Brand new DM needing advice

[Meierme176]

I was just asked to write a 3.5 campaign. I have never been a DM before and am not sure where to start (other than the handbook) I was looking for advice and useful DM tools

[Pugwampy]

You are Dm , not an author . You are not obligated to write anything ....unless you want to . < I dont >

A campaign is just a strung along multi session adventure and once again you are not obligated to do that , although players might like that . Maybe you want a 2 session uber dragon fight with lvl 18 players and 100 000 gp for each ? 10 - 15 session level 1 players starting with nothing .

Take the game session by session and see how it evolves . All you have to worry about is a one or two nice combat encounters and a silly story that got them into that situation or grab a nice module or you can mix it .

First order of the day .....what do you want to do ?
What kind of a DM are you , whats your favorite part of this game ?
Any funny house rules you wanna add in ?
Whats your favorite monsters ? ,
Whats your fave magic goodies you want to let your monsters play with but will eventually fall into the hands of players ? ,
Whats your favorite country ?
Favorite hub town in that country to start them off ?
favorite NPC culture to populate that town ?

Your most important tool that will get you out of just about anything or answer everything is the high roll / low roll , yes / no dice roll .

2nd most important tool . A diary . Keep a summarized record of your sessions and what players did . This will inspire you and build your campaign .

Be very nice and go very easy on players at level 1 . They need to get used to your game style and their heroes . I usually give em a 1 gp for 7 days/sessions Bed and breakfast .

You can bring out your claws at level 2 and up . If you want the fun and freedom of smacking them hard , I suggest easy escape routes and temple raise dead options at reasonable fees .... say 100 gp per level ?

[John Longarrow]

Step one (for me at least) is to talk to the players and see what kind of game they want to play in. These generally fall into several broad categories such as
1) Sand Box - Open environment centered on what the characters are doing and what their goals and objectives are
2) Simple path - Stuff is happening. Players can interact with it OR go their own way. If the players don't interfere XYZ will happen in that order. If they do get involved they can stop X, Y, and/or Z.
3) Complex path - Stuff is happening. Multiple arcs are going on at the same time and the characters participate in one or more arcs to stop bad things from happening/help good things to happen.
4) Story Driven. You have a story you want to tell and the characters play their parts. Most of the "Save the world" type games fall into this category.

Once you know what general type of game they want, talk to the players about what type of setting they would like. This includes things like
Overall culture(s)
Level of magic
General adventure settings (dungeons / Cities / Wilderness / Small encounters / Middle of a war / what ever)
level of optimization players should bring
Types of adventures the players like
Starting level for characters

From there you can start with one location, flesh it out a bit, and start building around it. Alternately you can pick up one of the existing settings and run with that.

Hope this helps!

[GilesTheCleric]

Step one (for me at least) is to talk to the players

I think this the most important facet of GMing. Knowing the rules, how to craft a story, and run encounters are all good skills, but communication is far more important. Keep an open dialogue with your players. Tell them you're new, and ask them what they expect. Let them know your intentions. Ask for feedback every now and then, and make sure they know you're responsive to their hopes and concerns.

[Pugwampy]

Ask for feedback every now and then, and make sure they know you're responsive to their hopes and concerns.

Everyone should have fun yes......... and that includes you . Give a little and take a little .

[NOhara24]

I was just asked to write a 3.5 campaign. I have never been a DM before and am not sure where to start (other than the handbook) I was looking for advice and useful DM tools

Read the DM's Guide Cover-to-Cover, seriously. A lot of the stuff brought up there falls on the *smacks forehead* why didn't I think of that scale?

And also understand that you'll get better as you go along, your DM style will fall in line with your style of planning, etc.

Use props and different voices, don't be afraid to act silly or extreme if it adds to an NPC you're roleplaying.

Make mistakes, just don't make the same ones twice.

[Meierme176]

Thanks all for the advice! I have a 3D printer and have been making terrain and monsters non stop. I still need to read the manual cover to cover however. I told them it will be a bit before I'm ready.

[Crake]

Thanks all for the advice! I have a 3D printer and have been making terrain and monsters non stop. I still need to read the manual cover to cover however. I told them it will be a bit before I'm ready.

Out of curiosity, what kind of 3D printer are you using, and what's the level of detail like compared to commercially produced minis?

[Endarire]

I wrote this guide (http://antioch.snow-fall.com/files/members/Endarire/DnD/Challenging%203.5%20and%20Pathfinder%20Parties%202 %2017%2013.doc) years ago. It probably has far more than you need now, but enough for later.

[Meierme176]

Out of curiosity, what kind of 3D printer are you using, and what's the level of detail like compared to commercially produced minis?

I use the flashforge creator pro, I upgraded it a lot and am experienced. I can get almost the same quality as a cast. Makerbots will yield higher quality prints however you'll end up spending more than double the price of the flashforge.

[Scorponok]

I started just like you. No idea what to do. The players said there was no more room for players, so if I wanted to play, I had to DM. Here are some helpful things I learned along the way.

1. D&D is a collaborative storytelling game. Meaning, you are NOT the sole author, and the players get a say in what they want to happen in your world. Don't force your players to do certain things or behave certain ways unless the behavior is disruptive to the other players. If a decision ruins your story, roll with it. You'll most likely be able to put that idea into another story arc in the future.

2. I divided NPCs into 3 types. Casters, melee fighters, and hybrid. Learn to make NPC characters. The best site I used to learn was this one:
http://dnd3rd.sourceforge.net/
It's not 100% accurate and they miss some race skills, but it's 95% accurate, and that's good enough to get you through until you start to understand the intricacies of character creation. If your group is starting at level 1, make a level 1 fighter, a level 1 sorcerer, and a level 1 cleric or bard. Then level them up to 2, then 4. Write down the stats for each. You will use these for all your encounters until you learn the intricacies of character creation. You can then use these stats for pretty much anything you want to throw at your party for the first few levels. Want a group of lizardmen who kidnap people in the forest? Use the level 1 fighter stats for X amount of lizardmen in the group. Want a semi powerful lizardman wizard to be their squad leader? Use the level 2 sorcerer. Want the big bad lizardman leader who can cast a few spells hiding in the cave at the end of the adventure? Use the level 4 bard or cleric stats. Want a big porcupine bear creature who can badly hurt the whole party? Use the level 4 fighter stats and give a free attack to anyone standing beside it. If you are doing anything wrong, your players will let you know of a way to fix it.

3. You will probably have players who are D&D 3.5 veterans. Listen to these players. They know the rules and system better than you, and you'll be relying on them as you learn the game and DM at the same time.

4. I also created a lot of stuff like you, except I didn't use a 3d printer but just drew NPCs and cut them out and stuck them on cardboard. It is a LOT of work, and will often stress you out over the amount of time you have to prepare - but the caveat being you will be working your imagination and creativity like you've never done before. The work is great, but so is the reward.

5. Take frequent breaks from DMing to prepare, think and do other things like computer gaming and other things not related to DMing. It will give you ideas to add to your story. I take at least one break per month. (We play weekly)

6. Discuss with your players what type of game they want, and what type of books should be allowed. The latter suggestion can be deferred to the most senior player of your group. Some of the books contain powerful game wrecking abilities and it should be decided beforehand if the group wants to allow them. For a quick way to decide, you can say the PHB and the Completes series are approved, and anything else you can talk to the DM/senior player about it. This problem will probably not come into play until your players reach levels 6+, but it's still good to nip this one in case a PC decides from the start he wants to make an overpowered, ganky character.

7. Depending on the background of your players, your biggest challenge as DM may not have anything to do with Dungeons and Dragons, but rather managing the players expectations, egos, and player dynamics vs the other players and yourself. Enemy stats, challenges, and story is a breeze compared to this, depending on whether you might get one or two problem players or two players whose personalities tend to be like water and oil. Try to work out differences, but don't be afraid to part ways with a player if things really aren't working out and if the group consensus is the player(s) in question is/are a $#!+ disturber.

8. Regarding reading things cover to cover: yes you should, but no one's going to do this, especially you, who are creating all the minis and terrain. If I were a veteran D&D player, I'd much rather you spend your time on making the 3D miniatures than taking hours and hours reading books. Rely on your senior players for rules interpretations. Before DMing your first game, ask your players to run: 1) a 6 vs. 4 battle with you. 2) social situation where a player has to convince a merchant to sell him a high quality sword to slay a dragon, except that dragon doesn't pose any danger to the local town (yet) and 3) and obstacle course, designed by you, that includes a wall to climb, a treasure chest to open, a log to run across, a monster that will attack you hidden in the course somewhere, a pool to swim across, and a horse to ride to the finish line. This will give you a taste of most of the stuff you'll be called to referee on and will give you a hands on understanding of the game before the first adventure starts.0

9. The first time I was about to DM, I also asked a forum about any advice they could give, and the best one I heard was D&D is a game best played with people you already would hang out and have fun with. This is so true. If you really don't want to be around these people, DMing will not be fun. If the people are cool outside of D&D, you will have a blast. Make sure these people can be your friends first. You will make friends in this game, and the connections and memories can last a lifetime.

Good luck with DMing!

[Scorponok]

...oh, and here is a list of helpful things to make with a 3D printer.

- lots and lots of NPC villagers
- bar, bar stools, tables, chairs, barrels
- lots and lots of crates that can stack (like between 10 to 20)
- 1 or 2 treasure chests (you won't really need that many unless you want a room full of Mimics)
- campfire
- tents
- doors and trap doors
- horses and horse carts.
- livestock - piggies, donkey, cows, sheep, chickens
- beds - players WILL use these as cover, to bar doors, and ways to climb up to where they shouldn't.
- weapons - two swords, two axes, two daggers (these are for when players drop their weapons and you can mark the spot with these. They can also double as weapons attached to traps.)
- prison cell (or at least prison cell bars - you can use the interlocking dungeon tiles for the prison floor)
- water well (this can lead to lots of adventures)
- debris such as trees, tree stumps, fallen logs, bushes, and boulders.
- long grass (this can double as Entangle spell markers if you have a druid in your party.)
- lots of fire markers - your players WILL want to sometimes start big fires.
- bear traps

Depending on how big of items you can print on your 3D printer, you might also want to consider printing out:

- interlocking dungeon tiles. Make, like, 2" x 8", 4" x 10" and maybe a few 4" x 20" ones that can go together. Caves/dungeons are great ways to have a party spend a night of gaming in when you want to prepare and flesh out important story elements. These can also double as bar floors and prison floors.
- stairs (3 to 5 inches high should work for a lot of buildings.)
- buildings (same 3 to 5 inches high to fit with your stairs.)
- trees - pine trees or palm trees depending on your environment.
- canoes

[GiantFlyingHog]

I'm a fairly new GM myself, so I may not be the best source of advice, but I do have this:
Never feel that you have to do something. There are a lot of things that you should do, but there are no rules you must absolutely follow. Be wary of breaking too many rules, but don't be afraid to experiment a little. Be careful that you don't expect too much of your players, especially if they are new. You will never be perfect. If you feel that you are a bad GM, GM more. You probably need experience more than anything else. Take notes. You might not end up needing them, but take them anyway. Don't feel like you are the players' enemy. You are everyone else the world, whether they hate the players or love them. Don't be afraid to be silly, and feel free to be serious. If your players do something stupid, punish them, but be fair. Never actively try to kill a player. Player death should never be predetermined, unless the player agrees to it. Never tell the players that they can't do something, unless it's completely impossible. For instance, don't let them flap their arms fast enough to fly, but do let them try to bend the iron bars. Who knows, maybe it will be a more interesting story. And finally, at least for now, take every bit of advice you get with a grain of salt. No one has advice that works in every situation.

[Meierme176]

...oh, and here is a list of helpful things to make with a 3D printer.

- lots and lots of NPC villagers
- bar, bar stools, tables, chairs, barrels
- lots and lots of crates that can stack (like between 10 to 20)
- 1 or 2 treasure chests (you won't really need that many unless you want a room full of Mimics)
- campfire
- tents
- doors and trap doors
- horses and horse carts.
- livestock - piggies, donkey, cows, sheep, chickens
- beds - players WILL use these as cover, to bar doors, and ways to climb up to where they shouldn't.
- weapons - two swords, two axes, two daggers (these are for when players drop their weapons and you can mark the spot with these. They can also double as weapons attached to traps.)
- prison cell (or at least prison cell bars - you can use the interlocking dungeon tiles for the prison floor)
- water well (this can lead to lots of adventures)
- debris such as trees, tree stumps, fallen logs, bushes, and boulders.
- long grass (this can double as Entangle spell markers if you have a druid in your party.)
- lots of fire markers - your players WILL want to sometimes start big fires.
- bear traps

Depending on how big of items you can print on your 3D printer, you might also want to consider printing out:

- interlocking dungeon tiles. Make, like, 2" x 8", 4" x 10" and maybe a few 4" x 20" ones that can go together. Caves/dungeons are great ways to have a party spend a night of gaming in when you want to prepare and flesh out important story elements. These can also double as bar floors and prison floors.
- stairs (3 to 5 inches high should work for a lot of buildings.)
- buildings (same 3 to 5 inches high to fit with your stairs.)
- trees - pine trees or palm trees depending on your environment.
- canoes

I have over 1,000 monsters and npc's printed. we have been playing for over a year and i have been printing for my current DM. Now I get to make the story so the prints are going to get a lot more elaborate. Thank you for the advice on the terrain, I haven't thought of about half that, Ill get a lot of that printed this week. I plan to go to kinkos and get my world map printed on a large banner. we have a huge (I mean MASSIVE) white board I'm going to pin it too. I think I'm going to print player markers and put magnets on the base to show them where they are currently at. as well as some towns and other land marks ill make them run into later down the road.

Anyone know of a really aesthetically pleasing world map maker?