I've been watching and listening to games for a long time. I kinda understood how the storyline works and how to create a world. I have great ideas. But I am not sure if I can do it. The group is going to between 3 and 6 person whole group is going to be newbies and lot of them don't know anything about dnd So I am asking for your tips and ideas and any advice on how to understand the game mechanics.( Btw I am not English so I may have some mistakes)
I've been watching and listening to games for a long time. I kinda understood how the storyline works and how to create a world. I have great ideas. But I am not sure if I can do it. The group is going to between 3 and 6 person whole group is going to be newbies and lot of them don't know anything about dnd So I am asking for your tips and ideas and any advice on how to understand the game mechanics.( Btw I am not English so I may have some mistakes)
I recommend doing a module or some one shots first. To get the feel as well as for the players to understand the mechanics better first.
For once BioWizard beat me to recommend Mr. Colville’s series. They are correct, it is probably the best advice any new DM could hope to get in one source. His Campaign Diaries series is a close second.
Colville is great, but the OP isn’t a native English speaker. Might be ok, but could get tough depending on how good his English is. (Not saying anything about Colville or the OP, just trying to be sensitive to the issue)
If you find it too difficult to follow, I’d agree with eightpack try a pre-published adventure, probably not Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but most of the others are really great starting points to see how things flow.
Three things stuck out reading the OP that I want to hit on.
1) you have great ideas
2) not sure if you can do it.
3) understanding game mechanics.
let’s take some time and look at these three things.
1) ideas are all you need. RUN WITH IT!!!! Run as fast as you can. Go all in with your ideas. Block out what people say about them and go with it! One of the most beautiful things about this hobby is there is no ultimate right or wrong. You don’t win by playing rules as written. You win by people having fun.
2) me too. I have been DMing for 20 years. I approach every session wondering if this is the session my players realize I’m a fraud! 🤣 Rise above the anxiety and the stress. If you find the anxiety and the stress making a play, block it out and go over your ideas again. The more you go over and flesh out your ideas the more you will be grounded as you approach the session.
3) you don’t have to know all the rules by heart. I don’t. Just play the game. If a rules issue pops up during the session, trust your judgement and make a call. Tell your players your not sure but this is the call you are making in the moment. Tell them between sessions you will research and find what the real answer is for future reference.
Three things stuck out reading the OP that I want to hit on.
1) you have great ideas
2) not sure if you can do it.
3) understanding game mechanics.
let’s take some time and look at these three things.
1) ideas are all you need. RUN WITH IT!!!! Run as fast as you can. Go all in with your ideas. Block out what people say about them and go with it! One of the most beautiful things about this hobby is there is no ultimate right or wrong. You don’t win by playing rules as written. You win by people having fun.
2) me too. I have been DMing for 20 years. I approach every session wondering if this is the session my players realize I’m a fraud! 🤣 Rise above the anxiety and the stress. If you find the anxiety and the stress making a play, block it out and go over your ideas again. The more you go over and flesh out your ideas the more you will be grounded as you approach the session.
3) you don’t have to know all the rules by heart. I don’t. Just play the game. If a rules issue pops up during the session, trust your judgement and make a call. Tell your players your not sure but this is the call you are making in the moment. Tell them between sessions you will research and find what the real answer is for future reference.
I couldn't agree more! These are excellent advices.
There's a lot of videos out there, but really - just start to DM. It won't be perfect - it never is, but it will be fun! Don't mind too much about the rules, you can come back to them later. Just start with the very basic ones.
Don't get stuck in preparation! You say you have great ideas on creating a world and a campaign. Don't create "too" much! It's completely OK that there are some blank spaces. You and your players can fill in that as you go. Remember - it's not only your story, it's just as much your players story!
1) ideas are all you need. RUN WITH IT!!!! Run as fast as you can. Go all in with your ideas. Block out what people say about them and go with it! One of the most beautiful things about this hobby is there is no ultimate right or wrong. You don’t win by playing rules as written. You win by people having fun.
100% this!
Just run the game.
Don't worry about mistakes. You will make them. It's OK. Tell your friends, "this is my first time running the game, we are going to make mistakes, if we do then we'll just keep playing and fix them later."
Don't worry about all the rules. As long as you know the basics (attack rolls, saving throws, spells) you can keep the action moving at the table. Don't stop to look stuff up, just make something up - keep the game moving. Look the rule up after the session and play it correctly next time.
Hello DM Retsu Void Walker here started in 1979 as a player Loved the idea of a shared or solo adventure A winter storm made it impossible to travel.. so made 4 characters made up some list of D6 random sheets of encounters traps Monsters Dieties treasure weather everything you could think and kept a journal used my little army men as characters that I moved on an old game board
Get an idea for a story start middle end run through your story with characters you make see how it feels... than .. allow others to run through it .. be patient let them discuss thier options listen to them record thier basic stats health mostly and thier THACO and use your random sheets it will be an adventure everytime .. Remember DnD is a product of your imagination
DM Retsu Void Walker .. Started in 1979 am willing to DM for solo or group contact [REDACTED] Begginer to Advanced You have a high lvl character dont know what to do now ... I have the adventure for you
DM Retsu Void Walker .. Started in 1979 am willing to DM for solo or group contact [REDACTED] Begginer to Advanced You have a high lvl character dont know what to do now ... I have the adventure for you
The user's post you've responded to was from early 2020 - probably not anything they are considering recently. Please try to take note of post dates when responding.
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I've been watching and listening to games for a long time. I kinda understood how the storyline works and how to create a world. I have great ideas. But I am not sure if I can do it. The group is going to between 3 and 6 person whole group is going to be newbies and lot of them don't know anything about dnd So I am asking for your tips and ideas and any advice on how to understand the game mechanics.( Btw I am not English so I may have some mistakes)
I recommend doing a module or some one shots first. To get the feel as well as for the players to understand the mechanics better first.
Blank
Watch Matt Colville's series on Running the Game. Best DMing advice you will ever get anywhere, all in one place.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
For once BioWizard beat me to recommend Mr. Colville’s series. They are correct, it is probably the best advice any new DM could hope to get in one source. His Campaign Diaries series is a close second.
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Colville is great, but the OP isn’t a native English speaker. Might be ok, but could get tough depending on how good his English is. (Not saying anything about Colville or the OP, just trying to be sensitive to the issue)
If you find it too difficult to follow, I’d agree with eightpack try a pre-published adventure, probably not Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but most of the others are really great starting points to see how things flow.
Colville does talk fast. But you could CC it and slow it down.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
What languages are the CC options in?
does everything he say translate to language X?
a lot of foreign languages don’t use idioms like we use in English. So they don’t translate. Does Colville use a lot of idioms?
things to consider.
Blank
Three things stuck out reading the OP that I want to hit on.
1) you have great ideas
2) not sure if you can do it.
3) understanding game mechanics.
let’s take some time and look at these three things.
1) ideas are all you need. RUN WITH IT!!!! Run as fast as you can. Go all in with your ideas. Block out what people say about them and go with it! One of the most beautiful things about this hobby is there is no ultimate right or wrong. You don’t win by playing rules as written. You win by people having fun.
2) me too. I have been DMing for 20 years. I approach every session wondering if this is the session my players realize I’m a fraud! 🤣 Rise above the anxiety and the stress. If you find the anxiety and the stress making a play, block it out and go over your ideas again. The more you go over and flesh out your ideas the more you will be grounded as you approach the session.
3) you don’t have to know all the rules by heart. I don’t. Just play the game. If a rules issue pops up during the session, trust your judgement and make a call. Tell your players your not sure but this is the call you are making in the moment. Tell them between sessions you will research and find what the real answer is for future reference.
I couldn't agree more! These are excellent advices.
There's a lot of videos out there, but really - just start to DM. It won't be perfect - it never is, but it will be fun! Don't mind too much about the rules, you can come back to them later. Just start with the very basic ones.
Don't get stuck in preparation! You say you have great ideas on creating a world and a campaign. Don't create "too" much! It's completely OK that there are some blank spaces. You and your players can fill in that as you go. Remember - it's not only your story, it's just as much your players story!
Best of luck :-)
Ludo ergo sum!
100% this!
Just run the game.
Don't worry about mistakes. You will make them. It's OK. Tell your friends, "this is my first time running the game, we are going to make mistakes, if we do then we'll just keep playing and fix them later."
Don't worry about all the rules. As long as you know the basics (attack rolls, saving throws, spells) you can keep the action moving at the table. Don't stop to look stuff up, just make something up - keep the game moving. Look the rule up after the session and play it correctly next time.
Relax. Have fun.
And welcome to the hobby. :-)
Hello DM Retsu Void Walker here started in 1979 as a player Loved the idea of a shared or solo adventure A winter storm made it impossible to travel.. so made 4 characters made up some list of D6 random sheets of encounters traps Monsters Dieties treasure weather everything you could think and kept a journal used my little army men as characters that I moved on an old game board
Get an idea for a story start middle end run through your story with characters you make see how it feels... than .. allow others to run through it .. be patient let them discuss thier options listen to them record thier basic stats health mostly and thier THACO and use your random sheets it will be an adventure everytime .. Remember DnD is a product of your imagination
DM Retsu Void Walker .. Started in 1979 am willing to DM for solo or group contact [REDACTED] Begginer to Advanced You have a high lvl character dont know what to do now ... I have the adventure for you
The user's post you've responded to was from early 2020 - probably not anything they are considering recently. Please try to take note of post dates when responding.
Locking thread.