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')

  1. Table etiquette & content to avoid
  2. Smoking breaks, booze, food, &c.
  3. DM expectations (narrative combat, world building, no fudged dice rolls)
  4. Any other business

Character Creation (190')

  1. Chose race & class
  2. Rolled for proficiencies (3 best out of 4d6 x5)
  3. Recorded class features and proficiencies
    1. NB: Those last two we started the other way around but switched half way through
  4. Ran through character background (alignment, ideals, bonds, flaws)
  5. Name, height, weight
  6. Chose weapons and equipment from class (warned about (the not exactly strict) weight limits)
  7. Rolled for gold (Xd10)
  8. Brought extra equipment and provisions
  9. Added any trinkets
  10. 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
  11. Wind Down (20')
  12. Next game date
  13. General chat

We're now four years on and the party are still going strong...