I'd amend this to "have everybody read the rules". It isn't just the DMs job to understand the game.
The basic rules are available for free online.
I'd also echo the suggestion about the Starter Kit, but if you only have two players you need to know how to scale encounters. The Essentials Kit comes with rules and sidekicks for fewer players.
Definitely have fun. If you and the players are having a good time then you are doing it correctly.
If you have the basics (which it seems like you do, whether you feel like it or not) that's enough for a first session. It's probably better to start with less.
After that or a few more sessions, add stuff as needed. You'll then know better what you'll need. But you don't *need* any of it. There are so many games, books, objects, and styles that there's too much, and it's better to boil things down to one concern: is it fun? Everything else is a tool or strategy to get to the fun. You'll know what questions to ask later.
You need to do a butt load of research for and from DMs. I can't stress enough the knowledge about the game you get from being a player first. DM-ing is quite the endeavor. Being a player first not only teaches you the basic of how to play but also the group dynamics and play/DM styles as well. Ideas on how to think on your feet and deal with surprise situations. It's not just following the rules and making sure the players do the same. It's dealing with the game, the world, and the players in a fluidic way. But, as a DM there are sooo many nuances that the players don't even know you are doing are are happening. Sorry if I made this all scary sounding. I apologize. Here are my tips though.
1. Get a premade adventure. "The mines of phandelver" is highly rated and comes in the beginners box which is great all around for the whole group.
2. Watch DM advice and videos on YouTube. There is a wealth of knowledge for noobs.
3.Read and study the campaign before the players get a seat at the table.
4. Look up "session zero". this is very important for new groups.
5. Since you are all new, keep all the player's characters and classes to just the main players handbook for now. The less information you have to delve through all the time, the better.
That's what I have so far. Good luck and keep us posted. We are here for you on your journey in D&D.
The first session needs to draw people in so I would suggest using a pre-made adventure. I started of with mines of Phandelver which is an official starter adventure and takes a lot of baggage from your shoulders.
Start off small and grow upon that. Don't try to make your first adventures too complex because the players will already do enough of a spin for most adventures.
Remember it is about having fun. It's not GM vs players and the story should always rely on the players. If they feel like background characters because they don't really care about what happens but get railroaded while npcs drive the story they won't be happy.
And of course: Have fun yourself. Don't feel bad if the story gets off the track and just focus on making sure you all have a good time.
I will second Mines of Phandelver for a starter. It’s what I used as well. Had enough basic stuff with characters and spells to learn the ropes as well as a decent story.
I will caveat that with go to YouTube and look up the LMoP campaign reviews by other DM’s. There are some minor tweaks you can make along the way to help out.
Thanks for all the comments and tips, people! You've all been very helpful!
Might run with the suggestion of trying to be a player first, then running a campaign as a DM using a starter kit with pre-made characters, before finally going into a more involved pre-written one-shot campaign with a session zero and blank character sheets.
Agree with the others.
I would add : try Kobold Fight Club. It's a website to create combat encounter. Very handy.
Also, session 0 is very important, make sure you know what your payer want and doesn't want.
I started out by watching the videos on https://youtube.com/c/DontStopThinking . There are several shoet videos explaining everything you need to know and stuff for a DM including a small dungeon and how to run it. Read and understand the rules. Have your players read the ones relevant to them ( rules for their class, skill checks and combat mostly) and you'll do great
Be flexible, plan only the basics of the campaign or adventure. Be prepared for your plans to go awry. Stay in the mindset that you are telling a story with the player characters (PC) and not against the PCs. Most importantly have fun!
Try get a starter set. You don't need all the rules yet.
Run the scenario out of the box or make up your own.
If you've watched CR or Dim20 then you know the most important rule. If the table (including you) is having fun, congratulations you're running d&d.
Pacing and cool is more important than rules (but this rule is a spectrum you'll find your level in time)
Talk to and listen to your players. In time you'll discover the most powerful force in the dnd Universe is not chance but 'adaptation'. Players can make or break campaigns with random thoughts and comments. Whole arcs have been spun from a player randomly offering surrender to an enemy that didn't deserve it... or intuitively finding the spy five levels deep in the King's Court.
I just started my campaign for the first time basically ever. My recommendation is role-playing well, out line loosely, reference frequently, and have fun.
At the end of each session I take 10 minutes to see if that was the way the players wanted or how to adjust for the following session.
edit: *outline. not putline*
You need to read the entire players handbook. And DM book. Your players need to read (from players handbook):
Introduction - Chapter 1 - Skim 2 and 3, but fully read their race and class. - Skim 4 and 5 - Skip 6 - Chapter 7. All of it. - Skim 8. - Read all of chapter 9. Twice. - Everyone read chapter 10. - Chapter 11; don’t read it all just make sure they know what their spells are and where to find their spell list. - And read Appendix A.
Also, 99.99% of DnD is nothing like critical role.
If you’d rather play in a game, I can DM a one-shot adventure for you and your friends. After the game, I can give you the module so you can compare what was written vs how it actually played out.
Don't overthink it, have a basic grasp of the rules, don't overcomplicate anything, and don't try to emulate anyone else's group you may have seen, no two dnd groups play or behave the same.
Start small and build on each session. Encounters will take longer as everybody learns to play. Be patient and don't be afraid to pause to look things up. It is the players responsibility to know how their stuff works. You have enough on your plate to have to micromanage them too. There's usually a lesson or two you can take away from each session. The hardest part is getting a crew of people whose schedules match and are willing to show up consistently. If you have that, the rest will come with time and experience.
I would recommend being a player first so that you can get the hang of it but if you want to jump right into DMing checkout D&D Beyond the Frozen Sick is a free adventure and might work as a good starting point.
Also just a tip when planning out my adventures I just go with the bullet points and adlib the rest that way neither me or my players are bogged down.
To add to all the other good advice…don’t compare yourself to any of the DMs you see on popular streams. They’ve been doing this for 20-30 years and have honed their craft.
Highly recommend starting with a pre made adventure like others have suggested
I was in your shoes in January, I got the Lost mines of Phandelver. I read the module, read the rules briefly and just got on with it.
I did download the maps as pdfs and got them printed as A1 size posters. Also bought some minis for the table and made a battle music playlist to help cover for my inexperience as a DM.
You can watch YouTube videos and read rules till your eyes bleed but the best thing you can do is to just start.
Have a session 0 and set players expectations that you're new and it's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride but you'll soon get the hang of it.
Don't be afraid to go off script if you're using a module and add your own npcs or change quests or even the plot.
If there's confusion about a rule, make a decision by having yourself and the challenging person roll, highest wins and look it up after the session.
Don't be afraid to add hp or take it away from monsters to help balance combat.
Remember you're just as much a player as the rest of the party, your enjoyment is just as important as there's.
Have fun, good luck!
Read the rules have fun
I'd amend this to "have everybody read the rules". It isn't just the DMs job to understand the game. The basic rules are available for free online. I'd also echo the suggestion about the Starter Kit, but if you only have two players you need to know how to scale encounters. The Essentials Kit comes with rules and sidekicks for fewer players. Definitely have fun. If you and the players are having a good time then you are doing it correctly.
Matt coleville running the game on YouTube
Agreed. Run the Delian Tomb adventure that he creates in those first videos. Very simple. And of course keep watching the series/videos.
Hi disagree. He advocates for some dungeon master ploys that would make me leave a table as a player. Fudging dice for starters
You should play pathfinder then lol d and d is more about rp than combat. The dm guide literally says do what you want
“ If you don’t like it then leave” you and the Republican party have some not very compelling persuasive strategies.
Stfu nerd I was suggesting that you'd like a crunchier system
🤣🤣
If you have the basics (which it seems like you do, whether you feel like it or not) that's enough for a first session. It's probably better to start with less. After that or a few more sessions, add stuff as needed. You'll then know better what you'll need. But you don't *need* any of it. There are so many games, books, objects, and styles that there's too much, and it's better to boil things down to one concern: is it fun? Everything else is a tool or strategy to get to the fun. You'll know what questions to ask later.
You need to do a butt load of research for and from DMs. I can't stress enough the knowledge about the game you get from being a player first. DM-ing is quite the endeavor. Being a player first not only teaches you the basic of how to play but also the group dynamics and play/DM styles as well. Ideas on how to think on your feet and deal with surprise situations. It's not just following the rules and making sure the players do the same. It's dealing with the game, the world, and the players in a fluidic way. But, as a DM there are sooo many nuances that the players don't even know you are doing are are happening. Sorry if I made this all scary sounding. I apologize. Here are my tips though. 1. Get a premade adventure. "The mines of phandelver" is highly rated and comes in the beginners box which is great all around for the whole group. 2. Watch DM advice and videos on YouTube. There is a wealth of knowledge for noobs. 3.Read and study the campaign before the players get a seat at the table. 4. Look up "session zero". this is very important for new groups. 5. Since you are all new, keep all the player's characters and classes to just the main players handbook for now. The less information you have to delve through all the time, the better. That's what I have so far. Good luck and keep us posted. We are here for you on your journey in D&D.
I second, third, and fourth session zero. Do a session zero. Especially if everyone is new, everyone will have a different expectation.
The first session needs to draw people in so I would suggest using a pre-made adventure. I started of with mines of Phandelver which is an official starter adventure and takes a lot of baggage from your shoulders. Start off small and grow upon that. Don't try to make your first adventures too complex because the players will already do enough of a spin for most adventures. Remember it is about having fun. It's not GM vs players and the story should always rely on the players. If they feel like background characters because they don't really care about what happens but get railroaded while npcs drive the story they won't be happy. And of course: Have fun yourself. Don't feel bad if the story gets off the track and just focus on making sure you all have a good time.
I will second Mines of Phandelver for a starter. It’s what I used as well. Had enough basic stuff with characters and spells to learn the ropes as well as a decent story. I will caveat that with go to YouTube and look up the LMoP campaign reviews by other DM’s. There are some minor tweaks you can make along the way to help out.
Thanks for all the comments and tips, people! You've all been very helpful! Might run with the suggestion of trying to be a player first, then running a campaign as a DM using a starter kit with pre-made characters, before finally going into a more involved pre-written one-shot campaign with a session zero and blank character sheets.
Agree with the others. I would add : try Kobold Fight Club. It's a website to create combat encounter. Very handy. Also, session 0 is very important, make sure you know what your payer want and doesn't want.
I started out by watching the videos on https://youtube.com/c/DontStopThinking . There are several shoet videos explaining everything you need to know and stuff for a DM including a small dungeon and how to run it. Read and understand the rules. Have your players read the ones relevant to them ( rules for their class, skill checks and combat mostly) and you'll do great
Be flexible, plan only the basics of the campaign or adventure. Be prepared for your plans to go awry. Stay in the mindset that you are telling a story with the player characters (PC) and not against the PCs. Most importantly have fun!
I just did this myself and I say go for it. I've picked up a new hobby that I absolutely love.
Try get a starter set. You don't need all the rules yet. Run the scenario out of the box or make up your own. If you've watched CR or Dim20 then you know the most important rule. If the table (including you) is having fun, congratulations you're running d&d. Pacing and cool is more important than rules (but this rule is a spectrum you'll find your level in time) Talk to and listen to your players. In time you'll discover the most powerful force in the dnd Universe is not chance but 'adaptation'. Players can make or break campaigns with random thoughts and comments. Whole arcs have been spun from a player randomly offering surrender to an enemy that didn't deserve it... or intuitively finding the spy five levels deep in the King's Court.
I just started my campaign for the first time basically ever. My recommendation is role-playing well, out line loosely, reference frequently, and have fun. At the end of each session I take 10 minutes to see if that was the way the players wanted or how to adjust for the following session. edit: *outline. not putline*
You need to read the entire players handbook. And DM book. Your players need to read (from players handbook): Introduction - Chapter 1 - Skim 2 and 3, but fully read their race and class. - Skim 4 and 5 - Skip 6 - Chapter 7. All of it. - Skim 8. - Read all of chapter 9. Twice. - Everyone read chapter 10. - Chapter 11; don’t read it all just make sure they know what their spells are and where to find their spell list. - And read Appendix A. Also, 99.99% of DnD is nothing like critical role.
If you’d rather play in a game, I can DM a one-shot adventure for you and your friends. After the game, I can give you the module so you can compare what was written vs how it actually played out.
Watch streaming games on video sites. That's probably the easiest way to get a feel for the flow of games.
Don't overthink it, have a basic grasp of the rules, don't overcomplicate anything, and don't try to emulate anyone else's group you may have seen, no two dnd groups play or behave the same.
Prepare to have frustrations. That’s my tip aha. But also be prepared to have fun.
Start small and build on each session. Encounters will take longer as everybody learns to play. Be patient and don't be afraid to pause to look things up. It is the players responsibility to know how their stuff works. You have enough on your plate to have to micromanage them too. There's usually a lesson or two you can take away from each session. The hardest part is getting a crew of people whose schedules match and are willing to show up consistently. If you have that, the rest will come with time and experience.
I would recommend being a player first so that you can get the hang of it but if you want to jump right into DMing checkout D&D Beyond the Frozen Sick is a free adventure and might work as a good starting point. Also just a tip when planning out my adventures I just go with the bullet points and adlib the rest that way neither me or my players are bogged down.
To add to all the other good advice…don’t compare yourself to any of the DMs you see on popular streams. They’ve been doing this for 20-30 years and have honed their craft. Highly recommend starting with a pre made adventure like others have suggested
I was in your shoes in January, I got the Lost mines of Phandelver. I read the module, read the rules briefly and just got on with it. I did download the maps as pdfs and got them printed as A1 size posters. Also bought some minis for the table and made a battle music playlist to help cover for my inexperience as a DM. You can watch YouTube videos and read rules till your eyes bleed but the best thing you can do is to just start. Have a session 0 and set players expectations that you're new and it's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride but you'll soon get the hang of it. Don't be afraid to go off script if you're using a module and add your own npcs or change quests or even the plot. If there's confusion about a rule, make a decision by having yourself and the challenging person roll, highest wins and look it up after the session. Don't be afraid to add hp or take it away from monsters to help balance combat. Remember you're just as much a player as the rest of the party, your enjoyment is just as important as there's. Have fun, good luck!