Dragon of Icespire Peak: A Beginner-Friendly Adventure [2014 5e]

Creating your character

We will create characters during a free session 0, which will include a full walkthrough on how character creation works. Roll20 will be our primary venue, so character sheets will be created there. Any published materials from Wizards of the Coast are fine to work with when looking for species and classes. I highly recommend taking a look at the options before session 0, just to get an idea of the possibilities; D&D Beyond offers a good introduction to character creation if you'd like to get an initial sense of how it works. https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024/creating-a-character?srsltid=AfmBOooCsB0e-TCgBGbQBpyQx_PALxTZLTs1rBqpnauMdrFGRaBQXdB9 I also recommend trying to think of a character that you believe would be motivated to follow the main plot of the module. Consider what might motivate your character to take on a young dragon - do they have a personal vendetta against dragonkind? Are they deeply altruistic and want to help the people of the frontier (and why?) Are they just in it for the rewards, and if so, what do they plan to do with the money? These are just some questions to consider before the first session, so you can jump right into character creation!

Preparing for the session

It can be helpful to look ahead of time to see what species and classes are available to play. We will also be playing over Discord, so please have an account ready to use. I highly recommend a decent pair of headphones to avoid feedback over your computer microphone as well. We will use Roll20 to house our character sheets and make rolls, mostly because it cuts down on a lot of the math involved and I believe this makes the game more streamlined and welcoming for new players. However, you should not need a Roll20 account to participate.

What Maddie brings to the table

When you play with me, you receive: - A GM with a deep understanding of the rules of 5e, who will help familiarize you with the game in a judgement-free environment - A bespoke game complete with immersive roleplay, music, and art - Dynamic combat where players are encouraged to think outside the box and find interesting ways to tackle problems - Unique, custom-made art of your character, created by the GM - Access to a growing Discord server of players who have participated in my games in the past, giving you first dibs on future games hosted by me. This Discord offers a community where you can continue learning about ttrpg, find other people to play with, and maybe even make a game of your own! More details: Before our first true session, I will host a free session 0 to help players develop their characters and build their character sheets. This session will cover not only the mechanical elements of building a character, but also offer some strategies to help think of backstories and goals. Part of my goal is to help players understand how to build a character that sets both them and their DM up for success! After session 0, we will dive into the main game, exploring various mechanics and developing roleplaying skills as we go. I typically stage all non-player character (NPC) interactions as scenes, asking players to communicate directly with characters throughout the world. All NPCs are uniquely voiced by me. I also typically utilize a light level of ambient music through Discord, which allows players to adjust the volume or mute the music if they find it distracting. I also provide committed players with unique custom character art, created by me (with no use of AI). We will use these character pieces for art in Roll20 and for character tokens, and I will send a high-definition version of the piece directly to each player. These pieces are full body, full color depictions of the characters based on their players' descriptions and feedback. Each piece is a $60 value, offered free to anyone who attends three or more sessions (including the session 0).

Homebrew rules

I use Matthew Mercer's potion rules (bonus action to drink, action to feed to someone else).

How Maddie creates a safe table

I will send a link beforehand to a short survey where players can express any concerns they might have or suggest content they would like to avoid. This game should be very light hearted, so I don't anticipate any common triggering material. After the session, I will be available to discuss any questions with the players and make sure everyone leaves in good spirits. I will send out another survey afterwards to ask players what they enjoyed and what they think could have gone better or what they wish they had learned, so that I can improve future sessions.