2. Session Zero: Setting the Stage for Your Campaign
So you’ve got a taste for being a Game Master and you’re itching to go bigger. Maybe that one-shot left everyone wanting more, or perhaps you just want to avoid those awkward “Wait, we’re doing what?” moments in your next game. That’s where session zero comes in. Think of it as a planning session meets group hangout, giving you and your friends a chance to set the tone, decide on the ground rules, and get everyone on the same page before dice start rolling. I hope by the end of this article you don’t feel like you “have” to do a session zero and rather that you’re looking forward to all of the benefits a session zero brings.
Why Bother with Session Zero?
I’ll admit it. I used to skip this step and jump right into the action. Sometimes it worked; sometimes I ended up with players expecting lighthearted hijinks while I had planned gritty intrigue. Session zero solves that (among many other issues). Here’s a few reasons it’s worth your, and your players’, time:
Expectation alignment. Every player has a different idea of what makes a game fun. Tactical combat, character drama, puzzle solving, you name it. Talking about your campaign concept and hearing what excites your group helps ensure everyone gets a taste of what they love.
Comfort and safety. RPGs can explore heavy themes. Discussing lines (content to avoid) and veils (topics to gloss over) keeps things respectful and lets everyone relax knowing they won’t be blindsided by something uncomfortable. More on this below.
Logistics. Scheduling, session length, communication channels, and other things that aren’t glamorous but make everyone’s lives easier. Sorting it out upfront means less scrambling later.
Creative spark. Brainstorming characters and world details together generates excitement and gives you a ton of story hooks to play with. This also gives your players to discuss their character backstories with one another and decide if they want to overlap and meld them at all.
A Session Zero Agenda
You don’t need a rigid agenda, but having a checklist will help you cover the essentials. Here’s how I structure mine:
Pitch your campaign. In a couple of sentences, describe the vibe. Is this a swashbuckling epic? A dark survival story? A lighthearted romp through a magical school? Mention any major themes or inspirations.
Discuss tone and themes. Ask your players what they enjoy and what they’d rather avoid. Use cards, consent checklists, or just an honest conversation. From humor, to romance, to horror, find out where everyone’s boundaries lie.
Talk rules and house rules. Let the group know which rulebooks you’re using and whether you’re tweaking anything. Are you starting at level 1? Are critical hits beholden to house rules? Will you pause and look up rules questions, or make a call and check later?
Character creation. Will you build together or separately? Encourage sharing ideas. I love hearing when one player says, “I’m thinking of playing a pacifist monk,” and another chimes in, “Ooh, maybe my rogue is your estranged sibling…” Those connections enrich the game.
Sort out scheduling. Decide how often you’ll play and how long sessions will run. Agree on a communication channel (Discord? Group text? Carrier pigeon?) for scheduling updates and group chatter.
Wrap up and next steps. Summarize what you decided. Does anyone need time to finish a backstory? Are there any homework tasks, like reading a setting primer? Set a date for your first session and get excited!
Making Backstories Matter
I love it when players bring me juicy backstories, but they don’t have to hand you a novel. Encourage them to think about three things:
Motivation. Why is your character adventuring? Revenge, curiosity, wanderlust, or any other goal that helps drive decisions.
Connection. Is there another PC you know from your past? A mentor you want to protect? A hometown you left behind? These connections give an easy hook into the world.
Problem. A problem or flaw is narrative gold. Maybe they owe money to a crime lord or have a forbidden secret. Problems give you opportunities to weave a personal story arcs into the main plot.
During session zero, listen for overlaps. If two characters grew up in the same village, I might plan an early encounter involving that village. If someone wants a redemption arc, I’ll sprinkle moral dilemmas along their path. The goal is to make each player’s story matter.
In more recent years I supply a backstory template to my players that I ask them to fill out. I wouldn’t do this with every group but the dynamic that my players and I have fosters a healthy outcome with this approach. I stole my template from a 13 year old Reddit post and it has served me well. Here is a simple text file to download as well. I may not always send this as-is, I may trim it or add questions based on the setting I am creating, but below is what I start with:
1. What is your character Name?
2. What Race is your character?
3. What was your mother’s profession? What was her personality like? Did she die? If so how old were you when she did? How did this impact you? If you are half-breed what race was your mother?
4. What was your father’s profession? What was his personality like? Did he die? If so how old were you when he did? How did this impact you? If you are a half-breed what race was your father?
5. How did your parents meet? What was their relationship like?
6. Is there any story surrounding your birth?
7. Where is your Hometown? Did you move? If so why and where to? What was your hometown like? (Don't be afraid to ask about the world)
8. Early Childhood: Family relations-- How did your mother treat you? How did your father treat you? Did you have any siblings or other relevant family members? If so list their relationship with you here. Did you have any close friends? If so list the relationship with you here Significant Events. Name one positive or neutral event that happened to you in your childhood. How did this affect you? Why/how did this happen? Name one positive, negative or neutral event that happened to you in your childhood. How did this affect you? Why/how did this happen? Name one negative or neutral event that happened to you in your childhood. How did this affect you? Why/how did this happen?
9. Teen/Young Adult Years: Name one positive or neutral event that happened to you in your teenage life. How did this affect you? Why/how did this happen? Name one negative or neutral event that happened to you in your teenage life. How did this affect you? Why/how did this happen? How have the major events in your childhood impacted your teenage life?
10. Adult Years: Name one positive, negative, or neutral thing that happened to you in your adult life. How have the major events in your life impacted your adult years?
11. What two events are the most significant? Why? (Character traits may be able to help inspire this!)
12. What one secret or quirky behavior does your character have/exhibit?
13. What personality does your character have? Choose an Alignment to match this.
14. What caused your character to choose their class? (Be sure to look into class archetypes, as these can vastly change your character dynamic)
15. Is your character religious? If so what Deity? What event in their life caused them to choose this particular god or goddess?
16. What Profession is your character?
17. What does your character look like? Optional: Find a picture online that you like as a fit for your character
18. What do your ability scores say about your character?
19. Based on your Intelligence, Select languages that your character most likely would have encountered or wished to learn. If you want an extra language, lets talk (no pun intended)!
20. Does your character have plans for the future? What goals does your character have?
21. How has your character gotten to the place where they begin the adventure? Why did they go there?
22. Why does/will your character join a party of adventurers?
23. What are YOUR plans for your character? How will they develop? What will they do when join a party of adventurers? What will they do when X happens?
Establishing Table Norms
A great campaign isn’t just about the plot; it’s about how your table interacts and taking a moment to enjoy time with your friends. Use session zero to talk about:
Respectful play. Agree to let everyone speak without interruption to share the spotlight. Remind your group (and yourself) that being inclusive and listening makes the game more fun for everyone.
Rules arguments. Disagreements happen. Decide if you’ll resolve rules questions immediately or after the session. I prefer making a quick ruling and then researching later so we keep the momentum.
Safety tools. Explain how players can signal discomfort. This can be through a hand gesture, a code word, or a text message. Check in after each session to see if adjustments are needed. There are a few methods commonly used in the TTRPG community in the safety tools section further below. Please take the time to read these so that you aware of the options you and your players have to help everyone feel safe.
Table etiquette. Take some to decide what is permitted at the table. Phones, cross-table chatter, advising other players on their turns, transferring information without being present in game, etc.
Safety Tools
There are many safety tools available for the modern TTRPG group. I don’t claim or pretend to have created any of these. Please take a look through and understand the options you as a GM have for your table to make everyone feel comfortable and included. Some tables need minimal safety tools, and some need more than others, but please don’t just assume your table doesn’t need them. Often times we use safety tools, especially lines and veils, without even realizing we’re doing so because they are built into how our society and friendships function. This doesn’t mean they should be taken for granted and not discussed with your group. Please foster a healthy and safe environment for everyone. The titles of the tools below are all links to a page with more detail.
The “X” Card. The X-Card is a safety tool created by John Stavropoulos that allows everyone in your game to edit out any content anyone is uncomfortable with as you play. Since most RPGs are improvisational and we won’t know what will happen till it happens, it’s possible the game will go in a direction people don’t enjoy. An X-Card is a simple tool to fix problems as they arise.
Lines and Veils. A quote in this link that I particularly like is, “The Veil or The X-Card doesn't replace our complicated interpersonal toolsets that we've spent our whole lives developing... it signals that now is the time to use them. Maybe the stock solution of "edit out the problem content, keep moving" works, but maybe not. It's case + person + issue + game-dependent.”
The CATS Method. Designed by by Patrick O’Leary. One of many frameworks for discussing content and safety is the CATS Method. This framework presents four elements to discuss with your players to decide what the group wants from the game: Concept, Aim, Tone, Safety.
TTRPG Safety Toolkit. The Safety Toolkit was created as a way to help compile and centralize some of the safety tools that are available in the tabletop space, and is co-curated by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk. The toolkit is a living resource, meant to change as safety tools—and the conversations around them—develop and grow. Due to the living and changing nature of the resources and text within the TTRPG Safety Toolkit, we recommend bookmarking the toolkit to your browser instead of downloading the documents to ensure you’re accessing the most up-to-date versions. TTRPG Safety Toolkit Credits Link.
Pro Tips for a Great Session Zero
Keep things loose. Ask open ended questions and let the conversation flow. You’re facilitating, not dictating.
Write it down. Take notes on what people want, what they don’t, and any fun character connections you hear. Trust me, you won’t remember everything later.
Stay flexible. You might have a grand campaign concept in mind, but if your players gravitate towards a different tone, consider pivoting. At the end of the day, the game is about all of you.
Make it fun. This isn’t a corporate meeting. Toss in a short improv scene or a mini encounter to break the ice and let everyone try out their new characters.
After Session Zero
Once the session wraps, you should have a solid framework to build on. Use your notes to plan the first session, flesh aout NPCs tied to your players’ backstories, and refine the world based on the ideas you brainstormed. Share a recap of what you agreed on so everyone’s on the same page. From there, it’s off to the races! Your campaign has direction, your players are invested, and you’ve created a space where everyone feels heard. As your group continues, keep revisiting the agreements you made. Players’ interests evolve and new situations pop up so treat session zero as an ongoing conversation rather than a one time event.
What’s Next on Roll for Prep
Now that you know how to lay a solid foundation, we’ll be digging into topics like crafting memorable villains, improvising entire sessions from a single hook, and balancing crunchy mechanics with narrative freedom. Have questions from your own session zero experience? Drop them in the comments or send us an e-mail at innkeeper@rollforprep.com - we’re here to prep with you.
