New Players
If you don't know anything about D&D or what to expect, start here.
D&D Explained in 5 minutes --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgvHNlgmKro
In a nutshell
We will gather around a table, have drinks and food and pretend to be are characters in a make-believe world. All of this sounds weird and nerdy - and that's because it is. But there is a certain wonder and level of fun and friendship that is unexplainable until you are part of a group like ours. Its hard to put in words, but Janette and I have made some of our BEST long-term friends through D&D. We share stories all the time with one another as if we were actually there in this made-up world. Even though some of these stories span back to when we were stationed in Spain together over 15 years ago, they seem like there just yesterday and bring a warmth to our hearts.
Pictured above is from the campaign I ran while stationed Germany with people who were originally strangers and are now some of my dearest friends. This was in our tiny garage lol...so it was cramped. Luckily we'll have a whole room dedicated to D&D in our house now - which is much larger!
In the end...its just storytelling and living vicariously through your character...but that's just scratching the surface. It can seem overwhelming initially but after the first session or 2, you'll see how easy it is. Then overwhelming becomes fun and core-memory creation, and eventually a level of addiction to this made up world that is incomparable to anything else and now you **have to play D&D for the rest of your life or be in withdrawals....or maybe that's just me.
If you're willing to climb the initial learning curve that comes with delving into this adventure, you will find something on the other side that is magical figuratively and literally. With that being said, below are some good guides and videos that will help you decide the only thing your required to do before Session ZERO - have an idea of what you want to do. That's it! Anything extra is just icing on the cake.
Choosing a Class
Imagine your favorite fiction/fantasy movie/book/game...then think of the character(s) that are part of it. Do any of those sound cool to be - even if they aren't real? That's one of the beauties of D&D is you can be whoever you want. Want to be a Royal Prince who secretly is a zombie-raising necromancer? Cool...lets do it. Want to be a peasant farmer who dresses up like a vigilante at night and fights crime with violence and street justice? Lets do it. Want to be a regular ass person? Perfect, lets do it. The possibilities are endless.
This is a great video breakdown of each of the basic D&D 5e classes --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKIRN2vY2VA - its not all inclusive but its a good starting point.
Choosing a Race
A 'race' in this context is akin to the word 'species'. Humans are a race in D&D for example and are generally well balanced overall for most classes...so if you're unsure on what race to choose for your character, pick a Human.
Here is a good short video breaking down some of the basic races --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCn4-thrkoc
What to expect at Kris's Table
My entire goal and purpose is to create an environment where the maximum level of fun and immersion can be attained. I want my players to go through every possible emotion throughout the tenure of a campaign. Most sessions will be filled with belly-bursting laughter and great times - this has been true for all of our campaigns over the years. Other times, your heart might be racing because something incredible is unfurling in the plot, or a critical story moment is occurring and your hanging on to the edge of your seat as that D20 slowly comes to a stop revealing the fate of someone you care about.
While some people play with solely their imagination and others play entirely online - I do things a bit differently. As a visual learner, I've learned that I like to have physical 'props' that an be used to associate with things that are made up. For example, once you figure out your character - I will 3d print your character into a figurine that you can use to play the entirety of the campaign with. Janette and I, even our kids, enjoy crafting and painting - so we'll create immersive battle scenery, foliage, terrain etc either from 3d printing, foam, wood...whatever. There is usually a physical object on the table that represents every part of the world your character is playing in.
I also like multiple levels of immersion - here is how I approach immersion...
- Narrative - I may open a scene with a narration that describes what your character sees, such as;
You step out of the dense woods into a small clearing. A soft rain falls, and the clouds block out what remains of the setting sun. There is a stillness in the clearing that is almost too quiet to be serene; white noise seems almost entirely absent. The smell of the wet grass fills your noses, but the air has a sourness to it when you take a deeper breath. Something feels...off.
This starts to paint the picture in your mind so you can visualize the scene. To be transparent, this part isn't my strong suit but I try to do the best I can haha.
- Physical table props (Minis, terrain, etc) - In the scene example above, you will see your character (represented by a D&D Miniature or 'mini') amongst your other party member's characters approaching the edge of a clearing. I will have 3d printed (and hopefully painted) trees that represent the forest around you.
These are 3 of my players' 'minis' which I 3d printed and painted standing in a modular cavern that I also 3d printed and painted.
- Lighting - I like to use theatre-like lighting. In the example scene I gave above, it is dusk...there may be 2 different light sources shining upon the props on the table; an orange one and a blue one.
4) Music & Sounds - I like to have music playlists built for each session for upcoming scenarios. About to enter a bustling city, like Solgrim? Well, you'll here the chatter of massive crowds, cathedral bells chiming in the distance, birds cawing from above...whatever it might be, I try to have the proper sounds & music for each scene. Sometimes I will assign this 'duty' to a Party member as a sort of DJ.
- Other Visuals - Sometimes I may use Fog or other things to enhance a scene. I am super excited to delve into new and more dynamic levels of immersion. For Christmas, Derrick bought me one of those projectors to use for D&D to create animated maps and scenes...so I'm super excited to use it for that as well. I also plan on trying new things and see what enhances gameplay further...but you'll have to wait and discover those for yourself.
- Handouts - I am a HUGE fan of using handouts. Lets say you're sifting through a corrupted official's personal belongings and find a wax sealed note from an evil lich...well - that is alarming, isn't it? But image the DM, me in this case, physically handing you a wax sealed note in real life for you to decide what to do with it. Do you break the wax seal and read it? What if it is encrypted with some type of code...now you have to figure out what it says. These are the kind of things I like to do...because I'm a mega fkin nerd - lol.
So even if everyone at the table isn't "roleplaying" their character and you aren't physically in the game...I want you to feel like you are. Like you're there in place of your character. I love doing this kind of stuff and will spend a ridiculous amount of time prepping things, painting, printing stuff, making handouts and props, testing lighting and music playlists...all for you. This is what brings me enjoyment...creation. Creating scenarios and scenes where core memories could potentially unfold and acquaintances can become life-long friends the power of storytelling and immersion.
Janette and I are both super easy going and love to host and play D&D. If you have questions or whatever, don't hesitate! I am super excited to embark on this adventure!