The work of a Dungeon Master never ends. From the world to characters and stories, you have a lot to do when running a game of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons. And you have even more responsibilitie⛎s when you have a brand-new player on the table.

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Dungeons & Dragons:🌠 Tips For A First-Time Dungeon Master

D&D is a classic fantasy tabletop role-playing game, but it is never too late to 𝔉become a Dungeon Master.

The whole game is a mystery to them, and it now♏ falls on you to make sure their very first experience will be a positive one, ensuring the new player enjoys the game and is fully converted ꩵinto a D&D player or maybe even a future Dungeon Master, like you. It's a lot of responsibility, and we'll do our best here to make sure you succeed.

10 Talk To Them 🐭First ⛦

From Basic Explanations To Feedback

Two animalfolk converse in the Cerulean Citadel in Dungeons & Dragons.
The Cerulean Citadel by Olly Lawson

Open communication is the best tool in a DM's arsenal, and it's no different ♔here. You can get a lot by simply talking to the player, explaining the game, asking them about the type of stories they like and what they expect from D&D, and getting all of that feedback.

That alone can tell you if they're a good fit for D&D as a whole or for your table, as different tables can have vastly different experiences. From there, you can see if it's worth inviting the player in the first pl༺ace or if they're a better fit in sꦇomeone else's game or a different TTRPG altogether.

9 🐈 Make A Character Together

Explain Classes Or Suggest One

Artwork of a dwarf fighter from the Dungeons & Dragon's 2024 Player Handbook.
Fighter by Nestor Ossandon Leal

Unless this new player is accustomed to learning new games and creating characters from video🤡 games, it's best not to let them navigate🦹 the character creation mechanics on their own. There's a lot for a newcomer there, after all.

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Explain the classes of the game for your player to see which ones get their attention,🦹 or ask if they have a basis for a character, and see which classes fit. For instance, if they want to be a frontline, heavy-weapon-wielding character, you can suggest fighters, paladins, or barbarians and explain the key differences between them.

We also recommend starting a campaign at level one. H🌄aving a🏅 new player starting at a high level can be overwhelming, so it's best for them to see the character's evolution as they go.

8 Run A Few Test Scenarios ಞ

Begin Tutorial

A trio of goblins lurking in the shadows in Dungeons & Dragons
Goblins by Taras Susak

One thing you can also do during the character creation 🌸process (or rather, as soon as the process is done) is to run a few scenarios with your new player, even if it's just you and them. Put a goblin on the map and do a 1v1, for instance.

Since the idea is to show how the game work🌳s, it's okay if the character ends up 'dying' during this scenario, as the idea is to just go over basic mechanics through practice. You can also run non-combat scenarios, like talking to an innkeeper, 🎶though these are probably easier to understand with the whole group.

7 💜 Run One-Shots Or Short Campaigns 🃏

Long Games Are A Big Commitment

The cover for Vecna Nest of the Eldritch Eye, from Dungeons & Dragons.
Vecna Nest of the Eldritch Eye cover, via Wizards of the Coast

If you're not sure whether this player is going to stay for the long run, it's best not to invite them to your grandiose campaign🌠 that will go from level one all the way to 20, plus epic boons afterward to expa💯nd things further. You might end up with a dropout.

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Dungeons & Dragons: Tips For When Players Deviate From The𝔉 Plan

Because no DM has ever had things꧂ go 100 percent the way t🎶hey expected.

Between liking the game and understanding the commitment required for scheduling, this player might need to experience the game a bit before entering this type of campaign. Thus, we recommend running a simple one-shot or 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a short campaign that🦂 will last somewhere between three to five sessi🌳ons.

6 ൲ Have A Veteran Player Ready To Help

Lead By Example

Two adventurers parley with an owlbear in DND.
Owlbear Parley via Wizards of the Coast

When having a newcomer, it's essential to address that with all the other players at the table. After all, a new player will drag things out, as they'll have their questions and be confused during the game, and that's just how i♚t is.

Still, if you have a particularly patient and friendly player, they can stay next to the newcomer and help them🅷 with their sheets or even demonstrate the type of choices they can make by doing something in the game and showing how it goes.

5 Go Step-By-Step When♛ Describing Actions

You Can Stop Doing This Once They Get The Hang Of It

A plague infested city in Dungeons & Dragons.
The Plague by Paul Scott Canavan

"Okay, so you're choosing to attack the goblin with your crossbow, which means you roll a d20 and add your dexterity and proficiency bonuses to the roll🍨." A simple sentence like this one that addresses everything that goes on during such an action is a perfect way to have the player memorize things.

By repeating these types of descriptions and the actions taken, it's only a matter of time for the player 🧜to manage to do these actions with no further input. It may be boring to say the same thing every time this type of action happens, but you'll be able to stop eventually.

4 🃏 Keep Fights Easy And Simౠple (At First)

You Can Also Stop This One Eventually

A wizard casts Mind Sliver on an enemy in DND.
Mind Sliver via Wizards of the Coast

We've already mentioned go🎃blins a bit, but let's do it one more time. We're using them as combat examples because they're simple enemies, making them perfect for a first-timer. A monster with too many stats, like resistance, attacks with multiple damage types that also cause conditions, etc., might overwhelm a new play⛎er.

Simplicity is better for understanding things. Introduce basic fights first, then the concept of enemies with resistance or immunity, then conditions, and so on. This will make fights easier, but that's just a consequence of simplicity. You'll be able to hit harder once they're bett🐠er at the game.

3 Help Them During Moments Of Fai꧑lure

What Else Can They Do?

Two adventurers stumble across an arrow-shooting trap in Dungeons & Dragons.
Poison Trap by Linda Lithen

Eventually, your new player will do a bad roll and fail. Whenever that happens, you can help them out, and we're not talking about letting them succeed despite th🍃e roll; no, they 🦄need to learn that they'll fail sometimes.

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ꦚ Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Tips For Pa🧔cing Your Session

Being a good D&D 🔥DM is all about pacing your campaign🔥 correctly.

What we mean is that if they fail, you can suggest alternate things they can do. I💎f t🅷hey fail at climbing through their Athletics roll, you could suggest that they can perhaps use a rope or try again with another character boosting them up (thus, with a help action). Or, if they keep failing at the same thing over and over, you can suggest alternative tactics.

2 Don't Expect Or Demand Roleplay

Let Them Get Used To It

Three players playing a card game in Dungeons & Dragons.
Three-Dragon Ante via Wizards of the Coast

Roleplaying is also a thing that takes a while to get used to. At first, the player might 𝓰feel uncomfortable with saying things in character. You could recommend that they make their first character have a somewhat similar persona𒅌lity to theirs, but even still, it takes time.

Give them space. Let them describe what the character would do in the third person rather than actually roleplay. Encourage them by roleplaying NPCs and speaking with other players in character, but do𝓡n'❀t force the newcomer to do the same. They'll get there eventually.

1 Be Very Patient 🗹

"What Is My Weapon Dice, Again?"

Two magic users study a textbok in a dark library in Dungeons & Dragons.
Candlekeep Mysteries art via Wizards of the Coast

You're the teacher here, and if there's one thing teachers have to get used to, it is students asking the same thing over and over and over again. The new player must absorb a lot of information at once, including fighting mechanics, ꦇcharacter🐼 features, inventory management, and more.

Too much information at once can lead to a mix-up or forgetting some details, especially when they return for the next🤡 session and struggle to recall many of the tasks their character can do. You'll repeat things often, so be mentally prepared for that.

dungeons-and-dragons-series-game-tabletop-franchise

Your Rating

Original Release Date
1974
Player Count
2+
Age Recommendation
ཧ 🌟12+ (though younger can play and enjoy)
Length per Game
♓ From 60 minutes to hours on end.
Franchise Name
💞 ও Dungeons & Dragons
Publishing Co
☂ Wizards of the Coast