It’s Friday night, you’ve taken the folding table out of the storage locker, and you’ve done your prep for tonight’s session.
Now it’s time to ready the space.
I think one of the reasons I enjoy DMing so much is I’ve always liked having people over. I enjoy making sure everything I know my friends and I want will be there. ‘m a firm believer that any good party should have beer pong (I’m forever a 16 year old baseball player, so sue me), just as any good session of DnD should include things that encourage the players to problem solve and work together.
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The table itself should have a few things as well to make sure the game runs smoothly while adding a little pizazz to the whole shebang:
Snacks and refreshments
The more thematic, the better. Having nibblers on the side is generally something to do when having people over.
Additionally, enjoying an adult beverage is something I like to do when I play. Since a slokje or two tends to loosen people up, I find it promotes table talk and lubricates creative cogs. If the characters are able to purchase a drink in-game, actually pour them one of those drinks. If it adds to the player’s immersion into their character, then great. For this reason I usually have some old-world style beers, wine, and even mead (it’s delicious, though I used to think it was dank) on hand when playing. The type of things I think the tavern itself would have on offer and that the players would enjoy.
Props
The place where you play your games has an effect on the mood of the table itself. My friends and I played our first games in my outdoors carport because my mom said we were too loud to be inside. Classic.
Though, I understood where she was coming from. And we liked the carport just fine.
The room itself is an important part of the game. Just google “Joe Manganiello DnD room.” Obviously, not everyone has the disposable income to dedicate and decorate an entire room of their home to their hobby.
Nor am I saying go crazy on miniatures and terrain. Though, I like minis and terrain…
Even if you’re playing an entire campaign using just theater of the mind, having something snazzy at the table for your players to look at is just kinda nice. My friend spent sixty bucks on a Balrog head the size of a teapot.
It lights up. Totally worth it. But then again it wasn’t me spending the money.
Extra dice
I stand by the notion that everyone at the table should have 2d20 for Advantage and Disadvantage. But having a couple extra for your go-to spells is a good idea, too. I play a Fighter/Tempest Cleric and want at least 4d8 on hand (oh, some of the horde got through my Spirit Guardians, lets up-cast Thunderwave). It just speeds things up instead of rolling the same die three or four times. Plus, the clicky-clacky sound of the math rocks is a big part of the fun.
When DMing I like to have a small stash assembled because my players will never let me touch their dice for some strange reason.
Spare paper and writing utensils
Do you want your players to take notes? Throw then some paper and something to write with, because odds are they only managed to pack their character sheet, some dice, and a six pack of beer. Even having a couple spare character sheets is handy in the case of a mid-sessions level up or a dramatic character death.
Music
Tunes set the tone. I spend way too long creating custom playlists for set pieces. Not that that’s required. Just don’t be my friend who uses a loop of the Super Mario dungeon music. That’s not very nice. And, for some reason, the ups and downs of the music can synchronize with the pace of the game and really add another level of depth.
There’s music for everything. It can help convey any sort of mood. I would argue exploring a forest full of wildflowers in spring would have a different soundtrack than gritty combat. Hell, there should be different music depending on what the party is up against, not just where.
Lighting
When it got too dark for our early carport games, we would bring crappy lamps out and candles, bathing the backyard in amber light. Dimming lights or making them more brilliant, using different sources such as candles or flashlights mixes things up and reminds everyone you’re not in Kansas anymore.
Adding these little details brings tangible things to the game and are sure to help your players immerse themselves in the world a bit more while creating a more memorable game.
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