How to run session zero and make characters for LMoP - D&D 5th Edition Starter Set Guide 1

Summary

The video script is a comprehensive guide for Dungeon Masters looking to enhance the 'Lost Mines of Phandelver' campaign. It emphasizes customization to better suit players and DMs, suggesting changes like making the Black Spider a recurring female villain and simplifying NPC interactions. The script advocates for a session zero to establish character backstories and create a cohesive party with ties to Gundren Rockseeker. It also introduces the concept of 'special player moments' and provides a prologue to set the stage for the campaign, encouraging DMs to personalize the module for a more engaging experience.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The Lost Mines of Phandelver is a great teaching tool for both Dungeon Masters and players, offering a complete Dungeons & Dragons experience in a compact format.
• 🎓 The campaign is designed to be accessible for new Dungeon Masters and players, starting with simple mechanics and expanding as the story progresses.
• ⏱️ The campaign is time-efficient, aiming to be completed in about seven sessions, making it suitable for players with limited availability.
• 🔍 The script suggests customizing the campaign to better suit the Dungeon Master's style and the players' preferences, rather than strictly adhering to the pre-written module.
• 👥 The Black Spider is proposed to be a recurring female villain, providing a more personal connection and a variety of character roles.
• 📜 The town of Phandelver is re-themed to resemble a spaghetti western, enhancing the sense of lawlessness and frontier town atmosphere.
• 🎭 The script encourages simplifying the narrative by combining or cutting non-essential NPCs to streamline the campaign and reduce the Dungeon Master's workload.
• 🛡️ Encounters are to be rebalanced and rearranged to ensure they are engaging and fun, removing those that don't contribute to the overall enjoyment.
• 🌳 The Thundertree storyline is suggested to be removed due to its irrelevance to the main campaign, although an optional guide for including it may be provided if there's interest.
• 🎉 'Special player moments' are introduced, where each character gets a unique, personalized moment in the story, enhancing player engagement and satisfaction.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video series mentioned in the script?

The main purpose of the video series is to help Dungeon Masters customize and improve the 'Lost Mines of Phandelver' campaign, making it more relevant and enjoyable for both the DMs and the players.

Why does the speaker love the 'Lost Mines of Phandelver' starter set?

The speaker loves the 'Lost Mines of Phandelver' starter set because it provides a complete Dungeons & Dragons experience, is designed to teach the game, has a limited play space to prevent overwhelming new players, and expands gradually as the story continues. It also respects the players' time, allowing the campaign to be completed in about seven sessions.

What is the significance of the 'mysterious puzzle box' in the campaign?

The 'mysterious puzzle box' is significant because it is needed by the Black Spider to appease the guardian of the Forge of Spells, which is a key location in the campaign. The players are tasked with retrieving this box, making it a central plot device.

How does the speaker suggest making the Black Spider a more prominent villain?

The speaker suggests making the Black Spider a more prominent villain by making her a woman to add variety to the characters, increasing her interactions with the party, and making her a reoccurring villain. They also suggest giving her a doppelgänger ally named Monteith.

What is the purpose of simplifying Phandelin in the campaign?

The purpose of simplifying Phandelin is to control the pacing of the campaign, reduce the Dungeon Master's mental load, and maintain the players' engagement without them noticing the difference in complexity.

Why does the speaker recommend cutting the Thundertree storyline?

The speaker recommends cutting the Thundertree storyline because it is not relevant to the overall campaign story, and the effort to make it relevant does not significantly improve the story.

What are 'special player moments' and why are they important?

'Special player moments' are opportunities for each character to have a moment in the story that is specific to their character, such as an important NPC from their past or an important item. They are important because they make the campaign more personalized and engaging for the players.

How does the speaker suggest using the pre-generated characters for new players?

The speaker suggests using the pre-generated characters for new players to avoid the un-fun task of filling out character sheets at the start of the campaign. They recommend ignoring the background and role-playing information and focusing on the character's numbers.

What is the role of Gundren Rockseeker in tying the party together?

Gundren Rockseeker's role is to serve as a common connection for the party, helping to establish a cohesive group with ties to the campaign. The Dungeon Master should use Gundren to steer the party away from problematic decisions and towards creating a group that cares about his character when he goes missing.

What is the homework given to the viewers at the end of the script?

The homework given to the viewers includes finding friends to play D&D with, reading the campaign book cover-to-cover, and working out the voices for the characters the Dungeon Master will portray.