Whitehack classes & players new to RPGs

Whitehack classes & players new to RPGs

Whitehack relies on our shared cultural knowledge of the fantasy adventure genre, but the classes are tricky.

I've found that veteran players of RPGs (and specifically D&D) quickly grasp the way the Whitehack classes operate, that they are more like approaches (to use some Fate terminology) than traditional classes, i.e. "how do I do what I do?" rather than "What do I do?"

But I've found that they can be a stumbling block for new players.

When I introduce a new player to D&D, we start with character creation & it goes something like this:

Me: Okay, so you can be a wizard, fighter (like a warrior of some kind), a sneaky thief, or a cleric (that's a holy warrior with magic from the gods).
New Player: Great, I'll be a wizard! [or whatever]

Everybody who's been even slightly exposed to popular culture knows what a wizard, a fighter, & a thief are, and most easily grasp cleric with a little explanation.

Whitehack is harder:

Me: You can be strong, deft, or wise.
New Player: Huh?

There's an obvious solution:

Me: You can be a wizard, fighter, thief, cleric, etc. Whatever fantasy-type thing you want to be.
Player: I'll be a sneaky thief!
Me: Okay, so Whitehack calls that a deft. What's the special item, mentor, assistant, or pet that you're especially clever in using? You'll get really clever tricks with this thing.

Even easier if they have a really clear archetype (from fiction or whatever) in mind:

Player: I'll be a sneaky thief with a crossbow!
Me: Great! So in this game we'll call you'll be a deft with an attunement to your crossbow.

Has anybody else run into this issue? Or not?
Any thoughts on further solutions for running Whitehack with RPGs neophytes?

Thanks in advance!