A Beginner-Friendly Introduction to D&D 5E

About the adventure

I will be largely using the starting adventure, The Dragon of Icespire Peak, from the Essentials Kit, though I'll be including new twists and mysteries, so don't worry if you've played it before! This game is open to all types and all ages, and as such some parts of the experience may be altered to better accommodate whoever decides to join. Additionally, this adventure will serve to give any new players a hands-on introduction to playing D&D 5E. The game itself will take place in the Sword Coast, one of the regions in Wizards of the Coast's primary setting for D&D 5E, and will follow the story of people starting from humble beginnings to become something more. Mystery, danger and wonder all await them, as do sinister villains that plot their downfall. More specific notes such as tone and theme will be discussed with the players when the game starts, to make sure that everyone is on board for the experience. The last thing I want is for someone's tragic, dramatic hero to unknowningly be thrust into a world of gags and goofs, for example.

Additional Details

How to prepare

Players will need a Roll20 account, but a subscription is not needed, the free account will be fine. Players will need to download Discord and have an account for it, as that's how I will organize the game and how we will communicate primarily. I would like if players at least skim through the Player's Handbook, though it's totally fine if someone is completely new.

What I provide

Maps and whatnot will be used in Roll20, and I will handle making and finding those. If the players are willing to help with the price of commission, I can commission artwork of the party and send it to each of the players at the end of the game.

Gameplay details

The gameplay will feature a healthy balance of strategy, exploration, roleplay, battle, and levity inbetween. One of my favorite things is to establish strong moods and tones with setpieces, dialogue, and music. I generally engage players at whatever level of detail or facet of the world they find the most interest in. A particularly bloodthirsty party might cleave through hordes of monsters to claim their treasure, while the more methodical and investigative group might find a mystery to solve. I still aim to give a varied experience, but I will lean most heavily on the aspects of the game that the players want to engage with.

Content warnings

(none)

Safety tools used

(none)

How will character creation work

I intend for the players to create the characters in Roll20, while I can attend to both see the character and offer help. Players are free to create them together, but I just ask that I am there to see it. This will both help with things like personality and backstory, as well as allow me to help any new players with character creation. If players have characters already created, I will be happy to work with them so that I can gain a better understanding of them, as well as workshop anything before the game. Characters will start at level 1.

Players can expect

• Find a game to join solo or search for a professional game master for you and your friends/coworkers/family.
• Book your session and wait for the Game Master to approve you.
• If you don't have a blast with your first game, your next game is on us.