Post/Author/DateTime	Post
When 02-03-04, 11:21 PM	im introducing a couple of new players to D&D and they dont have a clue to play. I thought maybe a good lineup to start them off would be a thief, maybe a couple mages and a handful of fighters. Would this be a good starting lineup for brand new players? I have a very experienced DM so theres no trouble there.
Aucturos 02-04-04, 01:45 AM	Start off with the 'easier' classes... The melee types. Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, and Monk... Spellcasting is complex and often hard to understand for first time players, so let the DM have a few NPC's against them or with them to fill in the spots where they need it... Let them get teh basics down first without their heads exploding, then they can move onto the classes that require extensive knowledge of the rules: Druid, Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Sorcerer...
Dauntless 02-04-04, 03:32 AM	Fighter, rogue, sorcerer are easiest imho. Fighter: With 'passive' feats like weapon focus, exotic weapon proficiency, etc to start. Then move them into the 'active' feats like power attack and dodge (the feats you have to remember to use). Once they get more comfortable, introduce the re-active feats (cleave, combat reflexes, etc) Rogue: The concept of the character is easy to understand. Roll a d20, add your skill modifier, and voila! You're sneaky! Sorcerer: Good choice because your player doesn't have to pick spells to memorize. You may want to help them choose the spells though.
Mythgaard 02-04-04, 03:52 AM	While not a spectacular class, Barbarian or Fighter is very easy to begin play with for combatant classes. Rangers skills and bonus feats, SCA's, etc. can be too confusing and daunting for new players. Id say, in ranks of ease for new players: Barbarian Fighter Paladin Ranger Rogue Bard As for casters, hmmm.....Sorcerer would likely be easiest, minimal feats, few skills, a basic casting system...but the floating slots may be a sticking point when they move to a non-spontaneous casting class. Clerics are good to learn, melee and magic. The most helpful thing Ive found with new players is to start with classes that have few skills, special abilities and complicated feats. Simple is good. A good introduction: Roll up some disposable characters for each new player, one of each class. Create a simple dungeoncrawl that introduces them to combat, feats and skills. Short, just a taste, nothing complicated. Once theyve finished with one class (or died) move on to the next, and adjust the crawl so that the player gets to use the new skills, abilities, whatever, and continue with combat familiarity. Repeat as necessary. Anywho, helps for me, cant hurt to try. Good Luck. :)
Marvin 02-04-04, 01:49 PM	For spellcasting, clerics aren't a bad class to start with. No faffing with spellbooks, very few skill points to have to deal with, decent HD and BAB so they can do a bit of thumping, and spontaneous casting means there's no such thing as a really bad spell choice. My first character was a combat cleric and he was being fairly dangerous after the first couple of sessions. Arcane casters - an artillery sorcerer has to be a pretty good bet for a newbie. Most people can get the hang of aiming fireballs and plinking off magic missiles, just make sure they have the spells to start with and you're rocking. I'd disagree with the rogues - they're relatively hard to play well. Newbies don't have the tactical knowledge to back off and run away, they have a nasty tendency to keep thwacking something until either it dies or they do (we've all been there :)). A rogue really doesn't play well to that sort of attitude. Plus there's the fact that with so much of a rogue's power is in their skill selection, a bad choice can underpower your character for ever more. If you want a skillsy character, suggest a melee class (ranger has a reasonable skill selection) with a couple of levels of rogue later on, that way you get to learn flanking and SA tactics and get a broad spread of skills without sacrificing melee power. Perhaps you should suggest high-DEX and Weapon Finesse to this character and give him a good bow. And a sword and shield tank fighter is probably a good idea, as the best way to make a newbie survive in combat. As suggested above, stick with the totally passive feats until they can handle something a bit more interactive. So, a high-dex multiclassed rogue, a sword and shield tank, a combat cleric and an artillery sorcerer. Looks like a pretty good party mix.
Doomclown 02-04-04, 04:15 PM	A party of paladins would give pretty decent stats, some special abilities to play with, and the ability to heal, summon mount, etc. Plus after a few levels, they can dip into spellcasting without necessarily relying on it for their power. Rangers' feats and abilities are slightly more complicated IMO, but would also be a good choice (plus better skill selection). So I'd recommend Paladins or Rangers, depending on the flavor you (they) want to go for.