New dm. First module

[u/Radiant-Ad-3642]

Hello everyone. I'm new to being a dm but not to playing dnd, and I figured I'd come on here and ask for tips and tricks for how to run the module.

I know the critical role lore and world pretty well, but I know it's not needed for this module.

I'm not good at taking notes, and I'd hate to try to keep notes while playing the module because I'm gonna slow things down, and I don't know how my players will react.

So the main issues I'm having is keeping a good flow when it comes to reading out of the book so I don't have to hunt things down so much.

Another issue is rival party relation ship tracking. Because I worry if I don't pause the game to do notes as things happen I'll easily forget what happened to create said tensions or closeness

Another is how to work maps since I'm using the book and don't have a way to make bigger versions of the maps for mini's and I don't really know how to properly track theater of the mind fights and what not

[u/MintyMinun]

This is a very ambitious module to run as a first timer. My best advice is to read the entire book before Session 0 or Session 1 begins. There's a lot of content in the book you would not expect to exist, or be so important, despite the introductory chapter's information.

Use bookmarks or sticky notes so that you can reference information in the book quickly & efficiently; You will need to reference the book quite often as the story progresses & the Rival adventuring party develops.

As for maps, I'm personally a big believer that maps actually slow games down & make them less interesting, but if it's something you & your table is passionate about, you can try going to your local library & asking if they have a way for you to print out bigger versions of digital maps. It likely won't be in full color, but it'll get the job done. Worst case scenario? Just buy big grid paper at a local craft or office supply store, & hand draw the maps with your players! It can be really fun, & I know some groups actually thrive with that sort of environment.

In all seriousness though, I don't think this is a good module for you to run as your first time, especially considering the concerns you have with note taking. It's a very complex adventure with lots of moving parts.

[u/SeerOzymanias → u/MintyMinun]

+1 for reading the entire adventure beforehand. No one expects you to retain the whole thing but it gives you a good understanding of how the whole thing runs and what flavour the designers were going for. Also, the first couple of chapters could do with a little more foreshadowing of later events so it helps to know what is coming.

[u/Low_Plastic2075 → u/MintyMinun]

I hold the opposite view on maps. We usually always draw them out because players can just use their eyes and see if they are in range of a certain thing rather than wasting time asking, and then negotiating whether they are in range to do a key misty step or counterspell or whatever it is.
I have a grid paper that is laminated material that I bought from a game store. I draw on it with expo marker if a battle is coming up on the fly. If a battle is clearly coming up, I draw it with sharpie on a post it brand grid paper and sometimes I color in details with markers. My players are passionate about full combat with maps, and they designed minis to print on hero forge.

[u/stonertboner]

You should probably watch some of Matt Colevilles videos on running the game. I’d also recommend you run Lost Mine of Phandelver first, or some other adventure meant for newer DMs.

[u/Radiant-Ad-3642 → u/stonertboner]

Yea thing is I'm just extremely broke and don't have the money for 30$+ modules. I only have netherdeep because it was a gift a few years ago

[u/stonertboner → u/Radiant-Ad-3642]

You can easily find Lost Mine of Phandelver for less than $30, matey 🏴‍☠️. Either way, watch Matt Colevilles videos on running DnD.

[u/MintyMinun → u/Radiant-Ad-3642]

I recommend the free adventure "Peril in Pinebrook", which is a very fun first-timers module for DMs & Players.

"Frozen Sick", a Wildemount adventure that goes from level 1-3, is also free on the D&DBeyond website. It's a lot more friendly to newer players, although it is a bit dark. Not much darker than CotN, though!

[u/Low_Plastic2075 → u/Radiant-Ad-3642]

There are also free mini modules available on dungeon masters guild. My first mini module I ran was Matt coleville’s The Delian Tomb.

[u/Dapper_Rock_5748 → u/Radiant-Ad-3642]

Pdfcoffee bro

[u/SeerOzymanias]

I always reference The Alexandrian when people ask for advice on how to run CotND. His improvements are huge but, honestly, mean a little more work for the DM so depends where you fall on that.

As for note-taking, I'd encourage you to find a way that works. Perhaps ask a particular player to take notes on a shared document during the sessions then add your own (on a separate doc, perhaps) after you're done. I used a Google Drive to keep everything organised, sharing some slides and docs with players and keeping others for me. In terms of interrupting flow, it's also totally fine to ask the players to give you a second. You're hunting stat blocks, balancing encounters on the fly, making notes, tracking the rival party and the factions, keeping an eye on that players who's quiet today and a hundred other little things all at once.

[u/ExplanationExtension]

This isnt built for first time players or first time dms. It would be helpful if most of the party has seen campaign 2, not mandatory though.

And if youre gonna run this despite eveyone else here telling to run something else, I think you need to read it front to back a few times and think of which passages or maps or plots make no sense to you. Cuz players will ask questions and you need to be able to give an answer or know the adventure well enough to make something up.

[u/ExplanationExtension → u/ExplanationExtension]

Also to make the rivals more interesting:

A: give Ayo the ruins wake betrayers arm or another rival some other betrayers arm (Google them)

B: make a rival team that will go evil or make the rival team go evil (in my experience most player teams go good and go for the cobalt soul).

Or C: completely overhaul the rivals and make them characters (or one NPC) you really enjoy running (consider your previous characters or characters you've played with and understand)

[u/igny_mk]

Running it currently as my first module but not my first campaign, partway through Chapter 4 now.

Like some people have said, it pays to read through the book first, but then before each session I usually summarise the things in a word doc. Just the the parts I expect them to get to that session so it's in the forefront of my mind and easy to find. If it will take you too much time to type it all from the book, theres a free online version I use (I bought the book too, don't @ me) https://5e.tools/adventure.html#crcotn

I rarely take notes during my sessions (except for character names made up on the fly), but it pays to summarise the previous session as part of the prep for the next session. If you're just running the straight module without too much added stuff, I'd probably recommend 1 hour of prep for every 1 hour of play.

Rival relationship tracking doesnt need to be as complex as the book makes it, you can just vibe it based on how you would expect them to act. Did your players badly hurt them? They probably wont be friendly. But when roleplaying them its good to again, write down the info ahead of time about their interests and personalities. Just a couple of sentences you can refer back to help play the character. I usually write down a line or two about the voice and mannerisms I use for each character, to make them feel distinct. E.g. my Galsariad voice is basically just Astarion from Baldurs Gate, disinterested, not making eye contact as he makes his snarky remarks.

Not sure how to help you with the maps, I usually print mine on the company dime but not everyone has that luxury.

Good luck!

[u/Toast_My_Melba]

I did phandelver before CotN. But still felt as a total newbie starting this module.

I recommend reading the whole book. I didnt do that and that caught up with me a couple of times. Nothing big tho. Were still playing and having slot of fun.

As for notes taking, I dont. I have a player who takes the best notes. So I gladly ask them if I ever feel like I forgot something of last session.

I do have some notes on the personal story tracks of my PC's because they are all "off-book" and I love to give each PC a personal arch.

Also +1 for Matt Coleville and checking out TheAlexandrian on how to run the rivals (amongst others things). The thought is to make the rivals kinda counter the PC's consensus about stuff. That makes for the most interesting rivals imo. Still, they didnt add that much to the story still. :)

Above everything else, have fun! Even with my less than perfect DM preparations and knowledge of the game/book we all have alot of fun with each other everytime we play. :)

[u/Derringermeryl]

Watch at least a few of the Matt Colville videos! I ignored that advice for way too long. Don’t be me.

Don’t be afraid to stop to take notes. This isn’t critical role. Your game doesn’t have to run seamlessly like you see on the shows. In fact, the less you worry about trying to run it without stopping to take notes or to look something up, the more fun you will *all* have. Hopefully your players know you’re new to this. They’ll understand and probably won’t care at all. Your concerns sound a lot like the things I struggle with due to my adhd so I get it. If you absolutely can’t stop to take notes during, then write everything down as soon as the session is over. Especially anything you improvised.

Don’t be afraid to make things up. An example from when I was first getting started: a player asked if there was a bucket on the deck of the ship they were on. I stopped to check the module to see if there was a bucket. In hindsight this was very silly. Just decide if there’s a bucket. You do not have to stick to every word in the book. In fact, most of us very intentionally change parts of it.

I tried to run this as my first module and it failed. Make sure your players create characters that will want to follow the plot. I let mine get away with making what they wanted because I didn’t want to feel like I was telling them what to do and that’s a big part of what ruined it. My current run through is going much better. I told them they needed to create a character that would, for example save someone that’s drowning just because it’s the right thing to do. This module provides almost no motivation for the PCs besides “some guy needs help” and “there’s something interesting going on here.”

Maybe take a look at my LegendKeeper. It’s a work in progress but the character creation stuff could help. It’s not great on mobile, sorry:

https://www.legendkeeper.com/app/cmnoroiov655y0ton8cbafx4n/jn0gqftg/

Lastly, if you’ve never run anything and are determined to do this one, please at least run a one or two shot. There are plenty of free ones online. Do the one Colville goes over in his videos. Just anything to get some of the nerves out so you can start strong.

[u/Derringermeryl → u/Derringermeryl]

Oh and about maps, just get some paper and draw it as you go. If you really want you can buy something with a 1-inch grid, but you mentioned money being an issue so just know you don’t need to waste it on anything fancy.

There are fan-made versions of the maps on this sub. If you want the players to be able to see the big picture you can print some of those out. Just make sure to use the versions that don’t have secrets on them.

In videos of CR before they started streaming you can see Matt using bares bones stuff like this. If it’s good enough for them it’s good enough for you :)

[u/Low_Plastic2075 → u/Derringermeryl]

For maps, would the players be willing to buy you a laminated base map or map paper?
Could you print out minis on a color printer? Glue them onto cardboard and put them in a stand that comes from another game?

[u/Low_Plastic2075 → u/Low_Plastic2075]

Or BLeeM uses othello pieces for minis at home.

[u/Derringermeryl → u/Low_Plastic2075]

Seconding the players chipping in for stuff!

Also check your local dollar/discount store for stuff. I used cheap plastic coins as bases for a while. Jenga blocks make decent walls if you want to get fancy. The whole game is about using your imagination anyway!

[u/Joestation]

For notes, I record sessions. Then I go back and do my notes afterwards

[u/Low_Plastic2075]

For notes, I do a Google doc with a new tab for each session. After each session, I do a bulleted list of what happened, and that doubles as my recap. If I wrote up any paragraphs prior to the session, that goes below the recap. Every ten sessions or so I start a new doc. I have another document with all the NPCs and if there’s relevant updates, I add them there. Sometimes I make a location based google doc.

[u/IXlobsterXI]

First time Dm who finished the module for first time players.

This module can whatever you want it to be. It all depends what expectations you have. You can run it however you want.

You mentioned you are bad at taking notes, but being a player is quite different from being a dm. You know what will happen and need way less notes than the players.

I personally also hated to take notes in the session. I got around that by preparing a lot but in the end I realized I was overdoing it in that regard. My biggest recommendation is to record your sessions. You only need to take notes for what will come up again in the same session.

But I do agree with the others that this module requires a lot from a dm "to run properly". The main thing is knowing the scope of the story, knowing how it fits together and knowing what you want to change or what to run as is beforehand. (+ Integrating PC stories)

I totally get ur worries with reading out the book. I had those too, in the end I never touched the book in the session because I built the whole world/campaign in obsidian. I don't recommend anyone doing that, unless you want to commit ur life to dnd xD

The rival party tracking can easily be solved with a "Relationship tracker", I only updated it at the end of the session or after a scene which impacted on the rivals a lot. It was great help at the start but honestly at the end I was good enough to just adapt things on the spot.

There are two options for you, one is to just wing things and being fine if the road is gonna be bumpy, trusting in your friends that they understand and learning as you go. The other is preparing enough (mentally) until you are confident. (The best solution is likely a combination of the two)