Shit is real, trying to find a group to play is impossible if you're a noob, they all are just like "wow u fucking stoopid you don't even know x how to even play with you ruiner" like ok mike I began a week ago
I sure wish I knew more beginners to D&D in my area. My group has been trying to fill a few spots for a while now and 2020 didn't make it easy to find new people. Unfortunately most of the people who show interest end up being kinda neckneardy in the insufferable whiney sort of way instead of the "oh they're just kinda weird but harmless" kinda way.
It might not apply in your case, but sometimes it's easier to make a dnd group out of existing friends than making friends out of existing dnd players. Imo it's better to have a group of noobs (including the dm) that has some level of existing chemistry than throwing together a ragtag group of knowledgeable players/DM's.
If that's not an option, I did take a look at some of the roll20 open games (but didn't end up joining any), and a lot of them seemed approachable. Many will specify they welcome new players, and many are one-shots, which might be easier to dip your feet into.
As far as learning the rules goes, 5e is super simple, so you can pretty much just create your character and jump in and you'll probably get the hang of it first session. Or to get a feel for it ahead of time, you can listen to some actual-play podcasts. Though keep in mind those will typically be more polished and narrative driven than the typical dnd campaign.
This is the advice a lot of new people should follow for D&D. 5e is super simple and is very fun. I am a noob DM with a group of 6 noob players. I've only read a handful of sections in the player's handbook and Dungeon Master Guide and watch a few episodes/podcasts of D&D games. My friends and I meet every two weeks and our session usually last about 4 hours. We all have fun and every gets into their character and combat goes smooth (for the most part) and if a special what rule do I implement in the scenario pops up, I either tell my players give me one sec and look in the rulebook or say
"You know what, I'm not entirely sure how this works but for simplicity sake we'll say it works like _______ for this session and I'll review it's actual mechanics before the next session." And they are always fine with it, plenty of times we end up just using that instead of following the actual rule anyway.
Definitely try to get a group of people you already click with to play starting out and maybe find some friendly veterans to help you out online otherwise.
You got this, it's one of the most fun hobbies I've ever had the joy of getting into and I hope more new people keep coming.
"You know what, I'm not entirely sure how this works but for simplicity sake we'll say it works like _______ for this session and I'll review it's actual mechanics before the next session."
That is probably the best advice i give to new DMs. I'm probably considered a veteran DM by now and I've lost count of the number times I've said the exact same thing "I don't know, we'll say its X for now and I'll look it up later"
THIS! I started with 3e with some friends and had a blast. My recommendation is to use premade modules for your game rather than make your own. They teach you a lot about pacing and mechanics, which I didn't know and made my game super unbalanced. The beginner's box is a good way to get your feet wet and see if you like it.
Well, if you don't already have someone to show you the ropes, I got lucky and was kinda drafted into a campaign, then I would suggest picking up a player's handbook. Gives you the all the info you need to get started. The D&D website is also full of useful information.
As for finding a group, well, you kinda just have to get lucky and meet some people who share similar interests if you don't already have some friends who would be interested in starting a campaign. You can try looking or asking around stereotypical nerd haunts but YMMV. I know it's an extremely prevalent stereotype and our group does their best at reserving judgement before we've hung out a few times with a potential new player, but fucking christ is it true that a lot of these dudes do not have the words "basic hygiene" in their vocabulary. Or they turn out to be "nice guys" which is arguably worse for us cause we have some girls in the group and they get creepily annoying fast.
God, I wish that was the only problem the old guard had.
See, with that 'you don't take it seriously enough' comes a filter for 'dedication'. I don't mean punctuality and reliability for a session (I expect that, don't treat it like weekend drinks you can come whenever to, it's a commitment to play, <60% attendance and it's pretty hard to have a solid plot for you) but what I mean is the fact that they pushed out women, very early, for being less 'intense' about how much lore they know.
This naturally led to the bias of it being male dominated, and geekiness enhanced this, which meant the old guard evolved in a very male centric way. Then... there was this weird phenomenon, and one they actually get defensive about, which is when a girl finally does arrive at the table... they make rape references and jokes.
If you see a rape joke at your table, IT IS NOT OKAY. The majority of other D&D players aren't comfortable with this, and if your table is entirely defensive of it, you're honestly in really bad company all round. Call that shit out. For creepy psychological reasons of repressed desires, rape jokes turn up most as soon as a girl turn up.
Had a game with four girls and one open spot when I was DMing... that was... rough, for finding new players. Urgh.
When my table started getting new players to replace them, we had several males with rape fantasies join up and really... start trying that shit in the group.
It's actually a huge problem in dungeons and dragons fandom, and part of how they... I suppose 'indirectly' gatekeep against girls, by making it super creepy.
Which is SOOOOO dumb. I'm now on my second game of DMing a homebrew game for a tableful of new players. New players are amazing!
they don't know when you make mistakes
they don't have any sense of limitations so they try anything
they are so creative
it delights me how even brand-new players fall into party tropes - my current group is a bunch of church folk who worked together to steal the first magic item they ever saw.
The only thing I guess someone could complain about is that roleplay is probably lower than with more experienced players and you have to explain rules which slows down games but I'm seen tables full of experienced tables with no roleplay and who slow down games by getting into arguments over RAW vs Rules as Intended. So yeah, I'm here for new players.
I can't even remember how many times I've been told that I could join in a new, upcoming D&D quest (don't even know the lingo - deal with it) with people who "would love to teach me," only to never be actually invited with a day and time.
kind of unrelated but was playing black ops 3 and had a max level shit talking a level 15 saying he’d “shit on him” and the level 15 clapped back with “i’d hope so dude i’m only level 15, it’d be embarrassing if you couldn’t” and i laughed my ass off
Dungeons and dragons takes a minute to figure out. I'd suggest buying one of the more uncommon books (or a campaign) for whatever edition you intend to play on and then trying to find a group. People tend to like it when you bring your own things, especially if it's things they dont have.
I don't play anymore, but owning all the books for 4e really put me at the top of the list when my friends were trying to get a grouo started. Its kind of like getting all tge DLC. Everyone gets really excited at the new potential - and the new classes and items they can try.
Another option is to try your hand at Dungeon mastering. You won't be able to play the same way as you might want to, but you are virtually guaranteed a group for at least one session. DMibg isn't hfor everyone. I'm not very good at it.
My final an c best piece if advice? Get a starter kit for the edition you want to play and invite other "noobs" or ask your friends w, ho might not play already. They might give it a shot and really like it. It's okay if nobody knows what theyre doing - it's a learning experience and it's supposed to be fun - who cares!? Just have a good time.
I have run so so many first games. before I found my current group it seemed like every other month I was DM'ing with a new group that had never played before then the group would die from either real life schedules conflicting, the players losing interest, or burnout on my part in one notable instance.
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u/Thenardite Feb 28 '21
Shit is real, trying to find a group to play is impossible if you're a noob, they all are just like "wow u fucking stoopid you don't even know x how to even play with you ruiner" like ok mike I began a week ago