RPGMemes

I don't think DND or close relatives is as good a first system as people think it is. It's very idiosyncratic. It wastes a lot of time with stuff like "8 is -1 and 14 is +2". But mostly I don't recommend it because at its core it is a resource management game, and that's not what most people imagine roleplaying is about. It will teach people bad habits, or at least habits that don't translate outside of DND + their group very well.

I like Fate. I think Fate is more intuitive and rewards creativity more consistently. You don't need to read long lists of classes and spells. It does, however, ask for a lot more creative input than DND does. You can't just be "Bob the fighter" and go. But it's a lot more rewarding when it does sing, IMO.