The board game club I run at the Junior High i teach at has asked to play. I've played and Gm'd a bit but want to buy a school set of key works for the kids to reference. The boss has given me a bit of money and I'm wondering if I need anything beyond a few copies of the Players handbook, and a Mat?
I have the monsters manual, volo, and the GM guide on here, as well as the campaign book to run the game.
You mentioned a mat. Is that like a dry erase mat for combat maps? If so, I’d say you should also scrounge up a box of Lego mini figures or something to serve as minis for the players and monsters. That’s what we started with in our house. Easy way to get customizable minis.
You’ll also need lots of time. I’m surprised you’ll have that much free time with Jr High kids. You’re obviously not doing it during school, but I’m surprised they’ll be able to stay after school for a minimum of 2 hrs to get a worthwhile session run. I guess the athletes stay that long for practice, though.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Club based D&D. I am the sponsor and one of five DMs in my school's D&D club. Starting the club is actually very easy. This is what I would suggest you would need:
Master Level Subscription to D&D Beyond-this will enable content sharing with up to 24 "player/characters" across 2 campaigns. This will maximize what you already have and make the inital dip for the school kids minimal. I suggest only allowing one character per player in the campaign. Keep your NPCs on your own account list so they not only will not be visible to the players, but will not take up valuable club real estate.
Although, I advocate that the basic rules (free download) are all most groups need, you might want to pick up the DDB version of the Player's Handbook as well. You do not need to buy copies of the PHB for players. If a club member wants it, they can cough up the dough.
Pre-generate a metric ton of characters on your DDB account. Use the Quick Build (Standard Array) or Randomize if you want to...well..take your chance on the bones. If you have say 6 kids in the club, make 24 PCs of various races/classes and just lay them out on the table and have them choose one.
Dice-Buy dice for you *and* your players. Even if they already have them. I find that they forget them at home or horrors lose one of them. Amazon.com has 5-6 sets of 7 dice in Velvet bags for like $10 USD.
Game mat- This is up to you as a GM. I have two, plus some Paizo flipmats. I pretty much never use them. Why? Because tactical map based play takes too long. We only have at most 1 hour and Forty-five minutes to play, drawing a map is time I do not have. Theater of the Mind is the method I play with and highly suggest if only because of the time crunch.
Time- You are never going to have enough time. Period. If you are running a module read it, and in the course of your planning find out what you can cut. I, for instance, know I cannot have my group explore the sewers under Waterdeep looking for the Xananthar's Guild lair. Moving through all those tunnels would take *way* too long. So, I simplified it to 5 "rooms"/challenges that I felt we could tackle in 2 sessions. In other words you have to see what you can do to move the story along. Cut and Compress are your tools. If you don't do it you and your players will end the year feeling like nothing was accomplished.
Good Luck and feel free to PM me if you have questions!
Jeremiah Pointer
Patuxent Valley Middle School Dungeons and Dragons Club Sponsor/DM
Hey DND beyond I recently started a club for your game but think it'd be helpful if I had access to additional content to share with them so they can explore and find what they like so they can get the full experience they'd like.
The game is designed for not needing a lot of money - PHB, DMG, Monster Manual, dice, pen, and paper is all you really need. But people like me that grew up with it now have a ton of cash, so we buy extra crap, such as other books, settings/modules, mats, etc. And a ton of dice because every single D&D player I know thinks their dice are cursed so obviously you need a new set. Maybe those prettymetal ones? No, the bone set look better. Or how about the weird stuff like the huge d20 or....
If you have the extra cash, a single module, some WET ERASE markers and at least one wet erase mat are worth it. I personally prefer a wet erase mat dry erase. Price is similar, but wet erase is less likely to smudge or come off on anything you put on the mat. Water and paper towels clean it up. (Note, red wet erase markers tend to be harder to erase, I stick to blue, green and black.)
I suggest you get 2 mats and draw two planned maps for the game BEFORE you play. Part of prepping for the game. I also personally prefer a Hex grid, but some people seem to think that buildings are build in 5ft increments so they want to be able to draw the map and match the grid perfectly, rather than accept some non useable hexes on the edges.
Yeah unfortunately I don't have a job yet and don't have the money but a friend at a different school got access to the legend bundle for his club mates so they could also make whatever they wanted so I was thinking the same thing
Hey DND beyond I recently started a club for your game but think it'd be helpful if I had access to additional content to share with them so they can explore and find what they like so they can get the full experience they'd like.
Take a look at the info on clubs near the end of the first post in the buyers guide linked in my signature.
Hey DND beyond I recently started a club for your game but think it'd be helpful if I had access to additional content to share with them so they can explore and find what they like so they can get the full experience they'd like.
Take a look at the info on clubs near the end of the first post in the buyers guide linked in my signature.
I'm sorry I'm still fairly new to dnd beyond forums where do I find this?
Hey DND beyond I recently started a club for your game but think it'd be helpful if I had access to additional content to share with them so they can explore and find what they like so they can get the full experience they'd like.
Take a look at the info on clubs near the end of the first post in the buyers guide linked in my signature.
I'm sorry I'm still fairly new to dnd beyond forums where do I find this?
G33 has given you the relavent link, but for future reference, the “signature” is the line or lines of text that show up at the bottom of a user’s posts in the forum. Users can customize their signatures. If you look at bottom my post above (or this one) you will see a line that mentions the buyers guide. The blue text is a link. If you click on that, you are taken to the thread I made as a buyers guide. There’s a section in the first post that addresses groups, and provides the same link g33 provided above.
The board game club I run at the Junior High i teach at has asked to play. I've played and Gm'd a bit but want to buy a school set of key works for the kids to reference. The boss has given me a bit of money and I'm wondering if I need anything beyond a few copies of the Players handbook, and a Mat?
I have the monsters manual, volo, and the GM guide on here, as well as the campaign book to run the game.
Thanks!
You mentioned a mat. Is that like a dry erase mat for combat maps? If so, I’d say you should also scrounge up a box of Lego mini figures or something to serve as minis for the players and monsters. That’s what we started with in our house. Easy way to get customizable minis.
You’ll also need lots of time. I’m surprised you’ll have that much free time with Jr High kids. You’re obviously not doing it during school, but I’m surprised they’ll be able to stay after school for a minimum of 2 hrs to get a worthwhile session run. I guess the athletes stay that long for practice, though.
Hiya,
Welcome to the wonderful world of Club based D&D. I am the sponsor and one of five DMs in my school's D&D club. Starting the club is actually very easy. This is what I would suggest you would need:
Master Level Subscription to D&D Beyond-this will enable content sharing with up to 24 "player/characters" across 2 campaigns. This will maximize what you already have and make the inital dip for the school kids minimal. I suggest only allowing one character per player in the campaign. Keep your NPCs on your own account list so they not only will not be visible to the players, but will not take up valuable club real estate.
Although, I advocate that the basic rules (free download) are all most groups need, you might want to pick up the DDB version of the Player's Handbook as well. You do not need to buy copies of the PHB for players. If a club member wants it, they can cough up the dough.
Pre-generate a metric ton of characters on your DDB account. Use the Quick Build (Standard Array) or Randomize if you want to...well..take your chance on the bones. If you have say 6 kids in the club, make 24 PCs of various races/classes and just lay them out on the table and have them choose one.
Dice-Buy dice for you *and* your players. Even if they already have them. I find that they forget them at home or horrors lose one of them. Amazon.com has 5-6 sets of 7 dice in Velvet bags for like $10 USD.
Game mat- This is up to you as a GM. I have two, plus some Paizo flipmats. I pretty much never use them. Why? Because tactical map based play takes too long. We only have at most 1 hour and Forty-five minutes to play, drawing a map is time I do not have. Theater of the Mind is the method I play with and highly suggest if only because of the time crunch.
Time- You are never going to have enough time. Period. If you are running a module read it, and in the course of your planning find out what you can cut. I, for instance, know I cannot have my group explore the sewers under Waterdeep looking for the Xananthar's Guild lair. Moving through all those tunnels would take *way* too long. So, I simplified it to 5 "rooms"/challenges that I felt we could tackle in 2 sessions. In other words you have to see what you can do to move the story along. Cut and Compress are your tools. If you don't do it you and your players will end the year feeling like nothing was accomplished.
Good Luck and feel free to PM me if you have questions!
Jeremiah Pointer
Patuxent Valley Middle School Dungeons and Dragons Club Sponsor/DM
Hey DND beyond I recently started a club for your game but think it'd be helpful if I had access to additional content to share with them so they can explore and find what they like so they can get the full experience they'd like.
The game is designed for not needing a lot of money - PHB, DMG, Monster Manual, dice, pen, and paper is all you really need. But people like me that grew up with it now have a ton of cash, so we buy extra crap, such as other books, settings/modules, mats, etc. And a ton of dice because every single D&D player I know thinks their dice are cursed so obviously you need a new set. Maybe those prettymetal ones? No, the bone set look better. Or how about the weird stuff like the huge d20 or....
If you have the extra cash, a single module, some WET ERASE markers and at least one wet erase mat are worth it. I personally prefer a wet erase mat dry erase. Price is similar, but wet erase is less likely to smudge or come off on anything you put on the mat. Water and paper towels clean it up. (Note, red wet erase markers tend to be harder to erase, I stick to blue, green and black.)
I suggest you get 2 mats and draw two planned maps for the game BEFORE you play. Part of prepping for the game. I also personally prefer a Hex grid, but some people seem to think that buildings are build in 5ft increments so they want to be able to draw the map and match the grid perfectly, rather than accept some non useable hexes on the edges.
Yeah unfortunately I don't have a job yet and don't have the money but a friend at a different school got access to the legend bundle for his club mates so they could also make whatever they wanted so I was thinking the same thing
Take a look at the info on clubs near the end of the first post in the buyers guide linked in my signature.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
I'm sorry I'm still fairly new to dnd beyond forums where do I find this?
you may wish to apply for a wizards digital club kit if you qualify as it provides a legendary bundle on dndbeyond: https://dnd-support.wizards.com/hc/en-us/articles/360043652072-How-do-I-get-a-Wizards-Digital-Club-Kit-D-D-Activity-Kit-
G33 has given you the relavent link, but for future reference, the “signature” is the line or lines of text that show up at the bottom of a user’s posts in the forum. Users can customize their signatures. If you look at bottom my post above (or this one) you will see a line that mentions the buyers guide. The blue text is a link. If you click on that, you are taken to the thread I made as a buyers guide. There’s a section in the first post that addresses groups, and provides the same link g33 provided above.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
Check your entitlements here. | Support Ticket LInk
Thank you guys this was insanely helpful
If you want figs you can go here: https://printableheroes.com/minis
Or you can look up pics and print them out and glue them to manila file folders, and cut them out to stand.
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