Teaching 3.5

[GenericMook]

So one of my cousins has expressed interest in learning how to play DnD. I'm gonna introduce him to 3.5, but I'm kind of at a loss of how to do it. I've never fully DM'd my own campaign (only substituted for a DM twice, but I had his notes then).

Generally speaking, I'm gonna be starting him off on Core (and maybe with PHBII for classes), and at first level. I'm gonna wait and see until he figures out what he can do before I start declaring house rules. After that campaign is over, I'm gonna open up the Completes, if he's willing to continue, or other books like MoI/ToB/ToM or w/e. Does this seem like a wise idea?

Now, what I need help with is finding a module (I really don't have the time to put together my own campaign at this point in time) that'll let him grasp the basics pretty easily. Anyone got any recommendations?

[Zman]

Easiest way is a very soft introduction.

Walk him through basic character creation, let him pick what he wants.

Start a basic role play situation, lading into a sample combat. Let him tell you what he wants to do and explain the rules from there.

"I want to track the mugger."

Ok, let's first roll initiative, it is based off your dexterity and determines how fast you can act, then you take turns.

Etc...

[ACSherman]

Easiest way is a very soft introduction.

Walk him through basic character creation, let him pick what he wants.

Start a basic role play situation, lading into a sample combat. Let him tell you what he wants to do and explain the rules from there.

"I want to track the mugger."

Ok, let's first roll initiative, it is based off your dexterity and determines how fast you can act, then you take turns.

Etc...

I would second this.

When going through Character Creation, what I like to do is ask the person what kind of character they want to play. One of the best parts about 3.5 is the way that the multiple classes all work together to support the same kinds of character concept: If they want to play a roguish character, then a Rogue, Beguiller, and Swashbuckler all fit together to fit the basic concepts depending on how exactly they want to play it. Same with Fighter/Barbarian/Knight for a bulkier fighter, and if they want to use magic, I'd typically go with recommending the Warmage, Beguiller, or Dread Necro. Those 3 cover the basic bases of what magicians can do, and are much easier for new players to handle.

[yougi]

I think the other way around. If he's never played table top rpgs, I would give him a basic PC or two, probably a fighter and a sorcerer, and run a combat encounter around that. That way, he'll know what attack bonus is, what spells are like (and saves), and he'll have an example of a spontaneous caster, to which you can start telling him about prepared caster to see if he could prefer that. After the encounter, you tell him it's time to make his character, and if he asks you to keep one of those you prepared, then sure!

As per module, if you start at first level, I've really liked Wreck Ashore (free to download), and Pathfinder also has many great modules (although I've never tried the first level ones), some that are free to download from paizo.com.

[Amphetryon]

Step 1:

"Tell me about the Character you want to play." This way you can help your cousin find and understand the rules that support the archetype in which he's interested, which (in my experience) greatly enhances both the new Player's first sessions and his ability to grasp and remember the rules he needs, without bogging him down with rules he won't be using (like teaching a prospective Barbarian's Player about the Turn Undead rules).

Step 2:

Work with him to make the Character as close as possible - within your allowed rule-set - to his concept. Now you'll both have a handle on Character abilities, and you can go over the parts that might confuse him (which are likely to be there, and are likely to be relatively specific to each new Player).

Step 3:

Build encounters sequentially, based on what he's already learned. The first encounter probably should be a straight-forward matchup on a flat, open plain, either at Range (for that Character type) or close enough to be able to engage in Melee within the first round, devoid of any special combat maneuvers - like Tripping or Grappling - that aren't integral to the Player Character. Next encounter, add in a complication. Next encounter, introduce something that the PC's main shtick isn't effective against and encourage him to find solutions. You get the idea.

[jaynus006]

Sunless Citadel is a level 1-3 adventure module and pretty classic. I don't know if it ever got a 3.5 upgrade but if you can get a copy and look through it I'm pretty sure it's straight forward enough to adapt over.