Prepping as a first time DM from scratch

Question

How many sessions ahead should I prepare or should I have a overarching plot and add detail between sessions?

Jen · Accepted Answer

I've always been interested in trying to become a DM but I feel like my squirrel brain wouldn't let me do so very effectively lol

Chris · Answer

I will say to stick with an overarching plot and tie story beats into it organically for smaller B plots. And it might just be my style, but I liked having that down because when they do something you absolutely did not prepare for, you can improvise to what will return yhe party back to the plot line.

You don't need to know everything. You can't. There is too much to balance and you'll forget a shopkeeper's name. Having the plot known though is how you prevent party not knowing what to do next.

You got this.

Chris · Answer

My advice would be having an overarching plot and then add things as they come to mind or as the players unravel your initial best laid plans

Rae · Answer

Have an overarching plot, a specific short term (within 3 sessions) goal, and then prep in detail for the next session.

Christian · Answer

Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering by Robin Laws is a good book that helps with questions like these. It helped me!

Brad · Answer

Honestly I wouldn't stress too much about over prepping - so long as you have what you need for the current session and maybe the next, alongside some "side" bits in case of emergency's you'll be fine. Use the time in between to refill on prep and story beats. I myself tend to prep alot but it's all personal preference which you'll find out as you learn more about your own DM'ing style. Best of luck with the new campaign!

Neil · Answer

I always go sandbox.

I have an overarching theme.
Example 
Make it to X city where big bad is.
Then multiple branching themes that can all lead back to the end theme
Start in city X
Players can go anywhere.
I have;
3 forest maps ready with foes
    1 campsite
    2 random
3 mountain maps ready with foes
    1 campsite
    2 random
1 underground cave system foes and traps
1 underdark/underground city
1 dungeon with foes and traps
2 town's with foes and friends
2 desert maps
    1 oasis
    1 desert
2 river crossings

Every 4 maps throw in a minion of the bbeg...start small. At 4 a mercenary group that works for a guy that works for a lieutenant of bbeg. Then at 8 add in the guy and his minions of the lieutenant. Then at 12 the lieutenant and minions...have lieutenant escape. At 16 lieutenant and minions....at 20 another lieutenant...have them each lead to another point that can get them closer to bbeg.

With this you can run a good 30 sessions. As players cycle through 1 map, make a new one to replace it at a higher challenge level.

This allows players to travel through the world and encounter bbeg minions and you can drop hints to lead them to the final battle of the story arc all while not pigeon-holing them into a set path. They can travel freely and be suggestively led to the final battle.

Quincy · Answer

Depends. The are two major categories in DM styles, Storyteller and World Builder. Depending on which you are you are going to operate differently. Dndshorts has a good video explaining the difference.

As a Storyteller I would recommend creating an outline with the main plot and subplots and simply plan your next session.  If the players go beyond the prepared material then you can fall back in to where they are along the outline and wing it. Prior to the next session modify your outline with whatever changes the players created.

As a World Builder you should simply stockpile random charts for everything and roll it up as you go. You can still plan a session but if it goes off the rails you have the resources to keep the fun rolling. In addition to charts it helps to have index cards with random npcs, encounters, items, etc so you can pull them out on a whim.

Sontlux · Answer

You could buy a premade campaign as a way to test the waters.  If you and your players get invested, it could be a long experiment

Casey · Answer

As someone who just ended their campaign as the DM, I have a few questions: are you in person or online? If online what system are you using? Roll20? And how many players do you have?

Prepping as a first time DM from scratch

Dungeonsanddragons Community

I've always been interested in trying to become a DM but I feel like my squirrel brain wouldn't let me do so very effectively lol

My advice would be having an overarching plot and then add things as they come to mind or as the players unravel your initial best laid plans

Have an overarching plot, a specific short term (within 3 sessions) goal, and then prep in detail for the next session.

Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering by Robin Laws is a good book that helps with questions like these. It helped me!

You could buy a premade campaign as a way to test the waters. If you and your players get invested, it could be a long experiment

As someone who just ended their campaign as the DM, I have a few questions: are you in person or online? If online what system are you using? Roll20? And how many players do you have?

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