D&D 5E Help for a new DM!

[Onigokko]

Welcome to ENWorld And three cheers for being a new DM!


I haven't run Princes of the Apocalypse, but I have seen people running it refer to two resources online:

There's a Red Larch reference sheet, and there's a list of online resources for Princes o the Apocalypse.

Good luck!

Thanks mate! Ive browsed the forums quite a bit in the past, but never posted. Figured this was an awesome place to get good DMing advice! Ive always wanted to DM, but just been intimidated!

Thank you sooo much for the reference sheet, i found the list of resources while googling, but that reference sheet is EXACTLY what i was looking for. Something to keep it organized for me so im not overwhelmed! Thanks so much!

 

[Onigokko]

I'd suggest running a separate one-shot adventure before starting the campaign. It will help you and your players to learn the basics and if it is a shaky start, it's only one session. Your players might see what they like and dislike, which can help their character choices. Or someone might not like D&D at all (some people are weird) and can opt out of joining a long-running campaign s/he won't enjoy.

Yeah thats the plan. I honestly love the reference books just to read sometimes, so i didnt mind grabbing one. Im running the Red Larch as an introductory one off session- and if they want to keep going its a good transition into Prices. Its technically not part of the storyline so it works

 

[Onigokko]

In addition to the tips above, remember that this is your game. If you don't remember something feel free to improvise (just take notes after the game).

In addition even when running a pre-written mod I always keep a small list of randomly generated names for NPCs and businesses (there are several sites that will do this for you) and a list of random descriptions. That way if the group wants to talk to the bartender he has a name something other than "Bob".

Other than that there are tons of blogs with hints and tips. Good luck and have fun!

Thanks! Ill try googling for some good DM blogs to get some ideas

Im an avid RPer so im fairly comfortable with creating NPCs, im just worried about keeping the adventure organized

Ill remember to bring a notepad for myself!

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6854009]Onigokko[/MENTION] Hey, don't sweat it. Nobody got good at anything without falling flat on their face a few dozen times. Same goes for DMing!

With the larger high-value adventure books that WotC is putting out I've noticed there is a lack of organization. What I mean is, they lack an introduction which gives you an overview of the adventure book's structure & finding information you need at a moment's notice is challenging. With shorter adventures, that's not a big deal, but with 250+ page books, it's really really helpful bordering on necessary to have greater organization.

 

[Rhenny]

Welcome. I'm running PotA right now. Here's what I think will help in addition to all of what others have said.

1) Understand that the adventure is sprawling and there are many, many possibilities...but don't let it overwhelm you. To that end, before each session make a tiny flow map of possibilities or events/encounters that you can run to help the players make decisions. I'm finding that because the threat from the cults takes time to develop, the players have a hard time remembering clues and deciding which direction to go. Although I don't condone railroading (making players make specific choices to follow the story), I do add in and run certain events/encounters at times when I feel as if the party has come to a dead end...so be prepared for this.

2) Also, before each session, when I make my outline, I also pre-think how NPCs/Monsters will interact with the group. By and large, there is some guidance in the adventure, but never truly enough so don't be afraid to make each interaction and encounter your own. Specifically plan how the prophets will act when they encounter the PCs. Pay attention to personality descriptions. For example, Aerisi is overconfident. Use the small guidelines in the book to build upon.

3) Realize that the first level or so the PCs are really fragile so you may have to have contingencies for when players go down or die. Also, realize that the cult strongholds are not equally challenging. Here's the order of challenge level: Feathergale Spire (air), Riverguard Keep (water), Sacred Stone Monastery (earth), Scarlet Moon Hall (fire) - and the temples are also ordered that way in terms of difficulty too. If you run the Moving Stone Temple part of the adventure in Red Larch, the PCs will encounter a priest of The Black Earth (earth cult) so it is quite likely that the players will want to investigate the earth cult first. This could be tough. In my games, I had them encounter the Feathergale Knights fighting with a group of Black Earth cultists so that the party could decide to join the fight to help the Knights. After this, it was natural that they would interact with the Knights and then go to Feathergale Spire. It made the transition smooth and kept them in a more comfortable challenge potential. That said, the adventure is a sandbox, so it is perfectly ok for the party to encounter challenges above their level. Just make sure the players know that this can happen so that they know when to run or avoid combat. Telegraph through description so that they have more clues about the difficulty of any given encounter.

Overall, I like using the adventure as a backdrop for my campaign and I like to add my own touches as PCs and the story develops. Don't be afraid to make it your own.

Good luck.

Cheers.

 

[Jediking]

[MENTION=6854009]Onigokko[/MENTION]
With the larger high-value adventure books that WotC is putting out I've noticed there is a lack of organization. What I mean is, they lack an introduction which gives you an overview of the adventure book's structure & finding information you need at a moment's notice is challenging. With shorter adventures, that's not a big deal, but with 250+ page books, it's really really helpful bordering on necessary to have greater organization.

That's been my main gripe with WotC so far. Their layout and presentation could use a bit of a polish, especially for newer DMs. The DMG chapters bounce around a bit, the adventures (I've seen LMoP and HotDQ) don't have a basic synopsis, and the MM is difficult to peruse as it is only 2/3 alphabetical.

But nothing has prevented me from learning and loving the game, so these are just minor things.