Preparing to Run Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)

Essentials for Your First Game

1. Friends

   • Recommended: 3-4 players
   • Can run for more, but difficult with >4 players

2. Rules

   • Use free rules online (Wizards of the Coast)
   • Avoid initial purchase of core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide)
   • Links to free rules and pre-generated characters provided

3. Adventure

   • Create your own or use downloadable ones
   • Classic adventures at dndclassics.com are still playable
   • D&D Starter Set ($20-30) includes complete adventures
   • Best to start with an adventure that can be completed in one night (3-4 hours)

Creating Your First Adventure

What is an Encounter?

• Encounter: Anything that stops player progress and challenges them
  • Battle: E.g., fighting goblins
  • Trap: E.g., pressure-plate trap (like Indiana Jones)
  • Puzzle: E.g., a riddle to solve (like Gandalf's puzzle at the gates of Moria)

Structuring the Adventure

• Five Encounters: Ideal for a 3-4 hour session
  • Fighting goblins
  • Fighting more goblins
  • Fighting the boss goblin
  • A trap
  • A puzzle

Designing the Dungeon

• Draw a Map: Use pencil, eraser, and graph paper or a free online tool (Dungeonographer)
• First Adventure Theme: Tomb of an Order of Knights
  • Goblins have taken over the tomb
  • Key elements to include:
    • Goblin guards at the entrance
    • A pressure-plate trap indoors
    • Goblin sleeping/living area
    • History of the knights depicted on walls
    • Main chamber with a statue of the order leader
    • Secret room with sarcophagi of knights

Creating Dynamic Gameplay

• Placement of Traps and Enemies: Adjust placement for logic and ease of storytelling
• **Dynamic Elements: **
  • Patrol of goblins that players can encounter
  • Dual-front battles for added challenge
  • Interactive environment with lore and riddles

Adding Puzzles and Riddles

• Example Puzzle: Inscription on statue in main chamber
  • Riddle: "If you are to keep this, you must first give it to me." (Answer: Your word)
  • Oath of the order inscribed in another room: "I swear to serve law, battle chaos, and strive to keep the lore of the Delian Order secret."
  • Players speak the oath to unlock secret room

Fine-Tuning Your Adventure

• **Revising and Adapting: **
  • Expect to make adjustments based on player feedback
  • Reorganize elements for logic and continuity
  • Example: Rearranged the map to make the order of rooms logical (offering room before the trap)

Next Steps

• **Setup and Context for the Adventure: **
  • How players find out about the tomb
  • Why they decide to explore it
• Detailed Adventure Running:
  • Explaining the story and goals to players
  • Running the game session effectively

End of Episode Two