Don't Build Your First D&D Character - Try This Instead

The hardest part of starting to play D&D is building a character from scratch. So, don't. Do this instead.

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Cheers.

[macoppy]

This worked for me in 1989. My friend handed me 6 character sheets that had been made by his older brother's friends. I don't remember the name of the module, but the Rogue climbed down into an open pit latrine and was killed by an Otyugh. Then I had to go home for dinner. I was hooked!

[Mr_GoR_]

Definitely agree. Creating a character is already asking a person to read and understand a lot of rules for something they're not sure they're going to enjoy playing. Let's not bog you down with all the minutia of character creation, take a pre-gen and start playing.

[quewp]

But, but sir, how do I play the game if there is no character to play…😂😂😂

Immediately smash the subscribe button for that.

[MrDespresso]

A great alternative for those who are overwhelmed by 5e DnD's character sheets. And also a great alternative for thos with limited imagination.

Though just saying for those reading this, you might not wanna put this as the first decision, only whip it out when they're having more trouble than usual.

Though, i also hope that new players will be able to make their own characters after running one or two premades. Characters like these is a part of why i enjoy this game, weaving narratives and telling a story to others at the table as the others do the same thing to you. I wanna see their creativity shine and woah us.

[tkc]

When I first played, I used premades. You gave me an idea by using those stat blocks as character sheets... I think the next time I onboard characters, after they use a few different premades in different classes for different one-shots, I think I will have a day where they use monster stat blocks to play as monsters. Just so they at least have an idea how monsters operate. Then I will tell them it's useless memorizing stat blocks, because I am gonna change many of the monsters, anyway.

[starrmont]

Crazy coincidence! I'm starting a game with a lot of new players soon and I printed these exact sheets for my players to poke through and pick one out. I've run a lot of games for new players and character creation is almost always a long, confusing process. Also, I invited a lot of people (maybe too many), and that just compounds the issue further.

[briemac]

Rolling for a character helps you learn the dice in your own time and not in the fire your DM threw you in. i’m an attention to detail kinda person and i like to take my time learning. creating a character helps me prepare for what i’m getting into. the more info i have and my personal stake in it, the more comfortable i feel.

[gonjjf]

I think this is a great idea. I'm going to be DMing for a group of new people next year and I was worried about character generation - but yeah pregens are certainly the way I am going to approach it now

[HistorysRaven]

Isn't this the reason the starter sets come with premade characters? The starter sets give the premade characters in the traditional format, but it's there. And, at least to me in a perfect world, your first game should be Lost Mine, Icewind Dale, Stranger Things, or the Rick & Morty modules. They all have premade sheets and are created for first time players.

[Hewhowantstoknow]

I usually just ask my players what they would like to play, if they have any character from media they'd like to play as or if they want to come up with their own character concept (class/race/potential background) and then make it for them, depending on how much time we have I will let them fill in the stats themselves and explain to them what everything does as short as possible, reminding them that if they forget anything to not worry as during the game I will be asking them to do something using the same terminology that's on the sheet (Non-native English speakers mostly)

[JessicaS-xvoe]

I'm trying to start a group. I've never played, and only 1 of the people interested has played. So it's all guesswork. This is great.

[rowanash]

This was a fascinating little video. I was initially like "Heck. No." But upon further contemplation, I actually realized one of the groups that I play with already does something like this.

When one of our new players lost their character early in session 3 to a crit by a mimic, our GM basically made a new sheet for her, with a small bit of input from the player for preferred ancestry and such.

I don't agree with using 5e's official sheets, but everything else you said is quite good advice.

[derekbroestler]

I can definitely see the appeal. I started playing in the 90's and we rolled ours from scratch.... BUT I was playing with a group of really good friends who were more experienced players so they helped me understand things, and back then it was more a social activity than "hurry up we have to get on with the game" so when I had questions or didn't understand something nobody SERIOUSLY minded pausing play to explain... Not everyone has that ideal situation for learning the game....

Also back then, my first characters died A LOT... LOL... It wasn't a big deal back then because I was getting brought in at first level with characters of 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th level characters, so I was told up front "You might not make it first time out, but, you can always roll a new character... just remember the whole point is to have fun" and we did... and I had a serious preference for half-elf rogues for most my first builds, so after the first few, I got better at rolling up characters, and gameplay in general, and finally "Half-elf rogue number 4 (or so)" managed to survive a few sessions and level up to not be as squishy... Some folks get emotionally tied to their characters right off the bat when they create them, though, and might get discouraged if that first character kicks off in the first session or two...

This avoids those issues... If the premade character gets killed off it might even give MORE incentive for a new player to come back and try another premade, OR decide to roll one from scratch.

[codyweaver]

I remember trying to make a Merfolk Fighter in 3.5 and that was rough.

[blackbarnz]

Reckon it's sage advice for "crunchier" Editions of D&D. PreGens are fairly common at conventions, for all the same reasons.

[hayhay]

my first experience with 5e was a premade character sheet... but i didn't know anything about my character. it was a amnesia campaign and the DM thought it would help me learn the game better if i filled the sheet out as things were needed. this made my first experience with 5e very... unfun is the only real word that fits. it wasn't boring- it was kinda like a scavenger hunt of "oh maybe i have this skill, or this skill"- but it wasn't interesting either. since i didn't know what i could and couldn't do i played it by ear and a lot of times got results that were pretty bland. i made my own fun via role play but that wasn't any different from the other systems we played. I feel like having a premade character sheet is a good idea still. relearning 5e is pretty intimidating- which is saying something since i'm comfortable with 3.5- but my experience with that (mostly blank) premade character sheet has given me an idea of how to fill out the sheet and what kind of character i actually want to play.

tl:dr; i have experience with this concept and its a good concept.

[bradutterstrom]

As much as I hate the idea, it makes a ton of sense because character creation is massively overwhelming for newbies. I know a buddy of mine that really couldn't quite handle it. I don't love that the new starter comes with premades AND doesn't even give rules for character creation. I wrote an adventure geared for first time players to try to walk them through like a tutorial, you build your character AS you play. I help them understand rules and race/class as they come up. Do they try sneaking or using tricky sleight of hand stuff? Do they ask if they can do magic? Do they want to use pure strength? (the first challenge is escaping a prison cell so any of these are viable options and might start to help shape the character right away.)

[erikkesler]

So yeah the other option here is sit down with the new girl (or guy or other but the only time I as a DM have ever run for a totally new player was a girl) and say. "Tell me about the character you want to play." Listen to them then walk through with them the steps of creating that character. 3ish hours later and we had a Half Elf Swashbuckler Rogue with the girl fully understanding for the most part how her character works and why it works that way.

[nonya]

Geezer here....
Since I started homebrew only when running the table, creating characters can be intimidating. Even for experienced players. No sweat, it's about 20 minutes for me to walk 4 players through it. That's for 1st level ones. Cut it in half if I have a table willing to take the greatest challenge, 0 level start.
Everything is controversial on the internet. Think mine tops yours in that aspect.
But for d&d, ya got gold there. Kudos.
Gaming on.

[sharpmountaingames]

And with recent, ahem, events with a certain company, folks might even want something simpler. Basic Fantasy and other OSR games often fit the bill, and I'm sure there are stripped down 5E style games available. Also, I ALWAYS use pregens with new players. It's never been a deal breaker.