Dungeons and Dragons players, can anyone help?

[BigBlueTeapot]

I appear to have committed a faux pas.

I saw on a local FB page someone setting up a D and D group. My autistic young adult has wanted to join a group for ages so I signed them up. It wasn't clear in the post it was for experienced players only.

They are meeting for the first time next week to start a new campaign

It has now transpired that the others in the group are experienced D and D ers and two or three don't want my youngster joining as a newbie. The DM says it's ok though.

My youngster like a lot of autistic people has done a bunch of research and understands in theory how D and D works

Is he going to ruin the game somehow? Is there anything he can do to get up to speed before session zero? I am worried the others will be hostile to him and it's the first event he is willingly leaving the house to go to for a couple of years. Would it be better to just pull him out? I am reluctant to if it's salvageable, because he really could do with a regular group like this to get out of the house.

From your update, it sounds as though your DS has dodged a bullet. Nothing ruins role-playing more than politics within the group.

He really doesn't want to be part of something where the politics and conflicts are raising their heads even before they've got going!

There's a certain type of person who thrives on that sort of crap and they spoil things for everyone else, regardless of whether other players are experienced and resilient, and it's definitely no environment for a newbie.

Reportedly, A newbie group will be starting in the not too distant future and he can join that.

So hopefully it's "all's well that ends well"

Hurray! He made his saving throw after all!

You might also want to keep an eye out for boardgaming groups which can appeal similar people, and where it is absolutely expected that only one person knows the rules of each game and has to teach newbies.

Parodied here!

Good, don’t give up on finding a supportive group for your DS. Could you give us an idea where you live? We could perhaps suggest places for your DS to find like minded people? Good luck!