When I teach new players the game, I go through a few steps.
The first thing I do is a quick overview of the game and it's point. This is, near verbatim, what I say:
"Before we start, LotR: TCG has a medium-to-high learning curve. The first two or three games may go pretty slowly. But as we get involved and you become more familiar with the cards in your deck, the game will become much easier. In some trading card games, it is the better player who will always win. In others, it is the better deck. But LotR: TCG is unique in the sense that it equally weighs the player and the deck. Your deck has four components: a Free People's side (good guys), a Shadow side (bad guys), an adventure path, and the One Ring. There are three ways to win the game. You can get your Ring-Bearer to the ninth site and "destroy" the One Ring, you can kill the other player's Ring-Bearer with your Shadow cards, or you can corrupt your opponent's Ring-Bearer with your Shadow cards."
I would say that is a pretty solid summary of what I say. It seems to come out better spoken than typed.
Step One: Character Identification:Then, I take a short period of about a minute and grab four cards for comparison. Any companion, any minion, and any copy of Frodo and the Ring. Let's do that here.
Frodo, Reluctant Adventurer with
The One Ring, the Ruling Ring******
Boromir, Lord of GondorUruk RagerIf you have your TLHH account set up to scroll over the card and see the picture, that will make this even better. But I will start with Frodo and the Ring as they would appear on the table, with Frodo on top of the Ring.
"This is going to be your Ring-Bearer. Like the books and movies, Frodo is carrying the One Ring to
Mount Doom."
I quickly show the new learner where the strength, vitality, and resistance are located. I also mention (briefly) that there are alternate Ring-Bearers, like Bilbo and Smeagol, and some characters who never actually touched the Ring.
I use
Boromir, Lord of Gondor as a foil to Frodo. I may say:
"See how you have Boromir with the same layout--strength and vitality--but no resistance? Also notice that as a man of Gondor, he is much stronger than Frodo. You likely want him doing most of your fighting for you."
Finally, I show the minion. I lay
Uruk Rager (or whatever minion I said before) across from Frodo as if he is skirmishing Frodo and I say:
"The minions have the same layout as your companions. Notice this minion is much stronger than Frodo and so, you would likely assign him to Boromir" [I slide
Uruk Rager over to Boromir].
I then briefly show my opponent the site number at the bottom of the card and say, "This is the site number of the minion. Only minions have site numbers. This number is important because it displays the earliest site you can play him at his standard twilight cost."
Step Two: Twilight CostsTo Be Continued...-wtk
Topic: Methods on teaching new players! (Read 9072 times)
