Helping a Newbie make a Character?

[RPGPundit]

So there's a chance that in a few weeks we're going to have a new player in our Amber game, and the guy is not just a newbie at amber, he's practically a newbie at RPGs in general.

That already signifies that there's a very good chance the other players are going to manipulate the FUCK out of this poor guy. He's in for a world of hurt as it is.

Now, the question is, when creating a character for someone in this situation, do you as the GM generally want to try to give him some extra guidance, help him make the most viable character he can, to increase his odds of being able to hold his own, or, do you just do his character like you would anyone else's who was new to the game: explain the basics, make sure he understands what having each attribute at each rank does or what having bad stuff does, or what powers do, etc., and then let him pick whatever he wants even if it looks like its going to be kind of a mess?

RPGPundit

[Darran]

I find that newbies are often more willing to jump in the fray and often have more creative characters.

It does sound a shame that your other players will take advantage of the newbie. In most groups I know the newbies have often welcomed and helped into the group and the game by the other players.

If that were the case in any of my games I would assist the the player a little bit more, perhaps letting them use a pre-gen for the first session.

I did have the experience in getting a whole group of newbies playing a game all at once. That was fun.

[RPGPundit]

It does sound a shame that your other players will take advantage of the newbie. In most groups I know the newbies have often welcomed and helped into the group and the game by the other players.

Dude, you do know this is the AMBER forum, right? I'd be disappointed if my Amber players didn't take advantage of the newbie!

RPGPundit

[Nihilistic Mind]

I think that as long as the player understands that having his character manipulated is part of the game (and what makes it fun, mind you), they should be ok.

Maybe you can let the guy look through the rulebook and take a look at the highly statted Elders then take the time to describe them in their own right.

Here's another trick I used for new players. Let them build their characters with fifty points. Then give them another ten every session until they are in par with the other Player Characters. This gives them time to be taken advantage of, then eventually surprise those characters who messed with him in the first place.

[Lawbag]

It seems this new player will sink or swim.

It would also we worthwhile warning him of the shark infested game he is about to enter. He may be put off RPGs because of a bad Amber experience.

[Croaker]

I'd say you should really explain to the new guy that this is amber, and that he can be fucked up with. Make sure he's ok with it. If he isn't, well, try to speak of it with your players.

Then... I'd probably help him during chargen in order to avoid obvious mistakes (like an attribute to human rank) and have what he desires (if he can). But then, he's on his own, unless... He's taken a ally at chargen, which I'd recommand if he don't want to be too much fucked up with. Then, you could, as a GM, have this ally help him a little, although this should probably be done more by advice than anything else. Something like "I wouldn't trust your brother if I were you. Which of course, I ain't".

Let it also be known to him that it can be fun to be messed up with and later understand the truth behind the scenes

[Darran]

Dude, you do know this is the AMBER forum, right? I'd be disappointed if my Amber players didn't take advantage of the newbie!

I guess so.
Though wouldn't it be better if the characters took advantage rather than the players?

[RPGPundit]

I have definitely given him warnings about what Amber is like, so that's covered. Except I don't know if those warnings can ever be really clear enough; people think that because they've played Vampire they know what an "intrigue" game is like, when in fact anyone who's played Amber for one or two campaigns worth would see the typical camarilla player as a babe in arms.

RPGPundit

[RPGPundit]

I guess so.
Though wouldn't it be better if the characters took advantage rather than the players?

Well, I mostly meant that the advantage would be in character; but this is Amber we're talking about. In MY Amber games, just about anything goes short of cutting another player's brakes as a means to keep him from getting to the session.

RPGPundit

[Nihilistic Mind]

Well, I mostly meant that the advantage would be in character; but this is Amber we're talking about. In MY Amber games, just about anything goes short of cutting another player's brakes as a means to keep him from getting to the session.

RPGPundit

That's neat. I'd love to play in one of your Amber games one day... One can only hope.

[Croaker]

people think that because they've played Vampire they know what an "intrigue" game is like, when in fact anyone who's played Amber for one or two campaigns worth would see the typical camarilla player as a babe in arms.

Well, there's also the fact that, in amber, you're not supposed to wail and complain about your whole life while masturbating over that girl NPC with 5+ appearance (every WW supplement has one)

Sorry, juste feeling mean. Must be the early morning T-T

[RPGPundit]

Well put!

Though, if I felt like being self-deprecating, I would say: "yeah, in Amber we don't engage in all that stupid goth-vampire masturbatory fantasy. In Amber, if you lust over someone, she's probably a relative!"

RPGPundit

[SunBoy]

Well, I mostly meant that the advantage would be in character; but this is Amber we're talking about. In MY Amber games, just about anything goes short of cutting another player's brakes as a means to keep him from getting to the session.

RPGPundit

Mate, that's not true and you know it. As in any game, it's just not fun if you do what you do by fooling, or intentionally misleading a fellow player. Personally, I've never enjoyed fucking up any character if I can't laugh about it with the player while doing it, or at least afterwards. And I think that should be the general idea.

[JongWK]

I can't be the only guy who thought about bribery, right?

[Lady Vivamus]

I would just like to thank you all... this conversation, in particular this comment (and the one it is in response to):

That's neat. I'd love to play in one of your Amber games one day... One can only hope.

...is the main reason I decided I had to have the game. :hatsoff: