In the small trading town of Devonshire, a small group of adventurers just getting their start had a simple job: go to the town, find the adventurer-turned-bandit calling himself Baron Dunbar, and bring him to justice alive or dead. Rumors had it that the
In the small trading town of Devonshire, a small group of adventurers just getting their start had a simple job: go to the town, find the adventurer-turned-bandit calling himself Baron Dunbar, and bring him to justice alive or dead. Rumors had it that the Baron and his bandits were actually in the town itself, spending their nights at the Pachyderm & Palace tavern. The adventurers would have to get into the town, gain access to the tavern, and deal with Dunbar and his bandits.
Spotting a pair of guards, one asleep and one reading, as they approached the gates of Devonshire at twilight, the bard managed to play a tune to lull the reading guard to sleep. Slipping into the town through the unlocked gate the group spotted a bandit watching the door to the P&P, but managed to lie or sneak their way in. The rogue attempted to convince the Baron that they wanted to join, but Dunbar didn’t fall for her lies and attacked. Luckily the bard charmed the Baron who then helped the party fight the rest of the bandits. The bandits were all killed, the wizard set part of the ta
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In the small trading town of Devonshire, a small group of adventurers just getting their start had a simple job: go to the town, find the adventurer-turned-bandit calling himself Baron Dunbar, and bring him to justice alive or dead. Rumors had it that the Baron and his bandits were actually in the town itself, spending their nights at the Pachyderm & Palace tavern. The adventurers would have to get into the town, gain access to the tavern, and deal with Dunbar and his bandits.
Spotting a pair of guards, one asleep and one reading, as they approached the gates of Devonshire at twilight, the bard managed to play a tune to lull the reading guard to sleep. Slipping into the town through the unlocked gate the group spotted a bandit watching the door to the P&P, but managed to lie or sneak their way in. The rogue attempted to convince the Baron that they wanted to join, but Dunbar didn’t fall for her lies and attacked. Luckily the bard charmed the Baron who then helped the party fight the rest of the bandits. The bandits were all killed, the wizard set part of the tavern on fire, and Dunbar was convinced to hop into a sack before the charm wore off.
Or . . . wait a minute, actually they approached the guards at the front gate openly, and learned that the guards and town were actually being more or less held hostage by the bandits. The guards informed them of the P&P’s layout and the number of Dunbar’s men and then let them in. The party threatened their way past the bandit at the front door, before the bard tried to charm the Baron. Unfortunately a critical fumble led Dunbar to immediately sic all the bandits on the bard, and the result was a big knock-down fight. The fighter was nearly killed in the melee, but eventually the wizard stopped drinking at the bar and harassing the bartender long enough to lob a magic missile at the Baron, killing him.
No, no, they did talk to the guards at the front gate, acquiring the same information as above. But when it came time to get into the tavern they lied their way past the bandit, claiming to be a rat killing company. Once inside they somehow started up a drinking contest, wherein the ranger (with some help from the cleric) managed to drink Dunbar into unconsciousness just before he passed out himself. When the bandits attempted to recover their leader to let him sleep things off the party jumped them. The rogue ambushed a few, the bard thunderwaved a couple across the bar, the fighter started headbutting people, and the wizard put everyone left to sleep. The ranger was tossed in a bed to sleep it off and Dunbar was tossed into a sack.
Darn it, no, here’s what really happened. They approached the front gate openly and nearly got in a fight with the guards, thanks to a number of critical fumbles and poor word choices. Barely getting inside the town without violence the bard just charmed the bandit guarding the P&P’s entrance. While the bard put on a show for the tavern to distract everyone the ranger and rogue snuck around the back to ambush Dunbar, yet with another critical fumble only managed to shoot a waiter by mistake and ruin the surprise. As the bard used thunderwave to blow a couple people across the bar the cleric of life was using her hammer to knock people unconscious, while the rogue and ranger fought it out with Dunbar. Thanks to flanking him and some much better luck they were able to knock him unconscious, and then joined the bard and cleric in mopping up the bandits. Into the sack Dunbar went.
Or, actually, all four stories happened. There were just different players, you see.
This past November and December saw me hosting a pair of “D&D for Beginners” nights in concert with the weekly board game night hosted by BoardGame Empire at the Elephant & Castle in Boston. I put together a short adventure, made some characters, and put out the word that anyone who was interested in Dungeons and Dragons but had never gotten the chance to try it were welcome. Each of the four stories above cover the four groups (5, 5, 6, and 4 players respectively) as they traveled into town, found their target, and figured out how they wanted to handle it. It was a lot of fun to run these games, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Luckily, I also learned a few lessons for both sides of the DM’s screen when it comes to these ‘beginner’ games.
Lessons For The DM
Keep things simple. You don’t need to explain every rule of the game before you start playing, and you definitely shouldn’t overwhelm beginners with too much stuff. Your job is to show them how the game is played and to give them a fun experience that leaves them wanting more, and if they’re bogged down with the entire handbook right away that’s going to be difficult.
Jump right in. Once you’ve explained what you absolutely need to in order to make the game playable (this is a d20 and this is what you use it for), and maybe answered some questions, just start playing. Anybody can read the rulebooks, but nobody learns how to play until they actually get experience. Address additional rules as they come up (aha, you rolled a natural 20, so here’s what that means . . .) and answer questions as they’re asked, but if you’re running your beginner game at a convention or event like I was, be mindful of the clock and the fact that people came to learn and play.
Unlearn what you have learned. Remember that you may have been at this a while, and that many aspects of any game that you take for granted aren’t going to be obvious for new players. Everyone who’s played D&D for a bit is going to know what to do when they see 2d6+2, for example, but you shouldn’t assume that someone who’s never tried a game before knows what that means.
Engage with your players. They might be nervous, especially if they don’t know anyone at the table. Ask them if they have any questions. When they ask questions, thank them for bringing up the issue. Be patient, especially when it involves something you take for granted with the game. Try to spend an equal amount of time paying attention to each player. You will note that this is generally good advice in any game, but it’s particularly important when teaching newcomers.
Have a friend in the crowd. Running games for a pack of strangers can be kind of scary when you’re new to it. Try to invite a friend or two along for the first couple of times. A friendly face can help ground you a bit, particularly if you’ve played a different game with them. Plus, if you’ve played another game with them (or even, sneakily, have played the game you’re running before) they can be a very helpful assistant. After a few rounds the nerves will probably settle and you’ll be fine without some backup.
Lessons for the Newcomers
Ask questions. There are no truly stupid ones, and something you have a question about might be something the DM just forgot was something not everybody knows (violating lesson #3 up above). You’ll have a much better time figuring things out and having fun if you ask your questions. Also, you’re doing your DM a favor: nothing is more intimidating to a DM teaching newcomers, especially if they’ve never done it before, than a table full of silence. And if you happen to run into a DM who doesn’t like you asking questions? One of my players at the second night asked me that exact question, and I told her right away: find a different DM.
Invite a friend! For the same reason as the DM, playing games with strangers can be a little intimidating (if also pretty exciting with the right people). Try and get someone you’re friends with interested. You’ll have at least one person who’ll have your back, your DM will be secretly quite grateful that you helped fill up the table, and when you’ve been bit by the Tabletop RPG bug you’ll have someone to start forming a game of your own with!
Thank you to the BoardGame Empire for giving D&D for Beginners a home, and thanks to the players! You can find more info on BoardGame Empire at their site above or on Twitter. If you’re in the Boston area, right now BGE hosts a weekly game night every Monday at the Elephant & Castle. Keep an eye out for more D&D for Beginners, and maybe even some other games . . .
For the old hands it’s sometimes difficult to remember what it was like when we first got started. You had whatever starter weapons you’d managed to hang on to or find in your previous life, a couple of gold pieces, a few spells at your fingertips if you were magically inclined, and the clothes on your back. Not for you, yet, were stories of grand heroism or dire villains. Instead there was the tavern in the bad part of town, with whatever work you could find that might pay enough for your next meal and maybe some better gear. So, for old times’ sake and for the truly new to the trade, let’s Meet the Party all the way back at Level 1 for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition.
It’s been quite some time since I found myself with a Level 1 character on the table in front of me, and the Meet the Party tradition for D&D has been for most parties to start at Level 3, allowing the characters to have a bit more going on and to come into their own. But I’ve had the basic Level 1 character on the mind a lot lately. Partly that’s out of a bit of whimsy; it’s been more than a year since I played a D&D character starting at Level 1, and there’s something to be said for starting at the bottom of the ladder and climbing your way up. Mostly, though, it’s because I have an opportunity coming up to introduce some new players to the game.
BoardGame Empire is a lovely little community/business that got started in Boston a little while back. They’ve got a few ideas up their sleeves, but the heart of what they’re doing is a weekly board game night at the Elephant & Castle every Monday. Long a fan of the Society’s own Rob Almond’s efforts with his Bracebridge Tabletop Gaming Community, I was quite happy to see BGE get started up, never mind that I’m friends with the folks running the thing. You don’t get more people interested in these types of hobbies by looking at games on the shelf with a deep sense of longing; you build the community (and have fun doing it) by getting out and playing games!
Jonathan Krieger and Co. are of course very interested in doing the best they can with BGE, so now and then they pass out little questionnaires asking about how they could improve things. Thinking of Rob’s Community and of Games on Demand, I wrote about maybe having a roleplaying game night alongside the usual board games. Didn’t think much past the ‘it could be cool’ part, but lo and behold a few weeks later Jonathan gets in touch, and suddenly I’m going to be the DM for Dungeons & Dragons for First-Time Players! The event in question will be November 28th, and will consist of two short games. Complete, ready to play character sheets will be prepared for a group of five players, dice will be provided, and I’ll be running everyone through a short scenario that’ll show off what you can do in and with the game. Well, I had already been thinking about Level 1 characters, and now I had to make a bunch of them. So, why not Meet the Party in the process?
Jandar Galanodel, Half-Elf – Level 1 Bard
Hit Point (HP): 10 Armor Class (AC): 13
Strength (Str): 8 Constitution (Con): 14
Dexterity (Dex): 15Intelligence (Int): 12
Wisdom (Wis): 10 Charisma (Cha): 17
Racial/Class/Background Features: Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, Skill Versatility (Persuasion, Perception), Extra Language, Spellcasting, Bardic Inspiration (d6), Background: Entertainer, By Popular Demand
Gear: Rapier, Entertainer’s Pack, Lute, Leather Armor, Dagger, Flute, Favor from an Admirer, Costume, Belt Pouch with 15 GP
Spells: Charm Person, Detect Magic, Healing Word, Thunderwave
Jandar Galanodel is the ‘face’ of the party, the one best suited for overcoming social challenges and talking the party into and out of trouble. That’s not all the bard can do, of course. While the bard’s spells offer a few extra tricks in social situations, they also allow for detecting magic, attacking enemies with a magically-infused word, and even with healing Jandar’s allies. Bardic Inspiration allows Jandar or an ally to add 1d6 to a roll, increasing the chance of success. If all else fails, Jandar’s pretty good with a blade.
Kerri Dundragon, Human – Level 1 Wizard
HP: 8 AC: 12
Str: 9 Con: 14 Dex: 15Int: 16Wis: 13 Cha: 11
Racial/Class/Background Features: Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery, Background: Sage, Two Extra Languages, Researcher
Gear: Dagger, Component Pouch, Explorer’s Pack, Spellbook, Bottle of Black Ink, Quill, Small Knife, Letter from a Dead Colleague, Common Clothes, Belt Pouch with 10 GP
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Insight, Arcana, History
Kerri Dundragon is as a wizard should be, the magical powerhouse of the party. In the worst case scenario the wizard isn’t actually bad with a dagger, but really it’s all about the magic. From the cantrips that can be cast as many times are as needed to the more powerful spells, Kerri can provide force, flame, and frost to bring down the party’s enemies. There are some interesting utility spells as well, however, that can do things like lifting heavy objects, protecting Kerri from attacks, and putting targets to sleep.
Amber Ironfist, Hill Dwarf – Level 1 Cleric
HP: 12 AC: 18
Str: 13 Con: 16 Dex: 8Int: 10Wis: 16 Cha: 12
Racial/Class/Background Features: Darkvision, Dwarven Resilience, Dwarven Combat Training, Bonus Profiency: Smith’s Tools, Dwarven Toughness, Spellcasting, Divine Domain: Life, Bonus Proficiency: Heavy Armor, Disciple of Life, Background: Acolyte, Two Extra Languages, Shelter of the Faithful
Gear: Warhammer, Chain Mail Mail, Javelin, Priest’s Pack, Shield, Holy Symbol, Prayer Book, 5 Sticks of Incense, Vestments, Common Clothes, Belt Pouch with 15 GP
Spells: Guiding Bolt, Shield of Faith, Healing Word, Purify Food and Water, Bless, Cure Wounds
Amber Ironfist is here to help the party survive and carry on through to victory, all with the help of a deity. The cleric is the primary healer of the party, using Spare the Dying to prevent the worst and Cure Wounds and Healing Word to sooth away injuries. Amber also has some offensive magic, sending out holy fire and light to smite the party’s enemies. The cleric isn’t the best at swinging that warhammer, but is a much harder target to hit than most of the party.
Gear: Shortswod, Shortbow with 20 Arrows, Burglar’s Pack, Leather Armor, Dagger x2, Thieves’ Tools, Crowbar, Dark Common Cloths Including a Hood, Belt Pouch with 15GP
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Investigation, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Deception, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Cards, Thieves’ Tools
Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Bree Thorngage is, in a way, among the deadliest (if not thedeadliest) members of the party. That’s because there is little more dangerous than an attack you don’t see coming. Thanks to Sneak Attack whenever Bree catches someone by surprise, teams up with a fellow party member, or otherwise catches the target at a disadvantage, the little rogue can deal extra damage. Bree also has access to a number of skills and equipment unique in the party and not technically welcome in polite society, all of which can come in handy.
Thokk, Half-Orc – Level 1 Fighter
HP: 12 AC: 19
Str: 17 Con: 15 Dex: 8Int: 10Wis: 13 Cha: 12
Racial/Class/Background Features: Darkvision, Menacing (Intimidation Proficiency), Relentless Endurance, Savage Attack, Fighting Style: Defense, Second Wind, Background: Soldier, Military Rank
Gear: Chain Mail, Longsword, Shield, Handaxe x2, Dungeoneer’s Pack, Insignia of Rank, Trophy Taken From a Fallen Enemy, Deck of Cards, Common Clothes, Belt Pouch with 10 GP
Thokk is by far the toughest member of the party, a living tank on legs with a longsword. Being tied for highest HP and with the highest AC in the party would probably be enough, but Relentless Endurance lets the fighter recover from going down and Second Wind allows self-healing. Thokk might not be able to target more than one person at a time but will be dangerously competent at it, with Savage Attack making any critical hits even more damaging.
As more experienced hands will be able to tell, I’ve kept this lot pretty straightforward. Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard just like all the old parties, with the Bard for some added flavor. I have also picked out what spells the magic users know and/or have prepared, so there’s pretty much nothing left for the players to do except start playing!
No Who The Are or How They Interact this time. I’ll be choosing personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws provided by their backgrounds and adding them to the character sheets for Who They Are. As for How They Interact, well, this is a party quite possibly on its first job together, so that one will be up to the players!
If you happen to be near Boston on November 28th, swing by the Elephant & Castle. If you’ve never played Dungeons and Dragons, or any roleplaying game at all for that matter, I’ll be there to guide you through a quick game that’ll hopefully give you a taste for this awesome hobby (and I’ll explain anything of the above that you don’t understand, I promise). Even if you’re not, if you’re truly new to D&D find yourself a DM (or try becoming one yourself) and take these characters on an adventure! And if you’re an old hand, why not go back to Level 1 one more time, just to remind yourself how much fun it was?
Will our newcomers to the adventuring trade start off on the right foot or never get out of that first tavern? That’s for you (and your dice) to determine!
You can check out BoardGame Empire and the Dungeons & Dragons for First-Time Players event at the links above, or on Twitter @PlayBGEmpire.
Originally posted 11/11/16 on the Mad Adventurers Society!
Have you ever been curious to try Dungeons & Dragons, but scared off by the fact that you have to spend 18 hours making a character and rolling for stats, whatever the hell that means? Did you not feel like signing on for a months-long campaign or ha…
