Image Credits: Mastif Press
Getting into Table Top Role Playing Games (TTRPGs) can be difficult whether you are brand new and never played one or a veteran game player who is getting into a new style. Going into a game with a system you don’t know can be intimidating and sometimes off putting, but it does have to be. Due to the recent rise in popularity of TTRPGs now has never been a better time to learn.
When getting into a TTRPG there are a slew of resources to choose from that will broaden your understanding and enjoyment to whichever TTRPGs you decide to learn and play.
The first thing needed is proper perspective. Before learning a system, people need to understand that there is not necessarily a wrong way to learn a system as there are many different outlets to learn a various of different systems and people play them in a variety of different ways.
Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast LLC
No Thank You, Evil
Image Credit: Monte Cook Games
Reading the official rules and source material is a good place to start when it comes to learn a TTRPG as most TTRPG publishers and providers will provide a handbook or more to give the rules and information an upfront way for most. While the handbooks they provide are helpful, reading and memorizing their entirety is not necessary to play a TTRPG.
While the books are the recommended way to play by the publishers and providers, they are not the absolute and only way to play or learn them. Watching other people play a TTRPG is a great method to learn how to play as you are actively watching it unfold and you can learn thought others in a secondhand manner.
In a similar vein, one method of learning a system is a trial by fire method called learning by doing. Unsurprisingly, playing the game is a great method to learn how to play the game and by doing so helps you experience how to play the game. It helps you set your understanding and foundations so you can build upon them.
While a trial by fire method may not suite many, looking up tutorials for how to play is also a great way learn. Other additional ways can be having reminder notes or a cheat sheet as to better remember anything you might stuggle with. (cheatsheets are fine because you’re not being graded on your understanding of the rules).
With all of the various ways to learn a TTRPG system, it is import to remember you can ask around, and crowd source the information you want to learn (examples being is this game beginner friendly, how light or heavy is this system, what forums can give me more information x y z, and many others).
Image Credit: Magpie Games
Starfinder
Image Credit: Paizo Inc.
Image Credit: Free League Publishing
Image Credit: Mastif Press
Image Credit: Chuck Tingle
Maddie Pierce
Student Writer - Spring 2025
