The Ultimate Session Zero Checklist

Why Session Zero Matters

Session Zero is the most important session of your campaign. It's where expectations are set, characters are connected, and the social contract is established. Skip it at your peril.

The Checklist

Campaign Tone & Setting

• What genre and tone are we going for? (Dark and gritty? Heroic and epic? Comedy?)
• What's the starting location and premise?
• Are there any themes players should know about?

Table Rules

• How do we handle PvP?
• What content is off-limits? (Use safety tools like Lines & Veils)
• How do we handle character death?
• What's our policy on missed sessions?

Character Creation

• What level do we start at?
• Are there any restricted races, classes, or sourcebooks?
• How do characters know each other?
• What are each character's goals and motivations?

Logistics

• Where and when do we play?
• How long are sessions?
• How do we communicate between sessions?

The DM's Promises

• "I will be fair and consistent with rules."
• "I will give every character a chance to shine."
• "I will listen to feedback."

Making It Fun

Session Zero doesn't have to be a dry rule-reading session. Run a short "flash-forward" encounter to get everyone excited. Let players test their characters in a low-stakes scenario. Build hype for the adventure ahead.

Document Everything

Write down what you agree on and share it with the group. DMForge's Campaign Builder is perfect for keeping session notes, house rules, and campaign info in one place.