I'm looking to DM my very first game with a few friends and want to create a fun & new experience for them all. I'm creating a campaign from scratch based off of a few ideas I have as a writer and was wondering if anyone had any advice.
I know that there's a lot to do for prepping, it's been fun so far! What would be some tips/guides you would recommend a new DM to take a look at? My main questions are stemmed from how difficult to make enemies, what stats they would have, and how to set progression for my players (I personally like milestone, since people feel accomplished for their experiences rather than gaining points from killing called 'experience'.)
You only need to prep what they party will see. You don't need to prep the whole world or the even city that's two weeks travel away. You only need to focus on where they are now and where you want them to be.
The caveat being, have a backup plan in case the party doesn't pick up the clues you are putting down.
Prepare a list of names for NPCs and monsters. You don't have to label them until the somebody asks, "Hey what's the baker's name?" Then next to a name you choose on your list, you mark, 'baker'.
If possible, have three choices available for the party. Choices give them direction rather than them wandering about randomly.
Let them know the world has consequences. Do dumb stuff, win dumb prizes.
Just want to throw out that xp doesn’t have to be for killing. It’s for overcoming the challenge. So if the party sneaks past, or talks past, or does something clever to get past a challenge without fighting, you can (and should, imo) award them the same full xp as they’d get for killing their way past it. I’m not saying don’t use milestone if that’s your preference, just that xp can be quite flexible.
I’d also add to wysperra’s advice about them not picking up the clues. Sometimes you’ll think something is blindingly obvious and your party won’t notice it. So watch for that kind of communication failure.
Also, don’t be afraid to change your plan. If you have an idea of where something will go, but your players are talking and one of them throws out a theory that’s cooler or more fun than what you had planned, steal the idea. Not only will it be cooler and more fun, but also that player gets to feel good about figuring out the mystery — even if they didn’t.
Much like Wysp’s post, my #1 piece of advice is to watch Matt Colville’s Running the Game series. It’s a treasure trove of great advice (so, more like over 120 pieces of advice and counting all rolled into one here): (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8&list=PLlUk42GiU2guNzWBzxn7hs8MaV7ELLCP_&index=1&t=22s). I’ve been playing D&D for 30 years, and started DMing within a couple years of getting into the game, and I still learn stuff from that series and even occasionally go back and rewatch episodes from time to time. Don’t feel like you have to watch all of itright away or anything just watch what you can when you can, take it in at your own pace. It’s not like it’s gonna go anywhere so you have all the time you need. You can also watch them In any order you wish, so either sequentially if you want, or pick and choose the episodes that you think will be most helpful and prioritize those first, whatever works best for you.
After that, below are my personal top tips for new DMs. Some of them apply to your specific questions, some are more general, but I feel they are all important to know:
If everyone at the table is having fun, even if you’re not strictly following the rules, you’re doing it right. (That’s really the only thing that matters. If you ever find yourself wondering if you’re a “good DM,” this is how you’ll find your answer.)
It’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. It turns out that’s the best way to learn how to avoid making those same mistake again in future. (Making mistakes is not a failing, not learning from them is.)
If something comes up at the table, and you cannot find the rule for it in about a minute, just make a decision, let everyone know that’s what you are doing, and that you will look up an official answer before the next session. (Then follow through and actually look it up before the next session so that people can count on your word.)
Reread chapters 7, 9, and 10 of the Basic Riles/PHB, because the vast majority of all the rules that get used just about every session are in those three chapters. (If you mostly remember the stuff in these three chapters then you’ll be fine most of the time, and for anything else, fall back on Tip #3.)
Run a Session 0. This is your chance to make sure everyone knows what is or isn’t okay by everyone playing together, and that everyone agrees to play with respect for each other’s boundaries. (Most of the times that people get upset it’s because things that should have been cleared up before the game started weren’t.)
Have fun! (If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.)
Hi!
I'm looking to DM my very first game with a few friends and want to create a fun & new experience for them all. I'm creating a campaign from scratch based off of a few ideas I have as a writer and was wondering if anyone had any advice.
I know that there's a lot to do for prepping, it's been fun so far! What would be some tips/guides you would recommend a new DM to take a look at? My main questions are stemmed from how difficult to make enemies, what stats they would have, and how to set progression for my players (I personally like milestone, since people feel accomplished for their experiences rather than gaining points from killing called 'experience'.)
Any advice would be welcome, thank you!
You only need to prep what they party will see. You don't need to prep the whole world or the even city that's two weeks travel away. You only need to focus on where they are now and where you want them to be.
The caveat being, have a backup plan in case the party doesn't pick up the clues you are putting down.
Prepare a list of names for NPCs and monsters. You don't have to label them until the somebody asks, "Hey what's the baker's name?" Then next to a name you choose on your list, you mark, 'baker'.
If possible, have three choices available for the party. Choices give them direction rather than them wandering about randomly.
Let them know the world has consequences. Do dumb stuff, win dumb prizes.
and:
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Thank you!
This is some solid advice that I needed to hear before running anything.
I'll definitely have my list of names for anyone who asks for the name of an NPC (Super guilty of that myself XD).
Just want to throw out that xp doesn’t have to be for killing. It’s for overcoming the challenge. So if the party sneaks past, or talks past, or does something clever to get past a challenge without fighting, you can (and should, imo) award them the same full xp as they’d get for killing their way past it.
I’m not saying don’t use milestone if that’s your preference, just that xp can be quite flexible.
I’d also add to wysperra’s advice about them not picking up the clues. Sometimes you’ll think something is blindingly obvious and your party won’t notice it. So watch for that kind of communication failure.
Also, don’t be afraid to change your plan. If you have an idea of where something will go, but your players are talking and one of them throws out a theory that’s cooler or more fun than what you had planned, steal the idea. Not only will it be cooler and more fun, but also that player gets to feel good about figuring out the mystery — even if they didn’t.
Much like Wysp’s post, my #1 piece of advice is to watch Matt Colville’s Running the Game series. It’s a treasure trove of great advice (so, more like over 120 pieces of advice and counting all rolled into one here): (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8&list=PLlUk42GiU2guNzWBzxn7hs8MaV7ELLCP_&index=1&t=22s). I’ve been playing D&D for 30 years, and started DMing within a couple years of getting into the game, and I still learn stuff from that series and even occasionally go back and rewatch episodes from time to time. Don’t feel like you have to watch all of itright away or anything just watch what you can when you can, take it in at your own pace. It’s not like it’s gonna go anywhere so you have all the time you need. You can also watch them In any order you wish, so either sequentially if you want, or pick and choose the episodes that you think will be most helpful and prioritize those first, whatever works best for you.
After that, below are my personal top tips for new DMs. Some of them apply to your specific questions, some are more general, but I feel they are all important to know:
Welcome to the other side of the DM’s screen!
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