TOPIC: First Timer Questions

After waiting in the vaccine checkup line last year at GenCon and talking to 200 people there just for True Dungeon, I decided I would join you crazy people. I thought sealed tokens would be smart so I have Barb Beard’s treasure scheduled for… wait for it…. 11:14 on Thursday at GenCon

After reading, I think I may be both poor company and maybe screwed group-wise. But, maybe not? Also, total NOOB (but a gamer for 30 years, just not at TD gamer). So, am I? What class makes sense for a new guy? Will I be playing solo? Help me out and put my mind at ease…. Or let me know if I need to trade that e-ticket in a play Blood on the Clocktower somewhere.

The first room is where people pick their classes and the party card gets recorded based on equipment. In the 2nd room there will be a discussion about combat and how things work. You don't have to do a harder difficulty if you do not want to, so don't feel forced. It really depends on who are are in a room with on how helpful they might be. From what I have seen more often than not, the most hardcore players are the opposite for true dungeon compared to other games. Very welcoming, very helpful. Doing it earlier on Thursday may be a better idea anyway so that you have more opportunities to sign up for other open runs later if you really enjoy it

Welcome! Short answer: No, you aren’t screwed.

Longer answer: Both the 11:14 am and 11:14 pm Thursday Barb Beard runs are sold out. So it is highly unlikely you will be playing alone. (Could someone no-show? Sure. Is it likely 9 people will no-show? No.) I don’t see a forum thread for either the AM or PM run. Perhaps go to ‘23 Gen Con Adventuring Groups Form Here thread and start one for whichever run you are on?

One good thing about the Barb Beard runs is that they are “sealed pack.” That means the only tokens players can use are the included ones they get a check-in. This means you’ll be in the same boat token-wise with the rest of your party.

With respect to playing, seasoned TD players do have some advantages—the creator of TD has a fondness for certain types of puzzles/solutions, for example. So an active player might be better able to figure out what type of puzzle it is faster than you will. But they also might not! Feel free to share your ideas. It is important to work as a team.

Finally, as for classes, what do you like to play in other games? TD classes are generally either martial (barbarian, dwarf fighter, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue) or caster (bard, cleric, druid, elf wizard, wizard). Do you like stabbing monsters (barbarian, fighter, dwarf fighter, ranger, rogue, paladin)? Or blasting them with spells (elf wizard, wizard, sometimes bard or druid)? Being party support (bard)? A healer (druid, cleric)? Some of the class choices in Barb Beard will likely be directed by the tokens the party pulls. I main Barbarian, for example. We do best with 2-handed melee weapons. (Fighters, dwarf fighters, and paladins often use 1-handed weapons.) So if there’s no 2-handed weapon in my group, I might do something else. There are some quirks with the various classes—druids can be jacks of all trades, monks can only use certain weapons, so I suspect a bunch will be fighting barehanded in Barb Beard, rangers either dual-wield in melee or shoot a ranged weapon, etc. Be mentally prepared to play several classes in case your first choice is taken when you get to coaching.

I hope this helps.

Barb Beard's Treasure is geared towards newer players so I think you'll likely be in good company. Bear in mind that most players, especially new players, are not on the forums so most runs will not have any coordination happening here; however, all the tickets for TD at GenCon are currently sold out so you definitely won't be playing solo.

The martial classes e.g. the fighters and barbarians are the simplest if you want to start there, but I would encourage you to play whatever class sounds fun. Some folks find the memorization tests for bards, clerics, druids, and wizards daunting but if you fail the test your spell will still be effective, it just won't get that little extra bonus, so don't let it stop you from playing a class you'll enjoy.

You can show up to coaching up to half an hour early, which can give you time to get pick your class, get familiar with the tokens you pulled, and coordinate with your party if they also arrive early.

If you do want to play with a more experienced group, one run on Friday appears to be looking for one more player: truedungeon.com/forum?view=topic&catid=717&id=256585

Try to make sure that you have a weapon. If you don't pull one in you pack, trade for one. You will then be able to at least slide for something in combat. Or play a monk and not worry about weapons.

Grizwald wrote: Try to make sure that you have a weapon. If you don't pull one in you pack, trade for one. You will then be able to at least slide for something in combat. Or play a monk and not worry about weapons.

You never have to worry about getting a weapon in your starter pack. TD will provide you one if you need it.

Welcome! You are absolutely not screwed. I'm willing to go out on a limb and guarantee you won't be running alone. Even if there are no-shows, there are also usually a group of people hovering outside the area waiting to grab any last minute open slots.

As others mentioned, you will be in the same boat as everyone else playing the game. You only get a starter pack of tokens (gear) and will get 24 minutes in coaching to get to know the rest of your group, select your class and start trading tokens that best match your class. You'll get another 12 minutes in training to get to practice skills you'll use in the dungeon. Coaches and trainers will be available during this timeframe to answer all questions and provide guidance (and as mentioned, a weapon if you need one).

Once you get into the dungeon, just have fun. Yes, veteran players sometimes have an advantage solving puzzles, because they know the typical kind of puzzles thrown at you. But they also tend to sometimes overthink a solution and overlook the obvious. That's part of the beauty of this game, usually everyone has something to contribute. Running on Thursday is great. You're less likely to run with people who have already done the dungeon and might know some of the answers. That's not necessarily bad, because the vast majority of veteran players know better than to spoil the dungeon for new people.

Honestly, I've played several games at Gen Con and have never seen a more welcoming community than the one that plays True Dungeon. Enjoy!

Welcome to TD!

Just have fun.

-THOT

What class you play depends on what kind of play you like to have, I don't really think that any class is any easier or harder than any other class overall, just different. All classes play the same in puzzle rooms, but in combat rooms there are marked differences.

Caster classes (Wizard, Elf, Cleric, Druid) tend to be the most cerebral. You have to be strategic with what spells you cast when, and you get a boost by completing the skill challenge. You're going to have 12 minutes in the practice room to memorize different symbols (what symbols depend on what class you are). Then you'll be shown a symbol when you cast and have to tell the DM what it is. If you get it wrong your spell will still go off, it'll just be less punchy.

Martial classes (fighters, ranger, monk, barbarian, rogue) play shuffleboard. You clip a weapon token (or two for Ranger or Monk) into a puck and slide it down a table onto a numbered drawing of the monster. That's how the DM gauges your weapon damage and your to hit "roll". It's less cerebral than the caster classes, more hand eye coordination. Rogue is probably the most high pressure, because they skip a turn to do massive damage on their next shot, so if you miss with that sneak attack it hurts.

Bard is kind of the odd adventurer out. At low token playthrough they mostly offer moral support in combat, bardic performance will take up your turn so you won't generally attack or cast spells, you'll be giving a bonus to everyone else in your party instead. So, it's more hands off, more roleplay heavy, but you get the satisfaction of knowing that you're making your team stronger. You also get to play a memory game at the start of combat, and if you get it right the party gets a hint about the monster's strengths and weaknesses.

I personally find spellcasters easier, but I know other people that much prefer shuffleboard. It's all a lot of fun, I highly encourage you to try out different styles and classes as you play more dungeons in the game. It's very difficult to stop at just one after you've tried it.