and in depth, long term storylines that take many sessions, perhaps even years of gaming to resolve.
Your first session in a campaign should be a completely self contained adventure that hints at two or three other longer storylines, one of which should be very long term. An example:
The PCs are hired by a local wealthy merchant to recover a shipment that was ambushed by thieves and stolen on the road to town (single adventure story). The thieves were hired by a nearby baron who wanted something in the shipment that was necessary for a ritual. (A secondary storyline that can be concluded in a later adventure when the PCs hunt down the baron). The ritual is used to summon a powerful demonic force that eventually will possess the king, corrupt the entire govenment and force the entire nation into a war against other goodly nations (long term storyline). Finding and dealing with the thieves is the entire first adventure, but hints are hidden throughout the adventure that lead into the later adventures.
#2: Pet the puppy.
People get off on success and are turned off by failure. Make sure you design the first adventure so that each PC gets a chance to shine, each PC gets a reward and everyone has fun.
Design the first adventure so that the PCs will get enough experience to advance a level ... about 1250 experience per character (in case they miss some experience along the way). People love to go up a level.
Make sure each PC has something they can do that is important.
Example: Let's say the 5 PCs are a cleric, a druid, a rogue, a barbarian and a wizard. Present a challenge that is easily overcome by the wizard's spell, but would be hard for others (like a chasm that can be passed with a jump spell). Put skeletons in the adventure so that the cleric has a chance to make use of her turning ability. Put in a locked door that the rogue needs to open. Put in guard animals that the druid can use their wild empathy upon. Fighter types usually get a chance to shine, so you don't need to worry about them too much.
There should be some interesting magic items for each of the PCs somewhere along the way. Players love getting cool magic. Especially if it is distinctive and interesting. A +1 longsword is fine, but a +1 longsword that hastes the user for 1 rd per day as a swift/free action is very cool, but not overly powerful. A wand of burning hands is a fine magic item for a low level wizard, but if the wand also allows the wizard to cast prestidigitation at will
#3: Guide the newbies ...
New players often have no idea what to do. The best way to get them involved at the start is to give them subtle suggestions to help them out. For instance, suggest solutions to the party in the form of questions.
An example: The PCs make their way to the thieve's hideout and discover that the yard is being guarded by 3 fierce attack dogs. To help the PCs figure out an easy way to try to get past the challenge, the DM could ask the druid: "Do you want to use your enimal empathy to try to calm the dogs before they start barking?"
#4: All roads lead to Rome ...
Make sure there are many ways to achieve the goals of the party. If the stolen shipment idea I gave above, make sure there are a half dozen or so ways for the PCs to find out where the thieves might be hiding. Maybe they'll track the thieves back to their hiding spot. Maybe they'll pick up some rumors at the local tavern. Maybe they can get a description of one of the thieves from a survivor of the caravan ... and can run into that thief in town. Maybe they can just search the area near where the caravan was ambushed and they can find a clue, like a discarded waterskin imprinted with the design from an old abandoned inn (where the thieves are hiding out).
#5: Bring the people into their characters.
Know your audience. Make adventures that they will enjoy. If your 19 year olds all watch Alias and love spy stories, filter in spy aspects to the game. If the girls love animals, make it a wilderness adventure. If the girls love a particular movie, steal ideas from that movie.
#6: Know the rules and the game yourself.
Make sure you know how to build an adventure that is balanced for the PCs. If you're not sure it is fair, write it on the computer and ask someone on these boards to evaluate it to make sure it works. Nothing turns people off quicker than an adventure that is too difficult to survive or is too easy and boring.
Each session should be like an episode of a good drama, like Alias, Babylon 5, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Buffy or Angel. Each spisode/session should have an individual plot that can be begun and finished in a single sitting. Further, there should be underlying storylines that take a few episodes/sessions to resolve and in depth, long term storylines that take many sessions, perhaps even years of gaming to resolve.
Your first session in a campaign should be a completely self contained adventure that hints at two or three other longer storylines, one of which should be very long term. An example:
The PCs are hired by a local wealthy merchant to recover a shipment that was ambushed by thieves and stolen on the road to town (single adventure story). The thieves were hired by a nearby baron who wanted something in the shipment that was necessary for a ritual. (A secondary storyline that can be concluded in a later adventure when the PCs hunt down the baron). The ritual is used to summon a powerful demonic force that eventually will possess the king, corrupt the entire govenment and force the entire nation into a war against other goodly nations (long term storyline). Finding and dealing with the thieves is the entire first adventure, but hints are hidden throughout the adventure that lead into the later adventures.
#2: Pet the puppy.
People get off on success and are turned off by failure. Make sure you design the first adventure so that each PC gets a chance to shine, each PC gets a reward and everyone has fun.
Design the first adventure so that the PCs will get enough experience to advance a level ... about 1250 experience per character (in case they miss some experience along the way). People love to go up a level.
Make sure each PC has something they can do that is important.
Example: Let's say the 5 PCs are a cleric, a druid, a rogue, a barbarian and a wizard. Present a challenge that is easily overcome by the wizard's spell, but would be hard for others (like a chasm that can be passed with a jump spell). Put skeletons in the adventure so that the cleric has a chance to make use of her turning ability. Put in a locked door that the rogue needs to open. Put in guard animals that the druid can use their wild empathy upon. Fighter types usually get a chance to shine, so you don't need to worry about them too much.
There should be some interesting magic items for each of the PCs somewhere along the way. Players love getting cool magic. Especially if it is distinctive and interesting. A +1 longsword is fine, but a +1 longsword that hastes the user for 1 rd per day as a swift/free action is very cool, but not overly powerful. A wand of burning hands is a fine magic item for a low level wizard, but if the wand also allows the wizard to cast prestidigitation at will
#3: Guide the newbies ...
New players often have no idea what to do. The best way to get them involved at the start is to give them subtle suggestions to help them out. For instance, suggest solutions to the party in the form of questions.
An example: The PCs make their way to the thieve's hideout and discover that the yard is being guarded by 3 fierce attack dogs. To help the PCs figure out an easy way to try to get past the challenge, the DM could ask the druid: "Do you want to use your enimal empathy to try to calm the dogs before they start barking?"
#4: All roads lead to Rome ...
Make sure there are many ways to achieve the goals of the party. If the stolen shipment idea I gave above, make sure there are a half dozen or so ways for the PCs to find out where the thieves might be hiding. Maybe they'll track the thieves back to their hiding spot. Maybe they'll pick up some rumors at the local tavern. Maybe they can get a description of one of the thieves from a survivor of the caravan ... and can run into that thief in town. Maybe they can just search the area near where the caravan was ambushed and they can find a clue, like a discarded waterskin imprinted with the design from an old abandoned inn (where the thieves are hiding out).
#5: Bring the people into their characters.
Know your audience. Make adventures that they will enjoy. If your 19 year olds all watch Alias and love spy stories, filter in spy aspects to the game. If the girls love animals, make it a wilderness adventure. If the girls love a particular movie, steal ideas from that movie.
#6: Know the rules and the game yourself.
Make sure you know how to build an adventure that is balanced for the PCs. If you're not sure it is fair, write it on the computer and ask someone on these boards to evaluate it to make sure it works. Nothing turns people off quicker than an adventure that is too difficult to survive or is too easy and boring.
The_Magician
First Post
Thanks for all of you who sincerely are trying to help, but I have no problem DMing to them. I am well experienced, and know how to handle the situation. I just came here to ask for suggestions for adventure modules that could be played in no more than two sessions, and focus on roleplaying and solving mysteries, rather than in combats. That's it. If you know any cool adventure modules that fit the description and that you think a group of newbie girls would like, I am all ears.
Edit: The topic is WHAT to DM to a group of newbie girls, and not HOW to DM..
Edit2: The reason I am asking for those suggestions is because I am the kind of DM who prefers big campaigns, so I don't know many short adventures. So, that's the only way you can help me, by offering suggestions of what adventure modules to DM. Thanks. .
Edit: The topic is WHAT to DM to a group of newbie girls, and not HOW to DM..
Edit2: The reason I am asking for those suggestions is because I am the kind of DM who prefers big campaigns, so I don't know many short adventures. So, that's the only way you can help me, by offering suggestions of what adventure modules to DM. Thanks. .
Last edited:
Rystil Arden
First Post
One piece of advice I can give you, from experience with such people on a daily basis, is that you shouldn't underestimate the intelligence or attention-span of 19-year-old girls. Most of the ones I know are brilliant at math and the sciences, and while some are somewhat 'hyperactive' as you say, I wouldn't look down on them or treat them intellectually differently than a group of 30-year-olds. Then again, I'm an undergrad at MIT, so my view of 19-year-olds may be an itty bitty bit skewed.
MoonZar
Explorer
Anyway maybe that girl could be different... In any case do something simple and keep a fast rythm to keep their attention for the whole session. Don't hesitate to add random encounter when thing slow down.
You should try something simple, little time on the road, kill the bad guy and get back to home...
You know these girls so you should know what they will probably like in a game.
Idea :
They live in a village, and they are friends, sisters and stuff like this, this more easy to make them form a group. They will have a common goal, like rescue their childhood friend who was kypnap by a horrible slave trader, find something valuable that was stolen to one of the family of the PC.
You should try something simple, little time on the road, kill the bad guy and get back to home...
You know these girls so you should know what they will probably like in a game.
Idea :
They live in a village, and they are friends, sisters and stuff like this, this more easy to make them form a group. They will have a common goal, like rescue their childhood friend who was kypnap by a horrible slave trader, find something valuable that was stolen to one of the family of the PC.
The_Magician
First Post
WTF? let me try to make this clear. I am not looking down on them, stereotyping, underestimating, or anything. I KNOW THESE GIRLS FOR YEARS! Any experienced DM knows that to entertain his group he must know what the group likes more. He must know his players to provide the kind of entertainment they will like. I know these girls and I am saying they won't like combats and will prefer roleplaying and solving mysteries. Now, I am not saying THAT is what's going to happen, but I will truston my friendship to them and on my knowledge of their personality. So, please, stop with the pointless assumptions about me, or the girls. I am just asking for something very simple: suggestions of adventure modules. Nothing more.
Edit: Thanks Moonzar, but plot ideas won't help me much, since my weekdays are filled mostly by work. Although I could find time to write the adventure myself, I'm just not in the mood for it, which is why I am searching for an adventure module to make my life easier. =)
Edit: Thanks Moonzar, but plot ideas won't help me much, since my weekdays are filled mostly by work. Although I could find time to write the adventure myself, I'm just not in the mood for it, which is why I am searching for an adventure module to make my life easier. =)
Last edited:
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