Premade Character Sheets for New Players?

[roguemetal]

So a friend who runs a tabletop club has requested I make an appearance at their club and introduce D&D to everyone. I plan on handing out premade characters for a few short modules I've written, and generally giving folks the feeling of 3.5.

In the past when I've premade characters for this, I usually stuck to Core only. Avoiding powerful spells, and simplifying the process. However, I wonder if this gives the correct impression to new players? Perhaps I should instead create fairly powerful characters which don't all use core classes, but instead some of the more commonly seen builds in a semi-optimized setting, which is what most 3.5 DMs tend to run in my experience.

Maybe I should share the basic Cleric, Druid, and Wizard, then provide the Gish, Dungeon Crasher, Daring Outlaw, Sniper, Ardent, Psion, and Crusader.

What are your thoughts on this?

[Big Fau]

A huge part of this game's rules is character generation, so removing that actually makes it harder for newer players to get into the game (since they don't understand what their characters can do, and are less invested in a character they didn't come up with).

[Jurai]

Start simple but awesome, introduce the Gish, the Dungeon Crasher, the Druid, and the Wizard first, and have them go on a dungeon crawl.

[Urpriest]

A huge part of this game's rules is character generation, so removing that actually makes it harder for newer players to get into the game (since they don't understand what their characters can do, and are less invested in a character they didn't come up with).

If you're actually interested in showing these people the "feel of 3.5" then I agree that you should have a session for them to make their own characters. The best parts of 3.5 are the character-building minigame after all.

Otherwise, I'd stick with classes that are easy to pick up in play but still give a feel for the complexity of the system. A Sorceror or Beguiler, a Favored Soul or Shugenja, ToB classes, maybe something like a Swift Hunter if you want an archer.

[roguemetal]

A huge part of this game's rules is character generation, so removing that actually makes it harder for newer players to get into the game (since they don't understand what their characters can do, and are less invested in a character they didn't come up with).

Well aware, but when time is limited, having only two people who have played D&D before, myself included, for X number of people means losing valuable time showing prospective players the game.

[Spore]

Well aware, but when time is limited, having only two people who have played D&D before, myself included, for X number of people means losing valuable time showing prospective players the game.

Meet beforehand for character creation?

[roguemetal]

Meet beforehand for character creation?

Consider it similar to introducing a game at a convention. I will be running games all day for multiple groups, and trying to get as many people introduced to the system as possible. I am unlikely to know any of the people who show up.

I DO have plans for those dedicated to coming back for a full game, a 4-session game plan to get people better introduced which would involve character creation, but for the mini-module I'm just trying to grab folks.

[Callin]

Warblade/Bard- easier to refresh manuevers and less known
Sorcerer- let em blast and control away
Druid- druid stuff
Cleric- cleric stuff
Rogue/Swashbuckler- little stealth little swagger much stabing
Factotem-skills and all around 5th wheel guy

[Crake]

Consider it similar to introducing a game at a convention. I will be running games all day for multiple groups, and trying to get as many people introduced to the system as possible. I am unlikely to know any of the people who show up.

I DO have plans for those dedicated to coming back for a full game, a 4-session game plan to get people better introduced which would involve character creation, but for the mini-module I'm just trying to grab folks.

I think it's safe to squeeze out of core, but going for semi-optimized builds and telling people "you can add THIS much to your damage" feels to me like it's pushing people toward playing mechanical characters rather than roleplaying and getting into their character's shoes, which is what I think DnD is really all about.

Maybe have more pre-made characters than there are players at the table, so people can pick characters that they like and nobody gets shoehorned into having to play the last remaining character after everyone else picks?

You want to get the players immersed in the game, not just have them rolling dice and killing monsters, they can do that in any MMO of their choosing. I realise this can be a hard thing to achieve, even with a regular gaming group, and especially with a pre-made module, but if you can pull it off, i reckon you'd get many more potentially interested players.

[Red Fel]

Ordinarily, I would agree with the above posters who suggest that, at the very least, you have a pre-meeting to guide the players through character creation.

However, given your time constraints, I think pre-made character sheets are extremely reasonable. I would, however, go the extra mile.

1. Go over the sheet in a quick, five-minute lecture with the new players. Explain what each item on the sheet means, what it does, and how they may need to make adjustments during gameplay.

2. For any caster, create spell cards. Basically, since you've planned their spells in advance, put each one on a little index card so that they can have a quick reference as to what spells they know, which ones they have prepared, and what they do.

3. For any character with per-day abilities, give them tokens to indicate number of uses. That makes it easy to track.

4. For any character with multiple attack options (e.g. a Fighter with multiple weapons, a Monk with unarmed strikes and a Monk weapon, a Rogue who can use regular attacks or SA) put together a cue card or two indicating what their options are, how to roll them, and when they can use them. While this is generally listed on the character sheet, it's not always self-explanatory.

Why am I suggesting this degree of hand-holding? Because, as others have mentioned, if the players generated their own characters, they would (at least ostensibly) have developed some familiarity with their abilities. Because you're doing it for them, you need to make absolutely sure that they know what the characters can do, particularly because otherwise you're simply handing them a piece of paper covered in enigmatic runes and sigils. ("BAB? Wait, do I get more than one attack? What's the difference between Touch AC and AC? What's my Ref Save for?")

If you plan on playing D&D for New Players, give them the full treatment. Since you plan to generate their characters in advance, it shouldn't be too much extra work for you to slap together a few extra cards and tokens and a five-minute presentation on how a person wandering through a cavern they know to be full of hostile monstrosities could ever be caught flat-footed. ("An attack? In a cave full of monsters? How unexpected!")

I happen to agree, however, that there are two aspects to the "feel" of D&D - character generation, and gameplay. If they don't like the gameplay, they won't sit through generation, so it's important to be able to streamline the former so that they'll be motivated to try the latter later.

[roguemetal]

You want to get the players immersed in the game, not just have them rolling dice and killing monsters, they can do that in any MMO of their choosing. I realise this can be a hard thing to achieve, even with a regular gaming group, and especially with a pre-made module, but if you can pull it off, i reckon you'd get many more potentially interested players.

I tend to have zero problems with that. I used to DM for actors, and I think it rubbed off on me a bit. The story never takes a backseat in my campaigns, and players regularly become devoted to their characters.




1. Go over the sheet in a quick, five-minute lecture with the new players. Explain what each item on the sheet means, what it does, and how they may need to make adjustments during gameplay.

2. For any caster, create spell cards. Basically, since you've planned their spells in advance, put each one on a little index card so that they can have a quick reference as to what spells they know, which ones they have prepared, and what they do.

3. For any character with per-day abilities, give them tokens to indicate number of uses. That makes it easy to track.

4. For any character with multiple attack options (e.g. a Fighter with multiple weapons, a Monk with unarmed strikes and a Monk weapon, a Rogue who can use regular attacks or SA) put together a cue card or two indicating what their options are, how to roll them, and when they can use them. While this is generally listed on the character sheet, it's not always self-explanatory.


1. I always make sure to go over the characters beforehand. Premaking characters is simply the difference between 20 minutes of handholding and 5 minutes of handholding before game.

2. Spell cards I've done. I tend to also have a few circles on each (if prepared spellcaster) so they can mark the abilities used.

3. Tokens I have not tried, but it's not a bad idea.

4. For special attack characters, I simply put "Two Weapon Fighting" or "Sneak Attack" in one of the attack areas on the card, and ensure whatever two weapons are being used have the same damage for simplicity. And I make sure to remind characters what they can do at each opportunity.

I really do like that Token idea...