The work of a Dungeon Master never ends. From the world to characters and stories, you have a lot to do when running a game ofDungeons & Dragons.And you have even more responsibilities when you have a brand-new player on the table.
The whole game is a mystery to them, and it now falls on you to make sure their very first experience will be a positive one, ensuring the new player enjoys the game and is fully converted into a D&D player or maybe even a future Dungeon Master, like you. It’s a lot of responsibility, and we’ll do our best here to make sure you succeed.
10Talk To Them First
From Basic Explanations To Feedback
Open communication is the best tool in a DM’s arsenal, and it’s no different here. You can get a lot by simply talking to the player, explaining the game, asking them about the type of stories they like and what they expect from D&D, and getting all of that feedback.
That alone can tell you if they’re a good fit for D&D as a whole or for your table, as different tables can have vastly different experiences. From there, you’re able to seeif it’s worth inviting the player in the first placeor if they’re a better fit in someone else’s game or a different TTRPG altogether.
9Make A Character Together
Explain Classes Or Suggest One
Unless this new player is accustomed to learning new games and creating characters from video games, it’s best not to let them navigate the character creation mechanics on their own. There’s a lot for a newcomer there, after all.
Explain the classes of the gamefor your player to see which ones get their attention, or ask if they have a basis for a character, and see which classes fit. For instance, if they want to be a frontline, heavy-weapon-wielding character, you can suggest fighters, paladins, or barbarians and explain the key differences between them.
We also recommend starting a campaign at level one. Having a new player starting at a high level can be overwhelming, so it’s best for them to see the character’s evolution as they go.
8Run A Few Test Scenarios
Begin Tutorial
One thing you can also do during the character creation process (or rather, as soon as the process is done) is to run a few scenarios with your new player, even if it’s just you and them. Put a goblin on the map and do a 1v1, for instance.
Since the idea is to show how the game works, it’s okay if the character ends up ‘dying’ during this scenario, as the idea is to just go over basic mechanics through practice. You can also run non-combat scenarios, like talking to an innkeeper, though these are probably easier to understand with the whole group.
7Run One-Shots Or Short Campaigns
Long Games Are A Big Commitment
If you’re not sure whether this player is going to stay for the long run, it’s best not to invite them to your grandiose campaign that will go from level one all the way to 20, plus epic boons afterward to expand things further. You might end up with a dropout.
Between liking the game and understanding the commitment required for scheduling, this player might need to experience the game a bit before entering this type of campaign. Thus, we recommend running a simple one-shot ora short campaignthat will last somewhere between three to five sessions.
6Have A Veteran Player Ready To Help
When having a newcomer, it’s essential to address that with all the other players at the table. After all, a new player will drag things out, as they’ll have their questions and be confused during the game, and that’s just how it is.
Still, if you have a particularly patient and friendly player, they can stay next to the newcomer and help them with their sheets or even demonstrate the type of choices they can make by doing something in the game and showing how it goes.
5Go Step-By-Step When Describing Actions
You Can Stop Doing This Once They Get The Hang Of It
“Okay, so you’re choosing to attack the goblin with your crossbow, which means you roll a d20 and add your dexterity and proficiency bonuses to the roll.” A simple sentence like this one that addresses everything that goes on during such an action is a perfect way to have the player memorize things.
By repeating these types of descriptions and the actions taken, it’s only a matter of time for the player to manage to do these actions with no further input. It may be boring to say the same thing every time this type of action happens, but you’ll be able to stop eventually.
4Keep Fights Easy And Simple (At First)
You Can Also Stop This One Eventually
We’ve already mentioned goblins a bit, but let’s do it one more time. We’re using them as combat examples because they’re simple enemies, making them perfect for a first-timer. A monster with too many stats, like resistance, attacks with multiple damage types that also cause conditions, etc., might overwhelm a new player.
Simplicity is better for understanding things. Introduce basic fights first, then the concept of enemies with resistance or immunity, then conditions, and so on. This will make fights easier, but that’s just a consequence of simplicity. You’ll be able to hit harder once they’re better at the game.
3Help Them During Moments Of Failure
What Else Can They Do?
Eventually, your new player will do a bad roll and fail. Whenever that happens, you can help them out, and we’re not talking about letting them succeed despite the roll; no, they need to learn that they’ll fail sometimes.
What we mean is that if they fail, you can suggest alternate things they can do. If they fail at climbing through their Athletics roll, you could suggest that they can perhaps use a rope or try again with another character boosting them up (thus, with a help action). Or, if they keep failing at the same thing over and over, you can suggest alternative tactics.
2Don’t Expect Or Demand Roleplay
Let Them Get Used To It
Roleplaying is also a thing that takes a while to get used to. At first, the player might feel uncomfortable with saying things in character. You could recommend that they make their first character have a somewhat similar personality to theirs, but even still, it takes time.
Give them space. Let them describe what the character would do in the third person rather than actually roleplay. Encourage them by roleplaying NPCs and speaking with other players in character, but don’t force the newcomer to do the same. They’ll get there eventually.
1Be Very Patient
“What Is My Weapon Dice, Again?”
You’re the teacher here, and if there’s one thing teachers have to get used to, it is students asking the same thing over and over and over again. The new player must absorb a lot of information at once, including fighting mechanics, character features, inventory management, and more.
Too much information at once can lead to a mix-up or forgetting some details, especially when they return for the next session and struggle to recall many of the tasks their character can do. You’ll repeat things often, so be mentally prepared for that.
