Query for gamers, particularly inexperienced ones

[gothwalk]

Is there something counterintuitive about the principle in RPGs of race and class? I've been dealing with a number of newcomers to RPGs recently, and no matter how carefully I explain that you choose a race and a class, I get people wanting to play one or other, a gnome or a wizard, an elf or a rogue, and so on. These people are smart, and get the concept of roleplaying, and so on - it's just this one bit that seems to defy understanding.

Comments

[silja.livejournal.com]

Well, it is a long time since I was a new starter, but I often mentor new players in the Camarilla. I haven't seen the problem you mention really. The system is slightly different than D&D type systems of course, but have you tried explaining it in terms of "race/culture" (for race) and "job" (for class)? That can also explain why race tends to influence attributes more (born with), and class tends to influence abilities more (learnt).