Session Zero
Way back in 2015 I ran my first session of D&D as a Session Zero and my notes went something a little like this:
Introduction (15')
- Table etiquette & content to avoid
- Smoking breaks, booze, food, &c.
- DM expectations (narrative combat, world building, no fudged dice rolls)
- Any other business
Character Creation (190')
- Chose race & class
- Rolled for proficiencies (3 best out of 4d6 x5)
- Recorded class features and proficiencies
- NB: Those last two we started the other way around but switched half way through
- Ran through character background (alignment, ideals, bonds, flaws)
- Name, height, weight
- Chose weapons and equipment from class (warned about (the not exactly strict) weight limits)
- Rolled for gold (Xd10)
- Brought extra equipment and provisions
- Added any trinkets
- Party Back Story Role Play/Prologue (30') - we decided to start in the tavern that one PC's family owned and were met by a secretive stranger that handed them a quest and sent them to meet Gundren to start Lost Mines of Phandelver
- Wind Down (20')
- Next game date
- General chat
We're now four years on and the party are still going strong...