I'm basically new to D&D, and I also introduced it to my freinds. I need to find a simpler campaign of some sorts, that won't be difficult for me, the DM, and my freinds. Shorter sessions are desired. Please and thank you! Hope I can learn to DM one day!
The Lost mines of Phandelver is a good place to start for a new DM with new players. It has a great example of a starting town and some dungeons, its mostly pretty simple and features great advice for the new DM about how to roleplay some of the NPC.
My group did pretty much everything in the campaign and I think we spend 11-12 sessions of 3-4 hours.
It only goes from level 1-5. When its done you should have a feel for it and can either take a larger campaign or make your own.
Personally I've always found running my own campaigns a lot easier than running a pre-made one. A homebrew campaign will certainly require more planning but you'll have a much better mental map of what's going on and you'll have no fear of the content. If your players begin straying from the intended path of the pre-made campaign, and then will, you run the risk of feeling out of your depth. You can either reign them in and potentially damage their sense of immersion. Or let them go with it, improvise and risk finding yourself scrabbling to maintain consistency and continuity with content you're not 100% familiar with.
I think if you've read all the books and have a solid understanding of narrative storytelling, you should be able to sit down with just a bare-bones structure of a story, a few environment details and get going on what will become an engaging adventure.
For new DMs, those who've never had a chance to run the game, I would say a minimum of 3 modules. Three modules of different themes, settings, goals and, if possible, authors.
Tales From the Yawning Portal is a good resource to use because the modules can be played back to back following a progression of player levels. You can have the group roll up characters and follow their progression through the levels. Each module has a minimum suggested level requirement of the characters to help guide the order that you can play the modules in. They're written by different authors, the have fairly unique settings in each one, but there's just enough in each to make it easy to connect them together so it feels like they fit together.
You could also grab 3 various modules like Lost Mines of Phandelver, Storm King's Thunder, and Curse of Strahd, and play them as 3 individual games where you roll up a new character each time. This approach will help you get a feel for the different classes, assuming the players choose something new. It'll give you a wide range of adventure settings and themes. As well as the different ways that adventures are set up and written.
Either way the idea is to get a feel for what you like about the different approaches to how adventures are written. The things that bug you about each style, and what you would fix or omit in yours. The experience of dealing with the various situations and how they get resolved. It's worth it's weight in gold due to the experience and wide range of events.
I agree with you Smashed Pumpkins, but I am just starting D&D, and don't really understand how to write a narrative that is neither too controlling, or loose. I do already have an idea of an orignal D&D, though, but I should get the book for narrative. By the way, which book helps the most with writing notes, and other narrative aspects of D&D. I want to check out what my group likes before creating a story.
I would say that you should just jump in with both feet. Read the basic rules (available for free) and start small. No weeks of writing Lore and World Building. Just a town, an Adventuring Location, and three obstacles (Monster/Trap etc) and then expand from there. Matt Colville on Youtube has a Running the Game Video Series that is IMMENSELY helpful to new DMs. HIs first 12 or so videos on the topic are relatively short and bingeable. Matt is a "River to His People" as he says.
After, as you are getting comfortable, read up on the Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guides. Introduce optional rules, like Feats or Variant Classes (Subclasses) only when you want/are comfortable with running them. As a last piece of advice, make the Players responsible for knowing how their abilities work (including spells), inform them that they have to have this material at their fingertips for you if you ask. It is your job to run the "monster" side of the screen, and you can't be also telling the Players how their abilities work too.
Ive heard a lot of people like Lost Mines, but honestly I think you can start with your own campaign as a DM. I wouldnt recommend starting with anything high level or particularly long, but if you just plan a couple clean-cut shorter sessions, I think you can really work from there.
Ultimately it's personal preference on what you do.
I'm also a fairly new DM and I started by running the Sunless Citadel and the players are loving it so far! It's been recommended to me that a good place to continue would be Forge of Fury into the Storm King's Thunder. I've read through these and it seems like it'd be real fun to connect and run these stories. I'm also using Matt Mercer's exandria campaign setting cause I've listened to a lot of Critical Role and am familiar with the world. Hope your first sessions go well!
I just read the entire campain and it looks amazing, I've been DMing for a long time and it's so hard to make a good campain for early levels. Really great work!
@Tehronator thank you so much! I'm pretty new to DnD and have been looking for a good campaign to start off with my little brother and sister, and your Clam Island campaign looks like a good place to start. Thanks for the tips on DMing as well, Hawksmoore!
I'm basically new to D&D, and I also introduced it to my freinds. I need to find a simpler campaign of some sorts, that won't be difficult for me, the DM, and my freinds. Shorter sessions are desired. Please and thank you! Hope I can learn to DM one day!
Hi. This is my first campaign. It may give you some ideas how to start your own project: http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/By3s5Uqqf
My current projects, One click download PDFs:
- Clam Island campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/By3s5Uqqf (Levels 1-4)
- Frostglade Tundra campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/SyZ_4eEyKE (Levels 1-4)
- Goldfish Archipelago campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/-3HajWXM (Sequel to Clam Island, Levels 5-8)
The Lost mines of Phandelver is a good place to start for a new DM with new players. It has a great example of a starting town and some dungeons, its mostly pretty simple and features great advice for the new DM about how to roleplay some of the NPC.
My group did pretty much everything in the campaign and I think we spend 11-12 sessions of 3-4 hours.
It only goes from level 1-5. When its done you should have a feel for it and can either take a larger campaign or make your own.
Personally I've always found running my own campaigns a lot easier than running a pre-made one. A homebrew campaign will certainly require more planning but you'll have a much better mental map of what's going on and you'll have no fear of the content. If your players begin straying from the intended path of the pre-made campaign, and then will, you run the risk of feeling out of your depth. You can either reign them in and potentially damage their sense of immersion. Or let them go with it, improvise and risk finding yourself scrabbling to maintain consistency and continuity with content you're not 100% familiar with.
I think if you've read all the books and have a solid understanding of narrative storytelling, you should be able to sit down with just a bare-bones structure of a story, a few environment details and get going on what will become an engaging adventure.
For new DMs, those who've never had a chance to run the game, I would say a minimum of 3 modules. Three modules of different themes, settings, goals and, if possible, authors.
Tales From the Yawning Portal is a good resource to use because the modules can be played back to back following a progression of player levels. You can have the group roll up characters and follow their progression through the levels. Each module has a minimum suggested level requirement of the characters to help guide the order that you can play the modules in. They're written by different authors, the have fairly unique settings in each one, but there's just enough in each to make it easy to connect them together so it feels like they fit together.
You could also grab 3 various modules like Lost Mines of Phandelver, Storm King's Thunder, and Curse of Strahd, and play them as 3 individual games where you roll up a new character each time. This approach will help you get a feel for the different classes, assuming the players choose something new. It'll give you a wide range of adventure settings and themes. As well as the different ways that adventures are set up and written.
Either way the idea is to get a feel for what you like about the different approaches to how adventures are written. The things that bug you about each style, and what you would fix or omit in yours. The experience of dealing with the various situations and how they get resolved. It's worth it's weight in gold due to the experience and wide range of events.
Thanks! I appreciate all of your guy's help! I will try and check out all of the listed campaigns!
I agree with you Smashed Pumpkins, but I am just starting D&D, and don't really understand how to write a narrative that is neither too controlling, or loose. I do already have an idea of an orignal D&D, though, but I should get the book for narrative. By the way, which book helps the most with writing notes, and other narrative aspects of D&D. I want to check out what my group likes before creating a story.
Dungeon Masters Guide the ressource for preparing locations, NPC/villains, plot twists and encounters for your campaign. Or just getting ideas
I would say that you should just jump in with both feet. Read the basic rules (available for free) and start small. No weeks of writing Lore and World Building. Just a town, an Adventuring Location, and three obstacles (Monster/Trap etc) and then expand from there. Matt Colville on Youtube has a Running the Game Video Series that is IMMENSELY helpful to new DMs. HIs first 12 or so videos on the topic are relatively short and bingeable. Matt is a "River to His People" as he says.
After, as you are getting comfortable, read up on the Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guides. Introduce optional rules, like Feats or Variant Classes (Subclasses) only when you want/are comfortable with running them. As a last piece of advice, make the Players responsible for knowing how their abilities work (including spells), inform them that they have to have this material at their fingertips for you if you ask. It is your job to run the "monster" side of the screen, and you can't be also telling the Players how their abilities work too.
Ive heard a lot of people like Lost Mines, but honestly I think you can start with your own campaign as a DM. I wouldnt recommend starting with anything high level or particularly long, but if you just plan a couple clean-cut shorter sessions, I think you can really work from there.
Ultimately it's personal preference on what you do.
Thanks! (:
Hey!
I'm also a fairly new DM and I started by running the Sunless Citadel and the players are loving it so far! It's been recommended to me that a good place to continue would be Forge of Fury into the Storm King's Thunder. I've read through these and it seems like it'd be real fun to connect and run these stories. I'm also using Matt Mercer's exandria campaign setting cause I've listened to a lot of Critical Role and am familiar with the world. Hope your first sessions go well!
Cheers!
(Referring to Terhonator's campain)
I just read the entire campain and it looks amazing, I've been DMing for a long time and it's so hard to make a good campain for early levels. Really great work!
Thank you! I have two campaigns at the moment. Check my signature for links. Both are for levels 1-4.
My current projects, One click download PDFs:
- Clam Island campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/By3s5Uqqf (Levels 1-4)
- Frostglade Tundra campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/SyZ_4eEyKE (Levels 1-4)
- Goldfish Archipelago campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/-3HajWXM (Sequel to Clam Island, Levels 5-8)
Sending you a private message. You will understand why when you read it. Your Welcome.
Hey I'm not super new to DnD but this is my first time being DM can somebody send me a quick quest?
Could this be played solo?
Hi. Check also this list of free DnD campaigns: https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/dungeon-masters-only/43718-list-of-free-dnd-campaigns
My current projects, One click download PDFs:
- Clam Island campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/By3s5Uqqf (Levels 1-4)
- Frostglade Tundra campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/SyZ_4eEyKE (Levels 1-4)
- Goldfish Archipelago campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/-3HajWXM (Sequel to Clam Island, Levels 5-8)
@Tehronator thank you so much! I'm pretty new to DnD and have been looking for a good campaign to start off with my little brother and sister, and your Clam Island campaign looks like a good place to start. Thanks for the tips on DMing as well, Hawksmoore!
Thank you DuncanDough! I would like to hear did your GM and players like the campaign. All ideas and feedback is welcome.
My current projects, One click download PDFs:
- Clam Island campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/By3s5Uqqf (Levels 1-4)
- Frostglade Tundra campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/SyZ_4eEyKE (Levels 1-4)
- Goldfish Archipelago campaign questbook: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/-3HajWXM (Sequel to Clam Island, Levels 5-8)