Whenever you run a game session for first time players... or introduce players to a new game system... there are certain guidelines that will help them to ease into the adventure and have a good time. These rules of thumb make for a smooth first game that the players can learn from and enjoy. They could be applied to the first session of any campaign.
Don't be afraid to Put your Adventure 'On Rails'
When you introduce your game system, the players will already have enough to process when grasping the new rules and setting. Wandering around the map and trying to find plot hooks or adventures to latch onto can become tedious for any player, especially someone new to the game. Don't be afraid to put the game on rails at first, presenting the players with a preset starting mission with a clear goal and starting point. The classic opener is "You all meet at a tavern." followed by a patron giving your team a quest. Something like that is appropriate and ideal. It's more about getting the ball rolling than having an entirely unique introduction.
Some examples of opening scenes:
- The party starts in a dungeon they have already traveled to, and the adventure is already in progress.
- A tavern keeper tells the group of a treasure rumored to be in a dangerous area.
- The group is part of a military unit or organization charged with a special mission.
- The party members have just escaped imprisonment or enslavement and now must begin their lives as renegades.
Another thing to remember is that characters should all have clear reasons to be travelling with their fellow party members. Depending on the players, it might even help to establish some pre-existing relationships between them. You want the group to be a stable adventuring party and avoid any in-fighting during this first session.
It is also recommended to restrict new players from playing evil characters. It takes more experience with role playing to play a villainous protagonist in an agreeable way, avoiding anti-social behavior and cooperating with the team. Let the players know that their characters moral proclivities are not necessarily a code that they force everyone else to adhere to, and keep an eye out for that errant player who likes to play paladins as dogmatic fanatics. In short, if you see someone trying to RP a character with obvious anti-social characteristics, discuss it with them. Hopefully you can direct them to more reasonable choices.
Start Off With Self-Contained Exploration
Rather than starting your players in a tavern encounter, or a fight with a band of brigands, I recommend running some kind of basic dungeon as your first introduction to the system. Let them face some basic traps and monsters. This lets the players learn the ropes, fight, and explore without the added complication of dealing with NPCs right away. It gives the players a protected sandbox to explore and play in, and gives you a simple starting point. Intrigue is best introduced after exploration, as it adds an additional layer of complexity. Their first dungeon will give players a chance to interact with the system and setting before deciding how to role play social encounters and relate to the characters within your world.
Imagine your session like the first level of a video game, a tutorial that gradually introduces the features of the game as it plays out the establishing scenes of the developing storyline. Try to introduce the game mechanics sequentially and organically if you can, and walk the players through each step so they can learn how to do it themselves.
Go Easy On Them At First
Until your players hit their stride, keep it light and easy. Start them off with something they can certainly overcome. Choose something exciting, but simple. Shambling skeletons, wolves, goblins, something that introduces them to the game and setting without imminently threatening the end of their character. Also make your policy on character mortality clear up front.
As your game progresses, you can ramp up the difficulty of encounters. Remember that when making changes on the fly, it is always easier to make encounters harder than it is to make an encounter easier. Gradually increase the challenge rating as your players become more capable. Soon enough your group will be taking on elite monsters and squads of minions like pros!
Ask Lots of Questions and Show Them They Are In Control
One of the great things about pen and paper gaming is the amount of control the player has over their surroundings. Introduce the players to this cooperative method by asking them to fill in blanks for themselves. Make sure you frequently cue them by asking "What do you do?" and provide opportunities for them to share more about their character. This is good in any game, but it is especially important for new players to understand that they are the driving force of the game and have control over the action.Be warned, new players sometimes abuse this level of influence to act out with their character, taking reckless or aggressive actions. Sometimes after finding out that taking any action is possible, players may act out and get themselves in a lot of trouble. This is when it is up to the DM to gently demonstrate the consequences of those actions.
Remember, don't 'punish' players. Let every action have a logical reaction and sequence of events. Allow the players to make mistakes, give them lots of opportunities to patch things over. It is up to the DM, but you might even give them of hints and warnings if something is going wrong for them. Find their comfort level and decide how much to guide them through things in the early stages.
Keep It Comfortable
Keep the word 'noob' out of your vocabulary, and welcome your players to the game table without judgement or criticism of their previous gaming experience. Even a first time player is deserving of your respect at the game table. Keep them confident, even as a new player, and maintain a degree of patience yourself as you walk them through their first game. Help them understand that failed rolls and plans that go awry are all part of the game, and what keeps it fun. As always, emphasize fun over rules, and don't get frustrated if things don't go according to your original plan.
Happy ventures!
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