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View Full Version : [4E] Newbie Q. (not what you might think)



Duos Greanleef
2010-01-29, 07:09 AM
So I FINALLY (:smallbiggrin:) got my girlfriend to play D&D with my group tonight. We need a controller, so I started rattling them off and she thought that a druid sounded like fun.
I'm thinking... ok. This can (possibly) work.

Here's the question:
What options should I go for to make a druid seem so cool that she'll never want to skip out on a game of D&D when we're playing?

Here's a second (just thought of) question:
What else should I be doing (as DM) to set the hook, if you will, without alienating the other players?

Thank you much, Playground. Your advice has served me well in the past. I'm sure you won't fail me now.

Kurald Galain
2010-01-29, 07:11 AM
Fair warning: controllers are probably the least suitable role for beginners.

Otherwise, it depends on what she considers "cool", really. I would start by giving the druid the utility powers that make their shapeshift actually do something.

Duos Greanleef
2010-01-29, 07:16 AM
Alright...
I realized that I forgot to say level 8.

Also...
I'm aware that controllers are bad for newbies, but she's not a total rpg noob. She has minor Oblivion, and major KotOR experience...

Here's another though that just occurred to me.
What if my DMPC Ranger|Fighter left the party, opening up the defender slot.
Would it be better to see if she'd play one of the defender classes instead?
If so, which one and how?

dsmiles
2010-01-29, 07:26 AM
Alright...
I realized that I forgot to say level 8.

Also...
I'm aware that controllers are bad for newbies, but she's not a total rpg noob. She has minor Oblivion, and major KotOR experience...

Here's another though that just occurred to me.
What if my DMPC Ranger|Fighter left the party, opening up the defender slot.
Would it be better to see if she'd play one of the defender classes instead?
If so, which one and how?

I think defender is the best for a noob. I would suggest rattling them off again, and see what she thinks sounds fun. Fun is the whole point of the game, after all.

As for setting the hook, look at the character's backstories and see if there's a common thread you can exploit.

Kurald Galain
2010-01-29, 07:36 AM
The most straightforward defender is the fighter.

The most straightforward controller is the invoker.

potatocubed
2010-01-29, 07:47 AM
You know what the most fun part of being a controller is for me?

Using my 'slide' powers to throw people off buildings. (Or, in our houseruled game, into walls, through windows, onto a readied spear, etc. The fun you can have with telekinesis...)

I'd be inclined to set the character up with a decent number of slide or push powers, then stage the next several combats in places where there are plenty of areas to slide or push them into.

The coolest thing defenders do, on the other hand, is protect the squishier party members and prevent the enemy from doing what they want. I'd recommend in this case a fighter or swordmage, since they provide the most opportunities to say "Yeah, no, how about I hit you instead?" whenever the enemy tries to do something.

Of course, this is all my point of view. I don't know your GF so I can't really tailor my advice all that well.