How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM Preparing for Your First D&D Session
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Warmup: From Justin
Intro
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Topic: Preparing for your First D&D Session
Justin
Run Through
Before I do my session, I find it’s incredibly helpful just to quickly run through the session or at least what I’ve written about it and my timeline. More than anything this just help refresh in my mind the basic timeline of things. I feel it makes a difference to my players when I know that C happens after B and D happens after C and A is how it all starts.
Prepare the Space
- GM Setup
- Player Character Sheets
- Minis
- Snacks
Specific Text Write Ups
- Beginning of the Game
- Very Specific Parts of the game that will give maximum impact
Look Up or Create Helpful Tables
- Helpful loot tables
- Random encounter tables
Read the Lore
- You want to make sure you know at least a brief idea of some things that happen next.
Tanner
- Be Simple: plan something straightforward and simple. Exploring, simple dungeon or house exploration can be a wonderful way to start an adventure since it is low on mechanics, has the excitement of discovery, and does not require intense role playing by you.
- Have a Dry Run (for online): if it is your first time running D&D, have one of your players come early to run through technical difficulties (if they are friends, this should not be too hard).
- Plan One NPC as a warm-up: role-playing well on your first session is very nerve-wracking, and it can make you shy away from doing serious role-playing, like voices and the whole shebang. So, I would suggest planning a throwaway NPC to help you transition into it. And make them exaggerated: super old, or super gruff, or super British-orphan, or whatever! Just something you can be silly with, but also something you have to put yourself out there for.
Closing
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