GameBanshee Forums

I have DMed for a newbish group of players. The last game went fine when dealing with rping and talking to the bar tender and such. However, when it came to combat, teh game went to hell. The players had many problems.
For D&D there seems to be about 3 people that are pretty interested but dont know how to play. Should I make a test for my players to take, to ensure a fun and smooth game. The test would be on teh basics of creating a character and combat to intense Role Playing.

Well, it sounds like the roleplay aspect they already have.

I would just tell them to roll up characters (or you can) with like 14 for all stats and so on.

Put down a group of goblins/kobolds or whatever and then help them through the process. Don't pull any special moves off with the baddies or anything either.

When the group starts to get comfortable with how to check if they hit, and what damage they deal, or what DC is needed for this or that save or whatever then go ahead and up the ante a bit..

..remake your goblin/kobolds..but this time start moving em around a bit..have them defense, dodge, make attacks of opportunity and so on.

Basically yes, if they need some training, you should try to help them out instead of blindly starting an adventure where they die and feel they are hopeless losers.

I also very much agree on the test...don't make it too complicated or hard enough that only half or three fourths will pass. Also go over the questions they missed so that they understand. It would help them get ready for the game it'd be a little review before the real thing, and it shows that they can do some of the things that would be required for DnD. Also a little mini quest with characters of low level that you pre-made would get them ready even more and help them get used to the playing style, much like who the person above my post said.

I've never played a PnP game before. Could someone tell me how people play it? For example, the DM rightly should create the scenarios and plots, and vary the encounters for an interesting game. However what about things like attack rolls and damage rolls and attacks of opportunity, feats used, resistances available; are these supposed to be solely carried out by the players? Does the DM go, From within the gloom of the dank undergrowth, three goblins jump out, and attempt an ambush - then give the players the goblins' stats and let the players play out the battle themselves, or does the DM handle everything directly? Is there supposed to be some sort of battle grid or map to place enemy and friendly markers or something?

Thanks... although I've played all the Infinity Engine games (but completed only BG2: SoA+ToB and PS:T), I've no idea how the real thing works.

@ araknid70

Players controll everything about their characters except the stats and things like attacks, saves and skill checks, they roll dice for those themselves.

The whole world is played by the DM.
He plays the barkeep the players meet, the gnolls that ambush them and so on. I a fight players say what thay want to do and roll a dice to see if they can do it, like attacks rolls or damage rolls.

If you have other questions, not related to this d&d test, you should open a new thread.

It sure gets annoying having to explain every goddamned rule to every nwe player, so a test would really help.

A test may be good but if your dealing with people that have never played at all or not had the books to read you might just have them watch a session for a little bit to get an Idea of how things ususaly work. I know that I have done that myself with new DM's even though I have been playing for a long time just So I can get the feel for how the DM likes to run his games. Everyperson Learns Differently. But if you are starting out with a completely Green Group you have to take it slow or some of them Might get discouraged with playing. If you also have a few people that have played with you before you might ask them to work with the person while the game play is going on, so you are not slowing the game down to much for seasoned players.

i like the idea of a test. i'm still pretty much a newb, although i have no problem putting together a character now. in fact, i just moved five hours away from my normal playnig group, and we use webcams to still play our games every week, and i had only one problem with setting up my character that was easily taken care of. but like jamini said, everytone learns differently. my DM just gave me the Players Handbook for a few days, i read it, and if i didn't understand something, i wrote a note to myself to ask him about it. another friend of mine, who joined up the same time i did, had to be explained everything step by step, so, a test would have been helpful for my dm, a lot helpful, lol