Session Zero for New DMs: The Complete Guide
If you’re preparing to run your first D&D campaign and wondering what a session zero guide actually involves, you’re already ahead of most new DMs. Running a session zero for new DMs isn’t an optional nicety—it’s the foundation that determines whether your campaign thrives or collapses after three sessions due to mismatched expectations nobody discussed.
A D&D session zero checklist transforms a group of people who want to play together into a cohesive party with shared understanding of the game’s tone, content boundaries, house rules, and commitment level. You’re not playing D&D during session zero—you’re building the framework that makes actual play enjoyable for everyone.
This guide walks you through exactly what to cover in session zero, how to facilitate difficult conversations about boundaries and expectations, and what preparations you should complete before your first actual adventure. Whether you’re running for longtime friends or strangers from the internet, these fundamentals ensure everyone starts on the same page.
What Session Zero Actually Is (And Why It Matters)
Before diving into specifics, understand what you’re accomplishing and why skipping this step causes predictable problems.
The Purpose of Session Zero
Session zero is a dedicated meeting before your campaign begins where you establish expectations, create characters collaboratively, discuss content boundaries, and align everyone’s vision for the game. No combat happens. No plot advances. You’re building social contract and practical foundation.
Think of session zero as a construction crew reviewing blueprints before breaking ground. You’re ensuring everyone understands the project, has the right tools, and agrees on what you’re building together. Skipping this step means discovering fundamental disagreements after you’ve already started construction.
Problems Session Zero Prevents
Without session zero, you’ll encounter these predictable campaign-killers:
Tone mismatch: The DM prepared gritty political intrigue. Players expected lighthearted dungeon romps. Nobody has fun because expectations diverged.
Traumatic content surprises: One player has severe spider phobia. The DM’s first encounter features giant spiders. The player is genuinely upset, the DM feels terrible, and everyone’s uncomfortable.
Incompatible character concepts: Three players made lone wolf characters who don’t work together. The party has no reason to stay together and splits after two sessions.
Scheduling conflicts: Nobody discussed availability. Players expect weekly sessions. The DM can only manage monthly. Resentment builds as sessions keep getting postponed.
Rules disagreements: The DM and players have different expectations about house rules, character creation options, or mechanics. Arguments derail sessions as you debate interpretations.
Every one of these problems gets prevented by a thorough session zero. The time invested returns tenfold in smoother gameplay and campaign longevity.
Preparing for Session Zero: What DMs Should Do First
Before gathering everyone, complete these preparations so you can guide conversation productively.
Define Your Campaign Concept (But Stay Flexible)
Know the basic framework you’re proposing: setting, general tone, expected level range, and core conflict or theme. You’re not locking everything down—just providing structure for discussion.
Example: “I’m planning a campaign in a desert kingdom where players are agents investigating a conspiracy. Levels 3-10, mix of investigation and combat, Arabian Nights inspiration. Flexible on specifics based on what characters you want to play.”
This gives players enough information to generate character ideas while leaving room for their input to shape details.
Decide on Character Creation Rules
Before session zero, determine:
- Which sourcebooks are allowed
- Whether you’re using standard array, point buy, or rolling for stats (and which method)
- Starting level (usually 1 or 3 for new campaigns)
- Any races or classes you’re restricting and why
- Starting equipment method
Communicate these rules beforehand so players can prepare questions or proposals. Be willing to discuss restrictions if players make good cases for exceptions.
Consider House Rules You Might Implement
Think about common house rules and which appeal to you:
- Flanking bonuses or alternative mechanics
- Potion drinking as bonus action vs. full action
- Critical hit damage calculation methods
- Death saving throw visibility
- Inspiration usage and awards
You don’t need to decide everything beforehand, but having thought about these topics helps when players ask questions.
Prepare Your Content Boundaries Discussion
Decide how you’ll discuss potentially sensitive content. Will you use formal safety tools (X-Card, Lines and Veils, consent forms) or informal conversation?
Make a list of content that will definitely appear in your campaign so players know what they’re signing up for. Also list content you as DM are uncomfortable running—nobody should feel pressured to narrate content that makes them personally uncomfortable.
The Session Zero Agenda: What to Cover
Here’s a proven structure for session zero that covers everything important without dragging for hours.
Part 1: Introductions and Expectations (20-30 Minutes)
If players don’t all know each other, start with introductions: names, D&D experience level, what they enjoy about tabletop gaming, and what they’re hoping to experience in this campaign.
Then discuss practical logistics:
Schedule and commitment level: How often will you play? What day and time? How long are sessions? What’s your attendance policy—can you play if someone misses, or do you postpone?
Be specific. “We’ll play every other Tuesday, 7 PM to 10 PM. If fewer than three players can make it, we postpone. Otherwise we play.” This clarity prevents future arguments.
Campaign duration: Are you planning a short arc (8-12 sessions), a medium campaign (20-30 sessions), or an open-ended long campaign? Setting expectations about commitment helps players decide if this works for them.
Communication method: How will you handle between-session communication? Discord server? Group text? Email? Where do players ask rules questions or discuss plans?
Part 2: Campaign Pitch and Tone (15-20 Minutes)
Present your campaign concept, emphasizing tone, themes, and the type of play you’re envisioning. Use specific examples rather than vague descriptions.
Instead of “dark and gritty,” say: “Morally complex situations where there are no perfect answers. Villains have understandable motivations. Resources are scarce and the world is dangerous.”
Instead of “heroic fantasy,” say: “You’re larger-than-life heroes fighting clear evil. Epic battles, dramatic moments, and you’ll be saving the world. Expect to feel powerful and accomplish significant victories.”
Then ask players what they’re excited about and what concerns them. Their feedback helps you refine the concept or identify disconnects early.
Part 3: Content Boundaries and Safety Tools (15-20 Minutes)
This conversation feels awkward for new DMs but it’s crucial. Approach it matter-of-factly: “We’re going to discuss content boundaries to make sure everyone’s comfortable and the game is fun for all of us.”
Introduce your chosen safety tool. Common options include:
X-Card: Anyone can tap a physical card or type “X” in chat when something makes them uncomfortable. The scene immediately moves past that content, no questions asked or explanation required.
Lines and Veils: “Lines” are content that won’t appear at all (hard limits). “Veils” are content that can exist in the story but won’t be described in detail (handled with fade-to-black or brief mention).
Open conversation: Simply ask “What content should we avoid?” and discuss as a group. Less structured but works for comfortable groups.
Ask about common sensitive topics: “Are there any topics or content types that would make this game not fun for you?” Give people permission to speak privately with you if they’re not comfortable sharing in the group.
Common topics to address: graphic violence, sexual content, harm to children or animals, mental illness portrayal, specific phobias (spiders, snakes, drowning), slavery, torture, or substance abuse.
Share your own boundaries. As DM, you’re also entitled to limits. “I’m not comfortable narrating sexual content, so that’s off the table for this campaign” is perfectly valid.
Part 4: House Rules and Table Etiquette (15-20 Minutes)
Discuss any house rules you’re implementing and why. Get player input—they might have suggestions or concerns.
Also establish table etiquette:
- Phone usage policy (away entirely, face-down on table, allowed during breaks only)
- Side conversations during play (save for breaks, or allowed if brief)
- Spotlight sharing expectations (some players need reminding to let quieter players speak)
- Food and drinks at the table
- What happens when rules questions arise (quick ruling now, verify later vs. pause to look up)
These small agreements prevent irritation from building into resentment over the campaign.
Part 5: Character Creation Guidance (30-45 Minutes)
Even if players don’t fully create characters during session zero, discuss concepts to ensure party cohesion.
Share character concepts and find connections: Each player describes their basic idea. Then work together finding links between characters.
“My character is a soldier from the desert kingdom.” “Perfect, my merchant character could be from the same city!” “And my cleric served at the temple there—we all have history.”
These connections explain why the party trusts each other and give you relationship hooks for storytelling.
Ensure role coverage: You don’t need perfect party composition, but identify major gaps. If nobody can heal, discuss whether that’s intentional (gritty, resource-scarce campaign) or an oversight.
Align character motivations with campaign: If you’re running a campaign about investigating conspiracies, characters need reasons to investigate. The character who “doesn’t trust anyone and works alone” won’t work. Help players adjust concepts to fit the campaign, or adjust the campaign to fit their concepts.
Set expectations about character death and replacement: How deadly is your game? If a character dies, how will new characters join? Knowing this upfront helps players decide how attached to get.
Part 6: Worldbuilding Collaboration (20-30 Minutes)
Invite players to contribute to worldbuilding through questions:
“What’s one famous location in the desert kingdom? What’s it known for?” Let players create landmarks their characters would know.
“Name a notable NPC from your character’s background—a mentor, rival, family member, or contact.” You’ve just created NPCs with built-in player investment.
“What’s a rumor or legend about the ancient ruins we’ll explore?” Player-generated hooks often inspire better adventures than DM-only creation.
This collaborative approach gives players ownership of the world and provides you with content hooks you know they’ll find interesting.
Part 7: Questions and Next Steps (10-15 Minutes)
Open the floor for any questions about the campaign, rules, expectations, or logistics.
Then establish next steps:
- When is Session 1 (the first actual play session)?
- Should players finish characters before Session 1, or will you complete them together?
- What preparation do players need to do?
- How will you share rules documents, house rules summaries, or world information?
Send a follow-up message after session zero summarizing key decisions: house rules, content boundaries, session schedule, and any homework before Session 1.
Special Considerations for Online vs. In-Person Session Zero
The format changes slightly based on your playing environment.
In-Person Session Zero
Advantages: Easier to read body language, builds stronger initial connections, and players can directly collaborate on character sheets and concepts.
Plan for 2-3 hours if you’re completing full character creation. Provide snacks and drinks. Have extra dice and pencils available. Print any handouts (house rules summary, content boundary tools, world information) for reference.
Consider creating shared documents players can reference: campaign wiki, character relationship map, or house rules sheet.
Online Session Zero
Advantages: Easier to share digital resources, players can type in chat if verbally discussing boundaries feels uncomfortable, and screen sharing helps character creation.
Use video if possible—seeing faces builds connection better than voice-only. Share your screen to show example characters, rules references, or world maps. Use shared documents (Google Docs, Notion) for collaborative note-taking.
Online session zeros often run shorter (90 minutes vs. 2-3 hours in person) because typing and screen sharing are efficient. But schedule extra time if completing character creation together.
Difficult Conversations: How to Handle Disagreements
Session zero sometimes surfaces conflicts. Here’s how to handle them productively.
When Player Expectations Don’t Match Your Campaign
Player wants grimdark gritty gameplay. You’re running heroic high fantasy. Don’t force either side to compromise core vision.
Solution: “I hear that you’re looking for a grittier experience than this campaign will offer. This one’s going to be more heroic and optimistic. Would a different campaign type interest you, or is this not the right fit?”
It’s okay for someone to realize your campaign isn’t what they want. Better to discover this before the campaign starts than have them quietly resent the tone for ten sessions.
When Players Want Conflicting Things
Half the group wants combat-heavy dungeon crawling. Half wants political roleplay and intrigue. These aren’t necessarily incompatible.
Solution: “We can include both. Some sessions will be more combat-focused, others more political. I’ll aim for variety. Does that work for everyone?”
Hybrid campaigns satisfy diverse preferences if you communicate that variety is intentional, not the DM being inconsistent.
When Someone Proposes a Disruptive Character Concept
Player wants to play a character who steals from party members, refuses to cooperate, or deliberately creates conflict within the group.
Solution: “That character would create fun challenges for you but frustration for everyone else. Can we rework the concept to keep the essence while making them a team player?”
Often players propose these concepts thinking they’re interesting, not realizing they’re actually annoying for other players. Redirect rather than forbid: “Instead of stealing from the party, what if your character is a thief who’s reformed and protecting this specific group?”
When Content Boundaries Create Constraints You Find Difficult
A player has trauma around specific content that’s central to your planned campaign. Maybe they have spider phobia and you planned an Underdark campaign featuring spiders heavily.
Solution: You have three options: (1) Modify the campaign to remove that content, (2) Run a different campaign, or (3) Acknowledge this campaign isn’t compatible with that player.
Be gracious: “I totally understand, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Let me think about whether I can remove spiders from this campaign without gutting it. I might propose a different campaign concept that works for everyone.”
Players appreciate DMs who take boundaries seriously, even if it means campaign changes.
Session Zero Checklist: Make Sure You Cover Everything
Use this checklist to ensure you address all crucial topics. Not everything applies to every group, but reviewing the list prevents oversights.
Logistics and Commitment
- Session frequency and day/time
- Session duration (start and hard end time)
- Expected campaign length
- Attendance requirements and makeup policy
- Between-session communication method
- How to handle scheduling conflicts
- Food, drinks, and break expectations
Campaign Details
- Setting and world overview
- Tone and themes
- Starting location and situation
- Expected level range
- Combat-to-roleplay ratio expectations
- Exploration vs. linear adventure balance
- Character death likelihood and replacement process
Character Creation
- Allowed sourcebooks and material
- Starting level
- Ability score generation method
- Restricted or reflavored races/classes and why
- Starting equipment method
- Backstory requirements or guidelines
- Party cohesion expectations
- Role coverage discussion
Rules and Mechanics
- House rules being implemented
- Critical hit/failure handling
- Inspiration system usage
- How rule disputes will be handled
- Multiclassing and feat rules
- Magic item availability expectations
- Resting rules (standard, gritty, etc.)
Safety and Boundaries
- Safety tools being used (X-Card, Lines and Veils, etc.)
- Content that will appear in campaign
- Content that won’t appear (hard limits)
- Content handled off-screen (veils)
- How to raise concerns during play
- DM’s own boundaries
Table Etiquette
- Phone and device usage policy
- Side conversation expectations
- Spotlight sharing (encouraging quieter players)
- Note-taking responsibilities
- When and how to look up rules
- Metagaming boundaries
- How to handle player disagreements
After Session Zero: DM Follow-Up Tasks
Your work doesn’t end when session zero concludes. Complete these follow-up tasks before Session 1.
Document Everything Important
Create a campaign document or message summarizing:
- Session schedule and logistics
- House rules
- Content boundaries
- Character creation guidelines
- Any world information or resources
Share this with the group so everyone has reference material. Update it as rules or expectations change.
Finalize Session 1 Preparation
Now that you know character concepts and what players are excited about, you can tailor your first session to hook them effectively.
If one player is excited about political intrigue, introduce a political NPC. If another loves combat, include an exciting fight. Show players early that their input matters.
Check In With Individual Players If Needed
If anyone seemed uncomfortable during session zero or didn’t speak much, reach out privately. “Hey, wanted to make sure you’re excited about the campaign and comfortable with how things are set up. Any concerns or questions?”
Some players struggle speaking up in groups but will communicate one-on-one.
Create Any Promised Resources
If you said you’d create a house rules document, campaign wiki, or character relationship map, do it before Session 1. Following through on promises builds trust.
Common Session Zero Mistakes New DMs Make
Avoid these pitfalls that undermine session zero effectiveness.
Mistake: Skipping It Entirely
The biggest mistake is thinking session zero is optional. “We’ll just figure it out as we go” leads to preventable problems that derail campaigns.
Even if your group has played together before, different campaigns have different expectations. Always run session zero.
Mistake: Making It Too Long
Session zero shouldn’t exceed 3 hours even if including full character creation. Fatigue sets in and important discussions get rushed at the end.
If you can’t finish character creation in time, send players home with guidelines and complete characters before Session 1.
Mistake: Dominating the Conversation
Session zero requires facilitating, not lecturing. If you’re talking 80% of the time, you’re not learning what players want.
Ask questions. Listen to answers. Adjust plans based on player input. Collaboration matters more than presenting your prepared vision perfectly.
Mistake: Being Vague About Expectations
“We’ll play regularly” doesn’t help. “Every other Tuesday, 7-10 PM, canceling only for emergencies” gives clear expectations.
“The campaign will be kind of dark” is vague. “Expect morally gray choices, PC death is possible, and villains have sympathetic motivations” is specific.
Mistake: Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Content boundaries feel awkward to discuss. Schedule conflicts seem like obvious common sense. Talking about death and consequences feels like assuming the worst.
Have these conversations anyway. Awkward conversation in session zero prevents devastating problems later.
Mistake: Not Following Up
You have great discussions, everyone’s excited, then you never document decisions or send follow-up information. Players forget details or remember different versions.
Always follow up with written summary within 24 hours of session zero.
Session Zero Templates and Resources
You don’t need to reinvent these wheels. Here are proven frameworks to use.
Basic Session Zero Agenda Template
1. Welcome and introductions (10 min)
2. Schedule and logistics (10 min)
3. Campaign pitch and tone (15 min)
4. Safety tools and boundaries (15 min)
5. House rules (10 min)
6. Character concepts and party cohesion (20 min)
7. World collaboration (15 min)
8. Q&A and next steps (10 min)
Adjust timing based on your group size and how much character creation you’re including.
Quick Content Boundaries Questions
If you’re not using formal safety tools, ask these questions:
- “Is there any content that would make this game not fun for you?”
- “Are there any topics we should avoid entirely?”
- “Is there anything you want in the game that we haven’t discussed?”
- “Are you comfortable with PC death being a possibility?”
Then share your own boundaries as DM and establish how players can raise concerns during actual play.
Why Session Zero Determines Campaign Success
After running dozens of campaigns, I can predict with disturbing accuracy which ones will thrive based entirely on session zero quality.
Campaigns with thorough session zeros where everyone aligned expectations, established boundaries, and collaborated on vision almost always succeed. Players feel invested because they contributed to creation. DMs know what players want and can deliver it.
Campaigns that skip session zero or rush through it superficially collapse within 5-10 sessions from accumulated misunderstandings, mismatched expectations, and preventable conflicts.
The time investment—2 to 3 hours before your campaign even starts—returns tenfold in campaign longevity, player satisfaction, and DM confidence. You’re not just discussing logistics. You’re building the foundation for potentially hundreds of hours of shared storytelling.
So schedule your session zero. Prepare the discussion topics. Facilitate the conversations. Document the decisions. Follow up with the summary.
Your campaign’s success depends on it more than your encounter design, your plot twists, or your NPC voices. Session zero is where great campaigns begin—or where doomed ones fail to prevent their inevitable collapse.
Make it count.