Session zero questions for D&D: 12 to ask before your first game
Session zero is a short conversation, held before play starts, where you and your players agree what kind of game you are all about to play. For a new game master it prevents most first-session surprises: the player who wanted a serious dungeon crawl sitting beside the one who wanted jokes, or a scene that someone at the table finds upsetting. Ten to twenty minutes is enough. This page gives twelve questions, grouped so you can pick the ones that matter for your group.
Tone and expectations
- What tone do we want? Light and silly, heroic, grim, or a mix? Ask each person for one word and read them back.
- How much fighting, talking and exploring? Ask everyone to rank the three. The answer shapes what you prepare, and it saves prep time (see how long prep should take).
- How deadly should it be? Can characters die, and if so, is the table happy with that? Decide before the first fight, not during it.
- How much rules detail? Some groups want every rule applied. Others prefer the GM to rule quickly and move on. Say which you will do, and that you will check the book after the session rather than stopping play.
Comfort and safety
- Is there anything people would rather not have in the game? Ask privately or in writing if your group is shy. Common choices are graphic harm to children or animals, and themes close to personal experience. You do not need a reason from anyone.
- What happens if someone is uncomfortable mid-game? Agree a simple signal. Many tables use the X-Card, a card or gesture that means "skip or change this", and "lines and veils" (lines are things that never appear, veils are things that happen off-screen). Both are widely used community tools, and you can use either without any special materials.
Characters and the party
- Which books, classes and races are allowed? Tell people what you know well. A first-time GM is allowed to start with the core rules only.
- How will the party hold together? Ask each player for one reason their character would work with the others. This one question avoids the loner who walks away from the adventure.
- Do characters know each other already? A shared starting hook, such as the same job offer or the same village, makes the first scene easier to run.
Practical matters
- When, where and how long? Agree a regular slot and a finish time. Sessions that overrun on the first night tire out a new GM.
- What if someone cannot make it? Common options are that their character fades into the background, or another player runs it. Choose one in advance.
- What are the table rules for phones, snacks and talking over each other? A light touch is fine. The point is that everyone has said it out loud once.
Running it in 15 minutes
Spend about five minutes on tone and expectations, five on comfort and safety, and five on the party and logistics. Write the answers on a sticky note and keep it behind your GM screen. Come back to it after the first session and ask what to change, because most groups adjust once they have played together.
The free first-session prep sheet includes a printable shorter version of these questions, with tick boxes for the rest of your prep. If you are setting difficulty for the first fight, see how hard a check should be.
Method: these questions are our own summary of common session-zero practice in the tabletop community, arranged for a new GM. They are suggestions, not rules from any publisher, and not tested figures. The X-Card and lines and veils are community safety tools; look up each one for the creator's full description before using it.