So, my husband has been REALLY wanting to play DND ( he never has) he knows a lot about DNDs classes and such but I wanna surprise him by getting really good at DND ( I know nothing) and being able to dungeon master a game. Can anyone point me in the direction of where/how to start learning?
You don't need to be really good to DM. Just read the rules and find some example of play, like Critical Role (or any of the other shows), or watching/joining a friend's game.
To be good at the game, learn a rhythm of danger and safety from J. R. R. Tolkien; learn how to introduce wisdom like Ursula LeGuin; learn how to play with things known and unknown like Lord Dunsany; learn from Robert Chambers how to make the familiar strange; learn about character motivations from Emily Brontë and Mary Shelley; seek to see your world like Richard and Wendy Pini, and help others to see it in the same way; help your players to revel in the pulpiness of your fiction as Arthur Conan Doyle and Gaston Leuroux and Ian Fleming did with theirs; do mystery like Frank Herbert and romance like Shonda Rhymes; do revelation like G. K. Chesterton. In plainer terms, learn the art of story from storytellers who've come before you.
So, my husband has been REALLY wanting to play DND ( he never has) he knows a lot about DNDs classes and such but I wanna surprise him by getting really good at DND ( I know nothing) and being able to dungeon master a game. Can anyone point me in the direction of where/how to start learning?
If it's your first time start simple. Don't try and write your own world and an epic quest that'll take years to complete. You both might not like it and won't continue and even if you do enjoy it the more moving parts you have the more things you'll get wrong. Start by reading the free basic rules you can get on this site, it's about 40 pages and covers all the things you'll need to both play and DM.
Next choose a prewritten adventure, my advice is a one shot that can be played in a single session. There's a few free ones on this site such as Borderlands Goblin Trouble, Scions of Elemental Evil or the Tenebrous Stone or there's a variety you can find by googling D&D One Shots. If you want something light hearted I suggest something like Wild Sheep Chase or Wolves of Whelton that are both excellent adventures available for free with a good helping of comedy
Once you've done that if you want advice try YouTube for some advice videos. Anything you think you're struggling with there'll be a video for but there's also a lot of negativity so try not to be put off by videos telling you you're doing it wrong. Ginny Di is a good starting point, lots of videos on role playing and engaging players but without going into heavy mechanics.
Finally although you can play with just one player and one DM it's also a game designed for groups so try and invite along a few friends. Give them some pre-generated characters (again plenty of those online if you search) so they don't need to really know how to play, crack open a bottle of wine or some beers and just try to have fun together. You'll get everything wrong, so will they, everyone will be a little bit embaressed trying silly voices but don't worry, and the main thing is you'll all have fun
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So, my husband has been REALLY wanting to play DND ( he never has) he knows a lot about DNDs classes and such but I wanna surprise him by getting really good at DND ( I know nothing) and being able to dungeon master a game. Can anyone point me in the direction of where/how to start learning?
You don't need to be really good to DM. Just read the rules and find some example of play, like Critical Role (or any of the other shows), or watching/joining a friend's game.
The only way to be actually good at the game is to play it, another good tip is to be capable of being cooperative with your party.
To be good at the game, learn a rhythm of danger and safety from J. R. R. Tolkien; learn how to introduce wisdom like Ursula LeGuin; learn how to play with things known and unknown like Lord Dunsany; learn from Robert Chambers how to make the familiar strange; learn about character motivations from Emily Brontë and Mary Shelley; seek to see your world like Richard and Wendy Pini, and help others to see it in the same way; help your players to revel in the pulpiness of your fiction as Arthur Conan Doyle and Gaston Leuroux and Ian Fleming did with theirs; do mystery like Frank Herbert and romance like Shonda Rhymes; do revelation like G. K. Chesterton. In plainer terms, learn the art of story from storytellers who've come before you.
If it's your first time start simple. Don't try and write your own world and an epic quest that'll take years to complete. You both might not like it and won't continue and even if you do enjoy it the more moving parts you have the more things you'll get wrong. Start by reading the free basic rules you can get on this site, it's about 40 pages and covers all the things you'll need to both play and DM.
Next choose a prewritten adventure, my advice is a one shot that can be played in a single session. There's a few free ones on this site such as Borderlands Goblin Trouble, Scions of Elemental Evil or the Tenebrous Stone or there's a variety you can find by googling D&D One Shots. If you want something light hearted I suggest something like Wild Sheep Chase or Wolves of Whelton that are both excellent adventures available for free with a good helping of comedy
Once you've done that if you want advice try YouTube for some advice videos. Anything you think you're struggling with there'll be a video for but there's also a lot of negativity so try not to be put off by videos telling you you're doing it wrong. Ginny Di is a good starting point, lots of videos on role playing and engaging players but without going into heavy mechanics.
Finally although you can play with just one player and one DM it's also a game designed for groups so try and invite along a few friends. Give them some pre-generated characters (again plenty of those online if you search) so they don't need to really know how to play, crack open a bottle of wine or some beers and just try to have fun together. You'll get everything wrong, so will they, everyone will be a little bit embaressed trying silly voices but don't worry, and the main thing is you'll all have fun