- My first time playing D&D
actually happened a full decade before I started playing in
my first ongoing campaign. That 10-year gap happened because my first time kinda sucked. So gather round, kids,
for a little story time. (bells chiming) (uplifting music) To set the scene, I was working at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, and a lot of the cast would
camp on site during the weekend so that we didn't have to get up early and commute to and from the faire. One night, I was hanging out
with a bunch of cast members in a pop-up camper. In between beers and casual conversation, somebody suggested that we play D&D. It was maybe 10 PM by the time
the suggestion even came up. Somebody fetched their handbook and people started helping
D&D newbies like me put together rough character
sheets on scrap paper. I had no idea what any
of this stuff meant, but I seem to remember that
it took a really long time, even in what I assume
was an abridged format. By the time we finally started to play, I was ready to go to bed. But instead, we proceeded to clumsily attempt a pick-up D&D session with around 10 people, multiple of whom had never
even rolled a d20 before. I have absolutely no memory of
what we did in that session. Partially because I
have a terrible memory, but partially because I
don't think we managed to actually do much with that many players in such a short time. For many, many years after that, my understanding of D&D
was that it was confusing, complicated, and boring, which is a pretty deadly
combination of traits. It wasn't until years later that I realized what D&D could be, and truly fell in love with the game. Right now, there are more new
players coming to the table than ever before, and their
experience at that first game can make or break their future with D&D. So if you're a DM running a
game for a new player or two, you have a lot of influence. I know what would've helped
me the first time I played, but I also wanted to know about the good and bad first-time experiences
that other players have had. So I asked for stories in one of the tabletop groups that I'm in. Over 100 people told me
about what their DMs did to help or hurt them in
their very first games. Inspired and informed by those stories, I have put together five guidelines for how DMs can help first-time
players feel welcomed and supported at their tables, and maybe even find a
new lifelong passion. (uplifting music) My first experience with D&D was a thrown into the deep end experience, and after hearing about
others' first times, I am definitely not alone. It can be incredibly
overwhelming to be dropped into a D&D game with no
context and no information and basically be told
to just start playing. I came into D&D knowing only board games and freeform text-based roleplay, neither of which prepared
me for the mechanics of a tabletop RPG. If your players have never
tried tabletop before, I highly recommend that you start small. Now, when I say start small, I mean that in a few different ways. First, start with a small scale game, like a one-shot or a short campaign, maybe just a few sessions. I think playing a
one-shot before launching into a full campaign
solves a ton of problems, even when you don't have newbie players. It allows everybody to get a
feel for the group dynamic, you can test out a character to make sure you enjoy playing them, and the decisions you make are low-stakes because you're not committing to dealing with the consequences
for the next two years. For a new player, this gives
them a chance to dip their toes into D&D gameplay in a way
that feels lower pressure. You can even give them
a pre-made character so that they can get a feel for gameplay and test out some class mechanics before making decisions about
their long-term character. And in the worst case scenario, in which the new player
doesn't really take to D&D, it gives them an easy
out before they commit to a long-term campaign. In a similar vein, some people suggested that starting off with a
looser grip on the rules or even opening with a less
rules-heavy system than D&D can be a good way to ease new
players into tabletop gaming. Especially if you want your
players to really focus on the roleplay more than the mechanics, setting aside the character sheet at first can allow for a more organic, narrative-focused learning experience. If you say, "A goblin
springs out of the bushes and runs towards you with a
war cry, raising its spear. What do you do?" A player doesn't need to understand things like partial cover or opportunity
attacks in order to say, "I try to hit it with my sword." Then the DM can introduce the
concept of rolling to hit, with or without modifiers, to
ease players into the system. This is especially useful if you have a whole party of newbies. Otherwise, the other players
need to be comfortable taking a step back from the
crunchier parts of the game at the beginning, while
the new folks learn. Also, I know a lot of us have gotten into the habit of starting games at level three or even higher in order to skip over
some of the more boring, slow, and squishy parts
of the early levels. While I totally understand that with a group of experienced players, I would urge you to
reconsider that impulse if you have a brand new player on board. Level one might seem boring
to people who know D&D well, but for someone who's new to the game, having limited options makes it easier to learn the basics of gameplay before introducing more
complicated elements. One of the coolest concepts
I picked up from this thread was the idea of a tutorial session. Quite a few people mentioned that their DM gave them something akin to a video game tutorial
in the form of a one shot, structured first session,
or sparring-type encounter, where players could learn and
practice the basics of combat, skill checks, and social roleplay in a low-pressure environment. Some DMs ran these tutorial
sessions one-on-one, so they could gauge what the
new player was struggling with and what they needed more practice on. But even in a group setting,
starting players off with a fighting pit or sparring session so they can get a feel for their abilities can make the actual first
combat a lot less scary. And making sure that there's
a little roleplay with NPCs, a little exploration, and a little fighting
all in the first session means you'll be able to cover
all the basics right up front. Of course, throwing a new
player into the deep end doesn't just apply to learning the rules. It can also be overwhelming
to dump a new player into a party they don't already
have a relationship with and expect them to comfortably
start playing pretend. I mean, even if you're already friends, that can be weird the first time. That's one of many reasons
to have a session zero. Session zero is basically
just a session that happens before you actually
start playing the game. This time can be used to allow players to get to know each other, to set the tone and
expectations for the game, to answer questions, and
to cover safety tools, which are basically just systems to make sure that content
that comes up at the table doesn't make anyone feel
uncomfortable or upset. If you're planning on
running a grimdark campaign full of torture, violence,
slavery, and brutality, it's important to make
sure that players know what they're getting themselves into. And even if you don't think that your game will include potentially
upsetting content, you never know what someone
else is dealing with. This is true for any game, even if you don't have new players, but it's especially important with newbies who might not even know
what kinds of questions to ask about the themes of a game. Now, every time I mention safety tools, people get up my ass about it,
but to me it's super simple. We might think we know what will and won't make someone
uncomfortable at the table, but ultimately, we can't
know unless we ask. Sometimes even our own
friends have boundaries that haven't come up in
our relationships so far. Systematizing those
questions can make it easier for people to voice their needs, and ensures that you won't
accidentally hurt someone out of ignorance. The downsides to using
safety tools are minimal, but the downsides to not
using them can be immense. As always, I will link
to my favorite collection of information on safety
tools in the description in case you're new to the concept. It truly breaks my heart how
many people's first experiences with D&D include content that
makes them feel unwelcome and unsafe, especially when
it is so easy to avoid. (screen whooshing) Hoo, I'm gonna be honest
with you, Captain, it's not looking good. If you want this hunk of junk to make it through the asteroid belt,
I'm gonna need some parts. You gotta get me a complete
sci-fi conversion for 5e. I know that's a lot to
ask, especially this far from the Axial System,
but without a rulebook, a creature codex, a setting
book, and an adventure book, she'll be dead in the water
by this time tomorrow. And this can't be just any conversion. It needs to be WayStar
from Penny Dragon Games. We need a core rulebook with flexible character creation tools, new classes and species,
and rules for space combat, ship creation, intergalactic
travel, cybernetics, and more. You could run the game
with this rulebook alone, but we'll need more to
keep this thing flying. We'll need a creature codex
with over 100 monsters, complete with art, lore,
environments, and tactics. We'll need the Galactic
Archives setting book, full of detailed info on everything from the biggest star systems
to the smallest cities, and every cosmic anomaly and
space station in between. And of course, we'll need Steal the Stars, a space heist adventure
set in isolated Shiv Space. Are you getting all this? Captain? Wait, don't panic. I know where we can get all this stuff. It's an exoplanet called Kickstarter. And if we can get planetside within the first 72 hours of launch, we'll get the Steal the
Stars adventure book in print and PDF for free. And while we're there, we might as well pick up
some fabric star maps, space battle card decks,
galactic dice sets, a space monkey plushie. Why are you making that face? The space monkey plushie is essential for, uh, life support systems. (screen whooshing) (uplifting music) Some people will happily read the Player's Handbook cover
to cover and come away with a good, solid understanding
of the rules of D&D. At least, I assume that out of the nearly eight
billion people on this planet, that's true of someone, but
it's not true of most of us. I know I say this a lot, but
Dungeons & Dragons is a game that requires textbooks to play. There are a lot of rules. And no matter what your learning style is, it's gonna take time to
internalize them all. That's why I think it's so
important to do whatever we can to not just answer rules questions and make corrections in the moment, but to actually help new players learn and understand those rules. So how do we do that? I have a few ideas. First, most players are
gonna find it useful if you walk them through
the basics up front. This can be done privately,
or during session zero, or even at the beginning
of the first session. I'm talking which dice are which, the basic premise of rolling
a d20 and adding a modifier to see whether or not
you can do something, and a general idea of what
gameplay and combat look like. If you think your new player would benefit from seeing some actual gameplay, feel free to invite them
to observe a session first, or suggest some actual play videos or podcasts to show them
a real example of a game. In general, I think it's
a good idea to assume that they know nothing. Start from zero, and make sure they know that if you're
overexplaining, they can say, "I think I've got it, let's move on." It might seem like it's
enough to be available for players to ask questions, but true beginners might not
even know what they don't know, which means they won't
know what questions to ask. One thing DMs can do to make
this whole process easier is to check in regularly and actually ask, "Is everything making sense?" Or, "What can I explain better?" This way, new players don't feel like they're interrupting
or holding up the game by pausing to ask for clarification. Once you're actually in play, gentle reminders and prompts
can help beginners start to understand and memorize
key parts of the game. Saying things like, "Don't
forget to add sneak attack," or, "Do you have any ki
points you wanna use?" can be very helpful to train players to start remembering stuff. Just make sure you're giving them a chance to do these things on their own before you jump in with a suggestion. Of course, this balance
can be difficult to find. Some people feel frustrated that their DMs didn't
give them more guidance, while others felt babied
or condescended to when they felt that their
DM was backseat driving. If you're not sure where
you fall on that spectrum, you can always just ask. Say something like, "Do you want reminders if I
think you might be forgetting an ability or a modifier,
or would you prefer to figure it out on your own?" That way, you don't risk
stepping on any toes while trying to help. There are also just a few little tricks that I think are helpful. First of all, when it comes to the math, I really like encouraging new players to do their math out loud. For example, that's a 10, and I have a plus three to
perception, so that's a 13. Talking through the
modifiers not only makes sure that the player is remembering
to actually add them, but also provides an opportunity to note where they might be missing something, like adding a proficiency bonus, or adding the strength modifier when the barbarian is raging. Of course they don't need
to do it out loud forever, but for the first few sessions, it makes it easy to spot
what they're forgetting so they don't end up
realizing months down the line that they were actually rolling way better than they thought they were. Also, a few people suggested that DMs should keep a copy of the
new player's character sheet on hand for a while, and I think
that's a really smart idea. It can be difficult to coach a player through their abilities if you aren't seeing what they're seeing. Having access to their
sheet makes it easier to say something like, "See that little shield with a 12 in it? That's your armor class." Or, "It looks like you are
proficient in thieves tools. It's on the lower left, under other proficiencies and languages." Finally, I think it's
important to remember that a lot of the language
that comes naturally to us now can be really opaque to new players. There are so many acronyms in D&D, like DC, AC, CR, HP, not to mention words that have specific mechanical meaning, like advantage, critical
hit, saving throw, flanking, or melee range. Stay aware of the fact that new players might have never heard these terms before. Explaining words like this as you use them can help teach new players their meaning. (screen whooshing) (upbeat music) Creating a D&D character
is extremely difficult when you don't know anything
about any of the choices that you're making, and worse, depending on how long the campaign lasts, you could be stuck with the consequences of those uninformed decisions for years. That's why if there's any time to hold a new player's hand,
it's during character creation. I would strongly encourage DMs to make this a one-on-one activity. As someone who has been known to hold back on asking questions to avoid bothering or
interrupting someone, I understand just how easy it would be to sit quietly through a group
character creation session and never actually get the
answers or help that you need. But in a one-on-one session with the DM, the focus is fully on
the new player's build and making sure that they
completely understand it. Now, there's a wide range
of opinions out there about how much guidance a DM should offer on a beginner's build, ranging from let them do
exactly what they want to build the character sheet for them. I don't think either of
those are perfect solutions. If you give a new player
completely free rein, it's likely that they'll make some choices that end up not being fun for them. Your experience and knowledge as a DM can help guide them towards a character that they'll actually enjoy playing. But on the other hand, creating
the whole sheet for them can result in a build that
is completely unfamiliar for the new player, making it even harder to learn that character's mechanics. I think a good midpoint is to figure out what sort of character the player is interested in, and then make suggestions that
line up with those interests. It might seem obvious, but so many DMs will prioritize which classes
or races will be easiest or will best suit the group over which choices will actually
make the player excited. If they're not interested
in their character, the game will just be a
lot less fun for them. So if a player is really into
the idea of casting spells but you push them into playing a fighter because you think casting
will be too complicated, you might avoid having a confused player, but end up with a bored one instead. This doesn't mean you
have to give a beginner the pick of the entire book. In fact, pointing them at the rulebook and letting 'em loose
can be really stressful. Instead, let them tell
you what kinds of themes and abilities sound cool to them, and then suggest choices to match. A newbie who's interested in
nature themes might beeline for the Druid class, but that might be because they don't know that there are Rangers, Nature Clerics, Archfey Warlocks, or Rogue Scouts. Honestly, I think there's
a fine line to walk between letting new players have agency and make their own choices,
but also making sure that they understand what
they're signing up for and don't shoot themselves in the foot. For example, I've seen all sides of the first-time player
picking a Druid argument. On the one hand, I played
a Druid pretty early and didn't find it too hard to learn. But I've also DMed for a new
player who started with a Druid and ended up feeling
completely overwhelmed, and eventually switching to Ranger. I think the solution is less about telling players what to
do, and more about making sure that they know what the
strengths, weaknesses, and challenging parts of each choice, so that they can make their own decisions about whether or not they feel up for it. As far as personality goes, I encourage new players
to pick a character that's pretty similar to
their real self to start off, especially if they don't have
much experience with roleplay. It can be hard enough to get used to acting and making
decisions in character without having to suppress
their natural personality. As a very talkative person, I still struggle to play
low charisma characters because I continually
find myself speaking up and then regretting it when
I actually have to roll. And finally, no matter
how much guidance you do or don't give new players
on their character builds, consider letting them switch
up some of their choices after a few levels, once
they have a better idea of how those choices actually
function during gameplay. Some spells or features really only feel like a good idea on paper,
but end up being useless once you're actually playing. Give beginners a chance
to learn from that, instead of forcing them
to stick with a decision that they made when they didn't
have all the information. (screen whooshing) (uplifting music) Some people will say
that the only resource you need to play D&D is
the Player's Handbook. And that's a nice sentiment,
but not only does it assume that Wizards of the Coast is perfect and that their work cannot
be improved, which, mmm. It also assumes that
everyone learns the same way, which is absolutely not true. There are plenty of resources
DMs can provide to new players to help make the game more accessible and easier to navigate as a beginner. The number one thing players
said they appreciated their DM doing for them
in their first game was to provide a cheat sheet. This concept can take many forms, a flow chart, an index
card, or just a document with the most important stuff
from the character sheet. Most people wanted these cheat sheets to be focused on their combat options, breaking down their
abilities into actions, bonus actions, and reactions, and reminding them of how to use abilities like rage or wildshape. For new players, combat
can be so much pressure. Everyone is waiting on you, and it sucks to realize a turn later that you had a reaction you
could've used, but forgot about. For spellcasters, spell cards, or even just printouts of their
spells can be hugely useful. I included the full text of my spells in my character journal
for my Warlock Aisling. And honestly, I don't
know what I would've done if I had to look up every
spell every time I used it. It certainly would've made
combat more frustrating, and I probably would've
just been less likely to use the full variety of my spells, instead just sticking to the ones that I felt confident that I understood. I also saw people mention highlighting or color coding character sheets,
which is a fantastic idea. Character sheets are very
crowded with information, and highlighting numbers or
skills that get used a lot can make it way easier to find
what you need in the moment. Also, anything that turns part of the game into a visible item can
really help new players. Initiative trackers so they
know how long they have before their turn in combat, maps and grids so they can envision the space that they're in, condition rings so they can
remember long-term effects, concentration indicators,
inspiration coins. Anything that takes something that they normally have to just remember and externalizes it into
something that they can check will help a beginner keep
track of what's going on. (uplifting music) If you do nothing else I
mentioned in this video, I hope you do this one, just be patient and
understanding with new players. Give them the benefit
of the doubt and trust that they're doing their best, even if the pace at which they're learning feels slow to you. I've only been playing for a few years, and I already have trouble
remembering all the stuff that confused me when I first started out. For DMs who have been playing for decades, you probably don't even
remember half the silly mistakes that you made when you were new to D&D. It takes time to learn, and
talking down to new players or getting annoyed when they forget things isn't going to make that
learning process any easier. A truly supportive DM is a yes, and DM. Let new players do what they want, even when it's stupid or silly. And when they try to do something that isn't technically within the rules, look for an alternative
or a way to make it work so they don't feel shut down. When they're new to D&D,
getting told no a lot can dissuade players
from creative thinking. That's why I think it's best
to be more flexible at first, just to make sure they
feel like they have agency. Can a player use Druidcraft to create a bouquet of
flowers from nothing? I mean, no. That's not technically within the rules. But it won't break the game if they do, so why shut them down
when they're just trying to do something creative? You can start cracking down
on the rules more strictly once they feel more
comfortable in the game. When new players do try
something unusual or fun, it's a good idea to
specifically praise them for it. Trying something outside
of the box can feel risky for a beginner, so make sure you affirm that their imagination
is welcome at your table. But to really encourage creativity, you might have to be more proactive than just changing your responses. Especially for people
who are new to roleplay, it can be helpful to
explicitly remind them to consider what their
character would be thinking or doing in any given circumstance. This is extra useful
when the other players are super confident and
don't leave a lot of room for a less sure player to speak up. "While he does that, what's
your character doing?" is a great way to check in and give a new player an
opportunity to join the roleplay even if they don't feel comfortable jumping in on their own just yet. Getting beginners to
approach their decisions from a narrative perspective
can also help avoid them getting too hung up on the rules. I like to remind new players, "You tell me what you want
to do in your own words, and I will translate it into a dice roll." They don't need to be hunting
through their character sheet while trying to negotiate with a merchant or investigate a mystery. You can let them know when
they need to roll something. Now, to many of us, the fact that you can do
anything you want in D&D is exciting and freeing. But to some newcomers to the game, this can make decision-making
really formidable. If a new player seems stuck, you can always pitch some possibilities, like, do you want to look around the room, investigate the door, or something else? Beginners might feel more comfortable choosing from options at first, until they get a feel for the full breadth of possibilities in the game. Asking, "Do you want suggestions for some things you could do?" makes it okay for players
to seek out more guidance, while also giving them the freedom to make their own choices
if they'd prefer to. No matter what, try to avoid
telling them what to do or what not to do. Even if there are things
that seem obvious to you, like checking a door for
traps before you open it, new players will learn those
things by experiencing them. Of course, no matter how patient and encouraging you are as a DM, you aren't solely responsible
for the tone at the table. It's just as important
that the rest of the party also be supportive. Even with a great DM, a new player can still have a terrible
time if another player is being condescending,
controlling, or rude. The DM is in a unique leadership
position at the D&D table, and if another player is making
a beginner feel unwelcome, I think it's the DM's responsibility to step in and correct that. When the other players are supportive, they can be an essential resource in helping guide new players. Some people even described
pairing up experienced players with new players in a
mentorship relationship. But even without that kind of formality, if your new players can feel comfortable asking questions and getting help from their fellow party members, that takes some of the
load off of you as the DM, and helps make the entire
experience more welcoming. Hoo, I know that was a lot of information, and I want you to know that even if you don't
do everything right, new players can still
fall in love with D&D. Some people have absolutely
nightmarish first experiences and still find their way
to loving this hobby. But if you can put in a little extra work to support new players, you can help make sure their
entrance into this world that we all love so much is as easy and positive as possible. Do you have any newbie players right now? Tell me what sort of
challenges you're facing in the comments. And if you wanna help 'em out, you can always send them this video of seven things all first
time players need to know.
