Comment I got after a game I ran on Saturday:
Comment I got after a game I ran on Saturday:
“At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to learn a new RPG, that’s why I was hesitant to join at first. But within two ’rounds’ of combat I understood the rules”
Another player joined two minutes before I started so I didn’t have time to explain the moves as thoroughly as I had for the other players. I turned to him first to see what he wanted to do in response to the action I’d set in motion. He was caught by analysis paralysis so I moved to another player and came back to him. By the end of the game I could tell he “got it” too, completely into the game without the analysis paralysis new players of other games usually still have at the end of their first session. The third player at the table immediately got the rules too like the first guy.
Sadly, I had one player hung up on the D&D way of things, the whole session he was rolling unasked for int checks to see how his character reacted instead of just roleplaying it (I had to repeatedly tell him to forget what he “knew” of paladins from other games, that DW is different). I haven’t had this issue come up in private games with my friends. When initially explaining the game I usually stress the things that are the same between DW and D&D and then drill down into the differences and that so far has worked for getting new players into the game. Sometimes I’ll describe DW as like D&D but more roleplay-y and less mindless killing-y.
Does anyone have any suggestions for teaching a new to DW player? I could tell this guy had had fun but I don’t think he’ll be craving to play again the way I was after my first session. Most people I’ve taught the game to are pretty excited to play again either with me or on their own too.