A D&D club is a great way to encourage creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, and generally improve morale and relationships, so starting a D&D club should be a priority. Starting a D&D club is about making sure that you have some of the following things in mind:

Setting Up the Group

The first thing you need to do is to choose a person to lead the club. This person is responsible for helping people learn how to play the game, offering guidance and support, and acting as the DM. They can start to gather people through social media, or if you are starting a club in school, through announcements in the school newsletter or flyers.

It’s important to make sure that everybody has the opportunity to join in, so you may choose a location like a local library to play or rent out a hall, depending on the number of attendees, or if the group is small enough at the start, somebody’s house will be fine for now. But if you expect more people to turn up, you’ll have to account for this so everybody is as comfortable and as welcome as possible.

Gather All the Materials

It is essential to make sure you’ve got everything in place for your first meetup because if there is something missing, it’s only going to slow down the process which will hamper the enjoyment. The basics are really all you need to begin, but you’ve got to think that when people are turning up they may not know how to play or only have a fleeting understanding. The essentials include the following:

  • The copy of the basic rules.
  • A set of polyhedral dice.
  • A character sheet.
  • A spell sheet.
  • Writing tools. For example, if you are doing it on paper, you will need a pencil with an eraser, or if you are doing it digitally you will need a phone, PC, laptop, or tablet.

It’s important to start slowly and simply as this is what will help to establish the core group of players. You also need to remember that people will not always be able to attend depending on certain commitments. Having the basics in place ensures anybody can dive in where necessary, but if you want to improve the player experience further down the line, there are additional things you can purchase such as spell cards, magic item cards, and a bag for the dice or a dice tray.

Make It a Welcoming Environment

The first group meetup, or Session Zero, should be a great way to get people interested while not alienating anybody. It’s a good idea to start with some of the following basic rules:

  • Have the main stats, including the type of mystical being, name, and background in place in case people don’t know how to come up with their own.
  • Keep the backgrounds basic.
  • Keep evil characters away for the meantime until everybody finds their feet and you have a core group of regulars.
  • Make sure everybody works together, as collaboration is essential.

Making sure everybody follows these simple rules means everyone can dive in and feel part of the process, and, more importantly, have fun!

Create a Schedule

A schedule is an important part of ensuring commitment to D&D. The club leader should create a schedule that is going to guarantee greater attendance. When it comes to creating a D&D schedule you should bear in mind some of the following:

Be Flexible at the Start

When you’re starting a D&D club, you want to get people hooked so they want to come back. You need to figure out the time of the week that works for everyone so they can commit. A 3 to 4-hour session is typical for D&D, so you need to bear this in mind.

Stay Consistent

Once you find the core members, you need to find a day that works for most people. It doesn’t always mean people will be able to turn up. However, you shouldn’t feel inclined to drop a player if they don’t turn up one time. Consistency is critical, and if schedules don’t line up a lot, it may be better to split off into a couple of different groups.

Send Reminders

A group reminder via text or social media is a simple thing that will ensure people drop everything and attend.

Building on Its Success

Once you gather enough interest, you can start to create a great D&D adventure. Creating memorable Adventures and campaigns for your group is a perfect way to keep things fresh, which is something the DM can do, or you can encourage others to start creating their own. To do this properly you need to consider the following:

Creating a compelling adventure is tough, but it’s something you can do over time as you become more accustomed to what characters can and cannot do.

Learn How to Grow Your Club

Ensuring you have a dedicated core group of people is essential, but it’s also important to learn to grow your club so you organically evolve and bring more people into this amazing experience:

  • Promoting your club via social media is a very simple thing you can do as a local D&D page can be a great way for you to post updates, especially when it comes to schedule changes.
  • Fundraising for your D&D club can help to pay for the venue you are renting out. You could do this by writing to local organizations, Kickstarter campaigns, or by getting in contact with the local gaming store about discounts. If you have a core group of players, you may want to charge a small registration fee to pay for the venue, as those that are dedicated are more likely to contribute.
  • Getting sponsorship by asking for a local organization to sponsor, like the local gaming store or even a school.

If you want to start a D&D club, there are many things to consider, but these are the basics that will see you on your way to creating an amazing D&D club. If you need more resources, FanRoll can help you with your dice accessories and custom products.