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LVOD
2017-01-17, 02:14 PM
I'm sure this has been covered, but i got tired of searching for it.

What are some good, introductory RPGs for new players? I'm especially interested in the simplicity of the rules. I don't want a lot of bulky mechanics to have to constantly reiterate.

Background: I'm trying to expand my group with some new players now that its shrunk down quite a bit, but the new guys haven't ever played any table-top games whatsoever.

ComaVision
2017-01-17, 02:19 PM
I'm sure this has been covered, but i got tired of searching for it.

What are some good, introductory RPGs for new players? I'm especially interested in the simplicity of the rules. I don't want a lot of bulky mechanics to have to constantly reiterate.

Background: I'm trying to expand my group with some new players now that its shrunk down quite a bit, but the new guys haven't ever played any table-top games whatsoever.

For people totally new to the hobby? Probably 5e D&D. It's relatively simple (relative to other D&D editions...) and it's what people expect from outside the hobby. I think it's a great place to start, and then you can have a discussion about what you dislike/like about the system as a group and (maybe) move on to another system.

DISCLAIMER: I've never played 5e D&D lol

Koo Rehtorb
2017-01-17, 03:01 PM
Anything Powered by the Apocalypse, Dungeon World in particular.

Mutazoia
2017-01-18, 12:28 AM
Simple systems with low "clunkiness":

Generic D6 (or Star Wars D6 if you want to cash in on the movie hype)
Amber Diceless (or it's new "generic setting" version Lords of Gossamer and Shadow)
Teenagers from Outter Space
Or this board's very own High School Harem Comedy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?290243-High-School-Harem-Comedy-(Game-System-PEACH))

Just to name a few off the top of my head.

Fri
2017-01-18, 12:32 AM
My recommendation is always Old School Hack.

http://www.oldschoolhack.net/

Combination of super easy to understand and enough rules crunch and dice rolling for newbies to grok dicerolling and not feeling like some freeform storytelling but not too much so you can focus on having fun for the first time. You can have them make a character in 15 minutes or something from scratch.

Check it out, the book's super short.

JAL_1138
2017-01-18, 01:42 AM
We get a fair number of new-to-TTRPG players in Adventurers' League with 5e. Making a character is often a bit confusing for them (I usually recommend either pregens or arriving early and getting help from an experienced player), and the first couple sessions go slow as they figure out which of the dice are which and when to add what modifier. But it usually only takes a session or two for them to get the rules figured out reasonably well if there's a veteran player or DM around to help them.

Knaight
2017-01-18, 02:18 AM
How experienced are you? I usually use Fudge for this, but Fudge is a classic example of a game that is extremely easy to play and that takes some skill as a GM to use properly. If you have some experience as a GM, it's a good option. If you're still fairly new, maybe not so much.

hifidelity2
2017-01-18, 04:24 AM
I would agree re Star Wars D6 as a good place to start

- its simple
- its fast
- everyone knows the setting

JAL_1138
2017-01-18, 10:55 AM
I would agree re Star Wars D6 as a good place to start

- its simple
- its fast
- everyone knows the setting

Agreed. WEG D6 Star Wars is a fantastic game, and the rules are pretty straightforward and quick to learn.

The books themselves are also written fantastically well. There aren't many RPGs where just reading the rulebooks is that interesting. A lot of the fluff WEG invented for it would go on to form the basis for most of the EU novels--Lucasfilm even sent WEG D6 splatbooks out to Timothy Zahn as worldbuilding material for the Thrawn Trilogy.

Bohandas
2017-01-18, 10:58 AM
Toon by SJ Games is simple

kyoryu
2017-01-18, 11:17 AM
Depends on what they want to play, really.

Dungeon World or another PbtA game can work very well.

I think Fate is easier for new players than experienced ones :)

Old-school D&D of some sort (including things like the Old School Hack) can work quite well.

Fudge would be fine.

Grod_The_Giant
2017-01-18, 11:36 AM
I actually kind of disagree with Fate for newbies; the basic structure it inherits from Fudge is fine, but the practice of trying to get people to understand (and use!) Aspects has, in my experience, been clunky regardless of experience level. It's also structured kind of counter-intuitively in terms of how games and campaigns play out.

I think 5e is probably the best bet at the moment. It's reasonably simple, and it's exactly what people thing of when they think of RPGs. No weird narrative rules, no funky dice mechanics, no odd quirks of setting, just a bunch of people pretending to be elves shooting fireballs at orcs.

JenBurdoo
2017-01-19, 02:02 PM
I run XD20 for utter newbies. It has the simplest possible mechanic, it works in any genre, and building characters takes sixty seconds. The GM does everything - just pick an appropriate number to roll (see Rough Chances) and tell the players.

My game is a hybrid of these free variants:

http://rpg-tinker.blogspot.com/2014/11/heres-d20-adventure-game.html

http://rpg-tinker.blogspot.com/p/and-play.html

http://rpg-tinker.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-rough-chances.html

Anonymouswizard
2017-01-19, 06:55 PM
I recommend the Open d6 games, because they're relatively simple and free. There are three of them, each covering a certain 'genre'.

D6 Fantasy (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20448/D6-Fantasy?it=1) is for medieval fantasy settings.
D6 Adventure (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20446/D6-Adventure?manufacturers_id=468&it=1) is for settings from about 1920 to the modern day.
D6 Space (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/20447/D6-Space?manufacturers_id=468&it=1[/url) is for Space Opera or cyberpunk games, and is essentially the D6 Star Wars rules with generic fluff. It's also the only one with a free setting, Septimus (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/63991/Septimus) a Space Opera set on a Dyson Sphere with some other elements (I'm not 100% sure, I have it on my DriveThruRPG library but I'm not overly interested in it).

The books are generic so you'll have to acquire a setting through whatever means you wish, such as creating one, but the rules are solid. The only downside is the fact that Magic, Miracles, and Metaphysics expect you to create your own powers and provide only a short example list, this isn't problematic for someone used to the game but if you're just starting out either limit players to example powers or play strictly mundane characters.

Mechalich
2017-01-19, 08:03 PM
I would agree re Star Wars D6 as a good place to start

- its simple
- its fast
- everyone knows the setting

Also, if you can't get your hands on Star Wars d6, Star Wars SAGA is somewhat more available and is also reasonably simple - especially at low levels which is where you'd probably start anyway. It's also a good system to learn d20 style mechanics - and the way the hobby is currently structured everyone's going to play d20 based games at some point - on.

However, in more generic advice, I'd recommend soliciting information on which video and PC rpgs your payers like and finding a system that is likely to deliver something like that. Everyone's played console or PC rpgs at this point so that serves as a good starting point.

Mutazoia
2017-01-20, 12:14 AM
Also, if you can't get your hands on Star Wars d6, Star Wars SAGA is somewhat more available {snip}

The Star Wars D6 stuff is much easier to get (the core books along with ALL the splats) and infinitely cheaper (http://d6holocron.com/) than SAGA.

LVOD
2017-01-20, 12:08 PM
https://d12rpg.com/downloads/

Anyone tried this?
It almost seems TOO simple. There isn't really any distinction between any characters other than flavor. I'm sure it'd be fun, but i don't think its crunchy enough for long term play.

Friv
2017-01-20, 01:47 PM
I have found Lasers and Feelings (http://onesevendesign.com/lasers_and_feelings_rpg.pdf) to be a very good introductory game for players who are completely new to the hobby. It has three major advantages:

1) Only one resolution mechanic; players don't have to learn complicated rules, they can just say "I'm very feelings-based", "I'm super-sciencey", or "I'm sort of a balanced maverick" and call it a day. All of the rules fit on one page, and you can explain them quickly.

2) It emulates a style of play that most nerds are familiar with, in a way that is easy to jump into.

3) It is free. In fact, the link above is literally the link to the entire rules of the game, on the website of the game publisher.

PhoenixPhyre
2017-01-20, 04:37 PM
My vote: whatever game the DM knows well (within reason, no high op 3.X with all splats). I've introduced about 30 teenagers to ttrpgs and found success with both 5e and 4e (more with 5e than 4e due to fewer rule interactions).