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Two New Players Have Entered the Game!


"One of us! One of us!" was the chant my wife was shouting a couple of weeks ago as I went through the happy task of helping two brand-new players create their characters to join in our campaign. Two of my friends had decided that, after hearing me talk about D&D nearly incessantly for a few weeks, they wanted to give it a shot. So, we set a time and date, they came over, and we started their character creation using the Character Creation tool provided by D&D Beyond. (These are the same friends referenced in this post).

Before they came over, though, I sent them each a small questionnaire. Nothing too complicated, just enough to get a small inkling of how they'd like to play the game. Questions like "Would you like to use magic? If so, where does your magic come from? Is it innate or is it learned?", or "Do you prefer close combat or would you prefer to keep your distance during a fight?". These types of questions were helpful, I think, because it gave a basic framework to build upon when it came time to build the actual character.

One thing I decided NOT to do before character creation was to ask for a backstory. I feel like it was more important to see their character come to life on paper and know that it is a real, tangible thing before beginning to develop a past for that character. That may seem a bit backwards, but I think it will work for them, and for me. I feel that, once you have an idea of what your character is, what their strengths and weaknesses are, you have a much better shot at developing a backstory for them that feels real....even though it's made up. You know what I'm trying to say.

During character creation, I was positively giddy about discussing racial traits, class features, and stats with my friend who chose to be a Half-Orc. He also chose the name "Shump*". I loved it. He wanted to be a fighter, and I was all about it. My other friend, who chose the Wood Elf Ranger "Claira*" was less sure about what she wanted, and kept asking our opinion. I have no problem creating characters, but I didn't want to push her in a direction that she would ultimately be dissatisfied with. So, I gave her my recommendations, but reminded her that if she doesn't like something about her character, she can change it after our first session if she wants. This principle is very important to me: If someone doesn't like something about their character and it can be easily remedied, don't punish them for it. Give them a chance to fix it. This can be done either out-of-game or through the narrative of the story. Choose a method that works for you, and everyone can be happy.

I also gave each of our new players a set of dice that I had procured for these sorts of occasions. It is my fervent hope that all of my friends will eventually decide to try D&D, and I would love to help one of them become a Dungeon Master for their own campaign. So, I have a few extra sets of dice to give them when they enter the game; it's my little way of welcoming them to the game, and it gives them a sense of investment in the game. Plus, dice are fun, and having your own set is pretty cool! If anyone is interested in doing this, the dice sets I picked up can be found here.

Once the characters were decided, we had to work out how these two adventurers would be introduced into the story. I asked my wife to leave the room, and spoke with Shump and Claira about my ideas for weaving them into the story. They were excited and intrigued (at least according to their facial expressions) by what I had cooked up, and readily agreed. Here's an important point, though: If they hadn't been happy with how I wanted to introduce them into the campaign, I would have changed it in a heartbeat. This is something I've been trying very hard to emphasize in my game and in this blog: Be flexible. The Dungeon Master needs to have fun with the game, too, but that doesn't mean that every single idea that they think is cool should be shoehorned into the game at the expense of player agency or comfortability. The story arc I made for Claira and Shump to come in on was fairly dark, or at least darker than the campaign has been so far, and I needed to make sure they were both comfortable with the themes involved. They were, but if they had not been, that arc would have been thrown out and a fresh one created. I have a million ideas, and if one doesn't work, a new one is waiting to take its place.

Ultimately, Claira and Shump's sheets were created, missing just a few details that we didn't quite have time to iron out, and they both seemed very happy with their new avatars. I tasked them with a bit of homework (picking a free feat and creating their backstories), and just like that, they were officially part of playing Dungeons and Dragons. I was excited, needless to say, about having them join us, and we set up our time for the first 4-person party session before heading off to karaoke (which I highly recommend as a party-bonding experience!).

Bringing my friends and my wife into this game has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life so far. I know it sounds cliché, but it's absolutely true. This game has provided me so much joy, whether it's watching YouTube videos of games, "GM Tips" with Satine Phoenix and Matt Mercer, "Running the Game" with the King of Kickstarter, Matt Colville, writing this blog, or designing and playing my own campaign, it's all been a blast, and shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. D&D has made me a better listener, a better storyteller, and in a weird way, I think it's making me a better person. Figuring out consequences for in-game actions has the odd effect of forcing me to think about the consequences of my own actions in real life. It's why I'm deciding to remain The Friendly Dungeon Master.

* I will use the player's character names instead of real names. It's more fun, and it protects their privacy. Another way of keeping it friendly.*

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