2 woman party

[firelistener]

You missed my point. Why emphasize one or the other? What does it matter who they are? Why does it matter? Why not just say "2 player party"? Seems awfully misogynistic to me to point out that they're specifically women.

I think you're looking for something that's not there. OP didn't even specify that the players were female or just the characters lol. There's also nothing hateful about simply stating that players/characters are a certain gender.

[micahaphone]

TBH I think that 2 players can work without any extra modifications, I would just nerf the module's encounters by a bit for the first few sessions until you get a decent feel for the party's balance. Maybe toss an extra healing potion or two into the treasure chests. But now that I'm typing this out, it's easy for things to go wrong quickly with just 2 players, and new players don't always play optimally, so having an npc travelling with them could be nice.

If you do want to provide a meat sponge ally like what Willie the Duck is suggesting, check out this Unearthed Arcana for sidekicks


https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/d..._Sidekicks.pdf

[TyGuy]

Is there something about new players that indicates that they shouldn't, wouldn't, or couldn't play a second character?

Yes. The typical first time player has enough to remember and often struggles with one character. So giving a typical first time player two characters to manage would likely be overwhelming.

[Willie the Duck]

Yes. The typical first time player has enough to remember and often struggles with one character. So giving a typical first time player two characters to manage would likely be overwhelming.

That is potentially true. Certainly why I kinda wanted them to be walking AC/HP/damage rolls rather than complex characters. The DM could also control those characters, although I get that that might be an issue if one of them happens to be the key to a specific victory point. It is all a balancing act. While two (or even one) person gaming is certainly possible, it plays out significantly different from the more traditional 4-6 players. If (and this only the OP can answer) the end goal is to get them interested in playing in a larger gaming group, it might be important to show them what that feels like. If they are going to game (from here on out, or for an extended period) maybe this is unnecessary.

[KyleG]

Firstly thanks to ask this who are/have contributed.
Secondly, apologies for any who were offended. Both players and characters are female and themselves would not feel slighted by my words but nonetheless.
And finally some clarification. This will be their introduction to dnd, another early foray into dming for myself and both with the intent to go on with others potentially into something larger. Things like wild sheep chase, or delians tomb, or one page adventures seem of the appropriate scale and I seek alternatives to consider. A campaign setting is not what im after currently, its a one shot, player characters mostly created by myself (with discussion) and should things go well the players would create their own character in a session zero in a future campaign.
I was trying to avoid introducing an npc if possible but it may not be...so what would that look like given the pcs? And if it is avoidable, had anyone scaled down an available one shot for a small party?
Thanks

[Segev]

Firstly thanks to ask this who are/have contributed.
Secondly, apologies for any who were offended. Both players and characters are female and themselves would not feel slighted by my words but nonetheless.
And finally some clarification. This will be their introduction to dnd, another early foray into dming for myself and both with the intent to go on with others potentially into something larger. Things like wild sheep chase, or delians tomb, or one page adventures seem of the appropriate scale and I seek alternatives to consider. A campaign setting is not what im after currently, its a one shot, player characters mostly created by myself (with discussion) and should things go well the players would create their own character in a session zero in a future campaign.
I was trying to avoid introducing an npc if possible but it may not be...so what would that look like given the pcs? And if it is avoidable, had anyone scaled down an available one shot for a small party?
Thanks

I'll again recommend Sunless Citadel, then. It's a bit much for a one-shot, but you could get it in a 2-3 shot depending on how the players choose to explore it and how long you play a session. It's a two-level dungeon, not a campaign. It's the first dungeon in the book Tales From the Yawning Portal.

You could potentially cut out the whole second level, too, and just focus on the goblins and kobolds on the first level. That could be done in one, maybe 2 sessions, again depending on how the players handle their time and the DM focuses the adventure.

[micahaphone]

Ah, you're looking for a one shot!



See the earlier UA link I posted, the "warrior" npc would be an easy bodyguard/mentor for the players. Not that you need it, but it might be nice.

I do think A Wild Sheep Chase is a great starter adventure - it's got lots of fighting, some of which can be avoided with diplomacy or stealth, though I guess it's a bit light on puzzles. But the tone of the adventure is just great. I can't help but smiling while playing it.


There's a million suggestions in this article, I can't vouch for all of them of course.
https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/pl...cial-the-edge/



If you wanted a bit of crude humor, it wouldn't be hard to scale down or rip&steal ideas from this adventure that's based the Rat Queens comic books, it's basically the movie "The Hangover", dnd edition.
https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/d...heHangover.pdf



I've never actually played Grammy's Apple Pie but it sure reads like a good fun adventure. I like that the module specifies that all combat is theoretically avoidable, if players want to try.
https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/d...ryApplePie.pdf

[firelistener]

Firstly thanks to ask this who are/have contributed.
Secondly, apologies for any who were offended. Both players and characters are female and themselves would not feel slighted by my words but nonetheless.
And finally some clarification. This will be their introduction to dnd, another early foray into dming for myself and both with the intent to go on with others potentially into something larger. Things like wild sheep chase, or delians tomb, or one page adventures seem of the appropriate scale and I seek alternatives to consider. A campaign setting is not what im after currently, its a one shot, player characters mostly created by myself (with discussion) and should things go well the players would create their own character in a session zero in a future campaign.
I was trying to avoid introducing an npc if possible but it may not be...so what would that look like given the pcs? And if it is avoidable, had anyone scaled down an available one shot for a small party?
Thanks

I've DM'd the wild sheep chase for newbies several times, and I have to say it's a really great one-shot. Easy for the DM with basically zero prep, and fun for players. If the PCs are level 3, you should nerf the monsters a little though, as many have suggested in this thread. Anything CR2 is going to probably crush two new players with level 3 characters.

[Kane0]

I ran Sunless citadel in 3 sessions so it's probably a bit much for a one shot, I suggest taking a gander over at the DMGuild, there's bound to be something there that you and your players are interested in.

[zinycor]

Firstly thanks to ask this who are/have contributed.
Secondly, apologies for any who were offended. Both players and characters are female and themselves would not feel slighted by my words but nonetheless.
And finally some clarification. This will be their introduction to dnd, another early foray into dming for myself and both with the intent to go on with others potentially into something larger. Things like wild sheep chase, or delians tomb, or one page adventures seem of the appropriate scale and I seek alternatives to consider. A campaign setting is not what im after currently, its a one shot, player characters mostly created by myself (with discussion) and should things go well the players would create their own character in a session zero in a future campaign.
I was trying to avoid introducing an npc if possible but it may not be...so what would that look like given the pcs? And if it is avoidable, had anyone scaled down an available one shot for a small party?
Thanks

If you are only looking for introductory dungeon, i would do it against some weak ass necromancer who commands weak ass zombies, skeletons and ghosts.

[Segev]

If you are only looking for introductory dungeon, i would do it against some weak ass necromancer who commands weak ass zombies, skeletons and ghosts.

So a donkey necromancer with a herd of skeletal and zombie donkeys. Got it!

[zinycor]

Also have plenty of npcs to talk to and chances to have the PCs influence the module past the mechanics.

[KorvinStarmast]

Sunless Citadel: good chance it will work out. I'd suggest making the Oakhurst interactions substantial so that they begin to get immersed before they show up near the citadel ...

[furby076]

Agree, adjust the encounters, fudge the dice, offer more treasure with healing.

In session 0, ask if they want you to offer suggestions - since the are brand new

[zinycor]

Agree, adjust the encounters, fudge the dice, offer more treasure with healing.

In session 0, ask if they want you to offer suggestions - since the are brand new

Don't fudge! Is always wrong!

[KyleG]

Fudging has its place, but good adventure design doesn't rely on it, expect it, or take it into consideration. If I can't find a two person one shot/one page type adventure ill do my best to pull it back and then see how the night plays out.