You Gotta Start Somewhere - Musing on Helping New Players

[Apupunchau]

When I started gaming I didn’t have anyone to show me the ropes. Me and my friends learned basic red box D&D on our own. But as the hobby – and I – grew there were more new players coming in. Especially as a GM learning to teach these new gamers the ropes is a very important part of keeping the hobby growing and healthy. So this week I muse on what it means to teach players and how I try and help newbies in my games.

How did you learn the game? Did you have someone to teach you the ropes? How did they do it? How do you help new players find their feet? What are some of your tips and tricks?

[Valamuur]

I just blundered through. I was made GM, so I read over rules and began to understand it as we played it. As it became my favorite system, I just delved into it more deeply.

It's also thanks to PFS that I'm more familiar with the lore, and I've enjoyed it immensely.

If I had to say there was a problem, it is that the online resources are too much information. We didn't have more than one rulebook for our group, so the online resources were necessary. I wish there had been something like the front page of d20pfsrd, but with a limit on what sources were available. It wouldn't have been so overwhelming if I could filter books on the site.

As for how I help new people? I tend to just ask them what they want to do. I then just go through, explaining my choices for each thing, and then let them choose skills and weapons. Once they see it in action, they can see the strengths and flaws. I just leave myself open to advice. Admittedly though, my approach is better as a fellow player. When I GM, the best I do is give new players a pass until they learn the rules. I usually explain to them afterwards how something is actually done, keeping it casual and not belittling them for not knowing.

[DungeonmasterCal]

I learned a lot from my first DM, back in 1e days. Once I got my own copy of the DMG I realized he was using "houserules" to the point it almost wasn't AD&D. But he inspired me to start DMing myself, and after 32 years of playing I'm still learning new things by playing Pathfinder.

[Philo Pharynx]

That is one of the big differences by generation. I also started with the red box and we just had to figure stuff out on our own.

Now, with the interwebz, a person has too much information. If you search for information on how to roleplay, you'll get thousands of pages covering every conceivable viewpoint. You have videos of actual play, but often these involve wading through years of in-jokes.

Learning from a person who has a clue on how to teach stuff is best.

[Apupunchau]

Thanks for sharing folks. I always like to see hear other people's experiences.

[Zeugma]

My sister, a middle-school science teacher, has just started an after-school RPG club! She has about 7 students interested. I'm so proud of her!

[DungeonmasterCal]

The summer of 1992 my wife and I were dorm parents at a small college in north central Arkansas. I'd known the director of a program for high school kids who either needed to make up a class or were seeking some early college credits called Upward Bound since we'd been in the program some 10 years earlier.

She asked me would I run a 2 hour weekly session for some kids (2 hours a day were allotted for recreational classes or activities) and I said sure. They paid me $50/week for the 2 hour session. I introduced some 12 kids to AD&D 2e. I don't know if any still play the game, having never kept up with the kids, but they sure enjoyed learning it that summer and I felt great sharing my hobby with them.

[Nymian Harthing]

My experience:
Show up to class at tech college, hear three guys babbling about World of Warcraft all day long. Since I dislike WoW I get annoyed. I do my normal gripe and grumble thing because that's who I am/was.

Through conversation find out one of the guys GMs on Saturday nights. The other two guys sitting near me like video games, but they express an interest in playing something D&D like. We decide to give a quick campaign a shot.

First day, I *show* them how I play: I launch right into character, an angry young human rogue who happens to think these two other adventurers are right idiots. The chip on her shoulder is about 10 tons and made of pure granite. She gives the two nicknames. "I'll call you...Brick, since you're thick like one. And I'll call you...Mr. Splashy!"

AND THEY LOVED IT. They loved the process of reacting in character, they loved the way the guy GMing described Brick almost being killed by a rat--we were rolling super lousy and we were first level!--and they loved that they were engaged and having fun. The rules were being explained as we played, which helped, since we started playing this beta version of a game called Pathfinder which was "kind of like 3.5E". I'd been playing versions from the red box and 1st Ed onward, so it helped me too.

TL;DR, man, where's the advice??:
Engage them in the story. Help them understand the rules by explaining them briefly but well. React to their ideas with thoughtfulness, understanding that they will try surprising or "dumb" things because they're new at this. And if you can, throw in a good veteran role player to help them get a feel for all the magic and color and glory of the game.

[Ithsay the Unseen]

i find a quick-and-dirty rundown of typical party roles and my opinion on which classes are best-suited to what roles makes a good jumping-off point for new players. i'm not a great builder of martial characters, so if that's their interest i try to find someone who is good with them to play mentor for building 'em. i'm usually a wizard or an oracle, but i feel competent to advise on anything but magus and summoner.

once the basic character is built, play is the best way to learn, i think, with gentle intruction on the complex bits as you go along; soon the new players acquire te beginnings of their expertise, or at least basic competencies, and you're off!