Thoughts on things to teach newbies (and old dogs too)

[nosig]

Jason S wrote:

nosig wrote:

I've often attached a sticky list of many pieces of equipment to a chronicle, or just listed the items on the back of the dhronicle and then put down on the "Items Bought" box "Stuff on back - 137.4 gp.

How do you do it?

It's in reference to one player I met that had all of his (unordered)chronicles, but never filled out his name, player ID, accumulated XP, accumulated PP/fame, or accumulated gold. Basically his chronicles were blank except for the required GM parts. He had his gold and purchases in a spreadsheet.

To me, there's lots of room for purchases in the Items Bought section.

wow... I think I played with that dude for a while! did he keep his girlfriends chronicles in the same stack? (very controling personality - he kept all her PC stuff and would give it to her as the game started). And he'd refer to chronicles as "reciepts"? Made me so crazy I avoid playing with him at all! Yeah, we went over how to fill out a chronicle with him more than once - but he plainly had no interest in doing that sort of thing. I have no idea if he's still like that...

[Cire]

nosig wrote:

4) Roll damage dice with the to hit dice... it really does speed play. The more dice you roll at ones the better.

On the topic of saving time: Is It Worth the Time?

Rolling dice is not what slows the game down, its all that role playing... :)

Are you kidding with #6? I bathed last year. I'm good.

[BigNorseWolf]

Definitely not enough room in the items bough section if you want the initial equipment list, a shopping list, or to be able to read what i wrote.

One of my chronicles reads "Riding dire bat + most of the equipment guide, 1,000 gold, see back for details"

[nosig]

Thread Necro!
yeah - but I've been playing with/running for a good percentage of New Players lately - so I figured I'd float this back to the top. It's got some good suggestions in it... Here are my first six suggestions for "things to teach newbies" again,

1) Table tents. Please, at least your PCs name, maybe a description or picture would be nice. Heck, I'd like to have your PCs Perception bonus in one corner too... but at a minimum what I need to call you when I want to get your attention.

2) Don't pick up your dice after you roll. Dice cheats do that (and some of us who don't cheat do it too, but all dice cheats do).

3) Roll where everyone can see (thou they wont bother to look), that way they can share in the 20s, and moan with the 1s.

4) Roll damage dice with the to hit die... it really does speed play. The more dice you roll at once the better.

5) Bring a pencil.

6) This is a social game. Bath before you come to the game. And brush your teeth. Really. Please. You'll be glad the rest of them did too.

7) don't be afraid to learn.

8) don't worry about being told you are wrong. there is always someone who knows that rule better than you. learn from it.

9) don't argue with the DM. If necessary, present your case as briefly as is humanly possible and then go with whatever ruling they present. Arguing with them just sucks up precious game time. (in PFS).

[GM Lamplighter]

10) Don't be afraid to play your own character, and always let other people play theirs. (Polite) advice should be welcomed but doesn't have to be followed.

11) Ask someone (after the game) about what all the stuff on the Chronicle sheets means, and how important it is to keep them up-to-date.

12) Your initiative isn't "your turn" - the whole round is your turn. Pay attention during the whole round. If possible, decide what you're going to do before it's your turn and then modify if things change.

[Michael Dupler]

1: READ every word about your class/race and spells that you will be using. Understand how your char works. If you don't understand, ask.

2: You know when your turn is coming up, you're the one that roll init. Instead of looking at your phone playing some stupid click game, be ready for your action. When I see that, I count to ten then move on to the next player.

3: Ask f**king questions after the GM finishes reading the box text for the intro to the mod. I for one am tired of watching no one pay any attention then complain when they lose their second PP because they were not listening/didn't ask questions in the briefing.

4: If you need more than 3 books for your build: you're wrong

5: if you are forcing your b- or g-friend to play, teach them how to play before they get to the table (see #1) and then let them play their own char.

6: Focus fire on mobs. In this game, they are as effective at 1 hp as they are at full hps

7: Teach the group tactics that helps the group, not yourself

8: Buy a fig, it's 3 bucks

9: come prepared. Bring paper, writing tool and dice. One time if understood, 2x we forgive but after that, you're being an a********

10: as it has been said, take a shower and brush your teeth. I ragged a guy at Gencon one year until he got up and let the table. Everyone else gave me a standing O for my effort.

11: and as always, buy whatever equ that is required for your char build to work. Buy the CLW wand, a potion of gaseous form, a potion of fly if you're a melee, find a way to see inviso

12: Have fun but don't get the party killed with your antics or lack of knowing how to use tactics.

13: And finally, remind everyone that it's a game, have fun, be nice and if you're not cheating, you're not trying. If you got caught you weren't trying hard enough.

[Gary Bush]

14: Don't be a jerk. (No matter how right you may be.)

[The Fourth Horseman]

Michael Dupler wrote:

2: You know when your turn is coming up, you're the one that roll init. Instead of looking at your phone playing some stupid click game, be ready for your action. When I see that, I count to ten then move on to the next player.

I might give them a warning after the first offense.

Michael Dupler wrote:

4: If you need more than 3 books for your build: you're wrong

That's like, your opinion, man. I bought it, it's legal, I can use it.

Otherwise, I agree this is all good advice.

[Michael Dupler]

The Fourth Horseman wrote:

Michael Dupler wrote:

2: You know when your turn is coming up, you're the one that roll init. Instead of looking at your phone playing some stupid click game, be ready for your action. When I see that, I count to ten then move on to the next player.

I might give them a warning after the first offense.

Michael Dupler wrote:

4: If you need more than 3 books for your build: you're wrong

That's like, your opinion, man. I bought it, it's legal, I can use it.

Otherwise, I agree this is all good advice.

This kind of goes with 1: If it takes that many books to make your build, know it without the table having to wait for you to double check each move you make

[The Fourth Horseman]

Michael Dupler wrote:

The Fourth Horseman wrote:

Michael Dupler wrote:

2: You know when your turn is coming up, you're the one that roll init. Instead of looking at your phone playing some stupid click game, be ready for your action. When I see that, I count to ten then move on to the next player.

I might give them a warning after the first offense.

Michael Dupler wrote:

4: If you need more than 3 books for your build: you're wrong

That's like, your opinion, man. I bought it, it's legal, I can use it.

Otherwise, I agree this is all good advice.

This kind of goes with 1: If it takes that many books to make your build, know it without the table having to wait for you to double check each move you make

That's ... a fair expectation.