D&D General What's the Most Valuable DM Prep Between Campaigns?

[Retreater]

Let's say you likely have another D&D campaign starting "down the road"- it might be several weeks or months, but it is definitely coming as your current game winds down.

You don't know what the players will want to play, except that it's probably going to be D&D.

What would you do with this sabbatical time? Would you make small 5 room dungeons in preparation? Design campaign worlds? Random encounter tables? Maybe you would take time off from thinking about the game altogether and recharge?

 

[prabe]

I'd probably take time to let my brain recharge. Talking with the players about what they want to do also seems like a good idea, if you're considering running published material.

 

[jgsugden]

There is no right answer as each table will differ based upon DM style, player desires, etc... but here is what I do:

When I start to run a campaign, I start to build/prepare the next one. This allows me to be thinking about the 'level contextualized' issues while I am going through them.

If the new setting will be a new homebrew, I frame the world, the Deities, and the history in light detail. Essentially, I come up with a framework in which to add materials.

Regardless of what setting it is, I identify my core stories. If this is a pre-published adventure, some of those core stories are provided, but I always add onto the framework with a few of my own. I use the 'Babylon 5' model, with a major story that spans all levels, several stories that will cover entire tiers of play, and a lot of shorter adventures that will be completed within a few sessions. All I do is identify and write down a few thoughts on each. Then I look at how they relate and try to tie them together.

Then, I pick a starting location for the PCs and flesh it out to give them the starting block for the campaign. I'll go to a medium level of detail - enough that I could wing a session there at any time, but not to the level of specificity I like to have when I'm fully prepared.

Then I start talking to potential players to figure out who wants to play and what stories / characters interest them. I then start to fold those elements into the established storylines and setting pieces I have already created. I understand and expect that some of this will change - but it helps me to insert unique new angles to my game, so even if this stuff isn't pursued, it gives the world more depth. I am often doing this a year or two before the campaign kicks off.

At this point, I am ready to add meat to the framework. I'll build a few adventure options to start and prepare them as if the first level party will go there - and have notes on how to elevate the challenge should the party level a few times before arriving in that dungeon/situation. I'll write up the main NPCs and 'practice' with them to help me lock down a personality and place for them in the setting.

At this point, I keep the setting alive in my brain, but all I really do is make a few notes here and there on ideas I may use down the road - and perhaps tweak a few items and flesh out a bit more as inspiration strikes. I won't do detailed work on it any further until we do session zeros for the PCs the players will actually run. At that point, I've been living in the campaign in the back of my mind for a long time, and I am comfortable with it, which is a huge advantage in crafting a more immersive world.

 

[pogre]

I would design a campaign setting that has lots of built in adventure hooks. Adventurers start in a city built over the ruins of a lost ancient empire. Adventurers start in a border fortress battling to survive the encroaching wilds. Stuff like that.

 

[payn]

I used to subscribe to Paizo Adventure Paths. At least the ones that interested me. So I used to have a nicely sized pool of campaign material in the bank. Since the move to PF2, thats reduced a lot. So, I have been looking in other places and systems which are not general D&D but I see the process of prep as essentially the same.

Currently I am running Pirates of Drinax sandbox for Traveller. This has been a great change of pace and so much material is available for it. I feel comfortable adding in my own homebrew when necessary too. The slow interstellar travel keeps a good pace going so the Travellers cant really take a hard left on me at moments notice, so preparing a few leads with some distant strands doesnt take a ton of prep time between sessions. Its also clear exactly what I need to prep to at least start the next session.

My distant project is working on a FFG genesys game based in the Android universe. I really enjoyed the board game, and a little of Netrunner. The sci-fi noir theme really speaks to me. Also, I tried the Star Wars games a few times, liked the system, but not so much Star Wars as a campaign theme. This will take more time because there are a nicely detailed setting book, but not much in actual adventuring material available for Android genesys. Also, finding those who are interested in playing in Android a less popular sci-fi game than star wars, and a less popular transhuman game than say Cyberpunk Red.

My white whale is Battletech. I have played all the video games and read much of the detailed and rich setting. I have also purchased a lot of minis and game mats for play (though online might be easier?). I have a hard time deciding which system would work best for a game. Armored Combat is fun, but doesnt seem to have all the great rules that the former TTRPG has. Also, it lacks some of the RPG elements that I think would make the game more fun for the players. Of course, finding players also seems to be a real issues (for me) so locking down a system, or home brewing one, and working on a campaign is on the shelf indefinitely.

So, during downtime I collect material for games I want to run. I spend more time reading about settings and familiarizing myself with history, politics, specific nuances that will spice up the campaign. I spend more time working out bigger picture because I find individual encounters to be easier to whip up as needed. I also just generally enjoy reading adventure modules and materials for a variety of game systems and settings. At his point, I should have the energy and excitement to run something new, but also have a package of options for my players to choose from.

 

[iserith]

When my current campaign starts heading toward the end game, I will already be talking to the players about what is next and gathering their ideas. I can then create a schedule of prep that needs to be done each day/week to be on time to start the new campaign when the current one finishes, whatever that prep may be.

 

[aco175]

I may ask them it they want anything different than the last campaign, but so far, I'm running my 4th campaign centered around Phandalin right now. It is nice to build on some of the past campaigns with seeing how some of the things the old PCs affect the new locations. I would gather some maps and locations I may want to use and place some grand ideas around, but focus on the first few levels and NPCs. We had a couple explorations in the ruins of the town of Leilon, but now the forces of Neverwinter have stabilized the town and are resettling it. Next campaign, I may update the map and show that and allow for some other threats to come. I also would just reuse some of the older information from the town and not change everything. My players do not know the 2e listing for the tavern is now the 5e version.

 

[dave2008]

I have pretty much abandon DM driven campaigns at this point, so we work as a group to decided what the next setting/adventure will be in general terms. Then I will work on the details, checking back with my players when needed until I am ready for the first adventure.

 

[Steampunkette]

Think about what story you want to -tell-.

Consider what message you want to carry forward, what sort of style you want it to be in and what stories that style tells particularly well. Do you want to tell a story about the interconnectivity of people in society? You're going to want a central threat that causes multiple communities to band together against it. If you want to tell mythic fantasy, you're going to need to make your players into unique heroes in the backdrop of the world. Things of that nature.

Consider what kind of narrative elements support the thing you want to share, the story you want to tell. Does having a fragile NPC in a fight sequence reinforce the idea of cooperation to keep them safe? Add that in. Does a reticent ogre who has to be convinced to help fight against an evil army to help protect the city, and thus become welcomed by the city for his efforts, even valued and treated as a friend rather than shunned as a potential threat help to bring out the story? Write about that.

Create a framework of story-moments which support your primary narrative and then go from there. They needn't all be strung together, or even remotely connected. But the more you show your players that the world is structured in the way you intend, the more you encourage them to interact with it on that basis, which can make the story all the more compelling...

If you're a huge nerd, you can also spend that time making a world that best supports your idea. Or taking the time to reshape another world to that end.

 

[dave2008]

Think about what story you want to -tell-.

Consider what message you want to carry forward, what sort of style you want it to be in and what stories that style tells particularly well. Do you want to tell a story about the interconnectivity of people in society? You're going to want a central threat that causes multiple communities to band together against it. If you want to tell mythic fantasy, you're going to need to make your players into unique heroes in the backdrop of the world. Things of that nature.

Consider what kind of narrative elements support the thing you want to share, the story you want to tell. Does having a fragile NPC in a fight sequence reinforce the idea of cooperation to keep them safe? Add that in. Does a reticent ogre who has to be convinced to help fight against an evil army to help protect the city, and thus become welcomed by the city for his efforts, even valued and treated as a friend rather than shunned as a potential threat help to bring out the story? Write about that.

Create a framework of story-moments which support your primary narrative and then go from there. They needn't all be strung together, or even remotely connected. But the more you show your players that the world is structured in the way you intend, the more you encourage them to interact with it on that basis, which can make the story all the more compelling...

If you're a huge nerd, you can also spend that time making a world that best supports your idea. Or taking the time to reshape another world to that end.

I assume you are saying this is what you would do?