My first DND Game

[AmpsterMan@Gmail.com]

Hello everyone!

In the coming weeks I will be playing Dungeons and Dragons for the first time... ever! I will be playing with 4 friends and I will be their DM. I have already created a moderately Lively world for them with the inclusion of several homemade adventures. Since neither of us has ever played a game, I was going to get together with one of them to have a Solo practice run this sunday.

My question is, how do you run a single player campaign? I have searched everyone on the intrawebz but haven't found much if at all advice for such a game. Therefore, I came to the one source which has helped me plan much out (You!) for advice. If any of you could give me any advice on the matter, be it hypothetical or actual experience, it would be greatly appreciated. Furthermore, any general DMing tips would be very appreciated (though it is not the focus of my post)

Thanks in advance for all your comments and help! Happy Gaming!

P.S. I am playing 4e and only have the core books.

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

RPGs in general, and D&D in particular, are much more fun with at least 3 or 4 players in addition to the DM. While you can run a game where a single PC faces off against individual creatures of similar level or against a handful of creatures of lower level, the cooperative/multiplicative nature of D&D character powers makes it difficult at best.

For a "test run" doing a few combats between one PC and one equal level monster to learn the rules might be useful, but I would not do that as a campaign.

As to advice, it sounds like you are well on your way. I would try not to do too much world building. Keep it small and focused on what the characters are doing and gradually expand the size and scope of the world and adventures. This will give you more time to learn from experience, help you avoid burnout from overwork, and help you avoid doing unnecessary work that the PCs will never see. Also, the things your PCs do (and say, and think) can help to influence how you build your world to suit their expectations, tastes and interests.

Welcome to D&D and to ENWorld! Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

 

[vagabundo]

Yey!! Welcome, DND is one of the best things ever invented.

If you're going to DM you'll have to be a storyteller, referee and herd of cat's - the players being the cats.

Anyway, I second the advice above, dont worry about world building right now too much. Focus on a few NPC's and focus on the Fun. It will take you many, many sessions to get the rules and flow of the game - I've been DMing for 15 years or more and I still feel like a novice sometimes - so focus on the fun right now and dont worry too much about the rules.

Getting the players to come back regularly will be your goal and you having fun in the process, obviously.
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Your solo game is a good idea, but use it to experiment with the combat rules and telling a story. Having him talk to come NPCs at a bar, explore a small dungeon and find a trap, throw some monsters at him, run a quick skill challenge to disarm the trap, thrown more monsters (4 minions this time). Have him get killed by a young solo dragon boss. Have him wake in the local temple.

Anyway, good luck and post back with how your sessions go.

 

[weem]

Welcome to the game, and grats!

It reminds me of what someone said in the movie "The Game" (not RPG related) when he said, "I wish I could go back and do it again, for the first time".

My greatest memories (like others I know) are from those first games, discovering what this game is all about. To this day, some 21 years later it is the best form of entertainment for me and my friends. I have a blast every time.

Ok, haha, with that out of the way...

I have run a few solo campaigns, but they were back in 2e and earlier. There won't be a steadfast rule(s) to follow for it, you will just have to consider what has been said above regarding one on one fights, or fighting multiple but much weaker opponents. And remember, you can fudge results if need be in these early games (well, not just these first games but ESPECIALLY these ones) in order to lighten things up a bit. It's more important the player survives and moves on so you get the feel of the game and so it does not become frustrating.

I would also suggest keeping the game in or near town... where help is available nearby. I'm not sure if the other person is new to the game or not, but you could consider them running 2 characters (if they are experienced) or you (if you are feeling up to the challenge) could run an NPC with the player.

Anyway, those are just some quick notes. Most importantly though is to have fun - stay relaxed and keep the game flowing smoothly - don't get hung up on the rules right away - use time between games to get to know them better and better.

Ok, one small plug... if you are looking for inspiration or ideas for a game/monster/etc, hit up my site below

Have fun!

 

[Thunderfoot]

I second all of the above advice.

As a first timer, try not to bite off more than you can chew. Follow the KISS method (keep it simple stupid) until you really have a firm foundation and grasp of the concepts to build on. Other than that, welcome to ENworld and the Dungeon Mastering Brotherhood (also known as DuMB). We're here, why not you?