DM101: How to Open a Campaign

Welcome to Dungeon Mastering 101, my Dungeon Mastering course based on over 30 years of experience. In this series I will share my failures and successes and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode, I will cover Running the Game: How to Open a Campaign. https://youtube.com/live/byN5-egbWgc Show Notes: Intro Welcome to another DragonLance Saga, Dungeon Mastering 101 episode! It is Palast, Deepkolt the 9th. My name is Adam, and today I am continuing my Dragonlance Gaming series all about Dungeon Mastering. Why do Campaigns Fail Early? Well, most campaigns don’t end — they fade out. Early misalignment is the silent killer for campaigns. The first session sets expectations players will carry for months. This episode is about opening strong before dice ever hit the table. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to this channel, ring the bell, and you can support this channel by becoming a Patron on Patreon, a Member of this YouTube channel, and you can pick up Dragonlance media and get $10 by signing up to StartPlaying.Games, using my affiliate links. All links are in the description below. Discussion Segment 1 — What “Opening a Campaign” Actually Means It’s not just Session OneIt’s the onboarding experience for your tableOpening includes: Session Zerotone and genre alignmentsocial contractcharacter relationships A good opening prevents 80% of future problems Segment 2 — Session Zero That Actually Works Purpose of Session Zero: alignment, not rules lectures What to cover: campaign premise and scopeplaystyle expectations (RP vs combat vs exploration)scheduling and commitment What to avoid: lore dumpsrigid restrictions without context Keep it conversational and collaborative Segment 3 — Setting Tone and Genre Early Tone answers: What kind of story is this?Examples: heroic fantasydark survivalpolitical intrigue Show, don’t tell: opening imageryfirst NPCsearly consequences Tone inconsistency causes player confusion Segment 4 — Safety Tools Without Awkwardness Why safety tools matter: trust creates freedom Common tools: Lines and VeilsX-CardOpen Door policy How to present them: brieflycalmlywithout apology Safety is not censorship — it’s clarity Segment 5 — Creating Party Bonds That Matter The party must have a reason to existAvoid: “you all meet in a tavern” with no glue Tools for bonds: shared historymutual debtscommon enemies Ask players to define connections between characters Segment 6 — Aligning Character Concepts With the Campaign Characters should fit the game, not fight itHelp players: refine backstoriestie goals into the setting Say “yes, but” instead of “no”Alignment prevents spotlight friction later Segment 7 — Ending Session Zero With Momentum Session Zero shouldn’t feel like adminEnd with: a hooka looming problema shared question Players should leave excited, not exhausted Segment 8 — The DM101 Mindset Shift You are not pitching a productYou are building a social experienceA strong opening is about listening as much as talkingCollaboration beats control every time Closing Takeaway Opening a campaign is about trust, tone, and buy-inDo this well, and everything that follows is easierSkip it, and you’ll be fixing problems for months Outro And that’s it for this episode of Dungeon Mastering 101, Running the Game: How to Open a Campaign. Do you have any tips or tricks based on your experience as a player or Dungeon Master? Was I off base on any of my suggestions? Feel free to email me at [e-mail] or leave a comment below. Thank you for tuning in. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to this channel, ring the bell, and you can support this channel by becoming a Patron on Patreon, a Member of this YouTube channel, and you can pick up Dragonlance Gaming materials, using my affiliate link. All links are in the description below. Thank you Creator Patron Aaron Hardy, Developer Patrons Chris Androu & Sam Ruiz, and all of the YouTube Members! This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time Slàinte mhath (slan-ge-var).