Let's start breaking down the fun

I'm willing to bet you've definitely heard of tabletop role-playing games at least once. Even if the term NRI doesn't mean anything to you, the abbreviation DnD has probably come up at least once in conversations with your friends who are board members. And if we don't forget that Baldur's Gate 3 has recently received the title of the best game of the year, then even the most distant people from tabletop role-playing games have at least heard about them.

And you've probably heard that it's terribly difficult. Thick rules books of 3-4 hundred pages, an unfriendly community that will eat you alive for a mistake and, of course, difficulties with playing the character. There are a wagon and a small cart of such myths, I don't even want to remember them all, otherwise the article will stretch to the size of a full-fledged term paper.

Therefore, within the framework of this text, I, Nikita Vidyaev, want to try to dispel the fears of those who have looked at NRI, but have never dared to play, as well as give a couple of tips that can significantly facilitate your immersion.

Let's talk about the scary things

Let's start with the banal – with what catches the eye first of all: the rules books for NRI are huge. Whichever one you take, the number of pages usually exceeds 350-400 pieces and you can't hide from it. It's not a cute little booklet that you can read 5 minutes before the game starts. To fully master this hulk, you will have to set aside an evening or two and thoughtfully go through all the chapters. That's true, and I'm not going to try to convince you. But there is a nuance – you, as an ordinary player, do not need to read the entire book. This is the fate of those brave and desperate who have taken on the role of the Masters. You'll get by, at least in the beginning.

The truth is that most of the information inside these books is either written for the Master, or it's inserts describing the game world. All of this is certainly valuable, but it is not of critical value for your first game.

You need to understand that as a beginner, no one will expect you to have a perfect understanding of all the nuances. And no one will arrange a test for knowledge of the text either. Everything that the players gathered at the table and the Master want to see is your interest, desire to play and good mood. They don't expect more from you.

Of course, if you are a responsible player, then it will be good to ask the Master in advance about how the mechanics of the game work and in which chapters the main points are, but, by and large, any game almost always comes down to 2 things: your flight of imagination and the roll of the dice strictly at the moment that the Master voices.

So the best strategy is to get everything out of your head and try to concentrate on your character and how exactly he should behave within the framework of the world in general and the given situation in particular. Leave the rest for later.

The NRI is based on people

Let's talk about players and masters. It's the cornerstone of any tabletop role-playing session and it's the foundation of everything. More precisely, on their relationship.

And yes, it's true that some people in the hobby can be harsh or overly demanding about what happens in a gaming session: criticizing your decisions, giving their "extremely valuable" advice, or just behaving ugly.

But there is only one thing I can say: don't play with these people. Tabletop role-playing games, like any hobby, attract people from a wide variety of walks of life and with a variety of personalities. Therefore, it goes without saying that not all of these people can be pleasant or even just comfortable to play with. If you are unlucky with the players or the master in your first game, then you should not give up on the whole hobby. This is an unfortunate failure, not a constant.

Although, it is worth saying a few words in defense of old-timers, who do not always know how to express their feelings tactfully. Don't judge them too harshly. For them, games are their favorite hobby and they are reverent about it. Therefore, it is better to discuss such moments with them in advance and warn them that you have been playing recently.

Of course, the easiest way is to start playing with your friends you've known for a long time. They will understand your mistakes, and it will be easier for you to open up in their circle. As in any hobby, it is always more pleasant to get involved in something new with friends.

A couple of tips from an old player
Next, I'd like to list a few tips for beginner players that, to be honest, I would have liked to have received many years ago. I hope that with them your immersion in the hobby will be more comfortable.

Discuss with the Master how he sees the game. Not the most obvious advice, but it can help you a lot. Ask your Master what genre he wants to spend the adventure in and what mood he will try to create at the table. This will help you both get in the right mood for the upcoming session and understand whether you are interested in playing it at all. In addition, if you have any fears or just scenes that frighten you, be sure to warn your Master about it well in advance before the game. So your start of the game will be comfortable, and he will be able, if something happens, to correct his adventure a little.

Don't be shy at the table. It will be difficult at first. If, like me, you've never been involved in the arts of drama, it can be a little embarrassing to start acting out changes in voice, speech patterns, or just pretending to be a different character. But hey. Everyone around the table gathered to fool around a bit. To spend time doing what you love. No one will require you to act out scenes of the Bolshoi Theater level in your first game, it will be enough just to try to get used to the role and do as your character would do.

The style is above the options. This advice is related to the previous one and is not always obvious to beginners, especially those who came to NRI from computer games. Don't try to play tabletop RPGs like your favorite RPG, it's a different type of game. Not every enemy has to be killed, not every chest is opened and robbed. In NRI, the story and events your character goes through is more important than the chance of getting the most powerful weapon in the game. Therefore, think more about what a real person would do if they were in this situation rather than how you would get more gold or deal more damage. Play with your soul, not math.

The master is always right. I'm exaggerating, but in fact it is. The Master always has all the decisions, both on the interpretation of the rules and on some controversial situations. That's not to say you should always agree with him, even if you know he's wrong. No, you can point out his mistakes and inaccuracies, but it's best to do it after the game. Lengthy arguments about nuances during the game knock out not only the rest of the players, but also the Master, who has to re-tune into the session. Remember that he is also a human being and he has to keep more in mind than any other player. Forgive him for some inaccuracies.

Something like that. Follow these simple tips and your entry into the world of NRI will be easier and more enjoyable. The main thing in this hobby is communication, which means that you can solve almost everything with conversations. And for the rest, there is a Book of Rules.