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My friends bought the DnD 5e starter set and asked me to DM. Help?

NewGame

Banned
Sell it and buy the 3.5 edition then kick out all of your friends and find people who still play the best version :p

3.5 is a garbage heap of splatbooks and quite possibly the worst ruleset every amalgamated.

If you don't agree, grapple me
 

lightus

Member
Be prepared for everything to take three times as long as you expect.

My players made it to a large city last session. I had all these character interactions set up and the start of a new quest waiting.

They ended up staying in the hotel/spa shootin' the shit with the npc's for 2 hours. These things happen and in general if there isn't some timed event happening I say embrace it.

Know your group and write the campaign around their play style. My group gained interest in DnD via The Adventure Zone. As a result I know they like heavy plot and character interaction. The point of playing is to have fun, so if everyone is enjoying themselves it's okay to not always be out there chopping bandits.
 

Leunam

Member
Get to know how the players play the game. What I mean is, which roles they take up as part of a group.

Is one guy, and only that guy, making all the decisions for everyone?

Is there one person who is along for the ride just to make the whole thing about themselves with no regard for the rest of the party?

Is one person kind of just going along with it without any input or interaction?

Basically, don't let this turn into a one person show.
 
Honestly if we're having a mini edition war here you lot can all taste the cardboard of my hardback copy of 13th Age.

I think the golden rule is: have fun. It won't go perfectly. If you have to wing it to keep the story going, do. Your players probably won't go stupid. If they do, let them.
 

tm24

Member
Thanks for all the advice guys. My coworker gets the starter addition tomorrow so ill ask for her for the book so i can read ahead.

So my last questions are what do i do next after the starter addition, ie what do i need to keep DMing and where can i buy some real dumb fun dice to gift my friends?
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. My coworker gets the starter addition tomorrow so ill ask for her for the book so i can read ahead.

So my last questions are what do i do next after the starter addition, ie what do i need to keep DMing and where can i buy some real dumb fun dice to gift my friends?

You can buy dice on Amazon, or if you've got a local game store, pick them up there.

As for where to go next, you either start making up your own stuff, or pick up one of the adventure books out there. I haven't used any of them, so I can't speak to which ones are good.
 

Zeus7

Member
Looking for a present for my friend who spends a lot of time being DM and painting figures to flesh out his characters and story. Does anyone have any advice on what brushes I could buy him as a present to paint the figures? I'm looking to basically buy him some top end brushes, any recommendations would appreciated, any budget.
 
where is that PA comic about being DM for the first time when you need it? lol

edit: found it!

https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/03/04/the-old-ways

1484677904431
 

Pilgrimzero

Member
The #1 rule for any DM: Be prepared to improvise.

You will be surprised how quickly and how deep the players can and will completely derail your carefully laid out dungeons and plans.


Also, 2nd ed is the best edition.
 
Remember that your rolls are secret. Sometimes it's good to "miss" or to give the players a greater threat to fight against, so they got away barely.

Encourage creativity if it does not change the status quo too much, it's important that your players have fun and feel smart. For example to persuade someone, have the players use their wits and decide whether that persuasion would lessen DC.

Have some NPCs be amazed at your players' accomplishment. That'd be encouraging. Encourage role playing as well. It might feel weird at first but it's much more fun.

House rules can be introduced to make the game more interesting.

I also tend to add some gimmicks each sessions, like arm wrestling, quests that require hunting for small animals, drinking contest... Just use the appropriate modifier.

Download some background music to your phone.
 

Rootbeer

Banned
I started DMing in middle school, so if a 12yo can do it I'm sure you'll manage. You'll be part storyteller and part referee. You'll get better with practice, and it's a lot of fun. Trust your instincts, maybe read a few articles (or maybe youtube videos, I'm sure there are some on the topic), dive in and enjoy!

I'm assuming you guys are going with 5th edition (it's what's mostly found on shelves right now and just says "Dungeons & Dragons" without pointing out what edition it is) -- personally really like the new edition.

Dice... well I prefer to scout for dice at local gaming stores but your options are really endless. These days you can get tons of dice for next to nothing. An example (not an endorsement, lol.)

Unless they are using a dice app on their smart device which is perfectly viable, the game will move a lot faster if everyone has their own set of dice. Generally you want at least 1 of each dice type (20, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 sides) with at least 2 ten-sided (so you can roll percentile, the rules will tell you how) and 3 or 4 six-sided since they are commonly used and it's nice to have extras for stat rolling etc.

Most of my dice are Crystal Caste. Another great brand is Game Science
 

Rookhelm

Member
If you like the starter set and are certain you want to keep going, the first thing you need is the Players Handbook, which is essentially the game itself. Other games call it the Core Rulebook

For dice, I recommend just getting like a pound o dice from Amazon. It's just a huge bag of dice, that way you can give some out to everyone.

In addition to the player handbook, you might want to get an adventure book. Some people make their own adventures, but newbies might be better off with an authored one
 

StMeph

Member
I've DMed a few games, and played in plenty others.

For the most part, the game is collaborative. You run everything behind the scenes, and all other characters (hence Non-Player Characters), and they do... their thing.

- Don't write up an elaborate storyline and intricate systems and then get upset if the characters go off and do their own thing. Just don't tunnel vision to begin with.

- Similarly, don't let players get too sandbox-y and go too far off tangents. Provide some over-arching plot thread or sense of urgency to push the campaign forward and stay on some kind of target, so even some tangents can be dealt with, while others will have to be put off.

- If you're having trouble getting started, look into pre-written game modules. I've never used them, but I've played in games that did, and didn't feel like I was being railroaded.

That said, you're the DM and final authority on the subject. If there's a rules dispute, you make the final call. If there's something breaking the game, talk to the player(s) involved and work it out. I will happily cheat during a combat encounter if it's not going well or too easily to ballpark it back where I originally wanted it to go, but I don't get upset if PCs find a really creative solution or some really awful rolls go my/their way. Leave room for creativity, and accept that luck will wedge itself in sometimes.
 

Xero

Member
Thanks for all the advice guys. My coworker gets the starter addition tomorrow so ill ask for her for the book so i can read ahead.

So my last questions are what do i do next after the starter addition, ie what do i need to keep DMing and where can i buy some real dumb fun dice to gift my friends?
Get the players handbook and dungeon masters guide. There is a complete dnd 5e reference on your app store of choice thats really helpful sfyer you download extra foles from the forums. You can find a bunch of different dice and dice bags at amazon, miniaturemarket, coolstuff, or your local tabletop store. Etsy is also good for custom bags and dice boxes to roll into, and there are always kickstarters for dice set's going on though obviousky you would need to wait months for that.
 
The #1 rule for any DM: Be prepared to improvise.

You will be surprised how quickly and how deep the players can and will completely derail your carefully laid out dungeons and plans.


Also, 2nd ed is the best edition.


Rule #2: If a player wants to do something, unless it's completely unreasonable, don't stop them. Just have them make an ability check.

Remember that your rolls are secret. Sometimes it's good to "miss" or to give the players a greater threat to fight against, so they got away barely.

Encourage creativity if it does not change the status quo too much, it's important that your players have fun and feel smart. For example to persuade someone, have the players use their wits and decide whether that persuasion would lessen DC.

Have some NPCs be amazed at your players' accomplishment. That'd be encouraging. Encourage role playing as well. It might feel weird at first but it's much more fun.

House rules can be introduced to make the game more interesting.

I also tend to add some gimmicks each sessions, like arm wrestling, quests that require hunting for small animals, drinking contest... Just use the appropriate modifier.

Download some background music to your phone.

My DM rolls in front of the screen. And bards have an ability (Cutting Words)where they can subtract from an enemy's attack roll, damage roll, or ability check, but before it's declared a success or not. So it would be good for them to see the actual roll before deciding to use that ability. Some stuff can be rolled behind the screen, but for the most part I think it would be better have all rolls visible.
 
I agree with the above - you shouldn't come up with too tricky plots for the first games. To get started, you just need to introduce her to the world of DnD.
Be sure to let her familiarize herself with the basic rules, and keep them handy during the first games. In addition, you will most likely have to guide her during the game, and explain what each of her actions can lead to, so the system of games itself will develop in her head.
 
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