D&D 5E New DM needs help

[Caliban]

I’m not new to dnd, but I’m new to DMing, and I’m having trouble finding ideas for a campaign, any advice?

Talk to your players about what kind of game style they would like to play - Dungeon Delves, High Fantasy, Cinematic Fantasy Action Heroes, Political Intrigue, etc.

Then figure out what kind of game you feel comfortable running and ignore all their suggestions...I mean incorporate their preferences as best you can into your own preferred campaign style.

If everyone is mostly interested in kicking down doors and fighting monsters, trying to run a tight political intrigue campaign will probably fall flat. (Although if you mix it up from time to time the players might realize they enjoy the story heavy/RP stuff more than they thought.)

The main point is try to find common ground between what you feel comfortable running and that they want to play so you both enjoy the game and it doesn't feel like a chore for you.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

The entire list is solid, but I want to call out this particular line. Looking at the MM and deciding what a major threat of the campaign is going to be can really help shape your campaign and spark ideas. If you say Sahuagin, chances are you are going to be near water. If you go with Myconids, then that’s even more different. Maybe you’re in the Underdark, but maybe it’s a giant forest aboveground that’s being taken over by fungal growths.

Browse through the Monster Manual & make a list of, say, 15 monsters you'd like to use.

 

[robus]

The entire list is solid, but I want to call out this particular line. Looking at the MM and deciding what a major threat of the campaign is going to be can really help shape your campaign and spark ideas. If you say Sahuagin, chances are you are going to be near water. If you go with Myconids, then that’s even more different. Maybe you’re in the Underdark, but maybe it’s a giant forest aboveground that’s being taken over by fungal growths.

The DMG also has a bunch of tables for generating (or choosing) different kinds of campaigns. The combination of the two should give a bunch of options (too many perhaps? )

Anyway, looking forward to hearing the OPs response to this host of responses...

 

[delericho]

I would second the recommendation of "Lost Mine of Phandelver", especially for a new DM - it has the great advantage that it starts really simple and then gradually opens out as it goes.

A long time ago, I wrote a piece on "How to GM Your First Adventure". Some of it is quite dated now (at the time I was playing 3e extensively), but much of it is still sound (IMO). The biggest takeaway: start small, and don't be afraid to make mistakes - we all do.