Adventure for new players

[tony m rose]

I just got my copy of the legacy box and am going to start a game for people who never played the Fantasy trip .
Both Death test 1 and 2 and Tolk Lair seem to be for more experienced players. Is there a newbie friendly adventure out yet or am I going to have to make one up?

[hcobb]

The Curse adventure on my homepage (click the HJC link below) walks players new to the game through basic TFT concepts and then goes through a series of progressively more complex tactical scenarios.

What does everybody else have for starting players?

[Helborn]

I have used simple arena combat to introduce the mechanics, sometimes using the wizard map, but I intend to use the postcard labyrinths and other contributions like Shadekeeps Dungeon of the month and Malchidael's Tactical encounters. Look for them in the House Rules subforum.

[KevinJ]

I just made handouts with the basic rules. It's not like TFT is a super complex game, even when you add the role playing elements.

[JLV]

I'm actually thinking about using Tomb of the Serpent Kings as a new starting scenario. Just plunk 'em down in front of it and let 'em work their way into it. Each step along the way, they are given a lesson in RPG-ing, and the challenges start out trivial and build in complexity and danger as they go! Seems like a pretty good way to explore the way the rules work in a nice limited scenario, with each step controlled in terms of violence, using their brains, and exploring concepts. By the time they're done, they should know the rules as well or better than they need to, have a few little rewards in terms of $$, have gained enough experience to add an Attribute (or maybe even a talent or spell), and generally know if this is the kind of thing they want to do or not.

Plus, if you've never run an adventure as a GM before, this one is light-years ahead of most starter adventures in terms of training you as a GM too.

All in all, it's the best $2.70 I've spent in a while for what it does... I'd like to see SJG develop something this good specifically FOR TFT! ;-)

[Chris Rice]

Dark City Games have been making TFT compatible adventures for many years. If you go to their website they have 2 free introductory adventures, Orcs of the High Mountains and The Sorcerors Manor. These are available to download as pdf files. I’d start with one of these.

[malchidael]

Originally Posted by Chris Rice

Dark City Games have been making TFT compatible adventures for many years. If you go to their website they have 2 free introductory adventures, Orcs of the High Mountains and The Sorcerors Manor. These are available to download as pdf files. I’d start with one of these.

Seconded. I prefer Sorcerer's Manor to the Orcs of High Mountain - it's a little more interesting, and a bit longer. But, they're both good. And free.

[Rickard]

Originally Posted by hcobb

What does everybody else have for starting players?

I have an intro night for my new players. We do some arena combat to learn the basic rules mechanics. Then I have them explore a 4-10 room labyrinth stocked with simple things: a couple goblin guards, rats, a green slime, etc. I usually include a trap, a hidden/locked door, a trash pile with a coin or two, and a store room with some basic supplies such as torches and a crowbar. The actually labyrinth layout doesn't matter, you can just throw down some megahex pieces as you go (or better yet, use the Random Labyrinth Drop Table in the box lid). If you are going to run a particular scenario next, this is a good place for the new player(s) to find a clue/hook for that session. I let them keep the loot they find and XPs if they survive. And I let them modify their characters afterward based on what they learned during this training time.

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Rickard

I have an intro night for my new players. We do some arena combat to learn the basic rules mechanics. Then I have them explore a 4-10 room labyrinth stocked with simple things: a couple goblin guards, rats, a green slime, etc. I usually include a trap, a hidden/locked door, a trash pile with a coin or two, and a store room with some basic supplies such as torches and a crowbar. The actually labyrinth layout doesn't matter, you can just throw down some megahex pieces as you go (or better yet, use the Random Labyrinth Drop Table in the box lid). If you are going to run a particular scenario next, this is a good place for the new player(s) to find a clue/hook for that session. I let them keep the loot they find and XPs if they survive. And I let them modify their characters afterward based on what they learned during this training time.

That's a great way to do it!

[larsdangly]

Agreed; this is a great way to get a group of new players familiar with the rules and in the swing of things, and takes good advantage of the 'materials' of the game (MH tiles, chits, etc.)