Advice for teaching a bunch of bored students D&D 5e character creation?

[Valorium]

Hello everyone!

As part of some end-of-year work, me and other members of a course I'm taking have to teach a special skill or talent to the class. After taking some interest polls, I've decided to run a crash-course through the basics of 5e character creation and assess them based on a combination of memorized trivia about the process and a few open-response questions based around responding to scenarios using their skills, equipment and class features. I would have approximately half an hour to do this, although I may be able to ask my professor for more time. This is a class of approximately twenty-four people. Advice on how to make the process fun and fast for a large group of people unfamiliar with the subject?

[Stangler]

Hello everyone!

As part of some end-of-year work, me and other members of a course I'm taking have to teach a special skill or talent to the class. After taking some interest polls, I've decided to run a crash-course through the basics of 5e character creation and assess them based on a combination of memorized trivia about the process and a few open-response questions based around responding to scenarios using their skills, equipment and class features. I would have approximately half an hour to do this, although I may be able to ask my professor for more time. This is a class of approximately twenty-four people. Advice on how to make the process fun and fast for a large group of people unfamiliar with the subject?

I taught people recently and it really helped to have them understand the basics of why these numbers matter first. So I had them start with some premade characters and gave them scenarios to play through involving first combat basics and then some skill checks. I tried to highlight key differences like, a barbarian rages and takes half damage. That bard can help the team with an inspiration. Stuff like that.

You can do the same stuff with skills, highlighting strengths. Maybe some terrain issues that are dealt with through skills or spells.

[Psyren]

I agree with Stangler: while character creation is fun if you're already invested in the game, for people completely new to the hobby, watching you generate and assign a bunch of stats may not be the most engaging activity, even (perhaps especially) if you explain what you're doing. There's a reason conventions and stores use pregens for new players rather than forcing them all through chargen, it gets them right into the action.

If you want to excite an audience of non-fans, I would consider doing the same - jumping into the action. Grab 3-4 basic pregens (the standard Fighter Mage Thief {[Priest/Bard]} model), and show what it's like to DM a small encounter or two for them. Ideally you can hand off each of these characters to a couple of other members of your course (games are interactive after all) but you can play both sides if you wish by making one or both take very simple actions. Ham it up and narrate the dice rolls accordingly, and work a couple of ability checks in there. If you're using Powerpoint, you can stick gigantic dice roll animations directly into your presentation as well.

[HemlockR]

Hello everyone!

As part of some end-of-year work, me and other members of a course I'm taking have to teach a special skill or talent to the class. After taking some interest polls, I've decided to run a crash-course through the basics of 5e character creation and assess them based on a combination of memorized trivia about the process and a few open-response questions based around responding to scenarios using their skills, equipment and class features. I would have approximately half an hour to do this, although I may be able to ask my professor for more time. This is a class of approximately twenty-four people. Advice on how to make the process fun and fast for a large group of people unfamiliar with the subject?

"Show-N-Tell" works better than "Tell". I believe that letting someone do a few solo runs will give them a better feel of the mechanics than just telling them the rules.

Here's a character generator I made for AD&D and 5E which lets you play (and die) during character creation: _https://maxwilson.github.io/ShiningSword/ (remove the underscore) It's a work in progress and doesn't currently let you make decisions during combat, but it does let you get a feel for how the mechanics work. Perhaps your fellow students would find it helpful.

[sithlordnergal]

Everyone here is basically right on the money. If you're wanting to teach them about DnD, the best way to do so is through an example using pre-made characters. Because unless these people know what the numbers mean or stand for, then its all greek to them. After all, what is the point of having a decent AC? Why bother having a Constitution score that has a positive modifier?

You and I can answer "Because it makes it harder to hit you" and "You have higher HP", but to a new player those words are kind of meaningless. Like, they're understand the concept that being hard to hit is good, and they're likely know what HP is from other games. But not in the context of DnD.

Better to just run a quick one shot mini-adventure that introduces how to use the numbers instead of how to get the numbers.

[JLandan]

A half-hour is kind of short for character generation. In my opinion, a play demonstration would be better. Especially for those who have no experience in rpgs.

1) Do a short explanation of the basics of play, emphasizing combat.
2) Introduce pregen characters of simpler easy-to-run classes.
3) Pull out a battlemap and bring out some minis.
4) Run a fight. It may be better to have an assistant DM, so you can keep up running commentary and assist players.
5) Commence with fun.
6) Profit.

Be sure the PCs win. Getting whacked first time out can be off-putting. See #5.

Then put together a longer more involved demonstration of character generation and ask if anyone is interested. I think you'll get takers.

[Valorium]

I appreciate all the advice – and I think it's very solid for, say, a small group, which I've done before when running clubs and whatnot – but this is a group of twenty-four people that I have to equally occupy by myself. I'm not allowed to have people come up and present with me and I'm not allowed to pull up, say, five people and make the other nineteen people watch. Plus, there has to be an assessment portion so there's demonstrated "learning", and that doesn't really work if 70% of the group is staring into space as the remaining 30% actually has fun. Character creation has a lot of specific rules that can be assessed easily and, with some tact, can be used to illustrate mechanics themselves in my experience.

[Psyren]

Maybe... building an encounter then?

I genuinely can't think of a way to make rolling up a character exciting for 24 non-D&D players to watch. Though if you're just looking to pass, "functional" might supersede "exciting"...?

[pragma]

Hey Valorium,

Thanks for posting this, it seems like a super-exciting project! I am a professor and do some research on instructional design, so this thread is catnip for me.

That said, I'm 100% with the other posters in the thread: you should absolutely go for some active-learning example of play rather than character creation. I'd only change that recommendation if the constraints of your assignment absolutely forbid it. I admit, I find the constraints of your assignment somewhat unclear. You've suggested that you're not allowed to bring up volunteer participants, which is pretty standard practice even in large lectures, so I wonder if there are there other constraints on how you interact with your students.

Assuming there are not, I'd start with a set of learning goals that have to do with basic 5e mechanics, e.g.:
At the end of this lesson a student should be able to

Explain what a role-playing game is and describe what purpose die rolls have in a role-playing game
Name the three major kinds of rolls in D&D: attack rolls, saving throws and ability checks
Describe what each of the three major rolls are supposed to represent in a D&D story.
Read a fictional description and decide which of the three kinds of rolls they should use to represent it
Read a character sheet to identify what modifier to use for each of the three major kinds of rolls.


These learning goals lend themselves well to assessment. I'd use questions like:

Multiple choice save/attack/check/other options for a set of text situations that call for die rolls. For instance
"Our hero needs to jump onto a narrow platform and maintain balance" attack/ability/save
"Our hero has drunk poison and needs to determine how it affects them" attack/ability/save
"Our hero is trying to strike a nefarious baron in a moonlit duel" attack/ability/save

Short answer asking for a description of each of the types of die roll.
Pick a modifier off an example character sheet. eg: "What modifier does this character add to strength saving throws"


For the lesson itself, I'd stage an example of play where you crowdsource choices of actions (perhaps by brainstorming followed by a vote) and answers to question about rolls and modifiers (by picking on raised hands, taking care to make sure that everyone feels comfortable raising their hand).

A script for crowdsourcing actions might look like:
YOU: "Our hero sees smoke curling from a recently abandoned wagon blocking the road. The master of the caravan you've been hired to guard frantically yells something our hero already knows bone-deep: 'burning wagons mean nearby bandits', but you also know there could be an injured survivor in there. What do you think our hero should do in this situation? Raise your hands to offer some ideas and I'll write them on the board"
STUDENT1: "Run up to the wagon"
STUDENT2: "Go hide in the forest"
STUDENT3: "Fight the caravan-master"
YOU: "That doesn't seem helpful, but I'll write it anyway"
STUDENT4: etc.
YOU: OK, we've got some ideas on the board. Let's have a vote about what our hero should do ... Looks like we want to hide in the forest. Can anyone tell me if that's a check, saving throw, or attack?
etc.

For visuals, I'd have a simple map and a character sheet projected at all times, and I'd move the character around the simple map as players make decisions. You can do the map via whiteboard (bonus points if the hero is a magnet) and character sheet via projection if you are limited on projector space.

I'd lesson plan the time as:

5 minutes on "what is an RPG"
5 minutes on very simple example of play that you run yourself to introduce the three types of rolls. "Our hero needs to jump over a log, stab a ghoul, and resist getting paralyzed by poison."
15 minute example play w/ crowdsourced responses.
5 minute review.

[someguy]

To be fair teaching any “skill” in 30 mins isn’t really possible. But I think you’d have much better luck doing something like “how to dnd”. Where you introduce the idea of a ttrpg, what the role of the dm is, how you think about running a campaign, etc. that will involve actual jnsight you’ve gained from doing something other people haven’t done. Even non gamers might be interested in how you think about colaborative story telling, how you’d deal with conflicts, etc.

Just character creation is probably going to be worse than if you just tell them to read the basic rules and make a character, in that case youÂ’re just listing facts without much context and youÂ’re up against the document wizards paid people to make to help teach how to do this. Non of them will give even a tiny ****.

[Psyren]

For the lesson itself, I'd stage an example of play where you crowdsource choices of actions (perhaps by brainstorming followed by a vote) and answers to question about rolls and modifiers (by picking on raised hands, taking care to make sure that everyone feels comfortable raising their hand).

A script for crowdsourcing actions might look like:
YOU: "Our hero sees smoke curling from a recently abandoned wagon blocking the road. The master of the caravan you've been hired to guard frantically yells something our hero already knows bone-deep: 'burning wagons mean nearby bandits', but you also know there could be an injured survivor in there. What do you think our hero should do in this situation? Raise your hands to offer some ideas and I'll write them on the board"
STUDENT1: "Run up to the wagon"
STUDENT2: "Go hide in the forest"
STUDENT3: "Fight the caravan-master"
YOU: "That doesn't seem helpful, but I'll write it anyway"
STUDENT4: etc.
YOU: OK, we've got some ideas on the board. Let's have a vote about what our hero should do ... Looks like we want to hide in the forest. Can anyone tell me if that's a check, saving throw, or attack?
etc.

For visuals, I'd have a simple map and a character sheet projected at all times, and I'd move the character around the simple map as players make decisions. You can do the map via whiteboard (bonus points if the hero is a magnet) and character sheet via projection if you are limited on projector space.

I'd lesson plan the time as:

5 minutes on "what is an RPG"
5 minutes on very simple example of play that you run yourself to introduce the three types of rolls. "Our hero needs to jump over a log, stab a ghoul, and resist getting paralyzed by poison."
15 minute example play w/ crowdsourced responses.
5 minute review.


This is legit brilliant, especially since it doesn't need designated "volunteers." And you can fit all three pillars in here if you're clever. I approve!

[pragma]

This is legit brilliant, especially since it doesn't need designated "volunteers." And you can fit all three pillars in here if you're clever. I approve!

Aw shucks. Glad you like it!

[Tawmis]

Hey Valorium,
Thanks for posting this, it seems like a super-exciting project! I am a professor and do some research on instructional design, so this thread is catnip for me.
That said, I'm 100% with the other posters in the thread: you should absolutely go for some active-learning example of play rather than character creation. I'd only change that recommendation if the constraints of your assignment absolutely forbid it. I admit, I find the constraints of your assignment somewhat unclear. You've suggested that you're not allowed to bring up volunteer participants, which is pretty standard practice even in large lectures, so I wonder if there are there other constraints on how you interact with your students.


This nails it.

Only thing I'd add is - since it's 24 people in the class. Break them up.
"You 4 will be group 1, you 4 group 2, you 4 group 3, etc"

And then - as Pragma said - have a character sheet and situation ready.

Have the hero, as Pragma said - have the ability to make a choice.

Then be like, "Group 1 - let's hear what some of you would do."
And then explain quickly what each of their actions might lead to (so everyone feels heard). Then act on one of them.

Make sure you end up with a second situation - where now group 2 decides the character's action.
Rinse repeat.

Explain skills being used and how they matter, quickly and briefly.

Emphasize imagination is the key.

[Burley]

Here's how I do it with students: Use the standard array and write the numbers on the board or something. Tell them to think of what character they want to have (strong, smart, quick) and put the best number there, then do the worst stat and work your way in. From there, list out what classes are best for the Highest Stat and they'll most likely take that.

Instead of giving them the rule books or printouts or the SRD, just tell them they have two skills they can be "proficient" with and they'll choose two that make sense for them. Remember that you don't need this to be exact, you just need to get through it with the most completed character sheets possible. Who cares if that skill isn't normally one for that class? They don't know that!
From there, I highly suggest a more call-and-response type approach. "Show of hands: Who is making a warrior in heavy armor? Awesome. Well, you three will probably be wearing plate mail so your Armor Class will be 16. Who is playing a stealthy character? Studded leather over here for a 13 AC. Try to stay behind the tanky guy over there. If you're a Wizard, enjoy wearing clothes, because armor isn't for you. But, hey, everybody, you can all add your Dexterity bonus to your AC, too!"

Fudge a bit on the precision, especially when it comes to making decisions. Give brief descriptions for things, knowing that they will not actually be running these characters and don't actually need to know how the game will function. Just the broad strokes.

[Valorium]

All of this is really great stuff! I've already sent in my proposal, but I was vague enough that I'm sure I can modify the procedure – I very much like the suggestions for crowdsourced scenarios as a means of assessment. That solves a lot of problems.

In response to a lack of clarity – my professor hasn't exactly been the picture of specificity either, but I'll do my best. The format of the lesson is as follows:

"1) An introduction in which you talk to us about the thing you are going to teach us. This part
must include a sense of the history of this thing in your life: how long it has been a part of your
life, who has taught it to you, what knowing how to do this thing has brought to your life, and
why you feel like it is important for us to know. Here is where telling stories will come in: tell us
the story of this thing in your life. Be careful not to rush this part or to write it off as
unimportant: it is important.

2) A lesson that follows the introduction. To prepare for this part you will have to plan exactly
what you are going to teach us. What will you have us do? What steps will you have to guide
us through? What hands-on activities will occur during those steps? I will help you
troubleshoot this part if you ask me.

3) A demonstration and assessment of what we have learned. You will need to assess whether
we learned what you wanted us to learn, whether we know and can do what you wanted us to
know and do. Remember that an assessment can be physical; it need not be a written quiz.

4) An ending, where you make it clear that your lesson is now complete."

My plan was to essentially establish what a RPG was, talk about the near-decade that I've been playing the things and what it means to me as a collaborative storytelling exercise, etc. etc., then to discuss the basics of characters (race, class, skills, personality, spells, etc.) before launching into the suggested series of scenarios. After completing the scenarios, I'd close it by providing everyone with a character sheet of their own and a link to some resources.

Additionally:

"I ask you not to use technology for this—meaning no internet, no Power Point, no smart
board—but let me know if there is something you are thinking of that you cannot imagine
teaching us without some use of technology.

The speech, including the lesson, should be no less than 15 minutes long. You will probably
take longer."

Two speeches are being given each hour-long class, so I'm estimating that I'll have half an hour.

Any suggested scenarios would be helpful, but ones that would be appropriate for a school setting are ideal!

[JLandan]

All of this is really great stuff! I've already sent in my proposal, but I was vague enough that I'm sure I can modify the procedure – I very much like the suggestions for crowdsourced scenarios as a means of assessment. That solves a lot of problems.

In response to a lack of clarity – my professor hasn't exactly been the picture of specificity either, but I'll do my best. The format of the lesson is as follows:

"1) An introduction in which you talk to us about the thing you are going to teach us. This part
must include a sense of the history of this thing in your life: how long it has been a part of your
life, who has taught it to you, what knowing how to do this thing has brought to your life, and
why you feel like it is important for us to know. Here is where telling stories will come in: tell us
the story of this thing in your life. Be careful not to rush this part or to write it off as
unimportant: it is important.

2) A lesson that follows the introduction. To prepare for this part you will have to plan exactly
what you are going to teach us. What will you have us do? What steps will you have to guide
us through? What hands-on activities will occur during those steps? I will help you
troubleshoot this part if you ask me.

3) A demonstration and assessment of what we have learned. You will need to assess whether
we learned what you wanted us to learn, whether we know and can do what you wanted us to
know and do. Remember that an assessment can be physical; it need not be a written quiz.

4) An ending, where you make it clear that your lesson is now complete."

My plan was to essentially establish what a RPG was, talk about the near-decade that I've been playing the things and what it means to me as a collaborative storytelling exercise, etc. etc., then to discuss the basics of characters (race, class, skills, personality, spells, etc.) before launching into the suggested series of scenarios. After completing the scenarios, I'd close it by providing everyone with a character sheet of their own and a link to some resources.

Additionally:

"I ask you not to use technology for this—meaning no internet, no Power Point, no smart
board—but let me know if there is something you are thinking of that you cannot imagine
teaching us without some use of technology.

The speech, including the lesson, should be no less than 15 minutes long. You will probably
take longer."

Two speeches are being given each hour-long class, so I'm estimating that I'll have half an hour.

Any suggested scenarios would be helpful, but ones that would be appropriate for a school setting are ideal!

A half hour is tight for what you want to do. I hope you get awesome credit when you pull it off! Best of Luck. Keep us posted.