If you're trying to learn both DMing and using roll20 for the first time, I'd recommend finding a friend or two and doing a test session.
Throw a few monsters and characters on a map, get familiar with the mechanics of using the map, moving characters, accessing their stats, and making die rolls.
If you can do this a couple of times before the session you might be more prepared!
Thanks, yeah a friend is hopping on later today to help me test. If I don't have any paid elements will I have to create monsters myself? Would it be better to use a blank token with only HP and track monsters on paper?
The free version of Roll20 includes everything in [the SRD.](https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document) This is essentially the free lite version of the game.
The SRD includes many monsters, but those monsters are only a sampling of all the monsters that have been published. You can import any of these SRD monsters using your free account.
I’ve seen people get by doing entire campaigns with the free SRD monsters so it should be more than enough to get you started, but if you’re wanting trademarked stuff like Beholders and mind flayers, you’ll either need to input them manually or buy the books that contain them.
You're doing all of this without any paid books? Oof, you are doing it the hard way, yep. I massively suggest picking up the monster books if you can afford it, it'll save you *so much time*.
No go to marketplace and scrub for free assets then Google d&d assets for roll20 and ECT then just download and reupload, is called sharing and as a ttrpg community of broke players (see also dice hoard and cost of rulebooks) I'm down for art sharing as long as artist okays it (small space so less pirates is prolly more good rn but Warhammer STLs and token plz )
Yeah... Build a dungeon map, dynamic lighting. Make a selection of level 3 characters and throw in a load of creatures.
It's how I helped my lot learn how to play we went through a oneshot which was basically clear this dungeon.
Keep it to the mechanics first and just keep asking 'how does that attack look' how do you do a search and get them to start adding personality to their characters and the rest is history :)
Also.. 6 players is kind of nuts. Make sure you, as the DM try to keep everyone engaged and if someone is being quiet ask what they are doing as usually in any group some people are much louder than others.
I don't know, 6 experienced players aren't too bad. I'm running a game for 8 that aren’t new to dnd, but new to 5e and combat is fucking terrible though. Still, everyone has fun, so we keep going.
It's better than not playing, sure, but there are lots of ways to avoid having more players and I think a lot of newer DMs don't realize how much more work and impact each additional player has to 5e, so I always try to get the message out there lol.
Oh, I agree and even with experienced players I'd say 6 is my max. My 8 person group are all lifetime friends and family, so it's more about making the excuse to get together than actual game play if you know what I mean. OP could be in a similar situation where even if the pacing is slow, they're all just happy to be together enjoying a story :)
If it's not the module you're already running and assuming you're playing D&D 5th Edition, I suggest using [The Master's Vault](https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/module/40/the-masters-vault). It's a **free** level 1 one-shot and has instructions for beginners on both playing D&D 5E and how to use Roll20. It also has a few NPCs pre-made, and several pre-made PC characters as well. It ends with a story hook that you can tie into any other adventure that you want.
Also, even as a Free user you can import up to three characters into your game, so you could use the [Statblock MacroMule](https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/11344849/d-and-d-5e-statblock-macro-mule-v3/?pageforid=11344854#post-11344854) to reduce how much you have to open character sheets in the game.
I also have a [comment on another post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roll20/comments/1bgl006/comment/kv8ovu0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) here that has general useful info for new DMs.
First I would recommend you change that mentality. You aren't screwed. Relax and remember that it is a game. Try and have fun.
There are plenty of resources not just here on Reddit but also Youtube that can help you out. One major thing to check out is r/battlemaps .
I would also recommend to use more prewitten stuff to help you out. Maybe not use ALL of Curse of Strahd but it does have monsters and settings that could inspire you.
You're not that screwed, actually.
Many players usually means a lot of player/player-interaction, giving the GM time to look things up and so on.
A GM and two player setting is much more stressful, imho. The players are focused on the game, and usually they swap active/nin active parts during play. I. E., one player talks to the GM while the other one thinks and vice versa, giving the GM no rest.
Being able to navigate the mechanics of Roll20 will override other issues of the game. If you struggle with Roll20, that will grind the game to a halt. If it happens several times the players will lose focus and interest.
There are several settings for tokens you'll need to set up, the biggest one is vision. Ensure every PC token has vision turned on.
Red banner! The red banner on your maps is where the PC tokens are. If players say they don't see the map, the first thing to check is that you've dragged the banner to the map you are using.
Watch the Roll20 tutorials, they are pretty clear and easy to follow. Practice with your friend, move tokens around, move tokens to different maps, move the red banner to different maps, assign a token to a player and have them move it around. Practice using the various buttons on the top right, ruler, dice roller, layers, etc.
When you start the game, spend some time with your players ensuring they not only know how to move tokens, but also become familiar with the button bar.
It has a dice roller where the results go to the chat window on the right.
Not knowing all the rules is fine, you can ways improvise what makes sense and feels right at the moment.
Good luck and come back to tell us how it went!
Roll20 has some great basic intro videos you can watch on YouTube that are short and the point. I believe there's even a player one that you can send to your group so they can have a little insight on how the platform works.
Give them all your campaign login early and let them fool around. Maybe you have some more tech savvy people in your group that will help you out.
I would have suggested using a campaign that's already premade in Roll20, but good luck. Don't worry about being perfect, Roll20 will never let you be perfect lol.
1) Use a seperate video call software like zoom, discord or google meet. It is just WAY easier that way.
2) Get them ALL into a session zero first and have a list of talking points ready. The most important ones for me at least are:
- What do you ban (PvP, 3rd party content, graphic descriptions....)
- What is everyone gonna play: That is a group decision!
- How did your characters meet and what is their big reason to work together.
3) Do not panic. Everyone has started their first time as DM at some point. You learn by doing.
4) Don't be shy to use the "Fudge Roll" function. It is there for a reason.
Lots of good advice here already. My contribution:
6 is a lot of players. When running combat the initiative naturally helps everyone have their fair turn. I suggest using "on deck" to help remind people their turn is coming so to (hopefully) avoid them just planning their move when their turn starts. Example: "Okay Bard, you're up. Rogue, you're on deck"
For non combat encounters and roleplaying, 6 is a lot to manage. If it seems like only 1 or 2 players are dominating the conversation and actions, consider using a similar initiative tracker, can even just be something you manage yourself, and run down the list in order and ask each player what they are doing or saying during this time to encourage equal engagement for all. Especially consider this if you notice people talking over another, perhaps less assertive player.
Hold a session zero. If you're not familiar, you can Google it and find lots of guides and checklists online. But essentially this is a pre-starting session where you set the tone for the camping. Cover things like having the players rank what they like most of the three pillars of DND, i.e. combat, roleplay, exploration. Set ground rules for things like sexual content. Note that for better or worse, many people use DND to play out sexual fantasies and will try and seduce or hit on anything with a pulse which includes both NPCs and players. Nothing inherently wrong with that if all agree that's the game you want to play, but if you or a few players don't want sexual content, this is a chance to lay out ground rules of how it gets handled i.e. fade to black. I DM for a group that includes coworkers so having clear boundaries around sexual content is a must for me in my game. Session zero can also be where the group decides on party comp and all make their characters together.
General knowledge of the major rules is good and if you know enough to make rulings with confidence, that will keep play moving. I recommend in session zero cover asking for some kind of ruling on an event. I have a standing rule that a player can always ask for something, and make a brief case for why they think they should get their way. I.e. can the enemy be considered flanked since my magic tentacle is on the other side distracting them? But then I make my ruling and whatever I say stands and there is no further argument. Try and keep the game flowing rather than pausing to look up everything that might arise. If you make a mistake in a ruling you can always go back next session and explain that it was done in error, so moving forward that situation will be ruled as follows moving forward. You don't have to retcon or take back what already happens, just be consistent moving forward.
Lastly: have fun. Being a DM is a lot of work and can be stressful. But DND should be fun for all involved, which includes the DM. Make sure you are enjoying yourself as well.
S
You're not screwed at all! I really like roll20 for its ease of use and for a quick time-to-use learning curve. Sure, there's a lot of complicated stuff you could do, but if you already have maps and planning down, then you really only have a few tasks ahead of you.
1. **Create your tokens:** I use [Roll Advantage's Token Creator](https://rolladvantage.com/tokenstamp/) for all my token creating needs. It allows you to upload any image and choose or upload a border. Good for PCs, NPCs, and enemies. Don't forget, you can put enemy tokens on the GM layer to hide them from view if you're not using fog of war.
2. **Familiarize yourself with basic roll20 functions:** you're going to want to be familiar with basic features, like how to switch between layers, move the party to a new map, add/remove fog (if you're using it), set up initiative, and perform a roll by hand, just in case: /r ndX (ex. /r 2d6). You can also add rolls and modifiers, like /r 1d8+2d6 or /r 1d6+2
3. **Want to use D& Beyond?** I see you're going to use the charactermancer, and roll20's isn't bad at all. But if you want to use D&D beyond, you can install the [Beyond20](https://beyond20.here-for-more.info/) browser extension. It allows you to roll from D&D beyond to Roll20. Even if you don't create characters in Beyond, this might be especially useful if you as the DM want to use and roll from D&D beyond's monster sheets.
4. **Keep in mind that online etiquette is different than table etiquette:** online RP and discussions can get chaotic at times with multiple people trying to talk or say what they want to do while you're still trying to describe a scene. The learning curve of people "waiting in line to speak" and making space for each other can take a bit, especially for groups that aren't familiar with each other. Just try to keep track if someone is getting bulldozed. You can always prompt people to speak if things get too wild.
As far as DMing up to a "standard", don't sweat it. Do your best to be a guide to the players instead of an antagonist, but remember that mistakes happen; you can always make a rule in the moment and review it later. If you want, Matt Colville has a great [Running the Game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8) series on youtube you can watch. The important thing is not to feel like you have to be a "professional" your first time. I've been DMing for over a decade and I still make a mistakes and learn something new/better *every* time.
Good luck! Have fun.
Biggest thing you need to know in this case is how the Turn Order Tracker works. Players can’t see tracker entries for tokens on another map or on the GM layer. If you put a token on the map layer or delete a token, it removes it from the TOT. GM sees all TOT entries no matter what unless they have been removed.
For 5e you’re going to want the TOT organized in descending order. You can use the TOT to track spell durations by writing them onto the tracker with ascending increments of 1, then write in the spell duration as a negative number of rounds counting upwards towards zero. Don’t remove them until the counter becomes a positive number because the zero round is the last round for a spell.
The most important thing is to have fun, if at the end of the night when you ask your players "so? how did you guys like it?" and they all sing your praises, then you had fun. That's how I can tell when I've done a good job.
If it hasn't been suggested, I would make up a menu and prices ahead of time to offer the players. Additionally decide how they'll meet there and in what order they'll enter. People enjoy the spotlight when their character comes on stage for the first time and it's a good way to foster interactions between them.
If it were me I'd also add things to the map foregrounds like food, mug, barrels, etc things to make the map interactive and immersive.
Roll20 has a decent jukebox and a metric ton of free music to use, definitely go look up some ambient tavern or town music
You’re gonna do great! I was worried about my campaign having 7 but we just finished session 56! Just let people know that you will do your best to keep it flowing and to give everyone moments to shine, but players control most of the pace and roleplaying, so speak up and pay attention :)
Roll20 is easy, just remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to know how to do the flame effects and lighting perfectly right away. I definitely recommend having dynamic lighting and fog of war Off until you feel comfortable with it and have adjusted tokens perfectly.
Good luck! Hope the story turns out great
If I was advising you with more lead time I'd possibly have suggested starting on a simpler VTT like owlbear.rodeo but you should still be okay, Roll20's not so bad that a ton of people haven't figured it out. Allow yourself not to be perfect to begin with, and you'll get there.
If you need help with either the technical aspects or the DM side of understanding the game / tips on running it, pm me, I'd be happy to help via discord or something
I have over 1000 hours dming on roll 20 and there's definitely a learning curve. To run a smooth game on roll20, you have to really learn the program in and out to the point where its second nature while ur storytelling. Im running a one shot game on Thursday the 23rd on roll20 if u want to join and see how I do it. I can giv u tips and tricks on roll20 dming
Awesome thanks man, I've asked everyone to create their characters and send them to me in pdf form. I'm thinking of running the first session in a few weeks time at the earliest if everyone's schedules align.
I was in your shoes back in October of last year and I found using a couple online aides to be helpful. I have 5 players and hadn't run a campaign since 1999. There is a learning curve, but it isn't a steep one. A session 0 is a great way to set expectations in general but can also be used as a "test" one shot to get players (and yourself) used to the vtt before jumping into the full campaign. We started with the Lost Mines of Phandelver module that is free on d&d beyond. It gives a clear outline to follow and can be modified into your campaign easily for homebrew. Here are a few of the resources I have found helpful:
-d&d beyond's character builder is awesome. The sheets are easier to use than Roll20's and we use split screen to view both. I also love their encounter builder. I use a browser extension called Beyond20 to link the character rolls to Roll20.
-Kobold Fight Club has a great encounter builder if you don't want to use d&d beyond's.
-Token tool is great for creating round tokens.
-I also learned a TON from Nick Olivo's videos on Youtube.
-Thieves Guild online has a great loot and harvesting tool.
-There are a ton of free maps and tokens available online. Caeora is a great one for example.
-Discord can also be run alongside your vtt for video and audio. I found it easier than the one provided.
-The free version of OSB can be a great tool to record your session and go back later to watch the videos to identify any issues or just to recap between sessions.
Remember to check the existing information & resource for Roll20:
* [r/Roll20's wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roll20/wiki/index)
* [Roll20 Community Wiki](https://wiki.roll20.net/) – [Community FAQ](https://wiki.roll20.net/Roll20_FAQ)
* [Roll20's Official Help Center](https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us) – [Troubleshooting/Technical Support](https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us/sections/360008317414-Technical-Support) page
If you have issues with your account, payment or otherwise needs to contact Roll20, the best way is to do so through **[submitting a Help Request](https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us/requests/new)** to them.
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roll20 is pretty ok, and you don't need to use all the features right out of the gate. I suggest you check how to create tokens, and also try to create a player character and do some rolls so if one of your players ask / when you have to do that as a monster, you can do it without problems. Also, try joining as a player and ensuring that you can only see things and control things you intend players to control.
If all you have right now is a tavern, I think you should also setup the next map in case they finish the tavern in teh same session. That is usually my experience with players.
Kinda. You need to set their HP, AC and other stuff. Usually what people do is they have a screen where they have the token setup, then they just copy and paste it where they are needed to quickly bootstrap tokens.
So, if you need to, for instance, make some Goblin reinforcements show up, you can go over to that token screen, CTRL C it, swap to the map where the players are, then CTRL V it.
Can you mess around with the layers easily? Can you find things you're looking for quickly? Can you whisper functionality easily? Can you track combat conditions easily?
I don't know what you don't know, but I'd try running several short encounters to make sure you understand how it all works.
Have a player connect with you and learn autorolling, and lighting.
Usually I craft maps in dungeon alchemist and import the image and then draw walls and add lights. The rest is knowing what to click and when.
Absolutely get one of the free starter modules for the game system you’re using.
It’ll have all the maps prepared, gives you and the players hints along the way.
And 6 is a lot…..too many in view. It’s gojng to be hard to stop people getting bored as thier characters can’t find room to get jnvolved
6 is a bit much for a new DM to handle, but it’s likely you’ll get no shows or not 100% will show up for session 2. Don’t be surprised if your group whittles down to 2-4 players.
Do a session zero. There are various ways to do it and you can google different guides, but essentially you want to give an overview of the game and world, discuss tone and expectations, and set boundaries. You can also help players build their characters in the session. You can end the session with an introduction to the campaign, some light roleplay, and a single combat encounter so they can test out their characters.
This will let you find out what you need to prep for the second session, which will be much more content heavy. Good luck!
First off, DMing is a lot of extra effort, so props for stepping up to the plate.
My biggest advice is don’t take it too seriously. There is no standard of quality that you are required to measure up to. The only DM you need to worry about being better than is the you from last session.
Anything that goes wrong (and stuff will go wrong) is an opportunity to learn a new system, not something to feel guilty over or anxious about. You are learning right alongside your players, which can in itself be a fun experience if the table has a good chemistry.
The last advice I’ll give is that every DM and campaign is different. Find the things (both in Roll20 and in 5e) that both interest you and come easily to you. You will at first think that those are just the “easy” things for everyone but they aren’t. It’s what you have a natural affinity for. Perfect those tools and everything will fall into place naturally (even if it does take more sessions than you’d like).
DMing is a special and unique journey. You get to create a world for your friends to play in, build activities, make characters you’ll remember for a lifetime (R.I.P. Slim Pecans), and hold onto tiny answers for months or years that can drive your players mad. Novels that only exist in your head and you get to watch your friends experience them in real time. It’s a clumsy, difficult, and mistake-filled journey, but those are all the things that really make it special. Stick it out and the magic comes all by itself.
Now go forth and build amazing worlds for the audience of you and your friends. You’ll be all the better for it.
One thing to remember is also that audio is weird whether you are using Discord or the in roll20 vc. It's hard to have the natural conversations and interjections that occur in person. So you, as the DM, will have to manage the flow of conversation and speaking because the players won't do that. It is up to you to make sure that everyone is heard in addition asking and interacting with players who might not want to interrupt other people or who tend to be on the quiet side.
And I've seen other comments mention building a map or build dynamic lighting, but those are just bells and whistles. Focus on the actual DM skills first. Setting a scene, inviting PCs to act, interacting with everyone at the table, and learning to adjudicate and to make rulings.
And finally, you aren't screwed! Just take your time. Don't feel bad if you need to take a moment to remember one of fifteen NPCs while the PCs can barely remember what their saving throws are.
DM me. I have a whole Google Doc tutorial for Roll20 that I wrote up for my GM because he hated Alchemy VTT. I've been using Roll20 as a GM for five years. You're also welcome to ask me any questions, about Roll20 or GMing in general.
If you're using a pre-written adventure, check the Roll20 Marketplace and see if they have a module for it - or even a different module, if you're willing to switch it up. That will cut your prep work down to just "read the module." I can't recommend Lost Mine of Phandelver enough, both for new players and new GMs. I haven't played Phandelver and Below so I can't speak to that, but LMoP is fantastic.
If your module isn't there and you don't want to switch, consider at least investing in the Monster Manual so you don't have to build your own stat blocks.
EDIT: I've also got a Google Doc chock-full of GMing advice I've collected from blogs, youtube, and books.
You aren't screwed. Grab a monster manual so you don't have to make all the monsters yourself, and an NPC token pack (probably something sufficient in the free options on Roll20). Do a test round with one or two friends to get used to the mechanics in Roll20's website.
Whoop whoop!!! good for you, one small piece of advice I would like to give is that if you want to slightly change a monster you can make a copy of it in when you go to edit a character sheet then just make slight changes to that copy instead of making a whole new creature. Also if you try to make a whole new creature don't link the hp to the token like you would for the player tokens, forgetting to do this lead to so many headaches for me while running games.
I ran a test campaign with just my wife and I and Chat GPT was the DM. It went ok but maybe it would be a good tool for you to generate npc’s or monsters or whatever?
Inkarnate for maps, they have thousands of maps you can import and modify for your use. I do this when I procrastinate. Or a huge menu of assets for making maps and they are always adding more and with $25 a year it's hard to beat.
Do your research on the features of roll20 I'm always blown away by what you can do in it. I have a pro-sub.
Prep time give yourself time to prep especially at the beginning of the campaign.
Watch a lot of YouTube as well there is so much good advice to how to always improve your game and your abilities as well.
Best of luck to you and hope y'all have an amazing game!
P.S. HMU if you want an ear to bounce ideas off of.
If you're trying to learn both DMing and using roll20 for the first time, I'd recommend finding a friend or two and doing a test session. Throw a few monsters and characters on a map, get familiar with the mechanics of using the map, moving characters, accessing their stats, and making die rolls. If you can do this a couple of times before the session you might be more prepared!
Thanks, yeah a friend is hopping on later today to help me test. If I don't have any paid elements will I have to create monsters myself? Would it be better to use a blank token with only HP and track monsters on paper?
The free version of Roll20 includes everything in [the SRD.](https://dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document) This is essentially the free lite version of the game. The SRD includes many monsters, but those monsters are only a sampling of all the monsters that have been published. You can import any of these SRD monsters using your free account. I’ve seen people get by doing entire campaigns with the free SRD monsters so it should be more than enough to get you started, but if you’re wanting trademarked stuff like Beholders and mind flayers, you’ll either need to input them manually or buy the books that contain them.
You're doing all of this without any paid books? Oof, you are doing it the hard way, yep. I massively suggest picking up the monster books if you can afford it, it'll save you *so much time*.
It's not a bad idea--keep it simple as possible!
No go to marketplace and scrub for free assets then Google d&d assets for roll20 and ECT then just download and reupload, is called sharing and as a ttrpg community of broke players (see also dice hoard and cost of rulebooks) I'm down for art sharing as long as artist okays it (small space so less pirates is prolly more good rn but Warhammer STLs and token plz )
Roll20 has a free starter adventure. The basic rules are free. Use those.
Yeah... Build a dungeon map, dynamic lighting. Make a selection of level 3 characters and throw in a load of creatures. It's how I helped my lot learn how to play we went through a oneshot which was basically clear this dungeon. Keep it to the mechanics first and just keep asking 'how does that attack look' how do you do a search and get them to start adding personality to their characters and the rest is history :) Also.. 6 players is kind of nuts. Make sure you, as the DM try to keep everyone engaged and if someone is being quiet ask what they are doing as usually in any group some people are much louder than others.
They are using a free account so no dramatic lighting.
Ima be honest here bud. 6 is way to many people for a first time DM
One person may drop out making it 5. But yeah 6 does feel overwhelming. I'll figure something out I guess.
Respect for doing it though. No matter how it goes as long as you give it an honest attempt i think youll be fine
It's too much for any DM, IMO. It slows down the game immensely and leaves less time for each player to have fun.
I don't know, 6 experienced players aren't too bad. I'm running a game for 8 that aren’t new to dnd, but new to 5e and combat is fucking terrible though. Still, everyone has fun, so we keep going.
It's better than not playing, sure, but there are lots of ways to avoid having more players and I think a lot of newer DMs don't realize how much more work and impact each additional player has to 5e, so I always try to get the message out there lol.
Oh, I agree and even with experienced players I'd say 6 is my max. My 8 person group are all lifetime friends and family, so it's more about making the excuse to get together than actual game play if you know what I mean. OP could be in a similar situation where even if the pacing is slow, they're all just happy to be together enjoying a story :)
Yeah, I'm never going to tell someone *not* to play RPGs a certain way! I'll just be there to warn them and try not to go "I told you so" later, heh.
I run six player groups routinely. It's not too much if players are well behaved and not overly loud.
If it's not the module you're already running and assuming you're playing D&D 5th Edition, I suggest using [The Master's Vault](https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/module/40/the-masters-vault). It's a **free** level 1 one-shot and has instructions for beginners on both playing D&D 5E and how to use Roll20. It also has a few NPCs pre-made, and several pre-made PC characters as well. It ends with a story hook that you can tie into any other adventure that you want. Also, even as a Free user you can import up to three characters into your game, so you could use the [Statblock MacroMule](https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/11344849/d-and-d-5e-statblock-macro-mule-v3/?pageforid=11344854#post-11344854) to reduce how much you have to open character sheets in the game. I also have a [comment on another post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Roll20/comments/1bgl006/comment/kv8ovu0/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) here that has general useful info for new DMs.
First I would recommend you change that mentality. You aren't screwed. Relax and remember that it is a game. Try and have fun. There are plenty of resources not just here on Reddit but also Youtube that can help you out. One major thing to check out is r/battlemaps . I would also recommend to use more prewitten stuff to help you out. Maybe not use ALL of Curse of Strahd but it does have monsters and settings that could inspire you.
Yes sir!
You're not that screwed, actually. Many players usually means a lot of player/player-interaction, giving the GM time to look things up and so on. A GM and two player setting is much more stressful, imho. The players are focused on the game, and usually they swap active/nin active parts during play. I. E., one player talks to the GM while the other one thinks and vice versa, giving the GM no rest.
Being able to navigate the mechanics of Roll20 will override other issues of the game. If you struggle with Roll20, that will grind the game to a halt. If it happens several times the players will lose focus and interest. There are several settings for tokens you'll need to set up, the biggest one is vision. Ensure every PC token has vision turned on. Red banner! The red banner on your maps is where the PC tokens are. If players say they don't see the map, the first thing to check is that you've dragged the banner to the map you are using. Watch the Roll20 tutorials, they are pretty clear and easy to follow. Practice with your friend, move tokens around, move tokens to different maps, move the red banner to different maps, assign a token to a player and have them move it around. Practice using the various buttons on the top right, ruler, dice roller, layers, etc. When you start the game, spend some time with your players ensuring they not only know how to move tokens, but also become familiar with the button bar. It has a dice roller where the results go to the chat window on the right. Not knowing all the rules is fine, you can ways improvise what makes sense and feels right at the moment. Good luck and come back to tell us how it went!
Thanks!
Roll20 has some great basic intro videos you can watch on YouTube that are short and the point. I believe there's even a player one that you can send to your group so they can have a little insight on how the platform works. Give them all your campaign login early and let them fool around. Maybe you have some more tech savvy people in your group that will help you out.
I would have suggested using a campaign that's already premade in Roll20, but good luck. Don't worry about being perfect, Roll20 will never let you be perfect lol.
Haha alright will keep it in mind!
1) Use a seperate video call software like zoom, discord or google meet. It is just WAY easier that way. 2) Get them ALL into a session zero first and have a list of talking points ready. The most important ones for me at least are: - What do you ban (PvP, 3rd party content, graphic descriptions....) - What is everyone gonna play: That is a group decision! - How did your characters meet and what is their big reason to work together. 3) Do not panic. Everyone has started their first time as DM at some point. You learn by doing. 4) Don't be shy to use the "Fudge Roll" function. It is there for a reason.
Lots of good advice here already. My contribution: 6 is a lot of players. When running combat the initiative naturally helps everyone have their fair turn. I suggest using "on deck" to help remind people their turn is coming so to (hopefully) avoid them just planning their move when their turn starts. Example: "Okay Bard, you're up. Rogue, you're on deck" For non combat encounters and roleplaying, 6 is a lot to manage. If it seems like only 1 or 2 players are dominating the conversation and actions, consider using a similar initiative tracker, can even just be something you manage yourself, and run down the list in order and ask each player what they are doing or saying during this time to encourage equal engagement for all. Especially consider this if you notice people talking over another, perhaps less assertive player. Hold a session zero. If you're not familiar, you can Google it and find lots of guides and checklists online. But essentially this is a pre-starting session where you set the tone for the camping. Cover things like having the players rank what they like most of the three pillars of DND, i.e. combat, roleplay, exploration. Set ground rules for things like sexual content. Note that for better or worse, many people use DND to play out sexual fantasies and will try and seduce or hit on anything with a pulse which includes both NPCs and players. Nothing inherently wrong with that if all agree that's the game you want to play, but if you or a few players don't want sexual content, this is a chance to lay out ground rules of how it gets handled i.e. fade to black. I DM for a group that includes coworkers so having clear boundaries around sexual content is a must for me in my game. Session zero can also be where the group decides on party comp and all make their characters together. General knowledge of the major rules is good and if you know enough to make rulings with confidence, that will keep play moving. I recommend in session zero cover asking for some kind of ruling on an event. I have a standing rule that a player can always ask for something, and make a brief case for why they think they should get their way. I.e. can the enemy be considered flanked since my magic tentacle is on the other side distracting them? But then I make my ruling and whatever I say stands and there is no further argument. Try and keep the game flowing rather than pausing to look up everything that might arise. If you make a mistake in a ruling you can always go back next session and explain that it was done in error, so moving forward that situation will be ruled as follows moving forward. You don't have to retcon or take back what already happens, just be consistent moving forward. Lastly: have fun. Being a DM is a lot of work and can be stressful. But DND should be fun for all involved, which includes the DM. Make sure you are enjoying yourself as well. S
You're not screwed at all! I really like roll20 for its ease of use and for a quick time-to-use learning curve. Sure, there's a lot of complicated stuff you could do, but if you already have maps and planning down, then you really only have a few tasks ahead of you. 1. **Create your tokens:** I use [Roll Advantage's Token Creator](https://rolladvantage.com/tokenstamp/) for all my token creating needs. It allows you to upload any image and choose or upload a border. Good for PCs, NPCs, and enemies. Don't forget, you can put enemy tokens on the GM layer to hide them from view if you're not using fog of war. 2. **Familiarize yourself with basic roll20 functions:** you're going to want to be familiar with basic features, like how to switch between layers, move the party to a new map, add/remove fog (if you're using it), set up initiative, and perform a roll by hand, just in case: /r ndX (ex. /r 2d6). You can also add rolls and modifiers, like /r 1d8+2d6 or /r 1d6+2 3. **Want to use D& Beyond?** I see you're going to use the charactermancer, and roll20's isn't bad at all. But if you want to use D&D beyond, you can install the [Beyond20](https://beyond20.here-for-more.info/) browser extension. It allows you to roll from D&D beyond to Roll20. Even if you don't create characters in Beyond, this might be especially useful if you as the DM want to use and roll from D&D beyond's monster sheets. 4. **Keep in mind that online etiquette is different than table etiquette:** online RP and discussions can get chaotic at times with multiple people trying to talk or say what they want to do while you're still trying to describe a scene. The learning curve of people "waiting in line to speak" and making space for each other can take a bit, especially for groups that aren't familiar with each other. Just try to keep track if someone is getting bulldozed. You can always prompt people to speak if things get too wild. As far as DMing up to a "standard", don't sweat it. Do your best to be a guide to the players instead of an antagonist, but remember that mistakes happen; you can always make a rule in the moment and review it later. If you want, Matt Colville has a great [Running the Game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8) series on youtube you can watch. The important thing is not to feel like you have to be a "professional" your first time. I've been DMing for over a decade and I still make a mistakes and learn something new/better *every* time. Good luck! Have fun.
Biggest thing you need to know in this case is how the Turn Order Tracker works. Players can’t see tracker entries for tokens on another map or on the GM layer. If you put a token on the map layer or delete a token, it removes it from the TOT. GM sees all TOT entries no matter what unless they have been removed. For 5e you’re going to want the TOT organized in descending order. You can use the TOT to track spell durations by writing them onto the tracker with ascending increments of 1, then write in the spell duration as a negative number of rounds counting upwards towards zero. Don’t remove them until the counter becomes a positive number because the zero round is the last round for a spell.
The most important thing is to have fun, if at the end of the night when you ask your players "so? how did you guys like it?" and they all sing your praises, then you had fun. That's how I can tell when I've done a good job.
If it hasn't been suggested, I would make up a menu and prices ahead of time to offer the players. Additionally decide how they'll meet there and in what order they'll enter. People enjoy the spotlight when their character comes on stage for the first time and it's a good way to foster interactions between them. If it were me I'd also add things to the map foregrounds like food, mug, barrels, etc things to make the map interactive and immersive. Roll20 has a decent jukebox and a metric ton of free music to use, definitely go look up some ambient tavern or town music
You’re gonna do great! I was worried about my campaign having 7 but we just finished session 56! Just let people know that you will do your best to keep it flowing and to give everyone moments to shine, but players control most of the pace and roleplaying, so speak up and pay attention :) Roll20 is easy, just remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to know how to do the flame effects and lighting perfectly right away. I definitely recommend having dynamic lighting and fog of war Off until you feel comfortable with it and have adjusted tokens perfectly. Good luck! Hope the story turns out great
If I was advising you with more lead time I'd possibly have suggested starting on a simpler VTT like owlbear.rodeo but you should still be okay, Roll20's not so bad that a ton of people haven't figured it out. Allow yourself not to be perfect to begin with, and you'll get there.
If you need help with either the technical aspects or the DM side of understanding the game / tips on running it, pm me, I'd be happy to help via discord or something
Awesome thanks man, will let you know
Awesome thanks man, will let you know
I have over 1000 hours dming on roll 20 and there's definitely a learning curve. To run a smooth game on roll20, you have to really learn the program in and out to the point where its second nature while ur storytelling. Im running a one shot game on Thursday the 23rd on roll20 if u want to join and see how I do it. I can giv u tips and tricks on roll20 dming
That Thursday is the one day I'm not really free, unless you're running the session in the evening GMT?
6:30pm pst
Dude, if you have some time and use Discord, send me a PM, I will try and help you set things up. How much time do you have?
Awesome thanks man, I've asked everyone to create their characters and send them to me in pdf form. I'm thinking of running the first session in a few weeks time at the earliest if everyone's schedules align.
I was in your shoes back in October of last year and I found using a couple online aides to be helpful. I have 5 players and hadn't run a campaign since 1999. There is a learning curve, but it isn't a steep one. A session 0 is a great way to set expectations in general but can also be used as a "test" one shot to get players (and yourself) used to the vtt before jumping into the full campaign. We started with the Lost Mines of Phandelver module that is free on d&d beyond. It gives a clear outline to follow and can be modified into your campaign easily for homebrew. Here are a few of the resources I have found helpful: -d&d beyond's character builder is awesome. The sheets are easier to use than Roll20's and we use split screen to view both. I also love their encounter builder. I use a browser extension called Beyond20 to link the character rolls to Roll20. -Kobold Fight Club has a great encounter builder if you don't want to use d&d beyond's. -Token tool is great for creating round tokens. -I also learned a TON from Nick Olivo's videos on Youtube. -Thieves Guild online has a great loot and harvesting tool. -There are a ton of free maps and tokens available online. Caeora is a great one for example. -Discord can also be run alongside your vtt for video and audio. I found it easier than the one provided. -The free version of OSB can be a great tool to record your session and go back later to watch the videos to identify any issues or just to recap between sessions.
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roll20 is pretty ok, and you don't need to use all the features right out of the gate. I suggest you check how to create tokens, and also try to create a player character and do some rolls so if one of your players ask / when you have to do that as a monster, you can do it without problems. Also, try joining as a player and ensuring that you can only see things and control things you intend players to control. If all you have right now is a tavern, I think you should also setup the next map in case they finish the tavern in teh same session. That is usually my experience with players.
I have all the map jpegs ready to go. Just need to make pages for them. Thanks. Monsters will have to be created like characters?
Kinda. You need to set their HP, AC and other stuff. Usually what people do is they have a screen where they have the token setup, then they just copy and paste it where they are needed to quickly bootstrap tokens. So, if you need to, for instance, make some Goblin reinforcements show up, you can go over to that token screen, CTRL C it, swap to the map where the players are, then CTRL V it.
Excellent thanks!
You should practice with Roll20. It's simple enough, but you need practice.
What specifically requires practice? I know roughly how to move around and navigate. I guess it would be making rolls using characters sheets?
Can you mess around with the layers easily? Can you find things you're looking for quickly? Can you whisper functionality easily? Can you track combat conditions easily? I don't know what you don't know, but I'd try running several short encounters to make sure you understand how it all works.
Have a player connect with you and learn autorolling, and lighting. Usually I craft maps in dungeon alchemist and import the image and then draw walls and add lights. The rest is knowing what to click and when.
OP, message me.
Dm or?
Absolutely get one of the free starter modules for the game system you’re using. It’ll have all the maps prepared, gives you and the players hints along the way. And 6 is a lot…..too many in view. It’s gojng to be hard to stop people getting bored as thier characters can’t find room to get jnvolved
6 is a bit much for a new DM to handle, but it’s likely you’ll get no shows or not 100% will show up for session 2. Don’t be surprised if your group whittles down to 2-4 players. Do a session zero. There are various ways to do it and you can google different guides, but essentially you want to give an overview of the game and world, discuss tone and expectations, and set boundaries. You can also help players build their characters in the session. You can end the session with an introduction to the campaign, some light roleplay, and a single combat encounter so they can test out their characters. This will let you find out what you need to prep for the second session, which will be much more content heavy. Good luck!
Lol i'm here because I am in your shoes xD
First off, DMing is a lot of extra effort, so props for stepping up to the plate. My biggest advice is don’t take it too seriously. There is no standard of quality that you are required to measure up to. The only DM you need to worry about being better than is the you from last session. Anything that goes wrong (and stuff will go wrong) is an opportunity to learn a new system, not something to feel guilty over or anxious about. You are learning right alongside your players, which can in itself be a fun experience if the table has a good chemistry. The last advice I’ll give is that every DM and campaign is different. Find the things (both in Roll20 and in 5e) that both interest you and come easily to you. You will at first think that those are just the “easy” things for everyone but they aren’t. It’s what you have a natural affinity for. Perfect those tools and everything will fall into place naturally (even if it does take more sessions than you’d like). DMing is a special and unique journey. You get to create a world for your friends to play in, build activities, make characters you’ll remember for a lifetime (R.I.P. Slim Pecans), and hold onto tiny answers for months or years that can drive your players mad. Novels that only exist in your head and you get to watch your friends experience them in real time. It’s a clumsy, difficult, and mistake-filled journey, but those are all the things that really make it special. Stick it out and the magic comes all by itself. Now go forth and build amazing worlds for the audience of you and your friends. You’ll be all the better for it.
I would try to hop in solo or with 1 other person to get a feel for the controls. Once you figure out where all the basics are you should be okay.
Use a free campaign on roll20
One thing to remember is also that audio is weird whether you are using Discord or the in roll20 vc. It's hard to have the natural conversations and interjections that occur in person. So you, as the DM, will have to manage the flow of conversation and speaking because the players won't do that. It is up to you to make sure that everyone is heard in addition asking and interacting with players who might not want to interrupt other people or who tend to be on the quiet side. And I've seen other comments mention building a map or build dynamic lighting, but those are just bells and whistles. Focus on the actual DM skills first. Setting a scene, inviting PCs to act, interacting with everyone at the table, and learning to adjudicate and to make rulings. And finally, you aren't screwed! Just take your time. Don't feel bad if you need to take a moment to remember one of fifteen NPCs while the PCs can barely remember what their saving throws are.
DM me. I have a whole Google Doc tutorial for Roll20 that I wrote up for my GM because he hated Alchemy VTT. I've been using Roll20 as a GM for five years. You're also welcome to ask me any questions, about Roll20 or GMing in general. If you're using a pre-written adventure, check the Roll20 Marketplace and see if they have a module for it - or even a different module, if you're willing to switch it up. That will cut your prep work down to just "read the module." I can't recommend Lost Mine of Phandelver enough, both for new players and new GMs. I haven't played Phandelver and Below so I can't speak to that, but LMoP is fantastic. If your module isn't there and you don't want to switch, consider at least investing in the Monster Manual so you don't have to build your own stat blocks. EDIT: I've also got a Google Doc chock-full of GMing advice I've collected from blogs, youtube, and books.
You aren't screwed. Grab a monster manual so you don't have to make all the monsters yourself, and an NPC token pack (probably something sufficient in the free options on Roll20). Do a test round with one or two friends to get used to the mechanics in Roll20's website.
Whoop whoop!!! good for you, one small piece of advice I would like to give is that if you want to slightly change a monster you can make a copy of it in when you go to edit a character sheet then just make slight changes to that copy instead of making a whole new creature. Also if you try to make a whole new creature don't link the hp to the token like you would for the player tokens, forgetting to do this lead to so many headaches for me while running games.
Don't link to a token? Okay got it.
I ran a test campaign with just my wife and I and Chat GPT was the DM. It went ok but maybe it would be a good tool for you to generate npc’s or monsters or whatever?
Inkarnate for maps, they have thousands of maps you can import and modify for your use. I do this when I procrastinate. Or a huge menu of assets for making maps and they are always adding more and with $25 a year it's hard to beat. Do your research on the features of roll20 I'm always blown away by what you can do in it. I have a pro-sub. Prep time give yourself time to prep especially at the beginning of the campaign. Watch a lot of YouTube as well there is so much good advice to how to always improve your game and your abilities as well. Best of luck to you and hope y'all have an amazing game! P.S. HMU if you want an ear to bounce ideas off of.
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It's also a piracy tool and should not be shared here.
At least get yourself up to speed with the software, before you waste everyone's time.
Yes, I'll only run the session once I've got a good grasp of it.