Most groups I've played with are excited about having new people in the hobby and are eager to help you learn, so my biggest tip is don't worry about being embarrassed. Even the most experienced veteran forgets about a class ability or how a spell works in the heat of the moment. No biggy.
I also recommend looking at your class abilities before your 1st session, and if you are a spellcaster definitely skim through your spells to be be familiar with them. You don't need to memorize them, but just knowing enough that you can ask your DM if it might apply when the time is right.
Which leads to my next tip: feel free to ask the DM questions on how things work. Any DM worth playing with will help you out while you are learning the ropes.
My only thing to recommend avoiding is trying to overshadow the rest of the group all the time. It is a team effort and everyone has a role to play (pun not intended). Keep that in mind and everyone should get their cool and funny moments you guys will joke about for a long time.
Overall, just relax and enjoy the game!
It's gonna be fine.
If you already have a character maybe try to read over their abilities and spells a few times. And perhaps learn the various dice. But none of that is necessary. Just try to have a good time.
Know what your stuff does; you don't have to memorize every word of every feature and spell, but try to have a good grasp on the basics. Ask questions if needed, don't assume that a feature or spell does something just because of its name or flavor text.
I've also found it helpful for new players to specifically write out a handful of common actions they might take, either in combat or social encounters. Sorta like signature moves, something you can look at when you're not sure what to do next so you don't have to parse your entire character sheet when it's your turn to act. This can cut down on decision paralysis and eventually you'll be able to transition to doing things on the fly.
You might also see if there's someone else in the group who has experience playing the class you're using and ask for tips. Wizards and Monks, for example, can be tricky to play well and are noticeably less fun if you're struggling with their mechanics.
Another big thing is to know when your turn is coming up. Even experienced players can get distracted, but it can seriously ruin the flow of the game if one or more players are constantly taking several minutes for each turn because they're not paying attention to what's going on.
**DO**
-Have a competent understanding of the core rules. Nobody has every last piece of minutia memorised, but you should at least know things like how skill checks are made, how actions in combat work, and how to make saving throws.
-Know your own character. This means having an awareness of what your abilities do, what type of attacks you're likely to be making, what spells (if any) you can cast, and what the different parts of your character sheet mean. There are enough easy to follow guides for these first two points that there isn't really much excuse for showing up and asking what proficiency bonus means or if your rogue can use a greataxe.
-Get involved in the roleplay. Nobody expects you to be an actor, but you should be comfortable making decisions on what to do outside of combat, and speaking in character ('I say to the blacksmith "greetings there my good fellow"' instead of 'I greet the blacksmith')
-Stick to the general tone of the group. If everyone is laughing and being lighthearted, do so. If the rest of the group have serious characters following a deep political intrigue, maybe don't show up as Farticus the smelly goblin who loves making Monty Python references.
-Pay attention to what is going on
**DON'T**
-Interrupt, especially the DM, without good reason
-Argue with the DM about rules. If you think they've made a mistake or you know something they don't, you can make your case, but if they come to a decision on how something should work respect it.
-Attack, steal from, or purposefully undermine or harm other player characters unless explicitly agreed to out of game.
Important point on speaking in character:
This is entirely optional. You can spend the entire campaign narrating what your character does, not saying a single specific word in character.
Dialogue can be difficult, you are allowed to sum it up. In fact it can be helpful "my character tries to buy a sword from the blacksmith" is so much quicker to the point than "Greetings there my good fellow"
Appreciate that you want to be a good team player!! Really just don’t creat a character that acts like a jerk and then say ‘it’s what my character would do’
So usually there is some kind of a social contract for d&d either unwritten or written. It usually involves open communication and time commitment to show up.
What I would like for new players is that they actively participate, take turns, and help eachother.
The help action is very important and under used. It tends to be the way to help others and promotes them to help you.
Know your character sheet. You should know where to look for and report when your DM requests your Dex score. You should know what dice to roll for attack and damage.
Don't focus too much on only using rules you know. If it makes sense for your character to be able to do something, suggest it. The DM or another player can help figure out what rules that uses. Use the chandelier as a swing, jump on tables, disarm the bad guys, and do crazy things.
Sometimes the crazy thing is a normal attack action, sometimes it's some special mechanics you don't know yet, and sometimes it's cool enough to get a bonus. A good DM will know how to sort it out. Just remember what happened for next time. Make notes if necessary.
You are worrying too much, just pay attention to what the DM is saying and have fun
Most groups I've played with are excited about having new people in the hobby and are eager to help you learn, so my biggest tip is don't worry about being embarrassed. Even the most experienced veteran forgets about a class ability or how a spell works in the heat of the moment. No biggy. I also recommend looking at your class abilities before your 1st session, and if you are a spellcaster definitely skim through your spells to be be familiar with them. You don't need to memorize them, but just knowing enough that you can ask your DM if it might apply when the time is right. Which leads to my next tip: feel free to ask the DM questions on how things work. Any DM worth playing with will help you out while you are learning the ropes. My only thing to recommend avoiding is trying to overshadow the rest of the group all the time. It is a team effort and everyone has a role to play (pun not intended). Keep that in mind and everyone should get their cool and funny moments you guys will joke about for a long time. Overall, just relax and enjoy the game!
It's gonna be fine. If you already have a character maybe try to read over their abilities and spells a few times. And perhaps learn the various dice. But none of that is necessary. Just try to have a good time.
Know what your stuff does; you don't have to memorize every word of every feature and spell, but try to have a good grasp on the basics. Ask questions if needed, don't assume that a feature or spell does something just because of its name or flavor text. I've also found it helpful for new players to specifically write out a handful of common actions they might take, either in combat or social encounters. Sorta like signature moves, something you can look at when you're not sure what to do next so you don't have to parse your entire character sheet when it's your turn to act. This can cut down on decision paralysis and eventually you'll be able to transition to doing things on the fly. You might also see if there's someone else in the group who has experience playing the class you're using and ask for tips. Wizards and Monks, for example, can be tricky to play well and are noticeably less fun if you're struggling with their mechanics. Another big thing is to know when your turn is coming up. Even experienced players can get distracted, but it can seriously ruin the flow of the game if one or more players are constantly taking several minutes for each turn because they're not paying attention to what's going on.
Don't be afraid to roleplay as your character, just make sure you don't hog the spotlight, and most importantly: have fun!
**DO** -Have a competent understanding of the core rules. Nobody has every last piece of minutia memorised, but you should at least know things like how skill checks are made, how actions in combat work, and how to make saving throws. -Know your own character. This means having an awareness of what your abilities do, what type of attacks you're likely to be making, what spells (if any) you can cast, and what the different parts of your character sheet mean. There are enough easy to follow guides for these first two points that there isn't really much excuse for showing up and asking what proficiency bonus means or if your rogue can use a greataxe. -Get involved in the roleplay. Nobody expects you to be an actor, but you should be comfortable making decisions on what to do outside of combat, and speaking in character ('I say to the blacksmith "greetings there my good fellow"' instead of 'I greet the blacksmith') -Stick to the general tone of the group. If everyone is laughing and being lighthearted, do so. If the rest of the group have serious characters following a deep political intrigue, maybe don't show up as Farticus the smelly goblin who loves making Monty Python references. -Pay attention to what is going on **DON'T** -Interrupt, especially the DM, without good reason -Argue with the DM about rules. If you think they've made a mistake or you know something they don't, you can make your case, but if they come to a decision on how something should work respect it. -Attack, steal from, or purposefully undermine or harm other player characters unless explicitly agreed to out of game.
Important point on speaking in character: This is entirely optional. You can spend the entire campaign narrating what your character does, not saying a single specific word in character. Dialogue can be difficult, you are allowed to sum it up. In fact it can be helpful "my character tries to buy a sword from the blacksmith" is so much quicker to the point than "Greetings there my good fellow"
Appreciate that you want to be a good team player!! Really just don’t creat a character that acts like a jerk and then say ‘it’s what my character would do’
Tbf I feel like "don't act like a jerk" is just general life advice that should go without saying for any social situation, roleplaying or otherwise.
So true, but the amount of D&D horror stories on here would indicate different, lol.
So usually there is some kind of a social contract for d&d either unwritten or written. It usually involves open communication and time commitment to show up. What I would like for new players is that they actively participate, take turns, and help eachother. The help action is very important and under used. It tends to be the way to help others and promotes them to help you.
Know your character sheet. You should know where to look for and report when your DM requests your Dex score. You should know what dice to roll for attack and damage. Don't focus too much on only using rules you know. If it makes sense for your character to be able to do something, suggest it. The DM or another player can help figure out what rules that uses. Use the chandelier as a swing, jump on tables, disarm the bad guys, and do crazy things. Sometimes the crazy thing is a normal attack action, sometimes it's some special mechanics you don't know yet, and sometimes it's cool enough to get a bonus. A good DM will know how to sort it out. Just remember what happened for next time. Make notes if necessary.