DnD Session Zero Checklist: 5 Things to Log in Your Campaign Journal
A great campaign starts long before the first initiative roll. Use this Session Zero checklist to align your table's expectations, establish table culture, and set up your campaign journal for smooth adventuring. Logging these foundational decisions now ensures everyone stays invested in the story you build together.
Setting Ground Rules and Campaign Expectations
Before rolling stats, dedicate time to discuss the logistics that keep long-term games running smoothly. Clarify your schedule, how absences are handled, and whether you are aiming for a tactical dungeon crawl or an open-ended narrative sandbox. Writing down these agreements creates a baseline reference whenever scheduling questions or playstyle preferences crop up down the road.
- ✦Session cadence, start times, and how to handle missing players
- ✦PVP boundaries, party loot division, and table etiquette
- ✦The balance between roleplay, exploration, and tactical combat
Establishing Table Tone and Core Safety Tools
Every table thrives when everyone feels comfortable exploring dramatic stakes without unwanted discomfort. Decide early on the campaign's overall rating and tone, whether that means heroic high fantasy, grim dark survival, or lighthearted monster-hunting. Agreeing on simple tools like lines and veils or an open-door pause policy gives players clear boundaries they can trust throughout the campaign.
- ✦Overall tone: gritty realism, epic heroics, or whimsical comedy
- ✦Documented lines and veils to define off-limit content early
- ✦Agreed-upon pause or check-in signals for intense moments
Essential Questions to Ask Every Player
A quick questionnaire helps both the Dungeon Master and party members understand individual motivations before play begins. Ask each person why their adventurer travels with others and what specific story arcs or milestones excite them most. Logging these answers in your notes provides the DM with ready-made plot hooks and gives fellow players easy conversation starters around the camp fire.
- ✦Why is your adventurer leaving home to risk their life?
- ✦What personal mystery, rival, or milestone drives your arc?
- ✦How does your character react under pressure or during defeat?
Building Shared Party Bonds and Shared Backstories
Skip the awkward tavern introductions by weaving connections between party members during character creation. Encourage players to establish at least one prior relationship or shared experience with the companion sitting next to them. These preexisting ties immediately anchor the party as a team and offer natural roleplay dynamics from your very first scene.
- ✦A shared past favor, debt, or shared misadventure between two PCs
- ✦A common patron, faction connection, or mutual hometown contact
- ✦One compliment or minor grudge between characters to spark banter
What Every DM and Player Should Write Down in Their Journal
Dedicate the first few pages of your tabletop notebook to permanent campaign anchors rather than temporary session scribbles. Record house rules, key NPC names, safety boundaries, and recurring party goals right at the front where they are effortless to locate. Having these facts compiled in one dedicated book saves time at the table and prevents misremembered details months later.
- ✦Agreed house rules, homebrew rulings, and safety guidelines
- ✦Party roster with passive perception, AC, and core bonds
- ✦A list of current overarching party objectives and quest hooks
