Is a DM allowed to play the campaign as a normal question?

[proper sage]

Im creating a campaign that i enjoy a lot and i want to dm it but I also want to be a player in it as the campaign is a mix of my likes but is that normal/allowed in dnd?

[severe flame]

It's possible but it does have risks associated with it

What you could consider is writing a pick-a-path adventure and trying to walk through it that way?

[tranquil tinsel]

It's possible, but difficult; you can create a DMPC to accompany the party, but if the DMPC starts resolving problems for the party, the party may grow to resent the DMPC, as it's generally the party's job to solve problems. ^^;

If you want to give this a shot, try running a couple one-shots and practice first.

[proper sage]

so my campaign will have different paths the campaign could lead and my mc will just be omniscient and know everything? kind of like a tour guide?

[proper sage]

whats a dmpc

[warm heron]

stands for Dungeon Master Player Character

[proper sage]

aight

[warm heron]

and yeah, most cases it's risky and difficult because you can get carried away with your own creation (if you saw the honor among thieves movie, the paladin is basically a dmpc who oneshots an entire party of enemies. it's an example of what not to do)

[tranquil tinsel]

This might frustrate players, honestly. Generally there needs to be a fine line between the players and the NPCs around them; the players should be discovering things and solving problems, while the NPCs either present themselves as obstacles (eg: monsters), or as resources (eg: merchants).

[proper sage]

ok

ill just be a normal dm then

[tranquil tinsel]

It's definitely possible to have a DMPC accompany a party and work well in it, but that's a skill that's usually obtained through experience.

[proper sage]

i would be a player but my campaign is way to complex for someone other than me to dm

also while were here what does home brew mean

[tranquil tinsel]

Homebrew means mechanics and content generally designed by hobbyists and players to alter the game. This can include things like adding new player species, subclasses, magical items, and so forth. In the case of a DM, it usually means making up their own world, gods, factions, et cetera.

First-Party: Content officially released by Wizards of the Coast for use with the game, like the Player's Handbook or Dungeon of the Mad Mage.
Third-Party: Content officially licensed by Wizards of the Coast, but not made by them; stuff from Kobold Press and similar companies would classify here.
Homebrew: Your friend doug wants to play a kitsune and found some guy™️ who made a playable kitsune.

[severe flame]

...I feel called out again. 😂

granted, mine is more flavored than a real race xD

[proper sage]

do i need to comission someone to make work for my comission like artwork for classes or can i solo it

[tranquil tinsel]

lmao homebrew is awesome and you're doing fine. 😉

[severe flame]

by no means, that's all bonus stuff syl

[proper sage]

yeah my campaign will be completely homebrewed, for campaigns are you allowed to change the general rules of dnd? I want to make a new AC system specifically for my campaign

[severe flame]

When I'm a GM, what am I looking for when I need a map? I need a map. I don't need the Mona Lisa of maps, I need a map.

[tranquil tinsel]

You can make up your own stuff as you see fit. You don't have to commission anything. I would highly suggest looking up some example gameplay from tables like Critical Role or Dimension 20 if you'd like to see the game in action with homebrew.

[proper sage]

ok

[tranquil tinsel]

Messing with the game's mechanics without much experience in running the game is ill-advised, as there's a lot of interlocking systems; changing things can cause unintended side-effects.

You can, of course. It's your game. But I highly recommend maybe running an official module like Dungeon of the Mad Mage first, or making a one-shot and testing your changes to see how they work before committing to a whole campaign with them.

[proper sage]

ok

how long do campaigns normally last

because idk how long mine would last but i could see it upwards of 6 months to a year

[tranquil tinsel]

Can vary wildly from group to group, based heavily on the content within. Some groups wrap up their campaigns in 3 months; others might play for 3 years. I knew a DM who ran a 10 year long campaign. It really varies.

[proper sage]

btw nilum are you a dm or a player

[tranquil tinsel]

I DM two games on Sundays & Thursdays and play in a game on Fridays.

[proper sage]

ok

maybe wanna join my campaign when i finish it or nah

also another question

[tranquil tinsel]

I likely won't have the free time, but I'm delighted you offered. Don't worry, there's lots of players who are seeking games all the time.

Ask as many questions as you'd like.

[proper sage]

where do dm's normally write out their storyline and events and stuff? on like a goog doc?

[tranquil tinsel]

Can be a google doc. There are also various dedicated tools to help people organize their worlds and thoughts, like WorldAnvil, if that's more your fancy.

I just use IRL Notepads and libre office docs but I've been doing this for nearly 20 years, so, I'm kinda crazy. lol.

[proper sage]

is there a website where i can create custom races and clases to assist my players in creating their dnd character's or no

[tranquil tinsel]

You can use D&D Beyond and input homebrew on their sheets. Alternatively, Roll20's VTT sheets allow you to homebrew anything and store entries as notes within the VTT itself. There's also homebrewry to make your own D&D-formatted PDFs. Tons of options, really.

WorldAnvil can also be used to store custom stuff, if you decide to use it.

[proper sage]

im trying to make a worldanvil acount it says my email is already used but ive never seen it in my life

[tranquil tinsel]

Might mean your email account has been compromised in the past.

[proper sage]

rip

is it normal for a dm to put all their campaign info on like a g-doc

[tranquil tinsel]

As mentioned before, sometimes.

[proper sage]

oki

how long did it take you to make your campaigns

[tranquil tinsel]

I've made several campaigns in the past. Some took just a week, others took longer. The current campaign I'm running on Sundays & Thursdays took about 6-8 months to put together, when I had free time.

[proper sage]

what is expanded Rules + legacy

[tranquil tinsel]

I don't have enough context to answer. ^^;

[proper sage]

on dnd beyong character creation "sources" tab

[tranquil tinsel]

Legacy means outdated rules; expanded means extra stuff. Not sure how much extra stuff, I haven't used D&D Beyond in a long time.

[proper sage]

what website do you typically use

[tranquil tinsel]

I typically use Roll20 for a virtual tabletop, as well as its sheets. :) I also use libre office to store notes on my computer about things like scripts, and have a discord server where I store player-facing information.

A variety of tools, really, depending on what I need specifically at the moment.

[undone fiber]

I would be a player but my campaign is way to complex for someone other than me to dm

There are a few warning bells here I'm sensing.

[proper sage]

what is dnd 5e

[proper sage]

wdym

[undone fiber]

If you're new to the game, trying to homebrew the system at it's very core, and making a campaign setting that's "too complex for someone other than you" to run, that sounds like you might be biting off more than you can chew.

[proper sage]

ehh i probably am

[tranquil tinsel]

D&D 5e is the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons. I would highly recommend watching some Critical Role or Dimension 20 on YouTube at this point to see an example of how it works in play. ^^;

I'd also recommend looking up how-to guides in general. I can suggest a few, but we do have a #first-time-dming & #helpful-links channels filled with resources I encourage you to look at.

[undone fiber]

Remember, D&D (and TTRPGs, in general) is generally a hobby that you're in for a marathon, not a sprint; best not to expend too much energy, lest you burnout mid-campaign.

Unless it's a one-shot, then sprint.

[dire harbor]

Biting off more than you can chew is also a one way ticket to burning yourself out, and/or stressing yourself out HEAVILY, as this can often lead to the DM needing breaks more often, or loosing motivation for it entirely!

One thing you have to concider when dming is your own limits as well

[undone fiber]

Generally, you can make one in like a day. The trick is you don't really have to plot anything long term.

Just come up with a thoroughline that connects all the adventures together, flimsy as it may be.

[dire harbor]

^

[undone fiber]

And there's an easy thoroughline that's always dangling to be taken: The players are the heroes in every adventure in this campaign.

Then just string small adventures at a time.

You don't have to come up with all the adventures at once. One maybe every 1-3 session will suffice.

[proper sage]

if im a beginer dm should i start out with one shot campaigns?

[undone fiber]

I'd say start with three dungeons, have them scattered about a starter town, and you already have an adventure.

[dire harbor]

I'd recommend that, yeah.

[undone fiber]

You could, but not necessary

[proper sage]

do my first campaigns need to be dungeon crawlers?

[undone fiber]

Just come up with the first few adventurers to frontload and flesh out the location of your starting village, and then just make more stuff as you need later on.

[undone fiber]

No, though those certainly are easiest to work with.

[dire harbor]

^

[undone fiber]

Five rooms, a few monsters, some treasure, done.

[proper sage]

this is for my first one shot right

[undone fiber]

And maybe a blacksmith's daughter to rescue

[undone fiber]

first campaign

[proper sage]

ow oku

[undone fiber]

Though it can also be for the one shot

but you only need one adventure for that.

Campaigns, I'd say make 2-3 to start out, and then make more later on

[proper sage]

when should i start doing the campaign i want to do, the one thats extremely fleshed out

[dire harbor]

When you feel ready to do it. Thats all I can really say.

[proper sage]

oki

[undone fiber]

I'd add that if it's "too complex for anyone else to run it" then you may need to do some serious rethinking

[proper sage]

im not 18 so how can i post a campaign in #dnd-campaigns

[undone fiber]

Because this implies a lot of lore

[proper sage]

it is...

[undone fiber]

lore that your players may or may not care about.

[proper sage]

true

[dire harbor]

oof, lore heavy stuff isn't a fun way to begin DMing.

[undone fiber]

No point talking about the dwarven wars 500 years ago, or the great and glorious kingdom's dynastic line, when your players just wanna smack some goblins and go loot hunting

[proper sage]

aight

do my players need to make a new char for every campaign

[undone fiber]

And if your campaign has a plot that's complicated, your players risk losing the thread when they're like 5 sessions into a side quest for a side quest.

[tranquil tinsel]

If you aren't 18, you can't complete verification and can't post a campaign here. You can try looking on Roll20's LFG feature or similar spaces where under 18's can apply to games. ^^;

[proper sage]

oki

[tranquil tinsel]

You can still stay on the server and ask questions, of course, just can't create/join games here.

[undone fiber]

This is best practice

You can allow recycling old PC's but they may come with baggage from their previous campaigns and canon headspaces that your game may not be able to accommodate.

[proper sage]

if my campaign is just a normal non homebrew campaign will i need to assist my players in creating their characters

[dire harbor]

thats a DMs choice, most will need to make a new char, unless the campaigns line up.

For example: A campain that takes the players from lvl 1 to lvl 10 then a campain that takes characters from lvl 10 to lvl 20, but are like a continuation of the first campain.

.

[undone fiber]

If you have any non-standard rules that do not appear in the official 5e books, then state those rules

Otherwise, you can more or less leave them alone

[proper sage]

ok

[undone fiber]

maybe help them if they're new to creation

[dire harbor]

i just realized i forgot the g in every. single one of the campaigns except one.

[proper sage]

lol just realised too

[dire harbor]

lol m'bad-

[proper sage]

should a beginner to dnd be dming or no

ive only been in two campaigns, both in summer camps

[undone fiber]

pencil, graph paper. It worked for the OG D&D games in the 1970s, it's not gonna break its streak anytime soon.

[proper sage]

oki

[undone fiber]

Best to play a few games to get a feel for the game's progression, but it is possible to start as DM.

It's a skill, though, that not everyone has.

[proper sage]

ok, should i try the campaigns in this server or other servers

[dire harbor]

That one, i'm not 100% sure, as I personally had gotten some experience as a dnd player before dming. However I do have a friend who jumped right into Dming without playing a single game as a player. They personally didn't like they did that, as it confused them.

[undone fiber]

They have two campaigns under their belt, I suppose that's enough to know the basic rules

And also how powerful PC's and monsters generally feel

[proper sage]

one in 2023 and one this year

both were dmed by teachers so they knew what they were doing

i did a lvl 10 and another lvl i forgot

[tawdry sigil]

My take on this is start simple. With the DM using a DMPC as a novice I would utilize something like this.....Have the campaign start with the party hired to assist the Captian of the CIty Guard(DMPC) investigate why there are undead starting to show up in the cemetery. Having some minor encounters on the surface with skeletons/zombies/ghouls, and 3-4 tombs/catacombs. If it goes well you can expand on that easily to make a major campaign. The nice thing about that is that if a player leaves/starts it is easy to adjust by breaking it up into segments similarly to a bunch of interconnected small modules/one shots.