TTRPG system selction: gaming with young players

decay · Post by **decay** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 8:16 pm

I'd like to be able to run a game for two children: 3 and 9 years old. I'm assuming that the young one will drift in and out, rolling dice occasionally (as a previous 3-year-old player did, ~15 years ago).

I'd rather not something like FUDGE, which is essentially story telling with some die rolls mixed in. I want something with educational "legs" (encouraging the elder to read rules, look at probabilities, etc.) without being so free-form that I need to keep shooting down extremely-naive plans.

Two types of TTRPG systems that seem like they could work are:

1. Die rolls for direct and clear contests ("Do I hurt the monster?"), and mechanics or easy improvisation for non-contest activity ("How much can a horse carry?"), with most of the rest (convincing a stranger to cooperate) left to roleplay rather than mechanics. D&D before 2nd edition fits in this group, and is similar to what I used previously when I had a 3-year-old player.

2. Die rolls for near everything, including interpersonal and purely-internal challenges ("Can I resist the temptation?"), along with much more complex character generation -- since there's much more in scope. GURPS is my main experience with this type of game, though HERO fits as well.

My inclination is for a Type1 game, but am fine making characters for a Type2 game (doing character creation out of the players' view) to make it work.

The strength of D&D for the type(s) of gaming I do is that it is (at least in simpler editions) primitive enough to stay out of the way of "normal" human activity. But would I need to go back to the original AD&D to get rules suitable for child's play? Is 5E, with all its flaws, "dumbed down" enough for children to play (not create/run)? Is there another system that is clearly better for cross-generational play?

Leress · Post by **Leress** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 8:23 pm

This rule set may help:

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/289 ... e-v10?it=1

It is dice-less and uses rock-paper-scissor for resolution.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 9:21 pm

Hey Jigoku, come tell this guy about RPGKids.

I kind of think this, or something along the lines of "So you want an RPG for [X]" needs to be stickied, since we seriously get threads about kids and gaming every Fall/Winter.

I also had the idea once of letting younger kids play a familiar or other intelligent companion in a normal game, but that requires a certain level of development that's probably more around 5 or so.

Stinktopus · Post by **Stinktopus** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 10:06 pm

Savage Worlds?

PC's have awesome protagonist powers, there is a concrete method for rewarding good behavior, and the "exploding dice" mechanic seems targeted to a child audience.

Longes · Post by **Longes** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:33 am

Mouse Guard could work.

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:44 am

Pick the system you personally like and want these kids to like in 5 years and run that with heavy intervention on your part to keep the game flowing. As long as they associate positive memories with it they'll like the system when they're able to comprehend it.

JigokuBosatsu · Post by **JigokuBosatsu** » Sat Oct 31, 2015 5:58 pm

There are some threads already here about this topic, I can't be arsed to find them again.

After some rumination since the last time, I have to say I agree with Ogrebattle. Find a system that appeals to you and run in a flexible manner until it works for the little sprouts.

Or write one yourself. And have your 9yo help. (3yos are excellent monster manual entry creators, BTW) That would be much more instructional as far as mathy probability stuff than just throwing a bunch of dice and harlot tables out there and hoping a lesson emerges.

shlominus · Post by **shlominus** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 5:43 pm

i also agree with ogrebattle, pick something you enjoy and feel at easy running flexibly.

the 9-year old is (almost) old enough to be able to understand most systems, if you simplify them (as much as necessary) and don't overwhelm them with options. the 3-year old won't care, whatever you choose.

all the educational bits will come naturally if they are having fun, no matter what system you use.

silva · Post by **silva** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 8:53 pm

I would reply to the thread, but then Shlominus above already put a perfect reply.

AndreiChekov · Post by **AndreiChekov** » Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:58 pm

If you want to introduce them to a simplified 3.5, try microlite. It is horrible, but it uses a similar engine.

With my kid group, I just played wheel of time, and asked them what they wanted to be, and then made their characters for them giving them choices like, "Do you want better armour, or better weapons?" and shit like that. and in the case of spell casting, "do you like fire or earth more? Fire burns things, earth drops rocks on things."

It worked well enough they are now all fluent in the system, and I've been playing with them for 3 years.