What is “Session Zero”? Well You have to start somewhere, regardless if it’s a gaming night a convention game, a paid gaming session or the start of your new home campaign, and the one constant of all of these and table top role playing games (TTRPGs) is people. People change so even if you think you know your players a Session zero is for you. Session zero is everyone involved chance to set expectation, enable communication and organise the play ahead.

Session zero may not be called that it may just be the intro session at a convention or gaming night, but it fills the same needs

  • Set expectations, What games will be played, nature maturity and styles.
  • How will they be played when, where and with who.
  • Expose requirements, needs, wants special requirements to facilitate play or personal needs.
  • Develop the group and relationships everyone gets to chat outside the game, create initial bonds, characters together and maybe collaboratively.
  • Remember all of these are regardless of your intended role whether it be player or game master.

There is now a wealth of articles on session zero on the web https://www.google.com/search?q=trpg+session+zero&oq=trpg+session+zero and especially videos on Youtube

I am far less eloquent than these people, so I’m going to share my favourite balanced articles. Lets start with https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/roleplaying-game/how-to/how-to-run-session-0-dnd-rpg mainly cos it does not focus on just D&D. Session zero is for any new gaming session. But it’s worth paying attention to Ginny Dhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm_TS9pge7o and Bob the World Builder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYzFaYjglWQ.

You’ll find a ton of people lacking empathy or just wanting to be “Bro” gamers all over the internet rubbish these concepts, and that is their game, not mine. I enjoy a fun table, I want people to have fun, and to do that I avoid unnecessary triggers and conflict outside the game. Session Zero helps.

I enjoy helping new gamers and encouraging people to develop their gaming and experience. Session Zero helps. it helps make people comfortable, it helps enable them to join in and contribute.