When preparing to start a new Dungeons & Dragons campaign the Dungeon Master often plans twists and surprises for the players, but DMs should worry less about spoilers in Session Zero and more about ensuring players have adequate information. Inexperienced DMs sometimes place too much value on the element of surprise. They might present a campaign as one centered on urban intrigue, only to have the city destroyed early on, and the actual focus of the game is on wilderness survival as the group flees to seek aid. If the DM pitches a campaign where the players are part of an established organization, like Forgotten Realms’ Force Grey or the Purple Dragon Knights, players might prepare extensively to play a character that fits into that group. Having the players become fugitives on the run from their own organization early in the campaign puts such preparation to waste.
Veteran tabletop RPG players know why a DnD Session Zero is vital, and the difference that one session can have in improving all of those that follow. A DM who simply instructs the players to make a level one character is not providing enough information for any sort of campaign. Beyond mechanical questions, like whether point buy is mandated, and which rules sources are allowed, players need to know the setting of the game. Character archetypes and backstories appropriate for an Eberron game can be very different from a Ravenloft campaign, and a homebrew campaign world will require its own explanation. Players also need to know the tone of the game and its expected content, so they can build an appropriate character, while also preparing their own personal expectations for the game.
Hiding A D&D Game's Real Theme Wastes Abilities & Backstories
Setting expectations for one kind of game and running another is a problem for players, not a clever twist. Instead of pulling a bait and switch, a transparent DnD Session Zero can fix problems before they start. If a DM presents a campaign as heavily social in nature, it encourages character builds with Expertise in Charisma-based skills. This also encourages a player mindset wherein social interactions are central to the game. If that DM proceeds to run a game that is mostly a dungeon crawl, where character interactions are few and far between, players’ build choices may be suboptimal, but more importantly, the work they put into planning their characters' social presentation goes to waste.
Conversely, telling players to prepare for a dungeon crawl sets different expectations, as the group may plan around carrying capacity, trap detection, and Darkvision. They may be preparing the stories their characters share while huddled around a fire within a barred chamber in a subterranean dungeon and deciding if their character seeks treasure to fulfill some dream or ambition, or simply for the thrill of braving the unknown. Whatever strange DnD lore the player characters’ backstories may contain, all of it goes to waste if the DM pulls the rug out from under the group. If a game presented as a dungeon crawl in Greyhawk abruptly turns into a plane hopping adventure, any backstory ties to the world or its NPCs become moot.
By removing the element of surprise and presenting it as a shared premise, players can lean into the twists instead of recoiling from them. If the DM explains in Session Zero that the heroes will be pampered nobles who will find themselves learning the harsh truth of the world firsthand, mature players can embrace the fish-out-of-water premise. Foreshadowing that the game will involve planar travel does not mean players will not make backstories, but they might focus more on their characters’ outlook on encountering unfamiliar phenomenon instead of a detailed list of NPC family who will never come up in the game.
DMs Should Properly Convey The Real Tone Of A D&D Game
Locales like DnD’s Feywild plane contain danger and beauty in equal measure, and regardless of the setting, most long-running campaigns will feature some balance of battles, social encounters, investigations, and exploration challenges. It is fine for the DM to present an campaign as one that will showcase a variety of challenges and encourage the players to create a balanced party. They should still do their best to understand their own Dungeon Master style, however, to accurately convey where the focus will lie. Tone is another thing a Session Zero should clearly establish. Some DMs may think presenting a campaign as a light-hearted romp in the vein of Adventure Time, and then swerving to a gritty, dark fantasy epic like Berserk is a quality twist, but it's more likely to lead to an incoherent campaign. If players are given accurate information on tone, they can make appropriate characters to match it, which is crucial for immersion.
The Dungeon Master is not the DnD players’ enemy in any good campaign. The DM should aim to provide adequate challenges and an interesting story that everyone can enjoy together. Stories should always contain unknown elements to keep players interested, but DMs should prioritize transparency so their players can become invested in the campaign instead of being alienated by it. If a game will use dark themes, players should be aware upfront, both to confirm if they are comfortable with that tone, and so they can create characters that don't clash with the stark vibe the DM is going for. By the same token, a player might create a grim, amoral killer along the lines of Artemis Entreri that does not mesh with a game that has a whimsical Saturday morning cartoon tone if the DM does not provide appropriate information at Session Zero.
Players should also ask questions at Session Zero to ensure everyone's on the same page. Informing the DM of a powerful DnD character build in advance lets them prepare challenges appropriately, but far more of the burden is on the Dungeon Master at Session Zero. While jaw-dropping twists can make for a memorable campaign, the DM needs to understand the importance of information when going into a game. By being overly guarded about a campaign’s true intent, the DM is more likely to lose the players’ investment by going against the grain of their expectations for the game. Planning a major twist for the end of the campaign is one thing, but if the entire premise of the game differs from what is pitched to the players, it can come across as false advertising instead of a pleasant surprise. When in doubt, a Dungeon Master should lean towards giving too much information over too little, so that Session Zero can help everyone involved in the Dungeons & Dragons campaign enjoy it to its fullest.
