Swinging for the Big Leagues now, are you?
If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably been around the ol’ D&D block a few times before. You’re certainly no “omg I just watched Stranger Things” noob. You’ve been slaying goblins and rolling dice before Hollywood told you it was cool. But now you want to take the next step up the D&D hierarchy. You’re sick of playing a character. Now you want to play GOD. You are going to step into the mantle of the fabled Dungeon Master. The world shall be yours to control. And the adventuring party shall bow to your might.
But you don’t know the first thing about actually CREATING a campaign. So if you need help, we’ve got you covered. Just follow this list.
Make Up A Setting
Let your imagination run wild! What is the state of your world? What is the geography? What is its history? What wars were fought? What archdemons were sealed away in ages of yore? Where do all the halflings live? What are the parties like? Is your world dark and brutal? Or is it teeming with fae magic and mystery? You decide. Think about cultures, conflicts, and THEMES that will shape your world. Get cartographical! Get political! Get fantastical! Get out of your own way! And listen, if this is too daunting, just use an existing world like the Wizards of the Coast-created Forgotten Realms as a a template!
Outline The Plot
Long ago … the four nations lived together in harmony. Then … everything changed when the halflings attacked. That’s a story right there! Maybe the world is controlled by a brutal and despotic halfling empire, and only one plucky group of adventurers can stop it. Maybe you live in a complicated world ruled by warring wizard clans constantly jockeying for power and hiring mercenary armies, and your adventurers must stabilize the realm. Maybe a long sealed away demon is awakening due to the meddling of a fanatical cult, and your adventurers are the only ones who can stop them! Maybe you live in a world where everyone is a Bard! And your party is working to become the #1 Bard supergroup on D&D radio. I don’t know! Just make sure you’ve got a GOOD VILLAIN and go from there!
Create Key Locations
Cities! Dungeons! Towering dick-shaped landmarks! I dunno! Where is power concentrated? Who lives there? Why is it so close to an active volcano? What’s in that dark forest? Why is there a portal to another dimension in the bathroom of the tavern? Think about how these places tie into the campaign’s plot, as well as the challenges and LOOT they offer.
Design Nonplayer Characters
Get ready to put on a lot of different voices, because you have to play EVERYONE in the world who isn’t in your players’ adventuring party. Think about the jolly one-eyed half-elf matron who runs the inn. Think about the despotic orc king who lusts for power and the evil human wizard pouring false promises into his ear. Think about Gribgar the goblin who runs the fruit stand. You need to design allies, adversaries, and TONS of neutral characters for your players to befriend, seduce, and murder. Make sure they relate to the plot, but don’t be surprised when your party’s chatty Bard wants to talk to EVERYONE and starts asking Gribgar about his dad. You’ll never be fully prepared to answer everything, so be ready to make things up on the spot.
Prepare Encounters
Provide a challenge! Skeleton orcs ambushes! Political assassinations! Karaoke nights at the tavern! Make sure your encounters provide a healthy mix of combat, puzzles, social interaction, and exploration. Make extra sure that your characters CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE the things you throw at them. DON’T have an Ancient Dragon attack the kingdom and expect your level 3 party to defend the realm. They will die. DO have low-level Gribgar try to assassinate your Bard in his sleep, but make sure the other party members are there to defend him!
Integrate Player Characters Into The Main Plot
It’s good to come with a rough idea of the story you want to tell, but you can’t FULLY shape your world until you KNOW the player characters. Maybe one of them is Gribar’s ex? Maybe one of them is distantly related to the order of wizards that sealed the ancient demon long ago? Maybe one of them is looking for their missing sister who JUST SO HAPPENS to have been converted into the cult that you designed to be the main antagonists of the story. Your REAL objective here is to tell the stories of the PLAYERS, and not your own.
Improvise!
No matter how hard you plan, your session will fall apart. You will describe a room in a palace with some random books on a shelf, and the nerdy Wizard in your party will become CONVINCED that these useless tomes somehow hold the key to finding Gribgar’s long-lost dad. Rather than try to dissuade your Wizard’s curiosity, throw them a bone! Oh my gods! There’s something written in the margins of one of the books that just so happens to lead your Wizard back on track to the plot that you originally designed! How convenient for both of you!
NOW GO FOR IT!
If this is your first campaign, it won’t be perfect. That’s okay. No campaign is. You might be a little nervous. That’s okay, too. But as long as your remember that your job as DM is to provide a story that is IN SERVICE to the people playing your campaign, you’re gonna be fine. You designed this world, but this is THEIR story, not yours. You are merely facilitating it. So make sure to provide vivid descriptions, challenging encounters, and tons of role-playing opportunities for your plucky adventurer party. And if you REALLY need to get down into the nitty gritty, it’ll help to visit the D&D Beyond website as a resource. Your party has decided to kill Gribgar but you need to know how many hit points goblins have? The website can help.
(Featured image: Wizards of the Coast)
