Hey guys,
Im completely new to D&D, for the last year I've been around groups that have played but never played myself. Anyway, a handful of friends of mine who have never played either decided they want to give it a go. I went and got the LMoP starter, the rule books, as well as the HotDQ and RoT campaigns. So, and this might be a stupid question, but for those who have played through the starter set and HotDQ, where would be the best place to start? Do you start on the LMoP with the premades and then at the end of the set have them scrap their characters and make whole new ones for HotDQ and start completely over? Or should I let them make their own characters to go through the starter with and then let them continue on to HotDQ at a higher level than they should be? I dont want to hype up the campaign after the starter then have it be too easy. Is HotDQ simple enough that I can put them right into it and have us all learn as we go? I figured I would let them decide but I wanted some advice from people who had played so I could avoid any of these ideas if I should just absolutely not do them. Thanks for the help.
It's okay to use pregens or make your own. Good to start in Lost Mine of Phandelver to cut your teeth. Once complete, give option of changing characters for next adventure. Keep if attached, switch if you want to try something else.
Welcome to DM-ing!
I am in a similar situation. I've been looking around on the internet for how to write a campaign for 5e, but I have not come up with a lot.
Pokegeek151 wrote:
I have started three different groups of teenagers on the Starter Set adventure using premade NPCs that came with it. I honestly believe it is the best way to start off, especially if you have little to no experience. By the time you complete it you should have enough experience and confidence to go into something else. Don't forget to read the Basic pdf DM version and possibly buy the three core rulebooks. A lot of what you are asking is addressed in the DMG. But you can start off with the $12 starter set with no problems...
When I begin a campaign, even if I use a pre-written adventure, I make an outline of events and NPCs to help me sort it all out. The outline starts small, and as we play, I take notes and then the outline branches out. Much of the time the outline is just a bunch of boxes or bubbles with events/encounters that are possible, but it may not be linear.
Also, if I use a pre-written adventure I mark it up underlining and annotating it to help me run the game. One thing I like to do is pre-think npc/monster reactions or dialogue so that it is easier to roleplay an encounter making it more than just a combat or a situation to simply over come.
If you're new to D&D, don't worry about the campaign level for now.
Focus on running a smooth encounter, a smooth session, and a smooth adventure. Once you're comfortable navigating the gameplay, you will then be in a position to write a campaign.
If you have campaign ideas now, just write them down. Let them sit. Get a few adventures complete first.
The fundamentals of DM-ing are your most frequently used skills. Without these, you'll find it difficult to proceed.
Check out DM101 in my sig. & other blog entries will help, but some topics are advanced DMing. I'll get some more stuff up for the 100 level soon.
To me the Starter Set is the prefect starting point for players and dungeon masters that have never played. I ran the adventure with a lot of new players, some used the pre-gens while others made characters, and most of them are now in one of my more advanced campaigns and doing fine. Lost Mine has everything you need as a new DM, and Horde of the Dragon Queen is written well enough that you should not need much else unless you plan to add magic items and downtime activities. But I am with the others, that you should work on your comfortability as a DM before you try anything too advanced.
As far as writing your own campaign, draw inspiration from films, television shows, comics, and my favorite anime to build your world, and villians. The new DMG has everything you need to build the world and the story you want to see played. When I start a new campaign, I start with the main villain and what they are trying to accomplish. Once I have figured that out I work from the beginning; letting the players inact with the world while the villain is working towards its goal, and finding a point where the two meet. But, that is something you will want to do once you are comfortable with DMing.
If your players do want to keep their character from the Starter Set going into Horde of the Dragon Queen, I would suggest leveling them down to level 1, but let them keep the items and gear they found. HotDQ is not built to start the characters beyond first level, so they would be way overpowered for a long while.
I've got a similar question... I played D&D 4 and other RPGs for the last 10 years and wanto start as a DM now.
Nobody in the group has played D&D before, one has experience with other systems... Is the Horde fo the Dragon Queen too much for the beginning or do you guys think it is possible?
(I hope its okay that I use this thread for my question... 
)
Use the pre-gen characters for the first few sessions. Let the players change out and try lots of different stuff, to see what they like doing. Eventually both you and they will be comfortable with the capabilities / rules / cool tricks of the different classes, and can make your own characters from scratch.
Use somebody esle's borrowed world for a while. Eventually you will have an overpowerngly neat idea that is a bit different, and you can begin to create your own world.
Nobody hatches out The Good DM on day one; you have to grow into it with practice. Some of us have been working at this skill set since the 1980s.
Irrlicht wrote:
Irrlicht wrote:
Okay, thanks for your thoughts I'll try it with HotDQ. And hope, that my experience as player will help. ;)
My idea was to create a NPC Healer to help the group. I don't want them to die. Just to be afraid of it. 
But I think, I'll go and search for a HotDQ thread to ask all my questions (And try to be prepared for everything - wuhuuu)
Okay, thanks for your thoughts I'll try it with HotDQ. And hope, that my experience as player will help. ;)
My idea was to create a NPC Healer to help the group. I don't want them to die. Just to be afraid of it.
But I think, I'll go and search for a HotDQ thread to ask all my questions (And try to be prepared for everything - wuhuuu)
Irrlicht wrote:
For all the new DM's looking to run the starter set and dragon queen campaign. One great way to get comfortable is to watch other players on youtube go through the module. Lots of DM's post their sessions up. Gives you a great idea on how things will work, and takes the edge off some nervousness if that's a thing for you.