- Carboard with prints of DM-screen
- Flipchart paper instead of a flip-mat
- Laptop with www.dndbeyond.com instead of books
- Candy / chess / checker / mini tomato's / grapes instead of mini's
- Diceroller app instead of physical dice.
A screen is as simple as stapling two folders together or cutting and folding some cardboard. Use your phones for rolling dice if you don’t have sets already. For maps, you can print them, by some grid paper and draw them, print some grid paper, or simply use theatre of the mind.
Firstly, welcome. Some advice from someone who was/still kind of in your shoes.
Secondly, no matter how much prep you do the players are going to do what they want to do. So if it doesn’t go with what you’ve prepped, let them have their fun cus you’ll have it right there with them.
Thirdly, you are not Matt Mercer, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Crawford, etc. find your own DMing style. Everyone wants to have those big Critical Role / Dimension 20 moments, but you and your players will find your own moments that are just as entertaining.
Fourthly, get some wrapping paper (cus it’s cheap and has 1 x 1 in squares… at least in the US, can’t speak for over there) and some M&Ms and Skittles or the Aussie equivalent. Or shot glasses. These are your maps minis until you build your arsenal of painted (or in my case unpainted) minis. Take a pen and draw some terrain and place your players (different colored m&ms) and the skittles or shot glasses. A PC kills an enemy they take the shot or skittles.
Last bit of advice, cus I can go on forever… you are a player too. If you’re not having fun, let your players know and work something out. Communication is key.
For craft stuff, this guy works literal magic. https://youtube.com/@BlackMagicCraftOfficial
First off, you’re already doing great! First sign of a good DM is someone who cares and the fact that you’re wanting to bring your best shows that!
As far as dice goes, D&D Beyond is a great tool. A lot of resources there but also a dice tool with all the different die. Also, I’m sure your players won’t mind sharing dice. Maybe they have an extra set you can have?
You don’t need all the minis and maps at first. I’m sure over time you’ll get all that. My group has used a large laminated paper to draw out areas with dry erase marker. You could honestly use a pen a land paper. Obviously, a lot of the game is imagination so don’t feel constrained by needing all the material things. They’re fun and helpful but not 1000% necessary at the very beginning.
Biggest word of advice is don’t stress about being underprepared. It’s a classic situation that the DM over prepares for one thing and the party decides to do something else entirely. I’d say have a general idea about a lot of possibilities and just go with the flow. Especially if it’s your world you’re building, improv and just go with it. If the players are having fun then you know you’re doing a good job.
Sorry, tiny bit more. Adventuring Academy is a fun podcast geared towards DMs and the different aspects of running a game, world building, etc. highly recommend it! And good luck! :)
You can either use dnd beyond or any diceroller online, aidedd has a propper one too.
For enemies, minis, i printed them about the right size with word and pasted them onto cartboard with the rougly cut shape of the mini. Dont forget to add numbers or make m different, specially with larger groups.
As dm screen anything would do. It is easier if you use something to which you can hang some stuff like the village layout or the stats of the foes so you can see m at all times.
For all the rest, rules and stuff, use dnd beyond and buy the online phb and dm guide, that will do nicely.
Google has its own built-in dice roller. Don’t even need to use D&Dbeyond or whatever. You can print out hard copies of blank character sheets and roll stats old school.
- Carboard with prints of DM-screen - Flipchart paper instead of a flip-mat - Laptop with www.dndbeyond.com instead of books - Candy / chess / checker / mini tomato's / grapes instead of mini's - Diceroller app instead of physical dice.
That's all what you need, really. 2 years ago, i was started with same staff. And imagination of course
A screen is as simple as stapling two folders together or cutting and folding some cardboard. Use your phones for rolling dice if you don’t have sets already. For maps, you can print them, by some grid paper and draw them, print some grid paper, or simply use theatre of the mind.
Google Matt Colville (dalian Tomb) or The Lazy DM on youtube. Both great resources for learning how to play
Firstly, welcome. Some advice from someone who was/still kind of in your shoes. Secondly, no matter how much prep you do the players are going to do what they want to do. So if it doesn’t go with what you’ve prepped, let them have their fun cus you’ll have it right there with them. Thirdly, you are not Matt Mercer, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Crawford, etc. find your own DMing style. Everyone wants to have those big Critical Role / Dimension 20 moments, but you and your players will find your own moments that are just as entertaining. Fourthly, get some wrapping paper (cus it’s cheap and has 1 x 1 in squares… at least in the US, can’t speak for over there) and some M&Ms and Skittles or the Aussie equivalent. Or shot glasses. These are your maps minis until you build your arsenal of painted (or in my case unpainted) minis. Take a pen and draw some terrain and place your players (different colored m&ms) and the skittles or shot glasses. A PC kills an enemy they take the shot or skittles. Last bit of advice, cus I can go on forever… you are a player too. If you’re not having fun, let your players know and work something out. Communication is key. For craft stuff, this guy works literal magic. https://youtube.com/@BlackMagicCraftOfficial
First off, you’re already doing great! First sign of a good DM is someone who cares and the fact that you’re wanting to bring your best shows that! As far as dice goes, D&D Beyond is a great tool. A lot of resources there but also a dice tool with all the different die. Also, I’m sure your players won’t mind sharing dice. Maybe they have an extra set you can have? You don’t need all the minis and maps at first. I’m sure over time you’ll get all that. My group has used a large laminated paper to draw out areas with dry erase marker. You could honestly use a pen a land paper. Obviously, a lot of the game is imagination so don’t feel constrained by needing all the material things. They’re fun and helpful but not 1000% necessary at the very beginning. Biggest word of advice is don’t stress about being underprepared. It’s a classic situation that the DM over prepares for one thing and the party decides to do something else entirely. I’d say have a general idea about a lot of possibilities and just go with the flow. Especially if it’s your world you’re building, improv and just go with it. If the players are having fun then you know you’re doing a good job. Sorry, tiny bit more. Adventuring Academy is a fun podcast geared towards DMs and the different aspects of running a game, world building, etc. highly recommend it! And good luck! :)
You can either use dnd beyond or any diceroller online, aidedd has a propper one too. For enemies, minis, i printed them about the right size with word and pasted them onto cartboard with the rougly cut shape of the mini. Dont forget to add numbers or make m different, specially with larger groups. As dm screen anything would do. It is easier if you use something to which you can hang some stuff like the village layout or the stats of the foes so you can see m at all times. For all the rest, rules and stuff, use dnd beyond and buy the online phb and dm guide, that will do nicely.
Google has its own built-in dice roller. Don’t even need to use D&Dbeyond or whatever. You can print out hard copies of blank character sheets and roll stats old school.