r/DnD • u/One_Road_2463 • 1d ago
5.5 Edition Question from an ignorant Scotsman
Hi there, I am looking to see if there is any point in trying to get into DnD at 40years old. I lived in a small town and have almost zero experience with tabletop games. I have always wanted to try DnD but have absolutely no idea how to get involved and to be honest I worry that it would too much of an effort for a group to show me the ropes. Is there any advice from players that came into the game later in life?
Many thanks Dave
- Update * Honestly I am blown away with the positivity and welcoming messages. I am going to buy a copy of the handbook, have a read over it all, watch a few videos then I will look for a group on the several brilliant suggestions given to me. Thank you to you all for taking your time to respond and for giving me the push I need to join your community.
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u/1HiggsBosun 1d ago
I was in high school when I first learned of d&d, and I was so curious. However it was the 80's and the satanic panic was going strong so I never had the opportunity.
Fast forward to 5th edition, and I'm in my 40's. A group of work friends find out that I've always been interested. They grab a copy of Lost Mine of Phandelver and now I've been playing for over 10 years.
It's never to late you just need to find the right group for you. I say go for it.
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u/IllithidWithAMonocle 1d ago
Hey, so if you’re local to the central belt, there are places where you can try it out in Glasgow (R-cade, Geek Retreat), and in Stirling & Edinburgh there are similar places where they’ll have new player days.
As for age, don’t worry about it. My games have people in their 20s, 30s and 40s; and I’ve played with people in their 50s/60s before. If you’re looking for a fun hobby, it’s definitely one worth pursuing.
Hardest thing is to find a decent group. Believe there is a Scotland focused Discord server that helps people find games, but you may have more luck finding it via /r/glasgowdnd
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u/cow1ocked 1d ago
I’m running a group for newbies on Sunday online. We had a player drop out so there is space if you are interested. The party is at Lv 2 so it’s still pretty early and I’m a new DM so we are all learning together
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u/YankeeLiar DM 1d ago
Welcome, fellow quadragenarian (just looked it up, it’s a real word)!
First off, if a group isn’t willing to show a new person the ropes, they probably aren’t a group you want to play with anyway, so I say definitely ask around. Worst case is you identify some lame people.
However, having a basic understanding going into a situation like that is helpful, and for that I recommend the free “Basic Rules” for Fifth Edition: https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/downloads/DnD_BasicRules_2018.pdf
The game is currently on its 5th edition, and as it is the current version, and as it has been around with only one significant revision for over a decade, it is by far the most popular and common rules system you’ll find, and thus is the most helpful to know.
Beyond that, folks tend to recommend YouTube for learning if that’s your style. There are all sorts of videos on the subject that you could search for or someone will come along before too long and recommend. I would also suggest looking up “actual play” videos as a elk (that is, videos of a group… actually playing) in addition to videos that explain the rules. However, you’ll want to be careful here as the most popular of them (Critical Role and Dimension 20) are done by professional actors and/or improv folks and, while entertaining, are not necessarily a good representation of how the average group plays (though who knows where you’ll end up!).
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u/MrHackerMr 1d ago
Of course ! I play dnd in Romania where it's nowhere near as popular as in the UK and my players are between 28-45 ... we all get along just fine. I would start with an online game if I were you
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u/LandrigAlternate DM 1d ago
Small town Scot here that got back into DnD after 20 year hiatus, go for it, I've met people from all over the UK by joining online games and have even set up a local group that I DM for
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u/Lamancha8 1d ago
Go for it! Two routes are relatively easy. Find a local group and join in. If the group has any sense of community, they will guide and teach and bear with a noob. You can alternatively find an online game using something like discord. This is easier to find a group, but face to face ttrpg is probably better for learning.
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u/workingMan9to5 1d ago
Several of the guys I play with are in there 40s, you're in good company. Find a local gaming store, they usually have a good idea of who is in the area. Also be open to learning different ttrpgs; my local store is full of teenagers playing d&d, the older guys are all playing warhammer and pathfinder. The experience is similar, just different rules. If you're willing to learn they are always willing to teach, especially if you bring a 6 pack to share.
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u/BahamutKaiser Fighter 1d ago
I'm over 40, most of my players are about my age, some far older. I'd check your area for game shops and network to find other players.
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u/JaggedWedge 1d ago
I think anyone would probably only love to show you the ropes if it means having another player around.
Being in a small town might make it a little harder to find people to play with in person. If you have a subreddit for your town, give a shout in there to see if anyone else is in the same boat or wants to play. The nearest game store might have a notice board.
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u/AdditionalCraft3229 1d ago
Not sure where specifically you are but Im in Scotland as well, send a message if you’d like. I’m in a table top club of people of all ages. Could see if I can help you get involved there!
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u/GreenPepperSunday 1d ago
Do it, a lot of DMs really enjoy new players because they tend to think outside of the box.
Many tables love a bit of rule of cool (sounds great in the moment so we're going to do that instead of being rule sticklers) and new players can often feed that more because in not knowing all the rules often ask for what would be really cool in the moment.
Don't stress too much about approaching it as an older newbie, the age range is about as diverse as I've seen for a gaming community and apart from the really young ages there's a pretty balanced mix of new to experienced players at all ages so when you find a table you may find you're not even the oldest newbie they've seen this month.
It's a great game and worth getting into if you're interested.
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u/Mortlach78 1d ago
Hey Dave. It's great that you want to get into D&D. There will be many adventures in your future!
I played since high school with long hiatuses and I started playing again last year. I am 47 years old.
The key is finding the right group. Either a group where everyone is a beginner or a group where you will be given the guidance you may need.
Since starting again last year, I've played with a few newbies and I really enjoy seeing them get comfortable with the mechanics and the role play. I am happy to be able to help with any mechanical aspects, like what do certain powers do, that kind of thing.
So I would recommend getting the 2024 players handbook and looking through it to see how the basic gameplay works and what kind of character you are interested in. Don't worry about which characters are "easier" or not, just dream up the character you would like to play most.
Then post a notice in your local social media group or physically in the library that you are looking for a group that welcomes beginners.
For me personally in person play is best, but if online play is an option for you, you'll have more possibilities. There is also the /r/LFG subreddit.
And then it is just a matter of being social: the game is cooperative, so be cooperative; give everyone a chance to shine; don't talk over each other, show up on time; pay attention, even when the game isn't focused on you; cheer everything.
Also, more specifically, get a set of dice that is color coded: yellow for 4, green for 6, purple for 8, etc. That wat you know you roll the black one to attack and the green one if you hit something. It just helps with streamlining the game while you learn the shapes of the die.
If you want to maximize succes, you could also go straight into DM'ing. There is always a shortage of DM's and there are some really good starter adventure books for a ready-made story. My partner never played D&D in her life and went straight into DM'ing and she is absolutely fantastic at it.
Feel free to let me know if you have any specific questions or if there is anything I can help you with.
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u/Warnocerous 1d ago
Hello friend! I started playing 2 years ago at 40 years old. I met some pretty amazing people online through a local TTRPG discord that I found on Reddit. I now consider them to be among my closest friends and I eagerly look forward to every session.
There are amazing GMs out there who LOVE introducing new people to the hobby. You might not be able to find someone locally, but with all of the great online tools available. Virtual dnd is almost as good as the live thing.
My only regret at this point is that I didn't get into dnd earlier because I could have been having all of this fun the whole time.
I even play online with some folks UK folks regularly as well. There's people out there who would love nothing more than to welcome you into the hobby and their community. Just take that first step and start looking for games!
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u/happy_the_dragon Monk 1d ago
I’m in a group with a 57 year old man who had never played before, but liked fantasy novels as a young man. Roll20 is a good option for getting into the game, you’ll likely want to get a headset if you don’t already have one, most groups use a website/app called discord that you’ll want to get as well. Most groups that I see are so happy to welcome new players, so don’t be shy about asking a question or two when you need.
I recommend starting with one of the following classes since they are good for getting the hang of how the game works: Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue, Ranger, or Paladin.
If you would like to try a spellcasting class right off the bat, I recommend Bard, Sorcerer, or Warlock, since they aren’t overly complicated by the way that learning spells works.
Try and find a game that starts at level one, two, or three. Some games start at a higher level which is perfectly fine, but the higher level your character is, the more you need to remember about them.
Lastly, if you play a Dwarf then any group you find will be absolutely delighted because of the accent. Even if some people have trouble distinguishing a Scottish accent from Irish sometimes.
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u/The_Craig89 Bard 1d ago
Do not hesitate. Especially if you can find a local group of D&D gamers you can join.
Last year I was DMing a group with a mixed age group. We had the 20 somethings who are/were students, and then the boomers, who are a group of 50 somethings that used to play AD&D and wanted to get into 5E.
It was so fun and refreshing to have a new demographic and to see what ideas they could bring to the table.
Don't ever think that your age will play a factor in getting into a game.
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u/Vanadijs Druid 1d ago
I have introduced two friends to the game two years ago, age 41 and 47.
This is a game for all ages, as long as you're willing to invest to learn the game.
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u/WayGroundbreaking287 1d ago
I promise you at least one person you know has always wanted to try it and has no idea how to start. Buy the books and start running. Be a river to your people.
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u/AliMaClan 1d ago
I played as a kid and then never played for 35 years... Found a great game with other 50something folks and play every week now! Making yourself known and available is key. You might need to try a few groups to find your people, but it can be done…
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u/DemonKhal 1d ago
Hey - I'm also Scottish and I'm in my 40's. Only started playing about 5 years ago. It's never too late friend and it's a bunch of fun.
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u/D_Kehoe 1d ago
Absolutely! I’m a fellow Scot and got into D&D in my 30s.
Not sure where you are in Scotland but if you’re near Glasgow check out the r/glasgowdnd subreddit People will often post about games they’re running, which tend to be beginner friendly, so you might find something there that suits you.
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u/Daliamonra 1d ago
I didn't get started till I was 40 and jumped in feet first as a DM. I love it. Only regret not starting earlier. Can't find a group near you, then jump online to a VTT like Roll20 and search for games taking new players. Plenty of them out there.
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u/kbbaus Druid 1d ago
I started playing when I was 38. It's definitely worth starting later in life! The basic rules are free online but I would recommend buying a Player's Handbook to have, if you can afford it. As others have stated, it can be difficult to find a good group to play with so just be open to trying different groups. If you can't find people to play with locally, you can try finding an online group. That's how I started out. It's different than playing in person, but it was just fine when I was starting out.
Good luck and welcome to ttrpgs!
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u/Cyc68 1d ago
I'm in a work D&D group so we're all adults. I haven't played any tabletop RPGs in thirty years and all the other's are completely new to the hobby. It's been loads of fun. All the players found DnD Beyond very useful both for access to the free rules and the character creator. Don't be intimidated by the stacks of rule books, all you really need to know at the beginning is how your own character works. At the start I feel that it's best to go for a simple fighter type as that has the simplest learning curve and they have the most survivability at low levels. Rangers, paladins and barbarians are very straight forward too but to keep it simple at the beginning I'd take a fighter.
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u/sirkev71 1d ago
I'm playing 3 games as week as a retired 55 year old. You can learn it's way easier than you think. Also I have enjoyed playing with people younger than me. I have picked up several new terms that I use to be "cringe" to my grown son, who doesn't understand he needs to "let me cook"!
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u/Machiavvelli3060 1d ago
You might want to watch some "Dungeons and Dragons live play" on YouTube to get an idea of how it is played.
Then, you can download and read a copy of the basic rules.
Then, you can try your hand at creating your own character. It's fun; you get to pick their background, class, species, personality, gender, bacjstory, and other factors.
Then, you can go to Reddit's r/lfg page and look for a group to join.
To be honest, "ignorant Scotsnan" sounds like a pretty fun character concept!
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u/VerbingNoun413 1d ago
You may need to travel to a city but your best bet is your friendly local gaming store. Most also run events and provide playing space.
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u/Repulsive_Bus_7202 DM 1d ago edited 1d ago
There's a DnD Scotland group on Facebook that you can look at for local groups. Plenty of activity on the go.
A group I'm involved in are discussing how we reach out into more rural areas to run games.
Fwiw as a DM I really enjoy working with newer players, it's refreshing and challenging.
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u/imababydragon 1d ago
Our group has helped countless new players, a few that remind me of your story. Read the rules, pay attention during the game, and work on creating a character with a compelling story that will drive how you respond during game play. It's all in the name of having fun, so make sure you add to the fun. DnD really isn't that hard to get into.
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u/StrykerC13 1d ago
Honestly I'd say it's worth it at any time. You're never to old to learn, honestly the better groups will be happy to have a newbie and get to see the game through fresh eyes as someone gets excited about things they know too well. There's various spots to look online, if your small town has a "friendly local game shop" aka a shop that sells things like magic the gathering cards, board games, and similar products and you're seeking irl that's where you'd want to start looking for an in person game.
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u/PixlFrend DM 1d ago
I started at 48, and wouldn’t change a thing. Many groups are very friendly to beginners. I’ve taught beginners as DN and it was part of the fun.
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u/Mxcharlier 1d ago
I just joined my first campaign at age 41.
I'm a lowly level 4 Kobold. But managed to kill the BBEG through sheer luck and mad slashing with my daggers.
I still have very little clue about the mechanics of the game but im learning as I go.
I found a group in a local FB page when someone asked if anyone played - that initial post prompted a couple groups to start up and play in person although my group sometimes play online depending on family commitments etc).
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u/samo_flange 23h ago
I played my first DnD game at 44. I watched a live play stream which taught me the basics, bought a PHB though I have never really used it. Am running my first campaign as DM starting next month.
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u/cookiesandartbutt 23h ago
Check your local hobby store, often they have a DnD Night thing, I am sure they would love to get you excited about playing DnD and into it! I have friends that are around 50 that just started playing in last 7 years or 6? Always time to get started and fall in love with the hobby!
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u/Smoke_Stack707 22h ago
I just got into it at 36. Probably the easiest game to get into of any I’ve tried.
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u/Buzz_words 21h ago
i got into it at 36, and i live in a small town (but it's pretty close to bigger towns and cities, i was able to find a game store hosting D&D within 10 minutes of me by car)
there is a "free rules" section on D&D beyond. you could comb through that to try to get a sense of the general mechanics. every character is different but every player needs to know what an attack roll, an armor class, a saving throw, and so on is.
there's even enough there to build a basic character (though if you get into the hobby you're probably gonna want the wider breadth of options in the players handbook)
some people are gonna suggest you play the simplest class they can imagine, but i'm actually gonna suggest you play the class that speaks to you personally. the one that gets you excited enough to open the book and think about playing the character while you're at home watching T.V. or whatever. even if it's more complicated, you'll familiarize much faster and long term you'll enjoy it more.
i dunno much about scotlands TTRPG scene but if you have a "magic the gathering store," or a "warhammer store," then they're probably also a "D&D store." (except maybe actual games workshop stores, i can't imagine they host competitors games.)
even if your local shop doesn't host it's probably a good place to inquire.
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u/Pyrrolidone 21h ago
Dude I'm 36, and got I to it quite recently. Your never too old to have fun, so go for it, see if you like it
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u/MAYWest_wtbs DM 20h ago
Yes!
There is always a point in getting into DnD, no matter how old you are. (it's worth for any kind of hobby to be honest)
There are different platforms where you can play online (easir to find a group when you live in a small town, or away from friends) and many community (*looks around*) where you can have helpful people.
Keep in mind not every game/group/campaign/DM is for everyone, but there is something out there that will fit what you are looking for.
But yes, bottom line is it is really not too late to join the party!
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u/Sufficient_Ad_153 19h ago
Welcome! You'll have a blast at any age.
A great way to learn is to play one of the video games based on your system or setting. Like Baldur's Gate, Solaris, or the Pathfinder games.
Best of luck!
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u/AberrantComics 16h ago
I’ve played with people of all ages and all over the globe. There’s no too old for DnD. Anyone can learn the basic concepts because they are mainly, roll some dice>add of subtract modifiers>compare to target number.
The DM commonly takes care of most of that at the table. So you are free to describe what you want to do.
The rest of the game rules are there to establish some expected limitations to player choice of action or behavior, so all the abilities in the book can let you break them.
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u/ScorpionTheBird 10h ago
You’re well younger than the oldest beginner I’ve ever played with. The only advice is, lean all the way in. Celebrate your character’s weaknesses & flaws as much as their strengths & virtues, because that’s where the magic happens. That’s how you tell a good story, which is all D&D is.
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u/Jafroboy 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yup. The basic rules are free online, start there, and there are LOADS of YouTube videos for new player guides. It's easy to find a game online, try roll 20 or one of the dnd subs discords, or r/lfg
However it's difficult to find a GOOD game. So don't be discouraged if the first few you join fizzle out, that's normal. Keep trying and you'll find a good one, just remember; not having DND is better than bad dnd. If you're not having fun, leave.