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

class/race

[brucius.livejournal.com]

Well, if you look at lord of the rings; you have a dwarf, an elf, some hobbitses and a wizard. (I know the card game divides them in ranger/warrior etc) but in general they get a one word classification

Heroquest also has something similar, barbarian, elf, sorcerer, dwarf etc. I think (Might have been a board game similar to heroquest) the pit warrior character was invloced if anyone remembers.

Anyway, the point being that seperating class from race is a fairly recent gaming/fantasy occurance from what I know. So if you have a mob of newbies who aren't aware or the in and out's of accepted fantasy norms, can't say I blame them for not seeing the difference.

Like really your asking them to imagine they are an elf/dwarf, that character having an actual job (ranger/priest) is a whole new step in believing it's real enough to play with.

Have you tried saying: pick a race from this list and a job you would like your charcter to do from this other list. (actualy that sounds like dumbing things down a little) but maybe if they are that new, it can't hurt.