First Session Prep Wizard
Never run a D&D game before? Answer a few questions and walk away with a session plan, a handout for your players, and a run sheet for the table. Saved locally in your browser.
Prepare your first session
Work through the steps in order. Nothing is generated until you ask for it.
Start with your party
Tell us how many players you expect and what level their characters start at (level 1 is a brand new character). We use this to size encounters and rewards. You can change it later.
Why Prep Your First Session
The First Session Prep Wizard is a free, step-by-step first session planner for brand new D&D 5e Dungeon Masters. In about fifteen minutes it walks you through ten short steps (three for session zero and seven for the first game) and produces a session plan, a player handout, and a one-page run sheet. It needs no account, no books, and no prior experience, and it works with both the 2014 and 2024 rules.
Your first night as a Dungeon Master (the player who describes the world and runs the game) goes best when you have a few things ready: a place to start, a few people to meet, a problem for the party to solve, and a plan for what happens if the dice go sideways. You do not need a finished campaign. You need enough to get everyone through one fun evening.
Most new DMs either over-prep, writing pages nobody will read, or under-prep and freeze when the players ask an unexpected question. This wizard sits in the middle. It walks you through the handful of choices that matter, builds the material for you, and leaves you with a short run sheet you can glance at while you play.
What the Wizard Builds
By the last step you have three things, all saved in your own browser.
- A starting location, such as a tavern (a village inn where adventures usually begin).
- A few non-player characters (NPCs, the people you play as the DM) with names and a quirk each.
- A first quest or hook: the reason the party has to leave the tavern.
- A short note for your players about the tone of the game and what to bring.
- A read-only link you can send, so players do not need an account.
- The scenes in the order you expect to run them.
- A quick reminder of the rules you are most likely to need.
The Ten Steps
Each step explains why it matters. The steps that build material roll it for you, with a Reroll button for anything you do not like, and you can skip any step.
Session zero: before the first game
- Agree on expectations and safety tools: Talk through tone, schedule, and the topics that are off limits, so nobody is surprised at the table.
- Give each character a story hook: A short story thread tied to each player character, so every player has a reason to care.
- Share a player handout: A one-page note with the campaign pitch, what to expect, and the topics you agreed to avoid, shared as a read-only link.
Session one: your first game
- A strong start: The opening scene you describe first, so the players are doing something in the first minute.
- A starting town: The home base where the party shops, rests, and hears about trouble.
- A tavern and 2 or 3 people to meet: A place to talk and a few memorable NPCs (the people you play) to make the world feel alive.
- A quest hook: The job or problem that gives the party a reason to go out and adventure.
- Three secrets or clues: Bits of local gossip the party can follow, so they always have somewhere to go next.
- One encounter: A fight or tense meeting sized for your party, so it is a challenge and not a wipe.
- Rewards: The treasure the party earns, so winning feels good and the story keeps moving.
Tips for a Smooth First Session
- Keep it small. One location, a handful of NPCs, and one problem is plenty for a first night.
- Say yes to good ideas. If a player suggests something fun, run with it and adjust your notes later.
- Be honest about the rules. If you are unsure, make a quick call, keep the game moving, and look it up after the session.
- Hold a short session zero (the talk before the game about what everyone wants from it) so nobody is surprised by the tone.
Ready for the night itself? Pacing, your first fight, quick rulings, and ending on a hook are covered in How to Run Your First D&D Session.
Common Questions
- Is the First Session Prep Wizard free?
- Yes. Every tool on Tools and Taverns is free, with no account, signup, or generation limit.
- I have never run a game. Is this for me?
- Yes. The wizard is written for a brand new Dungeon Master and explains each term as it appears. You do not need to own any books to use it.
- How long does it take?
- Most people finish in about fifteen minutes. You can stop at any step and come back later; nothing is lost when you close the page.
- Where is my prep saved?
- Locally in your browser. There is no account and nothing is stored on a server, so your prep stays on the device where you made it.
- Can I use it to plan a one-shot?
- Yes. The session one steps build a small, self-contained evening (a strong start, a town, a few NPCs, a problem, one fight, and a reward), which is exactly what a one-shot needs. Skip the session zero steps if your group already knows each other.
- Does it work with 2014 and 2024 D&D?
- The wizard follows the rules edition you pick for the site, and the material it builds works at a table using either edition.