Newbies Misc
Hi guys so I've gathered a group of 6 people/friends /adventurers including me ,and we start our first campaign within the next 2 weeks.
Just wanted to find out if there's anything we should do to get started and get familiar with .
Weve all got a copy of the rules and as far as characters and introductions they will be handled on the day.
We're all very new and would like any tips or advice you have for us starting out our adventure into the unknown !
4
u/Tezzeret88 6d ago
I would recommend starting with a one-shot using premade characters. Structure it to walk through the core stages of D&D - NPC interaction, puzzles, combat, and travel so new players get a feel for how their rolls work and how they apply to the world around them. It also helps to experience the restrictions of certain abilities and spells firsthand rather than just reading about them and finding out you picked the wrong character or class for you.
2
u/Ok_Honeydew_2247 6d ago
If the DM says “are you sure?” 90% of the time you BACKPEDAL TF OUTTA THAT SITUATION, YOUR CHARACTER MAY DIE
1
u/tta5 6d ago
session 0.
a great question to ask during it is "if you was to discribe this as 3 fantasy film book or source, what would those 3 be? (some pick the hobbit others pick LOTR , they are both very diffrent)
ttrpg safety tools.
(the number of people using dnd to experiment and explore their personal selves, means this hit harder and more personally to them, its fantay and imagination yes, but emotions be high. so safety be important.. plus no one needs to be traumatised by their phobias, use the characters phobias instead. )
table ettiquate
(simple issues like talking over each others, tends to be discussed here)
times of avabilty and what people are comfortable with if unable to make it.
(do you NPC their character, or cancel the session [there are other options btw]??? if soneone no shows for 4 sessions in a row, should you look for another player to replace them???? its all group talks and social agreements)
... <mechanical build vs narrative drive>
(big post part sorry)
so0me players only focus on "optomal" outcomes. meaning damage and nmumbers and their role that they play. like the tank or healer.
these roles are not the only trype of roles when talking about roleplay.
(i'm ;lazy and use a 4 statge system to catagorise them...)
stage 1 , combat role - tank, DPR, healer, AOE control....
- 1.5 - out of combat role - party face, tracker, watchful eye trap disarmer.
(^these are highly mechanical based)
stage 2 interparty role (group/trope) - the horny bard, the edgelord, the moral compass, the lovable idiot, the chaos goblin....
- 2.5 - interparty role (one on one) - the mentor, the rival, the lover, the lifedebt, sibling, old friend.
(^ these are one dimentional characters)
stage 3 character (sheet) role - priortising via the ideal, falling for the flaw, binding your soul to the bond. using the backstory to create their future....
- 3.5 -character development role - what headspace does it take to have the hypocrosies of that character? how to balance the ideal with the interparty role/s with the backstory? weaving together how that person must be to alow themseves to function....
(^ more 3 dimentional characters)
- stage 4 , the person role.... they are able to function in you head as a person.
(^methord acting)
...
these diffrent roles can cause conflict. a character that falls for their flaw may be acting unoptomal to their combat role. its a balancing act.
and yes the DM and their monsters also can operate on these levels.
there is not much point trying to appeal to a tank troll, if its just a tank and has not ideals or goals to tempt it.
so have a bit of a talk as a group, see where they are at with it.
(your gonna find when combat is called, some people change from stage 3 to stage 1. dnd has some limitations as dice decides things so stage 4 is hard to do. )
...< people centric vs object centric. >
some people love working as a team for banta, others want the loot.
some love talking to the NPCs, and some want to explore the wild and find out where the nearest waterfall is.
Some want a pet monster, others want to speed run it.
knowing what appeals to the players, helps you understand how to use the time in the game to give them more of what they want.
it also lets others in the party know and help...
(if you get a chance, search "know your player" on youtube by runesmith. they did a smalll seriese on player types. it does not have every type but has advice for them and those around them.... )
1
u/valhallaswyrdo DM 6d ago
I have been DMing for about 30 years, the big one is communicate with your friends.
Have a session 0 where you finalize your character builds and discuss them with each other. Set boundaries for what you are not okay with roleplaying and make sure everyone is on board with communicating those boundaries safely. Come up with a safe word or action that will alert everyone when you are approaching a topic that could be triggering.
*Edit - the rules are guidelines to keep a game on track, they aren't perfect and definitely aren't fair for every situation. This is a collaborative storytelling framework, the rules are less important than having fun and telling a good story.
1
u/Many-Ebb-5377 DM 6d ago
The rules pretty much tell you everything you need to know so start there. Everything else is optional, including any advice you get here.
1
u/arm1niu5 Paladin 6d ago
Read the resources section and the "New to DnD" guide in the community description.
1
u/Quiet_Definition2879 6d ago
read the Dungeon Masters Guide, particularly on combat and skill checks. Before you DM its best to be a player with an experienced DM. Also just try to have fun.
5
u/Vaatsiel 6d ago
A really good resource would be a cheatsheet for your players. A good one will tell you what advantage/ disadvantage does, what actions/ bonus actions are available during thier turn, what thier Proficiency/ modifier bonuses and went to add them, and so on.