One offs, and introducing new players

[randomhero00]

Do you have a preferred game type for one offs that are for introducing new players? Like giving them pre-gen'd characters and throwing them into a situation to teach them about the game.

I prefer combat oriented ones that bring the foes straight to them so they don't have to muck about trying to figure out what to do. I'm trying to figure out ways to put more roleplay into these gladiator-coliseum type one offs though. This can apply to any game btw.

My general go-to is that they were captured by an army and are thrown into an arena to fight for their entertainment. The players end up going through waves of foes after their captors realize their mistake. The roleplay can come in when talking to a guard outside their cell just before the show starts, in between waves of fights by making a speech to the crowd or soldiers, and at the end before they have to fight the boss.

Tips? Do you have your own go-to situation as well? What do you find works best for one-offs for new players?

edit: PS I find the intro modules for most games too challenging for brand new players. They are also often too combat heavy (although mine suffers from that too) and complicated for what they are intended for.

[Edwin]

Arena fighting? Gladiator? Mmh, Russell Crowe..

Anyway, I generally don't do one-offs, though I always love when a game starts right in the middle of some sort of action or interesting scenario. Once, for example, a campaign started out with me and the others being introduced to a telepathic, celestial lion, telling us that it's master had a quest for us.

It doesn't sound like much, but the whole atmosphere was very driving.

[Anxe]

I use the adventure that came with the original PHB when I introduce new players to the game. I have four pre-gen characters, a paladin, a rogue, a wizard, and a cleric. The dungeon teaches the rules and strategies. I slapped a bad plot on to it to introduce actual RP elements as well. It works for me.

[Swordgleam]

I do one-offs with pregens, but generally something a little more plotty. Usually a standard dungeon crawl works just fine. That way, they can make choices, but everything is still fairly linear.