I've been playing dnd for a couple of months (as a regular, casual player), and I've been wanting to try DMing for the first time. I invented a main plot for my campaign (it will be a one-shot, just to try and see if it fits me), and completely homebrew. I'd like to prepare the best I can, but I'm having difficulty finding online explanations about how to technically do it..
In detail, I've invented the plot (mostly RP with two fights, one against mobs and one against a boss), and mostly riddles and puzzles of sorts.. The puzzles are easier for me to do, since I can just invent rules about how the puzzles work and what to do to solve them, but I'm sure the players might try something else out, which is not planned, and I don't know how to know if their tries work or not (for example, breaking through a trap by force). The fights are more scary to me, since I don't know how to DM a fight at all.. I've created characters for the mobs and the boss in dndbeyond, but i don't know how to make the difficulty level right (as in, which lvl to give to the mobs, boss, and playable characters my players would build for the campaign)...
I'd really appreciate any help / references for recourses about how to properly build my campaign (preferably free, money is tight) ^^ thanks in advance to all readers and helpers especially.
think through how the traps and puzzles are built - if the puzzle has a wooden door to be unlocked, then make an estimate of how much force they will need to break the door. The Dungeon Masters Guide, as said in the post above, is very useful for this. The DC for the tests can be made up on the fly, and based on how they describe it - they might put effort into describing how they will use Pitons to wedge open the cracks in the door and leverage to open it, and you might say "they are really invested in this and it makes sense, so I'll lower the DC a little!"
I can't remember the exact range but it's DC30 = basically impossible, DC20 = very difficult, DC10 = reasonably easy. So if there's a 2-foot thick stone door that slides upwards using counterwieghts, and the player wants to lift it, it is ok to say "ok, you try really hard; it doesn't move" without calling for a roll. It's the most decent way to do it, because otherwise players feel miffed that a natural 20 doesn't let them lift the 40-ton stone door!
I would also take reat care to not restrict the players too much. If there is a puzzle that requires that the metal apple is put in the basket, and the players opt to instead pile rocks that weigh the same as the apple into the basket, then don't feel like you need to throw a "oh but the puzzle is magical and only the apple will work" - if it's not going to break the game, people will enjoy things more if their clever work-arounds work!
As far as checking the difficulty of your encounters, the best way is to run them with you playing all the roles. First, set up the encounter you want. Then, roll your own party assuming a couple of fighters and a couple of casters (if you have more people playing, throw in a support class or two). I use this website to do it quickly. I wouldn't have them any higher than lvl 3 on your first try. Then play the encounter (a couple of times, if you have the time). It will tell you where you need to adjust (add more monsters, take some away, change the monster type, etc.).
Anyway, that's how I do it - it's a little time consuming but I find it fun and you soon get a feel for what will work.
And if you're looking for materials, check out the DMs Guild website, they have an absolute ton of 3rd party material which is pay what you want.
Hey all,
I've been playing dnd for a couple of months (as a regular, casual player), and I've been wanting to try DMing for the first time. I invented a main plot for my campaign (it will be a one-shot, just to try and see if it fits me), and completely homebrew. I'd like to prepare the best I can, but I'm having difficulty finding online explanations about how to technically do it..
In detail, I've invented the plot (mostly RP with two fights, one against mobs and one against a boss), and mostly riddles and puzzles of sorts.. The puzzles are easier for me to do, since I can just invent rules about how the puzzles work and what to do to solve them, but I'm sure the players might try something else out, which is not planned, and I don't know how to know if their tries work or not (for example, breaking through a trap by force). The fights are more scary to me, since I don't know how to DM a fight at all.. I've created characters for the mobs and the boss in dndbeyond, but i don't know how to make the difficulty level right (as in, which lvl to give to the mobs, boss, and playable characters my players would build for the campaign)...
I'd really appreciate any help / references for recourses about how to properly build my campaign (preferably free, money is tight) ^^ thanks in advance to all readers and helpers especially.
1) Buy/beg/borrow the DMG.
2) Read it.
Seriously. You'll hear folks say that certain aspects need tweaking for certain situations. But it is the starting point for all of these questions.
think through how the traps and puzzles are built - if the puzzle has a wooden door to be unlocked, then make an estimate of how much force they will need to break the door. The Dungeon Masters Guide, as said in the post above, is very useful for this. The DC for the tests can be made up on the fly, and based on how they describe it - they might put effort into describing how they will use Pitons to wedge open the cracks in the door and leverage to open it, and you might say "they are really invested in this and it makes sense, so I'll lower the DC a little!"
I can't remember the exact range but it's DC30 = basically impossible, DC20 = very difficult, DC10 = reasonably easy. So if there's a 2-foot thick stone door that slides upwards using counterwieghts, and the player wants to lift it, it is ok to say "ok, you try really hard; it doesn't move" without calling for a roll. It's the most decent way to do it, because otherwise players feel miffed that a natural 20 doesn't let them lift the 40-ton stone door!
I would also take reat care to not restrict the players too much. If there is a puzzle that requires that the metal apple is put in the basket, and the players opt to instead pile rocks that weigh the same as the apple into the basket, then don't feel like you need to throw a "oh but the puzzle is magical and only the apple will work" - if it's not going to break the game, people will enjoy things more if their clever work-arounds work!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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As far as checking the difficulty of your encounters, the best way is to run them with you playing all the roles. First, set up the encounter you want. Then, roll your own party assuming a couple of fighters and a couple of casters (if you have more people playing, throw in a support class or two). I use this website to do it quickly. I wouldn't have them any higher than lvl 3 on your first try. Then play the encounter (a couple of times, if you have the time). It will tell you where you need to adjust (add more monsters, take some away, change the monster type, etc.).
Anyway, that's how I do it - it's a little time consuming but I find it fun and you soon get a feel for what will work.
And if you're looking for materials, check out the DMs Guild website, they have an absolute ton of 3rd party material which is pay what you want.