From Zero to Hero: Running a good Session Zero

Have you been on the fence about running a Session Zero in your campaign? Maybe the idea is new to you! Possibly, you're looking for ideas on how to run such a thing? Well, this is the article for you!

In recent years Session Zero has become a common event in setting up a new game like Dungeons & Dragons, or even Daggerwood's very own Road Rage RPG, but knowing how to best spend your time at that Session is important enough to warrant its own article. By popular demand, I'll take a look here at what makes it work.

Session Zero is a format used to calibrate between GM and players and lay out the expectations, responsibilities and boundaries of the group. It can actually happen over a number of gatherings, if players come into the game in a staggered fashion or because of real-life interruptions. Key to a good Session Zero is good communication between both GM and players, and amongst the players themselves, about what they want to get out of the game. Character creation can be part of a Session Zero or come after, depending on the group and system.

Come Together for Session Zero!

Ideally, you'll get everyone together at the same time, either physically or online, so you don't have to double up on speeches. I start by outlining what the campaign is meant to be about, and then talk about the player/GM contract and how we can all make it work.

Breaking this down even further, discuss the themes of the game you intend to run, the genre of game and the system you're planning to use. If the group is open-ended this may be quite in-depth as everyone has their chance to express what they want to play and how they want to play it. 7th Sea had a great little system for describing the elements of a game that people could choose; dividing 100 points between Investigation, Politics, Romance and Action and tallying up across the group to see what is most popular. If you know your group well this part can be a quick process, but it's still good to restate your intentions in case people want something different.

The Social Contract

The player/GM contract is where you all agree on the behaviour you will and won't accept in the game space. Things like being polite to each other, turning up prepared and not shouting over people, or not arriving under the influence of anything problematic, especially if you're playing at someone's house, are important to keeping the group harmonious. You don't need to sign an actual contract for this to work; a verbal acknowledgment of the rules of the table will be enough for most people.

Logistics and Attendance

Practical matters, like how do you fit ordering food/eating at the table around the game, what the start and finish times are, and how much warning the GM needs to have if the game will be down players or cancelled, can also be discussed. Life sometimes happens despite our best plans, but having a contingency will help the momentum of the campaign. Access for movement-limited folk to get to the table, or get from the table to the bathroom, is a vital topic to cover for everyone's comfort.

Themes & Topic Boundaries

Boundaries regarding in-game themes and topics come next. When I run, I usually make it clear that my games will have no sexual violence and no harming of children, and players can add to that their phobias, triggers and squicks so that the game is immersive without being stressful and confronting to play. Matters like character death and how it is handled in the group are also important; many people get really tied to their character's developing story and have issues with arbitrary loss due to a dice roll, where other groups relish the bloodthirsty uncertainty of their mortality. The right answer is the one you can all agree on.

Fidget Toys and Electronic Accessories

Then you can also discuss how people who need toys or something to do with their hands can use (silent) fidget devices, knitting, sketching or doodling, stacking dice or any other helpful focusing habit that suits their neurodiverse nature. One of my players needs to occupy their eyes with a mindless phone game in order to give their full attention with their ears, which would be easy to misinterpret as boredom if you didn't know why they were staring at their phone. Use of electronic devices used to be a big issue for a Session Zero, but nowadays they're so ubiquitous and have so many legitimate applications to the game (dice rollers, character sheet managers etc) that a blanket ban is not going to be a solution for most groups. Whether the game room has enough power points for 6 laptops is another matter!

AI Generated Artwork

A new issue that has sprung up in recent times is the use of AI-generated artwork. If you have artists and creative types in your group, chances are they won't be happy with the game using AI assets. Be aware of the ethical and environmental issues around Generative AI material and check with the group on their position, as it may be a dealbreaker for some people's participation.

There's a lot to cover if you want to be thorough, but it doesn't have to be a chore. Use your Session Zero as a chance to unite your players, help them get to know each other if they don't already, and prepare them for the fun ahead. What you're really doing is clearing the path for an epic, collaborative and hopefully impactful story to be told, and the less outside issues there are to impede that, the more immersive the experience will be.