Sorry for the lateness of this post. I got super duper caught up in a new playthrough of Portal 2, one of my favourite games ever. However, as the saying goes – better late than never!
As I mentioned in my first entry, I am going to be the Dungeon Master for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign which is starting in a week and a bit. To be fully and completely honest, the idea that I’m going to be a DM for this campaign scares the crap out of me.
I was asked by my old roommate’s current roommate if I wouldn’t mind being the Dungeon Master for a campaign that would consist mostly of people new to the game, or folks who have played once or twice before. This invitation did come as a shock to me, since my only DMing experience was in a campaign where we rotated leadership (which is a great strategy if you want to share the creative load)…but I’m excited to take on the challenge. And in creating the setting in which folks will be adventuring with their characters, I began to reflect on what advice I would give and will be giving to folks who are new to the game.
The following advice is also good to consider if you have zero intention at all of playing the game. Hopefully the tips help you to figure out what the game is all about, and maybe help you clear up some of the preconceived notions of the game as portrayed by society. Maybe I don’t have that kind of time – moving on!
(And I’ll try to keep this brief.)
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We seem to collect not only board games, but reference manuals for Dungeons and Dragons. #nerd
Tips for Newcomers to Dungeons and Dragons
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
That piece of advice should be common sense, but it’s worth putting out there right off the bat. The Dungeon Master is first and foremost someone you can speak to if you have a question about what you can do to create a character, where you can find the character’s spells and recommended equipment, and even what you can and should do in a combat situation. Did you write down an ability, yet have zero idea whatsoever what it does? Ask. It really doesn’t hurt, and if you’re with people who understand that you are newer to the game, it’s not going to irk anyone that we need to stop for five minutes to sort out how combat works. It honestly won’t.
- That being said, try to be as prepared as possible.
I don’t mean “go out and buy all the books” as they’re shown in my picture above.
I more mean that if you want to create a certain character (for example, an Elf Ranger), it’ll save time for you and the Dungeon Master if you can look up stuff about Elf Rangers online. These days, you can basically hit up Google to find lots of resources on D&D characters, including basic starting character ideas for newcomers. Heck, Googling a bit about the kind of character you want to create can also help you to avoid potential pitfalls.
Off the top of my head, this can help you avoid accidentally creating a character that simply wouldn’t exist in the area in which your campaign is set. Dungeons and Dragons comprises a few different “realms” from which characters can originate, and it might save you time to figure out if your character would realistically be there. Like…a Mountain Dwarf in the Tundra. Not really going to happen. Imagine Gimli hanging out with the Ice King from Adventure Time.
Yes, that is the best comparison you’re getting out of me at 1:30am.
As a side note, being prepared also means having a set of dice, or access to a dice roller online. D&D is centered around dice rolls, so being prepared to roll dice is a good thing.
Finally…
- Keep an open mind.
Some campaigns will be designed after premade campaigns created by the folks behind D&D, and other campaigns will be original. You may have to fight off a lich and his armies, or your party may have to engage in some political espionage to rout out corruption. The scenarios are endless, and your actions as a player/character are going to drive where the story goes. Be prepared to be cool with that story’s direction, and enjoy the ride.
Dungeons and Dragons is, in essence, a game that involves group storytelling. Sure there are rules to follow (no, you can’t cast a fireball through a wall or simply will a townsperson to trust you), but figuring out where you can push the boundaries of your imagination is 90% of the fun.
The other 10% is smacking dragons in the face.
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I hope these broadly general tips can help in some way to navigate the awesomeness that is Dungeons and Dragons. Even if you’re never ever going to play D&D, I hope you’ve learned a little something.
Good night!
Chasing Happiness 