What make VtES hard to learn

brandonsantacruz wrote:

ICL wrote: One thing to consider is making a list of the 50 cards that are the most important to understand what they do in an effort to cut down on info overload. Then, an unknown card can be compared to a known card.

Interesting idea... brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/2012/11/50-cards-every-vtes-player-should-know.html

Good writeup.

i would make room for Banishment (often seen, and quite unique in effect). Perhaps instead laptop computer. Other than that, good work

Edit : also, maybe, Direct intervention instead of Confusion

I agree on Banishment, it was my first thought as well.

Maybe also Wash instead of sudden, so you cover OoT trifle.

brandonsantacruz wrote:

ICL wrote: One thing to consider is making a list of the 50 cards that are the most important to understand what they do in an effort to cut down on info overload. Then, an unknown card can be compared to a known card.

Interesting idea... brandonsantacruz.blogspot.com/2012/11/50-cards-every-vtes-player-should-know.html

very good list.
I'd switch telepathic counter for obedience though.
and no voter captivation ?
but for the rest it's very good and we should try to make demo decks using only those 50 cards to teach the newbs.

kudos !

drnlmza wrote: Partly it's complexity - once they start playing with the regular crowd, they do get hit by a whole bunch of new stuff quite quickly.

Partly I think it's competiveness. A new player will likely only have 1 decent deck, and, if the meta-game shifts, suddenly the new player is losing a lot more often and doesn't have the resources to react well. We try to mitigate this by maintaing a pool of cards new players can buy cheaply and so forth, but the players need to also put in the time working on deck ideas.

You'll need to keep staying on coaching mode. Whenever a card is played or an effect happens, take some time to throw in a condensed explanation to the new players. Make the explanation short and if possible, fun. Don't make the new player(s) feel like it is hard labour to see new cards.

It also helps to vocalise your own thought processes a bit. Comments like "Hmm... if I bleed with both my minions this turn, I might have a chance of getting a VP next turn, but I might get ousted before that if I don't leave anything for defense." or "So if I KRC for 3-1, I might not get the support I need to pass this."

It also helps to give the new player(s) small pats on the backs along the way. Praise the new player(s) for particularly insightful plays or when they voice out interesting opinions on the game state as part of their thought process.

I keep feeling that this is something we could manage better, although I'm not quite sure how. Does anyone have any advice on methods for easing new players into the core player group?

We have a collection of cards donated by players who just have too many and not enough space at home to keep everything (seriously, who needs more than 30 blood dolls?) When a new player joins the group, we tell them to go nuts and swim in the card pool for whatever they may want.