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View Full Version : DM Help Player Packets for New Players: Help and/or Opinion



Baradow
2016-10-21, 01:52 AM
Hi folks! Brand new DM here, getting ready to run my first game ever. I'll be running a game of D&D for a pair of my friends who've never played before. I'm the only one with any experience (only been playing for about a year), but I'm trying to convert them into fellow players, since my regular group is in another town and it's kinda hard to get together with them sometimes. (And yes, I know that two players is a super small game.)

I'm making a player packet for each of my players, things that will help them play the game and get into the world and their characters. So far in each of their folders they have the following:

-Their character sheet
-A list of what players can do on their turn (movements, actions, attacks, etc)
-A list of the supplies in their various "packs"
-A currency exchange rate chart for GP, SP, CP, etc.
-A sheet detailing healing potion properties
-A short biography of their character (they came up with the basics and I embellished a little with their permission)

And lastly, I created a pair of "artifacts" that apply to each character's abilities and gives them information as well as a little "character flavor":

-For the cleric, a "spellbook" listing the spells & cantrips at their disposal at their current level
-For the rogue, a "wanted poster" that details the special actions their rogue can take at their current level

So what I'm wondering is: is there anything else I can put in these packets to help them out? I know it might seem like I've done a lot so far, but I'm trying to make sure I haven't missed an opportunity to help them. Some details about the campaign world might help IF this turned into a regular thing, but right now it's probably going to be just a one-shot. Plus, I also figure that the more info they have at their disposal, the less they'll have to ask me for rule info or help explaining what a particular feature is.

Any suggestions?

Mutazoia
2016-10-21, 02:45 AM
What edition of D&D are you going to be running?

Baradow
2016-10-21, 03:10 AM
What edition of D&D are you going to be running?

It's 5e. I've never played anything else.

Mutazoia
2016-10-21, 04:52 AM
Ah. And I have yet to give it a try, lol

In general, then:

If this is going to be a one-shot, as you suggest, then I think there is little else to add to the packet. You can't prepair for every eventuality, and so you cannot avoid flipping through the rule books on occation. I could suggest having a brief synopsis of combat actions, such as basic movement, flanking, AOE's, etc. readily available.

Baradow
2016-10-21, 05:07 AM
I could suggest having a brief synopsis of combat actions, such as basic movement, flanking, AOE's, etc. readily available.

I've got a pretty good guide to that stuff for them, I think. I'm kind of obsessing over this player packet thing, but I can't help it. I'm just positive that some time during the night I'm going to realize 2 or 3 things that I should've put in there but didn't, LOL.

Berenger
2016-10-21, 08:38 AM
Dice, pencils, erasers?

Pictures (of the characters, of notable equipment, a map of the area they start in...)?

The Fury
2016-10-22, 07:37 PM
Most of these are good suggestions, though I'd also include a brief setting primer. Some things would just be common knowledge to a player character just by virtue of them living in the setting. Like the name of the country they live in, who's in charge of that country, the name of the nearest ocean, how many moons are in the sky and whatnot.

I'm not sure about the specifics of your setting, but it's especially useful if it has some exotic element like the entire campaign world is on the inside of a hollow sphere where the sky is only visible from holes in the "ground." It's just really strange when elements like this take player characters off guard.

Baradow
2016-10-24, 03:06 AM
Dice, pencils, erasers?

Pictures (of the characters, of notable equipment, a map of the area they start in...)?

I've got dice, pencils, and erasered covered. I'm also giving them some 3x5 cards for note-taking. As far as pictures of characters, maps, etc. I'm working on that stuff. I'm doing up a few props (one is a scroll that I printed up, then I distressed it, stained it to make it look like parchment, and rolled it up). Trying to make it as fun as I can for them.


Most of these are good suggestions, though I'd also include a brief setting primer. Some things would just be common knowledge to a player character just by virtue of them living in the setting. Like the name of the country they live in, who's in charge of that country, the name of the nearest ocean, how many moons are in the sky and whatnot.

I'm working on a setting primer for them. The world itself isn't too unusual or bizarre, but the setting has a long history that ties into the game and it plays a big part. I don't want to hand them a history book and ask them to study it so they're familiar with the world's past, but I also don't want a character to explain something to them that's supposed to be common knowledge for everyone that lives in that world. I'm trying to figure out the best way to make the primer informative... but short.

Something else I've done is print them each a guide to their dice, so they know the differences between a d8 and a d20. It may seem basic, but these are people who've never played anything even remotely like a pen and paper roleplaying game (though one of them did play a couple of Final Fantasy games, so at least she understands concepts like hit points, status effects, etc).