New to roleplaying: What is it? Where do I start?

So you’ve heard about this amazing experience, roleplaying. Maybe it was Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, or one of the many recent Table Top Role Playing Games. Maybe you’ve seen it in Stranger Things or watched recorded plays like Critical Role on YouTube or Twitch. Either way, you’re curious to try it yourself, but how do you get started?

I asked myself the very same question several years ago when getting into the roleplaying. Lets look at how I overcame fears, and not just learned, but embraced what it means to play in a roleplaying game and even be a Dungeon Master (DM).

What to Expect

At the outset, role playing seems kind of easy. Huddled around a table, you and a few friends are acting as your characters in the world the DM has presented while rolling dice adds the spice of potential failure to the mix. Ah, but it’s so much more than that, isn’t it?

Are the rules hard to learn?
Do I need to do voices or accents?
Will I be put on the spot?

The short answer to all of them is: yes. The longer answer: yes, but you can do it, and the reward is unlike what any other game provides.

As a player

While I’d say being a player is easier than a DM, there’s still a lot of effort required. It’s helpful, but not technically required, for a player to acquire and study the players guide for the group’s chosen game. This is because they’ll need to reach a level where, at the very least, they know what to say when a GM asks them what they want to do.

Rules and mechanics

From a mechanical standpoint, it’s especially important to be precise in combat situations. As a bonus, knowledge brings confidence, and for those who are afraid of being put on the spot, knowing what to respond with ahead of time goes a long way to breaking that grip of fear.

Combat example

A room full of heavily armed bandits are holding the party hostage. Negotiations have failed, and the players have to fight their way out. When the DM turns their attention to a player who has studied what they can do on a turn, they confidently respond with:

“I want to use my movement speed to travel 30ft towards the guy with a crossbow pointed at us. Then I want to use my action to dash and move another 30ft to get up in his face. Once I’m there, I’m going to use my sorcerer abilities to quicken my shocking grasp spell and attack him with advantage (rolling two dice and taking the better result) because the guy’s wearing a metal breastplate, and the electrical attack gets a bonus for that.”

Admittedly, that’s a complex example, but it reinforces why a player needs to know their options. Waiting until the last minute, then throwing lots of “um” and “uh” while spending a few minutes flipping through notes halts the game, causes inefficient play, and breaks the cardinal rule by injecting boredom.

Let’s look at the same example with someone who doesn’t know the rules:

“I attack the guy holding the crossbow.”
“You’re not close enough.”
“I move up, then attack.”
“OK. I think you have 30ft of speed, so you’ve moved 30ft, but you’re still not close enough.”
“Cool, I’ll just wait until next turn.”
“…”

Roleplaying

When it comes to roleplaying, or acting out anything except combat, the rules soften. Players can ask, or tell the DM they want to do just about anything they can dream up. Some players keep it simple, maybe asking:

“Where are we?”
“Can I pick up this object?”
“Can I open this door?”
“Can I talk to this person?”

But some players get quite creative. It’s also perfectly valid to ask the DM something like:

“Can I create an improvised bomb by stealing barrels of alcohol from the tavern? I want to blow the door off the wizard’s tower instead of figuring out the puzzle on it.”

Not everything asked will be possible, up to the DM’s discretion, but there’s certainly no harm in trying. Again, it helps to know options and be as precise as possible when describing what you want to do.

Non-combat example

Lets take a look at an example of roleplaying outside of combat. The GM opens with:
“You enter a room full of antiquities of all ages, materials and unknown function. It’s quiet and there’s no purveyor of goods to welcome you. What do you want to do?”

A player that doesn’t know their options might blurt:
“I want to grab all the magic stuff in the room.”

Which the GM responds with:
“…You’re wholly unsure what’s magic and what isn’t in such a cluttered space.”

What the player should do is specify what they want to grab, and how, using what they know:
“I cast detect magic. The first magic object I see, I send my spectral mage hand to delicately grab it so I don’t need to climb over anything.”

Which the GM responds with:
“OK! After casting detect magic, your eyes light up and you’re able to see that a sword hanging on a rack behind the counter is radiating a magic aura, it definitely holds power. You summon your mage hand and as it floats toward the deadly weapon, it suddenly disappears! From behind a curtain near the back of the room that you had hardly noticed before, the shopkeeper appears with a large frown on their face.”

Focus on intent

Don’t be afraid to work with the DM a little bit. Even if you can’t quite describe exactly what you want, or can’t remember a specific rule, asking if, and how you want to achieve something is usually enough for the DM to understand your meaning and guide you the rest of the way.

Acting

So, I covered the rules, and being put on the spot, but what about the voices and accents? Well, don’t worry too much, they’re not really required.

I think I can hear an audible sigh of relief.

At a minimum, however, a player will want to try to act in a way befitting the character they’re playing, and most games have some type of prompts that help with that. E.g. A character might have a history, personality traits, a moral compass, and maybe even a simple nervous tick or way of speaking. That’s usually enough for a player to say things and take actions that they wouldn’t, but their character might.

Voices and accents are cool, not everyone’s cup of tea, but cool. But even without them, a player might go full out with their character traits. Perhaps they’re playing an evil kleptomaniac and can’t resist constantly stealing from the party while they’re sleeping. Then, during an urgent quest, they steal the very item the party fought so hard to retrieve and runs away, retiring completely! The player gives up their character, having completed their objective, and allows them to run off into the narrative wild. They create a new character and start over, reaping the consequences and fixing the problem they created!

The cardinal rule

Always remember the cardinal rule: keep the game running smoothly by knowing your options and going with your gut, don’t inject boredom.

As a Dungeon Master

As a dungeon master, the work is significantly more than what a player does, though it can be even more rewarding.

GMs have the final word

First, Dungeon Masters are referees. They (you) have the final decision on what happens in the story, even superseding rules if you want. Be careful not to run away with that, however, since the structure of the game is there to make sure everyone’s having fun, yourself included.

One of the key aspects to remember is that playing a roleplaying game as the Dungeon Master is not a me vs. them situation. There’s no “winner” in terms of defeat for either side, so you can’t be upset when players wipe the floor with your monsters, or vice versa. What you, the DM is aiming for, is fun.

Mutually deciding the pace

One of the better early questions to work out with players is what kind of campaign they’d like to play. If it’s your first time as DM, it’s perfectly fine to grab the simplest adventure possible and play it exactly like its described. But it’s also possible to ask the players before you start it how they’re feeling about the game. Do they understand the rules? Are they comfortable with combat? How much time are you looking to spend in the session? Do they want to be detail orientated?

DM’s can adjust the adventure they run to all the questions above, and then some. Taking the same adventure, it’s totally fine to adjust or pull combat out, add more combat in, play it loose or play it exact.

A quick example might be a hidden key in a fireplace. It’s under the inside lip of the hearth, you know that because the adventure stated it, but players don’t. As you describe the room, unless you have a callout somehow to the fireplace, players may not think to look there.

You could play it pretty precise, prompting them over and over about what they’re touching and how they’re inspecting the room like a game of hide and seek, but you’ll have to bear in mind that it can take 20 minutes to find the key that way.

If you, and your players like that, then great! If that’s tedious, and more importantly, boring for those involved, play it loosely. Ask the players to make a perception check, and on success you give them the key by describing one of them has found the key with careful investigation.

The rule of “cool”

If that doesn’t work and they fail to find it still, make it up! Perhaps bats swarm out of the fireplace, startling the room but dislodging the key, causing it to clunk to the ground noisily. But where did the creatures of the night come from? That’s up to you.

Confidence

So much of confidence comes from knowledge and experience. Knowledge of the adventure, how you want it to go down, what you want the NPC’s to say and some contingencies in case things go wrong all go a long way to session prep.

After the first, it only gets easier. Keep in mind the cardinal rule and never halt the session, instead, push through things that might get forgotten or rules no one can find. Believe me when I say it will get better.

Getting started

The best way to get started, is to just do it. I know that’s not the most elegant or easy response, but it is the most accurate. Ask your group who would be interested in the role of GM, or take it on yourself! Get the resources you need, study up on the rules, and try it! Like anything in life, your first time is going to be rough, maybe hilariously so, but remember your story points, push though any embarrassment, and go for it!

There are online pay to play services out there if you’re interested in participating in sessions with professional Dungeon Masters, but I’ve always found there’s nothing better than playing with friends of your own.

My recommendation, by far, is to start with a starter set. Well before the significant investment into the larger core books, starter sets always offer everything players and game masters alike need to play a few basic adventures. They usually strip away most of the complex rules and provide the flair, flavor, and vibe of what the game system and adventures offer. From there, where you go is up to you!

Most TTRPGs offer pre-written adventure campaigns, D&D and Pathfinder among them with tens of campaigns, providing hundreds of hours of play over quite possibly, years! If those are too restrictive, it’s also quite popular to create your own adventures. That’s a topic for another time though.

What’s next?

Once you’ve tried a few sessions, maybe a whole mini campaign, it’s time to push further. Decide if the game system is right for you, or try another one, then decide what adventure to play. The easiest way to keep going is to stick to a pre-written adventure, only modifying slightly as needed for your players, but one of the most fun is creating your own.

Lots of resources exist for both pre-written and creating your own adventures, so I won’t cover too much of it here. Suffice it to say, the game, and the fun, lives and dies by the adventures so the absolute #1 rule for a Dungeon Master is to look for that fun. If you or the players aren’t liking what you’re doing, talk it out and adjust. Again, maybe the players are bored, so dish out more magic items! Throw more enemies, new enemies, creative and fun enemies at them! Create an NPC and drop them in the adventure, playing them up and using them to drop plot points on the players that jumpstart their drive to the next adventure. Have fun!

Resources

For those interested in Dungeons and Dragons, I like the starter set, but I like the essentials kit even more.

The starter set includes everything you need for a very modest price, including:

• 48-page adventure booklet with everything you need to get started
• 32-page rulebook for playing characters of levels 1–3
• 5 ready-to-play characters, each with a character sheet
• 6 polyhedral game dice

Notice the rulebook is only 32 pages, and the adventure is 48. The core books are massive in comparison and that’s because a starter set will always slim down the necessary amount of learning by simplifying and stripping away complex rules. This is great for new players and DM’s alike.

The essentials kit also provides everything needed to play, but with some key differences:

• Short adventure + 64-page rulebook
• DM Screen
• 6 blank character sheets
• 11 dice
• poster map
• cards for magic items and more

I bolded the last bullet because it’s really understated how useful having the cards are. Not just for magic items, the Essentials Kit introduces sidekicks. They are slimmed down NPC companions the DM can dish out to aid the players even further.

This means it’s even possible to play D&D with two players, using sidekicks to balance the adventure for the solo player.

I’ve actually taken it a step further and used sidekicks as the player characters for introductory games. For those that want the very basic flavor of what roleplaying offers, I’ll shuffle and dish out a random sidekick and item card to each player, then jump right into my favorite adventure of choice. The players need to know next to nothing, and will be roleplaying mostly, then rolling the dice I tell them in order to perform simple attacks when needed.

Fallout

How about something other than Dungeons and Dragons? I’ve got you covered. I can’t say I’ve played them all, but I wouldn’t suggest anything that isn’t going to deliver a top quality experience.

Now a featured TV show as well as beloved video game, Fallout also has a roleplaying system!

• Welcome to the Wasteland. Immerse yourself in the genre-defining setting with this introduction to the official Fallout tabletop roleplaying game.
• This starter set gets you playing Fallout using the 2d20 System designed and tailored for an authentic wasteland experience.
• Roleplay as a unique character in the familiar setting of the Commonwealth around Boston.
• A rulebook to teach you how to play, as well as a quest book. Not to mention Dice!

Star Wars

Roleplay in everyone’s favorite new Disney universe, Star Wars!

• GATHER YOUR FRIENDS: Rally your friends for thrilling adventures in the vast Star Wars galaxy.
• LEARN-AS-YOU-GO ADVENTURE: Dive into a complete learn-as-you-go adventure, perfect for newcomers and seasoned roleplayers.
• PRE-GENERATED CHARACTER FOLIOS: Keep the rules at your fingertips with pre-generated character folios, ensuring smooth gameplay.
• CUSTOM DICE SYSTEM: Experience an exciting narrative gameplay system where every roll unfolds a unique story.
• HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT: Detailed rules provide endless entertainment as you create your own tales in a galaxy far, far away.

The One Ring

Perhaps Middle Earth is your preferred setting!

• 24-page volume of Rules, 52-page volume describing The Shire, and 32-page volume containing The Adventures.
• Two large maps showing the Shire and Eriador.
• 30 Wargear Cards and six double-sided Journey Role and Combat Stance Cards that can also be used with The One Ring core rules.
• Eight double-sided pre-generated character sheets.

Alien

For those who prefer a horror experience, perhaps try the Alien role playing game!

• The job was routine, the money fair. Then the damn company diverted you to answer a distress call from a ship that disappeared almost 80 years ago—a derelict carrying something bizarre, twisted, and alien. What the ship’s frozen crew brought back with them was bad enough—what they themselves were turning into was a bloody nightmare. Add to that an annoying sensor ghost shadowing you in the void, and your stress level is shot. It’s all a bit much.
• You don’t get paid enough to deal with monsters. But hold your breath, count to three, and play your cards right with this one, and you just might walk away very rich. Oh, who am I kidding? You’re all going to die.
• This is a starter set for the official Alientabletop roleplaying game—a universe of body horror and corporate brinkmanship, where synthetic people play god while space truckers and marines play host to newborn ghoulish creatures. It’s a harsh and unforgiving universe and you are nothing if not expendable.
• Stay alive if you can.
  
  

Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu is a Lovecraftian inspired horror adventure that I’ve heard only good things about, focusing on sanity and fear as much as combat.

• Book 1: Introduction and Alone Against the Flames―a solo introductory adventure, teaching you the basics of Call of Cthulhu as you play through a mystery.
• Book 2: Call of Cthulhu Starter Rules―the essential rules, everything needed for starting play.
• Book 3: Adventures―three starter adventures for your players to explore.
• Ready to Play Investigators―five ready to play game characters. Blank Investigator Sheets―ready for creating your own investigators. Roleplaying Dice – a set of six polyhedral dice for use in the game. Player Handouts – a set of ready to use props. Adventures! This box comes packed with four classic adventures for over ten hours of game play.
• Alone Against The Flames
• Paper Chase
• Edge of Darkness
• Dead Man Stomp
• Call of Cthulhu is the definitive mystery and horror roleplaying game and has won over 40 awards, including being inducted into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Art and Design Hall of Fame. When you are ready to delve deeper into the game, expand your fun with the 7th edition Call of Cthulhu: Keeper Rulebook and Investigator Handbook.

Arkham Horror

Finally, for an equally spooky time, check out the new Arkham horror role playing game!

• IMMERSIVE ROLEPLAYING: Dive into the eerie world of Arkham Horror with up to 5 players and 1 game master, ages 14 and up.
• LEARN-AS-YOU-PLAY ADVENTURE: Perfect for both newcomers and veteran role-players, featuring the intuitive Dynamic Pool System (DPS).
• ALL-IN-ONE BOX: Includes campaign, 5 character portfolios, 24 dice, high-quality tokens, 3 double-sided maps, and more for a complete gaming experience.
• FLEXIBLE GAMEPLAY: Breaks down into scenes and acts, allowing for short sessions or extended play, with unlimited team choices and narrative immersion.
• TENSE AND THRILLING: Race against time and the encroaching darkness to stop the ancient force threatening Arkham, with beautiful art and deep strategic gameplay.