I've run him through the Pathfinder Beginner Box solo adventure, we've played Dungeon! the board game, Dungeon Roll the dice game, drawn a few maps, made up (but not statted) a few creatures, started up a few stories, but tonight was the real deal.
I brought him along to my FLGS tonight, expecting him to last an hour or so, while we played through Cragmaw Castle in the 5th Edition Starter Box. We'd talked about what character he'd like to start with, and decided on the pre-generated fighter-archer from the box set. He had a special d20 that he picked out after I ran him through the PFBB solo, and a full set of polyhedrals in fiery orange (Chessex Vortex Orange, to be specific). While he needed some reminders, and guidance, he had good ideas, and was engaged throughout the evening. He lasted all the way to the end, three-and-a-half hours later, and as you can see below, he had a blast!
This is a big deal for him. He was just recently diagnosed with ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive (daydreamer, not troublemaker), as well as with learning disabilities in written expression. He's very imaginative and very bright - though only 8, his reading comprehension level is at grade 10 level (i.e. twice his age). But the rest of it has been getting in the way of socializing, expressing himself verbally and most definitely in writing, and even in things like math. D&D is, in many ways, the perfect game to play to his strengths, and work on his weaknesses, having fun all the while.
Tonight was a great night for it, too. We were playing the penultimate chapter in the 5th Edition Starter Set, Lost Mines of Phandelver, and there were two other players (both with DMing experience) aside from us. And we had the best DM possible - Scott is a wizard at bringing the action, the story, and the monsters to life. He's especially talented at goblin voices and expressions, and had G. in stitches.
Scott embodies a surviving gobbo with delusions of grandeur...
G.'s now gotten his first treasure, his first XP, and a brand new organized play card to track it all. He'll be back next time as we finish Lost Mines of Phandelver, and we'll play it by ear after that. (He definitely won't be joining us for Wednesday night Encounters, as we already have ten (10) players and only one (1) DM...
