Thanks to mega-hits like Baldur’s Gate III and the success of ventures like Critical Roll, the legendary TTRPG Dungeons and Dragons, is enjoying an even higher surge in popularity as of late. With more and more players finding themselves intrigued by the tales of Faerûn, the Forgotten Realms, and all the possibilities that D&D offers, it’s no wonder why people are answering its call to adventure. It’s a game that promises fun and excitement, with the possibility of romance, intrigue, epic battles, and precious moments: D&D has something for everyone.
With every new foray into a genre once left untraveled, many aspiring players can find themselves with more questions than answers. Often, wondering how they should get started, whether they will be able to play effectively, and whether or not they will have what it takes to battle the forces of evil and save the world. Amongst many, many more. All while confronting their own concerns about how it all will go and how difficult even playing the game could be -while trying to manage their own trepidation juxtaposed with their excitement.
Top Tips for Beginners
When talking about D&D many new players immediately wonder about what they truly need to know when just starting. Do they need to be well-versed in all the rules? Should they only play a pre-made adventure? Are they allowed to deviate if they so choose? Or do they have to stick to the rules as written, strictly and without consolation and compromise?
It’s these types of questions that can completely put a player off from even trying to get into the game, making them miss the simple fact that D&D is more fluid than water itself. You can deviate, you don’t have to stick to the rules every time. You don’t need to play D&D just like everyone else. You don’t need to spend money on a pre-made adventure or any money at all just to get started. And, most importantly, there are some simple tips and tricks that can make all these questions seem moot, the moment you realize them.
#1 Mistakes Happen
It goes without saying that mistakes happen -and will happen- when new players are just starting. It takes time to get used to the game, understand how everything works, the flow of roleplay and how combat plays out in real-time, and how to formulate the right strategies and actions that will win the day. So, players should never be overly worried that they are going to mess up or do something wrong.
Any good Dungeon Master, even a fledgling one just starting in the role, will offer new players the grace needed while learning. Simply because they want to play as much as their new player does. So new adventurers need not be overly concerned or afraid of taking their first steps. Just remember to communicate with your party members and DM openly and take their advice as it comes. Do that, and players will find themselves feeling more and more comfortable as time goes on.
#2 Learn the rules…but not really.
Collaboration is the name of the game with D&D. Players get together to tell a story, collectively as a party. It’s a group effort, a meeting of the minds and their imaginations, not a strict codex that must be followed in every instance. Players should familiarize themselves with the basic tenets of D&D: how spells, actions, reactions, status effects, and damage works in the game, but that doesn’t mean new players need a master’s degree in the finer points of the game’s overall structure and core mechanics just to play.
Especially, not at first. There is a learning curve, and veteran players are always willing to offer a guiding hand to those just starting. Just remember to always insist on a session zero with any new group you are going to play with; that way you can get a feel for your party members’ personalities and set any hard limits or boundaries for things that may make you uncomfortable; and to make sure that their DM knows that you’re new.
#3 Characters are fluid, ever-changing, and evolving.
Morals, personalities, quirks, sexuality, family ties, trauma, and histories, are just some of the nuances you can choose to define for your hero (or secret villain) during character creation. Is your character a good person or are they more apathetic and less trusting? Do they have hang-ups that may or may not be problematic in the current setting’s social hierarchy? Are they renowned for their family name, a pariah the world over because of something they did, or do they have a less than stellar reputation for some unknown (and to be discovered) reason?
Deciding on such nuances, however shallow or in-depth, is often a key factor in player engagement. The more the player likes their character, the more excited to play them they will be. But that doesn’t mean you have to be so detail-oriented that you know your character inside and out before the first session starts. Nor does that mean players must stick to those defined traits indefinitely. D&D is first, and foremost, a game of fluidity; where things can either stay the same or constantly change, depending on the narrative and decisions players make throughout the story. Meaning that the defining characteristics of a player’s character are more like guidelines than actual hard and fast parameters.
#4 Roleplay at your own pace.
It’s not uncommon for new players to be intimidated by the idea of becoming the center of attention; To have to think, speak, and act out their character’s thoughts, ideas, choices, and decisions in front of a room full of (possible) strangers. The very idea of taking on a persona that, more than likely, is so unlike the player’s real-life self, and trying to make it feel authentic can truly seem like a monumental task. Especially, for those players who tend to be more introverted or socially anxious.
But that’s ok! Every player has been there at least once. They know exactly what it feels to have that moment where it seems like everyone in the world is staring at you, expecting you to say something profound or even hilarious. And, how scary that can truly be for someone new. So new players should never feel obligated to jump in with both feet when it comes to roleplay. Take your time. Get a feel for the flow and camaraderie of your team, and just let nature take its course.
#5 Ask questions…often.
True to form, whenever learning something new, players aren’t expected to know how everything works, the rules, or even how certain things will go in certain scenarios. Nor should they be. It takes time to get used to all the ins and outs of the game; what you can and can’t do, what you should and shouldn’t do, what’s a good idea and a bad idea; so, asking questions is often highly encouraged.
Even veteran players, decades and decades into their D&D journey, still find the need to ask for clarification from time to time. When players don’t understand, any DM worth their salt will jump at the chance to share a little more of their knowledge and expertise. But the onus is not solely on your DM, your fellow players can be valuable resources. They might only be a few steps removed from where new players started yet may still be able to give even simpler insights on a subject than the DM with their wealth of experiences.
Overall, new players should keep in mind that these tips are quite literally the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to all the advice out there. Depending on a player’s experiences, and how long they have been playing D&D, they can (and often do) manage to curate their own little pieces of advice that just might be able to clarify any confusion a newbie might have with a single sentence.
New players should also remember that: Win, lose, or draw, Dungeons and Dragons is a game built for players by players and its main goal is always to be fun. So, take the time to familiarize yourself with the basics, create a concept for your character, and do a surface-level look-through of how the game usually works, and you will be good to go. It takes time but you will be rolling dice with the best of them eventually.
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