Plaguescarred
D&D Playtester for WoTC since 2012
Lost Mine of Phandelver in the Starter Set is to me one of the best campaign for new starting DM.
D&D 5E What is the best official campaign to start off with for first-time D&D players?
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
I second Icespire Peak. One of my players just ran it as his second DM attempt and did well.
However, LMoP is also a good starting point.
However, LMoP is also a good starting point.
aco175
Legend
Either one is fine and cheap enough to buy and try, without getting into the hobby for hundreds of dollars. There is also a lot of supplement material on DMsGuild and the free basic rules come with each box and available online.
A point for Icespire is that each quest can be completed and players can go if not for them and new placers can join without disrupting that much. Also with the quests, you have a good place to stop and pick up without bing in the middle of a grand plan.
A point for Icespire is that each quest can be completed and players can go if not for them and new placers can join without disrupting that much. Also with the quests, you have a good place to stop and pick up without bing in the middle of a grand plan.
jgsugden
Legend
As a suggestion: Don't start D&D with D&D.
Players can get hung up on the rules when you start a new group of players that have never played D&D before. They focus on the game mechanics and miss out on the role playing. So, when I start a brand new group, the first thing I like to do is a mechanic light RPG.
I have six Jenga towers. I set one up for each player. Then I tell them, "You're a bunch of friends from a college town that are going to a Cabin in the Woods for the weekend. I want you to write you character's name, 6 words that describe them, and what they want to do at the cabin that weekend." Then I have them introduce themselves to each other, and I ask each of them to write down a secret that their character knows about another character.
Then we roll play through a scenario. Everyone is expecting horror stories, so I usually go with a fire in the woods that blocks off the road. Whenever the player wants to do something that is risky, I have them pull 1, 2 or 3 pieces from their tower. If they adjectives they chose for their PC give them skills that would help, the number of pieces they need to pull is decreased. If they try something risky, it requires more pieces be pulled. Then I set up situations in which teamwork and problem solving can help them succeed where solo work is harder.
This exercise encourages players to get away from the 'which of my abilities can I use' and look at 'how can I interqact with my world and partners' to create more interesting RPG games.
Then I run either LMoP or my homebrew starting adventure that is similar to it.
Players can get hung up on the rules when you start a new group of players that have never played D&D before. They focus on the game mechanics and miss out on the role playing. So, when I start a brand new group, the first thing I like to do is a mechanic light RPG.
I have six Jenga towers. I set one up for each player. Then I tell them, "You're a bunch of friends from a college town that are going to a Cabin in the Woods for the weekend. I want you to write you character's name, 6 words that describe them, and what they want to do at the cabin that weekend." Then I have them introduce themselves to each other, and I ask each of them to write down a secret that their character knows about another character.
Then we roll play through a scenario. Everyone is expecting horror stories, so I usually go with a fire in the woods that blocks off the road. Whenever the player wants to do something that is risky, I have them pull 1, 2 or 3 pieces from their tower. If they adjectives they chose for their PC give them skills that would help, the number of pieces they need to pull is decreased. If they try something risky, it requires more pieces be pulled. Then I set up situations in which teamwork and problem solving can help them succeed where solo work is harder.
This exercise encourages players to get away from the 'which of my abilities can I use' and look at 'how can I interqact with my world and partners' to create more interesting RPG games.
Then I run either LMoP or my homebrew starting adventure that is similar to it.
G
Guest 7034872
Guest
Okay, the following is not an actual recommendation; it is only me passing on what a recent DM for our group said. It was his first time DMing and he was understandably nervous. He said Storm King's Thunder worked well for starting out because its opening chapters are pretty well-scripted before opening up into a great big open-world campaign later on.
I did later read through the module (a-f-t-e-r we'd finished it), and it does seem pretty tightly scripted in those first several chapters; it doesn't take much study for the DM to figure out where they are or where to go next in response to party actions. I also noticed our actual adventure in those parts did deviate from the book a bit, but where he ad-libbed, it seemed pretty easy and natural to do. Be advised, though, that there's a very large middle chapter in which the whole thing becomes a wide-open, "sandbox-y" sort of game. You might be comfortable with that or you might not--just be forewarned it happens.
Even with all of the above, though, I'm inclined to favor Plaguescarred's suggestion just because it's tied to the Starter Set (a good idea for a group that's just beginning): maybe try Phandelver. After all, it's designed as a place for beginners to begin.
I did later read through the module (a-f-t-e-r we'd finished it), and it does seem pretty tightly scripted in those first several chapters; it doesn't take much study for the DM to figure out where they are or where to go next in response to party actions. I also noticed our actual adventure in those parts did deviate from the book a bit, but where he ad-libbed, it seemed pretty easy and natural to do. Be advised, though, that there's a very large middle chapter in which the whole thing becomes a wide-open, "sandbox-y" sort of game. You might be comfortable with that or you might not--just be forewarned it happens.
Even with all of the above, though, I'm inclined to favor Plaguescarred's suggestion just because it's tied to the Starter Set (a good idea for a group that's just beginning): maybe try Phandelver. After all, it's designed as a place for beginners to begin.
Is the DM a first time player too?
If so LMOP and Descent into Avernus are what I would recommend. You could also consider Ghosts of Saltmarsh if you have a good understanding of underwater combat rules.
If the DM is experienced then SKT or Tyranny of Dragons.
The thing is SKT and TOD are probably the best campaigns to introduce to novice players, but they are very difficult for a novice DM. SKT is so wide open you need to be able to flex and ad lib (and do it within the rules). TOD leaves a lot out for the DM to figure out.
LMOP, GOS and DIA are straightforward with few choices for the players. That makes these ideal I think for new DMs to run.
I will say if you are playing LMOP, give the players a bunch of henchmen or friends they meet on the road for the first encounter or make it only 2 Gobilns in the encounter. The first encounter in LMOP is the most difficult encounter in any official campaign I have come across. Against four 1st level characters the Gobins will win this most of the time if they are played well, even with very experienced players. With novice players this is usually going to be a slaughter.
toucanbuzz
No rule is inviolate
Never Played Before: Lost Mines of Phandelver. It has prefab characters with ties to the region so people can just begin gaming, and a wonderful classic experience that's easy to run for DMs with little modification. It caps around 5th level, perfect for new folks. You'll overwhelm gamers if you aim for the stars with a 2 year project of level 20.
Alternatively, Sunless Citadel. I'd still create prefab characters with ties to the adventure so there can be a "spotlight" moment for each character. It's a bit more complex than LMOP and takes a little more DM prep, but it's a memorable and wonderfully done adventure that can whet appetite for a more complex campaign.
Just Need a 1 Session Game: Boneyard on DMGuild. For $3 full, it's a fun idea of adventurers who (in my game) gave up adventuring when one of their own was killed. Each year, they visit that gravesite but this year mysteriously the graveyard is locked tight. In my game for 1st time gamers, I used pregen characters and had the PCs go around the table inventing the story piece by piece of how the tragedy happened. I had a visual of the epitaph and headstone (along with a picture of Kevin Sorbo's Hercules as their friend for giggles), which we filled in as the players made the story up. Took 1 session, roughly 4 hours. For playing, doesn't come with maps (theatre of mind or make up your own graveyard), you have to replace one of the enemies from Lost Mines with Thugs from the Monster Manual, and the gravekeeper should have a reason not to let the PCs in, who are regular customers.
Alternatively, Sunless Citadel. I'd still create prefab characters with ties to the adventure so there can be a "spotlight" moment for each character. It's a bit more complex than LMOP and takes a little more DM prep, but it's a memorable and wonderfully done adventure that can whet appetite for a more complex campaign.
Just Need a 1 Session Game: Boneyard on DMGuild. For $3 full, it's a fun idea of adventurers who (in my game) gave up adventuring when one of their own was killed. Each year, they visit that gravesite but this year mysteriously the graveyard is locked tight. In my game for 1st time gamers, I used pregen characters and had the PCs go around the table inventing the story piece by piece of how the tragedy happened. I had a visual of the epitaph and headstone (along with a picture of Kevin Sorbo's Hercules as their friend for giggles), which we filled in as the players made the story up. Took 1 session, roughly 4 hours. For playing, doesn't come with maps (theatre of mind or make up your own graveyard), you have to replace one of the enemies from Lost Mines with Thugs from the Monster Manual, and the gravekeeper should have a reason not to let the PCs in, who are regular customers.
J.Quondam
CR 1/8
Icespire Peak is a good starting place, especially if neither DM nor players has any D&D experience. It's really straightforward to run.
The main problem, imo, is it has no pregens in the box. However if you do want to skip rolling up characters and get straight to the adventure, there's a preview doc that contains a few pregens:
The main problem, imo, is it has no pregens in the box. However if you do want to skip rolling up characters and get straight to the adventure, there's a preview doc that contains a few pregens:
HaroldTheHobbit
Adventurer
Lost Mine of Phandelver from the first starter set get my vote too. Even more so you have even a little earlier experience as DM. Icespire peak etc is too much video game questy in my opinion, while Phandelver is a real campaign.
From there you can move to continue the campaign by writing your own stuff, which is when DM:ing get really fun!
From there you can move to continue the campaign by writing your own stuff, which is when DM:ing get really fun!
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