Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Soulkeeper 01-09-07, 01:02 PM	I have been playing D&D for more than 20 years, and recently DMing for my family for the last year. It was time to teach my sons the game of D&D and my wife and daughter tagged along. While I did have to simplify some rules and bring the more complex ones on in stages, the games were fun and often requested. A month ago my middle son, 8, asked to DM a game himself. He asked for my help in preparing and we hand drew a graph paper map, and made a simple story..."small farming village is seeking help to eliminate a band of goblins that have taken over a nearby set of ruins, and kidnapped some townsfolk." We already had some stock level 1&2 characters, a dwarven monk, human cleric, halfling rogue and a half-orc barbarian. Much to my surprise, with the use of Dungeon Tiles, miniatures, a DM's map (with room indicators and a sheet for room details, monsters and treasures) he ran a fantastic adventure. I played the conservative dwarf that never offered much suggestion as to what door to go, or when to search, due to my knowledge of the map. He was simply going to play the adventure as written and as we laid out, nothing fancy for his trial run. Anyway, the real point of this, beyond a proud father's retelling, is that a few things came out of this adventure that were not planned by me and my son in advance, and he added as he DMed, which surprised me coming from a new, 8 year old, DM. 1. Suddenly there were traps that were not there before. A pit trap in a long hallway, a web trap outside the lead goblin's room. We found the pit trap by sheer luck, the web trap caught our barbarian as he charged into the leader's room. 2. While sneaking into the makeshift barracks and getting surprise on the 6 goblins in the room, one goblin (to our dismay) turned tail and ran out to alert more guards! 3. His goblins were intelligent beyond what I expected from him. They flanked when able, they formed ranks in narrow halls, ranged behind melee, dropping ranged weapons to arm melee when filling in the gaps as we cut through them. They tried to use equipment, such as healing and lit oil, to impede our progress. 4. He popped us once with a darn wandering goblin, on patrol that was not planned for, but the real kicker is when he brings in 2 more mid combat and says the other two "heard" the fighting and came to investigate! 5. Finally, in the end, through our surprise traps, intelligent goblins, and reinforcements, his lead goblin pulls out a secret escape door from behind his guards and slips away to safety, never to be caught. It is amazing to see what a bit of imagination and reference can do, even with an 8 year old. He may not have the advanced rules memorized, he may not every check needed, and sure, its not some epic adventure, but it was a well played and planned event. He's asked for a second run, which I am planning to give, and this time, he intends to do the entire adventure alone. He wants to invite 5 friends from school over, all of which I know, and non of which have played before.
Witch 01-09-07, 01:08 PM	That's quite impressive! Was he good at telling the story as well? :)
Solik 01-09-07, 01:10 PM	Children are far more competant and capable than we tend to give them credit for. I think, in many ways, we hold them back. I'm young enough to vaguely remember feeling that way myself as a child ;)
Ebrion 01-09-07, 01:22 PM	Intelligent 8yr olds are a lot more common than intelligent goblins. So I am suprised, but not that surprised. As a child I picked up a lot from my dad when he played Nintendo, ( good and bad habits). So your son has probably been watching you closely for a while. Also with what you described him doing, he might have the makings for an awesome DM. I am suprised by what my daughter has already picked up from me, and she is only 16 months old. She watches me play Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance, and the other day when I got up to go get a drink, she picked up the controller and started hitting the attack button and using the joystick killing several Gnolls. My wife was stunned, I was jumping for joy. Her playing the game is now the back groung on my phone. :dancin:
Stormonu 01-09-07, 01:40 PM	Heh, my 5-year-old can beat some of my friends in games of Star Wars Battlefront, and he's now reigning house champion in Mario Kart. We've played a couple sessions of lite D&D, though he hasn't officially DMed (though he's taken the dungeon tiles, d&d minis and put together some "adventures" for himself and his 3-year-old brother to play through). Kids have an astounding imagination, and if you don't clutter them with rules they can really surprise you with antics that you probably wouldn't have thought of. And they can be surprisingly direct in solving puzzles in such simple ways.
CzarGarrett 01-09-07, 01:58 PM	Awesomeness. Looks like you have the makings of a good game there. I hope to one day have progeny like that.
LordBOB777 01-10-07, 12:42 AM	Heh, my 5-year-old can beat some of my friends in games of Star Wars Battlefront, and he's now reigning house champion in Mario Kart. I LOVE MARIO KART!!!! seriously, its probably the best video game ever!
Fallenangel359 01-10-07, 01:03 AM	I used to come up with crazy tactics at videogames, way back in the day... quake 2 tactics that were practically unheard of. I wish I had an imagination though.
Brightblade 01-10-07, 02:12 AM	Fantastic stories folks. It brings a warm fuzzy glow to my heart to hear that a whole new generation of young gamers are so quickly and competently taking root. Your son seems to have the makings of a fine DM, a fine gamer, and most importantly a fine mind! Kudos brother! I'm happy for you! :D
gullas 01-10-07, 04:43 AM	that's umh... kinda cool.........your son must have about like 16 in wis and int or sum:D...
Soulkeeper 01-10-07, 08:36 AM	I passed on many of your kudos to him on his first time. He was happy to hear. I think what really seems to help him is his enjoyment of reading. Granted, he doesn't always finish every book he picks up, its not uncommon for him to read things on the level of Harry Potter, The Core Books, the Unfortunate Events series and even a good deal of Baker's first Eberron novel. He's opted to run one more adventure with the family before he does one with his friends. I think I may try to see how he does with a premade adventure. I have a few from Goodman Games (rat king something or other) and gave him a copy last night to read and ask questions on. It should be fun!
Man in the Funny Hat 01-10-07, 10:24 PM	Anyway, the real point of this, beyond a proud father's retelling, is that a few things came out of this adventure that were not planned by me and my son in advance, and he added as he DMed, which surprised me coming from a new, 8 year old, DM.Children "get it". Adults keep wanting to play by rules. Kids want to have fun so "rules" are of secondary importance. So it is with a "roleplaying" game. There are rules, but they are ultimately intended to be of SECONDARY importance to having fun. D&D was originally written BY adults FOR other adults, but it's the kids that always have an innate grasp of fantasy and imagination until we drill it out of them to be replaced with cold, hard realities. Teach him to write creatively, draw, and play an instrument other than the accordion and he'll take over the world.
obrysii 01-10-07, 10:33 PM	That's amazing. Most 8 year olds I know can barely speak and understand, well, anything. If your son is as intelligent in other areas as he is in DnD, then he gives me hope for the future.
Serielle 01-11-07, 12:19 AM	Ahh. I DMed my first game when I was 9, I remember that. Didn't end up so well though, I was running an adventure from the 2nd edition starter kit and I chose not to read the descriptions out loud since it was written in English and at that point I wasn't all too proficient in the language. Halfway through the adventure my brother discovers there's unread descriptions in the booklet and overthrows me as DM :P
Rickiel 01-11-07, 12:49 AM	I can't wait for my neice to be a D&D gamer. She's only 16 months old and she's already showing interest! Albeit, via coming into my room and trying to drag the D&D books from the low shelf (she's even gone for the 2nd edition stuff)! :D
Frederyck 01-11-07, 07:22 AM	She's only 16 months old and she's already showing interest! My almost-2-year-old daughter likes to sit and play with her smurf figures while I sort my too-large D&D Minis collection. It's, in her words "my minis and dad's minis". :cool:
Tyler Do'Urden 01-11-07, 09:19 AM	Fill your home with books. This child is important.
smeagol_lied 01-11-07, 02:11 PM	Hope my 8 year old brother proves half that good when he DMs... i have low hopes, he doesn't even know any of the rules (which i agree are of secondary importance, but how can i exploit them if he doesn't know them?)
Firestar27 01-12-07, 12:44 PM	Teach him to write creatively, draw, and play an instrument other than the accordion and he'll take over the world. Hey! Someone who plays the accordian already took over the world with his accordian playing. Weird Al Yankovic.
High Octane 01-12-07, 01:23 PM	Fill your home with books. This child is important. Yes.... he will lead the world to a new generation in while gamers will take over the world and enslave all the dumb people who made fun of us! RULING with an iron fist explaining "Hey, Im Lawful evil, what do you expect?" MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... Erm...anyway, sounds like a prodigy. Let him have fun.