How to start a D&D campaign!
Dungeons & Dragons has been a cornerstone of nerd culture for almost 50 years since its debut in 1974! The 5th edition of the game released in 2014 has seen a massive surge of popularity in the hobby, with it becoming easier than ever to start a group and get playing! Even though it is easier than ever to play, there are still some difficulties associated with starting your first game. Which is why we have collated a few pieces of advice that we think will go far in assisting you in the formation of your first campaign!
Invite your Friends
The first step you must take in forming your first group is to assemble your players. We recommend that you invite you nerdiest friends! If you don't have any friends that have an interest in joining a campaign, then a great way to assemble a group is to check at your local gaming store! Gaming stores often have noticeboards or sign up sheets where you can advertise and gain a set of players. It is also important at this point to decide who is going to take the role of the DM ad run the game! More often than not, the person that initially forms the group takes on this essential role!
Session Zero
An important feature of most successful campaigns is the use of a session zero! But what is a Session Zero? We define this as a singular session that is used to prepare for the game as a group. This can be used to discuss what the players expect from the game and lay down an ground rules. This is especially vital as it can defines the groups comfort levels in terms of swearing, types of content but also how much roleplaying vs combat will be present. Session Zero is also a good time to go over any rule changes, roll stats, discuss backstories and make characters.
Campaign Prep
After Session Zero, the DM now needs to go away and prepare for the future sessions. It is very easy to go over the top at this point, but recommend that you only prepare the bare minimum of what you need for the next couple of sessions. That likely includes a starting town, a couple memorable NPCs, a starting dungeon and few combat encounters! Of course, if you are running a pre-generated adventure then this time is best spent reading over the adventure and making notes.
First Session
If you ask any group what the most difficult part of D&D, they will likely tell you that it is scheduling your sessions. When you have decided on a time, there a few things that you should keep in mind when running the first session. Firstly, make sure to introduce all of the characters and give the players a chance to introduce themselves. Also, make sure to take things slowly whilst the group gets used to one another and remember that the game is about having fun and not getting all of the rules 100% correct. A great rule is for the DM to decide on a ruling whilst at the table and then look up the actual rule after the game has concluded. This avoids disrupting the flow of the game. Finally, make sure to ask for feedback from your players so you can improve for future sessions!
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