How do you start new players?

C&C discussion. Fantasy roleplaying.
New products, general questions, the rules, laws, and the chaos.
Post Reply
User avatar
Captain_K
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 2747
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2013 10:37 pm
Location: North Coast

How do you start new players?

Post by Captain_K »

Let me try again, what is your method of starting a new group of players (without experience at the game)?

How do you start off the creation of their characters?

First level?

Looking for input.

I hope to have super basic PCs within one hour (class, race, stats and hp) them get them started doing something.
Wow, Another Natural One! You guys are a sink hole for luck. Stay away from my dice.

Fizz
Lore Drake
Posts: 1439
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:00 am

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Fizz »

Captain_K wrote:
Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:42 pm
Let me try again, what is your method of starting a new group of players (without experience at the game)?
How do you start off the creation of their characters?
First level?
Looking for input.
I hope to have super basic PCs within one hour (class, race, stats and hp) them get them started doing something.
So are you making the characters yourself? Or will the new players be quickly creating them? Either way, for new players, yes i'd definitely start them with 1st level characters.

If you're making the characters yourself beforehand, i'd just pick some stats directly, make sure they have a decent set of numbers to give some modest bonuses; no need to overwhelm new players with uber-characters.

If the players are creating their characters, then quick descriptions of each class / race should suffice. The specific abilities of each can come later. I'd have them do 3d6 for stats. For hit points, i'd let them role twice and pick the best one: give the players a chance to have more than average survivable characters.


-Fizz

User avatar
Go0gleplex
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4051
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 7:00 am
Location: Keizer, OR

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Go0gleplex »

I spend a little time explaining how things work, their options and how classes work in general...including the additional dozen or so homebrew classes and races I've developed before rolling up their character. They all start at first level...and I run them thru a few simple around town 'short missions' to get used to the mechanics of play and their characters. This also gives me a little insight into the goals and mannerisms they develop for their characters which I use to set the hook for a few 'real' lower level adventures in either the local 'living perma-dungeon' or missions from either the Adventurer's Guild or contact they've made with their short missions.
"Rolling dice and killing characters since September 1976."
"Author of Wardogs! and Contributor to Iron Stars and Starmada-Admiralty ed."
"Certified crazy since 2009."

User avatar
Grandpa
Ulthal
Posts: 636
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:59 pm

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Grandpa »

If experienced with any version of D&D I just give an overview of the Siege Engine first off. Then a quick overview of classes and races being used in current game. If a 1st level PC wouldn't be high enough I help them create something 1 level lower than the current avg level playing. If no FRPG experience then I have them read the first part of "The Game" pg. 7 in AD&D 1st Ed PHB. Then I give them a Character to play and pair with an experienced player who will guide them step by step during the first session they play..

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4348
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Lurker »

I was lucky enough to start my daughters and their best friend (plus her dad, but it was a gamer back in the day that just needed the rust knocked off his gaming skills, so I won't count him) a little under 2 years ago. So, I have a fresh look at this.

I was lucky that all 3 of them read The Hobbit, and we are playing in a Tolkienish setting, so I could use that as reference points for them.

I started with a full up session 0 night. I gave a very wide brush overview of the races and classes, with descriptions linked to the books or other things they have all read. Then I handed them the books to look at. As they flipped through them and showed interest in a race or class, I gave them a more in-depth explanation of the role and the roll of what they were looking at (this is the first place I covered mechanics of the game). Once they narrowed it down to one or two races & classes, I gave a more in-depth explanation and covered the specifics of what they were looking at in the setting and with the mechanics. I also gave them some advice on their choice based on personality - the very shy older daughter not choosing something that required a LOT of role playing etc.

Once they all chose race and class, I went through step by step on creating the characters. Even to the level of as they placed their rolls in their stats and chose primes I explained skill checks and saves with the exact numbers they had.

Once that was done, I did a quick scenario so they could actually roll dice and get a taste of role/roll playing. Of course one of them did something that made it harder to be part of the group, and learned the lesson that some time you can't role play it as how you would do it, and have to play your character how they would do it. I made sure they all got to see everything from skill check to saves to combat to social CHA checks.

That got them started with a taste of what it would be like on session 1

Oh yeah, I start them at 1st level.

Since then, I've done 2 one shots with CoC, and 1 for Traveller. With them being 1 shots I already had the characters made that they picked from, so As I started the game I would narrate and then offer advice on 'if you have a skill like X or Y, you could try using it, but if you have something else that would work or that you want to try, give me a roll too" and as the game went further along I would throttle that help back until it was all them.

Oh yeah fun one, on the 2nd CoC one shot I had my daughters roll up the PCs (and then changed them and gave the background and secrets before the game) that helped them understand the game and characters a little better.

If we ever start a new game, at least a modern or Sci Fi game not a C&C fantasy / dungeon crawl Tolkien game, I think I'll add a background and personality questionnaire idea I got from a Skoriskai video I saw a few months ago - character backgrounds 201 or something like that

Go0gleplex wrote:
Fri Nov 25, 2022 6:52 pm
I spend a little time explaining how things work, their options and how classes work in general...including the additional dozen or so homebrew classes and races I've developed before rolling up their character. They all start at first level...and I run them thru a few simple around town 'short missions' to get used to the mechanics of play and their characters. This also gives me a little insight into the goals and mannerisms they develop for their characters which I use to set the hook for a few 'real' lower level adventures in either the local 'living perma-dungeon' or missions from either the Adventurer's Guild or contact they've made with their short missions.
Sounds like we start them out a lot alike. I like your idea for a few around town short missions to get hooks and tie in with NPCs for the real games. I'll have to use that if we start a new fantasy game !
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

serleran
Mogrl
Posts: 14094
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:00 am

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by serleran »

Depends on their situation.

If they are new to RPGs completely, I'll hand them a level 1 fighter with a short explanation included that covers simple things like combat, saves, equipment - a sort of quickstart. I go with fighter instead of letting them create a character to ensure they get something they can handle by lowering the bar on decision paralysis.

If they are familiar with other games but have not played C&C (or not with me before) I give them the same as above minus the character - they get to create it, but I do make sure they understand my personal rules like no one starts as a paladin, even players I know.

We will have a short 15-30 minute one-on-one to play out some stuff before the actual game begins. If they don't like a fighter and would prefer something more challenging (read: choices), then I'll think about it and help them with the new character.

User avatar
Captain_K
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 2747
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2013 10:37 pm
Location: North Coast

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Captain_K »

thanks for the input. Much appreciated. I described it in the other thread. went well and started playing them making 1st level PCs in 1 hours and 20 min. not bad.
Wow, Another Natural One! You guys are a sink hole for luck. Stay away from my dice.

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4348
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Lurker »

I did forget to say that foe each game (the long running campaigns and the one offs) I set them up a player folder with quick reference pages and good 'need to know' things for whatever game we are playing.

That helps out A LOT !
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

User avatar
Go0gleplex
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4051
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 7:00 am
Location: Keizer, OR

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Go0gleplex »

What Lurker said. We had an issue with some less honest players suddenly having magic items none of the DMs could remember giving out so we also instigated the issuing of index cards with the magic item, known/learned qualities, charges, and command words with the issuing DM's signature and date. If the card wasn't with their character, then neither was the item. Sounds draconian...but with four of us rotating as DM weekly (early 80's) and 30+ players, it solved MANY issues. I've kept to that policy ever since.
"Rolling dice and killing characters since September 1976."
"Author of Wardogs! and Contributor to Iron Stars and Starmada-Admiralty ed."
"Certified crazy since 2009."

User avatar
Breakdaddy
The Castle Keeper
Posts: 3890
Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:00 am

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Breakdaddy »

I think if I were to start a game today I would use the method that Professor Dungeon Master and many others espouse which involves starting the game out right smack in the middle of a fight. They dont even necessarily know at first what is going on. Ive seen this method used more since The Lazy Dungeon Master series of books came out and it generally tends to set a high energy starting point that is highly engaging and snaps the players out of "stare at my phone" mode and into the game. The Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master actually has quite a bit of advice I find compelling in no small part due to my almost complete lack of time to prepare a game. I dont usually start players a level 1 but hardly ever over level 3.
"If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."
-Genghis Khan

User avatar
TwoHeavens
Skobbit
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2022 7:45 am

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by TwoHeavens »

Lurker wrote:
Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:51 am
I did forget to say that foe each game (the long running campaigns and the one offs) I set them up a player folder with quick reference pages and good 'need to know' things for whatever game we are playing.

That helps out A LOT !
Hell I could use quick reference pages a lot of times. Worth their weight in gold.

User avatar
maximus
Lore Drake
Posts: 1203
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:23 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by maximus »

First I give them an overview of the campaign world, then C&C / Siege Engine. I have them read the character classes from the PHB before session 0, in which we do character creation and set up the logistics. They should come to session 0 with a character and class already in mind. Coming with a backstory is not essential. Some folks just go with the basics.

User avatar
Lurker
Greater Lore Drake
Posts: 4348
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:00 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by Lurker »

maximus wrote:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 2:50 pm
First I give them an overview of the campaign world, then C&C / Siege Engine. I have them read the character classes from the PHB before session 0, in which we do character creation and set up the logistics. They should come to session 0 with a character and class already in mind. Coming with a backstory is not essential. Some folks just go with the basics.
Just the basics .... no back story ..... just what kind of game do you run ! :mrgreen:

You know me, I do LOVE my good back stories, but yeah that can be a bridge to far for new gamers, or players that just want to throw dice, swing weapons and kill monsters.

The 'come to session 0 with a character and class' was an issue when I start the Dune game for my girls face to face last week (or was it 2 weeks ago, time blurs ... ) the concept of the game was completely foreign to anything any of the players had done before, so I had to cover everything for them face to face there at session 0. It did make session 0 take forever, but it helped them ben their mind around the game.

For any normal game though, a quick read through of the book, or a quick ref should do it for any but the most green of gamers.
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

serleran
Mogrl
Posts: 14094
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:00 am

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by serleran »

Oh, I forgot to mention I also ask the player one very fundamental question: "What do you expect from the game?"

There may be clarification and follow-up questions, naturally, or not, but I like them to know that I'm trying to understand what they want/need and also to know if I can provide it to them... for example, I am not so good at hardcore sci-fi because I don't enjoy it, but if the player is expecting a realistic, fact-driven, physics-based game then I may have to tell them "nope" or likewise if they want to play in a canon version of some universe... even published, purely fictional, ones like Greyhawk or Ravenloft because I make too many changes and deviate from published material on purpose.

User avatar
maximus
Lore Drake
Posts: 1203
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:23 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: How do you start new players?

Post by maximus »

Lurker wrote:
Thu Jan 05, 2023 3:41 am
maximus wrote:
Wed Jan 04, 2023 2:50 pm
First I give them an overview of the campaign world, then C&C / Siege Engine. I have them read the character classes from the PHB before session 0, in which we do character creation and set up the logistics. They should come to session 0 with a character and class already in mind. Coming with a backstory is not essential. Some folks just go with the basics.
Just the basics .... no back story ..... just what kind of game do you run ! :mrgreen:

You know me, I do LOVE my good back stories, but yeah that can be a bridge to far for new gamers, or players that just want to throw dice, swing weapons and kill monsters.

The 'come to session 0 with a character and class' was an issue when I start the Dune game for my girls face to face last week (or was it 2 weeks ago, time blurs ... ) the concept of the game was completely foreign to anything any of the players had done before, so I had to cover everything for them face to face there at session 0. It did make session 0 take forever, but it helped them ben their mind around the game.

For any normal game though, a quick read through of the book, or a quick ref should do it for any but the most green of gamers.
To be honest, my only recent GM experience has been the 1 on 1 game with my son, so there's that. He did include a backstory for his 2 characters which worked great. I'm not as creative, so backstories for my characters tend to be a bit streamlined.

Post Reply