Inti Navia 
Have you seen “Honor Among Thieves”? Wanna run your own Dungeons and Dragons game with your friends? Here’s 10 things you need to know:
*Know your limits. If this is your first time running a campaign, make sure to design easy encounters not only for your players, but for yourself.
*Give your players things to do. You don’t want the campaign to be just you telling them a story. Make them fight monsters. Solve puzzles. Avoid traps. Even when there’s areas without that stuff, make them able to ask NPC’s (non-playable characters) questions.
*This is their story as much as yours. Jumping off of the last tip, keep in mind that your players want to interact with your world. They want their characters to grow, able to influence people and things around them. This isn’t your book that you’re reading to them, this is a platform for your players to play with.
*Keep it simple. You don’t need dozens of books and figurines. They’re cool, but you don’t need them to have fun. The bare minimum is the “Player’s Handbook,” “Monster Manual,” and “Dungeon Master’s Guide.” Even then, most of that stuff you can find online for free. Don’t pressure yourself into spending money you don’t need. Ultimately, this game’s greatest tool is the imagination.
*Rules are flexible. Don’t get too caught up with the endless rules for gameplay, spells, character building, etc. If your player wants to do something that’s technically not in the game, but it would be really, really cool, and doesn’t break the game too much, let them do it! The best experiences are ones that are lighthearted.
*There’s more than one path. Give your players more than one mission or quest to explore. It makes them feel like they have choices throughout the story, and conveniently provides a bit of filler for you so you don’t finish the campaign too fast.
*Motivate your players. Give your players rewards throughout their journey. Keep them motivated to explore new areas and fight new enemies. You might choose to grant them XP from vanquished foes, give them a magical amulet at the bottom of a lake, or a chest full of gold in a hidden chamber.
*Give your world life. Make your NPC’s grumpy, sad, and funny. Make them feel like they could be a player themselves. So when one of them betrays the party, or makes the ultimate sacrifice, or even joins the players on their travels, your friends will laugh, cry, or cheer. Make the world something other than just endless evil monsters.
*Your players’ stories matter. Try to incorporate the backstory of your players’ characters into the campaign in some way. It makes the story feel more personal to them, and naturally makes them feel more invested, since it involves them way more.
*Have fun. This is the most important part of any Dungeons and Dragons game. Just have fun! It’s meant to be a fun experience, so make it one. You won’t regret it.
Give these tricks and tips and a shot! You might just have an amazing adventure on your hands.
By Inti Navia, Senior, ChiArts
All Platforms: @intinavia
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